Real Estate Magazine - Nexthome - November 2020

Celebrating 40 Years

The Leader in Real Estate Information

www.rismedia.com

GROWING WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE How NextHome Continues to Reshape Real Estate – Page 58

PARTNER WITH THE LEADING HOME INSPECTION COMPANY

25 98

%

YEARS IN BUSINESS

2.5+

CLIENT RECOMMENDATION RATE

FULLY E&O INSURED

MILLION HOME INSPECTIONS

REPORTS PRINTED ON-SITE FOR FASTER CLOSINGS

✔

CHOICE OF HOME INSPECTION PROGRAMS & SERVICES

Ensure confident home ownership for your client.

Find a local inspector or book an inspection today. pillartopost.com

{Contents} November 2020/Vol. 36, No. 11 • www.rismedia.com

ON THE COVER 58 Growing With the Right People How NextHome Continues to Reshape Real Estate In a year when business has been anything but usual, NextHome leaned into its “humans over houses” philosophy to rally its members and help them stay the course and serve their communities. With a deep tech stack and a newly launched luxury division, NextHome is steadily advancing on its impressive growth trajectory, despite the challenges 2020 has presented. In this month’s cover story, Vice President of Sales, Charis Moreno, explains what’s behind the drive that keeps NextHome moving forward.

HIGHLIGHTS 26 I ndustry Focused This month, learn how Homes.com leads with people first.

32 C onfronting an Uncharted Year With Confidence

In this exclusive feature, 2020 NAR President-Elect Charlie Oppler discusses what’s in store for the year ahead as he prepares to take the helm and carry forth the vision for REALTORS®.

44 R EBAC Hall of Fame Honors 2020 Inductees

43

Introducing the 2020 Hall of Fame inductees.

76 C onducting Real Estate in a Digital World

Here, learn how ShelterZoom’s DocuWalk platform helps agents close deals without the need for in-person meetings.

HEADLINERS 13 P olicy Matters: Buyers Can Now Access Flood Data on Realtor.com®

14 N AR Power Broker Roundtable: Meet Charlie Oppler: 2021 NAR President

18 Executive Appointments 50

21 R EBAC Report: 3 Ways the ABR® Designation Helps Your Agents Stand Out in the Crowd RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 3

69 O ffices and Broker Splits: 2 Things That Need to End

70 R EALTORS® Insurance

Place Helps NAR Members Navigate Healthcare Options During Open Enrollment and Beyond

90 I ntel: 5 Tips to Create Energy in Your Virtual Presentations

96 5 Mistakes New Agents Make

103 M eet the Newsmakers: Diane Glass, Steve Brown, Vickie Lobo

107 T he Millennial Buyer: A Change in Trends and Motivation

109 B log Spot: How to Conquer COVID Setbacks When Selling Real Estate

114 W ebinar Recap: There’s No Bad Time to Start a Real Estate Career

115 W ebinar Recap: Measurable Marketing Strategies That Flat Out Dominate

FEATURES 24 T he American Dream Debunked: Independent Brokerages

37 B ringing Value to Consumers in a Digital Space

38 G lobal Spotlight: Market Snapshots: A Global View

47 N avigating the Home-Buying and -Selling Process in a Competitive Market

50 R ISMedia’s CEO Exchange Showcases How ‘True Leaders Shine’ in Challenging Times

55 P roviding Buyers and Sellers With Extraordinary Service, Uncompromising Ethics and Exceptional Knowledge

56 S trategies: Homes.com; Inside Real Estate

4 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

58 G rowing With the Right

79 C harles J. Williams IV – Many Sellers Favor ‘Buyer Match’ to iBuyers

People

66 E mpowering Real Estate Professionals

74 N ewly Launched Rocket

81 T ravis J. Bailey – Strategies for a Successful 2021

Pro Insight to Provide Greater Visibility Into the Loan Process

85 T he Experts at Real Estate

82 Transforming Storefronts Into

86 S cott Oakley – It’s Your Data.

SM

Express – How Social Media Can Help Recruit Top-Quality Agents You Should Be Able to Use It

Lead-Generating Machines

104 P ower Broker Perspectives:

87 A llen Alishahi – 2 Trends From 2020 That Will Carry Over Into Next Year

Bess Freedman, Joe La Rosa

110 RISMedia’s Great Spaces

INTERVIEWS

88 D arryl Davis – Focus and Finish Lines

89 A my Gorce – Trestle: Your Gateway to Unified Listing Feeds

100 J oe Castillo, RE/MAX Mi Casa and RE/MAX In the Village

102 S herri Johnson – Top 5 Traits of Future Superstars

101 G eorge Patsio, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Commonwealth Real Estate

EXPERTS 35 B rian Buffini – Get the Most Out of Yourself and Your Business

40 A nthony Lamacchia – Forget 2020 and Set Yourself Up for an Epic 2021

43 M ehul Patel – 10 Things to Consider When Implementing New Brokerage Technology

49 S usan Spahr – A Change in Company and Brand Can Result in a Better You

63 L ane Hornung – Are You Targeting First-Time Sellers?

Here’s Why You Should Be

65 T he Experts at Realty ONE Group – 4 Ways You Can Use Tech to Build Real Relationships

73 D aniel Ramsey – Working Effectively With Virtual Assistants and Remote Employees

108 T erri Murphy – 3 Easy Tips to Follow Now to Supercharge Profits in 2021

POWER TEAMS 93 C leve Gaddis – Double Your Listings in 120 Days

94 P aul Sessum – The Conversion Conundrum

95 J ulie Timms – What Are You Doing to Track Your Leads?

EVERY ISSUE 6

RISMedia Online

9

Publisher’s Desk

16 Trending in Real Estate 116 Service Profiles 123 Referrals 128 RE: Real Estate—New Simulation Course Aims to Show the Impact of Housing Bias

Enhance your business with Rocket Pro℠ Insight.

Take complete control.

Now you can have full visibility into your client’s loan status, help your client clear roadblocks and get to closing faster – so you’ll have more time to do what you love.

RocketPro.com/Real-Estate

Screen images simulated. Sequence shortened. Conditions may apply.

Quicken Loans, LLC; NMLS #3030; www.NMLSConsumerAccess.org. Equal Housing Lender. Licensed in 50 states. AL License No. MC 20979, Control No. 100152352. AR, TX: 1050 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48226-1906, (888) 474-0404; AZ: 1 N. Central Ave., Ste. 2000, Phoenix, AZ 85004, Mortgage Banker License #BK-0902939; CA: Licensed by Dept. of Business Oversight, under the CA Residential Mortgage Lending Act and Finance Lenders Law; CO: Regulated by the Division of Real Estate; GA: Residential Mortgage Licensee #11704; IL: Residential Mortgage Licensee #4127 – Dept. of Financial and Professional Regulation; KS: Licensed Mortgage Company MC.0025309; MA: Mortgage Lender License #ML 3030; ME: Supervised Lender License; MN: Not an offer for a rate lock agreement; MS: Licensed by the MS Dept. of Banking and Consumer Finance; NH: Licensed by the NH Banking Dept., #6743MB; NV: License #626; NJ: New Jersey – Quicken Loans, LLC, 1050 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48226, (888) 474-0404, Licensed by the N.J. Department of Banking and Insurance.; NY: Licensed Mortgage Banker – NYS Banking Dept.; OH: MB 850076; OR: License #ML-1387; PA: Licensed by the Dept. of Banking – License #21430; RI: Licensed Lender; WA: Consumer Loan Company License CL-3030. Conditions may apply.

Quicken Loans, 1050 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48226-1906 ©2000 – 2020 Quicken Loans, LLC. All rights reserved. Lending services provided by Quicken Loans, LLC, a subsidiary of Rock Holdings Inc. “Quicken Loans” is a registered service mark of Intuit Inc., used under license.

RISMedia.com in the Spotlight: November

{Online} Trending on View these and more at blog.rismedia.com! expectations about the buying process that can make things more complicated than necessary. That’s why it’s important to take these steps to simplify the process…and ensure that your buyers stick it out to the end.

RISMedia’s virtual Power Broker Forum on Nov. 16 will discuss how Power Brokers are creating a resilient real estate company that can withstand change.

Stay tuned to RISMedia.com for coverage.

How to Find the Best Home for You and Your Family

Investing in a home for you and your family is a major milestone in life. If you’re in the process of looking for a home or building a home from the ground up, there are a few things you should keep in mind to find the very best home for you and your loved ones.

What to Look for in Homes That Will Sell Quickly Under a Bad Market

Real estate investors need to have their finger on the pulse of the real estate market. The minute it looks like the market is going south, these investors may conclude that it’s necessary to sell off their latest home acquisition to regain the capital they need for the next great deal.

How to Simplify the Home-Buying Process for First-Time Buyers

RISMedia’s Virtual Power Broker Forum Addresses Resiliency

Sinking, Sagging and Other Signs Your Home Has Serious Foundation Issues

Your home’s foundation must remain stable and secure because it literally supports the entire structure and all of its occupants. Luckily, most foundations, if built effectively, can last decades.

How to Find Rent-toOwn Homes

Are you interested in finding a rentto-own home? Making the jump from renting to owning a house can be difficult. Finding the large amount of cash for the down payment isn’t necessarily easy when you have rent to pay. But what if you could rent to own instead?

Kick Your Business Planning Into High Gear This Month Don’t let 2021 take you by surprise. Get a jumpstart on your business planning today!

Head over to RISMedia.com, to our Best Practices section, to find the tools and resources you need to become a top producer in the year to come.

Many first-time buyers have unrealistic

Connect With RISMedia @RISMediaUpdates

@RISMedia

@HousecallBlog

Linkedin.com/company/RISMedia

@RISMedia

Youtube.com/user/RISMediaUpdates

@HousecallBlog

@RISMediaUpdates

6 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Looking to Focus on Luxury?

Luxury real estate is completely different from traditional residential real estate. Check out our Luxury section at RISMedia.com to learn how you can find success as a luxury agent.

THE RIGHT CHOICE, NOW MORE THAN EVER.

From the day a property lists to the day it closes, adding an American Home Shield® home warranty can help ensure a smooth transaction.

Here are just a few of the reasons why: THE MOST CLAIMS PAID As the largest home warranty provider, no one pays more in claims than we do — more than $2 billion in the last five years.

TECHNOLOGY MADE FOR THE TIMES We have the tools, information, and technology to resolve problems and ensure homeowners have the best experience.

MARKET TESTED, MARKET PROVEN We’re included in over 300,000 real estate transactions every year.

To learn more, visit ahs.com/realestate or contact a member of your American Home Shield team today.

© 2020 American Home Shield Corporation. All rights reserved. 20-0912

name changer DOMINATE YOUR DOMAINS

SET YOUR SIGHTS ON

THE BIG PICTURE! Recruit top talent and solidify your position as the must-join brokerage in your market.

Position your brokerage as tech-leader with the most effective online tools to help your clients realize their homeownership dreams.

clientslovecamille.realtor highriseliving.realestate

CLAIM YOURS NOW AT GET.REALTOR!

{Publisher’s Desk} People First—Now and Always

W

1

hile the pandemic has kept people physically apart, many in the industry have worked hard to put people front and center, nonetheless.

At Homes.com, where the No. 1 core value is “Humanity,” putting people first in the face of crisis was a natural reaction. In this month’s cover story (page 26), you’ll find a detailed account of how Dave Mele and the Homes.com team went to work to prioritize both their employees and their industry partners when coronavirus struck.

As the market continues to enjoy a bounce-back after a rough spring, putting people first has never been more critical for real estate professionals. That’s why during his tenure as president of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) in 2021, Charlie Oppler will focus on strengthening the REALTOR®’s relationship with consumers. “(NAR) worked with a research firm to find out if, during the pandemic, buyers and sellers were relying on a real estate professional,” says Oppler in our interview with him this month (page 32). “We found out that working with a REALTOR® is much more important to them than it was before.”

At RISMedia, our mission has always been to put the people who compose the real estate industry first, and we’re excited to announce that we’re advancing that mission in two new ways: RISMedia’s RealEdge podcast, and our “Real Estate’s Rocking in the New Year” event on Jan. 7, 2021.

RealEdge brings you in-depth, candid conversations with real estate leaders who share business-building insights to help you succeed. Visit rismedia.com to subscribe and listen to one-onones with Kofi Nartey, Chris Stuart, Helen Hanna Casey, Sue Yannacone and many more.

And our “Real Estate’s Rocking in the New Year” virtual event, co-presented by the National Association of REALTORS®, and featuring Brian Buffini and NAR’s Lawrence Yun, will provide both brokers and agents with a full day of action steps for maximizing business in 2021.

In the meantime, I hope to “see” you on Nov. 16 from 12:30 1:15 p.m. CT for our annual Power Broker Forum at the NAR Annual Conference. You won’t want to miss this group of top brokers discussing strategies for building a resilient real estate company. Visit conference.realtor for information on attending.

3 2

4 5 6

Automate Your Social Media RISMedia’s ACESocial (Automated Content Engagement) branded content helps you resonate on social media, automatically delivering your expertise to your followers, every day and with every post.

• Consumer-focused real estate and lifestyle posts, including articles, infographics and professionally produced videos • Automated distribution to your social media sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) and website • Your branding (logo, headshot, URL, and more) on all content landing pages • MLS listings on your landing page, complete with lead generation form

Content distributed through ACESocial includes: 1

Agent/Broker Name

2

Headshot

3

Brokerage Logo

4

Contact Information

5

Website URL

6

Property Listings

Wishing you continued success,

John E. Featherston CEO & Publisher

For more information, visit rismedia.com/acesocial or contact ace@rismedia.com or (203) 855-1234 ext. 1.

YOUR BIG GOAL DESERVES A

BIG BRAND. Placing the balloon beside your name gives you instant credibility, global connections and the potential for more referrals. Here, you can be part of residential, commercial and luxury real estate networks that each hold long-established reputations for delivering results.

Š2020 RE/MAX, LLC. Each Office Independently Owned and Operated. 20_302765

joinremax.com

CEO & Publisher John E. Featherston

Become The Best Agent You Can Be.

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

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

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

CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT

With RISMedia’s ACESocial, you can…

• Share consumer-focused real estate and lifestyle content to your Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter—automatically, every day.

• Showcase your listings on a custom branded landing page, complete with a lead generation form.

• Gauge your reach, including impressions and engagement, with metrics and reporting tools.

Senior Vice President Jay Featherston

CLIENT SERVICES & EVENTS MANAGEMENT Senior Director, Client Services & Events Deborah Ryan Director, Client Services & Events Darcy Sledge

SALES Senior Vice Presidents Kara T. Stripay; Anne Kraft Directors, Business Development Brett Johnson; Ryan M. Rindom; Colleen Featherston

Agents from across the country are connecting and educating their social sphere each and every day with ACESocial. Here’s what they have to say...

HEADQUARTERS 69 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851 RISMedia: (203) 855-1234 Fax: (203) 852-7208 Top 5 in Real Estate Network®: (203) 853-2167 Fax: (203) 852-7208 www.rismedia.com www.rismedia.com/acesocial www.top5inrealestate.com

PUBLICATIONS & SERVICES Real Estate magazine Annual Power Broker Report & Survey ACESocial (Automated Content Engagement) www.rismedia.com (Daily e-News) blog.rismedia.com (Housecall) RISMedia’s Real Estate CEO Exchange Power Broker Forum, Reception & Dinner Real Estate Newsmakers Reception & Dinner Copyright® 2020 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.

“I have nothing but good things to say about ACESocial and highly recommend that if you want to work smarter, not harder, as a real estate professional, consider partnering with ACE.” Yolanda Williams-Davis

Real Estate Broker & Community Developer, 61 Houses Real Estate Brokerage Services

Join ACESocial Today!

For more information, visit rismedia.com/acesocial or contact ace@rismedia.com or (203) 855-1234 ext. 1.

Earn your ABR® Designation.

Get started at REBAC.net.

{Policy Matters}

Buyers Can Now Access Flood Data on Realtor.com® This column is brought to you by the NAR Real Estate Services group.

by Austin Perez

L

ast August, realtor.com® began displaying flood risk information on forsale properties across the United States. The data comes from two sources: FEMA and the nonprofit tech group First Street Foundation, and together, covers all of the nation’s waters as well as areas inland where heavy rainfall can cause flooding. Consumers can now see the FEMA flood zone for each listing and a Flood Factor rating between 1 (minimal risk) and 10 (extreme risk). Overall, the combined data shows that nearly 15 million homes and commercial properties nationwide are at high risk for flooding—many more than the FEMA maps show alone.

As the Flood Factor data becomes more widely known, some buyers may have questions about the flood risk information. Real estate agents and brokers are an information source, not flood experts. You can provide the facts that every home in America has some flood risk, and diagnostic tools like the ones at realtor.com® can help determine if it makes sense to schedule a home inspection from a qualified flood risk professional. You can also be ready with contact information for the local floodplain manager, a few licensed surveyors and/or profes-

sional engineers who can answer property-specific questions and offer options to mitigate flood risk.

The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) policy supports realtor.com®’s decision to promote full transparency, disclosure and mapping of the flood risk, as it will lead to better informed real estate decisions. By displaying flood data upfront on listings, realtor.com®can help consumers and their agents avoid buyer’s remorse or even litigation while increasing confidence in their home purchases.

Homebuyers should also talk with their insurance agent about flood insurance options. Even if a lender doesn’t require flood insurance, that doesn’t mean buyers don’t need it. One-third of federal disaster aid goes to “low-risk” properties outside of FEMA zones and usually means an SBA loan needs to be repaid with the mortgage. Flood damage is almost never covered in standard homeowner insurance policies and requires homeowners to get supplemental insurance either from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or private insurance brokers. NAR created a brochure

in collaboration with FEMA, “A Real Estate Professional’s Guide to Discussing Flood Insurance,” that provides tips on how to talk to buyers about flood insurance so they can make informed decisions about it.

Please be ready to identify insurance agents who can help with flood insurance.

Real estate professionals also have several legal and ethical obligations when it comes to flood-related disclosures in a transaction.

NAR recently commissioned a Legal Research Center study, which found a number of lawsuits against real estate professionals for not taking more steps to disclose flood risk.

Watch the video on flooding from NAR’s Window to the Law series, available on YouTube, featuring Deanne Rymarowicz, NAR associate counsel, to learn more about your disclosure and obligations in discussing flood risks with your clients.

For more information about Flood Factor or other flood-related policy issues, please go to https://www. nar.realtor/floodinsurance. RE Austin Perez is NAR’s senior policy representative on Insurance Issues.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 13

{The NAR Power Broker Roundtable} Meet Charlie Oppler: 2021 NAR President PARTICIPANTS:

John P. Horning Executive Vice President, Shorewest REALTORS®, Milwaukee, Wis.; Liaison for Large Firms & Industry Relations, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR)

Charlie Oppler COO, Prominent Properties Sotheby’s Intl. Realty; 2020 NAR President-Elect The Power Broker Roundtable is brought to you by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and John P. Horning, NAR’s liaison for Large Firms & Industry Relations. Watch for this column each month, where we address broker issues, concerns and milestones.

John Horning: Approaching his 40th

year in the real estate business, Charlie Oppler is no stranger to NAR and to top brokers across the country. His unique combination of long-term association involvement and hands-on leadership at one of the nation’s top brokerage firms gives him a much-needed perspective as he prepares to take the helm at NAR next year. We’re excited to have you step into the president’s role, Charlie.

Can you start by sharing a little about the pandemic’s impact on your New Jersey-based firm and its agents?

Charlie Oppler: Thanks, John! I’m

excited as well. New Jersey was hit hard by the pandemic. I think we were all blindsided by the severity of what was happening. We realized we had to make sure we communicated with our managers and agents. New Jersey was declared essential, so real estate closings were still happening. We had speakers and did a lot of things to keep the agents engaged. Now, our staff is back full swing. But it’s different. Anyone who tells you it’s not 14 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

different, I think they’re not being honest.

JH: What has been your main message to agents during this health crisis?

CO: Make sure you check on your

customers and your clients, not about real estate, but to see if they need anything. Understand that your sphere of influence is your sphere of influence for a reason... because you have relationships with them. They’re not a searchengine lead that you never met... they’re the person who helped you grow your business.

JH: What are some of the biggest

challenges facing brokers in the year ahead?

CO: Adapting physical space for

social distancing is one. Many of us have scaled down the size of our offices with many people now working from home. But what do we do when they want to come in?

Adaptability of physical space is one challenge, both for functionality now and financial viability down the road.

Another concern of mine is how do our agents build relationships with brokers in areas they didn’t think they’d be referring to? For instance, we were fortunate enough to refer a client from Ridgewood, N.J., to Maine; they were looking to get away from the hustle and bustle since they could now work from home. So another challenge is finding ways to build relationships in new regions.

Multiple-offer situations present another challenge. When somebody loses four or five houses, how do you keep them going? We’ve had buyers say ‘I’m going to waive an inspection,’ but that might not be in their best interest. We have to make sure we don’t drift away from what needs to be done the right way, and we have to make sure our

“We have to make sure we don’t drift away from what needs to be done the right way, and we have to make sure our brokerage community collaborates and stays cooperative.”

- CHARLIE OPPLER COO, Prominent Properties Sotheby’s Intl. Realty; 2020 NAR President-Elect

brokerage community collaborates and stays cooperative.

JH: How can brokers continue to lead and support REALTORS® in the months ahead?

CO: Brokers can still provide sup-

port and learning. We have to continue to meet that challenge, whether it’s one-on-one with agents in a Zoom environment or in person while socially distanced over a cup of coffee.

Brokers should also urge their REALTORS® to take advantage of NAR’s Right Tools, Right Now program. We’re going to bring in more online learning for our members in order to create value for you as their broker.

JH: Finally, Charlie, how might the real estate business change permanently, post-pandemic?

CO: I think a lot of things for the

foreseeable future will be about process and efficiency. We’ve talked about that forever, but now, because of the pandemic, we see it on a different level because the consumer’s driving it. The real estate professionals who know how to package things better will continue to take greater marketshare. RE 8For an expanded version of this article and other NAR Power Broker Roundtable topics, please visit www.rismedia.com.

CUSTOMER SERVICE REFRAMED At Stewart Title, we’re redefining how we do things to better fit your needs. By using state-of-the-art technology, offering remote and digital signing capabilities, taking security measures to protect your customers throughout the process and by simply working harder, we continue to improve our ability to offer a better overall experience to our customers.

This is the new Stewart. Redefined and moving ahead.

See what these changes mean for you at stewart.com/ris1.

Š 2020 Stewart. All rights reserved.

Trending in Real Estate Americans under age 40 (millennials and Generation Y) are most likely to say their overall quality of life has been negatively impacted by the pandemic, according to the 2020 Community and Transportation Preference Surveys from the National Association of REALTORS®. The research also notes this group’s reduced need to reside near highways, public transit or their place of work.

Despite a slight slowdown, sellers are still at an advantage as inventory drops to record lows.

According to Zillow’s Weekly Market Report for the week ending Oct. 3, total for-sale inventory decreased 1.2 percent WoW, now 5.7 percent lower than last year—the largest annual decline since Zillow’s weekly data series began in 2019.

International home sales added $6.6 billion to the Texas economy from April 2019 to March 2020, according to the Texas International Homebuyers Report, recently released by Texas REALTORS®. Texas was third in the nation for homes sold to international buyers, behind Florida and California, accounting for 9 percent of all homes purchased by international homebuyers in the U.S.

As of last month, home prices were still holding strong, according to realtor.com®’s Weekly Housing Report for the week ending Oct. 3. The report found that for the first week in October, the U.S. median home price stayed near its summer peak at $350,000, hitting a record-high growth of 12.9 percent YoY. Prices have grown over the past 21 consecutive weeks.

16 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Always Include an HSA Home Warranty SM

Including coverage from HSA not only helps maintain a smooth transaction for you and your clients, it can also help homeowners feel confident about their decision and strengthen your relationship with them — possibly leading to repeat and referral business.

Contact your local Account Manager for more information or visit onlinehsa.com. Š 2020 Home Security of America, Inc. All rights reserved. 20-0640

{Executive Appointments} The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) recently announced the retirement of Bill Malkasian, chief advocacy officer and senior vice president of the Advocacy Group, and Joe Ventrone, vice president of the Federal Policy and Industry Relations Team, both effective Dec. 31, 2020. Effective Oct. 1, 2020, Shannon McGahn has been promoted to chief advocacy officer. Bringing nearly two decades of experience in the legislative and executive branches of government, McGahn will leverage her political expertise to drive NAR strategy and REALTOR® Party advocacy efforts.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recently announced that Debra Chew will join FHFA as director for the Office of Equal Opportunity and Fairness (OEOF). OEOF was created in January 2020 to elevate the importance of equal employment opportunity (EEO), alternative dispute resolution and antiharassment functions within FHFA, and reaffirm FHFA’s commitment to a workplace free of harassment and discrimination.

RE/MAX recently welcomed Rebecca Ruiz to the communications team as director of communications. In this role, Ruiz leads RE/MAX’s external communications efforts (PR) and is responsible for securing media placements, submitting brand award nominations and helping tell the brand’s story to the world.

The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) recently announced that Douglas Durst, chairman of The Durst Organization, will be nominated as the next REBNY chairman. A 51-year member of REBNY, Durst is the chairman and a member of the third generation to lead The Durst Organization. Durst is a director of REBNY and serves on its Executive Committee, Board of Governors and Management Division Owner/Labor Coordinating Committee.

The Wisconsin REALTORS® Association (WRA) named Joe Horning, president of Shorewest, REALTORS®, the new treasurer of the association. The WRA represents and provides services to more than 15,700 members across Wisconsin, and is under the direction of a statewide board of directors, composed of members from real estate firms around the state. Joe Horning, along with his brother John P. Horning, is a third-generation family member to lead Shorewest, REALTORS®.

18 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Earnnest recently announced the launch of its new Earnnest Enterprise division and the appointment of Russell Smith to the position of general manager, Earnnest Enterprise. Prior to joining Earnnest, Smith was director of Real Estate Strategy at HouseCanary, where he led nationwide brokerage expansion, operations, MLS data strategy and industry relations.

Freddie Mac Multifamily recently announced that Daniel Din has been named vice president of Specialty Underwriting. In his new role, Din will oversee the underwriting and credit of Freddie Mac’s businesses in affordable housing, seniors housing, structured transactions and low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) equity investments.

Houlihan Lawrence announced that its current president, Liz Nunan, has additionally assumed the role of chief executive officer of the 1,300-agent firm.

Houlihan Lawrence has also welcomed John Canniffe as chief operating officer, rounding out its C-suite, which includes Stephen Meyers as the firm’s longtime chairman and Andrew Lafreniere as chief information officer. As president and CEO, Nunan oversees all aspects of Houlihan Lawrence’s operations including the brokerage’s residential and commercial divisions across 30 offices. Nunan replaced former CEO Chris Meyers, who retired from the firm in March. Canniffe, with years of industry expertise in financial and data analysis, strategic initiatives and executive operational leadership, now oversees the brokerage’s core operations as COO. Prior to his most recent role as head of the Residential Listing Service at REBNY, Canniffe led strategic initiatives at The Realogy Franchise Group.

Coldwell Banker Realty recently announced the appointment of Jennifer Lind as president of Coldwell Banker Realty in Northern California. In this position, Lind will be responsible for the daily operations and sales of Coldwell Banker Realty’s branded operations. RE

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

Discover NAR’s Online Education Destination The Center for REALTOR® Development is your source for NAR’s online designations and certifications. Available anytime — virtually anywhere.

We make it easy for you to grow your skill set in all facets of real estate.

Invest in yourself.

Visit onlinelearning.realtor.

{REBAC Report} 3 Ways the ABR® Designation Helps Your Agents Stand Out in the Crowd

by Marc D. Gould

R

egardless of what they are buying, consumers have options.

That includes who they select to help them buy a home.

Unsurprisingly, consumers want a trusted and skilled advisor by their side, helping them navigate the process.

With more than 1.4 million members of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) plus other licensed agents, competition in your market area is at an all-time high.

How do you help ensure that buyers will turn to you and your team of agents?

At the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC), we take our job seriously by helping members distinguish themselves and their services by earning the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation.

Here are three of the ways we support their efforts: 1. Specialized education that helps agents elevate their services. First and foremost, the ABR® designation course thoroughly examines agents’ duties and responsibilities to buyers. In addition to helping agents view the buying process

through their clients’ eyes, agents also learn how to explain the value they provide and gain loyalty with a signed representation agreement.

All aspects of a buyer’s purchase are viewed through multiple lenses: What are the best practices? What are your obligations? How do you manage complex situations and avoid potential pitfalls, including risk management considerations?

Agents often describe the training as eye-opening and confidencebuilding. They walk away with the knowledge and tools to effectively advocate for homebuyers—and earn more of their business.

2. Training that goes beyond the classroom. Since the dynamics of buyer representation are always evolving, we are also committed to providing ongoing educational tips through our newsletters and other

live networking events to our members, especially in light of the current challenges from COVID-19.

If you would like to see an example of our efforts during the pandemic, ask us to send you a copy of our latest TBR newsletter, which includes best practice tips from several of our instructors. Send your request to rebac@nar.realtor.

3. An extensive collection of customizable marketing tools.

The ABR® designation course digs deeply into the value that buyer’s reps provide and how to communicate this to buyers. After earning their designation, members also have access to dozens of printed materials to support their marketing efforts and a growing library of shareable social media videos and other digital assets. To see some examples, you can find a short video at rebac.net/benefitsvideo.

Designations Are Differentiators If your agents have not already earned the ABR® designation, I hope you will encourage them to join us. Currently, all courses are held in virtual classrooms. Learn more at training4re.com.

I know some of your agents have already earned the ABR®designation; we are excited to support your ongoing success in 2021 and beyond! RE Marc D. Gould is senior vice president of Member Development for NAR, overseeing a wide range of professional development programs for REALTORS®, including the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC). REBAC is the world’s largest association of real estate professionals focusing specifically on representing the real estate buyer. With more than 27,000 active members, REBAC awards the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation to REALTORS® who have completed the specialized education and documented experience in working with consumers purchasing a home.

To learn more, visit REBAC.net.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 21

Amsterdam, Netherlands — Home of LeadingRE member VOC International

QUALITY CONNECTIONS INDEPENDENCEÂŽ Delivering the highest quality service to home buyers and sellers is what defines our invitation-only community.

Our members are market leaders with distinctive personalities, deep local knowledge and the agility to address market-specific trends. They come together as Leading Real Estate Companies of the WorldÂŽ to leverage their inherent strength with global connections, industry-leading resources and international business opportunities.

LeadingRE.com/OurCompanies

The American Dream Debunked: Independent Brokerages

by Diane Tuman

R

own brokerage, you work long, crazy hours and carry eal estate agents are a unique breed of a lot of risk, but you don’t make much money,” says entrepreneurs. They work for everyone Ribak, leader of Tropical Beachside, brokered by eXp and no one—all at the same time. The Realty. “This is not something you learn from agents who are the most driven have big other brokers because the same ego it takes to be a great salesperson or motivational dreams about hanging their own shingle. leader doesn’t easily get shared when it An independent brokerage, after all, is comes to the downside of owning your own regarded as the crowning success for brokerage.” building a winning team and starting your The Boston native is a self-described serial Ribak entrepreneur who has owned 22 companies own company. It signals “you’ve made it.”

Mitch Ribak of Cocoa Beach, Fla., is one such person.

He opened his own indie in March 2005, only to find out the business is layered with plenty of challenges.

“I discovered a dirty little secret. If you own your 24 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

since the 1980s, including a restaurant, a paintball business, flower business, ad agency, dating service, online dating site and affiliate marketing agency—he was also host of a radio dating show out of Universal Studios in Orlando. But once the 1999 dot-com bubble

occurred, Ribak turned to real estate and started Tropical Realty Beachside, his own independent brokerage, which he wanted to turn into a string of brick-and-mortar offices wherever there was a beach town—from Florida to California.

In 2017, after 11 years of working 80-hour weeks, facing lots of stress due to risks and liability, and realizing his top agent was making more than him, he decided there had to be a better way.

He started to explore his options, including selling to a franchisor and closing it all down. He was at a crossroads until he met with folks at eXp Realty for the fifth time. While he had resisted everything about eXp up to this point, suddenly, the business model made complete sense. The only problem he had was giving up his brand.

“I knew I was ready for a new model that eased many of the overhead and liability issues that came with owning my own brokerage, but my brand? I didn’t want to give it up,” explains Ribak. “But that’s when they sold me. They told me, ‘Keep your brand. Just be Tropical Beachside by eXp.’” Ribak had his answer.

“With eXp, I could have the best of both worlds,” he says. “My company would remain intact, and I’d

be free of the huge risks because of eXp Realty’s virtual brokerage model and all the tools and support the company delivers.

