Florida 10-30-17 by Top Agent Magazine

FLORIDA EDITION

Top Agent Tips and Questions for CHOOSING YOUR LISTING AGENT If it’s Good for the Soul, IT’S GOOD FOR THE BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY KILLERS: 4 Ways to Make Better Use of Your Working Hours MODERN EMAIL ETIQUETTE for Today's Agents

FEATURED AGENTS

GINA FINSILVER NANCY PRUITT CAROLE SMITH COVER STORY

KRISTEN WEARDON

FLORIDA EDITION

NANCY PR 7

KRISTEN WEARDON

GINA FINSILVER

NANCY PRUITT

CAROLE SMITH

CONTENTS If there’s 4) TOP AGENT TIPS AND QUESTIONS FOR CHOOSING YOUR LISTING AGENT 13) IF IT'S GOOD FOR THE SOUL, IT'S GOOD FOR THE BUSINESS

one word that defines Nancy Pruitt’s relationship to her clients, it’s commitment. She is17) truly PRODUCTIVITY emotionally invested in KILLERS: helping them get the right home. “I’m very caring, and I listen 4 WAYS TO MAKE BETTER USEto what they want,” she says. “The families I help OF YOUR WORKING HOURS become my friends and neighbors.” She treats them the way she would treat her own family and sticks with them through thick and thin, regardless EMAIL of21) how MODERN many houses they have to search to find the right one. ETIQUETTE FOR TODAY'S

AGENTS

Nancy never dreamed she would become a Realtor—she got started on a dare. She was helping a friend study for the real estate exam who had failed it several times. “How can you keep failing?” Nancy remembers saying. “The material is straightPhone 888-461-3930 | Fax 310-751-7068 forward.” The friend replied, “You just don’t know mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com how hard it is. You try it!” So Nancy did. She passed, and began working inthe thepublisher. industry 2010. No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of TopinAgent Magazine is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials, Top Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed facts of supplied by its Team, authors.serving primarToday she’sorpart the Pruitt To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. ily Lake County, including Minneola, Clermont and Published in the U.S.

Groveland. In just seven years, Nancy has built a repeat and referral rate of 45 percent, largely due to

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Top Agent Tips and Questions for Choosing Your Listing Agent Now that you’ve decided to sell, it’s time to select the professional to help you market your property. Before meeting with agents, however, consider Top Agent Magazine’s tips for preparing yourself. Frist, ask yourself what kind of relationship you’d like to have with your listing agent. Are you seeking a casual, personable relationship and the latest marketing tools or are you interested in a more formal, traditional relationship and approach to marketing techniques? Next, populate your list of agents by attending open houses and asking for recommendations from recent buyers and sellers. Finally, schedule your meetings at your home, where you’ll be able to gauge the chemistry between you and each agent. During your meetings, expect any Top Agent to ask you several questions, but also consider discussing the following: 4

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Will you please describe your sales experience and local network?

Ask your Top Agent to describe recent listings and sales of homes comparable to your own. Ask about the sellers’ priorities, the original list price, market time and number of offers. Top Agents will also describe how well they are connected with other REALTORS® in the region as well as their contacts with relocation companies, local corporations and chambers of commerce. Be sure to ask about each agent’s knowledge of how your market has changed over time and what has influenced change.

You’ll learn a lot by listening to agents’ opinions.

How will you market the property? Each

Top Agent has a unique set of online or local marketing tools at his or her disposal. Some use lead-generation applications and nearly ever luxury agent take advantage of video. Even video marketing tools vary from agent-to-agent, however. You’ll get to decide if you prefer an agent with higher-end video production and 3D Matterport tours or an agent with more intimate techniques featuring walk-and-talk style video tours. What factors influence your list-price recommendation? Before an-

swering this question, most Top Agents will have several questions for you, including whether you’re more focused on a faster sale or a higher list price. They’ll also educate you on how best to balance both market time and list price relative to sales histories your area. Now that you’ve seen the home, what repairs or improvements do you recommend before listing? You’ll learn a lot by listening to agents’

opinions on your home’s sale potential with or without some improvements. Most Top Agents will also recommend a full professional inspection prior to listing to avoid surprises during buyer inspection.

