Real Estate Magazine - Inside Real Estate - December 2021

How This Technology Powerhouse Is Ensuring Brokerages Stay at the Center of the Lifetime Customer Relationship - Page 50

GIVE YOUR HOME BUYERS THE GIFT OF COVERAGE. They’ll thank you for it.

Buying a home is an exciting time, but does come with a lot of responsibilities.

Having a plan allows new homeowners to focus on enjoying their new home because they know exactly what to do when it comes to household breakdowns.

Our coverage also benefits you as a real estate professional. Your home buyers will call us — not you, when something goes wrong. And giving them a year of protection can result in more referrals from satisfied clients.

Questions?

Reach out to your HSA team member or visit onlinehsa.com today. © 2021 Home Security of America, Inc. All rights reserved. 21-0247

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Happening This Month @RISMEDIA INSIDE THE COVER In this month’s cover story, the ever-innovative team at Rocket Mortgage talks about how they’re implementing technology to build human connections—needed now more than ever given the breakneck pace of today’s market. Find out more on page 44.

JUMPSTART YOUR 2022 ACTION PLAN

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RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 3

CONTENTS December 2021/Vol. 37, No. 12

ON THE COVER 50 Battle for the Future

How This Technology Powerhouse Is Ensuring Brokerages Stay at the Center of the Lifetime Customer Relationship

It’s a pivotal time in real estate. An overheated market, new disruptive business models constantly emerging, and technology changing the paradigm of how real estate brokers, agents and consumers do business are all factors impacting today’s industry. The race is on. And the winners will be those who can best reach, influence and serve consumers throughout their lifetime homeownership journey. In this month’s cover story, learn why Inside Real Estate is prioritizing how brokerages can maintain consumer relationships that extend well beyond a transaction to become lifelong partners in homeownership.

17

HIGHLIGHTS 44 T echnology and People Team Up

Rocket Mortgage® elevates the real estate agent experience and helps clients achieve homeownership more easily.

58 T he Next Big Step: Guiding

Seniors Through the Real Estate Process

Introducing the 2021 recipient of the Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®) Outstanding Service Award.

66 R EALTORS® Take the Lead Before

the Need

Photo by AJ Canaria of MoxiWorks

The REALTORS® Relief Foundation (RRF) embodies a history of giving back and a future of paying it forward.

72 H ow 1REport Empowers Agents

for Success in the Digital Era

Here, take a closer look at ShelterZoom’s newest offering.

HEADLINERS 11 Marketwatch 12 N AR Power Broker Roundtable: How the Past Informs the Future

14 W omen in Real Estate: Shattering the Glass Ceiling in Real Estate

17 M eet the Newsmakers: RISMedia Honors Newsmakers in San Diego

18

4 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

21 P olicy & Legal Matters: The

Impact of Student Loan Debt: Is Now the Time for Governmental Action?

22 R EBAC Report: 3 Guidelines

That Will Keep You Connected to Former Clients

COACHING 29 B rian Buffini – Goal-Setting

Strategies to Start the New Year Strong

30 S herri Johnson – 4 Ways to Help Your Agents Create More Value

31 D arryl Davis – The True Purpose of Fear

32 T erri Murphy – How Past

Clients Lead to Future Business

33 V erl Workman – Tracking and Measuring Critical Data Is Key to Reaching Your Goals

35 T he Experts at McKissock Learning – 7 Questions to Ask Yourself for a More Rewarding Real Estate Career

BUSINESS BUILDERS 37 B oomTown: Leaning on Data to Grow Your Brokerage

38 C urbio: Revolutionizing Home Renovation

39 P ropertybase: Prioritizing the

Human Side of Real Estate With a Streamlined Tech Stack

40 R ocket Mortgage: A Seamless Mortgage Experience From Beginning to End

41 R eal Estate Webmasters: A One-of-a-Kind Website Experience

42 C onstellation1: Technology: The Cutting-Edge

FEATURES 26 P ower Broker Perspectives: RISMedia Launches Monthly Broker Confidence Index

50 Battle for the Future

68

54 Investment and Lifestyle Spur

Migration Back to NYC 56 How Brokerages Are Tackling ‘Bait-and-Switch’ Recruiting 60 Climbing Mortgage Rates Strain Buying Power in 2022 62 Transforming the HomeBuying Experience for Agents and Consumers Alike 64 How Accessible Is the American Dream for the Disabled?

68 How to Organically Capture Luxury Real Estate Leads 70 Leave a Lasting Impression: A Guide to Closing Gifts 74 Global Spotlight: The Resurgence of the 15-Minute City 76 Most Metro Areas Saw Double-Digit Home Price Growth in Q3 77 Labor Issues in Construction a Crisis for Housing

89 J im Sparkman and Mark

E. Farrow, HomeSmart Realty

Group

90 A my Hummer, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Steinborn & Associates

91 L arry Schottenstein and Chris

Harpster, RE/MAX Revealty 92 S teve Wagner and Jamie Mertz, Virtual Properties Realty 93 V erl Workman – The

Importance of Being Together in a Virtual World

TEAM TALK 94 P ower Team Profile – van Zyl Team Brings Investment Expertise to Florida Coast

TRENDS & ISSUES 79 Michael Minard – How to Automate Your Brokerage

80 W endy Forsythe – A Mindset for Thriving in Uncertain Times

97 V erl Workman – Planning for

a Successful 2022: Implementing Lessons Learned

98 R eed Martin – Business

Planning 101: Hit the Ground Running in 2022

81 K athleen Kuhn – Giving

Consumers What They Want: Reliable Market Information

99 S arah Michelle Bliss –

Set Yourself Up for Success in the New Year

83 D aniel Ramsey – A Day in the Life of a Virtual Assistant

84 A llen Alishahi – Moving

Toward an ‘Antifragile’ Future

EVERY ISSUE

85 R ick Haase – The Future of Real

3

87 M ike Ryan – American Pie: The

H appening This Month @RISMedia

7

From the Publisher

Estate Is Now

Main Course for 2022?

BROKER STRATEGIES 88 C arol Mellander, Broker/

Owner, CENTURY 21 1st Class

Homes

18 Great Spaces 100 Service Profiles 108 Referrals

112 RE: Real Estate—2021: The Legislative Year in Review

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 5

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

The Value of Togetherness

W

e didn’t know what to expect last month when we headed to the first live REALTORS® Conference & Expo since 2019. How many people would be there? What would the vibe be like?

How ready would everyone be to connect in person on such a large scale?

Having just returned from San Diego, clearly, everyone was more than ready. While the in-person crowd at the hybrid conference was considerably smaller than pre-pandemic days, those who attended onsite were there to make the most of the opportunity. From the trade show floor to the hotel lobby to the streets of the Gaslamp District, real estate professionals and industry leaders were energetic and enthusiastic as they connected with folks in person after almost two years of Zoom-only contact. The message came through loud and clear: It’s good to be back.

Everything Your Agents Need to Succeed

This sentiment was echoed throughout RISMedia’s events that took place during the conference. A capacity crowd of more than 350 gathered to help us honor several industry luminaries and induct our 2020 and 2021 Newsmakers Hall of Fame during our 25th Annual Power Broker & Newsmakers Reception & Dinner on November 12. Earlier that day, hundreds gathered at the San Diego Convention Center for our annual Power Broker Forum, where our dynamic panel of brokerage leaders—Cindy Ariosa, Anthony Lamacchia, Allan Dalton and Helen Hanna Casey—shared straightforward insights on how to make 2022 the best year ever.

Meanwhile, at our RISMedia booth on the trade show floor, our editorial team conducted video interviews with some of real estate’s top brokers, practitioners, association executives and subject matter experts. The booth was buzzing as we took the pulse of industry movers and shakers, like Carl Carter, Tim Hur, Joan Docktor and Jon Coile, to name just a few. Stay tuned to RISMedia.com and our upcoming Premier content channel to watch these up-close-and-personal interviews along with our other event coverage.

When all was said and done, the interaction and collaboration at the NAR conference was a fantastic reminder of how interconnected we are as an industry—how we learn from one another, support each other and work together toward collective success. During this festive season, I’d like to thank all of our readers and partners for your loyalty and support.

On behalf of the entire RISMedia team, we wish you a joyous and healthy holiday!

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John E. Featherston CEO & Publisher 1

Determined by end-of-course student surveys.

Stay on top of the week’s most important stories impacting real estate professionals in just two minutes, every Saturday, with RISMedia’s Headliners.

Each week, we’ll unpack the stories that you need to know more about, so you can keep your finger on the pulse of the industry.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter at ris.media/daily_news,

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Watch now at rismedia.com/headliners

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EDITORIAL Executive Editor Maria Patterson Vice President, Online Editorial Beth McGuire Managing Editor Paige Tepping Content Director Caysey Welton Senior Online Editor Liz Dominguez Associate Online Editors Jordan Grice; Jesse Williams Blog/Social Media Editor Jameson Doris Content Editor Paige Brown Contributing Editors Lesley Grand; John Voket; Barbara Pronin; Keith Loria; Andrew King

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

CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT Senior Vice President Jay Featherston

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

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

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

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PUBLICATIONS & SERVICES Real Estate magazine Annual Power Broker Report & Survey ACESocial (Automated Content Engagement) www.rismedia.com (Daily e-News) blog.rismedia.com (Housecall) RISMedia’s Real Estate CEO Exchange Power Broker Forum, Reception & Dinner Real Estate Newsmakers Reception & Dinner Real Estate’s Rocking in the New Year Copyright® 2021 by The Relocation Information Service, Incorporated-RISMedia, Norwalk, Connecticut. All rights reserved. Editorial and executive offices at 69 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851. Telephone: (203) 855-1234. Magazine subscription rate $83.40 per year, including postage ($166.80 for two years); Canadian subscription rate $200.00 (U.S.) per year, including shipping and handling ($400.00 for two years). All subscription and advertising correspondence call 1-800-724-6000. Material in this publication may not be stored or reproduced in any form without permission. Requests for permission should be directed to Managing Editor, RISMedia, Inc., 69 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of specific authors and columnists and are not intended to or do not necessarily represent the opinion or views of the publisher, his staff, other authors, advertisers, or subscribers.

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MARKETWATCH

Younger Homeowners Making Moves

31% of Gen Z homeowners and 38% of millennial homeowners plan to sell in the next 30 days (at press time).

Source: realtor.com®

Foreclosure Activity Continues to Increase

Lenders started the foreclosure process on 10,759 U.S. properties in October, up 5% from the month prior. States that had at least 100 foreclosure starts and saw the greatest monthly increase included: -Pennsylvania (up 107%) -North Carolina (up 104%) -New Jersey (up 61%) -Connecticut (up 56%) -Massachusetts (up 39%) Source: ATTOM Data Solutions

Home Prices Surge Higher

The average cost of a single-family home in 2020 was $267,726, increasing to $301,855 in 2021—a difference of nearly $34,000 (or half a year’s median salary).

Source: move.org

56.6% of new and existing homes sold

between the beginning of July and end of September were affordable to families earning the U.S. median income of $79,900.

Source: National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/ Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI)

A Robust Year for Remodeling The industry expects a robust year for remodeling, with year-over-year gains in annual improvement and repair spending to reach 9% in Q4 2021, maintaining that pace into 2022.

Source: The Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA)

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 11

NAR POWER BROKER ROUNDTABLE

How the Past Informs the Future CHRIS KELLY TACKLES TOP-OF-MIND TOPICS IN 2022 Cindy Ariosa, Senior Vice President, Regional Manager, Long & Foster Real Estate, Chantilly, Virginia; Liaison for Large Firms and Industry Relations, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR): Welcome aboard, Chris! In some ways, I’m sad to be leaving this moderator’s seat. It’s a great venue for getting savvy minds together and sharing solutions to some of the thorniest issues in our industry.

Chris Kelly, President/CEO, Ebby Halliday, REALTORS®, Dallas, Texas; 2022 Broker Relations Liaison (NAR): I get that—and while you are a hard act to follow, Cindy, it’s one of the primary reasons I agreed to take the gavel. One thing I’ve learned in my years as a company leader is the value of collaboration—and this column continues to foster that.

CA: Collaboration is key, and the best part—although we plan our agenda—is that because we meet monthly, we can pivot on a dime to talk about urgent issues. I think of all the challenges brought on by COVID. In a good way, it’s forced us to develop new strategies and practices that have made us more effective and more efficient, and I have so enjoyed hearing the insights of so many of our guest panelists.

CK: When the very first transaction occurred through the MLS here in Texas, our founder Ebby Halliday famously said, “We are not competitors, we are cooperators.” I think that sentiment is alive and well today throughout our industry. We truly have to work together every day in order to achieve the goals of our clients, and forums like this provide such a great avenue to continue that spirit of cooperation where we can all grow and learn from one another.

CA: So, what are the topics dear to your heart right now?

What are you planning for the months ahead?

CK: Well, this past year, as you know, has kind of been real estate on steroids. The COVID months have left us with skewed numbers, changing metrics and dramatically different budgets. So, we’ll start in January with broker outcomes—how to make sense of the last year or two and make it work for us in the year ahead.

12 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

CA: I love that.

CK: And I think in February, we’ll talk about mergers and acquisitions, a really timely topic these days. Moving forward, I want to talk about tech stacks and choosing from the myriad options in ways that really connect with our agents.

CA: Will you get into the iBuyer issue?

CK: For sure. It’s on a lot of minds these days, as are government bills and the potential impact of pending legislation on our business.

CA: Perfect.

CK: It’s a promise I made to Leslie Rouda Smith as she begins her term as NAR president—and a promise I’m happy to keep: to tackle the topics that are top of mind for brokers today.

CA: Well, I know you well enough, Chris, to know that you’re open-minded and thoughtful—your topics every month will be relevant, and your guest panelists interesting and diverse.

CK: You’ve set a good example, Cindy, as have so many of the moderators before you. The way to get a good agenda is to be mindful and approachable, and the key to coming away with real-time solutions is to hear from a wide array of panelists—big company brokers, small independents, people from all over the country.

CA: So that’s your plan…

CK: Check and double check! And I’m open to suggestions. I’m reachable at chriskelly@ebby.com, and I’d love to hear from brokers who’d like to sit in as panelists or have ideas about the topics they’d like us to tackle.

CA: None of us can look into the future, Chris, or be certain about what’s coming down the pike. But if there’s been a silver lining to the COVID months, it’s that it’s made us all more alert and flexible. I hope some of the brokers who haven’t spoken with us before will take you up on your offer.

CK: I do, too. And on behalf of all of us, Cindy, big thanks for the job you’ve done this year.

CA: It’s been my honor and my pleasure, Chris. I look forward to your January column! RE The Power Broker Roundtable is brought to you by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and Cindy Ariosa, NAR’s liaison for Large Firms & Industry Relations. Watch for this column each month, where we address broker issues, concerns and milestones.

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

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WOMEN IN REAL ESTATE

tor did nothing to alter the sustained decline in birth rates in the U.S. If anything, the pandemic has accelerated the decline. The birth rate now stands at a 100-year low, the lowest level since data collection began in 1909. It has been suggested that families do not feel the financial stability to have children today, or may feel concerned about added caretaking responsibilities. Birth rates do have implications for the broader economy, and they directly affect home-buying activity and the desires of homebuyers.

Shattering the Glass Ceiling in Real Estate

by Jessica Lautz

T

he real estate industry is dominated by powerhouse women entrepreneurs. Women are likely to enter real estate not only because of their interest in the field and the flexibility the industry provides, but also because of their strong desire to help families and work with people.

The pandemic has been difficult on women’s careers. In April 2020, the share of women aged 25 - 54 in the labor force who were working dropped to the lowest level seen since March 1984. The strides women made through the women’s movement and Equal Pay Act nearly evaporated overnight. Women returned home to help school-age children through homeschooling, virtual learning or hybrid schedules, and as a result, found working 9-to-5 jobs (cue Dolly Parton) impossible to juggle. Many women lost employment or found their hours reduced to an unsustainable level.

In recent months, the women’s labor force participation rate began to rebound. Pre-pandemic, the rate was 74.5%. It fell to 63.4% in April 2020, but by August 2021, had rebounded nearly to 72%. In comparison, the 14 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

men’s labor force participation rate fell less than three percentage points, from 89% to 86.4%, and by August, the rate had rebounded nearly to 88.4%.

One refuge women have found: real estate. The flexibility real estate provides, coupled with potential earnings, is a major draw for female entrepreneurs. While women have made strides in the overall workforce, they have continued to break barriers in real estate. In 1978, only 21% of all brokers were women. Today, 61% of all brokers are women.

In 1978, 52% of all full-time sales agents were women. Today, that share stands at 65%.

The Impact on the Real Estate Market Although more women have been home during the pandemic, that fac-

In April 2020, the share of women aged 25 - 54 in the labor force who were working dropped to the lowest level seen since March 1984.

An additional implication of the reduced labor force participation rate and reduced income held by women is the potential impact on single-woman homebuyers. Single women have traditionally been second only to married couples among household compositions of homebuyers. Single women’s share in the home-buying market reached 22% in 2006, but the share now stands at 18%. The reduced share is likely a result of reduced housing affordability as well as the inability to compete against dual-income buyers within the current limited housing inventory environment.

The National Association of REALTORS® will explore this in more detail in the upcoming 2021 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. RE Jessica Lautz is vice president of Demographics and Behavioral Insights, National Association of REALTORS®.

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Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® MoxiWorks National Association of REALTORS® Newrez Pillar To Post Home Inspectors® Members of the 2020 and 2021 Newsmakers Hall of Fame are pictured here with RISMedia’s John Featherston (center) and Maria Patterson (back row, second from right): Front row, l to r: Dan Forsman, BHHS Georgia Properties; Brian Buffini, Buffini & Company; Sherry Chris, Realogy Expansion Brands; Craig Cheatham, The Realty Alliance; Back row, l to r: Allan Dalton, BHHS; Rosey Koberlein, Long Realty; Vinnie Tracey, Realty ONE Group; Stuart Elsea, Real Estate One. Photo by AJ Canaria of MoxiWorks

RISMedia Honors Newsmakers in San Diego

W

By RISMedia Staff

elcoming guests in-person once again, RISMedia hosted its annual Power Broker & Newsmakers Reception & Dinner in San Diego last month during the REALTORS® Conference & Expo. This year, the 25th anniversary of the event, which has long extolled the accomplishments of Power Brokers, also recognized RISMedia’s 2020 and 2021 Real Estate Newsmakers, inducting 14 new members into the Newsmakers Hall of Fame.

The Power Broker & Newsmakers Reception & Dinner is known as the industry’s premier, “who’s who” event, bringing together owners and senior executives from the nation’s largest independent and franchise residential brokerage firms.

Held at the Marriott San Diego Marina hotel, the event honored the achievements of those firms that ap-

peared in RISMedia’s annual Power Broker Report and those selected as RISMedia’s 2020 and 2021 Real Estate Newsmakers.

2021 RISMedia Power Broker & Newsmakers Reception & Dinner Sponsors

Event Sponsors

Black Knight Chime Technologies Cinch Home Services CMG Financial CoreLogic Deluxe Elm Street Technology eXp Realty Homegenius Inside Real Estate Lone Wolf Technologies Realtors Property Resource® (RPR) Sherri Johnson Coaching Updater zavvie

Coming in February: The 2022 Real Estate Newsmakers This February, RISMedia will announce its more than 300 Real Estate Newsmakers for 2022, including our newest members of the Newsmakers Hall of Fame.

See who made the list in the February issue of Real Estate magazine as well as in our searchable online Newsmakers Directory at rismedia.com.

RISMedia’s Real Estate Newsmakers is brought to you by RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 17

GREAT SPACES

Authentic Adobe-Style Home Listed for $1.9 Million In this month’s edition of Great Spaces, we’re traveling to sunny Arizona to take a closer look at a true Southwestern home.

by Jameson Doris This gorgeous property is located in the exclusive Desert Highlands community in Scottsdale, Arizona. Built in 1993, the main home includes two private guest casitas that sit around a central patio with a fireplace and swimming pool.

The home is a rare and excellent example of the Territorial Adobestyle architecture that was lovingly crafted by master builder Eldon Stengem. All structures on the property feature master-crafted stonework and intricate carving throughout.

The main three-bedroom, threeand-a-half bath home features a charming galley-style kitchen, which opens out to formal and informal living and dining areas.

18 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

The owner’s suite occupies the upper level of the main house and is a relaxing private retreat with dual bathrooms, closets and offices— offering panoramic views of Pinnacle Peak and the city lights.

Community amenities include a golf course, fitness center, pool, dog park, racket club and private member dining.

Listed by: Julie Rohr, Christie’s International Real Estate in Scottsdale, Arizona Listed for: $1,999,000 Photos by: Christie’s International Real Estate RE

POLICY & LEGAL MATTERS their debt and were not offered loan forgiveness.

Progressive advocates and some Congressional Democrats have pushed the administration to cancel anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 for borrowers. The White House hasn’t yet acted, but is rumored to support no more than $10,000 in relief.

The Impact of Student Loan Debt: Is Now the Time for Governmental Action?

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By Matthew Emery

new study from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) shows that student loan debt is delaying 60% of nonhomeowning millennials from purchasing their first homes. The survey further demonstrates that 51% of all holders of student loan debt have had home-purchase delays because of it. Overall, the Federal Reserve estimates that Americans have a total of $1.73 trillion in student loan debt.

Congress and the White House are looking for ways to solve what many are calling a full-blown crisis. There is no shortage of potential solutions being discussed.

Public-Private Partnerships According to the survey, 59% of borrowers said that student loan debt repayment would affect their decision to take a job or not. Given the uneven labor market and issues with attracting and retaining talent, some employers are taking advantage of a lesser-known public-private partnership provision in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The act, passed in March 2020, allows employers to pay up to $5,250 toward student loans for their employees. The employees would in turn not owe federal taxes on the debt payments. The provision has subsequently been extended through 2025.

Loan Forgiveness One of the hottest points of debate concerns student loan debt forgiveness. Advocates argue that broad student loan debt forgiveness is the only real solution for a crisis that is hammering potential homebuyers. Those opposed to student loan debt forgiveness point to the proposal’s high cost and generations of students who paid

Education and Other Reforms While not dealing with the debt crisis explicitly, some have argued for further borrower education, including counseling and discussions about the necessity of secondary education along with the true costs of a college education coupled with the future earning potential of some degrees.

The Department of Education has also taken steps to curtail student debt issues, including temporary reforms to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. They have also created a working group that will evaluate and recommend potential solutions, such as programs that would help borrowers with disabilities, borrowers who were defrauded by for-profit colleges and changes to arbitration agreements.

What’s Next As Congress finishes its work on infrastructure investments, it will begin to look at other areas of reform. NAR will continue to raise awareness about the importance of financial education for borrowers, improving opportunities to refinance student debt, supporting businesses that offer student debt forgiveness through tax breaks and supporting the elimination of taxes for borrowers whose debt is paid by an employer. For more information, visit www.nar.realtor/student-loan-debt.

RE Matthew Emery is a senior policy representative, Financial Services, for the National Association of REALTORS®.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 21

REBAC REPORT

Since the pandemic began, QR codes have soared in popularity, and most people know how to use the camera on their phone to access a web page. Plus, short links and QR codes provide valuable tracking tools to measure your results.

3 Guidelines That Will Keep You Connected to Former Clients

By Jennifer Rzeszewski

A

ccording to research by the National Association of REALTORS®, the vast majority of recent homebuyers say they would use their agent again or recommend them to others. But it’s also true that, over time, buyers’ keen affinity for their agent can fade. Some buyers even struggle to remember their agent’s name.

How do you remain top of mind and continue to earn repeat business and referrals? To make a lasting impression with your former clients, your follow-up efforts should adhere to three simple guidelines.

1. Make it useful. In addition to the yearly holiday cards, send a reminder that their home warranty is about to expire, or instructions for securing an energy report for their home.

Many agents pride themselves on being community experts. So why not leverage your knowledge and keep past clients informed about upcoming events, like the dates and details for local farmers markets or

22 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

3. Make it personal. Set up your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system so past clients are separated from leads and other types of contacts. Include data fields like closing dates so that it’s easy to send “Happy House-Aversary” cards. (If you’re an ABR® designee, you’ll find customizable versions in the Member Center, along with thank you notes, bottle tags, recipe cards and other tools for staying in touch.)

Instead of sending the same thing to everyone, address each recipient by name. Ideally, slip in a short, personalized message, too. It’s much easier to do this if you use your CRM to capture personal details about your clients.

holiday celebrations? Or, if your recycling program is about to change, spread the word.

Send helpful landscaping tips in April and a yard cleanup checklist in October. When you focus on sharing information homeowners can use, the possibilities are unlimited.

Yes, many of these ideas take more time than mass mailings. But once you set up your systems, they will become increasingly easy to implement. And spending more time now will pay big dividends later.

Remaining connected to past clients is about adopting a peopleoriented mindset and seeking out relationships to secure that forever client bond. RE

2. Make it easy. Whether you’re sending physical mailings or digital newsletters, always consider what it’s like to be on the receiving end of your communications.

Do the links work? Are you asking recipients to enter a cumbersome web address? Try using a link shortener (like bit.ly) or incorporating QR codes to make things easier.

Jennifer Rzeszewski is the vice president of Member Development and the executive director overseeing the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC), the largest association of professionals focused on representing buyers. REBAC awards the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation. Learn more at abr.realtor.

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BHGRECAREER.COM © 2021 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. All rights reserved. Better Homes and Gardens®, the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate logo, and Be Better® are registered service marks owned by Meredith Corporation and licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each franchise is independently owned and operated.

REW is Proud to Unveil RISMedia’s New Website “I would recommend Real Estate Webmasters for both a branding project and/or a rebuild of a website. They are a tremendous organization to work with. They get it. They understand your needs. I believe that Real Estate Webmasters is a must for every single real estate brokerage firm in this industry, as well as top-producing teams.”

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POWER BROKER PERSPECTIVES

RISMedia Launches Monthly Broker Confidence Index

By RISMedia Staff

T

he residential real estate market is changing at a faster pace than ever before. With market dynamics in constant flux, it can be a struggle for brokerage owners and their sales associates to plan and implement effective business strategies from one month to the next.

To help brokers and real estate professionals keep up with market trends, RISMedia recently announced the launch of the RISMedia Broker Confidence Index (BCI), a monthly survey of the company’s Power Broker audience, a contingent that numbers well into the thousands. Power Brokers are those firms who participate in RISMedia’s acclaimed Annual Power Broker Report & Survey, now in its 34th year.

By tapping into the industry’s most successful brokers, RISMedia’s BCI will track and forecast the strength of

26 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

the residential real estate market on a monthly basis by asking brokers to rate their current confidence level on a scale from 1 - 10. On a quarterly basis, the BCI will take an even deeper dive into broker activity and predictions, providing more robust data to help real estate professionals understand where market strengths and weaknesses lie in the months ahead.

RISMedia’s monthly BCI surveys, which will take less than two minutes to complete, will also gather broker insights on timely industry trends and

issues. Quarterly surveys will go more in depth to track increases and declines in brokerage sales and transaction volume, as well as uncover the market conditions causing fluctuations in production.

“We’re calling on brokers to share their insights on a monthly basis so that together we can continue to thrive as an industry,” says RISMedia President & CEO John Featherston. “Our monthly surveys will be short, but the information they yield will be invaluable to our entire community, so I urge you to take part, and take advantage of the insights we provide.”

The monthly BCI results will be available on rismedia.com starting this month, and in-depth editorial analysis, including commentary from brokers and other market experts, will be available to subscribers on the recently redesigned RISMedia.com.

