Real Estate Magazine - BHHS Georgia Properties - July 2022

POSITIVITY AND FRESH PERSPECTIVES FORM THE ENGINE FOR SUCCESS That’s the Legacy for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties Leader Dan Forsman and His New Leadership Team - Page 56

Dan Forsman, Chairman, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties

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Happening This Month @RISMEDIA INSIDE THE COVER Anywhere, the company formerly known as Realogy, has hit the market with a new brand and a new philosophy designed to speak directly to the all-encompassing nature of modern real estate. Sue Yannaccone and team share how the Anywhere concept taps into technology, DEI, work patterns and more in this month’s cover story on page 40.

CALLING ALL NEWSMAKERS

TUNE IN

Don’t miss the latest episode of RISMedia’s RealEdge podcast where we talk to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ SVP Allan Dalton. You won’t want to miss the real estate icon’s advice for “influencing your sphere,” along with the story of Dalton’s incomparable journey in the business. Visit rismedia.com/podcasts.

Nominations for RISMedia’s 2023 Real Estate Newsmakers open on July 15. Tell us about those deserving candidates who made headlines for their worthy accomplishments in 2022, whether within their own communities or on a national scale. We want to share their stories! Visit rismedia.com/ newsmaker-nomination for more information and to nominate your Newsmaker. Nomination deadline is August 31.

JOIN MORE THAN 100 LEADERS TO HELP MOVE REAL ESTATE FORWARD More than 100 expert speakers will present over 25 sessions during RISMedia’s CEO & Leadership Exchange, taking place Sept. 6 - 8 in Washington, D.C. Don’t miss this unparalleled opportunity for education and networking in the nation’s capital, including our 2022 Newsmakers Reception & Dinner!

Visit rismedia.com/ceo-exchange for more information.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 1

LOOKING FOR

SUPPORT OF THE

CENTURY ?

JO I N T HE R E L EN TL E S S CENTURY21.COM © 2022 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. All rights reserved. CENTURY 21 Commercial®, the CENTURY 21 Commercial Logo, CENTURY 21® and C21® are registered service marks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC. Century 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated.

CONTENTS July 2022/Vol. 38, No. 7

ON THE COVER 56 Positivity and Fresh Perspectives Form the Engine for Success That’s the Legacy for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties Leader Dan Forsman and His New Leadership Team

For Dan Forsman, the seasoned Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties, there isn’t a mountain that can’t be climbed, a problem that can’t be solved or an opportunity that isn’t worth exploring with his signature energy and drive. With a new leadership team by his side, Forsman is setting the firm up for continued success well into the future. In this month’s cover story, meet the new team that will be leading the charge at Georgia Properties, and why Forsman believes they’ve been preparing for this their entire careers.

HIGHLIGHTS

18

18 G reat Spaces: Embracing the

Coastal Grandmother Aesthetic Here, explore four properties with unique centurial elements.

40 T he Changing Face of

Homeownership

Find out how Anywhere is reimagining the buying and selling experience.

48 U npacking the Persisting

Inventory Crisis Plaguing the Housing Market

While progress is being made to increase the number of homes for sale, is it enough?

54 P eak Season Is Here—Use Your

Member Perks to Make the Most of It With the summer selling season in full swing, take advantage of the products that save you time, money and stress.

HEADLINERS 11 Marketwatch 12 N AR Power Broker Roundtable: Maximizing Affiliate Services: Analyze, Innovate, Repeat

14 W omen in Real Estate: New

Children’s Book Inspires the Next Generation of Real Estate Agents

22

17 M eet the Newsmakers: Honoring the Educators

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 3

35

BROKER STRATEGIES 73 M ark Pasquesi, Berkshire

Hathaway HomeServices Chicago

74 B arbara Heddon, CENTURY 21 Myers Realty

75 L acey Merrick Conway, Latter & Blum

76 B ill Telford, Fathom Realty 77 R andel Aleman Jr., HomeSmart Encore

78 D anny and Charlene

Sullivan, Leading Edge Real Estate Group

21 P olicy & Legal Matters: Flood Insurance Reforms Critical for a Vibrant Housing Market

22 C RD Connect: Is It Time for a Marketing Plan Makeover?

27 P ower Broker Perspectives: Anthony Vulin

COACHING 29 B uffini & Company – The

Key to Growing Your Real Estate Business: Connecting With Past Clients

30 S herri Johnson – 4 Ways to

Maximize the Marketing of Your Next New Listing

31 D arryl Davis – From Clueless

to Confident: Building Your Real Estate Business One Skill at a Time

32 T erri Murphy – 4 Secrets to Summer Sales

35 T he Experts at McKissock

FEATURES 50 E nvisioning Tomorrow 56 P ositivity and Fresh

Perspectives Form the Engine for Success

TRENDS & ISSUES 62 J esse Williams – 5 Markets Are 50% Overvalued, New Report Finds

63 M ark Johnson – Providing the

Modern Consumer More Choices Than Ever Before

64 J ordan Grice – Inventory

Growth and Affordability Challenges Expected to Continue

65 T odd Sumney – Why

Mentorship Matters for a New Agent’s Growth

BUSINESS BUILDERS

69 C had Ruggles – To Create

Success

Delivering Long-Term Value in a Post-Pandemic Market an Enduring Brokerage, Invest in Agent Marketing, Training and Tech

37 R eal Estate Webmasters:

70 D ave Karoly – Manage Your

38 H SASM Home Warranty:

71 M ichael Minard – How

Building a Strong Support Network

Setting the Gold Standard for Home Warranties

4 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Area Mega-Team Aims for Coastto-Coast Presence

83 V erl Workman – Creating Calmness in Chaos

EVERY ISSUE 1 H appening This Month @RISMedia

7 From the Publisher 84 Service Profiles 92 Referrals 95 Index of Advertisers

96 RE: Real Estate — Accelerate Your Business With REACH Technologies

CRM Fuels Agent Success

68 V enkatesh Ganapathy –

36 C urbio: Setting Sellers Up for

80 P ower Team Profile – D.C.

67 B ondilyn Jolly – 5 Ways a

Learning – Are We Doomed to

Repeat the 2000s Housing Crisis?

TEAM TALK

Seller’s Expectations Through Seasonal and Market Adjustments

‘Forward Thinking’ Keeps You Ahead of the Competition

48

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LIVE YOUR

VALUES DON’T LET HIDDEN BIASES HAMPER YOUR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS

REALTORS® are committed to abiding by fair housing laws and the Code of Ethics. But sometimes, our brains take shortcuts that can lead us astray.

The National Association of REALTORS®’ new implicit bias course, Bias Override: Overcoming Barriers to Fair Housing will help your agents learn tactics to avoid fair housing pitfalls and interrupt stereotypical thinking so they can provide equal professional service to every client.

To learn more and see live and virtual class schedules, encourage your agents to visit nar.realtor/implicit-bias-training.

LET’S MAKE UNFAIR HOUSING HISTORY.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Answering the Call to Transform

W

hen we talked to Ryan Schneider for our cover story in December 2019, he shared his vision for transforming Realogy for the future. With the recent unveiling of the Anywhere rebrand, that future is now.

Of course, in 2019, Schneider didn’t know that life-changing events—from a global pandemic to a groundswell for social justice—would add a sense of urgency to the plan for transformation. As Anywhere CEO Sue Yannaccone says, the real estate industry has reached a critical inflection point—evolve or fade away.

In this month’s special expanded cover story beginning on page 40, Maria Patterson does a deep dive into the philosophy and strategy of the Anywhere brand, designed to meet everyone—and anyone—wherever they are on their real estate journey. The rebrand reimagines the real estate experience for both today’s agents and the changing face of the consumers they serve.

“Over the past several years, we’ve gone through a major transformation. That’s what this rebrand signals,” Sue tells us.

“It’s better representation of our mission and our go-forward vision.”

There are important lessons to be learned for every real estate professional in the Anywhere story, because the message transcends well beyond any one franchise, brokerage firm or real estate professional. It’s a story about how life as we knew it has changed in just about every way.

At our CEO & Leadership Exchange, taking place September 6 - 8 in Washington, D.C., we will be tackling this very topic throughout the two-and-a-half-day event. We’ve assembled more than 100 of the industry’s top experts and thought leaders to discuss a wide range of subjects that pertain to succeeding in this changing real estate environment.

We hope you can be part of this important meeting, since none of us is as smart as all of us, as Ken Blanchard says.

Visit rismedia.com/events to learn more.

And in the meantime, please tell us about the extraordinary individuals you know who are making a difference or accomplishing great feats in real estate this year. Our 2023 Real Estate Newsmakers program is open for nominations beginning on July 15: rismedia.com/newsmaker-nomination.

Craft Your Career From Pre-Approval to Sale

We’ve got you covered with real estate, mortgage, and home inspection education, whether you want to launch a new career or give your business a boost.

Wishing you continued success,

John E. Featherston CEO & Publisher

To learn more about ou professional education offerings, visit

TheCEShop.com/RIS-Media

Over 100 Expert Speakers | 25+ Educational Sessions Newsmakers Reception & Dinner

Register Now and Save!

RISMedia’s 33rd Annual CEO & Leadership Exchange Prepare your business to succeed no matter what lies ahead.

Sept. 6 - 8, 2022 | Mayflower Hotel | Washington, D.C.

Register at rismedia.com/ceo-exchange

CEO & Publisher John E. Featherston

EDITORIAL Executive Editor Maria Patterson Vice President, Online Editorial Beth McGuire Managing Editor Paige Tepping Content Director Caysey Welton Content Editor Paige Brown Associate Online Editors Jordan Grice; Jesse Williams Associate Editor Joey Macari Contributing Editors Lesley Grand; John Voket; Barbara Pronin; Keith Loria; Andrew King

CREATIVE SERVICES & MARKETING Senior Vice President Kelli McKenna Marketing Director Philip Lodato Email Marketing Specialist Brit Owen Production Manager Susanne Dwyer Associate Designer Janet Yung-Balbin Video Content Specialist Aidan Whalen Digital Content Specialists Liz Ruggiero; Paschal Chukwu

CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT Senior Vice President Jay Featherston

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Chief Information Officer Edward T. Kingston Senior Software Engineer Kal Salim Web Designer Kevin Kirwan Web Developers Hema Yemmireddy; Firas Abbas Director, Client Solutions Peter Di Salvo Information Technology Manager James Jones

CLIENT SERVICES & EVENTS MANAGEMENT Vice President, Client Experience Brett Johnson Director, Client Services & Events Darcy Sledge Client Services Representative Kristen Schlesinger

SALES Senior Vice Presidents Kara T. Stripay; Anne Kraft Director, Business Development Colleen Featherston

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PUBLICATIONS & SERVICES Real Estate magazine Annual Power Broker Report & Survey ACESocial (Automated Content Engagement) www.rismedia.com (Daily News) blog.rismedia.com (Housecall) RISMedia’s Real Estate CEO & Leadership Exchange Power Broker Forum, Reception & Dinner Real Estate Newsmakers Reception & Dinner Real Estate’s Rocking in the New Year Copyright® 2022 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.

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MARKETWATCH

Real Estate Sales Are Trending Down

New home sales are at their most sluggish since April 2020. Sales in April 2022 numbered 591,000, which is 16.6% lower than March 2022.

Source: Axios

Texas Ranks as Most Overvalued Market in U.S.

Fortune reported on research conducted at Florida Atlantic University, which found that the median home in Austin is worth $589,600, 66% more than the $354,600 limit that is supported by economic fundamentals.

Dallas is overvalued by 46%, San Antonio by 30% and Houston by 28%.

Ohio a Popular Market for Investment Firms

Investment firms are buying up properties in the Buckeye State, according to WOSU Public Media.

Franklin County, home of state capital Columbus, has the lowest rate of owner-occupied housing in Ohio.

$

Home Price Growth Outpaces Income Growth

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Cost Index report for April 2022 found that U.S. home prices have risen 19.8% over the past year, more than four times greater than income growth during this time.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 11

NAR POWER BROKER ROUNDTABLE

Maximizing Affiliate Services: Analyze, Innovate, Repeat Chris Kelly, President & CEO, Ebby Halliday Companies, North Texas; Broker Relations Liaison, the National Association of REALTORS®: It was sometime back in the early ’70s, I think, that the first savvy real estate brokers began offering mortgage and other ancillary services to diversify revenue and to have as a safety measure against difficult real estate markets.

To be sure, these services were, and still are, a means to meet consumers where they are—to help streamline the process of buying a home. Today, it’s a given that most larger brokerages offer some affiliated services. But how do you maximize both their revenue and their value?

Gary Scott, President, Allen Tate, REALTORS®, Charlotte, North Carolina: I think the success and the value of any affiliated service has to reflect the cultural strength of your whole organization, outstanding leadership and competent salespeople, so that these ancillary businesses become integral to your core services.

We want to be seen not just as one big enterprise, but as being better at everything we offer than anyone else on the street.

Larry “Boomer” Foster, President, Long & Foster Real Estate, Chantilly, Virginia: We’ve provided affiliate services for a couple of decades, and we see that as a way to build good relationships as much as to enable smooth transitions. We maximize revenue by creating real value, so that using what we offer becomes a no-brainer for clients and customers.

Greg Mason, President/CEO, Edina Realty Home Services, Edina, Minnesota: The Big Three—mortgage, title and insurance—have been an added opportunity for us for more than 10 years, and the truth is, today’s customers expect us to be the source for any number of integrated services.

CK: What’s preferable—ownership of these affiliate service companies or partnering with other agencies? And where are the best opportunities in today’s market?

12 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

GM: We own our Big Three, but we partner with HomeServices of America for other revenue opportunities, and we have a warranty relationship and marketing agreements for services like movers, utility connection and the like. We’ve even piloted an integrated service tracker that clients can use so that one view shows them every milestone in their transaction.

GS: I don’t think it matters whether you own or partner.

Customers want their lives to be made easier, and we want to make that happen. But we know our brand is measured by our success at what we offer, so our overall goals are about enhanced customer service as much as revenue.

We’ve looked at home warranties, moving services, landscaping, property management…it’s a matter of scalability.

BF: We opened a moving company five years ago and home inspection services 18 months ago. Looking at the long game, diversification is key. In today’s environment of shrinking revenue and rising costs, if we’re not innovating, we’re in line for bankruptcy.

CK: I’ve loved the analogy of affiliated services moving beyond the feeling of a strip mall, where all the services are in close proximity to one another, and more towards that singular store and experience for the consumer. With respect to our agents, we have to earn those opportunities with their clients by making it simple and accessible, correct?

GS: Exactly. We need to earn their business by being the best game in town.

GM: Agreed. We don’t deserve anyone’s business unless we are best in class.

CK: And finally, what’s next? Is there any part of consumer service that’s off-limits as we expand?

BF: Gary mentioned scalability, and that’s a key component. But I don’t think anything is off the table in terms of transactional ease. We look for the best ways to ease customer pain points.

GS: We’re always looking for the next Big Three—the best new revenue components that meet consumer needs.

It’s the kind of creative thinking we know we have to do, especially now, as the hot market of the last couple of years is getting back to normal. RE The Power Broker Roundtable is brought to you by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and Chris Kelly, NAR’s Broker Relations Liaison. Watch for this column each month, where we address broker issues, concerns and milestones.

For an expanded version of this article and other NAR Power Broker Roundtable topics, please visit www.rismedia.com.

RISMEDIA’S PREMIER EXCLUSIVE REPORT:

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•Are your splits competitive?

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•What does it take to recruit and retain top talent?

•Who’s earning more…and where?

All these topics covered and more!

Read more at rismedia.com/reports

WOMEN IN REAL ESTATE

Soederlund

New Children’s Book Inspires the Next Generation of Real Estate Agents

C

by Joey Macari

ompass real estate agent Emma Soederlund is inspiring the next generation of real estate professionals with her new children’s book “Elle the Real Estate Agent,” which tells the story of a little girl who helps her neighbor sell her home.

Beautifully illustrated by Estela Raileanu, “Elle the Real Estate Agent” zeroes in on something all real estate professionals have experienced at one point or another: that one moment that sparked their career in real estate.

14 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Having moved from Stockholm to Los Angeles, where she joined Dane Soderberg & Associates at Compass, Soederlund’s international, architectural perspective has given her an advantage in this creative endeavor.

While her youngest clients may not know the ins and outs of obtaining a mortgage, they do know what it means to be kind. Soederlund believes that kindness goes a long way, which is why with every book review, $1 will be donated to HomeAid San Diego, a nonprofit dedicated to responding to homelessness through housing, community outreach and education.

Here, Soederlund shares how her passion inspired the pages of this book, the importance of giving back and how Compass prepared her for success.

What inspired you to write a children’s book?

The idea has always been in the back of my mind, but it came to fruition this past fall when I saw a video on TikTok about how to self-publish through Amazon. After realizing that there were almost no children’s books talking about real estate in a fun way, it encouraged me to get the ball rolling. As for the content of the book, I drew inspiration from work and clients we had at the time.

What are your key takeaways?

I wanted to introduce kids to the real estate profession like you see on kids’ TV shows and in books like “Bob the Builder” or “Doc McStuffins” so that they can become familiar with the industry if they’re thinking about becoming a residential or commercial agent, appraiser, developer, etc. Additionally, I wanted to teach them about the process involved with purchasing a home, because a lot of first-time homebuyers aren’t familiar with the steps involved. Parents have told me that they too enjoyed reading the book because it teaches them

about the industry right along with their children.

“After realizing that there were almost no children’s books talking about real estate in a fun way, it encouraged me to get the ball rolling.”

- Emma Soederlund REALTOR®, Compass

Why was it important for you to team up with HomeAid San Diego for this project?

Since California has the highest homeless population in the country, I felt the need to give some of the proceeds from the book to low-income housing and homeless shelters. HomeAid is an amazing organization that does a tremendous job when it comes to providing housing for those currently experiencing homelessness (or those at risk), whether it’s women and children fleeing domestic violence, veterans or seniors facing unstable housing situations.

How has your unique journey with Compass prepared you for success?

My time at Compass and being part of the amazing team at Dane Soderberg & Associates has provided me with endless opportunities to be exposed to high-price transactions, allowing me to work alongside top-producing agents in San Diego. I don’t believe I would have had this opportunity if I were anywhere else. RE For more information, please visit www.compass.com/agents/emma-soederlund.

INDEPENDENT

DOESN’T MEAN YOU HAVE TO GO IT ALONE.

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Expand Your Horizons

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The At Home With Diversity® (AHWD) certification course teaches you how to work effectively with diverse populations so you can build business success in today’s multicultural real estate market.

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MEET THE NEWSMAKERS

Honoring the Educators

I

By RISMedia Staff

n today’s unpredictable times, information, training and guidance are more critical to real estate success than ever before. Many of this year’s Real Estate Newsmakers are being honored for their efforts to help educate agents to better serve consumers. We spotlight several of them here.

INFLUENCERS Brian Buffini

Founder and Chairman Buffini & Company

Celebrating his company’s 25th anniversary in 2021, Buffini remains committed to impacting and improving the lives of people. “In real estate, it’s the skills that pay the bills, and we are proud to offer our members industry-leading coaching and training that helps them refine their skills and exceed their income goals in any market.”

CRUSADERS Julia Lashay Israel

Head of Inclusion and Belonging Keller Williams Realty International

Israel advises, trains and coaches real estate professionals to recognize and address diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) opportunities and challenges, and developed two new DEI workshops in 2021. “Choosing to embrace diversity not only allows real estate professionals to grow their businesses, but also improves communities through increased homeownership.”

INFLUENCERS Dawn Pfaff

President and Founder My State MLS

In 2021, Pfaff partnered with The CE Shop to provide online courses for real estate professionals and launched a podcast

called AskDawn. “I am proud to be sharing my 20-plus years of real estate knowledge. With AskDawn, I am able to share with other agents and the public any real estate industry updates and what I’m seeing in the market.”

TRAILBLAZERS Michael Davis

CEO Brooks & Davis Real Estate Firm LLC

Davis has a passion to coach, educate, train and entertain real estate professionals around the world through his weekly digital shows. In 2021, Davis expanded his media footprint with two new shows: The REALTOR®/Life Podcast and Monday Night Live, a live call-in show where he answers questions from real estate professionals.

“In real estate, it’s the skills that pay the bills, and we are proud to offer our members industryleading coaching and training.”

- BRIAN BUFFINI Founder and Chairman, Buffini & Company

INFLUENCERS Darryl Davis

CEO Darryl Davis Seminars

Davis has a passion for helping real estate professionals not only build their businesses, but for helping them build lives and careers worth smiling about. “I am deeply honored every day by the opportunity to help real estate professionals serve their communities at extraordinary levels and build businesses that support their families and goals.” RE Visit rismedia.com/2022-newsmakers to learn more about this year’s Newsmakers.

RISMedia’s Real Estate Newsmakers is brought to you by RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 17

GREAT SPACES

1153 Main Street, Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts

Embracing the Coastal Grandmother Aesthetic In this month’s edition of Great Spaces, we explore an iconic style and take a closer look at four properties with unique centurial elements.

by Joey Macari PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS: Where: Nyack, New York Listed For: $2,250,000 Features: 5,016-square-foot home with five bedrooms and three bathrooms Added Appeal: Wrap-around veranda and back garden with heated pool, patio and spa Built in 1790, this eye-catching home in Grandview-on-Hudson conveys old-world charm with a poshyet-practical French verve. We spoke to Seta Tunell at Christie’s International Real Estate, the home’s listing agent, who shared her favorite design elements of this property.

Joey Macari: What makes this a “Great Space?”

18 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Seta Tunell: It’s almost impossible to drive along the river and not notice ‘Periwinkle.’ The iconic Greek Revival jewel with its commanding views of the Hudson appeals to a variety of buyers who are attracted to its ease and elegance, its proximity to the city and the Rivertown lifestyle it affords to those lucky enough to call it home. It’s a classic, grand and gracious home with widespread appeal—and has always been my personal favorite.

PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS: Where: Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts Listed For: $9,500,000 Features: 5,355-square-foot property with eight bedrooms and seven bathrooms

Added Appeal: Elegant open floor plan leading to an open-air porch with stunning views Built in 1896, this seaside home adorned with coastal shingles and set away among lush greenery reveals interior neutrals with pops of print elements. Elise Jeffress Ryan of LandVest, the home’s listing agent, discusses how the property’s rich history enhances its broad appeal.

JM: How does the home’s historical perspective play into its wow factor?

Elise Jeffress Ryan: Just down the beach from this house, paddle-wheel steamships used to dock at what is now the Big Pier, bringing vacationers to Martha’s Vineyard. Looking out onto the wide front porch is an oval window that reflects its late 1800’s style. What has changed little is the magnificent and spacious porch facing Vineyard Sound. The prominent doorways and windows, leaded Palladian works of art, provide light and warmth as they have done for 125 years in this completely renovated, history-laden West Chop community of the North Shore.

GREAT SPACES

24 Shore Road, Southwest Harbor, Maine

PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS: Where: Southwest Harbor, Maine Listed For: $4,370,000 Features: 3,384-square-foot cottage with five bedrooms and four bathrooms Added Appeal: Scenic views of Somes Sound, the Cranberry Islands and the Acadian Mountains Originally built as a dance hall in the early 1900s, Dartholm, a gracious shingle-style cottage, represents a bygone era traditionally styled off the quaint boating lifestyle that frames its surrounding Southwest Harbor.

We spoke to Story Litchfield, a listing agent at LandVest, who shares her thoughts as to how Dartholm’s nuances work in its favor to attract prospective buyers.

JM: What are some of the more impressive subtleties in this listing?

Story Litchfield: Once the summer residence of the president of Dartmouth College (hence its name), Dartholm is reminiscent of shingled seaside cottages in the quiet coastal villages of Maine. Decorative interior beams reflect a more laid-back, rustic style, and whimsical cutouts of different ocean motifs on the exterior window shutters are unusual accents.

PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS: Where: Deer Isle, Maine

245 River Road, Nyack, New York

48 Wild Bay Lane, Deer Isle, Maine

Listed For: $4,995,000 Features: 4,600-square-foot estate with three bedrooms and seven bathrooms Added Appeal: Interior, custom ironwork, passenger elevator on the second floor Built in 2001, this majestic estate situated on the iconic rocky coastline overlooking the Penobscot Bay is evocative of classic-era Maine, with wood and champagne undertones displayed in its consummate design.

Here, Story Litchfield details how its aesthetics are intricately reflected in its traditional style and setting.

JM: In what ways is the coastal grandmother style evident within this property?

Story Litchfield: The design of Stonescape was influenced by the traditional Maine summer cottages that once lined the coast. It offers classic architectural details with modern amenities and an escape from modern life. Tall ceilings, large interior wooden columns, coffered ceilings and extensive granite foundation stonework are just some of the hallmarks of this incredible residence that harken back to days gone by. RE For more information, please visit www.christiesrealestate.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 19

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POLICY & LEGAL MATTERS and private flood insurance. The NFIP Reauthorization Act, which was unanimously approved by the full committee, would: • Reauthorize the NFIP for five years • Encourage a robust private market by clarifying that federal coverage requirements include private flood insurance policies • Modernize mapping using accurate risk-assessment tools, like those currently used in North Carolina, automatically removing lowrisk properties from high-risk areas

Flood Insurance Reforms Critical for a Vibrant Housing Market

H

By Austin Perez

urricane season began last month and is already well on its way to meeting predictions of an above-normal year with 14 21 named storms and catastrophic flooding expected.