How will you help with staging? Some Top Agents will pay for part or

all of the staging costs. At a minimum, however, a Top Agent will have a staging professional or two in their partner network. While they’re at it, they may provide referrals for carpet cleaning, painting, gardening and other minor finishing touches. Top Agent Magazine

What attributes of the property will you want to highlight? Each Top

Agent will have a somewhat different answer to this question, but that’s a good thing! Even if you have your own ideas about your home’s greatest attributes, you’ll glean insight into the current market by considering different agents’ opinions. In learning their views, you may even change your mind about your home’s most marketable features!

What is your approach to Open Houses? How many agent-only Open

Houses will your Top Agent want to host? How many truly Open Houses? Some Top Agents may even reveal a “swankier” approach to the Open House – such as an evening cocktail party or by-invitation “open” hours to which buyers visit along with the agent representing them.

Who will be our primary point(s) of contact from your office? This

important question will help you understand the scope of your agent’s practice. You’ll get to see if your agent runs a robust team with many hands on deck or if he or she works by close, one-on-one contact with each client. Either approach is wonderful; you get to decide what suits you. Now, let’s list! 6

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KRISTEN WEARDON 7

“I have experienced the ups and downs of the real estate market, as well as the growth of Naples to a world-class destination, making me an informed agent in today’s market and well-established in the community.”

When Kristen Weardon discusses Naples real estate, she knows what she’s talking about – from the ground up. For three generations, construction, architecture, and realty has been in her blood. Her grandfather was a Connecticut builder who would take young Kristen on jobs; her mother was a realtor who owned her own brokerage firm in Naples. “My mom would drive her clients around to houses and I’d do my homework in the back seat. I’ve watched Naples develop and grow, from when it was all construction and dirt to reconstruction and remodelling now. I joke that I could show this city in my sleep.” Kris8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

ten followed in their footsteps by becoming a licensed Realtor in 1989. Now one of the most plugged in realtors when it comes to Naples’ history and properties, Kristen is passionate about connecting her clients with the right people to meeting their real estate needs. “I want to get people what they want. One happy client brings another happy client. I love helping people, being creative and going the extra mile. It’s second nature to me and provides me with the most of my job satisfaction.” Kristen is a longtime resident of Naples, residing in Pelican Bay for the last 20 years, has been providing her many satisfied cliTop Agent Magazine

ents with premium customer service for over 27 years. “I have experienced the ups and downs of the real estate market, as well as the growth of Naples to a world-class destination, making me an informed agent in today’s market and well-established in the community,” she says. With a large number of repeat and referral clients, Kristen is clearly doing something Top Agent Magazine

right. When asked why her clients continue to return to her, she says: “For me, it’s about building relationships”. Going above and beyond at all times is another hallmark of Kristen’s, and among her credos is this: “Do more than is expected, but have no expectations.” While she may not reap immediate rewards from this philosophy, she truly believes that in the long run it results in additional business. Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

“There are many details involved in getting the sale closed,and it requires a great deal of communication with a lot of professionals to negotiate and close a good deal for my buyers and sellers.” Kristen is not only highly personable, but also very detail oriented, a trait that makes the often-complicated selling or buying process much smoother for her clients. “There are many details involved in getting the sale closed,” she says, “and it requires a great deal of communication with a lot of professionals to negotiate and close a good deal for my buyers and sellers. My role during this step is to see that all these details are Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

handled quickly and professionally on my client’s behalf.” Kristen is also a dedicated and passionate philanthropist, who has dedicated countless hours working on behalf of multiple and varied charities that include, PACE Center for Girls, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and Cancer Alliance Naples. When Top Agent Magazine

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she’s not working, Kristen enjoys spending time with her children. Her hobbies include paddle boarding and jet skiing. When asked about her plans for the future, Kristen takes a moment before expressing her version of the old adage, if it isn’t bro-

ken, don’t fix it: “I’m really happy where I am right now,” she muses. “I just want to keep doing things the way I’ve been doing them. I know that probably sounds odd to people who want to grow a giant team, but I’ve already done that. For me, it’s all about balance.”