Brokers interested in helping to track and forecast the residential real estate business by participating in the monthly BCI can email editorial@ rismedia.com. RE

Learn more to earn more Join the exclusive real estate member program educating the industry’s best real estate professionals.

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

To find out more about AREAA visit areaa.org

Follow us around the web /areaa.national

/areaa

/areaanational

COACHING couraged or believe you’ve achieved very little. By tracking every activity and small win, you’ll be able to see how far you’ve come and what you need to do to keep moving forward.

Achievable. If you don’t have the right skills and tools to achieve your desired outcome, you’re setting yourself up for failure. As a new agent, a real estate training program like 100 Days to Greatness® is the perfect way to gain the skills you need to succeed in today’s competitive and challenging marketplace.

Goal-Setting Strategies to Start the New Year Strong

I

By Brian Buffini

f you want to succeed in business and in life, you need to set goals and then do everything in your power to achieve them. Here are some proven strategies to help you FOCUS and set SMART goals to start the new year strong.

FOCUS on Your Goals To achieve what you want, it’s important to write clearly defined goals.

Written goals have three powerful advantages: 1. They clarify what you want to achieve. Committing your goals to paper is a powerful way to get clear about what you want to achieve. Plus, the act of writing encodes it in your brain.

2. They create a mental picture to focus your energies. When you have a visual of what you want to achieve, you’re able to FOCUS: Follow One Course Until Success.

3. They unlock the power of the subconscious mind. When your goals are written down, the power of your subconscious mind is unlocked. You constantly think of how to get what you want, even while you sleep.

Get SMART Often, we miss our goals because we lack motivation, we can’t see progress or we drift off course. To avoid this, we need to get SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Bound. By writing goals with these themes, you’re far more likely to achieve them.

Specific. Instead of writing a broad goal, such as “I want to make more money,” take the time to really drill down. What does “more money” mean to you? Are you trying to double your annual income, or do you want to close one extra transaction a month? Getting specific gives you a boost of powerful momentum.

Measurable. To know you’re headed in the right direction, it’s vital to consistently track and measure your progress. In the moment, it’s easy to feel dis-

Realistic. When setting goals, be realistic. For example, it’s unlikely that you’ll make your fortune in your first year of business. However, if you’re consistent with your activities and you stay the course, you’ll be on track to meet every important milestone and achieve your dreams.

Time-Bound. Give yourself enough time to reach your goals. If you don’t, you’ll end up feeling disheartened and frustrated. Some goals take longer to achieve than others, so be patient.

SMART goal setting can transform your business and your life. Once you start setting goals, you’ll start reaching them, and your confidence will grow.

The more your confidence grows, the bigger the goals you’ll set and the greater your accomplishments will be. 100 Days to Greatness is specially designed to help you get on track to achieve your goals in your first 100 days in real estate. Find out more today. RE Brian Buffini is the founder and chairman of Buffini & Company, the largest training and coaching company in North America.

Based in Carlsbad, California, Buffini & Company has trained more than 3 million business professionals in 41 countries and has coached more than 25,000 business people.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 29

COACHING home. These statistics are proof-positive that your agents are the industry experts and that you have a proven track record for both marketing and selling homes.

4 Ways to Help Your Agents Create More Value

By Sherri Johnson

E

very agent on your roster should know your unique and exclusive value proposition, and more importantly, be able to communicate it effectively to win listing appointments. We know there are many components to a marketing presentation (or listing presentation), and how your agents deliver your unique message during these presentations is the difference between winning or losing the opportunity.

If your agents are losing listing opportunities, share these proven strategies to help create more value and help sellers realize that what you do is, in fact, significantly different than what your competitors do.

1

Radically differentiate yourself and your brand. Price is what people pay, and value is what they get. If you don’t radically differentiate yourself and your value, then you look like every other agent. Know your specific and exclusive niche marketing value. Perhaps it’s that you target the buyer through your database of 15,000 to 20,000 people.

Or that you provide video and digital marketing that puts their home in front of 10,000 people on Facebook.

30 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

2

Have a strategy for marketing, pricing and negotiation. In addition to a marketing plan, include a pricing and negotiation strategy.

Explain the value that you and your agents bring to the table to net them a higher selling price based on your market knowledge and ability to negotiate the best price and terms when an offer is presented.

3

Share your ‘big five’ stats.

These include your average sales price, your average days on market compared to other neighboring agents, your percent of list price to sale price ratio, your marketshare for the area and the size of your audience on social media as well as your database where you market their

Knowing your value and having the confidence to communicate those services that set you apart is going to result in more listings.

4

Ask leading questions. Asking better and leading questions helps you control the conversation and lead it down the road of what’s truly in their best financial interest— listing with you. When you ask questions, even obvious ones, you’re controlling the conversation and creating more success.

Knowing your value and having the confidence to communicate those services that set you apart is going to result in more listings. Every one of your agents should know the best and most valuable tools and services you provide, and you should know how to deliver them in a way that makes a seller want to hire you, every time, regardless of the service fee. RE Sherri Johnson is CEO and founder of Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting. Johnson offers individual and group real estate coaching, and is a preferred coach for multiple national brokerages.

She consults and speaks regularly for many leading industry organizations, including RISMedia, NAR, McKissock Learning and Homes.com.

COACHING

The True Purpose of Fear

By Darryl Davis, CSP

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heard a quote recently that I really wanted to share with everyone, and it goes like this: “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”

What if we started our week asking ourselves this question? How would our day-to-day activities change?

Understanding the Purpose of Fear I’ve learned a few things about fear over the course of my life. During my second year in real estate, I took part in a six-day transformational seminar at a retreat center. Each day featured seminars and activities, and one day we had to take a zip line.

Now, this wasn’t just some little zip line that went down a little hill. It was a beast that went between two mountaintops, and you had to be like James Bond, hanging onto this bar for dear life as you zipped over this valley. It was scary! The next part of the ropes course involved rappelling down a mountainside, and I’ll tell you, my fear of heights was in fine form that day.

You might be thinking that the whole

point of the ropes course was to help me overcome my fear of heights, but that wasn’t the point. The point was that it’s okay to have fear, but you can’t let the fear have you. There is a distinction.

Healthy Fear Enhances Your Life Fear can enhance your life. It’s like salt to a dish. And just like salt, it enhances the flavor of your life and prevents blandness. It brings all your senses to the surface. It challenges you.

Fear doesn’t go away, nor should we want it to. Try as we might, we can’t make it go away. Instead, we need to learn that it’s okay to have it, embrace it and travel with it. But we can’t let it control us.

Robin Sharma, a Canadian self-

“The fears we don’t face become our limits.”

-ROBIN SHARMA, AUTHOR

help author, once said, “The fears we don’t face become our limits.” We agree. Here in the Power Program®, we focus our efforts on helping real estate agents reach their Next Level®, and part of that is through coaching and growing the confidence needed to face those fears and do our best despite them. RE Darryl Davis has trained and coached more than 100,000 agents globally. He is the best-selling author of “How to Become a Power Agent® in Real Estate,” which tops Amazon’s charts for mostsold book to real estate agents. Davis hosts a weekly webinar to help agents succeed in changing times.

Visit www.DarrylSpeaks. com/Online-Training.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 31

COACHING • Send a copy of your “Top Resources Home Guide” complete with service providers who have earned a high rating. Your reference guide provides clients a level of comfort that comes from the endorsement of other homeowners.

How Past Clients Lead to Future Business

By Terri Murphy

W

hat kind of score do you give yourself when it comes to nurturing past clients? Strengthening these relationships will place you ahead of the competition and set you up for continued success.

It’s baffling trying to understand why agents pay for leads that are sold and resold through multiple lead generation platforms, who then wonder why their conversion rates are low. Top producers know that creating the connection with a client is the challenging part, but the real money comes after the transaction is closed and the datamining starts.

The more unique and personalized your service model, the more likely that one sale will develop into more. Too often, agents think “transactionally” and miss the greatest opportunity for leveraging one transaction into many in the form of referrals.

When you ask agents to share their action plan for nurturing and retaining past clients, they often say they use an automated or corporate driven system. How about kicking it 32 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

up a notch to make it more personal?

Here are six tips to reignite and reconnect with past clients and your sphere of influence.

• Develop multiple action plans to reach out to your past clients and your high-level sphere of influence contacts with consistency.

• Use various scripts to help you through the connection process. An apology script works well if you haven’t spoken for a while, then roll right into the FORD (Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams) script to update your records. Jot down email addresses, confirm birthdays, add new pets, grandkids, job status, etc.

• Use personalized (not corporate branded) notecards and follow up with a thank you note for taking your call.

The more unique and personalized your service model, the more likely that one sale will develop into more.

• Always schedule your next touch... but not an email. Mailing a birthday card is a very personal way to connect, especially if you include a gift card or a donation based on their interests. Take time to be interested in what brings them value.

• Be prepared to connect at least every other month. If your action plan includes client appreciation events, month-a-versaries, birthdays, holiday cards and an annual phone connection, you are on your way to deeper connections.

Staying connected to those we have served saves you money and time, and rewards you with clients who are only too happy to pass your name on to others. Go beyond the commission and celebrate the authentic gift of connection. RE Terri Murphy is a communication engagement specialist, author, TED Talk speaker, consultant and master coach with Workman Success Systems.

She is the author of five books and the founder of the Women’s Wisdom Network on Facebook. For more information, email Terri@TerriMurphy.com.

COACHING lead source should deliver at least a 6X return on investment, so if you’re not getting that, putting effort into the lead tracker is a must.

Eliminate the guesswork and start focusing on hard data, key numbers and real results.

Tracking and Measuring Critical Data Is Key to Reaching Your Goals

By Verl Workman

A

s we jump into 2022, we need to take a deep look into what worked and what didn’t in 2021. Every successful topperforming agent and team that Workman Success Systems coaches has two things in common: they track the critical elements of their business that generate results; and they review the data and make needed course corrections throughout the year. By tracking key numbers (listings closed, buyers closed, gross commission, gross sales volume, etc.), agents and team leaders can make informed decisions to increase profitability. Without acting based on your business numbers, you aren’t going to reach your business goals.

Tracking and measuring data can be intimidating, but doing so will help you outline what you need to do to reach your goals and become accountable for creating specific, measurable outcomes. When agents start tracking critical data, many have trouble switching from simply working business as it comes, to deploying organizational systems and tools with clear benchmarks for their business projection. But as our coaching clients know, the results are well

worth these growing pains.

Our clients are also often concerned with converting leads more effectively to increase their GCI (Gross Commission Income). If your conversion rate is low, the WSS Lead Tracker provides a solution to organize and track leads so you can spot the gaps in your business. It isn’t just a place to put leads; it effectively reports where every lead comes from and what the revenue generated from each lead source could be. Remember, each

Knowing your numbers is critically important. For example, if your lead conversion rate is low, how will you know which area of your business to improve if you don’t know where the majority of your leads come from? Do you need to grow your team or work your follow-up strategies more effectively? This information can all be easily tracked and managed in the WSS Lead Tracker.

Eliminate the guesswork and start focusing on hard data, key numbers and real results. Tracking is the first step in understanding what works and what doesn’t work in your business, allowing you to make informed decisions about where to make improvements. Your real estate business can be exactly what you want it to be if you track the right things.

For a copy of the WSS Lead Tracker that we use with our coaching clients, email wssm@workmansuccess.com and start using it today. RE Verl Workman is the founder and CEO of Workman Success Systems, a real estate consulting company that specializes in performance coaching and building highly effective teams. Contact wssm@ workmansuccess.com for more information and free downloadable resources.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 33

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COACHING sitions and management. By serving others, you’ll grow more enthusiastic.

No. 4: Do you earn enough?

The amount of money agents earn can have a significant impact on their feelings about their careers. If you don’t think you’re earning enough, some continuing education could help update you on emerging trends and best practices.

7 Questions to Ask Yourself for a More Rewarding Real Estate Career By the Experts at McKissock Learning

E

veryone has the occasional bad day at work. But if your bad days are getting more frequent, ask yourself the following questions to figure out how you can make every day of your real estate career more enjoyable and rewarding: No. 1: How flexible are your hours?

Real estate agents consistently rank flexible hours as a reason they love their jobs. However, if your “flexible” hours mean you’re working nights and weekends, set some boundaries around your time so you can enjoy more family time or personal interests.

No. 2: Do you feel like you help people each day?

Knowing you’re participating in the biggest financial decision your clients might ever make can be incredibly rewarding, but it can be easy to lose sight of this with the day-to-day hustle and bustle. Consider starting an “encouragement file” where you save positive feedback to review on the bad days. Schedule a cof-

fee meetup with past clients to hear how much they love their home. It will remind you how valued—and valuable—you are.

A dip in your enthusiasm doesn’t have to signal the end of your real estate career.

No. 3: Are there more ways to share your talents?

The skills you’ve developed as an agent can be put to work helping your community. Sit on the advisory board of your favorite charity, sharing your expertise on property acqui-

No. 5: Do you control your business?

If your broker is exercising too much control without giving anything back, it might be time to reevaluate the brokerage relationship. Look for a brokerage that sets you up to achieve big goals and knows that putting you at the center of their business model is good for both of you.

No. 6: Are you managing your time?

Poor time management could mean you’re working longer hours and getting less done. Explore strategies like time-blocking and take advantage of productivity apps to help you do more with your valuable time.

No. 7: Is there another niche where you’re better suited?

Interests change over time, and the niche you started out in might not be the best fit now. Check out certifications and designations around your new niche and find a mentor who can help you create a roadmap for transitioning to your new market segment.

A dip in your enthusiasm doesn’t have to signal the end of your real estate career. It could be the beginning of a new, more rewarding one. RE As part of the Colibri Real Estate family of premier education brands, McKissock Learning helps hundreds of thousands of real estate professionals each year achieve sustainable success throughout each stage of their career via continuing education and professional development courses.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 35

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BUSINESS BUILDERS measuring data,” says Delhougne. “Some basic measuring metrics are leads per month, leads per agent, conversion per lead source, conversion per agent, ROI per lead source, ROI per agent as well as time scale on lead registration to payday.”

“All brokers, agents and teams should be tracking and measuring data.”

-MATT DELHOUGNE Broker/Owner, Delhougne Realty Group

Leaning on Data to Grow Your Brokerage BOOMTOWN PROVIDES MISSOURI FIRM A COMPETITIVE EDGE

I

By Jameson Doris

f there’s one thing Matt Delhougne knows about gaining a competitive edge in the real estate industry, it’s that nothing replaces great data. Delhougne, who currently serves as broker/owner of Chesterfield, Missouri-based Delhougne Realty Group, has been a licensed REALTOR® since 1999. He also served as a St. Louis County police officer for 14 years—a career that overlapped his time in real estate.

Taking great pride in assisting first responders, Delhougne notes that the company comes from a heavy police background.

Affiliated with RE/MAX for the entirety of his 22 years in real estate, Delhougne has used numerous products and worked with many service providers over the years. One thing he points out is the importance of relying on a suite of products, rather than trying to find just one company to fill all of your needs.

“The technology and leads we depend on are Zillow, Google, BoomTown, Slack, Brokermint and several others,” he says.

But when it comes to the perfect CRM, Delhougne says he’s all-in on BoomTown. The company’s product is specifically designed to help real estate professionals generate leads, manage contacts and run their business better.

“All brokers, agents and teams should be tracking and

While these data points barely scratch the surface, at Delhougne Realty Group, they’re measuring a gamut of others. Delhougne’s favorites include business planning and projections in addition to goal setting for the company and its agents.

“Data points are about the number of leads per month, quarter and year, which we compare to the previous month, quarter and year,” explains Delhougne. “For example, 15+/- leads per agent per month—if they’re full-time and the leads are coming from a strong source—300+/- closings per transaction coordinator and 35+/- agents per team leader.”

Tracking this information since 2015, Delhougne understands the importance that data plays when it comes to the health and longevity of a brokerage. Without these numbers provided by BoomTown, Delhougne notes that it would be impossible to scale and grow as a company.

With the help of a great CRM, agents have more time to focus on their own individual brands and clients. As real estate agents have been getting slammed in the current market, one of the best ways to combat this is with great products, such as the one that BoomTown provides, and regular training.

“We focus on the ‘now’ and future business daily,” says Delhougne. “We have four team leaders who assist all of our agents with free weekly training that can be implemented now.”

Better yet, Delhougne approaches business planning in several different ways, focusing on 30 days, one quarter and one year. He has set plans for each timeframe, including who to hire, how many leads they need, etc. With this strategy—and the assistance of great products like BoomTown—Delhougne has been able to expand his independent brokerage.

“Most of us at Delhougne Realty Group come from a service world, not a sales world,” concludes Delhougne.

“We don’t use scripts or tactical closing techniques. We’re genuine, we use common sense and we serve daily.” RE For more information, please visit www.boomtownroi.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 37

BUSINESS BUILDERS

Granados

MacIver

Revolutionizing Home Renovation CALIFORNIA REAL ESTATE FIRM REELS IN A ‘REFINED’ RELATIONSHIP WITH CURBIO

T

By John Voket

he stars must align with a highly viable market and a very willing firm that’s poised to cobrand services to lure a potential vendor into opening up a brand-new office in one of California’s most competitive regions.

That’s exactly how things developed recently between Curbio and Willis Allen Real Estate, as the La Jolla, California-based firm’s extensive search for a perfect home improvement partner concluded with a highly successful collaboration.

Curbio is a leading home improvement company for REALTORS® and their clients. Offering a fast, effortless process to repair and update homes before they go on the market or under contract, Curbio also defers payment for any work until closing.

Under this recent partnership with Willis Allen Real Estate, programs with built-in financing are also being offered to buyers.

Hoping to provide their agents a competitive advantage and their clients a means to make improvements before (or after) their home is sold without necessarily having to reach into their pockets upfront to get that work accomplished, the team at Willis Allen Real Estate began sorting through vendors.

“We wanted a service where the agents didn’t have to act as a general contractor and be incredibly involved, because they should be out selling real estate rather than managing projects,” says Jane Granados, COO and managing broker. “When we reached out to Curbio, they 38 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

seemed to understand what our needs were and really checked a lot of the boxes.”

“But Curbio wasn’t serving our market at the time, so we kept going back and asking, and about a year ago, they said they would come to San Diego for us and set up shop,” says Granados.

Curbio enhanced the partnership by permitting Willis Allen Real Estate to co-brand services under the firm’s “Refine” label so that all their clients could take advantage of staging, home improvement projects and/or renovations.

Willis Allen Real Estate then worked closely with Curbio to fashion all related marketing for the newly branded line of services.

“For closed transactions involving Curbio, there’s been a measurable increase in net profit for the seller across the board.”

-KATE MACIVER Director of Risk Management & Education, Willis Allen Real Estate

“As a luxury brokerage, we know that virtually every property can use some improvements,” says Kate MacIver, Willis Allen Real Estate’s director of Risk Management & Education. “One of the big advantages for us is that with Curbio, there’s no project minimum.”

One recent project that came under the Refine program ended up netting the seller an added profit of $290,000 on the home’s list price of $1,250,000—with total renovations costing a fractional $34,349.

“That included exterior painting, new flooring, some window additions, trim replacements, bathroom refreshes as well as some new appliances and kitchen work,” says Granados.

“For closed transactions involving Curbio, there’s been a measurable increase in net profit for the seller across the board,” notes MacIver. “Clients are ecstatic because the people and contractors they’re working with under Refine are all very responsive, materials are first class and the agents know they have an edge over the competition because they can offer these services.”

If there were any drawbacks, Granados says it’s convincing sellers in a white-hot market to take the additional time required to permit the Curbio contracting team to get the improvement work done.

“If a seller isn’t interested in the opportunity, Curbio has done a great job of creating opportunities for buyers to use their services as well—and they’re offering financing for them,” says Granados. “Now our agents can have Curbio come in during escrow and talk to buyers about getting a quote and making the property their very own after closing.” RE For more information, please visit https://curbio.com.

BUSINESS BUILDERS

Healy

Prioritizing the Human Side of Real Estate With a Streamlined Tech Stack PROPERTYBASE PROVIDES TEXAS BROKERAGE THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO BETTER SERVE THEIR CLIENTS

By Jordan Grice

W

hen it comes to technology and real estate, the term “disruption” gets thrown around a lot. At least that’s how Rogers Healy sees it. “Every day there’s a new technology company that’s going to take the world by storm,” says the founder and CEO of The Rogers Healy Companies, the parent company of Healy’s independent real estate business, which has spent more than a decade expanding its reach in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

With roughly 500 agents operating at his residential real estate arm, Rogers Healy & Associates (RHA) Real Estate, Healy notes that he prioritizes realistic goals for the tech stack he offers to his agents and clients.

“With a lot of the companies that have come on board, some have done well,” says Healy. “But when you go and promote yourself as a tech company, that’s not real estate.”

Rather than focusing on the shiny objects in the real estate tech space, Healy prioritizes the human side of the

business, which is why he values simple and convenient tools and resources to help his agents better serve their clients.

That’s what ultimately led the self-proclaimed serial entrepreneur to team up with Propertybase (acquired by Lone Wolf in August 2021) almost three years ago when he set out to do an overhaul of each of his companies’ websites.

Propertybase, powered by Lone Wolf, is a global real estate and mortgage software company that provides real estate CRM software, a website builder, transaction management solutions and more.

Healy remembers Propertybase standing out because of their proposal for a streamlined tech offering, in addition to how the company carried itself out of more than a dozen companies.

“They operated like a business, which I appreciated,” says Healy.

Propertybase’s backend integration has been a boon for Rogers Healy & Associates’ agents, offering a streamlined cache of resources that Healy notes has helped add efficiency with social media, CRMs and document management—all of which is evident in the level of agent adoption across the board.

“For a long time, I think my company has essentially had these beautiful sports cars that we weren’t driving because people didn’t know what they didn’t know,” he says, adding that Propertybase also helped simplify the process of retraining agents as they made the transition.

“The fact that we have these things that we’re paying for that people are using, for the most part, is a huge win,” Healy adds.

While he can’t say enough about Propertybase’s userfriendly tech products, Healy says that the company’s exceptional customer service and communication have been a shining star of the partnership.

“It’s almost like they’re a boutique company, even though I know their footprint is much larger,” he says. “I’m very realistic, and I realize that every company has obstacles, but Propertybase has been consistent, customer service-based and available. And that’s not something you would normally say about a company that big.”

Looking ahead, Healy claims that his companies are poised for additional growth with Propertybase and now Lone Wolf by their side.

“We’re in a multi-year deal with them, and we’re going to keep growing with them by our side,” he says. “Having the ability to be agile is kind of a rare thing in real estate, so as stuff comes up and there are new things that we can offer our team, I want to be able to go and give that to them before anyone else.” RE For more information, please visit www.propertybase.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 39

BUSINESS BUILDERS

Bockman

A Seamless Mortgage Experience From Beginning to End WORKING WITH ROCKET MORTGAGE® A ‘NO-BRAINER’ FOR CHICAGOLAND BROKER

By Keith Loria

C

assandra Bockman, a broker at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Starck Real Estate, was born into the business. While her mom acts as a managing broker for the firm, which serves the entire Chicagoland area, the family’s real estate roots run even deeper. Her stepfather is a real estate attorney who’s part of a group that authored Illinois Multi-Board Residential Real Estate Contract 7.0, the most widely used in the state. Her grandparents were brokers in Chicago’s North Shore.

“It’s almost too much information, but it’s taught me what not to do before it happens, because I’ve already ‘heard that story,’ so I do everything I can to avoid it becoming my own,” says Bockman, who began working in real estate in 2005.

Back then, the firm was an independent family company with a handful of offices in northern Illinois. Teaming up with Starck Prudential after the recession, the firm has grown into the biggest company in the Chicago suburbs.

40 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

One of the keys to the firm’s continued success is this affiliation with Rocket Mortgage.

“When we first got together with Rocket Mortgage and began getting referrals through them, it was huge for me. I was moving back into the city from the suburbs and needed to rebuild my immediate sphere,” says Bockman.

“The Rocket referrals have helped me build on my own business, and I’ve nearly tripled my total sales in only three years. 2021 will be my biggest yet, closing $10,000,000 year-to-date. I’m on a whole new level now.”

Bockman always begins by letting listing agents know who is in her preferred circle, including her preferred attorney and mortgage lender. Rocket Mortgage tops the list because experience has taught Bockman that if you know the lender and team you’re working with, it’s a seamless experience.

“We work with a great group of people with whom we’ve met face to face,” explains Bockman. “They’ve come to Starck a handful of times. It’s really important to be able to say that I can put a face to that name while working with listing agents. That’s what they want to hear, and that’s the truth.”

Bockman has also leveraged Rocket ProSM Insight to enhance her business. The technology platform allows her to provide clients a better experience while clearing the path toward closing.

“The incentive with working with me through Rocket Mortgage and the portal is great,” says Bockman. “I never send an offer without talking to the listing agent at least twice. Great communication is the biggest key to my success. I always want to have that conversation beforehand and make sure they know that I’m working with my preferred lender. Their rates and incentives are simply unbeatable with what they can provide for buyers. It’s really a no-brainer.”

Better yet, when the seller looks at the contract, they’re going to see a direct number for Bockman’s Rocket Mortgage Agent Relationship Manager. “What’s nice about my niche group at Rocket Mortgage is that they have a much better handle on the particulars regarding the steps taken in Illinois and how a transaction works. This has been a huge change from recent years. I don’t care if you’re a big or small lender, if you’re not from our state, you’ll quickly find out that there’s a learning curve here,” says Bockman. “I’ve never seen any out-of-state lender get it right the first time without some sort of bump in the road.

I don’t have to worry about this when working with my Rocket team, and that’s everything.” RE The above article is sponsored content. For more information, please visit RocketPro.com/RealEstate.

BUSINESS BUILDERS to explain that they were unhappy with the firm’s current website provider at the time.

“After talking to several real estate website platform providers, it was obvious that Real Estate Webmasters could offer us the customization we were looking for,” says Barnett.

“Real Estate Webmasters offers the customization brokerages need in order to create the kind of experience they’re looking to provide agents.”

-JENNI BARNETT CFO/COO, Parks-Village Real Estate

Barnett

A One-of-a-Kind Website Experience REAL ESTATE WEBMASTERS HELPS INDEPENDENT TENNESSEE BROKERAGE COMPETE IN A CROWDED MARKET

F

By Paige Tepping

ounded as a local firm in 1975 by Bob Parks, Parks Realty (now known as Parks-Village Real Estate) has been serving the greater Nashville market for over 45 years. Consistently recognized for excellence, today, the firm boasts 13 offices and 1,200-plus agents.

Laser-focused on growing its presence throughout middle Tennessee, the firm merged with Village Real Estate earlier this year. And while their name might have changed, the independent firm is still 100% committed to providing agents the same level of marketing and services a franchise or national firm would offer.

Leading the charge is CFO/COO Jenni Barnett, who transitioned to the real estate industry after a stint in public accounting. Barnett joined Parks-Village Real Estate as CFO in 2000 before assuming the additional role of COO in 2005.

Handling the firm’s financial and operational needs, as well as their technology offerings, Barnett works closely with Nancy Amaker, director of marketing, on a variety of initiatives.

Topping the list is its partnership with Real Estate Webmasters.

“We began our project with Real Estate Webmasters a little over five years ago,” says Barnett, who goes on

One of the biggest benefits in working with Real Estate Webmasters, Barnett can’t say enough about the level of customization they’ve been afforded since the partnership began.

To that end, all of the services available to agents have been completely integrated into one space, providing a seamless source of information, marketing and additional resources.

