Real Estate Magazine - Inside Real Estate - January 2021

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ACHIEVING AN AUDACIOUS GOAL Royal LePage’s Future-Focused Digital Transformation With rlpSPHERE – Page 58 Royal LePage COO Carolyn Cheng Photography: Korby Banner

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{Contents}

January 2021/Vol. 37, No. 1 • www.rismedia.com

The Women in Real Estate Issue

ON THE COVER 58 Achieving an Audacious Goal Royal LePage’s Future-Focused Digital Transformation With rlpSPHERE From its founding in 1913 to its status as its nation’s largest real estate company with more than 600 locations and 18,000 agents, Royal LePage is synonymous with real estate in the Great White North. As President & CEO Phil Soper says, “Royal LePage is Canada’s Real Estate Company; a contemporary, innovative business built on more than 100 years of industry leadership. We have no intention of slowing down.” In this month’s cover story, Soper and COO Carolyn Cheng discuss how Royal LePage is once again shaking the industry’s foundations as a technology innovator with the launch of its groundbreaking digital ecosystem, rlpSPHERE.

HIGHLIGHTS 28 Breaking Barriers With Perseverance and Determination Fathom Realty’s leaders set out to ‘accomplish anything.’

66 Women in Real Estate: Understanding the Hurdles, Seizing the Opportunities In this special roundtable discussion, some of the industry’s most successful female leaders candidly share their experiences of rising through the ranks.

84 Real Estate Rockstars: Empowering 66 56

Women to Claim Their Seat at the Table Here, learn how two real estate rockstars are paving the way for future generations of women to step up to the leadership plate.

96 Power Broker Perspectives This month, leading Power Brokers discuss the importance of supporting women and women leaders throughout the real estate industry.

HEADLINERS 13 Policy Matters: Advancing the Acceptance of Remote Digital Real Estate Closings

14 N AR Power Broker Roundtable: Preserving Company Culture in a Changed Landscape

18 E xecutive Appointments 21 R EBAC Report: How Do Single Female Buyers Differ From Other Homebuyers?

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 3

39

63 N ishika Green – Fully Focused: Running a Client-Centered and Transaction-Based Business

93 S arah Vance – Women in Real Estate: Finding Your Balance

95 L ane Hornung – How zavvie Pro Is Helping to Create the Modern Agent

27 S upporting Women’s Leadership Goals

46 A Meeting of the Minds: Family Culture, Business Rapport Lead to Howard Hanna | Rand Realty Partnership

91 H ow Real Estate Agents Used Tech to Adapt in 2020, and Why It Worked

94 M eet the Newsmakers: Gail Liniger, Jessica Edgerton, Angela Hucles Mangano, Lacey Conway, Pam Liebman

102 B log Spot: 4 Ways to Polish Up Your Home’s Exterior Before Getting an Appraisal

104 ‘We Need Each Other More Than Ever’: Brokerage Strategies Honed During Pandemic Serve as Advantage for 2021

FEATURES 40 R eal Estate’s Most Connected Agent

44 A Gold Standard for Home Warranties

49 S tanding Out From the Competition in a Crowded Online Space

53 B ringing Complete Security and Peace of Mind to Buyers and Sellers Alike

54 S trategies: BoomTown; Inside Real Estate

56 B ringing IT Expertise to Real Estate Sales 4 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

58 A chieving an Audacious Goal 64 O bsessed With Finding a Better Way

100 Erin Ruane – Why Women Are So Effective in Leadership Roles

101 C hao Cheng-Shorland – Why Real Estate Will Be Stronger in 2021

72 W omen in Real Estate: Leading the Charge Toward Equal Access and a Level Playing Field

86 A Journey of Leadership Brings Rich Perspective to Real Estate

INTERVIEWS

103 J ulie Escobar – A Distinction That Makes a Difference

106 T erri Murphy – How Female C-Suite Execs Lead to Win

POWER TEAMS 75 B rianne Ika – Don’t Waste Time Away From Home: Avoiding ‘Fake Work’

88 A nna Ciano-Hendricks, RE/MAX Pathway

89 C onnie Yoshimura, Berkshire

76 L aura Ryan – Establishing a Social Media Plan That You Can Actually Execute

Hathaway HomeServices Alaska

90 D ava Davin, Portside Real Estate

77 S ara Guldi – Put Your Oxygen Mask on First

Group

EXPERTS 24 T he Experts at Real Estate Express – 3 Reasons Why Real

78 S arah Michelle Bliss – Accountability Matters: Performance Tracking Key to Continued Success

82 H ow Women-Led Chicago Real Estate Team ‘Understands Mindset of Every Customer’

Estate Is One of the Best Careers for Women

26 J ’aime Nowak – Powering Through Your Plateaus Like a Pro

35 D arlene Umina – A Leap of Faith

37 H eather Konopka – Commercial Real Estate and Women: A Perfect Pairing

39 P atty McNease – Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Paving the Way for Women in Real Estate

51 D aniel Ramsey – Women Leaders in Virtual Real Estate

EVERY ISSUE 6

RISMedia Online

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Publisher’s Desk

16 Women in Real Estate 108 Service Profiles 115 Referrals 120 RE: Real Estate—National Association of REALTORS® 2021 Legislative Preview

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RISMedia.com in the Spotlight: January

{Online} Trending on View these and more at blog.rismedia.com!

4 Ways Your Bathroom Can Impact the Value of Your Home

Interested in learning more about women in real estate? Check out the following articles on RISMedia.com.

Most agents agree that a home’s kitchen and bathroom are two of the biggest selling points for homebuyers.

To add value to your home, or just make it more attractive and useful, consider these upgrades.

Plan Ahead: Preparing Your Home and Family Against Future Emergencies

Taking the time to prepare yourself for an emergency will go a long way toward helping you and your family get through anything that comes your way. Here are some tips to help you prepare your home against future emergencies.

Study: U.S. Cities With the Smallest Apartments When you consider which cities have the smallest apartments, which ones do you think of? Los Angeles?

Almost certainly New York City, right?

According to a recent Apartment Guide study, however, those two cities don’t even crack their list of the top 25 cities with the smallest apartments.

Find out the surprising urban locations whose flats fall short on square footage in this revealing report.

NAR Honors 2020 Recipients of the Supporting Women of Real Estate Grant

How to Keep Your Water Heater Going Strong All Winter Long It’s never convenient for your water heater to stop working, but it’s less than ideal when it happens during the winter. Here are some routine maintenance tips you can’t afford to ignore.

Study: U.S. Cities With the Friendliest Neighbors

Improvenet, an online provider of home improvement services, conducted a study to see how folks are getting along with their neighbors amidst the COVID pandemic.

This is the second year that NAR and the Women’s Council of REALTORS® have committed to investing in local initiatives that promote the role of women in real estate.

Accessory Dwelling Units Could Help Women Meet Housing Goals Women seek homeownership as a stable location to build a home-based business. An ADU provides extra space to grow that business.

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Zillow: Women More Likely to Face Housing Insecurity in PandemicLed Recession Women face disproportionate housing impacts due to the coronavirus, according to a recent report from Zillow.

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{Publisher’s Desk} Honoring Women Who Make a Difference

W

1

elcome to January 2021! What better way to celebrate this much-anticipated new year than by honoring some of the tens of thousands of women who have helped transform our industry into a profession dedicated to providing equal opportunity for all, while at the same time delivering great service to millions of consumers every year—never taking success for granted.

This special “Women in Real Estate” issue honors many of the women who make a difference in this industry every day. You’ll find news about women in real estate, commentaries from female thought leaders, and candid viewpoints on the challenges and opportunities of being a woman in real estate in our special roundtable on page 66.

Selecting the leaders we spotlight in this issue was a difficult task. There are literally thousands of professionals whose achievements more than warranted inclusion. That’s why this issue also kicks off a new, monthly column (page 16) dedicated to Women in Real Estate, so that we can highlight the accomplishments of female leaders all year long.

The RISMedia team would also like to recognize a woman whose dedication to the real estate profession has been, and continues to be, without fail, instrumental to our industry—our Executive Editor Maria Patterson.

Maria has been managing RISMedia’s Real Estate magazine and our news and information services for the better part of two decades. Her unparalleled dedication to our mission of supporting our readers’ quest for relevant information, news and professional achievement is second to none. Maria’s vast network of relationships built up over years of caring service continues to make a positive impact on our industry every month through the pages of our various publications.

Under Maria’s leadership, she and her team have helped create many of RISMedia’s signature events, including our annual Real Estate Newsmakers compilation (coming next month!) and honorary dinner at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. each May. As Fathom Realty Founder Josh Harley says in this month’s cover story (page 28), the perspective female leaders bring to a company is “invaluable and irreplaceable.” I couldn’t agree more.

Congratulations to Maria and all the women so deservedly honored in this special issue of RISMedia’s Real Estate magazine!

John E. Featherston CEO & Publisher

3 2

4 5 6

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EDITORIAL Executive Editor Maria Patterson Online Managing Editor Beth McGuire Managing Editor Paige Tepping Senior Online Editor Liz Dominguez Blog/Social Media Editor Jameson Doris Content Editor Paige Brown Contributing Editors Lesley Grand; John Voket; Barbara Pronin; Keith Loria; Andrew King

CREATIVE SERVICES Vice President Kelli McKenna Production Manager Susanne Dwyer Junior Designer Janet Yung-Balbin Digital Content Specialists Liz Ruggiero; Aidan Whalen

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PUBLICATIONS & SERVICES Real Estate magazine Annual Power Broker Report & Survey ACESocial (Automated Content Engagement) www.rismedia.com (Daily e-News) blog.rismedia.com (Housecall) RISMedia’s Real Estate CEO Exchange Power Broker Forum, Reception & Dinner Real Estate Newsmakers Reception & Dinner Copyright® 2021 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).

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{Policy Matters} Advancing the Acceptance of Remote Digital Real Estate Closings This column is brought to you by the NAR Real Estate Services group.

by Sarah Young

R

esidential real estate sales have continued to flourish during the COVID-19 health pandemic and have been critical to keeping the economy afloat. The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) applauds real estate professionals for quickly adapting as best as possible to remote work and virtual tour technologies to keep real estate transactions in motion despite limited in-person meetings and home tours in many states. But additional work needs to be done to ensure that real estate brokerage and mortgage systems that support real estate home sales can stay nimble during the social distancing restrictions put in place during the pandemic. Both homebuyers and sellers have expressed a desire to reduce in-person meetings with settlement service providers and want to have remote digital real estate closing options available even

after the pandemic ends. We have the technology to do this, but the laws and business practices need to catch up so that we can provide safe, remote digital real estate closings.

Last summer, NAR conducted research to better understand barriers to adoption of remote digital real estate closing technology. While the use of eSignatures and electronic records has gained widespread adoption for many components of the real estate transaction, the use of remote online notarization (RON) for real estate closing documents by settlement service providers has been slower to catch up. RON is a type of electronic notarization where the notary and signer are in different physical locations. The authentication and signing process uses twoway, real-time audio-visual technology, which enables the signer and notary to see and hear each other simultaneously. Such technology improves the customer experience, while at the same time provides strong consumer protections. The use of RON is critical to providing fully remote digital real estate transactions since documents such as the mortgage and deed need to be notarized in order for the closing to be completed.

NAR has taken several steps to help advance adoption of remote online notarization of real estate closing documents through legislative reform, education programs and industry initiatives. For example, NAR has urged Congress to pass the SECURE Notarization Act to allow consumers wider access to remote online notarization options by expanding the availability of RON in all states, setting national minimum standards for the use of RON and promoting interstate recognition of RON transactions performed under the laws of another state. RON legislation has been passed in 29 states, and approximately 20 additional states have issued guidance en-

abling RON temporarily in response to COVID-19. Unfortunately, state laws vary with respect to the requirements for authorizing notaries to perform RON, authenticating signers, location of signers, content/structure of electronic stamps and seals, and maintenance of notary journal entries for RON transactions. In the absence of a federal legislative solution, NAR has also worked with industry partners to develop model state legislation for states that are considering passing RON laws to reduce inconsistencies in the interim.

In mid-December, NAR also convened an “eClosing roundtable” with other real estate industry trade groups, technology companies and financial institutions to discuss ongoing barriers to adopting RON technology. The group discussed the importance of having uniform state laws governing all key elements of the eClosing process, such as eNotarization, RON, eRecording and settlement, as well as the need to establish and expand consistent “rules” or operational standards that function at the industry level.

Participants committed to promoting additional education to dispel myths about barriers to eClosing processes, as well as promoting the use of safe and effective technology to execute eClosings. In addition to providing remote closing options, efforts to advance use of this technology will provide consumers with faster and more efficient and accurate real estate transactions, reduce the risk of errors and loss of documents, and make a positive impact on the environment. For more information on remote online notarizations and NAR advocacy work, visit https://www.nar.realtor/remote-notarization. RE

Sarah Young is the director of Real Estate Services, National Association of REALTORS®.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 13

{The NAR Power Broker Roundtable} Preserving Company Culture in a Changed Landscape MODERATOR:

Cindy Ariosa Senior Vice President, Regional Manager, Long & Foster Real Estate, Chantilly, Va., Liaison for Large Firms and Industry Relations, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) PARTICIPANTS:

Joan Docktor President, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS®, Philadelphia, Penn.

Michael Saunders Founder/CEO, Michael Saunders & Company, Sarasota, Fla.

Tracy Kasper Broker/Owner, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Silverhawk Realty, Boise, Idaho The Power Broker Roundtable is brought to you by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and Cindy Ariosa, NAR’s liaison for Large Firms & Industry Relations. Watch for this column each month, where we address broker issues, concerns and milestones.

Cindy Ariosa: As we begin the year with renewed hope for a healthy, stable world, we realize that if there’s a silver lining to the COVID-19 crisis, it’s how much we have learned; that a focus on culture is even more critical in a period of social distancing, and remembering the human element in our use of technology is key to preserving a meaningful environment.

Joan, what’s your team doing to keep everyone pulling together?

Joan Docktor: When COVID hit,

technology offered a lifeline, and we

14 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

quickly learned that the better we became at virtual engagement—the more helpful, meaningful content we provided—the more our agents responded. In fact, in spite of how busy our people are in today’s market—or maybe because of it—our virtual sales meetings and training sessions are so well-attended that they will likely be with us forever. Our Friday Forums, for example, which typically drew 300 in-person attendees each month, are attracting a thousand or more online.

Michael Saunders: I can echo that.

We’ve always been a collaborative company, very much into togetherness, and we knew we needed to pivot overnight to translate that to an online platform. We began reaching out to every agent and encouraging them to reach out to their clients.

The goal was to inform, to guide, to reassure, and to offer help where needed. The message was—and remains—be safe, be calm, be kind.

It’s a message that resonates, that reinforces the trust our clients place in us, and that I think inspires the loyalty and respect of our agents as we move through this together.

Tracy Kasper: Yes, the key from the

outset has been good communication—great content across many platforms. I know my agents look to me for guidance, so what I share with them must be timely and varied and worthy of sharing: current events, safety protocols, insightful speakers, even friendly competition. We are in this together, and whether it’s training or mentoring or virtual cocktail parties, it’s all about relationships— mine with my agents and theirs with their clients. That’s what keeps culture intact.

CA: For me, that means reaching out to three people a day, and keeping everyone

accountable for staying connected. It means in-depth virtual workrooms, a place to share stories, to maintain a sense of family in a time when in-person get-togethers had to be canceled or moved online. Now we face the prospect of more months without in-person festivities. What about awards—a vital part of every company’s culture?

JD: Each of our offices does its own awards recognition, often with a virtual happy hour, and we host our monthly Breakfast of Champions virtually for our 40 top achievers. With our major awards event scheduled in March, we are investigating various scenarios—hopefully something we can do safely outdoors, where we can actually be together.

TK: For the holidays, I personally dropped off a gift at the front door of every agent. You can do that when you have a manageable number. We had a virtual hot cocoa party and we opened presents. If we can’t be face-to-face, we try to duplicate that atmosphere to recognize our top achievers.

MS: I’m on board with that, even with 700 agents in 23 far-flung offices.

At the holidays, we gave each office funds to plan virtual holiday parties in whatever way they chose, and we celebrated our top 100 performers with elegant baskets delivered to their door. That personal touch is what we want to honor in every company event, virtual or not.

CA: I think what we’re saying is that in a relationship business, our role as leaders is to relate—to be as creative and inclusive in the virtual world as in any other environment. RE 8For an expanded version of this article and other NAR Power Broker Roundtable topics, please visit www.rismedia.com.

Women in Real Estate

Vanessa Bergmark recently sat down with RISMedia’s RealEdge podcast host Daniel Ramsey to discuss how her company—Red Oak Realty, the largest independent firm in the San Francisco Bay Area—has thrived during challenges by remaining “seriously local.” Find out more about the competitive advantages of being independent in Bergmark’s podcast episode, “‘Steering My Own Ship’ – Why Independence Gives You an Advantage” at rismedia.com/podcasts.

This past October, Nykea Pippion McGriff of Coldwell Banker Realty began her term as president of the Chicago Association of REALTORS® (CAR)— the first black female to hold the position in the association’s 137-year history.

Pippion McGriff served as a director on CAR’s board in 2015, and served as treasurer in 2018. In partnership with the CAR Foundation, she created the Xavier O. Joy Scholarship in memory of her son. Pippion McGriff also serves as an Illinois REALTORS® director and federal political coordinator for Congressman Bobby Rush, where she works for the interests of private property owners. She was the 2019 president of the Women’s Council of REALTORS®Illinois, as well as the 2017 president of the Women’s Council of REALTORS®Chicago.

16 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Christy Budnick, president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty, led her firm through a “Mega Open House Weekend” this past fall, despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 100 open houses took place during the event, both virtually and in person. “We have received many compliments regarding the way we are conducting our inperson open houses following the guidelines recommended by the CDC,” said Budnick.

Have you caught real estate educator and social media guru Marki Lemons Ryhal on the speaking circuit yet? If not, she’ll be leading a panel of real estate pros during the session, “More Than Just Likes: A Blueprint for Online Success” during RISMedia’s “Real Estate’s Rocking in the New Year” event on Jan. 7, co-presented by the National Association of REALTORS®. As an author and frequent keynote speaker, Ryhal specializes in social media training for brokers, banks and title companies, and has written more than 100 classes approved for continuing education. Visit rerny21.rismedia.com to register for Rhyal’s Jan. 7 presentation. RE

{Executive Appointments} Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC announced that Christian Barnes has been named president and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Kansas City Homes. She succeeds David Cooper, the firm’s founder, who will remain with the company in an advisory capacity. Barnes, who joined the company as a sales associate in 2007, most recently served as director of career development. In this role, she instituted a strategic business planning program for agents, which resulted in a 35 percent increase in unit production. Barnes also refined the company’s training system, increasing learning sessions by 276 percent over the past year. Mike Belzer, who has served as an owner and the firm’s chief financial officer since 2004, will remain as CFO. Barnes’ husband, Chris Barnes, a successful entrepreneur with a track record of growth in manufacturing, technology and transportation, will assume the role of COO. @properties recently announced that Natasha Patla has been promoted to chief marketing officer. In her new role, Patla will focus on scaling @properties’ marketing programs as the company introduces its franchise offering to new markets across the country. She will also continue to oversee branding, agent marketing and local and national advertising for @properties’ company-owned locations, while developing joint marketing programs with @properties’ affiliated businesses. Prior to the promotion, Patla was @ properties’ executive vice president of marketing. Patla joined @properties as vice president of marketing in 2013. Under her direction, @properties’ marketing department has expanded to include a full-service print center; video production department; and digital marketing, social media and event coordination teams.

Realogy Holdings Corp has announced the appointment of Sue Yannaccone as president and chief executive officer of Realogy Franchise Group LLC. Yannaccone will replace John W. Peyton, who was recently announced as the new CEO of Dine Brands Global, Inc. Yannaccone joined Realogy in 2015, and in her new role, she will oversee the franchise operations of Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, CENTURY 21® and ERA®, as well as the franchise and owned operations of Sotheby’s International Realty® and Corcoran®. Yannaccone will report to Ryan Schneider, Realogy’s chief executive officer

18 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

and president. During her tenure at Realogy, Yannaccone has held senior franchise and owned-brokerage leadership positions. Before joining the company, she had more than 15 years of franchise experience in both commercial and residential real estate.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (BHHS) Florida Realty recently announced the addition of Vivian Hilmer to its leadership team. Hilmer assumed the role of managing broker of the Winter Park branch sales office. With more than 15 years of overall real estate experience in the Orlando market, Hilmer is a bilingual professional with a proven record of generating and building relationships, managing projects, developing training strategies, and coaching individuals to succeed. In other company news, Shawn Strodoski has assumed the role of vice president of the Southwest region. Strodoski brings more than 35 years of real estate and corporate sales, training and marketing experience.

Cinch Home Services (Cinch) has appointed Sloane Levy to the role of chief administrative officer and general counsel. In this role, Levy will oversee legal, compliance, risk management, facility operations and business continuity planning, among Ballard other administrative functions. With 25plus years of experience, Levy has driven results across corporate strategy, product development, mergers and acquisitions, business development and marketing.

Brickey Throughout her career, she has provided legal, compliance and regulatory oversight, including complex litigation and corporate governance.

Fathom Realty recently announced several new district directors to its leadership team: Diane Ballard (Seattle/Eastside, Wash.); Danny Brickey (Little Rock, Ark.); Martha Hilton (West Virginia); Angela Nunez (Miami, Fla.) and Chay Spaniol (South Suburbs, Chicago, Ill.) RE

For more executive happenings, please visit www.rismedia.com.

Hilton

Nunez

Spaniol

Joan Docktor

Melissa Cunningham

Christina Pappas

Wendi Iglesias

Jennifer Alter Warden

Mary-Lee Blaylock

President BHHS, Fox & Roach, REALTORS

VP of Marketing + Brand BHHS, Fox & Roach, REALTORS

Vice President The Keyes Family of Companies

Chief Information Officer The Keyes Family of Companies

Chief Operating Officer Baird & Warner

President & CEO BHHS California Properties

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{REBAC Report}

How Do Single Female Buyers Differ From Other Homebuyers?

by Jennifer Rzeszewski

4. How they found their agent.

Referrals were the most common way all buyers found their agent (40 percent), but it played a larger role for female buyers. Forty-five percent of single females relied on referrals from friends, neighbors or relatives.

5. Factors influencing the choice of neighborhood. Convenience to friends and family was more important to single females than to any other household group.

6. The importance of technology.

Slightly more than any other group, single females placed a high priority on their agent’s technology skills; 48 percent rated this very important versus 45 percent for all buyers.

E

ach year, when the National Association of REALTORS®(NAR) research team releases its annual Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers report, brokers have an exceptional opportunity to gain valuable market insights. What stories can the data tell us, and how can the research help agents be more effective in serving homebuyers?

Single female homebuyers have represented the second-largest group of buyers by adult household composition since this report was first released in 1981. In 2020, single females were 18 percent of all buyers, compared to married couples (62 percent), single males (9 percent), unmarried couples (9 percent) and “other” (2 percent).

How do single females’ experiences differ from other types of homebuyers? There are at least seven areas worth noting: 1. Type of home purchased. Like all buyers, single females were most likely to purchase a detached, singlefamily property. However, single females were twice as likely to buy a townhouse or row house (14 percent

versus 7 percent) compared to all buyers.

2. Size and cost of the home.

Among all buyer categories, single females purchased the least expensive homes ($210,000) and the smallest homes (median of 1,590 square feet), likely reflecting the income and affordability challenges that single females face compared to other types of homebuyers.

3. What prompted their move?

Significant life changes are the top driver of all recent homebuyers’ purchases, cited by 27 percent of buyers. This factor was substantially more pronounced for single females; 37 percent of respondents said it was their No. 1 reason for moving.

7. The impact of COVID-19. More than any other group, the pandemic’s onset put a dent in home-buying activity among single females. Single females represented 18 percent of all buyers before March 2020, but only 14 percent after April 2020.

Data plays a valuable role in understanding buyers and elevating agents’ buyer representation skills.

Help your agents go a step further in serving all types of buyers with NAR’s Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation. Learn more at REBAC.net. RE

Jennifer Rzeszewski is vice president and executive director for the Center for Specialized REALTOR® Education (CSRE), a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Rzeszewski has 20-plus years of expertise in education, project and team management, and relationship building. Prior to joining NAR, she was a REALTOR® helping clients realize the dream of homeownership. She also spent many years leading education, operations and business development teams in the call center industry.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 21

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3 Reasons Why Real Estate Is One of the Best Careers for Women by the Experts at Real Estate Express

W

hile many careers force women to choose between working in a caring capacity and creating a solid financial future, real estate is broad enough that you can find roles encompassing both goals.

There are specific ways these elements work together to make real estate one of the best careers for women who prioritize meaning and well-being in their jobs.

No. 1: A flexible schedule allows for community participation Even though real estate is a demanding career, you have the option to set your own hours.

Not only does the flexible schedule allow you to be there for the people you love, but it also helps you participate in your community by giving you the freedom to volunteer and engage in community events that might be impossible with different work hours.

If you’re already in real estate, it can become easy to let your schedule be overtaken by urgent demands and ongoing work. Remember, you’re in charge. What pri24 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Real estate is one of those careers where you get out of it what you put in. Women with a strong work ethic will benefit from this aspect of real estate and be able to shape their real estate career to make it work for their goals. orities do you want to pursue that would make your flexible schedule meaningful? Challenge yourself to schedule these first next month.

No. 2: Personal growth targets expand your potential Your potential in all areas of your life is wide open when you pursue

a career in real estate. Instead of limiting your focus to one segment, real estate’s fluidity allows you to respond to what you’re passionate about right now.

Even though real estate is one of the best careers for women who want to grow in all areas of their life, you have to be proactive about making it work for you. If you want to maximize your potential, sit down with a planner and set process goals that will get you from where you are now to where you want to be. Pro tip: Do this once a quarter.

No. 3: Constant learning allows you to continue to hone your skills Real estate has learning built into the career. In fact, you’re required to constantly be educating yourself.

This is great for women with big goals because it means each year you get the chance to learn about a different aspect of the business and continue to hone your skills.

Choose courses for your continuing education hours that inspire you and open up new pathways for your business. Don’t get stuck doing the same thing each year.

Real estate is one of those careers where you get out of it what you put in. Women with a strong work ethic will benefit from this aspect of real estate and be able to shape their real estate career to make it work for their goals. RE Real Estate Express is one of the nation’s premier online real estate schools, providing pre- and postlicensing courses, continuing education courses, and professional development to hundreds of thousands of real estate agents across the country.

Real Estate Express, along with its sister schools McKissock Learning, Superior School of Real Estate, Allied Schools, The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing and Hondros Education Group, helps real estate professionals achieve sustainable success throughout each stage of their real estate career.

Learn more at realestateexpress.com.

Powering Through Your Plateaus Like a Pro

by J’aime Nowak

I

t’s pretty amazing to work with, learn from or observe someone who is a master of their talent, passion or trade. While for most, the road to mastery feels mysterious and unreachable, for them it appears effortless.

The good news is that this road is available to anyone willing to take the journey.

The path to success may look easy, but it’s rife with hard lessons, small victories, plateaus and challenges. There is no direct route to the top. In fact, most of this pursuit toward mastery is spent on the unpleasant and often mundane plateau.

These plateaus can feel absolutely dreadful, but that changes when you approach them with a fresh point of view. There is power in staying the course and pushing through, even though you’d rather give up and try something else.

It’s what you choose to do at the plateau that creates your next peak. If you feel like you’ve been spending time on a plateau, use 26 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

these tips to stay focused on mastery instead of getting frustrated.

Focus on Your Progress Think about where you began your journey compared to where you are now. We tend to get caught up comparing ourselves to others in the middle of their climb, but the comparison game is a complete waste of energy. When you get frustrated and feel like your progress has stalled, understand that you have still gained ground. This new plateau is higher than your last, but the solution is still the same: keep moving. Try to reconnect with your “why” by remembering what drives you on your professional journey.

Be Present Always remain present on that pla-

teau, no matter how sick you are of dealing with it. Do the best you can with the tools you have, and get to work. The road to mastery doesn’t include shortcuts. You truly earn the way to your next peak, and to get there, you have to be willing to endure tough times and trust the process. Still, remember to celebrate your victories and every small step you take forward, while also learning from any mistakes and failures. Give your whole self to this learning process—life rewards courage.

Seek Support and Training You do not have to walk your journey toward mastery alone. Avoid isolation by leaning into a community of like-minded, sharp professionals who are always helping each other.

At the same time, look to invest in yourself and your business with real estate training, especially during those plateaus. There are real estate training programs specifically designed to build your skills and confidence at every stage of your career for consistent action, while providing you with all the tools you need to climb to your next level.

This journey of mastery is filled with hope and growth, as well as challenges. For an exceptional real estate training program to help you power through your plateau and advance to the next peak, check out The Pathway to Mastery®— Advanced. This latest real estate training program from Buffini & Company is designed to help agents reach the next level to become true professionals. Learn more about the course at www.buffiniandcompany.com/advanced. RE

J’aime Nowak is a master trainer at Buffini & Company. To learn more, please visit https:// buffiniandcompany.com.