For more information about

KRISTEN WEARDON, please call 239 - 370 - 7908 or email Kristen@KristenWeardon.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

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If it’s good for the soul,

IT’S GOOD FOR THE BUSINESS

Visibility, name recognition and knowing you’re supporting the community that makes your success possible are good reasons to take part in community service. But how is it that some people seem to be able to give time to charities while running their own businesses, managing their own families and households, exercising regularly, attending sporting events and concerts, eating well and sleeping seven or eight hours a night? The truth is, not all agents are able to do everything so easily. But more important is the fact that no one needs to do everything all of the time. The trick is to make sure that, whatever you do holds meaning. REALTORS® and mortgage professionals who seem the most gregarious in their community outreach are those whose giving seems to fill their own souls. When their Top Agent Magazine

volunteer efforts or donations directly impact causes they or their clients care deeply about, “giving back” becomes energizing. Jason O’Quinn of Prime Lending in Dallas Texas, for instance, says that his family’s ongoing work building homes for some of the poorest families in Honduras fills him immeasurably. “It rejuvenates me,” he says. “There’s quite a dichotomy between the houses we build there and the houses we finance here,” he says. “It refocuses me, going from financing $1 million homes in Dallas to physically laying cinderblock for $10,000 homes in Honduras. Everything has more meaning when we sacrificially give of our time, talent and treasure.” The longtime “big picture” for Colorado REALTOR® and property manager, Linda

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Todd, for instance, has included giving back to the community, whether serving as a lead carpenter for Habitat for Humanity, making deliveries for Meals on Wheels, or pitching in for the sake of baseball. And through her lifelong passion for baseball, she harmoniously blended her personal interests, her work and her community service. For many years, she was so involved Little League the local league named a new field after her. “I cried for 3 days after they told me that!” She and her husband also started a scholarship fund for junior college baseball players and serve as a host family for the rookie league of the Colorado Rockies, putting up newly drafted players in their home. For Florida REALTOR® and property manager, Mario Gonzalez, neither his business nor his primary community outreach would exist without the other. A retired U.S. Navy pilot, Mario formed his brokerage, Navy to Navy Homes, when he saw a need for military personnel to find affordable homes to purchase. “We got into it to help, but that led to a full-blown real estate business.” Besides providing opportunities for investment and homeownership, the company donates 35% of every commission to Homes for Heroes, veterans’ groups, or organizations benefiting fire, police, medical organizations, churches and homeless shelters. “We’re small, but we give so much back that we were the top Homes for Heroes company in Florida and

top-five nationwide.” But he does none of this for the attention. His friends may call him the “Humble Hero of Heroes,” but helping is Mario’s passion. “To be such a small business and be the top Homes for Heroes affiliate is mind boggling!” Like Mario, for many, the best service takes place in simple and quiet ways. Illinois REALTOR®, Susie Scheuber, for example, takes a humble approach to giving back. Although she donates a portion of every commission check to the Children’s Miracle Network, she doesn’t discuss this with clients unless they happen to ask. “I do it because I want to and because, to me, giving back is the right thing to do when you’ve been fortunate in business and life,” says Susie. We all know how inertia works; the more energized we get by certain behaviors, the more likely we are to continue those behaviors. For some top agents, community outreach has become such a natural routine of their daily lives that they never find it burdensome. A good way to add community service into your life, therefore, is through the causes that mean the most to you. For starters, consider giving a small donation after closing to the charity of your client’s choosing. Learning the different causes that they care about just might foster a new mission for you.