“Thanks to Real Estate Webmasters, we’ve been able to integrate all of our technology within our agent intranet, giving agents an easier path forward as far as how to find the tools they need,” says Barnett.

The fully integrated platform, complete with single signon, was a huge step for the firm.

“Instead of directing agents to 10 different places with 10 different logins, we’re able to point them to one central location for all their needs,” says Barnett, which has proven valuable as far as agent recruitment is concerned.

With a weekly standing meeting on the calendar, Barnett notes that working with the team at Real Estate Webmasters has been a positive experience from the get-go.

“Our project manager provides transparency into where the projects in operation currently stand, so we always know when things are coming to completion,” says Barnett.

Drilling down further, the team is quick to respond, providing timely feedback and bringing new ideas and solutions to the table.

“Real Estate Webmasters offers the customization brokerages need in order to create the kind of experience they’re looking to provide agents, which is critically important for independent brokerages,” concludes Barnett.

“They’ve been instrumental in helping with efficiencies in terms of workflow, marketing and other things we wanted to accomplish for our agents, in addition to automating a lot of our processes.” RE For more information, please visit www.realestatewebmasters.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 41

BUSINESS BUILDERS

Pust

Technology: The Cutting-Edge WASHINGTON BROKER/OWNER APPRECIATES CONSTELLATION1’S COMMITMENT TO GROWTH

By Keith Loria

I

t was about 35 years ago when Jeff Pust was a young man, newly married and starting a career in real estate, working on mortgages and appraisals. He transitioned into sales, and 15 years ago, along with his wife, took over Van Dorm Realty from his in-laws.

Today, the Olympia, Washington-based firm has over 120 agents and has remained an independent brokerage.

“We’re a large independent, which is rather unique,” says broker/owner Pust. “The way we provide tools for our brokers is also unique for an independent, as we invest a great deal in technology. We are recruited heavily by franchises, but we have all the tools they have.”

That’s where Constellation1 comes into play. Van Dorm Realty utilizes the software tech company for its CRM, websites, marketing services and back office management.

“We became a Constellation client when they acquired a tech firm we worked with a number of years ago. Since then, they have morphed into Constellation1. We have stayed with them the whole time and found success work-

42 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ing with them,” Pust says. “They have grown from providing our website to CRM and all types of other contact management systems they have, and now we’re working in their accounting module.”

In 2021, the firm became a Constellation1 Commissions customer, which helped integrate all of Van Dorm Realty’s back office tools and have them work together. The firm even used it with a different provider’s transaction management platform, and it worked perfectly. It’s just another way Constellation1 partners with its customers to provide what’s best for the brokerage.

“The reason we went with Constellation1 Commissions is to simplify our bookkeeping,” Pust says. “We have this transaction management system, and we needed a way to link that information to our accounting system, making us more efficient and providing more tools to our brokers in a way they can track their income, and perhaps set goals for themselves.”

Still in its infancy launch stage, Pust notes that so far, it’s doing exactly what he hoped, and he foresees it saving the firm a tremendous amount of time.

The firm has about 25 brokers who use Paradym by Contellation1, a digital marketing tool, to help them with their social media platforms. The tool assists those who aren’t as adept at the process of managing a social presence, which has been a big plus for those taking advantage of it.

Another reason Van Dorm Realty has stayed with Constellation1 for so long is because of its commitment to providing the best service possible.

“We’ve always been able to call them and talk about what we’re seeing with our competition and ask if they can make it happen for us. And they’ve always been able to find a way to accommodate our requests,” Pust says. “We have a lot of tech firms up here in the Northwest, especially in real estate, and Constellation1 has been able to keep up with the cutting-edge changes, keeping us cutting-edge as well.”

With more than three decades in the business, Pust has seen real estate transition from brokers coming into the office to working from anywhere, a change made more impactful by the pandemic. For that reason, innovative technology has been a big part of the firm’s strategy.

“Our mission along the way has been, ‘How do we provide systems where brokers can get that same level of service and attention and not have to come into the office but stay just as efficient?’ Constellation1 has been a great partner in helping that transition be a success. They help me be competitive in the tech part of the business,” says Pust. RE For more information, please visit www.constellation1.com.

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Rocket Mortgage® Elevates the Real Estate Agent Experience and Helps Clients Achieve Homeownership More Easily

By Maria Patterson

44 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

T

he thrill that comes with buying a home is indisputable. But, so often, stress also comes with it.

Even in the best of times, achieving the dream of homeownership is no simple matter, and in the current market, it’s even more complex and frustrating. Today’s homebuyers are confronted with an array of challenges, with shrinking inventory and rising prices topping the list, and the strain on real estate agents is greater than ever.

As one of the nation’s largest mortgage lenders, Detroit-based Rocket Mortgage has had a front row seat to the intense dynamics of the modern real estate landscape.

“It’s obvious that the market and the industry today are more competitive and fast-paced than we’ve seen in a very long time—and that’s extremely stressful for agents,” says Rocket Mortgage Vice President of Sales Michael Flis. “Our job as a mortgage company is to relieve some of that pressure on agents.”

With that aim in mind, Rocket Mortgage has stepped up and refined the home-loan experience once again.

Recognizing that both technology and people are imperative to a successful real estate outcome, Rocket Mortgage has honed its strategy to facilitate true partnership with agents so they can best help their clients achieve homeownership.

By focusing on the needs of real estate professionals, Rocket Mortgage has developed an all-encompassing solution. “Our processes are constantly evolving so we are better able to meet agents where they are, and where they need us most,” explains Rocket Pro℠ Director of Business Development Marshall O’Keefe. “A lender partner that offers great products for their clients is important. Even more important, though, is a lender they can trust—that can move at their

speed and respond to their needs with a true sense of urgency.”

TECHNOLOGY THAT CLARIFIES, NOT CONFUSES One of Rocket Mortgage’s often cited “ISMs”—or core philosophies—is: “Responding with a sense of urgency is the ante to play.”

“The convenience that our technology offers is really important. Real estate agents are busy. We want to do whatever we can to support them and make their jobs easy.”

- Rebecca Rosenberg Senior Vice President of Client Experience Operations, Rocket Mortgage This particular ISM is evident in how Rocket Mortgage has rapidly responded to market needs with technology. While it’s become common practice for companies in the real estate space to tout their technology solutions, not all of them truly deliver for agents. That’s why Rocket Pro Insight, launched a little more than a year ago, was designed to put simplicity and transparency front and center.

“There are so many moving parts to the mortgage transaction—the average person can feel left in the dark,”

explains Rocket Mortgage Vice President of Sales Tim Swank. “The more transparent we can be, the more communication, the better everyone feels.”

Rocket Pro Insight achieves that goal by providing real estate agents with 24/7 visibility into where their clients are in the loan process. Giving real-time visibility and access into a client’s journey—from either a mobile app or desktop—is a gamechanger for real estate professionals juggling the demands of today’s market.

“The convenience that our technology offers is really important,” says Rocket Mortgage Senior Vice President of Client Experience Operations Rebecca Rosenberg. “Real estate agents are busy. We want to do whatever we can to support them and make their jobs easy.”

According to Nick Evers, a real estate agent with Real Living Casa Fina Realty serving the Tampa, Florida, region, “Leaning into Rocket Pro Insight is a drastic upgrade from any other lender, tech-wise. Being able to access information anytime, especially this last year and a half, has been huge.”

As Rocket Mortgage Director of Business Strategy Zack Reinbold explains, Rocket Pro Insight aligns with the instant needs of today’s business world. “At any point in time, an agent can know what’s going on—what the status of the loan is, where the appraisal is, if there are any contingency issues,” he says. “Knowing what’s happening in real-time is critical, especially in today’s ultra-competitive market.”

SATISFYING THE NEED FOR SPEED In today’s market, perhaps more than ever, speed is essential to getting a buyer’s offer on a home accepted.

“It doesn’t matter which state you’re in—in most cases, there are multiple offers above asking within 24 hours

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 45

In addition to getting a client’s offer to the seller more quickly, Verified Approvals provide something that’s sorely needed in today’s home-buying process: confidence. As Sparks says, “It’s a guarantee that the mortgage review won’t keep it from closing, and that puts both the seller’s and the listing agent’s mind at ease that there won’t be hiccups in getting the loan closed.”

Rocket Mortgage has honed its strategy to facilitate true partnership with agents, so agents can best help their clients achieve homeownership.

after a home is listed,” says Rocket Mortgage Vice President of Sales Sam Lanfear. “The client needs the ability to stand out and give themselves a competitive edge.”

Rocket Mortgage’s Overnight Underwrite program provides exactly the type of edge Lanfear is talking about.

True to its name, if a client provides all the necessary documents by 7 p.m., Rocket Mortgage can turn around a fully verified offer by 9 a.m. the next morning for borrowers who qualify.

“The Verified Approval can help you compete—even with all-cash buyers,” says Reinbold. “The seller has the certainty that the buyer’s credit, income and assets verify that they can afford the home.”

Shane Clark, a 10-year real estate agent with the Agile Group team at Real Living Casa Fina Realty, confirms that the Verified Approval is indeed a gamechanger. “A lot of lenders issue pre-quals, but they haven’t seen any 46 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

documents—they’ve run a credit check and that’s about it,” he explains. “A Verified Approval means they’ve seen paystubs, W2s, bank statements— they’ve done all that work upfront.

“The listing agent has a multitude of offers to choose from,” he adds. “If they see that the agent has a relationship with the lender and a solid buyer, it helps the offer stand out.”

Verified Approvals are accessible to agents through Rocket Pro Insight, giving them the ability to make adjustments as required—within the approved range. As Evers explains, “We’re able to go in and update a client’s approval letter to exactly what they want to offer.”

This type of autonomy allows agents to turn on a dime to help seal a deal.

“We essentially give full visibility into where the client is,” says Senior Rocket Pro Banker Pat Sparks. “They can go into the app, make an adjustment on the amount and submit the offer.”

THE HUMAN COMPONENT, ALWAYS While the Rocket Mortgage tech stack is a powerful ally for real estate professionals in and of itself, what truly cements the lender’s partnership with agents is an ever-present human touch: the Agent Relationship Manager.

Agent Relationship Managers work directly with real estate agents to answer questions, field issues and alert agents to milestones in the loan process, such as when the appraisal is ordered or when the loan reaches approval. They also offer real estate professionals something invaluable— a real human to turn to.

“Right now, it’s a very exciting time to be a real estate agent,” says Swank.

“But I also think it’s never been harder.

What they need more than anything is a team. The Agent Relationship Manager is here, just for them, as their primary point of contact, from the preapproval right up to the closing.”

As Lanfear explains, Rocket Mortgage’s team of more than 150 Agent Relationship Managers helps bridge the gap in communication that frequently occurs in the loan process.

“When Rocket Mortgage created this role, the sole focus was to address this issue,” he explains. “Regardless of what mortgage banker (loan officer) they’re working with, the agent gets the same point of contact with their Agent Relationship Manager.”

Rocket Mortgage Agent Relationship Manager Cameron Walls points to one of the company’s ISMs to illustrate his role: “Every client. Every time.

No exceptions. No excuses.”

“Rocket Pro Insight will continue to offer more functionality and visibility for agents. We’re also working on new mortgage products that we think can change the game for homebuyers during any market climate. We’re thinking creatively every day about ways that we can continue to move the needle for our partners and clients.”

- Marshall O’Keefe Director of Business Development, Rocket ProSM “It takes a team to get you from point A to point B,” says Walls. “That’s very important in today’s market.

Agents have my work phone and my cellphone, and can call me anytime.

I am more local and more accessible than a lot of loan officers. Agents are working 24/7, especially right now, so I am, too.”

The Agent Relationship Manager team is indicative of Rocket Mortgage’s unique commitment to real estate agents. As O’Keefe explains, “We made the decision that our partnerships with real estate professionals needed to be very intentional and purpose driven. The agent is often the glue that holds purchase transactions together, and establishing trust and reliability with our partners is extremely important to us.”

Evers attests to the value of working with his Agent Relationship Manager, Peter Wrubel.

“If anything goes awry, and I can’t get a hold of the banker, I can say, ‘Hey, Peter, I need to know the background of the loan, and I can’t get a hold of the banker right now’—that communication is huge,” he says.

The value of the Agent Relationship Manager role is evident in the program’s rapid growth. Starting out as a team of five when the program was

introduced in 2017, it is now 150-people strong, with specific teams now dedicated to serving individual brands because, as Executive Agent Relationship Manager Jeri Bryant says, “It’s way more personal to work with a particular brokerage brand—it allows us to go more in-depth.”

The brand approach also allows Rocket Mortgage to operate on a local level. “We’re a national company, but we can now support the nuances of a real estate brand,” says Flis. “We can understand the specifics of an area, which makes us better able to assist.”

Ultimately, Agent Relationship Managers help keep the mortgage experience personalized. “We can’t tech our way into the hearts and minds of real estate agents,” says Swank. “We have to be human, and we have to be able to communicate, both good and bad news, and be a real partner to them.”

Walls agrees. “For the longest time, we have been so involved and so focused on clients,” he says. “We’ve shifted a little bit of that focus to the agent because they’re the ones pounding the pavement. They are also an important part of a transaction.”

MAKING AGENTS EVEN MORE VALUABLE Rocket Mortgage’s technology tools,

Rocket Mortgage places simplicity and transparency front and center in everything they do.

combined with the personalized service offered through Agent Relationship Managers, help real estate agents attain a critical long-term goal: raising their value proposition with clients.

Bryant, for example, encourages her agents to use Rocket Pro Insight to communicate with clients. “I tell them to open up their portal and inform their clients directly,” she explains. “Answer their questions—handle it right then and there. Especially for first-time buyers, they’re intimidated to call the lender directly, so they can go right to their agent instead. This absolutely adds value to the agent’s role.”

Rocket Pro Insight helps put control in Clark’s hands, helping him move transactions along—cementing his value to clients. “Especially if a client has never bought a home before, it can be very overwhelming for people,” he explains. “To be able to collect documents for them and upload them... taking some of that off their plate and reminding them that I’m an extra set of eyes helps me better serve my clients.”

Walls believes the team and technology approach at Rocket Mortgage also gives agents an edge over some of the housing market’s newest competition. “Agents are getting nervous RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 47

Rocket Mortgage is committed to listening to clients, then offering solutions.

about iBuyers,” he explains. “But iBuyers only account for 0.5% of all transactions. That’s because people still want a high-level business professional to help them with the largest purchase of their lifetime. Anything we can do to boost an agent’s professionalism with technology is extremely important.”

“No other lender I know of has a platform like this or the amount of service, or someone dedicated to you,” says Clark. “Rocket Mortgage has helped my business tremendously.”

LISTEN FIRST, ACT FAST Rocket Mortgage’s groundbreaking technology, along with its growing team of Agent Relationship Managers, was born out of the company’s culture, which is all about listening to clients, then offering solutions.

“When you’re a large brand or company, that can take you away from the ground level,” says Flis. “But if people feel comfortable giving you real feedback, you can notice trends and commonalities. Once you connect the dots, you can start to implement and put together fixes.”

Swank agrees. “We can’t predict 48 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

the future, but one thing I know for certain is that we’re going to listen to the real estate community and provide them with what they say they need as the market shifts,” he says.

“We will continue to get feedback and try to make sure we’re being proactive in order to develop solutions that will grow our business and real estate agents’ businesses for the long term,” adds Rosenberg.

This core belief makes innovation a constant at Rocket Mortgage. Case in point, the company already rolled out new iterations of Rocket Pro Insight this past October, adding even more visibility to the mortgage process as well as the appraisal and closing processes.

“Rocket Pro Insight will continue to offer more functionality and visibility for agents,” says O’Keefe. “We’re also working on new mortgage products that we think can change the game for homebuyers during any market climate. We’re thinking creatively every day about ways that we can continue to move the needle for our partners and clients.”

Lanfear offers a glimpse into where Rocket Mortgage may be heading

next. “We’re constantly looking to innovate and make the client experience better,” he says. “In the future, Rocket will be synonymous with reducing friction in many of life’s complex moments. We’re more than just mortgages—offering cars and personal loans, solar panels and who knows what could come to the Rocket platform next.”

In the meantime, Rocket Mortgage will continue to make the home-buying experience a better one for real estate professionals and their clients. “We are finding ways to help better arm people to purchase a home,” says Flis. “And we are doing that in a way that’s quicker and more efficient. We will continue to work together to create an awesome experience for clients—when we do that, everyone benefits.” RE The above article is sponsored content.

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

Maria Patterson is RISMedia’s executive editor.

Battle for the Future How Inside Real Estate Is Ensuring Brokerages Stay at the Center of the Lifetime Customer Relationship

By Caysey Welton

I

t’s a pivotal time in real estate. An overheated market, new disruptive business models constantly emerging, and technology changing the paradigm of how real estate brokers, agents and consumers do business are all factors impacting today’s industry. The race is on. And the winners will be those who can best reach, influence and serve consumers throughout their lifetime homeownership journey.

50 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

An astonishing 93% of consumers indicate that they would work with the same agent in the future; however, the reality is that less than 15% actually do, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. It’s a critical reason why Inside Real Estate is prioritizing how brokerages can maintain consumer relationships that extend well beyond a transaction to become lifelong partners in homeownership.

“This is a people business,” says Joe Skousen, CEO of Inside Real Estate. “It’s belly-to-belly and part of the reason 90% of real estate transactions are done through agents. Consumers want to work with a human being. They want a local, qualified and trusted advisor. At the same time, these consumers have learned to rely on and love the experience they get with companies like Amazon, Google and others—those who know what we need before we know we need it. It’s a relationship business, but with modern consumer needs. This marrying of ultra-local relationships with intelligent consumer tech is at the heart of our new CORE Home solution.”

As an innovation leader in the real estate space, Inside Real Estate has a suite of technology solutions that drive business results for more than 250,000 brokerages, teams and agents. The well-capitalized, rapidly growing company is not resting on its laurels, however. Instead, it never stops thinking about how it can continue to build out its results-driven product line that’s anchored by its flagship product: kvCORE. BUILT ON RESULTS-DRIVEN TECHNOLOGY kvCORE is the highest-rated tech platform by agents and teams (according to G2) for a reason—it’s driving real, tangible results for all its users. kvCORE was purpose-built to meet the needs of the entire brokerage organization, from the top down, and also caters to the varying needs of different agent personas. While it’s known for being a comprehensive solution, it’s also well-known for its native mobility, simplicity and ability to always be driving ROI. “The beauty of kvCORE is in how much tech is running behind an extremely user-friendly experience.

Teams and agents have access to what they need but are not inundated in what they don’t need,” says the tech pioneer of kvCORE, Nick Macey, president of Inside Real Estate. “The tech is designed to really help agents

do what they do best, and help take care of the rest.” kvCORE is widely adopted by the most innovative and fastest-growing brokerages and brands across the U.S. It’s a scalable, end-to-end platform that includes IDX websites, a powerful built-in lead engine, smart CRM, behavioral marketing automation, full lifecycle analytics and a marketplace of deeply integrated add-on solutions.

With a platform that agents, teams and brokers use and love, this sets the stage for Inside Real Estate’s next move—streamlining the consumerfacing experience through their new homeownership-platform technology that will build on top of the powerful kvCORE flagship platform. The gamechanging new technology will help brokerages lead the way in securing lifetime consumers and bolstering client relationships.

THE NEXT FRONTIER: HOMEOWNERSHIP TECHNOLOGY When brokerages establish lifetime customers, they create a dramatic effect on repeat and referral business and have the opportunity to unlock massive streams of brokerage and affiliated services profitability. Hometo-home, across their entire homeownership lifecycle, for life—it’s long been sought after. Still, no brokerage has been able to rally the technology, partnerships and structure to really tap into the grand vision.

To take this problem on and really solve it, Inside Real Estate needed to embrace a consumer-driven sensibility to develop a business-to-business solution. Its new mobile-focused product will lead the industry with technology designed to drive lifetime relationships with customers.

“The homeownership experience is the next frontier,” Skousen says. But why now? Why hasn’t this been done before? While the concept may seem simple, it’s incredibly difficult to deliver and even harder to achieve success.

“It requires a brokerage to be running

“Even the most conservative increase of 10% in repeat and referral business is gamechanging for agents and brokerages.”

- Nick Macey President, Inside Real Estate on a robust platform spanning end-toend, with high adoption, integrated solutions for mortgage, title, insurance and more. And on top of that—and if you believe brokerages should be at the center of the experience, as we do—you have to have the right technology partner who can deliver a seamless mobile experience that rivals the portals. If you use someone else’s app, then you lose the battle.”

Inside Real Estate began working on its homeownership technology solutions in early 2020 and committed an experienced leadership, product and operational team to the new Homeownership Division. It will start rolling out the new technology, called CORE Home, to kvCORE customers throughout 2022. This will help ensure that brokers and agents have control of the relationship with consumers and stay ahead of other disruptors vying for the consumer, or large portal players like Zillow.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 51

An innovation leader in the real estate space, Inside Real Estate has a suite of technology solutions that drive business results for more than 250,000 brokerages, teams and agents.

“We know consumers deal with a confusing experience, and we’ve seen brokerages trying to solve pieces of it,” says Skousen. “They’d roll out programs that would attempt to maintain contact with clients over the years. It’s never been a completely seamless experience for the consumer, nor was it fueled by sophisticated technology that makes the agent and brokerage the qualified homeownership advisor.

You need all of that to come together for this to be successful.”

That’s why the new CORE Home experience is designed as an end-to-end web and app experience, branded on behalf of the brokerage, team and agent. It’s the unified client experience for every stage of homeownership.

“Every homeowner or possible homeowner is forever in some part of the homeownership lifecycle: living in their home, looking for their next home, going through a transaction or moving, and then back at the beginning,” says Skousen.

He adds, “We knew our platform had to be a seamless, app-driven experience for consumers, but integrated with all the connecting pieces as well.

It has to connect to mortgage, title and insurance. It has to connect to the bro52 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

kerage platform seamlessly. Plus, it has to deliver all of the other portions of the lifecycle to the consumer. We put the brokerage, team and agent at the center—we’re not creating our own brand to do it. It’s designed for the consumer, delivered on behalf of the broker, agent and team.”

For brokerages, repeat and referral business has been an ongoing challenge. There’s no easy way for agents to do it, and the consumer experience hasn’t been satisfying. Plus, brokerages are feeling the pressure from all directions. They need to provide unique value, and recruiting and retention of agents is critical. Inside Real Estate feels bullish about the dramatic effect on a brokerage’s long-term sustainability and profitability. “Even the most conservative increase of 10% in repeat and referral business is game-changing for agents and brokerages,” says Macey.

PULLING BACK THE CURTAIN What exactly is Inside Real Estate adding to its already best-in-class platform? CORE Home will allow brokerages and agents to finally be able to engage homeowners with a modern, tech-driven experience through the entire homeownership lifecycle, including

these four cyclical stages of the homeownership journey: • Current Home: Helps consumers understand and manage their greatest asset with real-time alerts around home value and detailed local market data, along with visibility into their mortgage and insurance information, trends and opportunities to ensure they have the most competitive rates available. Brokerages and agents stay top of mind as a vital information source versus the homeowner going to Zillow or other sources every day.

• Next Home: Provides agents’ clients with an intuitive, portal-grade home and market search and discovery experience tailored to the client’s life. From exploring their next move with an advanced search experience to insights designed to engage and “delight” with personalized results that evolve based on consumer behavior, homeowners can use tools to understand how much they can afford for their next home and get pre-qualified for a purchase. Brokerages and agents can finally provide a modern search experience that beats the large portals and become the first to know when consumers start shopping for their next home.

• Buy & Sell: For brokers and agents with integrated services, active homebuyers and sellers get the convenience of monitoring their entire transaction in one place, with tracking every step of the way, including contingency removals, home inspection, appraisal, mortgage status, title and more. Brokerages and agents benefit by providing this modern, simplified experience that buyers and sellers have dreamed about for decades. These integrations will be powered by later releases of the CORE Service Connect add-on.

• Move: Once the transaction is complete, homebuyers and sellers can tap into the help they need with moving companies, home improvement companies and services all within the same app they’ve used to manage their homes and transactions. Brokerages and agents build lasting client relationships with the all-encompassing, techdriven app that gives homeowners instant and trusted access to everything they need to manage their move now and their home forever.

Additionally, a fully integrated chat feature will ensure that homeowners can instantly reach out and interact with their agent at any stage in the journey, keeping the agent as the longterm homeownership advisor for the consumer.

“The consumer experience is paramount to the homeownership app,” says Macey. “Previously, there has been no single, personalized spot with the tools and information consumers need to create the kind of digital experience they desire—especially not one that works seamlessly with their local agent and all the parties involved in the homeownership cycle. Our new CORE Home technology is filling that void. What’s more, we can quickly empower the 250,000-plus agents using our solutions with these tools for their 100 million-plus consumer contacts.

“Filling a void is the key to all of this,” says Macey. “The best products should always solve a problem. And

likewise, the best services are provided by people and offer a human touch.

Combining these two attributes only further bolsters the success of brokers and agents.”

“Somebody is going to provide this kind of experience to today’s consumer— and those who do it well will control the future of real estate.

For brokers, it is imperative that they win this race.”

- Joe Skousen Founder and CEO, Inside Real Estate THE NEEDS OF TOMORROW Over the past five years, Inside Real Estate has been on a mission to not only innovate, but also anticipate what challenges may lie ahead in the real estate industry in a modern world. Many of the challenges brokers confronted yesterday and today will continue tomorrow: agent retention, capturing quality leads, gaining repeat and referral business, and a laundry list of others. That’s why from day one, Inside Real Estate has been betting on

being a technology partner for its brokers. They’re solving existing problems as well as those on the horizon.

Thus, the company will continue to innovate and invest in its existing technology platform, kvCORE, and other add-on products. Inside Real Estate will find new technology solutions that make a real estate professional’s job easier and less convoluted. Plus, they’ll improve the homeownership experience and increase the number of lifetime customers for their clients. What does all that mean for you? A better bottom line.

The company will continue to expand on its CORE Home app in the coming months. In 2022, it will release its CORE Service Connect application that integrates more ancillary services and allows agents, title representatives, loan officers, transaction coordinators and other relevant professionals to communicate with homeowners seamlessly. The application will also maintain a transparent line of communication throughout the home-buying process and the ownership lifecycle.

“Somebody is going to provide this kind of experience to today’s consumer—and those who do it well will control the future of real estate. For brokers, it is imperative that they win this race and remain the lifelong trusted home advisor,” Skousen says. “That’s what’s at stake. We’re really the only player with an end-to-end platform that brokers, teams and agents can build on top of in this way. We’re putting them at the center and creating a consumerfacing platform first. We’re empowering brokerages, agents and teams to do what they do best.” RE For more information, please visit www.insiderealestate.com/corehome.

Caysey Welton is RISMedia’s content director.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 53

Investment and Lifestyle Spur Migration Back to NYC

W

By Liz Gehringer hat do open borders and current migration and lifestyle trends mean for a real estate landscape as multifaceted as New York City?

The Great Migration The nation’s metropolises are welcoming back millions to their bustling streets. Coldwell Banker Global Luxury’s annual “A Look at Wealth” report found that urban repatriates are one of luxury real estate’s top new “Power Players,” representing 1,647,110 properties owned by the affluent, with $5M+ in net worth in downtown cores. This group is returning to the urban lifestyle.

Thanks to profound lifestyle changes, including telework, NYC is more desirable than ever as leaders from across the globe seek a presence in this world capital, and buyers look to 54 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

live in a place that provides ready access to lifestyle choices and interesting experiences outside of work.

