Real Estate Magazine - Zillow - October 2020 by RISMedia

Celebrating 40 Years

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THE GREAT RESHUFFLING Zillow Smooths Out One of the Most Accelerated Shifts in Home-Buying History â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Page 50

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{Contents} October 2020/Vol. 36, No. 10 • www.rismedia.com

ON THE COVER 50 The Great Reshuffling Zillow Smooths Out One of the Most Accelerated Shifts in Home-Buying History The market seems to be at an inflection point, but with elections and pandemics driving market sentiment, it’s hard to know which way is up. “Should I buy, sell, rent, remodel or sit tight?” With Zillow, the universal answer may very well be “yes.” With a plethora of real estate brands under its umbrella, the Zillow Group essentially reflects the entire market, serving buyers, sellers and everyone in between for the full lifecycle of homeownership. Zillow’s marketplace empowers consumers at all stages of the real estate journey, providing data, inspiration and knowledge—and connecting them with local real estate professionals who can close their deal and bring their dreams over the finish line. In this month’s cover story, learn how Zillow is reimagining real estate during uncertain times like these.

HIGHLIGHTS 26 A Smarter Way to Do Business This month, learn why HomeSmart International believes it has the business model for the future.

44 A dvancing the Green Building Industry and Its Practices One Step at a Time Introducing the 2020 EverGreen Award winners.

48 M aking ‘Work From Home’ Work for Everyone

In this exclusive feature, take a peek at how Homes.com is delivering for its employees and clients in a remote environment.

72 D uring Natural Disasters, Real Estate Pros Rely on Their Experience and Hustle

Here, real estate professionals share their tips for how they’re leaning into their leadership roles in the face of natural disasters.

HEADLINERS 13 P olicy Matters: Stay Current on State and Local COVID-19-Related Laws and Executive Orders

14 N AR Power Broker Roundtable: Maintaining Company Culture…From a Distance

18 E xecutive Appointments 21 R EBAC Report: Adapting to Today’s Market Realities

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE October 2020 3

98 63 S cott Oakley – Stop Losing Your Customers to Competitors

65 D aniel Ramsey – Marketing Automation or Human Touch?

66 K evin Greene – Dedicated Listing Websites: Not the Luxury You Might Think

67 A dam Long – Preparing for a Home Inspection

68 C harles J. Williams IV – Broker Cooperation Trumps Disruptors If Done Right

25 T hird Quarter of 2020 Saw More Homes Fall Into Vacant Zombie Foreclosure Status

39 R eport: Top 10 Work-From-Home Counties in the U.S.

71 T ips for Helping Buyers Navigate the Housing Market Amid a Pandemic

83 A re Renters Moving to the Suburbs Amid the Pandemic?

93 B log Spot: 4 Ways Homebuyers Can Find Top-Quality Real Estate

98 W ebinar Recap: How to Stand Out in an Overcrowded Social Media World

99 W ebinar Recap: Retaining Top Producers in a Competitive Environment

FEATURES 32 G lobal Spotlight: A Peek Inside Switzerland’s Luxury Real Estate Market

35 S howcasing the Value of Marketing in Real Estate

36 E nhancing the Real Estate Experience for Today’s Buyers and Sellers

38 N ew REALTOR® Campaign Emphasizes Why ‘Fairness Is Worth Fighting For’

50 T he Great Reshuffling 55 B ringing Peace of Mind to the Real Estate Equation During Unprecedented Times

56 S trategies: Homes.com; VoicePad 4 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

88 P ower Broker Perspectives:

69 A llen Alishahi – How to Help Your City-Loving Buyers Embrace the Suburbs

Aleksandra Scepanovic, Jim Fite

91 A sk the Experts: How COVID-19 Has Altered the Home Inspection Industry

70 B ill Scavone – ‘New Normal’ or Just Normal?

94 R ISMedia’s Great Spaces

86 S herri Johnson – 5 Traits of Top-

INTERVIEWS

90 D arryl Davis – How to Bring Your

Producing Teams Community Farm Together for a Great Reason

84 S cott and Renee Comey, RE/MAX Elite and Motto Mortgage Elite

85 J eff Krider, The Columbus Agents,

92 T erri Murphy – 3 Tips to Rock Your Sphere of Influence

Fathom Realty

EXPERTS 22 T he Experts at Real Estate Express – 10 Habits of Top Real Estate Agents

24 B rian Buffini – Creating Your Comeback: What You Can Do Now to Win in 2021

41 J ohn Mosey – Joe Rand Becomes the Voice of the Broker Public Portal

POWER TEAMS 75 V erl Workman – An Abundance of Leads

76 C leve Gaddis – More Leads Isn’t Always the Answer

77 P aul Sessum – Filling the Pipeline From Leads All Around You

78 S arah Michelle Bliss – Filling the Pipeline: Consistency Is the Answer

82 G rowing Organically…and Wisely

42 G rier Allen – Digital Pursuit: The Data Driving a Strong Q4 and Smart Start to 2021

47 W endy Forsythe – Does Broker Consolidation Make Sense for the Messy Middle?

59 T he Experts at Realty ONE Group – How to Navigate This Political Season as a Real Estate Professional

61 L ane Hornung – How Every Agent Can Help Solve Our Inventory Shortage

EVERY ISSUE 6

R ISMedia Online

P ublisher’s Desk

16 Trending in Real Estate 100 S ervice Profiles 107 R eferrals 112 R E: Real Estate—‘That’s Who We R’ Campaign Adds International Assets

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RISMedia.com in the Spotlight: October

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

Homeowner Tips: Green Updates That Add Value to Your Home

attend to. Here are a few things you need to do in order to maintain your new home.

There are many good reasons to make your home more energy-efficient, but in addition to reducing your carbon footprint and lowering your monthly utility bills, making green updates to your property can also raise your home’s value. Here are a few ideas to consider.

COVID Continues to Impact Business

Report: The Best and Worst U.S. Cities for Renters

How to Create the Perfect Atmosphere in an Open House

Making potential buyers comfortable during an open house is one way to improve your odds of getting a bid. The right setting can make all the difference in how people perceive the property.

Essential Maintenance to Conduct on Newly Purchased Homes

You’ve worked hard to become a homeowner. However, your work is not done. After you move into your new house, there are several essential maintenance tasks that you’ll need to

In a recent report, WalletHub looked to assist renters who want to get more bang for their buck. By evaluating 182 U.S. cities across 24 key indicators, from quality of life to rental attractiveness, the personal finance site ranked the cities from best to worst.

What to Look for in a Single-Family Investment Property

While any property can ultimately turn out to be a good investment if you have enough determination, there are certain qualities that will make your life easier when it comes to the return on your investment. Here are some qualities to look for in an investment property.

Stay tuned to rismedia.com for ongoing coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and best practices for succeeding in this challenging environment.

In-Depth Coverage of RISMedia’s 2020 Virtual CEO Exchange RISMedia’s virtual CEO Exchange covered everything from COVID challenges to business best practices. Visit rismedia.com for in-depth coverage of our iconic event!

Connect With RISMedia @RISMediaUpdates

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As we usher in fall, we’ll be sharing autumn-related home improvement tips on our blog, Housecall. Share these expert strategies with your sphere by visiting blog.rismedia.com.

6 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ULTIMATE

Real Estate

A real estate team can be a lucrative venture…

TEAM Guide

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!

If recent events have taught us anything, it’s this: we have more work to do. Racism is real, tragically so. Discrimination, in all its forms, still casts a long shadow in this country, and too many are being denied the opportunities that all Americans deserve. Our commitment to the diverse communities we serve starts with a Code of Ethics. Our code sets a higher standard for fairness in housing than any federal law, it’s backed by a culture of member accountability, and it extends to our work on Capitol Hill, where we continue to advocate for meaningful change. As members of the National Association of REALTORS® we know fairness is worth fighting for, and we won’t stop until the fight is won. Because that’s who we are.

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®

{Publisher’s Desk} Accelerating the Future

s I write this, I’m fresh off wrapping up our annual Real Estate CEO Exchange. While 2020 marks the 31 st year of the CEO Exchange, it also represents a first for us: the successful launch of our first completely virtual event. While we watched events across all industries turn to a virtual format in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we didn’t know if that strategy would work for us. If you’ve ever been to an RISMedia event, you know that the networking opportunities are unparalleled—something that would be difficult, if not impossible, to recreate in a virtual environment. So, we reached out to all of you to ask: How should we proceed? Or should we proceed at all? The overwhelming response was to move forward in a virtual format, and we are thrilled with the results. This year’s CEO Exchange—co-presented by the National Association of REALTORS®—gathered more than 60 Power Brokers, real estate executives and top business coaches to present 16 sessions to more than 1,000 attendees. While we weren’t in the hallowed halls of the Harvard Club of New York as we usually are, the same candid conversations took place as industry leaders shared the challenges they have been through, and their strategies for succeeding nonetheless. I tip my hat to all of you for your inspired leadership, innovation and resiliency. While our speakers shared the many lessons they’ve learned in 2020, we learned a big one from this event itself: that while nothing will ever replace the value of in-person relationships, successfully connecting and conducting business virtually can happen. Matt Widdows knew this all along. When the HomeSmart International founder opened his flagship brokerage in 2000, he did so to build the technology environment he couldn’t find elsewhere. In our cover story this month on page 26, find out how technology has given HomeSmart an edge throughout this pandemic, and how its latest offering, RealSmart Client, makes the consumer part of it all. “It has always been our goal to connect and provide complete visibility for all those involved in a transaction,” says Matt, “and that also includes our buyers and sellers.” To all those who presented and attended our virtual 2020 CEO Exchange, I extend my sincere thanks. Together, we will continue to move forward successfully in 2020, paving the way for a stellar 2021, no matter what challenges lie ahead.

John E. Featherston CEO & Publisher

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

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

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.

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{Policy Matters} Stay Current on State and Local COVID-19-Related Laws and Executive Orders This column is brought to you by the NAR Real Estate Services group.

by Melissa Horn

• More than 20 states have permanent laws allowing the use of remote online notarizations (RON). Other states have used executive orders to temporarily authorize the use of RON to help facilitate real estate transactions during the pandemic. It is important to know the expiration dates of these orders. • Many states have altered their professional licensing criteria due to the ongoing health pandemic, including offering extensions for expired licenses and continuing education requirements. • Many states have eviction or foreclosure moratoriums to help renters and homeowners who are suffering financially due to the health pandemic. It is important to stay abreast of when they are scheduled to expire.

s the real estate industry continues to conduct business during the current health pandemic, it is critical that real estate agents and brokers stay up to date on COVID-19-related state legislative and regulatory changes as well as state executive orders impacting real estate. The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) currently provides real estate professionals with bimonthly updates on important state issues such as eviction moratoriums, fair housing, foreclosure, landlord and tenant issues (including short-term rentals), licensure (including changes to pre-licensing, post-licensing and continuing education and examination procedures and requirements) and remote online notarization:

• Real estate showings are currently authorized in all states; however, many states have put in place safety guidelines that real estate professionals must follow when showing a property or holding an open house. • While several states previously had short-term rental bans in place, all statewide bans except in Hawaii have expired. In the place of bans, many states have enacted guidelines, and some county or municipal level bans are still in effect. • The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has released a statement on the Fair Housing Act and COVID-19, indicating that it will treat those who have the virus as a protected class. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has also offered guidance relating to tenant protections during the COVID-19 emergency. Because there are numerous levels of overlapping state, federal and local laws at play here, many state-based organizations have

issued best practices for navigating COVID-19 as a landlord. Where available, we have compiled a list of guidance documents for each state. Real estate agents and brokers can also access Hot Topic Alerts (short white papers) on important state and local issues such as inclusionary zoning, the use of accessory dwelling units and rural broadband deployment strategies. This fall, NAR will be adding to its Hot Topic Alert library by issuing four new Hot Topic Alerts. The first will cover equity in real estate, exploring place and racebased policies that have historically driven disparate community policies from zoning to school districting. The second will highlight policies that limit property rights in the rental community (including short-term rentals). The third will cover state and local taxation activity in the wake of COVID-19 as state and local governments address budget deficits and REALTOR® associations work to ensure that the burden does not fall on the shoulders of America’s homeowners. Lastly, the final Hot Topic Alert will cover infrastructure policy. From roadways to the internet superhighway, these systems not only impact property values, but are the means by which communities are connected. All of these resources are available at realtorparty.realtor under the State and Local Resources tab. Not in front of a computer? Get NAR’s state and local policy resources sent directly to your mobile device by joining REALTOR® Party Mobile Alerts. Simply text SL POLICY to 30644 and a link will be sent to you to access these resources. RE

Melissa Horn is NAR’s State and Local Government policy representative.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE October 2020 13

{The NAR Power Broker Roundtable} Maintaining Company Culture...From a Distance MODERATOR:

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

Barbara Wolcott Chairman/CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Towne Realty, Virginia Beach, Va.

Chris Trapani Co-Founder/CEO, Sereno Group Real Estate, Los Gatos, Calif.

Lori Arnold President, Coldwell Banker Apex, REALTORS®, Dallas, Texas

Drayton Saunders President, Michael Saunders & Co., Sarasota, Fla. 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: Although some agents

and support staff have been able to access their offices now and then, wearing masks and socially distanced, the majority have been working remotely. And the unique events and celebrations that are so integral to our company culture are denied for the foreseeable future. As company leaders, we have stepped up to the challenge of staying connected through Zoom meetings and other virtual get-togethers. Has this been enough to maintain the individuality that distinguishes us as sought-after companies?

14 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Barbara Wolcott: Even the busiest

agents like to hang out in the office, and they thrive on competition for awards—so yes, this has been a huge challenge. This year, both our awards gala in April and the rewards trip for top agents in May were cancelled. But we’ve always worked hard to make caring a vital part of who we are, and I’ve tried to maintain that by personally calling—at random—every one of our 375 agents. Yes, we have Zoom meetings and virtual sales meetings, but I hope these personal calls, just to chat, have helped to keep us together.

Chris Trapani: My partner Ryan and

I have been focused on just this issue. In addition to Zoom meetings and Google Hangouts, we’ve been maintaining relationships via casual, in-person “Coffees with Chris or Ryan” with three or four socially distanced agents at a time. But we started the effort to keep us all on the same page by putting on a mask and personally delivering copies of an inspiring book to each of our offices. “Let My People Go Surfing,” by Yvon Chouinard, founder of the highly successful company, Patagonia, is about values and about how doing good and having grand adventures should be at the heart of every entrepreneur’s business life. That’s the message at the core of our company culture.

Lori Arnold: Fortunately for us, our major awards gala was in February, before the shutdown. But we wanted to do something special for our mid-year awards. So, in addition to a Zoom event, we set up socially distanced “watch parties” in our branch office lounges for those who wanted to attend, and in-person watch parties for no more than two or three agents at various homes. To make them extra-special, we sent out pre-party gift boxes to every agent being honored—special foods, confetti, business books, little personal things tied to each honoree’s likes and needs.

Drayton Saunders: We didn’t start the year with a pandemic playbook, but in retrospect, the most important thing we did was to stay connected to our team. Michael and I know that our role as leaders is to motivate and celebrate everyone, showing our genuine appreciation, whether it be virtually or in person. Certainly, this has taken us into the creative direction such as hosting Zoom cocktail parties and sending surprise gift baskets to recognize our agents’ successes. It has taken our entire team’s efforts to stay focused and positive while we navigate through the virtual narrative. Even if the market accelerates, we will continue to do our best at finding creative ways to drive our team. JH: All great ideas. At Shorewest,

we replaced our country club awards celebrations with a customized thankyou, sending out printed recognition programs along with a personal note and a box of gourmet chocolates personally delivered by their manager. Also, some of our offices hold weekly Zoom meetings outdoors, so people have the option of attending in person or online.

DS: Good idea—it’s vital to keep connecting in other ways. LA: All of our agents are dying to come back into the office—but for now, combination meetings are the best alternative. BW: And personal contact can be

critical. By reaching out to each of my agents, I embody the company culture and hope to keep it meaningful.

CT: As leaders, the hard part is coming out stronger on the other side. It’s turning adversity into a victory and helping our people thrive. RE

8For an expanded version of this article and other NAR Power Broker Roundtable topics, please visit www.rismedia.com.

A HELPFUL HINT YOUR CLIENTS WILL THANK YOU FOR Telling your clients about seasonal HVAC tune-ups is a win-win. Fall is here, so it’s a good way to help them ensure their heating system is ready for winter — and a great reason to check-in with them (before and after their tune-up) to see if they need anything. This is just one of the on-demand services HSA customers are eligible for as part of an HSA home warranty and why you should always make HSA your first choice for home warranty protection. SM

Trending in Real Estate With commuting restraints removed for the many who are working remotely, homeownership may now be within reach. According to a recent Zillow analysis, the ability to find a home in a more affordable location is making buying an option for those who are no longer tied to their physical work location. This could mean the most to millennials, who represent nearly half of the 1.92 million renter households.

VA loans are having a record 2020. According to mortgage lender Veterans United Home Loans, the VA loan program had already backed more than 865,000 loans as of August, surpassing its 2017 record—740,386 loans—before even finishing out the third quarter.

As many homeowners experience skyrocketing energy bills thanks to more family members at home due to the coronavirus, there is a growing interest in energy-efficient home upgrades. According to the National Association of Home Builders, energy or “green” mortgages can offer homeowners an opportunity to purchase homes that utilize these technologies through mortgages that permit higher debt-to-income ratio requirements. This can help offset monthly costs as well as increase your home’s value.

The recently revealed “Sanctuary” color palette for 2021 from Sherwin-Williams highlights colors that connect us to the natural world, where many of us have been spending more time lately, biking, hiking, camping, et al. Look for shades that range from soothing neutrals like “Bona Fide Beige” to earthy browns and greens like “Oakmoss” and “Canyon Clay.”

16 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

{Executive Appointments}

Principal Broker Lorie Layman of CryeLeike Real Estate Services was recently named vice chair of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) 2021 Medium Board Forum Committee. More than 100 committees determine NAR’s policy decisions and annual direction, providing a transparent and highly efficient avenue through which America’s 1.4 million REALTORS®are able to shape and influence the nation’s largest trade association. A member of the real estate industry since 1991, Layman has been the managing broker of CryeLeike’s Brentwood branch office for two years.

RE/MAX, LLC announced the hiring of Amy as vice president, Business Growth, West Region. The RE/MAX West Region comprises 13 states stretching from Washington to Montana and California to New Mexico, and includes Alaska and Hawaii. In addition to Lessinger’s hiring, Kevin Northrup has been named as vice president, Business Growth, Northeast Region, which encompasses New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Lessinger

Fathom Holdings Inc., a holding company that primarily operates through its wholly owned subsidiary, Fathom Realty, LLC, announced that Grady Ligon has been named chief technology officer of the company’s subsidiary, intelliAgent, LLC. Ligon will be responsible for leading the further development of intelliAgent as a fully integrated real estate search, transaction, technology and communication hub. In other company news, DeJane Kerr has been promoted to vice president of brokerage operations, and Russell Laggan has been appointed to vice president of recruiting. Kerr will be involved in enhancing company-wide operations and support for Fathom’s growing network of agents. Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company’s agent growth initiative, known as “Talent Acquisition,” Laggan will manage a team of talent acquisition specialists. NAR announced the promotion of Andréa Moore to vice president of Diversity, Inclu-

sion and Talent Opportunity. Moore will be responsible for NAR’s internal diversity and inclusion strategy, recruitment strategy and processes, and creating opportunities for internal staff

18 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

and the Washington, D.C. office’s talent development operations. Over the last three years, Moore has adjusted NAR’s recruitment strategy and practiced to expand applicant pools. Moore also led several NAR internal staff diversity and inclusion efforts.