Now that the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has been extended through Sept. 30, Congress should pass a long-term reauthorization and reform measure that strengthens the program while providing certainty to real estate markets and property owners.

Administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the NFIP offers hundreds of thousands of dollars of insurance coverage for flooding. The alternative is taxpayer-funded disaster relief, which averages just $4,000 per household for eligible emergency repairs and temporary housing only.

The NFIP also averts billions of dollars in property damage each year because communities must adopt and enforce building codes and standards in order to participate in the program.

Flood insurance is required for a fed-

erally related mortgage in 22,000 communities nationwide.

However, the NFIP must be reauthorized to provide flood insurance, and since 2017, Congress has passed 21 stopgap extensions while debating longer-term reforms. Further, the program was not designed to cover catastrophic loss years like 2005 (Katrina) and 2017 (Harvey), and has accumulated nearly $40 billion of debt, including the $16 billion forgiven by Congress. It’s time for Congress to turn to a long-term measure that will finally put the program on a more sustainable footing.

Last Congress, House Financial Services Committee Chair Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Ranking Member Patrick McHenry (R-NC) worked together to develop a long-term reauthorization that includes meaningful reforms to flood mapping, mitigation

• Ensure consumers are charged accurate and transparent rates through Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action, while enhancing affordability through mitigation grants and funding • Require FEMA to disclose the NFIP claims history directly to buyers and renters rather than excluding communities that don’t adopt a FEMA flood disclosure form Chair Waters recently released a discussion draft that builds on this broad bipartisan measure and provides a sensible starting point for negotiations. With the threat of a lapse now past, the National Association of REALTORS® urges Congress to come together and find common ground on much-needed reforms to the NFIP. A long-term reauthorization that includes reforms will provide certainty to property owners and communities across the U.S. RE For more information, please visit https:// www.nar.realtor/national-flood-insuranceprogram.

Austin Perez is senior policy representative, Insurance Issues, for the National Association of REALTORS®.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 21

CRD CONNECT

marketing plan in a while (or ever!), cement your foundation by taking the National Association of REALTORS®’ Marketing Strategy and Lead Generation course. The recently updated curriculum covers everything from personal branding tactics and the lead generation cycle to how to measure the success of your efforts. It includes exercises, templates and tools to help build a new and improved marketing plan for your ever-evolving business. It’s sure to spark some ideas for new lead generation tactics and marketing approaches. View upcoming courses at training4re.com.

Is It Time for a Marketing Plan Makeover?

I

By Jennifer Rzeszewski

n last month’s column, we talked about how generational characteristics can inform your marketing messaging. Now we want to know: When was the last time you tried a new marketing tactic? If it’s been a while since you took a critical look at your marketing plan and added something new to the mix, it might be time for a marketing plan makeover.

Like every good makeover, you’ll want to keep what you know works for you and layer in a few fresh elements, such as: Video – one of the most effective ways to market yourself and your listings. Can you find a way to add video tours, Instagram Stories and Reels or YouTube to your marketing mix?

Experiential marketing – a buzzworthy concept in real estate marketing circles. The idea is to create in-person, activity-based events that your sphere will enjoy and hopefully talk about on their social media profiles. Does that spark any ideas for you?

Traditional tactics – cold-calling and billboard advertising may be worth exploring, especially if you’ve never tried them before. What tried22 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

and-true tactics could you implement into your marketing?

Social media – an especially effective tool when used to engage your sphere and keep relationships warm.

Could you benefit from a more strategic, consistent approach to social media?

With so many options, how do you decide which new marketing tactics are worth your time and resources?

The good news is that there is no “right” marketing mix. An effective marketing plan should include old and new techniques—both online and offline. Here’s a simple process for deciding which new tactics to add to your marketing plan.

Gather Information If you haven’t formulated a working

An effective marketing plan should include old and new techniques—both online and offline.

Get Inspired Take a cue from the most successful agents you know and get inspired by researching innovative marketing ideas for real estate. Some of the best ideas come from conversations with your peers. Seek out opportunities to network and engage with other agents both in-person and virtually.

Go All In It’s easy to fall into a routine and use the same marketing tactics year in and year out. But it’s important to fully commit to your new marketing strategy, and don’t give up on it too quickly.

After a year, analyze your efforts and adjust your plan again. RE Jennifer Rzeszewski is the vice president of Member Development and the executive director of the Center for REALTOR® Development (CRD), NAR’s home for exceptional education. Learn more about CRD at crd.realtor.

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POWER BROKER PERSPECTIVES industry was a no-brainer for me.

I started as an agent 20 years ago, helping clients build wealth through real estate, which has evolved to where I stand today with my own brokerage of 50 agents. The Collective is one of the largest independent brokerages in LA, and I enjoy helping my agents change their lives while building wealth.

Building a Boutique Business

by Keith Loria

A

nthony Vulin has been involved in real estate since graduating from UCLA in 2000, and has always found success in the Los Angeles area.

After stints at Keller Williams Hollywood Hills and Keller Williams Los Feliz, he launched his own boutique real estate company in 2013, a West Hollywood firm called The Collective.

Vulin is currently president of the Greater LA Association of REALTORS®, the organization that named him REALTOR® of the Year in 2013.

With a passion for both the business and his home city, Vulin continues to lead The Collective to serve those in the Los Angeles area.

What was it about real estate that first piqued your interest?

Anthony Vulin: Real estate is the No. 1 way to build wealth in our country.

I’ve always been passionate about helping others build wealth, so this

How is the Los Angeles market faring today?

AV: Home values are up 8% in most of the neighborhoods we work in.

Inventory is still very low, but we’re finally beginning to see a slight increase in the number of homes coming on the market. There are [fewer] multiple offers than there were earlier in the year, however, most properties still have multiples and sell the first week over list price.

Are there any growth initiatives planned for the firm this year?

AV: We’re always looking for talented agents with a good track record who are ready to take their business to the next level. We grow slowly, hiring only 10% - 20% of the agents we interview, as it’s important to find agents who fit our family-like culture and provide world-class service.

When it comes to technology, how important is it to have the latest and greatest tech tools?

AV: While technology is important, it’s not our main focus. I still believe that human interaction and exceeding expectations are everything in our business. Our business is not an algorithm; it’s much more complicated.

Our agents’ one-on-one service and past experiences bring much more value than any technology can.

VITALS: The Collective Years in business: 20 Size: 1 office, 52 agents Regions Served: Greater Los Angeles Area 2021 Sales Volume: $120 million www.thecollectiverealty.com

What lessons did you learn during the pandemic?

AV: That real estate will always be in demand, and that more people attend our training online than in-person.

What is your firm’s unique value proposition?

AV: In addition to having no monthly fees, we also have a cap on commissions the company takes from an agent. We have a marketing coordinator who helps customize marketing for our agents, and most importantly, we constantly focus on our mission: creating paths to wealth through real estate. This applies to our agents and clients.

How do you maintain a successful work-life balance?

AV: I recently got married, so I have no choice but to maintain this. Exercise is part of my routine, and yoga, spin classes and weight training help keep my body and mind in balance. I have a lot of family and friends in Los Angeles, so I schedule family and friend time before work time. RE

Power Broker Perspectives is brought to you by RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 27

THE VOICE OF THE AAPI COMMUNITY AREAA is dedicated to promoting sustainable homeownership opportunities in the AAPI communities by creating a powerful national voice for housing and real estate professionals that ser ve this dynamic market.

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COACHING customer relationship management system so that you always know what to say when reaching out.

The Key to Growing Your Real Estate Business: Connecting With Past Clients

By Buffini & Company

W

hile there is no indication that housing prices will level off, it is likely that real estate sales will slow down in the summer months. Use this downtime to your advantage by reviewing your database and reconnecting with former clients.

Satisfied customers are an incredible source of future sales and referrals, especially in today’s hyper-competitive market. Referred business comes with a built-in level of trust that can shorten the gap in building a business relationship. Leverage these techniques to turn past clients into new opportunities.

1. Brush up on your communication skills. You’ve probably heard the saying, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” All relationships are best approached with positivity, and when kindness is at the forefront of your communication, it is easier to open closed doors.

If your first two quarters were heavy on conversations fueled by

negotiation, you may need to adjust your style. Choose to connect with past clients with words that focus on “we” versus “I,” reminding them of the positive experience they had working with you.

2. Review your notes. Before you reach out, look at your client’s record to see if there is a natural reason to contact them. For example, an upcoming birthday or life milestone is a great reason to send a card. Perhaps you noted that they are an avid sports fan and can choose to connect on their favorite team’s victory.

If your database is slim on notes, reach out to share timely updates on market changes or just say “hello.”

Make this your starting point to log each client interaction in a reliable

3. Update clients on market changes. Reconnect with former clients by providing timely updates about today’s market. By sharing information relevant to real estate or homeownership, you become their trusted expert and are top of mind when they are buying or selling.

If you already send a monthly mailing to prospects, add your former clients to this mailing list. Remember to add a handwritten note with the first mailing to acknowledge that you lost touch and that you are looking forward to bringing them back into your community.

4. Host a client appreciation party. With a little preparation, you can plan a memorable experience that’s sure to get your clients talking.

Planning your next client party can be a breeze. Be sure you are working at least a month in advance of the event date, and have a strong plan to follow up with your guests.

People love to be thought of, and when you make the move to reconnect, it can bring joy to their day. Considering that the National Association of REALTORS® has identified that 75% of buyers would use their agent again or recommend their agent to others, reconnecting with past clients is a smart marketing tactic.

Working with a coach is an effective way to refine your business plan, refresh your communication skills and have the confidence you need to stay accountable and reach your goals.

Buffini & Company’s One2One Coaching™ includes private coaching calls, a monthly marketing kit and a user-friendly CRM to keep your client notes organized. RE

To learn more, visit www.buffiniandcompany.com/o2o.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 29

COACHING quirements for when to activate new listings with or without the “coming soon” status.

3

Launch a ‘Grand Opening Open House’ event. If you expect large crowds, plan to have a second agent on your team attend the event to help provide tours and greet guests. Remember that you’re exposing your skills to prospective buyers, potential sellers and even neighbors who might hire you down the road, so make it a memorable event.

4 Ways to Maximize the Marketing of Your Next New Listing

By Sherri Johnson

I

n today’s highly competitive and fast-paced environment, it’s easy for agents to get into a “checklist” routine of doing things quickly and without an effective strategy. This type of approach means that agents are simply going through the motions rather than proactively and strategically marketing a new listing in a manner that drives more buyers to the property.

Historically, open houses have been a large and fundamental part of selling homes, yet today’s agents tell me that homes aren’t on the market long enough to hold an open house. But this can change if you create a better strategy and control the marketing launch of your next new listing. Here are four ways to maximize the marketing of your next new listing to create mass exposure that will generate more prospective buyers:

1

Create a better marketing strategy. Instead of listing the house on a Monday and selling it

by Wednesday, create a plan that gives you time to strategically pre-

30 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

pare your marketing materials to go active closer to the weekend. This will provide the opportunity to make the open house part of the initial marketing plan.

2

Launch your new listing with a better timeline.

Launch a listing with the on-market, go-active date later in the week so that you can create urgency for showings and the open house. You can slow down the launch and be better prepared with new listing postcards, inviting neighbors and prospective buyers to the open house. Be sure to follow clear cooperation guidelines, as well as your MLS’ rules and re-

Create a plan that gives you time to strategically prepare your marketing materials to go active closer to the weekend.

4

Convert attendees from your Grand Opening Open House into potential buyer and seller leads. Having created the strategic timeline that gives you the opportunity to market the home and attract more buyers for the property, you’ll also meet new buyers and potential sellers.

By incorporating a more effective and strategic marketing plan for sellers, you can better market your new listings, creating a sense of urgency and driving more qualified buyers to your listings. You’ll also be creating more opportunities to help future buyers and neighbors buy and sell. Additionally, you’re providing more value in your listing presentation, generating more traffic and buyer opportunities to market your new listings. It’s a win on so many levels. RE Sherri Johnson is CEO and founder of Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting. Johnson offers individual and group real estate coaching, and is a preferred coach for multiple national brokerages. She consults and speaks for many leading organizations, including RISMedia, NAR, McKissock Learning and Homes.com.

COACHING But I was committed to doing it, so I began to train. I started small, because if I had tried to run the whole thing right off the bat, I probably would have died in someone’s front yard. While I only ran 0.3 miles on my very first run, I considered quitting, but I ran just a little bit further every day. I finally worked myself up to a mile in two weeks, and it took about five months to work myself up to the full 26.2 miles.

From Clueless to Confident: Building Your Real Estate Business One Skill at a Time

By Darryl Davis

W

hether it’s social media marketing, technology or another aspect of your business that you’re struggling with, it’s important to remember that anyone can learn. Even if you’re 19 and just starting out in real estate, or 76 years young and still doing what you love, it’s never too early (or late!) to develop new skills, new habits and realize new success.

Focus on One Thing Social media platforms, technology and other tools can leave you feeling overwhelmed, particularly if you’re trying to learn all of them at once.

If you’re anything like the rest of us, you probably develop the sweats and feel like you’re being pulled in several different directions. When you start feeling this way, it’s time to pick one thing and focus on learning that thing until you are comfortable and confident.

If, for example, you’re currently struggling with social media, pick one platform, like Facebook, and don’t look at any others until you’ve learned how to use it. Once you’re

totally comfortable with it and have enough confidence to say, “I could teach a class on this,” then move on to something else. Next, you may want to focus on getting better at creating virtual home tours or email marketing.

Little by Little One of my favorite sayings is, “Inch by inch, life’s a cinch. Yard by yard, life’s hard.” When we try to learn too much at once, it can be hard, frustrating and even counterproductive as we don’t retain what we learn.

When I decided to run a marathon (and believe me, I am not a runner), I looked at the whole 26.2 miles and thought, “There’s no way. It’s too far!”

Focus on improving your skills just 10% a month.

That 10% a month means you’ll improve 120% every year.

I’ll share with you what I tell my POWER AGENTS®: focus on improving your skills just 10% a month using resources, webinars on-demand, blogs and training articles. That 10% a month means you’ll improve 120% every year. RE Darryl Davis has trained and coached more than 100,000 agents globally. He is a bestselling author of “How to Become a Power Agent® in Real Estate,” which tops Amazon’s charts for most-sold book to real estate agents. Davis hosts a weekly webinar to help agents succeed in changing times. Visit www.DarrylSpeaks.com/ Online-Training.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 31

COACHING “I wanted to ketchup and let you know how much I relish your friendship! We ‘mustard’ get together!”

You’ll be surprised at the number of responses this gets with a giggle and a smile. This works well for several summer holidays, like Father’s Day (grilling), Fourth of July (more grilling) and even Labor Day. You don’t have to spend more than a few minutes at each pop-by, but make sure you intentionally block specific time for the project so that you have time to enjoy your own summer.

4 Secrets to Summer Sales

A

By Terri Murphy re you feeling the effects of “summer-itis?” Longer days, warm temperatures, lots of sunshine, the kids being out of school, summer concerts and holidays all make it hard to focus on work.

Although summer presents challenges with clients attending weddings or going on vacation, it’s a great time to jump ahead of the competition while everyone else is “summering.”

Here are a few insider secrets that will pump up sales and still give you time to enjoy your summer:

breakfasts at a local restaurant. When you invite 10 at a time, not all of them will be able to attend, but the reachout will be worth it. For better results, send a hard-copy invite and electronic touch, then follow up with a call.

3

Take care of yourself first.

Block out your own “fun-in-thesun” time. Take some three-day weekends or participate in your favorite summer activities; you’ll be able to fully experience that summertime feeling and then focus on dollar-productive activities when you’re working.

Plan a ‘fun-in-the-sun’ event.

Host a pool party, meet at the beach or reserve park space, and be sure to arrange for kids/games. Past coaching clients have measured a significant number of listings and buyer referrals after hosting such events.

Get sponsors to share the cost in exchange for the invite list, and they can reach out with their services.

2

4

1

Invite your MVPs, current and past clients, prospects, Top 50 or strategic partners to small gatherings. Plan a picnic lunch in the park, enjoy local music events, meet at the farmers market or get together for Saturday morning

32 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Get ‘face to face’ with clients you’ve lost touch with.

One fun initiative is to put together a summer box that contains a bottle of ketchup, relish and mustard. Create a sticker that sits on the lid of each one that says:

Although summer presents challenges with clients attending weddings or going on vacation, it’s a great time to jump ahead of the competition while everyone else is “summering.”

Here’s the wrap: Everyone wants to be seen, valued and heard. Experts like John Ruhlin, founder of Giftology, and Ken Blanchard, author of “The Generosity Factor,” say that time and relationships are your most precious commodities. Plan some summer fun for yourself, have fun prospecting and see how profitable it can be. RE Terri Murphy is a communication engagement specialist, author, TED Talk speaker, consultant and master coach with Workman Success Systems. She is the author of five books and founder of WomensWisdomNetwork. For more information, visit TerriMurphy.com or email Terri@TerriMurphy.com.

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RISMEDIA’S REAL ESTATE NEWSMAKERS IS BACK! Our annual “who’s who” in real estate honors the industry’s most noteworthy leaders, changemakers and successful doers. Don’t miss your chance to recognize and celebrate your colleagues and peers for this one-of-a-kind awards program.

Entries are open from July 15 to August 31, 2022.

Don’t wait! Nominate a Newsmaker at..

www.rismedia.com/newsmaker-nomination

COACHING leading to an increase in foreclosures.

However, the situation is not nearly as bad as before. Here’s why.

First, real estate foreclosures are approximately 57% of what they were in 2020. So, even though foreclosures increased when the moratoriums expired, the number of people who could not afford their mortgage payments was still lower than the number who could not afford them before the pandemic.

Are We Doomed to Repeat the 2000s Housing Crisis?

By the Experts at McKissock Learning

T

he early 2000s housing crisis left many Americans financially devastated after losing their real estate investments and homes. It’s no surprise that people are still wary of this crisis repeating itself whenever there’s an extreme flux in the housing market—like our current market, almost two decades later.

However volatile our current market may be, it’s important to note that we are not doomed to repeat the 2000s housing crisis. Let’s explore where these two instances differ and why current homeowners should rest assured that history will not repeat itself.

What Happened During the 2000s Housing Crisis?

There were a few key factors that contributed to the housing crisis in the early 2000s, beginning with skyrocketing rates of mortgage fraud, which caused an earlier recession and led to the Federal Reserve lowering its interest rates from 6.25% to 1% in an attempt to put off inflation. This caused the cost of lending to increase, with many borrowers seeing a 60% increase in repayment.

It didn’t help that the Federal Reserve was not strictly regulating the loan screening and approval process, allowing banks to approve risky mortgages. Inevitably, when people could not make their mortgage payments, the housing bubble burst, and thousands of homes were foreclosed upon.

Why Is This Current Housing Crisis Different?

It’s understandable why people are worried that the 2000s housing crisis will repeat itself due to the increase in foreclosures following the pandemic.

In the first quarter of 2022, the moratoriums that allowed homeowners to pause their mortgage payments for 18 months if they suffered from pandemic-related hardship expired,

While there are still people facing foreclosure…there are more options for homeowners to bounce back.

Secondly, buyer demand is still high, which means that those who cannot afford to pay their mortgage can opt to sell their house instead.

This prevents further foreclosures and helps to maintain some stability. Additionally, most people facing foreclosure have positive equity in the house.

Finally, banks are stricter when it comes to the loan screening process and approvals, limiting the amount of “risky mortgages” that could lead to foreclosures if the market suddenly inflated again.

While there are still people facing foreclosure, the process has extended to a couple of years, and there are more options for homeowners to bounce back.

As the local real estate expert, knowing how to answer questions about issues such as the housing crisis can help you build your reputation. RE As part of the Colibri Real Estate family of premier education brands, McKissock Learning helps hundreds of thousands of real estate professionals each year achieve sustainable success throughout each stage of their career via continuing education and professional development courses.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 35

BUSINESS BUILDERS and her team to provide homeowners a better way to sell their home.

“I was exposed to Curbio because of our relationship with eXp, and shortly after, an executive I worked with in the past, who now works at Curbio, was very impressed with our seller relationships,” explains Figueroa. “When a seller raises their hand and says that they are interested in fixing their home before they sell it and need a great agent, that’s us.”

“It’s a huge value proposition for us to enter a listing and be able to say, ‘Fix now, pay when you sell.’”

-VERONICA FIGUEROA CEO, Figueroa Team, brokered by eXp Realty

Figueroa

Setting Sellers Up for Success CURBIO PROVES TO BE A GAMECHANGER FOR ORLANDO FIRM

By Keith Loria

V

eronica Figueroa, CEO of the Orlando, Florida-based Figueroa Team, brokered by eXp Realty, has run her team for close to a decade. During that time, she has fostered an approach to the business that has helped her people become top producers as they continue to grow.

Having started off as a RE/MAX broker/owner, Figueroa built her team before eventually selling her brokerage and moving her team of 18 over to eXp. Today, that team numbers 80 and is made up of coaches, marketing experts, an onboarding specialist and back-end support for agents.

Always looking for ways to innovate and keep her agents on the path to success, Figueroa was quick to get her agents involved with the pre-listing concierge service Curbio.

“We’re really excited about our relationship with Curbio,” says Figueroa, who goes on to explain that giving sellers solutions has always been a key piece of the puzzle. “We’re always looking at the options sellers have to take away the friction. We look at the common things that stress sellers out, and those often include having to fix their homes, not having the money to do so or the time to make those changes happen,” she adds.

Curbio eliminates these worries while allowing Figueroa 36 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

The firm now introduces Curbio into every one of its listings, as it is an ideal solution for sellers who need to complete repairs prior to putting their home on the market but have not budgeted for it.

“Not every seller is going to want to go through managing repairs and the logistics of it, so we offer the solution to show them that we have them covered,” says Figueroa.

“Our agents and listing partners are excited about it, as are our sellers, because now they can sell their homes for top dollar.”

Given last year’s extreme seller’s market, making repairs and fixing up the home prior to listing wasn’t as important, but as the Orlando market continues to become more competitive, sellers need to be armed with solutions for the future.

“Curbio is going to be a gamechanger for us,” says Figueroa, who loves the fact that Curbio is agent-focused.

“They want to work with the local expert who is going to price the property right and set the seller up for success.

We need to look out for all parties, and the agent is at the center of all of this. We will take on the responsibility with Curbio so that the client doesn’t have to navigate this alone.”

Figueroa is equally impressed with the fact that Curbio can be used for improvements of all sizes with no upper or lower scope limits, which will go a long way toward giving sellers the peace of mind to make the necessary repairs to achieve the best price.

“It’s a huge value proposition for us to enter a listing and be able to say, ‘Fix now, pay when you sell.’ There’s not a big premium if someone wants to change the carpet or make repairs to something big,” concludes Figueroa. “It’s totally transparent, you know what you’re going to pay and you can be involved throughout the entire process.” RE For more information, please visit https://curbio.com.

BUSINESS BUILDERS

Northrop

Building a Strong Support Network REAL ESTATE WEBMASTERS HELPS NORTHROP REALTY TAKE CHARGE OF ITS GROWTH STORY

By Joey Macari

A

s the leaders of Northrop Realty, a Long & Foster Company, Creig and Carla Northrop have garnered a reputation within the real estate community as being agents of change. In 2000, the pair started the Creig Northrop Team, which became the No. 1 team in the nation an unprecedented three times. In 2018, the Creig Northrop Team became Northrop Realty, growing into a fullservice brokerage specializing in residential real estate in Maryland; Delaware; Virginia; Washington, D.C.; Pennsylvania and Florida.

Since its rebranding, Northrop Realty has nearly tripled in size, amassing a team of over 400 agents, garnering over $2 billion in sales volume in 2021 and growing its creative, marketing and education services to accommodate its rapidly growing team.

“Our brand is synonymous with professionalism and quality service that exceeds clients’ expectations,” says Founder and CEO Creig Northrop, who is committed to investing in the firm’s growth trajectory.

Exceeding expectations every step of the way, the associations that the brand has formed throughout its decades-

long tenure trickle down to every facet of the homeownership experience. From the way in which agents are set up for success to the balance between business and pleasure, Northrop’s charismatic approach to leadership is evident in everything he does. In fact, it can be seen first-hand in his very own “Northrop Sold” music video.

Utilizing the best that technology has to offer, Northrop’s agents are equipped with the tools—and the foundation— to succeed.

“We empower our agents not only with our state-ofthe-art systems and processes, but with our exclusive continuing education platform, NorthropU, which helps our agents navigate their business growth and stay on top of the current market, latest trends, marketing and technologies,” says Northrop.

Northrop Realty recently expanded its digital footprint even further with the addition of its new custom marketing platform, Ignite, and in-house creative and marketing venture, Studio7, which allows agents to self-produce promotional materials and improve branding advocacy.

“Our systems and processes allow our all-the-time agents to focus and thrive on their clients and build their business with the support of our amazing employees who go above and beyond,” adds Northrop, who explains that everyone in the brokerage plays an important role in its success and growth.

But it doesn’t end there, as Northrop points to the firm’s partnership with Real Estate Webmasters as another key piece of the puzzle.

Working together to curate the brokerage’s new custom website, the fully customized site blends both functionality and innovation. In addition to its advanced CRM technologies, the site is ADA-compliant and loaded with dynamic calls to action. It also offers 3D virtual tours, 4K fusion photography and 2D floor plans at no extra cost to Northrop Realty’s clients.

“Our new website is customer-oriented at its core.