On November 8, the United States opened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers. As tourism picks up the pace, so too will interest in international real estate investment. As the epicenter of international investment, New York City is no stranger to big real estate deals. It is also home to 8.8 million homeowners and renters.

Coldwell Banker’s expansive network of brokers and agents in NYC, touching all corners of the globe through a referral network, delivers uniquely helpful service for clients.

Deep City Roots It takes a vast network of professionals with specialized local knowledge to serve as the ultimate global gatekeepers to this sprawling city. The Coldwell Banker influence touches all five boroughs as well as Long Island, representing something special for each consumer who aims to call New York City home. The Coldwell Banker brokerages are not only interwoven into the fabric of their communities, but they are also as diverse as the neighborhoods and hamlets they serve, ensuring representation across all market segments.

Starting from the eastern edge of Long Island, Coldwell Banker Beau Hulse Realty Group specializes in the Hamptons. Coldwell Banker’s strong presence continues across Suffolk County with powerhouse companies like Coldwell Banker M&D Good Life, Coldwell Banker Distinctive Homes and Coldwell Banker Easton Properties. Coldwell Banker has extensive roots in the neighborhoods of Nassau County and Queens, including Coldwell Banker American Homes, Coldwell Banker Kueber in Glendale, Coldwell Banker Phillips in Middle Village, Coldwell Banker Na-

politano in Ozone Park and Coldwell Banker Labarca in Brooklyn. With expert knowledge of Harlem, Manhattan and Brooklyn, Coldwell Banker Reliable connects the dots between NYC’s famed boroughs. And Coldwell Banker Realty’s recent acquisition of Warburg Realty adds additional focus across both sides of Central Park and into lower Manhattan. Beyond Manhattan, Coldwell Banker Signature is situated to the north in the Bronx and Coldwell Banker Realty has offices in Westchester County, while Coldwell Banker Advantage is south, in Staten Island. Local expertise at the ready, in every direction.

And, Bagels!

When purchasing or renting a home in NYC, consumers are buying into not just a place to live part of the year or year-round, but the lifestyle itself.

World-class agents are equipped with more than deep local knowledge of the neighborhood. They’re experts on the communities they serve. From

When purchasing or renting a home in NYC, consumers are buying into not just a place to live part of the year or year-round, but the lifestyle itself. where to grab the best bagel to the best gym to work it off, the best agents don’t just guide people home—they provide unmatched service and information that guides people to their new way of life.

Real Estate Resilience The resilience we’re seeing in New York runs deep with Coldwell Banker.

As a brand created from the ashes of the great San Francisco earthquake, we celebrate shaking off the dust and rebuilding. The strength of our agents

is the strength of our brand, and we couldn’t be more hopeful for what this great city has in store.

Interested in buying or selling a home, or in joining the brand that shines like no other? Visit Coldwellbanker.com. RE

Liz Gehringer is chief operating officer for Coldwell Banker Real Estate, LLC.

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How Brokerages Are Tackling ‘Bait-andSwitch’ Recruiting and Poaching

By Liz Dominguez

T

he recruiting game has often been high stakes, with real estate brokerages looking to attract the industry’s top-performing agents and teams in order to build a powerhouse office (or series of offices) that can not only compete with local brokerages, but also communicate the value to consumers.

But what about retention? If brokerages are solely focused on attracting new business, they risk losing the stronghold they worked so hard to build.

“Recruiting has changed in the past 10 years to look more like mergers and acquisitions, with companies acquiring agents with signing bonuses or stock options or things like that,” says Joe Rand, chief creative officer of Howard Hanna | Rand Realty.

But according to Rand, many of these efforts are often temporary if brokers are not mindful of agent satisfaction.

56 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“The problem is that you never actually ‘buy’ an agent’s business, you only ‘rent’ it,” says Rand. “And when that ‘lease’ is up, you leave yourself open to the risk of having to re-lease that agent’s business again or face them going to the highest bidder.”

Poaching or Attracting?

Brokerages Straddle the Line Agent attraction strategies have changed drastically, with traditional methods still in use, while a larger focus is on dollar signs. As Rand mentions, brokerages with the available financial backing are offer-

ing “easy-cash” incentives such as sign-on bonuses, stock options and atypical commission structures.

Rick Haase, president of United Real Estate, had a front row seat to these recruiting strategies, with Compass laying claim to 15 of his agents after moving into the local marketplace.

“They basically said ‘here’s a sign-on bonus.’ But it’s not a sign-on bonus. It’s structured as cash flow to the agent, but they have to work a number of years to be able to qualify to keep that money,” says Haase.

Michele Harrington, COO of First Team Real Estate, had a similar experience with Compass, and has witnessed other brokerages such as Coldwell Banker implementing comparable strategies.

“When Compass first came into our market, they paid a lot of money to entice some of our top agents to leave,” says Harrington, adding that her agents had to sign longterm contracts when making the move.

“We kept in touch, and most of them feel they were definitely overpromised but did not want to return the money, and had harsh clawback provisions,” adds Harrington.

“We did have a team leave that was there for maybe 60 days and was so disenfranchised that they did return all the money and come back,” she says.

Compass, however, pushes back against this notion, holding firm that the brokerage has agent support in mind when implementing its recruitment and retention strategies.

“Agents join Compass because we help them grow their business, serve more clients, save time and stand out as trusted advisors in their markets,” a Compass spokesperson tells RISMedia. “Our agents close an average of 19% more transactions after joining Compass and sell homes in 21% fewer days on average than their peers. This is one of the reasons we have a principal agent retention rate of over 90%.”

As tensions rise amid a difficult

environment, brokerage competition continues to grow fierce, with traditional recruiting battling against more modern strategies that some say cross a line.

Bess Freedman, CEO of Brown Harris Stevens, says she’s seen several brokerages take advantage of the ongoing pandemic, offering flashy onboarding packages during a time when agents are looking for stability and solid financial footing.

“I have never experienced the level of egregious recruiting as I have during these last 18 months,” she says. “As the world navigated COVID, trying to avoid illness and death, other brokerages had full-on recruiting teams calling our agents several times daily to entice them to switch brokerages.”

Freedman says she’s seen everything from six-figure sign-on bonuses to upfront loans paid back through commissions.

“But if you read these contracts all the way through, you realize these terms are fleeting and designed to get you in the door to show scale,” says Freedman.

Are These Strategies Sustainable?

Brokers are reporting ongoing churn in the industry, as these increasing financial incentives work to lure agents but may not adequately provide the support they need.

“Most of these agents found this to be a huge turn-off,” Freedman says of the competing recruiting efforts her agents experienced.

“Some of my agents were actively mourning loved ones that passed due to COVID, and the onslaught of recruiting texts and phone calls they received was disgusting.”

And though some agents did leave, Freedman had several return to her brokerage citing “promises unfulfilled.”

“Once the agents signed and joined these other brokerages, they were all but ignored,” says Freedman.

And of the 15 agents that left

United Real Estate for Compass, 12 returned, two have committed to return, and one has retired out of the business, says Haase.

But if agents don’t end up staying for long, how are these brokerages maintaining profitability?

“I have never experienced the level of egregious recruiting as I have during these last 18 months.”

– BESS FREEDMAN CEO, Brown Harris Stevens

“It appears that some companies have been in a race to get to the public market, creating a critical mass of agents so they can report top-line revenue growth,” says Haase. “But when companies forget to create a viable, sustainable business model to get there, I think that strategy is bankrupt over time.”

Building a Solid Retention Strategy Regardless of the recruiting strategies being employed, brokers must focus on retention to maintain a loyal agent base, and that begins with honest and upfront education, say experts.

“Our best agent is an educated agent,” says Haase. “We proactively provide for them with the knowledge about what’s out there, how it really functions, what’s a great idea and what’s not a great idea, and we try to dispel the myths.”

“These firms are not only buying

you, but your entire book of business,” adds Freedman.

On top of that, Harrington says, is communicating the value of the brokerage to agents.

Candace Adams, president and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England, Westchester, New York Properties, says agent retention should always be a priority.

“Something our company had during COVID was an established company vision and values system,” says Adams. “Our Support Center Team, including myself, remains accessible to all, and we never let up with our agent focus group meetings to keep communication flowing.”

For a long time, says Haase, the industry has over-regulated the behavior and actions of their agents, creating artificially restrictive environments. “As a result, they frequently stifled the entrepreneurial nature and creativity of their agents.”

And so, providing agents with the freedom to choose the tech and marketing platforms that work best for them, is key to ensuring retention.

“We make sure to never limit their business, marketing or business development techniques and tactics,” says Haase.

Freedman reminds brokers that competition comes in various forms, and industry leaders need to be able to provide the tools and resources that allow agents to feel fulfilled, ready to tackle anything.

“The work of real estate agents is being attacked by all sides: listing aggregators, iBuyers, discount brokerages and most recently the Department of Justice,” says Freedman. “Firms need to offer support and access to programs and services that are value-adds.” RE

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

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 57

The Next Big Step: Guiding Seniors Through the Real Estate Process

maturing adults; whether they’re relocating, selling, buying or refinancing. Each year, the SRES® Council selects one or more outstanding senior-focused real estate professionals, highlighting their achievements by recognizing them with the Outstanding Service Award.

Exceeding the Needs of Maturing Adults CALIFORNIA REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL RECOGNIZED Field’s passion for ensuring that the elderly feel safe and secure durBY THE SRES® COUNCIL FOR PROVIDING OUTSTANDING ing real estate transactions can be SERVICE TO SENIORS traced back to the mid-’70s, when her own parents moved from southBy Barbara Pronin ern New Jersey to a senior community in California. ceanside, California, REALTOR® Ginni Field, who “I was living and selling in her nearly 40-year career has served in multiple real estate in New York at the time, but it opened my facets of the real estate industry, has been selected ® eyes to the special needs as the 2021 recipient of the Seniors Real Estate Specialist of older people when they (SRES®) Outstanding Service Award. move,” says Field. “By the time I moved to OceanThe SRES® designation is offered of REALTORS® (NAR). The side in 1998, I knew I had Field through the Center for REALTOR® community of designees is found my market niche.”

Development, a wholly owned sub- comprised of REALTORS® who are Older people, she notes, often sidiary of the National Association dedicated to the real estate needs of feel insecure, not just about the

O

58 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

process of buying and selling their homes, but about transitioning to a new area.

“They deserve an agent who advocates for them, who markets their homes properly and reassures them that they are making the right decisions,” says Field. “Ensuring that the elderly feel safe and secure when they move is paramount to me.”

Today, more than 95% of Field’s clients are seniors. Many of them live in the Pacifica Senior Living community where she herself resides.

One recent seller, a 90-year-old woman, was relocating to Seattle at the request of her children who wanted her closer to them. According to Field, the woman was reluctant to move and fearful about adjusting to new surroundings.

“What she needed from me was more than good representation for the sale of her home,” explains Field. “She needed emotional support, a lot of handholding and reassurance that she would find new joy in seeing her children and grandchildren often.”

The woman’s communication after the move, letting Field know that her assessment was correct and thanking her for making her feel safe throughout, was worth more than her commission.

A Source of Knowledge and Expertise Field, who began her real estate career as a sales associate in Connecticut, served as a branch manager for several companies over the years and has been a real estate mentor and life coach since 1990.

As a real estate consultant, she works with company leaders to help them grow their businesses. She has also worked with the California Department of Real Estate to help establish compliance audits for multiple business models.

Field has earned a number of specialty credentials, including the

Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation in 1997, and the At Home with Diversity® (AHWD) certification in 2014. She earned her SRES® designation in 2007— “as soon as possible when it was offered,” she says.

“Ensuring that the elderly feel safe and secure when they move is paramount to me.”

– GINNI FIELD, REALTOR®

Still a working REALTOR®, Field believes her greatest asset is her ability to connect to her clients—especially older clients—and to help them achieve their goals with as little stress as possible.

“I believe in the values of the SRES® designation—namely that we’re a source of knowledge and expertise,” says Field. “And we consistently demonstrate the principles of good practice within the 50-plus market.”

Field, who “couldn’t wait until she was old enough to move into the 223-unit Pacifica community,” typically sells between eight and 15 homes there each year. She also serves as president of the community’s homeowner’s association, which enables her to stay on top of issues and work as a problem solver.

In addition to helping elderly clients navigate their real estate transactions, Field is sometimes called upon to work with family members who are left with Pacifica properties to manage after a loved one has passed on.

“Often, families dealing with grief are from out of the area and know little about market conditions or property values in the community.

Part of my job is to educate and advise them and ensure that they achieve the best possible outcome,” says Field, who goes on to explain that more than 95% of her business comes via referral.

Driving Change to Better Serve Seniors Asked whether retirement is in her own plans anytime soon, Field says it most assuredly is not.

“The work I do today is my ‘why,’” she says. “I’m not yet done contributing or giving back.”

Among other criteria, SRES® Outstanding Award recipients are expected to demonstrate that they are a driving force for change in the effort to better serve seniors, and that they work to further the principles established in the NAR Code of Ethics in all interactions with the senior population.

For Field, those principles are all in a day’s work.

“I’ve won a lot of awards over the years, but this one is by far the most meaningful,” concludes Field. “It’s a validation of who I am and what I stand for.” RE For more information, please visit sres.realtor/about/sres-outstandingservice-award.

Barbara Pronin is a contributing editor to RISMedia.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 59

Climbing Mortgage Rates Strain Buying Power in 2022

By Jordan Grice

H

omeowners will likely look at the past year of mortgage rate performance with fondness or even regret as the days of historic lows fade.

Based on recent Freddie Mac reports, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages (FRM) are breaking from months of sub-3% lows. Economists and real estate experts agree that recent upticks in rates mark an inevitable trend that’s likely to last well into next year.

“We expect a somewhat gradual increase throughout the rest of this year and going into 2022,” says Joel Kan, chief economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), which expects rates to climb gradually to nearly 4% by the end of next year.

Kan attributes that forecast to the relatively strong economic recovery the nation has experienced since the outbreak of COVID-19.

Another factor contributing to the upward pressure on mortgage rates comes from the Federal Reserve and their plans to address higher inflation 60 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

by tapering asset purchases, according to experts from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

“The Federal Reserve is getting nervous about rising and persistently high inflation rates,” says Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist. “Therefore, the Fed will be tapering the purchases of mortgage-backed securities later this year and raising short-term interest rates in 2022.”

Market Implications The impacts of higher mortgage rates have been discussed among real estate pundits and stakeholders who have raised concerns that higher rates would pause market activity.

Yun admits that higher rates will shave home sales modestly, but he doesn’t think it will be drastic. His colleagues echoed similar sentiments,

but also note that higher rates will play a larger part in persisting affordability challenges.

“Typically, we say that an increase in rates, at least if it’s not too severe, doesn’t tend to impact demand quite as much because if someone is looking to buy a home, interest rates and mortgage rates are one part of the equation,” Kan says.

As mortgage rates ascend, Kan indicates that refinancing activity will likely take a substantial hit, dropping by more than 60% in 2022.

“We’ve been in this lower rate environment for the last year and a half, and we’ve seen a lot of refinances,” he says.

Matthew Gardner, chief economist at Windermere Real Estate, says higher rates could also discourage some would-be buyers.

“One of the biggest things regarding the increase in rates is that they will act as a headwind to home-price growth,” says Gardner.

He explains that for every 1% increase in rates, buying power for consumers declines by roughly 10%.

However, despite the increase in rates, Gardner doesn’t see a cause for concern in the market, which he suggests will remain competitive.

Buyer Behavior Considering the prognosis for mortgage rate increases in 2022, real estate brokers and leaders have mixed feelings about how buyers are likely to react.

In Austin, Texas, Buddy Schilling, president of the Austin Division of JBGoodwin REALTORS®, says an increase in rates isn’t likely to harm activity in the area.

“If the rate climbs, Austin is in a good position because many of the new jobs being created in the city are higher-paying ones,” Schilling says, adding that an abundance of developable land and affordable home options will continue to make the city a desirable destination for buyers.

“Even if the interest rate goes up, less expensive, affordable homes

will be available just a few minutes away,” Schilling adds.

Lynn Chute, vice president of HomeSmart Realty’s office in Denver, Colorado, expects rising rates to create some buyer hesitation. However, she says the pause in buying will be short-lived, with still relatively low rates up for grabs.

“Buyers will need to make some adjustments, but the ultimate goal of homeownership is still well within reach,” Chute says. “With the drastic increase in rental rates, the benefits of homeownership still outweigh the cost of renting, even with a small rate increase.”

A similar point was raised in a recent interview and virtual panel discussion conducted by CNN. The interview featured Barbara Corcoran, founder of Corcoran Real Estate. The subsequent panelists were Glenn Kelman, CEO of Redfin; David Doctorow, CEO of realtor.com®; and Ryan Williams, founder and

CEO of Cadre.

Corcoran noted that rising mortgage rates would add to affordability issues that are already straining the market and squeezing buyers out.

“It’s in everyone’s interest to keep the housing market going, so I think you’re going to find that the bureaucrats are going to be extremely cautious on raising rates.”

– BARBARA CORCORAN Founder, Corcoran Real Estate

“When you do the math on what you pay for your monthly expenses on a house with a 1% increase in mortgage rates, it’s substantial,” she said.

“I don’t think any financial expert

is predicting that rates are going to spike,” she said, while also opining on the Fed’s plan to incrementally increase interest rates and the potential implications to mortgage rates.

“It’s in everyone’s interest to keep the housing market going, so I think you’re going to find that the bureaucrats are going to be extremely cautious on raising rates,” Corcoran said.

Doctorow agreed with Corcoran’s sentiments, stating, “As consumers think about affordability, it’s really important to understand the two factors—the price of the home and the mortgage rates—together, and ultimately try to put themselves in a position to get the most home they can knowing that interest rates may edge up over time.” RE Jordan Grice is RISMedia’s associate online editor. Email him your real estate news to jgrice@rismedia.com.

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Transforming the Home-Buying Experience for Agents and Consumers Alike

By Paige Tepping

T

his month, Real Estate magazine had the chance to sit down with Rocket Mortgage® Chief Revenue Officer Tim Birkmeier to discuss the company’s biggest opportunities as we prepare for a new year.

Paige Tepping: Tell us about your history with Rocket Mortgage and how it led to your current role within the company, and what Birkmeier exactly that role is.

Tim Birkmeier: I’ve been with the company for 25 years, dating back to when the company was Rock Financial, a small regional mortgage broker.

As we grew to be a national lender—now the country’s largest mortgage lender—I had the opportunity to lead teams of mortgage bankers, helping their growth and development. Today, I lead the entire mortgage bank-

62 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ing group, ensuring that we stay focused on our client service mission.

PT: What are your primary roles and responsibilities as chief revenue officer? What is your favorite part of your job?

TB: In addition to overseeing our mortgage bankers, I also lead the team that works directly with real estate agents, building relationships and making sure we meet their needs in every single real estate deal. I also lead our business development team, which is responsible for securing high-profile partnerships.

Most recently, we announced a partnership with Salesforce, which will enable local banks, credit unions and financial institutions to leverage the Rocket Mortgage technology and process right through Salesforce.

PT: Please describe your commitment to and focus on Rocket Mortgage’s purchase business, and why this is such an impor-

tant area of focus for you.

TB: Rocket Mortgage is a firm believer in the American Dream of homeownership. We use our skills, expertise and technology to help make that dream a reality, improving our clients’ lives and helping them build intergenerational wealth.

PT: Can you talk a little bit about Rocket Mortgage’s stance when it comes to serving real estate agents?

TB: Real estate agents play a critical role in the home-buying process, and we’re always looking for ways to empower agents with new leads, products and tools to win in today’s competitive environment.

We do this through innovative tools like our Verified Approval process, which reviews all data and documents to confirm that buyers are fully approved so they can make offers that compete with cash buyers. Plus, our Overnight Underwrite program, which ensures purchase loans are underwritten in mere hours, can get buyers to certainty faster.

Also, last year, we unveiled Rocket Pro℠ Insight after working with our real estate partners and listening to them explain how we could best help them succeed. The platform gives agents unprecedented visibility into where their clients are in the process and helps them seamlessly interact with clients throughout the home-buying journey. Rocket Pro Insight enables real estate agents to upload their client’s documents, create preapproval letters—within the client’s approved range—track the status of their client’s mortgage and receive real-time updates.

The number of real estate agents leveraging Rocket Pro Insight more than tripled to 55,000 as of Sept.

30, 2021, up from 14,000 at the end of 2020.

PT: As the industry continues to change, why is it critical to remain focused on investing in the company’s solutions for agents?

TB: As the economy changes, and interest rates rise and fall, there will always be people who want to buy homes—and we will always be there to help them.

“Over the next decade, the real estate transaction will be simplified for both consumers and those handling operations on the backend.”

– TIM BIRKMEIER, Chief Revenue Officer, Rocket Mortgage

PT: Looking ahead, what’s on the horizon for Rocket Mortgage as we close out 2021 and welcome 2022?

TB: The real estate transaction over the next decade will be simplified for both consumers and those handling operations on the backend.

One thing we’ve seen grow in popularity is the adoption of eClosings. We believe this is just the tip of the iceberg as the industry furthers its digital transformation.

As an example, Amrock, one of the largest title providers and a partner of Rocket Mortgage, recently celebrated its 1 millionth eClosing and holds over 80% of the marketshare in this space. That mar-

ketshare will not stay that large, and that’s good for consumers. We want more lenders and closing service providers to use this technology, improving the experience for all.

Rocket Mortgage spent years creating a complete end-to-end experience that puts the power of choice back into the hands of the consumer. Clients will be able to choose a completely digital homebuying experience or opt for a localized, in-person approach with a mortgage broker, but ultimately, that decision will be entirely theirs.

Continuing to transform and simplify the home-buying experience— no matter how consumers choose to interact—is the single biggest opportunity as we head into the future. We’re continually working toward creating a superior technology-driven platform that brings excitement back to homebuying, eliminating stress and friction for all involved throughout the process.

PT: How will you hit the ground running in the new year, and what tactics are in place to begin preparing?

TB: It’s generally understood that moving into 2022, the market will be more focused on purchase. We’ve already been adding technology and honing our processes to best serve both homebuyers and their agents. Homebuyers have seen success using our Verified Approval process, Overnight Underwrite program and Rocket Pro Insight platform. RE The above article is sponsored content.

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

Paige Tepping is RISMedia’s managing editor.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 63

How Accessible Is the American Dream for the Disabled?

H

By Jordan Grice

omebuying can be a frustrating experience for buyers. It can be even more discouraging when clients feel like an agent doesn’t understand their needs.

Real estate professionals suggest that this may be the case for thousands, even millions, of people looking to enter the market with some form of disability.

With 61 million adults—roughly 1 in 4—living with a physical or cognitive disability in the U.S., based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, real estate professionals indicate that this is an underserved demographic.

“The vast majority of real estate agents don’t understand physical or mental and cognitive disability in a way that optimizes the service level to the client,” says California-based 64 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

agent Stephen Beard of Keller Williams Oakland.

That was a realization he encountered firsthand nearly two decades ago when looking for his first home.

Beard, who has cerebral palsy and uses a cane for balance, remembers advocating for himself because the buyer’s agents weren’t knowledgeable about accessibility needs.

Since launching his real estate career 17 years ago, Beard has leveraged his experience and knowledge of the accessibility issues in real estate to serve disabled clients and their families.

Changing Perceptions Jackie Roth is an associate broker with Corcoran Real Estate in New York. For the past 16 years, she hasn’t let the fact that she is deaf define her in life as well as her real estate profession.

Instead, she uses her background to help others work with and advocate for the deaf.

“Change needs to start within the brokerage community, and oftentimes the change comes with being human,” Roth says. “The real estate community as a whole needs to be willing to put in the work to create a pathway for communication so people of all backgrounds can work together seamlessly.”

While she suggests that formal courses focused on serving people with disabilities would be helpful, Roth says more education is needed.

She also notes that sensitivity and patience are essential.

“The best thing a broker can do for their client if they are disabled is to allow them the extra time to communicate,” Roth says.

Beard echoes similar sentiments, adding that he makes himself avail-

able to help colleagues and agents better understand the demographic of buyers. He also hosts a weekly podcast, Accessible Housing Matters, where he speaks with experts in accessible architecture and development and disability advocacy.

Jeff Shelton, broker and co-founder of Florida-based Hughes Shelton Group with Compass, says there needs to be a larger conversation around raising awareness and advocating for people with disabilities, especially when it comes to housing.

“Sometimes I just don’t think people think about others who aren’t like themselves,” says Shelton.

He is also the former chairman of the advisory board of Best Buddies, a volunteer movement dedicated to creating opportunities for integrated employment, leadership development and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Shelton points to his autistic nephew as the inspiration for his interest and involvement in Best Buddies. In his experience, Shelton suggests that people with disabilities aren’t “given a lot of respect or consideration” in the general purview of the real estate industry.

“I definitely think it’s underserved because the products are just not there,” he says. “If you are someone in a wheelchair, you are limited in the number of homes that you are going to look at.”

He attributes that partially to home building standards not requiring construction/development of homes to consider accessibility needs from the beginning.

In a past transaction, Shelton explains that he had a client who used a wheelchair who needed to compromise their expectations for a home location because of Florida building regulations regarding floodplains.

“This client wanted to look at new construction and to be in a particular area of town,” Shelton says. “Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option for them because there were no ramps for

them to get into the house, and that is not a code requirement that builders must do.”

Understanding Accessibility Needs Pushing the needle forward between real estate professionals and their ability to offer quality service to disabled buyers will take a concerted effort.

“Change needs to start within the brokerage community, and oftentimes the change comes with being human.”

– JACKIE ROTH, Associate Broker, Corcoran Real Estate

“We need to stop treating people as if because they are disabled they are medically deficient or less than,” says Beard, who explains that he and his team conduct a detailed needs assessment of all their new clients dealing with a disability to help determine what they’ll need out of a home.

Another impediment to improving service for people with disabilities has been a disparity in data entry services for information about properties to help people find homes that meet their needs—a challenge that Washington-based broker Barry Long and his partner Tom Minty have been tackling.

As a real estate broker for Marketplace Sotheby’s International Realty and a former accessibility specialist, and a voting member of the Washington Building Code Council, Long has leveraged his expertise to change the paradigm of buying or selling a home

for people with disabilities.

“All real estate is a series of data points,” says Long.

When he started his real estate career six years ago, he noticed that multiple listing services were missing a standardized set of data points with accessibility in mind to help brokers list properties appropriately.

That was the impetus of Long launching Able Environments in 2017 with Minty, a broker with John L. Scott Real Estate. The real estate business created the language and search criteria local REALTORS® use to buy and sell accessible homes.

Long also admits that eliminating stigmas attached to accessibility features and their impact on a listing presents another challenge.

Contrary to perceptions, Long asserts that accessibility doesn’t have to be a detriment to a home.

“It can be cool and super luxurious if you do it right,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be this stale, ugly devaluation of the home because it was an afterthought.”

Since developing the accessibility language and having it integrated into its local MLS—the Northwest MLS—Long indicates that adoption has been ticking up.

“What that means is that REALTORS® have used our form or checked the accessibility boxes saying that a home has some accessibility features,” says Long. “There are now close to 10,000 homes with accessibility features that are out there that if they go back on the market, somebody looking for them will be able to find them.”

Long also submitted that same taxonomy and accessibility language to the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO), which was approved for use in MLSs nationwide. RE

Jordan Grice is RISMedia’s associate online editor. Email him your real estate news to jgrice@rismedia.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 65

REALTORS® Take the Lead Before the Need

By John Pierpoint

T

here is no question that REALTORS® have a passion for giving back, and that generous spirit was never more evident than in the hours following the September 11, 2001, attacks on our nation.

