Real Estate Magazine - Realty ONE Group - July 2015

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The Ultimate Big, Small Company Realty ONE Group’s Start-up Culture Powers National Success Page 50

SOLD A HOME WITH ONE SWIPE OF A SMARTPHONE. HIT US UP ON TWITTER.

We’re always scouting for agents who show a certain penchant for getting it done. Agents who should affiliate with a brand that has state of the art tools that increase speed and a network that supports their business every step of the way. So, if that sounds like what you’re looking for, get on it.

C21.COM/CAREERS ©2015 CENTURY 21 Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. CENTURY 21® is a trademark owned

by CENTURY 21 Real Estate LLC. CENTURY 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunities Act. Each office is independently owned and operated.

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{Contents} July 2015/Vol. 31, No. 7 • www.rismedia.com

{On the Cover} 50 The Ultimate Big, Small Company Realty ONE Group’s Start-up Culture Powers National Success

90

Kuba Jewgieniew has created a thriving best-of-both-worlds scenario that has seen unprecedented growth. Starting Realty ONE Group in 2005 to fill a void he experienced as a top-producing REALTOR®, Jewgieniew went from sole proprietor to 60 offices across the nation and 7,000 agents in just 10 years, and ranks nationally as the No. 5 firm in sales volume in RISMedia’s 2015 Power Broker Report. How did he make this happen? By creating “the ultimate big, small company with all the benefits of big brokerages plus the intimacy, trust and lower fees of a smaller one,” he says. In this month’s cover story, find out more about Jewgieniew’s unique growth strategy and how he plans to take that growth to new heights.

50

{Highlights}

34

34 The .REALTOR Domain: Why It Really Does Matter

{Headliners} 25

15 Policy Matters: New Technology Built Specifically for TRID Helps Smooth the Way 16 NAR Power Broker Roundtable: Inventory: Where Do We Stand Now? 18 REBAC Report: Wake-Up Call: ABR® Training Delivers a Competitive Edge 21 Executive Appointments 22 T he RREIN Reporter 49 Webinar Recap:

In this exclusive feature, take an in-depth look at the importance of securing top-level domains and why this is a critical move for NAR and its members.

38 The Power of Us. The Freedom to Be You.

Ready to Take Your Business to the Next Level?

67 House Prices Inch Up 1.3 Percent in First Quarter 90 Industry Insight: Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate and

NAGLREP Release Findings from First-of-its-Kind National LGBT Study Dedicated to Homeownership 93 New Report Finds Waiting to Buy a Home Could Cost Thousands

In this special feature, take a look at how Real Living Real Estate is setting the bar even higher when it comes to encouraging local success.

80 It’s Crunch-Time for CFPB Compliance With the August 1 effective date right around the corner, Marvin Stone, SVP, Business Integration/CFPB program manager for Stewart Title, gives a crash course on the highlights of the rulings and how real estate professionals can quickly prepare.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 3

72

80

{Features} 25 O pen Houses: The Key to Successful Sales and Lead Generation 32 Marketing and Sales - How to Write a Social Media Bio 44 How’s the Market?

50 The Ultimate Big, Small Company 59 Hitting the Right Note in Nashville 65 Upping the Ante with Mobile Marketing 68 Trending: Bidding Wars Still Dominate Low-Inventory Markets 72 RISMedia’s Great Spaces 82 Strategies: American Home Shield; HSA Home Warranty; NAR - GRI; Realtors Property Resource® 87 Old Meets New for Historic House Hunters

{Interviews} 46 Joe Frazzano, J. Rockcliff REALTORS®

54 Randy Smith, Equity Real Estate 54 Jean Merkelbach, Engel & Völkers Lake Tahoe 55 Timothy J. Greene, john greene REALTOR® 56 Chris Smith, Curaytor 57 Ericka Thomas de No, Regal Realty International

4 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

60

92

{Experts} 28 Brian Buffini - Communicating Your Value to Consumers

30 Budge Huskey - Collaboration Allows Us to See What Is Possible 60 Grant Simmons - How to Win Back Google’s Love 63 Vinnie Tracey - Business Building: Want Success? Do What Elite Producers Do 78 Verl Workman - Basic Training: Power Teams to Profit Teams 89 Marvin Stone - Are You Prepared for August 1st?

92 Adam Long - Using Technology to Streamline the Real Estate Transaction

{Every Issue} 9 Publisher’s Desk 12 REtrends 95 Service Profiles 105 Referrals 112 RE: Real Estate—NAR’s Commitment to Brokers: Hearing Your Voices, Meeting Your Needs

WE’VE TAPPED INTO A LEGACY

AND REPUTATION THAT CLIENTS TRUST WE’VE EXPANDED INTO NEW MARKETS AND INCREASED OUR AGENT BASE

WE ARE RANKED

BROKERAGES

JOSHUA TANNER | PRESIDENT & CEO Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Generations

AMONG THE TOP THREE

IN OUR MARKET

WE’RE BETTER

bhgrefranchise.com ©2015 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. A Realogy Company. 175 Park Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940. All Rights Reserved. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Better Homes and Gardens® is a trademark owned by Meredith Corporation and licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. This is not intended, and shall not be deemed to constitute, an offer to sell a franchise. Franchise offerings made only by a Franchise Disclosure Document.

THESE FRANCHISES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE FRANCHISE INVESTMENT LAW OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. SUCH REGISTRATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE APPROVAL, RECOMMENDATION OR ENDORSEMENT BY THE COMMISSIONER OF CORPORATIONS NOR A FINDING BY THE COMMISSIONER THAT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN IS TRUE, COMPLETE AND NOT MISLEADING. This advertisement is not an offering. An offering can only be made by a prospectus filed first with the Department of Law of the State of New York. Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law. The Minnesota registration number for this franchise system is F-5883. *Ranked #3 by sides in Gulf Coast MLS for May, 2015 YTD.

{Online} Trending on Social Media

Trending on

“Some good guidelines to consider when buying your first home!”

8 Patio Upgrades That Will Add Sparkle to Your Summer Looking to upgrade your patio this summer? Consider the following DIY upgrades and you’ll be sipping mimosas on your pimped out patio in no time. http://bit.ly/1HAHMrv

- Reyna Woods, Windermere Homes & Estates

Top 5 Government Policies Everyone Should Know before Buying Their First Home http://bit.ly/1FMuV5p

Yabba Dabba Doo You Want This ‘Flintstones’ Theme Park?

Hey, “Flintstones” fans! Did you ever dream of living in the Stone Ages?

Well, BAM (BAM)! Your dream is about to come true with this $2M campground turned theme park. http://bit.ly/1GAFtKy

really like TV! Sandra and Chuck McKee from Waxahachie, Texas, are some of those people. In 2012, the couple recreated one of their favorite family homes that they now actually live in. Check out their very own Munsters house! http://bit.ly/1MtASIo

The Road to Recovery: 4 Factors That Affect Home Prices

- Deanna Kastner, BHHS Southern Coast Real Estate

Old Meets New for Historic House Hunters

With housing on a steady path to recovery, home prices have risen approximately 20 percent in the last three years, and both consumers and industry professionals expect that upward trajectory to continue this year. http://bit.ly/1G2XAae

http://bit.ly/1Hwqr7j

“The growing number of low-down payment loans reflects an appetite on the part of lenders and the government to provide a format to grow the number of homebuyers.”

Texas Family’s Replica of ‘The Munsters’ House is Creepy and Amazing Some people like TV....and I mean...

Connect with RISMedia @RISMediaUpdates

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@HousecallBlog

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+RISMedia

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6 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“We LOVE our historic homes in the Greater Charleston, S.C. area. Good info to review prior to purchasing.”

- Best Chicago Properties, LLC

Average Down Payment Drops to Three-Year Low http://bit.ly/1Ixz1RX

ESANET BENEDICT | REALTOR® Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene

I’M BETTER

bhgrecareer.com ©2015 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Better Homes and Gardens® is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Each Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate Franchise is Independently Owned and Operated.

NAR: My Advocate for cutting-edge technology to help my business

.REALTOR TOp-LEvEL DOmAin The Internet is evolving. Anyone can have a Web address that ends in .com. Only REALTORS® can exclusively have a Web address that ends in .REALTOR. Now is the time to establish a strong online presence for yourself and your brokerage. Claim your .REALTOR domain at

REALTORs pROpERTy REsOuRcE® (RpR®) RPR® exclusively provides REALTORS® a single source for hundreds of datasets on over 166 million properties, analytical tools, local market trends, customizable reports and much more. And with RPR Mobile™, REALTORS® can access the power of RPR® anytime, anyplace. bLOg.nARRpR.cOm

cLAim.REALTOR

ThE cEnTER fOR REALTOR® TEchnOLOgy (cRT) CRT helps REALTORS® and associations learn to use technology responsibly. Get updates on technology advances from the Bits and Bytes blog and check out REpurposed Apps, a site that allows members to share how they use a variety of real estate apps in their business. cRT.bLOgs.REALTOR.ORg/

NAR advocates for its one million members every day. www.REALTOR.org

REALTOR.cOm® The most accurate and complete home search on the Web provides free benefits to all REALTORS®, including exposure for your listings on website and mobile applications, a free publicly viewed profile on realtor.com®, training and support, and an assortment of tools, downloads and apps.

REALTOR.cOm/EngAgE

{Publisher’s Desk} Laying the Foundation for Sustainable Success

S

etting yourself apart is the name of the game when it comes to staying ahead of the competition; however, knowing where to turn to gain access to the tools, programs and technology to truly differentiate yourself can be a challenging proposition.

But for real estate professionals looking to grow their business by standing apart through a distinct local identity while standing together with like-minded innovators across the country, Real Living Real Estate offers all this—and more.

“Our brokers and agents want to focus on what they do well, which is running a real estate business, and they need someone they can trust to provide the proper tools and business systems that work behind the scenes. Real Living is the perfect fit to serve brokers and agents like that,” says Real Living President Bob McAdams.

In this month’s cover story (pg. 38), take a closer look at what makes one of the industry’s most well-known organizations tick. From providing the resources of a national brand, while valuing and encouraging individuality, creativity and a passion for service, not only does Real Living boast a 96 percent national customer satisfaction rating, the future’s looking brighter than ever as they hold true to their commitment to lay the foundation to help the people in their network achieve sustainable success.

For additional insights and proven tactics for securing long-term viability, don’t miss RISMedia’s Real Estate CEO Exchange this September 16 & 17. Taking place at The Yale Club in New York City, this by-invitation-only event will take a realistic look at the current and future state of the real estate brokerage business and reveal strategies for building sustainable success. Contact Randi Vanucchi for more information: randiv@rismedia.com. I hope to see you there!

Wishing you continued success,

John E. Featherston CEO & Publisher

WHERE LEADERS

LIVE.

What distinguishes Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® is strong leadership at each of its brokerage companies, large and small – leaders like Joe Horning of Shorewest Realtors, Wisconsin’s largest real estate company. A third-generation owner and president, Joe pioneered the company’s IT division and has been an articulate industry spokesperson and innovator on critical online real estate issues. He currently serves on the National Association of Realtors® Multiple Listing Issues and Policies Committee, as well as the MLS Technology and Emerging Issues Advisory Board. He is also a past chairman of the MLS Policy Forum and The Realty Alliance. Among his many distinctions, Joe ranks 83 on the prestigious Swanepeol Power 200.

Leaders like Joe are at the helm of the network’s 500+ market-leading firms around the world, coming together under the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® banner to create a powerhouse that collectively sells more homes than any other network.

At LeadingRE, it’s all about “Making the Best Brokerages Better,” with a robust menu of industryleading brokerage services in technology, marketing, education and lead generation.

LeadingRE.com | 800.621.6510

LEADER MOTIVATOR NAVIGATOR

GROUND BREAKER You don’t stretch limits. You shatter them. So why stay somewhere that restricts your business and withholds the independence you’re entitled to? We broke ground with our business model over four decades ago and we’ve never looked back.

Find yourself at RE/MAX.

©2015 RE/MAX, LLC. Each RE/MAX® office is independently owned and operated. As measured by total residential transaction sides. 150487

THINKER

RREIN

RISMedia’s Real Estate Information Network®

RISMedia’s Top 5 in Real Estate Network®

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

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

ONLINE Managing Editor/Online Beth McGuire Chief Information Officer Edward T. Kingston Web Designer Kevin Kirwan Information Technology Manager James Jones Online Associate Editor Suzanne De Vita

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

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

ADMINISTRATIVE Circulation Manager Alice Heffron RISMEDIA MEMBER NETWORKS Network Manager, RREIN Randi Vannucchi Director of Member Relations, RREIN Peter Di Salvo RIS CONSULTING GROUP Vice President, Managing Director John Sculley, CRP Projects Director Peg Guinta, CRP Email: consulting@rismedia.com

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

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

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

WHERE LEADERS

LIVE.

What distinguishes Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® is strong leadership at each of its brokerage companies, large and small – leaders like Elizabeth F. Stribling and Elizabeth Ann Stribling-Kivlan of Stribling & Associates, serving New York City’s most soughtafter neighborhoods. Since founding the company over 30 years ago, Elizabeth has remained actively involved in all aspects of the business, from choosing the brightest managers and agents to guiding and nurturing professionals at all levels. Today, her daughter Elizabeth Ann oversees the company’s daily activities, and together they guide the firm with the philosophy that the right broker makes all the difference. The result is impressive – with 80% of the company’s business coming from referrals.

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

LeadingRE.com | 800.621.6510

{REtrends} Selling Solar Are you ready to meet the needs of today’s solarconscious homebuyers? Futurist Ray Kurzweil is among those who believe solar will be able to meet the world’s energy needs in less than 20 years because of advances in technology and tumbling panel prices. The Department of Energy (DOE) is only slightly less enthusiastic, estimating 30 million U.S. homes will be equipped with rooftop solar paneling by 2050, up from about 500,000 today. And, according to solar provider SolarCity, the company is already installing a new solar residential customer in the U.S. at the rate of one every three minutes.

According to a 2015 report from the DOE’s Lawrence Berkley Laboratory, solar adds significant value to homes. The study of 22,000 homes from 1999 to 2013 found that premiums for a typical residential solar system averaged about $15,000.

Optimism Climbs Consumer attitudes about the housing market showed marked improvement in May, strengthening the case for a lift in housing activity this year, according to results from Fannie Mae’s May 2015 National Housing Survey™. In line with the positive May jobs report—

which showed an acceleration in average hourly earnings—and reflecting recent trends of firming personal income growth, the share of survey respondents reporting a significant increase in their household income climbed four percentage points to a near all-time high. Among those surveyed, the share who believe now is a good time to sell a home continued its steady climb, reaching an all-time survey high in May—six percentage points higher than at the same time last year. Additionally, those saying they would prefer to buy rather than rent a home on their next move increased another three percentage points to 66 percent.

As Economy Improves, So Do Home Improvement Projects (TNS)—The nation’s remodelers say that kitchen and bathroom redos remain the most popular, and that homeowners’ top motivation for renovating is to upgrade with newer, better features in their homes.

“As the country’s financial footing improves, clients are better able to realize their home-design dreams,” says Robert Criner, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Remodelers.

“While remodels prompted by repairs remain common, homeowners have more discretionary funds available for upgrades, so better style, comfort and safety motivate more home-improvement projects,” Criner says.

Bathroom remodels were cited as a common job by 78 percent of remodelers.

Bathroom and kitchen remodels were up 6 percent and 7 percent from 2013, respectively, rebounding strongly from historic lows in 2010. Bathroom remodels were cited as a common job by 78 percent of remodelers, a return to an all-time high level. After baths and kitchens, the most popular remodeling categories were window or door replacements, wholehouse remodels, room additions, property-damage repairs, and handyman services. ©2015 Philadelphia Inquirer Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

12 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“As buyers from a variety of markets worldwide are increasingly drawn to our market and its real estate offerings, Engel & Völker’s esteemed reputation, connected global network and world-class services will aid us in best serving our clients.”

Sonia Dale, Adam Butter, and Leah Tozer, Engel & Völkers Long Beach New York

Only the best in the business join our brand.

Leah Tozer’s expertise in real estate comes from a combination of her years performing title closings, as a residential mortgage planner and as a licensed residential real estate appraiser. Sonia Dale’s real estate experience is based on her previous roles in property management, interior design and home staging for New York City properties. Adam Butter spent several years in advertising after serving in the U.S. Army and as a real estate professional sold properties from Long Beach to the Hamptons. Together, they are the top producing team in their market whose success is based on their expertise, client satisfaction and commitment to quality. As the owners of Engel & Völkers Long Beach New York, they can offer more for the clients and their market while at the same time expand their reputation among an international audience.

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

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

Change is on the horizon.

We’re here to help you prepare.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau® (CFPB) rule for mortgage disclosure will go into effect August 1 – and it brings a lot of changes. There are new forms, new timing for the transaction, and more. Don’t worry. We’re here to help you prepare for the coming changes so you can prepare your clients for their transactions. We’ve developed a wealth of educational materials that help you see everything more clearly.

Visit stewart.com/cfpb-ris today to access a host of CFPB educational information.

© 2015 Stewart. Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

STCG1-1517-82-33

{Policy Matters} New Technology Built Specifically for TRID Helps Smooth the Way This column is brought to you by the NAR Real Estate Services group.

by Cecelia Raine

W

ith the CFPB’s TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rule nearing its implementation deadline of August 1, 2015, the residential mortgage industry has been hard at work to get new or updated processes into place and tested to help ensure a smooth transition.

Because of the many moving parts that occur throughout the mortgage origination and closing process, specialized technology is also being implemented.

Managing interactions that occur during the mortgage origination process—in a way that both protects Non-Public Information (NPI) and moves the mortgage process forward with the least amount of time and effort—has always been a challenge. Now, however, with the upcoming implementation of TRID, it’s more important than ever for the industry to operate through a secure, scalable, low-friction technology platform that can help meet both compliance and efficiency imperatives.

A number of major lenders have elected to implement Closing Insight™, a Web-based technology solution. Developed by RealEC® Technologies (RealEC), a division of Black Knight Financial Services, Closing Insight is an integrated set of services that automates and streamlines the complex multi-party residential mortgage closing process. These capabilities create process efficiency

improvements while helping to facilitate lenders’ and settlement agents’ efforts to comply with the upcoming TRID requirements.

With Standardization Comes Assurance In recent years, the residential mortgage industry has become more standardized around best practices that help ensure consumers fully understand their mortgage options and obligations. In addition, technology has evolved to enable both small and large lenders and their partners to achieve compliance and increased efficiency.

To help facilitate these results, RealEC built the Exchange™, an open technology platform that provides integration, data management, decisioning and workflow management.

It presently connects more than 17,000 service and solution providers to top lenders, maximizing timely communication and enabling ready access between partners.

The Exchange offers a bi-directional data service that enables lenders and settlement service providers to exchange information more efficiently. Lenders can use this capability to validate fee quotes from multiple sources, and engage its rules-based engine to detect whether or not the information provided is complete and meets compliance guidelines.

This assurance is particularly important in the highly regulated mortgage environment.

For real estate agents, these capabilities are critically important to help ensure that closings are not delayed and that processes are followed as outlined by the CFPB. Understanding the industry tools that are being used to help automate the timely and accurate production of the new form, as well as the electronic ordering and fulfillment of title, closing and document signing orders, will help in all areas of the closing process.

Settlement agents and the closing providers who use software platforms such as SoftPro Standard, Enterprise, Select and Impact; FAST, Streamline and Title Express; RamQuest; AIM+SureClose (Stewart); Landtech and others will be able to benefit from a smooth integration utilizing Closing Insight. They will be able to continue working within their home software platforms, while accessing functionality that will allow them to communicate their closing requirements; ensure those requirements are addressed; see real-time workflow status updates; and securely deliver final Closing Disclosure information to lenders. RE

Cecelia Raine is Co-Chair, Closing Insight Advisory Board, RealEC Technologies.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 15

{The NAR Power Broker Roundtable} Inventory: Where Do We Stand Now? MODERATOR:

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

Rei Mesa President/CEO Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty, Miami, Fla.

Katie O. Williams Executive Vice President, LIV Sotheby’s International Realty, Denver, Colo.

OB Jacobi President, Windermere Real Estate, Seattle, Wash.

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

Jim Imhoff: An improving job market and continuing low interest rates have sent consumer confidence soaring more than 10 points over where it was a year ago.

According to research from NAR, pending home sales in all four major regions rose this spring, and for the U.S. as a whole, pending sales are at their highest level in nine years—and the median sales price across the nation has risen by more than 8 percent in the last 12 months. All of that is good news. The fly in the ointment is the stubbornly tight inventory. What can real estate professionals do to get more listings on the market? Rei, what’s the situation in Florida?

Rei Mesa: In the first quarter of

the year, we saw a 5.1-month supply of single-family homes, with

16 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

an especially limited inventory in entry-level properties. We’ve created jobs here, but not higher-level jobs, and sellers are tending to stay put for a variety of reasons. They’ve got equity in their homes. They’ve refinanced to a comfortable interest rate—and they’re not sure they can find the home of their dreams or even that they will qualify. We are seeing a slight increase in listings this summer, but I think we are looking at tight inventory at least for the foreseeable future.

Katie Williams: In January of this

year in Denver, we had 32,000 residential properties on the market. We now have 6,250. That’s a steep drop, a scant two-month supply; and while we’re seeing a slight uptick this summer, I tend to agree that this is going to be a long-term challenge.

OB Jacobi: We are really struggling

for inventory in Seattle, and it’s been a three-year downslide. Rei mentioned jobs. We have jobs in Seattle—big companies like Amazon and Google are expanding—so lots of people are coming in, but there’s not enough inventory to house them.

Small apartments are renting for $350 per square foot—penthouses for $450 per foot. So sellers are in the driver’s seat, and buyers are scrambling to compete. Of course that’s forcing prices up, and our sales are up 4 percent over last year. That is, as you say, the good news. But sales would be even better if we had more homes to sell, and I’m afraid we’re not looking for a major increase anytime soon.

JI: New construction is lagging behind demand as well—and so for all these reasons, our agents have to compete hard for listings. Most sellers know at least four REALTORS® who know that a house priced right will sell quickly at or above its listing price. So what are we doing to give

“Relationship-building is crucial if you’re going to successfully compete. We’re relying less on Internet leads these days and more on relationship selling strategies that help our agents build strong connections and inspire trust and loyalty—and, ultimately, more business in any market environment.”

– OB Jacobi President, Windermere Real Estate, Seattle, Wash. our agents an edge in this highly competitive environment?

RM: Without question, it’s back to basics, and that means knocking on doors, leaving flyers, and calling everyone you know to promote your service and expertise. Talk to people.

Want to move up? Need more space?

Ready to downsize? I may have a buyer for your home.

KW: We find our buyers are mostly willing to be flexible when they find the home they want—so we ask our agents to work from the buy. List a client’s home with a 60-90 day contingency so the seller has a little breathing room—and work with that seller to find the home they want to move to.

OBJ: Relationship-building is crucial if you’re going to successfully compete. We’re relying less on Internet leads these days and more on relationship selling strategies that help our agents build strong connections and inspire trust and loyalty—and, ultimately, more business in any market environment. RE 8For an expanded version of this article and other NAR Power Broker Roundtable topics, please visit www.rismedia.com.

{REBAC Report}

Wake-Up Call ABR® Training Delivers a Competitive Edge

by Marc Gould

E

very broker wants their agents to be more successful, but what are the most effective ways to accomplish that?

Training is one key component, but in an industry dominated by listing and selling, it’s easy to overlook training in buyer perspectives.

In a move designed to leverage this concept to their advantage, two different brokerages—one in Ohio and another in Missouri—decided to offer the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) training to their entire office.

“After more than 35 years as a selling broker, it amazed me how the new ABR®course made me take a look at today’s real estate sales processes from fresh perspectives,” says Steve Brown, co-owner of Irongate Inc., REALTORS® in Dayton, Ohio, and 2014 President of the National Association of REALTORS®. “Of all the sales courses in the market, this is the one I would recommend to my own agents—and NOT to the competition!”

“Regardless of whether you’re new to the business or have years of experience, the ABR® Designation

18 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

course is one of the best classes you can take,” says Elizabeth Mendenhall of RE/MAX Boone Realty in Columbia, Mo. “We encourage all new agents to consider the ABR® as their first designation course. It improves their understanding of buyer representation and puts them a step above their competition.”

Results The impact of ABR® training is immediate. “Our agents are challenging each other to reconsider their representation techniques,” explains Mendenhall. “They are better critical thinkers, negotiators and marketers.” Most of her agents have also revamped their presentations and materials to indicate they have buyer representation training.

Mendenhall also observed that this is one of the best courses to teach agents how to analyze their time so they are productive, and not just busy. “The ABR® class helps agents know what questions to ask to analyze their buyers’ wants and needs so they can narrow their search parameters and deliver better results.” Not only does this help increase her agents’ sales and income, but also results in more satisfied buyer-clients.

Agent Perspectives What do agents say about their ABR® designation? In a recent survey conducted by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC), over 750 ABR®s who also hold other designations said their ABR® was most important to them. Among the top reasons cited: 8I gained valuable training that improved my knowledge.

8It’s the designation most widely recognized by the public.

8It gives me credibility and respect with buyers.

8It sets me apart from other real estate professionals.

Survey respondents also gave top marks to the numerous member benefits that ABR®s receive, helping them earn more business and work more successfully with buyers.

Learn More The ABR® Designation course is one of the best ways to give your agents a competitive edge and increase their productivity. It’s offered in classrooms across the U.S. and Canada, or can be taken online. To view a schedule of current offerings and to learn more about the benefits of earning the ABR® designation, visit REBAC.net. RE Marc Gould is vice president, Business Specialties, for the National Association of REALTORS® and executive director of REBAC. A wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), The Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) is the world’s largest association of real estate professionals focusing specifically on representing the real estate buyer. With more than 30,000 active members, REBAC awards the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation to REALTORS® who work directly with buyer-clients. To learn more, visit REBAC.net.

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{Executive Appointments}

RE/MAX Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Geoff Lewis has been named president upon the announcement that Vinnie Tracey plans to retire. Tracey assumes the title of President Emeritus until his retirement after the August Broker/ Owner convention. Lewis led the RE/MAX Legal Department since joining the company in 2004 as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and was promoted to his recent position in 2013. Lewis was instrumental in guiding RE/MAX through its IPO process in 2013 and has continued to provide critical leadership to the company with its new public status.

Tracey began his career in 1977 as

Marketing Representative with the RE/MAX of Tennessee and Kentucky region. Accepting responsibilities in multiple areas, he was named President in 2004.

Cindy Ariosa, senior vice president and regional manager at Long & Foster Real Estate, has been appointed as Vice Chairman of the MRIS Board of Directors’ Executive Committee. Ariosa has served on the MRIS Board since 2006 and previously held the role of Secretary. She succeeds industry veteran Gil Marsiglia. In related news, Executive Vice President & CIO of McEnearney Associates, David Howell, is joining the Executive Committee as Secretary. Before

joining McEnearney Associates in 1996, Howell was the Owner and Principal Broker of his own real estate company for 12 years. A recognized real estate industry leader, Howell was a founding member of MRIS’ Board of Directors. MRIS also welcomes Mark Lowham and Sue Smith to its Board of Directors. Lowham joined TTR Sotheby’s International Realty in January 2011 as Managing Partner. Smith joins the MRIS Board as the Agent Representative, acting as a direct advocate for the 45,000+ real estate professionals MRIS serves. RE For more executive happenings, please visit www.rismedia.com.

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{RREIN Reporter} News and information for and about RISMedia’s Real Estate Information Network® (RREIN) Richard (Dick) Schlott Company Chairman and CEO Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate Princeton and Jersey Shore regions, New Jersey

Quality and Ethics Always Lead to Growth

by Barbara Pronin Barbara Pronin: Dick, six years into your second turn as leader of Gloria Nilson & Co., the brokerage is bigger, better, and more productive than ever. What’s your secret?

Dick Schlott: The Jersey Shore and the Princeton area are very desirable places to live, and the company Gloria Nilson founded 35 years ago has a well-deserved history of service beyond expectation. When I bought it the first time during my tenure as CEO of GMAC Home Services, I knew the company shared both my vision and my simple philosophy—the same philosophy I’ve hung my hat on throughout my long career in real estate: Do the right thing…every time. As our agents have heard me say, no commission is worth the company’s reputation.

BP: How do you weave that kind of ethic into the company culture?

DS: You start by surrounding yourself with the right people—people dedicated to achieving success without compromising integrity. From the first agent I ever recruited, those were the qualities I looked for, and those are the qualities I still look for as the company continues to grow. Today, we have a great president, Pat Bell, who knows and works with every agent and lives those ethics every day—and a great staff who supports those qualities in every part of every transaction.

BP: Can you give us a snapshot of your company’s growth and your competitive differentiation in the marketplace?

DS: When I bought the company for the second time in 2009, we had 500 agents in 16 offices and revenue of $800 million. Today, we have 20 offices, 700 agents, and a 2014 revenue of $1.3 billion. Our footprint extends from the Atlantic Ocean into Pennsylvania. We’re a fullservice company—residential, commercial, mortgage and title services, all the bells and whistles—but what sets us apart and keeps us growing is our unsurpassed 22 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

reputation for quality…and in no small measure, our ability to change with the times.

BP: ‘To change with the times.’ Can you expand on that?

DS: The real estate market is always changing, and of course it always will, but the business of real estate— the way we do things—is undergoing a sea change today.

Agents conduct business on smartphones and tablets wherever they happen to be. They don’t need desks or cubicles as they once did because they do so much of their business out in the field. So our focus has been on providing our agents with the tools and strategies they need to be the best in today’s environment. Our top-notch business development manager has created a suite of programs specifically designed for agents at all levels of expertise. We also have a fantastic tech trainer who works with agents at every level, effectively bringing the new ones up to speed and making sure all our agents remain at the leading edge. At the same time, we are redesigning our offices to conform to the new way of doing business.