We strategically planned its architecture and content so visitors can navigate to what they are looking for with ease. We want every visitor to come to our site and feel that they want a relationship with our brand. Its speed has improved our SEO tenfold, while its visual hierarchy helps visitors navigate content on each page seamlessly and use our search bar to find particular neighborhoods of interest,” says Jay Riley, chief marketing officer at Northrop Realty.

“Real Estate Webmasters’ Renaissance platform gives us best-in-class design, great SEO, speed and accessibility,” concludes Riley, “while its CRM helps us convert more leads from buyers and sellers.” RE For more information, please visit www.realestatewebmasters.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 37

BUSINESS BUILDERS With the cost of homes continuing to escalate and his primary client base consisting of younger buyers and those serving in the military, Hetherington can’t say enough about the importance of ensuring that both their investment and future streams of income are protected.

“There’s a level of comfort that comes with an HSA home warranty, and I think that’s worth its weight in gold.”

-TODD HETHERINGTON CEO, CENTURY 21 New Millennium Hetherington

Setting the Gold Standard for Home Warranties HSASM HOME WARRANTY TAKES HOME PROTECTION TO A NEW LEVEL

By John Voket

A

fter graduating from West Point and completing his service as an Army officer and engineer, Todd Hetherington was “recruited” into real estate. “I hung my real estate license in 1988 and had a retired Army Colonel take me under his wing at his company,” recalls Hetherington, who sold five houses within his first month in the business, with commissions doubling what he was making as an Army captain.

Today, as CEO of CENTURY 21 New Millennium in Alexandria, Virginia, Hetherington continues to maintain a tradition of protecting those he serves by educating every client he and his nearly 900 agents represent on the value of the home warranty.

During the past few years, when anxious buyers were ready to sign on the dotted line while often waiving a home inspection, Hetherington says that obtaining a home warranty was practically a no-brainer. And for 20-plus years, HSA Home Warranty has been the choice of many of the firm’s clients because in his opinion they represent the gold standard.

38 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“My military clients are typically buying a home on a VA program with no money down, and they are typically cash deficient, so if something were to go wrong in the house, I want to be sure they can have the protection they need for their home systems and appliances,” says Hetherington.

From a REALTOR® standpoint, Hetherington says the last thing he wants to see is a new buyer calling in to say that their dishwasher or dryer is broken.

“I like nothing more than telling those callers who have an HSA warranty that I’ll give you the 800 number to call, file a service request, and HSA will send out a contractor to diagnose the issue and get you up and running again,” explains Hetherington, who insists that agents build a home warranty into their listing presentations for preowned homes and brand-new construction as well.

Much of this stems from Hetherington’s own experience with a newly built residence.

“I had a home built, had an HSA warranty on it and the builder had gone bankrupt, so when the water heater started malfunctioning about 18 months in, I couldn’t turn to the builder,” says Hetherington. “If it weren’t for that HSA warranty, I would have been out of luck.”

Today, CENTURY 21 New Millennium agents include warranties on nearly one out of every four homes sold every year. Hetherington says that he appreciates the fact that HSA has remained affordable, even as the cost of materials and appliances has escalated.

Drilling down even further, Hetherington believes that his newer clients appreciate the user-friendliness of HSA’s web and mobile tools, while his older clients value the one-on-one service they receive when they call in with a question or service request.

“There’s a level of comfort that comes with an HSA home warranty,” concludes Hetherington, “and I think that’s worth its weight in gold.” RE For more information, please visit www.onlinehsa.com.

Yes, our culture does make a difference.

You’ll never feel alone when you are with Weichert®. We believe a

positive, encouraging environment is key to success. You’ll be plugged into a skilled team who wants to see you succeed and motivate you to be your best. You’ll be recognized for your achievements with annual awards. You’ll get up-to-date information, weekly webinars, in-person workshops, and Weichert University support to help you grow. Don’t settle for good enough. Go for great. Give your local Weichert office a call today or visit jobs.Weichert.com Each Weichert® franchised office is independently owned and operated. ©2021 Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. Weichert is a federally registered trademark owned by Weichert Co. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

THE CHANGING FACE OF HOMEOWNERSHIP

How Anywhere Is Reimagining the Buying and Selling Experience

By Maria Patterson

OPEN HOUSE

40 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

L

et’s face it. All bets are off. When the pandemic descended upon us, life as we knew it changed in so many ways, from the minute to the monumental. And from all accounts, the arc is still bending.

During these transformational times, everyone has had to make a choice.

Remain as-is in the hopes that things go back to “normal”—or change.

Transform.

Enter Anywhere Real Estate.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF ‘ANYWHERE’ Announcing a bold rebrand this past May during its Investor Day, Realogy made what it viewed as a critical course correction to accurately reflect what real estate has become… and is becoming. The dramatic name change to Anywhere Real Estate Inc. (referred to as ‘Anywhere’) is intended to speak to both real estate professionals, as well as the consumers they serve; to meet everyone—and anyone—where they are in the real estate journey…anywhere that happens to be.

“Over the past several years, we’ve gone through a major transformation,” says Sue Yannaccone, president and CEO of the Anywhere brand’s franchise group (formerly Realogy Franchise Group). “We’ve fortified our balance sheet and really built a long-term strategy to move real estate toward what’s next. That’s what this rebrand signals. It’s better representation of our mission and our go-forward vision.”

While linguistically simple, the Anywhere rebrand is actually quite dimensional.

For starters, it speaks to the importance of place—both literally and figuratively—in today’s real estate transaction. “It’s about meeting the consumer literally anywhere on their buying and selling journey—search, mortgage, title and more,” Yannaccone explains. “We can empower

them anywhere in the process. And in an increasingly mobile world, it speaks to conducting business from anywhere. We meet them anywhere during the transaction but also anywhere from an enablement perspective, whether they want to be fully digital or less so.”

Meeting consumers anywhere includes person-to-person to whatever degree they demand, Yannaccone stresses. “What shouldn’t be lost here is the power of the incredible base of agents we have,” she says. “There is work in real estate that will always need that human.”

While the name is new, the foundational journey behind Anywhere has been happening for several years. “We had already begun activating some integrated, tech-forward and simplified experiences for the homebuyer and seller, keeping the agent at the heart of that transaction,” Yannaccone explains. The company’s integrated title services, mortgage joint ventures, RealSure and RealVitalize products, and the newly launched HomePlace app are just a few proof points of the Anywhere journey thus far. As Yannaccone puts it, “We’ve been on it, and now we’re going further.”

While the Anywhere rebrand was only days old at press time, first reactions were positive. “The best brands evolve themselves to meet the markets they’re in,” says Yannaccone.

“This signals an evolution and the next iteration.”

MEETING THE CALL TO TRANSFORM The best brands do indeed evolve over time, answering the call to become more relevant and more in sync

“Over the past several years, we’ve gone through a major transformation. We’ve fortified our balance sheet and really built a long-term strategy to move real estate toward what’s next. That’s what this rebrand signals.”

- Sue Yannaccone President and Chief Executive Officer, Anywhere Franchise Group with the constituents they serve. The Anywhere rebrand, however, arrives with a sense of urgency, hitting the industry at a critical inflection point where evolution is necessary in order for any real estate company or professional to survive.

“We’ve been talking about change in our industry and changing consumer expectations for decades,” says Yannaccone. “I think what’s changed now is the consumer themselves, and that is requiring us to work and think differently. The consumer demands

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 41

Graduates from the 7th cohort of the Ascend leadership development program

that we iterate and remove the friction and de-risk the transaction to the extent that we can.”

Anywhere is certainly answering this call with products and offerings designed to eliminate friction and risk for the consumer during a real estate transaction; however, consumers must leverage an agent to do so.

According to Anywhere Chief Operating Officer Melissa McSherry, the brand speaks to consumers, but via the agent. “The consumer focus complements the strength we already have in supporting agents with a set of capabilities that reimagines the experience of buying and selling a house,” she says. “There will be some consumers who want just a little bit of innovation and a little bit of friction coming out. There will be other consumers who will have a totally reimagined version—totally digital, push a button. We can meet consumers anywhere they are on that innovation spectrum.”

Jemila Winsey, broker and coowner of ERA Legacy Real Estate in Houston, Texas, has witnessed the consumer demand for tech innovation first-hand.

42 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“The pandemic fast-tracked how consumers behave as it relates to the real estate transaction,” explains Winsey. “Our consumers are now very comfortable with technology and almost all start their real estate journey online. They also have access to a wealth of information on the process before picking up the phone to call a REALTOR®. Our market is extremely fast-paced, and the expectation of the consumer is to receive information in real-time. We need to be able to pivot and have access to the right tools and platforms to meet this demand.”

The Anywhere rebrand ultimately speaks to the entire real estate ecosystem, says Anywhere Chief People Officer Tanya Reu-Narvaez. “It really brings our businesses and brands together under an umbrella to meet our consumers anywhere they are in the real estate transaction,” she says. “It also allows us to meet our employees anywhere they are on their career trajectory. We’re focusing on integration to meet consumers, agents, brokers and employees anywhere they are.”

THE CHANGING FACE OF REAL ESTATE Baked into the philosophy of the Anywhere brand is the concept of “anyone,” aimed directly at better addressing the changing demographics of today’s and tomorrow’s homeowners. The rebranding fully acknowledges that the homeowners of tomorrow will be more diverse in every way.

“The face of the industry is absolutely changing, being led by the changing face of the consumer of today and tomorrow—from a diversity perspective, from a demographic perspective—and we have to be in it and truly understand it,” explains Yannaccone.

For starters, the largest cohort of millennials to date is set to turn 35 over the next five years—a ripe age for homeownership. According to Yannaccone, such generational changes are going to require real estate professionals to do business differently. “Think about the way a millennial consumes—they’re digital natives, they expect everything to be frictionless and online, and they want to be offline when they want

to be offline,” she explains. “So it’s about meeting their needs wherever they are.”

One place millennials tend to regularly be is on their mobile devices, a mechanism they employ for “doing just about everything,” says McSherry. “We have this huge group of people coming into prime home-buying age who are disproportionately oriented toward doing a bunch of stuff in a mobile, digital context,” she explains. “We need to have that ability to meet them in that context—‘anywhere’ isn’t just physical, it’s digital.”

Throughout the millennial cohort and well beyond, the face of real estate is also changing from a racial, gender and sexual-orientation perspective. That’s why, for Yannaccone, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts must begin at the company level and go well beyond “checking a box” in order to have a tangible impact. At press time, for example, Anywhere had just held its third annual Day of Understanding with a focus on allyship. The event was hosted by the firm’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), composed of and empowering underrepresented demographics to challenge the company to think differently. This year’s keynote speaker, DEI expert Willie Jackson, encapsulated Anywhere’s approach to diversity when he expressed that you don’t need to be an expert in every element of DEI to make an impact, but that each of us still needs to push for progress.

Anywhere has done just that and has several proof points to back it up.

Through the firm’s Inclusive Ownership Program, for example, the company has witnessed a 72% increase in diverse GCI across its franchise brands. Forty-five percent of attendees in the Anywhere Ascend program, designed to cultivate the next generation of real estate leaders, are now running their companies. And the two programs serendipitously weave

together to create an even greater impact: 19 of the companies that came through the Inclusive Ownership program began their journey via Ascend.

Anywhere has also taken its DEI advocacy beyond its own walls, whitelabeling its Fair Housing Training for industry-wide use.

“We have this huge group of people coming into prime homebuying age who are disproportionately oriented toward doing a bunch of stuff in a mobile, digital context. We need to have that ability to meet them in that context—‘anywhere’ isn’t just physical, it’s digital.”

- Melissa McSherry Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Anywhere Real Estate Inc. In her role, Reu-Narvaez heads up talent acquisition and management, as well as culture and DEI for all brands under the Anywhere umbrella.

“You hear a lot about DEI being a priority now, and that statement is

frustrating, but I’ll take it,” she laughs.

“Today is the two-year anniversary of George Floyd (at press time), and I think a lot of companies realize we have much more to do. From our standpoint, this has been a priority of ours for decades.”

According to Reu-Narvaez, the Inclusive Ownership Program exemplifies that prioritization by providing an action plan for diversifying the franchise-owner base.

“We want to see the sustained success of our diverse owners,” she explains. “We extended it to all brands in 2021, and we’re up to 50 companies that have come to us through this program. We just launched a six-month development program that helps them with their onboarding and setting up their company for success.”

Reu-Narvaez is also proud of the Anywhere company’s representation in terms of gender. “We’re certainly an industry that is heavily represented by women at the agent level, but at the broker/owner level, there’s much less representation,” she explains. “We are very proud of our gender representation in leadership roles. There’s a call to action there for the industry, and we’re happy to get right behind it.”

The DEI efforts made at the corporate level have not gone unnoticed.

They serve as inspiration that travels far and wide among the many Anywhere brands. Winsey, for example, has responded to the call in every way. Her company is a member of NAHREP and AREAA, and she personally served on the board of the Houston Real Estate Black Association and the Houston chapter of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers. While there, she spearheaded the first Top 20 Black Real Estate Awards in the country.

“This is something we are very intentional about,” says Winsey. “We run a very diverse brokerage with 20 countries and languages repre-

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 43

sented. Our leadership team is held accountable to ensure that we remain diverse. Additionally, we encourage our agents to do the same by looking at their client pool and proactively seeking opportunities to diversify. We also have an inclusive culture and transparent conversations relating to diversity and inclusion. We are not shy about having an open dialogue.”

The type of DEI leadership that Winsey embodies is imperative toward solving for the inequalities in homeownership that currently exist, says Yannaccone. “The 30% disparity between Black and White homeownership is larger now than it was in 1968, when it was legal to discriminate,” she says. “According to the Human Rights Campaign, the LGBTQ+ community is 73% more likely to be denied a loan even though there’s no proof of higher likelihood to default. If you have greater representation in your leadership ranks, you’re going to make decisions that are influenced by a more diverse thought leadership.”

Anywhere has made a host of extensive efforts aimed at increasing DEI, including through decades-long partnerships with NAHREP, AREAA, NAREB, Women Up, What Moves Her, Empowering Latinas and the Real Estate Alliance, to name a few.

As Reu-Narvaez says, “We work in a very integrated manner to accelerate our efforts.” And those efforts have been recognized. In its former iteration as Realogy, the firm was named a LinkedIn Top Company as well as a Top Employer for Diversity

by Forbes.

While expanding DEI efforts in this manner is simply the right thing to do, Yannaccone says it goes beyond a moral imperative to a business imperative.

“Companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above the industry mediums, according to McKinsey research,” she explains. “This is tangible. We need 44 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

to stop considering our industry to be so unbelievably unique that those proof points don’t transfer. When you look at research around the value of gender diversity and racial diversity, it’s too significant and too consistent to ignore. Diversity of thought allows you to serve a broader population of consumers, and that elevates the company’s returns.”

“We firmly believe that inclusion, as the anchor for our culture, invites new thinking and diverse perspectives into the conversation, and influences the overall culture of the organization.”

- Tanya Reu-Narvaez Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, Anywhere Real Estate Inc. Reu-Narvaez agrees. “We firmly believe that inclusion, as the anchor for our culture, invites new thinking and diverse perspectives into the conversation, and influences the overall culture of the organization,” she says.

“And that requires systemic changes.”

DIVERSITY STARTS AT HOME Creating that systemic change has been something Reu-Narvaez has been working toward for some time, ever since she joined Realogy 20 years ago.

“When you look at real estate, we have been and still are a very underrepresented industry,” she says. “Look at the homebuyers and sellers of today and then those who represent the industry—there’s a major disconnect.

We made it our mission to change that trajectory 20 years ago. That’s why DEI has been part of our strategy from a growth perspective—because it is essential.”

Seeking out diverse talent means going beyond race and gender to embrace a diversity of experience as well, bucking the standard industry practice of recruiting from within.

“We believe that diverse experience from other industries, whether someone has a technology mindset or a luxury market mindset, is really important in strengthening not only the culture but also the capability of the teams across our organization. When you do that, it opens up a greater, diverse population.”

Attracting diverse talent also means breaking down real estate’s barriers to entry by providing sufficient mentorship at every level, and bridging the industry’s inherent financial challenges.

“We always say that there are no barriers, but there are,” Yannaccone explains. “You have no paycheck.

You have no health insurance. We have to have a pathway and make it an attractive and viable opportunity and slow down the churn.”

One way the company has reduced barriers to attract and maintain a more diverse talent pool is by transitioning to a hybrid work model. Developed in the wake of the pandemic, the former three-floor office building that served as Realogy headquarters in Madison, New Jersey, has become

The New York Stock Exchange welcomes executives and guests of Anywhere Real Estate Inc. in celebration of its rebrand from Realogy.

To honor the occasion, Ryan Schneider, president and CEO, joined by Chris Taylor, vice president, NYSE Head of Listings and Services, rings The Opening Bell®.

Photo credit: NYSE

a state-of-the-art, one-floor open office space known as the “Hub.” This adds another dimension to the company’s rebrand as certain employees can now work from “anywhere.”

Reu-Narvaez describes the Hub as a “plug-and-play, hoteling-type concept where we can facilitate open collaboration for teams when and where they see fit. This allows us to keep the culture of connectivity alive.”

The hybrid work model speaks to today’s need for flexibility, which is part and parcel of the Anywhere concept. Reu-Narvaez sees this as a permanent shift. “Our lives have become this integrated world of personal, work and everything in between,” she says. “I don’t see that going back to the compartmentalized way it was in the past. I think it really aligns with the fluidity and flexibility we’re experiencing as humans and as professionals.”

McSherry sees the hybrid work environment as an opportunity to attract more diverse talent. “With the flex-

ibility we’re offering, there’s an aspect of ‘anywhere’ from an employment standpoint,” she says. “We’re supporting employees anywhere, which significantly broadens for whom anywhere is an attractive employment destination.”

Reu-Narvaez agrees. “There certainly are roles where employees have to be onsite to support agents, but we’ve gone from 5% being remote pre-COVID to about 60%,” she says.

“Think about the opportunity that presents on the talent-attraction front—it creates a much broader population of talent we can tap into.”

Of course, like every company that has moved to a remote or hybrid model, maintaining company culture can become challenging—but nothing Reu-Narvaez isn’t ready to tackle.

“COVID has really allowed us to break down some barriers and cross borders,” she says. “We have six different brands and four different companies, and we’ve seen more crosscollaboration and cross-teaming than

we’ve ever seen before, and that’s really enabling our culture to move to what’s next.”

Pandemic times also forged a stronger connection between agents and their brands, particularly in terms of virtual education. “These levels of engagement have been so significant,” says Reu-Narvaez. “And those are silver linings that we’re carrying forward.”

MAKING IT ALL POSSIBLE: TECHNOLOGY Whether it’s working remotely or creating a more frictionless real estate transaction, the engine enabling Anywhere to meet consumers, brokers, agents and employees anywhere they are is technology.

“We are harnessing the power of our unique advantages,” says McSherry. “We have world-class brands and an amazing agent network, and via technology and data scale, we can create better experiences for consumers.”

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 45

The Tools for Transformation In order to take the changing face of homeownership from rhetoric to reality, Anywhere Real Estate has introduced a series of programs and products aimed at advancing real estate professionals and the consumers they serve—wherever and whomever they are. Here’s a breakdown of just a few: • Inclusive Ownership Program: An industry-first initiative designed to invest in diverse brokerage owners who affiliate with one of the Anywhere brands by offering incentives that support their business growth • Fair Housing Training: A multi-part course called “Delivering the Promise of Fair Housing,” allowing users to sign the Stand Up for Fair Housing Pledge upon completion • Ascend: Anywhere’s 46-week educational curriculum designed to provide rising leaders with the skillsets and tools to help shape the future of the industry • HomePlace: A unique mobile app that provides agents, brokers and consumers with a premium experience throughout the homeownership lifecycle • RealSure: A program providing cash-backed solutions for homebuying and selling, empowering agents with new and innovative ways to help their clients make the most of every transaction • RealVitalize: A program providing home sellers with home-improvement resources prior to or during the home-listing period with no upfront or hidden costs or interest fees • Open Ecosystem: A technology model that brings together agents, brokers, partners and developers to enable customized solutions— such as MoxiWorks—for homebuying and selling, and beyond

From MoxiWorks and its open tech-architecture platform to data programs like Affiliate Insights to consumer programs like RealSure and RealVitalize, McSherry explains that the company’s advancements in technology are designed to harness the future of real estate.

“You have to respond to the perspectives and expectations of your customer base,” she says. “Many years ago, so much of this work was done in an office, by hand, with paper—and as people become more comfortable doing these things in a digital context, technology has become very scale driven. The willingness of consumers to engage in a

46 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

digital way in the home search and transaction process necessitates using technology to make this a more frictionless and efficient experience.”

To that end, the development of agent-focused technology has been a critical strategy for the company.

Agent-focused technology, that is, that allows them to better serve the consumer.

“I view the tech investments we’re making as fundamentally an enabler,” explains McSherry. “They’re an enabler of agents being able to spend more time with consumers, which is a better way to meet consumers where they are and, at the same time, take friction, stress and anxiety

“The evolution we’ve seen in the past couple of years means that the agents who are able to leverage technology platforms to build solid relationships with their clients are winning in the real estate game today.”

- Jemila Winsey Broker and Co-Owner, ERA Legacy Real Estate

out of the process. The more the technology frees the agent to do the things only people can do, the better job the agent can do in meeting the needs of the consumer.”

Winsey is proof positive of this fact.

“The evolution we’ve seen in the past couple of years means that the agents who are able to leverage technology platforms to build solid relationships with their clients are winning in the real estate game today,” she says.

The Anywhere tech strategy, therefore, means being able to meet consumers truly anywhere they are, whether it’s the kitchen table or a DocuSign file. As McSherry puts it, “We will meet consumers anywhere in the physical

and digital divide. For the 35 and under crowd, ‘we’ve got an app for that.’

For others, we enable the agent.”

McSherry points to the HomePlace app as the perfect example, granting consumers mobile-device access to all the documents associated with their transaction, from the home inspection report to the closing docs.

But whether it’s HomePlace or another tech tool, McSherry emphasizes that, “There’s no app that will be able to do the things people do.”

Winsey can testify to this fact. “The agent is no longer a salesperson,” she says. “They are problem solvers, subject-matter experts and strategic consultants. Consumers rely on the agent for more than just presenting a list of homes for sale or your run-of-the-mill listing presentation; they are looking to fill in the gaps and get answers to questions they were not able to find online.”

Yannaccone wholeheartedly agrees.

“The transaction is more complex than ever,” she says. “Consumers have to navigate a significant number of products and tech services. Plus the complexity of navigating the financial end of the transaction—that requires a dynamic professional who can offer individual guidance.”

But not just any professional will do, she adds. It must be an agent who has the ability to guide a consumer through the transaction in the most frictionless way.

“When we look back with the lens of ‘how in the world did we ever do business that way?’ that does not mean we will no longer need an agent,” Yannaccone explains. “It is empowering the agent to have the resources so that they can guide their consumer to make the best decision in the most important financial transaction they’re going to make. There are things an agent can do that no technology is going to replace. But the agent that fails to embrace the tools that make it more seamless…that agent’s going to be replaced. Being connected to a company that is go-

ing to provide those resources to consumers and that agent is going to be invaluable.”

READY FOR THE FUTURE OF HOMEOWNERSHIP As the housing market heads toward further uncertainty in the face of rising interest rates, continued affordability concerns and world events at large, being able to overcome yet-tobe-revealed challenges will be more important than ever. But Yannaccone reminds us that it’s not all bad.

“When you look at research around the value of gender diversity and racial diversity, it’s too significant and too consistent to ignore.”

- Sue Yannaccone President and Chief Executive Officer, Anywhere Franchise Group “We’re more optimistic about the medium-term outlook for the industry than some of the headlines we’ve seen,” she says. “Fundamentally, there is steady, strong demand for housing. The demographic and cultural shifts indicate that demand will continue. Rising interest rates will put pressure on first-time homeowners for sure, and we need more supply. So that will put pressure on the immediate to midterm.”

Throughout these ups and downs of the current and future market, and as the face of homeownership continues to change, there will be one constant, says Winsey: relationship.

“Real estate is still very much a relationship business,” she says. “The difference is that now, we have the opportunity to elevate the client experience with the tools we have at our disposal. We now have the opportu-

nity to automate many of the historically inefficient parts of our business so we can focus on what really matters, which is taking care of our clients.

I believe agents who work with brokerages or teams and are forwardthinking enough to provide this type of ecosystem are the agents of the future.”

Anywhere plans to be just that ecosystem, continuing to work backwards from the needs of agents, brokers and consumers, says McSherry. “The company is very different than it was five years ago,” she says. “There’s an enormous amount of work that’s been done over the past five years in terms of the balance sheet and in terms of tech investment. If, across all constituencies, people said, ‘I get what that Anywhere company is,’ I think that would be a huge win.”

And on the path forward, Anywhere will continue to prioritize diversity, and work toward creating a residential real estate industry that reflects and serves the changing face of homeownership.

“I’m glad to see that many of the companies in our industry are stepping up because it’s very important— and it’s needed,” says Reu-Narvaez.

“We have a lot of work to do together as an industry to make the right changes and have the right impact.”

Yannaccone is more than ready for the challenge.

“Today, especially, we want to leverage our critical mass and who we are in the industry to drive the appropriate social change so that we can accelerate some of these efforts going forward,” she says. “We recognize our role in corporate America.” RE For more information, please visit www.anywhere.re.

Maria Patterson is RISMedia’s executive editor.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 47

Unpacking the Persisting Inventory Crisis Plaguing the Housing Market

By Jordan Grice

A

recent Black Knight, Inc. report has delved into the extent of the inventory crisis that has continued to plague the housing market.