Supporting Women’s Leadership Goals

by Liz Dominguez

F

emale real estate professionals outnumber their male counterparts, with women making up 64 percent of all REALTORS®, according to the 2020 Member Profile Report from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Why, then, is there such a significant gap between men and women leaders in a femaledominated industry? Below are a few organizations and programs that are helping more women in real estate achieve their leadership goals:

Women in the Housing and Real Estate Ecosystem (NAWRB) – Advancing gender equality across the entire housing ecosystem, NAWRB provides comprehensive tools and resources for women in the industry. www.nawrb.com Women’s Council of REALTORS® – A network of experienced REALTORS®who are helping to

advance women as professionals and create leaders in the business and the community. www.wcr.org What Moves HerSM – A network founded by Realogy President & CEO Sue Yannaccone through the Coldwell Banker network, focused on helping women develop their professional goals. www.whatmovesher.com

Institute of Real Estate Management – Membership to the program, an affiliate of NAR, empowers students, professionals and industry veterans to seek career advancement in the real estate fields. www.irem.org WomenUP!® by the California Association of REALTORS® – A nationwide campaign and community for women who want to own and lead a real estate brokerage or support the cause. www.womenupnetwork.com CREW Network – A network committed to transforming the commercial real estate industry by advancing women globally. www.crewnetwork.org RE

Liz Dominguez is RISMedia’s senior online editor. Email her your real estate news ideas to ldominguez@rismedia.com.

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Breaking Barriers

With Perseverance and Determination

From L to R: Chief Brokerage Operations Officer Samantha Giuggio, SVP of Finance Veronica Salmon and Chief Brand Officer Wendy Forsythe

28 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Fathom Realty’s Leaders Set Out to ‘Accomplish Anything’

by Maria Patterson

W

ithout a doubt, 2020 was a year that no one will ever forget—and for Fathom Realty, that’s not just because of the pandemic. Last year, the cloud-based, full-service real estate brokerage launched its IPO, and zealously embarked on expanding its presence in markets across the country. At the core of the firm’s surging success is its leadership team, which Founder & CEO Josh Harley built to bring “different strengths and experiences to the table.” In this exclusive interview, Harley, along with Fathom Realty’s Chief Brand Officer Wendy Forsythe, Chief Brokerage Operations Officer Samantha Giuggio and SVP of Finance Veronica Salmon, discusses why the company’s success is all about perseverance and determination...and why women have been central to the cause.

Maria Patterson: Josh, you’ve built a strong executive team to help bring Fathom to the next level. Tell us about your philosophy on choosing leaders.

Josh Harley: When I started Fathom more than a decade ago, I knew that I wanted to build a company that was bigger than me. I wanted to build an organization that had the potential to change the industry, and I knew that I could not do it alone. I needed to build a leadership team that shared my vision for the industry and my passion for serving others. I also knew I had to build a team of leaders who brought different strengths and experiences to the table. I wanted to surround myself with people who were smarter than me. I even wanted a team who was willing to disagree with and challenge me, because I knew that if I could build consensus among those who disagreed, we could accomplish anything. The most important thing I

look for in a leader is a servant attitude. It’s vital to an organization to have leaders who will always place their people first.

“I can say with complete confidence that a woman’s perspective is not just important, it’s vital. Women and men often see the world differently and that’s invaluable. Both views are important, but neither view is truly complete without the other.”

MP: Seems like it would take a lot of courage to purposefully hire those who think differently, no?

JH: You’re not wrong! Hiring a leadership team is not an easy task.

In fact, it can be a little scary, and that’s coming from a Marine Corps veteran! Why? Because you have to trust these people with your baby.

You have to be willing to listen and learn, and you have to be willing to change your mind at times. This is why it’s so important to hire leaders from different backgrounds and experiences.

I believe it’s important to hire the best person for the job. However, I am proud of the fact that the first leader I hired at Fathom was a woman. In fact, the first few leaders I hired were women. I believe this played an important role in why Fathom had such strong early success. Today, we have strong woman leaders at every level of our organization, and I’m honored to serve them as well as beside them.

MP: Well, mission accomplished! The three Fathom executives gracing our cover certainly exemplify that philosophy. Was the decision to recruit female leaders a purposeful one?

JH: Actually, to be honest, it wasn’t.

MP: Wendy, you’ve been an industry leader for many years now. As a woman, what were some of the struggles you encountered?

Wendy Forsythe: Early in my career, I never thought about gender

– JOSH HARLEY Founder & CEO, Fathom Realty

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 29

differences in merit, expectations or opportunities. I just focused on working hard. As I progressed from the entrepreneurial environment of being a real estate agent and brokerage owner to a corporate setting working with large real estate brands and franchisors, my experiences changed—and yes, I experienced many situations where an unconscious or conscious bias had an impact on me, or both my male and female colleagues.

A male executive once told me, “Wendy, you’ll need to work twice as hard and accept half the respect; it’s not fair, but it’s the way it is.” So yes, I have experienced the glass ceiling—I think all women have—but I don’t believe I have let it define my ambition. It’s given me some bumps and bruises along the way, but it has also allowed me to see through to the other side.

MP: Josh, in your opinion, what do women bring to the table in terms of a company’s success?

JH: As the CEO of an organization with more than a hundred leaders, and growing quickly, I can say with complete confidence that a woman’s perspective is not just important, it’s vital. Women and men often see the world differently and that’s invaluable. Both views are important, but neither view is truly complete without the other. It usually takes the perspective of both men and women to build a truly complete picture that allows you to make the best and most informed decision.

MP: What particular advantages does the real estate industry offer for women?

WF: Real estate is one of the few industries that doesn’t have what I call an “earnings ceiling.” Regardless of gender, age, education, race or background, as real estate professionals, we have an opportunity

30 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

you’re the busiest person I know doing everyone else’s work.” I knew this was not sustainable or a good business decision, and then Fathom found me. I joined Fathom as the fifth agent in the state of North Carolina, invested the money I was paying my old broker back into my own business and my business grew under the Fathom model. I even had to ask my husband to get his real estate license to help me!

“Regardless of gender, age, education, race or background, as real estate professionals, we have an opportunity to set our own targets for financial and personal success. That has always been one of the reasons I have loved this industry and the people involved.”

to set our own targets for financial and personal success. That has always been one of the reasons I have loved this industry and the people involved.

MP: That’s quite a trajectory—from agent to chief brokerage operations officer! How did that happen?

SG: I was so grateful to Fathom that I wanted to give back. I volunteered my time to help new agents at the firm. That was the start of my Fathom journey: I was an agent, a group leader, a training coordinator, a district director, state broker, vice president of operations, senior vice president and now chief brokerage operations officer. When people ask me what my responsibilities are at Fathom, I usually respond, “Whatever it takes!” That attitude plays a huge role in opportunities opening up. When leadership sees someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to help the organization, they can trust you with bigger and bigger responsibilities.

MP: Samantha, you’re the perfect example of someone who has taken advantage of the opportunity Wendy describes. How did you get started at Fathom?

Samantha Giuggio: When I moved to North Carolina from Massachusetts, I did not have a great real estate experience; I decided I wanted to help others so they didn’t end up in a similar situation. That’s when I got my real estate license and joined a traditional real estate firm.

I loved the people I worked with, but I was not making any money.

My husband would say, “Sam,

MP: Veronica, what has your experience been like in the largely male field of finance?

Veronica Salmon: As an entrepreneur who built and successfully ran several companies in varied industries, I learned early in my career path that accounting and finance skills were beneficial for me. Due to finance traditionally being a maledominated field, I often find myself in meetings that include very few women—or none at all. My aim is to ensure that I am more than prepared for these meetings. A large part of that preparation is depen-

– WENDY FORSYTHE Chief Brand Officer, Fathom Realty

Rising Stars: Advice for Aspiring Female Leaders The Fathom leadership team offers guidance for women pursuing and fulfilling their leadership goals.

Josh Harley: If I were to offer one piece of advice to women pursuing leadership goals, it would be this: Do not wait until you’re ready for the position to let your boss know that you have the desire to become a leader. Men, right or wrong, will raise their hand for a leadership position long before they’re ready for the promotion. Women often wait until they feel ready and then miss out on the promotion simply because the supervisor didn’t know there was an interest. Be brave and take your future into your own hands. The world needs more women leaders, and why shouldn’t that leader be you?

Wendy Forsythe: Work hard, push hard, but be patient. When I think back on my career, I wish I had given myself more patience along the way. I think many women struggle with feeling unseen, unheard and passed over. Recognition that was not received, titles given to others, ideas used without credit, being talked down to and being disrespected are all things I’ve internalized as my fault. I try to practice patience when working through these situations. I have learned that

the truer I stay to my values, the more karma seems to help solve some of the external frustrations.

Samantha Giuggio: I believe that most women have a natural gift: the ability to nurture and show compassion. In my opinion, that is a huge asset and strength.

Female leaders should embrace this gift and not apologize or feel inferior to our male counterparts because of it. The advice I want to give aspiring female leaders is that you are good enough—don’t listen to anyone who tells you that you’re not! Do the very best you can with what you have to work with while keeping honesty, trust and integrity top of mind.

Veronica Salmon: Identify goals you wish to attain, and the reason why. Think through how to fulfill your goals, and take steps to execute your plan. Do not be afraid to change your goals and overhaul your plan to attain them. What I wanted five years ago is no longer what I am passionate about today. Whatever your aim is, make it known. Do not keep it to yourself, but freely share it so that you hear it as well as others.

“I believe that most women have a natural gift: the ability to nurture and show compassion. In my opinion, that is a huge asset and strength. Female leaders should embrace this gift and not apologize or feel inferior to our male counterparts because of it.”

dent upon a trusted accounting and finance team, as well as good, old-fashioned hard work. Fathom has afforded me the opportunity to build such a team.

MP: How have you and your team contributed to Fathom’s growth?

VS: When I started in 2012, the immense opportunity for growth in every capacity at Fathom was obvious to me. While Fathom was doing business in three states and had a few hundred agents, there was a clear need for more comprehensive accounting and finance processes. It quickly became evident that the new processes had to be built for rapid growth. In conjunction with developing and overhauling processes, I began building the accounting and finance team.

I focused on hiring bright people

– SAMANTHA GIUGGIO Chief Brokerage Operations Officer, Fathom Realty

who wanted to learn and would work hard. Josh likes to say that Fathom wouldn’t be where it is today if it wasn’t for me, and while I’m sure that’s not true, I appreciate his recognition of my contribution. Fathom really could not have sustained its growth without a solid

team in place to keep agents paid and happy.

MP: As leaders, how did you handle the challenges of 2020?

WF: We’ve been talking about disruption for the last 20-plus years... well, we got disrupted in 2020. The

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 31

silver lining for us at Fathom was that it proved our business model in the most undeniable of ways.

MP: Yes, while most scrambled to institute virtual operations, Fathom had it all in place…

WF: Since Josh started the company, we’ve been virtual. During the pandemic, no one (even if they had an office) could go to that office. What agents figured out was that they didn’t need to work with a brokerage that had a physical office. For many, it was a security blanket they had been holding onto, because that is the way the brokerage business has traditionally been. The National Association of REALTORS® conducts surveys every year, and one area they highlight is the fact that only 1 percent of buyers found their agent by walking into or calling a real estate office. Clearly, clients already knew what agents are just now starting to realize.

MP: I imagine a light has also been shone on Fathom’s commission model in the wake of the pandemic…

WF: Yes, control of agents’ commission dollars and how they make investments in their personal brands and business has become even more important to them over the last year. Our 100-percent commission model gives agents maximum control. This is a real pivot for the industry—agents are tired of brokers not giving them the flexibility they need to grow, or constraining them by charging large broker splits that then limit the investment they can make back into growing their personal business.

MP: There are other virtual and 100-percent commission models.

What makes Fathom unique?

WF: What really makes Fathom a special culture is our commitment

32 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“Fathom really could not have sustained its growth without a solid team in place to keep agents paid and happy.”

– VERONICA SALMON SVP of Finance, Fathom Realty

to people. The term “servant leadership” means different things to different people. What I observed when joining the Fathom executive team was a commitment to explore people’s strengths and create an opportunity for them to contribute to the mission of Fathom at the highest levels. Another thing that makes us different, but is not so obvious, is our technology and support offering.

SG: Early on in my career, I was told that leaders lead. They can’t help themselves. One of the most important things I have learned and have come to value is what it means to be a servant leader. A servant leader shares power and puts the needs of others first. A great leader should work to serve those that follow them, not the other way around.

MP: How has Fathom’s servantleadership culture impacted you personally?

SG: In 2012, I was diagnosed with

breast cancer. Meanwhile, I was getting ready to step into the district director position. Of course, I worried that my diagnosis would delay or somehow stop me from moving into my new role. Not only was the leadership team supportive of me, they allowed me to take this journey on my terms and gave me the flexibility and respect to manage my time as I needed.

They expressed concern for me, but they respected me enough to allow me to handle my responsibilities and work as much or as little as I chose. The team of amazing people behind Fathom were exactly what I needed during that challenging time.

MP: Josh, what’s your take on female leadership at Fathom, and business in general?

JH: I’m proud that Fathom can be part of this discussion about women in leadership. It’s a meaningful conversation to be had, and I’m sad that it even has to be had. I didn’t grow up with the belief that women were less than men, and as I got older, I was shocked to learn that it was even a thing. I suppose I can thank my father for that because I was taught from my earliest memory that we were different but equal.

Neither was better than the other.

In fact, without the other, we would never see the full picture or truly be whole. I believe the same is true in business. I truly believe that Fathom could never have achieved the level of success we have without our amazing female leaders. The perspective they bring is invaluable and irreplaceable. We are truly blessed to have their leadership. RE

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

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A Leap of Faith Commentary by Darlene Umina

L

everaging the gifts we are given as women is something we need to celebrate.

We are nurturing. We are natural dealmakers. Picture talking that five-year-old out of taking the last cookie and avoiding a fight with his sister all while cooking dinner, folding laundry, organizing the PTA meeting and cleaning the house. We are empathetic, we are homemakers by nature and we get things done. We know what women want—and, let’s face it, the woman is most times the one signing off on what house works for her family.

Using and celebrating these unique gifts has made every piece of difference for me.

Starting off was a leap of faith.

I found myself in a position with a four-year-old, a two-year-old and a baby. My oldest had an autoimmune illness, and the medical bills piled

sky-high. My husband was on a fixed income, so there were only so many options. We had no choice but to sell our house and move to a rent-

Leveraging the gifts we are given as women is something we need to celebrate.

We are empathetic, we are homemakers by nature and we get things done. al in order to pay the bills. If I ever wanted to own a house again, this was up to me.

I did what women do: I got things done.

I jumped back in with both feet.

Having had my license for a few years, I had not been active during

the time my kids were born. This time around, I was the woman that needed to do this. Failure was not an option.

I knew I needed a brokerage that would not only support me, but one where I was surrounded by people who pushed me every day to be successful. An office that had structure, systems and support. A place that if I wanted to put in the work, I would thrive.

I found that home in Lamacchia Realty. At the time, the office was comprised almost entirely of women. We all knocked it out of the park and hustled every day.

That was the norm. Women working their butts off for their families.

Women accomplishing their goals.

Within six months of joining Lamacchia Realty, I was closing on my own home. It needed some love, but it was an opportunity to sink our energy into a house that we could make a profit on. We were in. We turned the corner. I willed it to happen, and it was the best feeling. We were finally home.

Since that moment, I’ve used every piece of me to build a thriving business. Fast forward seven years, and Lamacchia Realty has grown to more than 300 agents, and I’m almost always in the Top 3. I have completed hundreds of successful transactions. My clients put their trust in me, and I use all of my God-given strengths to get it done for them, too. RE Darlene Umina (Darlene & Co.) specializes in the sell/buy transaction in Boston, Mass., and MetroWest. Leveraging all of her skills from past experience, she makes the process seamless and lucrative for her clients.

Four-time Lamacchia Realty President’s Club Member, and ranked in the Top 1.5 percent of the country in national reports, Umina will surpass $28 million in sales volume for 2020.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 35

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Commercial Real Estate and Women: A Perfect Pairing Commentary by Heather Konopka

T

his past fall, the CREW Network—the leading organization for women in commercial real estate—released its 2020 CREW Network Benchmark Study: Gender and Diversity in Commercial Real Estate (CRE). Serving as both a wake-up call and call to action to the commercial real estate industry, the study results showed that despite ongoing efforts from women in the industry, parity in the CRE industry has not changed much over the last 15 years.

While women occupy 36.7 percent of the roles in commercial real estate, there has been little progress in the last five years. Looking ahead, the good news is that the CREW study shows a growing generation of young women professionals in the industry, and more women occupying brokerage positions than ever before. Of course, more work needs to be done. That same study showed that women continue to earn less than men, with the fixed salary gap between genders now 10.2 percent, and the commission and bonus gap at 55.9 percent.

The commercial real estate industry can help women thrive both per-

sonally and professionally. Given the diverse nature of commercial real estate, women are perfectly suited to succeed and thrive in this industry.

Let me explain. First, women, by nature, are nurturing people. There is nothing more rewarding than helping clients reach desired outcomes personalized to their unique needs. Women are detail-oriented, thoughtful, insightful and passionate—and they have the innate ability to multi-task.

While I faced some challenges early on in my commercial real estate career, I remained focused. I always approached it with Stephen Covey’s “Begin with the end in mind”

attitude to achieve my top goal: to be successful in CRE and be taken seriously by industry leaders and my peers. Early on in my career, I worked diligently to obtain the CCIM designation, which involved extensive education, closing the required volume and passing a lengthy, comprehensive exam. This achievement was imperative to gain encyclopedic knowledge of multiple disciplines within the industry as well as demonstrate my abilities to property owners and other practitioners.

If you are a woman thinking about a career in commercial real estate, seek education from notable industry organizations like the SIOR (Society of Industrial and Office REALTORS®) and the CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) Institute. I also strongly recommend obtaining the CCIM designation.

Of course, like an investor looking at a potential property asset, a woman considering commercial real estate as a career should look at the return on their investment. Like investing, when you’re analyzing the investment costs, or the costs of the dirt, the land and construction against your return, a new practitioner needs to “pencil out” the costs and ensure they have enough money to carry them through the first year.

Getting started will take time and money. The last thing a new practitioner needs is to be worrying about money and paying household bills.

That said, while costs could be significant, so is the potential profit margin in the future.

Commercial real estate is an incredible industry, and while I do believe that women are making real strides, we could use more of us in the business—especially in the industrial sector. RE Heather Konopka, CCIM, is an agent with CENTURY 21 Mike Bowman, Inc. For more information, please visit www.c21mbcommercial.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 37

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Paving the Way for Women in Real Estate Commentary by Patty McNease

A

s 2020 bid a final farewell to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, we’re looking back at Ginsburg’s legacy and the impact she had within the real estate industry.

Before rising to the position of Supreme Court Justice, Ginsburg faced her own experiences with sexism. She fought tirelessly for equality, dedicating her career to equal rights for women. Her efforts and triumphs are still very much alive today, and can be seen clearly across many industries, even real estate.

Here are a few ways she influenced the industry.

What legal rights did women possess before the 1970s?

Prior to 1848, women were generally barred from owning property or engaging in transactions, including the purchase of real estate. Under “common law,” a woman’s property became her husband’s upon marriage, and only the husband had legal authority over most, if not all, decisions regarding the property.

When New York passed the Married Women’s Property Act in 1848, women gained the legal autonomy

to maintain control over whatever property they brought into the marriage. In 1920, women were granted the right to vote in the U.S., but they still weren’t economically independent, especially if they were married.

Even into the 1970s, women could not apply for credit cards or maintain employment upon pregnancy—and they often could not manage their own bank accounts without a male co-signer.

How did Ginsburg create change within the housing industry?

In 1974, Ginsburg paved the way for the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which allowed women to apply for bank accounts, credit cards and mortgages without needing a male co-signer. This alone gave women the ability to transact within the real estate industry and helped to shape their buying and selling power. According to the National Association of REALTORS®2020 Profile of Home

Buyers and Sellers, 19 percent of recent buyers were single women, while only nine percent were men.

And in 2019, one out of every five homes sold was purchased by a single woman.

How did Ginsburg empower female real estate agents?

While Ginsburg did not explicitly change the real estate industry for female agents, she did fight for all women to receive equal rights.

While the Equal Credit Opportunity Act helped women establish themselves financially, many women were still discriminated against within the workplace. To combat one facet of this, in 1978, Ginsburg continuously supported the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which stated that employers could not base employment decisions on whether a woman is or could become pregnant. In 1996, Ginsburg led the ruling decision in United States vs. Virginia, supporting the decision that state-funded schools must admit women. Both of these decisions led to women having more opportunity within the workplace. Now, 64 percent of all REALTORS®are female.

While Ginsburg did not directly affect change within the real estate industry, she empowered women through the cases she argued. Without her legacy and influence, the world of real estate would look very different today. RE Patty McNease is vice president of brand marketing for Homes.com. As a seasoned service and marketing veteran, McNease oversees Homes.com’s traditional and digital branding strategies to consumers and industry professionals. Her leadership has positioned Homes.com as a trusted partner within the real estate industry. In 2018, McNease supported the relaunch of Homes.com’s website and consumer positioning as the Simply Smarter Home Search partner. On the industry side, she has established Homes.com as an innovative resource, providing marketing and advertising expertise through her frequent editorial columns in publications such as Real Estate magazine.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 39

REAL ESTATE’S MOST CONNECTED AGENT

by Keith Loria Photo courtesy of Sarah Valentine, The Jason Mitchell Group.

40 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

A

Jason Mitchell—Real Estate’s B2B Guru

t 39, Jason Mitchell has accomplished more in the real estate industry than many real estate lifers could ever dream.

Mitchell began operating his team, The Jason Mitchell Group, in Scottsdale, Ariz., in 2010. Since then, they have closed more business than almost any other team over that span.

In fact, in the past 10 years, The Jason Mitchell Group has produced more than $5 billion in sales volume with more than 11,000 homes sold.

Today, the organization operates in 15 states and 33 submarkets across the USA. “Our motto is very simple—we lead by opportunity,” Mitchell says.

“We’re not a brokerage that just wants to recruit agents to recruit agents. In every market that we are in, our model is based around the opportunities that we receive from our great referral partners. We must deliver on our commitment to our agents that they will have more opportunity here than anywhere else, while also staying true to our partners when we tell them we have the best agents to service their clients.”

Mitchell’s accolades include being named the top-producing agent in Arizona in 2016, 2017 and 2018; in 2019, he was voted Arizona’s Most Influential Millennial by Arizona Foothills; last year he was awarded RISMedia’s National Homeownership Award, sponsored by Quicken Loans, during RISMedia’s Annual Power Broker Reception & Dinner, headlined by

Daymond John of “Shark Tank”; and in 2020, Mitchell was named the Real Estate Agent of the Decade in the state of Arizona.

The success Mitchell has enjoyed stems from his unique approach to the business. “The real estate industry is becoming more B2B than ever before, as organizations now see that they must have a way of controlling this process for the consumer experience to meet the standards of expectation,” he explains.

For years now, Mitchell has been on the forefront of this model—to say he has mastered this process is an understatement. He has focused on ensuring that the agents of The Jason Mitchell Group have become the most trained and qualified professionals in the B2B space.

A look at the real estate landscape shows that The Jason Mitchell Group systems and training around serving organizations and clients are nothing short of world-class. Starting with a full onboarding process and training

program, while having specific partner training around best practices and processes, his sales and operations have a platform unlike any other. Additionally, the technology stack that composes all workflows and campaigns helps to make the company’s overall process superior in the marketplace.

A key component of The Jason Mitchell Group’s success has been utilizing a centralized strategy within its operations. Managing thousands of referral opportunities with a centralized platform provides consistency for Mitchell’s operations staff and agents so that they can create a scalable model in all the markets they serve.

Clearly, the model is working, as Mitchell and his team service some of the largest organizations in the country, including Rocket Mortgage/ Quicken Loans, Veterans United, Zillow Group, New American Funding, Bank of America, Axos Bank, Opendoor and many more.

L to R: RISMedia’s John Featherston; Jason Mitchell, The Jason Mitchell Group; Munt Alhussain, Quicken Loans at RISMedia’s 24th Annual Power Broker Reception & Dinner. Photo courtesy of AJ Canaria, Inside Real Estate.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 41

“Without our great partners, we have nothing,” Mitchell says. “It is so important that my partners know how much we care. I spend the majority of my day assisting and consulting my partners to ensure that they can put out the best product as possible. This is really my main job: to be a great partner—a person they know they can trust and who is relentless to serve them and their clients alike. It’s an awesome responsibility and one I take very seriously.”

Internally, Mitchell’s promise to his agents is that he will provide “more at bats” and “more opportunity” to close more deals than anywhere else, but there is one rule they must adhere to, says Mitchell: “They must do it our way!”

“We wanted to specialize in this niche,” Mitchell says. “I didn’t want to build a real estate company where we had rogue agents who did their own thing. I knew that if we created these platforms and provided the currency, our agents could close more business than they ever thought possible. If they do things our way, by buying into our culture and working closely with our partners, they will be given the opportunity to close more transactions than they ever dreamed of.”

Evidently, Mitchell is right. Last year, the average agent closed 38 additional transactions from partnerships, which led to an average additional volume of $13.8 million in business, and $177,000 in additional GCI income.

According to Mitchell, the company culture is as good as it gets, as agents understand that when they close business, it makes the whole group look better to its partners.

“To be able to have an environment where almost every agent is closing more deals and making more commissions than ever before is a great feeling,” says Mitchell. “Our agents recognize they are important because they know as they perform, it looks good for the entire group and, therefore, everyone roots everyone else on.”

42 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Mitchell is all smiles as he accepts RISMedia’s 2019 National Homeownership Award. Photo courtesy of AJ Canaria, Inside Real Estate.

To that end, The Jason Mitchell Group doesn’t accept just any agent to the team. They look for agents who are motivated to be successful in this industry and who will be accountable at all times to the company and to its partnerships.

“Our agents are accountable to our clients and their clients. Whether it’s Rocket Mortgage or Zillow or Veterans United, it doesn’t matter—they trust us to service their clients, and our agents need to understand that they will service that client at the highest of all levels,” Mitchell says. “They must communicate at a high level, as an agent who understands the value of the experience. Most importantly, they must have the skills to close deals and to execute.”

This is something Mitchell himself has never had a problem with, dating to his earliest days in the industry.

As a marketing and finance student at Central Michigan University, Mitchell started his real estate career with Pulte Homes in 2002 as an intern.

During his four years at Pulte

Homes, Mitchell was ranked the topselling real estate professional, selling more units than other sales professionals within the organization.

Mitchell was later selected to the firm’s “Top Gun” program at the age of 23, being the youngest of the 200-plus Top Guns at Pulte Homes.

Mitchell continued to be a leader at the organization until he left the company in 2007 to pursue his entrepreneurial path in real estate, and shortly thereafter, ventured into the finance industry for several years. He entered back into the real estate profession in 2010, and a decade later, was named the Real Estate Agent of the Decade for all of Arizona.

“When I entered back into the real estate space in 2010, I had no plans of growing a real estate team across the country,” Mitchell says. “My goal was simply to sell as many homes as possible and be the best real estate agent I could be.”

From there, Mitchell was given an opportunity working with his first partner: Rocket Homes, formerly In-House Realty.

“I saw what working with large organizations can bring to the table, and the amount of business that could be had,” Mitchell says. “I took that concept and started first by building a technology platform— an internal system and processes around servicing companies, not the individual consumer.”

As this idea started to click, Mitchell realized there was a niche and that he could be on the cutting-edge of it.

“As we began to receive more and more opportunities, I knew we could scale this model so long as we had great agents who bought into the philosophy of servicing organizations and their clients,” he says. “As we began to add better systems and more agents, I knew that if we kept the process as a centralized platform as we grew our marketplaces, we could become even more efficient.”

The Jason Mitchell Group’s mission-control team makes sure everyone is having the experience they deserve with touchpoints during and after the process.

“Think of our mission-control team as an air traffic controller—ensuring every client gets put into the right hands and that our referral ingestion and distribution process is spot on,” he says.

Mitchell and “Shark Tank” star Daymond John at RISMedia’s 2019 Power Broker Event. Photo courtesy of AJ Canaria, Inside Real Estate.

“In every market that we are in, our model is based around the opportunities that we receive from our great referral partners.

We must deliver on our commitment to our agents that they will have more opportunity here than anywhere else, while also staying true to our partners when we tell them we have the best agents to service their clients.”

– JASON MITCHELL Founder, The Jason Mitchell Group

“We collectively have put together all these systems and tools to make sure our agents look like superstars, and we do it at a super-high level.

The key to success is to continue to build amazing technology to support our partners and to make sure we are executing at a high level in all of our markets and doing right by our partners.”

That’s why Mitchell is not one to

rest on any laurels, and The Jason Mitchell Group continues to build out better processes, better systems and offer better training.

“We want our clients to know they are in the best of hands,” Mitchell says. “My job is to make sure our clients and our partners get everything they need. It truly is a partner approach, and my job is to help them grow and help them do better.”

The Jason Mitchell Group’s model is now in place in 33 cities across the country, with 90 percent of its business coming from its great referral partners.

Today, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Mitchell’s team (at press time) is projected to sell $1.6 billion and complete over 4,000 transactions in 2020, ranking them as the top real estate team in the U.S. “We’ve been very fortunate during COVID, and quite frankly, very lucky,” Mitchell says. “With the extreme drop in the interest rate environment, it has led to many consumers understanding that now is a great time to buy real estate. Because of this, our influx of referrals from our partners has been significant, leading to a record amount of sales.”

The goal for 2021 is to continue to expand the marketplaces for The Jason Mitchell Group and add highquality agents where need be.

