The Residential Specialist, May/June 2013

May/June 2013

State of the LUXURY HOME MARKET THE RESIDENTIAL SPECIALIST

A Day in the LIFE OF A CRS Working With VETERANS

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M AY / J U N E 2 0 1 3

UP& OUT

Despite worries that shadow inventory would derail a recovery, the market is improving.

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Jan uary /Feb

ruar y 2013

e for a How to PreparMa rket Recovering Pros and Cons ofs n Site Listing Aggregatio to Get es Tak It at Wh Fence Clients Off the

President’s Message | News from Mary McCall, CRS

Jensen Larson Photography

Spread the Word

CRS Week will raise the Council’s profile and help us attract new members.

4 | May/June 2013

C – R – S. For 3 percent of REALTORS® in the U.S., those three letters represent one of the most important accomplishments in their real estate career — earning the Certified Residential Specialist Designation. For many top-producing agents, the CRS Designation truly is the proven path to success, exemplified by their commitment, achievement and broad experience in the industry.

But outside our industry, and even among many REALTORS®, the CRS Designation could be one of the best-kept secrets in real estate.

We all can do our part to bridge that knowledge gap by participating in CRS Week, June 24 – 28, 2013. This week-long series of activities around the country is designed to introduce consumers and real estate agents to the CRS Designation. During this program, the Council will present four free webinars. Local chapters are getting involved, too, sponsoring education sessions, open houses and community-service days. Contact your local chapter for details, or visit the CRS website at crs.com/crs-week. It is truly exciting to see CRS members coming together to spread the word about CRS in their respective communities.

But promoting CRS isn’t limited to our local communities. I recently returned from a trip to Brazil with CEO Nina Cottrell, where we attended the inaugural presentation of the REAP (Real Estate Advanced Practices) courses. More than 100 real estate practitioners, brokers and industry leaders gathered at the luxurious Porto Alegre Country Club to launch CRS in Brazil. As I spoke to them about the Council and what the tenets of CRS can do for them in their businesses, a talented woman effortlessly translated every word into their native Portuguese. In the following days, 55 agents attended the first courses sponsored by UCI Brazil. The four separate one-day courses encompass Business Planning, Marketing, Negotiating Strategies, and Working With Clients. Indeed, in all locations and in all languages, systems and strategies are the foundation for building a successful real estate business!

With Mid-Year meetings in May, a busy spring selling season under way, and CRS Week in the works, it’s truly an exciting time to be a CRS.

UNEQUAL

OPPORTUNITY

Female mortgage applicants are less likely to have their loans approved than male mortgage applicants, according to recent research by the Woodstock Institute, which examined women’s access to mortgages following the collapse of the housing bubble. Similarly, female-headed joint applications are much less likely to be originated than are male-headed joint applications, the study finds. The disparity in mortgage access spread across racial and ethnic lines, and it was most pronounced among African-American women, whose joint home purchase applications were 34 percent less likely to be approved than joint applications headed by African-American males.

High-Income Households Counties in New England, the Middle Atlantic and the Pacific coasts have the highest concentration of high-income households, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Conversely, the East South Central area of the country, which comprises Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee, has lower concentrations of high-income households.

The Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Conn., area, outside New York City, has the highest percentage of high-income households in the country at 17.9 percent, followed by San Jose-SunnyvaleSanta Clara, Calif., at 15.9 percent, and Washington, D.C.– Arlington-Alexandria, Va., at 14.1 percent. Meanwhile, two areas named Danville — in Virginia and in Illinois — each have only 1.1 percent of high-income households. The Census Bureau defines high income as the top 5 percent of national income distribution, which is an annual household income of at least $191,469.

Andresr/Veer

Hispanics Lead the Way According to a recent report by the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, Hispanics are the fastest-growing group of first-time homebuyers. What’s more, they have the purchasing power to push the U.S. housing recovery into high gear — as long as inventory shortages and regulations favoring investors do not hamper growth, the study concludes. The number of Hispanic homeowners grew from 4.24 million in 2000 to 6.69 million in 2012, a 58 percent increase. The rest of the U.S. population saw a net increase of only 5 percent. Several key economic and demographic trends will contribute to the growth in Hispanic homeownership:

Education Hispanics are now the largest minority group on the nation’s college campuses. In 2011, more than 2 million 18- to 24-year-old Hispanics were enrolled in college, representing 16.5 percent of all college enrollments.

Population Hispanics account for more than half of the U.S. population increase over the past decade. More than 1 million Hispanic households were formed in 2012, compared with a decline of 704,000 non-Hispanic white households.

Homeownership There was a net gain of

Employment and Income In 2012, Hispanic job growth accounted for roughly half of total U.S. job growth, and four out of 10 Hispanic households earned more than $50,000.

Consumerism Hispanic purchasing power is estimated at $1.2 trillion and projected to grow to $1.5 trillion by 2015.

355,000 Hispanic owner households in 2012, which accounted for 51 percent of the total net gain in owner households in the U.S.

www.crs.com | 7

AGING

QuickTakes | Industry headlines, statistics and trends

IN PLACE

In a recent study, Livable Community Indicators for Sustainable Aging in Place, the MetLife Mature Market Institute and the Stanford Center on Longevity identified seven characteristics of housing communities that will allow older adults to age in place.

1. Accessible and affordable housing: Zoning laws should permit flexible housing arrangements, including assisted-living facilities or private homes on relatively small lots.

2. Convenient transportation systems: Communities with mass transit and senior transport programs, walkable communities with easy access to nearby parks, recreation and neighborhood amenities, and roads with visible signage and adequate lighting are safer and more convenient for mature residents.

3. Neighborhood safety: Areas with low crime rates and emergency preparedness plans that accommodate the needs of older residents are more appealing.

4. Health care: Communities should provide access to doctors, hospitals and preventive health care programs aimed at older residents.

5. Supportive services: Community-based caregiving services, home health care, meals on wheels and adult day care should be available to older residents.

6. Goods, services and amenities: Retail shops, restaurants and grocery stores should be within easy walking distance of the housing community.

7. Social integration: Programs and organizations should promote social activities and intergenerational contact for older adults. Libraries, museums, colleges and universities, and places of worship are often underutilized resources.

Public Transit’s Value While residential property values declined substantially during the recession, homes located near public transportation performed 42 percent better on average than properties farther away, according to a study released jointly by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR) and the American Public Transportation Association. The study examined five regions of the country where high-frequency public transit systems exist, including Boston, where residential properties near rapid transit outperformed other properties in the area by 129 percent. In Minneapolis-St. Paul, home values in the public transit area were 48 percent higher, while they were 37 percent higher in San Francisco and Phoenix and 30 percent higher in Chicago.

8 | May/June 2013

“GREEN” PAYS Owners of energy-efficient homes are less likely to default on their mortgages, according to a study released by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Institute for Market Transformation. Researchers evaluated 71,000 home loans in 38 states and the District of Columbia that were originated between 2002 and 2012 to assess the link between home energy efficiency and mortgage default risk. The study finds that default risks were 32 percent lower for energy-efficient homes. The lower risk associated with energy efficiency should be considered when underwriting mortgages, the study concludes.

Gen

Y Y

Housing Plans

Many members of the so-called Millennial generation don’t plan to be lifelong renters, according to a study by national homebuilder Pulte Group. For renters age 18 to 34 with an income of more than $50,000, 65 percent indicated their intention to buy has significantly or somewhat increased in the past year. Furthermore, a majority of Millennials don’t plan to move into their first home on their own.

Three-fourths (76 percent) say they plan to live with a spouse or significant other, while 22 percent anticipate having a roommate — either a friend, parent, cousin or sibling living with them.

Technology | Streamlining your business

listen up An agent’s online reputation is out there for all to see. How can they best monitor and respond to what people say about them online?

As of December 2012, about 80 percent of Yelp.com reviews were 3+ stars.

Source: Yelp

10 | May/June 2013

ll it takes is one disgruntled customer complaining about you on Facebook, Twitter or Google+, and suddenly your reputation is in desperate need of repair.

Dawn Thomas, CRS, a broker associate at SiliconValleyandBeyond in Northern California, knows this firsthand. A few months ago, a member of her team had a difficult interaction with a customer, who then wrote something nasty about her on Yelp. Though Thomas has 32 five-star reviews visible on Yelp — and another 21 hidden by the site’s review filter — that negative post features prominently in her profile. The only thing she could do was write a response that apologized and explained her side of the story.

“Everyone isn’t going to love you 100 percent of the time,” she says. “And if they

A

decide to be nasty on your Yelp page, my advice is to apologize, no matter what they said about you. It’s not the one bad review that matters; it’s how you respond to it.

The more professional you are, the more other people will want to work with you.”

In a fiercely competitive real estate market, a CRS’s reputation is everything. And these days, it’s most visible online. While REALTORS® can’t control what people say about them on the Internet, they can use technology to help them spot the good and the ugly reviews — and learn how to respond promptly and appropriately.

What’s the Word?

The first step: Know your online reputation. Many REALTORS® use Google Alerts, a free service that scans the Internet based on keywords, such as names,

Roy Hsu/Getty Images

By Dan Tynan

neighborhoods and competition, and sends emails to the account holder when those words appear online.

“I use Google Alerts to look for everything anyone says about me, my team, my company or my listings,” says Kimberly Cameron, CRS, a RE/MAX agent in St. Louis. “Fortunately, I’ve never had any issues with someone saying something awful about me online. But when they have something nice to say, it’s a good opportunity to reconnect with them by thanking them.”

Zane Burnett, director of marketing and technology for Fillmore Real Estate in Brooklyn, N.Y., also uses Google Alerts to keep an eye on what people say about Fillmore on local real estate blogs like Brownstoner and Curbed NY. Free platforms such as HootSuite and TweetDeck also send him notifications whenever the firm is mentioned on Twitter or Facebook.

“We have 400 agents,” Burnett says.

“We’ve set up columns for all of them in HootSuite and TweetDeck. Any time any of them is mentioned, or the company is mentioned, we get an alert. We also set up a Facebook group to show us everything people are saying about us there. To monitor Yelp, we use Google Alerts.”

More sophisticated monitoring services may cost a fee. For $20 a month, Mention.net will scan the Web for keywords you select and send you a daily email digest detailing each time those words turn up on a Web search, as well as track your Twitter and Facebook accounts. You can fine-tune results to remove false positives, view statistics on the popularity of search terms over time, share alerts with colleagues, and assign tasks to them — such as telling them to respond to a negative tweet or a Facebook complaint. A Team Plan lets multiple users access the same alerts, starting at $100 a month.

Reputation.com for Business lets you view all your mentions in an online dashboard, analyze them for sentiment, and see trends over time for $50 a month. For $250 a month, Reputation.com will assign an employee to help you actively manage your online reputation and respond to negative feedback in a positive way. You’ll also get a Nexus 7 tablet you can hand to clients so they can write reviews about you

“If you don’t have any reviews, that’s a concern,” he says. “People won’t be comfortable working with you if you don’t have any online feedback.” at sites like Google Places or Yahoo Local.

