The Residential Specialist, September/October 2024
industry forward
After being looked down upon for years, more agents are starting to take on side jobs for a host of reasons.
By Scott Mason
Customer relationship management systems (CRMs) are extremely valuable and allow agents to easily handle client outreach.
By Regina Ludes
Automated valuation models (AVMs) can help agents showcase their market knowledge and pricing expertise for homebuyers and sellers.
By Michelle Huffman
Transaction management systems offer agents a customizable way to keep up with the many steps of a real estate deal.
By Scott Mason
Cover art:
Andriy Onufriyenko/ Moment via Getty Images
A Little Something on the Side
Valuation Evals
Stay on Track
4 Aerial View
Tricia Nekota, CRS, RRC President
6 Real Talk Recap: How to start your own real estate podcast.
Market Pulse
8 Personal Perspective: Cherice Clark, CRS, Clark Premier Realty Group, Bowie, Maryland
9 A Proper Introduction: Team leaders must put careful thought and planning into introducing new technology.
By Scott Mason
12 New Reality: Augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) technologies offer agents innovative ways to do business.
By Meredith Landry
16 Smart Living: Craft an incident response plan in case of a data breach.
Data Dive
Insights from industry data.
Specialized Knowledge
36 Council Classroom: Recapping RRC’s 2024 Virtual Summit: Mastering Marketing.
38 Marketing Matters: Spice up your marketing calendar with these fall-themed content ideas.
Designation Nation
40 Your Own Council: RRC news and updates.
42 Ask a CRS: Advice from the country’s top agents.
44 Find a CRS: Expand your network.
46 Balancing Act: Tips for becoming a better public speaker.
48 CRS Cares: Sharing an RRC member’s contributions to their community.
EDITOR
Cheré LaRose
clarose@crs.com
800.462.8841
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Amelia Garza apgarza@crs.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Michelle Huffman
Meredith Landry
Regina Ludes
Scott Mason
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Tricia Nekota, CRS
President-Elect
Vivian Macias, CRS
First Vice President
Teresa Pitt, CRS
Immediate
Past President
Holli Woodward, CRS
Members
Debra Beagle, CRS
Ellis Gardner, CRS
Mark Gordon, CRS
Bryan Hughes
Tonya Thomsen, CRS
Chief Executive Officer
Jeff Hornberger
Staff Liaison
Patricia Stodolny PUBLICATION
Publishing
Scott
Art
Advertising Inquiries
312.321.4410
bd@crs.com
The Residential Specialist is published for Certified Residential Specialists, general members and subscribers by the Residential Real Estate Council.
The magazine’s mission is: To be a superior educational resource for CRS Designees and members, providing the information and tools they need to be exceptionally successful in buying and selling residential real estate.
The Residential Specialist is published bimonthly by the Residential Real Estate Council, 430 North Michigan Ave., Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60611-4092. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL, and additional mailing offices. Change of address? Email requests to crshelp@crs.com, call Customer Service at 800.462.8841 or mail to RRC at the above address.
The Residential Specialist (USPS0021-699, ISSN 1539-7572) is distributed to members of the Council as part of their membership dues. Nonmembers may purchase subscriptions for $29.95 per year in the U.S., $44.95 in Canada and $89.95 in other international countries. All articles and paid advertising represent the opinions of the authors and advertisers, not the Council.
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COPYRIGHT 2024 by the Residential Real Estate Council. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
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Artificial intelligence (AI) further enhances clients’ experience by providing efficient services.”
RRC Shows Strength
Did you know Residential Real Estate Council (RRC) has a “conference within a conference” at NAR NXT, The REALTOR® Experience? Every year in late fall, the RRC Conference is a pivotal gathering of CRS Designees, CRS candidates and prospects beyond administrative functions like committee and Board of Directors meetings. It provides a platform for celebrating RRC’s achievements over the past year while navigating industry challenges and opportunities. Designees, members, volunteer leaders and friends of the Council gather for RRC-sponsored professional development and networking. We do what we do best—expand our skills and knowledge base while networking because #CRSMeansBusiness.
I am excited to personally invite you to join #TeamRRC for the REALTORS®
Relief Foundation’s (RRF) 5K Run. You can run, walk or cheer from the sidelines. RRF’s goal is to raise $100,000 and any size contribution closes in on this goal. Joining #TeamRRC in Boston is a “wicked smart” choice, and by supporting the RRF 5K Run, we demonstrate that we are stronger and better together!
Speaking of being “wicked smart,” in this issue, we focus on utilizing technology tools that enhance your services in the rapidly evolving real estate market. Guiding clients through the real estate process has never been more efficient and seamless, thanks to the integration of advanced technology. Isn’t it wonderful to have a suite of digital tools at our disposal to enhance our clients’ experience? One key innovation is digital mapping and virtual tours. This allows our clients to explore properties in 360-degree detail from the comfort of their own homes before scheduling an appointment. This saves time and helps clients narrow their choices, ensuring their physical visits are focused and productive. Another essential tool in the modern real estate toolkit is the mortgage calculator. I love utilizing these online calculators; they help me quickly estimate monthly payments, understand different loan options and assess what my clients can afford based on their financial situation. By integrating mortgage calculators into your websites or apps, you can empower clients with the information they need to make informed decisions about their financing options. Lastly, artificial intelligence (AI) further enhances clients’ experience by providing efficient services. AI-powered chatbots, for example, can answer client questions or inquiries instantly. Furthermore, AI can streamline administrative tasks, which allows us to focus more on building relationships and offering personalized advice. And I know this is important to us all! By leveraging various technology tools, we can offer a more responsive, tailored and insightful service, ultimately guiding our clients through the complex process of buying or selling a property with greater ease and confidence. And don’t forget to register for RRC’s Virtual Summit in October on AI!
FUTURE-READY REAL ESTATE
MAXIMIZING SUCCESS WITH AI TOOLS & STRATEGIES
OCTOBER 10, 2024 • 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM CT
*Subject to change.
Join host MATTHEW RATHBUN, CRS and dive deep into the world of A.I. Discover how it can revolutionize your marketing approach, enhance productivity, and address your most pressing industry questions.
TOPICS INCLUDE:
• AI-Driven Marketing Strategies
• Boosting Productivity with AI
• Interactive Q&A Session
• Revolutionizing Real Estate with AI
• Practical Applications of AI in Real Estate
• And more!
Harness the power of AI to become a more efficient, innovative, and successful agent.
BOOK NOW to secure your spot! MEMBERS ALWAYS SAVE on registration!
Craig Grant Burton Kelso
Your Podcast Journey Starts Now
Leigh Brown, CRS, host of “Crazy Sh!t in Real Estate” podcast
Access the entire archive of “Real Estate Real Talk” episodes at www.CRS.com/ resources/realestate-real-talk
Thinking about starting your own residential real estate podcast?
Podcast experts Leigh Brown, CRS, and Marki Lemons Ryhal, CRS, provide real estate agents with expert tips, essential equipment and practical advice to kick-start your podcasting journey and effectively engage your audience.
What types of content/subject matter should agents consider discussing on their podcasts?
Brown: Anything they’re asked about regularly. An episode can be a way to create a relaxed FAQ, a market insider resource—anything at all. If you’re interested in a topic but not an expert, you can still create a podcast as the interviewer—if you can attract good guests.
Marki Lemons Ryhal, CRS, host of “Social Selling Made Simple” podcast
How did you first decide to start podcasting?
Lemons Ryhal: I decided to start podcasting after being a guest on someone else’s podcast. I knew what I wanted but didn’t know how to obtain it. I wanted audio and video content, email content, a blog post and photo quotes. I was already repurposing all of my video content. I decided to hire Pursuing Results (after being on one of their produced podcasts) because I wanted more than just a podcast; I wanted my video content to be repurposed into 20-plus different forms to leverage visibility on multiple platforms.
What tools are necessary to ensure a quality product?
Lemons Ryhal: You need a great microphone to ensure you have a quality podcast. I often rely on a Yeti microphone or my Sennheiser over-the-head mic because I’m animated and frequently turn my head. I need a mic that follows my mouth. Also, you need a well-insulated room free from audio distractions. My home office is in the center of my house; you will not hear any noise from passing cars or the garbage truck on garbage pickup days.
How can agents publish and promote their podcasts?