BoomTown has announced the promotions of Mark Stewart to chief technology officer and George Mountis to vice president of Product. Stewart has worked at BoomTown since 2017 and Mountis has worked at BoomTown since 2013. Many breakthrough innovations have come to market under their leadership, including delivering successful, value-added offerings like Success Assurance, Marketing Central and the HomeSearchNOW app. Fannie Mae has appointed Jeffery Hayward to the newly created position of executive vice president and chief administrative officer, and Michele Evans as executive vice president and head of multifamily. Hayward, previously head of Fannie Mae’s multifamily business, will lead Fannie Mae’s Affordable Housing; Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG); Human Resources; Diversity & Inclusion; and Enterprise Workplace teams. Evans most recently served as Fannie Mae multifamily chief operating officer. The new role of chief administrative officer reflects Fannie Mae’s ongoing commitment to affordable housing, diversity and inclusion, and leading the industry with the company’s ESG efforts. As multifamily’s chief operating officer, Evans helped guide multifamily’s digital transformation, automate its pricing and underwriting, and launch its credit risk transfer business. The board of managers of the National Broker Portal, a joint venture between Broker Public Portal (BPP) and Homesnap, announced that Joseph “Joe” Rand of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate (BHGRE) Rand Realty, has been named executive director of the BPP. As executive director for BPP, Rand will serve as “the face of a movement.” Rand will also be the industry liaison for the BPP, encouraging individual MLSs and brokers to join the BPP. RE

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

{REBAC Report} Adapting to Today’s Market Realities by Marc D. Gould

e know it is essential for you and your agents to meet the needs of today’s consumers. That’s why the Center for REALTOR® Development has been dedicated to offering safe, convenient and affordable ways to access valuable educational and networking opportunities since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. All of our programming has moved to a virtual format; live courses and networking sessions are being hosted online, and online courses offer additional remote learning opportunities whenever it is convenient. Already a step ahead in the distance education sector, due to our expansive online course catalog and complimentary podcast, the Center for REALTOR® Development has also substantially discounted online resources via the National Association of REALTORS®(NAR) Right Tools, Right Now initiative. NAR members have enjoyed a multitude of educational offerings, with a value of $12 million to date. Upcoming Courses Looking ahead, three designation and certification courses are being offered in advance of the 2020 REALTORS® Conference & Expo. All three classes will be held as instructor-led,

live virtual courses in October, ahead of the official convention dates. As an added benefit, course fees are significantly discounted as part of the Right Tools, Right Now initiative. I strongly encourage that you pass the information below onto your agents. The courses are an amazing opportunity that they won’t want to miss. Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) Designation Course Explore every aspect of residential real estate transactions from a buyer’s perspective. Learn how to attract additional buyer-clients and elevate your services to ensure you meet all your fiduciary responsibilities when representing buyers. Dates: Oct. 8 - 9, 2020 Instructor: Brent Lancaster Fee: $99 Short Sales & Foreclosure Resource (SFR®) Certification Course

Learn how to work with distressed sellers and the finance, tax and legal professionals who can help them. This course also helps agents develop a short sale package, negotiate with lenders, limit risk, protect buyers and safeguard their commission. Date: Oct. 20, 2020 Instructor: Cynthia DeLuca Fee: $39 Resort & Second-Home Property Specialist (RSPS) Certification Course Hone your skills for assisting buyers and sellers of investment, development, retirement or second homes in a resort, recreational or vacation destination (including property management considerations). Date: Oct. 28, 2020 Instructor: Brett Brown Fee: $39 To learn more and register, visit https://www.nar.realtor/right-toolsright-now. Exclusively for Brokers If you are not already involved in our Virtual Broker’s Edge events, I encourage you to join the remaining October session, Today’s Broker in a Virtual World, on Oct. 27. Broker’s Edge is an excellent opportunity to compare notes with your peers and gain fresh thinking on tackling today’s challenges. Visit https:// www.nar.realtor/brokersedge for additional details. 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 October 2020 21

10 Habits of Top Real Estate Agents by the Experts at Real Estate Express 7. Relate to Your Clients Take the time to research your target market and potential clients. Get to know what influences them and what their background is. Once you understand what drives them, you can make a more human connection. 8. Be Honest The most successful real estate professionals are highly skilled in honesty, especially when it comes to pricing and timing. High net-worth clients don’t want to be surprised, so you need to be upfront about any potential issues.

ttaining success isn’t simply a matter of luck—it’s a matter of taking the time to learn real estate inside and out, applying your knowledge and sticking with it. Being successful is never a “one-and-done” situation. You have to form habits that will, in turn, foster your continued success. These 10 habits can make the difference between having the occasional successful month and being at the top of your market month after month.

1. Develop a Consistent Brand Consistency starts by identifying the customer. Develop your brand based on how it resonates with your target audience, then live and breathe your brand through each touchpoint.

4. Embrace Professionalism The most successful real estate professionals are the ones who have strong business acumen. They have immense communication skills, exceptional service and a knack for staying organized.

2. Practice Authenticity Don’t start your relationships based solely on the sale. Strive to make an authentic connection by understanding what they value and what drives them.

5. Be Tenacious High net-worth clients want to know that their real estate professional will work tirelessly to give them the best service possible. Go to bat for the issues they care about, and your reputation will flourish.

3. Live in the Details The most successful real estate pros know that the smallest changes will increase the sellability of a home. These details are crucial at higher price points where the pool of buyers shrinks. 22 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

6. Dress for Success When working with high net-worth individuals, you need to look the part. Your appearance should show that you value yourself as much as the homes you sell.

9. Develop a World-Class Network Top real estate professionals use a vast network of people, both in-person and online, to drive their brand forward. Not only do they make the connections, but they cultivate their relationships into clients. 10. Remain Agile The opportunity for growth in your target market is there, as long as you remain innovative and adaptable to your local market influences. No matter what profession you’re in, if you want to be successful, do what the most successful people do. With these 10 habits, clients will be knocking on your door instead of the other way around. RE Real Estate Express is one of the nation’s premier online real estate schools, providing pre- and postlicensing courses, continuing education courses, and professional development to hundreds of thousands of real estate agents across the country. Real Estate Express, along with its sister schools McKissock Learning, Superior School of Real Estate, Allied Schools, The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing and Hondros Education Group, helps real estate professionals achieve sustainable success throughout each stage of their real estate career. Learn more at realestateexpress.com.

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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.

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Creating Your Comeback:

What You Can Do Now to Win in 2021

by Brian Buffini

Build Reserves If there’s anything this year has taught us, it’s the importance of reserves, both financial and emotional. Peaks and valleys will always be a constant in life, which is why it’s crucial to get into the habit of saving so that you have the ability to cover personal, home and even business expenses in difficult times. In addition to financial reserves, you also need emotional strength, which you can build by committing to ongoing personal growth and development. If you didn’t have the financial or emotional reserves to draw on this year, start building them now, so you always have a safety net going forward.

020 has been a very challenging year filled with difficulties. While it might be tempting to simply count down the days until the year is over, now is actually the perfect time to start looking to the future and proactively plan for the year to come. Take steps right now to set yourself up for phenomenal success in 2021. Make Time to Reflect No matter how busy you are, reflection pays off. When you take time to reflect on the past, you can move into the future with a renewed sense of purpose and direction. Ask yourself what goals you achieved in 2020, and what obstacles you encountered. There’s no need to beat yourself up if any goals fell by the wayside. Be honest and take stock of where you are right now to assess what you need to move forward. Find Your Focus In difficult times, we can lose our way. In “Think and Grow Rich,” Na24 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

2021? If you don’t take the time to figure this out, you risk drifting along with no real sense of purpose, constantly making short-term decisions, feeling overwhelmed and never living the life you want. Zero in on your focus and then build a solid plan around it.

2020 may not have gone to plan for you, but, like a phoenix, you can rise from the ashes and make a comeback! poleon Hill taught that in order to be successful, you must really think. Ask yourself: Where are your thoughts and your energy directed? What do you want to achieve in

2020 may not have gone to plan for you, but, like a phoenix, you can rise from the ashes and make a comeback! Focus on what you can control to rebuild your foundation and start preparing for success in 2021. To tap into the sorts of powerful resources and support you need, and learn more about the mindsets, motivations and methodologies of success, tune into “The Brian Buffini Show” podcast 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.

Third Quarter of 2020 Saw More Homes Fall Into Vacant Zombie Foreclosure Status by RISMedia Staff

ombie foreclosure rates are up in the third quarter of 2020, according to a new report from ATTOM™ Data Solutions.

According to the company’s 2020 Vacant Property and Zombie Foreclosure report, 1.5 million residential homes (or 1.6 percent of all homes) in the U.S. are vacant. While 216,00 homes are in the process of foreclosure, this figure is 16 percent lower than what was reported in the second quarter. Of those, 3.7 percent (or 7,960 homes) are considered zombie foreclosures—these have increased by 3 percent since the second quarter. “Abandoned homes in foreclosure remain little more than a spot on the radar screen in most parts of the United States, posing few, if any, problems from neighborhood to neighborhood. But the latest numbers do throw a small potential red flag into air, given RISMedia_RPR_half_050520.pdf 1 the 5/5/20 3:41 the PM increase

in the percentage of zombie foreclosures,” says Todd Teta, chief product officer with ATTOM Data Solutions. However, foreclosures have been somewhat muted due to the protections against the coronavirus pandemic. The Midwest and South are experiencing the highest zombie foreclosure rates. Clusters can be found in Kansas (15 percent), Missouri (11.2 percent), Georgia (11 percent) and Tennessee (10.3 percent). The following states have zombie foreclosure rates that fall below the national average: Utah (1.1 percent), Idaho (1.2 percent), New Jersey (1.6 percent), Colorado (1.8 percent) and California (2 percent). Zombie rates increased in all but one state: Hawaii. The rates decreased in the District of Columbia. “It appears that an increased number of vacant foreclosure properties may be an unintended consequence of the foreclosure moratoria put in place by federal, state and local governments,” says Rick Sharga, executive vice president at RealtyTrac, for the report. “Vacant properties can contribute to neighborhood blight, and become safety hazards—especially during a pandemic. So the sooner these abandoned properties can be processed and sold to homebuyers or investors, the better it will be for communities and neighborhoods across the country.” RE For more information, please visit www.attomdata.com.

Wow Moment #

Sending your new clients an impressive pre-listing package that arrives an hour before your presentation. Log in to RPR today! narrpr.com

smarter

A Way to Do Business

26 October 2020 RISMediaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s REAL ESTATE

Why HomeSmart International Believes It Has the Business Model for the Future by Paige Tepping

s a consumer of any type of news or media today, you are inundated with ads, emails and articles swarming with the latest buzzwords and phrases: â&#x20AC;&#x153;unprecedented times,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;new

normalâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;uncharted territory.â&#x20AC;? In some cases, companies you have relied on have had to make drastic changes in their business operations. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had to reassure clients that they are working hard to navigate these â&#x20AC;&#x153;rocky watersâ&#x20AC;? and provide the support and customer service their patrons deserve.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, many brokerage companies had to shift gears entirely. They were forced to focus on finding and implementing technology solutions and easy-to-manage processes their agents could utilize in order to keep their businesses moving forward. Firms brought on third-party software and created new systems that not only allowed them to operate remotely, but also, resourced agents to run a virtual real estate business for the first time. But why did it take a global crisis for brokerages to move their businesses in this direction?

Matt Widdows, HomeSmart International CEO and Founder

do his job efficiently. He created a brokerage with tech DNAâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;technology ran through the veins of the company; it played a role in every part of the lifecycle of a real estate agent and broker. For two decades, HomeSmart Internationalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s RealSmart Tech Suite has offered agent and broker software that goes far beyond transaction management. It provides com-

plete synchronization and continues to grow and evolve with every passing year. The agent platform, RealSmart Agent, boasts an all-in-one capability that maximizes an agentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s productivity by streamlining business tasks. No more competing pieces of technology that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t speak to one another. No more keeping track of multiple usernames and passwords. +HOOR (PLO\

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According to HomeSmart International, the company has had the tools, systems and processes in place to easily adapt and continue to support their clients the whole time. HomeSmart International was built on technology. CEO and Founder Matt Widdows originally opened his flagship brokerage in 2000 because, as an agent himself, he felt the real estate industry was outdated and did not offer the tech he needed to

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All brokerage data and statistics are pulled into RealSmart Broker, providing total visibility into the performance of the business at all times. Brokers can analyze their business with detailed real-time reporting.

RISMediaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s REAL ESTATE October 2020 27

From one place, using only one login, an agent can do anything from managing transactions to creating listing flyers to accessing training. They can move every aspect of their business forward from a single piece of technology that is free for all HomeSmart agents. And because agents are constantly on the go, touring clients and showing listings, HomeSmart International created the RealSmart Agent mobile app. This way, busy agents can experience all the ease and features of the end-to-end platform from the palm of their hands. Our agents and staff have worked through the global pandemic very smoothly considering the scope of the situation that no one could foresee. With HomeSmart International’s innovative RealSmart technology, we were able to assist all our agents with listings, offers, paperwork, bookkeeping and commissions without ever coming into the office. And because of our systems, we really did not have to modify anything other than in-house, face-to-face meetings. With HomeSmart International’s corporateoffice support, we were able to quickly adjust to all agents’ needs without diminishing the quality of HomeSmart’s brand and services during this difficult time. Our goal was and still is to keep all agents safe and deliver seven-day-a-week support, 100-percent commission, great training and quick results.” -Terry Jones Designated Broker/Owner HomeSmart Real Estate Associates Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Wash.

28 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

All of this was available long before stay-at-home orders. And 100 percent of HomeSmart agents were adopting this technology long before it became a necessity. Through seamless integration with the company’s broker platform, RealSmart Broker, RealSmart Agent gives real estate professionals complete visibility into document review status in real time. Today, when every transaction and every commission matters, automated notifications and instant updates from brokers lead to agents getting paid faster. This is all made possible because HomeSmart International brokerages nationwide run on RealSmart Broker, the business management software that grows with the brokerage and allows brokers to conveniently manage their entire business from—yes, you guessed it—one place. The home screen gives brokers a snapshot of their entire brokerage in an organized and prioritized list so they can set their business up for success. They can manage files from start to finish in one tab and easily add notes to automatically notify agents of document approvals or requests. As a mirror of the RealSmart Agent screen, RealSmart Broker keeps brokers in the know at every stage of review. Yes, the robust platform facilitates document review, billing, recruiting, the educational calendar and more, but what seems most important at this time is big data. Now more than ever, business intelligence and real-time reporting is crucial to business success and evolution. All brokerage data is stored in the system so brokerage owners and operators can instantly pull reports to analyze their business, make better decisions and, ultimately, increase productivity. With back-office tasks, efficient transaction management and data insights in one central location, RealSmart Broker gives complete

visibility and access to run a brokerage wherever you are. And now, brokers and agents aren’t the only stakeholders with complete visibility into the transaction process.

4bd | 3ba | 2,790 sqft

5bd | 3ba | 3,214 sqft

43436 E Main Street Anywhere, USA 12345

1234 Park Avenue Anytown, USA 54321

RealSmart Client is the newest HomeSmart International software release, rounding out the company’s RealSmart Tech Suite. RealSmart Client pulls all client information and transaction documents so buyers and sellers can have full visibility into the progress of their transaction.

HomeSmart International continues to lead tech evolution in real estate with its brand-new RealSmart Client product. The real estate tech giant has built its reputation on consistently pushing the boundaries of how technology plays a role in the industry. RealSmart Client is the company’s latest offering and first platform that gives the consumer detailed insight into the listing and transaction process. Not only does the app con-

tinue to allow clients to search for homes, but now, they can also view their transaction status, manage documents and have more insight into the sale of their home and the purchase of their next residence. RealSmart Client also integrates with mortgage and escrow partners, giving buyers and sellers access to up-to-date information on the entire transaction process in one place. “Launching RealSmart Client to round out our tech suite simply made sense as our next move,” says Widdows. “It has always been our goal to connect and provide complete visibility for all those involved in a transaction, and that also includes our buyers and sellers.” Technology equals adaptability, and according to HomeSmart, the RealSmart Tech Suite allows for business success from anywhere. HomeSmart International is powered by better business operations as

well as people who constantly question the status quo and ask how they can streamline the brokerage business for all parties involved. According to HomeSmart International President Ashley Bowers, “The company prides itself on being hyper-focused on the three Ps of business: people, process and profits. This is what drives the success for the business and where we focus much of our time and resources.” Having streamlined processes in place assists brokerages in meeting their goals and gives them the power to exceed them. From the company’s inception, Widdows made it a goal to limit repeated manual processes and, instead, use technology that eliminates human error. All HomeSmart International franchises utilize the company’s proprietary software, which was developed to standardize the transaction process. This makes business

AGENT SIDE

“Launching RealSmart Client to round out our tech suite simply made sense as our next move. It has always been our goal to connect and provide complete visibility for all those involved in a transaction, and that also includes our buyers and sellers.” – MATT WIDDOWS CEO and Founder, HomeSmart International

more efficient and scalable for owners, brokers, agents and staff. With the brand’s well-known, 100-percent commission model, scalability is key to profitability.

BROKER SIDE

The integration of RealSmart Agent and RealSmart Broker makes transaction management a breeze with paperwork and transaction documentation visible in one place, a collaborative review process with brokers and agents, and automated instant agent notifications and updates. A mirrored RealSmart Agent and RealSmart Broker screen allows agents to see where their transaction is at every stage of review and brokers to better manage compliance.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE October 2020 29

When analyzing how exactly a company of HomeSmart International’s size—over 19,000 agents strong—can scale at the rate it does while providing the service and support promised, there was one glaring answer: process allows for scalability. Because the model is based on a transaction fee and a low monthly fee, the business relies on large numbers, the use of technology for efficiency, and a streamlined business with a focus on service metrics and service level agreements. By running a lean business with complete awareness of its profits and losses, the company’s brokerages have proven to be successful in any market condition.

I am continually amazed with the multitude of automation tools and proprietary software systems provided within the HomeSmart franchise system. These allow me to grow faster than I ever imagined and inexpensively expand the footprint of HomeSmart throughout the Chicagoland area. We can provide outstanding service to a large number of agents with an incredibly lean support team; yet, agents that join us continually share that they feel more supported here than with their previous brokerage. The system simply works, and we’re loving it!” -Bill Flemming Principal Owner/ Managing Broker HomeSmart Connect Arlington Heights, Algonquin, Chicago, Elgin, Libertyville, St. Charles, Ill.

30 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

HomeSmart International’s ecosystem allows for business success no matter what. Due to the nature of the market, the real estate industry ebbs and flows. But HomeSmart International has seen some of its biggest growth during down markets because, in those times, agents and brokerage owners can clearly see the benefit of partnering with the brand. The HomeSmart model is as close to recession-proof as possible. Take HomeSmart agents for example. In a good market, agents receive free technology and responsive broker and agent support. These resources help them close deals faster, get paid quicker and return back out to the field to do more business. In a down market, agents can find financial relief by paying minimal brokerage costs, receive exceptional support and training needed to help them move their business forward, and get 100-percent commission every time they close a transaction. Broker/owners in a good market have systems that allow for efficiencies so they can move through transactions faster and, in turn, pay agents quicker, which helps them do more business. And in a down market, these operators have streamlined costs by using one tech suite, and have low overhead, thanks to a model that allows for smaller office space and less staffing due to technology solutions. HomeSmart International’s SmartReception virtual reception technology reduces the number of employees in offices, as does the utilization of the company’s Centralized Services offering, where corporate staff handle paperwork processing, recruiting and agent support for the franchise. This allows the broker/ owner to focus their time and attention on things that help them generate the most revenue, like partnerships with mortgage, title and home

As we look ahead, everyone is talking about technology being the future, but we don’t have to worry about it because HomeSmart International has it done and has been a tech company for 20 years. It provides us the ability to focus on developing the person and making sure they understand the current market and current trends when branding themselves. Aside from our revenue-friendly model, we’re also preparing our agents for the future by providing them with the proper training and support to go out and succeed in the market. In the end, the biggest/best way to succeed is to have a positive revenue cash flow, which will allow agents to better serve their clients.” -Elias Trejo CEO HomeSmart Premier Realty Idaho Falls, Chubbuck, Idaho

warranty companies rather than clerical work, which takes the most time. Bottom line: HomeSmart International believes it has created a better way—a smarter way—for the future of real estate. To put it simply, HomeSmart International’s success is foundational with technology in its blood, operational excellence at its core and a culture that puts the agent first in its heart. That’s why Widdows and Bowers believe this industry-leading, rapidlygrowing real estate company is the way forward. RE For more information, please visit www.homesmart.com.

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{Global Spotlight}

A Peek Inside Switzerland’s Luxury Real Estate Market by Paige Tepping Located in Switzerland, and specializing in the Glarus, St. Gallen and Zurich markets, the team at Fuchs Immobilien AG has been helping buyers and sellers achieve their real estate dreams for the last eight years. Here, Co-Owner and Head of Marketing Claudia Fuchs takes us inside the Central European Fuchs real estate market. Please describe your current housing market. Claudia Fuchs: We’re currently seeing prices rise throughout our market as a lot of people from Zurich have made the decision to move to Glarus to take advantage of the area’s family-friendly atmosphere and natural beauty. While properties in Glarus are typically less expensive than other areas, there’s a huge range in home prices. Small apart32 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ments in the mountains start around 250,000 CHF (Swiss francs; approximately $270,000), with bigger houses going for anywhere between 800,000 and 1,700,000 CHF.

How would you describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on your market? CF: Our housing market is still very stable. Glarus is a small city with a lot of natural beauty, and it evokes less stress than cities like Zurich. We’ve seen more people choose to purchase homes in this area this year, which has led to a lot of activity throughout the pandemic. Another noticeable trend is buyers looking for second homes in the mountains. Tell us about the types of properties in your market and which are most popular. CF: Single homes, condos, resorts, second residences and rural properties are all popular among our clientele.

Switzerland’s family-friendly atmosphere and natural beauty top the list when it comes to attracting clients from around the world.

What types of buyers do you work with? Are they predominantly local, or mixed from other countries? CF: While most of our buyers are local or from the greater area of Zurich, we also work with buyers from Germany, England and the United States. As prices around Zurich continue to increase, our region is becoming more popular. What are your biggest challenges/opportunities for growth? CF: Growth was never the plan; it has been a direct result of the work we’ve done over the last few years. We have a deep knowledge and high interest in social media marketing and digitization of the real estate industry. While most of our competitors are in a higher age bracket, with less knowledge of these digital components, this

continues to be one of our biggest advantages when it comes to growing quickly. But as a small team with high standards, growth can bring some challenges along with it. Since we create all processes internally, rapid growth would change this whole workflow. Our No. 1 goal for the future is to ensure that we continue to be passionate about our work.