Depending on the site, you may even get final approval over whether less favorable reviews get posted.

Response Time Once REALTORS® discover a negative comment about them, the question becomes what to do about it, says Burnett.

“If it seems like a lone voice in the crowd, we usually ignore it,” he says. “But if the comment starts to pick up traction, we may feel it necessary to step in and add our two cents. You have to pick your battles carefully.”

But sometimes, responses are better taken offline. After Hurricane Sandy swept through New York City last fall, overwhelming its agents’ ability to serve clients, some Fillmore customers vented frustrations online. “The storm created a monumental surge in the need for assistance, and our agents worked relentlessly to do everything they could,” Burnett says.

Still, he adds, the firm responded with handwritten letters and posts from the CEO apologizing for its failure to return calls in the wake of the disaster.

“If you have to do damage control, you need to do it in as unemotional and pragmatic a way as possible,” Burnett says. “And it sometimes helps to put a human face on it by responding personally.”

Candid Customers Negative reviews can even be helpful by making your business feel more real, adds Brett Franson, vice president of sales for Reputation.com. The key, he says, is to solicit reviews from all your customers when possible.

“If you automatically ask for reviews, the majority are going to be positive — and they’ll drown out any negative ones,” he says. “Personally, I’m suspicious of any business that has nothing but five-star reviews.”

While Yelp searches for reviews it believes were solicited and filters them out of a business’ overall rating, other sites, like Zillow, Trulia and Google+, do not. And having no reviews at all is no longer an option, Franson adds.

“If you don’t have any reviews, that’s a concern,” he says. “People won’t be comfortable working with you if you don’t have any online feedback.”

Play Ball Ultimately, the best way to avoid personal attacks online is to use technology to your advantage, Burnett says.

“If you’re an expert about Brooklyn’s Williamsburg, you need to post a picture of yourself eating a burger at that new restaurant on the corner, or talk about a movie that’s being filmed in the neighborhood,” he says. “It adds a touch of humanity and personality for your audience. People are less likely to spew negativity at you, or at least they’ll think twice about it.”

The worst thing you can do? Nothing at all, Thomas adds. Even if you have little or no online reputation now, eventually you will — and you’ll want to be on top of it.

“My best advice is don’t be afraid to put yourself out there,” says Thomas. “The conversation is going to happen with or without you, and you’d much rather be a part of it.”

Dan Tynan is a writer based in Wilmington, N.C.

www.crs.com | 1 1

Trends | Today and tomorrow

rising tide Well-educated CRSs can be a life preserver for clients considering buying property in flood-prone areas.

More than 5.5 million people have flood insurance policies in more than 21,000 communities across the United States.

Source: National Flood Insurance Program

12 | May/June 2013

n Metairie, La., Tom French, CRS, of RE/MAX Real Estate Partners, learned a lot about flooded property in May 1995 when, over a period of two days, rainfall totaled 10 to 20 inches and caused more than $3.1 billion in damage.

But nothing could prepare him for Hurricane Katrina, one of the most deadly and costly natural disasters in U.S. history, which struck a decade later.

“Flooding is usually such a traumatic experience for people,” he says. “Katrina just turned our world upside down, and we still talk in terms of pre- and post-Katrina and what we’ve gone through.”

Changing weather patterns are having direct impact on the floodplains across the nation. With so many recent flooding disasters, including Superstorm Sandy in October 2012, REALTORS® must take

I

notice. Agents might think homeowners insurance is sufficient to cover their clients’ needs or that buyers can easily pick up a flood policy if it’s needed. But it’s not as simple as that. Understanding flood maps and insurance requirements can go a long way toward saving clients money, headaches and heartache.

In the Zone In Louisiana, floodplain maps used to change over decades, but they are revised every few years now, French says. “There have been two or three changes since Katrina, which is something we weren’t used to.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has published nearly 100,000 Flood Insurance Rate Maps across the United States to determine risk areas.

Monkey Business Images/Veer

By Rebecca Scherr

Data from river flow, storm tides, hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, and rainfall and topographical surveys are used to create these maps. In high-risk areas, labeled A or V, there’s at least a 1 in 4 chance of flooding over a 30-year period. Moderate- to low-risk areas, labeled B, C or X, have received one-third of disaster assistance for flooding. And undetermined-risk areas, labeled D, show that a flood-hazard analysis has not been done, but a flood risk exists.

Diane Cadogan Hughes, CRS, broker associate with The Higgins Group REALTORS® of Bedford and Lexington, Mass., says her area has been redefined with the new FEMA maps since Katrina, too. But she’s the first to admit that interpreting flood maps isn’t her expertise. She suggests that CRSs do what she has done: “Develop an alliance with a good insurance agent who has access to that information and who you can call. Just like you need good relationships with a mortgage broker and an attorney, put that insurance agent on your list of people.”

Insurance agents will explain that most homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flood damage. Flood insurance depends on the mortgage company and the area’s risk level.

For example, federally regulated or insured lenders require home and business owners to buy flood insurance in high-risk areas. In a moderate- to low-risk area, flood insurance isn’t required by law, but it’s recommended for all property owners and renters.

Under Cover Even if lenders don’t require flood insurance, it’s wise for buyers across the United States to consider it if there’s a possibility of flooding. “The rates are much, much lower if it’s not required,” French says.

And, if the property doesn’t have flood coverage, he suggests REALTORS® immediately get a quote to prepare the buyer for the cost.

French says that after Katrina, he and other CRSs in his area have made a habit of making flood insurance a topic of conversation with sellers. He asks several questions: First, do they have it? If so, do they have a current survey that shows the property’s elevation? Also, what is the cost, and is it transferrable? “Most of the policies are assumable [or can be transferred], and at this point they are much cheaper than having to get a new policy because the flood elevation maps have changed,” he says.

When a seller already has flood insurance, Hughes cautions her clients that the premium isn’t always consistent. She says buyers shouldn’t assume that the seller’s premium is going to be theirs if they take over the insurance.

But transferrable flood insurance can help a listing stand out. REALTORS® now often include that information in the MLS, French says. “If you have two houses that are equal, but one has flood insurance of $500 a year compared with the other one that’s going to be $5,000, in such a tight market on financing, they’re going to go with the one that has the documents,” he says.

French writes into his contracts that the seller will transfer the flood elevation certificate, survey and flood insurance when they are available. And a listing agent should ask for copies of these documents when taking the listing, he says.

Still, Hughes says she has had buyers immediately walk away from a house once they find out it has flood insurance due to the extra costs, risks and possible complications to the sale. But she works

Federal Help In July 2012, President Barack Obama signed a five-year reauthorization of a program that ensures comprehensive coverage for 5.6 million home and business owners for insurance that isn’t available in the private market. The Federal Emergency Management Administration manages the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), created as a result of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968.

In addition to providing flood insurance, NFIP, which extends through September 2017, makes significant reforms to eliminate debt and rate subsidies. It also works to improve floodplain management with experts who will review and set standards.

For more information, visit www.realtor.org/topics/flood-insurance.

FLOOD FACTS 1. Floods are the leading natural disaster in the United States.

2. Floods can occur in all 50 states.

3. Just an inch of water can cause extensive damage.

4. New land development can increase flood risk.

5. Twenty percent of flood insurance claims come from moderate- to lowrisk areas.

Source: FloodSmart.gov

with her network of insurance agents to help put her clients’ minds at ease. “A buyer can get a better deal on a property because now they are assuming this risk and actually not have high payments if they talk to a good insurance agent who can maybe get them, for example, a higher deductible,” she says.

After the Flood In Massachusetts, Hughes emphasizes that it’s important to get an accurate history of the property. Home inspectors will likely be able to verify flooded houses that have been renovated. But keep an eye out for houses said to have had mold remediation that was just a little scrubbing of the gutted house’s studs with Clorox, French says. Ask for the repair or remediation documentation from a professional company.

“We’ve been through floods; we’ve been through hurricanes,” French says. “For the first six months after the disaster, buyers are very aware of it. A year later, all those flooded houses have been renovated. Buyers’ memories are short. And those renovated houses once again start selling.”

Rebecca Scherr is a writer and editor based in Washington, D.C.

www.crs.com | 1 3

Pipeline | Strategies to grow your business

direct connection

By Michael Fenner

The national CRS network is a big asset to all members, but local chapter involvement brings the organization home.

14 | May/June 2013

et involved.” This familiar bit of advice — whether it refers to high-school activities, political causes, local civic organizations or professional associations — reminds us that human connections matter. People who engage with their peers in a meaningful way tend to be happier and more successful.

The dedicated members of the 57 CRS chapters exemplify that “get involved” spirit. By joining a local CRS chapter, REALTORS® can mine even greater value from their CRS Designation or general membership. The national CRS network is a big asset to all members, but local chapter involvement brings the organization home.

Chapters present members with a host of networking opportunities where they can create meaningful, long-term relation-

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ships with their peers — the best agents in the business. They not only share ideas and best practices with one another, they build a valuable referral network while doing it.

“I have developed lifelong friendships across the country through my chapter involvement,” says Cathy Armstrong, CRS, a member of the Tennessee chapter. “The past eight years have been a real learning experience and I cherish every minute.”

Each chapter produces a newsletter to keep members up to date on local happenings and CRS news. As sponsors of CRS courses, chapters help deliver the top real estate education in the world, taught by some of the most experienced and talented instructors — often at reduced rates for members and Designees. While attending courses or chapter events, agents learn from their peers about what works — and what doesn’t — in their local area.

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CRS chapters bring the Council home to members and offer important opportunities for leadership.

Chapters and CRS Week Chapters also give back to the community through the humanitarian “Chapter with a Heart” program. Their donations benefit a host of charities, including Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics and the American Cancer Society, among many others.

Training Tomorrow’s Leaders The goal of building healthier, more successful chapters for tomorrow begins with Chapter Leadership Training today. The CRS Chapter Leadership Spotlight Initiative includes a series of webinars, articles, training sessions and blogs featuring members of chapter leadership and CRS regional vice presidents. Featured webinar speakers have included Tom Hormel, CRS, on REALTOR® apps; Brian Copeland, CRS, on crowdsourcing for your business plan; and Leigh Brown, CRS, on systems for profitability. Also in the works is an article featuring Rich Bradford, CRS, and Joanne Fraser, CRS, on the topic of disaster relief and how the chapters helped residents recover after Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina.

The Leadership Spotlight program helps promote chapter leadership to CRS

members, offers an incentive for nonchapter members to volunteer, and provides a valuable recruitment tool for chapter leadership and regional vice presidents.

Volunteers who join the ranks of chapter leadership also receive coaching and mentoring from Council staff liaisons and regional vice presidents; ongoing training at national business meetings and events; dedicated chapter networking meetings and luncheons at national business meetings; free resource materials (promotional, training, presentations, speeches, press releases, ad slicks, etc.); increased networking and referral opportunities; and more.