Brown: My best advice is to record 6–10 episodes before launching since you’re going to get too busy to record at some point. Once you have a few episodes in the can, you can run your business without subverting the expectations of listeners. And always ask guests to cross-promote to their audiences and keep the conversation interesting!
PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE
Cherice Clark, CRS, enjoys watching her children play sports when she’s not selling homes.
PAGE 8
Market Pulse
TRENDING HEADLINES AND IDEAS
NEW TECH
Real estate agents should carefully plan and research before introducing new technology offerings in their businesses.
PAGE 9
AR/VR
Augmented and virtual reality have numerous applications for agents who want to stand out in the market.
PAGE 12
SMART LIVING
Cybersecurity should always be top of mind for real estate agents who regularly work with sensitive data.
PAGE 16
Cherice Clark, CRS
Clark Premier Realty Group, Bowie, Maryland
How did you first get involved with real estate?
I’m huge on real estate education as a way to ensure my clients are making informed decisions.”
I started in an administrative role in the property management department at a small boutique real estate firm in Georgetown. I was impressed with everything I saw there and decided to take the class and get my license. I was licensed in 2002 and have enjoyed the journey ever since.
When did you get your CRS Designation?
years because the date conflicted with family birthday celebrations, so I was excited when the date was changed, and I definitely won’t miss another one.
Are you involved with other RRC activities?
working on setting up lunch-and-learns and happy hours across the state to strengthen our connection with other RRC members.
What is your primary client focus?
Cherice Clark, CRS, achieved the CRS Designation in 2006. She can be reached at cherice@clark premiergroup.com or 202-421-5011
It was eighteen years ago. I am passionate about real estate education, so it was a no-brainer that I needed to obtain one of the top designations in the industry. And while I obtained my designation early on in my career, I did not truly leverage all its benefits until 2018 when I began volunteering with the Maryland/D.C. leadership board. There is where I learned that Sell-a-bration® is a do-not-miss conference. This year, I was a firsttime attendee, and it was an amazing experience. I had not gone in previous
I am all in! This year I was installed as the Maryland/D.C. state president. It has been an amazing year! We just finished one of our main events, the Mid-Year Night Out. This event occurs during the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) annual legislative meetings in D.C., making it a great opportunity to connect with RRC members across the globe for a night of networking and fun.
As president this year, I aim to expand the hosting of educational classes and opportunities for our members. We just completed the Probate Certification course last month and will be offering the Divorce Certification course in September. Additionally, I’ve been
I’m huge on real estate education as a way to ensure my clients are making informed decisions. With major changes coming to the real estate industry, my focus is developing strategies to help new buyers overcome hurdles to homeownership, especially when it pertains to credit, savings and financial literacy. I partner with various nonprofit organizations in the D.C. Metro area to help buyers work through those challenges, leveraging resources like grant programs to assist with downpayment and closing costs, programs that help them understand credit so they can meet financing guidelines, and so on.
What are some other areas of community service that you are interested in?
I get energized about working with our youth. When I was in the sixth grade in Los Angeles, I was the first recipient of
the I Have a Dream Foundation Scholarship extended to my graduating class. The program offered us $1,000 per year for a 4-year program at any college. And while the scholarship was great, it was the mentorship and exposure to work and volunteer opportunities they provided from sixthgrade graduation until high school graduation. Having that experience inspired me to do something in return. Now, I partner with the Prince George’s County public school system on an apprenticeship program for high school students with an interest in real estate. I have also partnered with the Federal Housing Finance Agency to speak to their high school and college interns about entrepreneurship. My firm also partners with local non-profit organizations. We have an ongoing partnership with Phil and Syl’s Foundation, Inc. which was formed to fight hunger in our local community. We also have a partnership with Allenwood Elementary School providing education and resources to the students and parents.
A Proper Introduction
By Scott Mason
Every day, consumers read or hear about a brand-new piece of technology being brought to market. Whether software or hardware, today’s digital age breeds innovation and pressure to adopt new tools.
This technology overload can weigh heavily on business owners and team leaders, who must ensure efficient and cost-effective operations. How do residential real estate agents decide if a new technological tool suits their team? And if it does, how should they implement it?
That decision-making process must include detailed research followed by a
smooth rollout. To help agents, Joseph Newman, CRS, broker/co-owner of the Sultan Newman Group with Compass –Denver in Denver, Colorado, shares his experiences introducing new technology and provides guidance for those taking the plunge.
Balancing value
According to Newman, frequent adoption of new technology may not be the best policy. “We try not to introduce new technology too often. Ideally, we wouldn’t introduce new technology even annually,” he says.
If we’re introducing some sort of new marketing platform, I do a case study to see whether or not it actually has teeth in the real world.”
—Joseph Newman, CRS
New Tech
Introducing new systems
Part of his hesitation stems from the lack of substantial difference from platform to platform. The “shiny new thing” on the market is often not that. Many products can do almost the exact same thing and will claim to be life-changing for a brokerage. “In reality, they’re barely shiny; they simply have a different name,” he says. However, that’s not to say new tech isn’t valuable. Newman says that one of the reasons he decided to move his team to a brokerage like Compass that operates mostly online was to stay ahead of the industry curve. “Compass already has a tech-heavy system in place,” he says. “With that, updates and tweaks are rolled out as frequently as monthly.”
Establishing a system
When Newman introduces new technology to his team, he ensures he enters the process with a detailed action plan. “If we’re introducing some sort of new marketing platform, I do a case study to see whether or not it actually has teeth in the real world,” he says. He will go to the segment of his team most impacted by the change and beta test, asking the participants
MOST VALUABLE REAL ESTATE TECH TOOLS
According to the National Association of REALTORS® 2023 Technology Survey, here are the 10 most impactful* technology tools used by agents:
whether the new technology works for their needs.
He also notes that company representatives or salespeople for certain products will offer to run through a system’s applications with him and his team. But agents should take that with a grain of salt, as at the end of the day, they’re simply trying to make a sale, and they don’t know the actual day-to-day needs of the real estate operation.
Managing team expectations
Once you find a new piece of technology that works for your needs, the acceptance and adoption from team members are paramount. Newman says that if a team member pushes back, more training and explanation of the potential benefits may be necessary.
Going a step further, he may employ feedback from other teams within the brokerage to help convince wary agents. “We have many people within our brokerage, and I have good standing with many other teams,” Newman says. “If the other teams are liking it, we’ll ask them to share their pros and cons, then bring those who
aren’t fully bought into the group and say, ‘Hey, this broker likes it for this reason.’” A person may not want to hear it from him directly but rather from someone with a similar role within the organization.
Newman says he’s never faced such resistance from a team member to the
point of reprimand, but he has seen agents not fully adopt the features they don’t like. In these cases, he says most platforms are customizable and allow for tinkering to determine the best way to incorporate the entire team.
Client rollout
At the end of the day, Newman says that any new technology must benefit the clients his team serves. “I have a fully benevolent agenda,” he says. “If it doesn’t make the clients’ lives easier, I’m not even going to introduce it.”
This means that sometimes Newman will give a client different technology options for working with his team or tweaking a system or platform to make things go smoothly. “We’re in that business where every client is somewhat of a boss. I want to make sure that they’re comfortable no matter what,” he says.
Newman gravitates toward technologies that are more of a one-stop shop and have dashboards that both the client and agent can see. “Something that is often missed is connecting the process of what we’re doing as agents with what the client is actually receiving and seeing,” he says. “The more transparency that we can get within a single platform, the better off everybody’s going to be in the end.”
Once you find a new piece of technology that works for your needs, the acceptance and adoption from team members are paramount.
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New Reality
By Meredith Landry
Augmented and virtual reality in the real estate industry has been a big topic in the past, but is it really the way of the future? The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need for remote property viewing solutions. Because of this, the use of virtual and augmented reality (AR) has grown significantly in the real estate market. In fact, the virtual reality (VR) market alone in real estate is expected to reach $2.6 billion by 2025, according to a report by Goldman Sachs.
While the need for improved technology has grown, so too has the demand. According to a study by Realtor.com, listings with virtual tours receive 87% more views than those without. Additionally, the latest generation of potential buyers expects this type of tech-forward service.
“We’ve got an entire generation of people, from Millennials to Gen Z, who have
had some introduction to AR and VR and are not averse to using it in business transactions,” says Matthew Rathbun, CRS, executive vice president at Coldwell Banker Elite in Richmond, Virginia.