Despite recent progress in increasing the supply of homes for sale, the report suggested that those developments aren’t good enough to correct the dearth of inventory.

In a recently released white paper titled, “Trending Toward Zero: Black Knight Home Price Trends Data Shows Single-Family Home Inventories Remain Near Historic Low,” Collateral Analytics, a division of Black Knight, explored property-level data from the top 100 metros in the U.S. to see just how tight inventories have become nationwide. The paper highlighted factors contributing to historically low inventory levels, which have become a key driver in the growing housing affordability crisis facing buyers nationwide.

48 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

That was evident in Black Knight’s latest Mortgage Monitor Report, which found that housing affordability hit its worst level in 16 years, despite a deceleration in price appreciation for single-family homes.

The gradual decline in the remaining monthly inventory serves as the primary driver for the state of the market. The supply of homes for sale has steadily declined since the late 2000s.

That drop was exacerbated by the pandemic and buzzing market activity that followed.

According to the report, the monthly

supply was reduced to around two months nationally, while some markets are trending toward zero.

The report attributed the current state of the market and the lull in the inventory of homes for sale to a mix of factors, including persisting supply chain issues that have plagued home builders.

With inventories so low, selling a home in today’s market has become relatively easy given the current state of inventory nationwide. However, the report indicated that some would-be sellers remained sidelined rather than risk selling a home and being stuck without a home to move into.

Key Findings • 96% of the markets analyzed were considered “hot” or “strong” in terms of overall market strength.

• Home prices in April were up more than 10% year-over-year in all of the nation’s 100 markets.

• Existing single-family home inventory has hovered around two months’ worth of supply nationwide since 2021.

• Monthly inventory levels have gradually declined since 2012—

dropping under six months to the current two-month collection in 2022.

• Factors contributing to the current state of the market include: - I ncreased informational efficiency - Accommodating fiscal policy - Remote work - Institutional investors - Restrictive zoning - Supply chain - Rooted sellers The Takeaway: “Historically, markets maintaining four to six months of inventory would have been defined as being in equilibrium,” says Michael Sklarz, managing director of the Collateral Analytics division of Black Knight, in the report. “Not only have overall months of remaining inventory (MRI) figures converged toward less than two months in recent years, but higher-priced homes— which have historically required substantially more time to sell—have been in increasingly short supply.

“We don’t know how long the housing market will remain in a state of seller paralysis. But to the extent that low inventories become the new normal, buyers will need to enhance their search and offer strategies. Agents and brokers will need to become adept at using technology—on both sides of the purchase transaction—to ensure they are providing buyers and sellers with the most current and accurate information,” continues Sklarz.

“Inventory has been falling for multiple years due to homebuilding below the normal amount required for over a decade,” Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS®, tells RISMedia. “But finally, later this year, inventory may no longer decline (on a year-over-year basis) as demand is cut back from

“The most acute housing shortage is likely to be this year, and we expect to see inventory levels rise next year.”

-LAWRENCE YUN Chief Economist, National Association of REALTORS®

higher mortgage rates and homes sit on the market a tad longer. The most acute housing shortage is likely to be this year, and we expect to see inventory levels rise next year.”

“With few exceptions, the housing market has experienced a broad, generally nationwide decline in the number of homes for sale since 2011,” says Danielle Hale, chief economist for realtor.com®.

“From 2013 to 2015 and again in 2018 to 2019, the market saw the number of homes available for sale increase as mortgage rate surges tem-

pered homebuyer demand. However, the big picture trend has been toward lower for-sale housing inventory.

While the title is provocative, I don’t expect to see zero inventory, and there are signs that the market is already charting a new trend. Our May Housing Trends Report showed that for the first time in three years, the number of homes available for sale grew on a year-over-year basis, as rising mortgage rates caused some home shoppers to pause their searches and rising home prices enticed more homeowners to try to sell than we saw at this time last year,” she adds.

“Although the housing market remains far from balanced in most areas across the country, this new trend is a step in the right direction and should eventually help bring about more balance. Put another way, it’s not going to spell an immediate end to the symptoms of low inventory, such as fast-rising prices and homes selling as soon as they come up for sale, but as inventory rises, it will alleviate the sense of scarcity that has driven those outcomes, eventually calming the frenzy,” concludes Hale. RE For more information, please visit www.blackknightinc.com.

Jordan Grice is an associate online editor at RISMedia. Email your real estate news ideas to him at jgrice@rismedia.com.

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ENVISIONING TOMORROW

Lamacchia Realty Expands Executive Team to Focus on the Future

By Maria Patterson Jackie Louh, Chief Operating Officer, Lamacchia Realty; Anthony Lamacchia, Broker/Owner & CEO, Lamacchia Companies

50 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

E

ven as a temporary receptionist, Jackie Louh turned heads when she started working for Anthony Lamacchia in 2010.

“We knew two days in that she was special,” says Lamacchia Companies Broker/Owner and CEO Anthony Lamacchia. “Within a couple of years, she became an agent on my team, since we were a team model at that time, and she quickly rose to become the No. 1 listing agent, selling over 640 properties in five years.

Then, in 2017, she got into management and quickly excelled.”

Now, as the Massachusetts-based brokerage approaches $2 billion in annual sales, Lamacchia and his trusted executive team have set the stage for the next phase of the firm’s growth by promoting Louh from Vice President of Business Development to Chief Operating Officer, giving the company founder a much-needed number-two person. The move will allow Louh to keep the firm firing on all cylinders so that Lamacchia can do what he does best—envision the future and host more REALTOR® trainings.

SOLVING FOR GROWING PAINS As with most entrepreneurial success journeys, there comes a time when further growth requires entrusting others. The past two years became that inflection point for Lamacchia.

The company entered a rapid growth phase, reaching just over $1 billion in sales in 2020 (a figure it then quickly surpassed), opened an office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, increased agent count to over 500 and deftly rode the wave during one of the hottest real estate markets on record.

As the successes mounted, however, Lamacchia watched his company’s growth with a protective eye.

“One thing I have always made sure of during our growth is not to ruin what we build,” he says. “I learned from working in a family business as a kid that growth is only

part one of building a business—part two is maintaining it and keeping things in order as it happens. This is why I always make sure our staff levels are a little higher than they need to be—to make sure we can handle the growth.”

This strategy of building a team to facilitate growth became necessary at the executive level as well.

“Over the last year or two, most of my day has been eaten up being the implementer, and very little of my day is spent being the visionary,” Lamacchia explains. “When you’re running a business, there are visionaries and integrators—some possess the ability to do both, and I fall into that category. But if you do both for too long, you hamstring your own growth. I fell into that trap in the last two years.”

That’s why the appointment of Louh is a critical next step for the future of the firm.

“With Jackie going to this role, we will be able to roll out new initiatives more often and execute them even faster,” says Lamacchia. “Our speed of execution has slowed down over the last couple of years, and I intend to increase that again.”

The decision to appoint Louh as COO was unanimous. “I was fortunate to have a lot of good choices, but every time I considered various other people, my mind kept coming back to Jackie,” says Lamacchia.

“Everyone was on board with it.

Jackie will be the ultimate implementor and will enable me to go back to spending more of my time being the visionary.”

A ROCKSTAR FROM THE GET-GO While Louh now holds the company’s No. 2 spot, she brings with it humble beginnings and varied experience.

“Jackie will be the ultimate implementor and will enable me to go back to spending more of my time being the visionary.”

- Anthony Lamacchia Broker/Owner & CEO, Lamacchia Companies Starting at the company in 2010, Louh joined Lamacchia in its prebrokerage iteration as an agent team model. She came on board from a temp agency and began as a receptionist, and then embarked on a series of career advancements within the firm, succeeding as a top-producing agent and then making the transition to management. According to Louh, this path was essential to achieving the COO role.

“I think the reason I ended up in leadership is because of what I did as an agent,” she says. “I had more sales than any other agent in the company, and I was able to handle more clients. I think Anthony recognized that and realized I could be putting RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 51

Poised for the next stage of growth, Lamacchia Realty has its sights set on the future with Lamacchia, Louh and the entire leadership team at the helm.

my talents to better use helping and leading others. I learned everything from Anthony and now I bring that to our agents. I appreciate his support and guidance over the years and am truly honored to be in this position.”

Lamacchia also recognized Louh’s ability to bring on new agents. “In 2018, I appointed her to build a business development department so we could have a team of people solely focused on recruiting and retention, and she made it happen in a big way,” says Lamacchia. “She came into the role having no prior experience in that area. What she did bring to the table was knowing the company, being a natural hustler who can handle a lot and being a likable, magnetic person.”

Lamacchia is not alone in his assessment of Louh. His close-knit executive team wholeheartedly supported the decision; in fact, those who had previously served as Louh’s manager became staunch advocates of her becoming COO. Vice President of Finance Sarah Chaisson, for example, was the first to spot Louh’s potential. “I knew from the first day that she would be a rockstar,” 52 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

says Chaisson, who also holds the distinction of being Lamacchia’s first employee. “She was the No. 1 agent when we had the team. She’s an extremely hard worker who puts everyone else first. She’s very driven and focused…a go-getter and a doer.”

According to Chaisson, having Louh in the COO role will take the pressure off of Lamacchia, enabling him to act as visionary. “This will allow us as a company to do bigger and better things,” she says.

Vice President of Operations Angela Rastellini seconds that thought.

“Right now, Anthony is too sucked into the day-to-day,” she explains.

“As we grew, he didn’t have time to be the visionary he is, and that really made us what we are. We will only expand and grow if he can focus on doing that.”

As Louh’s former boss, Rastellini also recognized her potential. “She’s been a huge part of the growth of our agents,” she says. “She’s very positive and knows how to work the room. She’s very caring and a great leader.”

Lamacchia and Louh are similar in many ways, both energetic and driv-

en. But when it came to Louh winning the COO role, two qualities stood out the most: her ability to handle a lot, and her magnetism. As Lamacchia says, “You can’t teach that.”

Louh recognizes these qualities in herself, pointing to her ability to take on a lot without getting overly stressed. “I have good bandwidth,” she says. “I know myself—I’m bored if I don’t have a lot going on. That’s why Anthony and I work so well together.”

READY FOR THE STORM John Millen will continue heading up the company’s recruiting and retention efforts as Director of Business Development. With these changes, an immediate uptick in recruiting is expected as Lamacchia devotes more time to REALTOR® outreach through vehicles such as his highly successful Crush It In Real Estate training.

“Over the last couple of years, I’ve only been able to spend a minimal amount of time recruiting because I’ve been too busy running the company,” explains Lamacchia. “This change will have a big impact on recruiting because it will free me

up to spend more time focusing on speaking and training. The more I get in front of REALTORS®, the better everything does. That’s my highest and best use.”

No one knows this better than Millen, who was compelled to pursue a real estate career after watching one of Lamacchia’s viral videos. And according to Millen, Lamacchia’s public-facing presence will be even more critical as the real estate market enters rocky waters.

“People want leadership,” he says.

“There’s a storm coming in the market, and they want a captain on the boat who will take care of them and guide them. Most agents aren’t getting that. People need Anthony for his leadership.”

Chaisson agrees. “I think we have a big opportunity to bring over a lot of agents who are stuck at the moment because the market is so different now,” she says. “We’ve been through this before, and we know how to do well in this market. We can train agents how to succeed in this market.”

With that in mind, Millen’s goal is to “hire, hire, hire,” as he prepared to pass the 500-agent threshold at press time. But hiring will happen with great discernment.

“We want to grow, but also maintain what we have and not lose touch with what we develop,” Millen explains. “You can fall fast if you don’t do things right.”

LEADERSHIP FOR THE FUTURE Lamacchia’s leadership is not only appreciated by his team, but by his industry peers as well. During the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® conference held in Las Vegas this past March, Lamacchia was honored with the network’s Brokerage Leadership Award, which recognizes a principal broker for exemplifying extraordinary leadership.

Lamacchia describes it as “one of the biggest honors of my life.”

Of course, Lamacchia’s team has

recognized his extraordinary leadership all along. “He honestly taught me everything,” says Louh. “He is someone who genuinely cares about every person in the organization, which is by far the most important quality as a leader. And he explains why we do things—you can’t overexplain the why.”

“I know myself— I’m bored if I don’t have a lot going on.

That’s why Anthony and I work so well together.”

- Jackie Louh COO, Lamacchia Realty Excellent leadership, both at the very top and throughout the executive team, will be more necessary than ever as the housing market decelerates from the breakneck pace of 2020 and 2021.

“We have entered a marketchanging phase,” says Lamacchia, who’s known for his straight-talking social media videos where he doesn’t mince words about market realities. “The last two years have probably been the hottest real estate market we’ve had. I think it will be a long time before we see that again.”

But according to Louh, the strength of the Lamacchia leadership team will enable them to meet the challenges ahead, united and prepared. “We’ve all worked together for 10, 12, 15 years,” she says. “We all started from the beginning with the company vision in our heads.”

“It absolutely is a team effort,” agrees Rastellini. “We all grew in our roles and in the company together.

We all did the same job at one point.

We always helped each other and we do that to this day.”

Millen, too, has drunk the “Lamacchia lemonade,” as he says.

“Jackie as my boss, the whole management team…everyone gels,” he says. “They’ve been together forever, and they give us the tools to get stuff done. We have the freedom to be able to spend money if we can justify it, to give feedback and not be afraid.

Everyone supports everyone.”

With Louh and an experienced, strong and collaborative executive team in place, Lamacchia Realty is well equipped to move full-steam into the future…no matter what the market dishes out next.

“We have been working very hard for a long time at growing and scaling the company, and our scale point hit in late 2018,” says Lamacchia.

“By the time we got into 2020, when the market shifted into a higher gear following the pandemic and low interest rates, we were able to ride that wave.”

“With Jackie in this role, we will be able to roll out new initiatives more often and execute them even faster,” he adds. “To say I am proud of her and her trajectory with us would be an understatement.” RE For more information, please visit www.lamacchiarealty.com.

Maria Patterson is RISMedia’s executive editor.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 53

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POSITIVITY AND FRESH PERSPECTIVES FORM THE ENGINE FOR SUCCESS That’s the Legacy for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties Leader Dan Forsman and His New Leadership Team

By Barbara Pronin Dan Forsman, Chairman, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties 56 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

F

or Dan Forsman, the seasoned Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties, there isn’t a mountain that can’t be climbed, a problem that can’t be solved or an opportunity that isn’t worth exploring with his signature energy and drive.

It’s an attitude he’s honed as the son of Naval-career parents who moved often during his childhood, making him the new kid on the block, quick to adapt and figure out a way to make the most out of every adventure.

“I was always a small kid, so I took up powerlifting in college and set out to win a national championship with the University of Nebraska,” Forsman says. “It was a pretty lofty goal, but in my sophomore year, I placed third in a meet and stood on the same podium with the world champion, and being on that podium was a lesson in aspiration and endurance that has stayed with me all my life.”

It’s that passion for achievement that Forsman has consistently worked to instill in his leadership team, and what has made Georgia Properties one of the highest-producing and most award-winning real estate firms in the industry, an undisputed leader in the Metro Atlanta market and consistently ranked as one of the most respected in the nation.

“I worked as a busboy and a janitor in my early days, and when I came to Georgia, was a deckhand and later captain on a 68-foot shrimp boat on the Georgia coast. I quickly learned if you don’t catch, you don’t eat,” Forsman says. “This was another life lesson that reinforced my determination to make the most of the opportunities I’ve been given, and motivated me to create opportunities for those around me to do the same.”

As a straight-A student in accounting at the University of Georgia who passed the CPA exam the first time, Forsman did successful turns at two top accounting firms before moving into real estate at age 30, when he took on the unfamiliar role of relocation director. Despite the challenges of entering a new industry, Forsman

made it work. He then started a successful foreclosure business and, ultimately, put up his life savings to buy into Merrill Lynch Real Estate, which in 1989, became Prudential Georgia Real Estate, and in 2013, was acquired by HomeServices of America.

The brokerage soon became Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties, one of the earliest adopters of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brand.

“We were pleased to become part of the Warren Buffett and HomeServices cachet of quality, trust, integrity and professionalism. I saw it as another opportunity to follow my own advice and take my team to the next level,” Forsman says. “The gameplan was, and is, to put your head down, stay focused and be prepared to climb ‘Mount St. Excellence.’ It’s not about how much you do. It’s about how much quicker, better and faster you accomplish your goals…and help others accomplish theirs.”

COMBATTING DISRUPTION WITH DISTINCTION Being world class doesn’t happen by accident, Forsman notes.

“The steps you need to be better are all around you, but you must be on the lookout for them constantly,” he says. “You must be able to look at complicated things and reduce them to a simple process.”

A lot of that has to do with mindset.

An unfailing spirit of positivity and optimism is what Forsman expects his executives to instill in every sales associate and employee. And positivity isn’t just a buzzword placed on a plaque in an office lobby; it’s a continuous advantage Georgia Properties possesses against the ever-present forces of disruption in a constantly evolving real estate industry.

“The hallmark of a great leader is to create a great team, and Dan has certainly done that.”

- Gino Blefari

CEO, HomeServices of America

If you look at the success of Georgia Properties in the past two years, you’ll recognize the power of positivity at work. The brokerage recorded $5.2 billion in sales last year—a company record expected to be broken again by even more sales in 2022— with a growing team of employees, 29 office locations (and growing) and more than 1,600 sales associates throughout Georgia.

“It was an epic year,” Forsman says. “I now find myself in an extraordinary position because of the success of our company, and the growth and prosperity our sales associates, employees and leadership team were able to generate.”

He is, of course, alluding to recent leadership advancements within Georgia Properties: Forsman is now assuming the Chairman role; DeAnn Golden will become President and Chief Executive Officer; Kathy ConRISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 57

Dan Forsman’s unfailing spirit of positivity and optimism permeates the entire Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties organization.

Pictured here with (l to r): Lori Lane, DeAnn Golden and Kathy Connelly.

nelly will serve as Chief Operating Officer; Lori Lane will be President of Georgia Properties’ New Homes Division and Executive Strategist, Luxury Collection and Global Living; and Todd Tucker will assume the role of Executive Vice President for real estate operations and qualifying broker. Mary Wargula, a highly experienced professional who joined the firm in 1993, will step into an expanded role as Senior Vice President of brokerage offices and regional manager, along with continued leadership of the North Fulton/Alpharetta office. Janet Mauldin will also be promoted to Senior Vice President of relocation, while Amy Gant has been appointed to Senior Vice President and Regional Manager of the firm’s Southern Crescent region.

“Dan has truly spent his career pouring his knowledge, experience, confidence and leadership philosophies into myself, Kathy, Lori, Todd and all of our brokers and agents,” says Golden, a second-generation, 26-year veteran of the real estate industry who joined the company in 2004 and previously served as a successful sales associate, team member, trainer, coach, managing broker, regional manager, executive leadership member and the 2019 Atlanta REALTORS® Association President. “This is a tremendous honor to follow in his legacy, knowing how much confidence he has in our team to take our 58 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“Dan inspires his team to rise every day with gratitude, and with the faith and fortitude to live life to the fullest.”

- DeAnn Golden President and CEO,

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties

company to the next level,” she says.

Forsman enters his new role as Chairman with complete assurance in the bright future ahead for Georgia Properties. “I have all the gratitude in the world for Mr. Ed Erbesfeld, who founded the company in 1963 before passing the reins over to me and Toni McGowan, my longtime business partner, who in 2020, transitioned to EVP Emeritus. When I was contemplating these leadership changes after more than 37 gratifying years as President and CEO of this company, I just thought to myself, ‘I’ve got a great team, why not let them run it?’”

The next integral member of that great team is Lane, an iconic industry leader brought into Georgia Properties in 2006 to expand the firm’s New Homes presence. In this new chapter

of the brokerage, Lane will serve as President of the New Homes Division.

She will continue to lead the growth and development of the division, where Lane and her team currently represent more than 30 exclusive communities around the metro area and have won hundreds of awards for their clients, and their sales and marketing success.

“Dan allowed me to do what was needed to build a New Homes Division,” says Lane. “Today, we are honored to represent some of the most respected builders and developers in Metro Atlanta, and we continue to focus on the latest innovations to give our clients an advantage in a highly competitive marketplace.”

Over the years, Lane has expanded the brand’s luxury real estate marketing efforts, launching its iconic Black and White Luxury Collection in 2015.

Two years later, the thriving endeavor was awarded the MAX (Marketing for Excellence) Award by Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business and the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Lane will continue to provide expert advisory leadership to Georgia Properties’ Luxury Collection and expand Global Lifestyles initiatives with a focus on affluent shoppers.

“Dan encouraged me at every turn,” Lane says. “That’s the kind of leader he is, and it’s the kind of leader I always want to be. He gives his staff the space to grow and thrive—and as our luxury sales began to skyrocket, he was the first to acknowledge and appreciate what we’ve accomplished. The truth is, Dan is at his happiest when he sees his people shine, so you can imagine how happy he is today, introducing this new leadership team and giving us the ability to shine brighter than ever before.”

Added Connelly, recently appointed member of the Worldwide ERC Board of Directors and new Georgia Properties COO: “The hallmark of an excellent leader is an excellent succession plan, and Dan has been planning this moment for years.”

Tucker, Georgia Properties EVP and newly named qualifying broker, agrees. “Dan’s decision is far from sudden; it’s the result of years of careful mentoring, immense support and active collaboration. He’s putting us in this leadership spotlight because he knows we’re ready to follow his extraordinary legacy of success and use it to move our employees, sales associates and the clients they serve forward.”

“My role, especially as newly installed Chairman, is to be the cheerleader,” Forsman says. “It’s a privilege to be part of their success.”

The result of Forsman and team’s unbridled confidence has been significant company growth. Of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties’ total 2021 sales volume of $5.2 billion, $2.46 billion was attributed to the Luxury Collection—a 269% increase in marketshare since its 2015 inception.

ALWAYS MOVING FORWARD The pandemic years were personally trying for Forsman as he navigated the company through the health crisis and kept everyone safe. In the last 16 months, Forsman suffered the loss of three beloved family members. He not only persevered, but also made a concerted effort to focus on the strength and compassion of the doctors, nurses, first responders and scientists who were working on finding solutions and providing care to a nation in crisis.

That was the silver lining, Forsman says. For him, the pandemic brought about a renewed understanding that what draws people together to accomplish a single, all-important goal also inspires an impenetrable drive to overcome anything.

“Looking back, I realize that the initial quarantine periods, the loss and isolation, were like another 9/11 moment for me,” he says. “The one thing I knew was that we were not going away. We were not giving up. We

Dan Forsman with Christy Budnick, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CEO, and the Sunshine Kids

“The truth is, Dan is at his happiest when he sees his people shine.”

- Lori Lane

President, Georgia Properties’ New Homes Division; Executive Strategist, Luxury Collection and Global Living

had to rally the team and find new ways to triumph.”

Like brokerages nationwide, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties quickly pivoted to Zoom and other virtual platforms, innovating new ways to do business safely, both for associates and clients. Forsman held weekly virtual leadership meetings designed to maintain the company’s deep-rooted positive attitude, and to help associates transition to “the new normal.” The result was a record-breaking year in 2021.

Connelly has been with the firm for over 28 years, and in that time, had the opportunity to witness Forsman’s innovation in action. “Dan moves fast, but he walks all around an issue, really sees it from all sides,” she says.

“It’s why our company has developed a reputation of always being 15 minutes ahead of the competition, and our new leaders will continue that forwardmoving momentum he’s established.”

Forsman’s mission for his new leadership team and company is simple: “It’s to grow marketshare while not forgetting for a moment who we are.

We’re a fully diversified real estate company, and what others promise, we deliver. I want my company to be the most admired, to get the best grades for customer service and to be known as the go-to place for homebuyers and sellers because we consistently get extraordinary results.”

Today, looking back on his 37year real estate journey, Forsman is grateful for it all—the experiences, the accolades, the growth, the prosperity and the family he’s helped create. He is widely recognized as an innovator and an influencer within the real estate community, lauded by employees and agents alike for initiating leading-edge technologies. He is the inventor of the TeamBuilder™ program, rewarding associates and employees for introducing other productive agents into the organization, as well as DreamBuilder™, a benefits program for associates that includes healthcare components, a 401K plan and other services.

“He’s never on the back roads; he’s always up front every day, paving his own roadways for us to drive on with ease,” Connelly says. “He set us up for such tremendous success, and we’re ready to realize his vision in a whole new way.”

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 59

Forsman was recently named by Atlantan Magazine as one of the “Top 50 Most Powerful People” and inducted into RISMedia’s Newsmakers Hall of Fame. In addition, in 2006, he was named Broker of the Year for the Global Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Affiliate Network and also received the Industry Icon award from Modern Luxury Interiors. Other accolades include being named Most Admired CEO by the Atlanta Business Chronicle for several years in a row.

Forsman takes the recognition with characteristic humility.

“I’ve been blessed with my life,” he says. “I get up in the morning prepared to take on the day and deal with whatever it has in store.”

“That’s an understatement,” says Golden. “Dan inspires his team to rise every day with gratitude, and with the faith and fortitude to live life to the fullest,” she says. “Dan is a voracious reader, and he inspires us from what he reads each day before most people rise.”

Golden recalls a book study Forsman led years ago on “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t” by Jim Collins. The book lays out the universal factors that make certain highachieving companies outperform their peers.

“From this, we learned that greatness is a matter of conscious choice and discipline,” says Golden, “and that the constant stretching of capabilities is central to our team’s leadership style.”