The annual Chapter Leadership Training Program prepares incoming chapter presidents and officers for the challenges and demands of their leadership positions so they have the confidence they need to do the job well. The event provides incoming CRS leaders with an opportunity to prepare for the responsibilities and roles they will assume as chapter executives.

Rachel Tristano, the Council’s director of chapter and regional programs, says the program provides a comprehensive training

Chapter Leadership Training…

In Their Own Words “The leadership training provided such a wonderful opportunity for us to get to know each other in an atmosphere of relaxation. It was good to share ideas openly with high levels of positive and creative energy.”

—Emelyn Morris-Sayre, CRS; Your Castle Real Estate; Lakewood, Colo.

“This training was outstanding. It was also a great opportunity to cultivate relationships between chapter leaders.”

—Bob de Camara, CRS; Prudential Mountain Properties; Boone, N.C. “I really enjoyed my first leadership training and I feel a lot more confident now. I know that I can do a good job and that I’ll have support from the entire Council as well as other chapters.”

—Michelle Rosenkoff, CRS; RE/MAX Real Estate, LTD.; Lavallette, N.J.

“The training is very valuable and important to the level of professionalism and commitment to CRS. Very fitting with the concerns and challenges we face today.”

—Janelle Pfeiger, CRS; RE/MAX Properties, Inc.; Anchorage, Alaska “Being relatively new to CRS leadership, I found that the ‘Nuts and Bolts’ presentation was an essential component. The training was very important and I took away a lot of applicable knowledge.”

—Tracey Rancifer, CRS; Ausum Realty; Little Rock, Ark. “The training was excellent and very informative with great website presentations. Invaluable. Unbelievable.

Exceptional.”

—Jody Korman, CRS; RE/MAX Commonwealth; Richmond, Va.

CRS chapters are gearing up to participate in CRS Week, which will take place the week of June 24, 2013. This event is designed to provide an opportunity for agents not familiar with CRS to get a taste of the programs that the Council and its chapters offer, including four free webinars on hotbutton topics. (See additional information on p. 42 and at www.crs.com/crs-week).

Chapters will help promote the program to agents in their areas to increase awareness of CRS education and the Designation. They will also hold local CRS awareness events, such as open houses, that will help the Council attract new members. Contact your local chapter for details on how to get involved.

experience for attendees. “While our chapter leadership already has strong leadership skills, we needed a more focused approach that emphasized basic chapter operations, strategic planning and leadership development,” Tristano explains. “Instead of having an outside speaker teach only leadership training skills, the program is facilitated

by CRS members who have experience as chapter presidents and regional vice presidents for the Council. They teach from that perspective.”

The program has benefited chapter leaders of all levels of experience. “Chapter presidents have a road map and a better understanding of their job and how to do it,” says Joanne Fraser, CRS, with Coldwell Banker in Los Altos, Calif., past president of the Northern California CRS chapter and a 2013 regional vice president.

“As a president-elect, the program was extremely helpful with finding ideas and solutions to assist me in moving into my role as the 2013 president of the Indiana chapter,” says Carolyn Kelly, CRS, with Coldwell Banker Troy Helman in Terre Haute, Ind. “I found the experts doing the presentation were exceptional, and the small-group sessions gave us more exposure to what other chapters are doing to grow CRS,” she says.

For more information about getting involved with your local chapter, visit www. crs.com/about-us/chapters/find-a-chapter.

Michael Fenner is editor in chief of The Residential Specialist.

www.crs.com | 1 5

Up Close | Profiles of people to watch

rob birkeland,

CRS

Larson Group Real Estate, Crosslake, Minn.

REALTOR® since: 1997 CRS since: 2012 Contact: 218.692.6920; Rob@Larson GroupReal Estate.com

You work in a resort market. What makes yours unique?

Our market operates like a season. Our season basically starts in March or April, depending when the snow melts and the ice comes off the lake, and it goes until October or November. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, it’s very slow. And after the first of the year, we start setting our goals and building up to the spring market.

The range of homes we sell varies greatly. We have million-dollar estates. For these people, we find them the land and they build out the estate. It may take years before they put it all together, and then [the properties] stay in their families for a long time. Then again, we also sell $18,000 storage buildings, so it’s really interesting how our market works.

How has your market changed over the past few years?

It’s been difficult for a lot of our clients. Homes have lost 30 to 40 percent of their value since the peak, and they are starting to come back now. We had one of our biggest years ever last year, and we’re starting to stabilize. Last year we sold 178 properties and just under $60 million — and there are only five of us in the Larson Group. We compete in sales totals with the companies that have 20 or 30 agents.

You have always worked in this market. How has that helped your business?

I know this area very well, and having grown up here, I was nurturing clients as a little boy and didn’t even know it. I grew up golfing, and the people who

16 | May/June 2013

I met through that are many of the people I have relationships with today. I do business with these people and they refer clients to me. It’s easy for me to sell the area.

I think a lot of my success also has to do with people who I’ve met through the industry, and the things I’ve learned from seeing how other REALTORS® do their business and applying those strategies to my business.

What’s the best piece of real estate–related advice you’ve received?

A golf instructor in college told me, “You need to know yourself.” That one little sentence really applies to my real estate business and my career. I know that different techniques may work for different people, but I always play to my strengths. It takes me more energy to go out with a buyer all day and show them the market, whereas for some agents it just comes natural. But one of my strengths is that I can sit down and analyze a complex situation and give clients good advice and build trust. I give my clients the service they want.

What are some of the interesting features of the properties you work with?

In a way, every property is unique because it’s so beautiful. I’ve sold homes on 10-acre estates with private lakes that can stock fish. I’ve sold islands with houses before. For those, construction in the winter can only be done when cars can drive across the ice.

We’ve sold houses with pools inside of them even though they are on a lake. A lot of times, the unique thing is that you put two or three parcels together in one transaction.

When you’re not selling homes, what do you do?

I have been a volunteer firefighter for 16 years. I wear a pager 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There have been times where I’ve had to go on medical calls with clients in my car. I believe you can be a very successful REALTOR® and give a lot of time back to your community and still have a family. When you give back not expecting a lot, you get a lot in return.

Chris Bohnhoff

How did you get started in real estate?

My first job out of college was at a local bank where I live and grew up in northern Minnesota. Banking is something my family did for generations, but it’s something I didn’t have a lot of interest in. Real estate was an opportunity. It wasn’t anything I even considered until I started working in the bank and saw how real estate worked. I met Bruce Larson, also a CRS, when I was trying to get his business at the bank, and that evolved into working for him. I started as a buyer’s specialist. Now I’m a partner. When Bruce retires, I’ll own the business.

“I believe you can be a very successful REALTOR® and give a lot of time back to your community and still have a family. When you give back not expecting a lot, you get a lot in return.”

Rob Birkeland, CRS

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UPWARD 18 | May/June 2013

BOUND

Quinn C h ov a n e c was done waiting.

Last fall, after sitting on the sidelines for more than four years hoping the economy and his financial situation would improve, the 25-year-old from Milwaukee finally felt confident enough to pursue his dream of buying his first home. Laid off from his manufacturing job in 2009 when his employer closed amid the economic downturn, Chovanec found a similar position two years later. Although he looked for homes sporadically, it wasn’t until last October that he felt financially secure enough to make a more aggressive move.

Pat Tasker, CRS, of Shorewest REALTORSŽ, in the Milwaukee suburb of Menomonee Falls, helped make his dream a reality. One of her first steps was to reassure Chovanec that the timing couldn’t be better. Interest rates had not started to creep back up yet, she explained, and there was still a good supply of entry-level housing on the local market. He was striking at the right time.

Across the country, millions of people like Chovanec who have been waiting years for the economy, their own financial fortunes and the real estate market to improve are now finally jumping back into the housing market.

This newfound confidence, triggered by such positive signs as an improving jobs market and rising stock prices, is not only sparking a housing comeback, but also helping ease worries about a category of homes that many feared might derail a recovery. These homes are known collectively as shadow inventory, which includes distressed properties, such as foreclosures that have not yet hit the market or are being held off the market by banks until economic conditions improve. They also may include homes owned by people who have been waiting to sell for the same reason.

Dmitry Kutlayev/Veer

Distressed properties are casting a smaller shadow on the market as the economy turns around. CRSs must be ready to educate their clients about the state of the market. www.crs.com | 1 9

Cape Cod, Mass. Cotton says the peak of his market was 2004 and the trough was 2008. On paper, 2012 beat 2004, with the number of listings increasing almost 7 percent from 299 in 2004 to 319 in 2012.

Average sale price increased by almost 16 percent (from $1.9 million to $2.3 million) over that same period. However, Cotton says the 2012 numbers are a little deceiving because of two factors: The activity in the market is at the very high end, which skews the average sales price, and the “fiscal cliff ” uncertainty at the end of 2012 spurred a lot of purchases in December, affecting the listing number. “We stole a lot of 2013 business in December 2012,” he says.

Change in Buyers The Great Recession didn’t leave many real estate markets untouched, and it made its mark on buyers, as well. High-end homebuyers are operating with less emotion; value is at the forefront of their purchasing decision now.

“Five years ago it was a very emotional purchase,” Cotton says. “We painted pictures of fishing with your grandchildren on the beach, and now it’s all about value.

We see people make an offer, and the seller makes a counter and the buyer moves on to the next house.”

In Chicago, Kinney sees more younger buyers — in their early 30s to mid-40s — in the luxury market, and he finds them more interested in value than his typical buyer five years ago. Many of them “made it in the software industry or the financial industry,” he says. “They view this economy as an opportunity. Our older buyers are scared to death of this economy.”

Caution in the real estate market, of course, is to be expected, especially in the luxury market. “The affluent have always been conscious of the home also being an investment,” says Brandt, “and now even more so, having gone through the downturn in the economy.”

But while the U.S. luxury consumer ruminates, international buyers pounce.

“The international market has grown in the last five years, especially at the higher end,” Moore-Moore says. “It’s true in Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York.

Even in Houston there’s a great deal of international business activity.”

Harvey has definitely seen an uptick in international buyers. “Those affluent buyers, whether they are in Asia and England, and especially Canada in the last couple years, they really see the U.S. as a safe harbor to park their investments in real estate.”

Meanwhile, in Hawaii, the international market has always been sizable, and Brandt says it’s getting bigger. She says that currently 27 percent of the luxury market is foreign, with the Japanese accounting for 70 percent of foreign dollars spent on luxury real estate.

“You’re always going to have the ‘flamboyants’ like the Russian oligarchs, but more of the wealthy want to be under the radar than [they did] before,” she says.

On the financial side, Cotton sees more buyers using mortgages in a market segment that is often all cash. He attributes that to an “inflation play” of buying a large capital asset with a low fixedrate loan. “They could pay cash if they wanted to and can eliminate the loan at any time,” he says. “Should inflation hit, they will be repaying with dollars that are cheaper.”

What They Want

High-end homebuyers are operating with less emotion; value is at the forefront of their purchasing decision now.