The future of The Jason Mitchell Group model certainly looks bright.

With more and more organizations having a need for trusted real estate professionals, Mitchell and his team are poised to be the selected group for many years to come.

“For agents and marketplace leaders considering working with The Jason Mitchell Group, we welcome the opportunity to speak with you and see if we would be a great fit,” Mitchell says. RE For more information about The Jason Mitchell Group, please contact: recruiting@ jasonmitchellgroup.com. Follow Jason Mitchell on Facebook - The Jason Mitchell Group; Instagram @jasonmitchellgroup; Twitter - @JMG_realestate; Youtube - Jason Mitchell Real Estate.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 43

A Gold Standard for Home Warranties HSASM Home Warranty connects the needs of customers and changing marketplace expectations

by Keith Loria

A

s president and COO of Howard Hanna Insurance Services, Inc., and chief legal officer of Hanna Holdings, Inc., Annie Hanna Engel is part of her family’s long-time real estate business.

“I’m a lawyer, but I had a brothan 32 years, with Engel ker’s license before I took explaining that the relationship supports the the bar exam,” she says. firm’s real estate agents Her journey to Howard and brokers by providing Hanna, headquartered in education and knowledge Pittsburgh, Pa., began when Engel resources to its salespeople, she was working as an attorney buyers and sellers. in Connecticut. Engel had the opportunity to get an LLM in Insurance “Our relationship has been a Law at the University of Connecticut, strong one,” says Engel. “It’s our reand toward the end of her studies, silience together that has evidenced she applied for the position of deputy this trust—and their ongoing innodirector of the Insurance Law Center vation and responsiveness to client product needs and industry changes instead of staying at her firm.

“It clicked, and I spent four years in an agile way maintains that trust,” teaching insurance law, risk man- she adds. agement and managing graduate The firm’s relationship with HSA studies,” she says. “I dipped my toe continues to grow as the two work into the family business later, when together to connect the needs of I moved back to Pittsburgh, and it customers and the changing marketplace expectations. was a natural fit.”

“For our real estate clients—both Howard Hanna has been working with HSA Home Warranty for more buyers and sellers—the home war44 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ranty provides an additional resource and peace of mind,” says Engel. “For our real estate agents and brokers, it not only provides peace of mind, but an extra resource to help troubleshoot any covered items or issues.”

From listing to homeowner renewal, the coverage is the gold standard, and while a warranty can’t eliminate the surprises that occur with homeownership, Engel notes that a warranty can make these instances easier and less costly for the homeowner.

Furthermore, the warranty includes additional home services that buyers can take advantage of without experiencing a breakdown.

“Additional home services like the re-key service for the new homebuyer are something every new homeowner wants,” says Engel. “You don’t go without homeowners insurance, so you shouldn’t go without a home warranty. They complement each other as a resource for a homeowner.”

Drilling down even further, HSA’s resources and strength of brand helped make the transition easier when Howard Hanna expanded to other markets.

“Our management and sales teams have a resource to call when needed,” says Engel. “We have monthly strategy meetings, but it’s our day-to-day exchanges that are most meaningful to doing what we do.”

This has helped the firm concentrate on other avenues when navigating the COVID-19 pandemic this past year, knowing that they didn’t have to worry about home warranty problems popping up.

“2020 will actually be our best year ever,” says Engel. “That’s due, in part, to the trust, innovation and energy that we have at Howard Hanna for and with our real estate agents and clients.” RE For more information, please visit www.onlinehsa.com.

To learn more about Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, please visit www.howardhanna.com.

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Helen Hanna Casey (left) and Marsha Rand

A Meeting of the Minds Family Culture, Business Rapport Lead to Howard Hanna | Rand Realty Partnership

by Maria Patterson

L

ast fall, two iconic real estate firms—led by two iconic real estate women—came together when Marsha Rand, founder and president of Rand Realty, and Helen Hanna Casey, CEO of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, announced during a joint virtual meeting that the two brokerage leaders had joined forces to create a new partnership in New York’s Greater Hudson Valley region: Howard Hanna | Rand Realty.

As with most great real estate deals, industry networking sowed the early seeds of the partnership. The industry veterans first began talking shop several years ago after Rand heard Casey discuss the importance of partnerships during an RISMedia panel session. The two furthered their relationship during RISMedia’s inaugural Real Estate Newsmakers event at The National Press Club in Washington, D.C. As Casey says, “That’s really when the conversation started.”

According to Casey, the cultural similarities of the two firms are uncanny, from their approach to deci-

46 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

sion-making to their in-house systems to the age range of each firm’s family-centric leadership teams.

“This union brings together leading real estate industry professionals from two of the most respected and trusted family-owned companies in the business and blends them into one unified industry leader,” Casey explains.

For Rand, it is exactly this esprit de corps that made the partnership a perfect strategy.

“When I opened Rand Realty in 1984, my vision was to build a brokerage devoted to agents and homeowners alike,” says Rand.

“Howard Hanna is a company that shares that mission. Because of that, and because of our shared experiences as family-owned businesses and industry innovators, I am very excited about the future of Howard Hanna | Rand Realty. By combining our expertise, we can create an even more exceptional real estate experience.”

The fact that the partnership represents the coming together of two family-owned and -run firms is not lost on Rand nor Casey.

Rand runs the brokerage with her three sons, Matt, Joe and Dan. Howard Hanna Real Estate Services was founded in 1957 by Casey’s parents, Howard and Anne Freyvogel Hanna, and is today run by their three children, Helen, Hoddy and Annie, as well as several members of the Hanna family’s third generation.

“When we go back through our history and the strategic decisions we have made, I’m the most proud that we have taken risks and seized opportunities in order to grow,” says Casey. “It’s an incredible feeling that we have done this repeatedly throughout the generations.”

The formation of Howard Hanna | Rand Realty is a major milestone in Howard Hanna’s strategic growth plans. The partnership also marks a major step for Howard Hanna in lower New York state, after successfully establishing itself in upstate New York through previous mergers.

Both companies have also strengthened their positions in downstate New York as a result of the partnership. Rand Realty finished 2019 with a closed sales volume of more than $2 billion and over 6,000 homes sold in total, according to RISMedia’s 2020 Power Broker Report. In New York state, Howard Hanna finished 2019 with a closed sales volume of more than $5 billion and over 29,000 homes sold in total.

Casey’s Advice to Women Leaders: Be ‘An Innovator at All Levels’ How can the real estate industry foster greater representation of women in executive positions?

Helen Hanna Casey: I think it’s happening naturally. I think within companies, more women are getting recognized, but some companies do a better job of promoting it than others. Some of that comes from the outside media and what they choose to promote. We don’t look at the depth of women leadership that’s out there nationally. You don’t have to be a CEO to be a real achiever. Our industry would be nothing without a lot of these women.

Your father was ahead of his time in supporting his daughters in the business…

HHC: If it weren’t for my father, we wouldn’t have had the type of responsibility we were given so early on. But my parents were strong on one thing: If you wanted part of the business, then you had to be part of it; you couldn’t stay on the sidelines and say, “Give me my share.” I went to work with that responsibility every day.

What advice would you give to women who currently aspire to leadership roles?

HHC: Make yourself known. Get credibility as to why you should have a bigger leadership role. Have something to bring to the table— that’s what every company needs. Make sure you’re an innovator at all levels, whether you’re a salesperson or a manager.

Finally, what does it mean to you personally to have become the CEO of the firm your parents founded?

HHC: Every day of my life, I’m still selling real estate. In my heart of hearts, I am the CEO, but my job first and foremost is to meet the needs of our clients...to get that listing, get that sale, get the insurance and home warranty in place.

You have to wear those two hats. RE For more information, please visit www.howardhanna.com and randrealty.com.

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Standing Out From the Competition in a Crowded Online Space Real Estate Webmasters provides Colorado firm a proven product and incomparable support

by Keith Loria

S

tacie Staub started out in proptech way back when it was referred to as “real estate software,” so she has a lot of experience in the segment.

West + Main Founder & Owner Stacie Staub (standing) and Partner & CMO Madeline Linder

“Working as a marketing director for a dev company that specialized in full-service solutions for large independent brokerages across North America, I learned the industry from the backend,” she says. “When that company’s clients started requesting that they have a REALTOR® on staff to bridge the gap between how agents actually use tools and how programmers create them, I volunteered to get my license.”

Today, the Colorado real estate expert serves as founder and owner of West + Main Homes. Along with business partner and West + Main Homes’ CMO, Madeline Linder, the duo started out working in ad agencies.

“We honestly love almost every part of the business, from problem-

solving and negotiating for clients and their contracts to marketing and branding and even dealing with compliance and regulatory issues,” Staub says.

One thing that sets West + Main Homes apart is its branding, with Staub recognizing from day one that there was a hole in the marketplace.

“Where was the beautiful, impactful, informed, design-minded real estate company that would attract other REALTORS® like ourselves?

When we couldn’t find it, we decided to create it,” she says.

Staub is proud to say that West + Main Homes has thrived through the COVID-19 crisis, thanks to the thoughtful guidance of its executive team, the patience and understanding of its agents, and the loyalty of its clients.

“From the top down, every member of our team exceeds our expectations, and having a no-door, nodesk environment where everyone from our CTO Greg Fischer to our COO Ashley Terwilliger and all of the members of our staff are approachable and accessible is completely different from most brokerages,” she says.

Both Linder and Staub have been fans and clients of Real Estate Webmasters (REW) for more than a decade, both at their last brokerage and from the very beginning at West + Main Homes.

“When we went out on our own and started W+M, we looked for more affordable options, as REW is top-tier, and we were starting up on a shoestring,” Staub says. “Morgan Carey, REW’s CEO, actually reached out and asked us how his company could help us get up and running and gave us the beautiful, efficient and amazing home on the internet that we continue to be proud of today. We have a new site and CRM upgrade in dev with REW, and we couldn’t be more excited to get it launched.”

REW is not a company that ever “finishes” something and then sits back and lets it become a broken dinosaur.

“It used to be that a website cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to build, and would last more than a dozen years,” says Staub. “Those days are gone, and it’s important to partner with a tech firm that is transparent about this reality, and nimble enough to pivot along with the marketplace. That’s exactly where REW thrives.”

Today, when Staub shows potential West + Main agents the REW dashboard and CRM, there’s an immediate interest.

“From a consumer conversion point of view, we often say that ours is higher than the industry average because by the time people register on the West + Main Homes website, they are already familiar with the brand, have appreciated the experience enough to put their contact information into a form, and are ready and waiting to be contacted.”

Staub also appreciates the company’s never-ending willingness to continue learning and innovating while having an open mind and taking care of people.

“The support is incomparable, the cost is competitive, and the product is proven,” she says. RE For more information, please visit www.rew.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 49

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Women Leaders in Virtual Real Estate Commentary by Daniel Ramsey

It takes a lot of grit and tenacity to make it to the top. Imagine running a household and taking care of your family while growing your real estate team at the same time. Some women have to bring their kids to listing/ showing appointments when babysitters are not available. We balance making breakfast for the family and driving the kids to school while on the phone with buyers or sellers to save a transaction. Women always work twice as hard to make a name for themselves, and because of this, women are strong—and their talents shine.

What leadership skills does it take to succeed in operating a business/ team in the ever-evolving, fastpaced real estate industry?

W

omen make an incredible difference in the often maledominated real estate industry. At MyOutDesk, we know this, and we celebrate women in the field.

As the No. 1-rated virtual assistant company by TechRadar, I’d like to share the story and experiences of Chai Estrellanes, a virtual professional who has served thousands of real estate professionals over the past nine years.

As a remote worker and career virtual professional, what’s your story?

and to have a servant’s heart (a MyOutDesk core value). I am what I am today because of MyOutDesk.

What has been the most rewarding outcome when serving real estate professionals?

CE: I love seeing how agents start out as a one-man show and then become a top-producing agent with a strong team because of our help. It’s fulfilling to know that MyOutDesk has been a huge part of that journey, allowing them to grow and scale their business.

Chai Estrellanes: I worked in the corporate world for about four years before I took a leap of faith and tried the remote/virtual world.

I started with MyOutDesk in 2012, and it has given What shared experiences me the opportunity to Estrellanes can you point to when it spend more time with my family and be with them for every comes to women making a difference in the real estate world? milestone.

I’m a firm believer in karma, both CE: There are people today who still good and bad. It’s important to serve don’t understand how tough it is for without expecting anything in return women to survive in this industry.

CE: Tenacity, grit, humility and compassion. You need tenacity and grit to keep pushing yourself forward regardless of the obstacles. You also need to be compassionate when serving others, as it will go a long way. No matter how big your accomplishments are, be humble and stay teachable. Remember that self-confidence is very important, but without compassion and humility, it’s just arrogance.

From building a powerful sales development team to leading MyOutDesk’s sales and marketing teams, Chai is celebrated along with the rest of our women colleagues and clients. RE After several years of working in the real estate industry, Daniel Ramsey—founder and CEO of MyOutDesk—realized that REALTORS® spend too much time doing tasks that are necessary but highly administrative, routine and time-consuming. In 2008, he founded MyOutDesk with a vision to provide REALTORS® with indispensable leverage through real estate virtual professionals to aid them in regaining time and freedom and have the ability to grow their business, all while reducing costs.

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RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 51

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Cinch Home Services removes the guesswork around preventing, diagnosing and solving homerelated issues

by John Voket

T

erry Hankner has been promoting home protection plans from Cinch Home Services (formerly HMS National) for more than 20 years. As president of Comey & Shepherd in Cincinnati, Ohio, Hankner has spread her faith and confidence in Cinch far and wide—facilitating more than 1,000 plans for Comey & Shepherd clients in 2019 alone.

Cinch delivers by partnering with expert technicians nationwide to provide unmatched service and value, continuing to make strides with digital-forward strategies, platforms and initiatives that are modernizing home-management services.

For Hankner, Cinch not only provides quick and reliable fixes to her company’s many satisfied clients, but a real value to her entire market as well.

She appreciates the fact “Buyers are typically stretchthat the company has ing themselves just to get continued to grow over into the home of their the past 40 years, with a dreams, so having extra proven track record that money put aside in case of utilizes smart, modern a major system or appliance tools and an award-winning breakdown is very rare,” she Hankner customer support network says. to remove the guesswork around Classifying Cinch as a transacpreventing, diagnosing and solving a tional partner, Hankner places the wide variety of home-related issues. home protection plan provider on the “We have a lot of agents who are same playing field as their financing strong believers,” says Hankner. “In and title partners. “They are an imtoday’s world, buyers are rightfully portant spoke in that wheel of transpicky, and sellers do not want to see action service providers,” explains transactions dissolve during the in- Hankner. spection phase. Having a warranty in To that end, Comey & Shepherd place helps sellers address covered provides home-protection plan trainitems found at inspection and gives ing for all its agents, whether they buyers peace of mind that failures are new or experienced. And the that happen after closing will also be opportunity to market their services handled.” with every transaction keeps deals

together and makes clients happy.

“If a client has something go wrong after the sale, whether we like it or not, it has some reflection on our agent,” says Hankner, who goes on to explain that any service call placed by a client generates a notification to the agent facilitating the plan, prompting follow-up opportunities.

Another key piece of the puzzle is the working relationship that Hankner and her agents have with Kathleen Oetgen, one of Cinch’s senior account executives.

“We have a very special relationship since she was one of our agents before she went to Cinch,” says Hankner. “Whenever we call, she always responds quickly and always gets a positive result in the end.”

Customer service aside, Hankner also points to the new services that have been added to the mix as a benefit to both her agents and clients.

“When the need arises, or they discover a competitor has added new coverage products, Cinch always seems to bring it on at competitive rates,” says Hankner. “And they’ve kept up with all the new technologies and systems, especially in newer smart homes.”

Hankner’s agents know that any buyer worth their salt is going to ask a seller to supply a one-year home protection plan, so she is thrilled to count Cinch as her company’s go-to partner every single time.

“The time to put a home warranty in place is at the point of listing so that if anything goes wrong, the seller can use the warranty during the listing period,” concludes Hankner.

“Having a Cinch home warranty in place is a very effective marketing tool, bringing complete security and peace of mind to every buyer after closing.” RE To learn more about how you can partner with Cinch Home Services, please reach out to Adam Brown, vice president, National Sales, at adbrown@cinchhs.com or visit cinchrealestate.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 53

{Strategies}

Cultivating Connections in a Competitive Market BOOMTOWN’S DIVERSE, EFFECTIVE AND USERFRIENDLY PLATFORM SETS ARIZONA REAL ESTATE TEAM UP FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS

by John Voket

B

ecky Garcia, leader of an all-female, 30-member team that includes 20 agents based in Goodyear, Ariz., has depended on leading sales and marketing platform BoomTown for more than half of her real estate career.

Garcia likes the diverse, effective and user-friendly platform that offers her team a customized real estate website integrated with local MLS data, client success management, and a cutting-edge CRM system complete with marketing automation and personGarcia alized advertising services.

And these days, she says BoomTown is coming in very handy.

“Inventory is so tight right now that we’re seeing properties hit the MLS on Thursday or Friday, holding open houses on Saturday, with owners choosing from multiple competitive offers by Sunday,” she says.

That red-hot market situation, along with the astute utilization of her company’s database, helped Garcia’s team meet and exceed their 2020 goals.

“Our 2020 goal was to close just over 400 transactions,” says Garcia, who utilizes BoomTown Insights to identify past clients who reengage by looking for new homes or signaling that they might be ready to relocate via a number of different behaviors.

54 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“We check Insights on a daily basis. We rely heavily on repeat and referral business, so we stay in constant contact with our database, and that database right now accounts for nearly 40 percent of our transactions,” notes Garcia.

“Then we use BoomTown’s Marketing Central for new listings and promoting open houses—even though there hasn’t been a lot of that this past year with the pandemic,” she adds.

BoomTown is also helping her agents focus on the most dollar-productive activities.

“We want our agents to be asking themselves, ‘What do I need to do to get in front of new and past clients to get that appointment?’ while staying in constant contact with them whether they’re using social media or the database,” says Garcia.

That means offloading or automating to take busywork off the agents’ plates.

“Agents need to stay focused and offload anything that is not dollar-producing, which means pretty much everything except client engagement. That means leaving things like marketing to the marketing staff we have in place, and once a contract is accepted, they need to leave everything up to their transaction coordinator,” explains Garcia, who encourages team members to tap into all the tools they have access to.

One tool that makes it easy to engage? BoomTown’s mobile app.

“The BoomTown app makes it easy to respond to texts, so I ask my agents to use it to administer client relationships and set up e-alerts,” says Garcia.

But it doesn’t end there. In fact, BoomTown also provides the ability to filter leads to target very specific client needs, so Garcia’s agents can always be directing their energy to fulfilling those needs.

“If we get a new listing, we can go to Lead Central and put in the address, and it will show us clients looking for that specific kind of property or set of features, allowing us to reach out and give clients a heads-up that the exact type of property they’re looking for just hit the market,” explains Garcia.

When it comes to interrupters like iBuyers, Garcia says the platform is only utilized by a small segment of her market.

“Our market is so tight, and the iBuyer app can be so daunting to potential sellers, that we can usually convey to clients to go traditional,” she says. “We find that our clients like BoomTown because they only send active listings. And we believe using our company vs. iBuyers gives sellers a better advantage because they can make more money.”

For more information, please visit boomtownroi.com.

Putting Indie Brokerage Savvy Into the Launch of an Uber-Successful Team HOW THIS SUCCESSFUL TEAM LEADER OF URBAN NEST REALTY IS USING EXPERIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TO DRIVE TEAM GROWTH

Send

by Paige Tepping

I

n an industry where technology adoption consistently hovers around 25 percent, Jan O’Brien—team leader at Urban Nest Realty—is bucking the trend thanks to her past experience launching an indie brokerage and applying that knowledge to create an uber-successful team. With her unique approach that begins with mastering the technology herself, O’Brien shares her tried-andtrue strategies to achieving high adoption—and a high volume of business—through her technology solutions.

Hyperfocused on adoption, O’Brien decided to do things differently when she jumped into her real estate career back in 1992.

“Brokers and team leads are lucky to get 20 percent of their agents to adopt a tool,” says O’Brien, who leverO’Brien aged the unique advantage that came with starting a company independently.

“I didn’t have to inherit legacy software, which gave me the opportunity to do my own vetting,” explains O’Brien—who was determined to find something she herself would like.

“I realized that if I could adopt it, use it and love it, I could train others with real passion and proof about why they should use the software.”

And with 50 percent adoption, O’Brien—a self-described tech guru—must be doing something right.

The key ingredient? Inside Real Estate’s kvCORE Platform. “kvCORE was an easy solution,” says O’Brien, who, at the time, was building her brokerage from scratch and needed tools for her agents, a back-office system to run compliance and myriad other components to get her company off the ground.

“Not only was kvCORE a scalable team solution, but it was also the most affordable,” says O’Brien.

Chock-full of features created for the sole purpose of setting agents on the path to success by getting tangible results, the kvCORE Platform has been a true

gamechanger for O’Brien and the team at Urban Nest Realty.

By simply showing agents one thing to get them started, she’s made an overwhelming piece of the puzzle more manageable for everyone involved.

“I come into a meeting and tell my agents that I’m going to show them one thing that will change their life for their business,” says O’Brien. “It’s not just telling them that they need to use it, but rather, leading the way by using it myself.”

But it doesn’t end there. In fact, O’Brien has taken her kvCORE Platform and turned it into a successful recruiting engine.

Using the technology that her agents use to bring on new recruits, O’Brien and her team leverage the automation inside kvCORE to do their recruiting for them via integrated video, text and emails.

“We’ve built out our recruiting messages for both new and seasoned agents, but we let the system do the work,” says O’Brien. “Our overall message is that we’re using a system you will use if you join us, and I’ve had many agents tell me that I’m the only one that consistently followed up with them. And it was all the automated functionality through kvCORE. It truly sells itself.”

A firm believer in the power of video, O’Brien also takes advantage of CORE Video, powered by BombBomb, to take her recruiting efforts to a whole new level.

“There’s nothing more powerful than sending a video with a personal message to an agent we’re looking to recruit,” she says.

Automating much of her agents’ day-to-day workload so that they can focus on their clients, kvCORE will continue to play an integral role in the firm’s success path forward.

“The team at Inside Real Estate is constantly innovating, and I appreciate the ongoing training and support they provide,” concludes O’Brien.

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

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 55

{Real Estate’s Social Media Leaders}

Bringing IT Expertise to Real Estate Sales

by Paige Brown Janice Bradford

Before diving into a career in real estate, Bradford worked in IT and Cyber Security for over 30 years.

Though her passion for IT led her to a successful career, As a new agent entering the time came to think the real estate industry about her new future. in 2020, Janice Bradford “I’m an entrepreneur found herself not only disby heart,” she says. “I’m a covering her new path, but people person, and I thought Bradford also accepting and inviting real estate would be a good the challenges that were thrown fit for me, where I could make a diat her. After becoming a licensed rect impact on their lives.” agent in January 2020, Bradford With a direct connection to buybegan working with Keller Williams ers and sellers, as well as the Home Town Realty just five months tangible impact that agents can later—motivated and ready to take make on their clients, Bradford felt on her Ohio market. that real estate was the perfect fit REALTOR® Keller Williams Home Town Realty Vandalia, Ohio

56 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

for her. She emphasizes the joy that comes from helping first-time homebuyers or those trying to sell their home, and is proud of the significant role she plays in the process. “That’s why I chose real estate, and I’m so happy I did.”

Though she made her way into the industry amid a very unique time, Bradford utilized her experience with technology and a wealth of resources to push through the challenges of the pandemic. “Being new to the market, the industry, I think I’ve done pretty well,” she says.

“When you have an obstacle, put a plan in place and figure out how you’re going to overcome it,” she continues, illustrating the steps she took to adapt her business strategy and navigate her clients through this unprecedented time.

For example, at the height of the pandemic, rather than moving forward with in-person showings, clos-

NarTeamStore.realtor/ris ings and other meetings, with the guidance of her brokerage, she switched to a hyper-digital strategy, offering virtual showings.

“For some, this may have come as a challenge, particularly those who are not IT savvy,” she says. “I educate people on IT platforms and IT programs, so for me, it wasn’t necessarily a challenge—it was an opportunity to educate. I looked at that as a win-win.”

Within a three-month period, Bradford was able to close on two properties, even though she was a new agent operating in a global pandemic. She was able to leverage her extensive knowledge of technology to rise to the occasion and provide exceptional service and education to her clients. “You have to be resourceful,” she says.

Bradford also knew that she needed a strong online presence, especially during this time, to make an impact in her market. “I have a Facebook page for my business where I post things relevant to the real estate market in addition to any listings I have,” she says. “In order to garner additional followers, you have to meet the needs of your followers and provide people with content—that’s where ACESocial comes into play for me.”

Once Bradford joined Keller Williams, she was offered RISMedia’s ACESocial platform. Given her IT experience, she jumped on the opportunity to educate her followers while learning and adapting to a new industry. “When I find new information that will help me in my real estate profession through ACESocial, I typically try to take advantage of it.

“ACESocial is easy to use. It provides relevant content, it’s very engaging, and I believe that the content answers a lot of questions that consumers and clients might have relative to real estate,” she continues. “My followers love it.”

With a view from the eyes of an IT professional, Bradford appreciates the look, feel and ease of use that the ACESocial platform provides, explaining that other tools or platforms may be cumbersome, or that they simply don’t have a clean layout, which can be “overwhelming” for users.

“When I think about it from an IT perspective, and if I were designing an app, I would definitely want it to look like ACESocial,” she says. “ACESocial should keep doing what it’s doing and pushing the envelope to provide additional tools for people in the real estate industry.” RE

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Paige Brown is RISMedia’s content editor.

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Achieving an Audacious Goal

Royal LePage’s Future-Focused Digital Transformation With rlpSPHERE

by Maria Patterson

F

rom its founding in 1913 to its status as its nation’s largest real estate company with more than 600 locations and 18,000 agents, Royal LePage is synonymous with real estate in the Great White North. As President & CEO Phil Soper says, “Royal LePage is Canada’s Real Estate Company; a contemporary, innovative business built on more than 100 years of industry leadership. We have no intention of slowing down.”

Royal LePage COO Carolyn Cheng Photography: Korby Banner

58 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

The catalog of Royal LePage firsts stretches back decades, from introducing For Sale lawn signs to the country early in the last century, to the launch of Canada’s first national real estate website in 1995. Royallepage.ca is Canada’s second most visited home search portal.

Today, Royal LePage is once again shaking the industry’s foundations as a technology innovator with the launch of its groundbreaking digital ecosystem, rlpSPHERE. Powered by kvCORE from Inside Real Estate, the platform features a suite of fully integrated proprietary and industry technologies. Automating the full spectrum of a real estate professional’s needs—from lead generation and CRM to marketing automation and EDM—rlpSPHERE is a solution uniquely customized for the Canadian market, and designed to empower Royal LePage’s management, teams and agents.

The timing of the platform’s launch was fortuitous.

“The rlpSPHERE concept and high-level architecture was born 18 months ago,” explains Soper. “We envisioned a cloud-based, AI-enabled operating environment where our people could access what they needed to work anywhere, anytime, on any device. Thanks to Inside Real Estate and our brilliant design team, we had created a system optimized for a pandemic well before the world had heard of COVID-19.”

Royal LePage Chief Operating Officer Carolyn Cheng describes rlpSPHERE as “a fully integrated, future-focused” solution. “It allows brokerages and agents to move away from multiple, disjointed technologies,” she explains. “Right now, especially with the pandemic, this integrated ecosystem is a huge component of a brokerage’s value proposition.”

An Idea Whose Time Had Come According to Cheng, emerging shifts in the market made the timing right to embark on the rlpSPHERE project. Responsible for Royal LePage’s

ket reports based on a consumer’s search criteria. Royal LePage wanted to tap into the positive implications this could have for lead conversion.

“There’s been a lot of progress in AI, and we’re able to do a lot of interesting things that we haven’t been able to before,” explains Cheng. “All of a sudden, agents have a new assistant that is effectively nurturing all of their leads but only surfacing the warm ones as they become ready.”

Setting Bold Goals Royal LePage President & CEO Phil Soper Photography: Jacob Sharrard

“Gone are the typical real estate company’s islands of technology that devour hours of human labor to allow them to talk to each other. rlpSPHERE represents a triumph in end-to-end design and data integration.”

– PHIL SOPER President & CEO, Royal LePage

strategic vision and the delivery of its products and services, Cheng closely monitors real estate technology, and noticed the material infusion of venture capital flowing into the space, along with an increasing level of tech sophistication.

“For the first time, we felt there were companies that could effectively digitize the brokerage, agent and team processes, allowing each party to automate many of their administrative and routine tasks in order to focus more on elevating the level of service and professionalism being offered,” she explains.

Also emerging in the market, for brokerage, team and agent websites, were advanced capabilities for leveraging AI and behavioral automation, such as lead generation websites that monitor repeat visits and proactively reach out to consumers, or push out search alerts and mar-

Royal LePage’s goals for rlpSPHERE were ambitious, but in keeping with the company’s long history of innovations and firsts.

“We wanted to make sure we were building a future-focused system that leveraged advanced salesautomation technology to give our network an advantage and to make sure everyone had the tools to be successful as transformation in the digital age progresses at an accelerated pace,” says Cheng. This included a solution that would allow a broker to generate leads, then track and service those leads throughout their entire lifecycle, from inception to close.