If you have a unique story to share about how your community outreach has impacted your life and your business or inspired others, click here for consideration in our magazines: www.topagentmagazine.com/nominate-a-real-estate-agent-to-be-featured 14

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GINA FINSILVER

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GINA FINSILVER Gina Finsilver literally has real estate in her blood—she’s a proud third generation realtor, following in the footsteps of her grandmother and her father. “Interior design has always been a passion of mine and I saw the potential of combining it with real estate so I went for it many years ago,” she says. She started her real estate career in 1985 and currently works as a solo agent with BEX Realty with the support of a transaction coordinator and a marketing company. She focuses her work along the A1A strip in Highland Beach where she lives. She also services nearby Boca Raton, Delray Beach and surrounding communities, helping clients to buy and sell luxury properties. A true expert in the market area she serves, Gina shows beach condos in buildings she knows inside and out. By memory she can tell clients which properties allow pets, have tennis courts, social activities and which offer prized views of the ocean. That’s incredibly important when she’s taking a client to look at multiple properties with various features and highlights. This expertise has resulted in an incredible 90% rate of repeat and referral business. Gina’s clients have such a fantastic experience with her that they’re excited to spread the word among their sphere of influence. When working with a client, Gina remains very focused. “If I have a listing or a buyer that’s looking for something specific, I really hone in until I have the task at hand completed and then I move on to the next one. I’m very attentive.” Her clients appreciate this laser-like focus on their search or sale. “I’m not satisfied until my customer is satisfied.” Gina’s style also involves a personal touch. She sends clients handwritten thank you notes and holiday cards and makes sure to contact past clients at least three times a year. To solicit listings, Gina mails out 1500 postcards a month to residents in the building where she lives and in other buildings in her farm area. “I’m very consistent. I’ve been doing it for years, so residents expect to receive a market update from me

once a month. Over the years they have become used to seeing my face and when it’s time to buy or sell they often reach out and we meet in person for the first time,” she explains. This consistency pays off. Once Gina has a new listing, she hires high quality professional photographers to photograph the listing–including drone shots–and to film a walk-through video tour she narrates herself. She has a property brochure printed, does a lot of marketing through social media, and adds the new listing to her website. This varied approach results in quick sales at high prices. Gina often stages empty listings herself or advises clients on how to show properties to their best advantage. Even after over 30 years in the business Gina continues to learn new things that will bring value to buyers and sellers. Gina is a Certified Negotiation Expert, Resort & Second Home Property Specialist and a Certified Home Stager. What does Gina like best about her work? “I love that it’s never the same,” she says. “You never know what a new day brings and the potential is endless if you are dedicated. You can be as big as you want or as small as you want.” Her son—who lives in New Smyrna Beach Florida —recently received his real estate license and Gina is excited to coach him in his new career. “I tell him the sky is the limit! There’s so much opportunity. I don’t see real estate as a sales job. I see it as helping people find the perfect property for them or to help someone sell their property. Either way I’m helping people and that is highly rewarding.” In her cherished free time, Gina loves to go to the beach. “It’s total relaxation,” she says. To stay fit she works with a trainer a few days a week and tries to fit in a hot yoga class or two. For the future, she wants to continue to expand her business and incorporate new technology to best promote her listings. With her dedication to her clients and community, she’s sure to succeed!

To find out more about Gina Finsilver, email gina@bexrealty.com or call 561 - 702 - 3115 16

Productivity Killers: 4 Ways to Make Better Use of Your Working Hours 3.Create a goal-oriented reward system

Even on the busiest of days, it can be hard not to get distracted by social media, smartphones, chatty colleagues, or personal to-do list items. So how do you keep your professional blinders on and power through your tasks with efficiency? Practice these four tips and witness your productivity skyrocket—easing stress and bringing renewed energy to your daily duties.