Another new trait of the luxury homebuyer is a low-key attitude about wealth, says Moore-Moore. Cotton thinks the rhetoric about the wealthy “1 percent” in recent years affected the psyche of the luxury homebuyer. “When [other] people were in so much pain and turmoil, they didn’t want to flaunt their wealth,” says Cotton. But when the market picked up, that attitude changed.

Moore-Moore thinks this less flashy mentality predates the downturn, however.

The bells and whistles these lower-key, slightly younger, value-seeking buyers want are, to some extent, dependent on the market, although custom and unique finishes remain universally in demand.

In Cape Cod, a view or waterfront access always tops the wish list. In Honolulu, Brandt’s buyers value security, privacy and eco-friendly upgrades, which are also top-of-mind for the Western ski-resort homebuyer, says Harvey.

In Chicago, however, Kinney says buyers aren’t going to pay more for ecofriendly finishes. “Even though they have millions of dollars, they aren’t going to go there unless they see value.”

Whether they realize it or not, those buyers are making a mark on the environment by downsizing their space. “The sweet spot in the luxury market is smaller [houses],” says Moore-Moore. Kinney sees that in the boom in high-end condos downtown; that market is up more than 30 percent from 2011 to 2012, he says.

“Overall, we’re seeing the city leading the suburbs in the recovery,” he says.

From downtown condos to beachfront vacation homes, the luxury home market is getting stronger. If the activity in the first half of 2013 is any indication, this year’s luxury market numbers might beat 2012’s in many areas. “Real estate is the best place to put your money on the planet,” says Cotton. “Always has been. People forgot the rules and we got into trouble there for a while.”

Gayle Bennett is a writer and editor based in Washington, D.C.

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CALL

BY REGINA LUDES

OF

DUTY

26 | May/June 2013

To work successfully with military clients, REALTORS® must prove their own excellence in getting the job done.

L

When an Army recruiter arrived in New Braunfels, Texas, near San Antonio, she called on Susan Kelley, CRS, with Keller Williams Realty to help her find a home in the area. “She was transferred here to help new recruits get housing set up,” Kelley recalls, “… as well as [to help] other military personnel [who were] being transferred to the area. She liked doing business with me and referred me to the individuals she was helping transfer here.”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2011 American Community Survey, there are 21.8 million veterans in the United States.

Active-duty military personnel are a transient bunch, often spending a few years in one location before the next assignment comes along, usually with only a few weeks’ notice to transfer. That means REALTORS® must be prepared to help military personnel and veterans at a moment’s notice by providing critical information about the VA loan process and data about the local market. By exhibiting their knowledge and responsiveness, agents can put themselves in a good position to serve this important market of homebuyers and sellers for years to come.

TY space-heater/Veer

A Matter of Principle When Kelley started working with military clients shortly after moving to Texas in 2006, she quickly learned that these individuals tend to operate by a different set of principles than most clients. “Veterans lead a regimented life, and they are trained to be precise,” she explains. Her advice: Be on time, be organized, ask lots of questions, give them all the facts and figures, and be up front about everything. “When a vet tells you what they are looking for, you have to listen to them. If they ask for three bedrooms, you don’t show them a house with four bedrooms,” Kelley says. “You have to work with veterans in the way they want you to work with them, not www.crs.com | 2 7

the way you want to work with them.” It might help to mirror their behavior, too.

If they call you sir or ma’am, address them the same way, Kelley says.

While a structured mindset can make it easier for military clients to determine what they want, it can sometimes work against them. When one of Kelley’s military clients sold his home to another veteran, the two nearly came to blows because they could not agree on move-in and move-out dates. “Because of their regimented lifestyles, they tend to develop a ‘It must be done this way’ mentality. Neither of them was willing to negotiate,” she says. Thanks to her negotiation skills and CRS training, Kelley was able to work out a moving schedule that met both veterans’ needs. “Sometimes, even the military is at the discretion of the moving company,” Kelley says.

VA Loans 101 Most agents agree that a basic understanding of VA loans is important when working with military buyers. According to lending institution Veterans United Home Loans, VA loans are flexible, government-backed mortgages that provide significant benefits to military

veterans and surviving spouses who might otherwise struggle to find financing for a home purchase. Because the government guarantees a portion of the loan, lenders can offer more favorable terms, such as lower interest rates, no down payment and no mortgage insurance requirement. The guarantee covers any losses a lender might incur if the buyer defaults on the loan.

But veterans are still responsible for other home purchase costs, including the earnest money deposit and the VA loan’s funding fee, which can cost several thousand dollars. “For some military buyers with limited funds, it can be a shock to realize that they still must pay these fees and other expenses,” says Mark Miller, CRS, with Keller Williams Realty in Elizabethtown, Ky., just outside of Fort Knox. The required funding fees for VA loans, which help fund the VA’s Home Loan Guaranty program, are based on the loan amount, and most buyers opt to roll it into their monthly payments, says Chris Birk, director of content and communications for Veterans United and author of The Book on VA Loans.

A VA-qualified lender can help agents really understand the VA loan process so

they can better assist military buyers, says Miller, who learned about the advantages of using these loans for home purchases during his stint as a military recruiter where he presented an overview of VA

One-third of military veterans say they do not participate in the VA Home Loan Guaranty program because they did not know about it.

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Survey of Veterans, Final Report, 2010

benefits to incoming personnel. He says that given all the available benefits, “the cost savings for military members can be significant, especially for those who have never owned a home.”

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says more than 20 million loans have been guaranteed since the Home Loan Guaranty program began in 1944,

VA Loan Usage 2007 – 2012 Year

Total VA Loans Guaranteed

Percentage Purchase Loans

Percentage Refinance Loans

2007

133,313

88.5%

11.5%

2008

179,670

79.2%

20.8%

2009

325,690

55.5%

44.5%

2010

314,011

61.3%

38.7%

2011

357,592

52.2%

47.8%

2012

539,884

37.4%

62.6%

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans United

28 | May/June 2013

and 1.76 million veterans currently receive the benefit. The VA guaranteed 540,000 loans in 2012, up 33.8 percent from 357,000 loans in 2011. “Military buyers are flocking to this loan because they often cannot meet the tougher lending requirements for conventional loans,” Birk says. Most lenders require a credit score of at least 620, compared with 750 for conventional buyers, but the maximum loan amount — $417,000 — is the same for military personnel as it is for conventional borrowers, although some county seats may have higher limits.

military veteran, he offered to waive his fee if he failed to obtain the approval for the condo,” she says.

As a veteran and a military spouse, Fives was already familiar with VA loans and used one to purchase her own home.

She says veterans are a joy to work with, but working with agents who may not understand VA loans can be a challenge.

“I have to explain to them that just because the [military buyer] client isn’t putting money down doesn’t mean they don’t have money to pay for the home,” says Fives, who invites agents to contact her lender to learn more about VA loans.

Special Requirements Agents don’t need to be experts when it comes to the VA loan program, “but they should be aware of its most important benefits and pitfalls,” Birk says. One drawback is the unconventional appraisal process, which is handled by a thirdparty appraisal firm contracted by the VA, not the lender, which can add steps to an already lengthy approval process.

“The appraiser looks at the condition of the property in terms of whether it might pose health and safety concerns to the borrower. They will call out issues such as significant paint flaking or a broken fence. And if those issues are not resolved, the loan cannot close,” Birk says.

Miller adds that with VA loans, certain requirements regarding income can delay a closing. For example, a lender would not approve a VA loan for one of Miller’s retired military clients because his retirement pay had not kicked in yet.

There are other requirements associated with VA loans. For example, new homes must be constructed by a VAcertified builder, and condos must be VAapproved before the deal can proceed.

Gerry-Lynn Fives, CRS, experienced the approval issue firsthand recently when she received an offer on a condo listing in Coronado, Calif. The military buyer planned to use a VA loan for the purchase, but the condo was not VA-approved. “The offer was accepted on the condition we get VA approval for the condo,” says Fives, a broker with Willis Allen Real Estate. The buyer’s attorney is working to get that approval. “When the buyer’s attorney learned he was representing a

Duty Calls When Kathy Torline-Nordstrom, CRS, gets a call from a military veteran who has been reassigned, she knows she must act quickly. “Once they get orders for a new assignment, their life can change in a second. Sometimes they may not know where they are going and they may only have 30 to 60 days to complete a transfer.

That’s not a lot of time when moving your family,” says Torline-Nordstrom, with ERA Herman Group Real Estate in Colorado Springs, Colo.

With four military bases nearby, Torline-Nordstrom has helped numerous active-duty personnel with their moves over the years. For sellers, she always completes a market analysis to determine what the house is worth and she explains the client’s options, such as whether to sell or rent the home, while being aware that they have a small window of time in which to get things done.

Only 2.08 percent of homes mortgaged with VA loans were in foreclosure in the fourth quarter of 2012, the lowest foreclosure rate among all loan types.

Source: Mortgage Bankers Association, February 2013

Learn More About VA Loans U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Home Loan Guaranty program: benefits.va.gov/homeloans VA Pro Network, online course referral network for REALTORS® who work with veterans: vapronetwork.com Veterans United Home Loans, VA-approved lending institution: veteransunited.com Online funding fee calculator: VAfundingfee.com The Book on VA Loans: valoanbook.com

When dealing with service members based overseas, long-distance communication and time zone differences aren’t a big problem thanks to near-ubiquitous Internet access. “I tell them I can be their ‘eyes and ears on the ground’ and preview homes for them.” So during property tours, she shoots snippets of video with her smartphone, which she sends via email along with market data and property information they can review.

“The listing agent will show the best parts of the house, but I can show them areas that the photos on the MLS do not show, such as power lines in the back of the house or the fence that’s falling apart,” she says.

Once military buyers get to town and tour several properties, they still may not be ready to make a decision. That’s not a bad thing, says Torline-Nordstrom. “I encourage them to take their time. Usually, after visiting several homes with them, I have a better idea of what they’re looking for in terms of space, number of bedrooms and baths, etc., and I can continue to look for them,” she says.

Home has special meaning for those who serve our country. Agents who provide these dedicated individuals with compassionate and professional service can position themselves for potential referral business for years to come.

Regina Ludes is the associate editor of The Residential Specialist.

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About

By Mary Ellen Collins

Time

tiero/Veer

A Day in the Life of a CRS Is there such a thing as a typical day in real estate? The unequivocal answer, CRSs say, is “no.” But that doesn’t mean they ignore planning, fly by the seat of their pants and simply react to whatever comes up. In fact, sticking to a routine actually works in their favor.

“You’ve got to have a schedule,” says Catena Armstrong, CRS, ABR, associate broker with Skye Bruce Properties in Glen Allen, Va. “You can’t just get up and say, ‘I’m going to go sell houses today.’ You have to be generating leads in order to constantly move forward. Having a routine helps keep you focused and driving toward a goal.”

Juggling clients, troubleshooting problems and looking for new business requires top-notch time management skills. We take a glimpse into the lives of four CRSs to see how they stay productive and on-task in a profession that runs on unpredictability.