BP: What are today’s consumers concerned with when it comes to buying and selling?

DS: We’ve had a backlog of buyers and a real shortage of inventory, although I think people are now getting more comfortable about selling and moving up. Buyers are a little shy because prices have risen and I think there is a bit of sticker shock. But given that interest rates are still attractive, there are plenty of buyers seeking the right property even in this seller’s market.

BP: You’ve had a long and fulfilling career in this industry. What keeps you in the game?

DS: I love the challenge, I love seeing effort pay off in achievement, and most of all, I love the people who make up this great company. My dad was a Marine. He taught me what it means to be proud—and I’m proud to be the leader of an amazing group of people who are committed to treating every buyer and seller as though they were part of their family. I’m proud of our “Alex’s Lemonade Stand” fundraisers that raise money to battle childhood cancer, and of the fact that my family and my company substantially support a program that houses the homeless—including veterans. I’m proud that in a world where it’s easy to forget, we stand for doing the right thing. RE For more information, please visit www.glorianilson.com.

RREIN Network News

During HSF Affiliates LLC annual Sales Convention in Las Vegas this past March, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties was recognized in the Berkshire Elite Circle and ranked No. 27 in the nation. Many agents of Select Properties were recognized for their 2014 production. Out of 35,000 licensed agents, The Boehmer Team (St. Charles County) ranked No. 3 in Residential Units, The Kerlick Team (South County) ranked No. 40 in Residential Units, The Denny Team (Des Peres) ranked No. 54 in Residential Units and No. 93 in Residential GCI and the Lisa Burkemper Team (Troy) ranked No. 63 in Residential Units. www.bhhsselectstl.com

Associates from Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty’s Metropolitan offices attended the Jacksonville On the Move Luncheon benefitting the North Florida Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society. The team attended in honor of Margee Michaelis, a Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices REALTOR® and a member of the North Florida Chapter Board of Trustees. Michaelis is one of many who lives with MS; she was diagnosed with the disease nearly 30 years ago. Monies raised will be used to help people with MS live their best lives through ground-breaking research and local services. www.floridanetworkrealty.com

Steven Calcagni, president of Calcagni Real Estate, recently announced the company’s partnership with CW Landmark Group, LLC, a real estate investment company, currently based in Cheshire, Conn. At the helm of CW Landmark Group is cofounder and president, John C. (J.C.) Coleman, a Cheshire native. Prior to cofounding CW Landmark Group, LLC, Coleman was vice president at a real estate private equity firm in Westport, Conn., and an attorney in the Corporate Department of Fox Rothschild, LLP. www.calcagni.com

GARDNER, REALTORS® recently announced their newest marketing collaborative with Perkins Rowe in Baton Rouge, La. GARDNER will be working with Perkins Rowe to expand the community through the sales of one- and two-bedroom condos in The Lofts. GARDNER REALTORS® has recently released six fully renovated condos to the market. www.GardnerRealtors.com

McColly Companies announced that Kathy R. Burke, broker, McColly Real Estate, has earned the nationally recognized Military Relocation Professional (MRP) Certification. The National Association of REALTORS®confers the MRP certification to REALTORS® who want to help military personnel and veterans find housing solutions that best meet their needs and allow them to take full advantage of their military benefits. REALTORS® who earn this certification know how to work with active duty military buyers and sellers, as well as veterans. www.mccolly.com

J. Rockcliff REALTORS® recently announced that veteran real estate sales professional Joe Frazzano and the Frazzano Team, of the company’s Blackhawk office, has been named the top J. Rockcliff REALTORS® agent for 2014.

This is the sixth consecutive year that the Frazzano Team has received this honor. The Frazzano Team placed first based upon overall sales performance during the year.

His skills also earned him membership in the J. Rockcliff REALTORS® President’s Club. www.FrazzanoTeam.com

In related news, the Luxury Real Estate Board of Regents announced that J. Rockcliff REALTORS® has been selected to exclusively represent the Luxury Real Estate Board of Regents brand within the region. The Board of Regents is the evolution of the Board of Governors, the leadership body that has determined the direction of Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate since 1986. They enjoy prime placement on the awardwinning website, LuxuryRealEstate.com, and have the unique opportunity to network with like-minded real estate professionals around the world. www.Rockcliff.com

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 23

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Strengthen your team and your bottom line.

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

This information is accurate as of May 2013.

Open Houses:

The Key to Successful Sales and Lead Generation

by Nick Caruso

Capture the untapped potential of your next open house with industryleading tools.

I

n today’s world of real estate, there are seemingly endless ways for agents to market their listings. With technology and social media booming like never before, the options for agents to advertise and, therefore, sell homes seem to be growing exponentially by the day, becoming slightly overwhelming for agents who are less-than-savvy with the Internet, mobile technology and social networking. However, tried-and-true methods still exist, fueling sales nationwide even in 2015.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 25

“We saw an opportunity to help agents with something they normally do and make it much more effective for them, both on selling the home and getting new clients, on the buy or sell side.”

- DOUG BREAKER CEO, Open Home Pro®

Open houses remain a fruitful option for agents to sell homes, but more importantly, to meet prospective clients face to face who are still seeking representation. According to the 2014 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 44 percent of buyers used open houses as a key part of their home search.

Open houses have consistently proven their worth in the real estate industry, and the key to success is using the right tools for the job.

Open Home Pro® is a free app that aims to simplify and streamline the process for agents. The most downloaded open house app on iOS and Android handles everything from the planning and marketing stages of the open house to the collecting of data and sending of follow-up emails post-event. Open Home Pro® makes it easy to engage with potential buyers and keep the conversation flowing long after

26 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

the visitors have left and with minimal effort from the agent. Judging by its 4.5-star rating in the Apple App Store and rave reviews all over the Web, it’s safe to say that this appears to be a mission accomplished.

Open Home Pro® CEO Doug Breaker views the app as a way to further help agents build their business in a realm that some aren’t too familiar with.

“We saw an opportunity to help agents with something they normally do and make it much more effective for them, both on selling the home and getting new clients, on the buy or sell side,” says Breaker. “The app takes a process that was manual and painful and it automates it for them. We saw it as a cool solution to a drudging activity that agents are already doing.”

Open Home Pro® allows agents to capture lead data from prospective buyers walking through their open house. Guests enter contact information and answer a series of questions that describe who they are and where they currently are in the home search process.

The app asks if buyers are represented by an agent, if they are pre-approved for a loan, and how they learned about the open house. All of this information is crucially important to the agent going forward, according to SVP of Sales for Open Home Pro®, Mark Tepper.

“You’re spending a lot of money or time marketing the open house, so you want to identify what marketing efforts—newspaper, online, Facebook, signage— are actually paying off and what you should discontinue. We’re always trying to give the agent selling the house insight into why people are coming by,” says Tepper.

Not only does the app go a long way toward helping agents appear more professional, it’s also a massive time-saver for real estate professionals who are already crunched for time.

“It comes down to replacing the pen and paper and giving that agent time back,” says Greg Johnson, VP of Product Development for Open Home Pro®. “When we interview agents who use the app, what we hear time and again is ‘Thanks for giving me my Sunday evenings back.’ A lot of time is spent transposing notes and scribbled sheets over to CRMs. Some of the best feedback we’ve received is how helpful it is.”

After the open house, the app automates a followup with buyers, allowing the agent to stay top of mind without much tedious busy work. Buyers receive an email after the open house ends, thanking them for coming or notifying them of listing changes, like a drop in price. All emails contain the agent’s photo and any pre-determined information the agent chooses. This all adds up to a big opportunity to close more sales and potentially find more sellers, since two-thirds of recent buyers only interviewed one agent before finding the one they worked with.

In the premium version of the app, in addition to customizing the open house questions and email content that’s sent out, agents also receive an automated sellers report following the event. Not only does the report sum up how many people walked through the home, it also summarizes more information about attendees, so sellers can have results in their hands as soon as possible.

“Agents can add notes into each buyer’s profile.

It could be anything—they really liked the home, but thought it was overpriced, or if the kitchen was redone, they’d pay asking price. Any insights can be

added to it and it’s all compiled into a professional report,” says Tepper. “It’s an easy way to have a conversation with the seller with some objective reviews on hand.”

Open Home Pro® is constantly being updated with new functionality, features and other improvements.

“We’re continuously working on adding elements, learning from our customers what features they would like to see,” says Johnson. “We’re working toward more personalization to put more control into the agents’ hands, so they can better complement their own branding and identity.”

With Open Home Pro®, real estate agents can take advantage of all their saved time by focusing on what’s most important: selling homes. Building business has never been easier for users, with over 60,000 consumers walking through open houses run

by Open Home Pro® in April of this year alone.

Says Breaker, “If we’re going to build software for agents, it has to be simple and easy. That’s always what we strive for.” RE For more information, please visit openhomepro.com

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Communicating Your Value to Consumers

by Brian Buffini

T

here’s no arguing that technology has dramatically changed the landscape of consumer behavior in almost every industry, and real estate is certainly no exception. Today’s buyers and sellers no longer need to rely on an agent to start the process of searching for a new home or calculating the worth of their current house. They have access to thousands of listings at their fingertips and can research school districts, property values and neighborhood development plans without ever having to reach out to a real estate professional.

However, the fact remains that buying and selling a home is still the largest financial transaction most of your clients will make. It’s imperative to your success in today’s world that you are able to communicate the value you provide as a real estate professional before, during and after the transaction. Clearly articulating the importance of your professional services, while simultaneously building and maintaining your relationships with your clients, will help you demonstrate your value, promote confidence and trust, and create lifelong advocates for your business.

Demonstrate Your Value It’s more important than ever to differentiate the service you provide from the competition in order to demonstrate your value. I like to use Starbucks as an example. They serve coffee, a very common product, but they offer an uncommon level of sophistication and care that the consumer values enough to pay for without complaint. Learn to articulate the uncommon level of service you provide, and your clients won’t question the commission you earn.

28 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Promote Confidence and Trust Throughout the transaction, you should demonstrate your value by professionally serving both the transactional and the relational needs of the client. You’ll want to expertly handle all the nuts-and-bolts of the deal, as well as provide unexpected extras that will help you gain the trust of your client on an emotional level. By simultaneously serving both transactional and relational needs, you build your client’s confidence in your professional abilities and earn their trust.

Create Advocates If you set the expectation of the level of service you provide before the transaction begins and exceed that expectation throughout the process, your value goes up exponentially in the eyes of your client, and you create an advocate for your business.

A great advocate will communicate your value to the marketplace for you. They’ll tell their friends and families about the level of service you provide, how skillfully you handle transactions, and, here’s the key, how you still keep in touch. Imple-

Clearly articulating the importance of your professional services, while simultaneously building and maintaining your relationships with your clients, will help you demonstrate your value, promote confidence and trust, and create lifelong advocates for your business. ment a system to stay top-of-mind and remind the clients you’ve served that you’re always available to provide the same level of service to anyone they know that needs a real estate professional.

Learning to articulate our value is crucial in a world where many of our clients come to us already brimming with information. Provide them with your professional skillset paired with exceptional service, and you’ll be well on your way to creating advocates that articulate your value to their friends and family long after the transaction closes. RE Brian Buffini is the Chairman and Founder of Buffini & Company, North America’s largest real estate coaching and training company, which has helped over 3 million sales professionals in 37 different countries improve their business, increase net profit and enhance their quality of life since its founding in 1996.

For more information, visit www.buffiniandcompany.com or call 1-800-945-3485 ext. 4.

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The Women’s Choice Award is based on a 2013 nationwide survey of women. For information on the Women’s Choice Award, visit womenschoiceaward.com/best-home/warranty-providers. ©2015 American Home Shield Corporation. All rights reserved.

Collaboration Allows Us to See What Is Possible Commentary by Budge Huskey

R

eal estate has always been highly individual and entrepreneurial in nature, yet sustainable success is possible only through effective collaboration with others. The very foundation of our industry is the concept of “cooperation and compensation,” with the premise that all parties are better served when there’s a platform for working together with a common cause. It is, after all, the ultimate relationship business.

Throughout my career, I’ve observed that the highest performing organizations create environments in which people openly exchange ideas and information leading to enhanced results, with the leaders of these organizations actively looking beyond the insulated cocoon of their own environment to connect with others, hear new ideas and elevate their game.

This outreach is the very basis of a franchise network, with brokers and agents openly exchanging their wisdom and best practices, sending referrals knowing they will be nurtured, and striving to raise the standard of quality and professionalism of all.

30 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

We recently welcomed Coldwell Banker of the Valley in Huntsville, Ala., into our network. Owners Jim and Leia Merical went through the typical deliberation and on-boarding process that began with recognition of a responsibility to grow their business on behalf of their sales professionals, community and their families.

“I was not expecting our world to change so quickly,” Jim told me. “We knew it would take time for us to truly absorb and implement all that was available. That was not a shock. But what truly changed was our immediate exposure to so many companies and leaders in such a short time.

From some of the biggest names in the industry to firms like us in communities like Huntsville around the South and the nation. Not only do we now know what’s possible, we have the ability to get there.”

Those of us on the Coldwell Banker team know that collaboration only occurs if fostered daily, and our best days are those when we’re hosting events on the road, including our international Generation Blue Experience, and we hear from those in attendance just how much they learned from one another and the takeaways they can implement immediately.

Over the last few years, Coldwell Banker has been recognized as a leader in social media not just within real estate, but among all industries, with the third-party rankings to support the claim. Along with a robust consumer strategy, our internal social effort has become an invaluable, collaborative tool utilized routinely by agents who get helpful responses from their peers who go out of their way to help one another.

Real estate professionals always seek a competitive advantage. The industry invests countless dollars into new programs and technology to keep ahead of others. An imperative, no doubt, if one is to remain at the forefront. But history has proven far too often that competitive advantages are fleeting when based on “stuff” that others may also eventually obtain. Increasingly, the only sustainable differentiator is the caliber of people and the environment of collaboration in which they work.

The very best companies, and brands, in any business are unified in purpose, fueled by culture, and totally connected. That’s Coldwell Banker. RE If you have questions on how our collaborative approach can impact your business, email me at budge. huskey@coldwellbanker.com.

Budge Huskey is president and CEO, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

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How to Write a Social Media Bio 5 Tips for Real Estate Professionals

N

o one likes writing social media bios. Summing up the wonderful, complex individual that you are in just a few strategically selected words? That sounds fun...NOT!

That said, in today’s socially savvy real estate marketplace, it can’t be avoided. You’re going to need at least one social media bio (but more likely two or three) if you plan on connecting with colleagues, influencers and prospects online.

In an effort to make this intimidating task just a little bit easier, here are our top five social media bio tips:

1

Make sure your full name (or full business name) is written somewhere.

This seems obvious, but if your handle is @BestAgentEver, be sure to put your full name somewhere so people know who they’re talking to. If you’re using your personal account to post real estate information and listings, put the name of your brokerage somewhere in your bio so people know why.

2

Say something special about what you do.

Why do you like being a real estate agent? Who do you help? Do you have a niche? Show everyone that you’re an expert at what you do by mentioning something specific to your business in your bio.

3

Share something personal.

Users want to connect with other real people online, so write 32 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

something that humanizes you.

Do you like a certain animal, food or sports team? Add a quick note about something you’re passionate about. It might help you strike up a conversation.

4

Add something funny.

Approach this with caution. We can’t all be funny, and we don’t all share the same sense of humor.

But if you’re genuinely a crack up, adding something harmless (like a pun) can’t hurt.

5

Don’t forget your URL. This is the most important tip of all. If people are interested in you and your business, they’ll want to learn more. Include your real estate website address so they can click through—and hopefully convert.

And, since every platform is a little different, here are a few pointers for some of the biggies: Twitter You only have 140 characters to fit everything in, so make them count.

Fortunately, your URL doesn’t factor into the character count, but you can add a second URL into your bio if you really want to.

Facebook On Facebook, you can have a short

description and a long description.

The short description is the one people see when they visit your page. You have just 155 characters for this, so focus on what’s special about what you do.

The long description has almost endless space for characters and links, so you can go on and on and on, but people will only see it if they click on your “About” tab. Use keywords in both your short description and long description for SEO. Pinterest On Pinterest, you have 160 characters to tell other pinners who you are in the “About You” section of your profile. Don’t skip it!

What does your go-to social media bio say about you? RE Point2 Agent is a comprehensive marketing toolkit used by real estate professionals all over the world to capture more traffic and generate more leads. For more information and to begin your free trial, visit Point2Agent.com.

Why did Kenny Parcell, the 2015 Realtor Party Director Liaison for the National Association of REALTORS®, join Equity?

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See what Equity can do for you at...

equity-usa.com “...Equity should be looked into by anyone thinking about making a move.

With a low fee per transaction and the potential of only $100 per transaction, to an unbeatable profit share program, Equity has the resources and systems to help facilitate success...”

“I could not be happier with my decision to move to Equity.”

The .REALTOR Domain: Why It Really Does Matter

by Maria Patterson

T

his past May, at the REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo, NAR made the .REALTOR domain available to local and state REALTOR® associations as well as brokerages in the U.S. and Canada. This move followed the domain’s launch to NAR members this past October. Before the year is out, NAR will up the ante even further by rolling out the .realestate domain to REALTOR® and broker members.

The introduction of these top-level domains (TLDs) is exciting news for real estate professionals, yet critics point to an allegedly low adoption rate, and hint that this is perhaps just a way for NAR to add to its bottom line.

However, there is a much bigger picture to consider, one that clearly depicts why securing these domains matters for the future of your business and the real estate industry as a whole. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with NAR execs Bob Goldberg and Ken Burlington, 34 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

and Tom and Matt Embrescia with Second Generation, a firm that specializes in securing top-level domains for a wide variety of industry-leading organizations. The group provided an in-depth look at how and why the initiative came to be, and why it is a critical move for NAR and its members.

According to Goldberg, NAR SVP of Marketing, Business Development and Member Benefits, “This is not just NAR dabbling in something. TLDs are key to how the Internet is being used—we feel it’s an obligation to help our brokers and REALTORS®. We feel we have a responsibility to do something to make sure the industry is protected. We did it as an offensive move as much as a defensive move. Think about if an interloper got .REALTOR or .realestate? We need to make sure that when people think real estate, there’s someone trusted behind it. Consumers know our brand and we needed to leverage that with a top-level domain.”

So, let’s talk about TLDs. NAR was one of the first associations approved for a TLD, a process that took eight years of working with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organiza-

tion that coordinates domains and Internet Protocol addresses around the world. Clearly, this was not a moneymaking scheme for NAR (who is offering one free domain to early-adopting members and various discounts to brokers), but rather, an intensive process that took commitment, financial investment and stamina. According to ICANN, the .REALTOR domain is currently the sixth fastest-growing domain in existence.

The reason TLDs are critical, and the reason why NAR has made the initiative a priority, is because they represent the very near future of the Internet. Right now, for example, I could launch a website with the URL MariaPattersonRealty.com, but there is nothing that governs what my site is all about—I could be selling knockoff Chanel purses or promoting a bogus weight-loss pill.

As it stands now, the Internet can be easily misused to the REALTOR®’s—and the real estate industry’s—disadvantage. Not only does this hurt the credibility the industry has strived so hard to achieve, it leaves the consumer in the lurch when they need to find a real estate professional to work with.

“A lot of governments around the world are concerned about what’s happening on the Internet,” explains Tom Embrescia, chairman of Second Generation subsidiary Real Estate Domains, LLC, an investment firm and registry operator for the top-level domain .jobs, who worked with Goldberg and his team to secure the .REALTOR and .realestate TLDs. “Last year, nikeshoes.com sold $90 million worth of Nike shoes. Sounds great. The only downside is, it was a Chinese knock-off company—and the consumer doesn’t know that. TLDs are about eliminating a lot of phishing and scamming, so ICANN is looking for exactly the kind of partnership they created with NAR to build trusted valued sources on the Internet.”

Enter the .REALTOR domain. To get a .REALTOR domain, a member is pinged against the NRDS database, or the CREA database in Canada, to validate that you are indeed a member of NAR who must abide by the code of the largest association in the United States. If you’re a consumer looking for a credible real estate resource, you can shave off a lot of time and hassle by going directly to a .REALTOR domain. “A .REALTOR Web address is an opportunity to tell consumers that if someone has a .REALTOR domain, they are a member in good standing who abides by the Code of Ethics of the NAR or CREA,” explains Goldberg. “Consumers over time will know that if they’re on a .REALTOR domain, they’re working with a REALTOR®, a trusted real estate resource.”

According to Tom Embrescia, with over 250 million URLs in existence, moving to 500 million in three to five years, “For a REALTOR®, what’s happening on the Internet today is a tough road to navigate—it keeps transition-

ing, keeps growing, keeps changing. NAR has taken the position that it’s their job to figure out the best method, then make it easy and affordable for REALTORS® to do it. The REALTOR® Community needs to separate themselves, or they will become generic online.”

But if that’s the case, say the critics, why hasn’t every REALTOR® in the country snatched a .REALTOR domain by now? According to ICANN, the fact of the matter is, the .REALTOR domain is the sixth fastest-growing TLD cur-

“A .REALTOR Web address is an opportunity to tell consumers that if someone has a .REALTOR domain, they are a member in good standing who abides by the Code of Ethics of the NAR or CREA.” - BOB GOLDBERG NAR SVP, Marketing, Business Development and Member Benefits

rently in existence. As with most technology-related concepts for the real estate industry, adoption takes time.

Ideas and programs must be fully vetted before gaining mass appeal.

“We are truly very pleased with the adoption rate so far,” emphasizes Goldberg. “All of us at NAR and our partners are happy with the number of domains claimed.”

Meanwhile, the early adopters of the .REALTOR domain are enjoying a big competitive advantage. While members get one domain for free, they can affordably buy as many as they’d like, boxing out their competition in the process.

“People have one site and they think it’s the solution,” says Tom Embrescia. “But the reality is, you want multiple ways to be found based on how people search. The more URL opportunities you have at an inexpensive price point, the better you can market yourself. If the search terms people use are in your domain name, you’re going to be found on the search engines.”

What’s more, these REALTORS® aren’t just “parking” their .REALTOR domains, they’re actually using them, whereas the converse exists in the .com world. According to a November ’14 article on thedomains.com, the .REALTOR extension had by far the lowest rate of parked domains at the time—just over 1 percent, according to ntldstats.com.

“There are a lot of people today called ‘domainers’ who look to buy domain names and shelve them,” explains Tom Embrescia. “Of all the .com names that exist, about half of them don’t get resolved, meaning you own

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 35

a .com name but you never turn it into a page. On the REALTOR® for each office is the only ID that can claim other hand, .REALTOR is the most-used TLD of all the the brokerage domain for that firm. “They will be asked new TLDs that have launched up until now. That’s the to verify when they sign onto the system that they are telling part. There’s a functionality to it. NAR is the PhD, who they say they are, and only they can claim the TLD,” MBA and CPA of real estate. And like them, REALTORS® he explains. “Individual members can incorporate their need to separate themselves from all the others working brokerage name into their .REALTOR domain, provided in real estate.” the member’s name is immediately to the left of the An easy way to understand the importance of the dot. However, brokerage firms must have their company .REALTOR domain is to look at what’s happening in terms name immediately to the left of the dot—they can add of specialization in other large industries. According to whatever marketing copy they’d like in the URL, as long Tom Embrescia, ICANN is moving full speed ahead. “.com as it comes before the brokerage name.” will always exist,” he explains, “but it will be all things to The annual price for brokers to secure a .REALTOR doall people—like NBC, CBS, ABC. But when you create a main is $79. If purchased within the first 60 days, they vertical—like .realtor and .realestate—it’s now ESPN or can buy the domain for $39.50. Brokers can also receive the Food Network. ESPN is a bigger value for the Dis- multi-year and multiple domain discounts up to 10 years, ney Corp. than ABC is, and Disney owns them both. For says Burlington. “We also have bulk pricing available REALTORS® who don’t focus on this and separate them- upon request for brokerage firms and members affiliated selves out, they’re going to be eroded on the Internet.” with that firm.”

For REALTORS® and Similarly, only the association executive who has consumers, another huge “NAR is the PhD, MBA and CPA of real a special NRDS ID will be benefit of the .REALTOR domain is that it eliminates able to claim a domain for estate. And like them, REALTORS® need the middleman, says Matt their association, using eito separate themselves from all the ther the association’s full Embrescia, president of others working in real estate.” name or an acronym. NAR Second Generation. “From - TOM EMBRESCIA has also entered into an the member’s standpoint, Second Generation exclusive marketing partthere are a lot of websites nership with the Canadian set up to collect leads and Real Estate Association, then resell them to members,” he explains. “The whole basis of the .REALTOR the exclusive licensors of the Realtor® mark in Canada. domain is that it’s a direct connection to a member, as CREA associations and boards will also be able to use opposed to not really knowing where your information is the domain to provide consumers in Canada with the going. When you go to a .REALTOR site, you know you’re same advantages. communicating directly with the person at that website.”

NAR also plans to roll out the .realestate TLD to Developing the offering for brokers required more plan- members later this year. “There were 1,800-plus apning to ensure the broker was protected. “We had to bet- plicants for TLDs just in this last round,” says Goldberg. ter understand how the brokerage community would be “We feel extremely fortunate that we were able to seable to use their .REALTOR domain,” explains Goldberg. cure the .REALTOR and .realestate TLDs. We will launch “With the brokerage, we had to look at what’s the name .realestate later this year. Those members who have of the legal entity doing business in the industry; how purchased a .REALTOR domain will receive priority regisdo we make sure that the consumer knows it’s a trusted tration for .realestate when it becomes available.”

As Tom Embrescia says, real estate is a highly source? And, how do the franchises allow their brands to be used with other TLDs that they’ve been using forever? searched term worldwide. “That’s a term people use who We had to build the business rules into the system so are looking for natural search results. That’s exactly what you get with the .realestate domain.” that brokerages were protected.”

“If this were a money grab, we’d sell domains to whomBy introducing the .REALTOR TLD for brokerage firms, NAR is offering members a way to enhance their brand- ever, with no rules in place,” says Goldberg. “But we want ing. “We’re not trying to take something away from the consumers to know there’s a trusted, valued resource broker,” emphasizes Goldberg. “It’s about reinforcing the behind this. It’s all about the consumer at the end of the REALTOR®’s brand in addition to the broker they’re affili- day. If the consumer builds trust with this, then it will be ated with.” the place where they will go.” RE According to Ken Burlington, vice president, NAR Strategic Alliances and Product Management, and COO, REALTORS® Information Network, the designated For more information, please visit www.about.realtor/leverage/benefits.

36 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

The Power of Us. The Freedom to Be You. Real Living Real Estate provides the resources of a national brand, while valuing and encouraging individuality, creativity and a passion for service by Paige Tepping

38 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Bob McAdams President, Real Living

Gino Blefari CEO, HSF Affiliates

C

onventional wisdom says to compete in real estate, you have to stand apart. Real Living Real Estate says it has built a growing business by working with local real estate experts who want to stand apart through a distinct local identity, but also stand together with like-minded innovators across the country to gain the tools, programs and technology that only a national brand can deliver.

HSF Affiliates LLC CEO Gino Blefari (right) and Real Living Real Estate President Bob McAdams discuss growth for Real Living.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 39

Real Living Real Estate was founded in 2002. It is owned by HSF Affiliates LLC, which operates multiple brands across the U.S., and is majority owned by HomeServices of America, Inc.TM, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate.

Real Living leaders are proud to be part of a large, well-known organization and emphasize their focus on leveraging their resources to encourage local success. Even as the brand is poised for future growth, it remains steadfast to its vision, which, according to Real Living President Bob McAdams, is “to be the consistent real estate leader in delivering exceptional customer satisfaction, one person, one family, one home at a time.”

Says Gino Blefari, CEO of HSF Affiliates: “Our focus as a multi-brand franchisor is to grow our networks, and we will certainly grow Real Living Real Estate,” he explains. “The brand is flexible, scalable and can flourish anywhere in the U.S.”

increased productivity and improving operational efficiencies. They do so by engaging deeply with the brand’s values and offerings.” Most importantly, says Anderson, “they are passionate about the business they are in, the culture that they promote and the service they are providing to their local communities.”

“Giving our network the ability to laser in on exactly what they need from Real Living to accomplish their goals, with the freedom to use any and everything we provide to their advantage, is a key piece of the puzzle,” says Tom Panattoni, vice president of Franchise Sales. Real Living works to ensure that its systems and programs—whether brand marketing materials, recruiting materials or business technology—can be tai-

A Nationwide Network of Local Real Estate Experts Growing Real Living’s national presence is fairly clear-cut—target companies that are looking to drive their business forward, while looking to Real Living for the business solutions that will help propel them to success.

According to McAdams, it boils down to living up to Real Living’s promise to provide “The Power of Us. The Freedom to Be You.”, an approach to business in which the company works to deliver the resources that only a national brand can offer, while encouraging the members of its network to be creative in building a local brand identity that is true to themselves and their communities.

“The people in our network are entrepreneurs looking for business solutions, tools and systems,” says Allan Anderson, vice president of Consulting Services, “and that’s where we focus.” In addition to an entrepreneurial outlook, affiliates “are focused on recruiting, driving

lored as much as possible to fit the needs of the individual brokers, as well as each agent.