Our world as we knew it was shaken to its core and REALTORS® jumped into action to create the REALTORS® Relief Foundation (RRF), raising $8.4 million from REALTORS® and others, vowing that no American should be at risk of losing their home because of the loss of a breadwinner in a terrorist attack on American soil. Post 9/11, RRF’s commitment evolved to also provide assistance to those whose homes have been damaged or destroyed by disaster.

As someone deeply and personally affected by 9/11, 2021 National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) President Charlie Oppler has made the RRF a top priority during his tenure. “Today, the REALTORS® Relief Foundation continues to respond to the nation’s biggest disasters, ensuring that Americans 66 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

have a roof over their heads and a place they can call home even in the worst of times. RRF embodies a history of giving back and a future of paying it forward, and as it is called upon with increasing frequency to respond to natural disasters, the role it plays becomes even more critical.”

Looking Back For the last 20 years, during times of heartbreak, REALTORS® have never failed to step up and support the RRF because That’s Who We R. The RRF and the thousands of victims of disasters who’ve benefited from that generosity will be forever grateful.

Whether a tornado in Arkansas, a flood in Michigan, fires in California or this year’s Hurricane Ida—affecting states from Louisiana to New York—when disaster strikes, our REALTOR® family instantly goes to work, sending money to RRF so the foundation can quickly help affected families and their communities. In fact, the RRF has helped more than 17,000 families in 40 states and territories, and has stepped in to provide $33 million in support for over 100 natural disasters.

“Today, the REALTORS® Relief Foundation continues to respond to the nation’s biggest disasters, ensuring that Americans have a roof over their heads and a place they can call home even in the worst of times.”

– CHARLIE OPPLER President, National Association of REALTORS®

Hope Rising Campaign “This year, as the nation marked two decades since 9/11, RRF commemorated its 20th anniversary by launching Hope Rising, a campaign designed to ensure that RRF can respond to disasters as quickly and effectively as possible,” says RRF President Michael Ford, a broker from West Memphis, Arkansas. “At this inflection point, our vision has shifted from reaching out for support when a disaster strikes to building a sustainable, growable fund

so we’ll never have to say ‘no’ to a victim in need of assistance.”

With a goal to raise $8.5 million, the Hope Rising campaign will allow the foundation to build reserves, enabling it to pivot quickly to provide funds, mortgage assistance and temporary housing for families whenever or wherever disaster occurs, even if that’s in your community. And the pledge made in the days after 9/11 remains: 100% of funds donated to RRF go to relief efforts.

Spreading Goodwill in the Community REALTORS® are at the heart of the community. They are active, engaged and deeply connected, with intimate knowledge of local happenings and true concern for their neighbors. RRF is also rooted in community. When families apply for disaster relief, we invite volunteer REALTORS® to spread the word about RRF assistance and, whenever possible, personally deliver checks to the applicants—sending a strong message to the recipient and the community that REALTORS® are there for them in good times and bad.

To learn more, please visit nar.realtor/rrf.

John Pierpoint is CFO and senior vice president, Finance and Buildings, National Association of REALTORS®.

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How to Organically Capture Luxury Real Estate Leads

By Diane Hartley

W

ouldn’t it be nice if warmed up leads fell right in your lap?

Although it sounds too good to be true, it’s possible when you have a great digital marketing strategy working behind the scenes.

Acquiring luxury real estate leads “organically” through your website (without the help of paid advertising or purchased leads from your brokerage or elsewhere) is one of the best and most cost effective ways to attract qualified leads into your pipeline, and it’s a smart addition to your lead generation strategy if you’re already using paid advertising online or elsewhere.

This form of “ad-free” lead generation is also referred to as “inbound marketing” or “attraction marketing,” and although it takes a bit of work upfront, a well-planned or68 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ganic lead generation strategy can do wonders for your brand overall by keeping you top of mind with fresh, new content.

If you’re considering organic lead generation, here are a few tips.

1.

Do Your Research on Keywords and Local Competitors First. The first step in any organic lead generation strategy is figuring out where you can fit into online search terms within your local market. Because the internet is saturated with millions of people trying to rank for the same key-

words, it’s difficult to start out hoping to rank for general keywords such as “luxury real estate agent in [your city]” or “[your city] listing agent.”

And, because attracting leads organically to your website requires a very strategic approach to content creation, it often takes an expert to do the research for you to see which keywords in the luxury real estate niche are easier for you to rank for in your market.

This can cost some money upfront, but having a clear plan can save you time and money down the line once you start creating content.

2.

Leverage Other People’s Networks. Part of showing search engines that your website is one that it should send visitors to is having links from other credible websites and platforms leading back to yours. This is called “backlinking,” and search engines love it.

One way to create links back to your website is to link back to it from social media posts, but another way to do it is by guest blogging on more established luxury real estate blogs (or other related niches that easily tie back to luxury real estate,

Acquiring luxury real estate leads “organically” through your website is one of the best and most cost effective ways to attract qualified leads into your pipeline, and it’s a smart addition to your lead generation strategy if you’re already using paid advertising online or elsewhere. such as financial planning), accepting interviews on other people’s podcasts or social media outlets, or creating “round-up” posts where you interview other prominent local figures in your community (such as a well-known winery owner) and they share the article with their more established audience.

3.

Use Rich Media in Your Content Strategy. Not everyone has the patience to write (or even read) a blog post. If you’re more comfortable on camera, you can easily create a “video blog”— or “vlog”—on your website or YouTube channel that ranks for your chosen local keywords.

The great part about video is that longer videos can be clipped down into “micro content” that you can use on your social media platforms (which also saves you time and typically fosters more engagement), and pages with video tend to encourage people to stay longer on the page—another metric that helps boost how “search engine-friendly” your website is. RE

Diane Hartley is the president of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, a premier independent authority in training and designation for real estate agents working in the upper-tier residential market. Hartley brings her passion for luxury marketing and more than 20 years of experience growing and leading businesses to her role as president of the Institute.

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Leave a Lasting Impression: A Guide to Closing Gifts

F

By Paige Brown

or agents and clients everywhere, closing day is one of the most rewarding moments in a real estate journey. Whether you’re representing the buyer or the seller, closings should be celebrations of all the time, stress and hard work it took to navigate the transaction.

But just because you reach the finish line doesn’t mean the relationship is over. From endless phone calls and emails to signing stacks of paperwork and meeting deadlines, you and your clients have been through a lot together. Closing gifts are a great way to express your gratitude and celebrate your client’s new beginning.

70 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Choosing the right closing gift, however, is very important. You want to show your clients that you’ve listened to their wants and needs, while reminding them how much you care, not just about the transaction, but their future in their new home. Additionally, closing gifts can be the key to a successful and thriving real estate career.

Why Closing Gifts Are a Good Idea It’s important to show your clients that they’re appreciated and leave a lasting impression to not only maintain these relationships, but keep you top-of-mind, grow your sphere of influence and build even more relationships through referrals. As a real estate professional, you should always strive to foster genuine and personal connections with your clients, especially when it comes to the success of your business.

With personalized and mindful gifts, you’re also creating a memorable experience that will stay with your clients for years to come. If your clients have real estate needs in the future, they’ll pick up the phone and call you—and they’ll pass your name and contact information along to family and friends who may be considering a move.

This can also help motivate them to provide positive testimonials and reviews that can be shared across

your social media accounts and on your website.

How to Determine What to Gift Your Clients When it comes to closing gifts, practicality and sincerity are where you want to start. You’ve worked with your client for some time now to get them to this point, so you should have a good idea of their lifestyle and interests. Consider who lives in the home—whether it’s a young couple, a family with children or a retiree— and give a gift that will resonate with everyone.

It’s also important to give a gift that will benefit your clients, rather than something they can’t or won’t use.

If you’re gifting them something they can put to use right away, or something that can help them out once they’re settled into their new home, make sure you’re thoughtful and deliberate.

How Much to Spend on Closing Gifts Before you go out and purchase a gift, understand your budget. Begin with your market, the type of property you sold and the type of client. For example, if you’re working in a luxury market and your client just closed on a luxury property, your gift should reflect that. Or, if your client happens to be a family with young children, consider gifting something they can all enjoy, rather than something just for the adults or the home.

Keep in mind that cost isn’t everything. The more meaningful or personal the gift, the better. If your client is new to the area, consider a gift card to a local restaurant or experience in the area to help get them acclimated to their new neighborhood, town or city.

Closing gifts can also be written off as a tax deduction, but there are rules. If you plan to purchase a gift for your client, the IRS only allows a $25 deduction limit per individual.

If, however, your gift is decked out

with your personal branding, you may be able to deduct the entire gift as a promotional or advertising expense.

Closing Gift Ideas for Your Next Client When it comes to choosing a gift for your client, you may become overwhelmed, but remember to keep their interests and needs in mind. Refer back to your notes and conversations from throughout the process, consider if they’re new to the area, or simply ask them if there’s anything on their housewarming wish list to fill that void. Below is a list of closing gifts to help you stay top-of-mind and leave a lasting impression.

The more meaningful or personal the gift, the better.

– Custom Return Address Stamp.

Celebrate your client’s purchase with a custom stamp featuring their new address. This will be especially helpful if your client plans to send out holiday cards or invitations to a housewarming party.

– Local Gift Card/Membership.

A gift card to a local restaurant, or a membership to a local museum or club will make a great gift the whole family can enjoy.

– Local Experiences. These types of gifts can include everything from cooking classes at the local bakery to tickets to an upcoming film festival or fair.

– Video Doorbell. Smart home technology is quickly becoming a must-have for homeowners, and your client will appreciate a lasting gift to keep their home safe.

– Subscription Boxes. There are monthly subscription boxes for just about every interest. Consider who your client is and what they like to do, and you’ll be in their minds each month when their subscription box arrives at their door.

– Yard Games. Backyard family fun is the gift that keeps on giving.

Add customization for a truly unique gift your clients will cherish for years to come.

– Recipes. A classic housewarming gift, recipes can get your clients excited about cooking in their brandnew kitchen. Create a few recipe cards and add your information to the back to keep you top-of-mind.

– Home Decor and Art. If you have a good idea of your client’s style, this can be a great gift. Consider purchasing a painting from a local artist, creating a custom piece of art featuring their new home or putting together a collection of frames to put their favorite pictures on display.

– Gift Basket. Go the extra step and feature multiple gifts thoughtfully compiled into a gift basket. A candle, a bottle of wine, a coffee table book, a collection of coffee and new mugs, kitchen or bath essentials can create a beautifully presented and purposeful gift basket.

– Professional Services. Use the relationships you’ve cultivated with local landscapers, interior designers and painters as leverage for client gifts. Refer your clients to these companies in exchange for free consultations or discounts on their services.

Your local partners will appreciate the new business, while your clients will appreciate the services for their new home. RE

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

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 71

SCAN

How 1REport Empowers Agents for Success in the Digital Era

By Caysey Welton

“W

e knew we were building something big, but we didn’t know how big,” says Allen Alishahi, referring to the past year of growth his company has seen. Last year, ShelterZoom—the four-yearold startup Alishahi co-founded after his 30-year career as a Staten Island, New York, broker—launched a digitally secure platform called DocuWalk. This full suite of tools gives agents a way to manage the real estate process all the way from the initial offer to the final signature.

Building on the success of DocuWalk, ShelterZoom recently released a new app within the platform called 1REport that was formally unveiled at the REALTORS® Conference & Expo this past November.

“We saw agents using DocuWalk once their clients had come onboard, but we knew they needed a way to get more leads and own the leads they had worked hard to earn,” says Alishahi. “The ‘handshake culture’ that is so fundamental to our business needed to transition to the digital world. With 1REport, I think we’ve

72 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

found a way to make that happen.”

The process begins with a QR code feature that lets agents claim this piece of digital “real estate” so that they own the leads that come through their portal. While most other QR providers collect and store the contact information of leads so they can later sell them to other agents, ShelterZoom’s QR

code will only send the information to the owner of the QR code.

“We don’t store the information from incoming leads, so we couldn’t share them with anyone even if we suddenly decided we wanted to,” explains Chao Cheng-Shorland, cofounder of ShelterZoom. “Potential clients know right away that they are interacting with the right contact for the property. Agents can interact instantly with any lead that comes in, whether it’s a simple ‘hello’ or the beginning of a longer conversation.”

Every QR code comes with a URL that directs people to the same 1REport so agents can share the link in an email, text message, Tweet, newsletter or other online communication when a QR code isn’t needed. Agents have the option of sharing the QR code publicly or privately, such as when they have high-profile clients who request their privacy be protected.

Bigger Pipeline Through Targeted Marketing The QR code is just the beginning.

Once a user scans the code, they are taken to a 1REport document— a digital home that provides agents

an easy way to target their marketing for both sellers and buyers. Every 1REport document offers agents the option to include a vast set of information about a property in a way that is simple for clients to navigate without being overwhelmed. Beyond the usual requirements of square footage, beds and baths, agents can include attachments for everything from property surveys to utility bills. There is also ample space for agents to showcase their neighborhood expertise, success stories, the rest of their team, their brokerage’s long-standing role in the community or anything else that helps clients get the full picture of both the agent and the property.

“It starts with winning more listing presentations by being able to show sellers how easy it is to customize the marketing,” says Alishahi. “Sellers see right away how your marketing will reach buyers who are the best fit for the property—and therefore, more likely to garner a higher sales price.”

Since 1REport exists within the DocuWalk platform, it is a smooth transition to move a client from the marketing power of 1REport to the transaction management features of the full platform, all included in the same price package. Agents can keep all the paperwork for the transaction in one place, from offer to purchase all the way through to the secure digital signatures on the final contract. Every account in DocuWalk comes with unlimited blockchain signatures, just one of the security and privacy features built into the platform.

Digital Privacy and Security This all takes place on a blockchain platform, making it one of the most secure places to transact today. Luckily for agents, they don’t have to do anything extra to make blockchain happen. It takes place quietly in the background while they use the platform.

With the increase of hacking and

“We want real estate agents to have a complete arsenal at their fingertips so they can meet the changing demands of our industry without missing a beat.”

-ALLEN ALISHAHI President, ShelterZoom

other online scams, real estate professionals need to continually be on the lookout for ways to protect themselves and their clients.

“Blockchain is going to be the basic standard for security in just a few years’ time,” says Cheng-Shorland.

“Even though it first gained traction with bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, the same technology can be applied to any area of digital security.

Real estate has the opportunity to be ahead of the curve before too much

damage control needs to take place.”

Privacy is also paramount within the system, not just outside it. There are a greater number of permission levels than most other document management systems, so agents have more control over how much another party can alter a document or contract.

Once it’s time to sign a contract, neither party is able to add their signature until both sides of the contract are identical.

ShelterZoom has added another layer of protection through something it calls a Document Token™. The concept of a document token is similar to how any electronic financial transaction is assigned a long string of numbers—or a “token”—that is a unique ID for that transaction. ShelterZoom has applied this idea to keeping documents safe by assigning a similar string of unique numbers to each document created on its system. This “document token” makes it easier to protect and track a document as it moves through the lifecycle of a transaction.

1REport—and everything else in the platform—is designed to happen in parallel with how agents and brokers already carry out business.

“Even before the pandemic, there have been too many ways the role of the real estate agent is eroding,” continues Alishahi. “This gives agents more ways to do what they already know works, without taking up too much of their time. We want real estate agents to have a complete arsenal at their fingertips so they can meet the changing demands of our industry without missing a beat.” RE For more information, please visit https://shelterzoom.com/one-report.

Caysey Welton is RISMedia’s content director.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 73

La Rambla, Barcelona, Spain

Global Spotlight: The Resurgence of the 15-Minute City

By Chris Dietz

T

he 15-minute city concept has made a remarkable resurgence over the last year or so. Restrictions to our usual way of life have put into sharp focus the requirement for a more balanced approach to proximity, in which access to daily necessities are within convenient reach for city residents. We have been forced to rethink our perception of density and its role in shaping cities of the future.

Community Building Reimagined Stripped back to its core, the 15-minute city concept is centered around the idea that a place of work—as well as commerce, healthcare, entertainment and education facilities—should all be within a 15-minute walk or bicycle ride of one’s home. It encourages the creation of multiple neighborhoods and districts scattered throughout a city, marking a departure from planning policies of the last century that have emphasized the desirability of 74 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

creating separate and isolated residential areas.

Reducing our carbon dependency—in which cars and other highcarbon transport are rendered all but redundant and swapped for walks and bike rides—is a key theme. The creation of multifunctional public spaces, additional green spaces and community gardens while re-purposing our real estate are a few other key objectives from an environmental standpoint.

It is a concept that is simultaneously

historic and revolutionary—marking a return to civilization’s earliest days of community building, yet entirely reimagining the way we design our future cities.

First theorized by French scientist Carlos Moreno in 2014, the 15-minute city, despite a relatively muted pick-up in its early years, has been propelled into the spotlight in response to pandemic conditions and the growing environmental agenda.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo made it a centerpiece of her 2020 re-election campaign.

Local authorities, urban planners and real estate professionals across the globe have taken kindly to the idea: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Lisbon, Milan, New York, Singapore and Stockholm are just a few of the major forces incorporating 15-minute features into their city masterplans.

Many of our 550 member firms across the globe continue to express enthusiasm for the idea as we continue research for our Sustainability Series.

Global Powerhouses Lead the Charge The social and economic benefits are of noteworthy significance, namely in respect to creating mixed-use neigh-

Creating a truly connected city is no easy feat, but it is often said that global challenges require local solutions. borhoods and their role in social equality and cultural diversity objectives, but it’s the environmental and sustainability element that takes center stage. A greener approach to urbanism is the golden thread that runs throughout.

It is for this reason that the global community must not take its foot off the gas.

We need global powerhouses to continue leading the charge. Take Paris, where Mayor Hidalgo has already doubled bicycle lane infrastructure and promised to ban cars fueled with gasoline by 2030. Her aspiration to turn the city into Europe’s greenest is the sort of tenacity required by leaders across the globe.

Barcelona is roaring ahead in its creation of low-traffic neighborhoods, with their superblocks—where motorized traffic is banned, and additional space is given over to people and green space—set to surpass the 500 mark in the near future.

Lisbon is expected to play home to 200 kilometers (124.3 miles) of bicycle lanes by the end of 2021, while plans to pedestrianize Oxford Street, the shopping capital of London, is a fitting example of how we can reimagine even the most historic of public streets. New housing developments in Berlin have included bars and restaurants.

Other thought leaders include the likes of Singapore, where its carefully designed green agenda is flipping the historic concept of a garden city on its head; a city in a garden is the mantra.

Singapore

Paris

There isn’t enough room within these pages to list all of the fantastic projects that are being implemented across the globe.

Connected Cities the Way of the Future The way we develop and redevelop new buildings and public spaces (and use our existing ones) will also be of crucial importance. The concept of flexibility must be at the top of the agenda for developers, planners, consultants and policymakers as the value of mixed-use buildings and settings becomes all the more pronounced in the environmental context.

The global real estate community is also increasingly conscious of the value of refurbishment over demolish and rebuild.

Paris is one of many cities that has opened public buildings for out-of-

hours use, while the authorities in New York have long been vocal proponents of reclaiming the streets for outdoor activities like exercise classes. Again, similar initiatives are being rolled out in many parts of the world.

Creating a truly connected city is no easy feat, but it is often said that global challenges require local solutions. And while the concept clearly won’t work for everyone, the rapid adoption of the 15-minute city concept from Berlin to Barcelona, Melbourne to Milan illustrates that it holds intrinsic value. Where there is room for application, there is demand. RE Chris Dietz is executive vice president of Global Operations for Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®. For more information, please visit www.leadingre.com.

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Long Beach-Glendale, California ($860,900); San Diego-Carlsbad, California ($850,000); Boulder, Colorado ($769,400); Seattle-TacomaBellevue, Washington ($708,400); Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Connecticut ($658,900); and BostonCambridge-Newton, MassachusettsNew Hampshire ($657,800).

Most Metro Areas Saw Double-Digit Home Price Growth in Q3

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By RISMedia Staff

edian sales prices for existing, single-family properties increased in the third quarter of 2021, primarily driven by high homebuyer demand and persisting supply shortages, according to the latest quarterly report from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

The report also found that 78% of 183 markets experienced doubledigit year-over-year price growth— fewer than in the previous quarter (94%).

Key Findings: Median sales price of single-family existing homes increased 16% YoY to $363,700. Regionally, growth was led by the Northeast (17.5%) and the South (14.9%), followed by the Midwest (10.7%) and the West (10.3%).

The markets with the highest YoY gains were: Austin-Round Rock, Texas (33.5%); Naples-ImmokaleeMarco Island, Florida (32%); Boise 76 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

City-Nampa, Idaho (31.5%); Ocala, Florida (29.7%); Punta Gorda, Florida (27.5%); Salt Lake City, Utah (26.2%); Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Arizona (25.8%); Sebastian-Vero Beach, Florida (25.7%); Port St. Lucie, Florida (24.9%); and New YorkJersey City-White Plains, New YorkNew Jersey (24.5%).

The most expensive markets in Q3 were San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California ($1,650,000); San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, California ($1,350,000); Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, California ($1,100,000); Urban Honolulu, Hawaii ($1,047,800); Los Angeles-

The Takeaway: “Home prices are continuing to move upward, but the rate at which they ascended slowed in the third quarter,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, in a statement. “I expect more homes to hit the market as early as next year, and that additional inventory, combined with higher mortgage rates, should markedly reduce the speed of price increases.

“While buyer bidding wars lessened in the third quarter compared to early 2021, consumers still faced stiff competition for homes located in the top 10 markets,” said Yun. “Most properties were only on the market for a few days before being listed as under contract.”

As home prices increase, as do mortgages, overall affordability is impacted as well. NAR reports that the average monthly mortgage payment on an existing single-family home—financed with a 20% down payment, 30-year fixed-rate loan— increased to $1,214 (up $156 from one year ago).

“For the third quarter—and for 2021 as a whole—home affordability declined for many potential buyers,” said Yun. “While the higher prices made it extremely difficult for typical families to afford a home, in some cases, the historically low mortgage rates helped offset the asking price.” RE

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

Labor Issues in Construction a Crisis for Housing

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By Jesse Williams

mong the many mitigating issues that have left the housing industry woefully short on inventory, labor remains “a key limiting factor,” according to a report from the Home Builders Institute (HBI), which warns that skilled labor shortages are both dire and nowhere near a long-term solution.

“The construction worker shortage has reached crisis level,” said HBI CEO Ed Brady in a statement. “The situation will become more challenging in the coming year when other industries rebound and offer competitive wages and benefits to prospective employees.”

As demand for homes has exceeded supply by terrific margins over the last 12 months or so, builders have been unable to put up new houses, hampered by supply chain bottlenecks and rising land costs. The industry would need to add 740,000 workers per year to keep up with demand at the current pace, according to the report.

“The construction industry needs

“The construction industry needs more than 61,000 new hires every month if we are to keep up with both industry growth and the loss of workers.”

-ED BRADY CEO, Home Builders Institute

more than 61,000 new hires every month if we are to keep up with both industry growth and the loss of workers either through retirement or simply

leaving the sector for good,” said Brady. “From 2022 through 2024, this total represents a need for an additional 2.2 million new hires for construction. That’s a staggering number.”

The labor issue threatens to persist even if these other obstacles can be overcome, the report warns. With between 300,000 and 400,000 open construction jobs even as wages in the sector outpace the median of other industries, there does not appear to be a short-term fix for the labor problem.

Within the construction labor force, the HBI identified other potentially worrisome trends—many of which preceded the pandemic and ongoing housing crunch. Workers are less likely to be self-employed in 2021 than a decade ago, with that number dropping 4%. They are also more likely to be either older or younger, with the share of workers between the ages of 25 and 54 also dropping.

Brady says the only long-term solution is to begin investing in education, nurturing new workers from an early age and encouraging more interest in these trades.

“We need to build the next generation of skilled tradespeople in construction,” he added. “One of our most important tasks as an industry is to work with parents, educators and students, as early as the middle school years, to demonstrate that young people can have the promise of great jobs and careers in the trades.”

A six-point plan presented by HBI to address the labor issues includes focusing on secondary school supports, working toward “sensible immigration policies” (immigrants make up 30% of the construction workforce), attracting more women into the trades and increasing education and skills for military veterans. RE Jesse Williams is RISMedia’s associate online editor. Email him your real estate news ideas to jwilliams@rismedia.com.

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Simplify Your Social Media Strategy Grow your real estate brand with exclusive content automatically posted across your social media accounts every day! Engage and resonate with your audience with an affordable and simple social media strategy.

“In order to garner additional followers, you have to provide people with content—that’s where ACESocial comes into play for me.”

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Real Estate Agent, Keller Williams Home Town Realty

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• Let your friends and followers know who you are with customized branded landing pages that include your logo, headshot, URL and more.

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Join ACESocial Today!

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TRENDS & ISSUES sphere of influence.

By providing your agents with an array of communication tools, you can help them achieve their ongoing quest to keep clients for life.

Creating the ‘Easy’ Button

How to Automate Your Brokerage Commentary by Michael Minard

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re your agents creating “orphaned” clients? Research from the National Association of REALTORS ® tells us that 90% of sellers and buyers say they would use their agent again. However, only about 20% of homebuyers and less than a third of sellers actually do.

Clients are becoming “orphans,” but not because they are moving away.

On the contrary, Pew Research found that most Americans (57%) have never lived outside their home state, and more than one in three (37%) have never lived outside their hometown.

The fact is that when most people move, they don’t move very far. So why aren’t clients staying with their original agent? And for those moving to another market, why aren’t their original agents getting a referral?

The most likely and avoidable cause of lost repeat business is that agents are not staying in touch with past clients.

The solution: a brokerage needs to automate.

Automate for Your Agents

When you’re a busy agent, it feels nearly impossible to find the time to fit in the tasks that will build new business when working a pipeline of active buyers and sellers. Closing transactions puts income in an agent’s bank account today; reaching out to prospects does not.

Over time, however, clients will no longer feel connected to their original agent who helped them buy or sell a home, unless agents can stay top of mind. This allows for clients to be open to other agents’ direct solicitations of their business.

Automating routine client outreach is one of the fastest and easiest ways a brokerage can help their agents stay in front of their clients and their

Automating a brokerage begins with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software integrated into your agent marketing system.

This type of automation delivers two massive benefits. First, automation guarantees that all your agents will stay top of mind with their clients and sphere. Second, automation is the only way a brokerage can achieve 100% adoption.

Best of all, automation means that agents don’t have to do the drudge work, as it is done for them.

Marketing and communications programs such as set-and-forget drip email campaigns are abundantly available today. In addition, automating a monthly Market Report for your agents will help them stay top of mind and generate new business.

From automating customer-for-life digital marketing programs to social media promotions, your clients can remain focused on their current book of business, as automation can help drive prospecting for your agents.

Importance of Staying in Touch

When a brokerage puts automation at the core of agent marketing, they do more than help their agents become more productive. They do the heavy lifting to keep agents connected to their most profitable source of future business: their clients and their sphere. RE Michael Minard is CEO and owner of Delta Media Group, a leading and trusted technology partner for many of real estate’s top brands and 100% family-owned and operated.

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TRENDS & ISSUES houses can happen virtually. The convenience of this form of communication has become too highly valued by clients and customers to ignore.

Speaking of convenience, you need to manage the entire transaction with seamless communication between your clients, other agents, your brokerage, mortgage/title/escrow/attorneys, insurance, appraisers, inspectors and others.