The mission to outperform goes far beyond the company’s sales volume, however. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties was the top fundraiser among the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network in support of the Sunshine Kids Foundation in 2021, raising more than $304,000 for the nonprofit, which provides activities, trips and events for young cancer patients.

Forsman spearheaded an incred-

60 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ible drive to raise additional donations for the foundation at the close of 2021, bringing the company well over the $300,000 mark. The inspired initiative came about after he read “The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea” by Bob Burg. Forsman immediately shared the principle about the power of giving with his entire team. He reiterated the profound impact and boundless gift of bringing smiles and sunshine to children battling cancer along with their families—what mattered most to Forsman.

“The hallmark of an excellent leader is an excellent succession plan, and Dan has been planning this moment for years.”

- Kathy Connelly COO, Berkshire Hathaway

HomeServices Georgia Properties

Golden says that in this new phase of growth, Georgia Properties is planning even more charity events in the future. “Giving back to the communities we serve isn’t just what we do, it’s who we are,” she notes.

Outside of the office, Forsman enjoys an active family life with his wife, Rhonda. They are currently rooting for the success of their four grown children as they set varied career paths outside of real estate.

“It doesn’t matter to me what they choose to do, only that they follow their passion,” he says. “I tell them, ‘Love what you do. Have faith. Make a plan and work it, and find a way to maintain positivity and recharge your batteries through prayer, meditation and study.’”

At 64 years old and now Chairman of his company, Forsman says he has few regrets.

“Could I have been a little kinder— more thoughtful along the way?” he muses. “Perhaps. But for the most part, I’ve lived and led my team with a sincere commitment to take care of yourself and be the best you can be, and I think I have delivered. In the end, you can’t really be judged by others—only by yourself and the results you chalk up every day.”

If Forsman has advice for his new leadership team, it’s to set a goal and enjoy the ride. “I have enjoyed every job I’ve ever had,” says Forsman, “and I always tried to stay focused and achieve more than what was expected, to the best of my capabilities.

I know our newly appointed leaders will follow that same trajectory.

They’ve been preparing for this their entire careers. That same fire for accomplishment, for excellence, for enjoyment that burns within me burns within each of them with just as much fervor.”

He adds: “DeAnn, Kathy, Lori, Todd, Mary and Janet aren’t just strong leaders. They’re the strongest leaders in the industry who understand that whether it’s a personal tragedy or a global pandemic, you can’t let yourself get caught up in the drama of the day. You have to marshal your strength and get beyond it. No matter what challenges come their way, I have no doubt they will persevere and prosper.”

If there’s a secret sauce to make that happen, Forsman’s counsel is simple.

“Stay humble and hungry. Keep your goal clearly in your sights and believe in your heart that you will achieve it.”

RE For more information, please visit www.bhhsgeorgia.com.

Barbara Pronin is a contributing editor to RISMedia.

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TRENDS & ISSUES

15 Markets Are 50% Overvalued, New Report Finds

By Jesse Williams

A

s home prices have shown no signs of slowing through the first half of the year, researchers who have been tracking so-called “overvalued” housing markets since 2020 are warning that some metros have become “a risky bet” as their methodology shows a dangerous disconnect between historical trends and current prices.

“If we’re not at the peak of the current housing cycle, we’re awfully close,” says Ken Johnson, an economist at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) leading the initiative. “Recent buyers in many of these cities may have to endure stagnant or falling home values while the market settles—and that’s not what they want to hear if they had planned to resell anytime soon.”

Four markets are more than 60% overvalued, according to the latest rankings, while 11 others are 50% overvalued.

Researchers have emphasized that although there is a possibility that an almost inevitable pullback will be 62 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“painful for many consumers” who bought at the top, market conditions are nothing like 2006, and a full-on crash is unlikely.

“In the prior downturn, many homes lost half of their values, but I don’t think we’ll see anything close to that this time around,” says Eli Baracha of Florida Atlantic University, who also leads the project.

searchers. Instead, most of the regions that top their rankings end up being Mountain West, Sunbelt and Southern cities that have only recently become hot spots as they have vastly exceeded their long-term pricing trends.

Boise, Idaho, again topped the list of most overvalued markets, leveling off at 72.64% higher home prices than predicted. This is down slightly from a peak in February, when it hit 73.56%.

Boise’s pricing history suggests that homes should now cost an average of $299,202, although the typical buyer is paying $516,548, the researchers found.

Austin, Texas, came in second place at 67.70% overvalued, an increase of more than 2% from the month prior (65.50%) Ogden, Utah, Las Vegas, Nevada and Atlanta, Georgia, rounded out the top five.

Five cities in Florida made the top 20, including Fort Myers, which jumped more than 6% (49.87% to 56.26%) to break into the top 10.

Lakeland, Tampa, Sarasota and Melbourne made up the other Florida cities considered very overvalued— all above 45% higher than pricing trends.

Spokane, Washington, is the highest-ranked market in the Western Coastal states, overvalued by 56.25%, an increase of 2.64% from the month prior (53.61%). In the Northeast, no city cracked the top 50, with Rochester, New York, highest in that region at 63, 25.42% overvalued (up from 23.82%). Charlotte, North Carolina, topped the Atlantic coastal markets, 55.25% overvalued at rank 11 overall. RE

Location, Location, Location

Because the methodology used is based mostly on historical trends, big, expensive metros like New York and San Francisco do not score highly as “overvalued,” according to the re-

Jesse Williams is an associate online editor at RISMedia. Email your real estate news ideas to him at jwilliams@rismedia.com.

TRENDS & ISSUES

Providing the Modern Consumer More Choices Than Ever Before Commentary by Mark Johnson

T

he biggest question every real estate brokerage faces in 2022 is: “How do we serve the modern consumer and deliver value to the modern agent?” At the end of the day, both can choose to do business with anybody.

With 4,000 real estate agents in 60 offices across 26 states—and growing—we’ve turned things up a notch with a new direction and surging energy at JPAR Real Estate.

Our approach: The modern real estate agent is no longer a salesperson. The modern agent is an advisor.

It’s what the modern consumer wants and expects.

It’s why we launched JPAR Sure Sale, powered by zavvie, more than a year ago. As a result, we provide the modern consumer with more choices in selling and buying a home than ever before.

JPAR Sure Sale is the key to delivering the right experience for every consumer. Homeowners can sell their homes traditionally, as most choose

to do, or they can swap their current home for a new one—just as easy as they swap a car. Or they can get an iBuyer offer.

Our cash guarantee options turn our buyers into power buyers who get their offers accepted more often while helping our sellers know with certainty that they have a sale.

There is no more one-size-fits-all for consumers. Instead, we give them a full menu of options versus trying to sell them one specific dish, shifting the conversation dynamic between agent and consumer.

Being a Full-Service Brokerage

JPAR, at its core, is a full-service brokerage with a flat-fee capped finan-

cial model combined with productivity standards and service to the community’s heart.

What does that mean to today’s customer?

As a brand, we treat our agents like royalty, and in turn, that’s how our agents treat their clients. This is how we deliver exceptional experiences.

With JPAR Sure Sale, it’s no longer about “let me get your listing at 6%.”

Instead, it’s about going through all the options.

Life events can create urgency. An iBuyer offer might be the perfect solution for a customer when speed is driving their decision. That may be different than what their neighbor would do because they have more time.

JPAR Sure Sale allows others to trade up to their next home before selling their current one.

We’ve achieved stellar agent adoption with JPAR Sure Sale because we solve problems for a profit—and when you deliver a solution that works, people adopt it.

Imagination Statement

Real estate agents are independent contractors who can hang their shingle anywhere they want. There are no golden handcuffs, and consumers are the same way. So, we must earn our agent’s business every day. It’s part of our culture to check with our agents daily to ask if we are earning their business to earn our customer’s business. JPAR Sure Sale is one part of the value we offer our agents. RE

Mark Johnson is president of JPAR Real Estate and CEO of company-owned operations. As a visionary, strategist and lead evangelist for the JPAR Real Estate enterprise, he heads up one of the Top 35 brokerages in the nation and one of the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing companies.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 63

TRENDS & ISSUES • Home price growth has been revised to show an increase of 6.6% by the end of the year—revised from 2.9%.

The takeaway:

Inventory Growth and Affordability Challenges Expected to Continue

T

By Jordan Grice

he strain of climbing inflation and mortgage rates has weighed down the once frenzied market behavior that folks grew accustomed to last year. While that has carried its share of immediate challenges for buyers, a recent report from realtor.com ® indicates that an easing of the once-frenetic housing market could yield some necessary benefits as well.

The organization recently released an updated version of its 2022 forecast, predicting double-digit inventory growth by the year’s second half, providing a “better-than-expected chance to find a home” for buyers in the market. According to the report, an anticipated summer lull in home sales will offer some space for active listings to tick up faster than expected.

The updated forecast anticipates a summer break from a feverish pace of home sales that will provide space for active listings to grow at a faster annual rate than initially projected.

While this bodes well for the market, experts also expect affordability issues to continue straining buyers.

64 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Overall, forecast updates paint a picture of a housing market heading toward improved sustainability.

Forecast revisions:

• Active listings will grow 15% yearover-year—up from 0.3%—as the inventory recovery accelerates in the second half of 2022.

• Mortgage rate forecasts have been revised upward from 3.6% to 5.5% by the end of 2022.

• Home sales are expected to slow, shifting from an original 2022 growth expectation to a decline of 6.7%.

No one could have anticipated that inflation and mortgage rates would increase to the degree they have in recent months, which have sent ripples into the real estate market that have unfolded, particularly with 30year mortgage rates surpassing 5% earlier this year.

“Combined with record-high home listing prices and rents, home shoppers are feeling the strain on their budgets,” the report reads. “As a result, buyer demand has been softening this spring from its early 2022 surge.”

“Financial conditions have shifted in a big way since the end of 2021, and the housing market is adjusting accordingly. As Americans grapple with higher prices for everyday expenses while today’s buyers face housing costs that are up 50% from a year ago, recent home sales data show that some are taking a step back from the market,” says Danielle Hale, chief economist for realtor.com®.

“Our updated 2022 forecast anticipates that demand will continue decelerating through the summer, providing breathing room for the inventory recovery to accelerate. As a result, this fall could be an opportune time to find a home—for both first-time and repeat buyers alike. Still, preparation will be key throughout 2022, as it continues to be a seller’s market and asking prices remain high.” RE For more information, please visit www.realtor.com.

Jordan Grice is an associate online editor at RISMedia. Email your real estate news ideas to him at jgrice@rismedia.com.

TRENDS & ISSUES weeks and months of time learning the same lessons the hard way. This includes everything from marketing, operational and transaction mistakes to client and agent communication mistakes.

Why Mentorship Matters for a New Agent’s Growth Commentary by Todd Sumney

S

tarting out in the world of real estate is an exciting venture for anyone looking to be their own boss and make their mark as an entrepreneur. But even if newer agents feel they are ready to take the world by storm, having an experienced mentor in their corner will often boost their earnings and increase their trajectory of success more quickly due to the mentorship they are absorbing while building a name for themselves.

There are many reasons why newer agents who align with a mentor find themselves on a path to success faster and with better, long-term results than those who try to blaze a path alone.

Unparalleled Expertise

Green agents can glean meaningful wisdom from a tenured agent’s years of experience. One-on-one mentoring sessions over coffee or lunch provide mentees the opportunity to gain insight and ask questions while building out long-term and short-term professional goals. After all, you want the advice of those with a proven track record of success and constructive failure in order to understand the big picture.

The Power of Networking

Networking is a driving force behind our industry. A trusted mentor can help connect their mentee with other real estate experts, as well as dependable affiliates. A great real estate mentor will also coach agents on how to network effectively, vouch for their work with new clients and introduce mentees to past clients who become potential leads, thus boosting a newer agent’s sphere of influence.

Learning Through Experience Instead of Mistakes

Mentors can spare new agents from making mistakes before they happen without the agent wasting days,

One-on-one mentoring sessions over coffee or lunch provide mentees the opportunity to gain insight and ask questions while building out longterm and short-term professional goals.

One of the most successful agents I know attributes his high-volume career success to all that he learned during a five-year mentorship under another top agent. He could have left the mentorship after a year, but he said that experience helped him “to slow down, to run faster later.”

Mentorship is one of the most fundamental elements in real estate; a mentor provides a valuable perspective on their industry and craft. Those being mentored can find distinctive guidance to build out a long-term plan for their career, helping them envision a lifetime of achievements and opportunities for growth. RE

Todd Sumney is the chief industry officer for HomeSmart International. For more information about joining HomeSmart as an agent, please visit HomeSmart.com/join, or visit HomeSmart.com/ franchising for franchise opportunities.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 65

WHERE THE EXPERTS ARE At Realty Executives, you aren’t just part of an international brand, you are part of a community. Our offices and brokerages are a gathering place for like-minded professionals looking to take their careers to the next level- creating a brand they are proud of. YOU and YOUR SUCCESS are the driving forces behind Realty Executives.

RealtyExecutives.com/JoinUs

TRENDS & ISSUES and workflows in your CRM. You can automate your daily busy work, freeing up time to be more responsive to clients.

Social Media

“I knew I needed social media, but finding the time to commit was overwhelming. My CRM automatically posts my listings to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube, along with other content for my audience. Now I’m a social media rockstar and only lift a finger when I want to post something personal.” – Lisa L.

5 Ways a CRM Fuels Agent Success

I

Commentary by Bondilyn Jolly

n an ideal world, a good CRM helps agents streamline daily activities, nurture leads and prioritize what’s important. We recently connected with some agents using Elevate to learn about the CRM features they find most useful.

Dashboard

“Before my CRM, I was stressed because I felt like I had to spend hours every week chasing leads and trying to focus on follow up. Now I have this great at-a-glance dashboard of all my daily activities: who I need to contact, automated outreach and all follow up. I was able to cancel four other products, which saved money, and the insight and time saved has turned me into a loyal fan.” – Jennifer M. Tip: Invest the time to learn about all of your CRM’s features and how you can consolidate and automate your daily activities.

Lead Concierge

“I spend about $1,600 a month on leads, and my CRM’s concierge service is converting an average of 12% of them into conversations for

Tip: Find a CRM with social media marketing tools that do the work for you, especially if social media isn’t a strength.

Market Reports

“My favorite feature is the daily market reports. Anytime a listing hits the market that matches client interest, they receive an auto-generated email with all the details. In today’s market, we need to move quickly, and this tool ensures that my clients are the first to know about new listings.” – Danielle T.

me. The transcript gives me valuable information about my prospect, and the fact that people think that I have an assistant in Los Angeles is priceless.” – Jason T.

Tip: It’s hard to always be responsive in a competitive market. Being able to automate important outreach as soon as it hits the MLS gives your clients the advantage they need.

Tip: Invest in follow up and let someone else do the work. Agents spend a lot on lead gen but fall short once they’ve captured the lead, which is when the real work begins.

Final Note

Automated CMA

“A comprehensive CMA can be really time-consuming. My CRM has one of the easiest CMA wizards ever. It creates and shares a professional CMA in minutes so I can move on with my day. My clients are always impressed with how quickly I can respond to their information requests.” – Sonja P. Tip: Take advantage of the templates

Take the time to find a CRM that helps streamline and automate your day-today, and make sure it’s backed by a strong support team that will help drive marketing and business success. RE Bondilyn Jolly is an internet entrepreneur, investor, mentor and software founder and CEO. As CMO of Elm Street, Jolly is focused on developing thoughtful, meaningful conversations around marketing, technology and business growth across the real estate sector and beyond. Learn more at www.elmstreet.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 67

TRENDS & ISSUES to clients across their entire journey as homeowners. For example, based on the unique context of a home improvement project, such as a roof replacement, the platform will automatically surface related savings for the clients on home insurance, warranties or new solar options.

Delivering Long-Term Value in a Post-Pandemic Market Commentary by Venkatesh Ganapathy

T

he past two years have seen an incredible amount of change in the real estate industry. With most people working from home during the pandemic, we saw a mass exodus from urban areas, only to see consumers flock back to big cities this year. U.S. home sales hit a 15-year high of 6.1 million homes in 2021, with home values increasing at the fastest rate since 1975, according to Fannie Mae. With more than 70% of today’s buyers searching for homes online, real estate agents have had to rapidly transform their business and rethink their approach to client engagement, embracing new technology and strategies. Examples include hosting virtual open houses via Zoom or Facebook Live, offering 3D virtual tours and virtual staging of houses, among other CRM or proptech innovations.

But for all the incredible changes we’ve seen over the past two years, perhaps the biggest or most impactful is the shift that real estate companies have made to deliver value to clients beyond the initial purchase or sale of their home.

68 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

For the first time ever, real estate companies are able to deliver a truly omni-channel experience throughout their homeownership journey. This means not only meeting clients where they are across digital, social, mobile and other channels, but also applying better data and contextual insights to deliver unique value to clients beyond their initial move.

As we all know, there is a long list of updates homeowners need to manage over the years, from figuring out the best home insurance to selecting the right service providers or contractors. With the rise of home management and concierge platforms like MoveEasy, agents can deliver value

According to a recent Bankrate survey, 64% of millennials have at least one regret after purchasing a new home, with maintenance costs and updates being the most common.

According to a recent Bankrate survey, 64% of millennials have at least one regret after purchasing a new home, with maintenance costs and updates being the most common. In short, clients are not only looking for trusted guidance from their real estate partner, but also consistent value and opportunities to save money. Delivering exclusive savings and discounts to homeowners can make a huge difference for agents when it comes to driving client loyalty and referrals.

In fact, according to a study published in Harvard Business Review, customer loyalty directly correlates to the number of channels a customer uses to interact with a brand. To stand out, real estate agents need to stay top of mind across channels while also delivering consistent value to deepen the connection with clients year after year. RE Venkatesh Ganapathy is CEO and cofounder of MoveEasy, a national, full-service homeowner concierge platform designed to help the 130 million homeowners in the U.S. with all of their moving and home management needs.

For more information, visit www.moveeasy.com/ real-estate.

TRENDS & ISSUES first-rate curriculum. Teaching agents strategies for staying connected to clients through their SOI, and simply connecting the dots between marketing and tech to increase business, all create a comprehensive approach for REALTORS® to provide maximum value no matter the competition.

Standing out from the crowd isn’t easy, but it’s necessary for success.

To Create an Enduring Brokerage, Invest in Agent Marketing, Training and Tech Commentary by Chad Ruggles

T

he real estate landscape continues to become more competitive, whether you’re an agent facing challenging market conditions or a broker/owner looking for unique perks to attract new agents. According to a recent National Association of REALTORS® survey, agents reported continued intense buyer competition and fewer clients overall compared to last year. Only one thing is certain: Standing out from the crowd isn’t easy, but it’s necessary for success.

So, how can you differentiate your brokerage, and yourself, from the competition? When a brokerage competes for the very best agents by enhancing their value proposition and investing, they also compete for dedicated clients, and in turn, create an enduring, evergreen business model. Simply put, if you want to attract more clients, train, motivate and lead your agents.

One way for brokerages to add value and retain quality agents comes via exceptional marketing and support. Agents often seek ex-

pert assistance to market their unique value to clients, so a strong brokerage marketing team, plus training and leadership, can make a huge impact. Although free marketing assets for social media, direct mail and even swag items can assist, a solid foundation of best practices and tools that capitalize on sphere of influence marketing is key. Tech-enabled sphere of influence (SOI) marketing made possible through a robust CRM is just the start. All marketing and tech offerings should be bolstered by an exceptional training department and

By providing training across a broad spectrum of marketing activities and tech, brokerages help agents use their extensive networks to prosper, build their brand and compete. When agents combine the power of these tools, clients looking for resourceful, skilled agents benefit, too. SOI marketing strategies connect agents to interested clients through any and all market conditions, making both the agent and brokerage a unique asset to consumers. Further, these benefits attract exceptional agents in the first place, creating a more competitive brokerage model that can withstand the inevitable fluctuations in any real estate market.

While a brokerage or agent can’t control the market itself, we can control our approach to the marketplace.

A strong value proposition from agent and brokerage alike—using marketing, training and tech together—creates a business strategy that beats the competition time and time again. RE Chad Ruggles, head of Vylla Home and senior vice president, is a passionate leader with 25-plus years of management experience. He currently leads Vylla Home, a unique brokerage with more than 1,175 real estate agents across 37 states. For more information, please visit www.vyllahome.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 69

TRENDS & ISSUES promise, it’s essential to plant that seed of potential for high activity. Remind sellers to be more accommodating with showings, and let them know that every buyer matters.

2. There could be few showings and light traffic at open houses.

What would you do if 10 people saw the home and eight told you the price was too high? Share this info with the seller to help them recognize that it’s priced too high.

Manage Your Seller’s Expectations Through Seasonal and Market Adjustments

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Commentary by Dave Karoly

he No. 1 goal of a listing appointment is to obtain the listing.

As late summer/early fall approaches, it’s a challenging time due to sellers having unrealistic expectations. They’re looking at comparable properties that recently sold, but were listed in the spring or early winter when there was much less inventory. Whether it involves price or showing accommodations, it’s important to have these conversations upfront.

If you’re not setting expectations from the start, you could lose the sale later.

This year, rising interest rates further exacerbate this problem. Here are a few tips on how you can set expectations correctly, get the listing and have a smooth sale: •Start by sharing market statistics and describing how the market is different. You’ll be revealing your potential value and a timeline of the sale in a more precise way for your sellers.

•When going over price, have the seller give you a figure first so that you 70 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

don’t become associated with a number. If it doesn’t sell for that amount, the only person they can blame is themselves.

Another great thing to mention to your sellers is the 21-day rule. Explain to them that within 21 days of listing a home, you/they will know if the price is right or not because one of three things will happen: 1. The listing could get a lot of activity and an offer, or potentially more than one. Rather than over-

3. What if nobody shows up, yet all other listings get activity? This would undoubtedly tell us that the property is priced too high. Remind the seller that you’re not testing the marketing; the only thing being tested is the price. Perhaps you’re setting deadlines too soon, especially when there are no offers in place, and it’s scaring away potential buyers. Or maybe you’re disclosing things too soon (e.g., subject to preferred closing date).

Depending on your seller’s motivation, ask them the following question: “If plan A is to list at that price, that’s okay, but what if we realize it’s priced too high? What is Plan B?” I hope you can see how these discussions are better off being had in the beginning. Not everything that you list will sell as it has in prior months. You don’t want to waste your time and have an aggravated seller on your hands. Sometimes, they’ll be more motivated the second time around and more willing to listen to you and your recommendations. In this quickly changing market, you must get back to the fundamentals, because if you don’t, you’ll likely regret it. RE

Dave Karoly is vice president of sales at Lamacchia Realty. For more information, please visit www.lamacchiarealty.com.

TRENDS & ISSUES the core marketing tools agents use, such as a CMA platform to generate more seller opportunities.

The next generation of brokerageprovided tech must empower agents to do fewer mundane tasks and focus more on what they do best.

We all know that when a brokerage provides agents with the right technology, it changes the conversation when it comes to recruiting and retention. However, having a competitive differentiator means more than offering the latest shiny object.

All-in-One Tech Stack

How ‘Forward Thinking’ Keeps You Ahead of the Competition

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Commentary by Michael Minard

ow do you keep ahead of the competition? The late Apple Founder Steve Jobs said it best: “Some people say, ‘Give the customers what they want.’ But that’s not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they’re going to want before they do.”

He then quoted innovator Henry Ford, who once famously said, “If I’d asked customers what they wanted, they would have told me, ‘A faster horse!’”

Jobs concluded, “People don’t know what they want until you show it to them...Our task is to read things that are not yet on the page.”

That’s forward thinking. We take this same approach to help our clients get—and stay—ahead of their competition.

Focus on What’s Next

Forward thinking requires you to emulate hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, who famously said: “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”

Today, we are not building what our customers need now. Instead, we are creating what customers will need 18 months from now. Leveraging new technology and innovation for the future needs of our clients means focusing on automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Forward thinking doesn’t exclude listening to our customers. Like Apple, it’s just the opposite. We use a client advisory committee to give us ongoing feedback to iterate and perfect current offerings. This information also informs our forward thinking.

Having constant real-world feedback helps us improve our automated valuation model (AVM) and find inventive ways to integrate AVMs into

Brokerages have an avalanche of choices when it comes to real estate technology. But it’s nearly impossible to build your own tech stack and maintain it to remain leading edge.

Time has shown that relying on a proven, trustworthy brokerage tech solution from a provider that is driven, every day, to look further out and anticipate what their customers will need keeps a brokerage ahead of their competitors.

Looking Ahead

This year, we coined the phrase “allin-one when you want it, best-in-class when you don’t” to capture the idea that the all-in-one solution works best for most brokerages. But others may be missing a piece in their tech stack and need a plug-and-play, best-inclass solution to fill that void. Our approach is to offer both.

The key is to make sure we are building technology today to help our clients in the future. We all win when we figure out how to skate to where the puck is going to be. RE Michael Minard is CEO and owner of Delta Media Group, a leading and trusted technology partner for many of real estate’s top brands, and 100% family-owned and operated.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 71

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BROKER STRATEGIES role, it’s critical to place them in a position that gives them the autonomy to create their own role and achieve professional and personal success.

How do you see your market evolving throughout the rest of the year? COVID taught me that trying to predict where a market is going is next to impossible, however, this year looks to be a solid one. If the market moderates, many buyers who have been sitting on the sidelines will reengage because the market won’t be as competitive. I think we’ll see fewer multiple offers, and we’ve already seen a slight uptick in homes for sale.