Another key differentiator that sets Real Living apart from other national real estate franchise companies? Its decision to not pursue national consumer advertising campaigns, further solidifying the value they place on encouraging brokers to determine what’s best for them on a hyperlocal level. “Every market, and every place for that matter, is different,” says Matt Kaufman, director of Marketing and Technology, “so it’s important that we give our brokers the opportunity to spend their marketing dollars the way they see fit in order to gain the most leverage in their respective market.”

The Advisory Council brokers, whose memberships rotate on an annual basis, bring perspectives from different parts of the country and from different sized operations.

What they share in common is their passion for the industry and Real Living, and the effort they put into their roles as council and subcommittee members to consult, review and advise one another and Real Living staff on important initiatives.

“I don’t believe in the boardroom approach where all decisions are made behind closed doors,” says McAdams. “The Real Living Broker Advisory Council is very important as it gives us the opportunity to work directly with the network and make sure the path we’re taking is the right one.”

Consistent Communication, Honest Dialogue When talking with Real Living brokers, one quickly learns that communication among and across the network is a key aspect of Real Living.

While a great deal of informal com-

The Voice of the Network Real Living broker Cindy Fox, the current chair of the Broker Advisory Council, agrees that the group plays an important role in speaking for the network and appreciates that Real Living leadership listens.

40 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

munication flows freely, the Real Living Broker Advisory Council ensures regular, consistent and organized thought leadership on behalf of the network.

Made up of 10 broker/owners from across the country, the Broker Advisory Council meets monthly to discuss industry and network conditions, share ideas or concerns and review subcommittee initiatives.

Subcommittees focused on Technology, Brand Advocacy, Customer Satisfaction and Market Advantage—the brand’s Internet and outbound marketing platform—also meet monthly.

According to both Real Living staff and brokers, the meetings are an opportunity for spirited and honest conversation about the things that matter most to the network.

“Every market, and every place for that matter, is different.”

– Matt Kaufman Director of Marketing and Technology

What Is Real Living 360 ServiceSM and How Does It Fit into Real Living’s Culture?

Real Living 360 Service is an extraordinary program that helps real estate professionals differentiate themselves from the competition, while providing customers with the highest customer satisfaction levels in the industry.

Through it, Real Living agents gain the skills and tools to explain their role, demonstrate their service commitment, and follow through, resulting in greater customer satisfaction.

More than a marketing process, Real Living 360 Service is a business philosophy that acts as the cornerstone of the Real Living culture. Through Real Living 360 Service, brokers and agents create a strong bond of trust with their customers by clearly communicating the value that they deliver.

Real Living 360 Service provides Real Living professionals with the tools they need to act as a trusted advisor, skilled negotiator and local real estate expert, enabling them to take their practice of real estate to the highest level of customer satisfaction and accountability.

Through the Real Living 360 Service program, Real Living enjoys a proven 96 percent national customer satisfaction rating.

Franchisees can build on this national rating and enhance it with local results, establishing themselves as undisputed service leaders in their market.

Below: Real Living’s tagline, “The Power of Us. The Freedom to Be You.,” celebrates the network’s deep value proposition and the individuality of its affiliates. Signature red sneakers, exchanged by Real Living President Bob McAdams (left) and HSF Affiliates CEO Gino Blefari, symbolize Real Living’s ability to stand apart.

Fox, broker/owner of Real Living Now Real Estate in St. Charles, Mo., notes that Real Living sets itself apart through the accessibility of its corporate leadership. “While the Real Living brand is smaller in comparison to other national franchise brands, it’s much more intimate,” says Fox. “Not only can we always reach members of the leadership team, they’re more willing to listen to our ideas and make changes based on our suggestions.”

In fact, it’s Real Living’s commitment to listening to and working with its brokers, and building the solutions they want and need, that helped the chair members of the Broker Advisory Council decide to affiliate with the brand.

For Tom Stravecky, a tech-savvy broker at Real Living Infinity International in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.—chair of the Technology subcommittee— joining Real Living was an easy decision. “They are the most progressive, tech-savvy and cutting-edge brand when it comes to marketing and technology,” says Stravecky, whose firm has a current customer satisfaction rating of 97 percent. “Any brokerage is going to offer the technology and the tools, but Real Living goes above and beyond to make sure bro-

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 41

kers and agents understand how to use these things and leverage them to their advantage.”

Offering a fresh, young and hightech approach to real estate, Real Living has provided John Martinelli, a broker with Real Living 1st Choice Realty in Coral Springs, Fla., and chair of the Customer Satisfaction subcommittee, with a clean, fresh approach to doing business today.

“Real Living agents are focused on providing the traditional level of excellent service to both buyers and sellers, but we approach our advertising and marketing in non-traditional ways,” says Martinelli, whose firm’s current customer satisfaction rating is 98.6 percent.

According to Al Galperin, broker/ owner of Real Living CO Properties in Denver, Colo., chair of the Brand Advocacy subcommittee, whose company has achieved a 100 percent customer satisfaction rating, “I don’t know many franchises who allow their broker/owners to be involved in the decision-making process. But with Real Living, we have a voice, and they listen to what we have to say.”

In addition to meeting and exceeding clients’ expectations on a consistent basis, Stravecky, Martinelli, Fox and Galperin are gearing up for continued growth as they head toward the future.

“I’m really excited when it comes to the future of our company,” says Fox, whose firm has achieved a 97 percent customer satisfaction rating.

“Now that the market is finally turning around and recovering after many years of being somewhat stagnant, I know we are poised for growth.”

The First Name—and the Newest Name—in Exceptional Customer Satisfaction In an industry that thrives on repeat and referral business, Real Living was one of the first to realize the importance of reliable customer reviews 42 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“We can’t hide from our reviews. It’s who we are, and it’s very powerful.”

– Al Galperin Broker/Owner, Real Living CO Properties and agent ratings, and launched its landmark Premier Service® program in 2002, establishing a proven methodology for agents to provide higher levels of customer satisfaction to their customers. The program has been a tremendous success, proven

by Real Living’s present nationwide 96 percent customer satisfaction rating, maintained over the past seven years.

Since the customer satisfaction program’s launch, more than 125,000 agent reviews by real customers have been completed. The insight from those reviews led to continual improvements in the program’s processes, training, communications and marketing, while the name remained the same. Now, in recognition of the program’s evolution and improvement, it is gaining a new name, Real Living 360 ServiceSM. “The name ‘Real Living 360 Service’ does a superior job in communicating the program’s depth, more so than the former name,” McAdams says. “A 360 perspective is one that our agents take when providing service, looking out for their customers from every angle. The name also embodies the 360 circle of communication that’s so vital for real understanding, real service and real satisfaction.

“We’re proud of the heritage of the Premier Service name and are going to give our network the chance to phase it out gracefully over the next several months, but we’re even more proud and excited about where Real Living 360 Service is going to take us,” McAdams adds.

The most important thing about the program, according to McAdams, is the fact that each and every review is authentic, administered by a third

party. Real Living broker Galperin agrees, noting that his firm’s 100 percent customer satisfaction rating, and its ability to back it up with actual customer surveys, is what truly separates his company from the competition. “We can’t hide from our reviews,” says Galperin. “It’s who we are, and it’s very powerful.”

Poised for Future Growth There’s a palpable level of excitement regarding Real Living’s future among the brokers who make up the Real Living network, as well as the executive leadership team. “I believe Real Living is a great network with a fantastic future ahead of it,” says Blefari, “and we’re setting our sights even higher as we continue moving forward. “ With a proud history behind it, solid backing from its parent company and plans in place to expand the brand even further, everyone we spoke with at Real Living is excited about the opportunities the future holds.

“Our brokers and agents want to focus on what they do well, which is running a real estate business, and they need someone they can trust to provide the proper tools and business systems that work behind the scenes. Real Living is the perfect fit to serve brokers and agents like that,” concludes McAdams. “As we show how we’re different—and better—in all the needs and areas that we can serve, we’re going to attract a huge population of brokers and agents who really need ‘The Power of Us,’ but still want ‘The Freedom to Be You.’ If you don’t want to be like everyone else, we understand.

Neither do we!” RE For more information, please visit www.realliving.com.

How’s the

Market?

by Wendy Forsythe

I

f you ask real estate professionals all over the world what is the most common question they are asked when someone finds out they are in real estate, the response will be, “How’s the market?” This is also the most common missed opportunity in our business.

Somewhere along the way, real estate agents have gotten auto-programmed to give a generic answer to this question. We will say things like, “great,” “really good,” or “fantastic,” but there are two big problems with these responses. One, it’s lazy, and two, it’s often untrue.

These default-type answers show a real lack of expertise and drive from the agent. In some areas of the country, these answers would be straight up misleading, but more often, they don’t reflect an understanding of what’s going on in today’s market. When someone asks you this question, they may genuinely have an interest in your knowledge and opinion. They themselves may be thinking of buying or selling, or know someone who is.

Great agents see this question as a prospecting opportunity, as well as a way to demonstrate their expertise as a salesperson and local market expert. So, the next time someone asks, “How’s the market?” try this response instead: “It’s complicated. Why do you ask?”

This response will engage a fur44 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

We put a lot of focus on using technology and online marketing today to generate business opportunities, and it’s an important part of our profession. However, let’s not overlook the power of human interaction, curiosity and conversation. ther dialogue, as well as give you a chance to have an in-depth conversation. You, in turn, can then ask a few questions to understand where their interest comes from. Just like that, you may have secured your next client.

To say that today’s market is complicated is a more accurate summary. Inventory is challenging, financing rules are changing, loan products are numerous, the economy is a question mark…yes, it is complicated.

Let’s assume you’re asked this question five times a week and just one of those opportunities converts into a client. That could be a new client every week. In theory, this is the most affordable prospecting and marketing strategy there is.

Now that you know how to respond to the “how’s the market” question, you’ll need to increase the odds of people asking you this magic question. You can do that by wearing your name badge, wearing clothing that identifies you as a REALTOR®, going to networking

events, community events, etc. I recently met an agent who told me that he goes to his local Starbucks every day and engages in conversation with people until he has successfully given out five business cards. He said that every time he gives out a business card and exchanges information with someone, it’s almost always a result of a conversation about the market.

We put a lot of focus on using technology and online marketing today to generate business opportunities, and it’s an important part of our profession. However, let’s not overlook the power of human interaction, curiosity and conversation. RE Wendy Forsythe is the executive vice president and head of global operations at Carrington Real Estate Services, where she is responsible for the operations and growth of the national brokerage. You can email her at wendy.forsythe@ carringtonres.com. To learn more about taking your career to the next level with Carrington Real Estate Services, please visit www.carringtonrealestate. com/join.

CARRINGTON “I FINALLY FOUND A BROKERAGE . . .

INVESTS IN MY BUSINESS

. . . that helps me put more money in my pocket versus spending it to run my business. That is why I joined Carrington Real Estate Services. It has been unbelievable to find out all the training, tools, and resources that they invest in to make my business successful. I have a free website and CRM system powered by BoomTown, no monthly fees, and quality lead sources—just to name a few.”

“My business is on steroids!

Thanks Carrington!”

— Larry Zanas As an entrepreneur in today’s market, the only way you will maximize your earning potential year after year is to have a strong business partnership

LARRY ZANAS CARRINGTON REAL ESTATE SERVICES NAPLES, FLORIDA

with your brokerage.

To find out how we can FUEL your real estate career, contact us today.

877. 330. 2773 / careers@carringtonres.com

carringtonrealestate.com/join facebook.com/carringtonres twitter.com/carringtonres

A Team Approach to Listing Success

by Lesley Grand

other teams because I allow my team to also list properties. Everyone on my team is allowed to list and sell as I do. My role is to help.

We are really involved in our transactions from the ground up. Once we have ownership of a client, we do it all. Then we have one person who does all the behind-the-scenes work. Presently, I have four selling agents, my assistant and myself. I have been approached to grow, but I have resisted. If I grow, I can’t be as involved. Right now, it is manageable. I go on listing appointments with each team member and am involved with each transaction.

Joe Frazzano J. Rockcliff REALTORS®

Region served: San Francisco’s East Bay area Average market time: 20 days

What sort of support do you receive from your broker in terms of leadership and resources?

J. Rockcliff has an excellent management team and super admin staff in place. They are all amazing.

I can’t say enough about the benefits of working with J. Rockcliff. The company allows me to run my business right alongside theirs. That means I keep their excellent branding, but my marketing message is definitely my own. And then, of course, the marketshare—I am the No. 1 agent with the No. 1 company in the East Bay.

How has having a team allowed profitability to increase?

Scales of economy are unbeatable. My team shares some of the expenses with me so I have much broader exposure and coverage.

There is simply no way that I could 46 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

What is the one piece of technology that you and your team can’t live without? make the money that I do without a team. As a solo practitioner, I would not be able to handle the work load to compete with a team.

What is the single best advantage of having a team?

The level of service we provide is super high. And after all, what I am really selling is service. As a team, we offer seamless coverage, 24/7.

How do you differentiate your team from others in the marketplace?

We do a great job with marketing.

We have a huge budget and spend more money marketing homes than most.

What do your individual team members do?

My team is different from many

Two pieces are essential: Dropbox and DocuSign. The ability to go completely paperless is huge.

What are you most proud of when it comes to your team?

My team members have all been on my team for at least the past eight years. I have had zero turnover in that timeframe. I really take care of my people. It is very important.

I don’t want to take time re-inventing the wheel. We have systems in place and we are a fantastic team.

What does it take to succeed in real estate?

Perseverance. You have to be able to have the door slammed in your face and overcome it and keep going. You have to put in the time and effort and you have to have a plan and implement your plan, never losing sight of your goals. RE

RREIN RREIN RISMedia’s Real Estate Information Network®

NIERR

RREIN

EMPOWERING NIERR

RREIN

Brokers

NIERR

RREIN

Sales Associates Consumers 48 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Ready to Take Your Business to the Next Level?

A foolproof strategy lays the foundation for real estate success niche by niche

by Paige Tepping

A

s the real estate market continues to improve, real estate professionals are more committed than ever to upping their game. While branching out and ascending the tiers to corner the move-up, upscale and international markets may seem like a challenging proposition, the latest installment of RISMedia’s monthly Agent Webinar Series, featuring Dano Sayles from RE/MAX Lifestyle Maui and Melinda Estridge from The Estridge Group, Long & Foster Real Estate, drilled down to the heart and soul of the matter.

During “Take Sales to a New Level: How to Captivate Move-Up, Upscale & International Buyers & Sellers” on May 20, sponsored by Quicken Loans and moderated by Verl Workman, founder and CEO of Workman Success Systems, Sayles and Estridge shared their tried-and-true strategies. One key takeaway? If you’re looking to take your business to the next level, it all boils down to strategy.

For Sayles, that strategy revolves around going out and creating business. “There’s always going to be business out there, so it’s not just about waiting for people to come to you,” says Sayles, who has been working the luxury market for 31 years, venturing into the international arena as the market began to change in 2008.

“We’re trying to mix it up and do as many different things as we can,” he says. From a revamped website to direct mail pieces that are sent on a monthly basis, Sayles is committed to setting himself apart by spending more time growing different markets.

While each and every transaction

revolves around the client, understanding what’s driving a particular client is crucial.

As far as understanding the mindset of a luxury client, “it’s important to be able to speak their language,” says Estridge.

With 38 years of experience under her belt in the luxury D.C. market, Estridge notes that being socially connected is a surefire way to generate business. “When dealing with the luxury market, not only is it important that you present yourself well, you must also be connected with the public.

“Luxury clients are looking for someone to help stage their home and market it in the right periodicals while knowing how to speak to buyers and network with agents who will be able to represent them,” says Estridge.

And when it comes to attracting move-up buyers, Estridge notes that finding success in this area is a function of having been in the business for a while. “While it’s great to go out and farm the luxury market, you also have to pay attention to the market

just below that, providing the perfect segue to connect with people who may be looking to move up.”

Whether it’s move-up, upscale or international clients, Sayles and Estridge agree that content can’t be overlooked. “We provide a whole lot of content on our website,” says Sayles, who takes advantage of blog posts and direct mail to keep prospective buyers and sellers informed. “A lot of people are shying away from direct mail, but we’re spending money in this area and seeing a good return on our investment.”

In the end, taking your career to the next level is all about tailoring your process to the goal at hand.

“Take something you have a passion for and try to involve yourself with the community and that organization or cause and make it your own,” concludes Estridge. RE Paige Tepping is RISMedia’s managing editor. This article was originally posted on RISMedia’s blog, Housecall, blog.rismedia.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 49

{Broker Spotlight}

The Ultimate Big, Small Company Realty ONE Group’s Start-up Culture Powers National Success by Maria Patterson

ONE decade. ONE focus. As the clock strikes midnight on May 1, 2015, Realty ONE Group celebrates the start of their 10-year anniversary!

50 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Corporate Broker Wally Kowis’ Realty ONE Group doodle branded truck became a necessary photo opportunity at ONE Summit, a bi-annual gathering of managers and franchise owners.

K

uba Jewgieniew has created a thriving best-of-bothworlds scenario that has seen unprecedented growth.

Starting Realty ONE Group in 2005 to fill a void he experienced as a top-producing REALTOR®, Jewgieniew went from sole proprietor to 60 offices across the nation and 7,000 agents in just 10 years, and ranks nationally as the No. 5 firm in sales volume in RISMedia’s 2015 Power Broker Report.

How did he make this happen? By creating “the ultimate big, small company with all the benefits of big brokerages plus the intimacy, trust and lower fees of a smaller one,” he says. Find out more about Jewgieniew’s unique growth strategy and how he plans to take that growth to new heights.

Maria Patterson: Please briefly synopsize your career path in real estate and how you came to lead the company.

Kuba Jewgieniew: I made my first million selling homes in 2004. As a successful REALTOR®, the harder I worked, the clearer it became that there wasn’t a company out there to support my success with the tools and technology I needed to thrive.

So, I created it. I started Realty ONE Group in 2005 in Las Vegas (which also happened to be at the same time my first child was on the way!).

Initially, I was a one-man-band, filling every role until I could afford staff.

Now, Realty ONE Group is a multibillion dollar, family-run franchise business.

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

KJ: Realty ONE Group currently has more than 7,000 agents and over 60 offices across the nation. Currently, Realty ONE Group’s offering is in California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Washington, Colorado, Mississippi, Tennessee, Utah, MaryRISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 51

land, Delaware and Pennsylvania, with ambitious plans to be present in all 50 states in the next 12 to 18 months.

Realty ONE Group is No. 1 in Nevada for sales and size, and it is the fastest-growing brokerage in both California and Arizona.

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

KJ: Realty ONE Group is built on the guiding principle that it provides topproducing real estate professionals with the education, service and assets they need to succeed, for the best value. Realty ONE Group is not a traditional brokerage; it is a lifestyle real estate brand that makes a difference in local communities by giving agents the tools and support they need to sell houses that their clients then turn into homes, and through charitable giving in local communities.

The culture at Realty ONE Group is unlike any other company. The culture has been built around a philosophy of ONE—that together, all agents and employees make up one family, and that Realty ONE Group provides enough training, education, support and technology for everyone to succeed and grow their own businesses.

Realty ONE Group offers more coaching and educational tools, empowering agents and setting them up for success so they can always deliver a positive experience for their clients.

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

KJ: The real estate market is gradually returning to what it was. It is stabilizing across the nation and home values are increasing, while sales (units sold) are flattening. As 52 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

always, there are certain areas and markets that are hotter than others—for example, the real estate market in Austin is growing incrementally. And those markets that were booming before the bust are now starting to experience growth again but at a slower rate than before, for example, Nevada, Florida and Arizona.

“The culture at Realty ONE Group is unlike any other company. The culture has been built around a philosophy of ONE—that together, all agents and employees make up one family, and that Realty ONE Group provides enough training, education, support and technology for everyone to succeed and grow their own businesses.”

- KUBA JEWGIENIEW Founder, Realty ONE Group

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

KJ: In the last 10 years Realty ONE Group has become a leading brokerage. It is ranked No. 5 in the nation for 2014 sales volume, according to RISMedia’s 2015 Power Broker Report, and has been featured in the INC 500 as one of the fastestgrowing companies in America for six consecutive years. I was also honored to be ranked in the top 20 of Swanepoel’s 2015 Power 200 list. This success is because everything at Realty ONE Group starts with people. Finding and keeping the right talent who want to grow with the business is vital.

Realty ONE Group constantly

monitors the industry and our competition, so we know exactly what homebuyers are looking for as clients, and in turn, what agents are looking for from brokerages. It’s a family business that is big in size, but because it has always been debt-free and has a flat structure, it is nimble enough to pivot whenever needed, to stay ahead of market changes, and consumer and agent needs.

As ambitious as Realty ONE Group is, the rate of growth is also dependent on some external factors (such as interest rates, how the stock market is performing and saturation), which the business is always monitoring and managing, from an internal perspective.

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

KJ: Although not a start-up, Realty ONE Group is based on the model of a disciplined start-up so that it can remain nimble and flat structured. It has created the ultimate big, small company with all the benefits of big brokerages plus the intimacy, trust and lower fees of a smaller one.

For Realty ONE Group, it is about making change happen rather than surviving change. Growth plans are measured and iterated based on external factors that may affect the company and internal development plans for every department. And, although the brand is growing quickly, it is not reckless with its ambition for future growth. Its strong internal communication has also played a vital role for the business in a constantly changing market.

Everyone at Realty ONE Group is valued, rewarded and given the same level of trust and priority, whether it’s a 50-agent office or a 500-agent office.

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

KJ: The biggest challenge is redeveloping Realty ONE Group’s proprietary systems to be more robust and to scale. This is something the business is currently working on, in preparation for future growth.

MP: Where does the greatest opportunity for increased business lie?

KJ: Realty ONE Group is growing rapidly. Over the last three years, it grew by 205 percent. Bringing on our first 1,000 agents in the first three years was a monumental task, which we have now supercharged, increasing our agent count to over 7,000, 1,000 of those being in the last 12 months. In 2014, the brokerage experienced its strongest year of financial growth, with more than 27,000 closed transactions.

Last year, Realty ONE Group agents generated $8.5 billion in revenue.

The biggest opportunity for continued growth is expansion into new states. In fact, Realty ONE Group aims to be present in all 50 states by the end of this year. Currently, focus is on growing the East Coast offering, and earlier this year, Realty ONE Group attracted an experienced and esteemed regional manager, Greg Bardell, to join the team and grow the company’s East Coast presence.

MP: How are you serving the needs of today’s more informed, more tech-savvy consumer?

KJ: I come from a technical background. I understand how it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the technology that is out there, and new tools that are launching each day.

At Realty ONE Group, the technological tools we decided to make part of our 360 Agent offering are

“In 2014, the brokerage experienced its strongest year of financial growth, with more than 27,000 closed transactions. Last year, Realty ONE Group agents generated $8.5 billion in revenue.”

- KUBA JEWGIENIEW Founder, Realty ONE Group

those that are significant enough to enhance the overall experience. Emphasis is given to the use of video and tools that make professionals lives easier—by saving them time or by delivering information to them efficiently when they need it.

MP: How are you attracting and retaining top agents?

KJ: The key differentiators for Realty ONE Group, which enable us to attract top-producing agents who share the same vision, hunger for success and care for the local community, are: 8Cool culture 8Creative coaching 8Crazy commissions For the business to thrive and continue to grow, it needs to attract the right professionals, those whose attitudes align with the company values and that make a valued contribution to the community. Realty ONE Group is a lifestyle brand, where people are placed at the center of its business model. We offer health benefits— which is almost unheard of for professionals on 1099s—and employees can choose to have a 401(k), if they would like. Realty ONE Group also pays commissions within 24-48 hours, which is the quickest in the industry. Each agent’s intellectual property always remains their own; Realty ONE Group does not take ownership over members’ independent listings or escrows. And, it does all of this for a lower commission fee than its competitors so that members have the opportunity to invest

back into their own businesses and the local community.

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

KJ: Realty ONE Group uses a staircase approach to growth. Each year, the company determines a strategy that is actioned, followed by a period of reflection. Reflection time is essential to iterating growth plans, so year on year, they can be strengthened to deliver better results.

The process of growth—much like buying a home—is emotional and should be treated that way. Realty ONE Group creates a positive experience in everything that it does, and celebrating the small wins—as well as the big ones—is important.

MP: What’s in store for the future of the firm?

KJ: Realty ONE Group has ambitious plans for future growth, going from 7,000 to 70,000 agents in the next five years and expanding its presence to every state in the nation within the next 12 to 18 months. Ultimately, Realty ONE Group aims to attract the top 10 percent of industry professionals across the U.S., which equates to 150,000 new members, drawn from the current talent pool of 1.5 million real estate agents.

The company also aspires to become an international business within the next few years. RE For more information, please visit www.realtyonegroup.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 53

{Broker Best Practices} Creating Symbiotic Relationships

by Nick Caruso

Randy Smith Branch Broker Equity Real Estate American Fork, Utah

Region served: Salt Lake Valley to all of Utah County Years in real estate: 23 Number of agents: 100 Favorite tech tool: One of the great things about Equity Real Estate is that we stay progressive. We have a mobile app through MobilityRE so that clients can search for properties from their cellphone.

Best advice for new agents: Have a creative business plan and integrate systems into your business to make it consistently predictable.

What is the most significant trend positively affecting your business?

It seems that not only millennials, but also Gen X and boomers, are using their smartphones for everything. That’s why we’ve put considerable money into mobile technology.

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

I just returned from Washington D.C. where I attended NAR’s Midyear meeting, and this was a huge topic of conversation. We believe in being the frontrunners and taking the latest and greatest technology and integrating and implementing it into our business so that we can be the future of real estate.

What is the most effective way to motivate agents?

Every Monday we have an integration class. The synergy that occurs by bringing everyone together is palpable; we always have some type of motivational video that puts people in the right mindset.

Letting others know what’s working for them creates a symbiotic relationship between our agents and our office.

54 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

What are some of the most difficult challenges buyers face today?

In our marketplace, it seems like every property that’s in decent condition and priced reasonably is in demand and attracting multiple offers. The lack of supply and tremendous demand makes it very difficult for buyers to have enough inventory options so that they can find a place and not have to fight for it.

What demographic segments are driving your business?

More and more millennials are really starting to hit the market in force. They’re becoming those firsttime buyers, fueling our housing economy.

What strategies do you have in place to reach out to first-time buyers?

We have some great marketing campaigns that we send out to apartment complexes and places where renters are because most of them don’t know that they can own a home. Our campaigns focus on letting them know that if they have some decent job stability and reasonable credit, there’s a very good chance they can get into a home.

What do you like most about the region in which you work?

I love helping people find what they’re looking for and the joy that they get when they walk in the home and look at each other and say, “Wow, this is the place.”

Creating Customer Loyalty through Service Excellence

by John Voket

Jean Merkelbach Broker Engel & Völkers Lake Tahoe Lake Tahoe, Nev.

Region served: Lake Tahoe, Calif., and Nevada Years in business: 34 Number of offices: 3

Number of agents: 6 Key to working successfully with today’s buyers: Open communication and empathy

What is your best recruiting technique for established agents?

First and foremost, congratulate them on their achievements. It’s also important to take the time to attend their events and establish relationships so that if they run into a problem, they’re looking to you for guidance.

How do you coach your agents to deal with the negative reports in the media?

Our first response is to assess and research. We also make sure that our communications team at the headquarters level is aware as they typically provide support in the way of strategy and reach out to the media on our behalf. In the end, the most important thing is to continue to provide the highest level of service possible.

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

Our GG Magazine, which is the lifestyle, architectural and design publication, available around the world and in six languages, is one of the most effective ways to let our clients know who we are and how we’re different. We also make sure to communicate regularly, and when we do, it’s always with the utmost quality, which represents the style of our service and how we position the properties we represent. It’s this service excellence that helps to create loyalty, which ultimately leads to repeat business and referrals.

Is there some initiative at your office that is helping keep your Engel & Völkers operation top of mind in the communities you serve?

With the support of our North American headquarters team on Park Avenue in New York City, we’re provided with a full schedule of advertising opportunities, electronic email campaign materials, social media and public relations support. We also have technology platforms that help us manage a consistent flow of outgoing communications.

Cementing Your Place in the Market

by Paige Tepping

Timothy J. Greene President & CEO john greene REALTOR®, a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® Naperville, Ill.

Years in real estate: 39 Number of offices: 3 Number of agents: 100 Best tip for running a productive meeting: Create an office environment where people want to come for meetings.

Motto/work philosophy that you live by: I just try to keep it very simple. Since we’re in the customer service business, we try to put ourselves in our clients’ shoes and do what we say we’re going to do.

Must-have technology tool: The phone. We’ve placed a lot of emphasis on technology so that our agents and clients can have the best experience possible. Our website has received awards, our mobile app has received accolades, and we use DocuSign Transaction Room to run a paperless business. But all that pales in comparison to the power of the telephone.

Where does your market stand in terms of consumer confidence?

We’re in a pretty good place. Our market didn’t quite heat up like many others, but we’re slowly seeing those sellers who were underwater trickle back into the market. Homebuilding is also making a slow and steady return.

What demographic segments are driving your business these days?

We’re seeing high demand in the first-time buyer and move-up buyer segments. In addition, new construction in the luxury market is making a strong comeback.

How does your company make its agents’ jobs easier?

As a full-service brokerage, there are a myriad of ways. We have the philosophy of allowing agents to do the part of the business that they love and that generates the highest income per hour—selling. We provide a highly proficient agent support team, marketing tools and technology to help them automate a large portion of the “everything else” that takes away from income-earning activities.

How are you preparing your agents for the future?

Our team is constantly monitoring the latest trends and happenings in the industry. As a company, we’re very focused on incorporating technology to improve our systems and processes for clients and agents. But the biggest thing we see is that disruption and/or disintermediation in our business is going to be the result of agents not providing enough value to their clients. We instill in our agents to be incredibly great at the things a computer can never do: understanding our clients’ dreams and desires and connecting those with superior knowledge of the people and places we interact with every day.