Are you ready?
Some real estate agents, including Fredrik Eklund from the Bravo reality series “Million Dollar Listing New York,” are embracing the new technology by taking meetings—his avatar appears on-screen,
wearing Apple’s Vision Pro headset, for instance, or reviewing 3D architectural drawings up close and personal.
But the real estate industry isn’t as up to speed, according to Rathbun.
“The real estate industry is often lagging far behind in work culture knowledge,” he says, “Agents will be the ones who lag behind in this area rather than consumers, who really want to adopt this.”
According to the National Association of REALTORS® 2023 Technology Survey, only 27% of REALTORS® reported being somewhat familiar with AR and VR, and 36% said they believe AR and VR will “probably” impact real estate.
Personally, Rathbun says he uses VR to work out at home, play ping pong and watch movies with his three daughters, who are scattered across the country.
Rathbun chooses to use Meta Quest 2 because of the lower price point. “The boxing simulator puts me on the floor in 20 minutes of a workout, and it’s also fun to connect with my kids.”
For work, Rathbun says he’s held a couple of meetings with coworkers who also have a Meta Quest headset, but those interactions have been limited.
“I’m not using it professionally a ton now, but it’s set up for that, and I think it’s 100% the future,” he says.
He predicts that one day, everyone will have a set of VR goggles at their disposal.
So, when exactly is the future in his estimation?
“I think we’re much closer to that practical use than I ever thought we would be at this point in history,” Rathbun says. “Within five years, I think
AR vs. VR: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Augmented reality and virtual reality are reality technologies that either enhance or replace a real-life environment with a simulated one.
Augmented reality (AR) augments your surroundings by adding digital elements to a live view, often by using the camera on a smartphone.
Virtual reality (VR ) is a completely immersive experience that replaces a real-life environment with a simulated one. In virtual reality, the user almost always wears an eye-covering headset and headphones to completely replace the real world with the virtual one.
The RRC Savings Center includes Office Depot with discounts and free shipping on VR headsets. Visit rrc.savingcenter. net to learn more.
we’ll see people visiting a home with VR goggles.”
Off and running
AR, on the other hand, is already here. While VR is good for remote viewing, augmented reality enhances the experience of visiting a property in person. AR allows potential buyers to visualize modifications and furnishings within a space using their smartphones or AR glasses. Applications like IKEA Place, for instance, enable users to see how furniture and decor items would look in their prospective homes, helping them make more informed decisions.
Rathbun points to other applications like iScape, which allows you to see what a home’s exterior would look like with different landscaping.
“Buyers know within six seconds of pulling up to a home if they like it or
COST OF ENTRY
While some AR and VR tools come with a hefty price tag, there are a few on the market now that are more accessible. Here are a handful of what’s popular now:
Quest 2 (Meta
A VR headset offering a wireless VR experience with a wide range of games and applications.
Cost: $299–$399
Vision Pro: An AR headset designed to allow users to enhance and integrate their everyday experiences with all of their favorite apps.
Cost: $3,499
not,” he says. “Many times, the impact of the front yard or lack of curb appeal is enough to turn someone away. But with iScape, you can use AR to imagine what it would look like with just a little bit of work.”
The integration of AR and VR in the real estate industry clearly can offer transformative benefits, from enhancing property visualization to broadening market reach. But challenges like high initial costs and technical limitations are real factors delaying the AR/VR revolution. What does Rathbun think it will take to speed things up?
“I think the market will dictate that,” he says. “When the market becomes a buyer’s market, I think you’ll see agents looking to deploy more tools to get the attention of buyers, to get buyers comfortable with the buying decision and to show more value to their sellers.”
HoloLens 2: An advanced AR headset designed for professional and enterprise use, providing a mixed-reality experience with high-resolution holograms.
Cost: $3,500
Matterport Pro2 3D Camera: A highresolution 3D camera used to create detailed virtual property tours.
Cost: $3,395 for the camera; additional subscription plans for hosting tours start at $9.99 per month.
Ricoh Theta Z1: A high-end, 360-degree camera for capturing virtual tours with high image quality.
Cost: $1,049
roOomy: An AR app that allows agents to stage homes virtually by placing 3D furniture models in property photos.
Cost: Free to download, with in-app purchases starting at approximately $4.99 per model.
Oculus
Quest 2):
Apple
Microsoft
Nepo-homebuyers Take Advantage of Generational Wealth
A recent survey from Redfin reports that a higher proportion of Gen Zers (born 1997–2012) and Millennials (born 1981–1996) will be accepting help from their families to fortify their home down payments. Saving from primary income is still the leading method used by 60% of respondents, followed by income from a second job (39%). Accepting a cash gift from family is the third most cited source for down payment funds, with 36% of respondents saying this is how they will proceed.
This marks a change from five years previous when only half as many (18%) respondents in the Millennial cohort said they’d be getting cash from family. That figure
jumped to 23% in 2023. (Gen Z was added to the survey in 2024.)
None of this is surprising considering the lack of affordable starter homes nationwide— average home prices are 40% higher than before the pandemic. People who don’t have access to help from parental coffers are being priced out of the market.
“Nepo-homebuyers have a growing advantage over first-generation homebuyers. Because housing costs have soared so much, many young adults with family money get help from Mom and Dad even when they have jobs and earn a perfectly respectable income,” says Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather.
Redfin survey question: Which of the following actions are you likely to take to help fund your down payment on your next home? Select all that apply. (Millennial and Gen Z responses)
Source: Redfin
Creating an Incident Response Plan After a Data Breach
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, an ideal time for real estate professionals to focus on safeguarding their digital assets and client information. In today’s day and age, real estate professionals handle sensitive client data, making them prime targets for cyberattacks. When a data breach occurs, a robust incident response plan (IRP) is crucial to mitigate damage and restore normal operations. Here are the top tips for creating an effective IRP tailored to your business.
Identify critical data and systems
Determine which data and systems are critical to your operations. This includes client information, transaction details and communication systems. Understanding what’s most valuable will help prioritize response efforts and protect the most sensitive information.
Assemble a response team
An effective IRP starts with a dedicated response team. This team should include:
f Incident response coordinator: Oversees the response efforts.
f IT professionals: Handles technical aspects, such as identifying and containing the breach.
f Legal advisors: Ensures compliance with data protection laws and advises on legal obligations.
f Communications specialist: Manages internal and external communications.
f Management: Makes critical decisions and allocates resources.
Regularly update and test the plan
Cyber threats evolve, and so should your IRP. Regularly review and update your plan to address new vulnerabilities and threats. Conduct periodic drills and simulations to test the effectiveness of your response procedures. This helps ensure your team can respond swiftly and effectively should a real incident strike.
Develop clear communication protocols
Effective communication is essential during a breach. Establish protocols for:
f Internal communications: Ensure team members are informed and coordinated.
f External communications: Prepare templates to notify clients, partners and stakeholders. Be transparent about the breach and the steps being taken.
f Regulatory notifications: Identify and comply with regulatory requirements for reporting data breaches.
Maintain documentation
Keep detailed records of all incidents and responses. Documentation should include the nature of the breach, steps taken to contain and mitigate it, communications and any lessons learned. This information is valuable for improving your response plan and meeting regulatory requirements.
Educate and train your team
Ensure that all team members understand their roles in the event of a breach. Provide regular training on cybersecurity best practices, including how to recognize phishing attempts and secure sensitive data. An informed team is better equipped to prevent and respond to sudden attacks.
Engage with cybersecurity experts
Consider partnering with cybersecurity experts who can provide additional support and guidance. They can help you develop and refine your IRP, conduct vulnerability assessments and respond to incidents more effectively.
Create detailed response procedures
Outline step-by-step procedures for addressing different types of incidents:
f Detection and analysis: Define how to identify and analyze a breach.
f Containment: Immediate steps to contain the breach and prevent further data loss.
f Eradication: Remove the cause of the breach from your systems.
f Recovery: Restore affected systems and verify their integrity.
f Post-incident review: Analyze the breach and response to identify lessons learned and improve future responses.
Implement strong security measures
Prevention is the best defense against data breaches. Implement robust security measures such as:
f Firewalls and antivirus software: Protect your network and devices from malicious attacks.
f Encryption: Ensure sensitive data is encrypted.
f Access controls: Restrict access to sensitive information based on roles and responsibilities.
f Regular updates: Keep all software and systems up to date with the latest security patches.