“As I look back, I’m happier than ever with the decision I made. I went from working 80 to 40 hours a week. I have a life now. I play music with my grandkids. But I still sell about 35 to 40 homes a year and do a bunch of coaching. I have 535 agents in 27 states—120 of them are local to the Cocoa Beach area. And based on what’s going on today, I’m in better shape than most. I feel like I have it all: My company with all its rewards and without the worry and overhead I had when I was an independent broker/owner.

“Also, I can now retire with security behind me. And if I die, I have made sure my family inherits my business. You can say I now have peace of mind.” RE

eXp Realty, a real estate cloud brokerage, is one of the fastest-growing, global residential real estate companies with more than 35,000 agents in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. As a subsidiary of a publicly-traded company, eXp Realty uniquely offers real estate professionals within its ranks opportunities to earn eXp World Holdings stock for production and contributions to overall company growth. For more information, please visit https://join.exprealty.com.

We’re REALTORS , 1.4 Million Strong, Stepping Up for What’s Right. ®

As REALTORS® we’re committed to the diverse communities we serve, and that starts with our Code of Ethics that sets higher standards for fairness in housing than any federal law. It extends to our work on Capitol Hill, where we continue to advocate for meaningful change.

Visit ThatsWhoWeR.realtor and Photofy.com/NAR for assets to show that you’re fighting for fairness in housing.

REALTORS® are members of the National Association of REALTORS®

by Maria Patterson

26 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

W

hen a crisis hits, you’re forced to react quickly.

That’s when what you’re made of really shows. And that’s why Homes.com found itself more prepared than most for a situation no one anticipated.

Guided by its number 1 core value, “Humanity,” and its commitment to trust at all levels, Homes.com knew to put people first when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S. full force in March. Instead of an all-out pivot, Homes.com was able to lean into a belief system and company culture that was already well established.

Humanity Starts at Home While many companies establish core values, not all live and breathe them. At Homes.com, however, core values are paramount to everything the company does. It’s no surprise then that Homes.com’s internal response to the pandemic aligned with its commitment to prioritize humanity.

“When COVID began, it became clear to us that our workplace model needed to shift—40 percent of our workforce needed equipment in order to be productive from home,” says Homes.com President David Mele. “We accomplished that within 10 days.”

Once employees were operationally prepared to work from home, Homes.com launched the #WorkFromHomes initiative, a program that features daily email or video updates, informational posts on internal Facebook groups, and an ongoing series of virtual training—covering everything from effectively working from home, to managing teams virtu-

ally, to juggling kids while working, to health and well-being sessions.

“We knew with our focus on culture and humanity, that if we could invest in a program to keep the lines of communication open and our employees informed, we would come out of this and into the new normal with a workforce that was super engaged, really cared for, fired up and ready to be more productive than ever,” says Homes.com Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales Erin Ruane.

“The end result,” says Mele, “is that our team is thriving and more productive than ever. It starts with the philosophy of always putting people first. You have to live your values.”

“We put our employees first,” agrees Ruane. “We gave them confidence and instilled trust, which allowed them to better focus on our clients. They felt very motivated to bend over backwards to serve customers. We’ve seen that service level pay off in our higher online review scores. We even won a Stevie Award for ‘Great Employers’ for our COVID response.”

Homes.com has also demonstrated its commitment to putting humanity first through its response to the escalating social unrest of 2020.

“With our first core value being Humanity, we knew we had to do something to make a difference,” says Mele. “As a leadership team, we listened to our employees, the industry and consumers. We worked hard to be there for our team members and support them in whatever way they needed. We also launched a Community Action Day—a paid day off for employees to volunteer in their communities to make a difference.”

But Mele knew Homes.com needed to take the conversation even further. “We wanted to do more in the industry to create a dialog around racial discrimination and fair housing,” he explains. The company launched

an internal fair housing workgroup with the goal of increasing consumer resources, such as educational content, and awareness and advocacy across the real estate industry.

“Our team is thriving and more productive than ever. It starts with the philosophy of always putting people first. You have to live your values.”

– DAVID MELE President, Homes.com

To that end, Homes.com leveraged its Secrets of Top-Selling Agents webinar series (see sidebar) to start conversations on racial issues across the industry. In early August, top agents and real estate leaders participated in the webinar, “Racism in Real Estate—How You Can Make a Difference.” According to Mele, “Attendance and engagement were fantastic.”

An Industry-First Approach Homes.com has worked hard to establish itself as a “friend to the real estate industry,” and this role took on new significance in the face of the coronavirus.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 27

Homes.com’s Core Values

empower everything the company does.

They served as a particularly powerful compass for the company and its employees in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Humanity We embrace diversity, care about our communities, listen to our users, and look for a little fun in everything we do.

Ownership We act with integrity, take pride in who we are and are accountable for the work we do.

Metrics-Driven We celebrate results that move both our people and business forward.

Excellence We deliver exceptional service and a positive attitude at every opportunity.

Smarter We create solutions with focus, simplicity and innovation.

“When the pandemic hit, we knew the industry needed a partner it could trust, a partner without ulterior motives,” says Mele. “We’ve always been about connecting highly qualified consumers with real estate professionals, so we quickly went to work on doing that in a safe and secure environment.”

Around March 15, as an increasing swath of the country moved into lockdown, Homes.com went into action, explains Ruane. “We asked ourselves, ‘What will real estate professionals need from us during this time? How can we provide education and comfort, and increase the level of trust real estate professionals already have in us?’ We quickly pivoted and leaned into our core values even more.”

With the mission in place, Homes.com’s product and development teams rapidly launched new 28 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

virtual features allowing real estate professionals to safely and effectively connect with consumers.

“We knew that an in-person experience between homebuyers and sellers and real estate professionals wasn’t going to happen for a while,” says Mele. “So we partnered with more than 600 MLSs and national franchise networks, and top virtual tour providers, to provide virtual tours on more than 600,000 listings. We made the virtual tour the main image on each listing—all you have to do is click on it.”

Homes.com also added a “Request a Video Tour”—otherwise known as a “virtual showing”—to all listing detail pages, as well as an ability to live stream virtual open houses.

“There was an amazingly quick effort to get RESO involved with developing standards to manage the entry

of open houses and manage the distribution of that data downstream,” says Homes.com Senior Vice President of Industry Development Andy Woolley. “Within four weeks, all the major MLSs were publishing virtual open house data and started delivering that data to us.”

“In partnership with over 100 MLSs, ‘Live Stream Virtual Open Houses’ now automatically feed directly to Homes.com, or can be manually posted on all listings via the Homes.com dashboard,” explains Mele. “One of the silver linings of this crisis is that homebuyers and sellers and agents are seeing how efficient virtual options can be. I think these strategies are here to stay.”

In addition to equipping real estate professionals with the right tools to navigate the crisis, Homes.com also made sure they were sent the right message. “We knew real estate professionals were challenged from a sales perspective, so we shifted our message from a sales approach to value creation,” says Ruane. “We put together videos with a diverse group of employees saying, ‘We get it, times are tough; we’re here for you whether you need us now or later.

We’re here to help when and if you’re ready.’ This showcased our employees and our humanity to let the industry know we’re in this together.”

Focused on Connecting Consumers Driving Homes.com’s efforts to put forth innovative virtual options is its commitment to build technology that forges connections between real estate professionals and consumers.

Two years ago, the “reimagined” Homes.com website was launched, offering consumers a smarter way to search for homes, including by street name, neighborhood and school zones. This year, Homes.com has taken that mission even further… before ever knowing a pandemic would send online real estate search skyrocketing.

“Over the past year, we made some significant upgrades to Homes.com, particularly as it relates to putting

agents front and center,” says Mele.

For example, an overhaul to the Homes.com Agent Profile page now prominently advertises an agent on all of their listings, along with their brokerage logo, biography and links to their website and social media accounts. The enhancement also includes a free lead and contact management system to help agents convert leads into active customers.

And, for Homes.com’s MLS partner members, a free monthly consumer newsletter and an email marketing system are also available.

Also released in September was a new “Find Agent” search, allowing consumers to access the most active agents in their area. The searchby-name functionality gives priority sorting for agents with active, updated profiles. As Mele says, “We’ve made it easier for consumers to find highly engaged agents. And, as always, listing agents on Homes.com get their leads without having to advertise on Homes.com. Your listing, your lead.”

To help agents maximize leads in a virtual environment as the market continues to ramp up, Homes.com’s marketing products, such as Local Connect and Lead Concierge, have taken on new significance. Once again, connection is the goal.

“It’s all about putting the right real estate professional in front of the consumer at the moment the consumer is ready with a question or ready to see a property,” Ruane explains. “That’s always been an important value proposition, but even more so now that the consumer is relying heavily on online technology and expects a rapid response.”

Trusted Partnerships Throughout the Industry Homes.com is able to take a leadership position on such critical issues thanks to the trusted industry partnerships it has forged.

Woolley, for example, sits on the Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS) Board of Directors as a business partner director, an esteemed

honor. And Homes.com boasts some of the most prominent MLS operators in the industry among its enterprise partners, including CRMLS, Arizona Regional MLS, MyFlorida Regional, REcolorado, Georgia MLS, UtahRealEstate.com and Bright MLS.

“It’s all about putting the right real estate professional in front of the consumer at the moment the consumer is ready. That’s always been an important value proposition, but even more so now that the consumer is relying heavily on online technology.”

– ERIN RUANE Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Homes.com

As it has for all industry verticals, the pandemic also presented challenges in the MLS arena. Not surprisingly, Homes.com quickly showed its strength as a partner.

“Internally at Homes.com, we’re heavily focused on partner development, and a lot of that is done through conferences, events and travel,” explains Woolley. “So we had to change our approach. We picked up the phone and focused on helping everyone in our partner network with whatever they needed.”

To that end, Homes.com developed webinars and podcasts that were promoted by MLS partners.

“There were weeks when we did 15 20 webinars,” says Woolley. “We retooled the training and covered topics like how to deal with clients when you can’t meet them in person and offered tactics to work with them digitally. Normally, working with our MLS partners is about getting members’ data onto Homes.com. With the pandemic, it was just about being a good citizen and helping people through this.”

It is this level of industry partnership that helps ensure that the Homes.com engine runs on quality data—information consumers can trust. With over 3 million active listings displayed on Homes.com, and almost 80 percent of those sourced directly from MLSs and national franchise partners, Homes.com is able to deliver reliable and accurate listing data. Thanks to Direct Listing Feeds for enterprise partners, an MLS can establish a direct feed to Homes.com, giving brokers more control over their listings, which increases data quality and delivers leads faster and with greater accuracy.

And with a persistent inventory shortage, accurate data is more important than ever.

“Some markets around the country have inventory down 20 percent year-over-year,” says Woolley. “Consumers seem to be less inclined to sit on the sidelines and have become more active, searching daily, hourly.

Because of that, timely updates on data are more critical than ever.”

People Will Guide the Path Forward As Homes.com joins the industry in moving forward in an uncharted future, the team will continue to put its focus on people first.

For example, to help real estate professionals address the rapidly changing needs of consumers, Homes.com recently conducted a consumer survey. The encouraging findings include: RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 29

4 80 percent of survey respondents reported that their home-buying budgets had either remained the same or increased since the start of the pandemic 4 44 percent plan to purchase before the end of the year 4 Over half of respondents planning to purchase a home before the end of the year have used virtual tours in their search

“Our consumer surveys helped us glean valuable insights that we were able to share with real estate professionals,” says Ruane. “This is what consumers are saying, this is how they want to be serviced, these are their expectations from you.”

People will also be the guiding principle as Homes.com makes decisions about its operation path forward. “We have learned a lot, and we are exceeding our expectations,” says Mele of his team’s journey

Giving Back Through Education Well-known as a leader in education and training, Homes.com put those efforts into overdrive in the midst of the pandemic.

According to Homes.com SVP of Marketing and Sales, Erin Ruane, Homes.com had already been expanding its popular Secrets of TopSelling Agents program—launched 15 years ago—to reach a wider audience, taking it from a monthly webinar to a series of live events throughout the country to a podcast. Now, the pandemic has sparked the next evolution.

“During the crisis, we said, ‘We’re shut down from live events.

How can we reach more people?,” she explains. “So our amazing team went from two webinars a week to 40 a month featuring some of the top agents and educators in the real estate space.”

And the efforts are paying off.

The Secrets of Top-Selling Agents Facebook group has grown from its initial 3,000 members to more than 10,000, and the recently released second Secrets of Top Selling Agents book has climbed to the top of the Amazon best seller list.

Homes.com expanded the success of the program even further in launching the Secrets of a SmarterMLS Podcast in late 2019, the first-ever podcast focused on con30 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

necting and sharing best practices among MLSs professionals. The podcast is hosted by Homes.com SVP of Industry Development Andy Woolley.

According to Woolley, the podcast is designed to share information he would glean during his frequent travels as a member of the CMLS board.

“I learned so much at dinners,” he says. “I wanted to record the conversations I was having. The executives who run smaller MLSs often aspire to run larger ones, and they learn from their peers. But they often can’t afford to get out to conferences. So I wanted to start recording the conversations I was having and share all the things that were happening successfully in other markets and make them accessible to the entire industry.”

That was the initial intent…until quarantine hit. “We adapted to be able to record podcasts over the phone,” says Woolley, “and we started releasing them twice a week during the pandemic to let people know what was happening in the market.”

“The Secrets program is a powerful touch point within our industry where professionals can come together and talk about challenges and opportunities,” adds Ruane.

“That does a lot to increase our level of trust from industry partners.”

“Consumers seem to be less inclined to sit on the sidelines and have become more active, searching daily, hourly.

Because of that, timely updates on data are more critical than ever.”

– ANDY WOOLLEY Senior Vice President of Industry Development, Homes.com

through the coronavirus crisis. “Our throughput for development projects is even better than before. We’re even more efficient with our workfrom-home model, so we’re going to continue to look for ways to make this a primary model where we can.”

As for the future state of the real estate business, Mele feels the outlook is strong. “We have some external factors that are keeping buyer demand high,” he says. “Low interest rates are fueling demand, not to mention the migration that’s been created because you can now work from anywhere. Traffic at Homes.com is up year-over-year in the 30 percent range. I don’t think this is short-term...I think it’s longterm and that this will play out over several years.

“This is good news for agents and brokers, and our role is to continue to be that trusted partner to make the connection.” RE For more information, please visit marketing.homes.com.

Hire a Coach and Change Your Life!

✔ World Class & Personalized Coaching for Agents, Teams, Brokers! ✔ Implement our Exclusive GoldMine Pipeline™ System to double or triple your income! ✔ Custom Coaching Program with over 50 Modules of Content!

Hire a Coach and Change Your Life!

SCHEDULE YOUR FREE STRATEGY CALL TODAY! 844-989-2600 sherrijohnson.com/strategycall Sherri Johnson Coaching 2020 RISMedia Newsmaker

Read the latest

sherrijohnson.com/blog

Confronting an Uncharted Year With Confidence

by Maria Patterson

Charlie Oppler Steps in as 2021 NAR President

T

his month, Charlie Oppler, COO of New Jersey-based Prominent Properties Sotheby’s Intl. Realty, will be inaugurated as the 2021 president of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). While the ceremonies will be virtual, the challenges Oppler will face in the year ahead are very tangible—as are the opportunities. Here, he tells us what’s in store for 2021, and why being an active broker of a leading, 15-office firm gives him a unique advantage in the president’s role.

Maria Patterson: Charlie, you’ve had a long career in real estate. Tell us a little about how you first got into the business.

Charlie Oppler: Next year will be my 40th year in real estate. I graduated college in 1980 and went to work for the March of Dimes. Our chapter created a fundraising event, and I met and recruited Joe Murphy (Murphy Realty Better Homes and Gardens) and Dick Schlott (Schlott, REALTORS®) to give their time and money to a sports awards dinner. They both told me, “You’d be great in real estate,” so I got my real estate license in 1981 and sold for three years for Murphy BH&G. In 1984, I took a job with Dick as an assistant manager, and in 1985, I was managing the third-largest division of close to 100 offices for him at 26 years old.

MP: What do you consider to be some of your biggest milestones?

CO: From a recognition standpoint, being local president in 1996 of the Eastern Bergen County Board of REALTORS®, and in 2004, the president of the New Jersey REALTORS®. Then I would have to say getting to meet so many people on a national level was beyond what I expected in this business. One of the greatest milestones in my career, however, is that despite all the volunteer efforts at NAR, along with running a company, I still saw 125 out of 128 of my youngest son’s high school basketball games. In my way of thinking, milestones are not about my career—they’re about my family. Being able to

32 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

celebrate the successes of my kids and grandchildren with my wife Geri is really the greatest reward.

MP: Tell us why your association involvement over the

years has been important to you, and what it will add to your role as president.

CO: When I first got involved locally, it was a chance to meet the real professionals in the business. When we started our company—Classic Realty with my partner Randy (Lyn Ketive)—in 1992, I knew I had to be more involved and visible to grow the company. Now, there are more challenges on a national level, but the responsibility and commitment is the same as it was in ’92. As NAR president, you’re part of a team. The title changes, but you’re still collaborating and making decisions as a group. And as a practitioner in the real estate business, it is critical to understand the issues, whether it’s legal, MLS policy, legislative or just day-today operational topics.

MP: What were some of the most important actions NAR took to help REALTORS® sustain business during the pandemic?

CO: The four key things as I saw them were: 1. Our lobbying and advocacy team made sure that real estate was declared essential.

2. We created a website so brokers and REALTORS® could get as much information about COVID relief as possible.

3. We were able to meet with association executives and key people around the country more regularly because it didn’t involve travel, and we continued to operate as normal. We held our Budget and Finance meetings as scheduled. We had our Midyear Legislative meetings, our elections and our Board of Directors meeting virtually.

4. We put the Right Tools, Right Now program into play.

As members were spending time at home, they were able to get designation courses, certification courses and other programs from NAR at cost or for free.

That’s a value of more than $21 million. And more than 300,000 members have partaken in one way, shape or form.

MP: How did you advocate for members and homeown-

ers during this time?

CO: In terms of advocacy, for the first time ever, independent contractors were eligible for SBA loans, unemployment, and paid sick and family leave. For consumers, we worked on mortgage forbearance measures. We also offered the telehealth program—31,000 members received health services at a reduced rate.

Last week (at press time), we met with the White House.

There’s a moratorium on evictions, and 80 percent of investment companies are owned by mom-and-pops, not the big mega landlord. We’ve asked the White House to keep in mind that there are people who own buildings who will need assistance if they’re not getting rent.

MP: Overall, the real estate business has picked up significantly. What do you believe lies ahead for the market as a whole?

CO: We have plenty of buyers, we have multiple offers, homes selling over asking price and three straight months of incredible gains. I think there are even more buyers in the pipeline. I have to think that interest rates will still sit around 3 percent, which helps first-time homebuyers. So I’m bullish. I think 2021 can be another strong year because of the pipeline.

MP: What will be your priorities as NAR President next year?

CO: We’ve got to ensure that REALTORS® are the con-

sumer’s best source of information. We also have to support every policy and program to facilitate property listings, data sharing and open markets. The more we use MLS systems, the more we use a cooperative and collaborative environment, the more it’s going to benefit the consumer. It ensures fair housing.

Another priority for me will be to expand housing equality and affordability. We’re already working on that with the fair housing plan we adopted long before the current social injustice issues, ACT: Accountability, Culture Change and Training. We want to help our members provide equal opportunity for all homebuyers, which enables people to build wealth. We want to help foster diverse, inclusive communities. And we’re going to put programs together to help attract a diverse, inclusive next generation of REALTORS®.

Additionally, we must continue to be leaders in giving back to our communities. Take the REALTOR®Relief Foundation—we’ve given out over $32 million in the last 19 years to help with mortgage assistance and rent payments, and families of REALTORS® who have suffered because of fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and flooding. Honoring the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11th, we’re going to have our first REALTOR®Relief Foundation Telethon. It falls back on everyone to support one and other.

MP: How might NAR’s priorities change based on the

outcome of the presidential election?

CO: We’ll continue to champion the same issues we always have. We’re going to press on tax incentives for homeownership, tax benefits for investment like the 1031 tax-free exchange, GSE reform, responsible regulation of mortgage finance...all the things we’ve always done, irrespective of who the winner is.

MP: How has the process of buying and selling a home

perhaps changed permanently?

CO: Consumer expectations continue to be more focused on better photos, better videos and more efficiency. I do think you’re going to see more remote services, whether it’s e-signature or online notarization, which NAR is pushing for in all 50 states. Realtor.com® just added a new tool to listings to help consumers better understand flood risk in an area. We know that things need to be streamlined even more to make sure our companies and associations stay leaders.

We worked with a research firm to find out if, during the pandemic, buyers and sellers were relying on a real estate professional. We found out that working with a REALTOR® is much more important to them than it was before. We want to make sure people take notice that we are leaders in our communities. RE For more information, please visit www.nar.realtor.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 33

Get the Most Out of Yourself and Your Business

by Brian Buffini

A

s this challenging and intense year comes to a close, many agents are looking to establish more of a balance in 2021.

When you find a balance between all of your endeavors, you can achieve phenomenal success without burning out. The key is to figure out how to maximize your time and energy in both your business and your life. Here are some small adjustments you can make in your routines right now to yield big results in the coming year.

Set Priorities Effective time management is absolutely essential for success. Sit down and really take stock of how you spend your time. You might be surprised to see how much of your day is wasted on activities that are not generating income, such as surfing online or running errands. To accomplish more, list all of your priorities, putting them in order from least to most important. You should cover all the major areas of life: spiritual, family, business, financial and personal.

How are you doing in each area? Are you wasting precious hours on pointless tasks that drain you of energy and focus? If so, it’s time to eliminate these nonessentials. You must devote the bulk of your day to the things that matter most.

Be Intentional With Your Energy We all have limited resources of time and energy, so it’s crucial that we’re intentional with our reserves.

Think of your time as a jar, and put the top priorities, such as appointments with qualified buyers and sellers, in first. Everything else is secondary. By scheduling these essential activities first, you will protect them from the so-called “urgent” fires that break out and distract you during the day. Don’t focus on how packed your schedule is; focus on how efficiently you can tackle these nonnegotiable tasks and get them ticked off your list.

A top tip is to put your phone on airplane mode when you’re in the zone.

Leave Room for Growth When you feed your mind, you feed the desire that we all have for growth and improvement, and you become more fulfilled and confident as a result. We’re all better when we’re growing, so set aside a dedicated hour or two a week for learning. You could brush up on a business skill, tackle a new hobby or listen to a motivational podcast. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

Relax and Recharge Self-care is vital to achieving balance. Don’t feel guilty for taking care of yourself. You need to fill your own tank first before you can help others. Take time to refresh and recharge every day. You could start your morning with a walk or a quiet meditation to focus on gratitude, goals and inspiration, for example.

During the day, plan short time-outs to take a quick breather and reset between tasks or appointments. Finally, use the weekend to relax as much as possible so you can get after it again with energy and passion on Monday morning.

If you want to be less stressed and more productive, commit to a real estate training program that teaches how to build a business that lasts while achieving balance.

The Pathway to Mastery®— Essentials is a great start. Find out more today. RE Brian Buffini immigrated to San Diego from Ireland in 1986 and became a top-performing REALTOR®.

He then founded Buffini & Company to share his powerful lead-generation system. Buffini & Company has trained more than 3 million people in 37 countries and coaches more than 25,000 business pros.

Today, Brian’s a New York Times best-selling author and reaches over 8 million listeners a year through “The Brian Buffini Show” podcast. For more, visit buffiniandcompany.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 35

W E

A R E

A

FAMILIA Looking for more than a network?

路 Professional support and education 路 Market intelligence for business growth 路 National industry events and relationship building 路 Invest in yourself and make a difference

Become part of our familia at

nahrep.org

{Real Estate’s Social Media Leaders}

Bringing Value to Consumers in a Digital Space

by Paige Brown

Michael Murphy

Aqua Award as a top company producer in 2019, he still finds providing a great client experience more gratifying.

“I receive more satisfaction Though he has only been from the smiles at the closworking in real estate for the ing table than the awards and Murphy past three years, Michael financial gain.”

Murphy instantly fell in love with helpMurphy has discovered the power ing people through the home-buying of marketing on social media and and -selling process. Lake Homes how it helps showcase who he is as Realty, the largest multi-state lake an agent and resource in his combrokerage in the U.S., has helped munity. “The major benefit of social Murphy grow his skillset and set him media, I have found, is not necesup for success with a strategic ap- sarily for directly gaining clients, but proach to their market needs and gaining the confidence of potential exceptional training for agents. customers by displaying my strong With over 20 years in local sales, work ethic and how I will provide an marketing and customer service, a equally satisfying service for them,” Coast Guard license and a familiar- he says. ity with Lake Murray’s real estate Before becoming a member of market, Murphy is known as a “Lake RISMedia’s ACESocial, Murphy foExpert” who makes these typically cused solely on sharing his active stressful transactions fun. listings and recognized that valu“I am particularly proud of helping able non-listing content was very people do real things that affect their limited. With a growing social media family in a positive way,” says Murphy. presence, however, Murphy likes to Even after receiving the Central Caro- share the Lake Homes Realty expelina REALTORS®Association Circle of rience, including posts detailing loExcellence award in 2018 and 2019, cal events, informative articles and as well as the Lake Homes Realty points of interest.

Associate Broker Lake Homes Realty Lexington, S.C.

Education and entertainment are two key factors that Murphy wants to bring to his social media, as viewers respond to this type of engagement best.

“We were looking for good, valueadded content that wasn’t just typical posts asking for business,” he explains. “We wanted to offer value to our followers, and the content from ACESocial has been great.”

While sharing unique, branded real estate and lifestyle content, Murphy can also easily promote his listings with the ACESocial platform across his social media accounts, as well as within the articles, for maximum reach and opportunity. Each listing that’s posted also includes a convenient lead generation form.

“With ACESocial, we can dedicate our attention to promoting listings and still have valuable articles posted with only a few clicks of the mouse,” says Murphy. “In addition, with the on-page listing display option, even a non-listing-related post becomes an opportunity to show off our properties.”

Murphy knows the importance of having a strong digital presence in order to set himself apart from other agents. Though social media doesn’t guarantee business success, the utilization of ACESocial has built up his confidence and allowed him to maintain a relevant and prominent reputation online and in his community.

“ACESocial is a valuable tool— very user-friendly, clean and easy for presenting your services professionally and with value,” he says.

“ACESocial has given validity to my services.” RE For more information, please visit lakemurraymichael.com and rismedia.com/acesocial.

Paige Brown is RISMedia’s content editor.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 37

{Global Spotlight}

Market Snapshots: A Global View

by Paige Tepping At its recent Global Symposium, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® put the spotlight on some of its newest members for an inside look at their markets.

the leading real estate firm in Southeast Asia, with offices across the globe, including Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Australia.

Dhalia Real Estate Services, Mriehel, Malta Alan Grima, CEO Founded in the Mediterranean island-state of Malta in 1982, Dhalia Real Estate Services offers a complete portfolio of services in the Maltese Islands, including property investments, project development, property management and valuation.

Who is your primary buyer?

Historically, the Maltese have been our primary buyers.

Owning property is part of our culture; it’s in our DNA, with nearly 80 percent property ownership. We work with many first-time buyers looking for property for residency purposes. Also, we have a strong investor market, which is still very active in spite of challenging times.

Who is your primary buyer?

Our buyers are mostly local, but we also have many international buyers, especially from China, Hong Kong and Singapore.

What draws people to your market?

Our stable economy is very appealing to investors, including a favorable GDP and very low unemployment. Our increasing infrastructure improvements include high-speed rail to connect key locations. www.iqidubai.com

What draws people to your market?

The solid long-term performance of our market drives people here. Malta is a relatively small country, so space for building is very limited, which makes industry very attractive. The return on investment for property typically exceeds other investments. Also, Malta offers very attractive residency and investment packages for foreigners, for both personal and business purposes. www.dhalia.com

IQI Properties, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Mandy Chen, Head of International Sales IQI is a multi-award-winning international real estate investment and advisory firm. Headquartered in Dubai, IQI is 38 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Seven Stones Indonesia, Kuta, BA, Indonesia Terje Nilsen, Co-Owner/Director Seven Stones Indonesia is headquartered in Bali and specializes in residential and commercial property sales and rentals both in Bali and neighboring islands. The company offers legal, marketing and fund management services and

covers a wide range of investment opportunities from offplan developments to infrastructure projects.

Who is your primary buyer?

In spite of being a tourist destination, most of our buyers are Indonesian. We do see a lot of buyers from Australia, thanks to our proximity. Additionally, we have expats from Singapore, Hong Kong and other major markets.

What draws people to your market?

Tourism is the primary driver. Most people know Bali, but in the last 10 years, we have become known for the surf lifestyle. Our strong tourism market helps drive a positive ROI for real estate. www.sevenstonesindonesia.com

What draws people to your market?

Without question, people are attracted to the quality of life and the lifestyle. We are also one of the safest places in the world and have year-round summer weather. We offer not only sand and sea, but also a level of sophistication and a sense of community. Most foreign buyers are retired or semi-retired, but we are also seeing younger investors and travelers because we offer a vibrant social life. www.onecaribbeanestates.com

Becerra Group, Lima, Peru Alen Becerra, Broker/Owner Headquartered in Lima, Peru, Becerra Group has more than 11 years of experience in the real estate market in Peru, offering a full range of services to both private and corporate clients, capital funds, investors and international clients.

Who is your primary buyer?

Our primary buyers are families, but we also serve private clients and international and corporate investors.

What draws people to your market?

We have an amazing location in Peru, positioned near the Pacific Ocean. We also have exciting residential and financial districts in the Lima metropolitan area. The increasing popularity of culinary tourism is generating more activity, thanks to our delicious cuisine from around the world. www.becerra-group.com

One Caribbean Estates, Holetown, Barbados

Chris Parra, CEO/Founder

Who is your primary buyer?

We attract aspirational buyers—people who are often seeking a luxury second home to spend 3 - 6 months a year.

Buyers come largely from the U.K., Canada and the U.S.

Elite Inmobiliaria, Bogotá, Colombia Fabio Rubio, Co-Owner and Commercial Manager Who is your primary buyer?

In the residential market, we serve first-time buyers, as well as middle-aged buyers looking for a second home. For commercial properties, we attract international buyers arriving to our country and looking to expand.

What draws people to your market?

Our country’s constitution protects private property and does not make a distinction between local and foreign buyers, which attracts international investors. We also have a great exchange rate. And, of course, our beautiful beaches, gardens and history offer an attractive lifestyle. www.eliteinmobiliaria.com.co RE

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 39

Forget 2020 and Set Yourself Up for an Epic 2021 Commentary by Anthony Lamacchia

T

here is no denying that 2020 has been a wild year in real estate.

It has been a tough year for many REALTORS®, especially those who work mostly with buyers, as there are simply not enough homes to sell. Dealing with multiple-offer situations, fighting to get offers accepted, properties selling for dramatically over asking, and having to counsel your buyers on not getting overly disappointed are some of the things REALTORS® have had to deal with. The fact is, in a multiple-offer situation, only one buyer wins—and some seem to forget that.

In a way, this reminds me of 2008 and 2009. There were many mortgage brokers who got out of the business due to banks collapsing. Then 2010 came. By that time, interest rates were lowered, several banks worked with the GSEs to correct programs (specifically FHA), create new programs and fix many other problems. In 2010, many mortgage brokers made more money than they did the prior two or three years put together. I strongly feel that this will be the case in 2021 for REALTORS®, especially as we get into next summer and further away from the virus.

40 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

To make sure you dominate 2021 and ride the wave of pent-up demand that is coming, be sure you are doing all the basics.

Here in Massachusetts, from late April through September, the inventory of homes for sale was nearly 45 percent lower than previous years.

This made listing agents look like heroes to their sellers as buyer’s agents struggled with their clients.

Do not get discouraged. Understand that it is not just you, but a problem for most REALTORS® across the country.

To make sure you dominate 2021 and ride the wave of pent-up demand that is coming, be sure you are doing all the basics. Stay in touch with all the buyers you worked with who were not successful in 2020. Continue to send them properties and give them a heads-up when something matches their criteria. There were several buyers that just gave up, signed leases and rented for another year.

When we get into 2021, there will be an abundance of sellers who will end up listing. You must keep your buyers warm over the winter and then get them ready to pounce.

When setting goals for 2021, aim at doing more than 2020. Also, remember that the most important part of goal setting is deciding what you will do differently to hit your goals.

Same equals same, so if you make no changes, you will have the same result. Change could be as simple as adding something, but remember that there is only so much time in the day, so if you add something, remove something else. Prioritize the tasks you do consistently and either outsource or let go of some, so that you have room to start these new habits.

Think of it this way: your doctor does not take your vitals, your height or your weight. The nurse does, so that the doctor can see more patients and be more valuable. You are the doctor! Do not waste time on activities someone else could easily do for you. That is the trick to growing your business in 2021. RE Anthony Lamacchia is CEO of Lamacchia Companies and broker/owner of Lamacchia Realty.