What is one of the challenges your market faces and what are you doing to overcome it?

Inventory. And maybe not just inventory, but the right inventory. The Great Recession was extremely difficult for a lot of local builders, and it’s left an unfortunate hole in the market when it comes to providing new housing stock for first-time and move-up buyers. We’ve been on a mission to put “private homebuilding back on the map” in our market.

How do you see your market evolving throughout the next year?

Household formations should be up, so it’s going to be about providing the right inventory. New construction starts will be very critical.

Real Success Lies in Real Execution

by Zoe Eisenberg

Chris Smith Co-founder Curaytor Orlando, Fla.

Chris, you have had a long relationship with Top Producer and Move, Inc. In fact, you were one of the co-founders of Tech Savvy Agent. After Move, Inc. you launched your new company, Curaytor. What does Curaytor do?

I look at Top Producer, Market Snapshot and the other tools I was selling at Move, Inc. as the “bricks” an agent or broker needs to build an online business. There are plenty of these bricks available and they’re effective only if they’re implemented and “mortared together” as a functioning lead system. That’s what Curaytor does; it enables you to take an effective tool like Market Snapshot and drive leads to it and create marketing and better sales practices around the execution so that you get more lead opportunities and close more of the opportunities you already have.

How long has it been since you worked at Top Producer and Move, Inc.?

I started with Top Producer in the summer of 2008

56 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

and stayed until the summer of 2011. I have had a relationship with Move for seven years.

What did you learn at Top Producer that helped you transition to a consulting, marketing and coaching role at Curaytor?

The best part about my time at Top Producer was that I got to go to two real estate offices a day, every day. Working belly-to-belly, in the trenches was critical for me to truly understand what agents needed help with.

recommend offering a Market Snapshot to?

We use Facebook Ads targeted by zip code and send the clicks to a landing page.

After people have been seeing these reports, do you recommend contacting them or do they contact you?

Any salesperson that waits for people to call them isn’t a salesperson. You can see in the dashboard everyone that has viewed their report, when and how many times. Snapshot eliminates the cold call!

You were recently on a webinar with Top Producer that featured Market Snapshot in the context of generating seller leads. I heard that there was such great attendance that they actually had to turn people away with almost 5,000 registering.

What made this webinar so popular?

Are all these reports kind of the same? Why is it you recommend Market Snapshot?

There are three things that truly made this webinar stand out: 1. The topic. People are really looking for listing leads right now. 2. Because of Tech Savvy Agent, our new Web show Water Cooler and the Facebook Groups we started, agents are looking to us as the experts in the field. 3. Move and Top Producer have tremendous reach.

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

So you’re helping agents and teams learn how to use Market Snapshot to drive listings?

Market Snapshot for us is like a bed at a hotel. It’s an expected experience. If every client and person in your sphere is asking how the market is, you need a digital tool that can answer it at scale. As for seller leads, they want data, not a phone call. If you don’t provide data, you don’t get the call.

What’s the right way to use something like Market Snapshot? Do you just “set it and forget it” or is there more involved?

We play offense with our technology stack. Step one: sign up every past client and person in your sphere. Step two: run Facebook ads driving new leads. Step three: call everyone that opens their report each week.

How many Market Snapshots should a productive agent send out?

Thousands.

How do you acquire a bigger list? Who do you

People don’t just want data. They want hyper-personalized data. I love Snapshot because it’s focused on their address, not “the market.”

Maintaining Ongoing Communication

by John Voket

Ericka Thomas de No Broker/Owner Regal Realty International Houston, Texas

Region served: Greater Houston Years in real estate: 30+ Number of offices: 1 Number of agents: 3 Best time management tip: Be prepared and reconfirm all appointments ahead of time.

Most successful ad/marketing idea: I have found great success with distributing educational flyers that deal with purchasing real estate to individuals renting high-end apartments.

Can’t live without tech tool: My cellphone

You have a wealth of long-term and multigenerational clients. What strategies do you utilize to achieve customer loyalty?

Achieving customer loyalty is all about maintaining ongoing communication with the extended family.

As years go by, my experience becomes even more

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 57

valuable as I meet each new generation.

Real Estate Book, with a high-profile design and my picture, I bring a copy to each meeting to give those prospects. And on every listing presentation, I bring copies of that listing in every book, which helps prove that while I’m a small independent outfit, I’m marketing their property everywhere.

How do you determine your marketing spend and how does this break down between print and online?

I try to maximize my print expenditure by utilizing outlets that also support an online presence. The amount I spend on marketing has changed over the years from 100 percent print to an even mix of 50 percent print and 50 percent online.

How does this work into your overall marketing strategy for your own brand and for your listings?

Utilizing visuals of my properties and my personal photo on the back page of The Real Estate Book provides a recognizable presence in the Houston area and also creates confidence in my multi-marketing strategy that I can show to my clients. I recently got a call from a 30-year repeat client who saw my picture on the back of the book. Not only was I excited to hear from this client, it’s proof that the ads I run are making an impression. RE

You use an integrated marketing strategy, specifically, The Real Estate Book and RealEstateBook.com. How does it benefit you?

I obtain leads through The Real Estate Book’s integrated marketing program, and I also use copies of the book in my listing and sales presentations.

Whenever I have a buyer, we meet personally so I can understand exactly what they’re looking for.

Since I always advertise on the back page of The

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Hitting the Right Note in Nashville

T

he newest addition to the ERA®global network, Reliant Realty ERA Powered, is based in the growing Nashville/Middle Tennessee market.

According to owner Casey Brown, who has helped expand the firm from just a handful of agents to a market-leading firm with five offices and 700 agents, the move struck the right chord throughout his organization.

Established in 2007, Reliant Realty has offices in Nashville, Clarksville, Franklin, Gallatin and Murfreesboro, serving the state’s largest city and surrounding areas. In 2014, the firm closed more than 4,220 transactions totaling more than $814 million in sales volume.

Within the local real estate industry, the firm is well-known for a focus on organic growth fueled by increasing agent productivity. In recognition of its strong growth arc over the last five years, the company has twice earned a place on the Inc. 5000, a list of U.S. companies across all business segments achieving sig-

nificant and sustained year-over-year growth.

Reliant Realty started out as a nofrills firm out of the gate, but as the company expanded, they needed to add back-office support for accounting, legal and recruiting, as well as third-party technology platforms and programs in order to keep pace with the ever-evolving needs of today’s tech-savvy consumers.

“We soon realized we needed a turnkey solution that created synergies and efficiencies across our regional operations,” says Brown.

“After exploring all options for the last year or more, it was clear that the ERA Powered concept—fueled by the Zap technology platform and a robust relocation component—was light years ahead of everyone else.”

As part of the decision-making process, Brown spoke to other ERA Powered companies and liked what he heard. ERA’s significant focus on

growth through mergers and acquisitions with all of its companies is one of the things that attracted Brown and his leadership team to join the system.

“Reliant Realty is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the region’s tremendous growth potential as not only a music and tourist center, but a stronghold of expanding healthcare companies,” says Charlie Young, president and CEO of ERA Real Estate.

In addition to paying for agents’ transitional costs, including new business cards and yard signs, Brown is still committed to paying all current agents full commission after the franchise fee. “We see this as a nod of appreciation and respect for those who joined under the old model. Our new model will have aggressive splits, with our lowest splits being higher than those of most of our competitors,” says Brown.

“Our affiliation with ERA Real Estate provides our agents with the opportunity to incrementally grow their business, thanks to expanded referral opportunities, expanded listing distribution and productivity training that come with being part of the ERA system. Thus, our focus will be on educating and training, and will allow newly added agents to advance to the highest compensation package based on their proficiency. ERA’s training classes are laser-focused on increasing agent productivity—in some cases upwards of 300 percent.

“Our affiliation with ERA is positioning us for the next generation of homebuyers, home sellers and real estate professionals.

“We’re very excited about this change and know it’s the right decision for us now and into the future,” says Brown. RE For more information, please visit www.era.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 59

cial media also offers a method of discovery for your content, which can help search engines find that perfect article, image or video to promote in their results.

3. Use terms that are important to buyers. Think about the main words

How to Win Back Google’s Love Commentary by Grant Simmons

A

dmit it, you’ve Googled yourself or your company to see where you rank and haven’t been too happy with the results. Maybe you found yourself hovering near the bottom of the first page, or worse yet, had to click the “next” button because you weren’t even worthy of a page one result!

Don’t worry. Google doesn’t hate you...but they may not like some things you’re doing.

Why Look for Google Love?

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, approximately 92 percent of homebuyers use the Internet in their home search.

Statista.com reported that, as of 2015, there were about 1.17 billion people using Google, searching over 50,000 queries every second, which translates to over five billion searches per day.

Google Basics The algorithms Google uses for its results’ rankings are ever-changing, but there are some best practices to potentially improve your visibility.

1. Make sure your site is mobile-friendly.

60 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Close to 35 percent of house hunters use mobile devices in their search, so be sure your site is mobile-friendly. Google recently added the “Mobile Friendly” distinction to their search results, which shows users whether your site is formatted for mobile devices. While not achieving a “mobile-friendly” tag will probably result in less clicks, worse is that Google began demoting these “mobile-unfriendly” sites in mobile results.

2. Leverage multiple media types. Having a robust social media presence can not only grab more first page results, it can also reinforce your local expertise, offer real-time results (through Google’s integration with Twitter), and possibly a video result showing your branding message to enhance your authority and trust. So-

homebuyers use when searching for a house. Remember to include things related to mortgages, local schools, etc., to show you’re the local expert.

Take this list of terms and then form questions and phrases one might actually search for when looking for a home, agent or other local or financial information. Remember that users rarely search with one keyword, preferring to use actual questions (or queries) for better answers. An example search query for someone looking to narrow down a city search might be, “which neighborhood has the best restaurants?”

If you’re looking for an easy way to collect these types of queries, go to Google and type in some search words related to your business or local neighborhoods and check out the related search terms it automatically provides.

4. Think user first with quality, unique (and valuable) content and search engine second.

All real estate agents want some Google love (don’t you?)

Even if you’re getting some Google traffic today, don’t expect that to remain static, especially with Google algorithms and search results changing frequently.

There are never guarantees, but why not give your visitors the best information and the best experience possible? If you manage to do just that, you might find love from homebuyers…and you might get some Google love, too. RE

Grant Simmons is vice president of search marketing for Homes.com.

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Learn more by visiting REALTOR.org/resort. *According to the 2014 NAR Investment & Vacation Home Buyers Survey

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{Business Building}

Want Success?

Do What Elite Producers Do

by Vinnie Tracey

I

n late April, a group of nearly 200 RE/MAX top producers came together in Arizona for two days of learning, networking and exchanging great ideas. Although they brought unique perspectives to the table, they shared a common thread: being wildly successful (each topping $500,000 in commissions last year) and extremely skilled at what they do.

Obviously, this is a group we can learn something from. So we posed questions in an open-ended survey, and some interesting trends emerged. Their insights are valuable for agents looking to reach the upper level, as well as for brokers wanting to attract these types of stars to their offices.

Here are just a few of the findings, distilled into a list of six takeaways:

1

There’s nothing more important than taking care of your clients.

These top producers realize that everything flows from great service.

When you serve the needs of your clients and put their interests above your own, you plant the seeds of repeat business, referrals, recommendations, word-of-mouth advertising and a host of other positive results.

Granted, you need to follow up to make those things happen, but they all begin with a satisfied client.

2

The most valuable resource is time.

In multiple ways, these elite performers stressed the importance of spending their time wisely. Asked what they do intentionally every day,

they said things like “designate three things as must-do’s” and “get the most important things done first.”

Interestingly, their top challenge was time management. It seems that even at the highest levels of success, there are still only so many hours in a day.

3

Constant prospecting is critical.

Call it farming, prospecting, lead generation or simply creating a presence in a neighborhood or community. Whatever the term, these top producers are constantly priming the pump for new business. Dig into the survey data a bit and you find references to efficient systems covering current client care, past client followup and ongoing navigation of new business opportunities.

4

Written goals drive results.

About 75 percent of top producers write down their goals. And of those respondents, the vast majority articulated their goals in terms of specific production numbers. Transaction sides. Sales volume. GCI. Total net. The lesson: High production takes focus, and definitive, measurable goals can keep you on track.

5

Brand matters. A lot.

There’s a school of thought in our business that “brand doesn’t matter.” That’s nonsense. These top producers have seen the benefits a major international brand can deliver.

And when confident, driven people like this credit a brand for contributing to their incredible success, it says a lot about the brand—and a lot about the notion that brand doesn’t matter.

6

It’s good to have a “why.”

On his survey sheet, one top producer—an agent who earns more than $1 million a year—wrote these two things: 1. “It’s not just my business. It’s who I am. I live it, eat it and sleep it. I work harder than anyone around me,” and 2. “(Every day) I wake my children up and tell them I love them. They’re my motivation.”

That last one’s great, isn’t it? Work hard, be the best and do it for a great reason. Ultimately, success at the highest level comes down to that.

We’re glad we asked. RE Vinnie Tracey is president emeritus of RE/MAX, LLC. For more information, visit www.remax.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 63

"I wanted to join a company that would keep my agents on the cutting edge of technology. That’s exactly what Weichert has done."* BRENDA ELLIOTT, Owner WEICHERT, REALTORS® – The Space Place Huntsville, AL Franchisee since 2006

The hardest thing for most brokers to achieve – no matter how hard they work — is a level of growth that reflects the hours they put in. If this is your challenge, perhaps it’s time for a strategic partner.

The Weichert Family of Companies is one of America’s leading providers of homeownership services with a rapidly growing network of Weichert franchisees.

The top reasons they join us?

• A Culture of Support • Unmatched Credibility • Best-in-Class Technology • A Blueprint for Growth

Upping the Ante

with Mobile Marketing

On The Move helps real estate professionals market themselves in a big way

by Keith Loria

W

hen transportation industry vet Maury Westerdale retired from Ford in the early ’90s, he invested in a storage facility and discovered the benefit of having a rental truck program as part of his business.

The need for a turnkey truck rental program inspired Westerdale to found On The Move, Inc., in 1992.

The Dearborn, Mich.-based company allows a truck owner/operator to set their own rates and advertise their company with eye-catching graphics installed on the side of the truck, creating a personalized moving billboard.

Although the original target market for leased rental trucks was the self-storage industry, real estate agents for more than 15 years now, have reaped the benefits of having a moving billboard for their business.

“The real estate industry is the textbook definition of a referral business,” says CJ Steen, On The Move’s marketing director. “Not only do agents seek referrals, but numerous businesses seek agents to refer business to them. This is an ideal way to get the word out.”

Practically everyone needs a moving truck when going through a move, and On The Move’s philosophy allows real estate agents to loan a moving truck out to their clients, advertising the “buy or sell with me, use this truck for free” concept.

“Not only are agents offering a huge benefit for their clients who will then spread the word about the benefit of having a truck at their disposal, they’ll be driving the truck around,” Steen says. “Clients will be advertising for the real estate agent as they roll through town.”

Advertising on Wheels Brian Molisse, broker/owner of Molisse Realty Group in Plymouth, Mass., first learned about On The Move at a National Association of REALTORS® tradeshow and saw it as a value-added service he could provide his clients.

“The moving truck offering has been very well-received by our clients. While most people hire professional movers, the On The Move truck is perfect for the client to move smaller items, valuables and incidentals,” says Molisse. “The truck acts as a ‘moving RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 65

billboard’ and we’ve received a great many calls from people who are contacting us after seeing the truck on the road, in front of a house, in their neighborhood or at an event.”

Molisse goes on to explain that his firm also promotes the use of its moving truck to potential sellers as a value-added item, as well as a marketing tool that promotes the company, its website and, therefore, its listings.

“Many times, this is a factor that tips the scale in our favor as it sets our company apart from the rest,” says Molisse. “The truck advertises for us constantly, anywhere and everywhere it happens to be, day and night, 24/7. The truck is large and visible, and even when it’s parked in the lot of our office, it’s a constant advertiser for our business.”

Mickie Cioccia, a real estate broker with Mickie C. and Company Realty in Katy, Texas, says the firm’s buyers, sellers and past clients are allowed to use the truck.

“For those people that want to move themselves, they love it, and wherever it is, people are reading it,” she says. “People always tell us they see us all over, and that’s been great for business.”

Betty Osborn, senior vice president, homecare administrator of Coldwell Banker Gosslee in Shreveport, La., says the real estate agency began offering a free moving truck in 2005 and chose to lease its trucks from On The Move.

“I found them to be extremely easy to work with, and if there’s ever a question, I do not hesitate to call,” she says. “With our program, we offer the trucks for a 24-hour period to buyers and sellers free of charge. Our company graphics and information are shown on the sides and back of the moving trucks, so every time they’re being used or even on the road, we have 24 hours of advertising for us.”

Benefits Abound Osborn notes that when the trucks aren’t being used by clients, real estate professionals themselves are able to take advantage of them. Not only does this help them get around, it keeps the trucks on the road and in front of people.

Another great use of the truck is for community goodwill. Donating the truck to local charities is a great way to get a real estate company’s name positioned in a positive light, something that Mickie C. and Company Realty has taken advantage of.

“We let special groups like our Chamber of Commerce use it for free,” says Cioccia. “It’s nice to drive up to an event and see yourself advertising. The Boy

66 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“The moving truck offering has been very well-received by our clients. While most people hire professional movers, the On The Move truck is perfect for the client to move smaller items, valuables and incidentals.”

– BRIAN MOLISSE, Broker/Owner, Molisse Realty Group

Scouts and Girl Scouts use it a lot too.”

Molisse also saw the truck lease as an opportunity to give back to the community, lending out the truck to assist local charities and community groups.

“Molisse Realty Group receives a lot of free promotion on social media sites from its many clients, community groups and charities that use the truck,” says Molisse. “They’re excited to be able to use the truck for free and love taking photos of the truck in action during their move or at their charitable/community event.”

Steen mentions another way for real estate professionals to utilize their customized graphics is to have other companies advertise on the back door to offset some of the cost of the truck. She says, “The visual impact of a mobile billboard with the power to place your message where your clients are can be accomplished now with the lowest cost per impression of any major advertising medium.” RE For more information, please visit www.onthemovetrucks.com.

House Prices Inch Up 1.3 Percent in First Quarter

A

ccording to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index (HPI), U.S. house prices rose 1.3 percent in the first quarter of 2015. This is the 15th consecutive quarterly price increase in the purchaseonly, seasonally adjusted index. FHFA’s seasonally adjusted monthly index for March was up 0.3 percent from February. The HPI is calculated using home sales price information from mortgages sold to, or guaranteed by, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. “The first quarter saw strong and widespread home price growth throughout most of the country,” says FHFA Principal Economist Andrew Leventis. “Home prices are now, on average, roughly 20 percent above where they were three years ago. This run-up has been historically exceptional and is particularly notable in light of the limited household income growth and modest rate of overall inflation observed during that same time period.”

The seasonally adjusted, purchase-only HPI rose 5 percent from the first quarter of 2014 to the first quarter of 2015, while prices of other goods and services fell 1.5 percent. The inflation-adjusted price of homes thus rose approximately 6.5 percent over the latest year.

Other Significant Findings 8Between the first quarter of 2014 and the first quarter of 2015, home prices rose in 48 states. The top five states in annual appreciation: Colorado - 11.2 percent, Nevada - 10.1 percent, Florida - 8.7 percent, Washington - 7.6 percent and California - 7.5 percent.

8Among the 100 most populated metropolitan areas in the U.S., four-quarter price increases were greatest in Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley, Calif. (MSAD), where prices increased by 13.4 percent. Prices were weakest in Greensboro-High Point, N.C., where they fell 2.3 percent.

8Of the nine census divisions, the Mountain division experienced the strongest increase in the first quarter, posting a 2.6 percent quarterly increase and a 6.8 percent increase since last year. House price appreciation was weakest in the West North Central division, where prices rose 0.7 percent. RE

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 67

{Trending}

Bidding Wars

Still Dominate Low-Inventory Markets

by Andrew King

W

hile the pace of homebuying activities picks up around the nation, certain areas are seeing more excitement than others.

As is usually the case during economic recoveries, no two cities 68 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

recover in exactly the same way.

Some have a glut of inventory that will take many years to turn over, and other markets such as New York City, Denver and San Francisco have barely any inventory left at all, and each new listing seems to spark a vicious bidding war that drives the price far beyond a prop-

erty’s appraised value.

Seattle falls in the latter category.

“In Seattle right now, it’s usually more than two buyers,” says Sam DeBord, managing broker at Seattle Homes Group. “We hear about a 20-plus offer bidding war weekly. In most cases, it’s closer to five offers.”

DeBord, who is the director of Coldwell Banker Danforth and the state director of Seattle King County REALTORS®, says that institutional investors often bid the most aggressively and get the higher-priced deals; however, it’s the so-called “regular” buyer—the one who will actually move into and live in the property for at least a few years—who comprises each side of a typical Seattle bidding war.

Down in the Southwest, brokers in cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix saw their share of bidding wars a few years ago once the market bottomed. That activity was largely fueled by an influx of institutional buyers either backed by Wall Street money or foreign funds, according to Mark Stark, CEO and owner at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties and Arizona Properties.

Stark says those professional buyers came in with all cash and bought up all of the available properties until it wasn’t really much of a discount anymore. Then they all moved on to the next speculative market.

“When we were in that shortage, there was a bidding war on every property. It was ridiculous,” says Stark. “The investors, they were insatiable. They had a specific return they were trying to achieve, and now that (the market has) come back to where it was…they just can’t get their returns, so they moved into other markets.”

mitment, whether by financial, logistical, or personal means to sway the seller—within legal guidelines, of course. Personal letters, earnest money increases, and waivers of contingencies can all show serious intent to close.”

He adds that making a deal with a hedge fund or some type of Chinese conglomerate isn’t always as

“All markets see bidding wars. They’re absolutely happening. You just keep countering and letting them know that if the offer is not accepted you’ll go to someone else.”

- MARK STARK CEO and Owner, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties and Arizona Properties

But that hasn’t stopped the bidding wars, and the main reason is simple: low inventory. The regular buyers will clamor for quality product if there aren’t that many available just as aggressively as the pros.

“All markets see bidding wars.

They’re absolutely happening,” Stark says. “You just keep countering and letting them know that if the offer is not accepted you’ll go to someone else.”

Sometimes regular buyers are pitted against deep-pocketed investors, making for an awfully daunting showdown—not that the seller should mind. DeBord said these types of bidding wars can be tricky to manage, but a broker doesn’t have to give up just because they’re up against a large institution.

“Occupant-buyers need to show somehow that they’re more likely to close the transaction than an investor. Cash and speed are to the advantage of the investor, but they’re not as heavily invested in actually getting any single property they’re writing offers for,” DeBord explains.

“Regular buyers should show com-

easy as it seems.

“For sellers, it’s worth considering that the investor may be making offers on multiple properties at the same time,” says DeBord. “Keep in mind that the well-financed traditional homebuyer might, in some cases, be more likely to get your transaction to closing.”

“Well-financed” is the key phrase in a bidding war, and usually the winner will get the property for an amount that is above the appraised value. That’s where the cash comes into play.

While investors tend to make all-cash offers, non-investors are making an offer that’s supported by a mortgage—which is limited by an appraisal—or they’re taking the appraisal amount and adding their own cash on top of it to beat out the other bidder. These hybrid offers are common in middle-market bidding wars (under $1 million), Stark says, adding that the luxury markets in the Southwest have been relatively calm due to the fact that there’s a smaller pool of buyers who can afford those products.

“Buyers with mortgage financing

will sometimes waive their appraisal contingency. In this way, they tell the sellers that they’re willing to pony up the extra cash in case the appraisal comes in low and the lender reduces the total amount of their loan approval,” DeBord says.

“This is one strong move that a traditional buyer can employ in a bidding war, as long as he or she is well-informed of the realistic market value of the property and has ample funds on hand for a potentially larger down payment.”

But the price is not the only factor that will get the home for a client. Stark says that other issues, such as the timing of the closing or just sentimentality, can influence a seller, and brokers need to know how to navigate that rare scenario where a buyer loses the bidding war but still wins the property.

“We’ve had sellers choose a buyer because they just like that buyer,” Stark explains. “They want the money but they might also choose the buyer if it’s a family they like because there is sentimental value.”

Taking a smaller commission could be a tough pill for an agent to swallow, though, so Stark encourages his team to fully understand their clients and thoroughly vet the finances—and personal needs—of potential buyers.

“The sales executive has to be comfortable if they’re going to take less money because of sentimentality,” he says. “You have to really understand your client and you have to understand what is important to them.” RE Andrew King is an award-winning journalist with 15 years of experience with the Gannett newspaper company, appearing in The Journal News (Westchester, NY), Asbury Park Press and USA Today. He also contributes to The Real Deal, TheLadders.com and TechPageOne.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 69

RISMedia’s Power Broker Forum:

Leading by Example

Power Broker panelists (from left to right): Russ Cofano, Joan Docktor, Jon Coile, Tom Skiffington, John Featherston and Lennox Scott

by Maria Patterson

“P

art of our role as real estate professionals is to get out there and network and find other thought leaders with whom we can share and learn from,” said John Featherston during RISMedia’s Power Broker Forum in Washington, D.C., this past May. “And then we have to repeat that process over and over again.

We have to remain open to learning.”

This was the overarching premise of the Forum, which was held during the NAR Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington, D.C., where leading brokers candidly shared hands-on strategies for leading their companies to success.

This year’s Midyear Forum, “Seizing Key Market Opportunities,” was moderated by RISMedia President & CEO John Featherston, and Move, Inc.’s SVP of Industry Relations, Russ Cofano. Broker panelists were: Jon Coile, CEO and president, Champion Realty, Inc.; Joan Docktor, president, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS®; J. Lennox Scott, chairman and CEO, John L. Scott Real Estate; and Tom Skiffington, broker/ partner, RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central.

70 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Evolved and Involved Leaders From big-picture growth plans to hands-on agent training, panelists agreed that the key ingredient to sustainable success is broker involvement at every level, leading to more productive agents and more satisfied consumers.

As Docktor said, “We have always believed in getting to the consumer first and serving consumers in extraordinary ways, and to do that, we have to attract top salespeople and provide them with the tools and services they need. Our firm is built on the core principles of trust, integrity and stability. Our word is gospel.”

“We want to control our own destiny,” said Scott.

“It’s all about our trust with the individual client. We want to out-com the dot coms. People want instant information—our mantra is real-time real estate is the only time. If it isn’t instant, it’s not fast enough. While everything has changed, the core of our business has stayed the same, and that’s the trusted competence of the real estate professional.”

In John L. Scott’s Seattle and Portland, Wash., markets, homes are in big demand. According to Scott, there is a one-month supply of homes for sale in both areas, with some specific market areas at a 2.5-week supply.

The keys to coming up with a market strategy that will drive more listings? Positive mindset, skill mastery and personal engagement activities.

“Don’t live inside the situation,” explained Scott. “Focus on skill mastery—if you want to get more listings, you have to have a great listing presentation.”

For Jon Coile, the key to success begins with a very simple mandate: Hire happy people.

“People are like a mirror. If you smile at someone, they’ll smile back.”

Skiffington. “I think it’s important that the managers are involved in the training and coaching—that helps develop a relationship with the agent.”

When it comes to training, Skiffington offers a variety of different options to suit the various needs and styles of agents, from webinars to a 10-week class to brown-bag lunches at each office where Skiffington sits around the table with agents and talks about the issues they’re having.

“Every class has homework,” says Skiffington. “Everything we teach has to be implemented that week. It forces them to understand it.”

A Culture of Caring Perhaps the biggest component to success for Docktor is caring, which is built into the company’s system through its Agent Care program. “When an agent joins our company, we immediately start a drip program, which sends out messagEmbracing Technology “We have always believed es from me and other executives, the in getting to the consumer For Skiffington, smart technology investments are critical to growth in any marketing department, etc.,” explained first and serving consumers market.

Docktor. “We also have a welcome specialist, who is another agent who takes in extraordinary ways, and to However, when it comes to technology, what pains brokers most is not them by the hand—it’s like a buddy prodo that, we have to attract gram and it’s really worked well.” necessarily finding the right tools, but top salespeople and provide getting agents to use them.

Docktor also feels that it’s importhem with the tools and tant that she and the executive team Scott provided a new twist on the are made aware of important events services they need. Our firm 80/20 rule—20 percent hear about in their agents’ lives, so managers are is built on the core principles something and do it, 60 percent hear it tasked with sending regular emails to and don’t do it, and another 20 percent, a group of company leaders alerting of trust, integrity and stability. hear it, know how to do it, and still don’t Our word is gospel.” them when an agent has experienced do it. “The challenge is, how do you get a tragedy, celebrated a milestone or rethe rest of them to implement?” he said.

– Joan Docktor President, Berkshire Hathaway ceived good news of some sort. “This Docktor agreed. “What good are the HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS® gives us the opportunity to call the pertools if no one’s going to open them? son or send flowers,” said Docktor. “It’s We have a portal with one single sign-in a great retention tool, but more than that, we really do and everything is there, including training videos on every care and this sends the message that we do.” topic you can imagine. We hired a gaming company to Coile maintains a close connection to his agents with give out monetary prizes if you open and watch a video the weekly Champion 411 video, an informal video on and take some action afterwards.”

YouTube that highlights important news and happenings As a selling broker, Skiffington has a first-hand perat the company for the week. The Champion 411 also in- spective on what works and what doesn’t. “Most of the cludes a viral video that has no connection to real estate, technology we’ve implemented, I’ve used personally to but that is fun to watch and engages the agents. see if it works or fails. That way, I’m the experiment, not All of these strategies are aimed at helping agents my agents. So when I implement something for agents, better serve consumers. And, in the face of increasing they already know that it works.” consumer reviews, this is more critical than ever.