Differentiation was also a major goal when it came to the development of rlpSPHERE. “We wanted to create a completely Canadianized

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 59

“We wanted to make sure we were building a future-focused system that leveraged advanced sales-automation technology to give our network an advantage and to make sure everyone had the tools to be successful as transformation in the digital age progresses at an accelerated pace.”

– CAROLYN CHENG COO, Royal LePage

solution uniquely tailored to Royal LePage with the data, customizations and integrations needed to make it work for our users while enhancing brand value,” explains Cheng.

The company’s digital solution also needed the flexibility and depth to serve both new and experienced agents alike—one solution for all.

According to Soper, there is a broader, bolder vision for the new ecosystem that goes beyond having best-in-class features and functions.

“To rapidly drive adoption across thousands of independent contractor agents, we needed the wow-factor provided by amazing new discrete functionality, like automated lead management,” he says. “Yet the true superpower to increase enterprise productivity and revenue, and to reduce cycle time and costs, comes from integration. Gone are the typical real estate company’s islands of technology that devour hours of human labor to allow them to talk to each other. rlpSPHERE represents a triumph in end-to-end design and data integration.”

The Right Partner for the Job Always on top of technology trends and actively involved in industry conferences and mastermind groups, 60 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Royal LePage was well informed when searching for a partner to make its technology goals a reality.

“We interviewed 25 different vendors to make sure we had a common vision and that their interface was intuitive and very usable in order to get the adoption we needed,” recalls Cheng. “We also had to make sure there was a good cultural fit with their management teams.”

Eventually, Cheng issued an RFP to three finalists who were then subject to an evaluation matrix from Royal LePage’s internal project team, and a meeting with the company’s Services Advisory Council, composed of 18 brokers from across the country.

This multifaceted vetting process resulted in the selection of Inside Real Estate, known for their innovative tech leadership in the industry, who Royal LePage views as an independent, well-funded, long-term partner.

Inside Real Estate brought to the table: 4 A proven ability to support large enterprise organizations and complex rollouts 4 Modern tools (AI-driven CRM, behavioral automation, lead generation, etc.) that catered to all of Royal LePage’s key stakeholders and user personas 4 A highly sought-after platform (kvCORE) that was wellestablished in the market, yet flexible and customizable to Royal LePage in order to create a unique ecosystem 4 An open API platform, allowing for existing integrations with proprietary systems, key Royal LePage partners and other ancillary service providers “This is a robust system, but one that was designed to be intuitive for agents,” says Cheng. “We needed a proven platform that has a track record of driving results for brokers, agents and teams, and we found that with the kvCORE Platform.”

Creating a Unique Tech Ecosystem One of the biggest priorities for Royal LePage in developing rlpSPHERE was customizing the platform and ensuring “Canadianization.” The platform, says Cheng, needed to integrate the Royal LePage roster, Canadian listings and data feeds, and the company’s high-use service partners.

Also on the must-do list: Canadian regulatory compliance, federal privacy and marketing law compliance, and provincial real estate regulator requirements.

The rlpSPHERE platform also required complete white-labeling, including branded digital and print marketing pieces, smart drip campaigns tailored to Canadian consumers across the core platform, as well as mobile apps. Royal LePage also introduced a branded, custom Learning Portal.

“Our brand is incredibly important to us, so every single piece of collateral—print, digital and social media—had to have Royal LePage’s branding and speak to the Canadian agent and consumer,” says Cheng.

Scaling a Major Roll-Out...Despite a Pandemic While there are inevitable bumps in the road for any tech roll-out, no one could have prepared to launch a large-scale digital platform in the midst of a pandemic.

According to Cheng, however, the challenge presented by the COVID outbreak only strengthened their resolve.

“Once the pandemic hit, all of our teams went fully virtual,” she recalls.

“Because of the size, scale and importance of the project, it bonded our team with an even larger sense of purpose and helped us deliver the solution to our network during the pandemic.”

The team began creating buzz for rlpSPHERE at key national events in late 2019, and at regional broker meetings in the first quarter of 2020. Prior to launch, a four-week teaser video series was pushed out,

rlpSPHERE: The Missing Piece for Real Estate Pros Royal LePage real estate professionals are already experiencing the advantages of rlpSPHERE. and to help brokers prepare for the agent launch, a manual was created outlining the benefits of the system by agent persona (new agent, experienced agent, team), a comparison of the service to key players in the market, the essential phases of configuration and training, tips for initial adoption and engagement and, of course, support.

Since the launch, the influx of information continues, including best practices from other Inside Real Estate customers and more in-depth, custom webinars from Royal LePage’s Learning Services team in conjunction with Inside Real Estate’s trainers.

“The scope of this service is broader and more complex than what we’ve done before, and the training is comprehensive,” says Cheng.

Evolution to Revolution Cheng is happy to report that the adoption plan for rlpSPHERE is ahead of schedule. “All of our brokers are really excited by the fact that this is something unique to us,” says Cheng. “During the pandemic, it’s been a strong retention tool, and they’re starting to see the early benefits when recruiting new agents.

It’s important that everyone becomes a digital expert. This is a transformation for everyone in the industry and our network.”

And there couldn’t be a more critical time to embrace a fully digital future. Bullish market conditions are expected to continue through 2021, and home-buying and -selling habits continue to evolve in the wake of the pandemic. Says Soper, a well-timed business revolution.

“Never underestimate the power of luck when it comes to business success,” he smiles. “In Canada, we are commonly first-to-market with new real estate services and technologies.

We expect our competitors to follow suit in a year or so. The global health crisis that has shut down air travel and sent people to work from home has made the creation of something like rlpSPHERE exponentially more difficult. We will enjoy an unusually lengthy window of digital exclusivity as a result.

“There will be no resting on our laurels,” Soper concludes.

“The wizards at Inside Real Estate and Royal LePage are continually working on enhancements and will keep us on the cutting edge of innovation. With the rlpSPHERE framework in place, we’ve already been able to announce new functionality that widens the gap between us and our hungry pursuers. It is great fun!” RE For more information on rlpSPHERE, please visit rlp.ca/rlpsphere-agents and rlp.ca/rlpsphere-teams.

As the director of operations for Royal LePage Royal City Realty, Gillian Atkinson sees the value of rlpSPHERE for real estate professionals at every level. “The system offers something for everyone, whether you’re just starting out or you’re a veteran. And for team admins, the platform’s CORE Team add-on takes a heavy load off,” she says. rlpSPHERE helps agents focus on what they’re good at as opposed to getting overwhelmed by technology, Atkinson explains. “rlpSPHERE takes that fear away for them,” Atkinson she says. “Everything they possibly need to do is there, and it’s free and there’s tons of support. And you don’t need to use every piece of it—you just use what works for you and your business right now.”

And real estate professionals can now make more meaningful connections than ever thanks to rlpSPHERE’s integrated social media feature.

“This platform gives us rich intel and the ability to share that intel with clients,” says Mark Burke, team leader at Royal LePage Triland Realty.

“This gives you an authentic Burke way to broaden your reach to existing clients, and reaffirms our market dominance in social media.”

This year, since the launch of rlpSPHERE, Carlo De Castris, a sales representative with Royal LePage Royal City Realty, is able to credit rlpSPHERE with one new additional client every month that he would not have had otherwise. As he says, “I’ve been waiting most of my career for technology to catch up with what I thought De Castris could be accomplished...and it’s finally here.”

To learn more about Inside Real Estate and their kvCORE Platform, visit www.insiderealestate.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 61

Fully Focused: Running a Client-Centered and Transaction-Based Business Commentary by Nishika Green

W

orking as a real estate professional for two decades, I’ve learned a thing or two about what it takes to be successful in this industry. It’s about what drives a real estate agent forward and motivates them to go out into the field and get deals done. Agents put in all this work to get their license and start a business, and the ultimate intent is to sell homes. Transactions are a primary measure of their success.

Encouraging our agents to be more transaction-focused leads to an increase in productivity, which is beneficial for all parties involved— especially the agent. We make sure our agents focus on the customer experience, motivating them to get their clients’ homes sold. When agents can complete paperwork in a timely and efficient manner on top of delivering an excellent, positive experience that satisfies the client, not only do they complete transactions faster, but it ultimately leads to referrals and repeat customers.

With the HomeSmart 100-percent commission model, they also get to take home more funds to invest back into their business.

Being transaction-focused also drives brokerage success and profitability. When we recruit new licensees, the first thing I have them do is focus on the basics. I make sure they are familiar with HomeSmart’s RealSmart Agent software because that’s where they’ll be managing their transactions, learning how the paperwork processes work, customizing their agent website and

completing their training courses.

We then encourage them to enroll in our HomeSmart Mentorship Program. We pair them with an experienced top producer who is familiar with a transaction-focused environment. Our agents get one-on-one training centered around how to successfully engage with clients, conduct negotiations, complete contract writing and win referrals.

It’s not just our new licensees who benefit from this process and our emphasis on transactions. Our top producers build their businesses off of transactions and client referrals. That is how they continue to grow. The more transactions they complete, the more satisfied clients they have…and the more opportunity they have for referrals. As they continue to scale, they also have help with business development and planning. This means they get to sit down with me or the broker in their area and lay out what they hope to achieve and how they’re going to get there.

At HomeSmart, we focus on providing our agents with exemplary services. When they feel supported, they want to offer that same experience to their clients, and that not only benefits them, but also the brokerage. I want our agents to feel fully supported and proud to be associated with the HomeSmart brand.

This way, they feel like they always have the people and resources they need to be successful, offer clients an excellent experience and, to put it simply, sell more. RE

Nishika Green is the broker for the HomeSmart brokerage headquartered in the DMV (Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia) region. She was named to the National Association of REALTORS® 30 Under 30 list in 2002, and in the years to follow, has gained hands-on experience in the industry doing everything from training agents to supporting top producers to being a broker/owner of her own business.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 63

Obsessed With Finding a Better Way

by Paige Tepping

I

n this exclusive interview, Quicken Loans® Director of Business Channel Strategy Lauren Gadoua discusses the company’s culture, leadership philosophy, goal-setting strategy, team member development and more.

Paige Tepping: Please Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP). provide a brief overview of your history in Soon after, I was the industry and how asked to move to the you ended up where Business Development you are today. team as its first dedicated marketing team Lauren Gadoua: About member working on six years into my career, which predomivarious B2B efforts. nantly consisted of This is where I started Lauren Gadoua B2B sales and marketworking with the real esing, I began looking for a new op- tate agent community and learned portunity because I wasn’t feeling about how we assist agents throughchallenged enough at my current out a home purchase. The Busicompany. I started at Quicken Loans ness Development Marketing team in 2013 as a marketing strategist expanded, and I began leading that helping to make homeowners aware team in 2017.

Last year, I moved my team back that they could take advantage of the 64 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

over to the Quicken Loans Marketing team where we’ve been working under our CMO, Casey Hurbis, to grow the Rocket brand with homebuyers and their agents. My team has more than doubled, and one of our main focuses is Rocket Pro℠ Insight—a tool we launched in October 2020— which gives real estate agents visibility and control in their client’s home loan process.

PT: Can you talk a little bit about the company’s culture, as well as its ISMs, and why it is so important to foster this type of culture?

LG: First and foremost, our culture is friendly, inclusive and welcoming.

Another aspect of our culture that is valuable to me as a team member and a leader is the freedom. We’re encouraged to try new things and to test and measure all of our ideas— and we never see failures as defini-

tive. We learn both from what works and what falls flat, then we go back to the drawing board to keep building better tools and experiences for our clients and real estate partners.

The ISMs, which are 20 ideals and principles Dan Gilbert (Quicken Loans founder) started writing more than 20 years ago, define this culture for us and lay out philosophies that guide our decision-making, actions and behaviors.

PT: Is there one particular ISM that stands out most in your mind?

LG: All 20 ISMs work hand in hand, but one that stands out to me is “Obsessed With Finding a Better Way.” Our never-ending mission is to find a better way for every process and everything we touch.

I’ve been in the thick of our real estate engagement strategy for more than five years. That entire time we have been focused on trying new things to give our real estate partners a world-class experience.

“Obsessed” is the right word. “Good enough” is never good enough for us, the agents we work with or their clients.

PT: When it comes to the company’s leadership philosophy, what are some of the key components in this area?

LG: Some of the most important components to our culture and leadership philosophy are approachability, transparency and empowerment.

First of all, team members need to feel comfortable reaching out to leadership. As leaders, it is our duty to provide ongoing guidance to our teams, no matter how busy we are.

We cannot be in an “ivory tower,” available by appointment only. In fact, Jay Farner, our CEO, has his cellphone number listed on our company intranet so anyone can get ahold of him if they need to.

It’s also vital to have transparency when communicating with your teams to build upon the trust you’ve established by being there for them.

Explaining the “why” behind the task

and the impact on the business, being honest about how and why decisions are made, and including team members in the goal-setting process helps the team see why their role is important in the larger picture.

Finally, empowering team members to go and do their jobs shows the team that you have trust in them.

It’s our job as leaders to develop our people into superstar executors and future leaders who feel equipped to successfully carry out their projects without constant oversight. On top of that, we need to empower them to be innovative, try new ways to meet the goal and never settle for the status quo.

Matters” by John Doerr in late 2019, so we were all on the same page about how we wanted to set and measure goals.

It takes time, commitment and a lot of refinement to change your goal-setting structure and stick with it, but it’s worth it.

PT: Why do you believe this type of leadership philosophy has been so successful?

LG: All of these approaches to leadership help team members feel valued and part of the success of the organization as a whole. When a team member feels that they serve a valued purpose, they’ll feel motivated to continue doing a great job and seek out new opportunities for development. When you start multiplying that effect, and you have a majority of your people reaching higher and striving for improvement, the entire organization will level up.

PT: How are you continuing to develop and empower team members?

LG: Our approach to leadership development is to integrate development throughout the team member lifecycle. At every age and every stage in our team members’ careers, we have programs that guide them to the next level and continually enable them to progress in their careers—up to and including our most senior leaders.

We encourage development in all team members, whether they have a “leader” title or not. We recognize that every team member can influence those they interact with and, therefore, we view the word “leadership” more broadly than a simple reporting structure.

This is summed up in a quote from our Founder and Chairman, Dan Gilbert: “A leader’s job is not to create more followers. A leader’s job is to create more leaders.” RE

PT: Setting goals—and achieving them—is critical to a company’s continued success. How does Quicken Loans approach goal setting?

LG: In 2020, we adopted the Objectives and Key Results (OKR) framework to set company goals.

Your team’s objective can be an ambitious goal, but your key results must be measurable and time-bound to track your progress. Drilling down, you start to see what projects/ tasks/efforts are driving toward moving the needle on that key result.

Then, together, those key results will help you meet your objective.

The entire leadership team across all businesses that make up Rocket Companies read “Measure What

PT: Why has this approach been instrumental in the company’s success?

LG: Focus! The ideas flying around this place are never-ending, and if we tried to do everything, we’d end up accomplishing nothing. OKRs help us map out long-term vision and break out how to get there in quarterly segments.

The above article is sponsored content. For more information, please visit RocketPro.com/RealEstate.

Paige Tepping is RISMedia’s managing editor. Email her your real estate news ideas at paige@rismedia.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 65

WOMEN IN

REAL ESTATE Understanding the Hurdles, Seizing the Opportunities

by Andrew King

I

n a field long dominated by women at the sales level, leadership opportunities have often lagged behind for women in real estate. And for the increasing number of women who have assumed top roles in the business, the journey has meant overcoming unique hurdles, but has also yielded rich rewards. In this special Women in Real Estate roundtable discussion, some of real estate’s most successful female leaders candidly share their experiences of rising through the ranks, offer their unique perspectives on the current state of the industry, and provide indispensable advice for future leaders.

PARTICIPANTS:

Candace Adams, President and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England, New York & Westchester Properties Mary Lee Blaylock, President and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties

Kendall Bonner, Broker/Owner, RE/MAX Capital Realty Sherry Chris, President and CEO, Expansion Brands Portfolio, Realogy Holdings Corp.

Regina Coia, President, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Homesale Realty

Marilyn Eiland, Managing Partner, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene Michele Harrington, Chief Operating Officer, First Team Real Estate

Whitney Finn LaCosta, General Manager, Coach REALTORS® Christina Pappas, Vice President, The Keyes Family of Companies Teresa Palacios Smith, Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, HomeServices of America and HSF Affiliates

Diane Ramirez, Executive Chairman and Senior Advisor, Brown Harris Stevens

Robin S. Sheakley, President, Sibcy Cline REALTORS® Mary Lynn Stone, President, CENTURY 21 New Millennium 66 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

How would you describe opportunities for women in the real estate business when you first started as compared to now?

Mary Lee Blaylock: Compared to today, it was an anomaly to have a woman at the top. Now it is celebrated more than ever. Celebrated, due in part to the individual who has achieved that success in the C-Suite, but also because the journey was surely different than that of male counterparts. The opportunities for women today are real when hard work is applied and the job is earned. When I started, it was feasible, but often only recognized as “real” by myself, the individual. As I reflect on that time, I realize I often had to do the work of a higher-level

MARY LEE BLAYLOCK President and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties

employee for a longer period of time than my male counterparts before being recognized as capable of doing the job. Business acumen doesn’t discern between men and women.

Either you have it, or you don’t.

Diane Ramirez: Residential real estate has actually been a good career prospect, historically speaking, for women. Back in the 1970s and ’80s, when more women were homemakers, real estate allowed them the freedom to create flexible hours around childcare, school dropoffs, etc. Of course, back then, it was more of a part-time job than a full-

less likely to feel a comfort level mentoring future women leaders, and women may not have the confidence to step up and push through the obstacles, which still exist. It is ultimately going to be up to women leaders to bring other women along through mentorship.

DIANE RAMIREZ Executive Chairman and Senior Advisor, Brown Harris Stevens

fledged career path. Today, with the advent of new technology and industry disruptors and aggregators, the role of a real estate agent has become increasingly more important.

I think the residential real estate industry has been one of the great equalizers in the job force because you get out of it what you put into it—regardless of gender!

Marilyn Eiland: When I started, very few men were showing houses. They all aspired to being the manager or owner. When the broker needed a manager, they would choose a guy, even if there were women more experienced and knowledgeable in the office. In the early 1980s, I recall a broker explaining to me that “women don’t like to work for women.” Today at my company, there are many capable and well-respected female leaders.

In your opinion, why is it that the industry is predominantly female at the REALTOR® level, yet still heavily male at the leadership level?

Candace Adams: It amazes me that there is still such an imbalance. Although there have been some great success stories, including mine, where a male mentor provided great support and opportunity, I am quite certain that it isn’t prevalent. Men are comfortable being mentors to men, and men are comfortable being mentored by men. Men are

Mary Lynn Stone: To a great extent, women dominate real estate sales positions and men outnumber women in the overall business-development side of the industry. Unlike some other industries, I believe it is somewhat tough to say that real estate has a “glass ceiling.” What is different in real estate is that because agents are independent contractors, they are everyday leaders in their own business. They very much lead and call the shots. In general, on a pay level, real estate agents who put their time in, build a knowledge-base and gain experience are satisfied and rewarded with the in-

MARILYN EILAND Managing Partner, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene

come possibilities...and also not encumbered by a corporate structure.

I believe that many women are actually not interested in management and leadership positions that add a significant layer of responsibility that takes away their flexibility and slows their financial growth tract.

Mary Lee Blaylock: It is beginning to change overall. Females make RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 67

incredibly successful agents. It provides for a level of flexibility that women desire in their pursuit to balance home, family and work life. The natural empathy that women have blends nicely and naturally with the, oftentimes, emotional process of selling or buying a home. I am certain, over time, more women will aspire to become leaders of business

CANDACE ADAMS President and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England, New York & Westchester Properties

in our industry, and I look forward to watching and actively participating in the expansion of women at the top in real estate. Maybe even mentoring and guiding to help encourage other women to see themselves in those positions.

Christina Pappas: Having women in leadership in the brokerage can bring many advantages. Women often bring empathy, vulnerability and a high-level engagement to any job.

Women are able to build rapport with coworkers and agents through their openness and transparency. Many of our women who are mothers don’t just turn off motherhood at the office, which means they have plenty of patience, tend to be able to rationalize and deal with heated situations, and connect with agents on a unique level. Women have been wearing many hats for many years, and now, they are doing that at some of our best real estate companies. Their talents are interchangeable whether at home or work.

68 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

What are some of the biggest hurdles you’ve overcome as a female leader in this business?

Regina Coia: While I was very fortunate to have garnered respect from the people who really mattered throughout my career, there have been situations when I faced condescension by both men and women.

Very early in my career, some cast judgement and assumed that I did not properly earn my position until they saw the results of my work come to fruition. These types of situations along the way only served to galvanize my resolve to be a better leader and role model for others.

From the outset of my career 34 years ago, I always entered a situation with confidence, despite whatever emotions I was experiencing. I knew that I would be an asset to the company because I was willing to learn and work harder than anyone to be successful—and, more importantly, to make a difference.

Teresa Palacios Smith: Most hurdles are self-imposed. As female leaders, I believe we often wonder if we are truly worthy of the opportu-

MARY LYNN STONE President, CENTURY 21 New Millennium

nities being presented. We typically look at our weaknesses versus our own strengths. Conversely, my sense is that most men are not as self-critical. Perhaps like many other women, I too at times struggled with the insecurity of self-doubt and fear of failure. Such self-limiting thoughts can hold women back from moving for-

CHRISTINA PAPPAS Vice President, The Keyes Family of Companies

ward, especially when thinking that anything less than perfection represents inadequacies. This realization has led me to believe that the effort we can control is a more important goal than ultimate result.

Kendall Bonner: I completely agree.

I think the biggest hurdle I have faced is my own self-doubt and limiting beliefs. There have been so many times where I questioned my successes, my goals, my dreams.

In the past, I sometimes have felt “not good enough” or “I’m not there yet” or “I’ll never be able to do that.”

Mindset has been the greatest challenge by far, but I’ve come a long way.

I now feel very clear on who I am, what I want and my purpose in my business. I have also learned that if I want to do or learn something, I can do or learn anything!

Christina Pappas: At the beginning of 2020, I had my first child, which led to new obstacles, including work/ family balance and deciding how our daughter would be raised with two working parents. The silver lining was that after my two months of maternity leave, I went back to work only to be sent to work from home during the stay-at-home orders. This allowed so much more time with my daughter than I could have ever imagined. I know that going into 2021, I will be faced with the new obstacle of deciding how much time I want to spend at home, traveling or in new endeavors. As women, I think we are

constantly battling with the realization that when we say “yes” to business and additional responsibilities at work, we say “no” to our families and children. I just know that I am at my best when I am fulfilled, and that is balancing me as a mother, daughter, coworker, wife and leader.

Whitney Finn LaCosta: Yes, I agree with that. The many hats we wear are the biggest hurdle. Women leaders often have the extra burden of juggling the responsibilities of family that our male counterparts might not have. To be successful, I have learned that time management and delegation are essential. I have to become comfortable with not everything being perfect!

What are some of the unique advantages women can offer as real estate leaders?

Teresa Palacios Smith: It was a cartoonist who wrote the following caption about dancing legends of decades past, Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire: “Sure, Fred Astaire was great, but don’t forget Ginger Rogers

TERESA PALACIOS SMITH Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, HomeServices of America and HSF Affiliates

did everything he did…backwards and in high heels.” Women have the unique advantage of being able to multitask, be problem solvers, network and collaborate with others, along with combining emotional intelligence with business acumen.

Women are also noted, without ego or self-interest, for jumping in and do-

“Women have the unique advantage of being able to multitask, be problem solvers, network and collaborate with others, along with combining emotional intelligence with business acumen. ”

Michele Harrington: We are an industry dominated by women, and as long as women demand and deserve respect, we will get it. I came into First Team the only female to hold this position in the 45-year company history, and I have to say, the feedback from our managers, our

- TERESA PALACIOS SMITH Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, HomeServices of America and HSF Affiliates

ing whatever it takes to ensure that a task is either completed or resolved.

I also believe that women lead with compassion and heart and aren’t afraid to reach out just to check in on the emotional state of their colleagues and coworkers.

Kendall Bonner: Our unique advantages include empathy, grit, mastery and focus. So many of these skills are tested and battle-proven at home, as moms and wives and caretakers, as well as in the workplace.

In fact, those are required traits to succeed both at home and at work.

So many of us have a natural instinct and desire to problem-solve. That’s what leaders do!

Robin S. Sheakley: I have always said that as a REALTOR®, our professional life is everyone else’s personal life. Women tend to be more empathetic and have an easier time leading with this dual approach and achieving consensus.

Whitney Finn LaCosta: Women are naturally intuitive and nurturing, and I think these inherent traits serve them well in our business, which is mainly a people and interrelationship business. There are so many amazing women leaders in our industry that one does not have to look hard to find an excellent role model and mentor to turn to for guidance.

KENDALL BONNER Broker/Owner, RE/MAX Capital Realty

staff and our agents is that I have been a breath of fresh air. Why? Because I listen, inspire, collaborate and empathize, and I never let my ego get in the way. Listening is a skill most men just aren’t as good at, and ego...don’t get me started!

Women leaders have all kinds of advantages, but if we always believe in the misconceptions that it’s too hard to compete as a woman or we are somehow victims of society, then we will never rise to give our agents the leadership they deserve.

How have you sought to “pay it forward” so to speak, and pave the way for future female leaders?

Sherry Chris: I have for many years mentored young women either entering the business or entering the leadership aspect of the business.

For me, my first leadership role was at the age of 27, back in the late 1980s—I was and always will be grateful for the mentorship and guidance I received back then and will always be available to pay it forward.

In many respects, I was one of the pioneers who led the way. One of my principles is that it is important RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 69

WHITNEY FINN LACOSTA General Manager, Coach REALTORS®

as an emerging female leader not to segregate yourself as a female leader, but to celebrate your success as a leader.

Mary Lynn Stone: I am truly blessed to be able to, with my business partners, create opportunities for women and men to achieve their financial dreams. I try hard to pay it forward to women wanting to create something of their own. I know their commitments and need for flexibility, and I do whatever I can to nurture their many talents. These talents may be totally different than those of men, and that’s good—there is no need to try and compete in the same way.

I try to give other women the confidence to succeed in “their way.” Everyone has their own “why.” I want to know about them and allow them to find their way to succeed. And they are succeeding. I see it every day.

Candace Adams: My greatest joy in mentoring women is to empower them and watch them evolve with a high level of confidence to truly tap into their strongest talents. Taking away barriers, listening to their ideas and stretching them to grow in their careers without ridicule and judgement allows women to thrive and truly bring out their best. It is the most fulfilling part of leadership for me.

What are your biggest concerns about the real estate market right now?

Mary Lynn Stone: We have seen up70 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

markets and down-markets. Each has had its challenges to navigate.

Now, for the first time, we are experiencing a pandemic market with the added disruption of political unrest, very unfortunately, associated with violence and destruction. All this has brought a rapid change in people’s migration patterns and an unprepared real estate market. Already experiencing an all-time shortage in inventory, these eight months of change have exacerbated the lowinventory situation. For the moment and foreseeable year or so, people are daring to move away from the congested business areas, embracing telecommuting and also realizing price and value in outlying areas.

This pressure on inventory has many homes selling extremely fast and is driving competitive bids on properties, which is likely causing many buyers to pay a premium.

ROBIN S. SHEAKLEY President, Sibcy Cline REALTORS®

Mary Lee Blaylock: I don’t have any real concerns about the market, (but) what does bother me are the myriad entrants into the industry simply trying to gain a buck rather than focusing on the clients and how to provide them with the most exceptional service. Our industry is often pursued because of the perception that it can provide a quick financial fix, and when that focus becomes the driver of activities, it takes away from those of us who are fighting for the consumers and keeping integrity in place.

“I try hard to pay it forward to women wanting to create something of their own. I know their commitments and need for flexibility, and I do whatever I can to nurture their many talents.”

-MARY LYNN STONE President, Century 21 New Millennium

Sherry Chris: One of the great opportunities I see today in the real estate market is to find ways to surprise and delight the end consumer and provide exceptional customer service. That will anchor our relevance for years to come as we grapple with the balance of online real estate versus face-to-face.

What are you doing to innovate and stay creative in the year ahead?

Kendall Bonner: I created a no-code app for real estate agents to track their daily prospecting habits, goals and conversion rates. I’m sure others have come before me, but my goal was to create something free that agents can use on a daily basis to ensure their goals show up. I truly believe “What gets measured gets done. What gets measured gets improved.”

Robin S. Sheakley: We are focusing on connectivity through personal relationships, technology and direct marketing. Staying present and focused on the communities we serve is our priority.

Marilyn Eiland: Our new technology platform, IMPACT, provides agents with a single point of entry to their CRM, to all marketing and requests for customization, to

est. Essentially, we want to provide our agents with the tools to really succeed—for their benefit, and for the benefit of their clients.

MICHELE HARRINGTON Chief Operating Officer, First Team Real Estate

transaction management and our intranet, which includes a library of our training videos, forms, manuals and more. We have also coached our agents on the art of the video and the power of a well-done virtual home tour. Managers work with agents on videos they can post about market stats or small business owners in the area, as well as tips on home decorating or maintenance, which ties in well with our Better Homes and Gardens brand.

Teresa Palacios Smith: We launched a Facebook Live series entitled “Women Who Lead,” which has been a huge success and one of the most satisfying events of which I am involved. The series airs twice a month during Facebook’s “Women Crush Wednesdays.” This year, I will expand it to include diversity topics and feature diversity and equity business leaders.