30 | May/June 2013

www.crs.com | 3 1

SCOTT WENDL, CRS RE/MAX REAL ESTATE GROUP DES MOINES, IOWA REALTOR® FOR 18 YEARS Wendl gets up around 5 a.m. to respond to email and write four personal notes to clients or colleagues before his 6 a.m. daily workout at a fitness club. Afterward, he helps his wife make breakfast for the kids, ages 9, 11 and 14; gets the kids off to school; and heads to his home office to spend the morning on phone calls and paperwork.

“I’m more productive working at home without distractions, but I’m in the [RE/MAX] office most of the day on Wednesdays,” he says. “We have a staff meeting, and then a few agents will go look at new listings. That’s a great time to see what’s out there and to catch up with other agents on what they’re doing.”

Wendl typically schedules two or three lunches per week with clients or colleagues. He previews houses and runs errands in the early afternoon and does showings in the late afternoons.

“I try to be done before dark and home by 6 or 7. My goal is to have dinner with the family and to treat the business like a regular 9-to-5 job.” He

works in the evening if he’s negotiating an offer, but otherwise he tries to respect his family’s and his clients’ personal time.

“I don’t like to make business calls after 5 or 6 at night. I will text or email instead of call, and I think buyers and sellers respect that. My wife gets frustrated if I’m taking too many business calls, and my kids notice it, too.”

As for the inevitable disruptions, like phone calls about offers or contracts that require immediate attention, Wendl says, “You adapt and just make up the time somewhere else. One thing I’ve learned is that if you have time to do something, do it. If you procrastinate it will burn you because something else will come up.”

MARIA VITALE, CRS RE/MAX ALLIANCE ARVADA, COLO. REALTOR® FOR 10 YEARS A single mom of two boys, ages 5 and 8, Vitale starts her day with prayer at 7 a.m.

She walks the kids to school, arrives at her office around 9, and works straight through until 3:30.

“I have to be organized and get things done, because it’s very important to me

to pick the kids up after school.” Every morning she does paperwork, makes 10 calls and sends two notes. The calls and notes may range from updates on an offer or an inspection to a congratulatory note to someone earning their master’s degree.

She reserves early afternoons for showings and picks the kids up at 3:30. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, she then works at home while the boys play and do homework. All her focus is on family from dinnertime through bedtime, and once the kids are in bed around 8:30, she returns to email and phone calls for another two hours.

Making good use of every spare minute, Vitale also schedules showings from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays when her boys are with their father. But if a client needs to see a house when she has the kids, she takes them with her if the client says it’s OK. “My kids are troopers. My 5-year-old will actually say, ‘Mom, that house has great curb appeal.’

And once, we all rode our bikes to show a house that was in our neighborhood.”

Vitale admits that juggling work and family poses challenges. “Both my boys play ice hockey, so I’m often running to a game and then running to see a client.

I will never miss a game — never — and people understand that. In all honesty, you just have to do the best you can.”

Returning emails within 12 hours Scott Wendl, CRS

What is the one thing in your routine that you wouldn’t skip?

32 | May/June 2013

“We’re in a generation where people want information right now. If you don’t get information to them, other people will.”

My 10 calls a day Maria Vitale, CRS “It’s critical that our clients know we care and are on top of things. People want to feel good about the process and know that we’re there with them.”

TOM SLUPSKE, CRS RE/MAX ALLIANCE MAPLE GROVE, MINN. REALTOR® FOR 35 YEARS By 8 a.m. Slupske is in his home office where he devotes his attention to outgoing correspondence and reading businessrelated material.

“I try not to accept phone calls during that time, or I’m not going to get the correspondence done. My voicemail says I promise to call people back within two hours. Potential clients have more patience if they know they only have to wait a couple of hours.” He does respond to a call or email if it’s an emergency about a pending offer.

Slupske swims or works out at least three times a week around 10 a.m. or 2 p.m., depending on the day. On Wednesdays, he often takes a continuing education class or goes to a broker’s open house; and he prefers morning or late afternoon coffee appointments rather than business lunch meetings because meeting for coffee is less expensive and still allows him to accomplish the same networking goals as lunches do.

“A secondary benefit, he says, “is that coffee shops are a more intimate setting.

There’s a better chance that someone else in the coffee shop overhears your conversation and may approach you with a real estate question. To assure others in

the coffee shop identify me as a REALTOR® I always bring my laptop computer; the cover has a ‘R’ (REALTOR®) logo proudly displayed.”

He schedules showings for afternoons and listing appointments for evenings.

That’s because, “In Minnesota where we have so many hours of darkness, it’s much easier to see the features of a house in the daytime. And you can’t get the feel of a neighborhood in the dark.” Showings and listing appointments remain firm on his otherwise flexible schedule. “I try never to disrupt a showing or a listing appointment. If I receive notification of a purchase agreement, I will skip something else to fit that in.”

His evening showings end by 8, and he goes home to wrap up the day by documenting everything he did so he has a record of all communications.

“REALTORS® often compare themselves to professionals such as attorneys, yet attorneys always summarize communications with documentation they can later refer to and use when necessary.

Most REALTORS® don’t. [I have learned that] those who are the best prepared are the most believable. Those with the best notes win.”

Making a point every day to reach out to a past client Catena Armstrong, CRS

My morning correspondence Tom Slupske, CRS “I find it difficult to not do the correspondence because that’s the time to reach out to former clients and new prospects. ...

Without prospecting, I may not have new business.”

“Part of my daily routine is either sending out an email, postcard, making a phone call or scheduling a lunch with a past client. I even connect with past clients via Facebook and Pinterest. Taking time each day to connect with a past client helps keep me in their thoughts.”

CATENA ARMSTRONG, CRS SKYE BRUCE PROPERTIES GLEN ALLEN, VA. REALTOR® FOR 13 YEARS Armstrong starts the day at 6 a.m. and, after checking email, she drives her 14-year-old son to school and tries to get to the gym for an 8 a.m. body pump, spin or yoga class. She’s back at her home office around 9, where she spends an hour on paperwork, emails and Internet leads, and scheduling showings for the next day.

The next hour is for making calls to keep in touch with clients and to schedule one or two lunch dates per week with clients or someone else in her sphere of influence.

“If I have a do-or-die situation with a contract or a closing, communicating with past clients and generating referrals goes by the wayside while I deal with that issue,” she says.

Armstrong has showings and listing appointments in the afternoon, but she laughs and admits, “It’s never this easy. My son plays soccer, basketball and lacrosse, and I’m always fitting his games into my schedule. That’s a big priority for me.”

She aims to get home by 6:30 or 7 p.m. to have dinner with her son and husband.

Afterward, she catches up on tasks she didn’t get done earlier in the day. Part of her success stems from learning to control her time.

“I used to not know how to say ‘no’ very well. I’ve learned not to overextend myself.

If someone I’ve been corresponding with calls and wants to go see a house immediately, I’ve learned to have more control and to schedule it for tomorrow because I need to execute what’s already planned for today. … This helps me provide a professional service instead of scrambling.”

Every day in real estate is different, and the secret to time management in that kind of unpredictable environment lies in sticking to a plan when you can, being flexible when you can’t, and moving between the two states with confidence and ease.

Mary Ellen Collins is a writer based in St. Petersburg, Fla., and is a frequent contributor to The Residential Specialist.

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Good Read | Resources in print

giving tree A wunderkind Wharton professor explains why the spirit of giving should animate every action we take on the job.

Reviewed by Allan Fallow

o standout business book is ever strictly business. Rather, it’s about the way we conduct ourselves, the way we live our “professional lives,” as we negotiate deals and transact other bits of commerce. Seen in that light, Adam Grant’s Give and Take — a manifesto urging us to share more of our energy, ideas and connections with colleagues and acquaintances — is a standout business book.

The downside? Its constant drumbeat for self-sacrifice may be a recipe for personal exhaustion.

We begin Give and Take with high hopes, as the author, an organizational psychologist, presents his thesis — that success in business hinges on “how we approach our interactions with other people.” Those hopes are soon deflated, alas, by Grant’s tendentious prose style — the man’s never met a point he doesn’t love repeating.

N

Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success

by Adam Grant Viking, 294 pages $27.95

34 | May/June 2013

The art of give and take may sound like a hallowed human tradition, but Grant thinks it’s much more. He argues it’s possibly even an entirely new science: “Over the past three decades,” he writes, “in a series of groundbreaking studies, social scientists have discovered that people differ dramatically in their preferences for reciprocity — their desired mix of taking and giving.”

He then lays out three basic transactional styles.

1) Takers, says Grant, believe business is a zero-sum game. To maximize their slice of the pie, they must minimize yours. To prove their competence, “they self-promote and make sure they get plenty of credit for their efforts.”

2) Givers, a much rarer strain of human being, extend a helping hand to others with no expectation of personal recompense. They are motivated not by what others can offer to them, but by what others need from them.

These two “reciprocity styles” are distinguished primarily by attitude: If you’re a taker, “you help others strategically, when the benefits to you outweigh

the personal costs.” If you’re a giver, by contrast, you help whenever the benefits to others exceed [your] personal costs.”

3) Matchers occupy the wide-open middle ground between takers and givers. Obligated by their sense of fairness, matchers strive to balance their giving and getting. “If you’re a matcher,” writes Grant, “you believe in tit for tat, and your relationships are governed by even exchanges of favors.”

Enlightened givers, Grant argues, tend to achieve far greater business success than matchers or takers — and they needn’t become doormats in the process.

Then and Now Grant’s take on the definition and significance of success may be a revolutionary approach. For starters, look at the radical transformation that work has undergone since the days of our grandparents, most of whom produced goods in independent jobs. For them, teamwork was something to applaud on a baseball diamond, not cultivate on a factory floor. That made being a giver relatively inefficient.

Today, by contrast, more than 4 in 5 Americans work in interconnected service jobs. We rely on teams to perform surgeries, build houses, report the news, provide consulting services and audit companies.

And teams, in turn, depend on givers to share information, to volunteer for unpopular tasks, to pitch in unprompted. With technology making our relationships and reputations not just more visible, but more transparent by the day, customers are seeking out service providers specifically for their giving ways.

“You want your key service providers to be givers,” he writes. You hope your doctor, lawyer, teacher, dentist, plumber and real estate agent will focus on contributing value to you, not on claiming value from you.”

And it’s not like givers deliberately act generously, Grant says. Almost by

accident, givers create wider, richer networks than matchers or takers. Part of this is attributable to the way the Internet has reshaped networks: With Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google baring our reputations and relationships to anyone who comes clicking, it’s now almost impossible for takers to sustainably pass themselves off as givers.

“It seems counterintuitive,” Grant quotes LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, “but the more altruistic your attitude, the more benefits you will gain from the relationship.”

And what, precisely, might those benefits be?

According to the author’s extensive review of org-psych research, individuals with deep networks get better job evaluations. They get promoted faster. And they earn more money.

Case in Point So, what are some of the fundamental takeaways of Give and Take? Try these epigrams on for size: You don’t have to be a jerk to get ahead.

Genuinely kind-hearted people can flourish in the world.