Coffee breaks, coworker catch-up, and social media check-ins tend to break up our workflow on an hourly basis. Instead of trying to go cold turkey on these workplace routines, reframe them as rewards. For every to-do list item you complete, allow yourself a fives minute treat, whether that’s a fresh cup of coffee or a walk around the block. Not only will creating a reward system help you stay motivated throughout the day, it will also provide you with much-needed mental breaks that actually boost long-term productivity.

1. Create a sense of peace and quiet The office may not be your idea of a tranquil oasis, but for most, focus requires quiet and calm to best lend attention to the task at hand. If you find yourself seated next to talkative coworkers or in the center of a bustling office atrium, consider noise canceling headphones, earplugs, or carving out an empty conference room for your work day. Turning the volume down creates fewer chances for disruption, allowing you to make the best use of your time.

2. Organize your workspace A messy work area breeds anxiety and distraction, but a clean and organized desk inspires efficiency. If you’ve got a busy day ahead, take fifteen minutes and organize your workspace: gather miscellaneous papers into their proper place, dispose of out-of-date or unnecessary documents, or give your keyboard a dusting. Not only does cleaning and organizing your workspace prepare you for the work ahead, it also helps you transition to a productive, goal-oriented mindset. Top Agent Magazine

4.Take your smartphone off the table The number one productivity killer in this day and age? Smartphones. With access to endless social media portals, web browsing, text conversations, and games, smartphones are one-stop shops for distractions. While you may not want to delete apps from your phone, try leaving your smartphone in a locked desk drawer until your next break, or safely in your car. By simply putting your smartphone out of your line of sight, the impulse to distract yourself is muted. Even though technology and the modern office create ample opportunity for distraction, making these few small adjustments can go a long way in safeguarding your productivity. After all, a productive day allows you to enjoy your time at home and outside the office, without the worry of incomplete tasks and looming deadlines darkening your day. Keep these productivity tricks in mind as you mount your daily to-do list and you’ll be thanking yourself tomorrow.

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NANCY PRUITT

If there’s one word that defines Nancy Pruitt’s relationship to her clients, it’s commitment. She is truly emotionally invested in helping them get the right home. “I’m very caring, and I listen to what they want,” she says. “The families I help become my friends and neighbors.” She treats them the way she would treat her own family and sticks with them through thick and thin, regardless of how many houses they have to search to find the right one. Nancy never dreamed she would become a Realtor—she got started on a dare. She was helping a friend study for the real estate exam who had failed it several times. “How can you keep failing?” Nancy remembers saying. “The material is straightforward.” The friend replied, “You just don’t know how hard it is. You try it!” So Nancy did. She passed, and began working in the industry in 2010. Today she’s part of the Pruitt Team, serving primarily Lake County, including Minneola, Clermont and Groveland. In just seven years, Nancy has built a repeat and referral rate of 45 percent, largely due to Copyright Top Agent Magazine 18

her outstanding communication skills. She calls her buyers and sellers consistently every Monday with updates or suggestions. When a client calls her, they get her, not her assistant. If she’s with someone she doesn’t answer her phone, because that’s disrespectful, but clients know that she’ll call them back immediately. And she’s honest. She won’t tell a seller, for example, that their home will fetch a certain price when it won’t. Nancy is all about care and service. Once the transaction closes, she stops by two days later to see if the buyers have questions. She stops in again six weeks later. Three months later, she calls to make sure the owners have filed for their Homestead exemption. She sends cards for birthdays, holidays and home anniversaries, never enclosing her business card so as not to hound them. After the first year, she reaches out to see if they want a home inspection while the house is still under warranty. All Nancy’s listings begin with a visit to determine if anything would cause the house not to sell, such Copyright Top Agent Magazine