Diane Ramirez: We are investing in new technologies for our agents; one of them is called MAIA. It’s an incredibly useful internal platform built in partnership with Salesforce that allows agents to streamline their marketing and communications tools all in one place. We are also launching a home staging program that allows homeowners to make cosmetic and renovation upgrades before listing their properties through an approved list of qualified vendors with no upfront, out-of-pocket costs and no inter-

What do you believe the industry needs to do to tackle diversity issues for a better future?

Teresa Palacios Smith: No. 1, it begins with awareness and acknowledgment. Diversity is 360—you need to look at yourself, your leadership and your company, and tackle it square on. Similarity biases are prevalent in our industry, and as leaders, we need to start looking at our own “house” and determine if this is where we need to start.

No. 2, the industry needs to invest and support leadership training and programs that provide tools to diverse candidates who can then move into leadership opportunities within the real estate industry. No. 3, we need to support and encourage legislation and programs that create opportunities for underserved markets.

And finally, it is important that we provide more in-depth education and training to the REALTOR® com-

SHERRY CHRIS President and CEO, Expansion Brands Portfolio, Realogy Holdings Corp.

munity, beginning at the local level by ensuring that agents are receiving effective Fair Housing training and ethics courses as a requirement when renewing their license.

Training on unconscious and implicit bias should be offered to agents at both the local and state level so

that they are aware of the important role this plays when working with buyers and sellers. Additional education around Fair Housing and the law should be communicated to agents and the community so that there is a constant and elevated awareness.

REGINA COIA President, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Homesale Realty

Kendall Bonner: Diversity is so important. Diversity fuels creativity and innovation because everyone is coming to the table with different ideas, different perspectives and different stories. It starts with open conversation and listening with empathy. I think it also requires intention to change by everyone, as well as intention to see! If you are not willing to see and acknowledge the problem, we will never expose the solution.

Regina Coia: This initiative has already begun with the National Association of REALTORS®’ groundbreaking changes to the Code of Ethics.

This has obviously been quite a hotly debated course of action; however, there could not be a more clear answer to this question than the efforts of America’s largest trade organization, despite such controversy. From there, it is all about local leaders coaching their agents and staff with the expectation that they will align with the essential tenet of simply doing the right thing. RE

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 71

Women in Real Estate: Leading the Charge Toward Equal Access and a Level Playing Field by Liz Dominguez

D

esirée Patno has led women toward leadership and success throughout her three-decade career. As president and CEO of Desirée Patno, Inc. and founder of Women in the Housing & Real Estate Ecosystem (NAWRB), Patno leads the charge toward equal access for women and a level playing field for all.

Patno

72 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“We have to look at this not as a feminist movement, or something in which there are too many movements because it becomes a ‘kitchen sink’ kind of thing, but more of an equal access thing,” says Patno.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a woman, if you’re a person of color, if you’re a Caucasian man, as long as we all have access to equality so that the best person gets the best job. This way, we will be able to achieve a better equilibrium.”

Here, Patno shares her strategies for success, and what it means to be an influential woman in the real estate industry.

What types of changes can help promote gender equality in real estate?

Desirée Patno: The reality is that women have been outpacing normal statistics, but we’re not as involved.

If we’re going to build new construction, we’re going to have to be more integrated in that construction—to be heard and seen in the design of the home. We think of our homes as a sanctuary, and having women have their own four walls and hold control of their own domain is the base. We can mirror that success in the industry. If you see women saying, “I can do this,” others will say, “Hey, I can relate to her and maybe I

can achieve that success, too.”

How do you measure success, and what motivates you?

DP: In the end, it’s about quality of life, and if I can help you go through your journey, then I feel I’ve been successful in my purpose of being on this earth. That’s why I created the podcast “Know the Rules of the Game.” If you know the rules, you can play the game. By taking those powerful words, you can get through anything. What motivates me is seeing that I have done something that makes you say, “Wow, thank you for being there to educate me,” and when I see their excitement, it gets me excited.

What do you hope to achieve in the long term?

DP: The end goal is creating and leveraging resources, especially for women, because we are siloed in society today. We have experts providing several angles, but what the industry needs is to connect those angles to create an ecosystem of thought and actionable deliverables.

The NAWRB Women Housing Ecosystem Report was developed to connect those dots—the volumes cover everything from diversity and inclusion to residential real estate to blockchain and proptech to access to capital. We have to focus on getting the information out regularly, because we have very few people teaching it.

What’s standing in the way?

DP: The biggest obstacle today is developing a culture where women support women. Because women have been suppressed in some capacity, we don’t always take a stand and put ourselves in the forefront, highlighting what we bring to the table. Women who are jealous will also put other women down because of their own insecurities, or they feel they run the risk of speaking out if a woman is deserving of credit.

How can the industry overcome these challenges?

DP: We need to get women on the same playing field. The unconscious biases are still there—like women are better multitaskers so it’s in their inherent nature to run the household—but it’s not that women aren’t getting their jobs done. It’s that they aren’t applying as much.

Our inner doubters tell us not to go for it, but we’ve got to put that selfdoubter away. The worst anyone can say is “no,” but they can’t say no if you don’t apply. Additionally, we have a lot of women at the bottom and at the top, but not so many in the middle, so we don’t have as many coming up the ranks.

What’s one piece of advice you can give to anyone looking to step into a leadership role?

DP: Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

It’s the hardest thing for me today and for many women because they

see it as failure. As long as you’re seen and heard, and you make an impact, there’s no reason to feel insecure about asking for help.

Those interested in getting involved in the gender equality movement can consider the following initiatives Patno is working with: • Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Council: Efforts to increase the number of women leaders, while also growing empowerment at all levels in the housing ecosystem • Women Impacting Public Policy Leadership Advisory Council: Thought leaders, women business owners and academics with expertise in entrepreneurship, public policy and leadership development • Enterprising Women Advisory Board: Group of men and women who help provide leadership, motivation and inspiration to thousands of women entrepreneurs across the globe RE Do you know someone who is making strides toward the advancement of women leadership in the real estate industry? Contact ldominguez@rismedia.com to learn more about our Women in Real Estate series.

Liz Dominguez is RISMedia’s senior online editor. Email her your real estate news ideas at ldominguez@rismedia.com.

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Don’t Waste Time Away From Home: Avoiding ‘Fake Work’

by Brianne Ika

D

o you ever have the feeling that your work comes at the expense of missing out on your kids’ lives?

Women tend to have more guilt around working because there is a strong need to be the caregiver or the super-mom. We feel remorse when we don’t make it to every single game, and we feel inferior when we’re not the “Instagram” mom. We feel guilt when we leave our children to go show homes, hold open houses, head to listing appointments or drop by the office. When women get pulled away from the kids to work, it’s hard to see the “big why.”

I love being in real estate.

It allows me to have the flexibility I need to care for my kids and do what I love; however, every single second I spend away from my girls has to be worth it. When I get home from work, I have to know that it wasn’t a day where I felt busy but got nothing accomplished. We’ve all had those days where we go to work and there are a thousand things on our checklist, yet we are interrupted with phone calls, people stopping by our desk, text messages, Slack, Facebook and Instagram. It’s hard when we can’t seem to get a handle on which things are true priorities, or money-making activities, and which things are “fake work.”

I use a calendar called the My Perfect Week Scheduler to design what my perfect week would look like. I get up at 5:30 a.m. and head to the gym while the kids are asleep. I’m back home by 7 a.m. to get them up and ready for school by 8:30 a.m. I drop them off and head to my office around 8:30 a.m. - 9 a.m. I do a quick scan of my emails for urgent business matters and check my calendar for any important dates, and from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m., I pick up my phone and prospect for new business. My entire day is planned out down to the minute, and I block time for those things that are most important: the money-making activities. This way, I ensure that the time spent away from my family is time spent being truly productive.

I also take the time to write down what I actually did in 30-minute increments after they are done. This allows me to never have that “fake work” feeling. I know exactly what I did, and if I find myself off track in any given 30-minute time block, I can easily course correct and get back on track.

I love being in real estate. It allows me to have the flexibility I need to care for my kids and do what I love; however, every single second I spend away from my girls has to be worth it.

If you’re going to spend time away from your family, make sure you aren’t wasting that time. If you want access to the My Perfect Week Scheduler, email me at brianne@workmansuccess.com, and I’d be happy to share it with you.

A skilled and dedicated professional, Brianne Ika has spent years learning the intricacies of the business world and developing a formula for success in her career. Whether it’s through operations or business development, Ika’s positive energy and love for her work has allowed her to help countless aspiring entrepreneurs achieve their goals, coast to coast.

Nothing gives her more satisfaction than setting people on the path to prosperity. To reach Ika, email brianne@workmansuccess.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 75

{Power Teams} Establishing a Social Media Plan That You Can Actually Execute

by Laura Ryan

A

gents often confuse being on social media with making money off of social media. In reality, I see a lot of agents who get sucked down the social media rabbit hole without actually having any design to profit from it. But you can have a return on investment if you use social media with a few simple strategies in mind.

So, how do we use social media as a business?

1. You have to have an audience. If you have a business page, you need followers. We have found that the best way to spread our reach is with contests. We’re all familiar with the basic concept of “Like our page” or “Like our post and share it” and we will pick a winner as a contest.

2. You have to be relevant and relatable. People do business with those they know, like and trust. Be you. Avoid sensitive topics, but find something to post about that is real estaterelated and also personal. It can be as simple as your new kitchen or a new listing feature you love—and why.

3. Make sure you are in neighborhood and local groups. These are great places to get information about people looking to sell and buy. Be a subtle stalk-

76 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

er. You can’t just comment and post about things related to real estate (see No. 2). Let people see you so that when you comment about being an agent, they feel like they already know you. Don’t be afraid to private message someone either.

Plan out themed days like “Make Me Move Monday,” where you feature a new listing in your office with the agent’s permission or “Talk It Out Tuesday,” where you have a vendor write a small blurb.

If you want your time spent on social media to translate into real dollars, it’s important to have a plan…and to follow it consistently. Time-block in your schedule when to sit down and create several weeks of posts all at one time and schedule them

out using a publishing tool. We prefer to use the tool built into Facebook to do this. Plan out themed days like “Make Me Move Monday,” where you feature a new listing in your office (with the agent’s permission) or “Talk It Out Tuesday,” where you have a vendor write a small blurb. Run a contest at least once a month to engage your community. Have them participate with your social media by sending in the best carved pumpkin, the best Valentine’s Day gift they’ve received, etc. Focus on local happenings and try to think of things to post that will get shared. This will happen as long as you have a plan in place that you’re committed to following.

Don’t get sucked down the rabbit hole! RE Laura Ryan owns and co-leads the Mark Ryan Group alongside her husband, Mark, with RE/MAX Victory in Dayton, Ohio. The Mark Ryan Group has a stellar team of agents selling homes and a top-notch support staff handling all of the marketing, contract management and client experience. Ryan is a huge believer in real estate teams and works to create specialists in each area of the business who implement systems to solve problems in the industry. Contact her at laura@markryangroup.com.

{Power Teams} You are your most important client. You need to set aside time to care for your physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health.

3. Your mental health. Taking time to unplug and be present, stepping away from the news cycle, turning off your cellphone.

Put Your Oxygen Mask on First

by Sara Guldi

I

often see articles about juggling all of the things that we as women have to do these days. Take care of lead generation, get deals negotiated, ensure we have a deal pipeline, be present with our spouse or significant other, be a parent or caretaker, keep our home clean, pay our bills…the list goes on. And yet, something is missing from that list—and it is the most critical piece. Any guesses as to what it is?

Taking care of ourselves. “I take care of myself,” is what you’re most likely saying right now. “I have affirmations on my mirror, I ate a salad last week, and I took a bubble bath after the late-night workout I managed to squeeze in after working a 12-hour day!”

And you probably do take care of yourself, to an extent, but I would

also be willing to bet that if anything for your business or family came up when you were supposed to be caring for yourself, you would make it a higher priority.

You are your most important client. You need to set aside time to care for your physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health or you will burn out, and it won’t be pretty. I used to laugh when they would say to put your own mask on first during the safety briefing on flights until one day, I suffered a significant personal loss, and it brought it all into perspective for me. I had no foundation for my life, and it all came crashing down like a house of cards. I had to learn how to put myself first to rebuild that foundation.

Pull out a piece of paper and make a list of what you do to take care of yourself in these four ways: 1. Your physical health. Working out, eating well, tracking steps, getting enough sleep.

2. Your spiritual health. Practicing breathwork, praying, meditating, doing yoga.

4. Your emotional health. Being aware of your emotions, managing stress, connecting with others.

Once you have your list, pull out your calendar and put at least one thing from each category into your day at least three days a week. As taking care of yourself becomes more natural, add more days.

During your workday, focus on dollar-productive activities like lead generation, and delegate anything that is not dollar-producing. If you do not have an assistant or transaction coordinator, get one. “I don’t have time” is the worst excuse to not care for yourself. What you are saying is, “I don’t value myself enough to commit the time.” You have time for all you need, and you get to choose how to use it. Choose wisely, and choose you. RE Sara Guldi has been a licensed REALTOR® since 2004. She lives in Florida, and for 15 years, co-owned a real estate team in Maryland that consistently exceeded $20 million in production annually. Guldi is now a full-time coach and is also working full-time on her degree in Psychology and Organizational Leadership in Business. She loves helping others build amazing businesses using the performance coaching systems developed by Workman Success Systems.

Contact her at Sara@WorkmanSuccess.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 77

{Power Teams} Accountability Matters: Performance Tracking Key to Continued Success

by Sarah Michelle Bliss

W

hether they won or got crushed, after each game, professional football teams gather together to study film from the game so that they can improve their movements, throws, kicks and overall skills. They study, assess and analyze their habits in order to continually push themselves to get better.

However, unlike football players, many agents fail to study their performance at the end of each day or week. Sales is not rocket science; it’s basic math. Did you make enough calls to book enough appointments on a daily, weekly and monthly basis? While it may seem simple, the only way to know those numbers is to track your performance. And if football players can do it, real estate agents can too.

For years I used a paper planner to document my appointments and activities, but when technology came along, I had to ditch my planner for a handheld device that was not nearly as effective. Luckily, you don’t have to run out and spend a ton of money on a good planner. In fact, we have a simple yet powerful tool that we are offering to you for free. It’s called the Daily Success Habits Tracker (DSH). Whether you embrace the new technology or prefer to go with the traditional

78 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

method, the important thing is that you’re recording, updating and reviewing your numbers consistently.

Motivational speaker and real estate coach Verl Workman developed the DSH tracker based on the activities and behaviors of highly successful real estate professionals. After all, evaluating your performance so that you know which problem areas to target is how you improve.

The DSH allows you to track each and every money-making activity you do in real estate. This includes prospecting calls and emails, handwritten cards, appointments with buyers and sellers, closings, and open houses. Each activity has a point value assigned to it, and the goal is to earn a minimum of 61 points per day.

My favorite part of the DSH is 1MT1MT, or “one more thing, one more time.” This gives you the opportunity to earn an extra point by making one more phone call, knocking on one more door or writing one more personal note. The power of doing just one more thing, one

more time compounded over time is massive. It can be the difference between a $1 million producer and a $10 million dollar producer.

I love the saying, “There is no growth without discomfort.” Tracking our performance is not a comfortable activity due to the fact that it shines a light on the reality that most of us waste more time focusing on non-dollar-making activities than we do on prospecting for new business. Time is the only limit we have. Be intentional, learn to delegate and focus on getting 61 points per day. By doing so, you’ll never find yourself wondering where your next commission is coming from. RE

Sarah Michelle Bliss is a coach with Workman Success Systems. She has been in the real estate industry since 1995 and is a founder at RE/MAX Professionals, where she has been a part of the Nate Martinez Team since 1997. Over the past 20 years, she has taught locally and nationally, and coached and influenced her peers through team management, agent development and training. For more information, please visit www.WorkmanSuccess.com.

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{Power Teams}

How Women-Led Chicago Real Estate Team ‘Understands Mindset of Every Customer’

by Barbara Pronin

G

etting into real estate was pure serendipity for Chicago broker Elizabeth Ballis, leader of the Ballis Group at Compass and who, for more than 40 years, has ranked among the Windy City’s top producers.

Her daughter Deborah Ballis Hirt was licensed in mid-2010, and transitioned easily into her mother’s company. The Ballis Group now comprises Elizabeth Ballis, Deborah Ballis Hirt and Nicole Niermeyer.

Barbara Pronin: Elizabeth, what’s it

been like to team with your daughter?

Elizabeth Ballis: Believe it or not, it was smooth from the beginning!

Deborah was smart and a fast learner, and I tried hard not to look at it as a child-parent thing. It’s been awesome to really see who she is as a person, to recognize that she has talents and skills that are different from mine, but that can help take our business to another level.

From L to R: Deborah Ballis Hirt, Nicole Niermeyer and Elizabeth Ballis

Working at her family’s insurance business, Ballis made the switch to residential real estate, going to work for a small company in mid-city Chicago. She did well enough to launch her own company barely a year later, and the firm garnered enough notice to merge with several large firms over the years, including Coldwell Banker, before Ballis made the move to Compass Realty in 2019.

82 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

BP: So, when and why did you decide to add someone else to your team?

EB: From the moment Nicole Niermeyer came into Coldwell Banker as a newbie, we could see she was something special. She sold her first property in her first weekend at the firm, and she never looked back.

She joined our team as a third partner in the fall of 2015, and we feel fortunate to have her.

BP: What’s your greatest strength as a team?

EB: Positivity, a wealth of experience, and our commitment to excel-

lent service. Plus, while I’ve been in the business forever, we have a Gen X and a millennial in our partnership. Between us, we can pretty much understand the mindsets of every customer we serve—how they think, what they want, how they like to communicate.

BP: How do the three of you split your duties?

EB: Apart from the fact that Deborah and Nicole take care of the tech and admin tasks, we are all equally on board. We want each of our clients to feel very comfortable, knowing they have a lead agent—the primary contact who will be there for them throughout their buy/sell experience—but also to know there is a knowledgeable back-up who’s ready and able to consult, and who’s perfectly capable of running the show if one of us takes some time off.

BP: How has the coronavirus pandemic impacted your business?

EB: We’ve been extraordinarily busy, with so many people wanting more space, more privacy, more amenities. We still have daily meetings, although sometimes via Zoom or telephone, and we’re well prepared to manage things virtually and safely with our clients. In some ways, we are stronger than ever.

BP: What’s your plan for 2021?

EB: If business ever settles down, we’ll work on updating our CRM. We have thousands of contacts by now—and we want to grow our social media platform. But we’d also love to spend more time with each other. Deborah tells me I work 24/7.

That’s a habit I’d like to break. But I love what I do, that’s the simple truth. And I love that our clients love us back. RE For more information, please visit www.ballisgroup.com.

Barbara Pronin is a contributing editor to RISMedia.

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The Ebby Halliday sales leader team enjoys a little after-meeting fun.

Real Estate Rockstars: Empowering Women to Claim Their Seat at the Table

by Paige Tepping

W

ith 20 years of experience in real estate, Sherri Johnson—CEO and founder of Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting—knows a rockstar leader when she sees one.

find a new path at the tender age of 21, Rosson walked into the Ebby Halliday office that was located right across the street from the apartment she was renting at the time and asked to meet with the manager.

And she hasn’t looked back since.

“It’s the type of career that takes you over.

Johnson “They’re the ones out front,” says Johnson, It got my heart and my soul, and I immediately “helping those around them change their lives for the knew that I was in the right place,” says Rosson, who better.” quickly realized that one of her passions was helping They’re top female executives like Carolyn Rosson— agents feel both confident and assured in their role. vice president of brokerage for the Ebby Halliday ComRaised by parents who instilled in her the belief that panies—and Meighan Wise—team leader of the Wise she could do anything she set her sights to, Rosson Real Estate Group (#WiseMoves) with Berkshire Hatha- points to voicing her desire to take the helm at an office way HomeServices Indiana Realty. whose potential wasn’t being realized as a pivotal moHaving built careers that are nothing short of unbe- ment in her career as a leader. lievable, Rosson and Wise continue to raise the bar, “Anytime someone who is driven and passionate helping other women realize their true potential. about what they are doing realizes the impact they are “I have achieved nothing on my own, but only through having on the people, the community and the industry, others who have lifted me up to be the person I am,” it fuels them to do more,” says Rosson. says Rosson, who is committed to making a difference While it took her two years to completely turn the ofin someone’s life each and every day. fice around, the community began to notice.

Having recently celebrated her 40th year with Ebby “Top-producing agents from other offices were calling Halliday Companies, Rosson can’t imagine being any- my agents to ask what was going on and inquire about where else. the woman leading the office,” says Rosson. “This gave After deciding that she needed to branch out and me the fuel and energy to do more.”

84 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Malinda Howell and Carolyn Rosson, vice presidents of Brokerage for the Ebby Halliday Companies

Still one of her greatest joys, Rosson goes on to explain that, at the end of the day, it all boils down to her family. Her “why.”

“A lot of women believe that if they have kids, they can’t follow their heart and do what they want to do,” explains Wise—who also points to her family, specifically her children, as the motivation behind every decision she makes.

With a passion for helping others, Wise—mother to 10-, seven- and four-year-olds—has perfected the elusive work-life balance we’re all striving for.

Striking out on her own to create Wise Real Estate Group a few short years ago in order to balance out the demands of both her life and career, Wise orchestrated the entire process so that everything went down the way she wanted it to.

Determined to overcome roadblocks and challenges, Wise’s experience in the industry played a large part in her team’s development and her approach to ensuring that everything is crystal clear and transparent.

“I want to always feel like I’m doing a great job at what I’m doing, and I never want to be stretched too thin,” explains Wise, who credits the principal at the school where she was working as a guidance counselor for pushing her to get her real estate license.

A true leader in every sense of the word, Wise points to her determination as a key factor in her success.

“It’s been a crazy year, but it’s worked out 10 times better than I ever thought possible,” says Wise, whose team closed 200-plus units in 2020 (at press time).

Prior to COVID, their soft goal was to close $73M, but they ended this past year closer to $80M. “I didn’t realize going into real estate that we could have as much of an impact in so many ways on clients, teammates and others that we can inspire,” says Wise, who points to her greatest accomplishment as pulling the trigger and launching her team.

“Even if you don’t have a perfect plan, and you don’t have everything figured out, it’s best to just do it,” says Wise, who encourages real estate professionals across the board to jump in the deep end and stop holding themselves back.

Meighan Wise says her children are the motivation behind every decision she makes.

“I’m proud of my team and the fact that we’ve been able to grow so successfully in such a short period of time,” she says.

While the future is looking brighter than ever for the Wise Real Estate Group, not only does Wise have her eye on continued growth, she is also pulling out all the stops by empowering women to achieve more than they ever thought possible in both their personal and professional lives.

“I don’t know exactly what the future looks like,” says Wise, “but one thing I know for sure is that I’m going to enjoy the ride.”

Enjoying the ride is the name of the game for Rosson as well.

“I’m still here, and I still love what I do,” says Rosson, who made a promise to herself when she first got started that she would leave the company the day she was no longer having fun.

A key player at one of the largest real estate companies in the country, Rosson envisions a future where she continues to play a role in mentoring women.

“More often than not, women have to work harder, especially in leadership roles, so I’d love to be more involved in a mentoring capacity,” she says.

Changing lives one day at a time, Rosson and Wise are paving the way for future generations of women to step up to the leadership plate and have a prominent seat at the table. RE

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

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 85

A Journey of Leadership Brings Rich Perspective to Real Estate WAV Group’s Marilyn Wilson and Myra Jolivet

by Paige Tepping

R

products. She was also CEO of Surveyor Corp., uth Bader Ginsburg said, “Women belong the company that engineered the technology in all places where decisions are being that now fuels FaceTime. made. It shouldn’t be that women are In real estate, Wilson is a familiar name the exception.” This is certainly the case at on industry leadership lists, including RISreal estate industry consulting firm the WAV Media’s Real Estate Newsmakers. She Group, where Managing Partner and President is a dedicated industry researcher and a passionate driver of policy change. At WAV of RETechnology Marilyn Wilson and PR & Wilson Group, Wilson helps to outline and drive Communications Strategist Myra Jolivet play growth strategies for many of the nation’s central roles as thought leaders.

Wilson’s and Jolivet’s journeys to leadership in real estate were paved with achievements in diverse fields. Wilson came by way of Fisher-Price where, as senior vice president of global marketing, she created a toy that is now on display in the Smithsonian, and developed and marketed more than 1,000 new 86 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Jolivet

leading MLSs, tech companies and brokerages, including the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® network. She is currently leading the roll-out of the industry’s first statewide, broker-led MLS, leveraging her deep expertise and facilitation skills in both areas.

Jolivet began her career in TV news. She created two Emmy Award-winning investigations, and as one of the first reporters on the scene of the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy, filed reports for CBS News. She has served as a mayoral spokesperson and has held several executive public affairs roles. At both the corporate headquarters of Shell Oil and as an account executive at New York-based Hill and Knowlton, Jolivet handled crisis communications and strategic branding campaigns. She also served as chief marketing officer for the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles, and was named one of the Most Influential Women of Silicon Valley.

Jolivet was introduced to organized real estate as chief communications officer for the Houston Association of REALTORS®, HAR.com. She also led departments at the Pacific West Association of REALTORS®and MLSListings Inc.

Experience Serves the Industry The meeting point for Wilson and Jolivet was Houston.

Wilson’s role as consultant to the Houston Association of REALTORS® introduced her to then Chief Communications Officer Jolivet.

Wilson had created a consumer research panel to provide HAR members with timely insights from nearly 15,000 homebuyers and sellers, and helped bolster HAR members as the source of real estate in the marketplace. As chief communications officer, Jolivet deployed public affairs tactics to help elevate HAR members in the news media and with local government leaders.

More than a decade later, the pair have combined forces to provide brokerages, real estate technology companies, associations and MLSs with the benefit of their varied and broad-based experience and expertise in brand management, communications, strategic planning, public relations and media training.

Instead of off-the-shelf consulting solutions, Wilson and Jolivet are focused on building strategies, action plans and performance benchmarks specific to an organization’s desired goals. Wilson guides organizations in creating strategic plans and sophisticated survey models to better serve clients and customers, and to stay ahead of industry trends. She also brings a marketing and operational lens to brokerages, associations and MLSs. Jolivet has created media campaigns in the industry to mitigate crises and promote industry professionals nationally and locally. She also brings her perspective of engaging viewers/voters/customers to association and MLS service models.

“I would like to see an industry that builds its success on women as the decision-making customer, up its game in the development and support of women in its leadership ranks.”

– MYRA JOLIVET PR & Communications Strategist, WAV Group

as evidenced in 2020 and which will no doubt continue into 2021. As two strong and confident women, the pair are not afraid to talk about the “tough stuff” that they believe has the potential to take our industry out, whether it be professionalism, Fair Housing or the “sacred cows” the industry tends to hold onto so tightly. Wilson and Jolivet embrace such problems and challenges, and aim to bring viable, workable solutions to help the industry move forward.

Today’s Issues: DEI, Fair Housing

Confronting Waves of Change

Many organizations wear a public face that can be as open to criticism as compliments. That’s why Wilson and Jolivet believe brand strategies and messaging make the difference.

Together, the women of WAV Group are driving breakthrough programs in diversity and inclusiveness, customer-centricity, and working from the “inside out” to inform and inspire positive change to ensure real estate brokers and agents remain as the ultimate, trusted source of real estate information and transaction support. Wilson and Jolivet are focused on helping organizations outline forward-thinking strategic directions that not only help drive growth, but protect from the downside with business continuity and crisis communications skills.

“My goal is to help the industry listen closely and respond in real-time to the ever-changing needs of the public and practitioners to ensure that our industry remains strong and viable for the long haul while enabling every consumer to be served equitably and fairly,” says Wilson.

To that end, Jolivet leads WAV Group’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) practice, a unique approach that integrates DEI into strategic and communications planning.

The program is customized to meet the needs of brokerages, associations and MLSs. As Jolivet says, “I would like to see an industry that builds its success on women as the decision-making customer, up its game in the development and support of women in its leadership ranks.” RE

The real estate industry does not exist in isolation, says Wilson and Jolivet, but rather within a world of change,

For more information, visit www.wavgroup.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 87

{Broker Best Practices} Stronger Than Ever

by Jameson Doris

Anna Ciano-Hendricks Broker/Owner RE/MAX Pathway Kent, Ohio www.pathwayoh.com Region served: Northeast Ohio Years in real estate: 11 Number of offices: 2 Number of agents: 23 Best tip for going the extra mile for your agents: Always be accessible. Let your agents know that you’re there for them, and never pawn them off on anyone else. Treat all your agents the same, whether they sell 10 houses a year or 200.

What’s your secret to staying relevant in today’s ever-changing real estate landscape? I learn constantly. In addition to using coaching and mentoring, I’ve also befriended some of the top-producing brokers nationally to make sure I’m on top of all the current trends that can better assist me and my agents.

Networking, reading and investing in myself and my agents is key.

88 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

How do you stay in touch with your clients? It’s important that past clients get contacted by me once a month. They’re the reason I have a business, and I try to never lose sight of this. Additionally, when markets shift, my sphere/referrals are going to be my top source of revenue, so I make sure to check on them. I send cards, gift cards, mailers, anniversary cards, etc. I also keep notes on them, and if something major happens in their life, like a birth or graduation, I make sure to acknowledge it.