Your success needn’t come at the expense of another’s failure.

People make more accurate decisions when they choose on behalf of others.

Givers who ask questions and solicit advice from customers (and even negotiating adversaries) make better salespeople.

Even as givers work to benefit others, they often harbor ambitious goals for advancing their own interests: Whereas takers are selfish and failed givers are selfless, “successful givers are otherish.”

In his whirlwind circuit of the altruism landscape, tour guide Grant introduces us

to such classic givers as George Meyer, the Simpsons writer who habitually deflected credit for his best jokes, and an “effervescent research scientist” identified only as Annie. Her giver cred? She once withdrew a job application when she found out a friend had applied for the same post.

Finally, we witness the hard-knocks education of a naïve young advertising salesman for Harvard’s Let’s Go travel guides: At first he suffers from Pushover Syndrome, empathizing too closely with his clients and striving to meet their every need at his own expense. (Sound familiar, rookie REALTORS®?) But then he meets a colleague whose job was created by the ad revenue his predecessor brought in, and he realizes that 1) ad sales are the very mechanism enabling this young woman to attend college, and 2) his co-workers are counting on him to notch sales that will keep the entire operation afloat. Re-energized and reinvigorated, he sells enough ads to double his predecessor’s record and get promoted to director of advertising sales at age 19, with a budget of $1 million and the leeway to hire, train and inspire his own handpicked team.

If that case study feels more organic and dynamic than many others in Give and Take, it’s because the advertising phenom in question was none other than Mr. Grant himself. From his fledgling sales career as a Harvard undergraduate, he went on to become the youngest professor ever granted tenure at Wharton Business School.

Grant’s account of how he overcame the “doormat effect” appears on pages 209 to 213 of Give and Take. If that shortcut to understanding this New York Times best-seller makes me a giver too, hey, I’ll take it!

Allan Fallow is a magazine writer and book editor in Alexandria, Va. You can follow him on Twitter (of course) @TheFallow.

www.crs.com | 3 5

Referral Directory

CRS Webinars

CRS Week

p. 37

p. 41

p. 42

inside CRS F R O M

T H E

HIGHER LEARNING

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eal estate is a lifelong learning process.

Once you’ve earned your CRS Designation, your real estate education doesn’t end there. CRS offers a variety of online and classroom programs to keep agents at the top of their game. Whether you participate in a two-day classroom course, an eLearning course or a one-hour webinar, the Council provides education where, when and how you want it so you can achieve greater success.

CRS one- and two-day classroom courses are updated frequently to ensure they focus on the latest systems and techniques that apply to all aspects of your business: business planning, listing, sales, finance, investing, marketing and referral building.

Because these courses are highly interactive and emphasize the exchange of ideas among attendees, agents can quickly expand their referral network.

Even if you have already earned your

36 | May/June 2013

C O U N C I L

CRS webinars have attracted more than 25,000 participants since early 2010.

CRS Designation, attending classroom courses can broaden your knowledge of the real estate market or provide a refresher of material you’ve already learned. Two-day courses earn 16 credits toward the CRS Designation, while one-day courses earn eight credits. Continuing education credit is available for many of these courses.

Check the CRS website at www.crs. com/education for details.

Online courses are a popular and convenient option for busy agents to get information about specific topics from the comfort of their home or office. CRS online courses use a learnby-doing approach and role-playing to find solutions to the challenges that agents face on the job every day. CRS webinars offer the same convenience in a one-hour format covering some of the hottest topics in real estate, including video marketing, cloud computing, staging techniques, business planning, real estate photography, social media, referrals and team building. If you miss the live presentation, webinar recordings are available for download so you can listen at your own convenience.

New eLearning Courses CRS is committed to providing educational content that reflects industry trends, as in its newest eLearning courses: Client Negotiations: Unlocking Hearts vs. Locking Horns and Video Marketing to Enhance Your Business. Like the previous four online courses in its catalog — Creating Value for Your Clients, Putting Technology to Work for Your Clients, Keeping It Simple with Low-Cost Online Marketing, and Short Sales and Foreclosures: Protecting Your Clients’ Interests — the two new courses provide practical solutions to today’s business challenges.

In Client Negotiations: Unlocking Hearts vs. Locking Horns, agents will develop skills for identifying and addressing clients’ underlying interests.

Interest-based negotiation can help agents develop more effective client relationships throughout all phases of the transaction, from the initial client contact to post-transaction follow-up.

Through interest-based negotiation, agents can solve client problems, earn their trust and encourage repeat and referral business through increased customer satisfaction. The course

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contains real-world scenarios and exercises to help agents uncover client interests during various phases of the transaction. Sample scripts and job aids provide resources they can apply to their business to enhance their client negotiations. Course topics include: building a trusting relationship by setting client expectations up front; differentiating between positions and interests; discovering a client’s underlying interests; using interests to negotiate with both buyers and sellers; and using interests to encourage repeat and referral business. The course earns two CRS Designation credits.

The newest eLearning course, Video Marketing to Enhance Your Business, teaches agents to deliver their message via video, making it more memorable and engaging for potential clients.

Using real-world scenarios and examples, Video Marketing shows agents the specific steps they need to take to plan and implement a video marketing project. Course topics include: identifying uses for video in real estate; determining the desired type and outcome for a video project; determining whether to produce the video yourself or hire a professional videographer; distinguishing between levels of home-tour videos; optimizing descriptions and video titles; and determining if the video is achieving the desired outcome. This course earns two credits toward the CRS Designation.

All CRS online courses are available on REALTOR® University, which makes it easy for students to purchase and track their courses.

This also makes it simple for CRS members and other REALTORS® to access a wealth of additional educational offerings in a one-stop shop. By including CRS courses in the REALTOR® University catalog, the Council will continue to serve its members while making itself more relevant to the larger REALTOR® community. Go to learninglibrary.com/ realtoruniversity for details.

REFERRAL DIRECTORY UPDATE

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he Council will soon be updating data for the print edition of the 2013 Membership Referral Directory. By late May, CRS Designees can expect to receive a large envelope in the mail with a copy of their directory profile. Please review the data and make changes online at www.crs. com or call CRS Customer Service at 800.462.8841. Do not return profile revisions by mail; paper forms will no longer be accepted. All changes are due June 15, 2013.

CRS Designees can update their information online, including their mailing address, phone numbers, email addresses, website and blog addresses, and social networking sites. Log in to crs.com with your email address and password to complete the electronic form. This is the easiest and quickest

way to ensure the Council has your current information. Even if you complete the online form, you will still receive the directory package in the mail.

The directory listings are always available online at www.crs.com. If you do not want to receive the print edition of the 2014 CRS Membership Referral Directory, log in to the CRS website and follow the opt-out instructions on the electronic form. If you have questions about the directory update, call CRS Customer Service at 800.462.8841.

CRS Mourns Tina Daniel

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ouncil members and staff mourn the loss of one of their beloved instructors, Tina Daniel, CRS, Tina Daniel, CRS who passed away suddenly in early March. A highly regarded CRS instructor since 1990, she also served on several Council committees and was a member of the CRS Board of Directors.

Daniel was broker-owner of American Real Estate Service

in Searcy, Ark. She founded the Arkansas Institute of Real Estate, where she had taught real estate courses since 1982. She also taught GRI courses, was a featured speaker at state and national real estate conventions, and was a Certified Professional Standards Instructor for the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. She was honored as Arkansas REALTOR® of the Year in 1989.

For those who knew her, Tina Daniel will be remembered as a knowledgeable and entertaining teacher, a warm, loyal and generous friend, and an inspiring mentor.

www.crs.com | 3 7

CRS eLEARNING

YOUR COURSES ON YOUR TERMS

Upon completion of any CRS eLearning course, you will earn 2 to 8 credits of CRS Education toward the CRS Designation. You may also use CRS eLearning courses to earn continuing education credit in some states. Please check the CRS website at www.crs.com for up-to-date CE credit availability per state and course.

SIX COURSES TO CHOOSE FROM 2 credits

NEW VIDEO MARKETING TO ENHANCE YOUR BUSINESS

8 credits SHORT SALES AND FORECLOSURES: PROTECTING YOUR CLIENTS` INTERESTS (CRS 111)*

Plan and implement successful video marketing by identifying uses, determining desired project outcomes, differentiating self-produced vs. professionally produced, distinguishing home-tour levels, and adding on optimizing descriptions, tags and titles.

Learn how to work with buyers and sellers of distressed properties in the online version of the popular classroom course. *This course also completes the core course requirement for NAR’s SFR Certification.

8 credits CLIENT NEGOTIATIONS: UNLOCKING HEARTS VS. LOCKING HORNS

PUTTING TECHNOLOGY TO WORK FOR YOUR CLIENTS

Discover how to work more effectively by identifying and addressing your clients' underlying interests beginning with the first client contact, continuing through the transaction process, and extending into the post-transaction follow-up.

Expand your knowledge of today’s real estate technology to be better prepared to work effectively with online consumers.

8 credits

eLearning Course Pricing:

KEEP IT SIMPLE WITH LOW-COST ONLINE MARKETING

2 credits CRS Designees $30 CRS General Members $40 Everyone else $50

The economy has changed and an agent’s marketing strategies need to change as well. Discover the world of online marketing.

8 credits $125 $150 $175

8 credits CREATING VALUE FOR YOUR CLIENTS Learn how to be more valuable to your clients and maximize your income.

Register for a CRS eLearning course by visiting www.crs.com/education today.

For information on the Council of Residential Specialists and the CRS Designation, please contact Customer Service at 800.462.8841, or visit www.crs.com.

2013 NAR Conference and Expo:

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A San Francisco Treat

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he 2013 REALTORS® Conference & Expo returns to San Francisco on Nov. 8–11, 2013. Rise to new heights in your career by taking part in the biggest REALTOR® event of the year. Attendees will find:

• More than 100 expert speakers leading educational sessions about today’s hot topics; • More than 400 exhibitors under one roof;

• 22,000 REALTORS® and guests from around the country and the world; • Special events, networking meet-ups, and more.

Registration opens May 6. Visit www.realtor.org/convention.nsf for details.

NAR Tech Edge

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s the real estate market and consumer preferences evolve, REALTORS® must stay abreast of the latest technology trends that may affect their business.

NAR Tech Edge, a roving one-day technology conference hosted by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, covers cuttingedge technologies for your real estate business. Renowned industry speakers and technology experts will

present sessions on topics including mobile marketing, online reputation management, cloud computing, content strategy, social media, video, photography and much more.

The first two Tech Edge events were held in April in Fairfax, Va., and Bullhead, Ariz. For details about the conference and to register, visit www. epronar.com/nar_tech_edge.cfm. Future events will be held in the following locations:

July 24 San Francisco Aug. 7

Boca Raton, Fla.