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

Meet Exceed your goals

Join our Affiliate Partner Program

Easy setup

Expert instructors

Pre-licensing, Upgrade and CE courses

RealEstateExpress.com/Brokers Š 2020 Copyright. All rights reserved. Real Estate Express.

Breaking up is hard.

But Fathom (and Keegan) are making it easier than ever.

We have helped thousands of agents take their careers to the next level when they switched to Fathom. But, we understand that breaking up with your broker can be hard!

So, to make it easier, we're offering our Producer Perks Program which rewards higher producing agents and teams with up to $6000 in stock grants when they join.* Plus, you can earn an additional $500 in stock grants every time you refer an agent who joins Fathom.* When you switch, our marketing team will work with you to ensure your branding works for you and your market, and our onboarding and agent services team — along with our local leadership — will be available every step of the way.

Watch Keegan help Jamie break up with her broker.

FATHOM.IT/BREAKUP

#11 LARGEST INDEPENDENT #20 LARGEST OVERALL

Fathom is now publicly traded on the Nasdaq.

*Terms and conditions apply.

Copyright © 2020 Fathom Realty – All Rights Reserved. Fathom Realty, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fathom Holdings Inc.

10 Things to Consider When Implementing New Brokerage Technology Commentary by Mehul Patel

T

here’s no doubt that the real estate industry will continue to evolve as we navigate our way through COVID-19 and its impact on the economy and how we do business. Many real estate brokers have experienced challenges adapting their business when they don’t have a brick-and-mortar office and in-person collaboration.

The drastic shift to online business has raised many questions about how the right technology can help a real estate brokerage effectively pivot and adapt through change.

Start by assessing your business needs and goals when it comes to your existing technology. Does it support long-term growth? Does it allow you to accommodate how, where and when your agents are doing business? If not, it’s time to look at modernizing your systems.

Choosing solutions that compliment your business processes, support your agents and your staff, and nurture sustainable growth is key.

Here’s a checklist of 10 things you need to consider when choosing and implementing the right technology for your brokerage:

As a business leader, it’s important to remember that there isn’t a onesize-fits-all approach to implementing the right brokerage technology.

Your business is unique. Your market, agents, staff and goals are all individual to your business. So, if you’re finding that the technology, or lack thereof, in your business is hindering agent performance and your ability to adapt and pivot your business, you need to consider a new solution.

1. Product scalability – Will it continue to meet your needs as your business grows?

2. Product security – Given the heightened sense of data security, every product must protect its users from a potential breach that can sink a business.

3. Roadmap and enhancements – Does the technology provider have a product roadmap that shows investments in continuous improvement?

Has the technology provider consistently released enhancements to meet market needs?

4. Reputation – Does the technology provider have a positive industry reputation?

5. Data export – Can you extract your data if, in the future, you decide to change to a different platform?

6. Integrations – Does the technology provider offer integrations into other solutions that you use to run your business?

7. Platform – Is the technology built on a modern platform that will continue to be relevant as systems evolve?

8. Support – Does the technology provider offer multiple support channels—phone, chat, email? What would the impact be to your business if the technology/software was down and you weren’t able to reach Customer Support?

9. Cost of ownership – Are there ongoing costs not directly related to the technology? For instance, will you need to hire staff to run the product? Will you need a hosting platform to offer the product? These are all costs that aren’t paid to the software/technology provider; however, they need to be factored into the overall cost of ownership.

10. Implementation process – Does the technology provider own the implementation process with little involvement from you, or do you need a dedicated resource to manage the implementation?

If you’re looking for a technology provider that will support the ongoing growth of your business, contact Constellation1 today. Our team will work with you to assess the right solutions for your business. RE

Mehul Patel is the vice president, Product Management at Constellation1. To learn more about Constellation1, visit constellation1.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 43

REBAC Hall of Fame Honors 2020 Inductees

by Barbara Pronin

R

eal estate professionals are, by nature, good listeners who are happiest when helping buyers and sellers achieve their real estate goals. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) honorees named by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) to the REBAC Hall of Fame this year exemplify those values—going above and beyond to advance buyer representation by providing outstanding service.

Today, as co-owner of Innovate Success Strategies, Suminski teaches many of the national designation and certification courses offered by NAR, and is a sought-after speaker and trainer at broker conferences nationwide.

A past president of the South Bay Association of REALTORS®, where she was named 2010 REALTOR® of the Year, she is a graduate of NAR’s Leadership Academy and currently serves on the boards of both NAR and the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.).

Sandy Maier Schede, another third-generation REALTOR®, earned her real estate license at the tender age of 16 while she was a high school junior—shortly before The ABR® designation, conferred by REBAC, is held by the minimum age was raised to 18. more than 24,000 REALTORS®who are committed to ad“I missed the festivities for students moving into the vocating for homebuyers. That makes induction into the senior class because I was taking the licensing exam,” 2020 REBAC Hall of Fame a rare and distinctive says Schede, who has now been helping homebuyachievement for this year’s honorees: Tamara ers and sellers for 47 years.

Suminski, broker and co-owner of Beach Real Earning a degree in education at Southern Estate Group in Manhattan Beach, Calif.; Connecticut State University while actively sellSandra (Sandy) Maier Schede, award-winning ing real estate, Schede quickly realized that she agent with Maier Real Estate in Meriden, was earning more as a REALTOR®than she would Conn.; and the Pinellas REALTOR® Organizaearn as a teacher. tion and Central Pasco REALTOR® OrganizaSuminski “I also discovered that I had a real passion for tion, headquartered in Clearwater, Fla. helping people through the gratifying life experiEach of the designees personifies ABR®valence of buying a home,” she says. ues and has an admirable history of service.

Determined to be the best in the business at “I came to real estate from the hotel advocating for homebuyers propelled her to earn industry, so I know how important it is to the ABR®designation along with a variety of other provide an exceptional experience for every specialized designations, and to share her expercustomer,” says Suminski. tise through service to her community and the A third-generation REALTOR® with an MBA Schede industry. from Pepperdine University, Suminski was A three-time REALTOR® of the Year awardee drawn to real estate by a desire to set her own path and and a multi-year Five Star REALTOR®, she is a past presia passion to help people achieve the dream of homedent of the Connecticut REALTORS® Association. Addiownership. Licensed in 2004, she quickly increased her tionally, she was the first woman president of the YWCA value by steeping herself in class work that led to ABR®, in Meriden, and was recently elected to both the Meriden GRI (Graduate, REALTOR® Institute) and other profesBoard of Education and the Meriden City Council. sional designations.

But neither her many hours of industry and commu“I have a curious mind,” she says. “I know that the nity service nor her hectic business activity—she had more I know, the better able I am to communicate mean17 closings in the month of September alone—comes ingfully and provide the customized guidance every before her personal interest in every client. homebuyer deserves.”

“At the height of the health pandemic, I was able to With her fiancé and partner, Chris Duff, whom she met guide one young couple who were expecting a baby, a through their association with the National Association little girl, through the purchase of their first home,” she of REALTORS® (NAR), Suminski established Beach Real says. “When the baby was born, they sent me a picture Estate Group in 2018, determined that the small bouof her homecoming—snugly wrapped in the little pink tique agency would offer clients distinctively personalblanket I crocheted for her.” ized support.

44 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

For such dedicated individuals to be recognized as REBAC Hall of Fame inductees is easy to understand.

But what does it take for an entire association—in this case, Florida’s combined Pinellas REALTOR® Organization and Central Pasco REALTOR® Organization—to be honored?

Led by CEO David Bennett and current President Cyndee Haydon, the organization is one of Tampa Bay’s largest professional trade associations, representing the interests of more than 9,000 real estate professionals.

“When the coronavirus pandemic first hit the nation, real estate proHaydon fessionals, like everyone else, were unsure how—or if—they could move forward, and this board really stepped up,” says Angela Emerson, the organization’s vice president of professional development and standards. “We quickly partnered with 14 other larger and smaller boards in the state to generate Emerson programming, schedule instructors and reach out to a combined total of more than 50,000 members.”

Drilling down even further, Pinellas had 566 students take the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) Designation Course so far this year, in addition to 363 students who took one-day ABR®elective courses.

A bit ahead of the curve, they embraced technology to provide members with tools to help them increase their skills and think outside the box, says Emerson.

They created a dedicated studio and a virtual format featuring ideas, instruction and inspiration from noted instructors designed to engage their members and get their business back on track.

“Our association had already been transitioning into hybrid classroom capability,” she notes, “so we were able to react fast to meet the need.”

Zoom classes attended by as many as 700 members at a time encouraged agents to use the pandemic downtime to improve their skillsets, study for ABR®and other specialized designations, and reach out to their sphere of influence offering a patient ear, help where needed, and expert guidance to those with a need to buy or sell during these difficult times.

“The effort resulted in a huge number of clued-in agents who not only increased their expertise, but who were also prepared to meet the deluge of pent-up need when it began,” says Emerson. “The pivot time was little to none. It was truly an awesome experience.” RE For more information on this year’s award winners, and how you can submit an application for next year’s induction, please visit http://rebac.net/hof.

ULTIMATE

Real Estate

TEAM Guide

A real estate team can be a lucrative venture…

But creating or expanding a team involves many challenges that must be tackled head-on in order to reap the rewards.

In RISMedia’s Ultimate Real Estate Team Guide, dozens of leading teams from across the country discuss strategies for building and running a winning team, sharing best practices on: • Navigating the legalities of forming a business entity • Tackling financial challenges • Hiring, motivating and delegating • Creating work-life balance • Determining marketing ROI • Choosing the right technology • Creating a profitable social media plan • Successfully generating and converting leads

…and much, much more!

Visit rismedia.com/shop and order your copy at a special reduced rate today!

FINALLY say yes to success.

Spend more time closing leads than chasing them.

Power your entire real estate business with our all-in-one, myWeichert® powered by kvCORE platform.

Custom, branded website creates an online destination for your personal brand.

AI driven, marketing automation & mobile CRM help turn prospects into customers.

Easy-to-use lead gen tools to generate your own leads.

Saves time and helps you be more productive.

Close more leads. Open the door to a more rewarding career. Give your local Weichert office a call today or visit jobs.Weichert.com

Each Weichert® franchised office is independently owned and operated. ©2020 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.

Navigating the Home-Buying and -Selling Process in a Competitive Market HSASM Home Warranty goes above and beyond for today’s buyers and sellers

by John Voket

W

hen he’s not making music himself or directing young musicians at the Minnesota Youth Jazz Ensemble, Edina Realty Broker/Manager Phil Holm is helping clients navigate the ins and outs associated with the home-buying and -selling process. to explain that the home inAfter 17 years in the real esspector discovered that it tate industry, Holm underwas a Montgomery Ward stands that virtually any product that had lasted house that has experiover 40 years. “While that enced some length of ocwas certainly evidence of cupancy can also generate the quality materials of an occasional sour note Holm its day, I knew it could go in the form of an appliance or system breakdown. That’s any time, so it was a no-brainer for why Holm has always advocated that seller to add a one-year home that his buyer and seller clients in- warranty to their contract,” adds corporate a home warranty as part Holm.

“Back when I started, I was writof their contract before closing.

“In one house I was showing, I ing in the home warranty option by saw a water heater with no label- hand on a case-by-case basis, but ing at all,” says Holm, who goes on now there’s a whole home warranty

section included in our purchase agreements, which puts sellers in a position of power,” says Holm.

“Those warranties have helped countless sellers avoid angry phone calls when something serious went wrong with a furnace, home appliance or other critical element within a home’s infrastructure,” he explains.

Given the older housing stock around Chanhassen, Minn., while the structures themselves have great potential, their appliances, heating and cooling systems have high potential for breakdowns.

Today, with Edina Realty capturing nearly 25 percent of the local marketshare, Holm says that more than a quarter of his clients are using HSA home warranties—and HSA is a pleasure for his clients to work with.

“I like that HSA notifies me every time a client of mine has a service call, because it provides me a chance to touch base with them,” says Holm.

“And on the occasion when a client is caught off guard by a major breakdown, dealing with the HSA team has been a positive experience. They are willing to talk with a buyer or seller to get their covered issue resolved quickly. The warranty is pretty inclusive, and the communication and response time are great.”

Most of the time, his clients choose to include a home warranty.

“Once a client sees the potential of what could go wrong, they want to negotiate it right into the contract,” concludes Holm. “It’s all about explaining the benefit so that when they see the value, adding a home warranty is a no-brainer.” RE For more information, please visit www.onlinehsa.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 47

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.

To find out more about AREAA visit areaa.org

Follow us around the web /areaa.national

/areaa

/areaanational

A Change in Company and Brand Can Result in a Better You Commentary by Susan Spahr

E

volve or be extinct. It’s a mantra in business, and for me, it led to a turning point in my life and my real estate career. And, despite many successes and multiple sales achievements, a voice kept ringing in my head. Is there more for me as a solo agent?

Do I need more for the future? Can I be making more of a difference?

Some 18 months ago, armed with “yes” answers to the questions above, I decided to move from my brokerage and my team and join the ranks of the relentless at CENTURY 21 Core Partners in York, Penn. The team there, led by broker Michael Segarra, put me at ease, and by the end of the day, I realized that I was now part of a family of like-minded professionals with a shared desire for cooperation and success—and a level of accountability I had not experienced in all my years in real estate.

My decision to change companies and move to operate as a solo agent with a new brand has provid-

ed me with clarity of purpose and has afforded me the opportunity to become a better me for my family, friends, home-buying and -selling customers and clients. There are three reasons why:

1. Management. The genuine care and support of the owners and my broker has been a gamechanger.

Knowing that there is always someone available to answer questions and/or give encouragement is critical. Additionally, leadership encourages suggestions to improve the company, and they aren’t afraid of change. They constantly add new resources,

programs and offerings to help us grow and better serve our clients.

2. Resources. The productivity platform and additional resources that the CENTURY 21® brand provides are comprehensive and allow for personalization. For example, the CENTURY 21 University® courses, the lead page, the marketing opportunities and the online social community directly impact my ability to secure leads, build relationships and close more deals. Plus, the modern-looking branding and signage are clear indicators that the CENTURY 21 brand is as relevant today as it was in the past and will be in the future.

3. Culture. Having a culture that focuses on quality service, giving 121 percent and holding myself and others in the office accountable matches my mindset exactly to this business. The mission to deliver extraordinary experiences and serve our clients in the best way possible, instead of selling as many properties as possible, helps me focus on relationship building.

My decision to change brokerages and move from a team to a solo agent helped me see my life from different perspectives, gain more clarity and focus on long-term objectives, from both a personal and professional level. I’m now serving my clients and customers with a greater degree of understanding and empathy for them and their real estate decisions, with a team of supportive friends and family at work. And while I’m closing more deals, I have more healthy time for life outside of work. RE

Susan Spahr is an agent with CENTURY 21 Core Partners. For more information, please visit www.century21core.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 49

Top l-r: Dan Forsman, Josh Harley, Rosey Koberlein, Pat Riley; Bottom l-r: Dava Davin, Marilyn Eiland, Charlie Oppler, Chris Trapani

RISMEDIA’S CEO EXCHANGE Showcases How ‘True Leaders Shine’ in Challenging Times

by RISMedia Staff

T

he 2020 Real Estate CEO Exchange was unlike any other in RISMedia’s 31-year history of hosting the prestigious event. In order to continue bringing real estate’s top minds together, while mitigating the risks introduced by the coronavirus pandemic, RISMedia moved this year’s event to an all-virtual format on Sept. 17, presenting 16 sessions that featured more than 50 leading brokers and industry professionals.

The event attracted more than 1,200 attendees who are now more prepared to overcome COVIDrelated challenges through innovative strategies and groundbreaking processes.

50 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

This year, the CEO Exchange was co-presented by RISMedia and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). The event kicked off with an opening address by RISMedia’s Founder, CEO and Publisher John Featherston.

“Our collective goal for this event was simple: In this year of COVID-19 and the incredible challenges we’ve encountered, we wanted to introduce you to the industry colleagues who have faced these challenges so they can share their thoughts, methods and successes with you to help you improve your overall skillset and abilities,” said Featherston.

Following Featherston was keynote presenter Paul Boomsma, president and CEO of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE), who discussed the changing landscape of real estate amid the pandemic.

“The high-touch nature of in-person real estate transactions quickly migrated to virtual showings and online contracts,” said Boomsma. “We will benefit

During his keynote address, LeadingRE’s Paul Boomsma discussed innovation, information and the global issues impacting real estate.

from this adoption well into the future. I don’t believe innovation is new; it has simply changed. The promised information age is in full swing.”

But, at times, that comes at a cost. Boomsma explained that with technological innovation comes a flood of data that is now “becoming a burden.”

“Social media users say they are worn out by posts, and the trust in all this info is now at an all-time low.

We have an opportunity to deliver clear, accurate information. Let’s make a commitment to speak better and to raise the bar of the conversation.”

Additionally, Boomsma spoke about global issues that must be addressed at the real estate level as well.

“We have to end racial bias, which still exists in our society. Yes, fair housing laws were put into effect, but we still have a long way to go to be more inclusive and celebrate diversity within our ranks,” said Boomsma.

Lastly, Boomsma reminded attendees that despite the current health crisis, any challenges can be overcome by coming together as an industry.

“During these challenging times, we see true leaders shine,” said Boomsma. “We will get through this challenge. The entire world will get through this.”

In this exclusive, one-on-one session with Featherston, Buffini shared his insights on the challenges of having to conduct real estate business during the coronavirus pandemic, the importance of staying connected, key ways agents need to differentiate themselves and even how to overcome the inventory challenge with just a simple change in mindset.

“People are always singing the blues, ‘there’s no inventory…we have a housing shortage,’” Buffini said.

“And you know my answer—it’s been the same for years, which is, there is no shortage of housing. There are 80 million households in this country. What there is, is a shortage of listed inventory.”

RISMedia’s John Featherston sits down with NAR’s Bob Goldberg and Vince Malta to discuss the state of real estate across America.

The solution, he says? Go out and get it.

“We have to become proactive,” he said. “We’ve got to stop waiting. Get into the mindset of, ‘I’m going to go find the inventory.’

“People are afraid to put their homes on the market, that they won’t find another house. But when you’re an agent and you say, ‘I can help you find a house, even if it’s not on the market; I’ll go get it for you. I’ll go canvas the neighborhood,’ that’s being a proactive agent. It’s a different mindset. It’s saying, ‘I’m going to be an inventory creator, not an inventory wait-er.’”

NAR Leadership Discusses the ‘Now’ Normal

Buffini & Company’s Brian Buffini shares his thoughts on the inventory challenge.

Brian Buffini Shares a Solution for Inventory Shortage Inventory problem? What inventory problem?

That was one of the central themes discussed by iconic real estate business coach Brian Buffini, founder and chairman of Buffini & Company, at RISMedia’s 2020 Real Estate CEO Exchange.

While consumers may be apprehensive about getting on a plane or into an Uber for the foreseeable future, for those looking to buy or sell a property, relying on a real estate professional is more important than ever before.

“If consumers ever needed a REALTOR®, it’s now,” explained Vince Malta, president of NAR, during an exclusive Q&A with NAR CEO Bob Goldberg and Featherston.

“While the way in which REALTORS®conduct business has changed, the role of a REALTOR® has not—which is the message we’re trying to portray as we move forward,” added Malta.

A key player in the fight to ensure that real estate professionals were deemed essential when businesses across the board shut down as COVID-19 began to spread across the globe, NAR did what they’ve always

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 51

done: gone to bat for their 1.4 million members.

“It’s a role that we have always taken, but the success of it has come to light during this pandemic,” said Goldberg.

As one of the most powerful lobbying organizations in the country, NAR continued to advocate for its members in a variety of ways, including working to ensure that independent contractors were eligible for stimulus funds, pushing for additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program, working to extend the deadline for 1031 like-kind exchanges, and offering the Right Tools, Right Now program complete with 400-plus products, services and tools to help members navigate the challenges presented by COVID-19.

Being able to shine through despite all the negative things occurring throughout the world, Malta predicts a strong finish to 2020 should job gains continue and low interest rates hold steady.

we’re going to have to recall the lessons we’ve learned,” explained Gould, who encouraged panelists and attendees alike to set time aside sooner rather than later to document what they did during the pandemic—and what they could/ should have done.

How Brokers Saved Business in 2020 Among the 16 sessions offered during RISMedia’s Real Estate CEO Exchange was a two-part panel of eight Power Brokers—“Strategies for Salvaging Success in 2020”— which discussed the impact of the pandemic on success moving forward.

Panelists shared the following key take-aways: “Who would’ve thought we’d have the crisis of a lifetime, and the greatest two months in the history of the company (July and August 2020)? Early on, we had the focus that we were going to have a V-shaped recession—down then up. Turns out, we were right. The reason we popped was mindset, preparation and prospecting. You have to have a culture of discipline—track and measure everything. The best tool we have is a great infrastructure.”

– Dan Forsman, President & CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties

NAR’s Marc Gould applauds the willingness of industry professionals to come together and share their tried-and-true strategies.

“If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that we can accomplish anything with our resiliency and our ability to work together,” said Malta. “This is a time where we can look optimistically to our future and envision a new roadmap because we have accomplished so much.”

“NAR is all of us together,” added Goldberg. “This power, which is 1.4 million members strong, has the chance to move this industry and protect it on behalf of consumers.”

Also during the event, NAR 2020 President-Elect Charlie Oppler and NAR Senior Vice President of Member Development Marc Gould contributed strategies and insights for using what we’ve learned in 2020 to set the stage for a successful 2021.

“More than anything else, we learned how to adapt to what was important in our lives and that the health of our families and our companies weren’t on the same page anymore,” explained Oppler during “Strategies for Salvaging Success in 2020 – The Local Challenge.”

During the “CEO Exchange Wrap-Up,” Gould applauded the willingness of industry professionals who compete with one another on a daily basis to come together and share the lessons they’ve learned over the course of the year.

“There are going to be times in the future where we are going to have to pivot again—or move quickly—and

52 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“Offices are the biggest expense for most brokerages; since we didn’t have that expense weighing us down, we didn’t have to lay anyone off. At Fathom...the culture was already built, and I believe that having a strong culture is really key to longevity. We encouraged our leaders to take a more personal approach to how we communicated.

COVID demonstrated that you don’t need to have an office to be a successful agent.”

– Josh Harley, Founder & CEO, Fathom Realty

“One thing that surprised me was that after being sheltered in place on March 30, we had 10 weeks of week-over-week increased pended activity. Another thing that surprised me was the resilience of our sales associates. I had one group who changed their business model and really embraced the technology we’ve had for about two years. One woman, in a 60-day period of time, sold 17 homes and never left her house.”

– Rosey Koberlein, CEO, Long Realty

“Fifty-seven percent of our business went away (by April).

So we worked on controlling the controllables with our leadership team. We said, let’s work hard on education, certifications and new tech tools, and build that absorption rate. While we were doing those things we could control companywide, on the REALTOR® side, we were building their confidence in technology and the world out there, and it’s paying off now.”

– Pat Riley, President & CEO, Allen Tate REALTORS®

“Agents need an office, a sense of belonging, but most will continue to work from home and in the field.

I’m a big believer in quality over quantity. This is an opportunity to reduce square footage—we can start hoteling desks. These types of efficiencies are going to help us. Technology efficiencies are here to stay, and it’s going to help limit the number of properties agents have to physically show to each client.”

– Dava Davin, Principal, Broker, Portside Real Estate Group

“Video is now king in the marketplace. Managers are working with agents to help them figure out things they can post about, like interviewing local businesses to find out how they’re doing, or tips on home improvement and decorating. And there’s no better advice I’d give an agent than to get listings. With this tight, tight inventory, we have focused on things they can do to expand their market and look for more listings everywhere.”

– Marilyn Eiland, Managing Partner, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene

“We arranged to have many speakers from around the country, who helped our agents get through this. I also think we learned how to adapt to what was important in our lives. We always somehow prioritized work over family, and I heard from so many agents that this was special time they got to spend with their family. I think the health of a lot of agents was improved, and when they had to get back into the industry, they knew what to do and when to do it. Trust and relationships and sphere of influence have never been more important.”

– Charlie Oppler, 2020 President-Elect, NAR, COO Prominent Properties Sotheby’s International Realty

“We discovered our team had talents we didn’t know they had. People rose to the occasion. So I was able to go on the offense. We have to ensure the health and safety of our people, but we can’t be so hamstrung that we’re not coming out of this in a position where we’re stronger. I spent the better part of these six months focusing on strategic opportunity and growth. Whenever there’s been a crisis in the past and we’ve doubled down, it’s paid off.”

– Chris Trapani, Founder & CEO, Sereno Group All 2020 CEO Exchange attendees can access session replays at ceo.rismedia.com/replays.

For details regarding RISMedia’s “Real Estate’s Rocking in the New Year” virtual event with Brian Buffini, co-presented by the National Association of REALTORS®, on Jan. 7, please contact Deb Ryan at dryan@rismedia.com.

RISMedia extends sincere thanks to all of its CEO Exchange sponsors: DIAMOND SPONSOR NAR Center for REALTOR® Development

PLATINUM SPONSORS Homes.com® MoxiWorks Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans

MASTER SPONSORS American Home Shield Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Century 21 Real Estate HSA Home Warranty Realty ONE Group

HOST SPONSORS Cole Information Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® Real Estate Express RPR® Terradatum Zillow

EVENT SPONSORS Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) Designation ActivePipe ATTOM Data Solutions BoomTown Buyside Cinch Home Services (formerly HMS) Constellation1 CoreLogic CMG Financial David Knox Productions, Inc. Deluxe DocuSign dynaConnections Corp.

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services Institute for Luxury Home Marketing JP & Associates REALTORS® (JPAR) Local Logic Pillar To Post Home Inspectors ShelterZoom Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting WFG National Title Insurance Company WiseAgent

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 53

Your Brand,Our Content MORE LEADS In today’s real estate market, success depends on being closely engaged with your prospects and clients whenever and wherever they prefer.

Our Content Solutions makes it easy for you to stay top-of-mind and highly relevant by providing world-class editorial news, home-buying tips and compelling lifestyle information automatically delivered through your marketing and communication channels.

Whether you’re driving interest via your website, blogs, social media, email or newsletters, we provide the content you need to build trust, develop relationships and grow your business.

1-800-724-6000 rismediacontentsolutions.com

Providing Buyers and Sellers With Extraordinary Service, Uncompromising Ethics and Exceptional Knowledge Cinch Home Services goes above and beyond to bring peace of mind to the real estate transaction

by Keith Loria

A

s CEO of Parks Realty in Brentwood, Tenn., Bob Parks has spent 45 years growing his firm into a powerhouse, and is consistently recognized for excellence.

“We’re locally owned, comthan $2 billion in real estate mitted to Middle Tennesin Tennessee and Florida see, and invested in the annually. communities in which One key to the firm’s continued success is the strong we live and work,” says partnership they’ve built with Parks.

Cinch Home Services (formerCommitted to the highParks est ethical standards, Parks ly HMS National). notes that they always take the high “Our relationship started with road, advocating for their clients HMS and Bill Smith, an amazing rep and guiding them through real es- in our market,” says Parks. “Bill betate transactions with extraordinary came a part of our family at Parks, service, uncompromising ethics and and we’ve welcomed the transition exceptional knowledge. from HMS to Cinch, and we continue This environment of performance to work with customer service-orientcoupled with care for agents and ed representatives within Cinch.”

According to Parks, Cinch brings staff translates to success that has seen the brokerage grow to where value to clients by relieving the worry it stands today with 12 offices and that often accompanies the pur800-plus agents, brokering more chase of a new home through the

use of modern tools to remove any guesswork around preventing, diagnosing or solving a wide variety of home-related issues.

“Purchasing a home is the largest investment that people make in their lifetimes, and the transaction comes with many opportunities for stress,” says Parks. “Cinch helps to relieve that by removing the hurdles that repairs might bring along with the transaction, providing peace of mind that if something does come up, there’s a solution.”

Therefore, thanks to the plans offered by Cinch Home Services, agents can protect their clients’ investments as well as their reputation and future leads.

“While purchasing a home is a wonderful experience, and there is no greater feeling than being in a new home for the first time, there are unexpected items that may come up.

And in a competitive market, the seller’s coverage offers an advantage for negotiations,” says Parks.

“Having the seller’s coverage offers our sellers peace of mind as they know that there are experienced service providers and coverage for large repairs and more,” adds Parks.

The strong customer service that Cinch provides is yet another component that gives the brokerage a competitive advantage, as Cinch associates are experts in their fields and dedicated to providing great experiences for their customers and business partners.

“Gina McCort and her team are top notch, responsive and always willing to try new ideas, help with marketing and more,” says Parks.

With a philosophy based on a commitment to customer service, utilizing Cinch is a no-brainer for Parks, and it has undoubtedly played a role in Parks Realty achieving the lowest residential days on market among the top 50 firms in its market. RE To learn more about how you can partner with Cinch Home Services, please reach out to Adam Brown, vice president, National Sales, at adbrown@cinchhs.com or visit cinchrealestate.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 55

{Strategies}

Pulling Back the Curtain HOW TOP INDEPENDENT BROKERAGE, SAMSON PROPERTIES, RECRUITS MORE THAN 100 NEW AGENTS PER MONTH

by Paige Tepping

F

or Donny Samson, CEO of Samson Properties with 3,600 REALTORS® and 29 offices in Virginia and Maryland, when it comes to recruiting, he’s got nothing to hide. Having added 1,100 agents in the last year alone—86 percent of whom came from referrals within the brokerage—he’s pulling back the curtain and sharing his tried-and-true strategies for finding the best talent.

His recruiting success rolls up into three important strategies: 1) Give agents the information they need upfront, 2) lead with value and 3) pay it forward.

Unlike other brokerages that spend copious amounts of time and resources hunting down prospects or cold calling, Samson’s strategy revolves around providing all of the information an agent would need in order to make a decision—upfront. “They all want to explore and put their toe in the water before they jump in,” explains Samson. “Giving them the information they need upfront breaks down the wall so they can make a decision before they even talk to you. We never cold call. If they have enough interest based on all of the information I’ve put out there, they will call us. I woke up this morning and 56 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

have six people that want to join our team, and I haven’t even talked to them yet.”

Samson gets this information out via a multi-touch marketing approach. He mixes email, Facebook marketing, in-home marketing and weekly in-person lunch-nlearns. His email nurture consists of 17 touches that cover 17 different topics. “You never know what will resonate with them the most,” says Samson. “It could be print centers, our best-in-class tech suite, kvCORE, training or something else.”

Samson has also created his very own recruiting site, joinsamson.com, which has been a key factor in his ability to consistently bring in new agents as we continue to grapple with the effects of the coronavirus.

“Given the virtual world we’re living in, today, more than ever, real estate professionals want to consume things when they want to consume them,” says Samson, who goes on to explain that his entire recruiting proposition can be heard online from the comfort of one’s home.

But it doesn’t end there.

Samson’s pay-it-forward attitude that’s centered on doing everything he can to make the lives of his agents easier is what truly sets him apart.

“Take care of your REALTORS®, and recruiting will take care of itself,” explains Samson.

“Once agents see and hear about our technology, and find out it’s free to them, the deal is done. The tech stack offered by Inside Real Estate’s kvCORE Platform has been a gamechanger for us,” says Samson, who can’t say enough about the value it has provided the agents within his brokerage.

“Not only does kvCORE have the complete tech stack from beginning to end, but it also consolidated a lot of

things for me, including a website, CRM, and the ability to roll in lead generation with CORE PropertyBoost and social media with CORE ListingMachine and CORE Social.”

“Through CORE PropertyBoost alone, we help our agents promote every listing they put on the market through Facebook,” says Samson, who also uses the platform to promote open houses being conducted by his agents. “It’s produced a ton of leads and opportunities for our agents.”

Samson doesn’t just stop with the tech. He puts an emphasis on education, and encourages that “pay-itforward” mentality throughout his brokerage. “Successful REALTORS® consistently do the right thing,” he explains. “Our best REALTORS® will give back and teach how and why they are successful. We offer four to five classes a day on how to be better, so we can continue to help people grow.

“If I’m helping my agents be better and happier, then I’m successful,” concludes Samson. With 86 percent of his new agents coming from referrals within his brokerage, we’d consider that successful.

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

Connecting With Clients in Innovative Ways HOMES.COM HELPS NORTH CAROLINA BROKER EXPAND HIS BUSINESS

by Jameson Doris

A

n Army veteran and current broker at Wilkinson ERA in Charlotte, N.C., Blake Smith has carved out a career for himself by supporting his local community and seeking innovative ways to connect with potential clients.

Smith first heard about Homes.com’s extensive suite of product offerings just last year. Like many, he had been aware of Homes.com for many years, but it wasn’t until a 2019 sales call that he became aware of the variety of services they offer real estate professionals.

“I was a brand-new agent and looking for ways to expand my business and get leads,” says Smith. “Once the

products were explained to me, as well as the pricing, I compared them with some competitors—and the choice was simple.”