Review legal and regulatory requirements
Familiarize yourself with legal and regulatory requirements related to data breaches in your jurisdiction. Ensure your IRP complies with these requirements to avoid legal penalties and maintain trust with clients and partners.
When a data breach occurs, a robust incident response plan (IRP) is crucial to mitigate damage and restore normal operations.
Visit RRC’s Education Catalog for on-demand cybersecurity content at www.CRS.com/ education/ education-catalog
Anything that you can do that helps take the sting off of a market cycle like this [with limited inventory] should not be looked at negatively.”
—Gary Rogers, CRS
A Little A Little
Something on the side
By Scott Mason
While closing deals is the primary focus, the unpredictable nature of the market can make income fluctuations a common challenge. This reality has prompted many real estate professionals to explore side gigs as a viable solution. But why should you, as a dedicated real estate agent, consider taking on an additional role outside your primary profession? The answer lies in the multitude of benefits that a well-chosen side gig can offer, from financial stability to personal growth to enhanced marketability.
Side gigs can provide a reliable source of supplemental income, offering a financial cushion during slow markets or seasons. This extra revenue can ease the pressure of inconsistent commission checks and provide peace of mind, allowing you to focus more on delivering exceptional service to your clients. Moreover, engaging in diverse work experiences can broaden your skill set, making you more adaptable and resourceful in your real estate career. Whether it’s honing marketing skills through freelance writing, developing a keen eye for design through home staging or gaining financial acumen through part-time consulting, the skills acquired from side gigs can directly enhance your effectiveness as a real estate agent.
Additionally, side gigs can expand your professional network and increase your visibility within the community. Interacting with individuals in different industries creates opportunities for referrals and new business prospects. Furthermore, showcasing versatility and a strong work ethic can enhance your reputation among clients, positioning you as a well-rounded professional committed to continuous growth. Whether you’re looking to stabilize your income, acquire new skills or simply explore a passion, embracing a side gig could be the key to unlocking new levels of success and fulfillment in your real estate career.
SIDE
GIG IDEAS Residential real estate agents may find their skills align best with a side gig connected to the industry. Outside of the two examples noted in the feature article, here are a few related opportunities to consider:
1. Property management 3. Selling rentals age rental properties. This involves tenant relations, maintenance coordination and ensuring that properties are well-maintained.
Leverage your design skills to stage homes for sale. Creating appealing and well-organized spaces can increase a property’s marketability and value.
By helping people find apartments or homes to rent, you can become their agent of choice when they’re finally ready to buy.
4.
no shame in diversifying
Over the years, Gary Rogers, CRS, broker/ owner of RE/MAX On The Charles in Waltham, Massachusetts, says he has seen and experienced firsthand a stigma associated with agents who happen to have a side gig or second career. “There’s been a lot of discrimination against agents deemed to be ‘part-time’ because they have another gig,” he says.
With a good eye and qual ity equipment, you can capture stunning images of homes. High-quality photos are crucial for an enticing listing. help others succeed professionally.
Rogers shares that he did very well in his first year of real estate around 1990. However, the market then took a turn for the worse, requiring him to fall back on his training as a medic in the military to take a job as a paramedic while working as a real estate agent. “I would work a 16-hour day on a Monday on an ICU transfer [vehicle], get home at midnight, be back at the firehouse at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, work a 24-hour shift, and on Wednesday at 7 a.m., go home shower and be at my weekly office meeting at 9 a.m.,” Rogers says. While his effort to successfully balance both careers was outstanding (he was a top-3 producer at his brokerage every month for eight years straight), he still heard snickering regarding this arrangement. Rogers says the perception has improved over the past few years, mainly because the market is not booming as it was during the height of the pandemic. Even so, he stresses that agents should not be embarrassed if they decide to take on another gig. “Anything that you can do that helps take the sting off of a market cycle like this [with limited inventory] should not be looked at negatively,” he says.
doubling down on education
Expanding into a different field or seeing your career through a fresh lens offers enhanced knowledge and increased learning opportunities. Sally Liddicoat, CRS, associate broker and team lead with Weichert, Realtors – Rattler in Phoenix, Arizona, has taken this mindset to the next level with her side gig—becoming a real estate educator.
Liddicoat jokes that her husband is why she picked up this side gig. “He really wanted to teach, and we already knew many of the acclaimed industry instructors, so we were very inspired,” she says.
Learning from the best of the best, as Liddicoat puts it, gave her perspective on some of the less valuable education offerings out there. “There’s a big need for good instructors to teach accurate information,” she says.
Recognizing this need, Liddicoat and her husband started teaching and then opened a real estate school in 2016, educating agents who want to learn from true professionals. “I’m an entrepreneur at heart,” Liddicoat says. “I started my first business when I was 17—helping individuals and small businesses with their accounting and taxes. My husband and I have owned retail flower shops and other businesses
keeping it focused
While agents have the opportunity to explore any opportunity that may fit well with their skill set, both Liddicoat and Rogers agree that a side gig with a real estate focus may play better with peers and clients.
Rogers’ current side gig involves being an expert witness in real estaterelated court cases and lawsuits. “For the past five years, I’ve been an expert witness for E&O [Errors and Omissions] companies, and most of the cases deal with standard of care,” he says. “It’s an avenue for other agents who have a solid grasp and expertise of professional standards, experience with arbitration hearings
over the years. My entrepreneurial spirit has bled over to my husband’s, but he’s learned he has to keep up with me.”
Not only does she teach real estate classes and courses in the “traditional” way, but she and her husband have begun to offer educational cruises to spice up the experience for her students. “By the time we get to April 2025, we’ll have done nine continuing education cruises and three Cabo teaching trips, which is pretty cool,” she says. “The cruise trip we did in October 2023 had 64 Arizona licensees on board with us taking classes. We already have nearly 40 signed up for our next cruise in October. They’re like mini vacations for us.”
There’s a big need for good instructors to teach accurate information.”
— Sally Liddicoat, CRS
and are up to date on best practices and the laws.”
Rogers says that this line of business is looked upon more favorably by others than his past paramedic job. “There’s definitely more acceptance if it’s related to the industry.”
Liddicoat’s current teaching side gig directly relates to her primary job as a real estate agent, and she has sage advice for colleagues who may be looking to branch out. “You have to commit to it, and you’ve got to work,” she says. “You also have to be very careful. If your side gig doesn’t integrate into your real estate business, it will take away from it. Other streams of income are amazing. However, if it takes away from what you can accomplish and make in real estate, is it really worth it?”
Want to learn more about how CRS Designees diversify their networking “portfolios?” Catch up at www. TRSmag.com/ category/ our-members
A SYSTEM SERVICE FOR
By Regina Ludes
When she entered the real estate business nearly 40 years ago,
Joy
Carter, CRS, associate broker at Keller Williams Realty Consultants in Coral Springs, Florida, tracked her client interactions using 3x5 index cards. As her business grew, she converted to Top Producer, a platform she continues to use today that reminds her about everything from clients’ birthdays to what documents she needs for presentations. She’s also learning to use Keller Williams’ in-house system because of its potential marketing reach. Without these systems, Carter says she would feel lost and unable to complete many of her important tasks. “You’re losing too many opportunities if you don’t have a system that reminds you when to be in touch with clients, when a meeting takes place or when to follow up on special occasions,” Carter says. “It’s impossible to keep all those details in your head.”
RELATIONSHIPS
In today’s demanding real estate marketplace, a customer relationship management (CRM) system helps busy agents stay organized by giving them access to a myriad of data. Some come with automated reminders so agents know when and how to contact clients and prospects. CRMs come in all shapes and sizes, from simple notebooks and index cards to more robust technology-based systems. When integrated with other platforms, a CRM can become a powerful tool to maximize an agent’s operations and improve the service they offer clients.
A SYSTEM FOR TRACKING LISTING DETAILS
A SYSTEM FOR FOLLOWING UP WITH CLIENTS
When he first started in the business in 2013, Paul Rich, CRS, a broker-salesperson with The Brokerage in Henderson, Nevada, would keep his contacts in a notebook and then transfer the data to spreadsheets.
“It didn’t take me long to realize I would not do well in this business if I didn’t have some kind of system for follow-up,” he recalls.