When it comes to technology, you must ask, “Is it help“There was a recent article in the Washington Post ing our process? Is it making us money?” advised Coile. about the decline of trust in our national economy,” “You can only get your agents to do so much, then they said Cofano. “At the same time, you have the growth need to get back to selling. You have to be careful not to of Airbnb, which is based on people going into other trigger ‘shiny object syndrome.’ Focus on one thing at a people’s homes to sleep, and Uber, where you ride in time, and make sure it drops money to the bottom line.”

“We have to carry forward this idea, that it’s not the other people’s cars. This is going on this thread of reputation management. People are trusting less in others technology—it’s the technology that’s not adopted that and trusting more in crowds.” becomes worthless,” added Cofano. “You have to find the technology that is usable, but also partner with the Training and Coaching people and companies that can provide consistency over Power Broker panelists also discussed their commitment time.” RE to coaching and training. “As an owner, you have to decide the type of culture you want in your office,” says For more information, please visit rismedia.com/events.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 71

{RISMedia’s Great Spaces}

by Nick Caruso & Zoe Eisenberg

by Nick Caruso & Zoe Eisenberg

Up for Grabs: The Nevada Lakeside Retreat from “The Bodyguard” Everyone remembers “The Bodyguard” as the Whitney Houston movie where she sang a cover version of that Dolly Parton song. It’s also the ’90s movie in which Kevin Costner danced with Houston instead of a pack of wolves. Thanks to all of this deliciousness, (and the power of its soundtrack and heartbreaking finale), the film went on to become the second highest-grossing film worldwide in 1992, earning $411 million at the box office.

The rustic home on Lake Tahoe’s Fallen Leaf Lake (where Houston’s character, Rachel Marron, was hiding out from her stalker) is now for sale. Known as the Tallac House, it oozes ambiance and warmth from its 76-foot dock where Costner dove into the icy winter water to save Rachel’s son from an exploding boat.

72 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

With a 76-foot dock and 197 feet of Fallen Leaf Lake frontage, this estate from “The Bodyguard” is the perfect mountain getaway.

Photo Credit: TopTenRealEstateDeals.com http://bit.ly/1dcNZSD

The home is all wood—no sheetrock used—and was also seen in the film (Nic Cage alert!) “City of Angels.”

With 197 feet of Fallen Leaf Lake frontage on 2.74 secluded acres, the house has over 3,000 square feet with five bedrooms, including three bunk rooms, three baths, balconies, a huge deck and views of the lake and Tallac Mountain from every room. Built in 1970 in collaboration with noted local architect Paul Hamilton, the property has stayed in the family since its inception, making this the first time it has been offered for sale. A perfect vacation retreat or full-time home that’s ideal for entertaining, the home has vaulted ceilings accented by a massive rock fireplace, a three-car garage and the famed pier perfect for all types of water sports.

Listed for: $7.995 million Listed by: Doug Rosner, Chase International Real Estate, South Tahoe, Nev.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 73

The outside is brought inside thanks to the walls of windows in this Maryland penthouse.

Mountain View Colorado Retreat

A Harborside Penthouse in Baltimore, Md. Located on Harborview Drive in Baltimore, Md., this harborside penthouse is luxury living at its finest, featuring the best city skyline and water views the city has to offer. With two exterior balconies and walls of windows showcasing the bountiful panoramic views, the outside is brought right into its custom-designed interior, which also includes amenities such as a fitness center, indoor pool, meeting rooms and concierge services.

In addition to its gourmet kitchen with only the fanciest in gadgetry, the penthouse has a stylish curved 74 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

staircase that brings its owners up to its four spacious bedrooms, all featuring en suite bathrooms and even more breathtaking views of the harbor.

There’s plenty of storage throughout, including a wine closet, three walk-in closets in the master bedroom and two storage lockers. Its lucky new owners will also have two deeded parking spaces and prime location next to a conveniently located water taxi that can sail them off to any neighborhood in the city.

Listed for: $2,295,000 Listed by: William J. Ganz III, Ganz Exclusive Real Estate

This stunning 2.7-acre retreat in Centennial, Co., completely renovated in 2012, stretches over 10,500 feet with five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and 180-degree mountain views. Top-of-the-line amenities include custom alder doors, hickory hardwood floors, custom exposed beams, floorto-ceiling stone tile in the baths, two laundry areas, geothermal heat with back-up furnaces and a theater with a 110-inch screen. If that weren’t appealing enough, the home’s proud owner can swim in a 25-meter heated saltwater lap pool, soak in a Jacuzzi (decked out with a waterfall) or work on their fitness in the 1,400-square-foot gym.

For the wine lovers, a 400+ bottle wine vault has ample room for all of your favorites.

Outside, you can relax by the rustic outdoor fireplace, burn marsh-

Find Shelter on Shelter Island

This mountain view Colorado retreat has a 400+ bottle wine vault. Drink it up!

What’s better than arriving at your own private mansion on a quaint island? Arriving at your own private mansion on a quaint island by seaplane. That’s only one of the perks of this palatial 23,000+-squarefoot waterfront estate on Long Island’s Shelter Island. Not only does it dole out 750 feet of waterfront real estate, the home spreads over 7.6 acres, seated on the highest point of the Little Ram peninsula, which offers stunning coastal views (and stunning coastal sunsets) year-round.

The home offers modern luxury with 19th century details, including reclaimed antique stone, seven fireplaces, white oak baked floors, plastered walls, murals, ceiling and wood

mallows over the scenic fire pit, gaze across a pond and trek across the abundant yard, which has room for building a sports court or grazing hypothetical ponies.

Listed for: $4,200,000 Listed by: Claire Averill, Perry & Co., a member of Luxury Portfolio International®

Newport Beach Living Built in 1873 and designed by historic architect Richard Morris Hunt, this open and spacious three-bedroom, two-bathroom home offers Rhode Island beach living at its best. Located just minutes from Newport’s 1st Beach, Cliff Walk and downtown, this condo stretches over 1,300 square feet with high ceilings, skylights, hardwood flooring and its own private deck overlooking the treetops. Ideal for a full-time or vacation home, move

Rhode Island beach living at its best.

on in to this great space and soak up some summer fun all year long.

Listed for: $399,000 Listed by: Cathy Wicks, Hogan Associates

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 75

This waterfront Shelter Island property is like “Shutter Island” meets “Clue,” but minus all the creepy ghosts and murder weapons.

finishes—all executed by a team of world-class European artisans.

Outside, a lush lawn rolls down to meet a private sandy beach with a deep water dock. You will also find a heated gunite pool, slate patios for entertaining, and a separate hot tub with its own seating deck. If you still find yourself in want, wander over to a sunken tennis court and separately housed international squash court to entertain yourself and friends.

With 10 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms, a gourmet kitchen, 50-foot living room with beamed coffered ceilings and oak-paneled library/billiard room, you’ll find yourself living like a prince—or better yet, the Artist Formerly Known as Prince. Enjoy a full gym, spa, wine room with seating for 10, and a professional disco with lounge, bar and home theatre.

Listed for: $24,500,000 Listed by: Melina Wein, M. Wein Realty

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Incredible Single-Family Florida Home Built in 1989, this waterfront Aventura, Fla., mansion has it all: coastal views from every room, a master suite with two apartment-sized closets, a gym, spa, tennis court, swimming pool and Italian imported marble detailing. And did we mention it’s a waterfront mansion? The home boasts being the largest single-family home in Aventura, stretch-

ing nearly 10,000 square feet in size and located in the prestigious Turnberry Townhomes complex, skipping distance from the golf course and famous Aventura mall.

Listed for: $6,900,000 Listed by: Denise Rubin, Lori Prepszent of The Denise Rubin Team, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty

This waterfront Aventura, Fla., mansion has coastal views from every room.

The true kicker? It’s being offered furnished!

Listed for: $2,625,000 Listed by: Diane Varney, Coldwell Banker Premier Realty RE

Five bedroom suites, a movie theater, a game room and a wine cellar? This is how you do Vegas!

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RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 77

{Basic Training}

Power Teams to Profit Teams

by Verl Workman

B

uilding a team is simple; building a profitable team takes thought, strategy and the ability to follow a proven system that will ultimately result in a better lifestyle for both the rainmaker and the team members.

There are many different types and structures of teams. Teams can be as small as a rainmaker and a licensed assistant. When you add your mortgage partner, title partner and other people critical to delivering exceptional service, we all pretty much run teams of some type and size.

As a coach to many of the top teams in the country, I have learned that bigger is not always better.

However, if you structure your team correctly, you can improve the service you provide to your clients and enjoy a higher level of income while increasing your free time with your family. For me, the ultimate goal is to create a business rather than a job.

Client Care The first hire on any team is almost always the client-care coordinator.

This position handles everything before, during and after the transaction and their job description includes any and all tasks that allow the rainmaker to focus on their three most important activities: prospecting, showing/listing homes and negotiating contracts. Everything else should be done by the client-care coordinator. Compensation for this position can be per transaction or hourly, depending on the number of transactions. A good client-care coordinator 78 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

can handle around 100 transaction sides a year before a second admin position is needed.

Buyers Agents I love my buyers agents. When hiring team members, rainmakers often look for people who can take over working with buyers. This is a critical position on the team because it begins to free up time and allow the rainmaker to focus on other moneymaking activities. The challenge with buyers agents is that team leaders often over-compensate them, and while sales might increase, profitability decreases. On our teams, we provide great training for buyers agents through our BAM (Buyers Agent Mastery) program. Buyers agents must follow specific scripts and dialogues, track all leads and conversations, and participate in daily huddles. As a result of this structure, a good buyers agent can and should be doing three to five transactions per month. While compensation varies, we hold strong to the model that teams should run on a minimum of 50 percent net profit. After paying buyers agents, lead generation, and administrative expenses, there’s 50 percent or more left in profitability.

That means we generally follow this proven compensation model: 40/60 on the first two transactions per

month, 45/55 on the second three and 50/50 on five plus transactions.

This resets each month and our buyers agents are required to produce three to five transactions per month.

The keys to a successful team are as follows: 8 Begin with the end in mind. Start with a detailed business plan.

8Follow a proven compensation model.

8Utilize the best systems for everything.

8Provide best-in-class training.

8 Hire the right people using the right system.

8 Don’t go it alone. Hire a coach that can take you through the process step by step and help you eliminate your excuses for failure. RE Verl Workman is the founder and CEO of Workman Success Systems (385-282-7112), an international speaking, consulting and coaching company that specializes in performance coaching and building successful power agents and teams. Sign up today for a free business consult with Verl by sending an email to coach@ verlworkman.com.

To hire Verl to speak at your next event, email events@verlworkman.com.

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It’s Crunch-Time for CFPB Compliance

by Maria Patterson

W

ith the August 1 effective date right around the corner, brokers and agents must make sure they are ready for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) new Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure forms, which will virtually replace the Good Faith Estimate, Truth-inLending and HUD-1 disclosures used today. In this exclusive interview, Marvin Stone, SVP, Business Integration/CFPB program manager for Stewart Title, gives a crash course on the highlights of the rulings and how real estate professionals can quickly prepare.

Maria Patterson: As you know, there is still quite a bit of confusion over the CFPB rulings. Can you give us the highlights of what will change most come August 1?

Marvin Stone: The thing brokers and agents will grapple with the most is that the HUD-1 will no longer be used for the majority of transactions. This will be replaced by the Loan Estimate (LE) and the Closing Disclosure (CD). These are brand new forms for everyone, even the most seasoned investor. The Bureau did a great job in making it understandable for the consumer, but it will be tough for the industry to implement because of the way it’s designed. In many states, brokers have to have a copy of the HUD-1 in the file to show how monies were distributed and this has been easy for the settlement agent to provide because it doesn’t contain a lot of nonpublic personal information. Now, the new final Closing Disclosure will be provided by the lender directly to the borrower. And some sort of provision has to be made to get those final CDs to the REALTORS®. In order to provide a document similar to the HUD-1 that can be distributed to agents, the American Land Title Association has developed the new ALTA Settlement Statement (www.alta.org/ cfpb/documents.cfm).

MP: The new “three business-day” rule also stands to create some havoc, correct?

MS: Starting August 1, in all cases, the final Closing 80 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Disclosure must be provided to the borrower three full business days prior to consummation. If fees change at or before consummation of the transaction, the Closing Disclosure will need to be redone. In certain limited circumstances, such as an APR increase, loan program change or addition of a prepayment penalty, the lender must allow the consumer another three business days for review.

MP: What else stands to significantly change the real estate transaction as we know it?

MS: There will also be tighter restrictions on how much fees can increase between the Loan Estimate and the Closing Disclosure. For example, in the past, the appraisal fee could vary by as much as 10 percent before triggering re-disclosure. Now, there’s a zero-percent variance.

MP: Will brokers and agents who have a strong relationship with their lender have an advantage in implementing these rules?

MS: How strong the relationship is doesn’t really matter. What matters is “TRID-readiness” (TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure). REALTORS® really need to make

sure that their lender and settlement partners know the new rules, that their software is up to date and that their people are trained.

MP: So, in your opinion, Marvin, how close are we to compliance (at press time)?

MS: One survey done back in April said that only 41 percent of lenders would be ready. Another survey said that 68 percent noted that compliance has become their biggest cost. At Stewart, we started working on CFPB compliance years ago when the new rules were first proposed. Some of the national lenders are close (at press time); some regional lenders are also close. I feel like it’s coming together, but I think it’s worthwhile for brokers and agents to have detailed discussions with lenders and settlement providers and ask them, “Are you ready?”

They also need to ask what the lender’s process will be.

MP: What do you think about NAR’s efforts to encourage the CFPB to push back the August 1 implementation date?

MS: At every turn, the Bureau has said that they’ve given the industry 21 months to prepare and that it should be a sufficient amount of time. Since they are resolute on the August 1 deadline, many have been lobbying for a relaxed enforcement period, but Director Richard Cordray has only stated that the Bureau would be sensitive to the issues and give consideration to lenders showing a good faith effort to comply. That said, it seems like the new rules are still on track to “go live” on August 1.

MP: What can brokers and REALTORS® do to quickly get up to speed on the new forms and timelines?

MS: The first thing to do is to talk to the lenders and settlement providers you work with and make sure they’re ready. The next thing is to really learn the new forms.

The lender will be sending out the Loan Estimate to the borrower, and it doesn’t matter if someone has bought 20 homes or if they’re a brand new buyer—they’ve never seen this form before and will have questions. They must also educate borrowers not to wait until the last minute for upgrades or loan program changes, as that could trigger the additional three business-day waiting period.

MP: So, where can brokers and REALTORS® go to study up on these forms?

MS: The CFPB has provided a detailed summary of the final rule, which is seven pages long, and does a good job of explaining what will be changing on August 1.

At Stewart, we are providing a huge number of seminars, some 2,000 events across the country. We have also seen some lenders providing education.

MP: How will the new rulings affect borrowers?

MS: The consumer benefits in a couple of ways. Number one, the Loan Estimate was created so that borrowers could shop more easily and compare from one lender to another. Both the Loan Estimate and the Closing Disclosure are designed to help the consumer better understand their future financial obligation. The Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure really lay out what could change between what you were quoted and what happens at closing. And now, if there are changes in fees at or before consummation, the consumer must be provided with a new Closing Disclosure detailing the changes. If the borrower changes their loan program in the middle of the process, it can trigger a new three business-day waiting period.

“These new forms and rules should go a long way toward making a borrower’s long-term obligations more clear, which will help them avoid serious financial consequences. There will be some pain along the way, but in the long run, this will be helpful to consumers— and when the consumer wins, we all win.”

- MARVIN STONE SVP, Business Integration/CFPB Program Manager, Stewart Title

MP: How will the new forms potentially impact broker accounting systems?

MS: All the systems and processes we have today are built around the HUD-1, so this will affect everyone from the neighborhood broker all the way up to Fannie Mae. Also, there is a new requirement that every lender will need to know every broker and agent license number involved in the transaction and note that on the Closing Disclosure.

MP: Finally, in general, do you believe the intent of the CFPB to protect consumers is actually being fulfilled?

MS: When you look at the people who were harmed financially in the collapse of 2008, it is clear that not every borrower understood the impact of some of the “exotic” mortgages. These new forms and rules should go a long way toward making a borrower’s long-term obligations more clear, which will help them avoid serious financial consequences. There will be some pain along the way, but in the long run, this will be helpful to consumers— and when the consumer wins, we all win. RE For more information, please visit www.stewart.com. For a helpful infographic on how to comply with the three business-day rule, please visit http://blog.alta. org/2014/08/how-to-comply-with-the-closing-disclosures-three-day-rule.html.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 81

{Strategies}

Leveling the Professional Playing Field REALTORS PROPERTY RESOURCE®HELPS BOTH GREEN AND SEASONED AGENTS EXCEL

by Zoe Eisenberg

T

he amount of information your average real estate professional is expected to retain is immense, and that’s before you factor in the various tech tools required to interact successfully with clients. Enter Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®), an information hub and technology platform that connects over 634 MLSs, with no consumer or public access, and the power of exclusive information is once again in the palm of the professional.

When integrated into an overall business plan, RPR creates an abundance of advantages for the agent, the broker and the client.

“RPR is my strongest asset when working with buyers and sellers,” says Mari Armstrong, a REALTOR® with Realtec Properties in Myrtle Beach, S.C. “I’m able to generate reports and obtain information faster than ever before.”

In addition to detailed reports that are easy to access and print, RPR offers branding tools, affiliated service support such as title and home warranty and data analysis tools all as part of the RPR Broker Tool Set. And of course, RPR has an iPhone and Android app, so you can dole out info while on-the-go.

“Buyers love that I can pull up so much detailed information about a property while we’re out on showings,” says Armstrong. “For instance, if we’re driving through a neighborhood and we see a property that we had not considered previously, I can pull over and offer more info than my client ever dreamed of receiving right then and there.”

RPR’s up-to-date, timely reports take into account market fluctuations, price changes and more. This saves the agent time, and makes them look extremely well-versed in market trends, all while requiring them to do very little time-consuming research.

“I know my market better than ever before because it’s so easy to get the information I need,” says Armstrong.

For new agents, RPR offers insight that would typically take years to accumulate.

“Previously, it was obvious when an agent was ‘green’ 82 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“RPR is my strongest asset when working with buyers and sellers.”

- MARI ARMSTRONG REALTOR®, Realtec Properties

because they didn’t know where to find the information more seasoned agents knew,” notes Armstrong, who believes RPR levels the playing field. “Anyone can go onto the RPR website and become fully trained on the system in a fairly short amount of time.”

However, RPR benefits the seasoned professional as well, by adding value and freeing up time that would normally be spent doing research, creating reports and printing customized information requested by clients.

“RPR helps me look more professional than my competition,” says Armstrong. “It shows my clients that I pay attention to detail, that I’m knowledgeable about our market and that I’m a productive professional who can help them accomplish their goals.”

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

Home Warranties a Valuable Tool in Today’s High-Demand Market AMERICAN HOME SHIELD®BUILDS IN AN ADDED LEVEL OF SECURITY FOR BUYERS AND SELLERS ALIKE

by John Voket

M

ike Koperna, a successful REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty in West Chester, Penn., is a huge proponent of home warranties. An absolute believer in the home warranty packages offered through American Home Shield (AHS®), not only does Koperna tout them as a valuable tool among buyers and sellers, he mentors new agents so that they can successfully market AHS home warranties as well.

So how did Koperna manage to personally introduce almost one client a week to the benefits and added value an American Home Shield Warranty provides, selling 30 AHS warranties last year?

“When you believe in something, it kind of comes naturally,” Koperna says.

In today’s high-demand market, where multiple offers are the norm, Koperna says that a built-in home warranty provides peace of mind for the buyer. “If something happens to break, it’s usually covered.”

Making home warranties appealing to sellers is just as important, and for Koperna, education is the name of the game.

“When I do a presentation, I provide the seller with an estimate sheet that already has a home warranty built in.

I then tell my clients that if they want to do the sale right away, having a warranty in place will not only sell their home an average of 22 percent faster, it’ll also sell for 2 percent higher.”

Koperna explains, “You want to make buyers feel warm and fuzzy, and it makes sense, since it’s an added level of security for the buyer. And having a home warranty in place provides the seller with more money while adding value to the house.”

When it comes to buyers, more than two out of three are pitched on AHS products.

“For buyers, it’s almost always a cost thing. If the seller isn’t offering a home warranty, explain to the buyer that they’re purchasing a product—even if it’s new construction—where there could be a problem.”

Koperna goes on to say that formally offering a home warranty and having the client decline in writing provides

“Even if you’ve never sold a home warranty, you have to convince your client of the extra value.”

- MIKE KOPERNA REALTOR®, Keller Williams Realty

an added bonus in today’s litigious society.

“It’s protection for the agent, because if something goes wrong, the attorneys could go after you.

“You have to stress the benefits and the protection factor,” concludes Koperna. “Even if you’ve never sold a home warranty, you have to convince your client of the extra value.”

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

Edging Out the Competition: Why Resort and Second-Home Property Specialists are Taking Over Their Markets

by Zoe Eisenberg

A

s a real estate agent, it’s important to excel in your field.

But with a market that fluctuates with every passing season, shining in a specialized area will not only help you stand out, it’ll also allow you to eclipse the competition.

One niche market that’s outshining others is the resort and second-home (RSH) market. In 2014, vacation-home sales were the highest they’ve been since NAR began tracking them in 2003, increasing 57 percent from the previous year, according to NAR’s 2015 Investment & Vacation Home Buyers Survey.

Investment-home sales decreased 7.4 percent in 2014, whereas owner-occupied purchases fell 12.8 percent. Vacation homes, however, catapulted to an estimated 1.13 million last year.

Agents specializing in RSH sales are also catapulting across their markets. With vacation-home sales accounting for 21 percent of all transactions in 2014, NAR’s Resort and Second-Home Property Specialist (RSPS) Certification is helping agents break into—and cash out on—this special arena.

“Vacation-home sales were up over 57 percent from last year,” says Andy Meyers, 2015 Chair of the Resort and Second Home Real Estate Committee and an executive broker specializing in the RSH market in Hot Springs, RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 83

Ark. “We noted a substantial increase in second-home sales in our market, and it’s the same notion shared across the country.”

An official NAR Certification, RSPS allows REALTORS® to specialize in buying, selling or managing properties for investment, development, retirement, or second homes in a resort or vacation destination.

The RSPS course, available in a classroom or online, grants its students an abundance of knowledge, insights and tools that will help them stay on top of their market long after they’ve been certified.

Deb Howard, an RSPS professional and broker/owner of Deb Howard & Co. in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., believes the certification offers an abundance of information about the RSH market that imparts wisdom and acts as a reinforcement for what agents will learn in the field.

The resort and second-home market is different from the traditional real estate model in a variety of ways. One critical difference, according to Howard, is of course location, location, location.

“Our clients don’t live in our backyard, but rather, in our virtual backyard,” notes Howard, who received her RSPS certification in the early 2000s. “How you communicate with this clientele is far different than in general real estate.”

“Buyer demographics and understanding where buyers are coming from is always important; it helps you tailor your marketing,” says Meyers, who notes that this is even more important for RSH agents. “In the resort and second-home market, buyers are typically coming from a 200-mile radius. Knowing this helps agents understand where to target their listings and buyer solicitations.”

Howard notes that RSH REALTORS®not only represent a client during the sale, they often act as the eyes and ears of the absentee owner.

“We have a fairly serious obligation to disclose and communicate what’s happening in the marketplace that can affect private property rights or impact values and our client’s quality of life,” says Howard.

The RSPS Certification offers agents a big picture look into the issues that are impacting their market, such as MID for second homes, 1031 tax deferred exchanges, vacation rental ordinances and national flood insurance.

Once certified, RSPS professionals have access to an abundance of critical data about a variety of markets. According to Howard, access to this information prepares agents for the “next big thing” in the RSH marketplace.

How else can the RSPS Certification rocket you to the top of your competition? Howard states that the countrywide RSPS referral system is a must-have, with a Facebook Group made just for RSPS agents looking to exchange information, network, and grant referrals.

84 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“The RSPS Certification has been a great ROI as the referrals have been a steady source of new buyers and seller referrals,” says Howard. “My RSPS buddies are all over the world and the networking and relationships are long-lasting.”

“While each of the second-home markets are unique to themselves, the RSPS certification—with the tools and network it provides—gives you an edge,” says Meyers. “It enables you to better focus your efforts on your chosen niche market. It helps bolster your professionalism and gives you a point of differentiation when buyers and sellers are looking for an agent.”

For more information, please visit www.realtor.org/resort.

Prioritizing Service Above All Else SHOREWEST, REALTORS®FINDS VALUE WITH HSA HOME WARRANTY

by Keith Loria

S

horewest, REALTORS® is a third-generation real estate company, and currently Wisconsin’s largest home seller with 23 offices and close to 1,000 agents. Brothers Joe and John P. Horning lead the Milwaukee-based company, which first started in 1946.

“We’re a full-service family of companies, providing mortgage, title and insurance, basically offering a one-stop shopping experience,” says Executive Vice President John P. Horning. “Our mission statement starts with ‘we are a team,’ and that’s an important part of our culture. As far as services we offer our agents, we’re always looking to make their job easier, providing them with the latest tools, technology and services.”

One of those tools comes from Shorewest’s relation-

ship with HSA Home Warranty, which has been ongoing for more than 25 years.

“The main reason we’ve stayed with HSA Home Warranty is because of the service,” says Horning. “And when an issue comes up—be it a service request or question on a contract—they’re very quick to respond. In addition, their management team contacts us on a regular basis to see if there’s anything that needs to be done to better serve the needs of our customers and agent team.”

“We talk to our agents about the benefit of the warranty and help the customer after the transaction so there’s not a bad taste left if something were to go wrong,” says Joe Horning, president of Shorewest, REALTORS®. “We explain the value and that helps our agents understand that they’re helping their customers with expenses that may have come out of their pocket.”

Each of the past two years, HSA has paid out over $1 million in covered repairs and replacements to Shorewest’s customers, and many of its clients renew when the one-year contract term is up. Last year, approximately 35 percent of closings took a home warranty. In fact, one office placed 623 warranties—the No. 1 office in the nation for HSA. “Sellers value the home warranty because they get coverage for themselves during the listing period and

buyers like it because it offers budget protection when they’re buying a home,” Joe Horning says. “Our agents see value because it decreases their liability and postclosing hassles.”

Although competitors have approached Shorewest over the decades, neither Horning brother has seen a reason to end the successful relationship.

“HSA has provided a strong level of service over the years, and we don’t see a reason to change,” John P. Horning says. “It’s also about a sense of loyalty. Not only have they been loyal to us, they’ve been loyal to our agents by always doing the right thing.”

That includes the HSA local sales representatives, Aleena Heldt, Michelle Glen and Dan Puckett, taking the time to visit one of Shorewest’s offices each week.

They even attend the company’s office award events to show their support. Burke Smith, HSA’s vice president of sales, holds engaging presentations with the company’s agents regarding how to use social media to help grow their business.

Joe Horning concludes, “HSA offers an important service and we value the benefits their home warranty provides to our clients.” RE For more information, please visit www.onlinehsa.com.

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{Blog Spot}

Old Meets New for Historic House Hunters

by Suzanne De Vita

E

yeing the area on a map between U.S. Route 1 and the Boulevard in Richmond, Va., a distinct pattern emerges. City blocks multiply as roadways fan westward in the aptly-named Historic Fan District, home to residences built in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Scanning over the East End of the city, more historic neighborhoods materialize, including Church Hill.

These enclaves are hot spots for homebuyers interested in historic properties, says Richmond, Va., REALTOR® Wanda Fears, Long & Foster Real Estate. In step with their inherent longevity, homes in these districts were relatively unscathed when housing plummeted.

“If you go back to ’07 or ’08, those areas had somewhat of a downturn, but nowhere near what the newer homes were having,” says Fears. In Richmond’s current market, “you can get a really nice historic home between $500,000 to $700,000. And they can go all the way up to a million on Monument [Avenue].”

Though that general price range exists, historic house hunters should avoid placing offers based on comparable data.

Historic properties or districts can be listed with the National Register of Historic Places or with the State Historic Preservation Officer. The National Register generally assesses properties by examining historical significance, age and authenticity. A property may be a contender for the National Register if it’s 50 years of age or older, contains features in line with its original construction, or tells a story worth preserving.

Historic homes protected at the

state or local level may be subject to guidelines prohibiting certain renovations. In Richmond, limitations typically apply to the façade of homes.

When searching for a historic property, buyers must bear in mind square footage is at a premium. Expect minimal kitchen and bathroom storage and low ceilings.

Maintenance can be another drawback. DIY-happy buyers must understand the home’s construction and local historic building codes before taking on any project.

And because cities tend to spring up around early settlements, historic homeowners regularly settle for on-street parking.

“Parking is an issue and tends to cause problems with resale,” says Fears. “Those moving in from the suburbs are used to having garages and parking, and not having that can make a $50,000 difference on a house.”

Those seeking to own and live in historic residential properties may qualify for state tax breaks. They will not be eligible, however, for incentives offered by the federal government, including the 20 percent income credit.

But for the more than half of Americans who covet walkability in their communities, these shortcomings are minor trade-offs. Historic homes are often steps away from shopping, restaurants, museums and theaters, Fears says, lending a small town feel to a densely populated metropolis. RE Suzanne De Vita is RISMedia’s online associate editor.

Email her your blog topic ideas: sdevita@rismedia.com.