How does being part of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE) help advance your business? CF: Being part of LeadingRE allows us to network internationally while growing our expertise in digital marketing and expanding our network for our clients. RE For more information, please visit www.fuchsimmobilien.ch.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE October 2020 33

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{Real Estate’s Social Media Leaders}

Showcasing the Value of Marketing in Real Estate by Paige Brown

Tim Vierkandt

strategies, he has been able to grow not only the business, but the company’s presence on social media. “We’ve worked hard over For Tim Vierkandt, real esthe last several years to set tate is a family affair. In year-over-year goals for Vierkandt 2010, Vierkandt began social media growth and working in marketing at his mother have reached over 8,300 followers Susan Vierkandt’s Prudential fran- on Facebook in our local market,” he chise. Four years later, he and his explains. wife, Laura Vierkandt, became coVierkandt and his team recently owners and business partners with launched a unique Showcase MarketSusan, completing a successful re- ing Campaign that ensures each and brand to Berkshire Hathaway Home- every company listing receives robust Services in Dothan, Ala. exposure online, such as through Since their partnership and re- Homes.com and realtor.com®, as brand, Vierkandt has seen great suc- well as across their social media cess from his team of associates. platforms. This marketing campaign “A key achievement to date was also allows his agents full access to reaching $2 million in GCI as a com- Matterport 3D technology, helping pany—a goal on my dream board them create high-quality, virtual expethat represents the mutual success riences to share with their prospects of our amazing team of sales profes- on any digital platform. sionals,” he says. Before joining RISMedia’s ACESoVierkandt leads his team with a cial platform over a year ago, most constant drive to set, achieve and of the content shared across their exceed their goals. By offering up social media accounts was strictly the latest technology, platforms and property marketing. Owner & Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Showcase Properties

“What’s great about ACESocial is it gives you tons of content marketing and integrates your property marketing with the ability to feature properties in all of the posted articles,” he says, adding that they promote the ACESocial listing feature in their Showcase Marketing Campaign because of the value it has brought into their business. What Vierkandt appreciates about the content available on ACESocial is the added engagement from consumers, as well as the ease and flexibility of the platform for his agents. “Content marketing starts more conversations with our consumers,” he says. “I realized just how powerful ACESocial was when I started receiving messages from my sphere on LinkedIn engaging with posted content. “The ability for each agent to post automatically daily, and to create custom content, were the primary drivers for upgrading to the full ACESocial platform,” he says. “In one click, you can scroll through scheduled content and even quickly replace content that doesn’t stand out to you.” As a broker who is hyper-focused on promoting his listings, Vierkandt favors the ability to post active listings within the consumer content, highlighting its consumer-friendly characteristics and the convenience of an accessible lead-capture form. “Our next goal is to ensure all of our sales professionals have connected their social media accounts to ACESocial and make sure they are utilizing the listing tool to showcase their active listings within their social media content.” RE For more information, please visit bhhsshowcaseproperties.com and rismedia.com/acesocial.

Paige Brown is RISMedia’s content editor. Email her your real estate news ideas to pbrown@rismedia.com. RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE October 2020 35

Enhancing the Real Estate Experience for Today’s Buyers and Sellers American Home Shield paves the way with their relentless commitment to innovation and technology by John Voket

hen NextHome, Inc. Chief Strategic Officer Keith Robinson sat down to evaluate which home warranty company would best serve the clients of all their franchise locations, all signs pointed to American Home Shield® (AHS®). A home warranty leader for more ness,” says Robinson, who goes than 45 years, AHS has stood the on to explain that finding the right test of time. Protecting the budgets warranty company also meant finding the right company leadership of buyers and sellers from the team to forge a relationship expense associated with with. “It was about the something going wrong people and the company,” with a covered system says Robinson. component or appliance “Though they’ve grown during the real estate a lot, they haven’t lost that transaction, AHS continues to raise the bar by human touch and conRobinson nectivity to their clients,” expanding their service offerings for buyers and sellers alike. says Robinson—one thing that has “I’ve come to learn that who you remained consistent from the very are in business with matters just as beginning. much as how you are at doing busi“In the last 24 - 36 months, we’ve 36 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

seen AHS incorporate huge technological advances that enable them to provide more responsiveness and a better client experience,” notes Robinson. Particularly impressive is the cutting-edge technology platform known as Streem®, which, like AHS, is part of the Frontdoor™ family of companies. The Streem platform provides clients the ability to conduct the equivalent of a physician’s telehealth visit with the home warranty provider through a mobile device or home computer. “They can troubleshoot it virtually with much greater speed, so when the air conditioner goes out on the hottest day of the year, the client can use Streem to allow a technician to get eyes on the problem, sometimes in a matter of minutes,” explains Robinson. “They have a whole team of technicians standing by virtually, which can often eliminate the need for a tech to have to go out to the home,” he adds. “To the client, that’s all that matters: responsiveness and whatever it takes to make them happy.” Robinson also appreciates the monthly webinars hosted by AHS, which go a long way toward ensuring that buyers and sellers enjoy the most seamless and stress-free real estate transaction possible. “NextHome is a tech-forward company, but we want that technology to sit in the background, enabling our agents to do what they do best: interact with people buying or selling houses,” says Robinson. “AHS’ relentless commitment to innovation and technology while creating an optimal user experience with that human touch goes to the core of why our clients choose to work with them.” RE For more information, please visit www.ahs.com/realestate.

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New REALTOR® Campaign Emphasizes Why ‘Fairness Is Worth Fighting For’ Commentary by Victoria Gillespie

he viability of the National Association of REALTORS®’ (NAR) 1.4 million members depends on the free, transparent and efficient transfer of property in this country.

NAR continues our work to rectify mistakes of the 20th century and believes that fair housing protections are vital to advancing our progress toward thriving and inclusive U.S. communities. As part of the ongoing effort to reaffirm our commitment to fair housing, NAR recently launched a new nationwide advertising campaign in which we declare “Fairness is worth fighting for, and we won’t stop until the fight is won.” The initiative is an extension of NAR’s “That’s Who We R” campaign, and underscores the critical role the Code of Ethics plays in driving our decisions as REALTORS®. Earlier this year, NAR unveiled our ACT! Fair Housing initiative to maximize our members’ role in combating discrimination and protecting housing rights in America. 38 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

We must take action to ensure every responsible, creditworthy American—regardless of their race, nationality, sexual orientation or religion—has the same opportunity to secure the American Dream of homeownership. The most recent fair housing advertisements began in mid-summer 2020, highlighting the fact that NAR’s strict Code of Ethics exceeds federal anti-discrimination housing laws. Among other prominent national outlets, the ads have appeared in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

The next phase of the campaign will expand on that message by reminding consumers of the importance of working with a REALTOR®. With an opportunity to solidify the key role REALTORS® will play in shaping the future of American real estate, we are working to communicate these messages to a number of unique audiences, including first-time homebuyers, marginalized groups, lawmakers and our REALTOR® members. This expanded rollout will appear on Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Spotify, Essence, Oprah Winfrey Magazine, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and numerous toprated podcasts. NAR is also providing print and social media assets for state and local associations, brokerages and members to amplify this fair housing message. These materials, which also include a billboard option or a poster for your office, are available at ThatsWhoWeR.realtor, and on the Photofy app. NAR President Vince Malta has called this campaign “a key moment of opportunity for REALTORS®to own this commitment to fair housing in a public way.” In 2020, successful brands cannot simply articulate their views and assume the public will take them at their word; they must implement meaningful actions that align with their core values. It is not enough for us to believe in fair housing, we must take action to ensure every responsible, creditworthy American— regardless of their race, nationality, sexual orientation or religion—has the same opportunity to secure the American Dream of homeownership. That is a fight worth fighting. And we won’t stop until the fight is won. RE Victoria Gillespie is senior vice president, chief marketing and communications officer for the National Association of REALTORS®, where she oversees marketing, communications and events teams.

Report: Top 10 Work-From-

Home Counties in the U.S. by Jameson Doris

f the many ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has altered everyday life, one of the more permanent changes may be “work-from-home” culture. With some major tech companies, such as Facebook and Twitter, already allowing workers to work from home indefinitely, smaller companies across the country are likely to follow their lead. According to Gallup, some 62 percent of Americans have worked from home since the start of the pandemic. Of that number, three in five people would prefer to continue working from home. This has serious ramifications for both commercial and residential real estate—ramifications that the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) took a closer look at in a recent study.

In U.S. counties with high levels of the workforce working from home, there is an increased demand for residential real estate in the suburbs, while commercial real estate in more metropolitan areas could soon see a dip in demand. There is already evidence that working from home doesn’t negatively impact worker productivity. “With some organizations expand-

ing remote work options, and as more people show an ability to remain productive from home, we may see buyers seeking larger properties that offer space for a potential home office and other features that have become more valuable as a result of this pandemic,” says NAR President Vince Malta, broker at Malta & Co., Inc., in San Francisco, Calif. As part of its study, NAR compiled a list of the top work-from-home counties in the country. They came up with the list by looking at more than 3,000 U.S. counties and weighing several factors, including internet connectivity, home affordability, urbanization and population growth. Here are the top 10 work-from-home counties in the U.S.: 1. Forsyth County, Ga. 2. Douglas County, Colo. 3. Los Alamos County, N.M. 4. Collin County, Texas 5. Loudon County, Va. 6. Hamilton County, Ind. 7. Williamson County, Tenn. 8. Delaware County, Ohio 9. Broomfield County, Colo. 10. Dallas County, Iowa RE This article first appeared on RISMedia’s blog, Housecall.

Jameson Doris is RISMedia’s social media/blog editor. Send your story ideas to him at jdoris@rismedia.com.

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Joe Rand Becomes the Voice of the Broker Public Portal Commentary by John Mosey

oe Rand wears a lot of hats: broker/owner, agent educator, attorney, law professor, creative strategist, author and real estate thought leader. Now he’s adding another to his collection: the face and voice of the Broker Public Portal (BPP).

Joe is one of the most trustAccording to data provided ed, well-known, tell-it-likeby the Apple App Store, Homesnap remains the it-is industry insiders in highest-rated real estate real estate. He does not app by both agents and back down from a challenge and advocates with consumers. It has delivered intelligence and passion. millions of leads to agents Rand While Joe remains the and is on track to double chief creative officer for Better the number of leads delivered each Homes and Gardens Real Estate year...all at no cost to the agent. Rand Realty, one of the largest Homesnap also remains the companies in the New York tri- only national search solution that state region, he comes to the BPP adheres completely to the proat an extraordinary juncture. consumer Fair Display Guidelines, The BPP with Homesnap has be- according to WAV Group research, come a movement, now embraced preventing the diversion of inquiby over 240 MLSs serving more ries about properties to anyone than 1 million agents. With 90 per- other than the listing agent. If it’s cent of the country’s listings on “your listing, it’s your lead.” Calling the platform, covering 48 states, leads “referrals” so that a huge agents and consumers alike abso- chunk of your commission can be lutely love the app experience. harvested is also prohibited.

Most importantly, Homesnap has emerged as the No. 1 engagement app when it comes to agent-consumer communication, according to Homesnap user data. Tens of millions of conversations between clients and agents happen inside the Homesnap app. The Start of Something Big But to Joe, this is only the beginning. BPP and Homesnap have established a solid track record of success. Now Joe has the task of recharging our momentum. Joe will take the BPP with Homesnap movement to every market in America. He’ll meet with individual MLSs and brokers to encourage them to join the BPP revolution and complete our national footprint. As a longtime advocate and founding member of the BPP—as well as a powerful and convincing speaker—he’ll be the voice of the BPP at industry events and a voice of experience. Joe grew up in his family’s brokerage business and has helped run it for 40 years. He’s walked the walk. Just wait until you hear him talk the talk. An active blogger and author of two popular books about real estate—“How to be a Great Real Estate Agent” and “Disruptors, Discounters, and Doubters”—Joe is clear about his mission: “We have an opportunity to take the Broker Public Portal to the forefront of the conversation about our industry’s future.” We are excited to watch Joe do just that. RE John Mosey is president and CEO of NorthstarMLS, which supports over 20,000 REALTORS® in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. NorthstarMLS facilitated more than 89,000 real estate transactions valued at over $25.6 billion in 2019. Mosey is also chair of the Broker Public Portal. For more information, please visit brokerpublicportal.com. RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE October 2020 41

Digital Pursuit: The Data Driving a Strong Q4 and Smart Start to 2021 Commentary by Grier Allen

t’s clear that those in our industry who pressed the gas in March and April are the ones winning marketshare. When listings and pendings were down almost 50 percent, they didn’t scale back, but leaned into lead gen, betting on a rebound and pent-up demand. That same mentality will drive a successful close in 2020 and tee up big wins in 2021.

All economic indicators say that the market will be strong for quite some time. Interest rates are at an all-time low, with the lowest rate not expected until 2024. Much of the workforce is now remote, so people aren’t confined to commutes—and, of course, life events that precipitate a move continue marching on regardless of pandemics. No one could have known what a rapid shift to digital our world would see, and home search is no exception. Year-over-year, we’ve seen a 9 percent increase in overall leads generated online, and a 53 percent increase in high-interest leads. Database engagement is higher, too, with a 38 percent increase in inqui42 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ry form completions and a 59 percent jump in showing-request form completions month-over-month. Traffic is up, timelines are expedited, and interest and action are high. We’re seeing cost-per-lead down 22 percent, and we’re watching it continue to fall at a higher rate than ever. Now is the time to go after the digital consumer and use the right tools to get them to the closing table. You need to meet your customer where they are, so a website with home search is critical. Your prospects are searching online, so they will either use your website and build a relationship with your brand, or they will search through a

portal and request a showing from the highest-bidding agent for that zip code. You need to continue staying in front of them digitally. When your search experience is integrated with a high-performing CRM, you have the tools to provide value through constant (automatic) communication of relevant and personalized information. Automated listing alerts alone drive 80 percent of repeat traffic back to our clients’ websites with a virtually nonexistent unsubscribe rate. Your technology should help you track and interpret “digital body language.” These are behavioral insights gleaned from email campaigns, website interactions and activity like zeroing in on a particular listing, sharing it with a spouse, or marking it as a favorite. These insights should be seamlessly tracked and processed into alerts directly sent to you in real time, telling you exactly when to step in and what the right action is. It’s still a relationship business, but with the massive shift in consumer behavior over the past six months, relationships are being created in the digital space. It’s imperative to adjust to the type of buying or selling experience that consumers demand. It’s critical for agents to tie all the pieces together—from listing presentations to showings and open houses—and arm themselves with the tools to easily understand their prospect’s digital behavior and add value. With the cost to acquire a new lead at a record low, and competition that has scaled back, economics are on the side of those who are ready to hit go. RE

Grier Allen is president and CEO of BoomTown. For more information, please visit https://boomtownroi.com.

Advancing the Green Building Industry and Its Practice One Step at a Time Introducing the 2020 EverGreen Award Winners by Keith Loria

he Green REsource Council recently unveiled its 2020 EverGreen Award winners, honoring those real estate professionals who have taken extraordinary measures to advance green building, develop their skills, and use their green know-how to better their communities and the real estate industry.

One of this year’s winners, Jeannette Moore, a broker at Green Florida Properties, has been an advocate for the green real estate community throughout her 35-year career. Not only has the Florida-based agent created courses about green building Moore benefits, she has also taught the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Green Designation program and has been part of numerous green awareness events within her community. In addition, she has volunteered at the Florida Green Building Coalition as a board member and director since 2010—and is credited with creating the Realty, Appraiser, Builder Outreach Committee in order to bring awareness to the different sectors about the additional values associated with high-performance building. Moore credits her involvement in these areas as a major source of her knowledge and comfort in advising customers who desire to live in a healthier home, as well as other real estate professionals who wish to do more. “The interaction with so many like-minded people from different arenas has broadened my knowledge of green 44 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

building. Prior to the pandemic, I would attend open houses to help listing agents identify green features in their listings and enter them correctly into the MLS. I became known as the Green real estate professional, and while some would shy away from me, others would welcome my input,” says Moore, who has earned the GRI (Graduate, REALTOR® Institute) and CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) designations. It’s not just at work where Moore shows her love for the environment either. She also pens posts related to energy savings on her blog—www.GreenFLBroker.com— drives an electric car, and powers her home with solar panels and a Tesla battery back-up system. Her devotion to the environment began back when she was a student at the University of Florida when she was among a group who worked on water pollution problems. Over the years, she’s been involved in Earth Day events, including having a booth representing her real estate company in recent years. Winning the EverGreen Award has been a great honor, one which she believes could help her get the word out about the value of green and high-performance construction throughout Northeast Florida. “I had finally made some headway in St. Augustine when the city created a Sustainability Council,” says Moore, who attended the first meeting and caught the attention of a couple of council people about the city becoming a green certified city. “Then the pandemic restrictions shut down all city meetings, and sustainability has again taken a back seat. My hope is that the media releases of my award will spur new interest in the area.” Moore believes that green practices are just as important to customers, even if many do not understand the reason why. “They may mention how their children are constantly ill, that they wake up stuffy in the morning, that the upstairs of their homes won’t cool, or other discomforts,” says Moore. “They don’t realize that many of the issues they mention may be related to their ‘leaky’ or unhealthy homes. When we view potential new homes for them, I try to point out features that may minimize many of their issues in one healthy home vs. another home that will probably be similar to the one they currently live in.” Another honoree of the EverGreen Award is Rob Madden, designated broker/owner of Green Leaf Realty in

NarTeamStore.realtor/ris Phoenix, Ariz., who specializes in selling solar homes throughout the Phoenix area. “It is an honor to be recognized for the hard work and dedication that I have put into helping educate homebuyers on more sustainable Madden and healthier options when buying a home without having to sacrifice price, location or features,” says Madden. “I love it when a client has an epiphany about how a home can affect the health of their family and realizes that they can save some money in the long run through energy efficiency and greener options.” That’s why NAR’s Green Designation was a must for him when he began his career. “I have always had a passion for the greener side of things, and to be able to formally incorporate the training and resources that NAR provides was essential to my career,” says Madden. “Green Leaf Realty was built upon the premise of providing sustainable options for homebuyers while helping green home sellers recognize the true value and benefit of the various green and sustainable features they have in their homes.” For example, he notes that solar alone can add thousands of dollars in value to the home sale if sellers work with a listing agent who understands the benefits and communicates these features to buyers and appraisers. “There are healthier and more sustainable options out there for homebuyers, and we strive to help them find those options within the constraints of their search criteria while being able to demonstrate and communicate the benefits of green and energy-efficient features of higher-performing homes,” says Madden. Additionally, becoming certified as an energy auditor through the Building Performance Institute (BPI) has provided Madden with a more technical background into green and energy-efficient features. “Being an energy auditor allows me to participate in programs like the Department of Energy’s Home Energy Score program and Pearl Home Certification where I can provide the technical data for a rating for a future listing,” he says. “Oftentimes, I encounter a seller who has added solar panels, has had the home professionally air sealed and has even added extra insulation, but never realizes that these improvements can add value to their home because no one ever takes the time to quantify the improvements and communicate them through the marketing to homebuyers or provide the data to an appraiser.” These “hidden” features that so many sellers overlook have been known to boost home prices and shorten marketing times when homebuyers realize the benefits of all the hard work the seller has put into the property. RE

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Does Brokerage Consolidation Make Sense for the Messy Middle? Commentary by Wendy Forsythe

he impact of a brokerage firm’s size on its profitability has become more evident as the industry evolves and as technology, social marketing and consumers’ changing needs affect it.