There’s still a lot of demand, but we’re slowly seeing more homes come on the market; 2020 and 2021 were the best and second-best years in real estate, and I think 2022 will be the third-best.

Pasquesi

Moving Confidently Toward the Future Mark Pasquesi

President and Designated Managing Broker Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago Chicago, Illinois | www.bhhschicago.com Region served: Northern Illinois, Southern Wisconsin, Southwest Michigan and Indiana Years in real estate: 23 Number of offices: 25 Number of agents: 1,400 Favorite part of your job: For me, what makes real estate so enjoyable is that it’s completely relationship-based and people-focused.

Best advice for new agents: You need to have the desire and drive to constantly learn.

Talk about being part of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network. It’s amazing to be part of something so powerful. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices has always conveyed trust, integrity, stability and longevity, and it now comes with this global real estate network and unmatched media presence.

Tell us about your management style. At Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago, we’ve created a culture of communication and collaboration. I look to identify and hire the best talent, and place people in positions that play to their strengths. Rather than put people in a defined

What is the most significant trend positively affecting your business right now? As somebody who values the relationship side of the business and the people, one of the most positive trends that excites me is the new agents getting into the business. Real estate has been done the same way for a long time, and as it evolves and changes, we’re attracting newer people from different industries, and I love that. We’re seeing attorneys, people from advertising, marketing and even the hospitality industry becoming agents. They value the care, attention and resources our company provides, and have transitioned from other successful careers to make a successful career in real estate.

How does your company stay flexible and current? We consistently evaluate where we are, what we are and how we’re doing it. Just because something has worked in the past doesn’t mean it’s still relevant or necessary to do it that way. Our “Move Confidently” anthem is all about the “change-your-life” moment in real estate.

Buyers, sellers and renters want experienced real estate agents they can trust by their side, backed by a great brand like Berkshire Hathaway. We’re a great company today, but we want to be a better company tomorrow and even better in the future.

How are you preparing your agents for the future? To prepare our agents for the future, there has to be constant learning. We offer robust training, coaching and sales workshops to help our agents with their business and strategies for the current market. The market is changing at a pace we’ve never seen before, and training is at the core of everything we do. RE For more information, please visit berkshirehathawayhs.com.

-Paige Brown

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 73

BROKER STRATEGIES defeat, and how to accept being a winner with grace and respect. This was a huge help when starting in real estate because it allowed me to approach the work I needed to do with confidence.

How did you leverage the relationships you made as a professional athlete to build a better referral network as a real estate professional? When I started out, we didn’t have the technology we have now, so I would write letters and send postcards to fellow athletes and friends to let them know that I was a real estate professional and would love to help them with their real estate needs. This was very successful, as it also prompted them to refer me to their friends.

Heddon

Paving the Way to Lasting Success Barbara Heddon

Broker Manager CENTURY 21 Myers Realty Auburndale, Florida www.century21myersrealty.com Region served: Haines City/Winter Haven, Florida Years in real estate: 40 Number of offices: 3 Number of agents: 50-plus No. 1 tip for getting the right listing price: Educate sellers on the marketplace, then factor in specifics about the condition of the property in the market where they’re selling.

Most effective way to motivate agents: Engage a promising agent by turning the conversation around and asking what their goals are and how you can help coach them to success.

Best time management tip: Prioritize your daily tasks from the top down.

Key to getting buyers and sellers working together: Get the seller and prospective buyer face to face and determine what’s needed to work the deal out.

How has your lifelong athletic training and experience benefitted your real estate profession?

Being an athlete from a young age, you learn time management and perseverance, how to handle rejection and 74 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

In what ways were you able to influence and support colleagues as a local REALTOR® association leader? Both REALTOR® associations where I served as president believed that education was key and offered classes in all aspects of real estate. We had wonderful instructors, so I encouraged all of our members to participate. I would also recommend they get involved with civic organizations and take part in activities that our boards were sponsoring. Doing so allowed members to enjoy more exposure in the community, which helped them develop a better, broader client base.

Given your experience selling investment homes, what’s your best advice for prospective buyers?

The most important thing is to do your homework and ask a lot of questions about the location, condition and status of the property. Check to see if the property can be leased, and beware of an unbelievable deal. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

After operating your own companies for years, what advantages have you experienced as a CENTURY 21® agent? I opened Southern Investments Realty in 2004 with great confidence that I could make it work.

Fortunately, I brought on some great agents—both new and seasoned—and we worked hard to build our inventory and client base to become a very successful company. While we had a wonderful time growing our business, in 2017, I sold the business and became an agent (and now broker manager) with CENTURY 21 Myers Realty. I loved being a broker/owner, but it was time to slow down and enjoy being an agent. I am so excited about the new technology the CENTURY 21 brand offers and the support the company provides. And since our brand is worldwide, I have tremendous exposure when marketing all of our properties. RE For more information, please visit www.century21.com.

-John Voket

BROKER STRATEGIES I think buyers and sellers look at a platform like Latter & Blum Select and feel reassured that brokerages are committed to making sure all solutions are available.

As one of the nation’s top-producing brokerage firms, what is your best piece of advice for aspiring real estate professionals? It can be intimidating when jumping into the real estate world, and many aspiring professionals feel overwhelmed by what they need to know. My advice would be that saying, “I don’t know, but I will find out,” is acceptable. This is a business that so much is learned by doing. You will learn more with each deal, and your reputation for honesty and integrity is paramount. My follow-up to this advice is to make sure you find out.

Conway

Keeping With Tradition Through Innovative Practices Lacey Merrick Conway

CEO Latter & Blum, a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® New Orleans, Louisiana | www.latter-blum.com Region served: Greater New Orleans/Gulf South Years in real estate: 17 Number of offices: 35 Number of agents: 3,000

What does it mean to lead a legacy heritage brokerage? Latter & Blum was founded in 1916 and is the epitome of a legacy heritage brokerage. We have weathered many storms (literally and figuratively) and lived through many market cycles. There is stability and reliability in how we do business, and I am proud of that. Leading a legacy brokerage means honoring our past while building upon it.

How do new technologies like Latter & Blum Select help spread consumer confidence among buyers and sellers? There are so many exciting and innovative ways to buy and sell real estate, and we are embracing the ones that have been vetted and proven.

“Leading a legacy brokerage means honoring our past while building upon it.”

-LACEY MERRICK CONWAY CEO, Latter & Blum

How do you keep your social media platforms creative and engaging? We keep a good balance of content on our social media platforms, and are always on the lookout for any emerging trends. We also enjoy engaging with our audience, hosting live Q&A sessions and providing informative yet engaging content related to what’s happening in our markets.

What are some of the current trends you see in your market right now? We are still experiencing an active, healthy market. Both the $400k - $700k range and $700k-plus price range categories have seen year-overyear increases in sales volume and units. As our region enters hurricane season, we do anticipate a bit of a slowdown. Other influences on our market are the massive cost increases in flood and homeowners insurance.

As the future unfolds, what are you focusing on?

Brokerage efficiency in the form of physical locations, office space layouts and fine-tuning our value proposition.

We are also focusing on agent confidence in articulating their value proposition. RE For more information, please visit www.leadingre.com.

-Joey Macari

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 75

BROKER STRATEGIES feeling like we’re one big family. They also have a very sophisticated mentor program designed to give new agents a jumpstart in their careers. As part of Fathom, our agents and employees now have access to a health insurance package, and because Fathom is a public company, they share equity with agents through stock grants.

I was also impressed by the company’s Fathom Scholarship Fund and Fathom Family Fund, which was designed to give back to those in need.

Telford

Charging Toward the Future Bill Telford

VP of Business Development Fathom Realty St. George, Utah | www.FathomCareers.com Region served: Utah Years in real estate: 48 Number of offices: 6 Number of agents: 435 Favorite part of your job: Being the wind beneath the wings of our agents and employees to assist them to soar to new heights of productivity and achieve their dreams.

Motto/work philosophy that you live by: It’s not about being the biggest, but being the best. We strive to be the benchmark of service excellence to our employees, agents and the communities we serve.

You recently sold your independent company, iPro Realty Network, to Fathom. What prompted this decision, and why was Fathom the right fit?

While Fathom’s leadership team was one of the main factors behind the decision, it didn’t hurt that their corporate colors were the same as ours! Their 100% commission structure was similar to what we had in place at iPro Realty Network, so I envisioned a seamless blending of the two. Drilling down further, I felt their culture closely aligned with ours—from their agent-centric philosophy to 76 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

What are some of the current trends you see in your market right now? Utah is ranked as one of the nation’s No. 1 housing markets, with high job growth and low unemployment. Because of our job market, there’s a great need for housing to keep up with the influx of people moving to the area for employment opportunities, as well as those who are looking to call Utah home as they move into their retirement years. We’re also beginning to see inventory increase for the first time in several years, and large production builders in the area have spec homes available to purchase that aren’t pre-sold—something we haven’t seen in nearly three years. Our area—and the entire state of Utah—is poised to continue along the same trajectory, with price increases on a more moderate level than we’ve seen lately.

What does the real estate brokerage of the future look like, and how does Fathom’s business model and value proposition fit into the equation? I believe Fathom is the future of real estate. In fact, they are one of the few—and currently the only—100% commission, low transaction-fee concepts that is also a public company and can provide stock grants to agents, and I think that’s going to become more popular as the future unfolds.

Fathom is a great model for the future of our industry, as it places the control of the business in the hands of the agent.

What’s on the horizon for Fathom as we make our way through the second half of the year? Based on the trends I’m seeing, I anticipate a lot of growth in our future. What I’ve found over the years is that as markets tighten, the 100%-commission business model becomes a true advantage. Charging agents a small, flat transaction fee per sale allows them to keep more of their hard-earned money and allocate it to other areas that will foster growth, which is a huge benefit during times when the number of transactions is declining and inventory is challenging. It can also be used as another revenue stream, providing agents the opportunity to put additional money toward an upcoming vacation or into a retirement fund. RE For more information, please visit www.fathomcareers.com.

-Paige Tepping

BROKER STRATEGIES What factors have contributed to your region’s growth over the past decade? Las Vegas has transitioned from being primarily a tourist city to a thriving sports town. In fact, the success of both the Las Vegas Golden Knights and Raiders has opened doors to adding additional leagues such as the NBA and MLB. In the past 10 years, Las Vegas has grown almost 20% in population.

More growth has provided job opportunities created by large businesses moving to our tax-friendly state.

Aleman

Laying the Foundation for Continued Growth Randel Aleman Jr.

President and CEO HomeSmart Encore - Krkic & Aleman Real Estate Group Las Vegas, Nevada https://homesmart.com/real-estate-agent/nevada/lasvegas/41782-randel-aleman-jr/properties Region served: Greater Las Vegas/Henderson Years in real estate: 12 Number of offices: 3 Number of agents: 225 How to attract top talent: Retention and consistency are key. Keeping current agents happy while staying consistent is critical when it comes to a firm’s ability to recruit new agents. Full transparency with new recruits is also important, as you never want to overpromise and then underdeliver.

Best time management tip: Wake up early and finish your task list every day.

Key to staying profitable: Keep your overhead low while allocating funds that provide profitability in return.

Can’t-live-without tech tool: HomeSmart’s RealSmart Agent platform/mobile app, which allows agents to manage transactions while on the go. It gives our team everything they need, from marketing materials to a personal website and CRM.

What makes HomeSmart Encore so successful when it comes to winning listings and getting offers accepted? We set a goal each year and follow our business plan as best we can. Our real estate coaches keep us on track with our tasks, making sure we’re prospecting each day for at least three hours and engaging with our past clients and sphere of influence. When it comes to getting offers accepted, keeping an offer as clean as possible helps, as well as building a good rapport with the listing agent.

What are the two most important factors that led to your affiliation with HomeSmart? The success that Matt Widdows, HomeSmart’s CEO, created in Phoenix is what ultimately excited my dad, Randel W. Aleman, to bring the brand to Las Vegas. HomeSmart gives REALTORS® the opportunity to keep the most money in their pocket from each transaction, allowing them to reinvest in their business. Since HomeSmart has grown substantially to where it stands today with 25,000-plus agents nationwide, our agents benefit from familiar and excellent national branding.

How has your HomeSmart affiliation helped you better support your agent team? Affiliating with HomeSmart has made it easier to save money on technology and reinvest that money back into our team.

HomeSmart’s technology tools are what keep our business moving forward. Their national presence and growth have been astronomical, and since affiliating with HomeSmart, our referral network and referral business have grown.

Tell us about HomeSmart+ Omni, the networking group created within your office. HomeSmart+ Omni is a network that a small group of agents created as part of the brand’s new revenue-sharing program. The Omni network will provide industry knowledge and tips related to navigating the real estate market, generating leads, winning listings in a competitive market and more.

Our goal is to grow the network nationwide. RE For more information, please visit www.homesmart.com.

-John Voket

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 77

BROKER STRATEGIES

Danny and Charlene Sullivan

Maintaining a Leading Edge Danny and Charlene Sullivan

Co-Founders Leading Edge Real Estate Group Huntsville, Alabama | www.LeadingEdgeAL.com Region served: Alabama and Southern Middle Tennessee Years in real estate: Danny: 19; Charlene: 3.5 Number of offices: 5 Number of agents: 170

Having begun as a family-run business, what do you believe have been the hallmarks of your success?

Danny Sullivan: We started Leading Edge at a time of adversity during the housing crisis in the early 2000s. We owned three real estate franchises at the time, and while we weren’t interested in starting or owning another business, we had 30 agents who needed a place to hang their license, so we hunkered down and created a low transaction-fee-based model. A majority of the offices in our marketplace were offering traditional splits, but we wanted our agents to keep as much of their hard-earned money as possible.

Charlene Sullivan: Leading Edge was born during a time when we knew the traditional model wasn’t going to work.

Not only were we having a hard time identifying brokerages that were interested in Danny’s fee-based model, but we also noticed they all had rules as far as how the business should run, the way agents should dress, and the amount of time they needed to invest in agent training and coaching.

With us, our agents are free to run their business the way they want while keeping 100% of their commission.

What attracted you to United, and what were the main reasons behind your decision to merge with them?

DS: While we weren’t looking to make a move, I knew that our days were numbered because it was getting harder 78 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

to compete as a small brokerage. After talking to Tyler Anderson, United’s VP of Broker Network Development, I wanted to learn more. Everyone I spoke with had great things to say about United, and that’s what solidified our decision to join.

CS: Not only did we find ourselves struggling with agent retention, but we were also having a hard time figuring out how to bring technology to our agents. We were a small brokerage that couldn’t afford to spend millions to bring new tech tools into the office, and at the same time, our agents couldn’t afford to go out and purchase the technology that would allow them to compete. We needed to catch up, and United was the answer to our prayers.

How does being part of United enhance your value proposition to agents and support your brokerage’s growth?

CS: Besides the culture, which matches ours perfectly, United’s Bullseye Cloud-Based Productivity Platform places us on a level playing field. The marketing tools, seamless technology, comprehensive training, lead-generating websites and referral program make day-to-day tasks easy on our agents, ensuring that their pipelines are always full. Everything United provides is exactly what we were looking for.

DS: One thing that hasn’t changed is our identity. Staying true to ourselves was critical, and I’m happy to say that nothing has changed for our agents. The only difference is that they now have access to more tools, technology and training than ever before.

As a husband and wife team, how do you balance your roles?

DS: I’m more of the idea guy and the face of our company while Charlene works behind the scenes putting things into motion. She’s also a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to ensuring we have the necessary systems to make everything work efficiently.

CS: We learned early on in our marriage to divide and conquer, which has been beneficial in both our personal and professional lives. Our strengths and weaknesses complement each other, and we’ve learned to respect and appreciate those differences and use them to our advantage.

In what ways are your agents utilizing United Real Estate’s tools, resources and training?

DS: Having come onboard in January, we couldn’t wait to see everything United would be unveiling at their ReUnited National Conference. Those agents who are plugging in and using the resources in Bullseye are beginning to see results, and many of our agents have had success with the automated marketing programs and listing videos. We understand just how important technology is, so we’re keeping an eye on those who may not be taking advantage of what’s available and getting them engaged. The Bullseye

BROKER STRATEGIES platform is user-friendly and extremely easy to use, even for those who may not be technologically savvy.

CS: Our agents are also finding success through the United Referral Network. If they’re clued in and using the tools, they’re starting to see just how easy it is to grow their business.

How does United’s home-office team support you when it comes to your day-to-day and backoffice operations?

DS: Their leadership team and support staff have been amazing. Everyone is accessible, including Dan Duffy (CEO) and Rick Haase (president), who are never too busy to help solve an issue or answer a question.

CS: They also take time to touch base with our agents. Rick is constantly checking in to see how things are going and what they’d like done differently. He always asks about their families and shares openly about his as well.

What advantages have you experienced being part of a national organization yet maintaining your unique brand identity and culture?

CS: The areas in which we were struggling, we’re now excelling. The competition on a national level is huge, and it will become harder to compete with the Zillows of the 2022_RISMedia_Half_Page_June_7.5x5.pdf 1 6/3/2022 1:11:15 PM

“We could not be more pleased to be partnered with Danny and Charlene Sullivan. Their steadfast focus on doing more for their agents marries exceedingly well with United’s mission to improve the financial trajectory of our agents’ and brokers’ careers and lives.”

-RICK HAASE President, United Real Estate

world. We’re still a local brokerage with local recognition, as well as part of one of the top 10 national real estate firms in the U.S., which is a total win-win. Through United, our agents are part of a national lead and referral system. They also have all the benefits of a national organization. Our business is going to grow exponentially with United’s help.

DS: One thing that impressed me was the way in which Dan laid out United’s strategic plan to compete with the industry giants. He didn’t just talk about five years down the road, but rather, 100 years into the future. RE For more information, please visit www.GrowWithUnited.com.

-Paige Tepping

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TEAM TALK

The Fine Living Group

D.C. Area Mega-Team Aims for Coast-to-Coast Presence entorship is everything for Rockville, Maryland-based Jon Lahey, whose 58-member team, The Fine Living Group with eXp Realty, has expanded beyond the greater Washington, D.C., area to serve a growing clientele from New York to California, with 2021 sales figures topping $100 million.

how much he loved the process.

“There is nothing as rewarding as helping people achieve their real estate goals,” Lahey says. “So, in the fall of 2009, I jumped in full-time—just in time to see the market fall apart in front of my eyes.”

But the housing crisis did not deter Lahey, who moved from a small boutique agency to a RE/MAX franchise where he stayed for 11 years, built an energetic team and earned just about every award the brand offers before deciding to launch his eXp enterprise.

by how well I am able to mentor and motivate my team.”

After graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in technology, Lahey expected to launch a career in government contracting. But the bustling 2004 real estate market seized his attention, and after starting as an investor, he began selling real estate part-time and quickly realized

Barbara Pronin: What inspired you to make the leap to eXp? Jon Lahey: It was a two-fold decision. First, The Fine Living Group was developed to provide buyers and sellers with exceptional skill and technology, and I felt that we were ready to expand our reach to assist clients nationwide and around the world. Second, the eXp model offers

By Barbara Pronin

M

“Early in my career, the inspiration I absorbed from books like ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’ and other wealth-building tomes taught me the value of mentorship,” says Indonesian-born Lahey, who came to the U.S. with his parents in 1990. “Learning from the strategies of successful people goes a long way to help you realize your own potential. Today, I measure my own success 80 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

TEAM TALK

our agents additional incentive with the opportunity to earn equity in the brand’s stock programs.

BP: How do you manage to lead such a large and geographically scattered team?

JL: We currently have 33 locally based agents here in the Baltimore/ D.C. area, and a total of 58 within the eXp network nationwide. And we couldn’t do what we do without an awesome administrative team at our core: our director of operations, director of sales, and director of marketing and growth strategy.

BP: But how do you communicate and stay organized?

JL: As I learned from Zig Ziglar, who I think was a brilliant salesman and motivator, if you train your team well, they will grow and grow your business. We have a set schedule to ensure that we are all on the same page, beginning with a department head meeting every Monday and a Zoom for the entire team every Tuesday where we provide training and updates. We also have luncheons and quarterly ‘State of the Union’ meetings that keep everyone informed and enthusiastic, complete with shout-outs to celebrate achievements. My focus as CEO is what it’s always been, and that’s inspiring and mentoring.

BP: You can’t personally be everywhere with this large a team. How can you be certain that team members are properly trained?

JL: Every new agent gets the support of our more experienced team members. We use a six-step system comprised of a dedicated support team and mentored immersion in our exclusive technology platforms and marketing strategies—all the unique propositions we employ to ensure that every buyer and seller has a rewarding transaction experience.

The grand entrance into one of The Fine Living Group’s Maryland listings: 14601 Van Wagner Road in Upper Marlboro.

“Learning from the strategies of successful people goes a long way to help you realize your own potential. Today, I measure my own success by how well I am able to mentor and motivate my team.”

-JON LAHEY CEO/Team Leader, The Fine Living Group with eXp Realty

BP: You were named an ICON agent with eXp in your first six months with the company, and a 2022 RISMedia Real Estate Newsmaker for your positive contributions to the industry.

How would you describe your personal philosophy?

JL: Recognition is nice, but I personally love to sell two or three homes every month because I love to work with customers and it helps keep me grounded. At the core, though, I don’t believe that it’s the number of homes you sell, but rather, how you can change lives in a positive way that really matters. That’s what makes you a success in life, and in the end, that’s what counts. Watching others succeed in that way is what makes me proud of what I do.

BP: I see on your website that your team supports the Children’s Miracle Network.

JL: We see it as another way to change lives for the better, bringing comfort and healing to children who desperately need it. We donate a portion of the income for every sale, and our goal this year is to raise $200,000 to help these kids.

BP: Jon, what are your interests outside of real estate?

JL: Spending time with my family. For me, being successful means having customers who love you so that you can spend time with those you love.

RE For more information, please visit www.thefinelivinggroup.com.

Barbara Pronin is a contributing editor to RISMedia.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 81

STATE-OF-THE

T E K MAR SCRIPTS SUMMER 2022

IN A MARKET THAT MOVES THIS FAST, IT CAN BE HARD TO KNOW WHAT TO SAY. LET US HELP! scan for your free scripts!

TEAM TALK specific tasks to execute in pursuit of your goals, keeping you from getting distracted by uncertainties or unpredictable forces.

3. A measuring stick. Having the ability to track your progress is the only way to know whether you’ve “arrived” at your goal or whether you need to make course corrections.

Having a crystal-clear idea of where you want to Creating Calmness in Chaos be provides

By Verl Workman a fixed point very summer, I take my family to Lake Powell, a huge reservoir in Southeast Utah. We love navigating our boat through the maze of of focus as Red Rock Canyons and swimming in the water. Our Powell trips typically go smoothly, but if you’ve ever spent time on the water, you chaos builds know that things can change in the blink of an eye. around you.

One night, while trying to get back if I followed the breadcrumbs on the

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to our mooring area, a storm rolled in out of nowhere. It was windy, rainy and pitch-black. We couldn’t see anything around us, and with the choppy water and unpredictable winds, there was a very real risk of crashing into the canyon walls that surrounded us or even running aground. We had to get back to our mooring area where we could safely weather the storm, but without any way to see where we were, I wasn’t sure how we would make it.

It was then that I remembered that I’d recently installed a GPS unit on the boat, which had created a breadcrumb trail of our journey that day. I could see our location relative to that trail, which meant that I had a map to follow. Even though I couldn’t see anything around me, I knew that

GPS, we would arrive safely at our destination. And, sure enough, as I kept our boat on course, we arrived safe and sound.

In real estate, we often find ourselves in choppy, uncertain waters.

The market, or myriad other forces beyond our control, can produce a feeling of chaos that makes productivity impossible. But this story illustrates what I firmly believe: If you have three essential things, your business can make it through any storm. Those things are: 1. A clear goal. Having a crystalclear idea of where you want to be provides a fixed point of focus as chaos builds around you.

2. An accurate map. Having an actionable plan to follow gives you

If you feel like you have no ability to direct your business through the storms and wiles of the market, I recommend taking a step back and figuring out if you truly have clear goals, accurate maps and defined metrics, or whether you’re sailing by sight alone. Only then will you be able to create the calm your business needs to truly flourish. RE Verl Workman is the founder and CEO of Workman Success Systems, a real estate consulting company that specializes in performance coaching and building highly effective teams. Contact wssm@ workmansuccess.com for more information and free downloadable resources.