Since then, he has used several different CRM software platforms. After losing client business in a slow housing market last year, he switched to Lofty (formerly Chime) so he can receive reminders to follow up with clients. The most useful feature is the client interface which tells him at a glance when the last contact took place so he can begin to reach out to them again.
Roughly half (48%) of agents report that they rarely or never use a CRM for their business.
Source: National Association of REALTORS®
Yet, of agents who use a CRM, 66% believe it’s very or somewhat impactful on their business.
One benefit of a CRM is the ability to customize it for your needs. Carter says her team notes any problems that occur with listings. “Anytime something goes wrong with a listing or closing or some information is missing, it’s noted into the CRM checklist so that it won’t happen again. The checklist may not apply to every transaction, but it’s better than forgetting to ask for the mailbox key or parking lot number in a condo sale,” Carter says.
There are more than 8,000 contacts in Carter’s CRM, including names of lenders, inspectors and other real estate agents. It also integrates well with MailChimp for her company’s email newsletter distribution.
“We have at least 240 tags for clients in the CRM, so we can pull up their profile in multiple ways, depending on what we’re looking for,” says Carter.
“Since my past clients can sometimes be ‘out of sight and out of mind,’ I’m making a point to review my data daily to ensure I have regular contact with them,” Rich says. Lofty enables him to manage his marketing campaigns and track referrals and leads more effectively. He can set up personalized automated messages so clients aren’t all getting the same canned content. As he builds his sales team, he’ll be able to collaborate with associates and track their sales activities too.
Even with the new system, Rich knows he needs to stay on top of client data. When Rich browsed through his system recently, he noticed a past client’s name was missing. “I had lost track of them since the last transaction,” Rich says. “Next thing I know, they’re listing their house for sale, and it wasn’t with me.”
The combination of automated CRMissued contact campaigns and a more consistent personal outreach plan has resulted in better ROI and increased referrals and business leads. By March of this year, Rich had already surpassed last year’s total sales. “I’m not relying solely on the CRM, but coupled with my business plan, I can stay top of mind with my clients,” Rich says.
CUSTOMIZE FOR YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS
The biggest mistake agents tend to make in their business is neglecting to follow up with clients or forgetting to stay in touch with them, says Christopher Tenggren, CRS, with Weichert REALTORS Signature Professionals in Rochelle, Illinois.
“A CRM enables agents to manage their respective time, schedule and daily tasks. It also helps them develop a business plan, budget and goals, and frankly, be organized and treat their business as a real business,” Tenggren says.
He uses a franchise-owned system developed and customized by kvCORE. The platform is provided to all Weichert agents along with training. When used to its potential, Tenggren says, agents can systematize many of their business tasks, from designing a website and managing their client communications to listing and transaction management.
The platform also has an app that can be downloaded to mobile devices so users can review data in real time while on the go. The platform connects to several
third-party marketing systems sites, social content providers and even QuickBooks.
Tenggren believes a real estate-specific platform can be especially helpful to agents. kvCORE, for example, auto brands their agents’ marketing materials, which saves them time and money and helps them systematize their business.
“A proper CRM system can help most agents be consistent, organized, productive and successful for both the near and long term.”
MOST COMMON FEATURES USED IN REAL ESTATE CRM SYSTEMS
A proper CRM system can help most agents be consistent, organized, productive and successful for both the near and long term.”
—Christopher Tenggren, CRS
Give your CRM a check-up with RRC’s webinar on evaluating your CRM. Purchase the single webinar or a webinar bundle at bit.ly/databasehealth
Source: Glorium Technologies
Valuation Evals
HOME VALUATIONS
By Michelle Huffman
Since the debut of the controversial Zestimate, online home value estimates have become an immutable part of the listing conversation.
But the best real estate agents have embraced the ubiquity of automated valuation models (AVMs)—and use their estimates to show clients the value they bring to appropriately pricing and selling a home.
“These estimates don’t intimidate me— they can even be mildly helpful,” says Scott Lewis, CRS, broker with the Scott Lewis Group at John L. Scott Real Estate in Ashland, Oregon. “But truly evaluating a home and determining its real market value requires a human touch because it’s a human who’s purchasing the home.”
AVMs estimate a home’s value with a trove of data, typically comparable home sales, home features (age, square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms), public records (tax assessments, prior sales) and market trends.
“When AVMs first became public, they were viewed as gospel by everyone,” says Carl Medford, CRS, sales agent at Keller Williams Advisors in Fremont, California. “Now that time has passed, and the real estate community as a whole has been debunking this literally for years, we are seeing fewer clients thinking these are accurate.”
So, instead of shying away from AVM estimates, many CRSs lean into them and explain how they work, show where they are typically accurate and where they aren’t, point out their limitations and use them to provide sellers with insight into how they create a listing strategy that actually sells houses. Here’s how agents can use AVMs to their advantage.
Provide estimates upfront.
Most CRSs assume their clients are already familiar with these numbers, so they come prepared to discuss what’s on sites like Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, Homes.com and Redfin. The presentation of these figures is itself a clue to their limited accuracy—they often represent a wide range of price points, particularly for homes that haven’t seen the market for some time. A home near Medford that has been off-market for years had estimates ranging from $1.155 million to $1.532 million—a variance of nearly $400,000.
Point out the limitations.
“All that any of the websites can typically see of any property is the roof,” Medford says. “They have no way of accessing the current interior to see any upgrades or property condition.”
This blind spot may or may not work in the sellers’ favor, depending on what they’ve done to their property during their tenure as homeowners, but pointing out this missing information is a good way to get sellers on board with your valuation— which includes actually looking inside the house.
ZILLOW CEO CAN’T MEET HIS OWN ZESTIMATE
Are your clients stuck on an AVM price point you know they can’t achieve? Offer them this anecdote:
Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff sold his Seattle home in 2016 for $1.05 million—a price that fell 40% below its Zestimate of $1.75 million, shown on the property’s listing page just a day later.
Jessica Olevsky, CRS, broker-owner at JPAR Stellar Living in Gaithersburg, Maryland, points out what’s not included as well as what is. For example, Zillow uses public property records that include refinances and home loans, where appraisals are typically more generous, she says. They also consider older comps, whose price points may already be nearly irrelevant in a changing market, Olevsky adds. AVMs also struggle for accuracy in areas with less uniform housing stock, where true comps are hard to find.
“If you have unique properties, which is most of the world, then those numbers are just guidelines,” says Tamara O’Connor, CRS, broker-owner at Premier Living Properties in St. Charles, Illinois.
Detail the advantages of your analysis.
An agent’s comparative market analysis (CMA), however, looks beyond market trends and home configurations, Medford says.
“A CMA takes into account property conditions, amenities, upgrades, condition of the overall neighborhood and other specifics that an AVM cannot effectively address,” he says.
Many CRSs also look at more comps than an AVM does, including active listings, under-contract and just-sold homes, as well as homes that were listed but were withdrawn or expired.
“There’s a lot we can learn from those that did not sell,” Lewis says. “Why didn’t they sell? What was the price per square foot, location, condition, views, etc., and how do those elements compare to our property?”
Olevsky will also walk sellers through her pricing process: “We do the math right in front of the client,” she says. This offers transparency that you just can’t get with the “black box” algorithms behind AVMs.
Provide examples of estimates vs. your sold prices.
Medford has carefully tracked some of his listings through the sales process—off-market, listing, under contract, sold—to see how the estimates shifted. Rarely was the AVM accurate (even after it sold), but it got closer when the home was listed, proving that even the algorithms heavily weigh local real estate agents’ listing prowess.
Highlight the advantages of local knowledge.
Algorithms may be based on local data, but there’s no experience behind that, Lewis says.
“We all have access to the same data, but it’s our local experience that gives us a distinct advantage,” he adds.
O’Connor knew this when selling her father’s home in faraway South Carolina, so she trusted a local agent’s suggested price point over her own.
“If it were that easy to price property without having that local knowledge, I would have priced it $50,000 less,” she says. “All that experience successfully pricing properties in my market doesn’t make me an expert in another.”
Remind them that there is a range.
There’s always a range of value, depending on how skilled and experienced an agent is as well as what kind of pre-listing investments homeowners are willing to make, Lewis says.
Even Zillow acknowledges that there’s a range of values, which they quietly present right below the single-number Zestimate.