as wood rot, peeling paint, a leaking roof. When everything is fixed and the house is decluttered, they go from room to room together, staging it. “I must be good at this,” Nancy laughs, “because I had three clients this year who, after I helped them fix up their home, decided they loved it and stayed!” Nancy has professional photographs taken and then markets the listing via social media, postcards, Craigslist, open houses and “good old-fashioned door knocking in the neighborhood.” Committed to her community, she currently serves as vice president of membership for the South Lake Women’s Council of Realtors. She’s passionate about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lake and Sumter Counties, for which she raised $15,000 last year. From volunteering at local schools to supporting charitable organizations like Women Veterans of America, she always gives back. To relax, she loves going to the beach with her family, reading and making creative memories. She is already taking steps to develop a mentorship program for new agents, since starting out is challenging. “You get a lot of education,” she says, “but it isn’t real life. I want to help them apply it.” At the end of the day, Nancy is honored to be the Realtor chosen to help someone find their home, honored that clients entrust her to help them with one of the biggest purchases of their life. “That surpasses any commission I could get,” she says. “I’m thankful God has allowed me to be that person.” Top Agent Magazine

For more information about Nancy Pruitt of The Pruitt Team, Olympus Executive Realty, Montverde, FL,

please visit PruittTeam.com, call 352- 552-7574 or email NancyPruitt1@gmail.com www.

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Modern Email Etiquette for Today’s Agents In today’s tech-forward culture, consumers are constantly inundated with promotional emails, alerts, invites, and social media blasts. As a real estate agent or a loan officer, how do you stand apart from the noise? What’s more, how do you stay relevant in a digital landscape that’s constantly changing? For starters, there are a few timeless techniques you can apply to up your skillset when it comes email and digital communication: asking questions that Top Agent Magazine

inspire conversation, politeness, and following up regularly—to name a few. Likewise, there are surely new tricks you can add to your arsenal to stay ahead of the curve. Let’s outline a few ways you can refine and update your email etiquette to compete in today’s virtual marketplace.

Make your subject line count Too often, we labor over the content of our emails without giving much thought to subject lines.

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Though email is no longer a new-fangled invention, there are certainly ways you can modernize its use and take advantage of its ubiquity. However, these little headlines can go a long way in luring the consumer to open your email and ultimately click through to your website in search for your services. An enticing subject line should be short and sweet, ideally less than fifty characters. You might also include the name of the recipient, and be up front (though concise) about the subject matter of your message. Remember: the first thing a client will see is your name and subject line—be sure to make this prime real estate shine.

Think mobile Research tells us that 79% of Americans check their phones within fifteen minutes of waking up. In fact, much of modern day correspondence occurs by smartphone. Accordingly, you’ll want to account for email readability on a mobile phone. For instance, incorporating paragraph breaks for each new thought allows information to be parceled out in a palatable way for readers utilizing small screens. Also, any sort of graphic flair or links within your email should be shortened and streamlined for mobile consumption. Send yourself an email every now and again and access it from your phone—you’ll be able to double-check that all the elements of your emails are working well on a mobile platform.

Incorporate email tools There are excellent tools out there to enhance your email experience. With just a quick download, 22

you can add spellcheck, a URL address shortening feature, or a delay option that holds emails for thirty seconds before they’re sent. Think about the possibilities! Haven’t you sent an email without including the attachment you intended, or realizing you sent correspondence to the wrong client? If that’s the case, a delay feature can help you save face and build in a window for error— just in case. Regardless of which tools speak to your email habits, there are plenty of add-ons out there that can revamp your digital correspondence style.

Use email to maximize your online presence These days, there are plenty of ways to communicate—email, text, phone, apps, and social media. When you interact through email, consider it an opportunity to invite your client to follow you elsewhere online. Ensure that your email signature includes unobtrusive, streamlined links to your social media accounts, professional website, or review page. This will build in an opportunity for clients to engage with your brand, and you may even add an online follower for the long term. Though email is no longer a new-fangled invention, there are certainly ways you can modernize its use and take advantage of its ubiquity. Keep these approaches in mind as you reenergize your email technique and fortify your communication in the digital era.