Small boutique brokerage firms and large mega brokers, both of which have demonstrated the ability to compete and remain profitable, represent two different ends of the competitive spectrum. The brokerage firms in between have fallen into a business death trap called the “messy middle,” a place where risk is high, competition is fierce and profitability seems impossible. Options for Brokerage Owners Stuck in the Messy Middle Most brokerage owners didn’t begin their real estate careers with the goal of owning a brokerage. They may have become owners through circumstances and opportunities, but rarely did they enter the business aiming to own a brokerage. Helping people was (and still is) their passion and their reason for getting into the real estate business. Specifically, they want to help real estate agents build thriving businesses and

help buyers and sellers have successful real estate experiences. Yet, once you’re an owner, you spend less time pursuing those passions and more time on functions that bring little to no satisfaction, such as operations, compliance, accounting, legal, insurance, staffing, audits…the list goes on. If you find yourself looking for alternatives to owning a brokerage, here are some options to consider. Sell Your Business. If your business is profitable, you have a saleable asset. The value of real estate brokerages is typically based on a multiple of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). The multiple can vary, but the general rule of thumb is 2.5 to 5 times EBITDA. Merger or Roll-Up. Joining forces to gain economies of scale is an appealing option for brokerage owners. Opportunities can take various

forms. Sometimes a single new owner emerges over the combined business; other times, the best route may be a partnership. Whatever the new operating structure, merger or roll-up is appealing when you are trying to create profit by combining talent, maximizing synergies and eliminating the redundancies of two separate operations. Walk-Over. This exit strategy is becoming more common for small brokerages and those in the messy middle. In a typical walk-over, a brokerage owner finds a leadership opportunity with another brokerage business that allows them to continue to lead but gets them out from under the baggage of ownership. In addition to the compensation for the new leadership role, the owner often receives a financial benefit for each agent from their former firm that joins them at the new brokerage. This results in a win-win for everyone involved. Close Your Business. Much money has been made and lost in the real estate brokerage business. Owners are typically overly optimistic and tend to hang onto a money-losing commitment well past the time they should. Ultimately, this results in lost money and opportunity. It’s okay to recognize and acknowledge that brokerage ownership is not for you. Hanging on until you’ve lost a significant amount of money and are forced to close the business is unfortunate and avoidable. The real estate industry is changing at a faster pace than at any other point in history. Are you ready to map out your future strategy? RE Wendy Forsythe has spent her career helping top brands, brokerages and agents in both Canada and the United States build their businesses. She currently serves as the chief brand officer for Fathom Realty, where she focuses on growing the Fathom brand across the country. You can contact Wendy at Wendy@FathomRealty.com. To learn more about Fathom, visit www.FathomCareers.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE October 2020 47

Making ‘Work From Home’ Work for Everyone by Maria Patterson

How Homes.com Is Delivering for Employees and Clients in a Remote Environment

To help everyone cope and adjust, we directly ike most companies across the asked our employees what they needed: Did country, when lock-down orders were parents need tips on working from home with put into place to help mitigate the small children? Did anyone feel that their sleep spread of the COVID-19 crisis, Norfolk, was suffering? We took their feedback and creVa.-based Homes.com was confronted with ated informative webinars, and created an interan unprecedented and monumental task: nal website to act as a centralized hub of this Mele information that employees could access 24/7. to transition their 400-plus employees to a Our goal was for our teams to feel supported, engaged, remote work environment while not missing a beat connected and able to thrive in whatever environment we in servicing clients. Here, Homes.com President found ourselves in. David Mele explains why the #WorkFromHomes movement has been a boon, not a burden, to MP: How have you adjusted your approach to leadership to ensure connectivity and continuity? employees and customers alike. DM: We tooled management with proper accountability Maria Patterson: What were some of the challenges em- measures and guidelines for performance expectations ployees had when you first switched to a remote work that emphasized grace and empathy. Part of this effort environment, and how did you address them? was a daily, company-wide email we called “The Daily David Mele: Many of our employees have families with Dose,” which included everything from corporate video young children whose schools had closed, forcing them to balance working and parenting without much reprieve. 48 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

updates and employee home tours to fun activities and tips for staying healthy in mind and body.

Additionally, we have always believed that there’s something special about recognizing someone’s hard work in front of their peers and supervisors. Working at home made this much harder to do, so we decided to include “Orange Alerts” in those daily emails. Those alerts were sections dedicated to praising specific employees or departments for their accomplishments. Most recently, we instituted a live Q&A session with our employees to ask questions of their senior leaders for instant feedback. The response to these tactics has been overwhelmingly positive, which will continue long after we return to a “normal” environment.

MP: How are you striking the balance between being sensitive and supportive to the challenges presented by the pandemic (both to employees and clients), and continuing to generate business? DM: We emphasized our existing open-

we should care for those around us—both in and out of the office. Even prior to the pandemic, our employees knew that they mattered, and trusted that we had their best interests at the forefront of our decisions. When we had to abruptly shift our operations, that established relationship helped everyone feel more confident and supported, and motivated our teams to work even harder to take care of our customers and each other. In fact, they proposed the idea that we send our clients a special video message simply to let them know that we are in their corner during this unprecedented time.

MP: Which changes that were made because of the pandemic may become a lasting part of your operations? DM: Prior to the pandemic, we didn’t have an official

“work from home” policy across the entire organization. After seeing how well our teams were able to keep momentum after transitioning to remote door policy between employees and “Now that we’ve had working, it’s highly likely that it will betheir managers, and highly encouraged come incorporated into our operations some time to adjust at some level even after the outbreak everyone to be transparent. Our managers were quick to ask questions like, and thrive in this new subsides. To us, it’s a no-brainer that “What do you need?” or “How can I this is a policy we should offer moving environment, we’ll help?” so that employees felt supforward. ported. Sometimes this meant a shift Virtual meetings and events have be entering 2021 in working hours, or taking a day off also been crucial to both the personal in a much stronger without much notice. But we knew that and professional aspects of our work, without healthy and happy employees, position with renewed so we see them maintaining a strong we wouldn’t be able to operate at our energy and focus.” presence. You would think that bebest. And the results have been asing physically distant from each other tonishing; we are just as, if not more, - DAVID MELE would have a negative effect on how President, Homes.com effective remotely than in traditional inteams operate, but it’s actually been office spaces. the opposite for us. From hour-long virtual happy hours with colleagues to educational webinars MP: Despite these unprecedented challenges, your busi- for customers, we’ve utilized virtual meetings and events ness is actually up over last year; what were the key as much as possible to keep the human element and strategies that led to this success? educational opportunities as robust as possible, while DM: Meeting consumers where they were meant we had allowing everyone to remain safe. to make it as simple as possible to continue their home searches in a safe and convenient way. We spent count- MP: How will this experience and the lessons learned poless hours making sure virtual tour content was as ro- sition Homes.com for an even stronger 2021? bust as we could get it and as accessible to consumers DM: In 2020, we had to abruptly adjust to working reas possible. motely and meet the changing concerns of our client On the industry side, we knew we needed to approach base. We did this very well, but it was largely reactive to them as a partner more than ever. So, we pivoted many the rapidly changing world we were in. It taught us how of our product and development efforts to ensure agents to be more flexible and how to “think on our feet” more felt more supported during this unprecedented time. We than we’ve had to before. Now that we’ve had some time also dramatically increased the frequency and type of to adjust and thrive in this new environment, we’ll be enonline learning opportunities for agents. tering 2021 in a much stronger position with renewed energy and focus. RE

MP: How are the strong culture and core values you have in place at Homes.com helping your efforts with both employees and with clients? DM: One of our core values is “humanity,” the idea that

For more information about Homes.com and their suite of lead generation products, please visit marketing.homes.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE October 2020 49

{Broker Spotlight}

THE GREAT RESHUFFLING Zillow Smooths Out One of the Most Accelerated Shifts in Home-Buying History by Andrew King

he market seems to be at an inflection point, but with elections and pandemics driving market sentiment, it’s hard to know which way is up. “Should I buy, sell, rent, remodel or sit tight?” With Zillow, the universal answer may very well be “yes.”

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With a plethora of real estate brands under its umbrella, the Zillow Group essentially reflects the entire market, serving buyers, sellers and everyone in between for the full lifecycle of homeownership. Zillow’s marketplace empowers consumers at all stages of the real estate journey, providing data, inspiration and knowledge—and connecting them with local real estate professionals who can close the deal and bring their dreams over the finish line. The information compiled in Zillow’s easily accessible databases gives real-time insight into the latest market activity, including Zestimates for home values—Zillow’s home valuation model estimate of a home’s market value—not to mention some of the most comprehensive reports to crack any trend playing out across the nation. For many, Zillow is the brand to turn to during uncertain times like these as the company has necessitated year’s worth of new technology adoption into months.

‘THE GREAT RESHUFFLING’ While quarantining during the pandemic has kept us from our friends and loved ones, no one can deny that it has brought us closer to our homes. For millions of Americans working from home and millions more unemployed while people keep their distance, the concept of “home” has taken on a new meaning. It’s no longer the place where a family simply rests between shifts or after a weekend trip. Home is now the exclusive place for day-to-day, hour-to-hour operations. Zillow’s Chief Industry Development Officer, Errol Samuelson, says this renewed intimacy that people have with their homes has led to a lot of realizations by homeowners that their sanctuaries are not as comfortable as they could be. Living and working are two very different roles for most people, and Samuelson notes that people are buying new properties that can serve both of those functions.

Errol Samuelson, Chief Industry Development Officer

“Housing is a fundamental human need,” Samuelson says. “All of us have been locked in our homes for months on end. People are realizing that they want more outdoor space or maybe they need a dedicated office for remote working. We at Zillow call this tectonic shift in real estate—where people are re-examining where they want to be and what ‘home’ means to them—the ‘Great Reshuffling.’” This is a major trend that has homebuyers actively looking for new amenities that are conducive to the COVID-19 era—homes with a private, modern office space and less emphasis on open floor plans. Zillow has studied this from every angle, looking at the latest transactions, home-browsing behaviors

on its website and comprehensive lifestyle surveys. For instance, in the early days of quarantine, Zillow found that nearly a third of people who were working from home were doing it from their living room, and another third were working from their bedroom. “There was even a small percentage of folks who were working from their attic,” Samuelson says. “It’s no wonder why, when we asked them if they’d move, 31 percent said they would, and they would move just for the purpose of getting a home office. That focus on basic needs is driving agitation to move or get a second place.” Zillow’s traffic data backs up these findings with a 50 percent surge in property searches that are sorted by desired features, not location preferences. Samuelson says this is indicative of people’s interest to upgrade within their home city or region. A move to the suburbs, or even just another part of the same town, is easier for a family to digest than moving everyone to a new location. However, he adds, a major move like that could be in the cards longer term depending on employment, health and public safety trends. “We expect some urban to suburban migration, but we are also seeing a strong interest in the conveniences that come with being more urban,” Samuelson says. “This concept of a Great Reshuffling might be across

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puters and printers. One could see a scenario where residential reshuffling, including a percentage of homebuying and/or moving, are standard benefits in the at-home economy.

various geographies and within a zip code or school district to a different house.” Samuelson notes that now that they’ve gotten a taste for it, 75 percent of those surveyed said that they would want to work from home full-time if given the option. For now, though, all of this close-by moving is more of a reshuffling than a mass migration. “We believe that we’re in the midst of significant psychological and behavioral shifts that will permanently impact home shopping and moving,” he explains.

THE LOOMING BUILDING BOOM All of this reshuffling has put enormous stress on the residential real estate industry, which, in some areas, is taking investments that would otherwise go toward commercial real estate. Zillow has led in terms of committing to let employees work from home for the long-term, with tech giants Google and Facebook also following suit, and financial titans are getting on the work-fromhome train as well. Nationwide Insurance has gone toward remote working and Morgan Stanley has called for “less real estate” in its future. As the big employers spend less on office leases, Zillow could be perfectly positioned for a shift in capital allocation toward residential real estate. Companies have already begun funding workers’ home-office expenses for things like WiFi, com52 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“We believe that we’re in the midst of significant psychological and behavioral shifts that will permanently impact home shopping and moving.” – ERROL SAMUELSON Chief Industry Development Officer, Zillow

Between the motivations to move and the low interest rates, Samuelson sees additional commercial investments into residential real estate as an accelerant to an alreadyhot reshuffling trend. He notes that housing supply is down 26 percent nationwide from last year, and as the economy recovers, the demand can only get greater. “Builders are trying to catch up,” Samuelson says. “When they do, we’ll see a lot of quality inventory with home offices and other postpandemic amenities. The suburbs could flourish, and if allowed to adopt totally remote careers, buyers could flock toward the more popular destinations based on weather or lifestyle factors. Either way, Zillow will be there to help with our diverse suite of real estate technology products.” Zillow, the top residential real estate website in the U.S., is building an on-demand real estate experi-

ence. Whether selling, buying, renting or financing, customers can turn to Zillow’s businesses to find and get into their next home with speed, certainty and ease. In addition to for-sale and rental listings, Zillow Offers buys and sells homes directly in dozens of markets across the country, allowing sellers control over their timeline. Zillow Home Loans, its affiliate lender, provides customers with an easy option to get pre-approved and secure financing for their next home purchase. And Zillow Closing Services, the affiliate title and escrow services company of Zillow, has a new digital experience that allows customers selling their home through Zillow Offers to track their closing process online from open of escrow to transaction closing.

CAN THE GENIE FIT BACK INTO THE BOTTLE? One result of the quarantine is the massive proliferation and acceptance of technology in real estate. From online open houses to virtual home inspections, consumers and industry pros have taken to these nocontact approaches in the name of safety. Zillow has been on the forefront of the cleanliness and safety movements, naming former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin as the company’s health advisor and implementing the CDC’s “clean, protect, distance” protocol. “Safety considerations are no longer optional—they are paramount to the consumer real estate experience,” Samuelson says, adding that many also have come to appreciate the convenience and efficiency of doing certain things electronically. “We’ve seen massive adoption of virtual tours—3D tours have spiked 500 percent in the beginning of the pandemic with home views increasing 60 percent and listing saves increasing 40 percent. Does the genie go back into the bottle?” Samuelson asks. “This moment has laid bare how antiquated pro-

cesses like in-person appraisals, filings and closings cause unnecessary friction. The virtual tools home shoppers need for safety today will become their expectations for convenience tomorrow.” From a technology adoption standpoint, Samuelson estimates that the real estate industry has evolved five years in the past five months. The trend has also taken over the rental market as Zillow automates the tenant-screening process for its clients and manages lease documents digitally and securely through its proprietary end-to-end platform. To keep real estate moving forward safely, Zillow’s new end-to-end rentals platform allows renters to find, tour, apply for and lease a home entirely digitally. Landlords simply upload their leases, and online signing tools take it from there. Even security deposits, rent and utilities payments can be collected digitally by landlords and property managers through Zillow Rental Manager. “We’re focused on creating products that power a digital experience and enable our partners to provide

always-on, exceptional and empowering service to our shared customers, including one-stop solutions for tenants and landlords, virtual discovery of new-build homes, agent/buyer connections, collaboration and transaction management tools, and connective tech integrating our insights into multi-family partner systems to provide intelligent, efficient service,” Samuelson says.

FAIR AND EQUAL As leaders at reimagining real estate, Zillow has taken the initiative to proactively seek more housing options for everyone, despite their race, gender, religion, age or sexual orientation. This sense of fairness, unfortunately, has been lacking among many American institutions, and the real estate industry has been one of them. “The real estate status quo has a lot of systemic problems, and we need to address them as partners to drive widespread, lasting change for our shared customers,” Samuelson says. “At Zillow, we feel it’s our responsibility to start and fuel the

important conversations that drive critical reform, not just in technology and process, but also in equality and opportunity.” Even though Zillow’s revolutionary, customer-facing websites and programs have helped level the playing field for people from all walks of life, there are still people who ultimately wield a lot of power within the system. Even the wellmeaning ones could unconsciously exhibit unethical behaviors by favoring certain clients over others, making false assumptions about tenants, or by not promoting a diverse staff of agents. To bridge this historic divide, Zillow has made it a priority to open a new dialogue around some of our culture’s more uncomfortable topics. “At Zillow, we’re having conversations with employees, partners and customers about how we can all do better. We’re re-examining our response to racism, discrimination and harassment,” Samuelson says. “We’re continuing to invest in research on inequities in the market, fair housing and systemic barriers that have held back minority groups from achieving their housing dreams. We’re developing tools like the Housing Connector in Seattle to help connect community housing resources with people who need them. And we’re urging our partners and customers to ask questions, be uncomfortable and participate in this work with us.” The act of bringing people in and working with them goes a long way toward not only building inclusivity, but also proliferating the message of fair housing and equality. It’s like a viral social media post where one person learns to be better and then shares the knowledge with their professional network, and so on and so on. Sure, it’s an effort that’s as grandiose as it is noble, but then again, so is Zillow. RE For more information, please visit Zillow.com. RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE October 2020 53

Bringing Peace of Mind to the Real Estate Equation During Unprecedented Times Cinch Home Services goes above and beyond to take care of buyers and sellers alike by Jameson Doris

ith COVID-19 still impacting much of the U.S., there’s a distinct sense of feeling out of control. Many of us feel as if there’s next to nothing we can do to prevent the coronavirus from affecting our daily lives—not to mention our real estate goals. But as buyers and sellers get back into the game, savvy real estate professionals are doing everything they can to bring peace of mind to the process from beginning to end…and well beyond.

For Bill Flemming, CEO of tional—after one of his agents HomeSmart Connect in Arrecommended the company lington Heights, Ill., home due to the ease of purchasing their home warranty serwarranties are a key piece vices, as well as the team’s of the puzzle when it ability to handle all of the decomes to ensuring that his tails surrounding the service clients have one less thing to worry about during these Flemming contracts. “Cinch Home Services is like an trying times. But not just any home warranty extension of [my brokerage]. When company will do, which is why Flem- a customer lends us their trust, they ming chose to partner with Cinch want to be sure there is no stress Home Services—formerly HMS Na- throughout the entire process,”

says Flemming. “Buyers often think the agent is done with his or her job at closing, but with Cinch, they feel like we have them covered long after they move into their new home.” Currently, Flemming includes a Cinch home warranty on every house he sells, owns or rehabs. By utilizing a home warranty for all of the properties he’s involved with, it takes the unknown potential of issues arising out of the equation. Better yet, it allows for far less stress during the transaction and after closing. “We believe strongly in taking care of the consumer,” says Flemming. “There are far too many unknowns with any home purchase, and we want our customers as immune to surprise as possible. We recommend a Cinch home warranty to every one of our buyers, and visibly advertise Cinch’s product offerings at each of our seven locations throughout Chicagoland.” It’s the full suite of Cinch’s offerings that Flemming points to as one of the main reasons why his brokerage prefers the company over the competition. From ductwork to ceiling fans and ovens to plumbing issues, Cinch has a product that will keep clients covered no matter what. “Homeownership is scary in itself for many,” says Flemming. “Taking the worry away is what Cinch does best.” Last but not least, Flemming notes that the Cinch representatives he works with on a regular basis are second to none. In addition to jumping on Zoom calls, they also take the time to visit HomeSmart Connect’s various locations. Best of all? They’re always available. In fact, according to Flemming, anytime he has put in a call, it has been answered on the first ring. 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 October 2020 55

{Strategies}

Laying the Foundation for a Profitable Business, No Matter the Market HOMES.COM PROVIDES THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO HELP REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS CONNECT WITH PROSPECTIVE CLIENTS by John Voket

ver the three-plus years that David Willett has been building his relationship with Homes.com, he has made a major investment in the company’s products and services. Recently upping his game even further, Willett—agent and managing broker at RE/MAX Executive Waynesville in Waynesville, N.C.—expanded his market presence in a big way by turning to Homes.com for his social media management needs. He’s even tapped Homes.com for SEO services to ensure that his brand is hitting every possible prospective client venturing into or looking to sell or relocate out of his North Carolina market. As his brokerage began shifting away from providing Homes.com technology to its agents and brokers, some may be wondering why he has continued to invest in and expand his inventory of Homes.com products and services. “If you’re doing more business, or you want to, you need more ways to promote your business. And so far, I’m still getting more back than I’m paying in,” says Willett. “For the past three or four months, I’ve been testdriving Homes.com’s Lead Concierge, which handles initial contacts with leads and qualifies them for me,” adds Willett. 56 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Several of those leads have already turned into clients, some of whom have already closed on their homes. “While I get a few leads elsewhere, I’m getting far more and a much higher percentage of quality leads with Homes.com,” says Willett, who was able to ink a contract with a Homes.com lead the very same day as the house viewing. But it doesn’t end there. In fact, Willett says that he’s seeing the SEO work firsthand as his web search position has elevated from page three to the front page on Google searches. Willett is also taking advantage of consulting support, which he says has been critical in optimizing some of his most productive Homes.com services. “I’m having a monthly conversation with an SEO specialist, as well as a separate session on social media, to learn the latest and greatest tips and tricks so that I can shift resources as necessary,” says Willett, who goes on to say that all of his Homes.com reps and support experts are not only good to work with, but also make those shifts quickly. Working primarily with buyers, Willett depends on his diverse Homes.com services to ensure he is exposed first and foremost to folks relocating to his region, as well as those coming to the area from distant locations. “A lot of folks relocating to the area have discovered Western North Carolina, so in the past few months, my Homes.com buyer leads have doubled,” says Willett. “But before that, when things were slow, I didn’t cut back. “And I’m glad I rode it out,” he adds. “The expansion of new business didn’t happen overnight, but I quickly saw the leads come back, and I’m doing more business now than I’ve ever done. I’m actually having the best year ever.” For more information, please visit https://marketing.homes.com.

The New Voice of Real Estate VOICEPAD’S ON-DEMAND RECEPTION SOLUTION PROVIDES A BETTER, FASTER, MORE ECONOMICAL WAY TO DELIVER INBOUND CALLS TO A REAL ESTATE OPERATION by Paige Tepping

s any real estate professional can attest, efficient communication is more important than ever as we continue to navigate the challenges associated with conducting business in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s all about the power of technology. We were already moving toward On-Demand Reception before COVID, and we’ll be using it long after COVID, as it is all part of being a viable brokerage in the future.” - JIM BRADLEY Broker/Owner, CENTURY 21 Bradley Realty, Inc.

And for CENTURY 21 Bradley Realty, Inc. in Fort Wayne, Ind.—the No. 1-producing CENTURY 21 office in the world—VoicePad delivered some very specific benefits in the months prior to COVID. They answered the phones. And that’s not a small thing in a big office, but it was accomplished with just machines—and, more specifically, with speech algorithms, listing data and a fancy computer-telephony platform that lives in the cloud. It also required an element of trust to turn the entire phone-answering process within the brokerage over to an algorithm. With a longstanding partnership that dates back to 2008, VoicePad has always provided Bradley with cuttingedge solutions that differentiated their company, and for the past few months, Bradley and VoicePad had been testing the On-Demand Reception (ODR) service at night. The agents began receiving live calls after-hours, and they liked it. But it wasn’t until the pandemic hit earlier this year that the scope of the solution was truly put in perspective. In fact, COVID is all it took to move CENTURY 21 Bradley Realty, Inc. to “flip the switch” to use ODR on a full-time basis. This ensured their agents could be reached 24/7/365…even as the office closed. While an agent’s spoken name is all that’s required to transfer a call, sales opportunities ring multiple agents at once (via the automated “Floor Duty” Scheduler), and ODR can even text website links to callers. “When COVID hit, one day we were in full operation, and the next, we couldn’t come into the office,” says CENTURY 21 Bradley Realty, Inc. Operations Manager Doreen Van Ooyen, who goes on to explain that they were able to simply flip a switch and still conduct business as usual, even though no one was physically in the office. The transition was completely seamless to anyone calling into the office, according to CENTURY 21 Bradley Realty, Inc. Broker/Owner Jim Bradley. “We’d been working diligently on the implementation of the ODR solution for months, but as soon as COVID hit, we knew we had to get it going,” explains Bradley.