“I will say to the sellers, ‘Do you think your home is going to sell for a set price like that, or do you think there’s a range based on the skill of the agent?’” Lewis says, prompting him to provide more information on how he can get homes to the higher end of his range.
“Once pricing is off the table, you can then focus on the things that differentiate you from other agents,” Medford says. “But chances are, helping them understand pricing may be all the differentiation you need to win the day.”
The nationwide median error rate for the Zestimate for on-market homes is 2.4% , while the Zestimate for off-market homes has a median error rate of 7.49 % .
The Redfin Estimate has a current median error rate of 1.98% for homes that are for sale, and 6.36% for off-market homes.
Sources: Zillow and Redfin
Ensure you and your team can price like pros. Earn RRC’s Residential Listing Certification at www.CRS.com/ education/ certificationsand-certificates/ residential-listingcertification
STAY ON Track
A typical homebuying or selling process has several phases.
First, an agent meets with a potential client to determine if there is a good fit for representation. Then, an agent will either facilitate the listing process for a seller or the home search for a buyer. Once a match is made, the process’s financial and legal transaction portion begins.
This is often a fast and furious exercise, incorporating several outside parties—mortgage lenders, home inspectors, lawyers, to name a few—coupled with numerous forms and paperwork and the need for meticulous communication and record-keeping.
Transaction management systems can help you and your team operate more efficiently and effectively.
Such is life as a residential real estate agent. As experienced professionals know all too well, this part of the process can result in confusion and errors, leading to stressed colleagues and unhappy customers.
That’s where transaction or deal management systems can assist agents tremendously. Not only do these systems help streamline all the information needed to officially close a deal, but they also allow agents to easily manage multiple deals at once, leading to significantly less anxiety, better organization and fewer piles of papers strewn about a desk. Does your brokerage utilize a transaction management system? If not, you may want to start.
Recognizing the need
Via Surmelis, CRS, broker/owner of A.V. West Real Estate in Boise, Idaho, uses a transaction management system for her business, noting it has been beyond beneficial for her and her team. “I used to lead a team of around 50 agents,” she says. “When my husband was alive, he would do all the bookwork for the business. But when he passed away, it became my job.”
Tired of having a garage full of paperwork and files, Surmelis needed a solution. “Before, agents would send me their files, and I’d have to scan them, print them and file them,” she says. This process proved incredibly inefficient and not the best use of her time as a business owner.
SkySlope
SkySlope offers comprehensive customer support for any real estate agent or team to ensure no transaction management delays, albeit at a higher price tag than some of its competitors.
Open to Close
With its user-friendly interface, Open to Close offers an easy-to-adopt platform—even for those agents who aren’t technologically savvy.
DotLoop
Acquired by Zillow in 2015, DotLoop is one of the most comprehensive and highly rated real estate software platforms on the market. It offers live dashboards for agents to have instant access to data.
Paperless Pipeline
Paperless Pipeline can handle high transaction volumes and boasts customizable workspaces for individual agents to work how they please. Pricing for this platform scales based on total transactions initiated (with an unlimited plan option).
Brokermint
Brokermint has steadily grown in popularity over the past decade. The platform now offers accounting, agent management and reporting features in addition to transaction management.
But one day, Surmelis was speaking with another broker and realized there was another way. “[The broker] said all of her transaction paperwork was automated,” she says. “I signed up for Paperless Pipeline [a transaction management platform] to make things as easy as possible for my agents.”
Reaping the benefits
Marta Paulson, CRS, an associate broker at Surmelis’ A.V. West Real Estate, says using a transaction management system has worked wonders. “It can sometimes eliminate the need for having a transaction coordinator,” she says. “The platform is your transaction coordinator once you learn how to use it. Contracts can be split out separately and then downloaded and stored. It tremendously reduces the printing, paper and files we had before.”
Paperless Pipeline, A.V. West Real Estate’s transaction management system of choice, offers additional features that can be useful for real estate teams. The platform can track and coordinate deadlines, and it offers DocuSign and zipForm capabilities to make processes easier for clients and other parties involved in a transaction.
Surmelis notes that while her agents have free reign to use the platform as they please, she still wants to oversee their actions. “I want to be able to check all the documentation to make sure it’s accurate and we’re not missing anything,” she says.
Making earnest money easy
Surmelis and Paulson have gone one step further to make their transactions smoother—direct earnest money transfers. Normally, when a buyer is required to put up earnest money during a home transaction, a check is written by the client, delivered to the seller’s brokerage,
“There can be tons of driving back and forth, plus the liability of having somebody’s check in your hand,” Paulson says. “I don’t want to carry a client’s check around or have it on my desk or in a file. I don’t want the liability of it.”
Knowing this, A.V. West Real Estate began using EMTransfer, a service that facilitates secure money transfers directly for real estate professionals and their clients. Not only does this service help agents, but it also makes things easier for the clients. “It’s convenient. Clients can go online with the secure link, fill out the necessary information, and it’s done,” Paulson says. If a deal falls through, it also makes returning the funds to the buyer quick and simple, with a direct deposit back into their bank account.
For those hesitant about the safety of this process, Surmelis says there are checkpoints to prevent mistakes or errors. “I can’t take the client’s money, and the client can’t go in and initiate a transfer unless the agent gives them a password,” she says. “The controls that are offered are great.”
While EMTransfer is encrypted and secure, Surmelis and Paulson stressed safety when dealing with large sums of money and the importance of always double-checking that you’re receiving instructions from a trusted person before making a move.
Taking the next step
While adding innovative technologies may seem daunting, transaction management systems can help you and your team operate more efficiently and effectively.
For those thinking about taking the plunge, both Surmelis and Paulson stressed one piece of advice: don’t panic. “If I can do it, you can do it,” Surmelis jokes. “I’m always here to help those who need it.”
The platform is your transaction coordinator once you learn how to use it.”
—Marta Paulson, CRS
Register for Sella-bration® 2025 at www.CRS. com/events/sella-bration-2025 to consult with exhibitors specializing in transaction management systems.
2023 NAR Technology Survey
Source: National Association of REALTORS®
PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS WHO RATE
TOOLS AS VERY IMPACTFUL TO THEIR BUSINESS
eSignature is the most impactful technology tool according to respondents, and is provided to agents through a variety of channels: Through
AVERAGE MONTHLY SPENDING ON TECHNOLOGY TOOLS
TECH TOOLS THAT HAVE GIVEN THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF QUALITY LEADS
SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS USED IN REAL ESTATE BUSINESS
For more research and reports from NAR, visit nar. realtor/researchand-statistics
51% of respondents feel technology fees charged by brokers are reasonable, while 15 % of respondents say the fees they’re charged are unreasonable.
The first sale is always selling yourself to the customer client.”
—Neal Oates, CRS
Scaling the Heights
If you missed RRC’s 2024 Virtual Summit: Mastering Marketing in Real Estate, take some time to dive in to get some top-level advice on ways to enhance your business. Longtime CRS Certified Instructor Kim Knapp, broker manager at Coldwell Banker Vanguard in Fleming Island, Florida, moderated the panel, which included CRSs from around the country.
Knapp guided the panelists in discussions on three topic areas: the power of niche marketing, creating raving fans during the sale and solidifying your connection after the sale.
Work the niche
“Niche marketing allows you to work the caliber and quality of people you want to work with, well within the fair housing requirements,” says Neal Oates, CRS. By specializing in one area of interest—which for Oates is single-family waterfront homes—an agent can exercise their passion all in a day’s work. When you work in your niche, Oates says, you have an easy “first sell.”
“The first sale is always selling yourself to the customer client, so I don’t have to sell as hard during that initial consultation, whether it’s a lister or a buyer, because they can tell how much I like their type of home,” Oates says.
When it comes to mastering that niche, Oates explains that one can accomplish that relatively quickly—in about 18 months— with three key goals: know your audience, don’t deviate from the plan and commit to being consistent for 18 months. “You can get good at identifying who your ideal client is and become an expert in your niche in a matter of weeks, as opposed to spending years trying to learn everything about everything,” he says. You want to stay with it long enough to see your expertise come to fruition.
Regularly overdelivering Knapp herself was able to weigh in on how to impress clients so much that they
wouldn’t think of using another agent. “Starting with the assumption that you are already going to do everything that’s expected,” explains Knapp, “you can create a raving fan during the sale by having a mindset of doing things above and beyond, on purpose, throughout the transaction.