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SERVICE PROFILES

Index of Preferred Providers

The leading companies providing services to the real estate and relocation industries

ABR®....................................................................................85

Lamacchia Realty................................................................ 87

Amarki.................................................................................85

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.................. 87

American Home Shield .....................................................85

McKissock Learning............................................................ 87

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices...................................85

MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants............................................ 87

BoomTown..........................................................................85

NAGLREP (National Association of Gay & Lesbian

Buffini & Company..............................................................85

Real Estate Professionals)................................................... 87

The CE Shop........................................................................85

National Association of REALTORS®................................. 87

Century 21 Real Estate LLC.................................................85

Percy....................................................................................88

Cinch Home Services..........................................................85

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors®..........................................88

Colibri Real Estate..............................................................85

Propertybase......................................................................88

Constellation1.....................................................................86

Real Estate Webmasters.....................................................88

The Corcoran Group...........................................................86

Realtors Property Resource®..............................................88

CoreLogic............................................................................86

Realty ONE Group.............................................................88

Center for REALTOR® Development (CRD)........................86

REBAC.................................................................................88

CRS Data.............................................................................86

RE/MAX, LLC.....................................................................88

Crush It In Real Estate.........................................................86

Residential Real Estate Council..........................................88

Curbio.................................................................................86

Rocket Mortgage................................................................88

Darryl Davis Seminars........................................................86

Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting.............................. 89

Delta Media Group............................................................86

United Real Estate............................................................... 89

Elm Street............................................................................86

Updater............................................................................... 89

Fathom Realty..................................................................... 87

Weichert Family of Companies.......................................... 89

Homes.com......................................................................... 87

Workman Success Systems................................................. 89

HomeSmart International................................................... 87

zavvie.................................................................................. 89

®

HSASM Home Warranty...................................................... 87

RREIN Service Providers Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate.......................................................................... 89

Kinlin Grover Real Estate....................................................90

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty........... 89

Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty..............90

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties...... 90

McCOLLY Real Estate......................................................... 91

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Jordan Baris Realty.....90

Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate.......................................... 91

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties...... 90

Randall, REALTORS®................................................................. 91

CENTURY 21 Award...........................................................90

RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central................................ 91

CENTURY 21 New Millennium...........................................90

RE/MAX Gateway............................................................. 91

Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty.........................90

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Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc............................................90

SERVICE PROFILES ABR® (800) 648-6224 • abr.realtor • Chicago, Illinois • Jennifer Rzeszewski, Vice President of Member Development and Executive Director of CRD

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.

AMARKI (877) 405-0040 • www.amarki.com •Grass Valley, California • Ian Francis, CEO

extend far beyond technology: peer coaching support, lead concierge services to contact, qualify and nurture leads, and dedicated advisors offer personalized support at every step.

BUFFINI & COMPANY (800) 945-3485 • www.buffiniandcompany.com

Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, Buffini & Company is the largest real estate coaching and training company in North America. Founded by real estate expert and master motivator Brian Buffini, the company provides a unique and highly effective lead-generation system and comprehensive business coaching and training programs, which have helped entrepreneurs in 37 countries improve their business, increase net profit and enhance their quality of life.

THE CE SHOP

Amarki was purposely built by real estate experts for brokerages and agents based on years of industry experience and firsthand REALTOR® feedback. We have developed a marketing tool accessible to anyone, no matter your experience or marketing budget.

By providing an intuitive tool that works “for” the agent, Amarki is able to remove the complexity of marketing tasks such as email, social media, text messaging and search and display ads. With Amarki, any digital marketing campaign can be created and deployed with three easy steps in under two minutes.

(888) 827-0777 • www.theceshop.com Greenwood Village, Colorado

AMERICAN HOME SHIELD®

(877) 221-2765 • www.century21.com • Madison, New Jersey • Michael Miedler, President & CEO

(800) 735-4663 • www.ahs.com/realestate

American Home Shield® founded the home warranty industry more than 45 years ago and remains the industry leader, with more than 1.8 million customers who depend on us every day. We offer not only home warranty plans that help protect against unexpected covered breakdowns of home systems, but we offer services that buyers can take advantage of day one of their contract. Current additional services offered are: rekey service, electronics plan, TV mounting service and pre-season HVAC tune-up service. We’re also leveraging our network of more than 15,000 licensed and qualified contractors to test even more services, like: pest control coverage, house cleaning services, garage door tune-ups, electrician services, and more.

Discover the shield difference—contact your local AHS® Account Manager today by visiting ahs.com/find-rep.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES (800) 666-6634 • www.berkshirehathawayhs.com

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is a global residential real estate brokerage franchise network with more than 50,000 real estate professionals and nearly 1,500 offices across 12 countries, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East, The Bahamas and India.

BOOMTOWN (866) 430-1408 • www.BoomTownROI.com Charleston, South Carolina

BoomTown has all the tools, technology and teams you need for real estate success. It’s the only solution that generates and manages your leads, with 300-plus experts at your back. Lead generation, consumerfacing websites, CRM technology, lead management services, and more, come in flexible packages that scale with success. Our mission is to make real estate agents successful, and our service offerings

Founded in 2005, The CE Shop has become the leading provider of online real estate education through an encyclopedic knowledge of the real estate industry. Our ever-expanding course catalog of pre-licensing, exam prep, post-licensing and continuing education products are trusted throughout the industry and offer agents across the country the education they rely on.

CENTURY 21 REAL ESTATE LLC

The approximately 148,000 independent sales professionals in over 14,250 spanning 85 countries/territories in the CENTURY 21® System live their mission everyday: to defy mediocrity and deliver extraordinary experiences. By consistently chasing excellence, giving 121% and always elevating, the CENTURY 21 brand is helping its affiliated brokers/agents be the first choice for real estate consumers and industry professionals.

CINCH HOME SERVICES (800) 778-8000 • www.cinchrealestate.com • Boca Raton, Florida

Cinch Home Services is the leading home warranty company that makes it easy for everyone to enjoy their home to the fullest, regardless of whether they own or rent. With over 40 years of proven experience, Cinch uses smart, modern tools and an award-winning customer support network to remove the guesswork around preventing, diagnosing and solving a wide variety of home related issues. The company proudly offers 24/7customer service and the industry’s only 180 day service guarantee. Cinch protects both buyers and sellers from expensive and unexpected repair and replacement costs before, during, and after the sale of the home..

COLIBRI REAL ESTATE (844) 701-2946 • http://www.colibrigroup.com

Colibri Real Estate empowers agents and brokers to start or advance their careers by offering real estate’s most comprehensive, flexible learning solutions. As the leading education company for industry professionals, Colibri has helped millions pursue and achieve more in their careers. We’ve done this by providing custom education solutions and recruitment resources to thousands of brokerages, schools, and other organizations. Our service line, unmatched in the industry, includes comprehensive content and curriculum, expert instructors,

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SERVICE PROFILES and robust classroom resources through our family of real estate schools and innovative online learning platform.

CONSTELLATION1 (800) 503-5163 • constellation-1.com • Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Markham, Ontario • sales@constellationreg.com

Constellation1 is an all-in-one brand of award-winning front office, back office and data services for brokerages, franchises and MLSs. Constellation1 simplifies the process of finding and implementing the right real estate technology by providing a portfolio of solutions tailored to the real estate industry. Regardless of a brokerage’s, franchise’s or MLS’ technology needs, Constellation1 is of service, providing industry leading front office sales and marketing tools, including lead generation and relocation management; back office software like accounting, eSignature and transaction management; and extensive IDX feeds and datasets. For more information, visit constellation-1.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

THE CORCORAN GROUP (800) 544-4055 • www.corcoran.com • info@corcoran.com

The Corcoran Group has been a leading residential real estate brand for nearly 50 years. Through its New York City, Hamptons and South Florida brokerages, along with its rapidly growing affiliate network, the firm is home to more than 100 offices and 4,200 independent salespersons in key urban, suburban and resort markets nationwide. Corcoran agents earn and keep their clients’ trust with an unwavering commitment to white-glove service, expertise and integrity. In every market served, Corcoran helps you find the home that’s just right for you. Live who you are®. The Corcoran® brand comprises both offices owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices, which are independently owned and operated.

CORELOGIC Toll-Free: (877) 849-1023 • Local: (949) 214-1000 www.corelogic.com • Media and PR relations: newsmedia@corelogic.com

As a leading provider of gold standard data, analytics and platforms, CoreLogic enables real estate professionals, financial institutions, insurance carriers, government agencies and other housing-market participants to help people make their dream of homeownership a reality.

THE CENTER FOR REALTOR® DEVELOPMENT (CRD) (888) 480-2487 • crd.realtor • Chicago, Illinois •Jennifer Rzeszewski, Vice President of Member Development and Executive Director

The Center for REALTOR® Development (CRD) offers designations and certifications, learning pathways, over 100 microcourses, and an award-winning podcast. Sharpen your skills and boost your business by investing in yourself. Discover a personalized learning experience today at crd.realtor.

CRS DATA (800) 374-7488 • www.crsdata.com

For more than 30 years, CRS Data has provided a wealth of property tax data through the MLS Tax Suite. This beautiful system integrates seamlessly into your MLS system, offering REALTORS® current tax data, detailed map layers and robust features that are accessible on all browsers and mobile devices. Consistent product

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enhancements help ensure that the MLS Tax Suite performs as the industry’s leading and most innovative service. We’re proud to provide a personalized customer experience that is unmatched. Learn more by visiting www.crsdata.com.

CRUSH IT IN REAL ESTATE (781) 786-2422 • CrushItInRE.com • Waltham, Massachusetts • info@crushitinre.com

Crush It In Real Estate was started back in November 2017 for the sole purpose of providing quick, easy and actionable tips for agents to grow their business and to give a sneak peek into what our REAL Training & System courses look like. These short, digestible videos highlight the tricks and strategies of these courses in an entertaining way that only Anthony Lamacchia can provide.

CURBIO (844) 944-2629 • https://curbio.com• Potomac, Maryland

Curbio partners with real estate agents and homeowners to deliver a smart and hassle-free home improvement experience designed to get every home on the market and sold fast. Curbio’s turnkey approach, trusted team and all-in-one app allow REALTORS® to confidently take on home improvement projects of all sizes. Trusted by more than 800 brokerages nationwide, Curbio is making real estate move by redefining what the home improvement industry represents: transparency, reliability and speed.

DARRYL DAVIS SEMINARS (800) 395-3905 • www.ThePowerProgram.com

Darryl Davis Seminars was founded by real estate expert, coach and international speaker Darryl Davis, CSP. For more than 30 years, Davis has been helping agents double their production by learning the listing and sales skills of real estate. These money-making skillsets are vital when agents are working with buyers and sellers to move their career to their Next Level™. His fast-growing membership platform, www.ThePowerProgram.com, helps real estate sales professionals design lives and careers worth smiling about. He is the best-selling author of three books with McGraw-Hill Publishers, one of which, “How to Become a Power Agent® in Real Estate,” is the No. 1 book sold to REALTORS® on Amazon.

DELTA MEDIA GROUP (866) 233-9833 • https://www.deltamediagroup.com North Canton, Ohio •Franklin Stoffer, Vice President of Sales

Delta Media Group is real estate’s only provider of an all-in-one platform, easiest to use CRM, digital marketing tools, superpowered-SEO and website solution that is family-owned and operated. Delta Media is also the king of website lead generation, through its unmatched superpowered-SEO that leverages custom hyperlocal content creation.

Moreover, Delta Media Group is an early real estate technology innovator, established in 1994, yet offers one of the most advanced and affordable, fully integrated digital and social marketing solutions available to real estate professionals.

ELM STREET elmstreet.com • Frisco, Texas

•hello@elmstreet.com Elm Street offers a growing portfolio of real estate technology and marketing services with the goal of providing one vendor and one point

SERVICE PROFILES of contact, fully fused into one singular platform—Elevate—to capture and nurture more leads into closed business. Elm Street’s portfolio of products and services allow busy real estate professionals the ability to streamline and automate their marketing and day-to-day business objectives by offering high-end IDX websites, lead generation tools, a powerful CRM, email, social, text and blog marketing automation, recruiting and retention tools, and more. To learn more, please visit ElmStreet.com.

FATHOM REALTY (888) 455-6040 • www.FathomRealty.com • Cary, North Carolina

Fathom Realty is a national, cloud-based real estate brokerage powered by a proprietary technology platform called IntelliAgent. Agents enjoy a higher net income through Fathom’s 100%-commission, transaction-fee compensation model, allowing them to invest more money into growing their business. Fathom agents also earn stock grants based on their contribution to revenue and company growth. For more information, visit www.fathomcareers.com.

HOMES.COM (866) 697-3308 • http://marketing.homes.com

Homes.com offers brand advertising, lead generation, online reputation and marketing solutions to connect you with over 12.5 million consumers monthly. With a high average visit time, consumers visiting Homes.com are more engaged and more likely to buy when compared to visitors of other national real estate websites. Connect with these motivated homebuyers and sellers with the most powerful suite of tools for your real estate business—and convert more leads to closed transactions.

HOMESMART INTERNATIONAL (800) 865-9025 • www.homesmart.com • Scottsdale, Arizona • Tori Sokol, Director of Marketing and Communications

Founded in 2000, HomeSmart International is one of the fastest-growing real estate franchisors in the nation, with a mission to lead the industry by providing the highest level of service, support, technology and value to our customers. The company offers franchisees efficiency and innovation coupled with the systems and technologies necessary to succeed in today’s evolving real estate industry.

Its low-fee, high-value 100%-commission brokerage model keeps costs down for its nearly 19,000 agents across 31 states.

HSASM HOME WARRANTY (800) 367-1448 • www.onlinehsa.com HSASM Home Warranty has provided outstanding products and

service to real estate professionals and homeowners for more than 35 years. The home warranty helps sellers and buyers protect their budget from the cost of repairing or replacing the covered home system components and appliances in their home. HSASM also offers additional services to help buyers maintain their homes, including rekey service, an electronics plan and pre-season HVAC tune-up service. With HSA Home Warranty, your clients get reliable budget protection backed by exceptional service, and you get a provider who works hard to better serve you. Contact your local HSA Account Manager today by visiting onlinehsa.com.

LAMACCHIA REALTY (855) 510-SOLD (855-510-7653) • www.lamacchiarealty.com Waltham, Massachusetts • Jackie Louh, Jackie@LamacchiaRealty.com, (781) 373-7414

As a full-service, value-based real estate brokerage serving Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine and Florida, Lamacchia Realty provides cutting-edge tools and systems, and unparalleled training and coaching for REALTORS®, along with innovative and unique programs for buyers and sellers. The company prides itself on helping agents grow their business and, on average, agents who join from other companies grow their business by 318% in their first year. Lamacchia Realty will guide you to your success!

LEADING REAL ESTATE COMPANIES OF THE WORLD® (312) 424-0400 • www.LeadingRE.com

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE) is an invite-only, business-to-business real estate community, interconnecting top local and regional independent companies in 70 countries across the world. It provides its members with performance-driven assets, like elite training and education, marketing and technology resources, referrals and support. LeadingRE gives its 550 brokerages an edge while making their agents’ lives easier—and ultimately helping them to generate more business, assured by exceptional experience, quality service, and access to people and opportunities worldwide.

MCKISSOCK LEARNING (877) 277-5376 • McKissock.com/real-estate

As part of the Colibri Real Estate family of premier education brands, McKissock Learning has helped hundreds of thousands of real estate professionals achieve sustainable success throughout each stage of their career via continuing education and professional development courses.

MYOUTDESK VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS (800) 583-9950 • www.myoutdesk.com www.myoutdesk.com/contact-us

MyOutDesk is the largest, most trusted and reputable provider of virtual staffing in real estate—having served more than 6,000-plus clients, including as Keller Williams, Coldwell Banker and RE/MAX. MyOutDesk virtual assistants (VAs) allow real estate teams the ability to focus on core activities that drive income and sales—saving our clients over $55 million a year. Focus on dollar-productive tasks without sacrificing your quality of service. Hire a Real Estate VA for up to 70% less than the cost of a traditional, full-time employee.

NAGLREP (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GAY & LESBIAN REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS) (561) 865-6117 • naglrep.com • Jupiter, Florida • Jeff Berger, Founder

NAGLREP is the No. 1 forum for LGBT homebuyers, sellers and LGBT and allied real estate professionals.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (800) 874-6500 • www.NAR.realtor • Chicago, Illinois • Bob Goldberg, CEO • Victoria Gillespie, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer • Katie Johnson, General Counsel, Chief Member Experience Officer • Mark Birschbach, SVP, Strategic Business Innovation and Technology • Marc Gould, SVP, Member Development

The term REALTOR® identifies a real estate professional who is a mem-

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SERVICE PROFILES ber of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. NAR members have access to the REALTOR Benefits® Program, NAR’s official member benefits resource, providing savings and special offers on products and services just for REALTORS®. Program partners are industry leaders who understand the unique needs of real estate professionals. Visit NAR.realtor/RealtorBenefits. NAR is also proud to offer the .realtor™ and .realestate top-level domains to members. Visit get.realtor. NAR offers a number of designations, certifications and opportunities for continuing education that support member development. Visit OnlineLearning.realtor. NAR empowers REALTORS® to evaluate, enhance and showcase their highest level of professionalism with the Commitment to Excellence program. Visit C2EX.realtor. The REALTOR® Store features publications, webinars and research reports, including the top-selling 2018 NAR Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers. Visit Store. realtor. Additionally, NAR’s venture capital arm, Second Century Ventures, has invested in companies that push forward innovation while benefitting NAR members. Visit secondcenturyventures.com.

PERCY (855) 928-9743 • percy.ai Brentwood, Tennessee • sales@percy.so

Percy.ai, formerly known as Buyside, helps real estate brokerages and mortgage companies utilize intelligent data to engage homeowners, create transaction opportunities and build relationships. Percy brings agents and loan officers together to create a client for life while helping the homeowner keep a pulse on their most valuable asset—their home.

PILLAR TO POST HOME INSPECTORS® (800) 294-5591 • www.pillartopost.com • Tampa, Florida • Stephanie Bowling, Director of Marketing (416) 620-3572

Technology coupled with deep knowledge allow us to provide an exceptional home inspection with unique and innovative features, all delivered within a seamless brand experience. This experience, and the people who deliver it, have made Pillar To Post North America’s largest home inspection company.

PROPERTYBASE (855) 390-2273 • www.propertybase.com • John Voigt, Director of Marketing Communications

Propertybase is the leading global real estate and mortgage software provider with lead generation, CRM, websites, compliance-driven transaction management, mortgage business growth platform and more. Over 4,500 brands trust Propertybase to deliver innovative technology to scale their business. The Propertybase family of brands includes Propertybase, BoldLeads, BoldMortgage and Unify.

REAL ESTATE WEBMASTERS (877) 753-9893 • www.rew.com • Nanaimo, British Columbia • Morgan Carey, CEO • morgan@rew.com

Real Estate Webmasters (REW) is the leading technology provider for the top 1% of real estate professionals in the world. Since 2004, we have helped shape real estate technology to grow with your professional needs. We are the secret weapon behind many of the names you already know and love, creating cutting-edge websites that generate leads, maximize efficiency and help ensure unrivaled success. If you can dream it, we can build it!

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REALTORS PROPERTY RESOURCE® (877) 977-7576 • www.narrpr.com • Chicago, Illinois • Jeff Young, Chief Operating Officer/General Manager

Realtors Property Resource® (RPR) is a national, parcel-centric database that is a free, exclusive benefit for REALTOR® members of the National Association of REALTORS®. The database provides REALTORS® with all available information about every parcel of residential and commercial property in the United States, giving brokers and agents valuable tools and features to make them better informed in order to increase their efficiency in the marketplace.

REALTY ONE GROUP (949) 297-2020 • www.RealtyONEGroup.com Laguna Niguel, California • Eddie Sturgeon, EVP, Global Growth

Founded in 2005, Realty ONE Group is an industry disruptor, radically changing the face of real estate franchising with its unique business model, fun coolture, technology infrastructure and superior support for its real estate professionals. Realty ONE Group has been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as a Top 5 Real Estate Franchise and has been on Inc. 500’s list of the Fastest-Growing Companies for seven consecutive years. Realty ONE Group is surging ahead, opening doors, not only for its clients, but for real estate professionals and franchise owners.

REBAC (800) 648-6224 • www.REBAC.net • Chicago, Illinois • rebac@nar.realtor

The Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) provides training and support that help buyer’s representatives be successful in their business— and educates consumers about the benefits of buyer representation and the ABR® designation in order to improve their home-buying experience.

RE/MAX, LLC (303) 770-5531 • www.remax.com • Denver, Colorado

As one of the leading global real estate franchisors, RE/MAX, LLC is a subsidiary of RE/MAX Holdings (NYSE: RMAX) with more than 140,000 agents in over 8,600 offices across more than 110 countries and territories. Nobody in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX, as measured by residential transaction sides.

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE COUNCIL (800) 462-8841 • www.crs.com • Chicago, Illinois CRS Help: CRShelp@crs.com

The Residential Real Estate Council was established in 1976 to provide real estate brokers and agents with shared knowledge and tools.

Recognizing the need for advanced education, the Council developed training courses and established the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Designation. The Council is recognized as the leading provider of real estate education and networking for residential real estate agents, and the CRS Designation is considered the most prestigious designation a real estate agent can achieve.

ROCKET MORTGAGE RocketPro.com/RealEstate

Detroit-based Rocket Mortgage is the nation’s largest home mortgage lender. The company closed $320 billion of volume across all 50 states in 2020. Today, Rocket Mortgage and Rocket Companies employ 24,000 full-time team members across the U.S. and Canada.

SERVICE PROFILES The company ranked highest in the country for customer satisfaction for primary mortgage origination by J.D. Power for the past 11 consecutive years, 2010 - 2020, and also ranked highest in the country for customer satisfaction among all mortgage servicers the past seven straight years, 2014 - 2020.

SHERRI JOHNSON COACHING & CONSULTING (844) 989-2600 • www.sherrijohnson.com

Sherri Johnson is the premier national real estate coach offering worldclass coaching, keynote speaking and consulting services. No other real estate coach matches her 20-plus years of experience as a top agent, manager and executive of a Top-3 national brokerage, having personally led over 700 agents to $1.6 billion in annual sales volume. Sherri’s unique and proven coaching programs—including her exclusive Goldmine PipelineTM strategy—produce immediate, reliable results for agents nationwide, regardless of current production level.

UNITED REAL ESTATE (888) 960-0606 • www.GrowWithUnited.com • Rick Haase, President

United Real Estate (URE), a division of United Real Estate Group, was founded in 2011 to provide solutions for brokers and agents in a rapidly changing real estate industry. Recognized by Inc. 5000 as one of the nation’s fastest-growing real estate companies, United has helped thousands of agents Find Their Freedom® with its full-service, 100%-commission, transaction-based model. The company offers brokerage franchise and conversion opportunities, as well as merger and succession opportunities. Its proprietary technology, Bullseye™ Agent & Broker Productivity Platform, provides on-demand access to next-generation technology, marketing and training, powered by a 1.8 million-plus listings data warehouse. United operates in 24 states with more than 10,500 agents and over 100 franchise and company-owned locations.

UPDATER

WORKMAN SUCCESS SYSTEMS (385) 282-7112 • www.workmansuccesssytems.com Salt Lake City, Utah

Workman Success Systems delivers comprehensive team solutions to agents, brokers and companies, private and group coaching solutions for every level of business, and proven seven-figure income-earning systems. Workman Success Systems Founder, Master Coach and Speaker Verl Workman delivers the necessary performance skills, the latest and most effective tools, and proven dialogues and systems that work. To hire Verl to speak at your next event, visit www.workmansuccess.com/speaking. Sign up for a free coaching consult by going to www.workmansuccess.com/consult.

ZAVVIE (888) 407-4556 • https://zavvie.com • Boulder, Colorado • Lane Hornung, CEO

Founded by Lane Hornung and Stefan Peterson, zavvie combines proprietary technology with real world operating expertise, to provide a superior iBuyer strategy for brokers. zavvie is making the experience simple and seamless for iBuyers and agents to work together in the best interest of the consumer by facilitating and empowering listing agents to get all available offers for their clients. Its platform is a one-of-itskind offering, backed by market specific iBuyer and Open Market data and efficient technology. Its customer friendly interface works well with its top-notch Customer Success Team to create a seamless consumer-centric process for brokers and their clients.

RREIN Member Profiles BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES AMBASSADOR REAL ESTATE

www.updater.com • New York, New York • Chris Avery, VP of Real Estate • realestate@updater.com

(402) 493-4663 • (800) 477-7653 www.BHHSamb.com • agents@BHHSamb.com

Think about your last move…it was probably confusing, stressful and chaotic. Your clients experience the same thing and desperately need moving help. Updater is the nation’s leading moving and home management app that saves your clients countless hours on various moving-related tasks including connecting TV and internet, reserving a moving company, securing insurance, connecting utilities, and much more. The experience is branded for your brokerage and each agent, and fully personalized for each client’s unique move. Both brokers and agents find Updater to be an incredible way to differentiate and provide an excellent client experience during a stressful time.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate is dedicated to providing progressive, quality real estate services in Nebraska’s metropolitan Omaha and Lincoln surrounding areas. We service all types of markets: single-family residential, new construction, condos, corporate relocation, third-party relocation, acreages and commercial real estate. With approximately 400 licensed agents, we have an agent to meet your needs regardless of the style, price or age of the property you are looking for.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES FLORIDA REALTY

WEICHERT FAMILY OF COMPANIES

(954) 693-0100 • (800) 386-1554 www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com • Sunrise, Florida • Rei Mesa, CRS, CRB, President & CEO

(800) 401-0486 • www.weichert.com • Morris Plains, New Jersey

Since 1969, Weichert, Realtors® has grown from a single office into one of the nation’s leading providers of homeownership services, made up of 18 full-service real estate-related companies dedicated to putting customers first. Its network of real estate brokerages includes more than 500 offices, serving markets in 42 states, with thousands of agents. As a Weichert agent, you have access to industry-leading sales and marketing tools, powerful technology, national and international referral networks and top-notch coaching and training, as well as a unique culture of support and sharing, from interactive staff to collaborative affiliates across the country. Franchises available.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty serves 21 counties throughout Florida with more than 40 locations and approximately 1,800 sales professionals. The full-service brokerage company, founded in 1999, is part of HomeServices of America, the nation’s premier provider of homeownership services. The company is a franchise member of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ network, one of the few organizations entrusted to use the world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway name. The company offers residential and commercial services as well as seasonal rentals, property management,

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SERVICE PROFILES REO & foreclosures, corporate relocations, referral services, title, home warranty plans and personal concierge services. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty ranks in the Top 10 in the network and is the overall No. 1 fundraiser for The Sunshine Kids Foundation in Florida. Visit www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES GEORGIA PROPERTIES (770) 992-4100 • www.BHHSGeorgia.com

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties has over 1,600 associates and 26 locations across the Greater Metro Atlanta and North Georgia area. The company generated over $4.1 billion in sales volume in 2019. Trendgraphix reports that Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties is ranked No. 1 in home sales for the Greater Metro Atlanta area. Led by president and CEO Dan Forsman, the organization offers a full suite of real estate services including residential real estate, luxury real estate, new homes services, condo/high-rise services, commercial real estate, corporate relocation, property management, mortgage lending, title and settlement services, home warranties and insurance. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Visit http://www.BHHSGA.com.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES JORDAN BARIS REALTY (800) 4-JBARIS • (973) 736-1600 • www.JordanBaris.com info@jordanbaris.com

Founded in 1952, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Jordan Baris Realty is among the most respected full-service real estate brokerages in Northern New Jersey. With a team of close to 150 associates, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Jordan Baris Realty 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 award winning global relocation services.