One of the biggest pain points Bradley and Van Ooyen were looking to solve? The fact that nearly 60 percent of the calls coming into the brokerage on any given day were forwarded to agents, which ultimately bogged down the efforts of their full-time receptionist—whose main role is agent support. “We simply wanted to automate the transfer of those calls to our agents,” says Van Ooyen, who points to the flexibility of the prompts within the phone tree as a key piece of the puzzle when it comes to streamlining the calls coming into the front desk. “When someone calls into the office, they don’t want to talk to a person, they want to talk to the person, and with ODR, callers can get where they want to go quickly and easily,” says Van Ooyen. Drilling down even further, Bradley can’t say enough about the reports he has access to, which provide indepth analysis into why potential clients call and who they’re looking to reach. They even pinpoint which agents aren’t answering their phones. “The reports are unbelievable,” says Bradley. “One important thing we learned from them is that we didn’t have control of the front desk even though it looked like we did.” As real estate professionals continue to work away from the office, investing in the technology that’s necessary to keep business running, no matter what the world throws our way in the future, should be at the top of any brokerage’s list. With no requirement to change-out phone providers, VoicePad simply places its technology on a local phone number so that all an office needs to do is forward their main phone number. “It’s all about the power of technology,” concludes Bradley. “We were already moving toward On-Demand Reception before COVID, and we’ll be using it long after COVID, as it is all part of being a viable brokerage in the future.” RE For more information, please visit www.voicepad.com. RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE October 2020 57

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How to Navigate This Political Season as a Real Estate Professional by the Experts at Realty ONE Group

olitical season is here, as evidenced by the barrage of news commentary and political ads. Unfortunately, it has arrived in the midst of a global pandemic and some serious civil unrest. This is a true convergence of storms. Political season on its own can pose challenges when you’re in a service industry, especially real estate because you meet and work with a wide range of people. You may be one in a small percentage of real estate professionals who will work with only those who share your political ideologies. Consider that unique, and the rest of this article may not apply to you. For the rest of us, we have a very diverse book of business, which, if you look at it right, is a really good thing. It allows us to see the commonalities we share with people of differing political persuasions. As we all know, politics can be di-

viding, and emotions will run high. How, then, do you navigate this time as a real estate professional? Here are three thoughtful suggestions to help get you through. No. 1 – Keep the Focus on Your Client Hopefully, you’re still busy working, as we’ve seen a lot of housing markets around the country rebound very well after shelter-in-place orders began to lift in late spring. That means you’re still spending a lot of time at open houses, giving listing presentations and showing homes. The more communication you have with your clients, the more idle conversation

is likely to occur, and the greater the chances that it could involve politics. When these discussions arise—or any conversation regarding a sensitive topic—use your pro skills to put the focus back on your client and meeting their needs. No. 2 – Tread Lightly on Social Media, or Avoid It Altogether You certainly have a right to your own beliefs and to voice those beliefs, but doing so may affect your client base and your business. While you shouldn’t feel like you’re being censored, keep in mind that what you say and post on social media may have a positive or negative impact on your business. If that’s the case, try finding another outlet for political discussions, either with close friends or family in a private setting. This may be the season for you to spend more time watching, liking and commenting on social posts than actually posting. If you do want to remain active, think carefully about what you post. It may even be good to run your posts by another person to be sure you’re staying neutral. No. 3 – Voting Will Be Over Soon, But Your Reputation Lives On While we will cast our ballots soon, what we do and say has some serious staying power. Just as your national franchisor works to create a positive brand experience for you, you are consistently building your own personal brand that will draw in new clients, repeats and referrals. Make sure that brand is something that welcomes all buyers and sellers. 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 brand and success. To find out more, visit www.join.realtyonegroup.com. RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE October 2020 59

How Every Agent Can Help Solve Our Inventory Shortage Commentary by Lane Hornung

prep and repair before a home goes on the market) or selling a home on the open market. We know that 90 percent of homeowners want to see an iBuyer offer, but only a few will select it. Most folks are going to list on the open market or wait to sell. An agent should be the one to walk them through all of these options. Becoming a Modern Agent A modern agent doesn’t just talk to clients when they’re ready to sell. A modern agent talks to clients about options and solutions that are available today. That’s how an agent can move from being transactional to advisory. Any modern agent can show homeowners all the options available to them—you don’t need zavvie to do this. However, two things happen when you use this strategy:

very agent today needs more listings. If you had another listing, you would have another sale; it’s that simple.

What’s not simple is solving our inventory shortage. According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), inventory in July 2020 was 21 percent lower than 2019’s already anemic levels. Making things worse, homeowners move once every 13 years today, up from every eight years in 2010, according to Census data. Unlocking Inventory I recently wrote about a new “bridge” solution to help agents unlock inventory, allowing homeowners to buy their next home before selling their current one, solving the chicken-andegg problem. zavvie is giving leading brokerages coast to coast the tools their agents need, including this bridge solution, to help homeowners get moving again. Unlike the previous solution, a bridge loan, homeowners can buy

their next home with a cash offer and then move in immediately. It’s a noncontingent transaction. Homeowners Are Overwhelmed Many homeowners are not only stuck, they’re overwhelmed. They want to sell, but they don’t know where to move, so they see selling as too much of a hassle. They are fearful and have safety concerns, especially with the impacts of COVID. They are in lockdown mode and sitting on the sidelines. How can an agent change that mindset? The easiest way to get homeowners off the sidelines is to show them an offer. The zavvie platform provides brokerages with an Offer Optimizer to do just that. Agents can show sellers the different options available: an all-cash offer, an instant offer from iBuyers, a bridge solution, concierge services (to take care of the

1. The agent stays at the center of every transaction—iBuyer, bridge, concierge or open market. zavvie helps give sellers what they want: a professional agent they trust. 2. Sellers are willing to pay an agent to bring those options to them and represent them no matter which path they choose, including selling to an iBuyer. We have to create more inventory. Our inventory problem won’t be solved anytime soon, so the modern agent needs to take action. Contact five homeowners you know are stuck. Walk them through the new solutions available today. That’s the best first step we can take to solve our inventory shortage. 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 October 2020 61

Stop Losing Your Customers to Competitors Commentary by Scott Oakley

ne of the greatest resources affiliated with the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) is their research department. A key member benefit is their annual Home Buyers and Sellers Report. They ask consumers who have transacted using a REALTOR®if they would use their REALTOR®again in a future transaction. Every year, more than 90 percent indicate that they would use their REALTOR® in a future transaction.

You need more than the HUD-1. You need to require your agents to provide full contact records, and you need to validate the data by calling and emailing the customer to thank them for their business. 2. Get a CRM. You need customer relationship software for the company and the agents that allows you to keep that database of contacts updated. CRMs also provide the ability to send agent-branded emails and newsletters to customers.

3. Build a customer retention program that continues to offer value to homeowners between transactions. For example, you know that services like MooveGuru will help people with all of the moving requirements, but the service is also designed to keep offering brokers the resources to continue to provide services homeowners need. The best part is that we put these programs toMooveGuru’s email communication with homebuyers in the first 110 days from the beginning of the property transaction. gether for you to leverThat is fantastic information, giving dreds of other reasons. However, age local resources and brand the brokers a clear opportunity to retain the No. 1 reason why consumers service to your brokerage. We even customers. Unfortunately, there is say they did not use their REALTOR® integrate the service into your CRM bad news to report here, as people again is because the REALTOR® did or transaction management system who have transacted with a REAL- not stay in touch. for you. You don’t need to do (or pay Does this make any sense to for) anything. TOR® are not using their previous REALTOR® in future transactions. In you? This is not new information. fact, research shows that only one NAR has been screaming this data Stop losing your customers to in five consumers report using their to members for more than a de- competitors who are deploying REALTOR® more than once. Before cade. Sure, staying in touch with these common sense solutions to brokers think about growing their past clients is hard work, but that maintain customers for life. Connew business, they need to solve hard work is getting easier every tact us at sales@mooveguru.com this problem. Ask yourself, why are day. Here are a few ideas that you so that we can launch this product four out of five of your customers can implement today that will help for you. RE doing business with your competi- you fix the customer leak in your business. tors instead of you? There are many reasons for this. Agents leave the firm or the busi- 1. Brokers need to build customer Scott Oakley is CEO of ness, consumers move out of the databases for their agents and keep MooveGuru. For more information, please visit area you serve, their sister be- records of customers in case the www.mooveguru.com. comes a REALTOR®, or one of hun- agent drops their phone in a toilet.

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Marketing Automation or Human Touch? Commentary by Daniel Ramsey

here is no doubt that the presence of automation software has helped real estate businesses operate more efficiently and smoothly than ever before. It is now common for teams to use CRMs, AI chat bots, automated email marketing, task management software and more.

For some businesses, agents and brokers are finding that their lead management results can dip when using automated front-end communication tools; so what is the perfect balance for incorporating automated marketing methods, yet still fostering genuine client relationships? Enhancing Digital Marketing With a Human Touch The plus side of using automated marketing is increasing your capacity to engage more contacts. The bad side? “Unsupervised” automated campaigns lose prospective clients—and, even worse, create sudden surges in negative feedback, bad reviews and increased churn. Marketing and lead generation represent an important operation by which agents and brokers establish a good first impression with their

prospective clients. It’s natural to look for automated solutions. After all, technological solutions are often more cost effective than hiring new employees. Here’s the problem. When a buyer begins their interaction thinking they’re chatting with a person and then realizes they’re talking to a bot, it can almost feel like a slap in the face. Their level of satisfaction can drop precipitously. Every buyer in the world, myself included, would rather “speak with a representative” as a first choice when contacting any business. Yet, when managed well, automated software can grow your customer base. The efficiency of technologies must meet the attentiveness of human touch. How? Many aren’t yet aware that competitive offices are assigning

a full-time virtual assistant to pair with their technologies. Virtual assistants are providing the human touch needed for up to 70 percent less than the cost of a traditional full-time employee—leveraging college-educated talent. Real estate virtual assistants can also handle administrative tasks, reporting, analytics, transactions, inside sales, prospecting, recruitment and more. Increasing Lead Generation Rates Through ‘Hybrid’ Virtual Solutions REALTORS®find that they can finally deliver the genuine client satisfaction that all buyers expect via virtual assistants. Specifically, an experienced virtual assistant delivers that genuine customer satisfaction that all buyers demand while in charge of administering all technologies, marketing research and overseeing marketing funnels (at a fraction of personnel costs). Despite tremendous success in automated software by big tech companies, it is not possible for certain companies to eliminate human labor from most business operations at this point. Foster buyer satisfaction with speed, efficiency and, most importantly, human touch. Virtual assistant providers such as MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants are the top-tier solution for your digital marketing needs for a fraction of what business would pay locally. 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.

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Dedicated Listing Websites: Not the Luxury You Might Think Commentary by Kevin Greene

e live in an image-driven real estate world. While it’s always been generally true, now more than ever, houses are sold on the strength of visual media. More vibrant images—including high-quality video, 3D, aerial or floor plans—entice the consumer to see that special home in person. But here’s something maybe you didn’t know. How you present those visuals is equally as important. Dedicated property websites matter. Buyers see hundreds of listings on all sorts of websites, whether it be your website, the multiple listing organization website or third-party search portals. But what happens when they click on a listing and find it on its own website? They immediately associate that listing with exclusiveness and quality. A voice in their head tells them that this home deserves to stand apart from all the others and to sit above merely good homes as a great home. The message is clear: someone decided this home needed its own spot to shine. I should pay close attention to this one. Perhaps I, too, should take this home as seriously as the 66 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

agent did when posting it apart from all the rest. That perception of exclusiveness and quality is an age-old technique designed to signal to consumers to pay attention. Just like that special restaurant table in its own quiet nook is reserved for VIPs and, therefore, it is assumed that the experience there will surpass a regular table out front with the masses. Exclusiveness conveys rarity and triggers an emotional reaction, which associates a product with the highest level of quality. Except, the experience does not have to actually be rare. Given the ease to display each home on its own dedicated website, it’s not expensive to convey this sense of exclusiveness and rarity to each of your listings. Beyond that special touch of perceived specialness, homes dis-

played on their own websites also shine brighter. Every sort of multimedia spotlights that home. Rich photos, video, aerial, 3D, interactive floor plans, and more are on full display of that home on its mobile-friendly, responsive design website. The buyer is surrounded with dedicated visual media showcasing that home as only a full website designed for that exact purpose can do. At HomeVisit™ by CoreLogic©, we make it easy for agents to upload their listing photos and other visual media to a dedicated property website—all at a reasonable price. Agents should not have to wait until they have a million-dollar listing to use dedicated websites. They can showcase every single listing— from a one-bedroom suburban condo to a Brooklyn brownstone—as if it’s a premier waterfront property. HomeVisit makes it easier than ever to provide premier attention on every home you offer. RE CORELOGIC, the CoreLogic logo and HOMEVISIT are trademarks of CoreLogic, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. Kevin Greene is senior leader, Business Development for HomeVisit. To learn more, visit www.homevisit.com.

Preparing for a Home Inspection Commentary by Adam Long

elling a home is no easy feat, and clients look to the expertise of a real estate agent to guide them through the process. You give them valuable information about the house, recommend repair companies and help with negotiation. It’s also important that you guide clients through the home inspection process. HomeTeam’s insights into preparing your client for a home inspection will leave them more knowledgeable and set the inspection up for success.

Choosing a Home Inspector All home inspection companies are not created equal. Outline criteria that distinguish a reputable home inspection company, like discovering if a company is licensed and certified (in states where applicable). Encourage clients to look at how professional a company is. Do they have a professional website? Do they arrive in uniform with marked vehicles making them easily identifiable? Verify that they have both errors and omissions and general liability insurance, which covers the agent and the inspector. Also, consider how convenient it is to work with them. Do they make the experience easier with online scheduling? Do they

text or email reminders about the inspection? Do they schedule any additional services that would be requested by the client, like pest and radon inspections? These will help to enhance the client’s overall homebuying experience. Homebuyer Preparation Prepare buyers for the inspection by helping them understand the inspection process. Home inspectors have a wide range of knowledge that allows them to evaluate the readily accessible systems and components of a home, and having a home inspection enables clients to decide with confidence. Some buyers are more comfortable when their agent

attends an inspection with them. This also allows you to assist with any seller issues and see how an inspector interacts with a client if you or the buyer have any questions about the inspection. Home Seller Preparation Listing agents can help their clients prepare for the best inspection possible by reminding them that a clean and orderly home also gives the impression of a well-maintained home. Encourage them to have the HVAC serviced and cleaned before the inspection. Some maintenance items your client should check off the list include re-caulking around bathtubs and sinks, unclogging drains, refreshing grout, replacing torn window screens, and adding new insulation in the attic if necessary. You’ll also want to be sure your client examines their house for water damage and leaks. Look for leaks under sinks, around faucets, bathtubs, showers, toilets, dishwashers and refrigerators. And don’t forget about the exterior of the house. Clean out gutters, trim trees and sweep debris off the roof. Let the client know that having a pre-listing inspection can lead to a smoother transaction and will likely identify issues the buyer’s inspector would uncover. If the house is vacant, make sure the utilities are on, and be sure there is clear access to attics, crawlspaces, heating systems and garages. Preparing clients for a home inspection and giving them a better understanding of the home inspection process will ensure a more positive experience. For fast, trusted and accurate home inspections, recommend HomeTeam Inspection Service to clients, and experience the HomeTeam difference. RE

Adam Long is the president of HomeTeam Inspection Service. For more information, please visit www.hometeam.com.

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Broker Cooperation Trumps Disruptors If Done Right Commentary by Charles J. Williams IV

he late summer and fall feast of real estate transactions is beginning to wane in many areas of America, and you are probably lifting your head up from the busiest season in your real estate career. Across the nation, brokers reported record transaction volume in units and dollars. Wow! The market demand for homes in America is impressive, and we, too, have seen record growth at Buyside. Brokers need to be ever vigilant in assessing disruptors, or they will win. While you have been busy, they have changed their business model. Referrals are key. Just about every online portal today has changed their business model. They do not want to charge brokers or agents for advertising, or charge for leads. Now, when portals introduce you to a consumer, it’s a referral fee. Sometimes the referral may be quite reasonable, sometimes they want 30 percent of the commission. When you look at the projected referral revenue for portals, you will easily see that it is in the billions. 68 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

That scares me, and it should scare you, too. Brokers in America have one strategy that is different from any industry in the world. Brokers agree to cooperate with other brokers. A great example is the MLS. Cooperation has also been exhibited in the Broker Public Portal with Homesnap. Now available to more than 1 million agents, Homesnap is ranked somewhere in the Top 10 real estate search sites in America, with no referral or pay-to-play nonsense. Brokers own it either through their MLS or directly as shareholders. Buyside is fighting back, too.

Buyside was embraced by the firm members of the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®. They are providing our service to all of their members. They are cooperating to create a network of homebuyers they can connect directly to home sellers. I believe this cooperation among brokers could be the spark of innovation that reshapes real estate. Imagine a future where real estate agents and brokers do not need to advertise listings. Brokers simply connect registered buyers to properties as they become available. Our largest firms, including Howard Hanna, Fox & Roach, and others, have already demonstrated that it works. They are shifting the listing presentation by leveraging their registered homebuyer data. Their agents walk into a listing presentation and say, “I have 27 buyers for your home today. Sign the listing agreement and we will set up the showings.” They have effectively created a buyer MLS. BuyerMLS was the original vision for Buyside, as some of you may recall. Now, cooperation among brokerages on Buyside is creating a network effect that is changing the industry. For decades, home sellers chose a listing agent and broker on the strength of trust, brand and the ability to find buyers. Today, home sellers are beginning to expect that their agent or broker already has a buyer for their home. Join us in the quest to cooperate with other brokers on Buyside. It’s a game-changer for brokers, and a hedge against the tyranny of portals. 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.

How to Help Your CityLoving Buyers Embrace the Suburbs Commentary by Allen Alishahi

ver since the pandemic took hold, agents around the country have seen an increase in the number of buyers who have started thinking more seriously about buying in the suburbs. At my brokerage, we have seen some of these buyers wholeheartedly embrace the idea of buying a home outside of an urban center, but there’s still a sizable group that’s reluctant to follow through on the sale even though they see all the benefits of the new trend. They’ve ended up delaying their home purchase for much longer than they needed to while they wait and see if the situation changes enough to buy a city home. My team has found a few ways to help these buyers move past their hesitation and finally make a decision. Their main concern is that they’re far away from all the urban amenities (i.e., great restaurants and nightlife). A way to reframe this is to point out how much more space they’ll have to entertain friends for more than just a night on the town. They’ll be able to keep much closer connections to friends and fam-

ily by having room for them to stay, and if it’s delicious meals they’re after, there’s enough space to bring take-out home and spend the whole evening together (instead of being rushed by a waiter who wants to turn a table over to the next guest). Many of these undecided buyers also think they’ll regret the decision

and wish they had bought a condo in the city, but they worry that the prices will have risen too much by then and they’ll be priced out of the neighborhoods where they wanted to buy. This is where a real estate agent’s expertise can come into play since a single-family home will appreciate more quickly than a condo in most markets. If you point out the neighborhoods where prices are rising, there’s a good chance that your buyers will have more purchasing power for a city condo if they sell their suburban house in a few years rather than if they bought a condo now. It can also help to point out that in cities, people rarely know their neighbors, and after a few years, it can start to be a lonely existence. But in the outer neighborhoods, people are more likely to become part of a community and have a network to tap into when times get tough. Just because there are more people in a city doesn’t mean you will know more people. Many buyers find they have more connections to people when they move outside of town rather than if they stayed close to densely populated areas. While the suburbs aren’t going to see an influx of nightclubs anytime soon, they can still meet the needs of buyers who are convinced that city living is for them. The greater amount of flexibility that comes with a home away from the center of town can provide some of the same benefits they were after, and getting them to come around is sometimes as simple as pointing out a new perspective. RE

Allen Alishahi is president of ShelterZoom. For more information, please visit www.shelterzoom.com. RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE October 2020 69

‘New Normal’ or Just Normal? Commentary by Bill Scavone

lot has been discussed about COVID-19’s impact on our businesses. Many have questioned what the “new normal” will be like. I think the “new normal” will be a lot like the “old normal” when it comes to the real estate business. Over the years, real estate has continually evolved, albeit slower than other industries. We went from communicating listings in “the book” to fax, websites, the MLS and then newspapers. It all drove customers to call or visit our offices. IDX, Google Earth and third-party aggregators changed all that. But we adapted, we overcame, and we evolved. Through it all, we continued curating business the same way: by building relationships and trust and delivering service. In the end, people buy people before they buy a product or service. It’s Jim Weichert’s famous mantra. People will do business with people they know, like and trust. That hasn’t changed with the 2020 pandemic. The how may have changed, but not the why. 70 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Agents still need to contact FSBOs, but now it’s by text, private message or social media. Will open houses be held virtually? Yes. In person, too? Yes. The same could be said of showings, listing presentations, sales meetings, contract signings and where agents work. They all still need to happen; it’s just the methods that have changed. Those willing to adapt and add new hows will continue to succeed. They are the new opportunities to build relationships, trust and value in you. Consistently adhere to an organized process and your business will be fine. Things will still be normal. Our offices are thriving right now. Why? Because they already implemented our systems for prospecting, client follow-up, recruiting and

retention, lead generation, financial management, and tracking and measuring office activities, with the necessary technology. Add a positive mindset, and they were ready. Our offices continue to conduct oneon-ones with staff and associates and hold social events with them. They are in consistent contact with past clients and their SOI, delivering valuable information to them. They believe in ongoing recruiting and never stopped during the pandemic. Again, nothing radical here. Just the methods. So, what does success look like in the “new normal?” You lead and create a vision of success for your company. You hire people who share that vision and instill the importance of performing high ROI activities regularly. You fill your office with agents who prospect for listings, who make connections daily, who follow a plan and don’t just wing it. You watch your numbers. You create a budget and follow it, along with your written business plan. You create a reserve fund equal to three months of expenses. You thoroughly review expenses and cut unnecessary ones. You know how many open houses are scheduled, next week and for the next quarter. You know how many closings you need monthly to reach your profit goal. Sounds a lot like the “old normal” to me. Will things be different as real estate comes out of this pandemic? Not really. In the end, only the how will be different, not the why. RE

Bill Scavone is president and COO of Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. For more information, please visit www.weichertfranchise.com.