This article originally appeared on RISMedia’s blog, Housecall.

Visit us at blog.rismedia.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 87

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certain terms change (loan product, prepayment penalty, APR increase beyond threshold), closing cannot occur until three business days after the borrower receives the revised Closing Disclosure. This may result in closing delays under certain circumstances.

Are You Prepared for August 1st?

Commentary by Marvin Stone

A

s you know, on August 1, 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule (the “TRID Rule”) goes into effect and will introduce a new era of real estate closings for most residential mortgages.

For a brief history, the CFPB was created in 2010 as a result of DoddFrank Act. Their main objective is to actively educate and protect the consumer. Many who have heard of CFPB think that the new rules and enforcement of the new rules do not apply to them. But, many are mistaken in thinking that the CFPB has no jurisdiction over mortgage brokers, mortgage bankers, settlement providers and real estate brokers. The Bureau has supervision over banks and non-banks and has broad powers and enforcement authority over both RESPA and TILA. CFPB has already used their broad powers in enforcement actions across every type of industry participant.

The new TRID rule will work to improve this experience. To briefly summarize the new TRID Rule:

1

The Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure will replace the Good Faith Estimate (GFE), Truth in Lending disclosures (TIL) and HUD-1 Settlement Statement (HUD-1) for most types of transactions.

2

The Closing Disclosure (CD) will be provided by either the lender or settlement agent and must be received by the borrower at least three business days before consummation.

3

The Closing Disclosure must be revised by closing if the information on the initial CD changes. If

So what does this mean to you?

•Y our real estate closing and processes will soon be changing.

• Lenders will largely be the ones to prepare the Closing Disclosure.

• The escrow/settlement agent will likely prepare a Settlement Statement.

• Estimates provided to the consumer by third-party providers must be accurate.

• REALTORS® will need to be able to explain new forms to buyers.

• REALTORS® may have to get permission from buyers to release Closing Disclosure.

• Same-day closings may be risky per some lenders.

• Lenders are no longer allowing the settlement agent to “fix” lender errors.

• Lenders may place more focus on approved provider lists.

How can you be prepared?

We are now in the implementation period until August 1, 2015. Here are some suggestions for possible next steps for you and your teams.

• Be proactive • Collaborate – Lenders, REALTORS®, Closers • Identify process changes • Plan for the three-day rule • Print the new disclosures • Practice with your team • Invite your compliance officer The challenge for all of us will be to ensure that the process goes off without a hitch for the borrower to ensure the industry and CFPB accomplish their goal of improving the consumer experience. RE For more information, visit www.stewart.com/cfpb.

Marvin Stone is CFPB program manager, Stewart®.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 89

{Industry Insight}

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate and NAGLREP Release Findings from First-of-Its-Kind National LGBT Study Dedicated to Homeownership Findings show overwhelming appreciation of and intent toward homeownership, but illustrate concerns that deserve industry awareness

O

ver the last decade, there has been an increasing amount of attention paid to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community but, until now, little information has been available about this population segment’s preferences, aspirations and mindset surrounding the home-buying process and homeownership in general. With the Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality pending and June being LGBT Pride Month, Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate and the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals (NAGLREP) recently released findings from the first-ever LGBT Home Buyer and Seller Survey of more than 1,700 respondents that show a majority believe homeownership to be a good investment, but possess strong concern when it comes to housing discrimination.

90 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“This groundbreaking study sheds new light on the aspirations and concerns of this important consumer segment and opens the door for more thoughtful discussion throughout the real estate industry as to how we can best serve and help these consumers achieve the dream of homeownership,” says Sherry Chris, president and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. “As a supporter of NAGLREP and its mission since its inception, we are committed to educating the industry and will continue to unveil new data and share our brand’s best service practices that will help make the path to homeownership a positive experience for current and future generations.”

Nearly nine out of ten (89 percent) LGBT homeowners surveyed, and three out of four (75 percent) LGBT non-homeowners, think homeownership is a good investment. This rings true across all age

groups, including millennials. So will the upcoming Supreme Court ruling impact these numbers? According to the data, 81 percent of LGBT survey participants feel a ruling for marriage equality will make them feel more financially protected and confident—key milestones along the path to homeownership.

“Individuals who identify themselves as LGBT represent an estimated buying power of $840 billion and reportedly live in 99.3 percent of all counties nationwide,” says Jeff Berger, founder, NAGLREP. “The LGBT community is a key part of the nation’s landscape and a powerful market segment that is increasingly achieving social milestones that are historical triggers to home purchases, such as partnerships, marriage and having children.”

In all, more than half (54 percent) of all LGBT respondents currently own some type of real estate. This is proportionately equal between gay/ bisexual men and lesbian/bisexual women. For current LGBT homeowners, the top motivation for purchasing a new home is living in a better city or neighborhood (76 percent), having a bigger home (57 percent) and getting married (56 percent).

For LGBT non-homeowners, achieving personal finance goals are most important to becoming first-time buyers, specifically saving for a down payment (86 percent), maintaining a stable job (84 percent) and qualifying for a mortgage (83 percent).

The exceedingly top neighborhood priority for LGBT respondents is safety (88 percent). Furthermore, when asked about the importance of different aspects of their ideal neighborhood and community, respondents are most concerned about living in a neighborhood with low crime (80 percent very important), living in a state with an LGBT anti-discrimination ordinance (75 percent very important) and living in a progressive commu-

nity (70 percent very important).

Among respondents, 73 percent stated strong concern about some aspect of housing discrimination, either in purchasing a home or renting. The concerns include discrimination by real estate agents, home sellers, landlords, mortgage lenders, property management companies and neighbors. Concern rates were highest among transgender respondents.

“The high ratio of LGBTs concerned about some aspect of housing discrimination is alarming and demonstrates the importance of our organization’s continued legislative

industry to be proactive in reaching out to younger generations to educate them about the homeownership process and its benefits.”

Agent Qualities: LGBT respondents looking to purchase a home in the next three years are most concerned about selecting a real estate professional that has an excellent reputation (93 percent) and is LGBT-friendly (86 percent). Only 13 percent thinks it is very important that their sales associate identifies as LGBT. Also of note is that being LGBT-friendly is more important than a real estate professional’s years of experience (78 percent).

Nearly 60 percent of all LGBT millennials plan to have children in the future. and advocacy work on behalf of the consumer,” says Berger. “We offer a public online database to provide resources to help consumers identify LGBT-friendly real estate professionals in their city to help alleviate this concern and provide them with a great customer experience.”

To download the full findings, visit www.naglrep.com/lgbtsurvey.

Additional insights include: The Millennial Factor: For a generation that many have deemed “Generation Rent,” an overwhelming 82 percent of LGBT millennials surveyed are concerned about rising rents, and 59 percent say they plan to have children in the future, both of which are potential motivators for purchasing a home.

“While a vast majority of LGBT millennials believe homeownership is a good investment, interestingly enough, about half those who currently do not own a home stated they are not knowledgeable about homeownership,” adds Chris. “This presents a great opportunity for us as an

Agent Reviews: The vast majority of LGBT respondents considering purchasing a home would look for a real estate professional with the highest reviews on service and responsiveness (95 percent) over those with the highest number of home sales (5 percent).

Family Planning: Although lesbian women are more likely to have children than gay men, nearly 60 percent of all LGBT millennials plan to have children in the future. Therefore, quality of school districts and lifestyle considerations such as proximity to parks may likely become increasingly important as this group continues to enter the real estate market.

Design in Mind: For LGBT respondents looking to purchase a home, outdoor living space (48 percent a strong priority) and an open concept living area (44 percent a strong priority) reign supreme. RE For more information, visit www.BHGRE.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 91

your contact information and have a form they can submit. Capture clients who are ready to schedule a showing by using technology to let them schedule it online.

When HomeTeam Inspection Service began offering online scheduling, it made the process much easier for clients who were ready to book a home inspection. They no longer had to fill out a form and wait for a call back to see if there was an opening, and most importantly, they could easily schedule a time that was convenient for them.

Using Technology to Streamline the Real Estate Transaction Commentary by Adam Long

I

t’s no secret that technology has profoundly changed the way we do business.

As business leaders and business owners, it begs the question: How can we embrace technology to streamline the real estate transaction?

Establish a Communication Plan The way that people prefer to communicate can vary by age, location and a number of other factors.

Some clients want to pick up the phone and speak to a person. Others prefer to email, while younger generations often choose to communicate via text.

Find out what your clients preferred method of communication is and use it to help ensure that messages are being received so that you do not waste valuable time playing phone tag, sending emails that will be ignored or text messages that get 92 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

lost in translation.

Make It Convenient Consumers today want information right now. Odds are good that by the time a client reaches out to you, they’ve already done their online research on you, your company and your competition.

Build your website with options that are well suited for each client’s specific needs. Those who are in the research stage will benefit from a list of frequently asked questions and your bio. For those who have additional questions, prominently display

Partner with Technology Leaders in Every Stage of the Process Technology offerings like online signature of agreements, automated inspection reminders and digital report access are just a few of the ways technology can expedite the home inspection process.

HomeTeam provides a personal inspection dashboard that real estate agents can access to schedule inspections and view past inspection reports directly from an app on their mobile phone.

Recommending a home inspection company that understands technology will give you and your clients the information you need, when you need it.

Ensure the Smoothest Transaction Possible When utilized properly, technology can work to strengthen communication, efficiency and partnerships, resulting in a positive experience for the client, which ultimately leads to something that technology cannot replace—repeat and referral business. RE

Adam Long is vice president, HomeTeam Inspection Service. For more information, visit www.hometeam.com.

New Report Finds Waiting to Buy a Home Could Cost Thousands

W

ith interest rates and home prices expected to climb in the next year, the financial penalties of delaying or forgoing a home purchase in today’s market have become very steep, according to the inaugural Opportunity Cost Report recently released by realtor.com®, a leading provider of online real estate services operated by News Corp subsidiary Move, Inc. The proprietary report examines a wide range of factors, including the long-term financial impact of owning versus renting a home, the likely monetary gain renters forego in waiting to buy and the financial benefits of homeownership by market.

“Current market conditions give buyers the opportunity to build substantial wealth in the long-term, compared with renters and later buyers, in advance of the projected increase in mortgage rates and continuing price appreciation,” says Jonathan Smoke, chief economist for realtor.com®. “The problem is inventory is low, which has many would-be homebuyers—especially first timers—standing on the sidelines and missing out on potentially material financial gains.”

Nationally, the estimated wealth

an average buyer would accumulate over a 30-year period based on today’s dollars totals $217,726.

Although some markets are more buyer-friendly than others, national data shows homeowners see significant financial benefits as compared to lifetime renters. In 88 percent of MSAs, buying a home produces a financial benefit of at least $100,000 over 30 years.

Ten markets offer an especially considerable upside to owning, with estimated 30-year financial gains above $500,000, and opportunity costs of waiting three years as high as $200,000. These MSAs, in California and other Western states, are relatively expensive markets with strong housing demand and limited supply. The potential long-term wealth in these areas is the great-

est nationwide, and likewise, the long-term financial penalty for delaying ownership is substantial, due to price appreciation, escalating rents, and higher mortgage rates on the horizon.

“This analysis looks solely at the financial reasons to buy a home, based on assumptions about rising mortgage rates and changes in home values,” Smoke says. “It’s important to remember that a home purchase decision is deeply personal. Potential buyers need to consider factors such as upcoming life events, job security and potential relocation, in addition to financial benefits, because they too can have a significant impact on ownership.” RE For more information, visit www.realtor.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 93

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

Index of Preferred Providers The leading companies providing services to the real estate and relocation industries ABR®....................................................................................... 96 American Home Shield............................................................. 96 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices........................................... 96 Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate LLC............................ 96 Buffini & Company................................................................... 96 Carrington Real Estate Services................................................ 96 Centralized Showing Service..................................................... 96 Century 21 Real Estate LLC...................................................... 96 Certified New Home SpecialistTM............................................... 96 Coldwell Banker®..................................................................... 96 Contractor ConnectionSM........................................................... 96 CRS Data................................................................................. 97 DocuSign................................................................................. 96 Dotsignal................................................................................. 97 Engel & Völkers........................................................................ 97 ERA Franchise Systems, LLC..................................................... 97 Equity Real Estate.................................................................... 97 FeedbackCentral...................................................................... 97 First American Home Buyers Protection Corporation®................ 97 HomeFinder.com...................................................................... 97 Homes.com............................................................................. 97 HomeSmart International......................................................... 97 HSA Home Warranty................................................................. 98 Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.......................... 98 MRE (Mobile Real Estate)......................................................... 98 National Association of REALTORS®.......................................... 98 On The Move, Inc...................................................................... 98 The Personal Marketing Company............................................. 98 Pillar To Post Home Inspectors.................................................. 98 Point2...................................................................................... 98 Quicken Loans......................................................................... 98 The Real Estate Book............................................................... 99 Real Living Real Estate............................................................. 99 Real Pro Systems..................................................................... 99 Realogy Holdings Corp............................................................. 99 realtor.com®............................................................................ 99 Realtors Property Resource®.................................................... 99 Realty ONE Group.................................................................... 99 RE/MAX, LLC............................................................................ 99 RentalRoost, Inc....................................................................... 99 RIS Consulting Services........................................................... 99 RISMedia’s Top 5 in Real Estate Network®................................ 99 Showing Beacon.................................................................... 100 Stewart Title........................................................................... 100 Top Producer® CRM................................................................ 100 VoicePad................................................................................ 100 Workman Success Systems.................................................... 100 zipLogix.................................................................................. 100

RREIN Service Providers

Ascent Real Estate, Inc........................................................... 100 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate... 100 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS®....100 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Florida Network Realty..... 101 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty................... 101 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS®.....101 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties............ 101 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties............ 101 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties.................101 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty............101 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Mason-McDuffie........ 101 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty............... 101 Calcagni Real Estate.............................................................. 101 CENTURY 21 AllPoints Realty.................................................. 102 CENTURY 21 Award................................................................ 102 CENTURY 21 New Millennium................................................. 102 CENTURY 21 Scheetz............................................................. 102 Coach REALTORS®................................................................. 102 Coldwell Banker Advantage..................................................... 102 Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper, REALTORS®............................. 102 Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty.................................. 102 Coldwell Banker Prime Properties........................................... 102 Diane Turton, REALTORS®....................................................... 102 Fillmore Real Estate............................................................... 103 First Team® Real Estate.......................................................... 103 GARDNER, REALTORS®........................................................... 103 Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate.............................................. 103 Harry Norman, REALTORS®..................................................... 103 J. Rockcliff REALTORS®........................................................... 103 Jordan Baris, Inc., REALTORS®................................................ 103 Kinlin Grover Real Estate Real Living....................................... 103 Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc................................................ 103 Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty.................... 104 McCOLLY Real Estate.............................................................. 104 Page Taft Real Living............................................................... 104 Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate.............................................. 104 Randall, REALTORS® Real Living...................................................104 Real Estate Teams, LLC..................................................................104 RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central......................................... 104 RE/MAX of Boulder, Inc.......................................................... 104 RE/MAX Crossroads............................................................... 104 RE/MAX Gateway................................................................... 104 RE/MAX Professionals............................................................ 104

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 95

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, a subsidiary of The ServiceMaster Company, founded the home warranty industry in 1971 and remains the industry leader. Servicing more than 1.3 million customers across 49 states, the company also issues and administers preventive maintenance contracts on major home systems and appliances in 48 states. The Memphis-based company operates three customer service centers, employs approximately 1,600 people and has a national contractor network made up of more than 10,000 independent home-service contractors.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES (800) 666-6634 • www.berkshirehathawayhs.com Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is a brand-new real estate brokerage network built for a new era in residential real estate.

The network, among the few organizations entrusted to use the world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway name, brings to the market a definitive mark of trust, integrity, stability and longevity. The brand, grounded in the financial strength, efficiency and tradition of its HomeServices of America parent company, will change the face of residential real estate.

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS® REAL ESTATE LLC (866) 616-4224 • Madison, N.J. • Sherry Chris, President & CEO Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate LLC launched its international franchise system in the residential real estate marketplace in July 2008. In October 2007, Realogy, a global franchising with company-owned real estate brokerage operations doing business under its franchise systems as well as relocation and title services, entered into a 50-year agreement to license the Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate brand from Meredith Corporation, one of the nation’s leading media and marketing companies. For more information, visit www.realogy.com/media, or participate on the company blog at www.bhgrealestateblog.com.

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.

CARRINGTON REAL ESTATE SERVICES (877) 330-2773 • Carringtonrealestate.com/Join Carrington Real Estate Services is one of the 18 companies under the Carrington Holding Company, LLC. Together, these businesses cover virtually every aspect of the single-family residential real estate transaction, including investment in U.S. real estate and mortgage 96 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

markets, loan origination and service, asset management and property preservation, rentals, title and escrow services. By leveraging our family ties, we have grown to be one of the largest residential real estate brokerages in the country in just five short years. Join our network of more than 1,200 sales professionals serving 26 states.

CENTRALIZED SHOWING SERVICE (877) 688-SHOW (7469) • www.showings.com • Overland Park, Kan. Established in 1994, Centralized Showing Service is one of the nation’s premier home-showing, appointment-setting services, with six call centers that service 70+ markets across the country. Each year, more than 15 million showings are scheduled for their more than 139,000 agent members. Agents can compile detailed showing reports and enter feedback into reports that can be given to sellers to keep them informed.

CENTURY 21 REAL ESTATE LLC (877) 221-2765 • www.century21.com • Madison, N.J. • Rick Davidson, President & CEO Century 21 Real Estate LLC is a leading global residential franchise real estate sales organization, with approximately 6,900 independently owned and operated franchised brokerages and more than 100,000 independent real estate professionals in 78 countries and territories worldwide. The Century 21® System capitalizes on brand marketing, promotions and sponsorships, and fundraising efforts with Easter Seals to build brand awareness and preference.

Technology initiatives include both English and Spanish-language consumer Web sites, www.century21.com and www.century21. com/espanol, a recently redesigned intranet site, www.21Online. com, and the Century 21 Learning System®, a web-based learning platform. Century 21 Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp.

CERTIFIED NEW HOME SPECIALISTTM (800) 428-1122 • www.sellnewhomes.com SellNewHomes.com is the online headquarters for Certified New Home Specialist™ and Residential Construction Certified™ training, sales systems and marketing tools, created by Dennis Walsh & Associates, Inc. Based in Newport Beach, Calif., the company is owned and operated by nationally recognized new home, real estate and construction experts Dennis and Teresa Walsh. The Walshes have established Certified New Home Specialist™ as the No. 1 brand of training and support products for new home sales success. To learn more contactus@sellnewhomes.com.

COLDWELL BANKER® www.coldwellbanker.com/join Coldwell Banker®, the original Silicon Valley real estate start-up founded in 1906, continues to lead the real estate industry with an insatiable appetite for innovation and exceptional experiences. Following a series of industry firsts, including the debut of Coldwell Banker On LocationTM YouTube channel, the consumerfacing Blue Matter blog and the revamped coldwellbanker.com platform that allows sellers to post their own comments, photos and videos about their home, Coldwell Banker recently launched CBx, an exclusive iPad app that allows Coldwell Banker affiliated agents to utilize big data to augment their listing presentations.

CONTRACTOR CONNECTIONSM www.contractorconnection.com Contractor ConnectionSM is a seamless solution to secure repairs for damages and restoration work. From claim response to finished repairs, the customer has a complete solution. Contractor Connection is the only national network of managed contractors vetted and overseen by a robust tracking system measuring time,

costs and customer satisfaction. For more information, please visit www.contractorconnection.com.

subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp.

CRS DATA

(800) 789-9995 • equity-usa.com Equity Real Estate was founded in 2002 on the premise of being just and fair in all dealings. The company achieved prominence in its market of origin with a 17% market share and has since expanded across the nation with an impressive 20%+/year growth rate.

Equity provides an unprecedented suite of tools and resources for the amazingly low, flat fee of $499/transaction. Equity Real Estate is a privately-owned, debt-free company.

www.crsdata.com Since 1989, CRS Data has provided you with a wealth of tax data. Our new, customized MLS Tax Suite by CRS Data integrates seamlessly into your MLS system and gives REALTORS® current tax data, detailed maps and robust features on all browsers and mobile devices. Find listings and FSBOs quickly, evaluate them effectively and give clients professional presentations. We’re proud to provide a personal customer service experience to support our intuitive MLS Tax Suite. Learn more by visiting www.crsdata.com.

DOCUSIGN (866) 219-4318 • www.docusign.com/nar • Seattle, Wash.

• Suzanne Alberti, Marketing Campaigns Program Manager - Web DocuSign is part of the National Association of REALTORS®’ Second Century Ventures investment portfolio and is the official and exclusive provider of ESIGN services for NAR members under the REALTOR Benefits® program. Offering the exclusive REALTOR® Edition, DocuSign is the safe, secure way to electronically send, sign and store real estate documents. DocuSigned documents are legally binding and backed with an audit trail.

DOTSIGNAL (866) 403-6010 • www.dotsignal.com Dotsignal is a mobile platform company with a single focus of helping clients engage with consumers using mobile technology. Dotsignal RE is designed to make “mobile” a significant part of the real estate brokerage business. Dotsignal was founded by CEO Matthew Simons in 2010 and represents the mobile initiatives of enterprise clients spanning a range of industries, including some of the largest and most respected brands in real estate. For more information, visit www.Dotsignal.com and www.facebook.com/dotsignal.

ENGEL & VÖLKERS (212) 234-3100 • www.evusa.com Since its beginning in 1977 as a specialty boutique providing exclusive, high-end real estate services in Hamburg, Germany, Engel & Völkers has become one of the world’s leading companies specializing in the sale and lease of premium residential and commercial property and yachts. Engel & Völkers currently operates a global network of over 5,000 real estate advisors in 500 residential brokerages and 43 commercial offices spanning 38 countries across six continents, offering both private and institutional clients a professionally tailored range of luxury services. Committed to exceptional service, Engel & Völkers supports its advisors with an array of premium quality business services; marketing programs and tools; multiple platforms for mobile, social and web; as well as access to its global network of real estate professionals, property listings and market data.

ERA FRANCHISE SYSTEMS, LLC (800) 869-1260 • www.era.com • Madison, N.J. • Charlie Young, President & CEO Since 1971, ERA Franchise Systems, LLC, a global residential real estate leader, has set new standards in customer service, technology and training for the real estate industry. Top-notch offerings from ERA Real Estate include the Sellers Security® Plan, a comprehensive home protection plan, and ERA.com, its award-winning consumer website. The ERA network includes approximately 2,300 independently owned and operated offices with more than 33,000 brokers and independent sales associates throughout the United States and 34 other countries and territories. ERA Franchise Systems, Inc. is a

EQUITY REAL ESTATE

FEEDBACKCENTRAL (366) 369-3215 • www.feedbackcentral.com • Bedford, Texas FeedbackCentral.com contacts showing agents on behalf of sellers or listing agents to collect the feedback necessary to more effectively communicate buyer reaction to their homes. This service is available in two plans. FeedbackCentral.com Online is an automated email system in which showing agents are contacted to provide online feedback. FeedbackCentral.com Voice utilizes FBC representatives to contact showing agents via telephone to gather information on showings.

FIRST AMERICAN HOME BUYERS PROTECTION CORPORATION® (800) 444-9030 • https://homewarranty.firstam.com/realtor.aspx First American Home Buyers Protection is a leading provider of home warranties. We offer homeowners, home buyers and home sellers protection against costly repairs and replacements on their home’s essential systems and appliances. Our services are supported by a national network of independent pre-screened and qualified contractors. Founded in California in 1984, the company operates two call centers in California and one in Arizona, and is a member of the First American Financial Corporation family of companies.

HOMEFINDER.COM (866) 920-9493 • www.homefinder.com/agents-and-brokers • Chicago, Ill. HomeFinder.com is a leading online real estate search site and provider of strategic digital marketing solutions. The 20,000 real estate agents that comprise the HomeFinder.com advertising network utilize a unique suite of product offerings, including a patent pending Single Property Website. Through a national affiliate network of 375 online newspaper partners, HomeFinder.com is the only real estate search site to also provide relevant listing content to homebuyers through local online newspaper portals.

HOMES.COM (866) 697-3308 • http://connect.homes.com/ Homes.com offers brand advertising, lead generation, online reputation and marketing solutions to connect you with over 12.5 million consumers monthly! With a high average visit time, consumers visiting Homes.com are more engaged and more likely to buy when compared to visitors of other national real estate websites.

Connect with these motivated homebuyers and sellers with the most powerful suite of tools for your real estate business—and convert more leads to closed transactions.

HOMESMART INTERNATIONAL (800) 865-9025 • www.homesmartfranchise.com Founded in 2000, HomeSmart International is one of the fastest growing real estate companies in the nation with 66 offices in 14 different states, two countries and more than 7,500 agents.

HomeSmart International strives on the fundamental principles of efficiency and innovation by offering the systems and technologies necessary to stay on the leading edge of success.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 97

HSA HOME WARRANTY (800) 367-1448 • www.onlinehsa.com • Madison, Wis. • Mike Clear, President HSA Home Warranty provides home warranty coverage in 48 states and E&O insurance in all 50 states. The HSA Home Warranty repairs or replaces mechanical systems and appliances that fail due to normal wear and tear during the coverage period. With HSA Home Warranty, real estate professionals minimize their risk by lowering their exposure to liability. They avoid post-sale disputes about who should pay for the repair, and they can get the problem fixed quickly and conveniently by making just one call to HSA.

LEADING REAL ESTATE COMPANIES OF THE WORLD® 312-424-0400 • www.LeadingRE.com Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® is a global network of over 500 premier real estate firms with 4,000 offices and 120,000 sales associates in over 40 countries around the world.

The company’s luxury marketing program, Luxury Portfolio International®, markets over 25,000 of the world’s most remarkable homes annually and attracts over three million high-net worth visitors a year to its award-winning website, LuxuryPortfolio.com.

Its corporate relocation company, RELO Direct®, Inc., provides global employee mobility services to corporations worldwide.

MRE (MOBILE REAL ESTATE) (877) 720-0988 • www.MobileRealEstateID.com · Seth Kaplan, National Sales Director MRE is a mobile marketing and technology company that helps real estate agents, brokers and real estate-related firms power their mobile initiatives. Our suite of products for real estate professionals allows them to incorporate complex mobile technology throughout their existing marketing mix to reach consumers on all mobile devices. MRE will ensure real estate professionals are positioned to promote their brand and listings to buyers and sellers across all mobile devices.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (800) 874-6500 • www.REALTOR.org • Chicago, Ill. • Dale Stinton, Chief Executive Officer •B ob Goldberg, Sr. VP, Sales & Marketing, Business Development & Strategic Investments, Professional Development, Conventions • K enneth Burlington, VP, Strategic Alliances, Business Development, Product & Sales Management • Karen Bebart, VP, Marketing, Digital Marketing, Marketing Research • Matt Lombardi, VP, Conventions •M arc Gould, VP, Business Specialties, Dean, Student Services, REALTOR® University • Constance Freedman, VP Strategic Investments, Second Century Ventures The term REALTOR® identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. NAR members have access to the REALTOR Benefits® Program, the official member benefits resource for discounts and special offers on products and services just for REALTORS®. Program partners are industry leaders who understand the unique needs of real estate professionals and are committed to your success. Visit www.REALTOR.org/RealtorBenefits. NAR is also proud to make the .REALTOR domain available exclusively to members to help them stand out in the marketplace as the trusted source for real estate for consumers. Visit http://about.

REALTOR. And, for a lifetime of learning, REALTOR® University can take your career to the next level, with continuing education courses, earning a designation or certification, or a Master in Real Estate degree. Visit www.REALTORU.com. The REALTOR® Store features print and ePublications including top-selling “Social Media for RE98 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ALTORS®,” and the “2014 NAR Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers.”

Visit http://store.REALTOR.org. Additionally, NAR’s venture capital arm, Second Century Ventures, has invested in companies that push forward innovation in the real estate industry and can benefit NAR’s members. Visit www.secondcenturyventures.com.

ON THE MOVE, INC. (800) 645-9949 • www.onthemovetrucks.com • Boerne, Texas • Susan Nash, President/CEO • Sylvain Mallaise, Director of Sales • CJ Steen, Marketing Director On The Move’s trucks are moving billboards personalized with your company’s graphics and can be used for free by your clients. This moving billboard can be driven around town by drivers you do not have to pay, using gas you do not have to provide, while making thousands of visual impressions daily. A billboard can cost more than $1,000 per month. For less money you can obtain a rental truck for your clients to use and to even donate its use for community goodwill.

THE PERSONAL MARKETING COMPANY (800) 458-8245 • www.tpmco.com • Lenexa, Kan. The Personal Marketing Company creates marketing systems for agents to become known in their market and attract clients for long-term success. Our marketing development team brings proven marketing expertise, cutting-edge technology and personal service to develop customized marketing solutions which can include: direct mail, email marketing, contact management, prospecting and farming, newsletter programs, FSBO and expired campaigns, client follow-up systems and marketing planning services.

PILLAR TO POST HOME INSPECTORS (800) 294-5591 • www.pillartopost.com • Tampa, Fla. · Jay Gregg, Marketing Founded in 1994, Pillar To Post is now the largest home inspection company in North America with over 400 franchisees located in 47 states and eight Canadian provinces. The Pillar To Post difference includes printing a computer generated report on-site at the time of the inspection, requiring each inspector to carry $1 million in E+O insurance that covers both the agent and the broker, and three unique home inspection packages designed to better suit the individual needs of our clients.