The three Homes.com services he currently uses are Local Connect, City Sponsor and Lead Concierge. Local Connect, a lead generation tool, helps Smith build his presence in specific zip codes throughout the Charlotte metro area, while City Sponsor is set up to feature real estate professionals like Smith as experts in certain cities on Homes.com. Lead Concierge allows Smith to separate good leads from ones that could ultimately be a waste of time.

“All three of these products work well for helping me grow my brand,” says Smith. “Lead Concierge is not only great with helping to sort through the leads that are generated

by Homes.com, but I can also set it up to review leads that are generated from all of my sources. This saves me countless hours of what could be wasted time sorting out false leads.”

While the benefits associated with working with Homes.com are numerous, Smith points to the connections he is able to make with potential clients as the most significant. In fact, he’s seeing real results by working with Homes.com as the company regularly feeds him leads that manifest into clients, including one that led to a recent closing.

Initiated via email, a prospect recently reached out to Smith, letting him know that she was looking to move to the Charlotte area from New England. She and her husband told him exactly what they were looking for, and he was able to find several great options for them. “[We] worked together to narrow down their choices, first with virtual showings before they came down, then we did the last few in-person,” says Smith. “Once they found the one that was right for them, we made an offer, and it was accepted. I still keep in contact with them, and they are always sharing with me the ways in which they’re setting up their new home.”

As Smith continues to watch his business expand thanks to Homes.com, he has nothing but great things to say about both the company and his working relationship with his main contact, Amber. No matter what, Smith knows he can always contact her if an issue arises…and she’ll help him right on the spot.

For more information, please visit https://marketing.homes.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 57

GROWING WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE How NextHome Continues to Reshape Real Estate

by Paige Tepping

“NextHomies” with NextHome Excellence in Sarasota, Fla., pose with mascot Luke.

58 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

NextHome Connect clients smile on closing day in Shreveport, La.

I

n a year when business has been anything but usual, NextHome leaned into its “humans over houses” philosophy to rally its members and help them stay the course and

serve their communities. With a deep tech stack and a newly launched luxury division, NextHome is steadily advancing on its impressive growth trajectory, despite the challenges 2020 has presented. Here, Vice President of Sales, Charis Moreno, explains what’s behind the drive that keeps NextHome moving forward.

Paige Tepping: What has been NextHome’s focus this year?

Charis Moreno: NextHome remains hyper-focused on the client, the connections we make and the emotions we spark at every engagement with our brand. When you listen to the human beings in the transaction, the ability to be nimble in your marketing, offering and overall strategy comes naturally.

This year has been anything but “business as usual” as many of us expected earlier in 2020. When the pandemic hit, a lot of organizations and leaders retreated, hunkered down and cut staff—not because they wanted to, but because they are human, and it was a natural response. The NextHome leadership team took the opposite approach.

Our CEO, CSO and VP spent weeks calling every owner in our company to check in and listen to what they

needed. We hosted nearly 60 webinars in the first two months of the pandemic, connecting with our members and encouraging them to be the voice in their communities.

With our annual in-person conference cancelled, we organized a six-week virtual event like no other, with incredible speakers and content that offered actionable items that our members could put into practice immediately. Our mindset of putting “Humans Over Houses” took on an entirely new meaning with “NextHomies” across the country rolling up their sleeves, organizing food drives, sewing thousands of face masks, providing clothing for those in need, and more. When you put people first, you create a genuine connection far beyond the transaction, and it transcends the value we bring daily in our communities as real estate professionals.

Vice President of Sales, Charis Moreno, addresses members during NextHome’s annual conference.

PT: How have you been able to provide such value and keep humans at the center of it all?

CM: We dug deep and found ways to ensure that our members could build an even stronger value proposition in an increasingly virtual world.

Earlier this year, our leadership team secured deeper partnerships with companies like Matterport, BoxBrownie, Be.Live and Studeo in an effort to give our agents and brokers a modern way to tell the story of the home. Owning a home is a feeling, and in real estate, we rely heavily on visual content that evokes all the emotions associated with an event of such magnitude. We recognize that every home and every community is unique. Through our integration with Studeo, our members can now make the story of each distinct property come alive through more than photos and text. Videos and 3D tours come together with the sounds of crackling fires, sizzling food, or kids laughing and jumping in the pool to engage potential buyers on a much deeper level. These digital storybooks humanize the experience of buying your next home in a way no other product has ever done. To be the first real estate franchise to launch and include this product on a mass scale for all of our members and their clients

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 59

is just another example of how NextHome continues to innovate and elevate in a time when our industry needs it most.

PT: Sounds like you invest heavily in your tech stack. Is that what drives your growth, surpassing 500 offices and 4,000 members in just six years?

CM: Our growth stems from two key elements. The first, simply put, is the people. Better put, the right people. That additional word marks the difference between growing a good company and growing a great company. The most empowering word in our language is the word “no,” and we use this word often when we discuss franchising opportunities with prospective brokers and agents. As a mother of two teenage daughters, the word “no” comes naturally to me. We’re not looking to bring in everyone, and we think most people respect that. Oftentimes, when you ask a franchisor or an owner to tell you about their company and business, the response goes to their place in the market, the size of their offices, their agent count, etc. Answers like these make us pause, because when we translate our company into numbers, it immediately removes the human aspect and injects arrogance and chest pounding—which then carries into your brand, your message and your culture. While metrics are important in some conversations, we don’t find them important when it comes to the overall success of NextHome.

At the end of the day, you can have the best marketing, technology, and integrated systems and tools, but if you don’t have the right people, the rest doesn’t even matter.

The second driving force behind our success is flexibility. NextHome’s model enables owners and brokers to be nimble. Since the inception of NextHome, we have recognized that more productive agents spend less time in the office. Thus, offering 60 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

NextHome partners with Studeo to deliver real estate storytelling for the modern age.

“Our growth stems from two key elements.

The first, simply put, is the people.”

– CHARIS MORENO VP of Sales, NextHome

the option of less square footage, or even a virtual or shared space, translates to lower overhead for our owners. The modern brokerage is not an abnormally large office with a sea of empty desks and closed office doors—that’s the opposite of a community-driven, people-first business. When the pandemic hit and created a virtual world for everyone almost overnight, NextHome owners were already ahead of the game. We already had the tools, systems and support in place to allow them, their agents and their clients to transition to this virtual world seamlessly.

This has given us the confidence to lead strongly, and not only just survive, but thrive, in this season.

NextHome has added more new franchisees during the pandemic compared to the same period last year.

PT: You recently launched a luxury brand. What made you pursue this tier of the market, and why launch it now?

CM: Our desire to reinvent, or rediscover, what it means to be a luxury real estate brand comes from the same place where we created NextHome. We saw a need for higher standards, a new benchmark for how luxury real estate is represented, marketed and sold. The Casan Collection is specially designed for properties in the top 10 percent of the market...any market.

We surveyed the industry, researching how others serve this top tier. It’s far too common for brands to create a luxury division by slightly altering their company colors, adding a few keywords to their messaging and stopping there. Affluent buyers and sellers crave something unique, an experience that tailors to their distinct needs and expectations. We once again worked with Pentagram, one of the world’s leading design firms, and collaborated on an all-new brand identity that would meet the standards of elite buyers and sellers.

In order to gain access to the collection, Casan agents are certified in luxury real estate through the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing. What’s more, each Casan listing observes high marketing standards that are strictly monitored.

It’s about gaining the trust of the luxury client by showing them our commitment to excellence. Professional photography and 3D home tours, floor plans, expert staging on vacant homes, digital storybooks, global listing syndication to toptier media outlets such as duPont REGISTRY, The New York Times, Mansion Global, Robb Report, The Wall Street Journal—all of this and more is guaranteed on every single Casan listing.

As far as the timing of this new luxury brand, I do believe that waiting for the perfect time to do anything will cause hesitation that can cripple you or your company. All of us are spending more time at home right now—the pandemic doesn’t minimize the desire for more comfort, more security, certain experiences and lifestyles. Timing plays a huge part in the success and failure of most anything in life. With Casan, we saw an opportunity and we seized it.

PT: Following the successful launch of the luxury brand, what does the future hold for NextHome?

CM: We recognize the real estate experience is constantly changing— we embrace it and accept it. It’s the only way to raise the bar. We need to lead the change we wish to see, and NextHome does that with every new office we bring on, every owner we entrust with our brand and our culture of accountability.

We don’t strive to be the biggest or to have the highest agent count—our vision is to grow with the right people who will value the production per agent more than the number of agents per square foot. Based on a report by T3 Sixty,

NextHome is in the top 10 real estate brands of highest production per agent, and that was achieved in just six short years. This is a huge focus for us and we continue to pour resources into this area, from our 12-week training program called “Day One” to our partnership with the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), where we offer Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) and Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) designation courses to our members virtually.

Securing a ranking on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing independently owned companies in the U.S. for the second year in a row has been very humbling, and it speaks volumes about the leadership of our company. We’re most proud of the recognition given to us by Franchise Business Review,

naming us the No. 3 top franchise in the country and No. 1 in the real estate category for 2020, as well as a top franchise for women and for minorities.

So, what do these and other achievements have to do with what’s next for NextHome? Everything. We must maintain the level of service that continues to exceed the expectations of our members.

We will continue to seek and partner with vendors who share our values and principles. Most importantly, we will continue to listen to those we serve and ignore the noise around us so we can stay true to our mission of “enriching lives by helping people find their next home.”

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

An agent with NextHome Element Realty in Simi Valley proudly represents the Casan Collection.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 61

HOMETEAM INSPECTION SERVICE. ACCURACY THAT TURNS FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS INTO LIFELONG CLIENTS. What if you looked at the home inspection phase as an opportunity rather than a hurdle? What if you had a team of expert inspectors who understood what’s at stake? And what if the report they provided contained information that was not only accurate and thorough, but was written in a way that added value to your client relationship? This isn’t a what-if scenario. It’s simply a question of when you decide to make HomeTeam part of your team.

We’re more than inspectors. We’re relationship builders.

844.HomeTeam | hometeam.com FAST

TRUSTED

ACCURATE

Each office is independently owned and operated. ©2020 The HomeTeam Inspection Service, Inc. All rights reserved.

Are You Targeting First-Time Sellers? Here’s Why You Should Be Commentary by Lane Hornung

$459,899 $450,999 $445,000

R

eal estate agents are well-acquainted with the firsttime homebuyer market. But did you realize that nearly one in three sellers are first-time sellers? Or that the overwhelming majority (88 percent) of sellers aged 22 - 29 are first-time sellers?

Millennials are not just driving the home-buying market; they are also a crucial new selling demographic, according to research from the National Association of REALTORS®(NAR).

Here’s the challenge (and opportunity) you face: NAR says that 77 percent of first-time sellers did not use the agent who sold them their first home. That’s a lot of real estate orphans that are up for grabs.

It’s not that these orphans are moving far away. Sixty-three percent are moving within their state, and the total average distance moved is just 20 miles.

The good news is that millennials still want agents. Younger sellers are most likely to use a real estate agent. In fact, 94 percent of sellers aged 22 - 29 sold their home using

an agent—more than any other age group.

But according to industry research, millennials want to work with a younger, more tech-savvy agent. The Houston Association of REALTORS®’ “Millennial Survey” shows that nearly half of the agents that millennials use are younger than 40. Almost all millennials rely on texting for communication (92 percent) and expect a real-time response in 30 minutes or less.

First-Time Sellers Want a Modern Agent Conventional wisdom has been that millennials are not yet ready to buy.

Guess what? Millennials are more than ready to buy and sell!

But first-time sellers want a mod-

ern agent who can provide them with all of the options available today. They want to see an iBuyer offer. They want to know how a bridge solution could help them buy before selling their home. And they want to see how much they could net if they sold their home on the open market.

That’s what zavvie is providing to brokerages today: an all-options selling platform that keeps the agent at the center of every transaction, whether iBuyer, bridge or open market.

First-time sellers get the best of both worlds: a trusted real estate expert to represent their interests first, encompassing all of their sales options. Agents remain connected to their client (no more orphans) and get paid commission on any selling option their client chooses.

A Multibillion-Dollar Opportunity If you want to win, you have to be in the game, and you have to know what plays to run. You can’t win by disparaging the new ways to sell, like iBuyer and bridge. These are the modern plays, and collectively, they’re a multibillion-dollar opportunity. You have a home-court advantage with your clients. If you take your ball and go home, you are throwing away this advantage and this opportunity.

First-time sellers want to work with you. Be the modern agent who can show them all of the selling options available today. They may not remember the name of the company that bought their home, but they will remember yours.

If you don’t have all the selling options right now, tell your broker to contact zavvie. RE Lane Hornung is CEO and co-founder of zavvie, a complete platform offering all selling options for real estate brokerages, and is CEO/founder of Colorado-based 8z Real Estate, one of the nation’s most successful brokerages.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 63

4 Ways You Can Use Tech to Build Real Relationships

No. 2 - Let Your Positivity Shine Through on Social Many blame social media for spreading negativity. True or not, you can be a source of light and positivity that shines through on your social accounts. People want to engage with positive messages, memorable quotes and photos of happy people, especially happy homebuyers. In general, we like to surround ourselves with positive people, and you’ll build many relationships sharing good energy all the way around.

by the Experts at Realty ONE Group

A

t times, people have wanted to pit technology against more personal and more human forms of communication. But one thing the COVID pandemic has emphasized is that technology truly enhances communication, bridging distances and bringing people together.

In fact, many of us have built deep, impactful relationships that began with a connection online, whether it was via an app or another tech platform. And, if that’s the case, as real estate professionals, we have to know that using technology to communicate with our clients can lead to repeat and referral business… and for agents who use it correctly, a significant amount of business.

Here are four ways you can use technology to build tried-and-true relationships.

No. 1 - Use Video So They See Your Face A Harvard Business Review (HBR)

that you care enough to give of your time—and that the relationship matters to you.

study revealed that face-to-face requests that you make of someone are 34 times more successful than an email with text. Surveys HBR conducted suggested that “nonverbal cues requesters conveyed during a face-to-face interaction made all the difference in how people viewed the legitimacy of ‘their’ requests.”

During the pandemic especially, we are limited in the amount of time we can spend face-to-face with past, current and prospective clients. The next best thing? Video. Video conveys the familiarity of your face, the confidence you have in your experience to do the job and the passion you have for that job. It also shows

No. 3 - Engage With Authenticity Interaction is key in attracting new buyers and sellers and keeping your previous clients engaged. Real estate coaches and experts agree that social networks are terrific for staying in front of your sphere, as long as the engagement is honest and authentic. If you time-block your day, you’ll want to account for this activity, and the results at the end of the year may amaze you. Not only that, but you’ll find yourself truly involved in people’s lives, sharing support when it’s needed and celebrating major milestones.

No. 4 - Be Yourself You’re an exceptional real estate professional, but you’re also a human being, and at the end of the day, that’s what really matters. Video, social networks and other apps and technology often have a way for your personality to come through, so be sure to use them. RE Realty ONE Group offers timely and essential coaching and education to its more than 14,000 real estate professionals in the U.S. and Canada, helping to build the global brand while focusing on your personal success with the right technology. To find out more, visit https://join.realtyonegroup.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 65

Empowering Real Estate Professionals

by RISMedia Staff

CRS Data’s MLS Tax Suite enhancements benefit real estate professionals across the board

CRS Data’s prospecting tool in the MLS Tax Suite

C

hange should be inevitable, especially when it comes to technology. But when a critical piece of software that’s used across an entire organization undergoes significant updates, it can be a challenge for both users and the organization.

Prospecting in a Pandemic

Prospecting tools are an essential part of a REALTOR’S® arsenal, and that’s been especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Business is changing and everything’s online, and that goes for prospecting,” says Tovar. “Some agents would previously meet prospective clients over coffee, but right now, that’s not really an option.”

So how can MLSs and REALTOR® AssociaFortunately, the streamlined changes that CRS tions stay on top of software changes and Data made to their prospecting feature in the ensure that their members benefit from MLS Tax Suite made the tool easier to use, and, important new product enhancements? We according to Tovar, their members have benefited talked to Dezmarie Tovar, MLS operations from the upgrades. manager at the Fresno Association of REAL“The updates have been very helpful in making TORS®, to find out.

Tovar the tool a lot more seamless. It’s just so much more Fresno’s property data and tax solution, CRS convenient for our members.”

Data’s MLS Tax Suite, recently overhauled its prospecting tool—in the middle of a pandemic, no less. The Helping Members Adapt to Change changes were innovative and impactful, and the com- Aside from larger updates, like to the prospecting tool, pany wanted to ensure that the upgrade was seamless CRS Data’s MLS Tax Suite undergoes updates throughfor users. Here’s how they worked with the Fresno Asso- out the year. “Our product update approach is strategic,” ciation of REALTORS® to optimize the transition for their says Kari Autry, CRS Data’s director of product and marmembership. keting. “We take into account that our MLS and associa-

66 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

tion partners would prefer incremental improvement over a complete product overhaul every few years.”

When updates occur, organizations need to keep their members in the loop. For the Fresno Association of REALTORS®, this comes in the form of online training, and they look to their partners for support. The association is currently offering training sessions in partnership with CRS Data.

Fresno also leans on CRS Data’s expansive library of tutorial videos, which are all easily available in the product and on Vimeo. “When we converted to CRS Data’s MLS Tax Suite from another product, those tutorials were my best friend,” says Tovar. “They helped me learn the product, and every single aspect of what CRS Data has to offer. With the membership, if they have a question on how to do something specific, our answer is always, ‘Oh, there’s a tutorial for that.’ So they’re very helpful.

The short and concise nature of the videos is such a positive.”

How Updates Can Keep Members Engaged Some software changes can intimidate users—they overly complicate things or change a program so radically that it drives users away. But when an update is done right, it can actually keep users interested in a product.

“In the past, we’ve had a lot of the same products for a while,” says Tovar, “so when members get in their groove of using a certain feature within a product, when it’s enhanced or colors or font sizes change, I think it’s keeping the flame alive. It does increase interest.”

Product enhancements create an opportunity for membership outreach as well. “It’s really helpful for us in regard to keeping the membership interested,” says Tovar.

“We can say, ‘Hey, these are your member benefits. And these are the enhancements they’re working on diligently to improve the product and make it more user-friendly.’

There’s been excitement and a positive response to the changes.”

“No matter the update, we will customize our training and correspondence for the MLS. We are always thinking about making the life of our end-user more enjoyable,”

says Autry. “Our commitment to innovation comes to life in a product that is simple to use, elegant in aesthetic and empowering for agents across the U.S.”

Centering Customer Feedback CRS Data’s MLS Tax Suite is thoughtfully updated in a way that adds to the customer experience. A huge part of making a product that’s easy and enjoyable to use is listening to customer feedback; therefore, customers are invited to weigh in throughout the year.

“Our customers and users are our No. 1 source for product innovation and new enhancement ideas,” says Autry. “We bring ideas back to the team from training sessions, Help Desk calls and one-on-one meetings that we hold regularly. Listening to our customers is our greatest asset as a team and speaks volumes about our culture.”

Tovar backs up this statement. “CRS Data is always reaching out: What can we do better? What do you love most? I had the opportunity to attend their retreat earlier this year. The main goal of that retreat was to get together the staff and executives of various MLSs and associations with CRS Data staff. We put our heads together to ask, what is the product like now? In the future, what could be done to continuously update and continuously make the product better?”

However, for Tovar, the No. 1 way that CRS Data listens to its customers is through its customer support. “In the event that we or a member has any questions or needs some clarification, the support is there,” says Tovar.

“We’re never without an answer. We’re always getting responded to as well as getting updates. Compared to our product before, that was just nonexistent. This has been a great change as far as support and user friendliness.”

“It reminds me of great hospitality. Even though we’re all virtual—we only talk on the phone and through email—you can feel CRS Data’s willingness to help, the team’s willingness to be there and make it right, and improve as they can.” RE To learn more about CRS Data’s MLS Tax Suite, please visit CRSData.com.

Offices and Broker Splits: 2 Things That Need to End A Q&A WITH FATHOM REALTY CEO JOSH HARLEY

H

ere, Josh Harley—founder and chairman of Fathom Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: FTHM), as well as a Marine Corps Veteran and advocate for servant leadership and placing others first—shares his thoughts on why he believes both offices and big commission splits need to end. that disagree?

Real Estate magazine: Why JH: We’ve been operating do you believe both offices and big commission splits need to virtually, without offices, end? for 10 years. When the Josh Harley: They go hand pandemic hit, a lot of our in hand. Most brokerages competitors scrambled to struggle to pay the bills due figure out how to operate virHarley to high overhead costs. Retually. We didn’t skip a beat. move that huge expense, and now, I’d argue that offices are the biggest brokerages can be profitable while expense for most brokerages, and also passing some of those sav- since we didn’t have that cost weighings to agents. It’s a win-win for both ing us down, we remained financially brokerage and agent. With commis- healthy throughout the pandemic. sions being squeezed from every Many people wrongly assume direction, it’s time for a change that that being virtual means no support helps the agents win. High tide floats or personal interaction with other all boats. When the agents win, the agents. You don’t need offices to brokerage wins. bring agents together physically, and that’s something we did on a regular RE: You stated that offices need to go basis before the pandemic. A strong away. What do you say to brokerages culture is key to longevity regardless

of whether you have an office.

Agents used to argue that their brokerage needed to have a local office, but then they rarely went.

Almost every agent has a home office of some sort, and they’ve realized that they don’t need a brokerage office.

Many brokerages have a great business and are highly respected, but they’re suffering financially.

Without the cost of offices, these brokerages could be very profitable, but for some reason, they just can’t let it go. I believe that this pandemic is beginning to open their eyes to that reality. You can choose to survive or thrive, and the office may be the differentiator.

RE: You’re a big advocate for agents keeping more of their commissions. How does that help agents?

JH: There are only two ways for an agent to make more money: increase revenue or decrease costs. By allowing agents to keep 100 percent of their commissions, minus a small flat transaction fee, agents are able to make more money both ways. An agent’s biggest expense is typically the split with a broker.

By keeping more of the commission on each sale, agents reduce their costs and thereby make more money. The average savings for agents joining Fathom is more than $12,000. More importantly, increasing their income gives them more money to reinvest in marketing. If they reinvest that $12,000 into marketing and ultimately close more sales, we’re potentially talking about an additional $100,000 or more in income. That can be life-changing. If agents want to make more money, it’s time to look closely at what’s preventing them from keeping more, investing more and earning more. RE For more information, please visit www.FathomCareers.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 69

REALTORS® Insurance Place Helps NAR Members Navigate Healthcare Options During Open Enrollment and Beyond by the National Association of REALTORS®’ REALTOR Benefits® Program Team

H

ealth insurance options have become ever more complex, and, particularly for the self-employed, this has made choosing the right coverage increasingly challenging and time-consuming.

The National Association of REALTORS®(NAR) developed REALTORS® Insurance Place as a resource for its members to address these issues; it’s a place for trusted advice and access to an array of coverage options, with competitively priced plans from top-rated insurance companies and providers.

Does the name sound familiar?

Originally introduced as REALTORS® Insurance Marketplace, the newly re-named REALTORS® Insurance Place better reflects the ever-grow70 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ing menu of exclusive insurance products and creative coverage solutions available to NAR members and their families. And, it makes clear that plan options are in no way limited to ACA Marketplace plans.

Here, NAR members will find health, dental and vision coverage, plus telemedicine and a variety of wellness solutions—all with unique benefits for REALTORS®. Members will find plans for all stages of life, and even an offering that extends to their pets!

No matter what a member’s unique needs may be, licensed benefit specialists are available to help navigate their options and identify cost-savings strategies.

REALTORS® Insurance Place is made available through NAR’s REALTOR Benefits® Program and is administered by SASid (Smart And Simple Insurance Development), Inc., a trusted, long-term NAR partner.

REALTORS®who want to learn more about this member resource can visit REALTORSInsurancePlace.com or call 1-877-267-3752.

Open Enrollment Season: Get Started Early, Find Help During open enrollment season—in full swing right now—it’s vital to get an early start and rely on trusted advice to make informed decisions about healthcare plans.

Mark the following dates: • Medicare Open Enrollment is Oct. 15 - Dec. 7, 2020 • Major Medical Open Enrollment is Nov. 1 - Dec. 15, 2020

Through REALTORS® Insurance Place, NAR members have access to the private Members Health Insurance Exchange, offering ACA plans from top-rated insurance carriers. Here, it’s easy for members to consider multiple options. Once they’ve explored the qualified health plan options available through the Exchange, it’s then simple to crosscompare plan solutions with the supplementary and alternative coverage options available. Layering of select plans is an option members might consider if breadth of coverage and cost is a concern.

Members also have access to the private Members Medicare Exchange, which provides access to supplemental Medicare insurance options.

No matter what kind of coverage is needed, free personal assistance in navigating the exchanges is a key member benefit: benefit specialists provide expert guidance via phone to help NAR members choose the policies that best fit their needs.

TeleHealth: Trustworthy Health Advice, Delivered Safely and Conveniently This is the year to embrace virtual health care. Members TeleHealth provides an efficient, cost-effective way to address non-emergency medical conditions, when and where you need it.

This innovative health coverage solution gives NAR members access to MDLIVE, a leading telemedicine provider. MDLIVE’s network of more than 2,300 U.S. state-licensed and board-certified physicians is accessible 24/7/365 by phone, web chat or email.

Telemedicine has become a popular alternative to traditional in-person doctor’s appointments or emergency room visits. According to a recent report, “Telehealth— A Technology-Based Weapon in the War Against the Coronavirus,

2020,” by research firm Frost and Sullivan, “demand for telehealth is steadily rising and is expected to soar during the next five years.”

Originally introduced as REALTORS® Insurance Marketplace, the newly re-named REALTORS® Insurance Place better reflects the ever-growing menu of exclusive insurance products and creative coverage solutions available to NAR members and their families.

Members Telehealth is offered as a monthly subscription service and is an appealing option for NAR members looking for trustworthy health advice with flexibility and affordability. Members receive a discounted monthly group rate of $7, which covers members and their immediate family members. Through NAR’s program, the enrollment fee is also waived, and the monthly payment covers unlimited consultations and no copay.

One NAR member who used TeleHealth twice in one month said, “I got immediate relief and avoided the outrageous costs and inconvenience of using urgent care. My insurance deductible is $6,700, and without MDLIVE, I probably would’ve delayed treatment. It was a lifesaver.”

Flexible Term Health Plans NAR members who miss open enrollment, or wish to explore major medical alternatives to ACA health plans, may wish to explore flexible term health plans.

These plans, often called shortterm plans, feature a limited coverage period that ranges from 30 days to 364 days. They are designed to bridge coverage gaps or provide primary coverage for an extended time.

Flexible Term Health Insurance works particularly well for those facing unique circumstances: Some may need coverage for a college student, others may be awaiting the start of open enrollment, and still others may want alternatives to COBRA- or ACA-qualified plans.

Highlights of Flexible Term Health Insurance: • Typically less expensive than traditional individual major medical plans • Qualification for coverage consists of answering only a few questions • Next-day coverage available, if approved • Select a specific number of days for coverage or choose a monthly plan option • Many plan designs available (patient selects deductibles and coinsurance options) • Freedom to choose any provider (any doctor, hospital, specialty) More information about Flexible Term Health Plans and Members Telehealth can be found at REALTORSInsurancePlace.com. RE The REALTOR Benefits® Program is the exclusive member benefits program of the National Association of REALTORS®, bringing savings and special offers just for NAR members. In one year, more than 800,000 REALTORS® gained an edge by leveraging at least one REALTOR Benefits® Program offering, saving $74 million on member benefits from industryleading companies. Program partners are carefully selected and understand the unique needs of real estate professionals. Learn more and save by visiting NAR.realtor/RealtorBenefits.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 71

Consistently Innovative.

Be Empowered by Your Property Data.

Continuous Product Enhancements

30 Years Perfecting Our Tax Data Features

Consistent product enhancements set our MLS Tax Suite apart. Our platform offers beautiful property reports, prospecting tools, neighborhood comparables and

All the Tools You Need (No Upselling)

extensive mapping layers. We listen to our customers across the U.S. to guide our product innovation, and then deliver with personable customer support.

Ask Us Anything: Our team will tell you exactly where your data is coming from and how we keep it updated.

Innovative Customization Options

Comparables Include MLS and Off Market Sales

LET’S START A CONVERSATION Rob Williamson

Nikki Morgan

864. 431. 8289 rwilliamson@crsdata.com

336. 965. 9597 nmorgan@crsdata.com

Meet with us for a virtual coffee.

CRSDATA.COM

Working Effectively With Virtual Assistants and Remote Employees Commentary by Daniel Ramsey

W

hile 2020 is the year of adapting quickly to online operations, are business owners aware of what it takes to lead a productive and effective remote workspace? Here, learn how to work well with a virtual assistant (VA) or virtual team.

Questions to consider: • Do I have a system and process in place?

• Is there effective training provided for those systems and processes?

• Do I have the right person and talent?

Training Methodology I believe in what I like to call “compound leverage.” Think of it as a 30x training rule for maximum return on investment. If it takes five minutes per day to complete one task, multiply that time by 30 days. This calculation is the time you need to spend to train on this task—150 minutes.

The ROI for your time spent is up

to 733 percent. Your assistant now assumes this task for five minutes over 250 workdays, or 1,250 minutes a year!

People take between three and six months to really learn the job.

It’s important to be patient, not penalize and keep supporting. Realize that everybody has a different time frame to learn, and once they know it, you’ll get compound leverage—a job you’ve delegated and never need to take back.

Integrating Remote Workers and Virtual Assistants Into Your Existing Operation Assign a primary person of contact for your new remote workers. This

person, preferably someone in the company that is not their direct boss, is responsible for maintaining frequent communication with them and being a buddy. This ensures that you are not unknowingly alienating your virtual assistant and remote workers.

When integrating your VA, make sure they have access to a local phone number for calls and SMS. Use a VoIP service so that their work number is the same as your locale. Equip them with their own company email and some company swag to foster inclusion.

As the supervisor, conducting training via video is important for the face-to-face conversation.

Have weekly meetings to set goals together and find out their needs, including the resources that can drive their success. A great leader will follow up consistently with questions like, “Do you need any support or resources before you do this week’s tasks?”

Envisioning a New Reality for Your Business Simply put, virtual assistant providers such as MyOutDesk equip entrepreneurs and business owners with tools, strategies and virtual employees. And, when combined, businesses have a competitive edge and find growth while efficient systems and processes are put in place. RE After several years of working in the real estate industry, Daniel Ramsey—founder and CEO of MyOutDesk—realized that REALTORS® spend too much time doing tasks that are necessary but highly administrative, routine and time-consuming. In 2008, he founded MyOutDesk with a vision to provide REALTORS® with indispensable leverage through real estate virtual professionals to aid them in regaining time and freedom and have the ability to grow their business, all while reducing costs. To learn more, please visit www.myoutdesk.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 73

Newly Launched Rocket Pro Insight to Provide Greater Visibility Into the Loan Process by Paige Tepping SM

O

n the heels of the successful launch of Rocket ProSM Insight last month, we had the opportunity to sit down with Rob Costello, Rocket Mortgage® director of Digital Product Management, for an in-depth look into the new tool.

Rob Costello

74 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Paige Tepping: Please provide a brief overview of your history in the industry and how you ended up where you are today at Rocket Mortgage®.

Rob Costello: I’ve been with Rocket Mortgage® for seven and a half years. Most of my career has been focused on improving our internal

loan process from end to end, beginning with how we originate the loan all the way through to how it’s serviced. We have also spent a lot of time looking at how we service clients and brainstorming ways to make the process more seamless for them. Before transitioning over to product strategy, I was heavily

involved with researching the internal process surrounding how we originate loans and the services we offer to support our clients.

PT: What is Rocket ProSM Insight?

RC: Rocket ProSM Insight allows real estate agents 24/7 visibility into all of their clients’ loans with us, easing the process for everyone involved. With access to a host of functions, beginning with a seamless sign-on process once an account has been created, Rocket ProSM Insight provides full transparency into what is going on with a client’s mortgage transaction. Not only does this allow real estate professionals to stay in tune every step of the way, but it also cuts out the middleman as they no longer have to ask us where things stand at any given time.

PT: What was the ultimate motivation behind the creation of Rocket ProSM Insight?

RC: The ultimate motivation behind the creation of Rocket ProSM Insight was our desire to constantly improve the client experience. We understand the different audiences we interact with—as well as their expected needs—and given that real estate agents are a critical piece of the mortgage process, we knew there was more we could do.

To that end, we decided to extend our toolset to them. Not only has this made them feel like a firstclass part of the process, but it has also proven that we are committed to serving their needs just as much as we serve the needs of our clients. The research we conducted enabled us to prioritize the biggest value drivers that would satisfy the needs of agents by providing a realtime portal that gives complete visibility into how clients are progressing through the process.

PT: Why is this an important product for real estate agents?

RC: If there’s one thing we understand, it’s that real estate agents have a lot invested in the transaction—and they are an influential part of the process. More often than not, they are the ones speaking with the client more than the loan officer. They are also accompanying clients on showings and

“Rocket ProSM Insight allows real estate agents 24/7 visibility into all of their clients’ loans with us, easing the process for everyone involved.”