2022 is going to be an adventure.

Are you ready?

A Mindset for Thriving in Uncertain Times

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Commentary by Wendy Forsythe

he past two years have been fun, right? Talk about uncertain times and navigating uncharted waters. As we prepare for a new calendar year, many of us are wondering how we plan for 2022?

A good place to start is with a bit of reflection on what we’ve learned. We may reflect wistfully on life and business pre-pandemic, but the reality is, we can never go back to 2019. The good news is that we can take the last two years’ experiences and use them to propel our production and operations to the next level.

Control your mindset and energy levels. Get disciplined with yourself, and don’t let external forces influence your mindset and energy levels. Burnout is a real thing. Exercise more, eat better, watch less TV, limit time on social media or whatever you need to do to stay in a positive mindset. And recommit to doing it daily.

Build a business based on relationships. Fighting for the new client 80 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

takes more energy, time and money than getting a personal referral or working with a repeat client. Look at the systems you have in place to maintain and build relationships long term, resulting in transactions and future production.

Don’t let all the hard work of the last two years go to waste by losing contact with the clients you’ve had closings with. Systems for regular followup and ways to give lasting value by sharing your expertise are needed.

Be virtual and work in the cloud.

You need to be able to do business from anywhere, at any time. That means your business shouldn’t be dependent on an office, paper files or even face-to-face meetings. Everything from prospecting, listing appointments, showings and open

Have cash reserves. Despite the uncertainty of recent times, we’ve enjoyed an amazing real estate market.

Most agents have set new records for personal income. It’s time to be wise with that money and save it. The security and freedom of a healthy savings account is a gift for your mindset and energy levels.

Embrace the adventure. We used to talk about annual business planning, but most have now moved to 90-day cycles. Strategies and tactics need to be flexible, and you need to change quickly when technology, the economy or other unforeseen opportunities and challenges present themselves.

2022 is going to be an adventure.

Are you ready? RE Wendy Forsythe has spent her career helping top brands, brokerages and agents build their businesses. She has become a branding and growth leader within the industry by combining operational excellence with an agent-first philosophy. She currently serves as the chief brand officer for Fathom where she focuses on growing the Fathom brand across the country.

TRENDS & ISSUES consumers appreciate. Homebot is an example of a tool designed to help loan officers and real estate agents share relevant, current data on home

Agents who provide reliable financial and market information can lock-in their position as the area’s go-to real estate resource.

Giving Consumers What They Want: Reliable Market Information

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Commentary by Kathleen Kuhn

ost real estate professionals find it challenging to applaud the impact Zillow, Trulia and Redfin have had on the industry. One thing these companies have done exceptionally well is create an effortless way for consumers to monitor real estate activity in their neighborhoods.

Where Challenge Meets Want

Getting a Zestimate (regardless of how accurate) on an existing home, or on homes in an area of interest, has become one of America’s favorite pastimes. Zillow had over 196 million unique visitors to the site last year alone, confirming the desire for consumers to follow home prices, monitor market activity and compare home features. This desire is an opportunity for real estate agents to further relationships with past clients and their sphere of influence while identifying potential deals.

Here is where challenge meets want. Nurturing relationships with past clients or sphere-of-influence contacts is one of the real estate in-

dustry’s biggest challenges. But the solution seems straightforward. We know consumers want localized and personalized information about home values, home price trends, interest rates and any financial metric associated with their neighborhood. Agents who provide reliable financial and market information can lock-in their position as the area’s go-to real estate resource and potentially influence when someone decides it’s time to make a move.

Lead Generation Irony

Real estate professionals have different tools to help them implement customer engagement campaigns that include the financial and market data

values and home finances. Soon to be launched, Your Home Hub, the newest offering from MooveGuru, will also provide financial property data, tax assessments and home financing details through a personalized dashboard for the homeowner.

The dashboard includes a renovation calculator, provides agents the ability to share their list of preferred local service professionals and helps identify contacts who may be considering a move.

In these examples, the platform does all the work. The process is automated, and the communications are personalized from the agent. The irony of it is the fact that Zillow cultivated the consumer’s desire to get regular “Zestimates” on their home and monitor the ups and downs of their local market. This desire has created an opportunity for agents to generate leads from their sphere of influence before they lose that client to the Zillow lead generation machine. While it hasn’t slowed them down, one would assume it’s an unintended consequence on the part of Zillow. RE

Kathleen Kuhn is the president of MooveGuru.

For more information, please visit MooveGuru.com.

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TRENDS & ISSUES 3:00 p.m. The VA wakes up and spends a few hours hanging out with family/friends, running errands, doing chores, etc.

7:00 p.m. At this point in the evening, the VA often takes a short nap to recharge their batteries before beginning their night shift.

Successful VAs appreciate the luxury of working from A Day in the Life of a Virtual home and are passionate Assistant about having Commentary by Daniel Ramsey a stable ne of the most common topics of conversation regarding virtual assistants (VAs) centers around their schedule, career.

O

specifically for those VAs who live on another continent, in a completely different time zone. How do you make that work?

In the case of MyOutDesk VAs, it’s quite simple. As the company employing our VAs, we have procedures in place to designate and assure their availability for clients in any time zone. We also track their activity during scheduled work hours to ensure transparency for both us and whichever client of ours is utilizing them.

Additionally, we have a knack for picking the right people for this kind of job. Successful VAs recognize the opportunity, appreciate the luxury of working from home and are passionate about having a stable career.

There’s a degree of real commitment present in their ability to shape their daily life around this job.

Being that our VAs are based out of the Philippines, a lot of them work night shifts. Not all of them though.

Some work as assistants for companies that don’t require interaction during the day, U.S. time, so the VA is free to complete their assignments and submit logs of work done during their own daytime, while their boss in the U.S. sleeps. But some companies prefer that their VA is available during the day, stateside. This is when a willing VA is assigned to work opposite hours, sleeping throughout their day and working during their night.

We asked one of our VAs about their daily routine to get a more detailed idea of their work/life balance.

Let’s check it out: 9:00 a.m. Having finished their night shift, the VA has clocked out and prepared breakfast, relaxing with a book or watching TV before going to sleep.

These folks make themselves available to the company they serve, working the schedule agreed upon at hiring. That’s the name of the game with a MyOutDesk virtual assistant: flexibility, reliability and results.

If you’re curious about how a VA might help your company, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. You can request a free one-on-one consultation to evaluate your needs and discuss some options. Day or night, we have a professional for your needs. RE Daniel Ramsey is the founder and CEO of MyOutDesk, rated No. 1 virtual assistant service by TechRadar. With over 6,000 clients and 700-plus verified five-star reviews, he helps businesses gain indispensable leverage with real estate virtual professionals. To learn more, visit www.myoutdesk.com/ services.

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TRENDS & ISSUES Integration is the only way forward. Security is a necessary goal, but if it slows down the pace of business, it can negatively impact the bottom line. The next step is bringing all the platforms together so that employees aren’t wasting time jumping between document management software, messaging platforms and their CRM. This is how data gets lost or falls into the wrong hands. If companies had a single platform from which they could run all their major workflows,

Moving Toward an ‘Antifragile’ Future Commentary by Allen Alishahi

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he companies that survived the peak months of the pandemic were the ones that adapted quickly to the changing conditions and continued to evolve as each phase of the virus brought new challenges.

I’m reminded of the concept behind the book “Antifragile” by Nassim Taleb, the same author behind “The Black Swan” theory. His premise is that there are people/organizations/ governments that can become stronger after a major upheaval. In other words, they’re “antifragile.”

The real estate industry has become stronger in many ways because of the pandemic. We quickly adapted to technology that helped our clients who couldn’t meet in person and relied on more tools to significantly speed up the paperwork process.

All things considered, real estate is a strong contender for an industry that can fit an antifragile model, but there are two fundamentals that must be in place first.

84 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Virtual interactions need to be more secure and have more degrees of privacy. We’ve been forced to move many of our interactions into the digital universe, but the risks involved are significant. If we’re talking about all the crucial documents that travel back and forth both inside and outside an organization, we need to move beyond attaching them in emails or keeping them on a server—even if it’s password protected. Not only is there risk of data hacking, but there’s also the possibility of human error—such as adding new people to the email thread later in the process and giving them access to information you didn’t want them to see.

We need a more sophisticated way of sharing documents and better places to store them.

Security is a necessary goal, but if it slows down the pace of business, it can negatively impact the bottom line. they would have a much more streamlined way of doing business. All their contracts, paperwork, marketing materials, message histories, etc., could be housed in a single platform using blockchain-based security so that everything is protected.

There’s more to be said about how we can keep moving toward an antifragile future for our industry. We also need to look at how we market properties beyond the usual aggregators, and how we build relationships with clients in a digital environment while still retaining the heart and soul that makes our jobs worthwhile. Let’s look to the future with an eye toward building these foundations into our profession’s DNA. RE Allen Alishahi is president of ShelterZoom, the technology company behind DocuWalk. For more information, please visit www.docuwalk.com.

TRENDS & ISSUES ploys cloud-based proprietary technology solutions for our agents and their clients. We empower agents with productivity-enhancing solutions that provide agent and enterprise websites, paperless transaction completion, training, mobile regulatory compliance support, client communication and business-winning marketing systems.

The Future of Real Estate Is Now

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Commentary by Rick Haase

ne of the most frequently asked questions throughout today’s real estate brokerage ecosystem is: “ Will technology replace real estate agents, and if so, when?”

The answers vary greatly and usually end in a resounding not now…and not ever.

Correct Answer, Wrong Question

It’s a correct answer, but don’t be fooled into a false sense of security and safety. It’s the wrong question.

The correct question is: “What will the role of the agent be like in the future?”

Agents will not be replaced with technology, however, the role of the agent could be dramatically minimized if we don’t ask, answer and build solutions to prepare them for the future. I believe our growth, in part, has been driven by United Real Estate’s ability to get to the heart of the issues facing agents and provide solutions.

Technology Is the Linchpin

With billions of dollars pouring into our industry in a massive attempt to deliver an alternative buyer and

seller experience (often labeled as a “better” experience) and diverting revenue to the new players, things are changing fast. Technology could erode the role of the agent, but it also has the opportunity to greatly enhance it when the right components are in place.

The Agent-Centric Strategic Imperative

The way to create a successful future is to take an agent-focused approach and ask, “What solutions do my agents’ clients want?” and “What makes our agents more competitive than the alternatives?”

Identify those core solutions and strengths, then build the tools and resources around them.

United Real Estate builds and em-

Technology could erode the role of the agent, but it also has the opportunity to greatly enhance it.

One hundred-percent virtual client service is now an expectation.

You must provide it, and it must work seamlessly for all parties. Ten years ago, United Real Estate initiated our “work-from-anywhere” concept with our productivity platform. Our agents embrace and excel at it.

Transferring Cost Savings to Agents

A well-deployed technology platform drives cost out of brokerage operations and enables the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars of cost savings to our agents. Technology, along with the passionate support of our brokers’ and owners’ on-the-ground expertise, are the underpinnings of our company’s mission.

When you ask the right question and avoid the protracted debates about the wrong question, you’re on your way to shifting to a sustainable, successful brokerage model for now and in the future. RE Rick Haase is president of United Real Estate. For more information, contact him at Rick@UnitedRealEstate.com or 504-2513757, or visit www.GrowWithUnited.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 85

TRENDS & ISSUES over a half million more home sales in 2021 than 2020, at an average price of $356,000. There isn’t an inventory issue as much as a race to secure listings and cultivate leads and referrals.

The average American moves 11.7 times in their lifetime. Each client represents a potential 11X return.

American Pie: The Main Course for 2022?

Commentary by Mike Ryan

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here are now a record number of real estate professionals with a seat at the table, each eyeing a piece of the American real estate pie: a delectable dish made up of nearly seven million ingredients we call transactions, stirred in with a tasty sum of $85 billion paid in real estate commissions last year.

But before we watch our wallets expand like a holiday waistline, let’s have a look at how the table has been set.

Commission InDOJestion. There’s nothing like a DOJ investigation to ruin a party. The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and MLS rules are under scrutiny. Ironically, commissions have gone down. Recent studies have noted that commissions are sliding below 5%.

More Mouths to Feed. Look who’s coming to dinner! There are more mouths to feed than any time in this industry’s storied history. The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) estimates that there are over three million active real

estate licensees in the United States.

NAR membership has now swelled to over 1.5 million members.

Reheating Interest Rates. It is inevitable that we will be moving to 4% and above, most likely by the end of 2022. Still historically low? Yes. Triggering heartburn for a society that has feasted on deals in 2% - 3% ranges for nearly a decade? Absolutely.

It’s time to spice up the recipe as we head into 2022. As the saying goes, “You can’t do today’s job with yesterday’s methods and be in business tomorrow.”

Chase Deadlines, Not Headlines.

Quit griping about inventory—the market is cooking. We are tracking

Quit griping about inventory— the market is cooking.

Invest Like Warren Buffett. As the Oracle of Omaha so wisely said, “The best investment you can make, is an investment in yourself. The more you learn, the more you’ll earn.” Invest in training with a solid ROI. Prime example: Earlier in the year, NAR rolled out the Buffini 100 Days To Greatness® agent training program. More than 7,000 agents have already registered, and those agents are averaging six pending or closed transactions in 100 days.

Leverage the Inflation Killer. Economics 101: Real estate is one of the very best hedges against inflation.

Communicate, educate and market this historic investment opportunity to your past, current and future clients.

Real estate’s American pie is not only still on the menu—it’s shaping up to be a main course for 2022. RE Mike Ryan is a partner with the Rainmakers Group, an advisory firm serving the real estate and settlement service industries with global insight, talent and technology. For more information, please visit rainmakersgroup.com or call 303-570-5140.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 87

BROKER STRATEGIES and everything they could ever use, from drone videos to PowerPoint presentations. Real estate is a relationship business, and while it may be a bit old school, I think it’s important that I meet face-to-face with my agents and that my agents meet face-to-face with their clients. I know my stuff, and I take the time to listen. This company is my family.

“Because I worked as an agent for a long time prior to becoming an owner, I identify with the agents and understand their needs.”

-CAROL MELLANDER Broker/Owner, CENTURY 21 1st Class Homes

Mellander

Identifying With Today’s Agents Carol Mellander

Broker/Owner, CENTURY 21 1st Class Homes Schaumberg, Illinois www.century21.com/real-estate-office/profile/ century-21-1st-class-homes-10004808 Region served: Northwest suburbs of Chicago Years in real estate: 36 Number of offices: 1 Number of agents: 55 Motto/work philosophy that you live by: If you want something, work for it. You can be anything you want to be.

What is it about Century 21 Real Estate that attracted you to the brand? First, the CENTURY 21® brand is the most recognized and respected name in real estate. I could be affiliated with anyone, but when you couple the brand’s global presence with the tools they offer, the franchise is second to none. The ongoing training we have access to makes it unbeatable.

Please describe your management style. I’m here for my agents each and every day. And because I worked as an agent for a long time prior to becoming an owner, I identify with the agents, understand their needs and encourage them to talk freely. My concentration is on the agents, so I work hard to make sure they have anything 88 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

The culture within your offices is said to be extraordinary. How have you achieved this type of office culture? I think the greatest part is that we’re one big team. And we all get along. Many of the agents have been here for 20 years or more, and seven different languages are spoken within the office. In addition, we’ve created an atmosphere where everyone is treated the same. We also have a good division of experienced agents and younger people who are very techie. That being said, we’re all very compatible.

What is your best advice for hiring and retaining the best agents? When it comes to hiring, I sit with possible new hires and talk to them for as long as it takes. To be a good REALTOR®, they have to be able to communicate.

Not everybody can be a salesperson, but by taking the time to talk to them, I get a good sense as to how interested they are, and how they might fit in at the company. We offer ongoing training and education, which is so important as far as retention. Technology is constantly changing, so we have to keep agents up to the moment with what’s what. We also train on everything from how to list property to the nuts and bolts of writing a contract. Looking beyond the mechanics, everyone loves the culture here at CENTURY 21 1st Class Homes. We’re all equal, and no one is above anyone else. And if anyone needs help, I’m always available.

In what ways do you give back to the community in which you work? We give back to the community by working with a local food pantry and participating in apple pie giveaways. It doesn’t matter who you are. Our only question is, “Where is your heart and head and soul?” RE For more information, please visit www.century21.com.

-Lesley Grand

BROKER STRATEGIES keep those that we serve well informed and connected to the process.

What are some of the current trends you’re seeing in your respective markets right now?

Mark Farrow: We’ve gone from a multiple-offer situation on most properties that would take anywhere from 12 to 14 weeks to get a home under contract to now only taking 30 days. We’re also seeing extensive growth in all of our markets, and we’re continuing to see with interest rates that it’s not going to be changing any time in the near future.

How does your company make its agents’ jobs easier?

JS: The mantra at HomeSmart is “Real Estate Made Easy,” and we have systems in place to alleviate the agents’ time throughout the transaction while offering them tools that will streamline their real estate processes and business.

Sparkman and Farrow

Emphasizing Face-toFace Communication Jim Sparkman

Principal Broker/Owner

Mark E. Farrow

Broker/Owner HomeSmart Realty Group Salem, Oregon | www.hsmartrealtygroup.com Region served: Northwest Oregon, Willamette Valley, Portland Metro Years in real estate: Jim: 16; Mark: 25 Number of offices: 9 Number of agents: 355 Must-have technology tool: RealSmart Agent, the proprietary software from HomeSmart.

Most important thing you learned this year: How much we cannot wait to get back to face-to-face communication with our agents and clients.

What attracted you to the HomeSmart brand?

Jim Sparkman: We didn’t have a 100% model in our marketplace, so it was very attractive, and it was something new. What further attracted us to HomeSmart was their culture of growth, support and learning.

How do you use technology to better serve your clients?

JS: We use technology as an extension of purpose. It gives us an opportunity to reach a larger audience and to

What do today’s agents find most valuable when considering which brokerage to join, and how do you ensure your office provides that value?

JS: Today’s agents want to keep more of their money, and they want to be able to reinvest that into the growth of their business. At HomeSmart, being a 100% model, we focus on giving more back to the agent versus keeping it as a brokerage (i.e., 100% vs. the split model). We like to say that we’re a 100% brokerage with all of the same tools as the traditional brokerage.

MF: ...and more!

How have you helped your agents adapt to the challenges associated with the pandemic?

MF: We’ve tried our hardest to continue with our regular marketing meetings dedicated to learning and helping our agents deal with all of the social media aspects, but it’s been trying at times and frustrating to not have that faceto-face communication.

As we prepare for 2022, what are you most looking forward to?

JS: We’re looking to get back to in-person activities. We’re a people-to-people, face-to-face business, and as professional REALTORS®, we feed off of that interaction, so it’s important that we get back to a normalization where we can have that in-person communication and connection.

MF: We’re looking forward to recognizing our agents for what they’ve done in the real estate world, what they’ve done to give back to our community, and all of the hard work they’ve achieved during this tough time. RE For more information, please visit www.homesmart.com.

-Paige Brown

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 89

BROKER STRATEGIES Please share a few lessons you’ve learned about taking on brokerage ownership as a second career. First, it’s important to adopt a strategy of quiet confidence, visual presence and active listening. Our industry is people-centric, and your team needs to connect with you before you decide on new initiatives. Ask your people what you can do to improve their business and quality of life. Second, know your strengths, and fill in the gaps with talented team members who embrace your vision.

Hummer

Building Connections Through a Shared Vision Amy Hummer

Owner and Qualifying Broker Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Steinborn & Associates Las Cruces, New Mexico |https://steinborn.com Region served: Las Cruces/Southern New Mexico Years in real estate: 15 Number of offices: 2 Number of agents: 85 Best time management tip: On Sunday evening, review the week prior and set your agenda for the coming week. Identify three specific items that will move the business forward, as well as the action items to get there.

No. 1 tip for running a successful meeting: Make sure you know ahead of time how you’ll capture new ideas, decisions and follow-up tasks. Your team will see the value of the time they invested by participating.

Key to getting buyers and sellers to successfully work together: When negotiating an offer, focus on how you get both parties to the closing versus getting under contract. This relieves future stress and helps avoid contract cancellations.

90 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

How are you engaging with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate and its lifestyle brand? We met the brand’s leadership team eight-plus years ago, and I think we knew that we would eventually work together.

Their core values and relationship versus transactional approach aligned with our company. We launched our affiliation with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate in March 2020, and with the world rapidly changing, they quickly showed us their laser-focused approach to supporting brokerages. They provide numerous platforms that we’re currently using, but the depth of the lifestyle content and messaging is a gamechanger. It’s based on extensive consumer research that’s delivered in real-time.

Talk about your Agent Jumpstart training program and how it’s introducing a new generation to the real estate industry. While we developed our Agent Jumpstart training program more than 10 years ago, it continues to evolve in order to meet the needs of new team members. We have a chief learning officer who leads the program and provides one-on-one mentoring so that new team members can immediately launch their businesses. In addition, we have semi-monthly Agent Accelerate workshops that allow for group discussion and practice of skills.

Last but not least, new team members transition to coaching with one of our qualifying brokers to fine tune their systems and establish accountability. It’s robust and a true time commitment, but real estate is a complex and exciting industry.

What are your top tips when it comes to attracting the best candidates to join your company? We believe in attracting talent versus recruiting talent. We look for brokers who are not only high energy, but also those who exhibit initiative and see the industry as we do. Our company is known for its culture of learning, high skill and knowledge level, and its focus on building connections with customers. Those who can articulate a match to this philosophy are consistently the best candidates. And we love the opportunity to bring new talent into the industry through our highly rated training program. RE For more information, please visit www.bhgre.com.

-John Voket

BROKER STRATEGIES What attracted you to the RE/MAX brand?

Larry Schottenstein: When I talked to other brokerages, it was “we can get you leads,” but when I spoke to RE/MAX, it was more “we’re a business that builds businesses,” and that’s the one thing I wanted but didn’t have.

I was in the same lane they were in.

CH: When we were independent, people would pronounce our name wrong or say they had never heard of us. RE/MAX eliminated all of that. The most important thing for us is when talking to consumers, especially agents, and you say the name RE/MAX, they understand. No further explanation is needed.

Schottenstein and Harpster

A Business That Builds Businesses Larry Schottenstein Broker/Owner

Chris Harpster

Broker/Owner RE/MAX Revealty Columbus, Ohio https://revealty-columbus-oh.remax.com Region served: Central Ohio (Columbus and surrounding counties) Years in real estate: Larry: 23; Chris: 22 Number of offices: 2 Number of agents: 85

You previously operated your own independent brokerage. Why did you decide to explore other franchise opportunities?

Chris Harpster: The main reason we decided to pursue a franchise opportunity is that we didn’t see a short or quick path to growing our company independently. We thought we needed the brand name. If you looked in our market, there weren’t examples of independent brokers growing into large companies. RE/MAX was appealing because they gave us the ability to focus more on productive agents and the higher-level stuff.

What was the transition like in terms of converting to RE/MAX? CH: It was a relatively smooth process. We got a lot of help from corporate as far as creating and managing expectations for the agents. We had 10 to 12 agents at the time, so it wasn’t near the size of what we have now, but I think they did a nice job of giving us an idea of what to expect and then how to execute.

You have witnessed incredible agent growth over the last few years and even took on a second office location. How has aligning with RE/MAX helped you grow?

CH: It’s been a very nice opportunity to see what other owners are doing in other parts of the country and what’s working and what’s not. It would take us forever—and cost us a lot of money—to figure it out on our own, so it’s nice to be able to call on somebody like RE/MAX who is willing to share their ideas, processes and systems.

What tools and resources provided by RE/MAX do you and your agents find most valuable?

LS: Our agent productivity is significantly better than the brokerages we compete with because our agents are just busier full-time people, so the tools we use make them more productive and efficient. Those tools and our processes are designed to make people more efficient.

What do today’s agents find most valuable when considering which brokerage to join, and how do you ensure your office provides that value?

CH: At the end of the day, I think everybody is after more deals and fewer headaches. We view our agents as our clients, so for us, it’s all about more sales, less time and making the client experience better. Our focus is on what we can do to make the workflow smoother. RE For more information, please visit www.remax.com.

-Jordan Grice

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 91

BROKER STRATEGIES have a team in place to handle inquiries. Finally, always do what you say you’re going to do—and deliver exactly what you’ve promised.

Mertz and Wagner

4,000 Agents and Counting Steve Wagner Co-Founder

Jamie Mertz

Chief Operating Officer Virtual Properties Realty (VPR) Atlanta, Georgia | www.VirtualPropertiesRealty.com Region served: Entire state of Georgia Years in real estate: Steve: 32; Jamie: 23 Number of offices: 14 Number of agents: 4,000 and counting

You began as a family-run business and are now the largest real estate brokerage in Georgia. Why has your success outpaced others?

Steve Wagner: Because we’re both value- and growthdriven. Drilling down further, we have a strong value proposition that’s driven our growth. It’s also important to note that if you aren’t growing, evolving and improving, you’re stagnating. We’ve been able to build relationships with our agents that allow us to lead them, while they lead us at the same time.

Jamie Mertz: My personal philosophy has always been to treat our agents as the client. They then support our buyers and sellers, which has been instrumental in allowing us to grow as large as we are.

You recently celebrated your 4,000th agent milestone. What made it possible?

JM: The support we offer our agents has helped us grow by as much as 100 agents in a single month. We provide them with customizable agent websites, training programs and technology to keep them at the forefront of the industry and expand their businesses.

SW: It’s all about the four-point model, which begins with having a great product backed with a strong value proposition. From there, you must be able to market the product via individuals who possess good salesmanship and 92 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

What makes you unique among competitors?

SW: Rather than focusing on one competitive advantage, we offer 15 to 20 things that add up to something far greater than a single unique selling point. No one does as well as us at providing a comprehensive value proposition, and that has carried our momentum. Running a successful business is all about building momentum and riding it as far as you can. VPR has also been recognized with numerous awards over the years, from being a top place to work to being voted the company with the best vision.

Accolades validate what we do on a daily basis.

Why did you choose to merge with United Real Estate, and how does United enhance your value proposition?

JM: While United’s technology offerings are one of the main reasons we chose to merge, we’ve gained so many other things that we didn’t have access to as an independent, beginning with a referral and relocation division. In addition, we’re now an international player, connected to 17,000-plus agents across four continents and 46 states.

SW: When we met with United Real Estate’s CEO Dan Duffy and President Rick Haase, it was clear that we’d found an exact fit. We were already the biggest real estate company in Atlanta, but we wanted to continue to grow.

The culture is what really brought us together, and a year later, I’m even more convinced that merging with United was the right decision.

Your growth in Georgia has been remarkable.

How have you been able to be so efficient yet effective in your operations?

SW: Jamie has a knack for attracting people who are not only loyal to us, but also talented. She’s able to fit all of our talent together and ensure it makes sense.

JM: When we find someone who brings the culture and energy we’re looking for, we determine how best to fit them into the puzzle.

What advice would you give to brokers who feel they may be plateauing?

JM: Go back and review your value proposition. It’s important to take the time to review what you’re offering and whether or not you’re following through on what’s being promised. Steve is great at forecasting what’s ahead and has put steps in place to ensure our value proposition is always 100%. RE For more information, please visit www.GrowWithUnited.com.

-Paige Tepping

BROKER STRATEGIES struggling at a competing brokerage. If you have recently adopted new tools or programs, demonstrate what kind of success they’re creating to try and recruit new agents.

Being together breeds greater success, given that teams can leverage each member’s The Importance of Being techniques and Together in a Virtual World knowledge.