POINT2 (888) 955-7900 • www.Point2Agent.com • Saskatoon, Canada • Linda Moola, Director of Sales, Syndication, MLS and Association Services (lmoola@point2.com) Point2 (www.point2.com) provides real estate marketing and lead management software to brokers and agents in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa, as well as listing data aggregation and syndication solutions to real estate MLSs, Boards and Associations across the U.S. and Canada. Point2’s solutions also include the consumer real estate listings portal, Point2 Homes, as well as end-to-end property management software for small to medium size organizations, managing up to 1,000 units.

Point2 is a Yardi Systems Inc. (www.yardi.com) brand.

QUICKEN LOANS (866) 718-9842 • AgentRelations@QuickenLoans.com For nearly 30 years, Quicken Loans has been celebrated for providing amazing mortgage services. For five years in a row, J.D. Power has ranked Quicken Loans highest in customer satisfaction for Primary Mortgage Origination. And this year, they’ve also ranked us highest in satisfaction for Mortgage Servicing. We’re currently the leading online lender and the second largest retail mortgage lender in the country. By creating industry-leading

technology, we introduce clarity and speed to the mortgage experience. Every Client. Every Time. No Exceptions. No Excuses.

THE REAL ESTATE BOOK (770) 962-7220 • www.realestatebook.com • Lawrenceville, Ga. The Real Estate Book’s multimedia marketing packages combine print with mobile and digital tools to create the most effective personal branding and lead generation tools and the most complete integrated media buy available. Included are interactive and locally distributed print ads; SMS text lead generation; personally branded web, tablet and mobile sites; GPS-enabled yard signs and more. Go to Store.RealEstateBook.com to find your local Real Estate Book representative.

REAL LIVING REAL ESTATE (866) 373-6228 • www.realliving.com Real Living Real Estate is a full-service real estate brokerage network with a comprehensive and integrated suite of resources for franchisees and their sales professionals, as well as the consumers who work with them. The Real Living brand was recognized by Entrepreneur magazine, received Inman Innovator Awards, and named “the Most Promising New National Brand” by the 2013 Swanepoel TRENDS Report. Real Living Real Estate is a network brand of HSF Affiliates LLC, majority owned by HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate.

REAL PRO SYSTEMS (541) 743-8510 • www.realprosystems.com Real Pro Systems is the leading provider of lead capture and management systems for agents and brokers. Our systems provide integration with many tools that make it a complete Internet marketing system that will engage and manage all your leads. Our systems have over 35 commercially available lead sources that are automatically routed into the system. Since we were founded by active real estate agents, we understand the unique needs of your business. We offer basic solutions for new agents just getting started, robust systems for established agents, and complete management systems for brokers and teams. Best of all, we listen!

REALOGY HOLDINGS CORP. (973) 407-7215 • www.realogy.com • Madison, N.J. • Mark Panus, SVP, Corporate Communications Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY) is a global leader in real estate franchising with company-owned real estate brokerage operations doing business under its franchise systems, as well as relocation and title services. Realogy’s brands and business units include: Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, CENTURY 21®, Coldwell Banker®, Coldwell Banker Commercial®, The Corcoran Group®, ERA®, Sotheby’s International Realty®, ZipRealty®, NRT LLC, Cartus and Title Resource Group. Collectively, Realogy’s franchise system members operate approximately 13,500 offices with more than 251,200 independent sales associates doing business in 105 countries and territories worldwide.

ENGAGE WITH REALTOR.COM® (800) 878-4166 Realtor.com® is real estate’s most accurate site, with listings pulled directly from over 850 MLSs and most listings updated every 15 minutes. Homes for sale on realtor.com® only display the real listing price established between seller and broker, not inaccurate machine generated estimates. Visit realtor.com®.

REALTORS PROPERTY RESOURCE® (888) 914-7771 • http://blog.narrpr.com • Chicago, Ill. • Dale Ross, CEO • Marty Frame, President • Jeff Young, Senior Vice President of Operations/Industry Relations Realtors Property Resource® (RPR) is a national, parcel-centric database which is a free, exclusive benefit for REALTOR® members of the National Association of REALTORS®. The database provides REALTORS® with all available information about every parcel of residential and commercial property in the United States, giving brokers and agents valuable tools and features to make them better informed in order to increase their efficiency in the marketplace.

REALTY ONE GROUP www.RealtyONEGroup.com • (888) 461-0101 Realty ONE Group is a full-service real estate brokerage with more than 4,000 associates. It focuses on providing ethical, professional and results-oriented services to property owners and prospective real estate buyers. Since its inception in 2005, the company has grown to become the No. 1 real estate brokerage in Nevada and the fastest-growing real estate company in Arizona and California.

For more information, visit www.RealtyONEGroup.com.

RE/MAX, LLC (303) 770-5531 • www.remax.com • Denver, Colo.

RE/MAX was founded in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger, who still manage the company today. From a single office in Denver, Colo., RE/MAX has grown to be a global real estate franchise network with more than 100,000 Sales Associates in nearly 100 countries. The consumer website, remax.com, is consistently ranked among the most visited real estate websites, and LeadStreet provides referrals to RE/MAX Sales Associates with no fees from RE/MAX. To learn how RE/MAX can take your career to the next level, visit www.joinremax.com.

RENTALROOST, INC. (925) 357-3783 • www.rentalroost.com • Pleasanton, Calif.

• Nitin Shingate, CEO & Co-founder • Vikram Raghavan, President & Co-founder • Harini Venkatesan, COO & Co-founder • Gabriel Balanag, Director of Business Development • Silvia Englert , Marketing Manager RentalRoost, Inc. is a technology-based rental search and recommendation engine that utilizes social media data and proprietary algorithms to help match users with rental properties. RentalRoost focuses on the users’ livability in each property they search, including how kid-friendly, pet-friendly, and commute-friendly a property is. RentalRoost was founded in 2012. In November 2013, RentalRoost launched nationally.

RIS CONSULTING SERVICES (203) 852-4304 • Norwalk, Conn.

• John Sculley, Managing Dir. • Peg Guinta, Projects Dir. RIS Consulting Services is an independent relocation consulting firm dedicated to designing and implementing comprehensive solutions to mobility issues. We deliver a full range of consulting services to our diverse corporate and relocation service company clients. The executives of RIS Consulting utilize their industry and specialty knowledge to analyze your situation, develop strategic options and implement designed solutions.

RISMEDIA’S TOP 5 IN REAL ESTATE NETWORK® (203) 853-2167 • www.Top5inRealEstate.com RISMedia’s Top 5 in Real Estate® is a membership network of leading real estate professionals who wish to “raise the bar.” Top 5 in Real Estate is a network of select real estate professionals from throughout the U.S. and Canada who have met the Top 5 in Real Estate’s stringent series of various career qualifications and who are RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 99

committed to the future development of their professional skills and services to the consumers and the communities they serve.

tomatically, and manage your business in minutes with Top Producer® CRM. Visit TopProducer.com.

SHOWING BEACON

VOICEPAD

(877) 277-6622 • www.showingbeacon.com • Lenexa, Kan. The Showing BeaconTM is a revolutionary showing notification system that alerts sellers when they can return to their residence after a showing. This patent pending, wireless device can be placed on a counter or tabletop, or hung on the inside of the front door.

At the conclusion of the showing appointment, the agent simply pushes the red button as they leave the residence and a text or voice message is immediately sent to the seller’s mobile device.

Toll-free: (888) 595.7347 • www.voicepad.com VoicePad is the real estate industry’s premier source for lead-generating mobile and Telecom technology. VoicePad supplies real estate brokerages with a comprehensive system that provides listing information on any phone, generates high-quality, actionable leads, tracks all leads on an online dashboard, and helps agents promote their listings through marketing and social media tools.

STEWART TITLE

(801) 987-0085 • www.VerlWorkman.com • Salt Lake City, Utah · Rusty Keys, Events Manager For more than a decade, Verl Workman has been one of the real estate industry’s most popular speakers. Verl delivers the necessary performance skills, the latest and most effective tools, practical lead-generating methods, proven dialogues and systems that work in order to achieve top performance and industry excellence.

Stewart is a customer-focused, global title insurance and real estate services company offering products and services through our direct operations, network of approved agencies and other companies within the Stewart family. Stewart offers personalized service, industry expertise and customized solutions for virtually any type of real estate transaction. Real estate services include title insurance; mobile applications; eco-friendly closings; SureClose® document management system; specialty insurance services; commercial and global expertise and more. For more information, visit www.stewart.com.

TOP PRODUCER® CRM (800) 821-3657 • www.TopProducer.com Top Producer® CRM is the super fast, super easy real estate marketing system that makes it a breeze to build your loyal client base. Keep your sales pipeline running smoothly, follow-up au-

WORKMAN SUCCESS SYSTEMS

ZIPLOGIX (866) 693-6767 • www.zipLogix.com With more than 20 years of experience developing real estate-focused software solutions and used by more real estate professionals than any other program, zipLogix has been established as the industry standard. This experience delivers a completely integrated real estate solution system that is led by zipForm® Plus, the exclusive and official forms software of the National Association of REALTORS®.

RREIN Member Profiles ASCENT REAL ESTATE, INC. (619) 325-4100 • www.ascentrealestate.net Owned and operated in San Diego since 2005, Ascent Real Estate embodies an enviable combination of entrepreneurial energy, comprehensive industry experience, and local market knowledge. This mix lets Ascent “out national” its local competition, thanks to its exceptional professional team and world-class infrastructure, and “out local” the national competition, thanks to its laser-like focus on the specific markets in which it operates.

Our highly productive sales team of approximately 140 agents has elevated Ascent as a leader in marketshare in the Metro San Diego areas that we service. Our agents receive ongoing training and education, and they go above and beyond to deliver the diligent and ethical standard of care we are committed to providing. And, as the exclusive San Diego affiliate of Leverage Global Partners, Ascent Real Estate is a hyper-local brokerage with a global reach.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES AMBASSADOR REAL ESTATE (402) 493-4663 or (800) 477-7653 agents@BHHSamb.com • www.BHHSamb.com Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate is 100 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

dedicated to providing progressive, quality real estate services in Nebraska’s metropolitan Omaha and Lincoln surrounding areas. We service all types of markets: single-family residential, new construction, condos, corporate relocation, third-party relocation, acreages and commercial real estate. With approximately 400 licensed agents, we have an agent to meet your needs regardless of the style, price or age of the property you are looking for. We look forward to helping you sell your home or find that dream home you are looking for. We believe in each other and ourselves. We understand that trust is earned and that good, professional service is an essential part of that.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES C. DAN JOYNER, REALTORS® (800) 476-6650 · www.cdanjoyner.com Locally owned and operated, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS® has been serving communities in Upstate South Carolina since 1964. With more than 275 agents on board and nine offices serving the Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson area, we are ready to assist with any commercial and residential real estate need. In addition to residential and commercial sales, we also offer corporate services, relocation and property management. With a passion for fostering long-term relationships

with our customers and clients while upholding the highest level of professionalism, it’s easy to see why we’ve been the No. 1 real estate company in the Upstate for more than 20 years.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES, FLORIDA NETWORK REALTY (904) 296-1906 • www.FloridaNetworkRealty.com or www.BHHSFloridaNetworkRealty.com Since 1988, Founder, President and CEO Linda H. Sherrer has led a team of more than 300 real estate professionals in eight branch offices in the buying and selling of residential property throughout Northeast Florida. The company also operates a corporate REO and relocation division, a builder sales and marketing division, a title company, a referral company and is in a mortgage partnership with EverBank. During the past decade, the company has sold more than 31,000 homes valued at more than $8.5 billion.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES FLORIDA REALTY (954) 693-0100 • (800) 386-1554 www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com • Sunrise, Fla. • Rei Mesa, CRS, CRB, President & CEO Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty (formerly Prudential Florida Realty) is a full-service brokerage servicing 17 counties throughout Florida and is a wholly owned subsidiary of WCI Communities, Inc. It is a franchise member of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. The company is the fifth largest brokerage in the nation among the affiliate network brokers and offers residential and commercial services, seasonal rentals, property management, REO & foreclosures, corporate relocations, referral services, mortgage, title, insurance, home service plans, and personal concierge services. BHHS Florida Realty is the No. 1 Fundraiser for The Sunshine Kids, having raised over $2.3 million since 2001. For more information, visit www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES FOX & ROACH, REALTORS® (610) 889-7705 • www.foxroach.com Now the nation’s second largest provider of total home services, the company has 4,000 Sales Associates in 65 sales offices throughout the Tri-State area. These two legendary companies have joined forces to begin a new era in real estate. Through its affiliate, the Trident Group, the company provides one-stop shopping and facilitated services to its clients including mortgage financing and title, property and casualty insurance. For more information on Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS®, go to www.foxroachfuture.com. Visit our website at www.foxroach.com.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES GEORGIA PROPERTIES (770) 992-4100 • www.BHHSGeorgia.com BHHS Georgia Properties has 22 locations and 1,100 agents, and is an independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Under the leadership of CEO Dan Forsman, the company is known for innovation and delivering exceptional value to associates and their clients. BHHS Georgia Properties is ranked No. 1 in homes sold, buyers represented and overall transactions for 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010 for the Greater Metro Atlanta area.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES NEVADA PROPERTIES (800) 735-4488 • www.BHHSNV.com With more than 260,000 homes sold and 35 years in the industry, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties is the leader in Las Vegas real estate. Consistently rated among the top brokers in the nation, our agents successfully help families find their dream homes. With six area offices, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties is a full-service brokerage focused on quality service and the development of its agents. Call today to see how we can help increase your business.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES SELECT PROPERTIES (314) 835-6000 • www.bhhsselectstl.com Since 2002, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties has helped keep the St. Louis real estate market local. With 11 offices in the metro area, BHHS Select ranks as the No. 1 locallyowned real estate firm in St. Louis. BHHS Select prides itself on providing the highest quality real estate brokerage services to its clients and customers and takes pride in being recognized in the community for high standards and ethics.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES THE PREFERRED REALTY (800) 860-7653 • www.thepreferredrealty.com As one of southwestern Pennsylvania’s largest real estate companies, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty provides quality service, care and expertise. No matter what your real estate needs, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty’s team of expert and experienced real estate professionals can help. As a full-service real estate company, BHHS The Preferred Realty provides real estate buying and selling services, mortgage and financing, title and settlement, property management, insurance, relocation services and more.

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS REAL ESTATE MASON-MCDUFFIE (888) 971-4636 • www.bhghome.com Founded in 1887 as Mason-McDuffie Real Estate and transitioning to the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Mason-McDuffie name in 2010, we are the 17th largest real estate services firm in the nation (RISMedia), No. 1 in the San Francisco East Bay (SF Business Times), and a leading innovator of real estate technology solutions to our agents and clients. With 29 offices and 1,700 agents, we bring a fresh approach to the business through the universal awareness of the Better Homes and Gardens brand.

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS REAL ESTATE RAND REALTY info@randrealty.com • www.RandRealty.com Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty, founded in 1984, is the No. 1 real estate brokerage serving the northern suburbs of New York City, covering the counties of Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Sullivan and Putnam in New York and Bergen and Passaic in New Jersey. Rand has more than 850 sales associates, a commercial real estate company (Rand Commercial Services) along with title, mortgage, and insurance services (Hudson United). The companies can be found online at RandRealty.com, RandCommercial.com and HudsonUnited.com.

CALCAGNI REAL ESTATE (203) 272-1821 • www.calcagni.com • www.land-consulting.com Calcagni Associates is the premier independently owned and RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 101

operated real estate company servicing central Connecticut for over four decades. We understand the benefits of providing service that goes beyond what is expected and pride ourselves on establishing lifelong relationships with our clients. In addition to residential real estate, we also specialize in land consulting and new construction, and have divisions that handle bank-owned properties and commercial real estate.

CENTURY 21 ALLPOINTS REALTY (800) 525-7793 • www.C21AllPointsRealty.com CENTURY 21 AllPoints Realty is an award-winning, full-service real estate company with six offices serving Connecticut. We work with buyers and sellers in our own communities and throughout the country, establishing lifelong relationships by delivering outstanding service when it comes to any of their real estate needs.

CENTURY 21 AWARD (800) 293-1657 • www.century21award.com CENTURY 21 Award is the premier southern California-based, full-service real estate company serving San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties from 15 distinctive office locations. Our 1,000 professional agents and staff are fully equipped to assist you with all of your real estate needs. Our services include residential, commercial, relocation, property management and bank-owned properties.

CENTURY 21 NEW MILLENNIUM (800) 727-6888 • www.c21nm.com CENTURY 21 New Millennium is a full-service real estate brokerage company specializing in residential and luxury properties.

In addition to its newest Washington D.C. location, the Virginia locations are in Alexandria, Centreville, Culpeper, Fredericksburg, Gainesville, McLean, Stafford and Woodbridge. The Maryland offices are located in Annapolis, Columbia, Dunkirk, La Plata, Lexington Park, Lusby and Waldorf. Our core services include: mortgage financing, investing, settlement services, property management, property insurance, global relocation assistance, and commercial real estate.

CENTURY 21 SCHEETZ (317) 844-5111 • www.c21scheetz.com CENTURY 21 Scheetz has serviced the Metropolitan Indianapolis Market since 1976 and is the No. 1 CENTURY 21 office in the Indiana/Ohio region as well as one of the top 10 companies in the CENTURY 21 System. CENTURY 21 Scheetz Company was awarded the 2011 CENTURY 21 Art Bartlett 2100 Cup, the most coveted company award in the CENTURY 21® System. The CENTURY 21 System continues to evolve and change and is not afraid of new ideas and innovative ways of doing business, excels in customer service and professionalism, and embraces all of the CENTURY 21 tools and systems.

COACH REALTORS® (800) 321-7356 x139 • www.coachrealtors.com · LP Finn, Operating Officer, LP@coachrealtors.com Coach REALTORS® is a Long Island-based, full-service real estate company with 18 office locations and over 600 sales associates serving Nassau and Suffolk counties, N.Y. Coach REALTORS® is an exclusive affiliate of Christie’s Great Estates, a division of the famed auction house, a member of Leading Real Estate Com102 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

panies of the World® and has been recognized by Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate for over 14 years.

COLDWELL BANKER ADVANTAGE (800) 274-5345 • info@AdvantageCB.com Coldwell Banker Advantage is a leading real estate company in the Fayetteville/Triangle area of North Carolina and is a nationally ranked Coldwell Banker office serving the communities of Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Cary, Raleigh, Wake Forest, Creedmoor, Clayton, Durham, Benson, Southern Pines, Pinehurst and Lake Gaston. Coldwell Banker Advantage represents the highest levels of experience, knowledge and customer service. Our full-service office can assist with mortgage financing, insurance, title insurance and in-house Concierge Service.

COLDWELL BANKER D’ANN HARPER, REALTORS® (210) 483-7002 • www.cbharper.com Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper, REALTORS® is the largest full-service real estate company 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 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. The company has earned the prestigious Coldwell Banker Chairman Circle award continuously since 1990.

COLDWELL BANKER KAPPEL GATEWAY REALTY (800) 426-0898 • www.KappelGateway.com Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty was created through the merger of Kappel & Kappel Realty, Inc. and Solano Gateway Realty, Inc. Both firms, founded in 1972, are the market leaders in Solano County, combining more than $600 million in sales dollar volume in 2012 and welcoming more than 240 agents in seven offices serving Solano County, with branch offices in Vacaville, Fairfield, Dixon and Green Valley. Eighty-five percent of our business is derived from returning and referred clients, a true testament to our clients’ high level of satisfaction with our services and our trusted real estate professionals. Call (800) 426-0898 or log on to our website at www.KappelGateway.com.

COLDWELL BANKER PRIME PROPERTIES (866) 323-2277 • www.ColdwellBankerPrime.com With 15 sales offices and 500+ full-time real estate professionals, Coldwell Banker Prime Properties is the No. 1 Coldwell Banker affiliate in New York State. Coldwell Banker Prime Properties is a full-service brokerage dedicated to meeting and exceeding the needs of their clients, customers and sales associates. If you want a successful career in real estate, call us today.

DIANE TURTON, REALTORS® (877) DTURTON • www.dianeturton.com Founded in 1986, Diane Turton, REALTORS® is a full-service real estate company with 16 offices throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties in New Jersey. Whether you’re looking to buy,

sell or rent in New Jersey, you’ll receive service that will surpass your expectations. Diane Turton, REALTORS® consistently ranks in the top of the markets it serves. The firm also provides a full range of financial services through Turton Signature Services, including home mortgages, property and casualty insurance and title insurance.

FILLMORE REAL ESTATE (800) 528-6673 • www.fillmore.com Fillmore Real Estate is the New York Metro Area’s largest independently owned real estate broker. Specializing in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Bronx and parts of Westchester, Fillmore has residential, commercial and rental divisions. For more information, visit us at www.fillmore.com or call us at (800) 528-6673.

FIRST TEAM® REAL ESTATE (888) 236-1943 • www.FirstTeam.com First Team® Real Estate is the No. 1 privately held real estate company in Southern California with 2,000 agents and employees across 60 locations. First Team wins marketshare in any economic climate through innovation and proprietary marketing tools, and by successfully targeting the luxury market with First Team Estates®. Contact First Team today to find out how we have helped thousands of families realize their dream of homeownership— and how we can help you find yours.

GARDNER, REALTORS® (800) 566-7801 • www.GardnerRealtors.com Since 1943, GARDNER, REALTORS® continues our tradition of excellence as the leading full-service real estate company in the Southeast Louisiana and Southern Mississippi Region. The GARDNER Real Estate Family includes over 800 real estate professionals in 24 neighborhood offices that serve over 100 communities. Our professional services include residential and commercial sales & leasing, relocation and corporate services, asset management/REO, and property management; plus, the convenience and added value of one-stop shopping for mortgage, title and home warranty services. We are proud to be home grown, locally owned and internationally known. Also, we love to give back to the communities we serve through GARDNER LOVE, which is the philanthropic arm of GARDNER, REALTORS® and The Gertrude Gardner Foundation.

GLORIA NILSON & CO. REAL ESTATE (732) 450-2300 • www.glorianilson.com Founded over 35 years ago, Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate is one of the leading real estate brokerages in central New Jersey with 20 offices servicing Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties. Headquartered in Red Bank, N.J., we’re owned by SCS Realty Investment Group LLC and led by 40-year real estate veteran Dick Schlott. We are a full-service brokerage offering real estate, title and mortgage services. Our success is built on a commitment to redefining personal service.

HARRY NORMAN, REALTORS® (404) 504-7300 • www.harrynorman.com Founded in 1930, Harry Norman, REALTORS® is Atlanta’s oldest and largest residential real estate firm with 12 sales offices, various franchise and satellite offices, and more than 1,000 real estate professionals. Harry Norman, REALTORS® is a wholly-owned

subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. Harry Norman, REALTORS® is the exclusive Atlanta affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate and achieves additional international exposure through membership in such exclusive real estate networks as Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, the largest network of independent residential real estate firms with 600 members representing 5,000 offices and 150,000 associates across the U.S. and in more than 35 countries.

J. ROCKCLIFF REALTORS® (925) 251-2501 • www.rockcliff.com • www.rockliffcares.com J. Rockcliff REALTORS®, located east of San Francisco, is the East Bay’s premier real estate company. Recently named No. 1 in residential sales (in the East Bay) by the San Francisco Business Times, J. Rockcliff specializes in service. With leading-edge technology, state-of-the-art marketing across multiple mediums, the most experienced management team in the Bay Area and dedicated, ethical and professional agents, our goal is to provide a client experience that is second to none. With almost 600 agents and nine offices, J. Rockcliff REALTORS® is the fastest growing real estate company in the East Bay.

JORDAN BARIS, INC., REALTORS® (800) 4-JBARIS • (973) 736-1600 • www.JordanBaris.com info@jordanbaris.com Founded in 1952, Jordan Baris Inc., REALTORS® is among the most respected full-service real estate brokerages in Northern New Jersey. With a team of close to 150 associates, the firm operates offices in West Orange and South Orange, with teams focused on Essex, Morris, Union and Hudson counties. Jordan Baris, Inc. offers real estate brokerage to buyers and sellers of residential and commercial properties, developers, tenants and landlords; title services through JB Title Agency, LLC; and global relocation services through its membership with the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.

KINLIN GROVER REAL ESTATE REAL LIVING (508) 420-1130 • www.kinlingrover.com Kinlin Grover has 16 real estate offices covering Cape Cod from the bridges to Provincetown, specializing in the marketing and sale of waterfront, village, commercial properties and fine homes.

From the very beginning, the Kinlin Grover mission has remained constant: “To help our clients make the best real estate decisions and to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.” In addition, Kinlin Grover Vacation Rentals is the largest real estate firm on Cape Cod with over 600 privately owned Cape Cod Vacation Rental Homes. We value every client and pledge to deliver unsurpassed service as trusted advisors, expert facilitators and skilled negotiators.

LONG & FOSTER REAL ESTATE, INC. (866) 677-6937 ∙ www.LongandFoster.com Long & Foster Real Estate, the largest independent residential real estate company in the country, is part of The Long & Foster Companies, which includes Prosperity Home Mortgage, Long & Foster Insurance and Long & Foster Settlement Services. It is the exclusive affiliate for Christie’s International Real Estate throughout select parts of the Mid-Atlantic, and a founding affiliate of LeadingRE, a prestigious global network that includes Luxury

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 103

Portfolio International®. Long & Foster represents over 10,000 agents in seven states, plus Washington, D.C.

LUSK & ASSOCIATES SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY (717) 291-9101 • www.LuskandAssociates.com When you work with Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty, you can count on specialists who can answer your questions, apply in-depth knowledge of current market conditions, and access extensive resources that can expedite the sale of your home. Call us today for your real estate needs.

MCCOLLY REAL ESTATE (800) 348-2100 x206 • www.mccolly.com Since 1974, thousands of families in Northwest Indiana and Chicago Southland have trusted their home-buying, -selling and relocation needs to the more than 500 sales professionals at McCOLLY Real Estate. We’ve created a one-stop shopping environment to save you time and money with our in-house mortgage, title and rental services.

PAGE TAFT REAL LIVING (203) 453-6511 • www.pagetaft.com Since opening its Guilford office in 1980, Page Taft has expanded its presence with offices in the historic towns of Madison and Essex, Conn. Page Taft agents foster long-term relationships with clients based on a strong foundation of trust and an unsurpassed commitment to excellence. These unique strengths set us apart from our competitors and make us your most valuable resource in fulfilling your real estate needs.

PATTERSON-SCHWARTZ REAL ESTATE (877) 456-4663 • www.pattersonschwartz.com pattersonschwartz@psre.com Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate is Delaware’s largest independent REALTOR® with 50 years of service to the Delaware real estate market and surrounding communities in nearby Pennsylvania and Maryland. With seven offices and 350 sales associates, we are committed to excellence, integrity and quality service. We offer a full range of services, including residential home sales, purchase and rental, relocation services and property management.

RANDALL, REALTORS® REAL LIVING (401) 364-3388 • www.randallrealtors.com Randall, REALTORS® Real Living has been a consistent leader in the marketing of Southern New England properties for more than 28 years. Specializing in waterfront properties and second homes, our agents boast a 98.5 percent client satisfaction rating.

Through our extensive marketing network, we offer tremendous exposure for our property listings and continue to deliver successful sales and representation for our clients. In addition, Randall, REALTORS®’ Vacation Rental Department offers a large selection of vacation rental properties serving the Southern Rhode Island shoreline and Eastern Connecticut.

REAL ESTATE TEAMS, LLC (301) 695-3020 · www.realestateteams.com • info@realestateteams.com Real Estate Teams, LLC provides professional real estate services to clients in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. We specialize in residential, new construction, land, commercial, relocation and rental properties. Our agents 104 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

have sold more properties than any other real estate office in Frederick County since 2004. Professionally trained agents take advantage of today’s technology to help their clients realize a bright tomorrow.

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 OF BOULDER, INC. (800) 825-7000 • www.BoulderCO.com Established in 1977, RE/MAX of Boulder was one of the first RE/ MAX franchises in the country and has been a model of success.

RE/MAX of Boulder offers one-stop shopping for the benefit of its clients and customers with a mortgage broker, an independent insurance agent and a title company all under one roof. A recognized leader in real estate sales for over 30 years, RE/MAX of Boulder prides itself on its involvement in the community. RE/ MAX of Boulder specializes in relocation.

RE/MAX CROSSROADS (800) 887-7444 • www.remaxneo.com • Dennis Steed, ABR, CRB, CRS, GRI, e-Pro, Broker/Owner, dsteed@remax. net RE/MAX Crossroads is locally owned and operated with seven locations in the greater Cleveland and Akron/Canton area. Serving our communities with over 150 sales partners and support staff, RE/MAX Crossroads is the largest RE/MAX Company in Ohio.

One-hundred percent of our sales partners choose to contribute a portion of each transaction to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN). Crossroads’ outstanding partners closed nearly 3,700 transactions in 2013, making us one of the Top 25 Real Estate Companies in the U.S. ranked by per-agent productivity.

RE/MAX GATEWAY (703) 652-5760 • www.gateway2realestate.com The real estate market is ever changing. It takes constant evaluation, review of recent trends to forecast a potential future and education of agents through mastermind groups and real estate information exchanges. These are areas in which we excel at RE/MAX Gateway. Contact us today if you are looking to advance your career in real estate through a multitude of educational experiences and resources, or if you need real estate advice in order to make informed decisions when buying and selling houses.

RE/MAX PROFESSIONALS (303) 455-3300 • www.homesbythepro.com RE/MAX Professionals boasts the finest REALTORS® in the Denver Metro Area. For more than 30 years we have led the industry in sales, technology and professionalism. Recently RE/MAX Professionals was recognized as the fastest growing RE/MAX in the world with nearly 400 licensed agents.