– ROB COSTELLO Director, Digital Product Management, Rocket Mortgage®

sharing information about different listings, so anything we can do to make the process better for them—and avoid any possible headaches—is beneficial. It’s all about making the process smoother for the agent so it’s smoother for the homebuyer. We want the home financing process to be seamless for buyers, and by providing full transparency and eliminating breakdowns in communication, we’re ensuring that everyone is always on the same page.

PT: What will Rocket ProSM Insight provide to real estate agents?

RC: Rocket ProSM Insight provides agents up-to-the-minute details about the loan, its structure, anticipated closing dates and the status of any items that are still being worked on. Agents can also check

the status of a client’s mortgage approval letter, modify the approval amount—within their approved range—and upload documentation they get from the client directly into the system. Additionally, agents can refer their clients to a specific mortgage banker they have a solid working relationship with.

PT: How does this functionality make their lives easier?

RC: During our time spent researching, we went through the entire buying process and were reminded of the fact that the standard agent’s working hours don’t fit into a neat little box where all the stars align.

Given the current market, agents and their clients are looking to move quickly, so Rocket ProSM Insight’s ease of use and constant availability is critical when it comes to making the lives of agents easier in today’s competitive environment.

PT: In what ways will Rocket ProSM Insight set Rocket Mortgage® apart from the competition?

RC: The launch of Rocket ProSM Insight will show our commitment when we say that we care about the agent’s experience just as much as we care about the experience we’re providing to homebuyers. We’ve created a platform that will allow us to continue to add new features we might not have considered yet.

As the future unfolds, we’ll be looking into other places where we can provide value so that agents have everything they could ever want. RE The above article is sponsored content.

For more information, please visit RocketPro.com/RealEstate.

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

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 75

Conducting Real Estate in a Digital World

by Jameson Doris

How ShelterZoom’s DocuWalk platform helps agents close deals without the need for in-person meetings

“W

hen we started building DocuWalk two years ago, we had no idea a global pandemic would be our first test straight out of the market, but it has proven an invaluable way to learn exactly what agents need to succeed for alldigital transactions,” says Allen Alishahi, co-founder of DocuWalk, and 30-year real estate veteran as the founding broker of Cyrus Charter real estate brokerage.

DocuWalk is a blockchain-based platform that builds on the concept of any of the existing online document software options already out there, bringing several other crucial tools into the same system. Users can complete everything from creating documents, drafting contracts, virtually negotiating and discussing details, and messaging clients all the 76 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

way to acknowledging or signing contracts with secure e-Signatures on this paper-free, fully digital platform.

If there is ever a need to print out a paper copy, the option to download any part of a file is always available.

All of this takes place on a blockchain platform, which is quickly becoming the new standard for security in the online world. Users of the

platform don’t need to know anything about blockchain; they can just be assured it is quietly working away, keeping everything safe and secure.

Steve Caro, broker/owner at Exit Realty Liberty Homes, has been using DocuWalk for several months across numerous transactions and is transitioning his agents to use it with their buyers and sellers as well.

Based on Staten Island, N.Y., his team had to adapt quickly after the state’s shelter-in-place orders were announced early in the pandemic.

DocuWalk allowed them to carry out real estate transactions in a completely virtual manner with extra layers of security to protect everyone’s private information.

“I love that if there’s a contract with a mistake or change needed, you can do it right there in DocuWalk,” says Caro. “Then I send it to the client, they sign whatever they need to sign, and then we submit it to the attorneys instantly. There’s no reason to scan physical documents anymore. Then the attorneys go into the document and they see that everything is there. It saves so much time. Everything happens instantly.”

Caro adds that DocuWalk also saves money since New York is a state where all the paperwork is required to go through attorneys, so the ones that bill by the hour are no longer spending time organizing paperwork. In addition to accessing all the documents directly in DocuWalk, attorneys and real estate agents don’t need to spend extra time combing through the contracts to make sure nothing has been changed on the sly. “I even showed a couple of attorneys,” says Caro. “‘Look at this,’ I told them. We can have this all done before you even sit down with the buyers.

“It works really well when you’re filling out binders,” continues Caro.

“When we fill out our binders, you may not have one with you, but if you have your phone or your laptop, you can use DocuWalk right there with the client, which is awesome.”

Specifically, Caro cites the Templates option as his most frequently used feature within the DocuWalk system. This option lets the creator of a document create a standardized form with only selected fields available for changes so that the recipient can easily see where they need to provide information. Since the technology makes it so that no other part of the text is able to be changed, besides the fillable fields determined by the agent or broker, Templates prevents anyone from being able to sneak in clauses or deletions in the hopes that the other par-

ties involved in the transaction won’t notice. If needed, the fillable fields in Templates can be turned into dropdown choices so the contract recipient can only choose from predetermined options to complete the text.

Bidding Wars We are facing some of the tightest inventory of the modern real estate era. According to realtor.com®, nearly 400,000 fewer homes were listed during the peak pandemic months in the U.S. compared to the same timeframe one year earlier. Combine this with the announcement from the Federal Reserve that interest rates will stay at their historic lows at least through 2023, and we can see how demand for homebuying is going to stay strong for the foreseeable future. As a result, most markets will see bidding wars becoming even more common than they have been the past few years.

Broker Makrm Holmes of M. Holmes Realty, who manages a team of about half a dozen real estate agents, points out the value of DocuWalk when it comes to winning bidding wars. Using the example of buyers putting in an offer on a property with a short deadline, Holmes explains that with DocuWalk, you can get your offer submitted much more quickly than competing buyers. You can also be sure the listing agent has received it with confirmation and time stamp.

“I think it helps the real estate industry tremendously by doing things in real time. If you make a mistake on a document, you can just fix it within five seconds,” says Holmes, leading to an almost instant turnaround if your clients are rushing to finalize an offer for the seller. The buyer’s agent can send the offer to the listing agent from DocuWalk (even if the listing agent doesn’t have a DocuWalk account) so that it shows up within seconds of being completed.

Holmes adds, “It also reduces a lot of platforms out there into one,” referring to the messaging and e-Signature features within the platform. Any back and forth negotiations between the agents can take place in the Virtual Negotiation Room, which becomes saved as a message history inside the agent’s private DocuWalk account. The next time the agent needs to refer to the documents relating to the sale, they can also look through the messages without having to navigate back and forth between an email account and the files for the documents or contracts.

Agent Recruiting and Retention The pandemic has made many agents consider leaving the profession, putting pressure on brokers to focus more efforts on keeping their current agents as well as actively recruiting more.

While real estate professionals have at times been slow to embrace technology, the pandemic made it clear that as soon as it became necessary to help serve clients, real estate agents were ready to adapt practically overnight. Both Caro and Holmes agree that DocuWalk is one of the tools they will use to recruit and retain agents so they can reduce the amount of administrative tasks that take up so much time.

“It fits into the new technology nowadays, where everyone’s gone paperless,” says Caro. “It is one of the things that helped me recruit and make life easier for agents.” For those considering using DocuWalk, but are hesitant to learn another type of software, Caro adds: “I’m not a tech geek at all. It’s not that hard to learn. Just play with it a few times and you’ll pick it up.” RE

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

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 77

MARKETING SUPPORT FOR YOU AND YOUR AGENTS.

ISN’T THAT

CONVENIENT? THE BEST REAL ESTATE EDUCATION As a partner, our in-house sales team works closely with you to craft the perfect marketing strategy. Give us a call today, and discover how we can achieve your goals together.

TheCEShop.com/Partner | 888.827.0777 Pre-Licensing | Exam Prep | Post-Licensing | CE

Many Sellers Favor ‘Buyer Match’ to iBuyers Commentary by Charles J. Williams IV

H

omeowners are pretty one-track minded when it comes to discussing listing their home for sale. The seller has probably gone to Zillow® and learned about the Zestimate®, but they want the REALTOR® to provide advice on what their home is worth.

Today, the answer to that question has become a lengthier discussion.

First, the agent needs to unpack the Zestimate, explain what an AVM (automated valuation model) is and how it works. Our customers show consumers three AVMs: the Zestimate, the RVM from Realtors Property Resource® and other options like CoreLogic, etc. The presentation of three AVMs is a great way to explain that AVMs don’t buy homes. They are estimates that can vary widely and are determined by factors like the inventory in the area at that price point.

The home value is only exactly determined when a willing seller accepts the offer of a willing buyer.

Over the past few years, consumers have been reading headlines about iBuyers, investors or home flippers that offer a convenient way to sell your home without the headache of listing and then negotiating for the highest possible sale price.

If the seller is working with a REALTOR®, they have probably learned that there is a convenience discount associated with selling their home to an iBuyer. Articles suggest that iBuyers try to buy about 6 percent below market value. Moreover, the agent explains that iBuyers are a small fraction of the buyer pool in the limited number of markets where they operate—and that they tend to stick

to something they call a “buy box.” iBuyers try to buy homes that have the least amount of risk. Because iBuyers avoid risk at all costs, they minimize their exposure by making significantly lower offers in exchange for the quick purchase.

Sellers who want to transact immediately with an iBuyer are those willing to sell low, and whose homes fit into the buy box. But a new theme is emerging with Buyer Match. In September, Buyside’s broker clients launched a national advertising campaign to celebrate National Home Valuation week. It was an incredible success that generated hundreds of listing conversations with potential home sellers. Agents report that because they had registered buyers for the home, sellers were more likely to list traditionally rather than take the iBuyer route.

A product feature in Buyside, many REALTORS® think of Buyer Match as reverse prospecting. By looking at saved searches on agent websites, broker websites and portal websites, Buyside collects the criteria about what homeowners are looking for.

With the Buyer Match tool, the agent can show how many buyers they have for the seller’s home.

Buyer matching is a key trend delivering an excellent solution in a low-inventory market. Right now, many brokers and agents consider it the best listing technology in the market. Sellers prefer to list with a company that already has buyers for their home, getting the most out of the sale by avoiding iBuyers altogether. Visit GetBuyside.com and learn how we turn data into business for our customers. RE Charles Williams is the founder and CEO of Buyside™, the real estate industry’s first buyer marketplace to collect and analyze real-time demand for any home.

For more information, please visit getbuyside.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 79

Strategies for a Successful 2021 Commentary by Travis J. Bailey

A

fter a tumultuous start to the 2020 real estate market, homebuying and -selling prospects have improved dramatically in Q3 and continue to surge as we approach the end of the year. While the housing market continues to face significant hurdles, including an uncertain economy and presidential election, it remains a seller’s market, with a shortage of inventory and strong buyer demand.

According to the Washington Post, record-low mortgage rates have dramatically increased buying pressure even as we enter a traditionally slower buying season. As houses fly off the market due to heavy competition, many brokerages and real estate professionals haven’t had to engage in traditional marketing and sales tactics to achieve their goals.

As we enter Q4 and start planning for Q1 of 2021, it is vital to start thinking about how to incorporate some of the basics back into your company’s prospecting and marketing strategy.

Understand your market While COIVD-19 wreaked havoc on the real estate market earlier in

the year, leading to a substantial decrease in housing demand, there has been a sharp rebound in the market. These types of major reverses often cloud reality as well as future market trends. This is why as we look towards 2021, it is crucial to evaluate and analyze your company’s market, strategy and goals.

Continue to Prospect As history has shown, housing markets will normalize, and your company needs to be ahead of the curve when they do. Bidding wars eventually fade, and savvy marketing plans will replace “coming soon” listing strategies. When there is heavy buyer competition and low inventory, it is more important than ever to not

fall into the “it’s a hot market” routine. Define your market with your company, develop a multi-faceted marketing plan and dedicate time to prospecting. Strengthen your short and long-term sales funnel, while continuing to update current clients and ask for referrals.

More than 60 percent of home sellers use the first agent that takes the initiative and contacts them, according to Zillow research. The market your company serves has a massive number of potential clients, each in a different stage of their life.

By utilizing Cole Information, you can connect with them, offer assistance, develop a relationship and potentially earn new business.

Hyperlocal marketing has always been a concept we have encouraged, and it is even more relevant in the current landscape. Marketing to a specific demographic or localized area based on trigger events, such as new and sold listings or open houses, is an ideal way to become a recognized name in your community. Creating multiple touchpoints in a neighborhood—so when a client is ready to move, it’s your name they remember—should be a driving objective on how to not only document your goals but achieve them.

With Cole Information’s technology platform, brokers and sales professionals can access the data they need to grow their sphere of influence, deliver high-quality inhouse leads, close more transactions, generate additional commission revenue and increase company profitability. RE

Travis J. Bailey is the vice president of Enterprise Sales at Cole Information. For more information, contact him at 973.896.6134/travis.bailey@ coleinformation.com or visit info.coleinformation.com/ strategiesforsuccess RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 81

Transforming Storefronts Into Lead-Generating Machines

by Paige Tepping

Touch Point Systems takes window shopping to a whole new level

Touch Point Systems provides interactive storefront marketing.

A

s the world continues to contend with the effects of COVID-19, real estate companies large and small are pulling out all the stops as they look to deliver the best and most useful information available while offering prospective clients the option for minimal personal contact.

And for those in a convenient location with ample foot traffic, attracting, engaging and connecting with those who are ready to get off the sidelines is more critical than ever before.

But how can real estate companies transform their storefronts into lead-generating machines?

With Touch Point Systems—a leader in interactive storefront marketing technologies—the answer is simple.

“We pioneered the idea of taking real estate offices with a storefront and converting the space into something that provided relevant and up-to-date information while taking advantage of their location in order to draw people into the office,” says company President Chris Naab.

Based in Ann Arbor, Mich., Touch Point Systems has 82 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

been redefining “window shopping” with their interactive WindoVision®storefront marketing displays since 2002.

Prior to connecting with the real estate industry back in 1996, Naab was responsible for developing technology that allowed people to instantly access video previews in video stores.

“From there, we ended up evolving through-glass technology before installing our first interactive storefront information system for our first real estate client,” says Naab.

The rest, as they say, is history.

“It’s an amazing experience when a person can put both their hands on the screen, working through the glass, and gain access to website navigation, Matterport presentations, drone videos and any other form of digital media by simply entering the three-digit number associated with the property they’re interested in,” says Naab.

“People are all about technology,” adds Naab, “and the way in which the software works—and the things that consumers can do with the system—they can’t do anywhere else.”

Today, the advanced user interface, which is branded to the real estate company, provides those passing by

NarTeamStore.realtor/ris the information they need through a simple yet intuitive concept; consumers are drawn in when the storefront is lit up with ultra-bright LED displays, then engaged by an amazing interactive experience.

From there, agents can evaluate buyer behavior from inside the office and simply walk outside to connect with buyers right there on the sidewalk.

“It’s one thing to get people up to the window, but it’s another thing to convert that person who has walked up into a tangible sales lead,” says Naab, who goes on to explain that the system continues to generate leads even when the office is closed.

But it doesn’t end there.

In fact, according to Naab, the exclusivity that comes with installing a Touch Point Systems window display also provides agents a leg up on the competition.

“Agents all have the same set of marketing tools at their disposal,” says Naab. “But with WindoVision®, we offer them an exclusive set of tools they can use while on a listing presentation to explain to sellers exactly what buyers will get if they choose them as their listing agent—and the level of visibility that comes along with it.”

Drilling down even further, the system’s interactive capabilities are also used to promote preferred partners.

“We help our customers establish preferred partner networking groups by hosting wine and cheese events in order to secure sponsorships with lenders, title companies, home inspection companies, etc., to cover the cost of the system,” says Naab.

“We’ve perfected the system, and it’s a great opportunity for them.”

As the future unfolds, it’s looking brighter than ever for Naab and the team at Touch Point Systems.

“We’re always looking at how we can uplift the overall look and feel of the real estate office,” says Naab, who points to the evolution of digital media as the driving force behind it all.

While the system already delivers any form of digital media on-demand, the next piece of the puzzle is a motion sensor that will pick up activity directly in front of it.

If someone walks within a to 2’ x 3’-ft. rectangle in front of the system, it will automatically provide prompting as to what it does next.

“Not only do we understand the real estate consumer, but also, we’ve been evolving how the interface works for the past 18 years…which no one else has been doing,” says Naab.

“In the current COVID-era, people are reluctant when it comes to popping into a real estate office and speaking with an agent in order to get information about their inventory, so this allows them to get the information they’re seeking while adhering to social distancing guidelines,” concludes Naab. RE

Shop the REALTOR Team Store®, the National Association of REALTORS®’ official provider of REALTOR®-logo branded merchandise, for face masks and other personal protective items. Offered through NAR’s Right Tools, Right Now initiative, these items are being sold at-cost to help members. NAR does not make a profit on these items.

MASKS $9.49 each ($8.09 for 10)

$6.99 each ($5.59 for 10)

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

$4.99 each

CMY

($3.99 for 10)

K

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

We also have KN95, Rhinestone and Disposable Masks

PPE Contactless Thermometer $49.99 each

(Two for $39.99 each) One-Year warranty backed by Team Store

Shoe Cover

Sanitizer

Door Pull

PPE Kit

Are you Ready to

Take Action in 2021?

Let ‘Real Estate’s Rocking in the New Year’ Event Lead the Way! This full-day, virtual event—co-presented by RISMedia and the National Association of REALTORS®—will feature more than 70 real estate sales and management experts, including leading brokers and coaches, who will share actionable advice to help you expand your skill set and be better equipped for a successful 2021...no matter what challenges lie ahead!

Featuring:

Brian Buffini, Founder & Chairman, Buffini & Company Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist, National Association of REALTORS®

With Special Guests:

Helen Hanna Casey, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services Dan Forsman, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties Bob Goldberg, National Association of REALTORS® Sherri Johnson, Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting Anthony Lamacchia, Lamacchia Realty Creig Northrop, Northrop Realty Charlie Oppler, National Association of REALTORS®/Prominent Properties Sotheby’s Intl. Realty Joe Rand, Howard Hanna | Rand Realty; Broker Public Portal Todd Sumney, HomeSmart International Verl Workman, Workman Success Systems And 60+ more expert speakers and panelists!

When:

Thurs., Jan. 7, 2021 - 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST RISMedia’s ‘Real Estate’s Rocking in the New Year’ will include two separate tracks for agents and brokers, targeting specific issues and strategies for each group.

For more information, please visit rismedia.com, and get ready to Rock in the New Year with a hands-on action plan!

How Social Media Can Help Recruit Top-Quality Agents by the Experts at Real Estate Express

A

s a broker, you are always on the lookout for that next special real estate agent to join your team. Fortunately, there are inexpensive ways to get the word out that you’re hiring. One of the most effective, and often underused, methods is social media. We talked to Tina Lapp, president of Hondros College, Real Estate Express’ sister school in Ohio, to learn more about how brokers can utilize social media for recruitment.

1. Attract New Talent on Facebook “If your brokerage doesn’t already have a Facebook page, it’s about time you got one,” says Lapp. Having a Facebook page is a great way to promote yourself to potential buyers and attract future employees. “Even if you don’t post regularly to your firm’s page, which you should, merely having a Facebook page opens you up to a wealth of resources.”

Job board Did you know that Facebook has a job board now? They do, and it’s growing in popularity for job seekers and employers alike. You can see what your Facebook job posting will look like on both a desktop and mobile phone before you publish it.

Facebook ads Facebook ads are a great way to get your content seen. Facebook has a robust Business Center where you can find helpful articles and guides to help you get the most bang for your buck.

2. Recruit Seasoned Professionals on LinkedIn When people think of online networking, LinkedIn is often top-ofmind. Lapp asserts, “LinkedIn is so

WE’RE HIRING!

much more than a way to connect with your current and former colleagues; it’s where a lot of people look for work opportunities.” Here are some quick tips for recruiting via LinkedIn: Post a job Just like Facebook, LinkedIn is a great way to get the word out that you are hiring at your brokerage firm. Although you have to pay to post a job to LinkedIn, you only pay when a candidate sees your job post, and you can set the budget for how much you are willing to spend.

Luckily, you don’t have to spend millions to get your ads seen.

There are many ways to advertise on YouTube, but one of the easiest is with overlay ads. You can learn more about YouTube advertising on Google’s support website.

Poach from competitor brokerages Real estate is a competitive business, for both listings and employees. Reaching out to a real estate agent that you know could add value to your team via LinkedIn can be a great way to recruit agents.

“Of course, attracting the right candidates is only the first step,” Lapp concludes. “To get them on board, you need to convince them that your brokerage will help them achieve their career goals. Benefits like mentorship opportunities can make your brokerage stand out from the crowd.” RE

3. Recruit Potential Real Estate Agents on YouTube YouTube is the fasting-growing social media channel in the United States, with 73 percent of adults using it. In many households, YouTube has replaced cable television.

Thanks to inventions like TiVo, the only television ads most people are watching these days are on Superbowl Sunday.

Real Estate Express is one of the nation’s premier online real estate schools, providing pre- and postlicensing courses, continuing education courses, and professional development to hundreds of thousands of real estate agents across the country.

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

Learn more at realestateexpress.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 85

It’s Your Data—You Should Be Able to Use It A case for open APIs in the real estate industry Commentary by Scott Oakley

A

s a real estate brokerage and an agent, you rely heavily on technology—maybe even more than you realize.

How’s this for a quick list? You rely on your MLS and all of its technology vendors to house your data and feed your listings to hundreds of websites to get to consumers’ eyeballs. You store and manage your customers in a CRM. You enter your contracts and lead data into a transaction management system. Then there’s the eSignature platform and the accounting software—and last (at least for now), you probably have a single sign-on to combine all these platforms into one pretty package.

Phew. That’s a lot of tech!

All of this technology is completely dependent on data management. The easier it is to get your data where you want it and how you want it, the easier it is to run your 86 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

business.

Let’s be very clear here. This is your data. These are your customers. You have spent hundreds—if not thousands of dollars—and years to nurture and serve these clients.

When your data goes into a system, it’s still your data, right? Shouldn’t you have access to that data when you want, where you want and at any time you want?

The answer is a profound yes.

These are your clients, and this is your data. Don’t let any technology vendor tell you differently.

Most technology vendors are getting paid by you to help you with your data flow and solve a problem in your business. Maybe you want to tie in a print campaign, a closing gift subscription or a utility concierge service. All of those vendors need your data to automate the experience.

To make this more efficient for you and a more seamless experience for your clients, the industry must embrace open APIs. When you

want your data, it should be there.

You should be able to innovate how you see fit.

MooveGuru is a technology vendor that provides 1,000 brokerages and 60,000 REALTORS® with moving concierge technology. We work with innovative real estate technology favorites like Dotloop, DocuSign, SkySlope, BackAgent, MoxiWorks, appFiles, Profit Power and 40-plus others. All have open integrations with MooveGuru. Why? So, together, we can support your brokerage and agents to innovate and acquire more business.

We support 90 percent of all brokerages in the U.S. For the remaining 10 percent, well, the truth is, there are some technology vendors that still hold your data captive. These companies make choices for your business without your interests in mind. They make data integrations cumbersome based on relationships they have formed to profit on your data.

Trust me, we see it all the time.

More than 100 brokerages that want to work with MooveGuru have to curb their progress because they’re waiting on integrations from existing vendors who are hoarding their data.

So the question I have for the industry is: Why doesn’t every real estate technology vendor have an open API so the brokerage and its REALTORS® are empowered to make decisions to best run their businesses?

As a veteran to the real estate industry, and the founder of several real estate technology companies, this is a question and subject I’m passionate about. I’d love to hear your perspective. Reach me directly at soakley@mooveguru.com. RE

Scott Oakley is founder and CEO of MooveGuru. For more information, please visit www.mooveguru.com.

2 Trends From 2020 That Will Carry Over Into Next Year Commentary by Allen Alishahi

T

his has been a year of upheaval for real estate, but now that we are nearing the end of 2020, we can look back and see how we made it through after adapting quickly and becoming more flexible in how we do business.

Looking ahead, I see two trends that emerged in 2020 that will continue into next year.

First-Time Buyer Expertise Will Be Crucial Real estate made it through the pandemic with the help of multiple forces that seemed to align all at the right time. Technology, of course, was the foundation that let us all continue doing business, while low interest rates made it feasible for more buyers to obtain a mortgage. But it was the segment of buyers at the lower price tiers that helped buoy the market enough to see us through. The same is going to be true for next year, too. First- and second-time buyers are much more comfortable with technology, so compared to older buyers, watching an agent give a video tour is not likely to turn them away from buying a house.

Also, since they most likely aren’t looking for a forever home, they understand that it doesn’t have to meet all their criteria, so they may not feel the need to visit the house in person.

As a side note, these video tours

can save agents time, proving beneficial even if you aren’t required to use them due to social distancing rules becoming more relaxed in your area. Since video tours let you “show” buyers a home they may not necessarily want to buy, your buyers can come to that conclusion without taking up your time with an in-person showing.

Mortgage Expertise Will Be What Closes Deals When it comes to first- or secondtime buyers, obtaining a mortgage tends to take more time and requires more advice from a professional. This is where we can demonstrate our added value by letting buyers know about mortgage products they may not be aware of—or those they don’t think they’re eligible for. Low down payment mortgages are going to become popular options for lenders, and I predict that we’ll see even more “professional mortgage” products come on the market. These are loans where someone nearing the end of their training for a high-income

profession, such as physicians or lawyers, will be approved for larger loan balances based on their predicted income a few months down the road. I’ve seen more than a few young buyers commit to buying a home sooner than they thought they could based on these types of products.

With interest rates staying low for at least another year, we can expect even more buyers at lower price tiers to try to buy a home this coming spring. Even if they won’t have as much of a down payment saved up, they will have higher purchasing power based on the lower rates. Marketing your services to younger buyers will be one way to see success next year. Knowing the mortgage options that are available as well as you know your neighborhoods is another. RE

Allen Alishahi is president of ShelterZoom, the technology company behind DocuWalk. For more information, please visit www.docuwalk.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 87

Focus and Finish Lines Commentary by Darryl Davis, CSP

W

hat you focus on can either empower or disempower you.

The awesome thing is that we get to choose what gets our attention, even in a year that has thrown us many curveballs.

Some of you may already know that I ran the New York City Marathon.

This was no easy feat for a man like me. I’m not into sports, in case you couldn’t tell, but what I was into was my commitment to helping kids who were battling Leukemia.

Once I made the commitment, I was in. But once I truly understood what running 26.2 miles looked like in reality, I became overwhelmed.

That’s too far! I’ll have a heart attack! At least that’s what I thought at first. (Wouldn’t you?)

It made me want to quit before I even started. Ever feel that way?

Like maybe a thousand times or more this year?

The key is to break your goals into little milestones.

I often say, “inch by inch, life’s

88 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

a cinch. Yard by yard, it’s hard.”

Whether you’re running a marathon, starting a career, working through a pandemic, learning a new technology, breaking down a big goal, or running whatever kind of personal or professional race you’ve got going on in your life, keep that in mind. When we focus on the big gap between where we are and where we want to be, we can disempower ourselves and become overwhelmed—sometimes to the point of quitting.

When we focus on the little wins along the way, and the commitment that made us want to get in “the race” to start with, we fuel our energy and drive, empowering ourselves to reach our finish lines.

That’s my wish for you as we head

out of this year and into the next.

To keep your eyes on the prize and focus on the goals, not the gaps.

I know markets are changing, the competition is fierce and a lot of you feel that sense of anxiety creeping in. You’ve got this. And we’ve got your back. One of the most powerful tools we offer is our weekly coaching calls. Every single Monday morning at 11 a.m. Eastern time, we field your calls and your questions, helping agents empower themselves to stay in their races and come out winners. RE Darryl Davis has spoken to, trained and coached more than 100,000 real estate professionals around the globe. He is a best-selling author for McGraw-Hill Publishing, and his book, “How to Become a Power Agent® in Real Estate,” tops Amazon’s charts for most-sold book to real estate agents. He is the founder of the Next Level® real estate training system The Power Program®, which has proven to help agents double their production over their previous year. Davis is currently hosting free weekly webinars to help agents navigate the new real estate reality. To learn more, visit www.DarrylSpeaks. com/Online-Training.

Trestle: Your Gateway to Unified Listing Feeds Commentary by Amy Gorce

T

he promise of data sharing standards has always been increased efficiency. Less friction, less effort, less cost. In practice, it hasn’t always worked that way, especially for larger brokerages trying to get their own data back from different multiple listing organizations (MLOs) in neighboring markets.

When CoreLogic® launched Trestle™ in 2016, our grand vision was to deliver RESO-compliant listing data feeds to every member of our industry’s ecosystem. From MLOs to brokers and technology providers, Trestle’s mission was to be North America’s premier destination for listing, public record and other property data.

It’s taken a while, but our goal to deliver listing data from multiple MLOs to brokers in a single feed has come to fruition in 2020. That’s right: unified multi-MLO feed is now a reality for brokers. It’s a major upgrade for Trestle, and our broker clients are thrilled. With unified feeds

of broker back-office data, IDX and VOW data, and public record data, Trestle has truly realized the vision of “one hub, one feed” for brokerages everywhere.

It’s an understatement to say this is a gamechanger for our broker clients. For brokers that operate in several markets served by different MLOs, amalgamating their own listing data has always been a bit like stitching together Frankenstein’s monster. Trestle does the work automatically, saving brokers all that time and effort. If their MLOs are part of the Trestle network, brokers can get everything they need in a single RESO platinum-certified data feed.

Eliminating back-office inefficiency is a chief goal of Trestle. For both brokers and technology companies, Trestle takes what used to be a frustrating job ingesting, normalizing and storing data—and makes it elegant and simple. Many senders, one receipt.

If you want to add efficiency to your operations, sign up for Trestle today and see which of your MLOs are part of the Trestle network. If any of them aren’t, give them a call and ask them to join—it costs them nothing, and the benefits are enormous. Today, Trestle has nearly a million active listings flowing through it—more than half of the National Association of REALTOR’S® housing inventory—and that number is just going to continue to grow. RE CORELOGIC, the CoreLogic logo, and TRESTLE are trademarks of CoreLogic, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

Amy Gorce is principal, Business Development at CoreLogic. For more information, please visit www.corelogic.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 89

{Intel}

5 Tips to Create Energy in Your Virtual Presentations

by Angela DeFinis

W

hether you’re new to working remotely or have been doing it for years, you know one thing is

true: Giving virtual presentations via Zoom and other online meeting platforms can be a challenge. Many professionals feel that online meetings lack the excitement and passion that comes naturally during face-to-face communication. And they’re right!

90 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

The fact is, energy is contagious. When you’re speaking to a live audience, whether it’s a group of five or 500, your adrenaline is high and your presentation reflects that excitement. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to mimic that feeling when you’re giving a virtual presentation in your bedroom with your sleeping cat stretched out diagonally on your bed. In that instance, you might suddenly feel “sleepy,” and you might start behaving this way. You may even speak in a whisper so that you don’t wake the cat. While stillness and calm are great skills to use for your meditation practice, they won’t win the hearts and minds of your listener on any virtual platform.

So, what is the secret to giving high-impact virtual

presentations? Use more energy.

Create a stimulating virtual meeting by infusing excitement into both your content and your delivery. Remember that the purpose of your virtual presentation, just like your live presentation, is to keep your audience engaged and involved.

If you focus on the idea that it is your job to keep your audience interested in both the message and the messenger, then you will take the necessary steps to make that happen.

Here are five energy-boosting tips to keep in mind: 1. Make time to prepare your content. Develop your virtual meeting content the same way you would for a live presentation—well in advance. Don’t let the casual physical environment of home dictate a laissez-faire attitude. If you don’t plan, you and your message may sound disorganized and unconvincing. Structure your virtual presentation in three distinct parts with an opening, body and closing.

When you plan your opening, start with a “hook,” establish a clear purpose and develop an agenda.

Then develop the body—the “meat in the middle” where the action really happens—by including stories, examples, data, statistics and graphs. Bring your presentation to a close by summarizing what you have covered and asking for action.

Remember, the way you structure your message is critical not only to helping your listeners follow along, but also to keeping them engaged and connected.

2. Disrupt the pattern. Pattern disruption is a concept that works well in virtual presentations. The idea is to disrupt the normal flow of information so that listeners are taken by surprise or jolted out of their complacency. Because of the

flat 2D format, virtual presentations have to be “made” exciting, and pattern disruption is one strategy that never fails. What can you do to disrupt the ever-boring nature of the predictable “data dump” presentation? Tell a vivid story, share a startling statistic, show a mindaltering image, raise your voice or quicken your pace. While you don’t have as many skills and techniques available to use in a virtual presentation, you still have enough. If you use them in creative ways, you can rouse your listeners and hold their attention. Aim to disrupt the pattern every four to five minutes.

When you plan these disruptions as part of your content, you’ll quickly have your listeners eating out of the palm of your virtual hand.