Where does your market stand in regard to reopening in the midst of COVID? We’ve been stronger than ever. We try to focus on “community, community, community” and support as much as possible. It doesn’t have to be about real estate; I always say that my brokerage is building something much larger than real estate. By investing in and caring about your community, businesses support each other. This shows that you’re not only an area expert, but that you care about your community—especially during these uncertain times.

How do you attract the top agents in your area? I’m a non-competing broker/owner, so my goal is to develop, motivate, train and encourage my agents to hit their personal goals. Everyone has different goals, so whatever theirs is—whether it’s strictly monetary or being able to spend more time with their family—I want to help them. We provide amazing office space in the heart of two great

cities with gorgeous modern facilities. Also, I ran one of the top-producing teams in Northeast Ohio, so I’ve been there and can help my agents get to the next level.

“I’m a non-competing broker/owner, so my goal is to develop, motivate, train and encourage my agents to hit their personal goals. Everyone has different goals, so whatever theirs is— whether it’s strictly monetary or being able to spend more time with their family—I want to help them.”

- ANNA CIANO-HENDRICKS Broker/Owner, RE/MAX Pathway

Where do you see your business in five years? We’ll continue to grow and be one of the top-producing brokerages in Northeast Ohio filled with quality agents. I don’t just hire anyone. I want to maintain our amazing community presence and reputation. Even during the pandemic, we were able to grow and open a second location. We are going to keep moving forward and continue to be recognized as one of the best in our area.

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

Setting the Stage for Continued Growth

by Lesley Grand

much of it has to do with the stability and integrity of the brand.

In addition to the broker-to-broker referral network being strong, the brand’s name recognition—both nationally and internationally—has provided us with listings we never would have had. And that clearly impacts the bottom line.

Connie Yoshimura Broker/Owner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alaska Realty Anchorage, Alaska www.bhhsalaska.com Region served: Alaska Years in real estate: 40 Number of offices: 2, with plans to open two additional offices.

Number of agents: 42 Motto/work philosophy that you live by: Get up and go to work every day. It’s also important that you learn from your mistakes and keep going.

Talk about your decision to join the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brand. I was a land developer first (and still am), but as a land developer and a broker with a small brokerage, the reality is that I could not compete without technology. The decision to join Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices was a no-brainer, as it provides us with the resources of a successful brand. Since joining the network in June 2020, we have seen a 14-percent increase in sales. And while some of that growth can be attributed to low interest rates,

“I put a great deal of emphasis on education, from running monthly group training programs to creating individualized training programs for each of our brokers. We also select a program for each new hire. Another big push for us is getting market information to our agents, so we designed a program that allows them to learn about the market quickly.”

- CONNIE YOSHIMURA Broker/Owner, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alaska Realty

In what ways does being part of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices help you hire and retain the best agents and brokers? As we prepare to open two new offices, we’ve been interviewing new agents, and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brand has helped, as it speaks for itself. We don’t have to spend

time on a listing call explaining who we are, because everyone knows Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, so agents can get right into pitching their marketing proposals.

How important are training and education to your practice? They are the most important things.

I put a great deal of emphasis on education, from running monthly group training programs to creating individualized training programs for each of our brokers.

We also select a program for each new hire. Another big push for us is getting market information to our agents, so we designed a program that allows them to learn about the market quickly.

Talk about giving back to the community. Because I am both a land developer and a broker, I feel strongly about the homebuilding side. If all I do is collect commissions as a broker, then I’m not giving back to the community that supports us. We need inventory, and I want to help build that inventory as a way to reinvest in the community.

How are you helping agents through this unprecedented time?

It’s a lonely time for many people, so it’s a challenge. As CEO and broker, I want to touch our brokers so that they know we are here.

That means we have a larger staff than most, which will help facilitate growth when we come out of COVID. But right now, it lets us answer our phones in person and show our agents that we are here to help them.

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

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{Broker Best Practices} Creating a Better Experience for Agents and Clients

by Lesley Grand

You have said the three words that best describe your practice are gritty, grassroots and gratitude.

Talk about this. Gritty: I’m a firm believer that hard work pays off.

Initially, my work ethic propelled me ahead of my competitors.

I was new to Maine and didn’t have any connections, so I relied on what was available to me.

After completing four Ironman competitions, I truly know what I’m capable of.

Dava Davin Founder & CEO Portside Real Estate Group, a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® Portland, Maine www.portsidereg.com Region served: Southern and coastal Maine Years in real estate: 11 Number of offices: 5 Number of agents: 100+/Work philosophy/motto that you live by: I aim to be better today than I was yesterday.

In only eight years, Portside Real Estate Group has grown from one office with eight agents to five offices with 80 agents.

What’s behind this growth? We’ve experienced overwhelming organic growth with the exception of one location in which we acquired an existing RE/MAX office. We look for agents who want to be great at what they do, then provide them with caring support and practical marketing and tech tools. By doing so, they’re able to operate at a high level with our reputable brand behind them.

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Grassroots: Portside was started from scratch. We take our ideas about what’s possible and turn them into systems, events and campaigns.

Gratitude: I begin each day by being grateful for everything we have and spend the rest of the day trying to make the world a tiny bit better.

What is your best advice for hiring and retaining the best agents?

At Portside, we only hire fulltime, motivated agents who are connected to the community. Having these requirements helps us keep a high standard of professionalism, and because of this, our retention rate is excellent. Our agents feel empowered, and not only do we help them understand what they are capable of doing, but we also help them achieve their goals.

How do you stay ahead of the competition? We view ourselves less as a real estate company and more as a marketing company that connects people through community events and involvement. With this in mind, we are free to focus on creating a better experience for our agents and clients. This translates

“We view ourselves less as a real estate company and more as a marketing company that connects people through community events and involvement.

With this in mind, we are free to focus on creating a better experience for our agents and clients.”

- DAVA DAVIN Founder & CEO, Portside Real Estate Group, a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®

into fresh ideas and a forwardthinking company.

Please discuss your philosophy around giving back to the community and why it is so important. Before becoming a REALTOR®, I had a strong desire to work in the non-profit sector. As REALTORS®, we are very privileged and have many opportunities. As such, I feel it is our duty to give back to the communities we serve.

At Portside, we give 1 percent of our top-line revenue to The Portside Foundation, which funds local non-profits dedicated to improving the future for Mainers. We also hold quarterly events where agents invite their clients to raise money and awareness for our non-profit partners.

How have you helped your agents cope with the challenges associated with the pandemic?

I assure them that Portside is a safe place to share their feelings, whether it be about balancing home schooling, safety protocols at showings or anything in between.

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

How Real Estate Agents Used Tech to Adapt in 2020, and Why It Worked

by Erin Green

market because of how quickly they adapted to technology that helped solve the problems that clients were worried about.

Just to name a few, agents used: • Marketing tools to communicate changes and new practices, so clients knew what to expect • Virtual tours and 3D photos to showcase properties without anyone having to leave their bubble • eSignature tools to legally sign offers and contracts without meeting up with clients in person Why It Worked: Each of these things showed clients exactly how quickly real estate could shift to make sure their needs were met, and exactly why they didn’t need to be afraid of buying and selling.

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f 2020 had been a roller coaster, it would have put every theme park in North America to shame. Its ups and downs affected everything about our lives: from business decisions to how we shop for food and everything in between.

Real estate showed a true evolutionary spirit, finding ways to adapt to a new reality that decidedly lacked the face-to-face aspect everyone expects. Here’s a look at how real estate agents across the industry adapted and grew through such a difficult time, setting the stage for 2021.

1. Keeping real estate not just afloat, but thriving.

Real estate has always been remote in some ways—agents spend more time afield than at desks. But remote work where you can’t go meet up with the client? That was something new.

Agents stepped up to show us all how it’s done. Tens of thousands of them in the U.S. alone reacted

quickly to the change and moved to technology that helped them keep up business as usual as much as possible.

Why It Worked: Two reasons. First, this was a major shift that gave agents a way to keep working through what could have easily been devastating for the market. And second, rather than being a hindrance, it actually worked in favor of agents— helping them close more deals than ever.

2. Boosting the real estate client experience.

2020 was a lot of things, but a good year for client confidence wasn’t one of them. Real estate agents were able to attract clients back to the

3. Doing it all without sacrificing their bottom lines.

It’s one thing to start using new technology, and quite another to do so in the middle of a pandemic. Agents across the nation proved resourceful in accomplishing all of this without adding all kinds of extra tech costs.

For example, the tech so many of them adopted to help keep up business in a remote reality? That was the transaction solution they receive as a national member benefit. And the tools they used to create and communicate change for clients?

All accessible for free through said member benefit.

There’s a lot this year may have in store for us, but if 2020 has shown us anything, it’s that we don’t have to worry about real estate agents; they have the skills and the tools to come out on top. RE

Erin Green is the communications specialist at Lone Wolf Technologies, dedicated to exploring the trends and issues that affect real estate today—and how real estate agents and brokerages can adapt and grow through changing conditions. For more information, please visit www.lwolf.com.

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Women in Real Estate: Finding Your Balance Commentary by Sarah Vance

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omen consider real estate an ideal career because it presents many opportunities to create a pliable balance between work and family with uncapped earning potential.

Being your own boss and setting your own hours allows you to be present for the important life, school and sporting events. However, you will likely spend nights and weekends jump-starting your client list by cold calling, holding open houses and working 60-plus hours a week, which may not provide the freedom that you envisioned.

Therefore, it is important to have confidence, set boundaries and prioritize self-care.

Confidence in real estate is key. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, women represent 64 percent of their membership. Bouncing between elated entrepreneurship and “mom guilt,” women can meet, beat or fall short of expectations.

In whatever expectation camp your career falls into, have confidence in what you are doing. Have the confidence to never stop learning. Get a mentor, study your market, and attend webinars and training. Many virtual brokerages, such as REeBroker Group, have a principal focus on training and mentoring. In fact, REeBroker

Group has an experienced woman broker and supervisor on their team who enjoys teaching, guiding and advising agents, increasing their confidence throughout the transaction process. Have confidence to market your farm, to explain and negotiate contracts, and to set realistic goals and timelines for your clients. Have confidence in yourself as a business owner, neighborhood expert, mother, friend and woman.

In such a time-demanding field, it is crucial to set prioritized boundaries. This begins with choosing the brokerage that best fits your needs

and respects your set boundaries.

Secondly, be honest with your clients and set clear expectations on what your days and hours of availability are. Clients want attention, but it is acceptable and appropriate to be available yet schedule-conscious.

Find the balance for superior client services by time-blocking, and ensure that your family is a priority. Set up your family events and dinners as “appointments” so that the time is blocked out and you are unavailable.

Your clients will respect your time and efforts while providing schedule freedoms that work best for you and your family.

Lastly, ensure that you are taking time for yourself so that you don’t burn out. Schedule time for personal development, whether it’s exercising, reading a business (or personal) book, attending religious events or indulging in spa services. However you choose to practice self-care, make sure you’re being intentional about this time by setting personal development goals and creating a plan to meet those goals.

The important thing is to find your balance. Every woman has different needs and wants in their personal life and career ambitions. Seek out a brokerage that works with you. If you are looking for freedom and flexibility of time, virtual brokerages typically have no office/floor time, varying training schedules and no minimum transaction count.

Next time you are feeling bogged down, irrationally busy or inadequate, remember that women bring unique aspects to the real estate table.

We are compassionate, empathetic and masters of multi-tasking. What we do now empowers future generations of women REALTORS®. RE

Sarah Vance is the marketing manager at REeBroker Group.

For more information, please visit https://reebroker.com.

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{Meet the Newsmakers}

Honoring Headline-Making Women in Real Estate RISMedia’s Real Estate Newsmakers has honored some of the industry’s most influential and innovative female leaders, including these honorees from 2020: GAIL LINIGER

Co-Founder, Vice Chair of the Board, RE/MAX

Inducted into the Real Estate Newsmakers 2020 Hall of Fame alongside her husband, Dave Liniger, Gail Liniger co-founded RE/MAX in 1973. Starting with a single office in Denver, the Linigers changed the industry and built a global powerhouse that now has more than 125,000 agents in over 110 countries and territories. Gail Liniger was the first original employee to join the Denver office, became CEO in 1991 and remains a constant voice in RE/MAX leadership.

LACEY CONWAY

President & Principal Broker, Latter & Blum, Inc.

In 2019, Lacey Conway led an effort in Louisiana to create a statewide, broker-owned MLS, designed to save brokers significant sums of money by eliminating the need to license multiple data feeds. This past December, Conway spearheaded the acquisition of Gardner REALTORS®, making Latter & Blum the largest independently owned residential real estate company in the Gulf South.

ANGELA HUCLES MANGANO

JESSICA EDGERTON

EVP of Operations/Corporate Counsel, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE)

Jessica Edgerton oversees LeadingRE’s technology, marketing, preferred vendor relationships and events, as well as provides legal guidance for the organization and shares insights with its members on key legal issues. She proactively helps members understand the current legal environment in order to protect themselves, their companies and their clients.

REALTOR®, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties

As the 2019 Grand Marshal of PrideFest in her hometown of Hampton Roads, Va., Angela Hucles Mangano demonstrated her commitment for standing up for those who can’t. The former two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time World Cup Bronze Medalist for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team has been named the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s Humanitarian of the Year and founded Empowerment Through Sport. RE

PAM LIEBMAN

President & CEO, The Corcoran Group

Named to Crain’s New York Business’ 2019 “50 Most Powerful Women in New York” list, Pam Liebman Joined Corcoran as an agent in 1984 at the age of 23.

Today, she’s responsible for expanding the brand’s presence both within the U.S. and internationally with the recent launch of the Corcoran franchise business, which targets global megacities and sought-after leisure markets around the world.

RISMedia’s Real Estate Newsmakers is brought to you by 94 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Watch for the unveiling of RISMedia’s 2021 Real Estate Newsmakers in the February issue of Real Estate magazine and in our online Real Estate Newsmakers Directory at rismedia.com!

How zavvie Pro Is Helping to Create the Modern Agent Commentary by Lane Hornung

$459,799

$450,899

$445,870

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t’s a false choice to say consumers want either technology or a good agent. They want the newest solutions. They want the latest innovations. Consumers appreciate cool technology, but they also want a great agent.

Today, we are seeing the emergence of the modern agent. The modern agent knows how to bring all of the latest innovations and newest solutions to the table for clients because this agent understands what the consumer wants. The modern agent does not fear what disruptors are doing. They co-op it.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MODERN AGENT? The role of an agent has historically been transaction-oriented. But the modern agent is relationship-oriented. And to truly be relationship-oriented, you have to be able to bring value at all times, not just at the point of transaction.

The modern agent shifts from the transactional role—called upon only when needed, once every decade—

into a relationship role, where they are consistently advising clients about new options and opportunities…different ways, for instance, to sell a home.

The Role of zavvie Pro In the past, homeowners thinking about selling had only a couple of options. Today, consumers have more choices to sell than ever before, from iBuyer to buy-before-you-sell bridge solutions. But homeowners often lack the information needed to determine what option will be the best one for them right now. zavvie Pro enables the modern agent to explain all the options available to sell a home and help clients choose their best option.

No matter what path the consumer decides, zavvie Pro keeps the agent

at the center of every sale, and the agent still gets paid for every deal that closes.

Available coast to coast, zavvie Pro agents and teams working for participating brokerages gain access to enhanced seller lead generation tools, personalized branding and a groundbreaking new service called OfferFax. OfferFax provides agents with objective, apples-toapples comparisons of all available selling options, guiding clients using data-packed graphics that rate each offer based on current, relevant criteria.

The Modern Agent Is a Trusted Advisor Advising clients on the advantages and disadvantages of each selling option requires some serious expertise. The average consumer is not going to know how to navigate their choices. They will need the advice of an agent to make the best decision.

That agent is a modern agent, and that advice is the insight that zavvie Pro provides. Agents who choose not to understand all of the new options, or to fight them, will be left behind. The whole lifecycle of homeownership—and the real estate transaction itself—is becoming more complicated.

And as we enter a new era of innovation over the next five to 10 years, selling a home will never be like ordering an Uber. It’s not going to be an app on your phone. Homes are our highest-valued assets that are unique and complicated. The one thing that is not going to change is consumers’ need to have that trusted advisor, a modern agent. RE Lane Hornung is CEO and co-founder of zavvie, a complete platform offering all selling options for real estate brokerages, and is CEO/founder of Colorado-based 8z Real Estate, one of the nation’s most successful brokerages.

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{Power Broker Perspectives}

by Keith Loria

Michael Saunders:

Becoming ‘Knowledge Brokers’ Early in her career, Michael Saunders was a teacher who counseled troubled children, and her mission was always to help people get in touch with their strengths and talents, to set goals and be all that they could be.

She discovered that real estate afforded her that opportunity.

For the past four decades, she has had a great deal of success upon founding and leading her namesake firm, Michael Saunders & Company, servicing Florida’s Gulf Coast with a network of 700 agents in 24 offices. Headquartered in Sarasota, Fla., the firm provides a comprehensive range of real estate services in the Southwest Florida marketplace, and Saunders relies on her years of experience to ensure clients get a first-class experience every step of the way.

How important is it to support women and women leaders throughout the industry?

Michael Saunders: “Leaders” is the

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important word for me. I have found that over the years, the marks of a good leader are to be resilient, to have passion for what you do and to have vision—and through it all, have humility and self-confidence. Those are all things that I had to develop at the beginning, as there were not a lot of women mentors in my early days. I think mentorship is very important, and I try in any way I can to support leaders. I’ve watched women become amazing leaders over my 45 years in this industry, which is very heartwarming.

What steps have you taken to bring more women into the field?

MS: I’ve done more to bring men into the field because when I first started, there were more female salespeople than there were men. But what I did was support women who wanted to look at it as a full-time profession.

Why is real estate a good career choice for women?

MS: I think it’s one of the few industries where women can be independent contractors, running their own business under the umbrella of a great brand. It’s teaching women entrepreneurial skills as well as being proud of the career they have chosen.

Let’s discuss how the firm fared through 2020 and the pandemic.

VITALS: Michael Saunders &

Company

Years in business: 44 Size: 24 offices, 700 agents Regions served: In Florida: Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte Counties, including all barrier islands from Anna Maria to Boca Grande www.michaelsaunders.com

MS: We have gotten through falling off a cliff, but I am looking toward the future. There was no roadmap for what happened with COVID; we just shut down. Fortunately, I have an incredible team, and we had to create our own roadmap to endure. It was a difficult time to get through, but with a strong team of leaders, we came up with a way to support our agents.

What are you seeing in the Gulf Coast market?

MS: From late May on, our market has been unbelievably strong. The only thing keeping us back is a lack of inventory. We’re planning for a very strong 2021.

How does that impact your strategy for the year ahead?

MS: Our growth strategy going into a tight inventory market centers around agents becoming the best knowledge brokers they can be. Not only does the company support this, but we’re also looking at strengthening our suite of offerings to agents in the form of good, solid technology solutions. We are also focusing on agent development. We are staying open for opportunity, and we are ready to grow.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

MS: Never give up. And also, always be a curious learner.

Rosey Koberlein:

A Real Estate Pioneer Back in 1984, Rosey Koberlein was working in the public sector and became bored and disillusioned; She took a weekend class and soon became a real estate agent.

After two years in sales, she was asked to run a branch in

the way so that when I do have an opening, I am able to promote from there. Women are very receptive to that coaching/mentoring role in the management arena, so I think that allows for women to evolve into larger roles. I was fortunate to have really good mentors, though 99.9 percent of them were men. I feel like it’s my responsibility to foster that education along the way.

Alameda, Calif., and even though she was hesitant due to her lack of experience, she took on the challenge and did big things.

By 1989, Koberlein took some time off to be the “hippie she never got to be” and soon got her real estate license in Arizona.

Two years after that, she was again running her own branch and rose up the ranks until becoming CEO of Long Realty Companies in 2004.

How have you seen opportunities for women in real estate evolve?

Rosey Koberlein: Back in the early ’90s, when I took on a bigger role with Long Realty and started attending national meetings, I was in the minority in those conference rooms. I know it has increased dramatically from what it was back then, which is a significant change. Women have evolved to be strong leaders of many real estate companies.

In what ways do you help support women in the company and the industry at large?

RK: When I have an opening, or availability for a promotion, it’s not that I’m necessarily looking for a woman. I’m looking for the best candidate, but I do mentor middle management along

How has your firm adjusted to the “new normal” brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic?

RK: There was not a real estate professional on the planet who was prepared for COVID. We all were pretty traumatized back in March when we had to do a 180 and figure this whole thing out and make safety for our sales associates, employees and consumers our No. 1 priority. Once our shelter-in-place order was put into effect, we had 10 - 12 weeks of weekover-week increased activity. It was a total V-shape response, which I wasn’t expecting. And it hasn’t stopped.

enter the market. Most importantly, I want to grow the company by increasing the productivity of our existing sales associates.

What do you offer new agents that’s unique and attracts them to the firm?

RK: We are the largest firm in our marketplace, with a strong culture and a solid foundation. The agents here are very proud of our company, and they know that the support is there.

Even though we have a large population of agents, we treat every branch and every agent like they are part of a small company. We work hard to have close relationships with our sales associates. Also, because we are a big company, we can leverage tools and systems that make our agents’ daily lives very efficient and effective.

Do you see any opportunities for growth in the year ahead?

RK: Long Companies has a franchise model that we can expand across the state into areas where we don’t have a very strong footprint—places like Northern Arizona. I’m also experiencing organic growth coming into the industry as people are now looking to

Fiona Petrie: VITALS: Long Realty Years in business: 95 Size: 32 franchises, 1,400 agents Regions served: Arizona, from Flagstaff down to Mexico’s border www.longrealty.com

Prepared for Challenges After starting her career as a top-producing agent in Toronto, Ontario, Fiona Petrie relocated to the U.S., and her career path led her into a bevy of corporate leadership positions, including an executive-level position at

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Homes.com.

From there, Petrie took on the role of COO at Beazley Company REALTORS®, where she worked to put processes in place to integrate and improve both company and agent practices and productivity.

She joined RE/MAX Integra in 2006 and worked her way up the corporate ladder, spearheading franchise business growth and the expansion of its North American footprint. Today, she serves as executive vice president and managing director of U.S. operations for the company, supporting brokerages in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Indiana.

What was your company’s response when the pandemic began?

Fiona Petrie: As remote work became less exclusive, and more of a requirement due to shelter-in-place orders, our corporate team, along with our brokerages in the nine U.S. states we serve, were forced to batten down the hatches, so to speak. Luckily for us, we were already prepared for this “new normal.” Two years ago, in an effort to modernize, we transitioned our corporate team members to a completely remote work environment.

Given this, prior to the pandemic, we had already embraced and understood the benefits and challenges of working remotely. When the pandemic hit, we felt prepared with the virtual and remote strategies and processes we had already become accustomed to, but faced new challenges.

What sort of challenges?

FP: One of the biggest challenges the RE/MAX Integra corporate team

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faced amid the pandemic was supporting our broker/owners as they navigated running their offices and leading their agents through the crisis, while figuring out what the new normal was in their markets. Our team took swift action to ensure all RE/MAX Integra brokers, agents and clients were well supported during these challenging and evolving times.

We developed an online COVID-19 Resource Hub for broker/owners and agents, which outlined all the needto-know information for practicing real estate across the U.S., including topics on virtual business strategies, financial relief and guidance, and boosting productivity.

The pandemic did not just require us to work from home, but to shelter in place, which was a new dynamic for all of us. We had to find ways to maintain corporate culture while overcoming cabin fever, and we did so through themed Zoom calls, virtual scavenger hunts and online birthday lunches.

How do you support women in real estate and work to create strong women leaders like yourself?

FP: There are many opportunities to transform the perception of women in real estate. Women can be strong leaders in real estate, and it is important to foster such leadership through female empowerment programs. In 2017, we launched RE/MAX Integra’s Ladies in Leadership program in the U.S., which encompassed biannual dinners adjacent to larger RE/MAX

VITALS: RE/MAX Integra Years in business: 40 Total regions served: 14 www.remaxintegra.com

conventions. In 2019, we expanded that to include female agents from RE/MAX Integra’s Ontario-Atlantic region. This forum has become extremely important and popular, as it allows female leaders to connect on a biannual basis across borders.

What is the key to recruiting and retaining strong agents?

FP: The key to recruiting and retaining top talent amid the pandemic has been strong proactive leadership and hyper-communication. Brokers, agents and consumers are all looking for the same thing: a trusted advisor. Brokers that listened to their agents and offered guidance, tools and knowledge to transact real estate in a virtual environment suffered little to no attrition. Brokers who fostered a culture of acceptance and embraced the individual needs of their agents won at the end of the day. Brokers who found shelter-in-place as a time to make thoughtful and caring phone calls to agents outside of their company fared well in growing and attracting top producers.

What consumer trends are you seeing?

FP: As a result of the pandemic, prospective homebuyers’ preferences have changed to meet new living and working situations. Home styles that were considered outdated have seen a resurgence in popularity—for instance, those that have a closedconcept design. In recent years, open concept has been the gold standard.

With extended remote work situations and consumers spending more time in their homes, people were looking for homes with enclosed rooms where they can retreat for work, school or relaxation. Therefore, the resale market for homes with closed-room designs has heated up.

What do you enjoy about being a strong woman leader in the field?

FP: One of my favorite parts about working in real estate, and with RE/MAX Integra specifically, is that I am constantly forced out of my comfort zone. In my experience, until you do the “uncomfortable,” you’ll never learn or change for the better.

Joan Docktor:

A Responsibility to Others As President of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS®, Joan Docktor represents the largest singlemarket brokerage in the U.S. servicing Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

Entering the profession after spending time as a teacher, Docktor followed in her sister’s footsteps because the real estate industry seemed exciting to her. She did well, earning Rookie of the Year her first year, and continued to grow in the firm.

Under her leadership today, the firm has won the Elite Circle Award from 2015 through 2019, ranking No. 1 throughout

the entire Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network.

What has been the key to your success through the years?

Joan Docktor: I made myself indispensable to the company, and that helped by simply being the go-to person. I also believe very much in servant leadership, and that has been a key for me through the years. People are attracted to that, and they know I want to help them.

How would you characterize your market in 2020, and how has your firm adjusted to the pandemic?

JD: In Pennsylvania, we were in a total shutdown from March through June.

In New Jersey and Delaware, things were a little looser. We made sure everyone was safe, then we began to figure out how we could keep our agents engaged. We did virtual open houses almost immediately, and we moved all of our classes online, which we’re going to continue doing going forward.

We also encouraged our managers to stay in touch with agents. When the market opened up in June, things took off, and we’ve been busier than ever. Plus, our average sales price has grown due to lack of inventory.

What do you feel makes your firm special?

JD: We have very deep roots in the marketplace. Back in the ’80s, we started one-stop shopping. We had our own mortgage company, our own title company and our own insurance company before anyone else did. When I joined the company, we were 350 agents.

Today, we’re 5,500 agents, but we’ve always been a family company. We provide our agents with all of the tools and services they need.

How do you support women at your firm?

JD: I do everything I can to be a good

role model for everyone in our company—especially the women. I host leadership classes, which anyone can join, but the majority are women.

I truly believe that leaders have the responsibility to help others, and so I put myself out there to do that for women in our company.

What efforts have you made to get more women involved in leadership across the industry?

JD: I’ve taken on many national leadership roles, which gives me the ability to help people across our industry.

I have also spoken at local Women’s Council of REALTORS®events and other local events. Wherever I can have exposure, whether it’s in writing or in person, I have made an effort to be very active.

What do you enjoy most about this industry?

JD: From the moment I got into this business, it became my passion.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to go into management because I bonded with my customers and enjoyed it so much, but I knew that if I did, I would affect more people. It wasn’t just my customers, but all of my agents’ customers fulfilling their dreams. RE

VITALS: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Fox & Roach REALTORS® Years in business: 135 Size: 75 offices, 5,500 agents Regions served: Southeastern Pa.; the Lehigh Valley; Northern Delaware; South Jersey; Central Jersey www.foxroach.com

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Why Women Are So Effective in Leadership Roles Commentary by Erin Ruane

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omen are underrepresented in senior positions across most industries, and while real estate is leading the way, there is still so much more that should be done. According to the Women in Business report, in 2020, only 29 percent of senior management roles were occupied by women. The good news is that within the real estate industry, we’re doing much better. Sixty percent of women hold their own brokerage license, a number that should continue to grow in years to come, thanks to the inspiration of the women leading the way.

So why do women make great leaders?

According to PEW Research, women in leadership positions are seen as being more trustworthy than their male counterparts. Additionally, 43 percent of the population believes that women create a safer and more respectful work environment, and 33 percent believe that women are better at mentoring young employees.

Women are also perceived as being better able to work through compromises, and they support issues that are important to them. These are all leadership skills that will bring out the best in any team.

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What are “soft skills?”

The term “soft skills” refers to personal attributes such as empathy, versatility, effective communication, adaptability and self-awareness that make people more successful in their careers. According to a 2016 study conducted by global advisory firm Korn Ferry, women outperform men in 11 out of 12 of these soft skills. For example, women are often better communicators, as they more easily interpret verbal and non-verbal communication. Women are also seen as better negotiators because of these soft skills, as they’re generally active listeners

and seem more relatable. Finally, women are perceived as being more empathetic and capable of adapting their styles to fit the needs of their team or organization.

Why are “soft skills” necessary?

Leaders who practice these soft skills have been shown to make their companies thrive. In fact, the Harvard Business Review found that company leaders who exemplify these skills saw an average return on assets of more than 9 percent over two years. On the other side of the spectrum, those who did not embody these soft skills saw a return of less than 2 percent.