Sept. 7 Columbus, Ohio Sept. 23 Parsippany, N.J. Oct. 9

Chicago

Oct. 18 Springfield, Mass.

www.crs.com | 3 9

CRS EDUCATION SESSIONS AT NAR MID-YEAR MEETINGS Referral Story: California Connections Pay Off

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ven CRS candidates who have not yet achieved the Designation recognize the value of CRS referrals. When CRS candidate Johnnie Atkins, with Boardwalk Properties in Long Beach, Calif., needed to find a REALTOR® to help a longtime friend sell a rental property in Jeff Dowler, CRS Solana Beach, he called on Jeff Dowler, CRS, with Solutions Real Estate in Carlsbad, Calif.

“Johnnie and I got to know each other at our quarterly educational and networking luncheons through the Southern California CRS chapter over the last several years, particularly when I was 2011 president. So I was more than just a CRS face in the database,” Dowler recalls. Atkins’ friend lives in upstate New York but wanted to sell a two-bedroom, one-and-a-half bath townhome that he owned for about eight years as a rental property, Dowler recalls. Atkins lives two hours north of the client’s property, so realistically he could not work a sale that far away.

Dowler says he and the client spoke on the phone a few times, but that most of their communication was conducted via email and using services like Docusign.

He also sent the client updates via video email. “I never met this client personally, and I had to work closely with their long-term tenants for showings until they vacated the property. After several months on the market, we got a good offer and closed on it five weeks later.”

Please join CRS for these complimentary education sessions at the Washington Hilton.

Friday, May 17, 2013 11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Exit Strategy: 5 Strategies to Help You Leave the Business Wealthy Mark Given, CRS 1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.

How to Use the Absorption Rate Lee Barrett, CRS 2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.

Referrals Are the Name of the Game in Real Estate LeRoy Houser, CRS

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Impact of Recent Tax Law Changes on High-Income Investors Chris Bird 4:05 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Video Marketing in Real Estate Mark Porter, CRS Saturday, May 18, 2013 1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.

Stand Out or Step Aside Rich Sands, CRS 2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.

The New, New Construction Opportunities for REALTORS® Michael Selvaggio, CRS

Upcoming CRS Webinars Mark your calendar for the following CRS webinars in May and June. To register, visit www.crs.com/education.

MAY 23

JUNE 12

How to Use Video to Take Over Your Local Market, with Greg Dallaire, CRS Greg Dallaire will show how video marketing has helped him increase referrals, grow his market presence and boost incoming leads over the last four years. He will also share tactics and techniques he uses that have helped him achieve more than 60,000 YouTube hits.

Land the Listing: Delivering an Unforgettable Listing Presentation on Your iPad, with Jason Pantana Have you adopted the pioneering power of the iPad to enhance your listing presentations? Jason Pantana will discuss the design and delivery aspects of various iPad apps that can be used in your next listing (or buyer) presentation.

JUNE 6

JUNE 18

Don’t Worry … Be Appy, with Jackie Leavenworth, CRS With more than 300,000 apps available just for the iPad alone, how do you know which ones work best? Jackie Leavenworth will discuss some of the best productivity apps for your business.

Systems Keep You Sane, with Chandra Hall, CRS If your to-do list is as long at the end of the day as it was in the morning, chances are you are missing key systems that could help you accomplish more, make each task easier and keep your sanity. Join Chandra Hall as she shows you how you can reclaim your life and take your real estate career to the next level. www.crs.com | 4 1

The Proven Path Podcast

Personalize, Reproduce and Mail This Newsletter to Your Clients

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42 | May/June 2013

Leave YOUR HOME as is, or personalize the newsletter by adding your photo, logo, address and phone number to the mailing panel.* You can also substitute any article in the newsletter with one of your own. Edit the newsletter electronically by downloading the Microsoft Word version at www.crs.com/ magazine/your_home_newsletter.shtml.

PLEASE NOTE: The images featured in the YOUR HOME newsletter may only be used within the PDF version of the newsletter. These images may not be reproduced or republished elsewhere outside of this newsletter format. CRS members are free to re-use the text of the articles contained in the newsletter, however.

Reproduce

Do it yourself with your office copier, or take the newsletter or electronic file (in addition to your photograph and any information you want inserted) to a printer who can prepare and reproduce the newsletter for you.

Distribute Mail. If you photocopy YOUR HOME or use it “as is,” please note that it is designed to be folded in a Z fold with the words YOUR HOME facing out on one side and the mailing panel facing out on the other side. Postal regulations require that Z folds have three closures (tabs or tape) — one on top in the center and two on the bottom. For your convenience, we have placed asterisks (*) where the closures should be. Be sure to check with your local mailer or post office to make sure you have prepared your mailings properly.

CRS Education Tip

C

RS certified instructor Robert Morris, CRS, offers this tip from the two-day course Business Planning and Marketing for the Robert Morris, CRS Residential Specialist (CRS 200). “A critical component to running an effective and profitable business is creating a budget. An effective budget is composed of three parts: personal, business operating and marketing. Budgeting is nothing more than money management: increasing income and reducing expenses.”

For more information about CRS classroom courses, eLearning and webinars, visit crs.com/education.

Electronic File. Attach the customized newsletter file to an email to your clients or create a Web link to the file on your website. Consult your webmaster or technician to make sure the file is prepared correctly for these purposes, since these basic instructions will vary by person and system. * This newsletter is for the exclusive use of CRS members.

For a complete step-by-step guide to personalizing and reproducing the YOUR HOME newsletter, visit www.crs.com/ magazine/your_home_newsletter.shtml.

✁

D

o you know any real estate professionals who have expressed interest in CRS education or membership but just haven’t taken the plunge? CRS Week, which will take place the week of June 24, 2013, might help you convince them. The event is designed to provide an opportunity for agents who are not involved or familiar with CRS to get a taste of the programs that the Council and its chapters offer, including four free webinars on hot-button topics.

Sessions include: • The Five Irrefutable Rules for Listing Success, with Rich Sands, CRS • Planning for Profit, with Chandra Hall, CRS • Call Me, Maybe?, with James Nellis, CRS • Why the Cloud Rocks, with Mark Porter, CRS If you know people who might benefit from joining the Council, now is the time to reach out to them. Invite them to register for one of the free webinars. Visit www.crs.com/crs-week for more details.

Chapters will help promote the CRS Week program to agents in their areas to increase awareness of CRS education and the Designation. They will also hold local CRS awareness events, such as open houses, that will help the Council attract new members. Contact your local chapter for details on how to get involved (www. crs.com/about-us/chapters/find-a-chapter).

In conjunction with CRS Week, the Council is offering a month-long special in June to attract new members.

REALTORS® who join the Council that month will receive a $10 discount on their first year’s dues. Also in June, former designees will be able to reinstate their designation with no additional reinstatement fee.

Edit

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CRS Week

ave you heard CRS’s Proven Path Podcast? We sit down with top residential real estate professionals for a candid discussion about their markets and the systems and strategies they use to enhance their personal and professional lives. More than 25 episodes of the downloadable audio podcast are available, and the programs cover a wide range of topics including: tax planning; the luxury market; real estate investment; social media; appraisals; helping clients through the lending process; working with clients from other cultures; and many more.

The Proven Path Podcast brings you REALTORS® who are actually being real. To listen, visit www. crs.com/search?all=Proven PathPodcast.

*

HOME

YOUR T I P S

A N D

T R E N D S

F O R

H O M E O W N E R S ,

B U Y E R S

A N D

MAY

2013

S E L L E R S

Outside Influence

S

Kitchen Lift A

re you ready for a kitchen upgrade but lacking an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink kind of budget?

Plenty of low-cost improvements can revive a kitchen without the need to rip out cabinets and rewire appliances.

Consider these tips from This Old House and HGTV. Color Splash: With a new coat of paint and some other accents, you might not even recognize your own kitchen.

Make over dark wood or white cabinets with a cool hue, such as pale sage green, or create visual impact by painting a focal point, such as your island, a bold color. A tile backsplash, graphic prints and new hardware are also inexpensive ways to add personality. Consider a new and easy-to-clean linoleum floor in a shade such as Red Amaranth.

See the Light: A kitchen needs light to be functional, of course, but oversized task lights can also improve the vibe and tie other details together. Track or recessed lighting can be pricey, so look for pendants that can go above a kitchen island and mirror the style of hardware on your faucet and cabinets. Try under-counter lighting, too.

Store More: Short on storage? Try hanging pot racks overhead. Position them close to the range and away from where you’d hit your head. Built-ins can be expensive, so look at your local hardware stores for pull-out storage kits and organizers to fit your current cabinetry.

ummertime, and the living is easy? It may not seem that way when you’re entertaining guests, but hosting friends and family doesn’t have to be stressful, especially if you choose to do it outside using these simple ideas from Martha Stewart.

Even before prime outdoor entertaining season gets under way, stay ahead of the game with built-in decorations. Brightly patterned or monogrammed dishes on the side of your house can make a fun and personal statement. A graphic-print umbrella on the patio can tie the space together. Create storage space and seating (and add another pop of color) by painting wooden chests and topping them with custom cushions made of waterproof foam and fabric.

Food and drink will probably be at the center of your gettogether. Raise the bar at your next gathering by creating a beverage station. Use a shelf made of metal or another material and brackets to affix the flat surface to the side of your house. Secure the ledge so it can be folded down out of the way when it’s not in use.

And although the weather is warm, a campfire is a great way to host a gathering when temperatures cool off at night.

Create a firepit in your yard: Start with wood framing (the kind used to edge garden beds) to construct the perimeter. Fill the confined area with sand, which will level the surface and absorb charcoal and flyaway sparks. Don’t forget the seating around the main attraction. Folding deck chairs are easy to store in the off-season.

fast fact »

»»»»»»»»»»»

Guinness World Record holder “The Big Hot Dog” weighs 7 pounds and is 16 inches long and 4 inches in diameter. The $40 dog amounts to 40 regular-sized servings.

B R O U G H T T O Y O U B Y Y O U R A G E N T, A M E M B E R O F T H E C O U N C I L O F R E S I D E N T I A L S P E C I A L I S T S

It’s Your Move

T

he days of bribing friends and family to help you move are probably long gone. But getting help isn’t necessarily any easier — finding a good, reliable moving company that

can get the job done right takes careful research. Before you hire any moving company, do a little legwork to make sure it’s legit, in your price range and offers the services you need. USA.gov, Relocation.com and ApartmentGuide. com offer the following tips.

First, find out some details about the company. Does it have an operating license? Check with your local state authority or the Department of Transportation, depending on whether it’s an in-state or interstate move. Does the company carry insurance, and what are the limits?

Also investigate the company’s track record. Check with the Better Business Bureau for complaints, and ask the company for references you can contact.

Repeat customers who do business with the company can be some of the best referrals.

DID YOU KNOW?

Say Yes to CRS

S! AL

I LO

Buying or selling a home can seem like an overwhelming task. But the right REALTOR® can make the process easier — and more profitable.

A Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), with years of experience and success, will help you make smart decisions in a fast-paced, complex and competitive marketplace.

To earn the CRS Designation, REALTORS® must demonstrate outstanding professional achievements — including high-volume sales — and pursue advanced training in areas such as finance, marketing and technology. They must also maintain membership in the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and abide by its Code of Ethics.