“That includes anticipating what a person might need. For example, let’s say you’re with a client whose child needed special services from the public school,” she continues. “You say, ‘Seeing you are interested in this property, here’s the contact person at the elementary school, if you would like to set up a time to talk with them about your concerns or needs.’ It proves you’re listening to them, and you’ve just made something easy for them. That can make all the difference.”
Knapp also points out that this kind of attentiveness doesn’t have to add a lot to your workload. “It’s not about being 50% better at that one thing. If you can practice continually being 1% better at a lot of things over time, that effort compounds,” she says. “If you get 1% better at what you do for your customers during the transaction over the next 30 days, then 1% better the next month and the month after that, soon you’ll be indispensable.”
Lock them in
And once you’re indispensable, you’ll have a chance to solidify that connection and be someone’s go-to professional for life. “You would rather have someone say, ‘Do you know my real estate agent?’ instead of ‘This person sold me my house,’” Knapp explains. “When you follow up after a sale, and you stay in that relationship, then you remain their agent, no matter how many other people they meet in real estate.”
These were just a few highlights of the business insights offered during the Summit. Summit registrants can revisit the discussion in their RRC Learning Portal at education.crs. com/learn
Professional Prowess
RRC assembled an esteemed group of agents to participate in the Virtual Summit: Mastering Marketing in Real Estate panel. Here are the agents who shared their knowledge and expertise:
Cyndee Haydon, CRS
Sandbars to Sunsets Team of Future Home Realty Madeira Beach, Florida
Neal Oates Jr., CRS
World Renowned Real Estate Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Jorge L. Guerra, Jr., CRS Real Estate Sales Force Coral Gables, Florida
Sean Carpenter Coldwell Banker Upper Arlington, Ohio
Deanna Foerman, CRS
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty Fleming Island, Florida
Tom Yates, CRS Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty Fleming Island, Florida
Kim Knapp, CRS
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty Fleming Island, Florida
Engage potential buyers and sellers in a way that feels timely and relevant.
Fall-themed Content to Boost Your Marketing
As the leaves change and the weather cools, fall presents a wonderful opportunity to refresh your marketing strategies with seasonal content. By incorporating autumn themes into your social media, you can engage potential buyers and sellers in a way that feels timely and relevant. Here are some creative ideas to help you make the most of the fall season.
❶ Share seasonal decorating ideas
Fall is the perfect time to have fun with your home décor. Provide inspiration for fall home décor, including front porch decorations, interior styling with autumn colors and DIY projects. Use before-and-after photos, tutorials and product recommendations to make your content more engaging. Pinterest and Instagram are especially effective platforms for this type of visual content.
❷ Offer fall recipe and entertaining ideas
Connect with your audience on a personal level by sharing your favorite fall recipes or entertaining tips for the holidays. This type of content can be fun and relatable, helping to build a strong connection with your followers. Consider collaborating with local chefs, restaurants and businesses for added credibility and reach.
❸
Highlight local fall events and activities
Promote local events such as fall festivals, pumpkin patches and apple-picking spots. Schedule a post to go out each week that highlights upcoming fall-themed events. This not only provides valuable information to your audience but also positions you as an engaged community expert.
❹ Spotlight community stories
Neighborhoods are selling points. Share stories about local residents, businesses or neighborhoods that are particularly charming in the fall. This can include interviews, photo essays or featured articles. Highlighting the human elements of the community can make your content more engaging and shareable.
❺ Create virtual fall home tours
If you have listings with beautiful fall foliage or cozy interiors, create virtual tours that highlight these features. Use videos or 360-degree photos to give potential buyers a feel for the home’s atmosphere during the fall season. Share these tours on your social media channels to showcase your listings.
❻
Showcase fall home maintenance tips
Offer practical advice on preparing homes for the colder months. Topics could include cleaning gutters, winterizing outdoor spaces and energysaving tips. A quick reel shared on Instagram or TikTok on these subjects can attract homeowners looking to maintain their property value.
❼ Run fall-themed contests and giveaways
Engage your audience with contests or giveaways that tie to the season. This could be a photo contest for the best Halloween costume, pumpkin carving or decorated porch with the grand prize being a fall-themed gift basket. Promote the contest on your social media feed and stories to increase participation and visibility.
By incorporating these seasonal ideas and trends into your content strategy, you can create relevant posts that are sure to captivate your audience. This seasonal approach not only keeps your content looking and feeling fresh but also helps build a stronger connection with potential clients who appreciate the timely and local focus of your real estate expertise.
Looking for home maintenance tips to send to your customers? Download, customize and send the Your Home newsletter each month at www.CRS.com/ resources/yourhome-newsletter
Brace for Impact in November
VIRTUAL SUMMIT — ALL ABOUT AI
RRC is set to make a significant impact at the NAR NXT Conference in Boston, Massachusetts, November 6–9. CRS Designees and candidates can expect exclusive networking opportunities, including a welcome reception that showcases the strength of the CRS community. Throughout the conference, CRS expertise will be prominently featured, with numerous Designees presenting sessions on cutting-edge strategies and industry insights. The RRC booth will serve as a hub for professional development and networking. With CRS Designees historically comprising a large percentage of conference attendees, the event offers unparalleled opportunities for members to enhance their skills, expand their networks and stay ahead in the ever-evolving real estate market.
For the full RRC Conference at NAR NXT schedule and to register for the event, visit www.CRS.com/events/ rrc-nov-governance-meetings
Reserve your spot today by visiting bit.ly/AI-virtualsummit
Don’t miss the RRC Virtual Summit — Future-Ready Real Estate: Maximizing Success with AI Tools and Strategies on October 10. This three-hour event will revolutionize your real estate career. Explore AI-driven marketing strategies, boost productivity and engage in a Q&A session with industry experts. Learn how to leverage AI tools to generate leads, close deals faster and streamline operations. Featured speakers include the insightful Matthew Rathbun, CRS, bringing his unique blend of expertise and humor. This is your chance to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving real estate landscape. Register now to unlock the full potential of AI in your business!
f Matthew Rathbun, CRS
November 6-9, 2024
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
RRC CONFERENCE at NAR NXT, The REALTOR® Experience* SHAPE THE FUTURE. SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS.
IMMERSE YOURSELF IN EXCELLENCE
• Cutting-edge professional development sessions
• Inspiring Inaugural and Awards Luncheon
• Exclusive member updates
• Prime networking at the welcome reception
• Influential governance meetings
• AND MORE!
RRC Conference 2024 is free to attend, with select ticketed events.
*NAR NXT, The REALTOR® Experience: For information on registration and hotel accommodations, visit: www.narnxt.realtor
Tips for a Smooth Registration: Have your M1 member number available and select RRC as your affiliation. This ensures RRC receives a portion of your registration, helping cover costs and giving you access to the RRC hotel room block.
What tools do you find the most valuable for your real estate business?
Realtors Property Resource (RPR) has amazing reports, market stats and much more. It always makes me look like a rock star, and it’s free.
I use ChatGPT to write property descriptions. It’s great to show sellers so they can approve the marketing description of their home.
Donna Bruno, CRS, Coldwell Banker Realty, Pleasantville, New York
We use Paperless Pipeline for our brokerage transaction management and an electronic Earnest Money Transfer program. The program is paid through our brokerage, and its costs are based on the number of agents using it. We also use Tour Factory for our virtual tours and aerial photos.
Paulson, CRS, A V West Real Estate, Boise, Idaho
I use Trello to manage every aspect of my business, from transactions to signs to vendors. Without it, I would lose my mind! I pay for it myself and have an account for each team member to share boards and calendars.
Sonia Guardado, CRS, Magnolia Realty, Round Rock, Texas
Have a great story to share? Email social@crs.com or look for discussions happening online on our Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X pages.
I have used VFlyer for years. It’s a oneyear renewable subscription; each of my listings has its own website, and clients love giving their family, friends and neighbors that link. You can also choose from a selection of printout flyers.
Fran Rokicki, CRS, Fran Rokicki Realty LLC, Hartford, Connecticut
Canva costs $140 for the year and allows you to set up a brand color scheme, making it easy to create flyers, videos, signs and more.