These skills also help maintain a collaborative and productive team, and create strong relationships with both coworkers and clients. Since women excel in soft skills, they should make up more of the leadership team.

How will seeing more women in leadership roles make a difference?

Ultimately, it’s critical to have diversity within our leadership teams.

People who come from different backgrounds bring different experiences and talents to their workplace. This can create better opportunities to find creative solutions to challenges and drive the success of a team. Additionally, by normalizing women in leadership positions, these roles will become more available to future generations. RE

Erin Ruane is the senior vice president of sales and marketing at Homes.com. She has also devoted her time and energy as a board member of United Way South Hampton Roads and as co-chair of their Women United group of 800 philanthropically-focused professional women. As a leader at United Way, she motivated other women from Homes.com to join the team. Not only does Ruane fulfill a leadership position, but she also inspires other women to pursue these roles as well.

Why Real Estate Will Be Stronger in 2021 Commentary by Chao Cheng-Shorland

L

ast year turned out to be one of the most challenging times our industry has seen in over a decade, yet we were able to adapt to our clients’ needs in a relatively short timeframe and keep business operations moving forward. Real estate proved to be one of the verticals that not only stayed afloat, but saw impressive gains in terms of buyer demand and rising sales prices.

This all happened with the help of multiple technological solutions, from video tours to remote document management tools—and the good news is that real estate is going to emerge stronger as a result.

While many of these platforms had already been around, they were slow to become integrated into an agent’s standard toolbox. One of the biggest obstacles was the fact that agents were concerned that interacting with clients in a completely digital format would be misconstrued as the agent not giving them the attention they needed or deserved. But the moment it became a necessary way of doing business, it suddenly

became much less fraught with the possibility of turning away clients.

Thankfully, it became the norm without us having to overcome too much skepticism and mistrust.

The better news is that we now have the opportunity to integrate these tools in a more forward-thinking manner. All the previous technological revolutions that have taken place within real estate grew in a responsive fashion rather than a proactive one. Online search sites, for example, were very rudimentary at the beginning—and only added features as they got to know user needs. But we know our clients better than anyone. We can take the ex-

Now that we have more options at our fingertips, we can bring an even greater level of value to the clients we serve, and our industry will be even better than before. isting tools and bring them together in a way that makes the most sense for our needs and those of our clients, whether that means customizing a digital package so it is branded to a specific team or rolling out brokerage-wide initiatives so clients know that when they work with a specific brokerage they are getting a full suite of digital services from their agent. We can demonstrate our value to buyers and sellers in ways that are tailored to their expectations even if we don’t meet them in person.

Disruption has often been what leads to new beginnings, and this year will be no different. As we all gear up for the spring selling season, we have the time to take a step back and look at ways to get the most out of all the software platforms we had to bring on board so quickly last spring. Now that we have more options at our fingertips, we can bring an even greater level of value to the clients we serve, and our industry will be even better than before. RE

Chao Cheng-Shorland is cofounder and CEO of ShelterZoom, the technology company behind DocuWalk. For more information, please visit www.docuwalk.com.

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{Blog Spot}

4 Ways to Polish Up Your Home’s Exterior Before Getting an Appraisal

by Meghan Belnap

W

hen it’s time to have your home appraised, you want to be sure that it looks its absolute best. Since the exterior of your home is the first thing an appraiser will notice, it’s vital to take some extra time to make it as welcoming as possible.

Add Mulch to Flower Beds Adding new mulch to gardens, around trees and in other key locations can quickly transform the look of your home’s exterior. Even if the appraisal is scheduled for the fall or winter, it’s still a good idea to add new mulch to help your yard look its best. Just be sure to use an earthtone color, such as brown or black, so that your mulch doesn’t become a distraction.

Replace Siding If your home’s exterior material is cracked, warped or entirely missing, you could see your appraisal value 102 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

suffer. Therefore, it’s a good idea to have the existing material replaced with something new and durable, such as vinyl siding. In addition to creating a good impression on the appraiser, adding new exterior cladding will help protect your home from the weather, making this a good investment in both the short and long term.

Remove Dead Trees Losing a tree to age or disease can be frustrating. As frustrating as it is, though, you don’t want to delay removing a dead tree from your property, especially if you’re about to have an appraisal. Dead trees make it ap-

pear as though you don’t take care of your home, especially considering that dead trees are a major safety hazard. Although tree removal can be costly, it’s something that’s well worth the investment.

Mow the Lawn It seems simple, but many people fail to mow their lawn before an appraiser arrives. Even if it’s only been a few days since you last mowed, the shaggy look of a growing lawn can detract from your home’s appearance. When mowing, you’ll also want to take the time to trim and edge your lawn to make it look as good as possible.

As a homeowner, it can be easy to overlook faults in your home’s exterior. When preparing your home for an appraisal, though, you have to stop thinking like a homeowner and start thinking like an appraiser. RE Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. This article originally appeared on RISMedia’s blog, Housecall. Visit us at blog.rismedia.com.

A Distinction That Makes a Difference Commentary by Julie Escobar

3. Speak from your heart, not your head. When you’re focused on memorized dialogue, you’re always “skipping ahead” in a conversation to get to your part.

Instead, use metaphors and analogies that help you communicate the ways in which you can serve in a more connective and present way.

T

hree years ago, my business partner Darryl Davis asked me to join his team to provide a next level of content and creativity to our Power Agent®membership. We love helping agents grow their business and their confidence to serve their communities at the highest level.

What’s at the heart of that growth?

A commitment to serve, not sell. It may not sound like a big deal, but it is the significant distinction that makes the difference. One of the first times I saw Darryl deliver this message to a room full of agents, he challenged them to start thinking differently about how they interacted with people. He told them to serve, not sell. To coach, not close. You could hear a collective sigh in the room from agents who had been told (some for years) that they needed to deliver canned dialogues and close hard for the signature. But you could feel the energy shift when agents first “got it” and understood that they didn’t have to be “that agent”— that hard-core closer. They can come from a place of service, which is what people want in this world anyway.

When you’re prospecting just to get an appointment, that’s a win-lose scenario.

But if you’re calling to build rapport and a relationship with another human being, that’s a win-win.

What about you? Is this a shift you’d like to make? Here are four things to consider: 1. Make every conversation about others, not “getting the appointment or listing.” When you are there to serve, you are more present and focused on others.

This fosters more active listening and helps you to be more present in the conversation.

2. Set up win-win scenarios. When you’re prospecting just to get an appointment, that’s a win-lose scenario. But if you’re calling to build rapport and a relationship with another human being, that’s a win-win. Even if you don’t get the appointment, you’re getting out of your comfort zone and building confidence in your ability to communicate.

4. Make it about people, not transactions. Instead of having a goal of getting a certain number of listings per month, shift your language to, “This month, I will serve X number of families.”

When money isn’t the focus, relationships become the star.

If serving, not selling, feels right for you, you’re in really good company—and we’re here to help connect you with like-minded professionals.

Have a great month! RE Julie Escobar is vice president of operations at Darryl Davis Seminars. For more than 25 years, she has brought high-performing sales and marketing solutions to real estate professionals across North America. Together with her partner, Darryl Davis, she manages one of the most innovative real estate training systems in the country, The Power Program®, which has proven to help agents double their production over their previous year. Her team is currently hosting free weekly webinars to help agents navigate change, grow their business and design lives worth smiling about. Learn more at www.DarrylSpeaks.com/ Online-Training.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 103

‘We Need Each Other More Than Ever’:

BROKERAGE STRATEGIES HONED DURING PANDEMIC SERVE AS ADVANTAGE FOR 2021

by Maria Patterson

“W

e all had a very turbulent year,” said RISMedia President & CEO John Featherston as he opened the 25th Annual Power Broker Forum during the REALTORS® Conference & Expo this past November. And out of this turbulence, according to the forum’s broker panelists, came rapid advancements that will make their firms more resilient than ever as we kick off 2021.

“What we went through was unprecedented,” said Michael Saunders, founder and CEO of Sarasota, Fla.-based Michael Saunders & Company. “It was like falling off a cliff with no ropes.”

104 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Much like her fellow broker peers across the country, Saunders ramped up virtual communication with managers and agents to keep everyone connected and informed, so that they could, in turn, engage with consumers. “We learned that

consumers need agents more than ever before, and agents need their brokers more than ever before,” she said. “Agents had to become knowledge brokers.”

In order to support agents and staff during the height of the pandemic’s fury, Joe Horning, president of Wisconsinbased Shorewest REALTORS®, used PPP funds to prevent layoffs and to make investments in the business, such as billboards with community-based messages and

ramping up social media.

“We boosted every single active listing and focused on providing more tools and technology, and refreshing agents on the tools they already had,” said Horning.

Brokers also increased training efforts in 2020, which will, no doubt, pay dividends in 2021.

“We quickly pivoted to take all communications online,” said Sharry Schmid, president of Minnesota’s Edina Realty. “Agents craved information, so we got creative in delivering training virtually.”

Now, as uncertainty colors the outlook for the year ahead, brokers intend to move forward with many of the strategies developed during the pandemic still central to their gameplan.

“These issues that were generated by a public health crisis, there’s an argument to be made that they have made the industry stronger,” said Joe Rand, chief creative officer of Howard Hanna | Rand Realty and executive director of the Broker Public Portal by Homesnap, who co-moderated the forum. Rand asked panelists to share which strategies will continue well after the pandemic has receded.

“Solid technology was critical,” said Saunders, “and we learned that that was part of our future. We didn’t focus on rolling out new technology, but rather, looking at the technology we already have, and now (agents are) using it and seeing the value.”

“We’ll continue to do our training and host our monthly top-agent roundtables, and we’ll do more and more on video,” said Horning.

“We’re having better turn-out for meetings when people can attend remotely.”

Brokers will also approach the year ahead with a new-found appreciation for flexibility. From virtual

open houses to digital communication, Schmid said an open mind remains paramount; “Being nimble has been our weekly theme.”

Perhaps most importantly, the pandemic fast-tracked agent knowledge and skill levels. “It catapulted our agents five years ahead to what they needed to know to be in this business,” said Saunders. “And our agents knew they had to lean on us to hone these skills.”

“The pandemic has shown us personally and professionally how important technology is, but also how important the personal touch is. You always hear stories about tech companies coming in to take over, but we thrive on human interaction.

Going forward, it will be a hybrid of both.”

- SHARRY SCHMID President, Edina Realty

As much as the experiences of 2020 fast-forwarded technology adoption, it also underscored the value of relationships like never before.

“The pandemic has shown us personally and professionally how important technology is, but also how important the personal touch is,” said Schmid. “You always hear stories about tech companies coming in to take over, but we thrive on human interaction. Going forward, it will be a hybrid of both.”

Featherston also asked the panel how the events of 2020 will impact company culture in 2021.

Horning used the pandemic experience to lean into his firm’s familybusiness culture, keeping the vibe lighthearted and down to earth.

Agents got to track the progress of his “COVID beard,” (“which got pretty gnarly”) during video meet-

ings, and he showed old company commercials from the ’50s and ’60s. He’s kept the personal touch prevalent ever since. “This week (at press time), we sent out 200 baskets loaded with goodies. My broker and I walked around our support center and handed out e-gift cards to local entities. It’s all about patting them on the back to let them know we’re here and they’re not just a number.”

Saunders also zeroed in on her company’s core values. “We’re a culture of gratitude,” she said, “which is more important than ever.

This is the time when it shows.”

While panelists’ cultures will remain people-focused, they will be driven by technology from here on in. “We made a five-year technology leap in three months,” said Rand.

“This makes it easier for a big company to build culture. We had 1,400 people on a call recently about our new brand. We were able to get everybody, and that’s something we never would’ve been able to do live.

There’s an intimacy to video conferencing that people didn’t appreciate prior.”

Schmid agreed; “Video technology allows managers and agents to have conversations more often. In a lot of ways, they’re feeling more connected.”

“No good thing came out of COVID except the realization that we need each other more than we ever have,” added Saunders. “And people have choices now about where they live.”

As with any great trial, true leaders always emerge, and the COVID-19 pandemic proved no different. As Rand said, “This year, the water receded and you could see who was wearing a bathing suit.

Good brokers shined brightly.” RE

Maria Patterson is RISMedia’s executive editor. Email her your real estate news ideas to maria@rismedia.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 105

How Female C-Suite Execs Lead to Win

by Terri Murphy

“W

omen in leadership...” You’ve heard that phrase before; like there is a “special class” of leadership for women. The truth is, there is a huge difference, and when you interview three powerhouse women who rule the C-Suite, you can see exactly why they are such amazing leaders.

We interviewed three top female leaders in real estate and, not surprisingly, noted a theme in their responses.

In the context of three questions, each shared a similar focus, but with their own unique vision to address challenges, solutions and strategies, and the ever-elusive life balance between the high demands of a CEO and personal life.

Their leadership reach is impressive, beginning with Sue Yannaccone, the first female president and CEO to lead the Realogy Franchise Yannaccone

106 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Group, who manages to combine top leadership with her main role: her family. She knows that setting boundaries is key to high performance, combined with transparency and vulnerability. She encourages her team to set boundaries, too, but to always get the job done.

Tami Bonnell is legendary for her extraordinary ability to start with nothing and go big. As the CEO of EXIT Realty with 36,000 agents to lead, Bonnell agrees that women in leadership use their collaborative nature to empower their members with a strong culture that begins with Bonnell transparent leadership steeped in strong personal connections.

Pamela Banks, the incoming 2021 president of the Women’s Council of REALTORS® (WCR), shares her insights on how women can excel with today’s need for streamlining communication and connection.

Banks

The Challenges When it comes to the challenges a woman deals with in the C-Suite, Yannaccone emphasizes the need to focus on a mindset of productivity, especially in the midst of disruption due to the pandemic. She states that working from home helped her agents feel safe, and her job was to keep them focused on achieving their goals despite the challenge. “We still need success and accomplishment no matter what,” she says. Instead of allowing the emotional side of things to lead, she was empathetic and pragmatic as she helped the team focus on results.

Bonnell jumped into leadership at a very young age and quickly learned that she had to be smarter than anyone at the table. To get to the C-Suite as women, she notes, you have to over-deliver by doing your homework to show people what you know without overwhelming them. That approach created a confident and commanding presence, which communicated trust.

Banks has a different challenge altogether. Her main goal is to restructure staff-to-member communication to create a more direct, personal connection with members.

Solutions and Strategies Yannaccone understands that agility is a key component of leadership today. The “pivot” to a more virtual environment needed to be swift but with expectations in place.

She gave her group the room to figure out how to manage this new normal, but kept them accountable by setting goals and expectations that included learning to leverage tools and embrace virtual options to serve their clients.

Bonnell also takes a hands-on approach to leadership, where the company culture is based on trust. “You can’t grow in a place that does not have trust, and we live that at EXIT.” That trust was delivered in multiple ways in the wake of the pandemic, including short video tips, connecting with personal phone calls and sharing the message that “we are going to out-think and out-sell” our way out of this. When you “lead with love,” you exude control.

As Bonnell states, you don’t know what is really going on in people’s lives, so listening and being available to help is key to leadership that connects.

Banks’ strategy is all about building bridges. She’s making WCR headquarters more inclusive and approachable by adding more positions that allow for real contact, and through the organization’s electronic newsletter, she shines a light on women doing extraordinary work in their communities, offering members role models they can look up to in order to pursue their own goals.

Life Balance All three superstars shared that there is no consistent “life balance,” no matter how well-organized and efficient one may be. They agreed that life itself is inconsistent, so balance is an ever-changing variable.

According to Yannaccone, women are held to a fabricated vision of life balance, and this narrative puts too much pressure on them. Everyone falls down some days, and that’s okay.

Each leader shared the rituals that help them be their best selves. “When you feel your best, you can give your best,” says Yannaccone. She says women need permission to savor smaller moments when work and life require a momentary imbalance. Taking care of yourself is key, and that requires not feeling “selfish.”

With a young daughter at home, Yannaccone is very intentional about her family time, but mindful that she is also responsible to her company, husband and herself. Like the other leaders, she is hardwired to get the job done, but knows when to draw the line.

Life balance is equally challenging for both Yannaccone and Bonnell, with travel and high visibility, but both women share that having quiet time at the beginning of their day is critical.

Bonnell chooses to wake up early to enjoy her morning ritual: quiet, coffee, meditation, exercise and visualizing her day is paramount. Starting with silence, even if it is only 15 minutes, beats the rise-and-roll routine that starts off a day overwhelmed. She lives by her core value: “I’ll make you a fortune, but my family comes first.”

Banks agrees that consistency in life balance is hard to come by. Some days are better than others, but she says it all balances out in the end. “My happy place is spending time with my orchids and lavishing them with love,” she says. “Connecting with nature helps me center on solutions.”

These exceptional leaders confidently share their strengths and their “realness” without apology, and celebrate the fact that authentic connection and collaboration is key to building a winning team. RE

Terri Murphy is a master coach with Workman Success Systems.

She is the author of five books, a TED Talk speaker, consultant and founder of the Women’s Wisdom Facebook network.

For more information, visit TerriMurphy.com or email Terri@TerriMurphy.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 107

Index of Preferred Providers

The leading companies providing services to the real estate and relocation industries

ABR®..................................................................................... 109

MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants.................................................. 111

American Home Shield®......................................................... 109 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices......................................... 109

NAGLREP (National Association of Gay & Lesbian Real Estate Professionals)........................................................................ 111

Broker Public Portal with Homesnap....................................... 109

National Association of REALTORS®........................................ 111

Buffini & Company................................................................. 109

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors®.............................................. 111

The CE Shop.......................................................................... 109

Quicken Loans....................................................................... 111

Century 21 Real Estate LLC.................................................... 109

Real Estate Webmasters......................................................... 111

Cole Realty Resource............................................................. 109

Real Living Real Estate........................................................... 111

Constellation1........................................................................ 109

Realogy Holdings Corp........................................................... 112

Create for the Human............................................................. 109

REALTOR Team Store®............................................................ 112

CRS Data............................................................................... 110

Realtors Property Resource®.................................................. 112

Darryl Davis Seminars............................................................ 110

Realty ONE Group.................................................................. 112

Earnnest................................................................................ 110

REBAC................................................................................... 112

Fathom Realty........................................................................ 110

REeBroker Group.................................................................... 112

FCA US LLC............................................................................ 110

RE/MAX, LLC.......................................................................... 112

Homes.com........................................................................... 110

Residential Real Estate Council.............................................. 112

HomeSmart International....................................................... 110

Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting................................... 112

HomeTeam Inspection Service................................................ 110

Weichert Family of Companies................................................ 112

HomeVisit by CoreLogic.......................................................... 110

Wise Agent CRM..................................................................... 113

HSASM Home Warranty............................................................ 110

Workman Success Systems.................................................... 113

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®........................ 111

zavvie..................................................................................... 113

Lone Wolf Technologies........................................................... 111

RREIN Service Providers Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate... 113

Jordan Baris, Inc., REALTORS® Real Living............................... 114

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS®....113

Kinlin Grover Real Estate........................................................ 114

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty................... 113

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc................................................ 114

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties............ 113

Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty.................... 115

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties............ 114

McCOLLY Real Estate.............................................................. 115

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties.................114

Page Taft................................................................................ 115

CENTURY 21 Award................................................................ 114

Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate.............................................. 115

CENTURY 21 New Millennium................................................. 114

Randall, REALTORS®.....................................................................115

Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper, REALTORS®............................. 114

RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central......................................... 115

Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty.................................. 114

RE/MAX Gateway................................................................... 115

J. Rockcliff REALTORS®........................................................... 114

108 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ABR® (800) 648-6224 • www.rebac.net • Chicago, Ill. • Marc Gould, Executive Director 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® founded the home warranty industry more than 45 years ago and remains the industry leader, with more than 1.8 million customers who depend on us every day. We offer not only home warranty plans that help protect against unexpected covered breakdowns of home systems, but we offer services that buyers can take advantage of day one of their contract. Current additional services offered are: rekey service, electronics plan, TV mounting service and pre-season HVAC tune-up service. We’re also leveraging our network of more than 15,000 licensed and qualified contractors to test even more services, like: pest control coverage, house cleaning services, garage door tune-ups, electrician services, and more. Discover the shield difference—contact your local AHS® Account Manager today by visiting ahs.com/find-rep.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES (800) 666-6634 • www.berkshirehathawayhs.com Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, based in Irvine, Calif., is a real estate brokerage franchise 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, now counts more than 50,000 agents and nearly 1,500 offices throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and the Middle East. It is known as the FOREVER Brand with FOREVER Agents aspiring to work with clients over time through all phases of real estate. Network members also embrace the community and have contributed over $30 million to the Sunshine Kids Foundation supporting kids with cancer.

BROKER PUBLIC PORTAL WITH HOMESNAP (202) 996-2921 • www.brokerpublicportal.com • Bethesda, Md. • Gayle Weiswasser, SVP, Communications & Business Development, gweiswasser@homesnap.com Broker Public Portal (BPP) is a collaborative venture between real estate brokerages and MLSs to create a national consumer home search experience that connects home searchers directly with the agent who best knows the home they are interested in. Homesnap is the public-facing brand of the BPP, the only national home search platform powered by real-time MLS data and following Fair Display Guidelines. The goal of BPP with Homesnap is to provide an industry-friendly home search alternative that provides interested leads, for free, to the listing agent or broker and that delivers accurate, real-time MLS information to home searchers.

BUFFINI & COMPANY (800) 945-3485 • www.buffiniandcompany.com Headquartered in Carlsbad, Calif., Buffini & Company is the largest real estate coaching and training company in North America.

Founded by real estate expert and master motivator Brian Buffini, the company provides a unique and highly effective lead-generation system and comprehensive business coaching and training programs, which have helped entrepreneurs in 37 countries improve their business, increase net profit and enhance their quality of life.

THE CE SHOP (888) 827-0777 • www.theceshop.com • Greenwood Village, Colo.

Founded in 2005, The CE Shop has become the leading provider of online real estate education through an encyclopedic knowledge of the real estate industry. Our ever-expanding course catalog of prelicensing, exam prep, post-licensing and continuing education products are trusted throughout the industry and offer agents across the country the education they rely on.

CENTURY 21 REAL ESTATE LLC (877) 221-2765 • www.century21.com • Madison, N.J. • Michael Miedler, President & CEO The approximately 139,000 independent sales professionals in over 11,600 offices spanning 83 countries/territories in the CENTURY 21® System live their mission everyday: to defy mediocrity and deliver extraordinary experiences. By consistently chasing excellence, giving 121 percent and always elevating, the CENTURY 21 brand is helping its affiliated brokers/agents be the first choice for real estate consumers and industry professionals.

COLE REALTY RESOURCE (888) 231-0732 • www.colerealtyresource.com • Omaha, Neb. Cole Realty Resource helps thousands of agents and brokers find success. Agents are staying top of mind by connecting with the neighborhood by promoting open houses or just listed/sold properties, while brokers recruit, retain and support new agents, allowing for confident prospecting. All of this can be achieved through a combination of innovative technology, industry knowledge of end-user practices and comprehensive data providers.

CONSTELLATION1 (800) 503-5163 • constellation-1.com • Milwaukee, Wis. • Markham, Ontario • sales@constellationreg.com Constellation1 is an all-in-one brand of award-winning front office, back office and data services for brokerages, franchises and MLSs. Constellation1 simplifies the process of finding and implementing the right real estate technology by providing a portfolio of solutions tailored to the real estate industry. Regardless of a brokerage’s, franchise’s or MLS’ technology needs, Constellation1 is of service, providing industry leading front office sales and marketing tools, including lead generation and relocation management; back office software like accounting, eSignature and transaction management; and extensive IDX feeds and datasets. For more information, visit constellation-1.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

CREATE FOR THE HUMAN (914) 909-6701 • www.createforthehuman.com • John Lim Create for the Human is a groundbreaking philosophy from John Lim, CEO of Life In Mobile and an innovator in real estate technology, that helps real estate and real estate-related companies humanize their digital marketing. Through education about the implementation of four main principles, Create for the Human offers companies the opRISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 109

portunity to exponentially increase their marketing success and bottom line by reaching behind their consumers’ devices and screens to capture and truly engage buyers, sellers, brokers and agents.

CRS DATA (800) 374-7488 • www.crsdata.com For more than 30 years, CRS Data has provided a wealth of property tax data through the MLS Tax Suite. This beautiful system integrates seamlessly into your MLS system, offering REALTORS® current tax data, detailed map layers and robust features that are accessible on all browsers and mobile devices. Consistent product enhancements help ensure that the MLS Tax Suite performs as the industry’s leading and most innovative service. We’re proud to provide a personalized customer experience that is unmatched. Learn more by visiting www.crsdata.com.

DARRYL DAVIS SEMINARS (800) 395-3905 • www.ThePowerProgram.com Darryl Davis Seminars was founded by real estate expert, coach and international speaker Darryl Davis, CSP. For more than 30 years, Davis has been helping agents double their production by learning the listing and sales skills of real estate. These money-making skillsets are vital when agents are working with buyers and sellers to move their career to their Next Level™. His fast-growing membership platform, www.ThePowerProgram.com, helps real estate sales professionals design lives and careers worth smiling about. He is the best-selling author of three books with McGraw-Hill Publishers, one of which, “How to Become a Power Agent® in Real Estate,” is the No. 1 book sold to REALTORS®on Amazon.

EARNNEST (888) 870-2336 • www.earnnest.com • Greenville, S.C. • Melissa Kandel, Chief Marketing Officer One hundred-percent digital earnest money, no checks required.

Earnnest is the largest digital earnest money service in the United States, allowing buyers to securely and electronically deposit funds directly to an escrow holder. Earnnest keeps agents, buyers and escrow holders in the loop with automated emails and tracking information.

FATHOM REALTY (888) 455-6040 • www.FathomRealty.com • Cary, N.C. Fathom Realty is a national, cloud-based real estate brokerage powered by a proprietary technology platform called IntelliAgent. Agents enjoy a higher net income through Fathom’s 100-percent commission, transaction-fee compensation model, allowing them to invest more money into growing their business. Fathom agents also earn stock grants based on their contribution to revenue and company growth.

For more information, visit www.fathomcareers.com.

FCA US LLC (888) 898-1115 www.nar.realtor/fca FCA US LLC is a North American automaker based in Auburn Hills, Mich. It designs, manufactures and sells or distributes vehicles under the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, Ram, FIAT® and Alfa Romeo brands, as well as the SRT performance designation. The company also distributes Mopar and Alfa Romeo parts and accessories. FCA US LLC offers extra benefits to membership of the National Association of REALTORS®.

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HOMES.COM (866) 697-3308 • http://marketing.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.homesmart.com • Scottsdale, Ariz.

• Tori Sokol, Director of Marketing and Communications Founded in 2000, HomeSmart International is one of the fastestgrowing real estate franchisors in the nation, with a mission to lead the industry by providing the highest level of service, support, technology and value to our customers. The company offers franchisees efficiency and innovation coupled with the systems and technologies necessary to succeed in today’s evolving real estate industry. Its low-fee, high-value 100-percent-commission brokerage model keeps costs down for its nearly 19,000 agents across 31 states.

HOMETEAM INSPECTION SERVICE (844) HOMETEAM • www.hometeam.com You can depend on HomeTeam for a faster, more efficient home inspection every time. Unique to home inspection companies, HomeTeam brings a team of inspectors on-site. Each team member focuses on his or her area of expertise, which keeps us efficient and saves you time. Fast, Trusted and Accurate—that’s the HomeTeam promise.

HOMEVISIT BY CORELOGIC (833) 643-0445 • www.homevisit.com • Chantilly, Va. • service@homevisit.com Real estate marketing services spanning photography, video, image editing, Matterport 3D models and floor plan renderings, aerial imaging, print materials, direct mail and property websites. HomeVisit provides a single workflow that enables real estate professionals to significantly expand the scope and range of the marketing services they offer to homebuyers and sellers.

HSASM HOME WARRANTY (800) 367-1448 • www.onlinehsa.com HSASM Home Warranty has provided outstanding products and service to real estate professionals and homeowners for more than 35 years. The home warranty helps sellers and buyers protect their budget from the cost of repairing or replacing the covered home system components and appliances in their home. HSASM also offers additional services to help buyers maintain their homes, including rekey service, an electronics plan and pre-season HVAC tune-up service. With HSA Home Warranty, your clients get reliable budget protection backed by exceptional service, and you get a provider who works hard to better serve you. Contact your local HSA Account Manager today by visiting onlinehsa.com.

LEADING REAL ESTATE COMPANIES OF THE WORLD® (312) 424-0400 • www.LeadingRE.com Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®is a selective global community of the highest-quality independent real estate companies. We exist to make our members better by connecting them to opportunities and people around the globe, supporting them with a global referral network, professional development programs, and unique events. For more information on our more than 550 firms that span over 70 countries with 135,000 sales professionals, visit LeadingRE.com.

LONE WOLF TECHNOLOGIES (866) CRY-WOLF • https://www.lwolf.com/ Lone Wolf Technologies is the leader in real estate technology, from back office, accounting and insights to transaction management. We provide agents and brokerages with everything they need to lead in real estate, all in one place—so they can amaze their clients, manage their business and improve their profits.

MYOUTDESK VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS

to evaluate, enhance and showcase their highest level of professionalism with the Commitment to Excellence program. Visit C2EX. realtor. The REALTOR®Store features publications, webinars and research reports, including the top-selling 2018 NAR Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers. Visit Store.realtor. Additionally, NAR’s venture capital arm, Second Century Ventures, has invested in companies that push forward innovation in the real estate industry, while benefitting NAR members. Visit secondcenturyventures.com.