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CAROLE SMITH For part of her career, Carole Smith worked in the world of advertising—honing her people skills and talent for marketing. There, she worked with major national players, including Ford and Kodak, devising campaigns and cultivating her professional toolkit. She ultimately went on to open an art gallery in Coconut Grove, which she managed for five years before making the decision to sell her business. Ready to examine her next steps, Carole turned an intuitive eye toward the real estate industry. “I thought about the burgeoning Miami market and felt it had a lot of possibility,” Carole remembers. “I planned to bring a different approach to the market and I knew I could incorporate my marketing background and elevate the way real estate had been done in the past, bringing a different vantage point to it.” Twenty-five years later, Carole serves as Senior Vice President at EWM Realty International and has carved out a reputation for utmost professionalism, superlative service, and integrity. Primarily serving the areas of Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, South Miami, Ponce-Davis, Pinecrest, and Palmetto Bay, Carole heads a top team comprised of seven talented individuals. “I’m very proud of them,” Carole says. “We offer concierge, white-glove service. We are there for everything—we’re very responsive and we want our clients to say that they had the best real estate experience of their lives.” Together, Carole and her team spend plenty of time communicating, planning, and continuing their professional education so as to best serve their clients. With 50% of business generated by repeat and referral clientele, Carole and her team have earned a proven track record of success when it comes to curating a memorable client experience. “I’ve been very fortunate to have created a village of happy customers,” she explains. “I like to under-promise and over-deliver. I’m responsive to all the customers’ wants and needs. Many of them contact me over the years with questions, and I’m always happy to respond. Fortunately, because of my years of experience, I’ve culled a list of very reliable vendors and I’m therefore happy to share that with my clients. I want the good experience that I hope they had to carry on into the future.” Applying her extensive background in advertising, Carole takes a comprehensive approach to readying homes for market. Every detail is accounted for to

maximize a home’s potential value, from staging and landscaping considerations to professional photography that ensures each home is showcased in its best light. “I’m there for every photoshoot,” Carole says, “fluffing every pillow and making sure we get the best shot possible. Then we spend hours reviewing photos to select the very best ones to represent a home.” To keep in touch with her past clients, Carole stays connected through email, social media, and regular social events. What’s more, it’s not uncommon for Carole to have struck up friendships with many of those she’s served, creating a natural opportunity to stay in touch. In fact, it’s something she particularly enjoys about her day-today work. “I love the interactions with my clients, many of whom have become close friends over the years,” she says. “Buying or selling a home is a major life experience, and so I feel honored when someone selects me to assist them along their journey. I love the end result and it’s a great thing what Realtors are able to do for our clients.” Outside of the office, Carole is a big believer in continued personal and professional development. As such, she often uses free time to travel to real estate conferences and develop her repertoire and knowledge base. “The industry is always evolving and I think we should never stop learning,” she says. As for the future, Carole outlines her plans accordingly: “I’d like to continue to elevate myself and my team, and I hope to never stop growing professionally or personally. I always want to be excited about what lies around the corner and I constantly ask myself the question: how can I improve? How can I ensure the client has an even better experience?” In considering her parting advice for agents ascending the ranks of the industry, Carole has this to say about the expertise and passion required to find success in the realm of real estate: “What I’ve found is that Realtors have to be educated, not only in real estate but in law, finance, insurance, construction, engineering, and everything in between...which includes septic tanks, swimming pools, generators, and so much more. To excel in this industry, there is power in knowledge, because people are looking to us as experts. I encourage all Realtors to never stop learning. It will provide you with immeasurable confidence. And don’t forget to have fun!” With more than two decades of experience behind her, along with a positive, incisive eye toward the future, the years still to come are bound to bloom with continued success for Carole Smith.

To learn more about Carole Smith visit veryspecialhomes.com, e-mail csmith@verspecialhomes.com, or call (305) 329-7770 www.

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