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: Client Services • Tel: (619) 325-4140 Email: info@ascentrealestate.net • URL: www.ascentrealestate.net Coverage Areas: San Diego Offices: 7 • Associates: 140 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Mason-McDuffie 2260 Douglas Blvd., Ste. 140, Roseville, CA 95661 Contact: Linda Howard, President, Network Services Tel: (916) 488-1787 (Direct) • (800) 451-3131 (Toll Free) • Fax: 916-488-3749 Email: linda.howard@bhghome.com • URL: www.bhghome.com Coverage Areas: Northern California, Northern Nevada Offices: 29 • Associates: 1,700 CENTURY 21 Award - Orange County 22342 Avenida Empresa, Ste. 110, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 Contact: Kathy Paddock, CRP, Vice President, Relocation Services Toll Free: (800) 821-1411 • Fax: (949) 480-5345 Email: kpaddock@century21award.com Coverage Areas: Orange County Offices: 15 • Associates: 1,200 CENTURY 21 Award - San Diego, Riverside 7676 Hazard Center Dr., Ste. 300, San Diego, CA 92108 Contact: Kathy Paddock, CRP, Vice President Relocation Services Toll Free: (800) 821-1411 • Fax: (949) 480-5345 Email: kpaddock@century21award.com Coverage Areas: San Diego, Southern Riverside Offices: 15 • Associates: 1,200 Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty 750 Mason St., Ste. 101, Vacaville, CA 95688 Contact: Loretta Neubert Phone: (707) 427-5344 or (800) 426-0898 • Fax: (707) 446-9830 Email: relo@kappelgateway.com • URL: www.KappelGateway.com Coverage Areas: Vacaville, Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield, Rio Vista, Suisun City Vallejo and Winters, Calif.

Offices: 7 • Associates: 240 First Team® Real Estate 108 Pacifica Ave., Ste. 300, Irvine, CA 92618 Contact: Gayle D. Glew CRP, CRB, Director, Relocation and Corporate Services Toll Free Phone: (855) 858-8028 Email: gayleglew@firstteam.com • URL: www.firstteam.com Coverage Areas: Southern California counties of Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego Offices: 36 • Associates: 1,865 J. Rockcliff REALTORS® Headquarters Office: 4115 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Ste. 201, Danville, CA, 94506 Contact: Robin Dickson, CRS, GRI, Executive Vice President Tel: (O) (925) 251-2501, (C) (925) 324-1323, (TF) 877-JRCKCLF (572-2523) Email: rdickson@rockcliff.com • URL(s): www.rockcliff.com • www.rockliffcares.com Coverage Areas: Alameda County: Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Dublin Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, Sunol, Union City; Contra Costa County: Alamo, Antioch, Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Canyon, Clayton, Concord, Crockett, Danville, Diablo, Discovery Bay, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Hercules, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill Port Costa, Richmond, Rodeo, San Pablo, San Ramon, Walnut Creek; San Joaquin County: Country Club, Lathrop, Lodi, Manteca, Mountain House, Stockton, Tracy, Silicon Valley/San Jose area

COLORADO

RE/MAX of Boulder, Inc. 2425 Canyon Blvd. #110, Boulder, CO 80302 Contact: D.B. Wilson, CDPE, SFR, CRS, GRI Broker Assoc./Mgr., Relo. Svcs.

Tel: (303) 449-7000 • Toll Free: (800) 825-7000 • Fax: (303) 449-8554 Email: dbwilson@BoulderCO.com • URL: www.BoulderCO.com Coverage Areas: Boulder, Longmont, Louisville, Lafayette, Broomfield, Niwot, Nederland, Lyons, Superior, Westminster, Erie, Firestone, Frederick, Jamestown, close in mountains and the entire Boulder Valley. Covering much of Adams, Larimer, Weld, Denver, Jefferson, Gilpin and all of Boulder and Broomfield counties Offices: 1 • Associates: 85 RE/MAX Professionals 390 Union Blvd., Lakewood, CO 80228 Contact: Brad Whitehouse, Broker/Owner Tel: (303) 268-4236 (office) • (303) 887-5159 (mobile) Email: bradwhitehouse@remax.net • URL: www.homesbythepros.com Coverage Areas: Denver and surrounding areas Offices: 8 • Associates: 380

CONNECTICUT

Calcagni Real Estate 330 South Main St., Cheshire, CT 06410 Contact: Steven Calcagni, President Tel: (203) 272-1821 ext. 302 Email: Steven_Calcagni@calcagni.com • URL: www.calcagni.com Coverage Areas: New Haven County, Central Connecticut Offices: 4 • Associates: 140 CENTURY 21 AllPoints Realty 117 North Main St., Southington, CT 06489 Contact: Kelly Peterson, COO • Tel: (800) 525-7793 Email: C21KellyPeterson@gmail.com • URL: www.c21allpointsrealty.com Coverage Areas: Southington, Cheshire, Plainville, Bristol, Farmington, Newington, Berlin, New Britain, Waterbury, Watertown, West Hartford, Enfield, Somers, Suffield, Manchester, Windsor, South Windsor, East Hartford, Vernon, Tolland, Granby, New Haven, Branford, Northford, Meriden, Wallingford, North Haven, East Haven, Guilford, Old Saybrook, Orange, Naugatuck, Milford Office: 6 • Associates: 214 Page Taft Real Living 89 Whitfield 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® Real Living 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

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS® 1 International Plaza, Ste. 100, Philadelphia, PA 19113 Contact: Linda Zanzinger, Vice President, Relocation/REO Services, Tel: (610) 595-3149 Email: Linda.Zanzinger@foxroach.com • URL: www.foxroach.com Coverage Areas: Greater Philadelphia Region, Greater Allentown and Easton Region, SE Pa., Southern and Central N.J., Northern Del. Offices: 65 • Associates: 4,000

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Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Phone: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+ Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate 7234 Lancaster Pike, Ste. 220B, Hockessin, DE 19707 Contact: Marjorie Murray, RCC, Relocation Manager Office: (302) 234-3600 • Direct: (302) 234-3605 • Toll free: (800) 443-2295 Email: mmurray@psre.com • URL: pattersonschwartz.com Coverage Areas: Delaware (New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties), Pennsylvania (Chester and Delaware counties), Maryland (Cecil, Kent and Harford counties) Offices: 8 • Associates: 350

FLORIDA

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Florida Network Realty 4190 Belfort Rd., Ste. 475, Jacksonville, FL 32216 Contact: Linda Lindenmoyer, Dir. Relocation, Referral Services and Bus. Dev. Tel: (800) 456-8036 • Direct: (904) 296-6400 ext. 313 Email: Linda.Lindenmoyer@Prunet.com URL: www.prudentialnetworkrealty.com or www.BHHSFloridaNetworkRealty.com Coverage Areas: Northeast Florida including: Jacksonville, Avondale, Ortega, San Marco, Riverside, Neptune Beach, Arlington, Southside, Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Mandarin, St. Johns, World Golf Village, St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, Crescent Beach, Orange Park, Fleming Island, Middleburg. Serving Clay, St. Johns, Duval, Flagler counties Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty 1580 Sawgrass Corporate Pkwy, Ste. 400, Sunrise, FL 33323 Contact: Rei Mesa, CRS, CRB, President, CEO Tel: (954) 693-0100 or (800) 386-1554 • Fax: (954) 236-6962 Email: ReiMesa@BHHSFloridaRealty.com • URL: www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com Relocation Contact: Sharon Sapp, Vice President, Relocation, Referrals & REOs Email: sharonsapp@BHHSFloridaRealty.com Coverage Areas: 17 counties throughout Florida, including Southeast Florida, Southwest Florida and Orlando area Offering mortgage, title, insurance, home service plans, 1031 exchange services!

Offices: 39 • Associates: 1,350

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: 22 • Associates: 1,100 Harry Norman, REALTORS® 532 East Paces Ferry Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30305 Contact: Patsy Alston, patsy.alston@harrynorman.com Tel: (404) 504-7950 Email: patsy.alston@harrynorman.com • URL: www.harrynorman.com Coverage Areas: Atlanta, Ga. Offices: 12 • Associates: 1,000

ILLINOIS

CENTURY 21 Affiliated 221 West Beltline Highway, Madison, WI 53713 Contact: Bonnie Kunstman, Relocation Director Tel: (815) 207-6813 • Cell: (815) 922-3246 Email: bkunstman@C21Affiliated.com • URL: www.Century21Affiliated.com Coverage Areas: South Central Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, Greater Chicagoland area, Northwest Indiana, Eastern Minnesota, Southern Michigan.

106 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Offices: 56 • Agents: 1,200 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, Beecher, Blue Island, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Burbank, Burnham, Calumet City, Channahon, Chicago, Chicago Heights, Chicago Ridge, Clearing, Coal City, Country Club Hills, Crestwood, Crete, Dolton, Evergreen Park, Frankfort, Glenwood, Grant Park, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Hegewisch, Hickory Hills, Homer Glen, Homewood, Joliet, Kankakee, Lansing, Lemont, Lockport, Lynwood, Manhattan, Manteno, Markham, Matteson, Midlothian, Mokena, Momence, Monee, Morgan Park, Mount Greenwood, New Lenox, Oak Forest, Oak Lawn, Orland Hills, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Park Forest, Peotone, Plainfield, Posen, Richton Park, Riverdale, Romeoville, Roseland, Sauk Village, Shorewood, South Holland, St. Anne, Steger, Tinley Park, University Park, Worth Offices: 15 • Associates: 550

INDIANA

CENTURY 21 Scheetz Scheetz Relocation: (800) 634-6099 – Award-winning, CARTUS Principle Broker, USAA, Brookfield, Lexicon, SIRVA, Weichert, NEI, Altair, Parago, The MI Group, Crown, Prudential, Graebel Contact: Annie Hamilton, Vice President of Relocation Email: ahamilton@c21scheetz.com • URL: www.c21scheetz.com Coverage Areas: Indianapolis, Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Westfield, Zionsville, Greenwood, Brownsburg, Avon, Plainfield, Cicero, Fortville, McCordsville, Franklin, Greenfield, Sheridan, Trafalgar, Lebanon McCOLLY Real Estate 800 Deer Creek 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, Burns Harbor, Cedar Lake, Chesterton, Crown Point, DeMotte, Dyer, East Chicago, Fair Oaks, Gary, Griffith, Hammond, Hebron, Hessville, Highland, Hobart, Kentland, Kouts, La Crosse, La Porte, Lake Station, Lake Village, Lakes of Four Seasons, Lowell, Merrillville, Michigan City, Morocco, Munster, Ogden Dunes, Portage, Porter, Rensselaer, Roselawn, Schererville, Schneider, Shelby, St. John, Sumava Resorts, Thayer, Valparaiso, Wanatah, Westville, Wheatfield, Wheeler, Whiting, Winfield Offices: 15 • Associates: 550

LOUISIANA

GARDNER, REALTORS® 3332 N. Woodlawn Ave., Metairie, LA 70006 Contact: Nancy Harmann, Director of Relocation & Corporate Services Tel: (504) 200-5080 • Cell: (504) 402-9567 • Toll Free: (800) 256-5677 Email: NHarmann@GardnerRealtors.com • URL: www.GardnerRealtors.com Coverage Areas: Southeast Louisiana, including Greater New Orleans and Greater Baton Rouge, and Southern Mississippi, including the MS Gulf Coast Offering a full range of services including Residential, Commercial, Leasing, New Homes, REO, and Loss Mitigation; plus individual and corporate Relocation, Property Management and National/International Referral Network services Offices: 24 • Associates: 800

MARYLAND

CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 • Fax: (703) 822-0136 Email: move@c21nm.com • URL: www.c21nm.com Relocation Contact: Scott Becker, Director, NM Relocation 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: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Phone: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Mason-McDuffie 2260 Douglas Blvd., Ste. 140, Roseville, CA 95661 Contact: Linda Howard, President, Network Services Tel: (916) 488-1787 • (800) 451-3131 • Fax: (916) 488-3749 Email: linda.howard@bhghome.com • URL: www.bhghome.com Coverage Areas: Northern California, Northern Nevada Offices: 35 • Associates: 2,000

Real Estate Teams, LLC 50 Citizens Way, Ste. 400, Frederick, MD 21701 Contact: Kim Koval, Relocation Director • Main Office: (301) 695-3020 Email: relo@realestateteams.com • URL: www.realestateteams.com Coverage Areas: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. Offices: 4 • Over 150 REALTOR® Associates

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS® 1 International Plaza, Ste. 100, Philadelphia, PA 19113 Contact: Linda Zanzinger, Vice President, Relocation/REO Services, Tel: (610) 595-3149 Email: Linda.Zanzinger@foxroach.com • URL: www.foxroach.com Coverage Areas: Greater Philadelphia Region, Greater Allentown and Easton Region, SE Pa., Southern and Central N.J., Northern Del. Offices: 65 • Associates: 4,000

MASSACHUSETTS

Kinlin Grover Real Estate Real Living 4 Wianno Ave., Osterville, MA 02655 Contact: Lucy Cundiff, Director of Agent Services Tel: (508) 420-1130 Email: lcundiff@kinlingrover.com • URL: www.kinlingrover.com Coverage Areas: Southeastern Massachusetts Offices: 16 • Associates: 275

MISSISSIPPI

GARDNER, REALTORS® 3332 N. Woodlawn Ave., Metairie, LA 70006 Contact: Nancy Harmann, Director of Relocation & Corporate Services Tel: (504) 200-5080 • Cell: (504) 402-9567 • Toll Free: (800) 256-5677 Email: NHarmann@GardnerRealtors.com • URL: www.GardnerRealtors.com Coverage Areas: Southeast Louisiana, including Greater New Orleans and Greater Baton Rouge, and Southern Mississippi, including the MS Gulf Coast Offering a full range of services including Residential, Commercial, Leasing, New Homes, REO, and Loss Mitigation; plus individual and corporate Relocation, Property Management and National/International Referral Network services.

Offices: 24 • Associates: 800

MISSOURI

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties 1650 Des Peres Rd., Ste. 205, Saint Louis, MO 63131 Contact: Angie Ignatowski, Relocation Director Tel: (314) 835-6000 Direct (314) 835-6050 Email: aignatowski@bhhsselectstl.com • URL: www.bhhsselectstl.com Coverage Areas: St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, Lincoln County Offices: 11 • Associates: Over 500

NEBRASKA

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate 13340 California St., Omaha, NE 68154 Contact: Katie Adams, CRP, GMS, VP Corp. Relocation and Business Development Tel: (800) 477-7653 or (402) 547-5137 Email: Katie.adams@BHHSamb.com • URL: www.BHHSamb.com Coverage Areas: Omaha and Lincoln Metropolitan Area, including Omaha, Bellevue, Ralston, LaVista, Papillion, Gretna, Elkhorn, Fremont, Lincoln, Council Bluffs and surrounding communities

NEVADA

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties 3185 St. Rose Pkwy., 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

Diane Turton, REALTORS® 511 Forman Ave., Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742 Contact: Dawn Fetherston, Director of Relocation & Corporate Services Tel: 1-877-DTURTON Email: dturton@dianeturton.com • URL: www.dianeturton.com Coverage Areas: Monmouth County and Ocean County (N.J.) Member Organizations: Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, Luxury Portfolio, Luxury Real Estate Offices: 16 · Associates: 350 Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate 826 Alexander Rd., Princeton, NJ 08540 Contact: Patricia (Tricia) Kobos Relocation Line: (888) 467-MOVE • Direct: (609) 750-7605 Email: pkobos@glorianilson.com • URL: www.glorianilson.com Coverage Areas: Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean and Somerset counties Offices: 20 • Associates: 700+ Jordan Baris, Inc., REALTORS® 50 Mt. Pleasant Ave., West Orange, NJ 07052 Contact: Carol Abdo, Relocation Director Office: (973) 736-1600 • Toll Free: (800) 4-JBARIS • Fax: (973) 736-5159 Email: relocation@jordanbaris.com • URL: www.jordanbaris.com Coverage 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: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+

NEW YORK

Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty 10 Schriever Ln., New City, NY 10956 Contact: Janet Farsetta, Vice President, Relocation Tel: (845) 825-8071 Email: janet.farsetta@randrealty.com • URL: www.randrealty.com Coverage Areas: The major New York suburbs, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, Putnam, Sullivan and Ulster counties in New York Offices: 25 • Associates: More than 800

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Coach REALTORS® 66 Gilbert St., Northport, NY 11768 Contact: Elaine Elish, Inbound Referral Coordinator Tel: (800) 321-7356 x138 • Email: elaine@coachrealtors.com URL: www.coachrealtors.com/buying-and-selling/relocation.cfm The Coach Realtors Relocation Department understands the complexities and challenges of employee transfers and is very responsive to the many needs of relocating families. Coach’s relocation division is supported by three full-time referral coordinators: Elaine Elish, Kathy Brandofino and Roseanne Tourto. These 3 professionals draw upon more than 50 years of combined relocation experience in order to make client transition a comfortable one.

Offices: 18 • Associates 618 Coldwell Banker Prime Properties 10 Osgood Ave., Green Island, NY 12183 Contact: R. James Long, Broker/Owner Tel: (518) 640-4008 • Fax: (518) 456-8980 Email: jim.long@ColdwellBankerPrime.com Coverage Areas: New York State, primarily Capital Region and Central New York Offices: 16 • Sales Associates: 500 Fillmore Real Estate 2990 Avenue U, Brooklyn, NY 11229 Contact: John Reinhardt, President/CEO • Tel: (800) 528-6673 Email: JohnReinhardt@Fillmore.com • URL: www.fillmore.com Coverage Areas: Brooklyn, Staten Island, Bronx and parts of Westchester Offices: 16 • Associates: 400

NORTH CAROLINA

Coldwell Banker Advantage 7610 Six Forks Rd., Ste. 100, Raleigh, NC 27615 Contact: Benina Drake, CRP, SVP Relocation and Referral Services Tel: (800) 274-5345 • Direct (919) 846-3330 Email: BDrake@AdvantageCB.com • URL: AdvantageCB.com Coverage Areas: Apex, Cary, Clayton, Creedmoor, Chapel Hill, Durham, Falls Lake, Fayetteville, Ft. Bragg area, Henderson, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Lake Gaston, Lillington, McGee’s Crossroads, Pinehurst, Pittsboro, Pope Air Force Base area, Raleigh, Southern Pines, Wake Forest and Zebulon Offices: 17 • Associates: 325 Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Phone: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+

OHIO

CENTURY 21 Scheetz Scheetz Relocation: (800) 634-6099 – Award-winning, CARTUS Principle Broker, USAA, Brookfield, Lexicon, SIRVA, Weichert, NEI, Altair, Parago, The MI Group, Crown, Prudential, Graebel Contact: Annie Hamilton, Vice President of Relocation Email: ahamilton@c21scheetz.com • URL: www.c21scheetz.com Coverage Areas: Indianapolis, Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Westfield, Zionsville, Greenwood, Brownsburg, Avon, Plainfield, Cicero, Fortville, McCordsville, Franklin, Greenfield, Sheridan, Trafalgar, Lebanon RE/MAX Crossroads 17149 SouthPark Center, Strongsville, OH 44136 Contact: Dennis Steed, Broker/Owner, Tel: (800) 887-7444 Email: dsteed@remax.net • URL: www.remaxneo.com Coverage Areas: Northeast Ohio, Akron, Canton, Medina, New Philadelphia, Rocky River, Stow, Fairlawn, Strongsville, including Carroll, Cuyahoga, Medina, Lorain, Summit, Stark and Tuscarawas counties.

108 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Offices: 7 • Associates: 150

PENNSYLVANIA

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS® 1 International Plaza, Ste. 100, Philadelphia, PA 19113 Contact: Linda Zanzinger, Vice President, Relocation/REO Services, Tel: (610) 595-3149 Email: Linda.Zanzinger@foxroach.com • URL: www.foxroach.com Coverage Areas: Greater Philadelphia Region, Greater Allentown and Easton Region, SE Pa., Southern and Central N.J., Northern Del. Offices: 65 • Associates: 4,000 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty 9401 McKnight Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Contact: Elaine DeBildt • Tel: (412) 261-4800 Email: edebildt@thepreferredrealty.com • URL: www.ThePreferredRealty.com Coverage Areas: Southwestern Penn., including the following counties: Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Armstrong, Westmoreland, Washington, Lawrence, Fayette and Somerset Offices: 18 • Associates: 650 Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Phone: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+ Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty 100 Foxshire 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 Real Estate Teams, LLC 50 Citizens Way, Ste. 400, Frederick, MD 21701 Contact: Kim Koval, Relocation Director • Main Office: (301) 695-3020 Email: relo@realestateteams.com • URL: www.realestateteams.com Coverage Areas: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. Offices: 4 • Over 150 REALTOR® Associates RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central 701 West Market St., Perkasie, PA 18944 Contact: Tom Skiffington, Broker/Owner • Email: tom@tomskiffington.com Tel: (215) 453-7653 • (215) 643-3200 URLs: www.pahomesforsale.com and www.lehighvalleyrealestate.com Coverage Areas: Pennsylvania counties: Bucks, Berks, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, Lehigh, North Hampton, and New Jersey Offices: 10 • Associates: 170

RHODE ISLAND

Randall, REALTORS® Real Living 4009 Old Post 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

WASHINGTON, D.C.

TEXAS

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Phone: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS® 745 N. Pleasantburg Dr., Greenville, SC 29607 Contacts: Karen Taylor, Director of Relocation, ktaylor@cdanjoyner.com, (864) 678-5244 Jo Anne Conner, Network Mgr., jconner@cdanjoyner.com, (864) 678-5227 URL: www.cdanjoyner.com Brookfield GRS, SIRVA, AIReS Relocation, Graebel, MI Group Coverage Areas: Greenville, Greer, Taylors, Duncan, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Simpsonville, Fountain Inn, Powdersville, Easley, Piedmont, Anderson Offices: 9 • Associates: 275+ Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper, REALTORS® 18756 Stone Oak Parkway, Ste. 301, San Antonio, TX 78258 Contact: Pam Poitevent, Sr. VP Relocation Services Toll Free: (800) 521-1408 • Direct: (210) 483-7035 Email: ppoitevent@cbharper.com URL: www.cbharper.com Coverage Areas: San Antonio metropolitan area including New Braunfels, San Marcos, Seguin, Spring Branch, Bulverde, Canyon Lake, Schertz, Universal City, Boerne, Bandera, Kerrville and surrounding areas.

Offices: 8 • Associates: 350+

VIRGINIA

CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 • Fax: (703) 822-0136 Email: move@c21nm.com URL: www.c21nm.com Relocation Contact: Scott Becker, Dir., NM Relocation, Email: move@c21nm.com Providers of world class real estate services in the Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Southern Maryland markets. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation.

Offices: 16 • Associates: 700+ Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Phone: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+ Real Estate Teams, LLC 50 Citizens Way, Ste. 400, Frederick, MD 21701 Contact: Kim Koval, Relocation Director • Main Office: (301) 695-3020 Email: relo@realestateteams.com URL: www.realestateteams.com Coverage Areas: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia & Washington, D.C. Offices: 4 • Over 150 REALTOR® Associates

CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 • Fax: (703) 822-0136 Email: move@c21nm.com URL: www.c21nm.com Relocation Contact: Scott Becker, Dir., NM Relocation, Email: move@c21nm.com Providers of world class real estate services in the Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Southern Maryland markets. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation.

Offices: 16 • Associates: 700+

Real Estate Teams, LLC 50 Citizens Way, Ste. 400, Frederick, MD 21701 Contact: Kim Koval, Relocation Director • Main Office: (301) 695-3020 Email: relo@realestateteams.com URL: www.realestateteams.com Coverage Areas: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. Offices: 4 • Over 150 REALTOR® Associates

WEST VIRGINIA

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Phone: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+ Real Estate Teams, LLC 50 Citizens Way, Ste. 400, Frederick, MD 21701 Contact: Kim Koval, Relocation Director Main Office: (301) 695-3020 Email: relo@realestateteams.com URL: www.realestateteams.com Coverage Areas: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. Offices: 4 • Over 150 REALTOR® Associates

RE/MAX Gateway 4090B Lafayette Center Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Scott MacDonald, President Tel: (703) 652-5776 • Cell: (703) 727-6900 Email: scottmacdonald@remax.net URL: www.gateway2realestate.com Coverage Areas: Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, West Virginia Offices: 4 • Associates: 108

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2015 109

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INDEX OF SERVICE PROVIDERS ABR®...................................................................................24

On The Move, Inc. ...........................................................85

American Home Shield...................................................29

The Personal Marketing Company..........................79, 86

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC..............5, 7

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors...........................................2

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.............................. IBC

Point2.................................................................................43

Carrington Real Estate Services.....................................45

The Real Estate Book.......................................................62

Centralized Showing Service........................................111

Real Living® Real Estate...................................................19

Century 21 Real Estate LLC...............................................1

Realtors Property Resource®...........................................31

Coldwell Banker Real Estate...........................................37

Realty ONE Group............................................................47

Contractor Connection .................................................58

RE/MAX, LLC.....................................................................10

Dotsignal...........................................................................21

Resort and Second-Home Property Specialist (RSPS) Certification......................................................................61

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Engel & Völkers.................................................................13 Equity Real Estate.............................................................33 Homes.com......................................................................17 HSA Home Warranty.......................................................BC Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®............9, 11 Mobile Real Estate....................................... IFC, 55, 67, 93 National Association of REALTORS®............................8, 27

RISMedia’s Real Estate Information Network® (RREIN)...............................................................................48 RISMedia’s Top 5 in Real Estate Network®...............88, 94 Stewart Title.......................................................................14 Weichert, Realtors®...........................................................64 Workman Success Systems......................................20, 110

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NAR’S COMMITMENT TO BROKERS: HEARING YOUR VOICES, MEETING YOUR NEEDS

A

s the chief advocate organization supporting the real estate industry, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) serves as a vital partner with all brokers. NAR advocates on behalf of the industry, works to help brokers be successful and supports your efforts through a variety of venues and vehicles.

Conferences & Meetings NAR hosts a number of broker-specific meetings and programming throughout the year, providing a forum for networking, dialogue and insight for brokers.

REALTOR® Broker Summit In 2014, the sold-out Broker Summit, held in Atlanta, was such a hit with attendees that the program was promptly expanded to host three summits in 2015, attendance capacity has been increased at each, and one summit is dedicated entirely to technology. The Broker Summits bring together broker/owners and industry leaders from across the nation to share perspectives on current conditions and pathways to future success.

Leadership panels and presentations cover topics such as agent acquisition and retention, growth strategies, risk management, and legislative and legal updates.

(See graphic for dates and locations.)

Idea Exchange Council for Brokers Held twice annually in conjunction with the REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in May and the REALTORS® Conference & Expo in November, the Idea Exchange Council for Brokers provides a national forum that encourages the open and honest exchange of ideas among brokers in a non-competitive setting.

This popular think tank is a great venue for exchanging challenges, ideas and solutions with fellow brokers representing all company sizes and geographic locations.

Publications & Information Resources Even if you can’t personally attend one of NAR’s events specifically for brokers, there are many other ways to tap into helpful broker-oriented resources, including: Real Estate Services Update—NAR’s Real Estate Services Program, formed in 2007, identifies the services, tools and strategic relationships that expand and 112 July 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

enhance the business interests of NAR’s large broker community. The Real Estate Services (RES) Update, NAR’s monthly newsletter, keeps diversified real estate firms, brokers and their agents informed about issues impacting their businesses. This e-newsletter includes legislative and regulatory updates, news on industry trends, and the latest information on NAR activities as they affect diversified real estate firms.

Business Tips & Trends—Published monthly, this enewsletter features practical, how-to business content from REALTOR® Magazine. REALTORS® who are listed as the “Designated REALTOR®” in the National REALTORS® Database System (or NRDS) receive a special version of this e-newsletter with broker-centric content. (Call NAR’s Information Central at 1-800-8746500 to see if you are the Designated REALTOR®.)

REALTORS® can subscribe, free of charge, to both newsletters. Go to REALTOR.org and select “Subscribe to e-Newsletters” under the “News, Blogs & Videos” tab.

Broker to Broker—REALTOR® Magazine’s Broker to Broker initiative—also called “BtoB” provides resources and articles for a broker audience. You’ll find news for your sales meetings, profiles of successful brokers, and business-management solutions at http://realtormag. realtor.org/for-brokers/network.

Broker Involvement Program Join over 17,000 broker/owners and over 450,000 agents in bringing a strong and united REALTOR®voice to members of Congress. The Broker Involvement Program provides broker/owners with a quick and effective tool to rally agents on critical legislative issues affecting the industry. To join, go to www.RealtorActionCenter.com and click the top “For REALTORS®” tab.

Through these initiatives and others, NAR strives to hear your voice and support your continued success. RE

“Not only does our sign carry one of the world’s most admired brand names, it represents the #1 real estate company in Upstate South Carolina.”

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

“The name resonates with our consumers as a brand they can trust. We see that every day.”

Steve Roney, Chairman and CEO Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Utah Properties

Good to know.

®

Residential • Commercial ©2015 BHH Affiliates, LLC. Real Estate Brokerage Services are offered through the network member franchisees of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Most franchisees are independently owned and operated. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Information not verified or guaranteed. If your property is currently listed with a broker, this is not intended as a solicitation. Equal Housing Opportunity.

BHH Affiliates, LLC, 18500 Von Karman, Suite 400, Irvine, California 92612 (949) 794-7900. For New York Residents: This advertisement is not an offering. An offering can only be made by a prospectus filed first with the Department of Law of the State of New York. Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law. For Minnesota Residents: BHH Affiliates, LLC is registered in the State of Minnesota, Registration number F-7072.

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