Work with a REALTOR® who belongs in the top 3 percent in the nation. Contact a CRS today.

REFERR VE

*

Do you know someone who is thinking about buying or selling a home?

Get estimates from several companies to compare rates, and only consider those estimates that fall within the appropriate range. Also, find out exactly what’s included in the quote (packing materials such as tape and extra boxes aren’t always included).

Low quotes could ultimately mean paying more money after the move, since some companies don’t itemize what others include in the estimate.

Be prepared for questions moving companies will ask you. What is your time frame? How far will you be moving? If you rent, do you have renter’s insurance, and what does it cover? Will you need moving insurance or packaging services? Where will the moving truck park? Are there stairs or elevators? By preparing yourself ahead of time, you can make that stressful move go a lot smoother.

June 14 is Flag Day. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson established the national holiday to commemorate the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States.

Please mention my name.

This newsletter is for informational purposes only and should not be substituted for legal or financial advice.

If you are currently working with another real estate agent or broker, it is not a solicitation for business.

*

inside CRS » » » » » » »

S E A R C H C O U R S E O F F E R I N G S B Y C I T Y A N D S TAT E AT W W W. C R S . C O M

CRS Classroom Courses CRS classroom courses earn either eight credits (for 100-level, one-day courses) or 16 credits (for 200-level, two-day courses) toward the CRS Designation.

CRS courses listed below are from May 15 to Aug. 31, 2013. For more up-todate listings, visit www.crs.com.

CRS 103 – Mastering Positive Change in Today’s World JULY 20 WALTHAM, MASS. Cruise from Boston to Bermuda Massachusetts CRS Chapter 800.725.6272 Instructor: Jackie Leavenworth, CRS

CRS 200 — Business Planning and Marketing MAY 29 – 30 MCALLEN, TEXAS Greater McAllen Association of REALTORS® 956.682.4119 Instructor: Pat Zaby, CRS

AUG. 15 – 16 HONOLULU Hawaii Aloha Chapter of CRS 808.733.7060, ext. 105 Instructor: James Nellis, CRS

CRS 201 — Listings MAY 23 – 24 MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. South Carolina CRS Chapter 803.772.5206 Instructor: Mark Given, CRS

MAY 30 – 31 MURRIETA, CALIF. Southern California CRS Chapter 760.831.0484 Instructor: Frank Serio, CRS, CRB

AUG. 22 – 23 BILLINGS, MONT.

JULY 17 LARGO, MD.

Montana CRS Chapter 406.441.4863 Instructor: Jackie Leavenworth, CRS

Women’s Council of REALTORS® 214.485.3000 Instructor: Laurie Moore-Moore

CRS 204 — Income Properties

Miami Association of REALTORS® 305.468.7050 Instructor: Laurie Moore-Moore

JUNE 4 – 5 ALBUQUERQUE New Mexico CRS Chapter 505.712.1340 Instructor: Doug Richards, CRS, CCIM

AUG. 27 – 28 EL PASO, TEXAS Greater El Paso Association of REALTORS® 915.783.6072 Instructor: Chris Bird

Red Key Realty Leaders 214.485.3000 Instructor: Laurie Moore-Moore

Iowa Association of REALTORS® 800.532.1515, ext. 1 Instructor: James Nellis, CRS

JULY 18 LARGO, MD.

JUNE 10 – 11 LEAWOOD, KAN. Missouri CRS Chapter 573.368.9334 Instructor: Pat Zaby, CRS

JULY 18 – 19 MALVERN, PA. Suburban West REALTORS® Association 866.495.7972 Instructor: Ed Hatch, CRS, CRB

Women’s Council of REALTORS® 214.485.3000 Instructor: Laurie Moore-Moore

AUG. 23 DANIA BEACH, FLA.

JUNE 25 – 26 BROOKSVILLE, FLA. Hernando County Association of REALTORS® 352.799.1971 Instructor: Mark Porter, CRS

Miami Association of REALTORS® 305.468.7050 Instructor: Laurie Moore-Moore Negotiations: The Games People Play

AUG. 26 – 27 TULSA, OKLA.

JULY 24 WALTHAM, MASS.

Greater Tulsa Association of REALTORS® 918.663.7500 Instructor: Rich Sands, CRS

Cruise from Boston to Bermuda Massachusetts CRS Chapter 800.725.6272 Instructor: Jackie Leavenworth, CRS

CRS 210 — Referrals

Social Fusion

JULY 11 – 12 FRESNO, CALIF. Fresno Association of REALTORS® 559.490.6400 Instructor: Lee Barrett, CRS

Elective courses vary in length and credits earned toward the CRS Designation. Please visit the CRS website for details.

Oklahoma CRS Chapter 405.354.6233 Instructor: Jackie Leavenworth, CRS

Miami Association of REALTORS® 214.485.3000 Instructor: Laurie Moore-Moore

JUNE 5 – 6 CLIVE, IOWA

Elective Courses

JUNE 18 – 19 OKLAHOMA CITY

MAY 17 MIAMI

JUNE 14 ST. LOUIS

Colorado CRS Chapter 303.521.7188 Instructor: Rich Sands, CRS Idaho CRS Chapter 208.239.0355 Instructor: Michael Selvaggio, CRS, CCIM

Rich Buyer, Rich Seller, Part 2: A Luxury Marketing Idea Blitz

CRS 206 — Technology

JUNE 10 – 11 VAIL, COLO.

JUNE 13 – 14 COEUR D’ALENE, IDAHO

AUG. 22 DANIA BEACH, FLA.

Rich Buyer, Rich Seller, Part 1: Positioning and Branding Yourself as a Luxury Market Expert

MAY 16 MIAMI ®

Miami Association of REALTORS 214.485.3000 Instructor: Laurie Moore-Moore

AUG. 14 KAHULUI, HAWAII Hawaii Aloha Chapter of CRS 808.733.7060, ext. 105 Instructor: James Nellis, CRS The Little EXTRAS … In EXTRAordinary Customer Service

JUNE 6 TINTON FALLS, N.J. Monmouth County Association of REALTORS® 732.918.1340 Instructor: Ed Hatch, CRS, CRB

JULY 10 BOISE, IDAHO Keller Williams Realty Boise 208.283.2996 Instructor: Ed Hatch, CRS, CRB

JUNE 13 ST. LOUIS Red Key Realty Leaders 214.485.3000 Instructor: Laurie Moore-Moore

Note: Instructors listed on all courses are subject to change.

www.crs.com | 4 5

OVER 25 HOURS of AUDIO HEAR WHAT YOU MISSED 12 SESSIONS 12 WORKSHOPS 2 MEGAPANELS

Download the complete MP3 audio library onto your computer or listen to it directly from our site on your media player.

AUDIO LIBRARY PRICING $10 CRS Designees $20 CRS Members $50 Non Members To purchase these audio files, visit

www.crs.com RESOURCES • May/June 2013

The

residential Specia li s t

Higher End Jack Cotton, CRS, Sotheby’s International Realty, jack@jackcotton. com

Tom Slupske, CRS, RE/MAX Alliance, tom.slupske@results.net Catena Armstrong, CRS, Skye Bruce Properties, catena@skyebruce.com

Myra Brandt, CRS, Kahala Associates, Myra@Brandts.com

Upward Bound

George Harvey, CRS, The Harvey Team, George@TheHarveyTeam.net

Pat Tasker, CRS, Shorewest REALTORS®, ptasker@shorewest.com

Jim Kinney, CRS, Baird and Warner, jim.kinney@bairdwarner.com

Jean Groesbeck, CRS, Coldwell Banker Bain, JeanGroesbeck@cbbain.com

About Time

Brandy Coffey, CRS, Keller Williams Luxury Homes International, brandycoffey941@gmail.com

Scott Wendl, CRS, RE/MAX Real Estate Group, scottwendl@dsmhomes.com Maria Vitale, CRS, RE/MAX Alliance, maria@mariasdenverhomes.com

46 | May/June 2013

Call of Duty Susan Kelley, CRS, Keller Williams Realty, susantkelley@kw.com Mark Miller, CRS, Keller Williams Realty, markmillerteam@kw.com Gerry-Lynn Fives, CRS, Willis Allen Real Estate, justgl@coronadobeach.com Kathy Torline-Nordstrom, CRS, ERA Herman Group Real Estate, ktorline@ msn.com

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Cell: 954-770-8083

Nancy Wright, ABR, CRS, GRI

Fax:

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Lance Jason CRS, GRI, e-Pro, SRES Phone: 561-290-9866 lance@lancejason.com Serving the real estate needs of the baby boomer community

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Ask a CRS | Advice from the country’s top Certified Residential Specialists

local influence Q U ESTIO N : Are you a member of your local CRS chapter? What value does your membership give you?

IN O U R EXPERIEN C E ...

JOINING the Massachusetts CRS chapter is the best thing I’ve done in my real estate career.

I’ve met so many wonderful people, learned so much, and the referrals have been excellent. Participating on the Board of Directors was extremely worthwhile, and I encourage everyone to get involved with their local chapter.

Marilyn Messenger, CRS

LOCAL chapters are so important.

As a member of the Indiana CRS chapter and the 2013 president, I receive so many benefits from my membership, including education classes, events and networking. You need to be involved to get the most benefits.

I BELONG to the Northern California CRS chapter. We have quarterly networking/training days, and I make a point to attend as many as I can. These sessions help us to get personally acquainted, which facilitates effective referrals with even stronger confidence.

Carolyn R. Kelly, CRS

Walter Philipp, CRS

Coldwell Banker Troy Helman

Century 21 Select Real Estate

Terre Haute, Ind.

Cameron Park, Calif.

Carolyn@carolynrkelly.com

waltphil@att.net

Andrew Mitchell & Company Concord, Mass.

marilynmessenger@realtor.com

»»»»»

Please submit real estate questions for “Ask a CRS” to Mike Fenner at mfenner@crs.com.

48 | May/June 2013

HAVE A PROFESSIONAL GROWTH SPURT

CRSWEEK *OWFTU *O :PVS (SFBUFTU "TTFU The best real estate practitioners in the business take their careers seriously.

They know that, to be successful, they must continually hone their skills and learn leading-edge strategies that will keep them at the top of their game.

The countdown has begun for CRS Week, June 24-28, 2013. Sample a variety of education sessions and activities from the Council and share the news with your non-CRS colleagues. During this week-long program, visit CRS Chapters for events, open houses and participate in workshops and community-service days. Also, enjoy complimentary webinars and special vendor promotions. Take time to view, download and customize CRS Designation and promotion materials to send out to clients and non-CRS colleagues. Help spread the word that the Council of Residential Specialists is one of the best investments you can make – for yourself, your business and your clients.

)*()-*()54 t Complimentary Webinars t CRS Chapter Events t Designation Promo Materials t Special Vendor Promotions t Follow on Twitter #CRSWEEK

-&"3/ .03& #: 7*4*5*/( 888 $34 $0.