PILLAR TO POST HOME INSPECTORS® (800) 294-5591 • www.pillartopost.com • Tampa, Fla. · Stephanie Bowling, Director of Marketing (416) 620-3572 Founded in 1994, Pillar To Post is the No. 1 home inspection brand in North America with over 550 franchisees located in 49 states and nine Canadian provinces. The Pillar To Post difference includes a printed on-site report allowing for faster closings, each inspector carrying $1 million in E&O insurance to cover both the agent and the broker, and convenient scheduling options to meet every client’s needs.

(800) 583-9950 • www.myoutdesk.com • www.myoutdesk.com/contact-us MyOutDesk is the largest, most trusted and reputable provider of virtual staffing in real estate—having served more than 6,000plus clients, including corporate giants such as Keller Williams, Coldwell Banker and RE/MAX. MyOutDesk virtual assistants (VAs) allow real estate teams the ability to focus on core activities that drive income and sales—saving our clients over $55 million a year.

Focus on dollar-productive tasks without sacrificing your quality of service. Hire a Real Estate VA for up to 70 percent less than the cost of a traditional, full-time employee.

QUICKEN LOANS

NAGLREP (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GAY & LESBIAN REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS)

REAL ESTATE WEBMASTERS

(561) 865-6117 • naglrep.com • Jupiter, Fla. • Jeff Berger, Founder NAGLREP is the No. 1 forum for LGBT homebuyers, sellers and LGBT and allied real estate professionals.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (800) 874-6500 • www.NAR.realtor • Chicago, Ill. • Bob Goldberg, CEO • Victoria Gillespie, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer • Katie Johnson, General Counsel, Chief Member Experience Officer • Mark Birschbach, SVP, Strategic Business Innovation and Technology • Marc Gould, SVP, Member Development 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, NAR’s official member benefits resource, providing savings and special offers on products and services just for REALTORS®. Program partners are industry leaders who understand the unique needs of real estate professionals. Visit NAR.realtor/RealtorBenefits. NAR is also proud to offer the .realtor™ and .realestate top-level domains to members to help them create a robust digital presence that supports their identity as a REALTOR®, and everything they do for their business.

Visit get.realtor. NAR offers a number of designations, certifications and opportunities for continuing education that support member development. Visit OnlineLearning.realtor. NAR empowers REALTORS®

(866) 718-9842 • AgentRelations@QuickenLoans.com For more than 30 years, Quicken Loans has been celebrated for providing an amazing mortgage experience. In fact, J.D. Power ranked Quicken Loans highest in client satisfaction for mortgage origination the last nine years. Along with being the largest mortgage lender, Quicken Loans leads the industry in technology with Rocket Mortgage, the first-ever completely online mortgage experience. Whether applying for a mortgage online or with a mortgage banker, Quicken Loans is committed to client experience.

(877) 753-9893 • www.rew.com • Nanaimo, British Columbia • Morgan Carey, CEO • morgan@rew.com Real Estate Webmasters (REW) is the leading technology provider for the top 1 percent of real estate professionals in the world. Since 2004, we have helped shape real estate technology to grow with your professional needs. We are the secret weapon behind many of the names you already know and love, creating cutting-edge websites that generate leads, maximize efficiency and help ensure unrivaled success. If you can dream it, we can build it!

REAL LIVING REAL ESTATE (866) 373-6228 • www.realliving.com Real Living Real Estate is a full-service real estate brokerage franchise network with a comprehensive and integrated suite of resources for franchisees and their sales professionals, as well as for consumers who work with them. Real Living Real Estate earned a record 98 percent customer satisfaction rating for 2019, according to independent rating service Quality Service Certification, Inc., Additionally, the Real Living brand and its innovative concepts were recognized by Entrepreneur magazine. Real Living Real Estate is a network brand of HSF Affiliates LLC, which is owned

by HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate.

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REALOGY HOLDINGS CORP.

REeBROKER GROUP

(973) 407-2162 • www.realogy.com • Madison, N.J. • Trey Sarten, VP, External Communications Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY) is a global leader in residential 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®, Climb Real Estate®, Coldwell Banker®, Coldwell Banker Commercial®, The Corcoran Group®, ERA®, Sotheby’s International Realty®, ZipRealty®, Realogy Brokerage Group (Formerly NRT LLC), Cartus, Title Resource Group and ZapLabs LLC. Collectively, Realogy’s franchise system members operate over 16,300 offices with approximately 300,000 independent sales associates doing business in 113 countries and territories worldwide.

(760) 722-3222 • www.reebroker.com • Carlsbad, Calif.

• Vgandas Anthony Razhas, Broker & CEO - info@reebrokerca.com REeBroker Group is the original and largest of virtual brokers in California, having handled 31,580 real estate transactions for a total sales volume of more than $10 billion since its inception in 2005. The Carlsbad-based, flat-fee brokerage partners with more than 2,000 real estate agents throughout the state and began its Loan Division in spring 2020. The company’s mission is to expand its technology platform, innovative agent tools, and outstanding support and mentoring programs to bring extensive opportunities for its agents to find success as real estate professionals while paying out the industry’s most competitive commission splits.

REALTOR TEAM STORE® (847) 991-4010 • www.NarTeamStore.realtor • Palatine, Ill. • Jordan Dunne We are a promotional products distributor selling logo products, and we have been the official supplier for the National Association of REALTORS® for 17-plus years. We sell logo items; if you have seen an item with a logo, we can get it. We stock over 300 items with the REALTOR®logo. They can be ordered on our website at www.NarTeamStore.realtor. We can custom-produce 10,000-plus items with any logo. We have considerable buying leverage in our industry; our factories are very interested in working with 1.4 million REALTORS®.

REALTORS PROPERTY RESOURCE® (877) 977-7576 • www.narrpr.com • Chicago, Ill. • Jeff Young, Chief Operating Officer/General Manager Realtors Property Resource®(RPR) is a national, parcel-centric database that 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 brokers and agents valuable tools and features to make them better informed in order to increase their efficiency in the marketplace.

REALTY ONE GROUP (949) 297-2020 • www.RealtyONEGroup.com • Laguna Niguel, Calif.

• Eddie Sturgeon, EVP, Global Growth Founded in 2005, Realty ONE Group is an industry disruptor, radically changing the face of real estate franchising with its unique business model, fun coolture, technology infrastructure and superior support for its real estate professionals. Realty ONE Group has been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as a Top 5 Real Estate Franchise and has been on Inc. 500’s list of the FastestGrowing Companies for seven consecutive years. Realty ONE Group is surging ahead, opening doors, not only for its clients, but for real estate professionals and franchise owners.

REBAC (800) 648-6224 • www.REBAC.net • Chicago, Ill. • rebac@nar.realtor The Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) provides training and support that help buyer’s representatives be successful in their business—and educates consumers about the benefits of buyer representation and the ABR® designation in order to improve their home-buying experience.

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RE/MAX, LLC (303) 770-5531 • www.remax.com • Denver, Colo.

RE/MAX was founded in 1973 by original disruptors Dave and Gail Liniger, who changed the real estate industry forever. Headquartered in Denver, Colo., RE/MAX is now a global franchise network with over 130,000 sales associates in more than 110 countries and territories. 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.

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE COUNCIL (800) 462-8841 • www.crs.com • Chicago, Ill. CRS Help: CRShelp@crs.com The Residential Real Estate Council was established in 1976 to provide real estate brokers and agents with shared knowledge and tools. Recognizing the need for advanced education, the Council developed training courses and established the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Designation. The Council is recognized as the leading provider of real estate education and networking for residential real estate agents, and the CRS Designation is considered the most prestigious designation a real estate agent can achieve.

SHERRI JOHNSON COACHING & CONSULTING (844) 989-2600 • www.sherrijohnson.com Sherri Johnson is the premier national real estate coach offering world-class coaching, keynote speaking and consulting services. No other real estate coach matches her 20-plus years of experience as a top agent, manager and executive of a Top-3 national brokerage, having personally led over 700 agents to $1.6 billion in annual sales volume. Sherri’s unique and proven coaching programs—including her exclusive Goldmine PipelineTM strategy—produce immediate, reliable results for agents nationwide, regardless of current production level.

WEICHERT FAMILY OF COMPANIES (800) 401-0486 • www.weichert.com • Morris Plains, N.J. Since 1969, Weichert, Realtors®has grown from a single office into one of the nation’s leading providers of homeownership services, made up of 18 full-service real estate-related companies dedicated to putting customers first. Its network of real estate brokerages includes more than 500 offices, serving markets in 42 states, with thousands of agents. As a Weichert agent, you have access to industry-leading sales and marketing tools, powerful technology, national and international referral networks and top-notch coaching

and training, as well as a unique culture of support and sharing, from interactive staff to collaborative affiliates across the country.

Franchises available.

WISE AGENT CRM (480) 836-0345 • www.wiseagent.com • Fountain Hills, Ariz.

• Wise Agent Customer Support: help@wiseagent.com Wise Agent is a very powerful, all-in-one real estate CRM platform combining contact management, lead automation, transaction management and real estate marketing software. Wise Agent helps REALTORS®become more efficient, giving them the opportunity to save time and make more money.

WORKMAN SUCCESS SYSTEMS (385) 282-7112 • www.workmansuccesssytems.com • Salt Lake City, Utah Workman Success Systems delivers comprehensive team solutions to agents, brokers and companies, private and group coaching solutions for every level of business, and proven seven-figure income-earning systems. Workman Success Systems Founder, Master Coach and Speaker Verl Workman delivers the necessary

performance skills, the latest and most effective tools, and proven dialogues and systems that work. To hire Verl to speak at your next event, visit www.workmansuccess.com/speaking. Sign up for a free coaching consult by going to www.workmansuccess.com/consult.

ZAVVIE (888) 407-4556 • https://zavvie.com/ • Boulder, Colo.

• Lane Hornung, CEO Founded by Lane Hornung and Stefan Peterson, zavvie combines proprietary technology with real world operating expertise, to provide a superior iBuyer strategy for brokers. zavvie is making the experience simple and seamless for iBuyers and agents to work together in the best interest of the consumer by facilitating and empowering listing agents to get all available offers for their clients. Its platform is a one-of-its-kind offering, backed by market specific iBuyer and Open Market data and efficient technology. Its customer friendly interface works well with its top-notch Customer Success Team to create a seamless consumer-centric process for brokers and their clients.

RREIN Member Profiles BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES AMBASSADOR REAL ESTATE (402) 493-4663 • (800) 477-7653 www.BHHSamb.com • agents@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 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 400 agents on board and 10 offices serving the Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson areas, 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 REALTY (954) 693-0100 • (800) 386-1554 www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com • Sunrise, Fla. • Rei Mesa, CRS, CRB, President & CEO Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty serves 21 counties throughout Florida with more than 40 locations and approximately 1,800 sales professionals. The full-service brokerage company, founded in 1999, is part of HomeServices of America, the nation’s premier provider of homeownership services. The company is a franchise member of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ network, one of the few organizations entrusted to use the worldrenowned Berkshire Hathaway name. The company offers residential and commercial services as well as seasonal rentals, property management, REO & foreclosures, corporate relocations, referral services, title, home warranty plans and personal concierge services. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty ranks in the Top 10 in the network and is the overall No. 1 fundraiser for The Sunshine Kids Foundation in Florida, having generated more than $3.6 million. Visit www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES GEORGIA PROPERTIES (770) 992-4100 • www.BHHSGeorgia.com Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties has over 1,600 associates and 26 locations across the Greater Metro Atlanta and North Georgia area. The company generated over $4.1 billion in sales volume in 2019. Trendgraphix reports that Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties is ranked No. 1 in home sales for the Greater Metro Atlanta area. Led by president and CEO Dan Forsman, the organization offers a full suite of real estate services including residential real estate, luxury real estate, new homes ser-

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vices, condo/high-rise services, commercial real estate, corporate relocation, property management, mortgage lending, title and settlement services, home warranties and insurance. Equal Housing Opportunity. Visit http://www.BHHSGA.com.

expertise to service all aspects of the real estate business. Core services include global relocation, property management and rentals, commercial sales and leasing and mortgage financing.

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.

(844) 861-5631 • 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 more than $600 million in sales dollar volume and welcoming more than 240 agents in seven offices, 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.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES SELECT PROPERTIES

J. ROCKCLIFF REALTORS®

(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, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select ranks as the No. 1 locally-owned real estate firm in St. Louis. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select prides itself on providing the highest-quality real estate brokerage services to its clients and customers and in being recognized in the community for high standards and ethics.

(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.

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 in the greater Washington, D.C., area. The company, which specializes in residential and luxury properties, joined the CENTURY 21® System in 1998 and has established a sound and successful organization providing traditional residential and commercial services, on-site mortgage, title, and property management, and access to a vast network of relocation and other real estate service providers worldwide. It has earned the status of No. 1 CENTURY 21 Firm in the World for the past three years. With 20 locations and approximately 900 real estate professionals, New Millennium is consistently included in REALTOR® Magazine’s Top 100 Companies List for all real estate firms nationwide regardless of brand. It is also a past winner of the prestigious Cartus Masters Cup, the Network’s highest honor. The Cartus Broker Network is the largest relocation network in the world and includes more than 775 hand-selected brokerages in the United States.

COLDWELL BANKER KAPPEL GATEWAY REALTY

JORDAN BARIS, INC. REALTORS® REAL LIVING (800) 4-JBARIS • (973) 736-1600 • www.JordanBaris.com info@jordanbaris.com Founded in 1952, Jordan Baris, Inc. REALTORS® Real Living 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. REALTORS® Real Living 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 Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.

KINLIN GROVER REAL ESTATE (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.

COLDWELL BANKER D’ANN HARPER, REALTORS®

LONG & FOSTER REAL ESTATE, INC.

(210) 483-7002 • www.cbharper.com Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper, REALTORS®is the largest full-service real estate company serving the entire greater San Antonio metropolitan area, New Braunfels, Boerne, Bandera, Kerrville, Fredericksburg and Hill Country markets, representing buyers and sellers in all phases of their transactions. Since opening in 1986, the company has become a trusted name in the real estate industry. With eight offices, over 350 sales associates and over 100 support staff, the company’s extensively trained representatives have knowledge and

(866) 677-6937 ∙ www.LongandFoster.com Long & Foster Real Estate, the nation’s No. 1 independent brand by sales volume, is part of The Long & Foster Companies, a subsidiary of HomeServices of America, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. HomeServices is the nation’s second-largest real estate brokerage and one of the largest providers of integrated real estate services. Long & Foster Real Estate is the exclusive affiliate for Christie’s International Real Estate throughout select parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, and it is a founding affiliate of Lead-

114 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ing Real Estate Companies of the World®, a prestigious global network of real estate professionals that includes the Luxury Portfolio International division. Long & Foster Real Estate has over 220 offices, stretching from Raleigh, N.C., to Fair Haven, N.J., and from Martinsburg, W. Va., to the Atlantic Ocean, and it represents more than 11,000 agents in seven Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states, plus the District of Columbia. The company, which has a productive commercial business in addition to its residential side, sold more than $31.1 billion worth of homes and helped people buy and sell homes nearly 85,000 times in 2017.

PATTERSON-SCHWARTZ REAL ESTATE

LUSK & ASSOCIATES SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY

RANDALL, REALTORS®

(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.

MCCOLLY REAL ESTATE (800) 348-2100 x206 • www.mccolly.com Since 1974, McCOLLY Real Estate has found your place to call home, from the shores of Lake Michigan in Northwest Indiana to Lake Street Beach in Chicago. McCOLLY is a proud LeadingRE member with bilingual agents in 14-plus languages among 450plus REALTORS® in 18 offices. McCOLLY Companies is the One Source for All Purpose Real Estate with its ancillary companies of McColly Insurance, Community Title, McCOLLY Auctions, McCOLLY Bennett Commercial, McCOLLY New Homes Division and Luxury Home Portfolio™.

PAGE TAFT (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.

(877) 456-4663 • www.pattersonschwartz.com pattersonschwartz@psre.com Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate is Delaware’s largest independent REALTOR® with over 50 years of service to the Delaware real estate market and surrounding communities in nearby Pennsylvania and Maryland. With nine offices and 415 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.

(401) 364-3388 • www.randallrealtors.com Randall, REALTORS® 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. 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.

RE/MAX 440 AND RE/MAX CENTRAL (215) 453-7653 • www.pahomesforsale.com • Tom Skiffington, Broker/Owner, tom@tomskiffington.com 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 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.

YOUR BROKER-TO-BROKER SOURCE FOR REFERRALS FROM REAL ESTATE’S LEADING RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE COMPANIES CALIFORNIA Ascent Real Estate, Inc. 410 Kalmia St., San Diego, CA 92101 Contact: Gina Lancelot • Tel: (619) 325-4100 Email: info@ascentrealestate.net URL: www.ascentrealestate.net Coverage Areas: San Diego Offices: 9 • Associates: 180 CENTURY 21 Award - Orange County 22342 Avenida Empresa, Ste. 110, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 Contact: Joshua Tucker, Director of Relocation Services Tel: (760) 217-2491 (Toll Free) • Fax: (619) 374-2706 Email: jtucker@century21award.com

Coverage Areas: Orange County Offices: 15 • Associates: 1,200 CENTURY 21 Award - San Diego, Riverside 7676 Hazard Center Dr., Ste. 300, San Diego, CA 92108 Contact: Joshua Tucker, Director of Relocation Services Tel: (760) 217-2491 (Toll Free) • Fax: (619) 374-2706 Email: jtucker@century21award.com Coverage Areas: San Diego, Southern Riverside Offices: 15 • Associates: 1,200 Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty 750 Mason St., Ste. 101, Vacaville, CA 95688 Contact: Rachel Guerin

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 115

Tel: (707) 427-5344 or (844) 861-5631 • Fax: (707) 446-9830 Email: info@kappelgateway.com URL: www.KappelGateway.com Coverage Areas: Vacaville, Benicia, Davis, Dixon, Fairfield, Napa, Rio Vista, Suisun City Vallejo and Winters, Calif.

Offices: 7 • Associates: 240 J. Rockcliff REALTORS® Headquarters Office: 4115 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Ste. 201, Danville, CA, 94506 Contact: Robin Dickson, CRS, GRI, Executive Vice President Tel: (925) 251-2501 (O), (925) 324-1323 (C), 877-JRCKCLF (572-2523) (TF) 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

CONNECTICUT Page Taft 89 Whitfield St., 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® 4009 Old Post Rd., 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 Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+ Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate 7234 Lancaster Pike, Ste. 220B, Hockessin, DE 19707 Contact: Brian Pomije, Relocation Manager Tel: (302) 234-3600 (Office) • (302) 234-5207 (Direct) • (800) 443-2295 (Toll Free) Email: bpomije@psre.com URL: pattersonschwartz.com Coverage Areas: Delaware (New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties), Pennsylvania (Chester and Delaware counties), Maryland (Cecil, Kent and Harford counties) Offices: 9 • Associates: 415

FLORIDA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty 1580 Sawgrass Corporate Pkwy., Ste. 400, Sunrise, FL 33323 Contact: Rei Mesa, CRS, CRB, President & CEO 116 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Tel: (954) 693-0100 or (800) 386-1554 • Fax: (954) 236-6962 Email: ReiMesa@BHHSFloridaRealty.com Relocation Contact: Sharon Sapp, Vice President, Relocation, Referrals & REOs Email: sharonsapp@BHHSFloridaRealty.com URL: www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com Coverage Areas: 21 counties throughout Florida, including Southeast Florida, Southwest Florida and Orlando area Offering mortgage, title, insurance, home service plans and 1031 exchange services Offices: 40 • Associates: 1,750

GEORGIA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties 863 Holcomb Bridge Rd., 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: 26 • Associates: 1,600

ILLINOIS McCOLLY Real Estate 800 Deer Creek Dr., 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, Aroma Park, Beecher, Blue Island, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Burbank, Burnham, Calumet City, Channahon, Chicago, Chicago Ridge, Clearing, Country Club Hills, Crest Hill, Crestwood, Crete, Evergreen Park, Flossmoor, Frankfort, Glenwood, Grant Park, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Hegewisch, Hickory Hills, Homewood, Kankakee, Lansing, Lemont, Lockport, Lynwood, Manteno, Matteson, Mokena, Momence, Monee, Morgan Park, Mount Greenwood, New Lenox, Oak Lawn, Orland Hills, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Park Forest, Peotone, Richton Park, Riverdale, Roseland, Steger, Tinley Park, University Park, Worth Offices: 18 • Associates: 450+

INDIANA McCOLLY Real Estate 800 Deer Creek Dr., 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, Cedar Lake, Chesterton, Crown Point, DeMotte, Dyer, Dune Acres, East Chicago, Gary, Griffith, Hammond, Hebron, Highland, Hobart, Kouts, La Porte, Lake Station, Lake Village, Lakes of Four Seasons, Long Beach, Lowell, Merrillville, Michiana Shores, Michigan City, Miller Beach, Morocco, Munster, Ogden Dunes, Otis, Portage, Porter, Rensselaer, Roselawn, Schererville, Schneider, St. John, Sumava Resorts, Thayer, Valparaiso, Westville, Wheatfield, Whiting, Winfield Offices: 18 • Associates: 450+

MARYLAND CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 • Fax: (703) 822-0136 Relocation Contact: Jeff Hetherington, Director of Relocation Email: move@c21nm.com URL: www.c21nm.com Coverage Areas: 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: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+ Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate 7234 Lancaster Pike, Ste. 220B, Hockessin, DE 19707 Contact: Brian Pomije, Relocation Manager Tel: (302) 234-3600 (Office) • (302) 234-5207 (Direct) • (800) 443-2295 (Toll Free) Email: bpomije@psre.com URL: pattersonschwartz.com Coverage Areas: Delaware (New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties), Pennsylvania (Chester and Delaware counties), Maryland (Cecil, Kent and Harford counties) Offices: 9 • Associates: 415 RE/MAX Gateway 4090B Lafayette Center Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Scott MacDonald, President Tel: (703) 652-5760 • (703) 727-6900 (Cell) Email: scottmacdonald@remax.net URL: www.gateway2realestate.com Coverage Areas: Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland Offices: 6 • Associates: 170

MASSACHUSETTS Kinlin Grover Real Estate 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

MISSOURI Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties 1650 Des Peres Rd., Ste. 205, Saint Louis, MO 63131 Contact: Angie Ignatowski, Relocation Director Tel: (314) 835-6000 • (314) 835-6050 (Direct) 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 & 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., Ste. 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

NEW JERSEY Jordan Baris, Inc., REALTORS® Real Living 50 Mt. Pleasant Ave., West Orange, NJ 07052 Contact: Carol Abdo, Relocation Director Tel: (973) 736-1600 (Office) • (800) 4-JBARIS (Toll Free) Fax: (973) 736-5159 Email: relocation@jordanbaris.com URL: www.jordanbaris.com Coverage Areas: 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: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+

NORTH CAROLINA Coldwell Banker Advantage 7610 Six Forks Rd., Ste. 100, Raleigh, NC 27615 Contact: Benina Drake, CRP, SVP Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (800) 274-5345 • (919) 846-3330 (Direct) 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 Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+

PENNSYLVANIA Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2021 117

Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty 100 Foxshire Dr., 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 Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate 7234 Lancaster Pike, Ste. 220B, Hockessin, DE 19707 Contact: Brian Pomije, Relocation Manager Tel: (302) 234-3600 (Office) • (302) 234-5207 (Direct) • (800) 443-2295 (Toll Free) Email: bpomije@psre.com • URL: pattersonschwartz.com Coverage Areas: Delaware (New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties), Pennsylvania (Chester and Delaware counties), Maryland (Cecil, Kent and Harford counties) Offices: 9 • Associates: 415 RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central 701 West Market St., Perkasie, PA 18944 Contact: Tom Skiffington, Broker/Owner • Tel: (215) 453-7653 or (215) 643-3200 Email: tom@tomskiffington.com URLs: www.pahomesforsale.com • 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® 4009 Old Post Rd., 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 Dr., Greenville, SC 29607 Contacts: Nichole Moore, Director of Relocation, (864) 678-5362, nmoore@cdanjoyner.com, Jo Anne Conner, Destination & Broker-to-Broker Mgr., (864) 678-5227, jconner@cdanjoyner.com, 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: 10 • Associates: 400+ CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 • Fax: (703) 822-0136 Relocation Contact: Jeff Hetherington, Director of Relocation Email: move@c21nm.com URL: www.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+

118 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

RE/MAX Gateway 4090B Lafayette Center Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Scott MacDonald, President Tel: (703) 652-5760 • (703) 727-6900 (Cell) Email: scottmacdonald@remax.net URL: www.gateway2realestate.com Coverage Areas: Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland Offices: 6 • Associates: 170

VIRGINIA Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+

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 Relocation Contact: Jeff Hetherington, Director of Relocation Email: move@c21nm.com URL: www.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: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+ RE/MAX Gateway 4090B Lafayette Center Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Scott MacDonald, President Tel: (703) 652-5760 • (703) 727-6900 (Cell) Email: scottmacdonald@remax.net URL: www.gateway2realestate.com Coverage Areas: Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland Offices: 6 • Associates: 170

WEST VIRGINIA Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+

INDEX OF SERVICE PROVIDERS American Home Shield.....................................................1

National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP)®..................................................36

Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA)....48

National Association of REALTORS®............................8, 27

Buyside..............................................................................19

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors®.........................................2

The CE Shop......................................................................52

Quicken Loans................................................................ IBC

Century 21 Real Estate LLC.............................................15

Real Estate Express...........................................................45

Create for the Human.....................................................73

Real Estate Webmasters.............................................22-23

Darryl Davis Seminars, Inc...............................................92

REALTOR Team Store®......................................................57

Homes.com......................................................................17

RE/MAX, LLC.....................................................................10

ABR®...................................................................................12

HomeSmart.............................................................................25

RISMedia’s ACESocial...........................9, 11, 62, 80-81, 119

HSA Home Warranty................................................................ 5

RISMedia’s Content Solutions.........................................83

Inside Real Estate..................................................................BC

RISMedia’s Housecall.......................................................34

Lamacchia Realty.................................................................50

RISMedia’s Ultimate Real Estate Team Guide..........7, 47

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.............. IFC

ShelterZoom......................................................................38

NAR’s Center for REALTOR Development....................20

Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting.........................33

®

Workman Success Systems........................................74, 79

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{re: Real Estate} National Association of REALTORS® 2021 Legislative Preview

by Shannon McGahn

L

ast year did not turn out the way anyone could have imagined as we met for New Year’s Eve parties and watched the ball drop in Times Square on the final day of 2019. Today, it still feels like we are months away from gathering with lots of close friends and family, let alone seeing a mass of people huddled together outside celebrating anything.

Like everyone else, the advocacy team of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) had a plan heading into 2020. That plan, though, quickly evolved when our world changed in the span of just a few days last March.

At that point, we quickly snapped into action in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

NAR’s lobbying efforts helped secure our 1.4 million members with access to Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, paid sick and family leave, Economic Injury Disaster Loans and direct stimulus payments, among other critical relief measures.

With one in five NAR members reporting to have taken a PPP loan, it’s safe to say that the real estate industry would have been crippled without this program. Instead, REALTORS® survived the storm and now continue to lead America’s economic recovery.

But, of course, our problems did not disappear when we turned the page on 2020.

In addition to ongoing COVID-19 relief negotiations on Capitol Hill, NAR opens 2021 focused on continuing to advocate for tax incentives for homeownership and construction of affordable housing, preserving the critical 1031 like-kind exchange, protecting housing providers and commercial real estate, and fighting for more inclusive national housing policy.

We know that all NAR members—and everyone in this country—benefit when our housing market is free, fair, transparent and efficient. And, as the largest trade association in the world, NAR is committed to using our voice to champion efforts that will combat and eliminate discrimination in America’s real estate industry.

Those efforts include partnering with lawmakers in Washington to secure more equitable public policy while also promoting NAR’s implicit bias training videos, our recently released interactive fair housing simulation trainings and our constantly evolving member-oriented anti-discrimination initiatives, both 120 January 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

to maximize their utility and to encourage other associations to join our fight.

President-elect Joe Biden’s $15,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit proposal could be particularly helpful for minority homebuyers and millennials who have struggled to save for a down payment while juggling student loan payments and relentless housing price growth across the country.

These issues enjoy tremendous bipartisan support, and NAR stands ready with strong relationships on both sides of the aisle to lend a hand in moving these important policies forward.

Finally, while ongoing COVID relief and recovery conversations continue to dominate in Washington, perhaps nothing being discussed today is as important to us as rental assistance.

While we remain committed to helping our neighbors during this unprecedented global pandemic, we cannot make matters worse by jeopardizing the very housing opportunities we are all trying to protect.

NAR has been abundantly clear on this point. Any eviction moratorium must also include rental assistance for housing providers. Our research has found that 38 percent of REALTORS® own at least one rental property. And more than 40 percent of rental units nationally are owned by “Mom & Pop” owners who do not get relief from paying their mortgages or other financial obligations like taxes and utilities.

While we remain committed to helping our neighbors during this unprecedented global pandemic, we cannot make matters worse by jeopardizing the very housing opportunities we are all trying to protect. The only way to bring meaningful relief to America’s renter households is through rental assistance, and that is the message we intend to continue long into 2021. RE

Shannon McGahn is chief advocacy officer for the National Association of REALTORS®.

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