Tips for Helping Buyers Navigate the Housing Market Amid a Pandemic by Jameson Doris

s COVID-19 still grips much of the U.S., the housing market continues to see increased demand. With lower inventory, especially in the suburbs, sellers have the upper hand. In the middle of a pandemic and in a climate that benefits sellers, it’s critical that you take extra care to help buyers through the real estate process. While you should be intimately aware of safety protocols in your area and staying on top of any policy changes announced by your state and local government, here are a few basic tips to keep in mind when assisting homebuyers. Be aggressive. If the buyers you’re working with find a property they’re in love with, make sure they’re prepared to go in strong. With an influx of buyers and limited inventory in much of the country, it’s important to make a strong offer. Not only is the market hot, but many buyers waited until the worst of the pandemic was over to start their home search in earnest. In order to have the best chance of closing a sale, depending on your local market, it may be wise to advise your buyers to offer above the seller’s asking price. Handle the paperwork beforehand. Depending on your area, you may be required to fill out additional paperwork related to the pandemic. With everything that’s going on in the world, it’s wise to help your buyers get all the paperwork out of the way early in the buying process. Stay flexible. In these uncertain times, don’t get too frustrated if a prospective buyer cancels a tour at the last minute or forgets a mask when arriving for a showing. Be prepared for these situations and have masks and sanitation supplies on hand. Remember, your buyers are likely encountering more hurdles than they usually would on their home-buying journey. RE

Jameson Doris is RISMedia’s social media/blog editor. Email him your real estate news ideas to jdoris@rismedia.com.

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{Intel}

During Natural Disasters,

Real Estate Pros Rely on Their Experience and Hustle by Andrew King

esidents from coast to coast have seen their fair share of natural disasters over the past few months,

from hurricanes and wildfires to everything in between. But as wildfires continue to ravage the Western part of the country—severely impacting California, Washington and Oregon— billions of dollars in residential real estate has been destroyed, derailing thousands of people’s real estate journeys and leaving thousands more without power or shelter.

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And while containment on many of California’s lightning fires that ignited in August grows closer (at press time), according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), as of Sept. 9, 28 major wildfires were burning across California. According to the LA Times, on Sept. 10, the massive August Complex fire officially became the largest blaze in California history, burning more than 471,000 acres. Drilling down even further, this year alone, wildfires have now burned more than 2.5 million acres across the state. As we continue to monitor the wildfires that are raging out West, real estate professionals are doubling down and leveraging their experience and hustle in order to step it up for their clients. Here, leading real estate professionals provide an indepth look into how they are leaning into their leadership roles now more than ever in the face of natural disasters that stand to affect the real estate industry for months and years to come.

Though missing major population centers, Hurricane Laura was a Category 4 hurricane that caused substantial damage in both Texas and Louisiana. CoreLogic reported that wind and storm surge losses for residential and commercial properties are estimated to be between $8 billion and $12 billion. The property data and analysis company also found that the two most impacted counties—Beaumont, Texas, and Lake Charles, La.—are both above the national average for mortgage delinquencies, putting them even further at risk for a long-term real estate downturn in the region. Gulf Coast real estate expert Budge Huskey—a top 25 RISMedia 2020 Power Broker whose brokerage, Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, is based in Florida—has guided his 40-office team through hurricanes of all shapes and sizes. “Each storm is different,” Huskey said. “When you get into Categories 3, 4 or 5, all bets are off. You simply don’t know what can happen.” When it comes to massive devastation, the real estate impact is often widespread, affecting all members and aspects of the industry from the insurance claims adjusters and contractors who are scrambling to rebuild to the supply chains for materials and government bureaucracies that are being strained by the sudden demand. All of this complexity requires that real estate professionals engage with their clients and guide them through the stressful aftermath. “It’s necessary to understand the impact and understand hurricane and windstorm insurance,” Huskey explained. “It’s about guiding customers to homes where the potential risk is lower.” He added that such solutions are not easy to come by because coastal flood maps are not always accurate, Federal Emergency Management Ad-

ministration (FEMA) guidelines are not always applicable, and mortgage requirements may change. “Agents need to understand and sift through the data and bring context and accuracy to it,” Huskey said. The insurance issues that overwhelm homeowners—and any potential buyers within a region afflicted by a natural disaster—can be downright scary in their own right. Ronnie Trubeck, a veteran agent with Century 21 in Scotts Valley, Calif., was evacuated from her home during the August wildfires in Northern California, which are still raging throughout the state today. She stresses that in perilous times like these, clients need the counsel of the best and brightest real estate agents, and within every brokerage, those insights will come from the more experienced team members. “Could you imagine going through this with an agent who’s just starting out? They don’t know what they don’t know,” Trubeck said [at press time] while checking into a hotel crowded with firefighters from throughout the state. “For anybody who’s had damages, the row to hoe is difficult. There are all the environmental hurdles and lending requirements. These people can’t get new insurance until the fire is 100-percent contained and then 10 days after that. Plus, our debris removal and rebuilding (efforts) can be super-problematic due to our septic systems.” In San Bernardino, the El Dorado fire has placed 1,572 homes at risk within the affected area—with a total estimated value of $783.4 million, according to realtor.com®. Still, Trubeck remains confident in the real estate market for her region because of low interest rates, and the pandemic has driven many homeowners from large employment centers, such as San Jose, to safer and more affordable areas like the hills of Santa Cruz County.

“A lot of people are working from home, and the market has been ripping in the mountains,” she explained. Meanwhile, in the heartland, Rick Blackwell of Realty ONE Group Impact in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been working around the clock since a derecho—a severe cluster of thunderstorms reaching winds over 100 mph—blew through his swath of the state and destroyed neighborhoods all the way north to Chicago. “So many different areas have been damaged. This is just affecting many, many people,” said Blackwell [at press time]. “I have five properties in the process of selling, listing or purchasing. Two are buyers, and there’s no way we’ll close on time. One may back out because of the damage, and the other is delayed until October.” He said there are a lot of financing delays because the region has been declared a federal disaster zone, and lenders are requiring those emergency funds to be in hand before closing. Blackwell, an industry veteran, has been spending his time connecting clients to contractors and inspectors who he knows, and working closely with his younger team members who haven’t had the time to build a long Rolodex of relationships. “We just have to communicate all of the time. By the very nature of the business, it’s our responsibility to keep our clients informed. We inform them of the options they have with their home,” Blackwell explained, adding that tragedies like this are also about communities coming together and lending a helping hand. “I have cleaned two properties,” he said. “I’m 65, but I can get out there. I can clear it out. I can get people down there to clear it out and let them know I’m here to help them.” RE Andrew King is a contributing editor to RISMedia. RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE October 2020 73

THE ULTIMATE EVENT FOR REAL ESTATE TEAMS

{Power Teams}

An Abundance of Leads by Verl Workman

ou want to build a real estate team, but you don’t have an abundance of leads. You have a team, yet, your agents say all the leads are bad and not worth following up on, or perhaps your agents look for other brokers or team leaders because they think they will get more or better leads. Does this sound familiar? If you answered “yes” to any of these, guess what? You are normal! Lead generation along with having an abundance of those leads is the No. 1 most urgent business problem encountered during coaching consultations. When we dig deeper, you will be happy to know that 100 percent of the time, that is not the real issue. Nevertheless, in the minds of the agents, team leaders and brokers, it is. The primary roles of a team leader can be simplified into business development and people development. As a leader, when you understand your role, you will undoubtedly have an exceptional culture of productivity that removes the insufficient lead concern. First, I like to say, “there are no bad leads, only those who are not ready yet.” At some point, most people you connect with will buy or sell a home, or they know someone who will. Lead generation is rarely the problem. The real issue is lead conversion. Lead conversion can be simple or complex, but the more focus you have on the long game, the

higher conversion rate you will have. Next, an agent’s job is to prospect, show and list homes as well as negotiate contracts. While we know there are several other tasks that need to be completed, if you don’t do those critical things, you will not have any business, period. I don’t believe it’s the job of a broker or team leader to provide leads to agents. However, if a leader doesn’t spend the time teaching their team how to prospect, they are failing them. If your primary responsibility is to look for new business and add a minimum number of people daily to your lead follow-up systems, and you attack this process with enthusiasm and energy, you will find that your business constantly grows— and there will always be an abundance of leads. The reason for this is that you go and get them. There are so many zero-cost ways to generate leads, but you have to be willing to do the work. You can do open houses, knock doors, volunteer, attend networking events, call your sphere and look for opportunities to serve. Lead generation is never

If your primary responsibility is to look for new business and add a minimum number of people daily to your lead followup systems, and you attack this process with enthusiasm and energy, you will find that your business constantly grows— and there will always be an abundance of leads. a problem if you are willing to do the work. Buying leads should only occur once you have a rhythm of prospecting and zero-cost lead gen dialed in. Spend one to three hours a day on prospecting and create or follow a simple A, B, C lead follow-up system. Never allow a prospect to go more than 30 days without a personal touch. For a copy of the WSS lead conversion strategy, email me at info@workmansuccess.com. RE Verl Workman is the founder and CEO of Workman Success Systems (385-282-7112), an international speaking, consulting and coaching company that specializes in performance coaching and building successful power agents and teams. Contact him at Verl@WorkmanSuccessSystems.com. For more information, please visit www.WorkmanSuccess.com.

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{Power Teams} More Leads Isn’t Always the Answer by Cleve Gaddis

hat are you doing to fill your pipeline? When most hear this question, they translate it to “what are you doing to produce more leads?” After all, if you’re not closing enough business, you must need more leads, right? I think the answer to this question is “no.” Quite often, we don’t need more leads, or even better leads. We need a better system to work the leads we already have. Let me tell you about John, the leader of a team with five agents who was having a big problem. His team is on the Zillow Flex program, but their conversion rates were falling way below the minimum standards. He was frustrated and worried about losing his Flex account. Most leaders, when faced with this type of dilemma, decide to increase the lead flow, but John decided to restructure his Zillow service areas to decrease the lead flow to nearly zero. Then, he and his team got to work. John believed that the lead flow received in the past hadn’t been worked properly. He believed that some team members were not adequately following up, and he suspected that this was because they knew they would have more leads coming into the pipeline. His team redoubled their efforts on lead follow-up, and within 30 days, their conversion rates had more than doubled.

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Here’s what they did: •

They used a lead tracker. All leads were entered into the lead tracker upon first receipt. They used the lead tracker even though they decided to keep up with the leads in their CRM and use the ABCs of lead management:

» A - This is a prospect who is ready to buy or sell immediately, who you also have an appointment with. » B - This is a prospect who is ready to buy or sell in the next 90 days. Communicate with this prospect twice per month during the weeks of the 1st and the 15th. » C - This is a prospect who is ready to buy or sell in more than 90 days. Communicate with this prospect once per month during the week of the 8th. • The team held one another accountable to their follow-up with all prospects, both new and old. • As Howard Brinton used to say, they got out of judgment and into

curiosity. They knew they couldn’t adequately understand a prospect’s level of interest or motivation initially, so they assumed everyone was guilty of needing help selling or buying until they proved themselves innocent. John’s problem isn’t unique. Most team leaders wish their conversion rates were much higher and that their agents weren’t so easily dissuaded when following up on leads. John knows he’s not out of the woods yet. His team understands that keeping their focus on the lead tracker and the ABCs of lead management must continue. If you’d like a copy of John’s lead tracker and the ABCs of lead management, email me at Cleve@WorkmanSuccessSystems.com. RE

Cleve Gaddis is a master coach, speaker and trainer with Workman Success Systems. He works with some of America’s most profitable teams and specializes in helping family-owned brokerages and teams navigate their unique challenges. Gaddis hosts the Your Move Atlanta weekly radio show on 640 AM, a Fox News station on iHeartRadio. To have Cleve speak live to your company, team or group, email Cleve@ WorkmanSuccessSystems.com.

{Power Teams} Filling the Pipeline From Leads All Around You by Paul Sessum

ne of the most common frustrations among real estate agents is the quantity and quality of leads, so much so that an agent is willing to spend up to 40 percent or more of their commission income to receive a lead instead of building and developing a relationship of trust from ground zero. This is frustrating, expensive and timeconsuming. Truth is, leads are abundant and right in front of you every day. All you have to do is ask the people you know, love and trust, who also trust you in return. Yes, your family, friends, associates and members of the church, groups and clubs you belong to all know someone who is ready to buy, sell or invest. So, let’s look at a couple of easy ways to get this done. Create a list of 50 people (no more, no less) that you know who you would like to build a deeper, stronger relationship with. Your intention is to build that relationship, maybe with a handful of those you don’t know well yet, and call this list your Top 50. Commit to communicating meaningfully with this group monthly and provide value to their lives. Host special events and create smaller groups with common interest, and in every conversation, ask if they know anyone who is buying, selling or investing in real estate. Get their name and number, then give this prospect a quick call

to introduce yourself. Imagine how your business would change if each of your Top 50 provided two valid referrals each year. Are 100 transactions a year a meaningful difference to your business? Another great way to get leads is to go into your customer relationship management (CRM) system and organize your sphere of influence (SOI) by how you know them (i.e., past clients, garden club, Sunday School, friends, etc.). This is a group of everyone you know beyond the 50 noted in step one. Contact each by phone at least quarterly, add them to your automated email list, invite them to your social media pages, schedule them to receive five cards a year and one snail mail piece of value monthly. Perhaps you can add one or two events per year (pie day, summer splash, etc.) as your business grows. Always ask who they know and/or if they are interested in buying, selling or investing in real estate. Depending on the quantity of people you know, this will produce a healthy and ongoing business. For example, communicating

Leads are abundant and right in front of you every day. All you have to do is ask the people you know, love and trust, who also trust you in return. with 200 people in your database in the design above can generate approximately 30 - 35 transactions a year. Look around, build value-based relationships, and find out how you can serve. It is so much easier to ask and work with those who you know that love and trust you. Your business becomes personal, purposeful and predictable. Just ask, and keep it simple. 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.

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{Power Teams} Filling the Pipeline: Consistency Is the Answer by Sarah Michelle Bliss

eal estate sales is not rocket science, yet the concept of lead generation—and, more importantly, consistent lead generation—seems to be a challenge for most agents whether they’re on a team or not.

Let’s first define what lead generation is: the act of looking for and finding new prospects to either buy or sell a home. It’s not lead follow-up, it’s not transaction management and it certainly isn’t chatting up your bestie on the way to the office. Most agents are hyper-focused on the lead that needs to make a move in the next 30 days, only to be disappointed when they find out that the prospect is six months to a year out (or longer). But those are the leads that fill your pipeline. You should never get out of bed in the morning and wonder who needs your services; however, in order to do that, you need a pipeline, and building a solid pipeline takes consistency in both prospecting and lead follow-up. I worked with a buyer who took more than two years to relocate to Arizona from the East Coast, and they built a new home that took another six months to complete. By the time they closed, I felt like I was a part of their family because of the relationship we formed during that time. If I would have failed to followup somewhere during those two years, I would have failed to receive that commission.

78 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

If I had not had the motivation to keep following up, I wouldn’t have kept pursuing that lead. In fact, one of my favorite things that Verl Workman, CEO of Workman Success Systems says, is “keep following up until they buy or tell you to die.” As an industry, we are losing millions in commissions because we fail to reach out again. Even worse, even though we are aware of this, we still fail at long-term prospecting and following up. In order to build your pipeline, an agent should be prospecting no less than one hour a day. If you’re new, bump that up to three hours per day. Also, an effective open house plan should be a pillar of lead generation in a real estate business model. If you have a team, then your buyer’s agents should be doing the open houses. If you are in a state that cannot conduct in-person open houses at the moment because of the pandemic, then a virtual open house should be the method implemented. Open houses work, but only if you do them effectively and consistently. Consistent follow-up is vital—like your life depends on it (because it

As an industry, we are losing millions in commissions because we fail to reach out again. Even worse, even though we are aware of this, we still fail at long-term prospecting and following up. does). On average, in our industry, it takes nearly two hours for a lead to receive a call back, and 29 percent of the time, that call is never returned. It doesn’t matter how many times it takes to engage a lead after the initial outreach. What matters is that you keep trying until they either buy or tell you to die. RE Sarah Michelle Bliss is a coach with Workman Success Systems. She has been in the real estate industry since 1995 and is a founder at RE/MAX Professionals, where she has been a part of the Nate Martinez Team since 1997. Over the past 20 years, she has taught locally and nationally, and coached and influenced her peers through team management, agent development and training. For more information, please visit www.WorkmanSuccess.com.

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{Power Teams}

Growing Organically…and Wisely by Suzanne De Vita

The Gwaltney Group

he Gwaltney Group is like “the perfect recipe,” Robin Gwaltney says—a fine-tuned mix of people and personalities, all collaboration, no drama.

“We have one of the most unique, hybrid teams you’ll find, because all of our staff are all agents,” explains Gwaltney, who helms the Rochester, Minn.-based team, affiliated with RE/MAX Results. Gwaltney and her husband, Scott, have been in the business for 20 years, beginning as a duo in the late ’90s, then branching out to a four-person team, and now, as leaders of the Gwaltney Group, with 29 members on the team. They grew organically, but carefully evaluated hires with the Clifton Strengths Finder, an assessment of a candidate’s strengths, to build synergies within the team, according to Gwaltney. Here, Gwaltney discusses the dynamics of her team, and her goals for this year.

Suzanne De Vita: Robin, how did you get into the industry? Robin Gwaltney: I was working at Mayo Clinic and, at the time, my husband and I were running a nonprofit in Rochester. I was asked to speak at the annual rotary meeting 82 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

about the nonprofit, and afterward, I had a man approach me and say, “I want you to work for me. I own a Coldwell Banker. Would you sell real estate?” I said, “No thank you!” Then, my husband found himself in a position where he was not able to go back to his job, and I said, “Well, maybe you should go work for this guy. He seems to want people.” He did and he loved it, and he was doing fantastic. I started to get really jealous! I decided to dive in with him and I got my license. We were a team from day one.

SD: As I understand, you both grew from there… RG: It’s grown organically—I have done zero recruiting. We have three admin who are licensed agents that work as assistants to the whole team. Of our 23 agents, half are fulltime and half are part-time. We have a mentor program here when a new agent comes on, and if they haven’t left their other job, we pair them up with one of our full-time agents and they work as a mini team.

SD: What benefits do your clients gain in partnering with your team? RG: There is power in numbers. From a listings standpoint, it’s that attention we can give. From a buyer’s standpoint, if you want to go looking at houses today at noon, the answer is “yes”—it might not be me, but someone on my team is going to be able to show you those houses. In a market where things fly off the shelves—where our inventory is so low that our average days on market is 16—if you don’t have an agent that can get you out there right now, you don’t stand a chance of getting that listing. SD: Robin, what are your goals for your team this year? RG: Our goal is $100 million—last year we sold just shy of $92 million. I feel we are on track. Another goal was to be in the top five teams in Minnesota, and all last year, we have stayed there. Always, our goal is to be extremely committed to and involved in our communities, and, of course, give our clients excellent service. RE

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

Are Renters Moving to the Suburbs Amid the Pandemic? by RISMedia Staff

ome prices have been rising across the country due to pentup demand and an inventory shortage. But what about the rental segment? According to new Zillow research, rent prices in urban areas have slowed more than in suburban areas. Could this be a sign that renters are making their way to the suburbs? In urban areas, annual rent growth slowed by two percentage points between February and June, compared to 1.4 percentage points in suburban areas. While a subtle difference, Zillow says this goes against the preCOVID trend. The biggest gaps between urban and suburban rent growth were in

Dallas-Fort Worth, Sacramento, San Francisco and the greater New York metro. But not all metros have followed this trend. For example, the following areas have stronger urban rent growth compared to suburban growth: Kansas City, Baltimore, Riverside and St. Louis. The following markets have had

the largest YoY rent growth in urban areas: Phoenix, Ariz. (6.3 percent); Indianapolis, Ind. (5.4 percent); Riverside, Calif. (4.9 percent); and Cleveland, Ohio (4.9 percent). “It’s important to separate how much of the trend we are seeing comes from shifting tastes as opposed to the economic reality that renters face,” says Zillow economist Joshua Clark. “It may be tempting to conclude that urban renters who have been cooped up without outdoor space and unable to visit their favorite local bar are ready to commit to suburban life, and that is likely true for many. But that narrative ignores the job loss that has hit renters, who are disproportionately employed in the industries most affected, and has likely played a bigger role in recent moves.” RE For more information, please visit www.zillow.com.