3. Prime the energy pump. Your physical, vocal and verbal skills will go a long way in helping you create and maintain energy throughout your virtual presentation. Prior to your presentation, jump-start your physical and vocal energy by warming up. Speak in a loud voice, practice tongue twisters, sing a song, take a walk outside or around your house, go up and down stairs, make faces in the mirror…do anything to get your heart rate and your energy up. If you speak loudly and move quickly, you will do more to create performance energy than you imagine. And don’t forget to smile and raise your eyebrows right before you sign on. If you’re happy, tell your face.

4. Organize and clean out your work space. Clutter is energy draining; organization is energy boosting. Therefore, remove all coffee cups, golf clubs, electric guitars, dog beds, dirty laundry, games and puzzles. Create one area, no matter how small, that is yours and that you can keep organized, neat

and clean. If you can’t keep a neat space, use a green screen background of a “faux” organized office space.

5. Work with other family members to set boundaries on private work time. Unfortunately, family or housemates can be a big energy drain when you’re presenting. Develop a system of “red, yellow, green” and announce what kind of meeting you are entering.

Red is highly important (new customer meeting), and that means everyone needs to be quiet and not interrupt. Yellow is less important (work team meeting), but quiet is still required. Green (close colleague) means anyone can come into your space and you will not have to apologize to the person you are talking to. Setting boundaries with a color code will help everyone know the rules and follow them.

When you don’t have to focus on anyone else, you can focus on sustaining your energy throughout the presentation.

When conducting virtual meetings, you can’t depend on the stimulating influence of outside energy to give you the boost you need to perform. But you can use the timetested tools of planning, preparation and practice to help do the job for you. Use these best practices, and whatever you do, don’t let the cat fall asleep in your workspace.

RE Angela DeFinis is president of DeFinis Communications. The company offers executive speech coaching, presentation skills training and virtual video conferencing training. Through corporate sponsored and public programs, the firm’s skill-building approach helps business professionals become poised, polished and powerful communicators capable of leading effective meetings and delivering compelling presentations. To learn more about the firm’s training programs and coaching services, please visit www.definiscommunications.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 91

g in in ra t te a t s e l a re t r e p x E WHENEVER you want, WHEREVER you want, HOWEVER you want!

Our training modules are all online, so you can choose what you need most, and devour it as quickly as you like. Learn how to prospect, generate leads, train your admin, close more deals, and on and on.

Note: for licenced agents/admin ONLY Call now for a FREE 1-hour consult!

WorkmanSuccess.com/training (385) 282-7112

{Power Teams}

Double Your Listings in 120 Days

by Cleve Gaddis

T

he U.S. economy shrank more than 30 percent in the second quarter of 2020. This contraction has disrupted the financial security of millions of families. As real estate professionals, we are in a very unique position to help the economy recover by bringing new listings to the market. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, the average home sale in the U.S. contributed $88,000 to the economy through commissions, transaction-related purchases, sales proceeds spent on other items and new construction. So how should we proceed to get as many new listings as possible?

To help potential home sellers feel confident in moving forward with a sale, you must be prepared to address the present concerns of the pandemic, especially the emotional ones. Be ready to alleviate worries about safety, job security, pricing, and so on.

Once you’re prepared to address the emotional concerns of potential sellers, it’s time to get face-to-face with as many potential home sellers as possible. And I do mean as many as possible. Meet with good prospects and bad prospects. Meet with people that want to sell soon and also with those that might sell years in the future. Change your perspective from looking for homes to list and commissions to earn,

and instead, look for people to genuinely help in your community. We call this having an SRO attitude, or serving regardless of opportunity.

With this new focus, you may need to update your pre-listing presentation and your premium marketing presentation to reflect this new ideal. Your goal should be to have a pre-listing presentation that is so thorough that some sellers will want to list with you even before you’ve visited the home. Your

Change your perspective from looking for homes to list and commissions to earn, and instead, look for people to genuinely help in your community.

premium marketing presentation also needs to be strong enough to convey that you offer unique marketing initiatives that help bring potential buyer prospects to the table.

If you’d like to learn more about doubling your listings in 120 days, please send an email to Cleve@ Wor kmanSuccessSystems.com and I’ll send you our in-depth system that breaks down the process of doubling your listings into five easy steps. You’ll have a 12-week plan that, when followed, should put you in a great position to help the economy recover, help home sellers with their needs and prepare to start 2021 with a bang. RE Cleve Gaddis has an MBA from LSU, and is a master coach, speaker and trainer with Workman Success Systems who works with some of America’s most profitable teams. He specializes in helping family-owned brokerages and teams navigate the challenges unique to family businesses. Gaddis hosts “GoGaddis Real Estate Radio,” a weekly show on AM 920 The Answer in Atlanta. To have Gaddis speak live to your company, team or group, connect with him at Cleve@WorkmanSuccessSystems.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 93

{Power Teams} The Conversion Conundrum

by Paul Sessum

S

oon, 2020 will be in the rearview mirror and in the books as one of the most interesting years ever. There have been unprecedented challenges that have caused us to pause for a moment, reflect on our values and examine what makes a successful real estate practice. Here are three simple questions to answer to determine a baseline for your business:

A

1. Am I able to convert leads no matter what the external forces may be?

2. Are the tracking and followup systems in place clear and easy to follow?

3. Is there a defined strategy for lead-generating activities?

Start by looking at your lead funnel for the year. How many leads have you received? How many attempts have you made to contact these leads? Does your follow-up process reflect a consistent customer experience? If not, what is the process?

How is your time being utilized?

Breaking these elements down allows you to see the results of your lead conversion efforts. Moreover, this evaluation will provide insight into the avoidance of the very activity that can lead to the results you desire.

Nothing produces greater results than planned daily follow-up with leads. Provided there is a lead tracker system in place, each lead should be categorized so that it will be followed up with on a set schedule.

Consider the ABCs of lead manage-

94 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ment. The A leads are ready to do business and scheduled on the calendar. Agents typically expend most of their energy on this group. The B leads are close to converting, but are not quite ready.

Leads in the B category should be on track to convert within the next three months. You should be following up with these leads twice a month. Consider getting in touch on a set schedule, like the 1st and the 15th of every month. The C leads are the last category. These leads are disengaged or beyond 90 days to a conversion. You will want to give these leads a quick monthly check-in just to let them know they have not been forgotten.

Converting leads is a necessary skill every agent needs to master in order to have a successful and scalable business. Evidence has shown that daily role-playing practice for at least 30 minutes leads to higher

conversion rates. This basic yet productive activity should be scheduled daily. It will allow you to move from reactive to responsive marketing and should result in a higher conversion rate. When should you make time to practice? Open your calendar now, commit to a daily schedule for the next six months and measure the results by tracking the leads.

Leads are abundant! It’s only a matter of reaching out and asking how you can be of service. Your leads need to know someone is there to support them when they are ready. Get in touch with us to learn more about the tools and systems to track your leads. RE Paul Sessum is a master coach with Workman Success Systems who resides in Los Angeles.

He became licensed in 2004 and has been selling, training, coaching and managing brokerages since. Contact him at paul@ workmansuccesssystems.com.

B

As an industry, we are pretty pathetic on lead follow-up. In fact, 48 percent of agents never even follow up after making the first attempt to reach a prospect.

C

B

What Are You Doing to Track Your Leads?

by Julie Timms

W

ith so many leads coming in, one must have a system to track them. First and foremost, you must follow-up and make a connection with the person who needs to buy or sell their home. When speaking with these prospects, you must understand their “why” and get to know them. The old cliché is more true today than it ever was: “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

Prospects don’t want to work with some-

one who only talks about themselves and whose main goal is to sell.

As an industry, we are pretty pathetic on lead follow-up. In fact, 48 percent of agents never even follow up after making the first attempt to reach a prospect. Only 25 percent of agents will attempt a second call, and only 10 percent will attempt the third call.

To put this data in perspective, only 2 percent of sales are made on the first contact. Three percent are made on the second contact, 5 percent on the third contact, 10 percent on the fourth contact and a whopping 80 percent of sales are made on the fifth to 12th contact.

If 80 percent of sales are made on the fifth to 12th contact, then why don’t more agents succeed? The answer is simple: they have no system

to track, nurture and convert their leads.

The first step in the lead tracking process should always be to set the date for the next attempted contact for that prospect on your calendar.

Be sure you choose a time when someone will likely want to take your call or be receptive to your communication.

The ABCs of lead management is a good system once contact is made.

Classify your contacts with their timeframe to act. The A contacts are clients you have an appointment with who are actively wanting to complete a transaction. You should contact these people daily until they have achieved their goal.

The B contact is someone who wants to act in the next 30 - 90 days.

These leads should be contacted twice a month. The C contacts are those who may be ready in 90 days or more. Checking in once a month with these leads is key, as many move from a C to an A faster than they think.

When you employ the ABCs of lead management, take great notes and always schedule the next contact with your prospects. If you do this, you will have a system that works.

Your success depends on it! RE Julie Timms is the owner/broker-in-charge of Hilton Head Island Real Estate Brokers, Inc. and master coach with Workman Success Systems. She began her real estate career in 1979 as a sales assistant, and four years later, in 1983, opened her own brokerage—and holds eight real estate designations.

Contact her at coachjulietimms@gmail.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 95

5 Mistakes New Agents Make by the Experts at Buffini & Company

T

he first year in real estate is the toughest. Figuring out what to do each day and implementing an effective real estate business plan is no easy task. Here are a few of the most common mistakes new agents face when starting out.

1. They Have No System for Their Business No one tells you what to do when you first get into real estate. It can be hard to build a business without a system for real estate lead generation. Agents should implement a proven system that helps them understand exactly what they must do each day to create a pipeline of quality leads. It’s also important to set goals and track progress along the way.

2. They Are Transaction-Oriented Most people can’t even remember their real estate agent’s name a year or two after a sale. That’s because many agents are hyper-focused on the transaction; they fail to stay in touch with clients and, as a result, lose out on referral opportunities.

Instead, new agents should commit to keeping in touch through mail96 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

New agents must implement a strong real estate timemanagement plan at the start to get the most out of each day, while maintaining an essential work-life balance. ings, calls and even small appreciation gifts. Be there for clients before, during and after a transaction, and become their go-to real estate agent for friends and family.

3. They Are Available 24/7 As a new agent, you want to be there for your clients whenever you

can, even if it isn’t convenient for you. However, over time, this approach will lower productivity and lead to burnout and fatigue. New agents must implement a strong real estate time-management plan at the start to get the most out of each day, while maintaining an essential work-life balance.

4. They Live Paycheck-toPaycheck Getting your first commission check is exciting. It’s tempting to spend it all right away, but before you splurge on a new car or shopping spree, you have to make sure you have all your financial bases covered. Because real estate agents do not receive a set paycheck, agents must learn how to keep business and personal expenses separate, and how to divide each commission check to pay themselves first while also covering business expenses, taxes and other costs.

5. They Look Online for Leads When building a database from scratch, buying online leads seems like an easy way to get clients quickly. However, online leads are more like soft inquiries, and the chances of them becoming lifelong clients are very low. Instead, new agents should cultivate a database through their current sphere of influence— not strangers on the internet—to build relationships and generate top-quality leads.

If you’re a new agent (or even someone who’s been in the business for years) and you find yourself making a few of these mistakes, it’s easy to get on the right track. The Pathway to Mastery®— Essentials is a real estate training program from Buffini & Company that teaches agents at all stages in their career how to build a successful business that will thrive for years to come.

Register to take this course online today. RE

r fo G N I H C A O C E V I T A M R O F S TRAN

.

E N O Y R EVE

Call now for a FREE 1-hour consult!

WorkmanSuccess.com/coaching

(385) 282-7112

Build Your Brand and Generate Leads!

Your Name & Company on Personalized Landing Pages

Your Company Logo

Eric Smith Smith Associates

More Than a List: Engage Your Database to Make More Money

COMPANY LOGO

Eric Smith

Real Estate Professional Smith Associates 69 East Avenue 2nd Floor Norwalk, CT 06850 Office Phone: (203) 855-1234 Mobile Phone: (203) 855-1234

Compared to those older and wiser baby boomers, millennials are more likely to land in the ER due to a DIY home improvement project gone wrong, says a survey from SoFi. Despite that, they are also way more eager to show off their project on social media.

Your Headshot & Contact Info

Send me a message Visit My Website

Automated Social Media Posts Lead Prospects to Your Personalized Landing Page

Connect with consumer-focused content.

ACE branded content helps you resonate on social media, automatically delivering your expertise to your followers, every day and with every post.

• Automated consumer-focused real estate and lifestyle posted daily, including homeownership articles, infographics and professionally produced videos • Market your listings and properties through your social media sites and ACESocial branded landing page.

• Gauge your reach, including impressions and engagement, with ACESocial metrics and reporting tools.

• Your branding (logo, headshot, URL, and more) on all content landing pages • Automated distribution to your social media sites

ACESocial Enterprise Account Level Give your agents back their time, so they can focus on what matters: their clients and listings.

Associate your brokerage with what consumers want. ACESocial automates consumer-focused content to your social media, all branded to your brokerage, without competitive ads.

Brand consistently. With ACESocial, your agents will have different posts, but your branding and message will be unified.

“There is no doubt in my mind that ACESocial has led to more awareness, and generates mindshare and leads. It could not be easier to set up and works with no ongoing effort whatsoever.

ACESocial gets an A+!”

“ACESocial allows us to provide a valuable, time-saving social media platform solution to all our sales professionals. Offering the company-branded, professional posts through ACESocial adds value not only to our customers, but also to our REALTORS®!”

- Ken Baris, President, Jordan Baris Inc., REALTORS® Real Living

- Rei L. Mesa, President & CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty

As low as $30/month* Additional pricing options for team and company-wide solutions available.

For more information, visit rismedia.com/acesocial or contact ace@rismedia.com or (203) 855-1234 ext. 1. *Annual prepaid plus free trial

{Broker Best Practices}

Driving the Market to New Heights

by John Voket

What attracted you to RE/MAX? RE/MAX is the most recognized real estate brand in my market.

Clients view RE/MAX agents as the most professional and successful agents in the business, and this was a perception we wanted to reinforce in our markets.

Joe Castillo Managing Broker/Owner RE/MAX Mi Casa and RE/MAX In the Village Chicago, Ill. www.CastilloJoe.com Region served: South Chicago and Oak Park/River Forest area Years in real estate: 24 Number of offices: 2 Number of agents: 80 Key to getting the right listing price: Do your homework and ask the seller specific questions about their home so that you have proper comparables when you visit.

Best tip for dealing with difficult clients: Communication is key to gaining a client’s trust. A difficult client is one that does not trust you.

No. 1 piece of time management advice: Time-block your day/week with items necessary for you to succeed at work and at home.

Best tip for running a successful meeting: Come with an agenda and notes from previous meetings to review or discuss.

100 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Please describe some of the biggest advantages that have come with your RE/MAX affiliation.

As a result of our affiliation, our number of transactions per agent has grown. When it comes to listings specifically, our agents are getting more opportunities to get in front of sellers because consumers recognize the RE/MAX brand. Another major benefit is the support we receive from RE/MAX headquarters. Our RE/MAX consultants are always available—whether it’s an impromptu request or a regularly scheduled consultation. Their availability and the added value they bring to my business has been refreshing and rewarding.

How are you and your team navigating the challenges posed by the coronavirus?

Our office and agents have adapted to the “new normal” by following necessary safety protocols to keep clients safe while helping them fulfill their dreams of homeownership. We’ve actually seen demand surge during COVID. It was challenging to change the norms associated with real estate sales, but keeping people safe is the only way to gain clients’ trust during these unprecedented times. As an office, we have taken advantage of the Zoom Pro ac-

“Our office and agents have adapted to the ‘new normal’ by following necessary safety protocols to keep clients safe while helping them fulfill their dreams of homeownership.”

- JOE CASTILLO Managing Broker/Owner RE/MAX Mi Casa and RE/MAX In the Village

count RE/MAX provided to managing brokers in order to stay safe and in contact with agents. It has helped us keep some normalcy with trainings, meetings and even some fun social events.

A lot of urban areas are experiencing virus-related relocations to more suburban and rural areas. Is that affecting your company?

Without a doubt. We are seeing new buyers focused on owning their own home after their experience with sheltering in place.

Many were renters who kept pushing off homeownership, but after being stuck in apartments, many felt a need to have their own space—and, more specifically, a yard to enjoy. The same can be said of buyers leaving downtown Chicago who are selling off condos for bigger spaces and yards in the surrounding suburbs. These new and unanticipated buyers have helped drive the single-family market to new heights in the Chicagoland market.

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

Collaboration, Accountability and Accessibility

by Lesley Grand

pany revenue has increased by 43 percent, and we’re on track for $2 billion in sales in 2020.

George Patsio Founding Partner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Commonwealth Real Estate Boston, Mass. www.commonmoves.com Region served: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Connecticut Years in real estate: 27 Number of offices: 27 Number of agents: 750 Why is Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices the best fit for you?

The Berkshire Hathaway name is revered worldwide and has stood for strength, integrity and trust for more than a century. Aside from the brand, the leadership at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is second to none. They foster an environment of collaboration at all levels, accountability, accessibility and a commitment to achieve our business goals. We’ve been a member of the network for two years, and in that time, our com-

How do you attract and retain the best agents?

Our agents are our clients, and our approach is centered around helping them build their business. Providing them with the tools, technology and support to help them achieve their business goals is our primary focus. Our leadership team goes to great lengths to adapt, promote and remain an industry leader, and to support our agents and their families. We recently rolled out a comprehensive agent benefits package not typically offered to real estate professionals that includes medical, dental and vision insurance, short- and longterm disability, life insurance, a tax savings plan, a retirement savings plan, a college savings plan, as well as retirement strategies.

How do you stay ahead of the competition?

We don’t focus on the competition; we focus on how we want to be treated as clients, agents and employees. By focusing on how we can consistently improve our offerings, we have successfully built a company that has surpassed our competition. Our values are reflected in everything we do. Real estate is our client’s largest investment, and it’s our responsibility to make sure our company has the resources to make it as stress-free and memorable as possible.

What is the one thing you hope agents say about you?

That our leadership team is acces-

sible, trustworthy and supportive.

We genuinely care about our agents, their family, and their personal and professional growth and success.

Is there a specific motto/philosophy you live by?

My dad always told us that you get only one thing for free in life, and that’s your name, so make sure you don’t disparage it. I have lived my whole life with that guiding principle. I’m proud to say that integrity is a cornerstone of our leadership team, and that aligns so well with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ stellar reputation.

I believe that is one reason why Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Commonwealth Real Estate has experienced record-breaking growth and success.

What is one of the main changes you have had to make during the pandemic?

I spend up to eight hours a day on Zoom calls. Contact is really important, and throughout the pandemic, in-person contact hasn’t been possible much of the time, so meeting on Zoom has been invaluable. When I talk to someone on the phone, I don’t know what their silence may mean, but on a Zoom meeting, a person’s expression is nuanced and may speak volumes.

Someone may be struggling with a concept we’re using and sit quietly, looking perplexed, which I would miss on a phone call. But on Zoom, I can see it and connect with this person in a very real way.

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

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 101

Top 5 Traits of Future Superstars

by Sherri Johnson

unnecessarily getting derailed. Pay close attention to your new agents when one of their transactions is met with an obstacle. The agents who look for solutions themselves are the ones who will find solutions in the future while doing more and more business.

Genuine Interest in Real Estate An agent will not grow into a superstar without having a genuine interest in homes and how the real estate market works. New agents should be soaking in as much information and guidance as they can in order to grow. Future superstars, however, take it a step further and incorporate what they have learned into their conversations and their actions.

I

dentifying future sales leaders is a top priority for every broker and manager. Everyone knows who their current production leaders are, but who’s next?

The following traits are good predictors of which new agents have the best chance to make a top-level impact in real estate. See how they apply to your newer agents—and even to agents you are trying to recruit— and make a special effort to foster the ones that score highly in these areas.

Confidence While it is understandable for newer agents to lack conviction about certain things when speaking with clients or other agents, that is not usually how it goes with future superstars. These agents project confidence in almost every situation, and they find ways to tactfully and professionally handle situations where they don’t have the perfect immediate answer.

Drive This is arguably the most important trait of superstar agents. With rare exception, an agent will simply not 102 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Look at your new agents and find the ones who are working the hardest, making calls and hustling for business. rise to the top of their market without an internal fire to do so. So, regardless of background, regardless of intelligence and regardless of any other positive factors, look at your new agents and find the ones who are working the hardest, making calls and hustling for business.

Problem-Solving Ability Real estate sales aren’t always easy, right? Unexpected situations occur all the time, and successful agents are those who can navigate any issue and save a transaction from

Personality Which agents have that special quality that make them magnetic in some way? There is no one right answer here, except you typically know it when you see it. Keep an open mind, however. A magnetic personality is more than being talkative, loud or funny. Some future superstars exude quiet competence through empathy, expertise or responsiveness.

The point is that superstars tend to have a defining trait that positively reflects on them in real estate.

Survey your newer agents for these important traits, then focus special development efforts on supporting them as part of your company. RE Sherri Johnson is CEO and founder of Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting. With 20 years of experience in real estate, Johnson offers coaching, consulting and keynotes, and is a national speaker for the Homes.com Secrets of Top Selling Agents tour and the Official Real Estate Coach for McKissock Learning and Real Estate Express. She is also an RISMedia 2020 Real Estate Newsmaker as an industry Influencer. Sign up for a free 30-minute coaching strategy session or visit www.sherrijohnson.com for more information.

{Meet the Newsmakers} Spotlighting RISMedia’s 2020 Real Estate Newsmakers

ACHIEVERS

INFLUENCERS

INSPIRATIONS

Diane Glass

Steve Brown

Vickie Lobo

COO Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago

President, Residential Sales Crye-Leike, REALTORS®

REALTOR® RE/MAX Champions

“THE 65 MEMBER FIRMS REPRESENT THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST OF THE INDUSTRY.”

“THE PEOPLE WE SERVE HAVE NOTHING, BUT AFTER AN ENCOUNTER WITH US, THEY HAVE ENOUGH!”

S

V

“MORE PEOPLE, MORE IDEAS AND MORE EXPERTISE CREATE AN AGILE AND CONNECTED ENVIRONMENT.”

W

hen the longtime CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago stepped down in 2019, the firm chose to pivot to a new leadership team model that’s unconventional for real estate brokerages.

Under the new three-person executive team, Diane Glass, chief operating officer (COO), Mark Pasquesi, president of brokerage, and Joe Stacy, senior vice president and general sales manager, jointly lead the firm. “A strategic executive team instead of a traditional CEO role is new in residential real estate,” says Glass. “It’s based on the really simple idea that more people, more ideas and more expertise create an agile and connected environment.”

As COO, Glass is responsible for delivering operational and organizational excellence to maximize agent success. She envisions a frictionless workflow that drives agent productivity, blending a comprehensive technology stack with white-glove service to agents. Her priority is having strong organization health where the right people in the right places with the right resources are empowered to create an exceptional workplace environment.

teve Brown, president of residential sales for Crye-Leike, REALTORS®, was named chairman of the board for The Realty Alliance in 2019. The Realty Alliance, a network of full-service real estate firms in North America, provides opportunities for the sharing of ideas among member firms, which are given access to some of the best and latest solutions. Brown was initially named a board member for The Realty Alliance in 2017 and will serve a two-year term as chairman. “I’m both humbled and excited at the opportunity afforded me with this position,” says Brown. “The 65 member firms represent the best and brightest of the industry. They are not ‘reactionary’ leaders; they are innovators who have created value for their associates and employees with full-service companies.” Brown entered the industry in 1974 in newhome sales. Now, as president of residential sales for Crye-Leike, he is responsible for overseeing and managing real estate sales, as well as assisting managers and branch offices with core services throughout Crye-Leike’s nine state regions.

ickie Lobo, a REALTOR® at RE/MAX Champions in Upland, Calif., founded Knock Knock Angels, a nonprofit organization that assists with getting homeless military veterans and single parents with children into safe, warm environments in which they can thrive.

“The people we serve have nothing, but after an encounter with us, they have enough!” Knock Knock Angels partners with other community organizations that help provide housing and then provides a complete household full of home furnishings. For example, the nonprofit has joined forces with the Water of Life Church, City of Rialto, Fontana Police Department and AMVET Post 77. Knock Knock Angels has helped a mother coming out of homelessness turn things around for her family, and provided a homeless grandmother who was sleeping in her car with a completely furnished, one-bedroom apartment. The group has also performed a “Christmas Miracle Makeover” for a homeless nurse and her special needs daughter, and performs “random acts of kindness” throughout California’s Inland Empire.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 103

{Power Broker Perspectives}

by Keith Loria

Bess Freedman:

Navigating Market Extremes Bess Freedman, CEO of Brown Harris Stevens, began her career as an attorney, but when she started a family, she transitioned to real estate, covering the Manhattan market.

Freedman had great success as an agent for about seven years before getting into management. In 2013, she was introduced to the team at Brown Harris Stevens and went on to become president and then CEO. In June, the firm’s parent company, Terra Holdings, made the decision to restructure and bring both Halstead and Brown Harris Stevens under the Brown Harris Stevens brand. The merger has resulted in more than 2,500 agents across 55 offices in NYC, the Hamptons, Connecticut, the Hudson Valley, N.Y., New Jersey, Miami and Palm Beach.

How has COVID-19 impacted the firm and the markets you serve?

Bess Freedman: Brown Harris Stevens was affected in many ways, both in the business sense and personally. On the

104 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

business side, we were forced to stop showing homes in New York City and the Hamptons under Governor Andrew Cuomo’s “New York State on Pause” order. Deals really slowed at that point because real estate is mostly an emotional commodity—you want to see it, touch it, smell it, get a true sense of it.

This wasn’t possible for at least three months. When it became clear that schools would not reopen in person, many New Yorkers looked to leave vertical and dense city living and opted to head out to places like the Hamptons, Connecticut, Miami and Palm Beach where we have offices. Traditional second-home markets experienced a surge of activity—supply can’t keep up with demand. COVID triggered extreme market lulls and extreme frenzy depending on the location.

On the more personal side, we lost one of our wonderful agents, Sal Cappi, to COVID-19. Many of our agents, myself included, battled COVID-19. It was a very hard time, but I believe we are coming out of that at least for now in NYC.

How are you motivating and leading agents?

BF: We have weekly Zoom webinars on a variety of topics—from company updates and Fair Housing summits to changing tax law, breaking down the federal CARES Act and regional market analysis. We can’t travel or meet in person right now, but we have developed a robust online program where leadership checks in with everyone.

Not to mention, our leadership has always been very hands-on—our agents have our personal cellphone numbers. Our marketing and support staff have also been working harder than ever remotely to help our agents grow their businesses even through these challenging times.

What are the biggest opportunities for increasing business in the next year?

VITALS: Brown Harris

Stevens

Years in business: 147 Size: 55 offices, 2,500 agents Regions served: New York City; Hudson Valley, N.Y.; Fairfield County, Conn.; Palm Beach and Miami, Fla. 2019 sales volume : $9.3 billion 2019 transactions: 5,937 www.bhsusa.com BF: The Brown Harris Stevens brand has grown via bringing Halstead under our umbrella. We are in more regions as one united entity, and that creates a number of growth opportunities. We have also spent several months developing an in-house platform called MAIA, which helps agents streamline their marketing, social media assets and communications all in one space.

It’s accessible 24/7 from anywhere.

The less time agents spend on dayto-day office tasks, the more time they can spend closing deals and drumming up business, and that will help them exponentially.

How do you maintain a solid work/ life balance?

BF: I wake up every morning and try to meditate. A few minutes of mindfulness centers me for the day, and then I grab my coffee. I’m on the phone and on email all day long, but I always carve out at least 45 minutes to exercise. I work with a boxing coach, or use the 7 Minute Workout fitness app. I have also started doing jigsaw puzzles, which are my new obsession, and I make it a point to check in on my friends and family. I have to consciously make these decisions because life gets so busy, especially now that we are spending more time indoors due

to COVID. However, keeping things really simple and establishing a routine has helped keep me sane and organized through everything. Plus, I get to spend more time with my kids, which has been a beautiful, unintended consequence of this whole thing.

Joe La Rosa:

Staying Engaged and Positive Joe La Rosa is the 21st century Renaissance man. He’s an entrepreneur, transformative speaker, best-selling author, philanthropist and top real estate broker, as well as CEO and founder of La Rosa Realty, LLC in Celebration, Fla. A one-time police officer in Orlando, his father convinced him to join the real estate game on the development side, and he helped build commercial projects, office buildings and singlefamily homes. In 2008, when the development boom crashed, La Rosa turned his attention to the brokerage and sales side of things.

Today, he is CEO of La Rosa Realty, which employs more than 2,300 agents in 37 office locations across five states.

Tell us about your growth philosophy.

Joe La Rosa: Last year, I decided to franchise. I kept coming across opportunities, and we have developed offices under my ownership in New York, California, Georgia and South Carolina. Last July, I started to convert 80 percent of my corporate offices into franchises and began selling to other locations outside of my directory of offices. I had a lot of success with that pre-COVID. We even started to develop outside of the U.S., with an office in Bogota, Colombia. I also have a group that bought the rights to develop in Peru, as well as Panama, Brazil and Turkey. Once the pandemic calms down, we will have others coming online.

How has the firm fared during COVID-19?

JL: March was a good month for us as Florida is the market we are predominantly in, so that’s the market I see first. Our real estate is all about the pipeline, so even when all the craziness started to take place and things were being shut down, we were okay. But in April, we started to see the impact, and we were down about 23 percent compared to last year. May was the bottom, with 48 percent decreases. Things picked back up in June and the rest of the summer we saw positive numbers, so things are trending up.

What’s the secret to keeping agents motivated—especially at a time like this?

JL: Our engagement has shot through the roof. We offer virtual classes for our agents, which is important during this time. We started rallying the troops, getting all our brokers and

VITALS:

La Rosa Realty Years in business: 16 Size: 37 offices, 2,300 agents Regions served: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, New York, California and Puerto Rico 2019 sales volume: 6,515 2019 transactions: $1.49 billion www.larosarealty.com team leaders together to understand how important it was to reach out to agents...and for some, it was a chance to reach out to agents they maybe hadn’t spoken to for a while.

It trickled down to many of our agents taking advantage of our classes and training. We keep things positive and have them look at the data and what the economists are predicting. We did our best to keep them engaged while educating them.

What’s a good piece of advice you can offer to your agents?

JL: You have to have a solid business plan. Agents are independent contractors, and I would love to say the logo on their business card will help them grow their business—and we will provide them with the resources and the tools they need—but ultimately, they have to go out and execute and develop a plan based on their goals.

What attracts people to the company?

JL: Our education training and coaching program for brand-new agents. Our technology platform is one of the best out there. We offer great value as far as the commission split. And, most importantly to me, is our culture. It’s about family, passion and growth. RE

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 105

The Millennial Buyer: A Change in Trends and Motivation

by RISMedia Staff

M

uch has changed since the start of the health crisis at the beginning of 2020. The pandemic has flooded every industry, including real estate, and the after-effects are being noticed in several ways, including millennial home-buying trends and motivation, according to a new survey from realtor.com® and HarrisX. The biggest change? COVID accelerated millennials’ plans to purchase. Of all survey respondents, 75 percent said they have been working remotely since the COVID pandemic hit. Because of this newfound ability to work from home, 63 percent said they plan on purchasing a home. Also, nearly half of millennial respondents (49 percent) said that COVID pushed them to purchase sooner than they originally planned.

The way they search for a home has changed as well, at least for 59 percent of respondents. Thirtyseven percent reported spending more time researching properties online, while 35 percent are putting more emphasis on looking at

listing photos. And 32 percent are paying more attention to listing videos. Additionally, 31 percent are being more selective about choosing which homes to tour, and 27 percent like to drive by the home to check out the neighborhood.

Due to low interest rates and low inventory, the markets have been competitive—something millennial buyers expect. According to the survey, 71 percent expect “some or a lot of competition” when shopping for a home, but they’ve found ways to help lighten the load of increasing home prices. Sixty-eight percent said shelter-in-place orders helped them save for their down payment, while 45 percent expect to receive financial help from friends or family.

What’s currently motivating millennial buyers? Twenty-six percent are tired of their current home, 23 percent are ready to grow their family, and 22 percent are attracted by the favorable home prices and interest rates. Meanwhile, 18 percent are searching for a safer neighborhood.

Most millennials, however, are hoping to stay close to what they currently consider “home.” Fortynine percent said they want to move within their current city, while 31 percent want to move to nearby suburbs. Thirteen percent want to stay within the same state, while 8 percent want to move to another state entirely.

In terms of price, millennials are mostly trying to stay below the $350,000 mark. Thirty-six percent are looking at or under $200,000, 28 percent want to purchase a home that’s between $200,000 and $350,000, and 37 percent are looking at properties over $350,000. Fifty-four percent of millennial homebuyers believe home prices have hit their peak, according to the survey.