Rita Tayenaka, CRS, Coast to Coast Real Estate, Mission Viejo, California
I like ListTrac as an easy way to give a snapshot of how many people view the house online at $9/month. I also like Offer Manager to show when there are multiple offers on a property, and it notifies buyers’ agents when you view their offer—a $5/ month add-on to ShowingTime.”
Jerry Moscowitz, CRS, RE/MAX Results, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
I love Palm Agent for net sheets. I pay for it myself. I also use ListReports, which is paid for by a lender partner.
Michelle Cecchini, CRS, Shell Realty LLC, Ormond Beach, Florida
Marta
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Irecently received two referrals from fellow CRSs, Stacie Duffy and Mary Anne Kennedy.
Stacie’s buyers were moving to Wisconsin from Denver, looking for their first home. Mary Anne’s buyers were moving here from Michigan due to a job change. Both buyers happened to purchase in Sheboygan and received accepted offers after viewing several homes. Stacie’s and Mary Anne’s insight into each of their buyer’s tastes and personalities and staying in touch with each of them throughout the process helped make the two smooth transactions. I hope to have the opportunity to reciprocate and send a referral to both Stacie and Mary Anne in the future—they were great to work with.
Peggy Wester, CRS, Next Chapter Real Estate, Belgium, Wisconsin
DENVER CO
SCAN TO REGISTER
The Residential Real Estate Divorce Specialist Certification program is designed to help agents learn the family law basics so they may be more effective when speaking with clients. It focuses on the various approaches to be taken and how to best navigate process.
CRS Designation:
Earn 4 hours of credit!
Check if this course qualifies for continuing education credit in your state.
The content was exactly what I was looking for. I loved the videos and activities. I learned so much and can’t wait to try out my new skills!
Top 10 Tips for Public Speaking for Real Estate Agents
Public speaking can be a daunting task for many, but as a real estate agent, it’s a crucial skill that can significantly impact your success. Whether presenting at a community event, speaking at a conference or simply addressing clients, effectively conveying your message is essential. Here are ten tips to help you master the art of public speaking:
1 Know your audience
Understanding who you’re speaking to is fundamental. Tailor your message to the interests and needs of your audience. For instance, when speaking to first-time homebuyers, focus on guidance and support, whereas for seasoned investors, highlight market trends and investment opportunities.
2 Prepare thoroughly
Preparation is key to confidence. Create an outline of your speaking engagement, emphasizing the main points you want to convey. Research any statistics, anecdotes or case studies that can support your message. Practice your speech multiple times until you feel comfortable.
3 Start strong
Your opening sets the tone for the rest of your presentation. Start with a powerful quote, a surprising statistic or a compelling story related to real estate. Capturing your audience’s attention from the beginning makes them more likely to stay engaged.
4 Be authentic
Authenticity builds trust. Speak from your own experiences and share personal stories that illustrate your points. Showing vulnerability and being yourself makes you more relatable and trustworthy.
5 Use visual aids
Visual aids can enhance your presentation and help your audience retain information. Use slides, charts and images to support your key points. Ensure your visuals are clear, professional and not overcrowded with information.
6 Engage with your audience
Interaction keeps your audience engaged. Ask questions, encourage participation and be responsive to feedback. Make eye contact with different sections of the audience to create a connection with them.
7 Practice good body language
Your body language speaks volumes. Stand tall, use hand gestures naturally and avoid crossing your arms or fidgeting. Move around the stage, if possible, but do so with purpose. Positive body language reinforces your message and makes you appear more confident.
8Control your pace
Pacing affects how your message is received. Speak at a moderate pace—not too fast that people can’t keep up, and not too slow that they lose interest. Pausing at key moments can emphasize important points and give your audience time to absorb information.
9 Handle nerves effectively
It’s normal to feel nervous before speaking. Practice deep breathing techniques to calm your nerves. Visualize
Seek feedback and improve
After your speech, seek feedback from trusted colleagues or audience members. Constructive criticism helps you identify areas for improvement. Continuous learning and practice will enhance your public speaking skills over time.
yourself succeeding and remind yourself of your expertise and the value you bring. Remember, the audience is there to listen to you because they value your insights.
10 End with impact
Your conclusion should be as strong as your opening. Summarize your main points and leave your audience with a clear takeaway or call to action. A memorable closing statement or a powerful story can leave a lasting impression.
Public speaking is a skill that can be developed with practice and dedication. By following these tips, real estate agents can become more effective communicators, build stronger relationships with clients and establish themselves as experts in their field.
This article was developed with the assistance of ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence language model by OpenAI, which helped synthesize information and generate content ideas.
How do you give back to your community?
Share your story and photos to social@crs.com for a chance to be featured in future issues of TRS!
REALTORS® Rally for Maui
When disaster stri kes, communities often find themselves in dire need of support and resources. In such times, the real estate industry steps up through initiatives like the REALTORS® Relief Foundation (RRF), demonstrating the power of collective action and professional solidarity.
RRF, established by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) in 2001, is a rapid response system for communities affected by natural disasters. Its primary mission is to assist victims of disasters, helping them regain stability during challenging times.
In August 2023, the devastating wildfires that swept through Maui left thousands homeless and in desperate need of aid. RRF swiftly mobilized, showcasing the real estate community’s commitment to those affected by this tragedy.
The fund’s response to the Maui wildfires was substantial. Within days of the disaster, RRF had allocated significant resources to support more than 800 homeowners and renters. The assistance provided included temporary housing support, mortgage payment assistance, and rental aid for those displaced by the fires. The RRF increased the initial grant from $1.5M to $1.9M in May 2024.
Tricia Nekota, CRS, president of the Residential Real Estate Council (RRC) from Honolulu, Hawaii, emphasizes the importance of the RRF’s work. “I was born and raised in Hawaii. The wildfires that destroyed the ancestral community of Lahaina and took the lives of 102 people affected me deeply. The REALTORS® Relief Foundation’s rapid response demonstrates
our industry’s commitment to supporting communities in their darkest hours. It’s not just about real estate; it’s about being there for our Ohana (family) when they need us most.”
The RRF’s impact on Maui extended beyond immediate financial assistance. By partnering with local REALTOR® associations and community organizations, the fund helped coordinate volunteer efforts.
This collaborative approach amplified the fund’s effectiveness, ensuring that resources were directed where they were most needed. From helping families find temporary housing to assisting with insurance claims and rebuilding efforts, real estate professionals on the ground played a crucial role in the community’s recovery.
The Maui wildfire response also highlighted the RRF’s ability to mobilize resources quickly. Through a combination of pre-existing funds and a targeted fundraising campaign, the RRF was able to provide substantial aid within two weeks.
RRF’s work in Maui serves as a powerful reminder of the real estate industry’s capacity for community support. It exemplifies how real estate professional can leverage their professional networks and expertise to make a tangible difference.
As the recovery efforts in Maui continue, RRF remains actively involved, adapting its support to meet the evolving needs of the community. This ongoing commitment underscores the fund’s dedication to longterm recovery, not just immediate relief.
The Maui wildfire response is just one example of the RRF’s impact. The fund has disbursed millions of dollars in aid across numerous disasters nationwide, including hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and wildfires.
For real estate professionals looking to get involved, supporting the REALTORS® Relief Foundation offers a direct way to contribute to disaster relief efforts. Whether through donations, volunteering or raising awareness, every contribution helps strengthen the industry’s ability to respond when communities are in need.
For more information and to donate, visit www.rrf.realtor
MEANS BUSINESS
CRS WEEK SEPTEMBER 16 - 20, 2024 | VIRTUAL
CRS WEEK exemplifies the gold standard in residential real estate, bringing together designees, RRC members, state groups, and more to... CELEBRATE . COLLABORATE . INNOVATE . Join us for a week-long celebration dedicated to honoring our CRS Designation and RRC community.
MARCH 17-19, 2025
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Sell-a-bration® isn’t just an event; it’s a catalyst for industry transformation. Join us for unrivaled networking, cutting-edge insights, and business-altering opportunities.
WHY ATTEND?
1. Thought Leadership Summit
2. Innovation Showcase
3. Strategic Networking
4. Actionable Insights
5. Professional Development
FEATURING:
• Keynote addresses by industry luminaries
• Interactive panel discussions on emerging market trends
• Hands-on tech demonstrations in our expansive Solution Center
• Exclusive networking events in iconic Nashville venues
RESERVE YOUR SPOT:
SAVE by taking advantage of EARLY BIRD registration!