By Verl Workman

L

ike nearly all other businesses, brokerages have been deeply impacted by the shift to virtual life during the pandemic. Houses are increasingly shown—and even sold—without the buyer ever setting foot in the home. The National Association of REALTORS® recently reported that four in 10 homebuyers found virtual tours “very useful” before the pandemic. Now, that number has jumped to nearly six in 10, and open houses are commonly hosted on Facebook Live or Zoom, with potential buyers asking questions in the chat box.

To be sure, some of these innovations have been beneficial for agents and brokers. With virtual tours reducing wasted viewings by an estimated 40%, a perpetually running virtual open house seems like a no-brainer.

But there are also drawbacks, most notably around the office. Brokerages around the country are seeing falling office attendance and lower agent retention rates, which take a measurable toll on business.

This is a serious problem. But fortunately, the holiday season is a great time to start reconnecting with agents who have been absent from

your office. Brokers will benefit from implementing the same techniques that our coaching clients use for prospecting. Throwing fun events, using personalized touches and leveraging giveaways are proven methods for bringing prospects into the fold—and can be just as effective at getting agents to join or rejoin your office.

Holiday events large and small are a great way to show off all that your brokerage has to offer. Be sure to invite all of your current agents, agents who have taken a break from real estate and agents who might be

Hosting a holiday party is an easy way to remind everyone of the value of in-person meetings in a digital world. The top-performing teams that Workman Success Systems coach demonstrate that being together breeds greater success, given that teams can leverage each member’s techniques and knowledge to further the goals of the team. Having top performers in the office provides inspiration to everyone who works from the office, as they can rub shoulders and develop important techniques and relationships. Successful agents and teams understand the importance of being together, and make it a priority. RE Verl Workman is the founder and CEO of Workman Success Systems, a real estate consulting company that specializes in performance coaching and building highly effective teams. Contact wssm@ workmansuccess.com for more information and free downloadable resources.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 93

TEAM TALK wanted to be in the trenches full time—and so in May 2021, the van Zyl team, specializing in real estate investment strategy and marketing, came into being.”

Barbara Pronin: Your backstory has a bit of a fairy tale vibe, Marcia. But I’m sure it’s not been without some bumps.

Marcia van Zyl: Every career has its ups and downs. But if Albert and I have one thing in common, it’s a drive to be the best at what we do—and a passion for helping buyers and investors achieve their goals in the thriving Florida real estate market.

Albert and Marcia van Zyl

van Zyl Team Brings Investment Expertise to Florida Coast

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By Barbara Pronin

arcia and Albert van Zyl—whose husband and wife team, Team van Zyl, works under the banner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty—serve buyers and investors along the Fort Lauderdale coastline. It took them a few twists of fate for the magic to happen.

Marcia Saunders was a young woman from Illinois with a background in advertising when she left home for England to pursue an MBA in global marketing at Imperial College London.

She had no way of knowing she would meet and marry a young property developer there and remain in the UK for 20 years—or that a divorce that left her with a vacation home in Fort Lauderdale would find her resettling in the Sunshine State.

Marcia obtained her real estate license in 2011, then met and married 94 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

an ambitious Florida yacht engineer named Albert van Zyl, who had an interest in property investment.

As she honed her people skills and talent for digital marketing with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty, and her husband focused on investment strategies, it didn’t take long for the two to realize they were working two ends of the same business.

“After six years as a managing broker, I was up for a new challenge,” says Marcia van Zyl. “At the same time, Albert decided he

BP: What types of properties do you handle?

MvZ: Both residential and commercial properties—waterfront homes, ocean view properties, downtown— just about anywhere in the Broward County area.

BP: So, how do your individual strengths play well together?

MvZ: My expertise is in digital marketing and brand management, and I love staging and marketing open houses. Albert is an exceptional problem-solver, with proven strategies in waterfront property investment. Together, that makes us the right resource for anyone with an interest in our fast-growing Florida market. I think the proof is in the fact that we successfully serve unseen customers from all areas of the country, including clients from as far away as England, where I have maintained contacts from the many years I lived there. Most of our business, in fact, comes from referral and repeat clients.

BP: Sounds like you were using marketing aids like virtual tours since before the pandemic put them in vogue.

MvZ: Absolutely. We had to become expert at videography and

TEAM TALK virtual techniques early on because so many of our clients live outside our area and often buy properties without being able to see them up close and personal.

BP: How would you measure the success of your relatively new team?

MvZ: I think we are definitely better together. Albert recently closed on a rental property with 17 tenants, for example. Our combined skills made for a smooth transaction even in the midst of challenging times.

BP: Who handles all the administrative details?

MvZ: I do. I’ve always been the detail freak. But we get great support from Rei Mesa, our broker, and from the whole Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty team.

“We pride ourselves on being effective real estate matchmakers.”

-MARCIA VAN ZYL

BP: What do you see as your biggest challenges right now?

MvZ: We are coming into high season in Florida, and we pride ourselves on being effective real estate matchmakers—on finding just the right property for each client. But right now, developing enough inventory is problematic.

BP: How do you work within those challenges?

MvZ: We love helping people achieve their real estate goals regardless of the market, and that

means sellers as well as buyers, vacation or investment properties, or primary homes. We are great fans of target marketing and promotion, and that goes a long way toward helping us find the right matches.

BP: What are your plans for growing your team?

MvZ: We think our business model offers a lot of opportunity for growth, especially in the commercial space, and we look forward to that as the market demands. Also, our daughter is a successful real estate marketing director, and we have high hopes that at some point, she may become part of our team. RE

Barbara Pronin is a contributing editor to RISMedia.

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Where Real Estate’s Leaders Get Real Tune in to RISMedia’s RealEdge podcast each week to hear behindthe-scenes stories from some of the most successful people in real estate. Find out how they’ve navigated ups and downs in their careers, and get their insider’s tips on how to build business in any market.

Tracey Hawkins

Safety and Security Source CEO & Founder

Darryl Davis

Darryl Davis Seminars Founder & CEO

Dawn Pfaff

State Listings Inc. President & CEO

Lennox Scott

John L. Scott Real Estate CEO

Josh Anderson

The Anderson Group Real Estate Services CEO & Founder

Pam Liebman

Corcoran Group CEO

David Marine

Coldwell Banker Chief Marketing Officer

Christy Budnick

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CEO

Paul Boomsma

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® President & CEO

Vanessa Bergmark

Red Oak Realty CEO & Owner

Subscribe Today to Tune in to the Latest Episodes at

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RISMedia’s RealEdge podcast is hosted by the dynamic and engaging Daniel Ramsey, founder and CEO of MyOutDesk.

TEAM TALK is working, you can gain clarity on where to increase or decrease your spending in this area.

When we use hindsight to our advantage, we can make important course corrections.

Planning for a Successful 2022: Implementing Lessons Learned

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By Verl Workman

s you prepare for the new year, you can gain a great advantage for yourself and your team by reflecting on the past year. When you think about what you’ve accomplished, and where you fell short on your goals, you’re bound to learn something new about yourself and how your team operates.

However, simply reminiscing about the year that was won’t help you make those valuable—and vital— changes to your business. When we use hindsight to our advantage, we can make important course corrections. So how do you use the lessons you learned in 2021 to execute a plan to have an amazing 2022 and beyond?

A good team leader knows that the only way to improve any aspect of their business is to track and assess every aspect of their team’s production. Start by answering a few questions: - What information have you consistently tracked over the last 12 months?

- Which results are consistent with achieving your goals?

- Which results are interfering with your goals?

- Are there blindspots in your data?

- What should you start tracking now?

When reviewing your records for the past year, there are a few benchmarks to keep in mind. First, every listing should generate 1.5 buyerside closings. This means your buyers should generate 60% of your business, while sellers should generate the other 40%. Next, each listing should generate at least six to eight leads per month. By tracking lead sources and measuring whether or not your marketing around listings

As you continue to track aspects of your business, various “pillars” of income will become evident. Each business should have a minimum of four income pillars. As you develop your plan for next year, look at how much business came from each of your pillars. If your income is mostly coming from a single pillar, focus on building out the other three, ensuring that no one pillar represents more than 25% of your total income.

This change of balance creates significant growth opportunities and the stability to weather any change in the market.

If you’re dissatisfied with your team’s production over the last year, it may be time to get some outside help from a coach. They can assess your key numbers and help you implement proven tools and systems to double your profitability in 2022. It could be your best year yet! RE Verl Workman is the founder and CEO of Workman Success Systems, a real estate consulting company that specializes in performance coaching and building highly effective teams. Contact wssm@ workmansuccess.com for more information and free downloadable resources.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 97

TEAM TALK steps you need to take now in order to keep driving growth.

One-year business goals should be carefully thought out and planned.

Here are a few questions you should ask yourself about your goals: - Why do I want to accomplish this goal?

- What needs to happen for this goal to be accomplished?

- What are some possible excuses to come up short on my goals?

-How do I overcome those excuses?

Business Planning 101: Hit the Ground Running in 2022

By Reed Martin

I

f you’re looking to take your business to the next level in 2022, you need a plan. This plan doesn’t need to be perfect, and it’s certainly allowed to change over time, but without a plan to execute, you’ll never reach your full potential. If you don’t make a plan, you may as well plan to fail—or at least come up short on your goals for 2022.

It’s necessary to complete a business plan each year to help drive the direction of your business not only for the upcoming year, but also several years down the road. Real estate runs with a 60 - 90 day lead time, and so should your business plan. Start working on your plan before the year ends to allow time to make adjustments so that you’re taking full advantage of the entire year and not missing the first couple of months trying to figure out what you want to accomplish.

Your business plan should include measurable goals you can definitively check off as completed. The

98 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

difference between “I want to grow my team and make more money” and “I want to add three buyer’s agents and a marketing director to my team and earn $500K GCI” is huge. The more specific you are, the better your chances of making real improvements.

Also, these goals should not be limited to one-year goals. The business plan is your guide, not only to the goals for the next year, but several years moving forward. A five-year goal is critical in making sure progress is made toward a bigger picture. Thinking this far ahead allows you to plan the necessary

The more specific you are, the better your chances of making real improvements.

If you haven’t started your business plan yet, don’t fret. There’s still time. Remember to dream big. If your goals don’t scare you, they’re not big enough. Challenge yourself to dream bigger, then break your plan into smaller, manageable steps to keep you moving forward.

The more details the better. If you do this, you’ll be on your way to making next year the best year yet. RE Reed Martin is a senior coach with Workman Success Systems and team leader of the Reed Estate Group at RE/MAX FIRST servicing the Louisville, Kentucky, and southern Indiana markets. Contact him at Reed@WorkmanSuccessSystems.com.

TEAM TALK Cleaning up your Top 50. This might be a daunting task, as this list should be narrowed down to exactly 50 people who you believe will send you a referral during the year. After all, it’s important to keep the referral side of your business thriving. You can start creating this list by asking yourself a few simple questions: -Who has referred you?

-How many times?

-Who hasn’t referred you?

-Why haven’t they referred you?

Set Yourself Up for Success in the New Year

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By Sarah Michelle Bliss

ith a new year right around the corner, it’s time to get serious about setting goals. But what’s in your BHAG? If you’re not familiar with the acronym, it stands for Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals. Yup, you read that right. And your 2022 business plan needs them. But a BHAG is more than a goal. It’s a challenge to live large, dream big and dare to ask the question: “Why not me?”

Often, people in our industry set production or income goals based on what they’ve done in the past.

But the past is not the future, and you can achieve more when you put your mind to it. If you want to be successful in 2022, carve out time to create an intentional business plan that includes measurable BHAGs. Here are some measurable BHAGs to set for the new year: A 12-month marketing plan.

Consistency is vital to a well-producing real estate practice. Sending one holiday card each year is not enough to keep you top of mind. Use a calendar to schedule consistent,

meaningful contacts each month to keep in touch with your Top 50, past clients, family and friends. There’s a major holiday almost every month throughout the year in addition to dozens of whimsical “national holidays” that can be used to market yourself.

Client appreciation events. The rule of thumb is to do six to eight face-to-face meetings throughout the year with each person in your database. These can be as simple as a coffee date, happy hour or stopping by with an item of value.

Plan ahead and then put it on your calendar—and remember that bigger goals require more planning.

If you want to be successful in 2022, carve out time to create an intentional business plan.

The Top 50 system is designed to be organic, which means it changes from year to year. It’s worth working and updating your Top 50 list consistently, because sadly, most agents are only benefitting from a small percentage of the relationships they have in their Top 50. They let the weeds take over from neglect and don’t properly care for these important relationships.

Tend to your Top 50, be intentional about staying top of mind, set measurable BHAGs, and you’ll set yourself up for success in 2022. RE Sarah Michelle Bliss is a master coach with Workman Success Systems. Over the past 23 years, she has taught through team management and agent development. She is currently the director of agent development for RE/MAX Professionals in Glendale, Arizona.

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SERVICE PROFILES

Index of Preferred Providers

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

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

Lamacchia Realty..............................................................103

Amarki............................................................................... 101

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

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

McKissock Learning..........................................................103

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices................................. 101

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

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

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

Buyside.............................................................................. 101

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

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

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors®........................................104

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

Propertybase....................................................................104

Cinch Home Services........................................................ 101

Real Estate Webmasters...................................................104

Constellation1...................................................................102

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

The Corcoran Group.........................................................102

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

CoreLogic..........................................................................102

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

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

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

Crush It In Real Estate.......................................................102

Residential Real Estate Council........................................104

Curbio...............................................................................102

Rocket Mortgage..............................................................104

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

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

Delta Media Group..........................................................102

United Real Estate.............................................................105

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

Updater.............................................................................105

Homes.com.......................................................................103

Weichert Family of Companies........................................105

HomeSmart International.................................................103

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

Home Warranty....................................................103

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

HSA

SM

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

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

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

Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty............106

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties.... 105

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

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties.... 106

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

100 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

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

SERVICE PROFILES ABR® (800) 648-6224 • www.rebac.net • Chicago, Illinois • 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.

AMARKI (877) 405-0040 • www.amarki.com •Grass Valley, California • Ian Francis, CEO

Amarki was purposely built by real estate experts for brokerages and agents based on years of industry experience and firsthand REALTOR® feedback. We have developed a marketing tool accessible to anyone, no matter your experience or marketing budget.

By providing an intuitive tool that works “for” the agent, Amarki is able to remove the complexity of marketing tasks such as email, social media, text messaging and search and display ads. With Amarki, any digital marketing campaign can be created and deployed with three easy steps in under two minutes.

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, California, 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.

BOOMTOWN (866) 430-1408 • www.BoomTownROI.com Charleston, South Carolina

BoomTown has all the tools, technology and teams you need for real estate success. It’s the only solution that generates and manages your leads, with 300-plus experts at your back. Lead generation, consumer-

facing websites, CRM technology, lead management services, and more, come in flexible packages that scale with success. Our mission is to make real estate agents successful, and our service offerings extend far beyond technology: peer coaching support, lead concierge services to contact, qualify and nurture leads, and dedicated advisors offer personalized support at every step.

BUFFINI & COMPANY (800) 945-3485 • www.buffiniandcompany.com

Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, Buffini & Company is the largest real estate coaching and training company in North America. Founded by real estate expert and master motivator Brian Buffini, the company provides a unique and highly effective lead-generation system and comprehensive business coaching and training programs, which have helped entrepreneurs in 37 countries improve their business, increase net profit and enhance their quality of life.

BUYSIDE (855) 928-9743, 855-9-BUYSIDE • getbuyside.com Brentwood, Tennessee • sales@getbuyside.com

Buyside is a data analytics and marketing company on a mission to help real estate brokers and lenders profit from their largest untapped asset: data. Buyside aggregates behavior signals generated online, using it to power actionable insights and intelligent marketing tools that help brokers, lenders and other ancillary services capture more homeowners. Our team brings decades of real estate and technology industry expertise. We understand the unique challenges real estate brokers face, and we wake up each day excited to help you conquer them.

THE CE SHOP (888) 827-0777 • www.theceshop.com Greenwood Village, Colorado

Founded in 2005, The CE Shop has become the leading provider of online real estate education through an encyclopedic knowledge of the real estate industry. Our ever-expanding course catalog of pre-licensing, exam prep, post-licensing and continuing education products are trusted throughout the industry and offer agents across the country the education they rely on.

CENTURY 21 REAL ESTATE LLC (877) 221-2765 • www.century21.com • Madison, New Jersey • 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% and always elevating, the CENTURY 21 brand is helping its affiliated brokers/agents be the first choice for real estate consumers and industry professionals.

CINCH HOME SERVICES (800) 778-8000 • www.cinchrealestate.com • Boca Raton, Florida

Cinch Home Services is the leading home services company that makes it easy for everyone to enjoy their home to the fullest, regardless of whether they own or rent. Building upon 40 years of proven experience, Cinch uses smart, modern tools and an award-winning customer support network to remove the guesswork around preventing, diagnosing and solving a wide variety of home-related issues. As a member of the National Home Service Contract Association, Cinch

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 101

SERVICE PROFILES manages a network of more than 18,000 service providers for repair or replacement services. The company proudly offers 24/7 customer service and the industry’s only 180-day service guarantee. Cinch protects both buyers and sellers from expensive and unexpected repair and replacement costs before, during and after the sale of the home.

CONSTELLATION1 (800) 503-5163 • constellation-1.com • Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Markham, Ontario • sales@constellationreg.com

Constellation1 is an all-in-one brand of award-winning front office, back office and data services for brokerages, franchises and MLSs. Constellation1 simplifies the process of finding and implementing the right real estate technology by providing a portfolio of solutions tailored to the real estate industry. Regardless of a brokerage’s, franchise’s or MLS’ technology needs, Constellation1 is of service, providing industry leading front office sales and marketing tools, including lead generation and relocation management; back office software like accounting, eSignature and transaction management; and extensive IDX feeds and datasets. For more information, visit constellation-1.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

CRUSH IT IN REAL ESTATE (781) 786-2422 • CrushItInRE.com • Waltham, Massachusetts • info@crushitinre.com

Crush It In Real Estate was started back in November 2017 for the sole purpose of providing quick, easy and actionable tips for agents to grow their business and to give a sneak peek into what our REAL Training & System courses look like. These short, digestible videos highlight the tricks and strategies of these courses in an entertaining way that only Anthony Lamacchia can provide.

CURBIO (844) 944-2629 • https://curbio.com• Potomac, Maryland

Curbio partners with real estate agents and homeowners to deliver a smart and hassle-free home improvement experience designed to get every home on the market and sold fast. Curbio’s turnkey approach, trusted team and all-in-one app allow REALTORS® to confidently take on home improvement projects of all sizes. Trusted by more than 800 brokerages nationwide, Curbio is making real estate move by redefining what the home improvement industry represents: transparency, reliability and speed.

THE CORCORAN GROUP

DARRYL DAVIS SEMINARS

(800) 544-4055 • www.corcoran.com • info@corcoran.com

(800) 395-3905 • www.ThePowerProgram.com

The Corcoran Group has been a leading residential real estate brand for nearly 50 years. Through its New York City, Hamptons and South Florida brokerages, along with its rapidly growing affiliate network, the firm is home to more than 100 offices and 4,200 independent salespersons in key urban, suburban and resort markets nationwide. Corcoran agents earn and keep their clients’ trust with an unwavering commitment to white-glove service, expertise and integrity. In every market served, Corcoran helps you find the home that’s just right for you. Live who you are®. The Corcoran® brand comprises both offices owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices, which are independently owned and operated.

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.

CORELOGIC

(866) 233-9833 • https://www.deltamediagroup.com North Canton, Ohio •Franklin Stoffer, Vice President of Sales

Toll-Free: (877) 849-1023 • Local: (949) 214-1000 www.corelogic.com • Media and PR relations: newsmedia@corelogic.com

As a leading provider of gold standard data, analytics and platforms, CoreLogic enables real estate professionals, financial institutions, insurance carriers, government agencies and other housing-market participants to help people make their dream of homeownership a reality.

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.

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DELTA MEDIA GROUP

Delta Media Group is real estate’s only provider of an all-in-one platform, easiest to use CRM, digital marketing tools, superpowered-SEO and website solution that is family-owned and operated. Delta Media is also the king of website lead generation, through its unmatched superpowered-SEO that leverages custom hyperlocal content creation.

Moreover, Delta Media Group is an early real estate technology innovator, established in 1994, yet offers one of the most advanced and affordable, fully integrated digital and social marketing solutions available to real estate professionals.

FATHOM REALTY (888) 455-6040 • www.FathomRealty.com • Cary, North Carolina

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

SERVICE PROFILES HOMES.COM (866) 697-3308 • http://marketing.homes.com

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

HOMESMART INTERNATIONAL (800) 865-9025 • www.homesmart.com • Scottsdale, Arizona • Tori Sokol, Director of Marketing and Communications

Founded in 2000, HomeSmart International is one of the fastest-growing real estate franchisors in the nation, with a mission to lead the industry by providing the highest level of service, support, technology and value to our customers. The company offers franchisees efficiency and innovation coupled with the systems and technologies necessary to succeed in today’s evolving real estate industry.

Its low-fee, high-value 100%-commission brokerage model keeps costs down for its nearly 19,000 agents across 31 states.

HSASM HOME WARRANTY (800) 367-1448 • www.onlinehsa.com HSASM Home Warranty has provided outstanding products and ser-

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

LAMACCHIA REALTY (855) 510-SOLD (855-510-7653) • www.lamacchiarealty.com Waltham, Massachusetts • Jackie Louh, Jackie@LamacchiaRealty.com, 781-373-7414

As a full-service, value-based real estate brokerage serving Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine and Florida, Lamacchia Realty provides cutting-edge tools and systems, and unparalleled training and coaching for REALTORS®, along with innovative and unique programs for buyers and sellers. The company prides itself on helping agents grow their business and, on average, agents who join from other companies grow their business by 318% in their first year. Lamacchia Realty will guide you to your success!

LEADING REAL ESTATE COMPANIES OF THE WORLD® (312) 424-0400 • www.LeadingRE.com

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE) is a selective community of the world’s highest-quality independent real estate companies with 550 firms in 70 countries. Its 150,000 sales associates generate over 1.3 million transactions annually, with $296 billion in home sales last year among the top 500 U.S. firms. Over 200 of LeadingRE’s members have a dedicated commercial arm. LeadingRE exists to help members by connecting them to opportunities and people around the

globe, supporting its agencies with an international referral network, professional development programs, unique events and connections to both people and opportunities worldwide. In 2020, LeadingRE was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Training Magazine for its learning and development programs.

MCKISSOCK LEARNING (877) 277-5376 • McKissock.com/real-estate

As part of the Colibri Real Estate family of premier education brands, McKissock Learning has helped hundreds of thousands of real estate professionals achieve sustainable success throughout each stage of their career via continuing education and professional development courses.

MYOUTDESK VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS (800) 583-9950 • www.myoutdesk.com www.myoutdesk.com/contact-us

MyOutDesk is the largest, most trusted and reputable provider of virtual staffing in real estate—having served more than 6,000-plus clients, including 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% less than the cost of a traditional, full-time employee.

NAGLREP (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GAY & LESBIAN REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS) (561) 865-6117 • naglrep.com • Jupiter, Florida • Jeff Berger, Founder

NAGLREP is the No. 1 forum for LGBT homebuyers, sellers and LGBT and allied real estate professionals.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (800) 874-6500 • www.NAR.realtor • Chicago, Illinois • Bob Goldberg, CEO • Victoria Gillespie, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer • Katie Johnson, General Counsel, Chief Member Experience Officer • Mark Birschbach, SVP, Strategic Business Innovation and Technology • Marc Gould, SVP, Member Development

The term REALTOR® identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. NAR members have access to the REALTOR Benefits® Program, NAR’s official member benefits resource, providing savings and special offers on products and services just for REALTORS®. Program partners are industry leaders who understand the unique needs of real estate professionals. Visit NAR.realtor/RealtorBenefits. NAR is also proud to offer the .realtor™ and .realestate top-level domains to members. Visit get.realtor. NAR offers a number of designations, certifications and opportunities for continuing education that support member development. Visit OnlineLearning.realtor. NAR empowers REALTORS® to evaluate, enhance and showcase their highest level of professionalism with the Commitment to Excellence program. Visit C2EX.realtor. The REALTOR® Store features publications, webinars and research reports, including the top-selling 2018 NAR Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers. Visit Store. realtor. Additionally, NAR’s venture capital arm, Second Century Ventures, has invested in companies that push forward innovation while benefitting NAR members. Visit secondcenturyventures.com.

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SERVICE PROFILES PILLAR TO POST HOME INSPECTORS®

REBAC

(800) 294-5591 • www.pillartopost.com • Tampa, Florida • Stephanie Bowling, Director of Marketing (416) 620-3572

(800) 648-6224 • www.REBAC.net • Chicago, Illinois • rebac@nar.realtor

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.

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.

PROPERTYBASE

As one of the leading global real estate franchisors, RE/MAX, LLC is a subsidiary of RE/MAX Holdings (NYSE: RMAX) with nearly 140,000 agents in more than 110 countries and territories. Nobody in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX, as measured by residential transaction sides. RE/MAX was founded in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger, with an innovative, entrepreneurial culture affording its agents and franchisees the flexibility to operate their businesses with great independence. RE/MAX agents have lived, worked and served in their local communities for decades, raising millions of dollars every year for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® and other charities. To learn more about RE/MAX, to search home listings or find an agent in your community, please visit www.remax.com. For the latest news about RE/MAX, please visit news.remax.com.

(855) 390-2273 • www.propertybase.com • John Voigt, Director of Marketing Communications

Propertybase is the leading global real estate and mortgage software provider with lead generation, CRM, websites, compliance-driven transaction management, mortgage business growth platform and more. Over 4,500 brands trust Propertybase to deliver innovative technology to scale their business. The Propertybase family of brands includes Propertybase, BoldLeads, BoldMortgage and Unify.

REAL ESTATE WEBMASTERS (877) 753-9893 • www.rew.com • Nanaimo, British Columbia • Morgan Carey, CEO • morgan@rew.com

Real Estate Webmasters (REW) is the leading technology provider for the top 1% of real estate professionals in the world. Since 2004, we have helped shape real estate technology to grow with your professional needs. We are the secret weapon behind many of the names you already know and love, creating cutting-edge websites that generate leads, maximize efficiency and help ensure unrivaled success. If you can dream it, we can build it!

REALTORS PROPERTY RESOURCE® (877) 977-7576 • www.narrpr.com • Chicago, Illinois • Jeff Young, Chief Operating Officer/General Manager

Realtors Property Resource® (RPR) is a national, parcel-centric database that is a free, exclusive benefit for REALTOR® members of the National Association of REALTORS®. The database provides REALTORS® with all available information about every parcel of residential and commercial property in the United States, giving brokers and agents valuable tools and features to make them better informed in order to increase their efficiency in the marketplace.

REALTY ONE GROUP (949) 297-2020 • www.RealtyONEGroup.com Laguna Niguel, California • Eddie Sturgeon, EVP, Global Growth

Founded in 2005, Realty ONE Group is an industry disruptor, radically changing the face of real estate franchising with its unique business model, fun coolture, technology infrastructure and superior support for its real estate professionals. Realty ONE Group has been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as a Top 5 Real Estate Franchise and has been on Inc. 500’s list of the Fastest-Growing Companies for seven consecutive years. Realty ONE Group is surging ahead, opening doors, not only for its clients, but for real estate professionals and franchise owners.