“If there is any silver lining to the current economic landscape, it’s that mortgage rates are hanging around record lows. With little to no equity to leverage, millennial homebuyers tend to take out larger loans. Historically low rates are making this more manageable, even with rising home prices,” says Danielle Hale, chief economist at realtor.com®. “Additionally, shelter-in-place orders helped many who were fortunate enough to keep their jobs save for a down payment—one of the largest hurdles of buying a home. The combination of low rates and the opportunity to save is enabling many millennials to move up their home-buying timeline.” RE

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

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 107

3 Easy Tips to Follow Now to Supercharge Profits in 2021

by Terri Murphy

Y

ou may be missing easy income due to your inconsistent and sometimes haphazard methods of maintaining relationships with those people who already know, like and trust you. If you are like most agents, you may be under the impression that your sphere of influence and past clients think of you often...but they don’t!

Like anything else, intentional focus and attention (or lack thereof), have an impact. Real connection is highly valued, especially after months of social distancing. So instead of being reactive, set yourself up to be responsive, especially in a highly active market. If you start planning now, you will begin 2021 with a competitive advantage that pays off.

Tip No. 1 - Do your business and strategic planning now If you wait until year-end, you’ll miss the competitive advantage you can gain by planning intentional activities to reignite, reinvigorate and revamp your connection to past clients, customers and pros108 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

pects. With the social distancing that has sequestered people in 2020, you are perfectly positioned to reach out and reconnect. Get creative with innovations to safely reconnect with a dash of fun.

Set up your business plan strategies by identifying where your business came from this past year. You may be surprised to know that for most agents, sales and referrals usually come from past clients, their sphere of influence and MVP/ Top 50. So plan your fall and holiday events with a strong focus on these three critical verticals.

Tip No. 2 - ‘See’ your people We can’t meet at a big party these days, but drive-bys and drop-offs

comply with safe distancing. Create a Thanksgiving Client Appreciation Pie event as a way to say “thank you” and actually see your special group in a drive-by event.

Decorate the pick-up location with balloons, serve refreshments and have fun. Add an element of community give-back by asking people to bring a non-perishable food item for your local food bank. Take photos and consider doing a Facebook Live streaming event to encourage others to stop by for a cup of cider. Expand your current group by encouraging everyone to invite a friend. Everyone has fun, and everyone wins.

Tip No. 3 - Don’t get caught up in the holiday slowdown Use this time to contact your sphere of influence in order to confirm or update their contact information. Use the calls to catch up on their family changes using a tried-and-true FORD (family, occupation, recreation, dreams) script.

Confirm birthdays and anniversaries to personalize future contacts.

People love to be remembered, so setting up your January birthday card mailing in advance guarantees they will go out on time.

Stop procrastinating and take advantage of these three strategies to jumpstart next year. While everyone else is slowing down, you’ll be ramping up and on your way to a new and improved 2021.

For a FREE 30-day plan, and other success tools, visit http://bit. ly/2zSyD4k. RE Terri Murphy is a communication engagement specialist, author, consultant and master coach with Workman Success. She is the author of five books, a TED Talk speaker and the founder of the Women’s Wisdom Network Community on Facebook. For more information, visit TerriMurphy.com or email Terri@TerriMurphy.com.

{Blog Spot}

How to Conquer COVID Setbacks When Selling Real Estate

by Meghan Belnap

A

s COVID-19 continues to change much about daily life, it can be hard to know how to move forward. For the real estate industry, specifically, the pandemic has caused many challenges...and opportunities.

Here are some steps you can take to set yourself up for success both now and in the future.

Lean on Your Team Being part of a successful real estate team has its perks, even in the best of times. When things are tough like they are right now, leaning on your team is more important than ever. By looking to your teammates for advice, leads, group advertising and more, you’ll be much more prepared to weather this storm long term. Now, more than ever, you don’t want to try and go it alone in the world of real estate.

Get Your Name Out While word-of-mouth advertising was often enough to carry a career in real estate prior to the pandemic, the reduced volume has made this approach less likely to succeed. Therefore, it’s important to get your name in front of potential clients as often as you can using quality content.

Interact With Clients Once your advertising is successful at attracting clients, it’s important to interact with them in any way you can. Connect with clients early and

often, treating their contact information like the precious and valuable resource it is. You can also branch out to ensure you’re using different social media platforms.

Analyze Your Approach Trying times always make for a good opportunity to analyze everything about what you do. From the initial meeting to the walkthrough to the closing, there’s likely at least one thing that you could improve upon.

Ask others in your close circle for feedback so that you can begin to improve your interactions with clients once they come back in force.

Above all, don’t lose hope. Although things have been difficult for longer than anyone probably expected, a recovery will eventually occur. RE

Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. This article originally appeared on RISMedia’s blog, Housecall.

Visit us at blog.rismedia.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 109

{RISMedia’s Great Spaces}

Florida Gems In this month’s edition of Great Spaces, we’re heading to the Sunshine State!

As temperatures begin to drop across much of the U.S., we’re dreaming of warmer weather with these two massive Florida properties.

by Jameson Doris

Impressive Tampa Waterfront Estate Hits the Market Yankee legend Derek Jeter and wife Hannah have listed their Tampa property for $29 million. Construction on the 1.25-acre walled compound was completed in 2012 and includes a dock with two boat lifts and 345 feet of open bay.

Clocking in at just under 22,000 square feet, the estate is the larg110 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

est in South Tampa. Complete with a heated spa, an 80-foot saltwater lap pool and numerous outdoor covered porches and balconies, no expense was spared on construction of the seven-bedroom, eight full- and eight half-bath residence.

“This is the most impressive home to ever hit the market in the Tampa Bay area. It is the perfect fit for the luxury-minded buyer who wants the utmost in quality and impeccable attention to detail,” says listing agent

Stephen Gay of Smith & Associates Real Estate.

Jeter currently serves as CEO and part-owner of the Miami Marlins and has since moved his family south to Miami. His and Hannah’s decision to sell the property also makes the home the most expensive to ever hit the market on Davis Islands, just south of downtown Tampa.

Amenities around the estate are almost too numerous to list in entirety. Some noteworthy features include

This view gives one an understanding of the sheer scale of this property.

a wine cellar, an in-home movie theatre; a professional gym; an in-law suite; an au pair wing complete with a living area and kitchen; an outdoor kitchen and grilling area; an air-conditioned six-car garage; and a scullery, among many others.

Additionally, only the finest materials were used during construction—from a hand-carved Connecticut granite and limestone facade to cutting-edge home automation that controls nearly every aspect of the home, including the security, lighting, window treatments, climate and various entertainment systems.

Listed by: Smith & Associates Real Estate Listed for: $29,000,000 Photos by: Uneek Image RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 111

One word can sum this property up well: ‘spacious.’

Architectural Marvel in the Heart of Miami Located in the luxury gated community of Bay Point, this waterfront property is a stone’s throw from downtown Miami and Miami Beach,

112 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

but couldn’t feel more private and secluded. Nicknamed “La Casa Palma,” this contemporary estate is located on a bayfront lot measuring nearly 30,000 square feet.

Overlooking the Miami Beach skyline, the backyard has views to die

for and features a 50-foot infinityedge lap pool, as well as a built-in summer kitchen.

The six-bedroom, nine-bathroom estate is also an architectural marvel. Designed by renowned architect Kobi Karp, with interiors by

Many rooms throughout this home have breathtaking 180-degree views of the Miami Beach skyline.

Borges+Associates, the home’s open floor plan makes La Casa Palma the perfect property for entertaining with fully collapsible floor-to-ceiling glass doors that blur the lines between the home’s interior and exterior.

Additional features include a movie theater, a gym, a spa, a wine cellar, a glass elevator, a reflection pond, an 1,800-square-foot master bedroom with a massive walk-in closet, and a separate guest house with private entry and sunset deck.

Listed by: Chad Carroll, Compass Listed for: $18,900,000 Photos by: Compass RE

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 113

Webinar Recap:

There’s No Bad Time to Start a Real Estate Career

by Liz Dominguez

I

s starting a real estate career during a pandemic really a good idea?

Many have asked themselves this question, and according to a recent RISMedia webinar—“How to Break Into the Real Estate Business”— there’s never a bad time to jump into a real estate career.

The webinar was sponsored and moderated by the Colibri group of companies—which includes Real Estate Express, Hondros College, Superior School of Real Estate, Hogan School of Real Estate, Arizona School of Real Estate & Business and Allied Real Estate School.

“I always say it’s never a bad time to get into real estate,” said panelist Al Rosser, real estate instructor for Hondros College of Business.

The reasoning behind this? Real estate is cyclical.

“You can always find a way to generate business no matter what’s going on with the market,” Rosser added.

114 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

What should the first steps be to transition into a real estate career?

Moderator Tina Lapp, president of Hondros Education Group, said the priority should be finding quality education for licensing courses.

“What I hear from my students is that the instructor makes all the difference in the world,” said Lapp.

“You have the ability to reach out and connect—it’s critically important.”

Once individuals have taken the required courses, which vary by state, and have passed their licensing exam, it’s time to align with a brokerage.

Individuals must choose between residential, commercial or agricultural real estate—and the career options in each segment are endless. As Lapp put it, “there’s a broad spectrum of opportunities within the industry.”

“Remember to interview those

brokers,” said Mike Brandly, a real estate instructor at Hondros College and a faculty member at the Certified Auctioneers Institute.

“They are not interviewing you. You are interviewing them.”

Rosser added that the most important thing to keep in mind when interviewing should be a brokerage’s availability for support and training.

“The No. 1 question agents should ask is ‘How many people will be available to me when I have a question or an issue?’, and from there, ‘Is this going to be someone I can learn from?’”

While commission or salary may be at the top of new agents’ minds, Rosser recommends they put that on the backburner.

“You can’t expect a high split if you need someone to first sit with you and spend time with you to teach you,” said Rosser.

Another thing to keep in mind?

Having enough reserves to start off strong.

“You’ll need about $1,500 in costs in your first year as a new agent,” said Brandly.

And Rosser emphasized that it could be months before new agents see any income.

“Save as much money as you can so that when you get started you aren’t in desperation mode, because desperation mode usually causes a bunch of other issues,” said Brandly.

Once these foundational steps are done, it then comes down to talking to people.

“Talk to people,” said Rosser. “It doesn’t have to be verbally; it can be through text message, postcards, social media, etc.” RE

To view the webinar in full, visit https://bit.ly/3j0TUMZ. Liz Dominguez is RISMedia’s senior online editor.

Webinar Recap:

Measurable Marketing Strategies That Flat Out Dominate

by Jameson Doris

media? Because it works. However, as McMahan noted, you’re only going to influence clients if you utilize social media appropriately.

“Think of social media like a cocktail party,” said McMahan. “You don’t want to run in screaming about yourself and your latest listing; you should go in and ask others about their wants and needs.”

While it’s good to be able to recall market statistics at a moment’s notice, this isn’t necessarily what an individual wants to know about an agent they’re thinking about working with, so be sure this isn’t the type of information you initially engage with people about on social media.

Direct Mail Marketing

F

or the real estate veterans who connected on RISMedia’s most recent webinar, the key to creating impactful marketing strategies is to not talk at people, but rather, show consumers that you’re capable…and that they can trust you.

During RISMedia’s webinar— “Measurable Marketing Strategies That Flat Out Dominate”—panelists Amy Youngren, founder and CEO at North Group; Molly McMahan, director of marketing, technology and philanthropy at Coldwell Banker McMahan; and Heather Roxburgh, founder and CEO at Heather Roxburgh Real Estate Group, discussed how important it is for potential clients to get to know you instead of simply marketing at them.

The webinar was moderated by Brian Wildermuth, SVP of Real Estate Services at Deluxe Branded Marketing. Additionally, Deluxe served as sponsor of the event.

“What it’s really about is how you grab [potential clients’] attention,”

said Wildermuth. “The average person sees upwards of 10,000 ads a day, so what it comes down to is influence. Can you influence someone through your marketing efforts?”

Where can real estate professionals looking to influence potential clients start? Here’s what the panelists had to say.

Social Media “When I entered the real estate space, I decided that when it came to building and generating business, social media was going to be a game changer for me,” said Youngren.

Facebook alone generated $69.7 billion in ad revenue in 2019, according to the company. Why do businesses invest so heavily in social

Another resource that is often overlooked is direct mail marketing.

Through all the noise of emails and online advertising, it’s easy to tune out most marketing efforts, but according to Roxburgh, direct mail marketing can’t truly be ignored.

“If you’re not doing direct mail marketing, I would recommend doing it,” said Roxburgh. “Clients can’t delete you...they can throw your mailer in the trash, but they have to see your face first.”

For Roxburgh, connecting with an individual through their mailbox first is key. After that, you should be making touches through their inbox, through social media and then faceto-face.

“I’m now starting to see companies market again through direct mail,” added Roxburgh. “Direct mail was one of the first things that people cut from their budget after the pandemic hit, but I kept doing it, because I want to hit peoples’ mailboxes every month.” RE To view the webinar in full, visit https://bit.ly/33Gxzzn

Jameson Doris is RISMedia’s social media/blog editor.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 115

Index of Preferred Providers

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

ABR®..................................................................................... 117

MooveGuru............................................................................ 119

American Home Shield®......................................................... 117

MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants.................................................. 119

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices......................................... 117 Broker Public Portal with Homesnap....................................... 117

NAGLREP (National Association of Gay & Lesbian Real Estate Professionals)........................................................................ 119

Buffini & Company................................................................. 117

National Association of REALTORS®........................................ 119

The CE Shop.......................................................................... 117

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors®.............................................. 119

Century 21 Real Estate LLC.................................................... 117

Quicken Loans....................................................................... 119

Cole Realty Resource............................................................. 117

Real Living Real Estate........................................................... 119

Constellation1........................................................................ 117

Realogy Holdings Corp........................................................... 119

Create for the Human............................................................. 117

REALTOR Team Store®............................................................ 120

CRS Data............................................................................... 118

Realtors Property Resource®.................................................. 120

Darryl Davis Seminars............................................................ 118

Realty ONE Group.................................................................. 120

Earnnest................................................................................ 118

REBAC................................................................................... 120

Fathom Realty........................................................................ 118

REeBroker Group.................................................................... 120

FCA US LLC............................................................................ 118

RE/MAX, LLC.......................................................................... 120

Homes.com........................................................................... 118

Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting................................... 120

HomeSmart International....................................................... 118

Weichert Family of Companies................................................ 120

HomeTeam Inspection Service................................................ 118

Wise Agent CRM..................................................................... 120

HomeVisit by CoreLogic.......................................................... 118

Workman Success Systems.................................................... 121

HSASM Home Warranty............................................................ 118

zavvie..................................................................................... 121

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®........................ 119

Zillow Group........................................................................... 121

Lone Wolf Technologies........................................................... 119

RREIN Service Providers Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate... 121

Jordan Baris, Inc., REALTORS® Real Living............................... 122

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS®....121

Kinlin Grover Real Estate........................................................ 122

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty................... 121

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc................................................ 122

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties............ 121

Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty.................... 123

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties............ 121

McCOLLY Real Estate.............................................................. 123

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties.................122

Page Taft................................................................................ 123

CENTURY 21 Award................................................................ 122

Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate.............................................. 123

CENTURY 21 New Millennium................................................. 122

Randall, REALTORS®.....................................................................123

Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper, REALTORS®............................. 122

RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central......................................... 123

Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty.................................. 122

RE/MAX Gateway................................................................... 123

J. Rockcliff REALTORS®........................................................... 122

116 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ABR® (800) 648-6224 • www.rebac.net • Chicago, Ill. • Marc Gould, Executive Director Brokers are busy with many competing priorities. They should feel comfortable with their salespeople who have earned the ABR® designation when working with buyer-clients. Real estate professionals can hone their skills in representing the needs of homebuyers in real estate transactions and earn the coveted Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation, giving agents knowledge and confidence to navigate the market.

AMERICAN HOME SHIELD® (800) 735-4663 • www.ahs.com/realestate American Home Shield® founded the home warranty industry more than 45 years ago and remains the industry leader, with more than 1.8 million customers who depend on us every day. We offer not only home warranty plans that help protect against unexpected covered breakdowns of home systems, but we offer services that buyers can take advantage of day one of their contract. Current additional services offered are: rekey service, electronics plan, TV mounting service and pre-season HVAC tune-up service. We’re also leveraging our network of more than 15,000 licensed and qualified contractors to test even more services, like: pest control coverage, house cleaning services, garage door tune-ups, electrician services, and more. Discover the shield difference—contact your local AHS® Account Manager today by visiting ahs.com/find-rep.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES (800) 666-6634 • www.berkshirehathawayhs.com Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, based in Irvine, Calif., is a real estate brokerage franchise network built for a new era in residential real estate. The network, among the few organizations entrusted to use the world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway name, now counts more than 50,000 agents and nearly 1,500 offices throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and the Middle East. It is known as the FOREVER Brand with FOREVER Agents aspiring to work with clients over time through all phases of real estate. Network members also embrace the community and have contributed over $30 million to the Sunshine Kids Foundation supporting kids with cancer.

BROKER PUBLIC PORTAL WITH HOMESNAP (202) 996-2921 • www.brokerpublicportal.com • Bethesda, Md. • Gayle Weiswasser, SVP, Communications & Business Development, gweiswasser@homesnap.com Broker Public Portal (BPP) is a collaborative venture between real estate brokerages and MLSs to create a national consumer home search experience that connects home searchers directly with the agent who best knows the home they are interested in. Homesnap is the public-facing brand of the BPP, the only national home search platform powered by real-time MLS data and following Fair Display Guidelines. The goal of BPP with Homesnap is to provide an industry-friendly home search alternative that provides interested leads, for free, to the listing agent or broker and that delivers accurate, real-time MLS information to home searchers.

BUFFINI & COMPANY (800) 945-3485 • www.buffiniandcompany.com Headquartered in Carlsbad, Calif., Buffini & Company is the largest real estate coaching and training company in North America.

Founded by real estate expert and master motivator Brian Buffini, the company provides a unique and highly effective lead-generation system and comprehensive business coaching and training programs, which have helped entrepreneurs in 37 countries improve their business, increase net profit and enhance their quality of life.

THE CE SHOP (888) 827-0777 • www.theceshop.com • Greenwood Village, Colo.

Founded in 2005, The CE Shop has become the leading provider of online real estate education through an encyclopedic knowledge of the real estate industry. Our ever-expanding course catalog of prelicensing, exam prep, post-licensing and continuing education products are trusted throughout the industry and offer agents across the country the education they rely on.

CENTURY 21 REAL ESTATE LLC (877) 221-2765 • www.century21.com • Madison, N.J. • Michael Miedler, President & CEO The approximately 139,000 independent sales professionals in over 11,600 offices spanning 83 countries/territories in the CENTURY 21® System live their mission everyday: to defy mediocrity and deliver extraordinary experiences. By consistently chasing excellence, giving 121 percent and always elevating, the CENTURY 21 brand is helping its affiliated brokers/agents be the first choice for real estate consumers and industry professionals.

COLE REALTY RESOURCE (888) 231-0732 • www.colerealtyresource.com • Omaha, Neb. Cole Realty Resource helps thousands of agents and brokers find success. Agents are staying top of mind by connecting with the neighborhood by promoting open houses or just listed/sold properties, while brokers recruit, retain and support new agents, allowing for confident prospecting. All of this can be achieved through a combination of innovative technology, industry knowledge of end-user practices and comprehensive data providers.

CONSTELLATION1 (800) 503-5163 • constellation-1.com • Milwaukee, Wis. • Markham, Ontario • sales@constellationreg.com Constellation1 is an all-in-one brand of award-winning front office, back office and data services for brokerages, franchises and MLSs. Constellation1 simplifies the process of finding and implementing the right real estate technology by providing a portfolio of solutions tailored to the real estate industry. Regardless of a brokerage’s, franchise’s or MLS’ technology needs, Constellation1 is of service, providing industry leading front office sales and marketing tools, including lead generation and relocation management; back office software like accounting, eSignature and transaction management; and extensive IDX feeds and datasets. For more information, visit constellation-1.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

CREATE FOR THE HUMAN (914) 909-6701 • www.createforthehuman.com • John Lim Create for the Human is a groundbreaking philosophy from John Lim, CEO of Life In Mobile and an innovator in real estate technology, that helps real estate and real estate-related companies humanize their digital marketing. Through education about the implementation of four main principles, Create for the Human offers companies the opRISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 117

portunity to exponentially increase their marketing success and bottom line by reaching behind their consumers’ devices and screens to capture and truly engage buyers, sellers, brokers and agents.

CRS DATA (800) 374-7488 • www.crsdata.com For more than 30 years, CRS Data has provided a wealth of property tax data through the MLS Tax Suite. This beautiful system integrates seamlessly into your MLS system, offering REALTORS® current tax data, detailed map layers and robust features that are accessible on all browsers and mobile devices. Consistent product enhancements help ensure that the MLS Tax Suite performs as the industry’s leading and most innovative service. We’re proud to provide a personalized customer experience that is unmatched. Learn more by visiting www.crsdata.com.

DARRYL DAVIS SEMINARS (800) 395-3905 • www.ThePowerProgram.com Darryl Davis Seminars was founded by real estate expert, coach and international speaker Darryl Davis, CSP. For more than 30 years, Davis has been helping agents double their production by learning the listing and sales skills of real estate. These money-making skillsets are vital when agents are working with buyers and sellers to move their career to their Next Level™. His fast-growing membership platform, www.ThePowerProgram.com, helps real estate sales professionals design lives and careers worth smiling about. He is the best-selling author of three books with McGraw-Hill Publishers, one of which, “How to Become a Power Agent® in Real Estate,” is the No. 1 book sold to REALTORS®on Amazon.

EARNNEST (888) 870-2336 • www.earnnest.com • Greenville, S.C. • Melissa Kandel, Chief Marketing Officer One hundred-percent digital earnest money, no checks required.

Earnnest is the largest digital earnest money service in the United States, allowing buyers to securely and electronically deposit funds directly to an escrow holder. Earnnest keeps agents, buyers and escrow holders in the loop with automated emails and tracking information.

FATHOM REALTY (888) 455-6040 • www.FathomRealty.com • Cary, N.C. Fathom Realty is a national, cloud-based real estate brokerage powered by a proprietary technology platform called IntelliAgent. Agents enjoy a higher net income through Fathom’s 100-percent commission, transaction-fee compensation model, allowing them to invest more money into growing their business. Fathom agents also earn stock grants based on their contribution to revenue and company growth.

For more information, visit www.fathomcareers.com.

FCA US LLC (888) 898-1115 www.nar.realtor/fca FCA US LLC is a North American automaker based in Auburn Hills, Mich. It designs, manufactures and sells or distributes vehicles under the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, Ram, FIAT® and Alfa Romeo brands, as well as the SRT performance designation. The company also distributes Mopar and Alfa Romeo parts and accessories. FCA US LLC offers extra benefits to membership of the National Association of REALTORS®.

118 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

HOMES.COM (866) 697-3308 • http://marketing.homes.com Homes.com offers brand advertising, lead generation, online reputation and marketing solutions to connect you with over 12.5 million consumers monthly. With a high average visit time, consumers visiting Homes.com are more engaged and more likely to buy when compared to visitors of other national real estate websites. Connect with these motivated homebuyers and sellers with the most powerful suite of tools for your real estate business—and convert more leads to closed transactions.

HOMESMART INTERNATIONAL (800) 865-9025 • www.homesmart.com • Scottsdale, Ariz.

• Tori Sokol, Director of Marketing and Communications Founded in 2000, HomeSmart International is one of the fastestgrowing real estate franchisors in the nation, with a mission to lead the industry by providing the highest level of service, support, technology and value to our customers. The company offers franchisees efficiency and innovation coupled with the systems and technologies necessary to succeed in today’s evolving real estate industry. Its low-fee, high-value 100-percent-commission brokerage model keeps costs down for its nearly 19,000 agents across 31 states.

HOMETEAM INSPECTION SERVICE (844) HOMETEAM • www.hometeam.com You can depend on HomeTeam for a faster, more efficient home inspection every time. Unique to home inspection companies, HomeTeam brings a team of inspectors on-site. Each team member focuses on his or her area of expertise, which keeps us efficient and saves you time. Fast, Trusted and Accurate—that’s the HomeTeam promise.

HOMEVISIT BY CORELOGIC (833) 643-0445 • www.homevisit.com • Chantilly, Va. • service@homevisit.com Real estate marketing services spanning photography, video, image editing, Matterport 3D models and floor plan renderings, aerial imaging, print materials, direct mail and property websites. HomeVisit provides a single workflow that enables real estate professionals to significantly expand the scope and range of the marketing services they offer to homebuyers and sellers.

HSASM HOME WARRANTY (800) 367-1448 • www.onlinehsa.com HSASM Home Warranty has provided outstanding products and service to real estate professionals and homeowners for more than 35 years. The home warranty helps sellers and buyers protect their budget from the cost of repairing or replacing the covered home system components and appliances in their home. HSASM also offers additional services to help buyers maintain their homes, including rekey service, an electronics plan and pre-season HVAC tune-up service. With HSA Home Warranty, your clients get reliable budget protection backed by exceptional service, and you get a provider who works hard to better serve you. Contact your local HSA Account Manager today by visiting onlinehsa.com.

LEADING REAL ESTATE COMPANIES OF THE WORLD®

(866) CRY-WOLF • https://www.lwolf.com/ Lone Wolf Technologies is the leader in real estate technology, from back office, accounting and insights to transaction management. We provide agents and brokerages with everything they need to lead in real estate, all in one place—so they can amaze their clients, manage their business and improve their profits.

member benefits resource, providing savings and special offers on products and services just for REALTORS®. Program partners are industry leaders who understand the unique needs of real estate professionals. Visit NAR.realtor/RealtorBenefits. NAR is also proud to offer the .realtor™ and .realestate top-level domains to members to help them create a robust digital presence that supports their identity as a REALTOR®, and everything they do for their business.

Visit get.realtor. NAR offers a number of designations, certifications and opportunities for continuing education that support member development. Visit OnlineLearning.realtor. NAR empowers REALTORS® to evaluate, enhance and showcase their highest level of professionalism with the Commitment to Excellence program. Visit C2EX. realtor. The REALTOR®Store features publications, webinars and research reports, including the top-selling 2018 NAR Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers. Visit Store.realtor. Additionally, NAR’s venture capital arm, Second Century Ventures, has invested in companies that push forward innovation in the real estate industry, while benefitting NAR members. Visit secondcenturyventures.com.

MOOVEGURU

PILLAR TO POST HOME INSPECTORS®

(770) 549-1257 • www.mooveguru.com • Roswell, Ga. The leader in mover automation platforms, MooveGuru helps real estate agents, brokers and mortgage professionals to support their moving customers through their moving journey. As a free service, we help consumers connect utilities and send money-saving offers from great brands like The Home Depot, Pods, Budget Truck and others. We support more than 60,000 real estate agents and more than 900 brokerages throughout the U.S. Contact us at info@mooveguru.com.

(800) 294-5591 • www.pillartopost.com • Tampa, Fla. · Stephanie Bowling, Director of Marketing (416) 620-3572 Founded in 1994, Pillar To Post is the No. 1 home inspection brand in North America with over 550 franchisees located in 49 states and nine Canadian provinces. The Pillar To Post difference includes a printed on-site report allowing for faster closings, each inspector carrying $1 million in E&O insurance to cover both the agent and the broker, and convenient scheduling options to meet every client’s needs.

MYOUTDESK VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS

QUICKEN LOANS

(800) 583-9950 • www.myoutdesk.com • www.myoutdesk.com/contact-us MyOutDesk is the largest, most trusted and reputable provider of virtual staffing in real estate—having served more than 6,000plus clients, including corporate giants such as Keller Williams, Coldwell Banker and RE/MAX. MyOutDesk virtual assistants (VAs) allow real estate teams the ability to focus on core activities that drive income and sales—saving our clients over $55 million a year.

Focus on dollar-productive tasks without sacrificing your quality of service. Hire a Real Estate VA for up to 70 percent less than the cost of a traditional, full-time employee.

(866) 718-9842 • AgentRelations@QuickenLoans.com For more than 30 years, Quicken Loans has been celebrated for providing an amazing mortgage experience. In fact, J.D. Power ranked Quicken Loans highest in client satisfaction for mortgage origination the last nine years. Along with being the largest mortgage lender, Quicken Loans leads the industry in technology with Rocket Mortgage, the first-ever completely online mortgage experience. Whether applying for a mortgage online or with a mortgage banker, Quicken Loans is committed to client experience.

NAGLREP (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GAY & LESBIAN REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS)

(866) 373-6228 • www.realliving.com Real Living Real Estate is a full-service real estate brokerage franchise network with a comprehensive and integrated suite of resources for franchisees and their sales professionals, as well as for consumers who work with them. Real Living Real Estate earned a record 98 percent customer satisfaction rating for 2019, according to independent rating service Quality Service Certification, Inc., Additionally, the Real Living brand and its innovative concepts were recognized by Entrepreneur magazine. Real Living Real Estate is a network brand of HSF Affiliates LLC, which is owned by HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate.

(312) 424-0400 • www.LeadingRE.com Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®is a selective global community of the highest-quality independent real estate companies. We exist to make our members better by connecting them to opportunities and people around the globe, supporting them with a global referral network, professional development programs, and unique events. For more information on our more than 550 firms that span over 70 countries with 135,000 sales professionals, visit LeadingRE.com.

LONE WOLF TECHNOLOGIES

(561) 865-6117 • naglrep.com • Jupiter, Fla. • Jeff Berger, Founder NAGLREP is the No. 1 forum for LGBT homebuyers, sellers and LGBT and allied real estate professionals.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (800) 874-6500 • www.NAR.realtor • Chicago, Ill. • Bob Goldberg, CEO • Victoria Gillespie, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer • Katie Johnson, General Counsel, Chief Member Experience Officer • Mark Birschbach, SVP, Strategic Business Innovation and Technology • Marc Gould, SVP, Member Development The term REALTOR® identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. NAR members have access to the REALTOR Benefits® Program, NAR’s official

REAL LIVING REAL ESTATE

REALOGY HOLDINGS CORP. (973) 407-2162 • www.realogy.com • Madison, N.J. • Trey Sarten, VP, External Communications Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY) is a global leader in residential real estate franchising with company-owned real estate brokerage operations doing business under its franchise systems, RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 119

as well as relocation and title services. Realogy’s brands and business units include Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, CENTURY 21®, Climb Real Estate®, Coldwell Banker®, Coldwell Banker Commercial®, The Corcoran Group®, ERA®, Sotheby’s International Realty®, ZipRealty®, Realogy Brokerage Group (Formerly NRT LLC), Cartus, Title Resource Group and ZapLabs LLC. Collectively, Realogy’s franchise system members operate over 16,300 offices with approximately 300,000 independent sales associates doing business in 113 countries and territories worldwide.

REALTOR TEAM STORE® (847) 991-4010 • www.NarTeamStore.realtor • Palatine, Ill. • Jordan Dunne We are a promotional products distributor selling logo products, and we have been the official supplier for the National Association of REALTORS® for 17-plus years. We sell logo items; if you have seen an item with a logo, we can get it. We stock over 300 items with the REALTOR® logo. They can be ordered on our website at www.NarTeamStore.realtor. We can custom-produce 10,000-plus items with any logo. We have considerable buying leverage in our industry; our factories are very interested in working with 1.4 million REALTORS®.

REALTORS PROPERTY RESOURCE® (877) 977-7576 • www.narrpr.com • Chicago, Ill. • Jeff Young, Chief Operating Officer/General Manager Realtors Property Resource®(RPR) is a national, parcel-centric database that is a free, exclusive benefit for REALTOR® members of the National Association of REALTORS®. The database provides REALTORS® with all available information about every parcel of residential and commercial property in the United States, giving brokers and agents valuable tools and features to make them better informed in order to increase their efficiency in the marketplace.

REALTY ONE GROUP (949) 297-2020 • www.RealtyONEGroup.com • Laguna Niguel, Calif.

• Eddie Sturgeon, EVP, Global Growth Founded in 2005, Realty ONE Group is an industry disruptor, radically changing the face of real estate franchising with its unique business model, fun coolture, technology infrastructure and superior support for its real estate professionals. Realty ONE Group has been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as a Top 5 Real Estate Franchise and has been on Inc. 500’s list of the FastestGrowing Companies for seven consecutive years. Realty ONE Group is surging ahead, opening doors, not only for its clients, but for real estate professionals and franchise owners.

REBAC (800) 648-6224 • www.REBAC.net • Chicago, Ill. • rebac@nar.realtor The Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) provides training and support that help buyer’s representatives be successful in their business—and educates consumers about the benefits of buyer representation and the ABR® designation in order to improve their home-buying experience.

120 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

REeBROKER GROUP (760) 722-3222 • www.reebroker.com • Carlsbad, Calif.