{Broker Best Practices} Giving Back to the Community

by Lesley Grand

brokerage, I had to have third-party tools for my agents from many different third-party vendors. But RE/MAX gives us all the key tools in one, which is huge.

Scott Comey CEO

Renee Comey Broker/Owner RE/MAX Elite and Motto Mortgage Elite Lynnwood, Wash. www.remaxelitebrokers.com Region served: The Puget Sound region of Washington State Years in real estate: Scott: 14; Renee: 9 Number of offices: 4 Number of agents: 93 How does being a part of RE/MAX help you and your agents do your jobs well? Renee Comey: RE/MAX provides us with all of the key tools to run an excellent company. Scott Comey: RE/MAX allows us to be in business for ourselves, not by ourselves. When I first got into the business and had an independent

84 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Can you talk about your recent acquisition of First Choice Realty? Was it part of your strategy for growing the business? SC: We’ve always been open to opportunities that make sense for us, and we know that some independents may not be poised to deal with the pandemic, so our coach encouraged us to build relationships with others in the market where an acquisition could be mutually beneficial for both businesses. Growth through acquisition has been a great strategy for us. RC: We wanted to be able to help out. We all get burnt out in this business, and I think the professional who owned the independent brokerage wanted to step back. Now that we acquired her business, she is thriving, so it’s been a win-win. What is your No. 1 piece of advice for hiring and retaining the best agents? SC: You have to have a good culture and foundation. If you’re great at bringing agents in, but agents are leaving out the back door, you’ve missed the point. We have a solid support staff, solid tools and solid core values. RC: And we listen. We ask our agents a lot of questions, including what they believe they’re missing. Then we give them what they say they need. In the end, it’s all about how we can best serve our agents. What values do you operate your office by? RC: We live by the philosophy that if we help enough agents achieve their aspirations, we will achieve

“RE/MAX provides us with all of the key tools to run an excellent company.” - SCOTT COMEY CEO, RE/MAX Elite and Motto Mortgage Elite

our own. It’s written into our mission statement. We try to help as many agents as possible. SC: One of our core values is community driven. As a high-producing office, we’ve received countless accolades for sales, as well as an award for our mortgage company, Motto Mortgage Elite. But none of that is as important as the award we got from the Secretary of State last year. Out of 600,000-plus businesses in the state, we were one of five selected to win the award for giving back to the community— and that, for us, is what we are all about. Are there any fundamental changes you have made to your business during the pandemic? RC: As a company, we are leaning in to giving clients options. When the world is going crazy, you want to be able to control something. We want sellers to be able to direct the ship, so we have set up solid safety protocols that sellers can work with their agent to implement as they are comfortable. SC: Through Zoom, we’ve realized that you can get a lot out of virtual meetings, so having the ability to choose what meeting format is right for each agent and their clients has made a huge difference in allowing us to continue operations through the pandemic. For more information, please visit www.remax.com.

Finding Success Through Helping Others

by Paige Tepping

activity. That said, people still want to buy, and we’re seeing a lot of activity among those who are taking the necessary precautions to go through the process safely.

Jeff Krider REALTOR®, Team Leader The Columbus Agents, Fathom Realty Columbus, Ohio www.thecolumbusagents.com Region served: Central and Northern Columbus Years in real estate: 8 With Fathom Realty: Since 2015 Number of offices: 1 (Fathom is in 110 markets, with 4,544 agents nationally as of the end of Q2) Number of team members: 2 agents and 1 full-time assistant Biggest benefit in being part of a virtual company: The ability to run my real estate team as a business while being empowered to be exactly who I am. Favorite part of your job: Helping other people. You have to focus on the people, because if you focus on the money, you’re not going to survive. Please describe some of the current trends you’re seeing in your market. Columbus has always been hot, and that hasn’t changed due to the pandemic. In fact, our spring market hit like normal back in March—and it hasn’t stopped since. Like the rest of the country, we’re experiencing a low supply of inventory, as well as low mortgage rates, but the upcoming presidential election has created a slight pause in market

What initially piqued your interest in the Fathom Realty model? Having come from a traditional brokerage model, I saw firsthand how the industry could stand to benefit from being approached differently, and after meeting with Ray Hustek—the brand’s state broker in Ohio—Fathom felt like the right fit in terms of what I was looking for. Another thing that led me to choose Fathom was the fact that they would let me be me. The Fathom model allows agents to invest in themselves exponentially more than they could if they were working within a traditional model. Fathom supports me building my brand and gives me full flexibility to do that. How has being part of Fathom Realty helped you during this unprecedented time? The team at Fathom has been really transparent, putting together social media groups and video conferences hosted by CEO Joshua Harley who has shared helpful ways to work with buyers and sellers as we learned to navigate how to conduct real estate in the midst of a pandemic. Not only have I picked up a lot of good tidbits through company-provided training, but also, I’ve been able to leverage the entire Fathom network by connecting with other brokers and agents in order to bounce ideas off one another. Their mentorship program has also been beneficial throughout this challenging period of time, as newer agents have direct access to a seasoned agent who can show them the ropes when it comes to buyer presentations, writing contracts, etc.

“The Fathom model allows agents to invest in themselves exponentially more than they could if they were working within a traditional model.” - JEFF KRIDER REALTOR®, Team Leader, The Columbus Agents, Fathom Realty

What role does social media play in your business? Social media is a huge part of my business, as I get a lot of clients and referrals through the various platforms I utilize, specifically Instagram. People will follow me on Instagram for months or years at a time before reaching out, underscoring the importance of making sure you share content related to both your business and personal life. Being everywhere is critical, especially as more and more people turn to social media to disconnect and have a little bit of fun. Looking ahead, what’s on the horizon? I recently brought on another agent so that I can step back from the grind a bit more and offer my expertise and guidance in the areas where I’m truly needed. Having always focused on getting a lot of leads (and only being able to handle so many), I’ve come to the realization that I need to tweak my approach and not break my back by trying to work with every client that comes our way. It’s about the brand, and not necessarily all about me, so I want to be sure that I’m giving the agents I’m bringing onboard the power to be part of something that they are building together. RE For more information, please visit www.fathomcareers.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE October 2020 85

5 Traits of Top-Producing Teams

op-producing real estate teams don’t happen by accident; they operate intentionally and are so consistently fluid in their business that they make sales appear easy and almost magical. Sales growth occurs year after year, and team members are both happy and confident as clients are won and sales volume grows.

This kind of magic can happen for your team, too, by incorporating the following five traits into your business practices and creating highperforming sales associates.

Each day and week, your team members should have goals for calls made, listing appointments booked, contracts signed, etc., so that they know what they are working for.

Daily and Weekly Team Meetings or ‘Huddles’ Football teams, high-performing restaurants and successful real estate teams all have this in common— they huddle up and keep their teams informed and motivated to operate at their best. Review what’s happening and what’s coming up, briefly cover necessary administrative issues (but keep the overall focus on driving sales) and give them something motivating to keep them excited about your business.

Individual and Team Goals Have weekly and monthly goals for both sales efforts and results. 86 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Lead Generation and Follow-Up System A big strength of many successful teams is a well-run lead management system. Lead generation should be part of that, so leverage your collective spheres and attract new clients, repeat clients and referrals through coordinated team campaigns. Even more importantly, ensure that your team uses a purposeful customer relationship management (CRM) system to not let opportunities slip through the cracks. Sticky notes aren’t enough for top-performing teams, so this is an absolute must.

by Sherri Johnson

Daily Tracking and Sharing of Success Once goals are set, track and share the results—especially the successes. Top teams use gamification and leaderboards on a daily basis to help keep everyone focused on their individual listing and sales calls, conversions, appointments and newly signed agreements (listings and sales). Big wins that are tracked and shared build confidence in your team members, reinforce trust and healthy competition, and can also be fun. Success breeds more success, so make it contagious by sharing results among your team.

Relentless Focus on Appointments Top-performing teams know that results come from effort. Being knowledgeable, honest and effective are all important traits of good agents, but none of that matters if you aren’t meeting with clients to put them into action. Keep your team’s focus on constantly gaining new appointments with clients, and the rest will likely fall into place. These five traits will help take your team to the next level and double or even triple your sales. Implement them now to create a consistent cadence of performance, accountability and overall team success. You and your team members will be glad you did. 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.

DEADLINE EXTENDED: Oct. 15

KNOW SOMEONE MAKING HEADLINES? HELP US SHARE THEIR STORY! In these unprecedented and challenging times, help us recognize those members of the real estate industry who are making a difference, inspiring change and achieving new levels of success. There’s still time to nominate a headline-making candidate as a 2021 RISMedia Real Estate Newsmaker. Visit rismedia.com/newsmaker-nomination to enter your nomination today! Newsmakers will be showcased in RISMedia’s Real Estate magazine and online at RISMedia.com in early 2021. Newsmakers will also be honored throughout the year by RISMedia. Don’t miss your chance to honor your Newsmaker!

{Power Broker Perspectives} by Keith Loria

Aleksandra Scepanovic:

‘Difficult Decisions’ Part of Entrepreneurial Success Aleksandra Scepanovic is cofounder and managing director of Ideal Properties Group, a leading real estate firm in Brooklyn, N.Y., which she founded in 2007 with Erik Serras. From a war correspondent turned media analyst turned freshly graduated interior designer, Scepanovic felt the real estate brokerage business was the natural next step. “The eternally elevated levels of adrenaline; the sense of the planet always being on the brink of forever spinning out of control…the industry checked off all the boxes,” she says. “I’ve grown up harboring a wariness of working for others, and after the war in Bosnia, I have not only discovered that, professionally, I love being left to my own devices and decision-making skills and conundrums, but that I also possess no fear of starting anew and of pushing hard and against odds.”

88 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

How did COVID-19 impact the firm? Aleksandra Scepanovic: Just like droves of our colleagues and endless businesses in New York City, we have discovered that we lack the emotional and economic immunity to the virus. As the virus raged through the city, we busied ourselves building a digital platform to move our entire rental procedure online. In anticipation of a slow return to the pre-COVID “normal” in the months—and possibly years—ahead, we have come to the realization that even though we’re open for business, our brokers could decide not to return to doing business “as usual.” Essentially, we are circling our wagons and tightening our reins. Ideal started its journey into the world of NYC real estate, more than a decade ago, as an online broker. In a way, being forced to physically shut down for a period of time brought us back home and proved to be an invigorating and exciting chance to pivot. How has the pandemic impacted business overall? AS: Some businesses have shuttered for good, others have slowed down, some are digging through their last savings and others are still aggressively pursuing loans. Personally, I feel and strongly believe that this is a time to dig deep for strength, to reevaluate obstacles and turn them into opportunities for long-term growth. For some, it is also a time for honesty and a time to curb the “hope against hope”—to take a long, hard look at the hard numbers and make difficult decisions. This may just be the right time to cut the caboose to save the train. We entrepreneurs know that without the difficult decisions, the future hangs in the air. What sort of strategy have you put in place for the remaining months of 2020 in order to start recovering? AS: Our strategy is simple—shed fear,

hunker down and do the hard work, without a moment to waste. Our strategy is to pursue opportunities and turn them into vigorous and sensible action. Good plans, followed by good actions, are bound to produce upturn. It’s a very simple blueprint to success. Sow in order to reap.

How are you motivating agents through this time? AS: By being and staying in the same boat with them, and by telling them the truth. By reminding them that this is but a speck in time and that current actions will define what comes next. We run weekly “state of the COVID-19” meetings. As an organization, we are optimistic by nature, and we always aim to have the optimism rub off on our team members, clients and customers. We have done this in the past. For instance, Ideal prospered and saw tremendous growth throughout the 2008 market collapse and the aftermath. What is your firm’s unique value proposition in your market? AS: We are nimble and ethical. We play fair, and we will outwork most competitors. We will not stop until we get you what you seek. Finally, how do you maintain a work/ life balance? AS: Right now, I don’t! I’m a mom, I’m a partner, I’m a teacher, I’m a broker, I’m a designer, I’m a dog owner, I’m a daughter, I’m a daughter-in-law, I’m a chef, I’m a janitor, I’m a handy(wo) man. I’m... “fill in the blank” and I will

VITALS: Ideal Properties

Group

Years in business: 14 Size: 2 offices, 180 agents Regions served: New York City www.ipg.nyc

probably be that, too, at some point in 2020. COVID-19 has obliterated the balance, if it ever really existed. It feels like the two freely flow in and out of one another.

Jim Fite:

Making Communication the ‘No. 1 Priority’ Jim Fite is following in his parents’ footsteps as he serves as president and CEO of CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company, the firm they started together in 1937. He joined the business in 1972 at the age of 18. After a year of college, his parents took him before a judge and had his “disabilities of a minor” removed so that he was legally able to get a license. Although he failed his real estate exam the first time, he passed the next time, becoming the youngest REALTOR® in the United States. What was your firm’s response to the pandemic? Jim Fite: We immediately went into action, working up to 20 hours a day. Communication with our people

has been of the utmost importance. Having open and timely information throughout the entire COVID-19 pandemic continues to be our No. 1 priority. Our principals and district managers met daily for a morning huddle at 8 a.m. for many weeks and now meet Monday and Thursday mornings. From a financial perspective, we went into “recession mode” and worked to reduce expenses as we have in four previous recessions. Training went into high gear with daily Zoom webinars on skill building, technology, homeschooling children, staying mentally and physically healthy, etc.

“There will be more merger opportunities as many companies will not survive this pandemic— emotionally or financially.” - JIM FITE President and CEO, CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company

How do you stay on top of trends and innovations? JF: I attend conferences, read periodicals, books and listen to podcasts. I do not listen to the mainstream news. I work at keeping myself mentally positive with daily affirmations and focus on my personal mission and company core values. Are there any market segments/ niches you’ve recently expanded into, or are considering expanding into? JF: Our company has core businesses such as mortgage, title, insurance,

property management, relocation, connection network and commercial. We recently introduced, during COVID, Instant Move (an iBuyer platform) and Judge Fite Concierge; we are working on another confidential initiative at this time to be rolled out in the next two months.

What are some new technologies you’ve implemented, and how are they helping your agents and consumers? JF: When COVID hit, we didn’t miss a beat. We have been 100-percent paperless for several years, and our intranet site gives agents access to everything they need, from links for on-demand training to training webinars to documents to company news. Our managers have held in-person and Zoom “Let’s Talk Real Estate” meetings for years. We can literally run our company from anywhere in the world and have been able to for years. What are the biggest opportunities for increasing business as we go toward 2021? JF: Increasing our recruiting efforts and getting our agents more productive while retaining and growing our people. I also believe there will be more merger opportunities as many companies will not survive this pandemic—emotionally or financially. RE

VITALS: CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company Years in business: 83 Size: 22 sales offices, 890 agents Regions served: Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, Texas 2019 sales volume : $1.572 billion 2019 transactions: 6,071 century21judgefite.com

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE October 2020 89

How to Bring Your Community Farm Together for a Great Reason Commentary by Darryl Davis, CSP

ver been to a Trunk or Treat? These awesome events bring communities together for fun and celebration—and also keep kids safer during the Halloween season. My business partner, Julie Escobar, and I wanted to put together a guide for real estate agents to host this classic Halloween event—especially during these crazy times when we need a little fun!

Julie is a former PTA president many times over, so she dove into the project with that experience in mind and helped us create something that I think is really special. Some of you may have never even heard of Trunk or Treat, a long-time church and PTA staple. A Trunk or Treat can be a familyfriendly, socially-distanced, community-minded event that creates a safe environment for children to trick or treat during the Halloween season. Parents, organizers and families come together in a parking lot, decorate their cars and trunks 90 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

(and fill them with treats), get in the spirit by putting on costumes, then let kids “trick or treat” by going from trunk to trunk to fill up their pumpkins, candy bags or pillowcases. It’s like a tailgating party for Halloweeners! For those of you who know my story, this is a no-brainer. Helping children in whatever capacity we can is a priority for our organization. As real estate agents, what you do has a profound effect on families. We thought this idea of a Trunk or Treat was a fun way to take that up a notch.

While this may be a little more challenging during a pandemic, the point is to think outside the box and be creative in your commitment to serving your communities (and the kids who live in them). As an individual real estate agent, team or even an entire office, this is a great way to create a positive connection with the families in your surrounding neighborhoods. Or, you may wish to contact the PTA presidents of local elementary schools to see if they are looking for sponsors for an event of their own. To help, we’ve prepared a 14-page Trunk or Treat guide for agents to easily navigate the process. It includes: • A step-by-step guide to organizing a Trunk or Treat • Easily customized flyers • The ability to copy and paste to create easily customized letters • Checklists • Example photos • Volunteer sign-up forms Take your neighborhood specialist game to the next level and start organizing this fun treat of an event for your farm and sphere. You can get a copy of the guide at https:// darrylspeaks.com/trunk-or-treating/. 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/OnlineTraining.

{Ask the Experts}

necessary—and sometimes, more efficient methods come from this challenge.

Can you give an example or two based on home inspections?

A: Dan Steward President and CEO Pillar To Post Home Inspectors® www.pillartopost.com

These have been tough months for all. Has there been a “silver lining” anywhere in this for your industry?

Yes. Despite the setbacks of COVID-19 and other issues facing our society, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) reports that home sales for July 2020 increased by 24.7 percent! We’ve been keeping pace with these figures in our home inspections and have actually added more than 20 new home inspection offices this year. When you are forced to evolve your systems and practices to survive challenging times, you learn that you can evolve when

For one thing, instead of virtual home inspections being an “add-on” or a convenience item, they became nearly the only way to perform home inspections for customers that wanted to proceed but really wanted a “hands-off” experience. While we continued regular home inspections in states where we were deemed an essential business, the virtual home inspection was utilized and perfected more and more. When performing an in-home inspection, our inspectors adhered to strict guidelines, such as having the minimal amount of people present, wearing a mask, disinfecting door handles or other items that had to be touched and often performing the task without REALTORS® present. We found that this was a sustainable method for future home inspections when necessary or preferred by the homeowner.

What else do you see that may end up becoming permanent in your home inspections?

We are rolling out some pretty amazing technologies that will be in full swing by spring for all Pillar To Post home inspections. One of these will be the PTP360 tour. It will also be available with a floor plan. To see an example, visit https://tinyurl.com/ y4o7r5dx.

Q: A:

Sounds exciting! And will it be used for any circumstance if desired?

Yes, absolutely. Not just a COVID response, but a huge help for busy REALTORS®, allowing them to save time, better serve their seller and give prospective buyers a far better experience. It is truly an innovation in selling real estate in a “touch-less” environment. Buyers can view it anytime they wish, stay as long as they like and even share it with friends, family and contractors in order to get estimates and measured floor plans to help with furniture planning, etc. This is a brilliant experience. RE

Q& A

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3 Tips to Rock Your Sphere of Influence by Terri Murphy

events.” She included fanfare like big balloon arches, flags, matching t-shirts and giveaways to create excitement, fun, high visibility and social connection for her team. • T o help a local, privately owned bakery, Slay and her team set up a “Drive by for a Free Pie Event.” While the pies were mini-sized, the activity itself was big, and the event generated additional sales for the bakery.

hances are, you have a group of people in your database who you’ve done business with in the past or with whom you have a personal or professional relationship. You probably consider this group your sphere of influence (SOI). But do these people actually know that you consider them part of your SOI?

According to Contactually.com, “Your sphere of influence are people in your personal and professional network with whom your opinion or services hold some weight.” If you are in sales, you tap your SOI to support you in the form of referrals or testimonials...and for good reason. In today’s marketplace, getting social proof and recommendations go a long way toward creating brand insistence. There are good reasons to stay connected. The 2017 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers states that 64 percent of all sellers found their agent through referrals. Additionally, 89 percent of buyers said they would work with their agent again or recommend them to oth92 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ers if they knew how to find them. Your SOI is the primary source of transactions and repeat business, yet most salespeople neglect to nurture this group in any sustainable way to maximize their exponential influence. It’s time to start taking care of your “people” in ways that make them feel connected. Here are a few proven tips: •E xpert community builder and SOI expert Tammie Slay in Frisco, Texas, goes over the top in making her SOI feel like family, and it pays off big. When social distancing was announced, she figured out how to connect her SOI with struggling local community vendors by hosting “drive-by

•W hen Slay found out that local students were selling candy bars to purchase school supplies, she took it a step further. Slay bought the candy bars and delivered them to her Top 50 MVPs with a note explaining that her team had donated money to the school in their name, and asking them to consider additional donations. More than just a candy bar, she engaged her SOI to feel emotionally connected to benefit the school. The results of Slay’s efforts were outstanding, and she has racked up an additional 58 transactions (and counting) so far this year, in addition to helping local businesses in her community. No matter what activity you deploy, all relationships require nurturing. We all depend and thrive on connection. Don’t let social distancing hijack your connection strategies. Take care of your people, and they will take care of you. For a free Top 50 MVP eBook and plan, 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 Women’s Wisdom Network Community on Facebook. For more information, visit TerriMurphy.com or email Terri@TerriMurphy.com.