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RE/MAX, LLC (303) 770-5531 • www.remax.com • Denver, Colorado

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE COUNCIL (800) 462-8841 • www.crs.com • Chicago, Illinois CRS Help: CRShelp@crs.com

The Residential Real Estate Council was established in 1976 to provide real estate brokers and agents with shared knowledge and tools.

Recognizing the need for advanced education, the Council developed training courses and established the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Designation. The Council is recognized as the leading provider of real estate education and networking for residential real estate agents, and the CRS Designation is considered the most prestigious designation a real estate agent can achieve.

ROCKET MORTGAGE RocketPro.com/RealEstate

Detroit-based Rocket Mortgage is the nation’s largest home mortgage lender. The company closed $320 billion of volume across all 50 states in 2020. Rocket Mortgage moved its headquarters to downtown Detroit in 2010. Today, Rocket Mortgage and Rocket Companies employ 24,000 full-time team members across the U.S. and Canada.

The company ranked highest in the country for customer satisfaction for primary mortgage origination by J.D. Power for the past 11 consecutive years, 2010 - 2020, and also ranked highest in the country for customer satisfaction among all mortgage servicers the past seven straight years, 2014 - 2020.

SHERRI JOHNSON COACHING & CONSULTING (844) 989-2600 • www.sherrijohnson.com

Sherri Johnson is the premier national real estate coach offering worldclass coaching, keynote speaking and consulting services. No other real estate coach matches her 20-plus years of experience as a top agent, manager and executive of a Top-3 national brokerage, having personally led over 700 agents to $1.6 billion in annual sales volume. Sherri’s unique and proven coaching programs—including her exclusive Goldmine PipelineTM strategy—produce immediate, reliable results for agents nationwide, regardless of current production level.

SERVICE PROFILES UNITED REAL ESTATE

ZAVVIE

(888) 960-0606 • www.GrowWithUnited.com • Rick Haase, President

(888) 407-4556 • https://zavvie.com • Boulder, Colorado • Lane Hornung, CEO

United Real Estate (URE), a division of United Real Estate Group, was founded in 2011 to provide solutions for brokers and agents in a rapidly changing real estate industry. Recognized by Inc. 5000 as one of the nation’s fastest-growing real estate companies, United has helped thousands of agents Find Their Freedom® with its full-service, 100%-commission, transaction-based model. The company offers brokerage franchise and conversion opportunities, as well as merger and succession opportunities. Its proprietary technology, Bullseye™ Agent & Broker Productivity Platform, provides on-demand access to next-generation technology, marketing and training for brokers and agents, powered by a 1.8 million-plus listings data warehouse. United operates in 24 states with more than 10,500 agents and over 100 franchise and company-owned locations.

Founded by Lane Hornung and Stefan Peterson, zavvie combines proprietary technology with real world operating expertise, to provide a superior iBuyer strategy for brokers. zavvie is making the experience simple and seamless for iBuyers and agents to work together in the best interest of the consumer by facilitating and empowering listing agents to get all available offers for their clients. Its platform is a one-of-itskind offering, backed by market specific iBuyer and Open Market data and efficient technology. Its customer friendly interface works well with its top-notch Customer Success Team to create a seamless consumer-centric process for brokers and their clients.

RREIN Member Profiles

UPDATER www.updater.com • New York, New York • Chris Avery, VP of Real Estate • realestate@updater.com

Think about your last move…it was probably confusing, stressful and chaotic. Your clients experience the same thing and desperately need moving help. Updater is the nation’s leading moving and home management app that saves your clients countless hours on various moving-related tasks including connecting TV and internet, reserving a moving company, securing insurance, connecting utilities, and much more. The experience is branded for your brokerage and each agent, and fully personalized for each client’s unique move. Both brokers and agents find Updater to be an incredible way to differentiate and provide an excellent client experience during a stressful time.

WEICHERT FAMILY OF COMPANIES (800) 401-0486 • www.weichert.com • Morris Plains, New Jersey

Since 1969, Weichert, Realtors® has grown from a single office into one of the nation’s leading providers of homeownership services, made up of 18 full-service real estate-related companies dedicated to putting customers first. Its network of real estate brokerages includes more than 500 offices, serving markets in 42 states, with thousands of agents. As a Weichert agent, you have access to industry-leading sales and marketing tools, powerful technology, national and international referral networks and top-notch coaching and training, as well as a unique culture of support and sharing, from interactive staff to collaborative affiliates across the country. Franchises available.

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.

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 FLORIDA REALTY (954) 693-0100 • (800) 386-1554 www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com • Sunrise, Florida • Rei Mesa, CRS, CRB, President & CEO

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty serves 21 counties throughout Florida with more than 40 locations and approximately 1,800 sales professionals. The full-service brokerage company, founded in 1999, is part of HomeServices of America, the nation’s premier provider of homeownership services. The company is a franchise member of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ network, one of the few organizations entrusted to use the world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway name. The company offers residential and commercial services as well as seasonal rentals, property management, REO & foreclosures, corporate relocations, referral services, title, home warranty plans and personal concierge services. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty ranks in the Top 10 in the network and is the overall No. 1 fundraiser for The Sunshine Kids Foundation in Florida, having generated more than $3.6 million. Visit www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES GEORGIA PROPERTIES (770) 992-4100 • www.BHHSGeorgia.com

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties has over 1,600 associates and 26 locations across the Greater Metro Atlanta

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SERVICE PROFILES 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 NEVADA PROPERTIES (800) 735-4488 • www.BHHSNV.com

With more than 260,000 homes sold and 35 years in the industry, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties is the leader in Las Vegas real estate. Consistently rated among the top brokers in the nation, our agents successfully help families find their dream homes. With six area offices, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties is a full-service brokerage focused on quality service and the development of its agents. Call today to see how we can help increase your business.

CENTURY 21 AWARD (800) 293-1657 • www.century21award.com

Century 21 Award is the premier Southern California-based, full-service real estate company serving San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties from 15 distinctive office locations. Our 1,000 professional agents and staff are fully equipped to assist you with all of your real estate needs. Our services include residential, commercial, relocation, property management and bank-owned properties.

CENTURY 21 NEW MILLENNIUM (800) 727-6888 • www.c21nm.com

CENTURY 21 New Millennium is a full-service real estate brokerage in the greater Washington, D.C., area. The company, which specializes in residential and luxury properties, joined the CENTURY 21® System in 1998 and has established a sound and successful organization providing traditional residential and commercial services, on-site mortgage, title, and property management, and access to a vast network of relocation and other real estate service providers worldwide. It has earned the status of No. 1 CENTURY 21 Firm in the World for the past three years. With 20 locations and approximately 900 real estate professionals, New Millennium is consistently included in REALTOR® Magazine’s Top 100 Companies List for all real estate firms nationwide regardless of brand. It is also a past winner of the prestigious Cartus Masters Cup, the Network’s highest honor. The Cartus Broker Network is the largest relocation network in the world and includes more than 775 hand-selected brokerages in the United States.

COLDWELL BANKER KAPPEL GATEWAY REALTY (844) 861-5631 • www.KappelGateway.com

Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty was created through the merger of Kappel & Kappel Realty, Inc. and Solano Gateway Realty, Inc. Both firms, founded in 1972, are the market leaders in Solano County, combining more than $600 million in sales dollar volume and welcoming more than 240 agents in seven offices, with branch offices in Vacaville, Fairfield, Dixon and Green Valley. Eighty-five percent of our business is derived from returning and referred clients, a true testa-

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ment to our clients’ high level of satisfaction with our services and our trusted real estate professionals.

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.

LONG & FOSTER REAL ESTATE, INC. (866) 677-6937 • www.LongandFoster.com

Long & Foster Real Estate, the nation’s No. 1 independent brand by sales volume, is part of The Long & Foster Companies, a subsidiary of HomeServices of America, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. 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, North Carolina, to Fair Haven, New Jersey, and from Martinsburg, West Virginia, 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.

LUSK & ASSOCIATES SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY (717) 291-9101 • www.LuskandAssociates.com

When you work with Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty, you can count on specialists who can answer your questions, apply in-depth knowledge of current market conditions and access extensive resources that can expedite the sale of your home.

MCCOLLY REAL ESTATE (800) 348-2100 x206 • www.mccolly.com

Since 1974, McColly Real Estate has found your place to call home, from the shores of Lake Michigan in Northwest Indiana to Lake Street Beach in Chicago. McColly is a proud LeadingRE member with bilingual agents in 14-plus languages among 450-plus Realtors® in 18 offices. McColly Companies is the One Source for All Purpose Real Estate with its ancillary companies of McColly Insurance, Community Title, McColly Auctions, McColly Bennett Commercial, McColly New Homes Division and Luxury Home Portfolio™.

PATTERSON-SCHWARTZ REAL ESTATE (877) 456-4663 • www.pattersonschwartz.com pattersonschwartz@psre.com

Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate is Delaware’s largest independent REALTOR® with over 50 years of service to the Delaware real estate market and surrounding communities in nearby Pennsylvania and Maryland. With nine offices and 415 sales associates, we are committed to excellence, integrity and quality service. We offer a full range of services, including residential home sales, purchase and rental, relocation services and property management.

RANDALL, REALTORS® (401) 364-3388 • www.randallrealtors.com

Randall, Realtors® has been a consistent leader in the marketing of Southern New England properties for more than 28 years. Specializing in waterfront properties and second homes, our agents boast a 98.5% client satisfaction rating. Through our extensive marketing network, we offer tremendous exposure for our property listings and continue to deliver successful sales and representation for our clients.

In addition, Randall, Realtors®’ Vacation Rental Department offers a large selection of vacation rental properties serving the Southern Rhode Island shoreline and Eastern Connecticut.

RE/MAX 440 AND RE/MAX CENTRAL (215) 453-7653 • www.pahomesforsale.com • Tom Skiffington, Broker/Owner, tom@tomskiffington.com

RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central is a first-class, professional real estate company. Our goal is to provide the most prompt, courteous and professional services to all our customers and clients. We are the leading RE/MAX in Pennsylvania and Delaware with the highest sales volume and transactions. RE/MAX 440/Central has 10 different offices in Bucks, Montgomery and Lehigh counties.

RE/MAX GATEWAY (703) 652-5760 • www.gateway2realestate.com

The real estate market is ever changing. It takes constant evaluation, review of recent trends to forecast a potential future and education of agents through mastermind groups and real estate information exchanges. These are areas in which we excel at RE/MAX Gateway. Contact us today if you are looking to advance your career in real estate through a multitude of educational experiences and resources, or if you need real estate advice in order to make informed decisions when buying and selling houses.

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BROKER-TO-BROKER REFERRALS CALIFORNIA

DELAWARE

Ascent Real Estate, Inc. 410 Kalmia St., San Diego, CA 92101 Contact: Gina Lancelot • Tel: (619) 325-4100 Email: info@ascentrealestate.net • URL: www.ascentrealestate.net Coverage Areas: San Diego Offices: 9 • Associates: 180

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+

CENTURY 21 Award - Orange County 22342 Avenida Empresa, Ste. 110, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 Contact: Joshua Tucker, Director of Relocation Services Tel: (760) 217-2491 (Toll Free) • Fax: (619) 374-2706 Email: jtucker@century21award.com • Coverage Areas: Orange County Offices: 15 • Associates: 1,200 CENTURY 21 Award - San Diego, Riverside 7676 Hazard Center Dr., Ste. 300, San Diego, CA 92108 Contact: Joshua Tucker, Director of Relocation Services Tel: (760) 217-2491 (Toll Free) • Fax: (619) 374-2706 Email: jtucker@century21award.com Coverage Areas: San Diego, Southern Riverside Offices: 15 • Associates: 1,200 Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty 750 Mason St., Ste. 101, Vacaville, CA 95688 Contact: Rachel Guerin Tel: (707) 427-5344 or (844) 861-5631 • Fax: (707) 446-9830 Email: info@kappelgateway.com • URL: www.KappelGateway.com Coverage Areas: Vacaville, Benicia, Davis, Dixon, Fairfield, Napa, Rio Vista, Suisun City Vallejo and Winters, California Offices: 7 • Associates: 240 J. Rockcliff REALTORS® 4115 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Ste. 201, Danville, CA, 94506 Tel: (925) 251-2501 (O), (925) 324-1323 (C), 877-JRCKCLF (572-2523) (TF) URL(s): www.rockcliff.com • www.rockliffcares.com Coverage Areas: Alameda County: Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Dublin Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, Sunol, Union City; Contra Costa County: Alamo, Antioch, Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Canyon, Clayton, Concord, Crockett, Danville, Diablo, Discovery Bay, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Hercules, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill Port Costa, Richmond, Rodeo, San Pablo, San Ramon, Walnut Creek; San Joaquin County: Country Club, Lathrop, Lodi, Manteca, Mountain House, Stockton, Tracy, Silicon Valley/San Jose area

CONNECTICUT Page Taft 89 Whitfield St., Guilford, CT 06437 Contact: Karen Stephens, Executive VP • Tel: (203) 453-6511 Email: kstephens@pagetaft.com • URL: www.pagetaft.com Coverage Areas: Connecticut • Offices: 3 • Associates: 60 Randall, REALTORS® 4009 Old Post Rd., Charleston, RI 02813 Contact: Jean Fournier, Dir. of Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (401) 486-9677 Email: jfournier@randallrealtors.com • URL: www.randallrealtors.com Coverage Areas: Connecticut and Rhode Island Offices: 9 • Associates: 175

108 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate 7234 Lancaster Pike, Ste. 220B, Hockessin, DE 19707 Contact: Brian Pomije, Relocation Manager Tel: (302) 234-3600 (Office) • (302) 234-5207 (Direct) • (800) 443-2295 (Toll Free) Email: bpomije@psre.com • URL: pattersonschwartz.com Coverage Areas: Delaware (New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties), Pennsylvania (Chester and Delaware counties), Maryland (Cecil, Kent and Harford counties) • Offices: 9 • Associates: 415

FLORIDA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty 1580 Sawgrass Corporate Pkwy., Ste. 400, Sunrise, FL 33323 Contact: Rei Mesa, CRS, CRB, President & CEO Tel: (954) 693-0100 or (800) 386-1554 • Fax: (954) 236-6962 Email: ReiMesa@BHHSFloridaRealty.com Relocation Contact: Sharon Sapp, Vice President, Relocation, Referrals & REOs Email: sharonsapp@BHHSFloridaRealty.com URL: www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com Coverage Areas: 21 counties throughout Florida, including Southeast Florida, Southwest Florida and Orlando area • Offices: 40 • Associates: 1,750

GEORGIA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties 863 Holcomb Bridge Rd., Roswell, GA 30076 Contact: Kathy Connelly, SVP Corporate Services • Tel: (678) 352-3321 Email: Kathy.Connelly@BHHSGeorgia.com • URL: www.BHHSGeorgia.com Coverage Areas: Metro Atlanta and North Georgia Offices: 26 • Associates: 1,600

ILLINOIS McCOLLY Real Estate 800 Deer Creek Dr., Schererville, IN 46375 Contact: Deborah Horton, CRP, RCC, Director of Referral/Relocation Services Tel: (800) 348-2100 ext. 206 Email: dhorton@mccolly.com • URL: www.mccolly.com Coverage Areas: Alsip, Aroma Park, Beecher, Blue Island, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Burbank, Burnham, Calumet City, Channahon, Chicago, Chicago Ridge, Clearing, Country Club Hills, Crest Hill, Crestwood, Crete, Evergreen Park, Flossmoor, Frankfort, Glenwood, Grant Park, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Hegewisch, Hickory Hills, Homewood, Kankakee, Lansing, Lemont, Lockport, Lynwood, Manteno, Matteson, Mokena, Momence, Monee, Morgan Park, Mount Greenwood, New Lenox, Oak Lawn, Orland Hills, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Park Forest, Peotone, Richton Park, Riverdale, Roseland, Steger, Tinley Park, University Park, Worth • Offices: 18 • Associates: 450+

INDIANA McCOLLY Real Estate 800 Deer Creek Dr., Schererville, IN 46375 Contact: Deborah Horton, CRP, RCC, Director of Referral/Relocation Services Tel: (800) 348-2100 ext. 206 Email: dhorton@mccolly.com • URL: www.mccolly.com Coverage Areas: Beverly Shores, Cedar Lake, Chesterton, Crown Point, DeMotte, Dyer, Dune Acres, East Chicago, Gary, Griffith, Hammond, Hebron,

BROKER-TO-BROKER REFERRALS Highland, Hobart, Kouts, La Porte, Lake Station, Lake Village, Lakes of Four Seasons, Long Beach, Lowell, Merrillville, Michiana Shores, Michigan City, Miller Beach, Morocco, Munster, Ogden Dunes, Otis, Portage, Porter, Rensselaer, Roselawn, Schererville, Schneider, St. John, Sumava Resorts, Thayer, Valparaiso, Westville, Wheatfield, Whiting, Winfield Offices: 18 • Associates: 450+

MARYLAND CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 Fax: (703) 822-0136 Relocation Contact: Jeff Hetherington, Director of Relocation Email: move@c21nm.com • URL: www.c21nm.com Coverage Areas: Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Southern Maryland markets. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation.

Offices: 16 • Associates: 700+ Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+ Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate 7234 Lancaster Pike, Ste. 220B, Hockessin, DE 19707 Contact: Brian Pomije, Relocation Manager Tel: (302) 234-3600 (Office) • (302) 234-5207 (Direct) (800) 443-2295 (Toll Free) Email: bpomije@psre.com • URL: pattersonschwartz.com Coverage Areas: Delaware (New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties), Pennsylvania (Chester and Delaware counties), Maryland (Cecil, Kent and Harford counties) • Offices: 9 • Associates: 415 RE/MAX Gateway 4090B Lafayette Center Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Scott MacDonald, President Tel: (703) 652-5760 • (703) 727-6900 (Cell) Email: scottmacdonald@remax.net • URL: www.gateway2realestate.com Coverage Areas: Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland Offices: 6 • Associates: 170

MASSACHUSETTS Kinlin Grover Real Estate 4 Wianno Ave., Osterville, MA 02655 Contact: Lucy Cundiff, Director of Agent Services Tel: (508) 420-1130 Email: lcundiff@kinlingrover.com • URL: www.kinlingrover.com Coverage Areas: Southeastern Massachusetts Offices: 16 • Associates: 275

MISSOURI Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties 1650 Des Peres Rd., Ste. 205, Saint Louis, MO 63131 Contact: Angie Ignatowski, Relocation Director Tel: (314) 835-6000 • (314) 835-6050 (Direct) Email: aignatowski@bhhsselectstl.com • URL: www.bhhsselectstl.com Coverage Areas: St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, Lincoln County • Offices: 11 • Associates: Over 500

NEBRASKA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate 13340 California St., Omaha, NE 68154 Contact: Katie Adams, CRP, GMS, VP Corp. Relocation & Business Development Tel: (800) 477-7653 or (402) 547-5137 Email: Katie.adams@BHHSamb.com • URL: www.BHHSamb.com Coverage Areas: Omaha and Lincoln Metropolitan Area, including Omaha, Bellevue, Ralston, LaVista, Papillion, Gretna, Elkhorn, Fremont, Lincoln, Council Bluffs and surrounding communities

NEVADA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties 3185 St. Rose Pkwy., Ste. 100, Henderson, NV 89052 Contact: Eileen Mitchell, Dir. of Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (800) 735-4488 Email: relo@BHHSNV.com • URL: www.BHHSNV.com Coverage Areas: Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin and Pahrump • Offices: 6 • Associates: 1,050

NEW JERSEY 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+

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE December 2021 109

BROKER-TO-BROKER REFERRALS PENNSYLVANIA Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+ Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty 100 Foxshire Dr., Lancaster, PA 17601 Tel: (717) 291-9101 • Fax: (717) 393-2336 Contact: Sandy Zercher Email: sandra.zercher@sothebysrealty.com URL: www.LuskandAssociates.com Coverage Areas: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; Susquehanna Valley, Pennsylvania; South Central Pennsylvania • Offices: 1 • Associates: 40 Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate 7234 Lancaster Pike, Ste. 220B, Hockessin, DE 19707 Contact: Brian Pomije, Relocation Manager Tel: (302) 234-3600 (Office) • (302) 234-5207 (Direct) • (800) 4432295 (Toll Free) • Email: bpomije@psre.com • URL: pattersonschwartz.com Coverage Areas: Delaware (New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties), Pennsylvania (Chester and Delaware counties), Maryland (Cecil, Kent and Harford counties) • Offices: 9 • Associates: 415 RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central 701 West Market St., Perkasie, PA 18944 Contact: Tom Skiffington, Broker/Owner • Tel: (215) 453-7653 or (215) 643-3200 • Email: tom@tomskiffington.com URLs: www.pahomesforsale.com • www.lehighvalleyrealestate.com Coverage Areas: Pennsylvania counties: Bucks, Berks, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, Lehigh, North Hampton, and New Jersey Offices: 10 • Associates: 170

RHODE ISLAND Randall, REALTORS® 4009 Old Post Rd., Charleston, RI 02813 Contact: Jean Fournier, Dir. of Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (401) 486-9677 Email: jfournier@randallrealtors.com • URL: www.randallrealtors.com Coverage Areas: Connecticut and Rhode Island Offices: 9 • Associates: 175

SOUTH CAROLINA Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS® 745 N. Pleasantburg Dr., Greenville, SC 29607 Contacts: Nichole Moore, Director of Relocation, (864) 678-5362, nmoore@cdanjoyner.com, Jo Anne Conner, Destination & Broker-to-Broker Mgr., (864) 678-5227, jconner@cdanjoyner.com • URL: www.cdanjoyner.com Brookfield GRS, SIRVA, AIReS Relocation, Graebel, MI Group Coverage Areas: Greenville, Greer, Taylors, Duncan, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Simpsonville, Fountain Inn, Powdersville, Easley, Piedmont, Anderson Offices: 10 • Associates: 400+ CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 Fax: (703) 822-0136 Relocation Contact: Jeff Hetherington, Director of Relocation Email: move@c21nm.com • URL: www.c21nm.com

110 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Providers of world class real estate services in the Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Southern Maryland markets. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation. • Offices: 16 • Associates: 700+ RE/MAX Gateway 4090B Lafayette Center Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Scott MacDonald, President Tel: (703) 652-5760 • (703) 727-6900 (Cell) Email: scottmacdonald@remax.net • URL: www.gateway2realestate.com Coverage Areas: Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland Offices: 6 • Associates: 170

VIRGINIA Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+

WASHINGTON, D.C. CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 Fax: (703) 822-0136 Relocation Contact: Jeff Hetherington, Director of Relocation Email: move@c21nm.com • URL: www.c21nm.com Providers of world class real estate services in the Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Southern Maryland markets. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation. • Offices: 16 • Associates: 700+ Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+ RE/MAX Gateway 4090B Lafayette Center Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Scott MacDonald, President Tel: (703) 652-5760 • (703) 727-6900 (Cell) Email: scottmacdonald@remax.net • URL: www.gateway2realestate.com Coverage Areas: Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland Offices: 6 • Associates: 170

WEST VIRGINIA Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Vicki Hamp, SVP of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 335-0356 Email: Vicki.Hamp@LongandFoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 220+ • Associates 11,000+

INDEX OF SERVICE PROVIDERS ABR®.........................................................................................10 Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA).............28

National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP)®........................................................20

Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate...............................23

National Association of REALTORS®................................6, 55

The CE Shop...............................................................................7

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors®................................................2

Century 21 Real Estate LLC.....................................................19

Real Estate Webmasters................................................... 24-25

Crush It In Real Estate......................................................................43

RE/MAX, LLC...........................................................................15

Darryl Davis Seminars, Inc..................................................... 86

RISMedia’s ACESocial...........................................9, 78, 107, 111

Homes.com............................................................................ IBC

RISMedia’s Daily News............................................................. 34

HomeSmart............................................................................. 36

RISMedia’s Headliners................................................................. 8

HSASM Home Warranty..........................................................IFC

RISMedia’s RealEdge Podcast..................................................96

Inside Real Estate.............................................................................BC

Rocket Mortgage..................................................................... 13

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®..............................1

Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting.................................49

McKissock Learning........................................................................ 27

United Real Estate....................................................................82

NAR’s e-PRO® Certification....................................................16

Workman Success Systems................................. 61, 67, 69, 95

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RE: REAL ESTATE

2021: The Legislative Year in Review

By Shannon McGahn

A

fter throwing out the legislative playbook just weeks into 2020 due to the pandemic, it was back to full steam ahead for our advocacy goals this year.

And 2021 was not for the weary in Washington.

The year began with a sixth major COVID relief bill, the American Rescue Plan. The bill continued policies supported by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) that protected our members’ health and economic well-being, including benefits for sole proprietors, the self-employed, small business owners and independent contractors.

The bill also included new measures like aid for state and local governments, expanded child tax credits and another $21 billion in rental assistance.

Congress spent most of the year debating President Biden’s Build Back Better infrastructure plans.

In November, a traditional public works bill became law, filled with longtime NAR priorities like investments in roads, bridges, ports, airports, roadways and a historic $65 billion for broadband.

At the time of this writing, a second social spending infrastructure plan is advancing in Congress. Some of the earliest tax proposals to pay for this plan could have devastated the real estate sector, which makes up nearly one-fifth of the entire economy.

We worked to educate lawmakers on these tax issues for more than a year.

When House leaders finally unveiled the bill in October, it did not include the most-feared taxes and limits on real estate investment. It contained no 1031 likekind exchange limits, no capital gains tax increases, no change in step-up in basis, no tax on unrealized capital gains, no increased estate tax, no carried interest provisions and no 199A deduction limits. But it did include SALT relief.

Also included, a robust investment in affordable housing, which is critical to opening up homeownership for first-generation and first-time buyers.

NAR CEO Bob Goldberg joined other housing leaders and members of Congress at the U.S. Capitol for a press conference in support of these affordable housing measures.

While Bob headed to the Capitol, NAR President Charlie Oppler headed to the White House with oth-

112 December 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

er business leaders to meet with President Biden on the debt ceiling. The very next day, Congress struck a deal to avoid a catastrophic default.

Another major focus of our advocacy efforts has been addressing the housing supply shortage. Earlier this year, NAR released a landmark report that confirmed that the shortage of 6 million units is a crisis that will take a “once-in-a-generation” policy response.

The media cited our report far and wide, garnering millions of impressions. And it also impressed lawmakers to act.

Our policy recommendations began making appearances in infrastructure plans.

It was also a standout year for NAR’s Community Outreach Programs, as 263 state and local REALTOR® associations received support for advocacy efforts in 2021.

There are success stories nationwide. A Fair Housing Grant helped the Birmingham Association of REALTORS® highlight fair housing issues at a hybrid summit.

The Fredericksburg Area Association of REALTORS® used a smart growth poll to create a regional growth and housing action plan. And in northern Idaho, a Placemaking Grant helped the Selkirk Association of REALTORS® support the development of an ADA-compliant trail.

We have other regulatory and legislative accomplishments this year as well, like work protecting independent contractor status and progress on remote online notarization—too many to list in this space.

There is no other trade association in Washington like NAR for one reason: our members. We don’t represent an industry; we represent 1.5 million individuals.

They are thoughtful, engaged pillars of their communities. Our advocacy operation is successful because of them. It is bipartisan and issue-focused.

Our members played a vital role in the nation’s economic resilience this year and will help lead our economy in the years to come. RE

Shannon McGahn is chief advocacy officer for the National Association of REALTORS®.

Proud to be powering the fastest-growing brands and brokerages in the industry

DELIVER A TEC H WI N I N 2022 www.InsideRealEstate.com | Enterprise@InsideRealEstate.com