• Vgandas Anthony Razhas, Broker & CEO - info@reebrokerca.com REeBroker Group is the original and largest of virtual brokers in California, having handled 31,580 real estate transactions for a total sales volume of more than $10 billion since its inception in 2005. The Carlsbad-based, flat-fee brokerage partners with more than 2,000 real estate agents throughout the state and began its Loan Division in spring 2020. The company’s mission is to expand its technology platform, innovative agent tools, and outstanding support and mentoring programs to bring extensive opportunities for its agents to find success as real estate professionals while paying out the industry’s most competitive commission splits.

RE/MAX, LLC (303) 770-5531 • www.remax.com • Denver, Colo.

RE/MAX was founded in 1973 by original disruptors Dave and Gail Liniger, who changed the real estate industry forever. Headquartered in Denver, Colo., RE/MAX is now a global franchise network with over 130,000 sales associates in more than 110 countries and territories. The consumer website remax.com is consistently ranked among the most visited real estate websites, and LeadStreet provides referrals to RE/MAX sales associates with no fees from RE/MAX. To learn how RE/MAX can take your career to the next level, visit www.joinremax.com.

SHERRI JOHNSON COACHING & CONSULTING (844) 989-2600 • www.sherrijohnson.com Sherri Johnson is the premier national real estate coach offering world-class coaching, keynote speaking and consulting services. No other real estate coach matches her 20-plus years of experience as a top agent, manager and executive of a Top-3 national brokerage, having personally led over 700 agents to $1.6 billion in annual sales volume. Sherri’s unique and proven coaching programs—including her exclusive Goldmine PipelineTM strategy—produce immediate, reliable results for agents nationwide, regardless of current production level.

WEICHERT FAMILY OF COMPANIES (800) 401-0486 • www.weichert.com • Morris Plains, N.J. Since 1969, Weichert, Realtors®has grown from a single office into one of the nation’s leading providers of homeownership services, made up of 18 full-service real estate-related companies dedicated to putting customers first. Its network of real estate brokerages includes more than 500 offices, serving markets in 42 states, with thousands of agents. As a Weichert agent, you have access to industry-leading sales and marketing tools, powerful technology, national and international referral networks and top-notch coaching and training, as well as a unique culture of support and sharing, from interactive staff to collaborative affiliates across the country.

Franchises available.

WISE AGENT CRM (480) 836-0345 • www.wiseagent.com • Fountain Hills, Ariz.

• Wise Agent Customer Support: help@wiseagent.com Wise Agent is a very powerful, all-in-one real estate CRM platform combining contact management, lead automation, transaction management and real estate marketing software. Wise Agent helps REALTORS®become more efficient, giving them the opportunity to save time and make more money.

WORKMAN SUCCESS SYSTEMS (385) 282-7112 • www.workmansuccesssytems.com • Salt Lake City, Utah Workman Success Systems delivers comprehensive team solutions to agents, brokers and companies, private and group coaching solutions for every level of business, and proven seven-figure income-earning systems. Workman Success Systems Founder, Master Coach and Speaker Verl Workman delivers the necessary performance skills, the latest and most effective tools, and proven dialogues and systems that work. To hire Verl to speak at your next event, visit www.workmansuccess.com/speaking. Sign up for a free coaching consult by going to www.workmansuccess.com/consult.

ZAVVIE (888) 407-4556 • https://zavvie.com/ • Boulder, Colo.

• Lane Hornung, CEO Founded by Lane Hornung and Stefan Peterson, zavvie combines proprietary technology with real world operating expertise, to provide a superior iBuyer strategy for brokers. zavvie is making the experi-

ence simple and seamless for iBuyers and agents to work together in the best interest of the consumer by facilitating and empowering listing agents to get all available offers for their clients. Its platform is a one-of-its-kind offering, backed by market specific iBuyer and Open Market data and efficient technology. Its customer friendly interface works well with its top-notch Customer Success Team to create a seamless consumer-centric process for brokers and their clients.

ZILLOW GROUP www.zillow.com Zillow is the leading real estate and rental marketplace dedicated to empowering consumers with data, inspiration and knowledge around the place they call home, and connecting them with the best local professionals who can help. Zillow serves the full lifecycle of owning and living in a home: buying, selling, renting, financing, remodeling, and more. Our mission is to give people the power to unlock life’s next chapter.

RREIN Member Profiles BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES AMBASSADOR REAL ESTATE (402) 493-4663 • (800) 477-7653 www.BHHSamb.com • agents@BHHSamb.com Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate is dedicated to providing progressive, quality real estate services in Nebraska’s metropolitan Omaha and Lincoln surrounding areas.

We service all types of markets: single-family residential, new construction, condos, corporate relocation, third-party relocation, acreages and commercial real estate. With approximately 400 licensed agents, we have an agent to meet your needs regardless of the style, price or age of the property you are looking for. We understand that trust is earned and that good, professional service is an essential part of that.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES C. DAN JOYNER, REALTORS®

ties throughout Florida with more than 40 locations and approximately 1,800 sales professionals. The full-service brokerage company, founded in 1999, is part of HomeServices of America, the nation’s premier provider of homeownership services. The company is a franchise member of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ network, one of the few organizations entrusted to use the worldrenowned Berkshire Hathaway name. The company offers residential and commercial services as well as seasonal rentals, property management, REO & foreclosures, corporate relocations, referral services, title, home warranty plans and personal concierge services. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty ranks in the Top 10 in the network and is the overall No. 1 fundraiser for The Sunshine Kids Foundation in Florida, having generated more than $3.6 million. Visit www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES GEORGIA PROPERTIES

(800) 476-6650 · www.cdanjoyner.com Locally-owned and -operated, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS® has been serving communities in Upstate South Carolina since 1964. With more than 400 agents on board and 10 offices serving the Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson areas, we are ready to assist with any commercial and residential real estate need. In addition to residential and commercial sales, we also offer corporate services, relocation and property management. With a passion for fostering long-term relationships with our customers and clients while upholding the highest level of professionalism, it’s easy to see why we’ve been the No. 1 real estate company in the Upstate for more than 20 years.

(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 FLORIDA REALTY

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES NEVADA PROPERTIES

(954) 693-0100 • (800) 386-1554 www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com • Sunrise, Fla. • Rei Mesa, CRS, CRB, President & CEO Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty serves 21 coun-

(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

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 121

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.

and welcoming more than 240 agents in seven offices, with branch offices in Vacaville, Fairfield, Dixon and Green Valley. Eighty-five percent of our business is derived from returning and referred clients, a true testament to our clients’ high level of satisfaction with our services and our trusted real estate professionals.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES SELECT PROPERTIES

J. ROCKCLIFF REALTORS®

(314) 835-6000 • www.bhhsselectstl.com Since 2002, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties has helped keep the St. Louis real estate market local. With 11 offices in the metro area, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select ranks as the No. 1 locally-owned real estate firm in St. Louis. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select prides itself on providing the highest-quality real estate brokerage services to its clients and customers and in being recognized in the community for high standards and ethics.

(925) 251-2501 • www.rockcliff.com • www.rockliffcares.com J. Rockcliff REALTORS®, located east of San Francisco, is the East Bay’s premier real estate company. Recently named No. 1 in residential sales (in the East Bay) by the San Francisco Business Times, J. Rockcliff specializes in service. With leading-edge technology, state-of-the-art marketing across multiple mediums, the most experienced management team in the Bay Area and dedicated, ethical and professional agents, our goal is to provide a client experience that is second to none. With almost 600 agents and nine offices, J. Rockcliff REALTORS® is the fastest-growing real estate company in the East Bay.

CENTURY 21 AWARD (800) 293-1657 • www.century21award.com CENTURY 21 Award is the premier Southern California-based, full-service real estate company serving San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties from 15 distinctive office locations. Our 1,000 professional agents and staff are fully equipped to assist you with all of your real estate needs. Our services include residential, commercial, relocation, property management and bank-owned properties.

CENTURY 21 NEW MILLENNIUM (800) 727-6888 • www.c21nm.com CENTURY 21 New Millennium is a full-service real estate brokerage in the greater Washington, D.C., area. The company, which specializes in residential and luxury properties, joined the CENTURY 21® System in 1998 and has established a sound and successful organization providing traditional residential and commercial services, on-site mortgage, title, and property management, and access to a vast network of relocation and other real estate service providers worldwide. It has earned the status of No. 1 CENTURY 21 Firm in the World for the past three years. With 20 locations and approximately 900 real estate professionals, New Millennium is consistently included in REALTOR® Magazine’s Top 100 Companies List for all real estate firms nationwide regardless of brand. It is also a past winner of the prestigious Cartus Masters Cup, the Network’s highest honor. The Cartus Broker Network is the largest relocation network in the world and includes more than 775 hand-selected brokerages in the United States.

JORDAN BARIS, INC. REALTORS® REAL LIVING (800) 4-JBARIS • (973) 736-1600 • www.JordanBaris.com info@jordanbaris.com Founded in 1952, Jordan Baris, Inc. REALTORS® Real Living is among the most respected full-service real estate brokerages in Northern New Jersey. With a team of close to 150 associates, the firm operates offices in West Orange and South Orange, with teams focused on Essex, Morris, Union and Hudson counties. Jordan Baris, Inc. REALTORS® Real Living offers real estate brokerage to buyers and sellers of residential and commercial properties, developers, tenants and landlords; title services through JB Title Agency, LLC; and global relocation services through its membership with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.

KINLIN GROVER REAL ESTATE (508) 420-1130 • www.kinlingrover.com Kinlin Grover has 16 real estate offices covering Cape Cod from the bridges to Provincetown, specializing in the marketing and sale of waterfront, village, commercial properties and fine homes. From the very beginning, the Kinlin Grover mission has remained constant: “to help our clients make the best real estate decisions and to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.” In addition, Kinlin Grover Vacation Rentals is the largest real estate firm on Cape Cod with over 600 privately-owned Cape Cod vacation rental homes.

We value every client and pledge to deliver unsurpassed service as trusted advisors, expert facilitators and skilled negotiators.

COLDWELL BANKER D’ANN HARPER, REALTORS®

LONG & FOSTER REAL ESTATE, INC.

(210) 483-7002 • www.cbharper.com Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper, REALTORS®is the largest full-service real estate company serving the entire greater San Antonio metropolitan area, New Braunfels, Boerne, Bandera, Kerrville, Fredericksburg and Hill Country markets, representing buyers and sellers in all phases of their transactions. Since opening in 1986, the company has become a trusted name in the real estate industry. With eight offices, over 350 sales associates and over 100 support staff, the company’s extensively trained representatives have knowledge and expertise to service all aspects of the real estate business. Core services include global relocation, property management and rentals, commercial sales and leasing and mortgage financing.

(866) 677-6937 ∙ www.LongandFoster.com Long & Foster Real Estate, the nation’s No. 1 independent brand by sales volume, is part of The Long & Foster Companies, a subsidiary of HomeServices of America, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. HomeServices is the nation’s second-largest real estate brokerage and one of the largest providers of integrated real estate services. Long & Foster Real Estate is the exclusive affiliate for Christie’s International Real Estate throughout select parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, and it is a founding affiliate of 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, stretching from Raleigh, N.C., to Fair Haven, N.J., and from Martinsburg, W. Va., to the Atlantic Ocean, and it represents more than 11,000 agents in seven Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states, plus the District of Columbia. The company, which has a productive commercial business in addition to its residential side, sold more than $31.1 billion worth of homes and helped people buy and sell homes nearly 85,000 times in 2017.

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

122 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

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 450plus REALTORS® in 18 offices. McCOLLY Companies is the One Source for All Purpose Real Estate with its ancillary companies of McColly Insurance, Community Title, McCOLLY Auctions, McCOLLY Bennett Commercial, McCOLLY New Homes Division and Luxury Home Portfolio™.

PAGE TAFT (203) 453-6511 • www.pagetaft.com Since opening its Guilford office in 1980, Page Taft has expanded its presence with offices in the historic towns of Madison and Essex, Conn. Page Taft agents foster long-term relationships with clients based on a strong foundation of trust and an unsurpassed commitment to excellence. These unique strengths set us apart from our competitors and make us your most valuable resource in fulfilling your real estate needs.

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 percent client satisfaction rating. Through our extensive marketing network, we offer tremendous exposure for our property listings and continue to deliver successful sales and representation for our clients. In addition, Randall, REALTORS®’ Vacation Rental Department offers a large selection of vacation rental properties serving the Southern Rhode Island shoreline and Eastern Connecticut.

RE/MAX 440 AND RE/MAX CENTRAL (215) 453-7653 • www.pahomesforsale.com • Tom Skiffington, Broker/Owner, tom@tomskiffington.com RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central is a first-class, professional real estate company. Our goal is to provide the most prompt, courteous and professional services to all our customers and clients. We are the leading RE/MAX in Pennsylvania and Delaware with the highest sales volume and transactions. RE/MAX 440/Central has 10 different offices in Bucks, Montgomery and Lehigh counties.

RE/MAX GATEWAY (703) 652-5760 • www.gateway2realestate.com The real estate market is ever changing. It takes constant evaluation, review of recent trends to forecast a potential future and education of agents through mastermind groups and real estate information exchanges. These are areas in which we excel at RE/MAX Gateway. Contact us today if you are looking to advance your career in real estate through a multitude of educational experiences and resources, or if you need real estate advice in order to make informed decisions when buying and selling houses.

YOUR BROKER-TO-BROKER SOURCE FOR REFERRALS FROM REAL ESTATE’S LEADING RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE COMPANIES CALIFORNIA Ascent Real Estate, Inc. 410 Kalmia St., San Diego, CA 92101 Contact: Gina Lancelot • Tel: (619) 325-4100 Email: info@ascentrealestate.net URL: www.ascentrealestate.net Coverage Areas: San Diego Offices: 9 • Associates: 180 CENTURY 21 Award - Orange County 22342 Avenida Empresa, Ste. 110, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 Contact: Joshua Tucker, Director of Relocation Services Tel: (760) 217-2491 (Toll Free) • Fax: (619) 374-2706 Email: jtucker@century21award.com Coverage Areas: Orange County Offices: 15 • Associates: 1,200 CENTURY 21 Award - San Diego, Riverside 7676 Hazard Center Dr., Ste. 300, San Diego, CA 92108 Contact: Joshua Tucker, Director of Relocation Services Tel: (760) 217-2491 (Toll Free) • Fax: (619) 374-2706 Email: jtucker@century21award.com

Coverage Areas: San Diego, Southern Riverside Offices: 15 • Associates: 1,200 Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty 750 Mason St., Ste. 101, Vacaville, CA 95688 Contact: Rachel Guerin Tel: (707) 427-5344 or (844) 861-5631 • Fax: (707) 446-9830 Email: info@kappelgateway.com URL: www.KappelGateway.com Coverage Areas: Vacaville, Benicia, Davis, Dixon, Fairfield, Napa, Rio Vista, Suisun City Vallejo and Winters, Calif.

Offices: 7 • Associates: 240 J. Rockcliff REALTORS® Headquarters Office: 4115 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Ste. 201, Danville, CA, 94506 Contact: Robin Dickson, CRS, GRI, Executive Vice President Tel: (925) 251-2501 (O), (925) 324-1323 (C), 877-JRCKCLF (572-2523) (TF) Email: rdickson@rockcliff.com URL(s): www.rockcliff.com • www.rockliffcares.com Coverage Areas: Alameda County: Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Dublin Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, Sunol, Union City; Contra Costa County: Alamo, Antioch, Bethel

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 123

Island, Brentwood, Byron, Canyon, Clayton, Concord, Crockett, Danville, Diablo, Discovery Bay, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Hercules, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill Port Costa, Richmond, Rodeo, San Pablo, San Ramon, Walnut Creek; San Joaquin County: Country Club, Lathrop, Lodi, Manteca, Mountain House, Stockton, Tracy, Silicon Valley/San Jose area

CONNECTICUT Page Taft 89 Whitfield St., Guilford, CT 06437 Contact: Karen Stephens, Executive VP • Tel: (203) 453-6511 Email: kstephens@pagetaft.com URL: www.pagetaft.com Coverage Areas: Connecticut Offices: 3 • Associates: 60 Randall, REALTORS® 4009 Old Post Rd., Charleston, RI 02813 Contact: Jean Fournier, Dir. of Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (401) 486-9677 Email: jfournier@randallrealtors.com URL: www.randallrealtors.com Coverage Areas: Connecticut and Rhode Island Offices: 9 • Associates: 175

DELAWARE Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+ Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate 7234 Lancaster Pike, Ste. 220B, Hockessin, DE 19707 Contact: Brian Pomije, Relocation Manager Tel: (302) 234-3600 (Office) • (302) 234-5207 (Direct) • (800) 443-2295 (Toll Free) Email: bpomije@psre.com URL: pattersonschwartz.com Coverage Areas: Delaware (New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties), Pennsylvania (Chester and Delaware counties), Maryland (Cecil, Kent and Harford counties) Offices: 9 • Associates: 415

FLORIDA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty 1580 Sawgrass Corporate Pkwy., Ste. 400, Sunrise, FL 33323 Contact: Rei Mesa, CRS, CRB, President & CEO Tel: (954) 693-0100 or (800) 386-1554 • Fax: (954) 236-6962 Email: ReiMesa@BHHSFloridaRealty.com Relocation Contact: Sharon Sapp, Vice President, Relocation, Referrals & REOs Email: sharonsapp@BHHSFloridaRealty.com URL: www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com Coverage Areas: 21 counties throughout Florida, including Southeast Florida, Southwest Florida and Orlando area Offering mortgage, title, insurance, home service plans and 1031 exchange services Offices: 40 • Associates: 1,750

124 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

GEORGIA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties 863 Holcomb Bridge Rd., Roswell, GA 30076 Contact: Kathy Connelly, SVP Corporate Services • Tel: (678) 352-3321 Email: Kathy.Connelly@BHHSGeorgia.com URL: www.BHHSGeorgia.com Coverage Areas: Metro Atlanta and North Georgia Offices: 26 • Associates: 1,600

ILLINOIS McCOLLY Real Estate 800 Deer Creek Dr., Schererville, IN 46375 Contact: Deborah Horton, CRP, RCC, Director of Referral/Relocation Services Tel: (800) 348-2100 ext. 206 Email: dhorton@mccolly.com URL: www.mccolly.com Coverage Areas: Alsip, Aroma Park, Beecher, Blue Island, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Burbank, Burnham, Calumet City, Channahon, Chicago, Chicago Ridge, Clearing, Country Club Hills, Crest Hill, Crestwood, Crete, Evergreen Park, Flossmoor, Frankfort, Glenwood, Grant Park, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Hegewisch, Hickory Hills, Homewood, Kankakee, Lansing, Lemont, Lockport, Lynwood, Manteno, Matteson, Mokena, Momence, Monee, Morgan Park, Mount Greenwood, New Lenox, Oak Lawn, Orland Hills, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Park Forest, Peotone, Richton Park, Riverdale, Roseland, Steger, Tinley Park, University Park, Worth Offices: 18 • Associates: 450+

INDIANA McCOLLY Real Estate 800 Deer Creek Dr., Schererville, IN 46375 Contact: Deborah Horton, CRP, RCC, Director of Referral/Relocation Services Tel: (800) 348-2100 ext. 206 Email: dhorton@mccolly.com URL: www.mccolly.com Coverage Areas: Beverly Shores, Cedar Lake, Chesterton, Crown Point, DeMotte, Dyer, Dune Acres, East Chicago, Gary, Griffith, Hammond, Hebron, Highland, Hobart, Kouts, La Porte, Lake Station, Lake Village, Lakes of Four Seasons, Long Beach, Lowell, Merrillville, Michiana Shores, Michigan City, Miller Beach, Morocco, Munster, Ogden Dunes, Otis, Portage, Porter, Rensselaer, Roselawn, Schererville, Schneider, St. John, Sumava Resorts, Thayer, Valparaiso, Westville, Wheatfield, Whiting, Winfield Offices: 18 • Associates: 450+

MARYLAND CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 • Fax: (703) 822-0136 Relocation Contact: Jeff Hetherington, Director of Relocation Email: move@c21nm.com URL: www.c21nm.com Coverage Areas: Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Southern Maryland markets. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation.

Offices: 16 • Associates: 700+ Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+

Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate 7234 Lancaster Pike, Ste. 220B, Hockessin, DE 19707 Contact: Brian Pomije, Relocation Manager Tel: (302) 234-3600 (Office) • (302) 234-5207 (Direct) • (800) 443-2295 (Toll Free) Email: bpomije@psre.com URL: pattersonschwartz.com Coverage Areas: Delaware (New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties), Pennsylvania (Chester and Delaware counties), Maryland (Cecil, Kent and Harford counties) Offices: 9 • Associates: 415 RE/MAX Gateway 4090B Lafayette Center Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Scott MacDonald, President Tel: (703) 652-5760 • (703) 727-6900 (Cell) Email: scottmacdonald@remax.net URL: www.gateway2realestate.com Coverage Areas: Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland Offices: 6 • Associates: 170

MASSACHUSETTS Kinlin Grover Real Estate 4 Wianno Ave., Osterville, MA 02655 Contact: Lucy Cundiff, Director of Agent Services Tel: (508) 420-1130 Email: lcundiff@kinlingrover.com URL: www.kinlingrover.com Coverage Areas: Southeastern Massachusetts Offices: 16 • Associates: 275

MISSOURI Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties 1650 Des Peres Rd., Ste. 205, Saint Louis, MO 63131 Contact: Angie Ignatowski, Relocation Director Tel: (314) 835-6000 • (314) 835-6050 (Direct) Email: aignatowski@bhhsselectstl.com URL: www.bhhsselectstl.com Coverage Areas: St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, Lincoln County Offices: 11 • Associates: Over 500

NEBRASKA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate 13340 California St., Omaha, NE 68154 Contact: Katie Adams, CRP, GMS, VP Corp. Relocation & Business Development Tel: (800) 477-7653 or (402) 547-5137 Email: Katie.adams@BHHSamb.com URL: www.BHHSamb.com Coverage Areas: Omaha and Lincoln Metropolitan Area, including Omaha, Bellevue, Ralston, LaVista, Papillion, Gretna, Elkhorn, Fremont, Lincoln, Council Bluffs and surrounding communities

NEVADA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties 3185 St. Rose Pkwy., Ste. 100, Henderson, NV 89052 Contact: Eileen Mitchell, Dir. of Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (800) 735-4488 Email: relo@BHHSNV.com URL: www.BHHSNV.com Coverage Areas: Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin and Pahrump Offices: 6 • Associates: 1,050

NEW JERSEY Jordan Baris, Inc., REALTORS® Real Living 50 Mt. Pleasant Ave., West Orange, NJ 07052 Contact: Carol Abdo, Relocation Director Tel: (973) 736-1600 (Office) • (800) 4-JBARIS (Toll Free) Fax: (973) 736-5159 Email: relocation@jordanbaris.com URL: www.jordanbaris.com Coverage Areas: Essex, Union, Hudson and Morris counties. Specifically West Orange, South Orange, Maplewood, Livingston, East Hanover, Roseland, Short Hills, Montclair, Bloomfield, Belleville, Newark, East Orange, Orange, Irvington, Jersey City, North Bergen, Union, Vauxhall, Parsippany-Troy Hills Offices: 2 • Associates: 150 Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+

NORTH CAROLINA Coldwell Banker Advantage 7610 Six Forks Rd., Ste. 100, Raleigh, NC 27615 Contact: Benina Drake, CRP, SVP Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (800) 274-5345 • (919) 846-3330 (Direct) Email: BDrake@AdvantageCB.com URL: AdvantageCB.com Coverage Areas: Apex, Cary, Clayton, Creedmoor, Chapel Hill, Durham, Falls Lake, Fayetteville, Ft. Bragg area, Henderson, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Lake Gaston, Lillington, McGee’s Crossroads, Pinehurst, Pittsboro, Pope Air Force Base area, Raleigh, Southern Pines, Wake Forest and Zebulon Offices: 17 • Associates: 325 Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+

PENNSYLVANIA Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+ 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 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE November 2020 125

URL: www.LuskandAssociates.com Coverage Areas: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; Susquehanna Valley, Pennsylvania; South Central Pennsylvania Offices: 1 • Associates: 40 Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate 7234 Lancaster Pike, Ste. 220B, Hockessin, DE 19707 Contact: Brian Pomije, Relocation Manager Tel: (302) 234-3600 (Office) • (302) 234-5207 (Direct) • (800) 443-2295 (Toll Free) Email: bpomije@psre.com • URL: pattersonschwartz.com Coverage Areas: Delaware (New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties), Pennsylvania (Chester and Delaware counties), Maryland (Cecil, Kent and Harford counties) Offices: 9 • Associates: 415 RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central 701 West Market St., Perkasie, PA 18944 Contact: Tom Skiffington, Broker/Owner • Tel: (215) 453-7653 or (215) 643-3200 Email: tom@tomskiffington.com URLs: www.pahomesforsale.com • www.lehighvalleyrealestate.com Coverage Areas: Pennsylvania counties: Bucks, Berks, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, Lehigh, North Hampton, and New Jersey Offices: 10 • Associates: 170

RHODE ISLAND Randall, REALTORS® 4009 Old Post Rd., Charleston, RI 02813 Contact: Jean Fournier, Dir. of Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (401) 486-9677 Email: jfournier@randallrealtors.com • URL: www.randallrealtors.com Coverage Areas: Connecticut and Rhode Island Offices: 9 • Associates: 175

SOUTH CAROLINA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS® 745 N. Pleasantburg Dr., Greenville, SC 29607 Contacts: Nichole Moore, Director of Relocation, (864) 678-5362, nmoore@cdanjoyner.com, Jo Anne Conner, Destination & Broker-to-Broker Mgr., (864) 678-5227, jconner@cdanjoyner.com, URL: www.cdanjoyner.com Brookfield GRS, SIRVA, AIReS Relocation, Graebel, MI Group Coverage Areas: Greenville, Greer, Taylors, Duncan, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Simpsonville, Fountain Inn, Powdersville, Easley, Piedmont, Anderson Offices: 10 • Associates: 400+ CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 • Fax: (703) 822-0136 Relocation Contact: Jeff Hetherington, Director of Relocation Email: move@c21nm.com URL: www.c21nm.com Providers of world class real estate services in the Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Southern Maryland markets. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation.

Offices: 16 • Associates: 700+ 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

126 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

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®...................................................................................12

National Association of REALTORS®............................8, 25

American Home Shield.....................................................7

NextHome........................................................................BC

Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA)....48

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors®.........................................2

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.............................. IBC

Quicken Loans....................................................................5

The CE Shop......................................................................78

Real Estate Express...........................................................41

Century 21 Real Estate LLC.............................................19

REALTOR Team Store®......................................................83

Create for the Human.....................................................67

Realty ONE Group.......................................................... IFC

CRS Data...........................................................................72

RE/MAX, LLC.....................................................................10

Darryl Davis Seminars, Inc...............................................68

RISMedia’s ACESocial...........................9, 11, 80, 98-99, 127

Fathom Realty..................................................................42

RISMedia’s Content Solutions.........................................54

Homes.com........................................................................1

RISMedia’s Housecall.....................................................106

HomeTeam Inspection..........................................................62

RISMedia’s Real Estate’s Rocking in the New Year......84

HSA Home Warranty..............................................................17

RISMedia’s Ultimate Real Estate Team Guide..............45

Lamacchia Realty.................................................................34

ShelterZoom......................................................................64

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World ...........22-23

Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting.........................31

NAR’s Center for REALTOR® Development (CRD)........20

Stewart Title.......................................................................15

National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP)®..................................................36

Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc.................................46

®

Workman Success Systems........................................92, 97

Build Your Brand and Generate Leads!

“ACESocial allows us to provide a valuable, time-saving social media solution to all our sales professionals. Offering company-branded, professional posts through ACESocial adds value not only to our customers, but also to our REALTORS®!”

- Rei L. Mesa, President & CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty

For more information, visit rismedia.com/acesocial or contact ace@rismedia.com or (203) 855-1234 ext. 1.

{re: Real Estate} New Simulation Course Aims to Show the Impact of Housing Bias

R

EALTOR® Sandra A. Butler has watched the national discourse on race in recent months spark positive discussions among her peers about the role they can play in protecting consumers from fair housing violations.

“With everything that has happened in this country, it seems like it’s taken a totally different focus since George Floyd was killed,” Butler says, referencing Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. “It’s more apparent and more urgent since all of the racial unrest happened this year.

“The fair housing law has been in existence for 52 years, but we’re still struggling with it. Agents are still struggling,” she adds.

Indeed, decades after passage of the historic 1968 Fair Housing Act, which was meant to ensure equal housing opportunities, the real estate industry still faces challenges.

A three-year study of discrimination in real estate

by New York Newsday published in late 2019 found evidence of widespread unequal treatment of potential minority homebuyers on Long Island—19 percent of the time against Asians, 39 percent of the time against Hispanics, and 49 percent of the time against blacks. In some cases, agents denied equal professional service by refusing to provide listings or home tours to minority testers unless they met financial qualifications that weren’t required of white testers.

In others, agents steered testers toward neighborhoods matching the tester’s race or national origin, warning them away from “mixed” neighborhoods.

Soon after publication of the investigation, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) unveiled the ACT! plan, which helps ensure that REALTORS® comply with fair housing laws and embrace inclusive business practices. Specifically, the ACT! initiative emphasizes accountability, culture change and training to make certain that America’s 1.4 million REALTORS® are ensuring that all clients have equal access to the home of their choice in the neighborhood of their choice.

In the latest addition to the ACT! initiative, NAR is rolling out an online interactive simulation training in which agents will confront discrimination in real estate transactions from the point of view of both agent and client.

128 November 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

NAR has teamed up with the EY Learning Lab, which previously developed NAR’s Commitment to Excellence (C2EX) training, in developing the training simulation program for its members.

In the training, agents sell homes in the fictional town of Fairhaven, confronting various scenarios in which discrimination gets in the way. Agents make choices about how to handle each scenario, advancing through the simulation based on their answers.

In an innovative approach, the course also puts agents in the role of a client experiencing discrimination. The client point-of-view scenarios are paired with powerful testimonials, illustrating the impact of housing discrimination in real people’s lives.

A three-year study of discrimination in real estate by New York Newsday published in late 2019 found evidence of widespread unequal treatment of potential minority homebuyers on Long Island—19 percent of the time against Asians, 39 percent of the time against Hispanics, and 49 percent of the time against blacks.

Organizers believe this approach has the potential to change someone’s worldview.

“We have a duty to try to be more proactive,” Butler says of the efforts coming out of NAR. In addition to the simulation training, NAR is also working with the experts at the Perception Institute to develop an in-depth, interactive classroom training focused on preventing implicit bias in real estate transactions. NAR and Perception have already unveiled a 50-minute video aimed at helping members avoid implicit bias in their daily business interactions. NAR has also launched a new consumer advertising campaign that reaffirms its commitment to fair housing.

That ad campaign is running in major publications like the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times as well as on digital sites like Apple TV and Spotify.

“It gives me hope that we’re at least trying to address the issue,” says Butler. “This is a starting point. We have to continue this process.” RE

Any agent can make an impression.

Our network’s Forever Agents make ones that last.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network members have a track record of success, not only in real estate, but in all they do. So, when you’re ready to grow your career with a real estate company using a name that’s stood the test of time, our members are ready to meet you. Learn more about becoming a network Forever Agent at JoinBerkshireHathawayHS.com

For Life

©2020 BHH Affiliates, LLC. Real Estate Brokerage Services are offered through the network member franchisees of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Most franchisees are independently owned and operated.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Thank You for a Year of Milestones, NextHomies A direct result of your hard work and dedication to excellence • •

• •

+ offices and ,+ members nationwide No.  real estate franchise and No.  overall across industries by Franchise Business Review Top  Culture List and Top Franchise for Women Inc.  Fastest-Growing Private Companies with % growth rate

• •

• •

No.  by Entrepreneur on The Top Growth Franchise list No.  by Entrepreneur on The Franchise ® list out of ,+ companies considered Top  real estate franchise in production per agent by T Sixty Leadership team recognized on SP and The Watchlist

NextHome.com © 2020 NEXTHOME, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NEXTHOME® IS A FEDERALLY REGISTERED TRADEMARK OWNED BY NEXTHOME, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION WITH OFFICES LOCATED AT 4309 HACIENDA DRIVE, SUITE 110, PLEASANTON, CA. (855)-925-6398.

EACH NEXTHOME® FRANCHISED OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED. THIS ADVERTISEMENT IS NOT AN OFFERING. AN OFFERING CAN ONLY BE MADE THROUGH A FRANCHISE DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT OR PROSPECTUS AND IN STATES WHERE AUTHORIZED. FOR MINNESOTA RESIDENTS: NEXTHOME, INC. IS REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, REGISTRATION NUMBER F-7529. IN NEW YORK STATE, AN OFFERING CAN ONLY BE MADE BY A PROSPECTUS FILED FIRST WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. SUCH FILING DOES NOT CONSTITUTE APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW. IF YOU ARE PRESENTLY UNDER CONTRACT WITH A REAL ESTATE FRANCHISE, PLEASE DISREGARD THIS SOLICITATION.