{Blog Spot}

4 Ways Homebuyers Can Find Top-Quality Real Estate

LOOK UP STATISTICS Once you choose a specific piece of real estate, you are, in a way, “married” to the neighborhood in which that real estate resides. Therefore, it’s important to look up various statistics about that neighborhood to ensure it’s a good place to live. Information on crime rates, income levels, school locations and much more is all freely available online. To help save yourself some time in your search, it’s a good idea to look up these statistics before taking any further steps.

by Meghan Belnap

hen buying a home, one of the biggest challenges is finding a selection of quality houses to choose from. Since homes can vary dramatically, even those that are in the same neighborhood, it’s important to have a method to separate the good houses from the best houses.

Fortunately, whether you’re buying land or a pre-built home, there are steps you can take to prevent buyer’s remorse. Here are four ways that homebuyers can find top-quality real estate.

CHECK OUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD One way to find top-quality houses is to investigate individual neighborhoods that you’re interested in. It’s a good idea to visit potential neighborhoods at different times throughout the day so that you can discover if there are any major annoyances that would make a specific home a no-go. WORK WITH YOUR REALTOR® Buyers of all experience levels can

trust their wisdom, you might find that you end up with a great piece of real estate.

Since homes can vary dramatically, even those that are in the same neighborhood, it’s important to have a method to separate the good houses from the best houses. do themselves a huge favor by asking their REALTOR® for advice on a potential purchase. Keep in mind that your REALTOR® likely processes dozens of real estate transactions every year, giving them unique insight into the best neighborhoods in the area. If you take the time to

RESEARCH FUTURE PLANS Another piece of hard data you should consider? Whether there are any plans proposed for your neighborhood. After all, you don’t want to move into a new home, only to be surprised when a warehouse is built across the road. Use the website of your local property administrator to look up building permits to see if any are filed for your potential neighborhoods. In many ways, buying a home is a very emotional decision. It can be easy to envision all the future memories you’ll make in your home, but it’s important to stick to the hard data when choosing a home. By choosing to do extensive research, you’re setting yourself up to make a decision that you’re confident in, which will keep you from being heartbroken once the process is over. 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.

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{RISMedia’s Great Spaces}

Waterfront Properties With Gorgeous Greenhouses In this month’s edition of Great Spaces, we’re taking a look at two sprawling waterfront properties that bring the added appeal of having beautiful, fully operational greenhouses on site. by Jameson Doris

Riverfront Retreat on the Massachusetts Coast Sitting on 650 feet of shoreline along the Ipswich River, this 4.6acre estate is just an hour north of Boston. The 4,400-square-foot main house was built on the property in 1905 and was recently renovated. The scenic grounds have also

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been updated in recent years, including a new guest house and meticulously designed gardens. However, the most eye-catching feature outside the home is an original Lord & Burnham greenhouse. The gorgeous structure blends in flawlessly with the surrounding gardens. In addition to the greenhouse and gardens, other outdoor features that enhance the natural beauty of the

property include specimen trees, rolling lawns and outdoor terraces that have direct access to the Ipswich River. Listed by: Christie’s International Real Estate Listed for: $2,695,000 Photos by: Christie’s International Real Estate

Top: The vintage greenhouse fits in seamlessly with the rest of the meticulously planned outdoor area.

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Shangri-La Along the Narragansett Bay This 1.8-acre compound situated on the Narragansett Bay in Bristol Highlands, R.I., is nicknamed “ShangriLa” after James Hilton’s classic 1933 novel “Lost Horizon.” The architecture and landscape design on the property are over 30 years in the making. With several buildings sprawled across the property, the estate takes up four individual addresses along Shore Road in Bristol Highlands. In addition to a main house, there is a guest house, a tea house,

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a glass house, staff quarters, several garages and two greenhouses. The two greenhouses are industrial, in-use structures that sit adjacent to Zen-like gardens with a koi pond. Other outdoor features include a private sandy beach, a heated infinity pool with two cabanas and a sea-view veranda—all placed strategically among the buildings to capture the sunset views that can be enjoyed on the bay. Listed by: Lila Delman Real Estate Listed for: $8,500,000 Photos by: Lila Delman Real Estate RE

Every detail on this property and its many structures have been thoughtfully planned out with harmony and stunning views in mind.

A dream for anyone with a green thumb, this greenhouse and adjacent gardens are second to none.

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Webinar Recap: How to Stand Out in an Overcrowded Social Media World by Jameson Doris

or the real estate veterans who took part in RISMedia’s most recent webinar, the key to finding success on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic is all about engagement and making real connections with people online.

During RISMedia’s webinar—“How to Stand Out in an Overcrowded Social Media World”—panelists Tammie Slay, broker/owner and team leader at HIP Realty Group, and Michelle Wilson, team leader and owner of Michelle Wilson Realty Group at CENTURY 21® New Millennium, discussed the tactics they’ve used this year to stand out online when so many are turning to social media to reach former and prospective clients. The webinar was moderated by Cleve Gaddis, coach with Workman Success Systems, and sponsored by Homes.com. “After COVID hit, we decided that all of our team members had to go into this with the same mindset and 98 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

approach from the standpoint of creating possibility,” said Slay. Where can real estate professionals start? Here’s what Slay and Wilson had to say:

Stand Apart Emotionally What emotion do your clients lead with when they see your posts? What emotion do they associate with when they think of you? By positioning yourself as an expert in your market and providing people with valuable information during these trying times, you should evoke feelings of confidence and warmth. “Whenever people think of me, I would hope they smile and believe that I’m a great person who really knows what she’s doing,” said Slay.

“I think it’s incredibly important to celebrate others on social media. For instance, if one of my friends gets married and I get a photo of it, I’m going to post about their wedding on my own social media,” added Wilson.

Promote Engagement It’s not about the number of followers, but rather, the number of people who interact with you. As far as social media metrics go, engagement has never been more important. You need to be connecting with your clients regularly on social media and promoting connections between others. Wilson suggests building your social media following organically. Instead of paying for followers, when you promote connections on your own and build your following organically, you attract more people that are in your community. “Whenever someone comments on one of my social media posts, I like their comment, I respond to their comment, and I also send that person a private message,” said Wilson. RE To view the webinar in full, visit https://bit.ly/2QqrQGl. Jameson Doris is RISMedia’s social media/blog editor.

Webinar Recap:

Retaining Top Producers in a Competitive Environment

by Paige Tepping

uilding and maintaining good relationships that are ongoing and mutually beneficial is more important than ever when it comes to laying a solid foundation for long-term success in today’s competitive environment. But how can brokers ensure they’re retaining their top agents during these trying times? For Nate Martinez, broker/co-owner of RE/MAX Professionals in Glendale, Ariz., and David Wiesemann, managing broker at RE/MAX Heritage in Blue Springs, Mo., it all boils down to keeping agents focused— and taking every opportunity to reach out and communicate while showing your appreciation every step of the way. Martinez and Wiesemann discussed all this and more during RISMedia’s recent webinar—“Outpacing the Competition: Retaining Top Producers in a Competitive Environment”—which was moderated by Cleve Gaddis, coach with Workman Success Systems, and sponsored by Cole Information. “The key thing with all agents is that you need to keep them focused on where they want to go and help them work toward that,” explained Wiesemann. “By doing so, you will

keep them from looking around at all the other distractions or shiny objects that could ultimately pull them away.” While keeping agents focused is often a challenging proposition, for Martinez, it begins with being visible and reaching out consistently to communicate with every agent on his roster. “We’re doing so many things to stay in touch with our agents,” said Martinez, who emphasized the importance of making sure people feel appreciated. “We’re constantly letting them know that we care.” Communication aside, Gaddis shared with attendees four distinct categories of at-risk agents who may already have one foot out the door: 1. Individuals doing more than 35 50 transactions on their own

2. Someone who is negative about the office, the culture or leadership 3. Someone who has no production at all 4. Someone who has a large increase or decrease in production over the prior year “Brokers need to be thinking about who fits this profile and looking for signs because once they’ve decided they’re gone, in most cases, it’s too late to do anything about it,” said Gaddis. That being said, as a broker, if you want to keep people long term, you have to provide the services they’re looking for—or a system from which they can get those services. That’s exactly why Martinez created a field services department, so that his agents have access to the services they need. But it doesn’t end there. In fact, if you hire someone by promising them x, y and z, then x, y and z is what they’re going to want. “Whatever you use for your attraction method, that method has to stay in play the entire time because that is why they came,” said Wiesemann. “I’ve learned that it’s not how much you know, but rather, how much you care that’s important,” said Martinez. “Being separated from other humans is affecting everyone differently, so you have to find ways to pick up the phone and ask your agents how they’re doing.” “Everybody is processing the pandemic a little bit differently, and being able to hone in on that empathy and check in with one another is so important,” concluded Tyler Steenken, director of Strategic Partnerships for Cole Information. RE To view the webinar in full, visit https://bit.ly/2Rgxf2Y.

Paige Tepping is RISMedia’s managing editor.

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Index of Preferred Providers

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

ABR®..................................................................................... 101

MooveGuru............................................................................ 103

American Home Shield®......................................................... 101

MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants.................................................. 103

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices......................................... 101 Broker Public Portal with Homesnap....................................... 101

NAGLREP (National Association of Gay & Lesbian Real Estate Professionals)........................................................................ 103

Buffini & Company................................................................. 101

National Association of REALTORS®........................................ 103

The CE Shop.......................................................................... 101

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors®.............................................. 103

Century 21 Real Estate LLC.................................................... 101

Quicken Loans....................................................................... 103

Cole Realty Resource............................................................. 101

Real Living Real Estate........................................................... 103

Constellation1........................................................................ 101

Realogy Holdings Corp........................................................... 103

Create for the Human............................................................. 101

REALTOR Team Store®............................................................ 104

CRS Data............................................................................... 102

Realtors Property Resource®.................................................. 104

Darryl Davis Seminars............................................................ 102

Realty ONE Group.................................................................. 104

Earnnest................................................................................ 102

REBAC................................................................................... 104

Fathom Realty........................................................................ 102

REeBroker Group.................................................................... 104

FCA US LLC............................................................................ 102

RE/MAX, LLC.......................................................................... 104

Homes.com........................................................................... 102

Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting................................... 104

HomeSmart International....................................................... 102

Weichert Family of Companies................................................ 104

HomeTeam Inspection Service................................................ 102

Wise Agent CRM..................................................................... 104

HomeVisit by CoreLogic.......................................................... 102

Workman Success Systems.................................................... 105

HSASM Home Warranty............................................................ 102

zavvie..................................................................................... 105

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®........................ 103

Zillow Group........................................................................... 105

Lone Wolf Technologies........................................................... 103

RREIN Service Providers Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate... 105

Jordan Baris, Inc., REALTORS® Real Living............................... 106

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS®....105

Kinlin Grover Real Estate........................................................ 106

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty................... 105

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc................................................ 106

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties............ 105

Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty.................... 107

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties............ 105

McCOLLY Real Estate.............................................................. 107

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties.................106

Page Taft................................................................................ 107

CENTURY 21 Award................................................................ 106

Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate.............................................. 107

CENTURY 21 New Millennium................................................. 106

Randall, REALTORS®.....................................................................107

Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper, REALTORS®............................. 106

RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central......................................... 107

Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty.................................. 106

RE/MAX Gateway................................................................... 107

J. Rockcliff REALTORS®........................................................... 106

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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 October 2020 101

portunity to exponentially increase their marketing success and bottom line by reaching behind their consumers’ devices and screens to capture and truly engage buyers, sellers, brokers and agents.

CRS DATA (800) 374-7488 • www.crsdata.com For more than 30 years, CRS Data has provided a wealth of property tax data through the MLS Tax Suite. This beautiful system integrates seamlessly into your MLS system, offering REALTORS® current tax data, detailed map layers and robust features that are accessible on all browsers and mobile devices. Consistent product enhancements help ensure that the MLS Tax Suite performs as the industry’s leading and most innovative service. We’re proud to provide a personalized customer experience that is unmatched. Learn more by visiting www.crsdata.com.

DARRYL DAVIS SEMINARS (800) 395-3905 • www.ThePowerProgram.com Darryl Davis Seminars was founded by real estate expert, coach and international speaker Darryl Davis, CSP. For more than 30 years, Davis has been helping agents double their production by learning the listing and sales skills of real estate. These money-making skillsets are vital when agents are working with buyers and sellers to move their career to their Next Level™. His fast-growing membership platform, www.ThePowerProgram.com, helps real estate sales professionals design lives and careers worth smiling about. He is the best-selling author of three books with McGraw-Hill Publishers, one of which, “How to Become a Power Agent® in Real Estate,” is the No. 1 book sold to REALTORS®on Amazon.

EARNNEST (888) 870-2336 • www.earnnest.com • Greenville, S.C. • Melissa Kandel, Chief Marketing Officer One hundred-percent digital earnest money, no checks required. Earnnest is the largest digital earnest money service in the United States, allowing buyers to securely and electronically deposit funds directly to an escrow holder. Earnnest keeps agents, buyers and escrow holders in the loop with automated emails and tracking information.

FATHOM REALTY (888) 455-6040 • www.FathomRealty.com • Cary, N.C. Fathom Realty is a national, cloud-based real estate brokerage powered by a proprietary technology platform called IntelliAgent. Agents enjoy a higher net income through Fathom’s 100-percent commission, transaction-fee compensation model, allowing them to invest more money into growing their business. Fathom agents also earn stock grants based on their contribution to revenue and company growth. For more information, visit www.fathomcareers.com.

FCA US LLC (888) 898-1115 www.nar.realtor/fca FCA US LLC is a North American automaker based in Auburn Hills, Mich. It designs, manufactures and sells or distributes vehicles under the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, Ram, FIAT® and Alfa Romeo brands, as well as the SRT performance designation. The company also distributes Mopar and Alfa Romeo parts and accessories. FCA US LLC offers extra benefits to membership of the National Association of REALTORS®.

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HOMES.COM (866) 697-3308 • http://marketing.homes.com Homes.com offers brand advertising, lead generation, online reputation and marketing solutions to connect you with over 12.5 million consumers monthly. With a high average visit time, consumers visiting Homes.com are more engaged and more likely to buy when compared to visitors of other national real estate websites. Connect with these motivated homebuyers and sellers with the most powerful suite of tools for your real estate business—and convert more leads to closed transactions.

HOMESMART INTERNATIONAL (800) 865-9025 • www.homesmart.com • Scottsdale, Ariz. • Tori Sokol, Director of Marketing and Communications Founded in 2000, HomeSmart International is one of the fastestgrowing real estate franchisors in the nation, with a mission to lead the industry by providing the highest level of service, support, technology and value to our customers. The company offers franchisees efficiency and innovation coupled with the systems and technologies necessary to succeed in today’s evolving real estate industry. Its low-fee, high-value 100-percent-commission brokerage model keeps costs down for its nearly 19,000 agents across 31 states.

HOMETEAM INSPECTION SERVICE (844) HOMETEAM • www.hometeam.com You can depend on HomeTeam for a faster, more efficient home inspection every time. Unique to home inspection companies, HomeTeam brings a team of inspectors on-site. Each team member focuses on his or her area of expertise, which keeps us efficient and saves you time. Fast, Trusted and Accurate—that’s the HomeTeam promise.

HOMEVISIT BY CORELOGIC (833) 643-0445 • www.homevisit.com • Chantilly, Va. • service@homevisit.com Real estate marketing services spanning photography, video, image editing, Matterport 3D models and floor plan renderings, aerial imaging, print materials, direct mail and property websites. HomeVisit provides a single workflow that enables real estate professionals to significantly expand the scope and range of the marketing services they offer to homebuyers and sellers.

HSASM HOME WARRANTY (800) 367-1448 • www.onlinehsa.com HSASM Home Warranty has provided outstanding products and service to real estate professionals and homeowners for more than 35 years. The home warranty helps sellers and buyers protect their budget from the cost of repairing or replacing the covered home system components and appliances in their home. HSASM also offers additional services to help buyers maintain their homes, including rekey service, an electronics plan and pre-season HVAC tune-up service. With HSA Home Warranty, your clients get reliable budget protection backed by exceptional service, and you get a provider who works hard to better serve you. Contact your local HSA Account Manager today by visiting onlinehsa.com.

LEADING REAL ESTATE COMPANIES OF THE WORLD®

(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 October 2020 103

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.

104 October 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 October 2020 105

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

106 October 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 October 2020 107

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

108 October 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 October 2020 109

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

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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

Referral Book....................................................................83

American Home Shield.....................................................5

Real Estate Express...........................................................37

Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA)....46

REALTOR Team Store®......................................................45

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.............................. IBC

Realtors Property Resource®...........................................25

The CE Shop......................................................................71

Realty ONE Group.......................................................... IFC

Century 21 Real Estate LLC.............................................17

RE/MAX, LLC.....................................................................10

Create for the Human.....................................................39

RISMedia’s ACESocial...........................9, 11, 54, 80-81, 111

Darryl Davis Seminars, Inc...............................................62

RISMedia’s Content Solutions.........................................58

Homes.com......................................................................19

RISMedia’s Housecall.......................................................64

HSA Home Warranty..............................................................15

RISMedia’s Real Estate Newsmakers.............................87

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®................23

RISMedia’s Ultimate Real Estate Team Guide................7

NAR’s Military Relocation Professional (MRP) Certification......................................................................20

Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting.........................31

National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP)®..................................................34 National Association of REALTORS®..................................8 Pillar To Post Home Inspectors®.........................................2 Quicken Loans....................................................................1

ShelterZoom......................................................................60 Stewart Title.......................................................................43 Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc.................................40 Workman Success Systems........................................74, 79 Zillow Group...........................................................................BC

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} ‘That’s Who We R’ Campaign Adds International Assets

n app that allows REALTORS® to quickly and easily personalize the “That’s Who We R” advertising campaign is expanding its reach through new international assets. The National Association of REALTORS®(NAR) recently announced that it was expanding the global capabilities of its collaboration with Photofy. While NAR members have had the ability to deliver promotional social media graphics in English and Spanish, the announcement means that REALTORS® can also share customizable content in French, Japanese, Romanian and Portuguese. Earlier this year, NAR launched a partnership with the content creation app Photofy, to create a custom version of the app that is already pre-loaded with “That’s Who We R” social media graphics and videos. Since launching earlier this year, more than 22,000 REALTORS® have signed on to access the materials. Through the app materials, REALTORS® can add a photo, logo or contact information to “That’s Who We R” materials and share the personalized assets to their social media accounts, all in just a few taps. The new languages added allow REALTORS® to personalize and share content and key messages from the campaign across the world. According to NAR President Vince Malta, broker at Malta & Co., in San Francisco, Calif., “NAR is fortunate to have the scale, resources and member support to back a national advertising campaign that exemplifies who REALTORS® are and the value they bring to a transaction.” “As we work to ensure our members can maximize the campaign to make their businesses more successful, we’re excited that REALTORS® will be able to utilize this new international language feature to share messages with countless potential clients in America and across the globe,” Malta says. As part of the expansion, NAR members will now be able to share over 100 customizable and static assets in dozens of additional countries, many of which represent the locations where the highest number of REALTORS® do business. With more than 100 partner associations currently operating in 85 countries, NAR’s Global team has focused on developing initiatives that strengthen international partnerships and generate additional visibility for members around the world.

112 October 2020 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“The NAR Global team’s tireless work building connections and communicating with partner associations across the globe ensures we are providing every possible resource to our international REALTOR® members,” says Katie Johnson, general counsel and chief member experience officer at NAR. “New assets like these create engagement with members in dozens of nations and who speak these languages, allowing them to reach across international borders, discover new clients and generate new business opportunities.” The announcement comes as the “NAR en Español” initiative is growing to extend services to Spanish-speaking members, both domestically and abroad. NAR expects to make new announcements surrounding this program in the coming months.

“As we work to ensure our members can maximize the campaign to make their businesses more successful, we’re excited that REALTORS® will be able to utilize this new international language feature to share messages with countless potential clients in America and across the globe.” - VINCE MALTA President, National Association of REALTORS®; Broker, Malta & Co.

For REALTORS®, “That’s Who We R” functions as a rallying cry, instilling pride in REALTORS®’ everyday actions and all the ways they go above and beyond to improve the lives of their clients, consumers and their communities. Consumers are encouraged to “Look for the R” when buying or selling a property in order to ensure they are working with a REALTOR®, who has the highest level of professionalism. REALTORS® are encouraged to personalize and share these and other “That’s Who We R” campaign assets on their social media accounts. More information can be found on NAR’s international language assets page or by visiting signup.photofy.com/nar to create a Photofy account and gain access to campaign assets. RE

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