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.

CENTURY 21 AWARD (800) 293-1657 • www.century21award.com

Century 21 Award is the premier Southern California-based, full-service real estate company serving San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties from 15 distinctive office locations. Our 1,000 professional agents and staff are fully equipped to assist you with all of your real estate needs. Our services include residential, commercial, relocation, property management and bank-owned properties.

CENTURY 21 NEW MILLENNIUM (800) 727-6888 • www.c21nm.com

CENTURY 21 New Millennium is a full-service real estate brokerage in the greater Washington, D.C., area. The company joined the CENTURY 21® System in 1998 and has established a sound and success-

90 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ful organization providing traditional residential and commercial services, on-site mortgage, title, and property management, and access to a vast network of relocation and other real estate service providers worldwide. With 20 locations and approximately 900 real estate professionals, New Millennium is consistently included in REALTOR® Magazine’s Top 100 Companies List for all real estate firms nationwide regardless of brand. It is also a past winner of the prestigious Cartus Masters Cup, the Network’s highest honor. The Cartus Broker Network is the largest relocation network in the world and includes more than 775 hand-selected brokerages in the United States.

COLDWELL BANKER KAPPEL GATEWAY REALTY (844) 861-5631 • www.KappelGateway.com

Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty was created through the merger of Kappel & Kappel Realty, Inc. and Solano Gateway Realty, Inc. Both firms, founded in 1972, are the market leaders in Solano County, combining more than $600 million in sales dollar volume and welcoming more than 240 agents in seven offices, with branch offices in Vacaville, Fairfield, Dixon and Green Valley. Eighty-five percent of our business is derived from returning and referred clients, a true testament to our clients’ high level of satisfaction with our services and our trusted real estate professionals.

KINLIN GROVER REAL ESTATE (508) 420-1130 • www.kinlingrover.com

Kinlin Grover has 16 real estate offices covering Cape Cod from the bridges to Provincetown, specializing in the marketing and sale of waterfront, village, commercial properties and fine homes. From the very beginning, the Kinlin Grover mission has remained constant: “to help our clients make the best real estate decisions and to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.” In addition, Kinlin Grover Vacation Rentals is the largest real estate firm on Cape Cod with over 600 privately-owned Cape Cod vacation rental homes. We value every client and pledge to deliver unsurpassed service as trusted advisors, expert facilitators and skilled negotiators.

LONG & FOSTER REAL ESTATE, INC. (866) 677-6937 • www.LongandFoster.com

Long & Foster Real Estate, the nation’s No. 1 independent brand by sales volume, is part of The Long & Foster Companies, a subsidiary of HomeServices of America, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. Long & Foster Real Estate is the exclusive affiliate for Christie’s International Real Estate throughout select parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, and it is a founding affiliate of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, a prestigious global network of real estate professionals that includes the Luxury Portfolio International division. Long & Foster Real Estate has over 220 offices, and it represents more than 11,000 agents in seven Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states, plus the District of Columbia. The company, which has a productive commercial business in addition to its residential side, sold more than $31.1 billion worth of homes and helped people buy and sell homes nearly 85,000 times in 2017.

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.

MCCOLLY REAL ESTATE (800) 348-2100 x206 • www.mccolly.com

Since 1974, McColly Real Estate has found your place to call home, from the shores of Lake Michigan in Northwest Indiana to Lake Street Beach in Chicago. McColly is a proud LeadingRE member with bilingual agents in 14-plus languages among 450-plus Realtors® in 18 offices. McColly Companies is the One Source for All Purpose Real Estate with its ancillary companies of McColly Insurance, Community Title, McColly Auctions, McColly Bennett Commercial, McColly New Homes Division and Luxury Home Portfolio™.

PATTERSON-SCHWARTZ REAL ESTATE (877) 456-4663 • www.pattersonschwartz.com pattersonschwartz@psre.com

Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate is Delaware’s largest independent REALTOR® with over 50 years of service to the Delaware real estate market and surrounding communities in nearby Pennsylvania and Maryland. With nine offices and 415 sales associates, we are committed to excellence, integrity and quality service. We offer a full range of services, including residential home sales, purchase and rental, relocation services and property management.

RANDALL, REALTORS® (401) 364-3388 • www.randallrealtors.com

Randall, Realtors® has been a consistent leader in the marketing of Southern New England properties for more than 28 years. Specializing in waterfront properties and second homes, our agents boast

a 98.5% client satisfaction rating. Through our extensive marketing network, we offer tremendous exposure for our property listings and continue to deliver successful sales and representation for our clients. In addition, Randall, Realtors®’ Vacation Rental Department offers a large selection of vacation rental properties serving the Southern Rhode Island shoreline and Eastern Connecticut.

RE/MAX 440 AND RE/MAX CENTRAL (215) 453-7653 • www.pahomesforsale.com • Tom Skiffington, Broker/Owner, tom@tomskiffington.com

RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central is a first-class, professional real estate company. Our goal is to provide the most prompt, courteous and professional services to all our customers and clients. We are the leading RE/MAX in Pennsylvania and Delaware with the highest sales volume and transactions. RE/MAX 440/Central has 10 different offices in Bucks, Montgomery and Lehigh counties.

RE/MAX GATEWAY (703) 652-5760 • www.gateway2realestate.com

The real estate market is ever changing. It takes constant evaluation, review of recent trends to forecast a potential future and education of agents through mastermind groups and real estate information exchanges. These are areas in which we excel at RE/MAX Gateway. Contact us today if you are looking to advance your career in real estate through a multitude of educational experiences and resources, or if you need real estate advice in order to make informed decisions when buying and selling houses.

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BROKER-TO-BROKER REFERRALS CALIFORNIA

DELAWARE

Ascent Real Estate, Inc. 410 Kalmia St., San Diego, CA 92101 Contact: Gina Lancelot • Tel: (619) 325-4100 Email: info@ascentrealestate.net • URL: www.ascentrealestate.net Coverage Areas: San Diego Offices: 9 • Associates: 180

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+

CENTURY 21 Award - Orange County 22342 Avenida Empresa, Ste. 110, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 Contact: Joshua Tucker, Director of Relocation Services Tel: (760) 217-2491 (Toll Free) • Fax: (619) 374-2706 Email: jtucker@century21award.com • Coverage Areas: Orange County Offices: 15 • Associates: 1,200 CENTURY 21 Award - San Diego, Riverside 7676 Hazard Center Dr., Ste. 300, San Diego, CA 92108 Contact: Joshua Tucker, Director of Relocation Services Tel: (760) 217-2491 (Toll Free) • Fax: (619) 374-2706 Email: jtucker@century21award.com Coverage Areas: San Diego, Southern Riverside Offices: 15 • Associates: 1,200 Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty 750 Mason St., Ste. 101, Vacaville, CA 95688 Contact: Rachel Guerin Tel: (707) 427-5344 or (844) 861-5631 • Fax: (707) 446-9830 Email: info@kappelgateway.com • URL: www.KappelGateway.com Coverage Areas: Vacaville, Benicia, Davis, Dixon, Fairfield, Napa, Rio Vista, Suisun City Vallejo and Winters, California Offices: 7 • Associates: 240 J. Rockcliff REALTORS® 4115 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Ste. 201, Danville, CA, 94506 Tel: (925) 251-2501 (O), (925) 324-1323 (C), 877-JRCKCLF (572-2523) (TF) URL(s): www.rockcliff.com • www.rockliffcares.com Coverage Areas: Alameda County: Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Dublin Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, Sunol, Union City; Contra Costa County: Alamo, Antioch, Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Canyon, Clayton, Concord, Crockett, Danville, Diablo, Discovery Bay, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Hercules, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill Port Costa, Richmond, Rodeo, San Pablo, San Ramon, Walnut Creek; San Joaquin County: Country Club, Lathrop, Lodi, Manteca, Mountain House, Stockton, Tracy, Silicon Valley/San Jose area

CONNECTICUT Page Taft 89 Whitfield St., Guilford, CT 06437 Contact: Karen Stephens, Executive VP • Tel: (203) 453-6511 Email: kstephens@pagetaft.com • URL: www.pagetaft.com Coverage Areas: Connecticut • Offices: 3 • Associates: 60 Randall, REALTORS® 4009 Old Post Rd., Charleston, RI 02813 Contact: Jean Fournier, Dir. of Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (401) 486-9677 Email: jfournier@randallrealtors.com • URL: www.randallrealtors.com Coverage Areas: Connecticut and Rhode Island Offices: 9 • Associates: 175

92 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate 7234 Lancaster Pike, Ste. 220B, Hockessin, DE 19707 Contact: Brian Pomije, Relocation Manager Tel: (302) 234-3600 (Office) • (302) 234-5207 (Direct) • (800) 443-2295 (Toll Free) Email: bpomije@psre.com • URL: pattersonschwartz.com Coverage Areas: Delaware (New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties), Pennsylvania (Chester and Delaware counties), Maryland (Cecil, Kent and Harford counties) • Offices: 9 • Associates: 415

FLORIDA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty 1580 Sawgrass Corporate Pkwy., Ste. 400, Sunrise, FL 33323 Contact: Rei Mesa, CRS, CRB, President & CEO Tel: (954) 693-0100 or (800) 386-1554 • Fax: (954) 236-6962 Email: ReiMesa@BHHSFloridaRealty.com Relocation Contact: Sharon Sapp, Vice President, Relocation, Referrals & REOs Email: sharonsapp@BHHSFloridaRealty.com URL: www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com Coverage Areas: 21 counties throughout Florida, including Southeast Florida, Southwest Florida and Orlando area • Offices: 40 • Associates: 1,750

GEORGIA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties 863 Holcomb Bridge Rd., Roswell, GA 30076 Contact: Kathy Connelly, SVP Corporate Services • Tel: (678) 352-3321 Email: Kathy.Connelly@BHHSGeorgia.com • URL: www.BHHSGeorgia.com Coverage Areas: Metro Atlanta and North Georgia Offices: 26 • Associates: 1,600

ILLINOIS McCOLLY Real Estate 800 Deer Creek Dr., Schererville, IN 46375 Contact: Deborah Horton, CRP, RCC, Director of Referral/Relocation Services Tel: (800) 348-2100 ext. 206 Email: dhorton@mccolly.com • URL: www.mccolly.com Coverage Areas: Alsip, Aroma Park, Beecher, Blue Island, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Burbank, Burnham, Calumet City, Channahon, Chicago, Chicago Ridge, Clearing, Country Club Hills, Crest Hill, Crestwood, Crete, Evergreen Park, Flossmoor, Frankfort, Glenwood, Grant Park, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Hegewisch, Hickory Hills, Homewood, Kankakee, Lansing, Lemont, Lockport, Lynwood, Manteno, Matteson, Mokena, Momence, Monee, Morgan Park, Mount Greenwood, New Lenox, Oak Lawn, Orland Hills, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Park Forest, Peotone, Richton Park, Riverdale, Roseland, Steger, Tinley Park, University Park, Worth • Offices: 18 • Associates: 450+

INDIANA McCOLLY Real Estate 800 Deer Creek Dr., Schererville, IN 46375 Contact: Deborah Horton, CRP, RCC, Director of Referral/Relocation Services Tel: (800) 348-2100 ext. 206 Email: dhorton@mccolly.com • URL: www.mccolly.com Coverage Areas: Beverly Shores, Cedar Lake, Chesterton, Crown Point, DeMotte, Dyer, Dune Acres, East Chicago, Gary, Griffith, Hammond, Hebron,

BROKER-TO-BROKER REFERRALS Highland, Hobart, Kouts, La Porte, Lake Station, Lake Village, Lakes of Four Seasons, Long Beach, Lowell, Merrillville, Michiana Shores, Michigan City, Miller Beach, Morocco, Munster, Ogden Dunes, Otis, Portage, Porter, Rensselaer, Roselawn, Schererville, Schneider, St. John, Sumava Resorts, Thayer, Valparaiso, Westville, Wheatfield, Whiting, Winfield Offices: 18 • Associates: 450+

MARYLAND CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 Fax: (703) 822-0136 Relocation Contact: Jeff Hetherington, Director of Relocation Email: move@c21nm.com • URL: www.c21nm.com Coverage Areas: Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Southern Maryland markets. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation.

Offices: 16 • Associates: 700+ Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+ Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate 7234 Lancaster Pike, Ste. 220B, Hockessin, DE 19707 Contact: Brian Pomije, Relocation Manager Tel: (302) 234-3600 (Office) • (302) 234-5207 (Direct) (800) 443-2295 (Toll Free) Email: bpomije@psre.com • URL: pattersonschwartz.com Coverage Areas: Delaware (New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties), Pennsylvania (Chester and Delaware counties), Maryland (Cecil, Kent and Harford counties) • Offices: 9 • Associates: 415 RE/MAX Gateway 4090B Lafayette Center Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Scott MacDonald, President Tel: (703) 652-5760 • (703) 727-6900 (Cell) Email: scottmacdonald@remax.net • URL: www.gateway2realestate.com Coverage Areas: Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland Offices: 6 • Associates: 170

MASSACHUSETTS Kinlin Grover Real Estate 4 Wianno Ave., Osterville, MA 02655 Contact: Lucy Cundiff, Director of Agent Services Tel: (508) 420-1130 Email: lcundiff@kinlingrover.com • URL: www.kinlingrover.com Coverage Areas: Southeastern Massachusetts Offices: 16 • Associates: 275

MISSOURI Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties 1650 Des Peres Rd., Ste. 205, Saint Louis, MO 63131 Contact: Angie Ignatowski, Relocation Director Tel: (314) 835-6000 • (314) 835-6050 (Direct) Email: aignatowski@bhhsselectstl.com • URL: www.bhhsselectstl.com Coverage Areas: St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, Lincoln County • Offices: 11 • Associates: Over 500

NEBRASKA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate 13340 California St., Omaha, NE 68154 Contact: Katie Adams, CRP, GMS, VP Corp. Relocation & Business Development Tel: (800) 477-7653 or (402) 547-5137 Email: Katie.adams@BHHSamb.com • URL: www.BHHSamb.com Coverage Areas: Omaha and Lincoln Metropolitan Area, including Omaha, Bellevue, Ralston, LaVista, Papillion, Gretna, Elkhorn, Fremont, Lincoln, Council Bluffs and surrounding communities

NEVADA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties 3185 St. Rose Pkwy., Ste. 100, Henderson, NV 89052 Contact: Eileen Mitchell, Dir. of Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (800) 735-4488 Email: relo@BHHSNV.com • URL: www.BHHSNV.com Coverage Areas: Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin and Pahrump • Offices: 6 • Associates: 1,050

NEW JERSEY Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Jordan Baris Realty 50 Mt. Pleasant Ave., West Orange, NJ 07052 Contact: Carol Abdo, Relocation Director Tel: (973) 736-1600 (Office) • (800) 4-JBARIS (Toll Free) Fax: (973) 736-5159 Email: relocation@jordanbaris.com • URL: www.jordanbaris.com Coverage Areas: Northern New Jersey representing the New York Metropolitan area focused in Bergen, Essex, Hudson Morris, Passaic and Union counties.

Offices: 4 • Associates: 150 Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+

NORTH CAROLINA Coldwell Banker Advantage 7610 Six Forks Rd., Ste. 100, Raleigh, NC 27615 Contact: Benina Drake, CRP, SVP Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (800) 274-5345 • (919) 846-3330 (Direct) Email: BDrake@AdvantageCB.com • URL: AdvantageCB.com Coverage Areas: Apex, Cary, Clayton, Creedmoor, Chapel Hill, Durham, Falls Lake, Fayetteville, Ft. Bragg area, Henderson, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Lake Gaston, Lillington, McGee’s Crossroads, Pinehurst, Pittsboro, Pope Air Force Base area, Raleigh, Southern Pines, Wake Forest and Zebulon Offices: 17 • Associates: 325 Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 93

BROKER-TO-BROKER REFERRALS PENNSYLVANIA Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+ Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty 100 Foxshire Dr., Lancaster, PA 17601 Tel: (717) 291-9101 • Fax: (717) 393-2336 Contact: Sandy Zercher Email: sandra.zercher@sothebysrealty.com URL: www.LuskandAssociates.com Coverage Areas: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; Susquehanna Valley, Pennsylvania; South Central Pennsylvania • Offices: 1 • Associates: 40 Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate 7234 Lancaster Pike, Ste. 220B, Hockessin, DE 19707 Contact: Brian Pomije, Relocation Manager Tel: (302) 234-3600 (Office) • (302) 234-5207 (Direct) • (800) 4432295 (Toll Free) • Email: bpomije@psre.com • URL: pattersonschwartz.com Coverage Areas: Delaware (New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties), Pennsylvania (Chester and Delaware counties), Maryland (Cecil, Kent and Harford counties) • Offices: 9 • Associates: 415 RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central 701 West Market St., Perkasie, PA 18944 Contact: Tom Skiffington, Broker/Owner • Tel: (215) 453-7653 or (215) 643-3200 • Email: tom@tomskiffington.com URLs: www.pahomesforsale.com • www.lehighvalleyrealestate.com Coverage Areas: Pennsylvania counties: Bucks, Berks, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, Lehigh, North Hampton, and New Jersey Offices: 10 • Associates: 170

RHODE ISLAND Randall, REALTORS® 4009 Old Post Rd., Charleston, RI 02813 Contact: Jean Fournier, Dir. of Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (401) 486-9677 Email: jfournier@randallrealtors.com • URL: www.randallrealtors.com Coverage Areas: Connecticut and Rhode Island Offices: 9 • Associates: 175

SOUTH CAROLINA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS® 745 N. Pleasantburg Dr., Greenville, SC 29607 Contacts: Nichole Moore, Director of Relocation, (864) 678-5362, nmoore@cdanjoyner.com, Jo Anne Conner, Destination & Broker-to-Broker Mgr., (864) 678-5227, jconner@cdanjoyner.com • URL: www.cdanjoyner.com Brookfield GRS, SIRVA, AIReS Relocation, Graebel, MI Group Coverage Areas: Greenville, Greer, Taylors, Duncan, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Simpsonville, Fountain Inn, Powdersville, Easley, Piedmont, Anderson Offices: 10 • Associates: 400+ CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 Fax: (703) 822-0136 Relocation Contact: Jeff Hetherington, Director of Relocation

94 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Email: move@c21nm.com • URL: www.c21nm.com Providers of world class real estate services in the Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Southern Maryland markets. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation. • Offices: 16 • Associates: 700+ RE/MAX Gateway 4090B Lafayette Center Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Scott MacDonald, President Tel: (703) 652-5760 • (703) 727-6900 (Cell) Email: scottmacdonald@remax.net • URL: www.gateway2realestate.com Coverage Areas: Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland Offices: 6 • Associates: 170

VIRGINIA Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+

WASHINGTON, D.C. CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 Fax: (703) 822-0136 Relocation Contact: Jeff Hetherington, Director of Relocation Email: move@c21nm.com • URL: www.c21nm.com Providers of world class real estate services in the Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Southern Maryland markets. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation. • Offices: 16 • Associates: 700+ Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+ RE/MAX Gateway 4090B Lafayette Center Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Scott MacDonald, President Tel: (703) 652-5760 • (703) 727-6900 (Cell) Email: scottmacdonald@remax.net • URL: www.gateway2realestate.com Coverage Areas: Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland Offices: 6 • Associates: 170

WEST VIRGINIA Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+

INDEX OF SERVICE PROVIDERS ABR®.........................................................................................10

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors®..............................................72

American Home Shield®...........................................................5

Real Estate Webmasters................................................... 24-25

Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA).............28

Realty Executives.........................................................................66

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices..................................... IBC

RISMedia’s ACESocial...........................................................9, 95

The CE Shop...............................................................................7

RISMedia’s CEO & Leadership Exchange...............................8

Century 21 Real Estate LLC.......................................................2

RISMedia’s Contract and Commission Report...................... 13

Colibri Real Estate...........................................................................26

RISMedia’s Daily News............................................................. 91

Crush It In Real Estate...................................................................... 33

RISMedia’s Real Estate Newsmakers.....................................34

HomeSmart............................................................................. BC

Rocket Mortgage....................................................................IFC

Key Estates........................................................................................49

Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting.................................61

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World ............................15

United Real Estate....................................................................23

NAR’s At Home With Diversity Certification...........................16

Vylla Home.............................................................................. 55

National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP)®........................................................20

Weichert, Realtors®..................................................................39

®

Workman Success Systems.....................................................82

National Association of REALTORS®................................ 6, 79

Simplify Your Social Media Strategy “I think anyone getting into this business who is looking to reach out and have some type of identity on social media needs to look at ACESocial.”

- Andrew Velez, Real Estate Consultant/Licensed REALTOR®, RE/MAX Advisors

For more information, visit acesocial.rismedia.com RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE July 2022 95

RE: REAL ESTATE

Accelerate Your Business With REACH Technologies

T

he National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) is at the forefront of innovation, leading the way with NAR REACH, the premier growth program for real estate technology companies. REACH drives transformation in the industry by identifying and investing in technologies that will keep REALTORS® on the cutting edge.

In April, Second Century Ventures (SCV), NAR’s strategic investment arm that operates the award-winning program, unveiled the 10th annual REACH cohort focused on scaling technology for the residential market. The 2022 cohort includes eight ground-breaking technologies representing diverse solutions across the real estate ecosystem.

At the front end of the transactionn, leadPops offers a comprehensive solution to drive traffic, boost SEO and increase both volume and quality of leads, while REALTORS® can engage with fractional for lead-generation opportunities through a collaborative, full-service, community-driven real estate investing marketplace.

Inspectify applies the latest technology to make inspectors more proficient and effective, and Reggora’s appraisal management platform delivers unprecedented efficiency and agility, while Revive helps homeowners navigate the renovation process to maximize their ROI. A professional networking platform, Courted empowers agents to make better data-driven marketing, hiring and referral decisions. PLACE is an all-in-one platform for top producers, delivering unparalleled consumer experiences, and Perchwell unifies real-time market analysis, listing data, seamless client collaboration and reporting.

Here’s a deeper look at two of this year’s cohort.

Revive: Focusing on Renovations With Revive, homeowners can take a page out of a house flipper’s playbook—doing the right renovations to increase a home’s value for optimized ROI. The company brings expertise, a network of contractors and access to capital to create a stress-free process with no out-ofpocket costs for homeowners.

According to Revive’s Co-Founder Dalip Jaggi, “Homeowners today have a real opportunity to unlock hidden equity in their property through pre-sale home renovations. The millennial-fueled buyer market demands beautiful, move-in-ready homes. Revive is excited to arm homeowners with the right updates without the upfront cost and uncertainty associated with home improvements. Ultimately, Revive enables them to maximize their return on their most significant asset—their home.”

96 July 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

PLACE: End-to-End Support A fully integrated technology and business services platform, PLACE powers high-performing agents and their teams to drive greater scale and efficiency, consumer value and profitability. “The industry has always been and remains highly fragmented despite incredible PropTech advancements in recent years,” says Co-Founder Chris Suarez. “Today, PLACE is helping the top real estate consultants and their staff, in every market and across all brokerages, eliminate nearly all daily business tasks, giving them more time to help buyers buy, sellers sell and homeowners take care of their assets.

“Not only are we heavily focused on helping our agent partners run and scale their businesses, but we are also building the platform to make homeownership easier and more accessible for consumers. Ultimately, we know the consumer would prefer to make fewer product decisions and eliminate the number of consultants and advisors they need when buying and selling a home. They want one PLACE for everything home that is convenient and seamless the entire time they own it. That PLACE is where the best real estate consultants will be able to simplify the process.”

“Today, PLACE is helping the top real estate consultants and their staff, in every market and across all brokerages, eliminate nearly all daily business tasks, giving them more time to help buyers buy, sellers sell and homeowners take care of their assets.”

-CHRIS SUAREZ, Co-Founder, PLACE

Global REACH SCV also operates REACH Commercial, which selected nine companies for 2022, as well as international programs REACH Canada, REACH Australia and REACH United Kingdom, to push the boundaries of innovation and advance the real estate ecosystem on a global scale.

REACH Out! Interested in being among the first to test new technology? Follow NAR REACH on LinkedIn and Twitter to stay up to speed on the latest events and company unveilings, and join the REACH Insight Panel to help shape and refine these technologies. Enroll and learn more at nar-reach.com. RE

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