Florida 11-20-17

FLORIDA EDITION

SUCCESS– These 7 Habits Are the Real Secret to Success Killing Clients with KINDNESS AND VALUE

FEATURED AGENT

TOMIKA SPIRES-HANSSEN COVER STORY

BEE POWELL

3 Surefire Methods That Make For a PRODUCTIVE MEETING PROPERTIES: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

FLORIDA EDITION

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BEE POWELL

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TOMIKA SPIRES-HANSSEN

CONTENTS 4) SUCCESS – THESE 7 HABITS ARE THE REAL SECRET TO SUCCESS 13) KILLING CLIENTS WITH KINDNESS AND VALUE

19) PROPERTIES: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY 22) 3 SUREFIRE METHODS THAT MAKE FOR A PRODUCTIVE MEETING

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Success– These 7 Habits Are the Real Secret to Success What is it that makes some people so successful and others not? Is there a secret recipe one can follow, as easy as baking a cake, which will give them the strength to achieve their ultimate goals and have it all?

The answer is that, in a manner, there is. The trick is in how you think about success and what it means for you. Many people define success as achieving their personal goals, but could this be leading them to look at the world a little too narrowly? The people that are truly successful in every aspect of 4

their lives don’t stop at simply achieving their personal goals. They succeed in many avenues of their life, including their job, relationships, health, and family just to name a few.

It turns out that ultra-successful people tend to have quite a number of things in common. One main skill many seem to possess is high emotional intelligence, or the ability to manage your emotions so that you can stay calm and focused even in high

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stress situations. Luckily, it seems not all of them are simply born with this ability, but have many strategies they use to help them achieve higher emotional intelligence. Here are seven strategies and habits that will help you achieve success in every area of your life.

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BE COMPOSED The first thing successful people always seem to have under control is their composure. Successful people stay calm and composed when the going gets tough and fingers start pointing. They don’t panic. The secret? They understand that in life things are always changing. It doesn’t matter if something is bad at the moment because that will change soon enough. In this topsy turvy life all you can really do is adapt in order to stay happy and remain in control of how you react.

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BE KNOWLEDGEABLE Have you ever noticed how successful people always seem to have such a wide range of knowledge and interests?

Successful people do know more because they are always working to grow and learn. They strive to constantly increase their self-awareness. If a spare moment exists, then they will fill it with some kind of self-education. They do this because they are passionate about learning new things and ways to improve their life.

Ignore the fear of being judged and ask questions, because that is the only way you can learn. Successful people don’t

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fear asking questions. They fear not asking those questions and growing stagnant.

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BE DELIBERATE It is important to think and reason before you come to a decision. Successful people don’t rush. They seek out advice from other, they think of all the aspects, and sleep on their thoughts before finally making their decision. Your gut instinct can be misleading, and lead you to make a rash decision that you will come to regret later.

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BE CERTAIN, AND SPEAK WITH CONVICTION Successful people speak with certainty.

Unless you communicate your ideas with conviction and certainty, then you will have a hard time getting people to listen to them.

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BE POSITIVE Successful people use positive body language when they are talking to other people. Their tone is enthusiastic, they maintain eye contact, leaning in towards the person speaking to show interest.

Successful people use it to draw those other people in. How you say something can be just as if not more important that what you say to people. Positive body language can completely alter how your speech is perceived by others, and helps to keep attention on you and what you are saying.

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BE MEMORABLE BY LEAVING A STRONG FIRST IMPRESSION You only have once to make a first impression, and they are incredibly important, as they are closely ties to positive body language. You have around 7 seconds to convince a person to like you after you initially meet them. That is how long it takes them to decide when they meet you. After that a person is simply spending the rest of the conversation justifying that initial reaction they had. You can make sure you make a good first impression by having strong posture, a firm handshake, a warm smile, and open shoulders.

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BE FEARLESS Successful people know that to give in to fear is a choice. They don’t let the fear take over, instead focusing on the rush of euphoria that comes with conquering fears.

All of this adds up to having a high emotional intelligence. What helps you to succeed is the ability to control those whirlwind emotions so you can stay calm and focused on actually succeeding. These habits can help you gain a higher emotional intelligence, but as you probably already know, anything involving dealing with your emotions in a healthy manner takes serious work. So, don’t give up if you fail the first time. You must always try and try again.

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BEE POWELL Top Agent Magazine

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BEE POWELL Start with professionalism, integrity, and hard work. Add dynamic energy and extreme creativity. Then you might begin to get a sense of Bee Powell, the extraordinary broker/owner of Bee Realty Corp in DeLand, Florida. When other agents can’t get the job done, Bee does.

“I’m always looking for new ways to do things, a fresh approach,” she says. “I’m on top of technology and combine edgy ideas with traditional proven approaches. I have implemented videos in my branding and marketing campaigns from the get-go, which continues to give both my brokerage and our customers the edge.” Her agents 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

call her a Rainmaker, her customers call her a Trend Setter. “She’s a pioneer and has certainly set a new standard of what real estate service in DeLand should look like,” a colleague once said.

An architect by trade, real estate was not originally on Bee’s radar. However, after many years leading architectural projects in Germany and Australia, she discovered real estate as a career and felt like everything she had done up to that moment had prepared her for it. Bee met her husband in 2004 and followed him to DeLand, where investing in real estate and refurbishing a historic home led her to her new path. She got Top Agent Magazine

her license in 2012 and almost immediately began winning awards. Her sales volume skyrocketed in an unprecedented fashion, catapulting her into the top 10 after only two years in the business, and is now leading the field.

Over the last five years, her accolades have ranged from Realtor of the Year to Entrepreneur of the Year, Most Influential Woman in Business and many more. In 2014 she opened her own brokerage, and in 2016 added designations as Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) and Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) to her Military Relocation Specialist (MRP) certification.

Bee’s branding—a bee and the slogan “The Energy to Move You!”— is fresh, fun and profesTop Agent Magazine

sional. This year, Bee’s goal was to be #1 in sales volume in her association, and she did it, with an impressive $7 million lead before the next agent.

Among hundreds of brokers/brokerages in her area, including large franchise chains, her brokerage ranks fifth in volume. She recently opened a second location on the main strip in Deland. With 15 agents, she serves the Volusia/Seminole/Lake County area with a repeat and referral rate of over 80 percent.

Bee loves getting to know her customers, and relationships become referrals. She keeps in touch with past customers by sending a bimonthly glossy magazine and monthly item of value, usually a flyer with useful information, such as spring cleaning tips or the mention of a new business in Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

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town. She holds a Thanksgiving pie party for all customers, with hot cider and pies for them to pick up and bring home to their families, all while catching up with Bee and her agents; and a December customer appreciation party for all customers of Bee Realty Corp, in a rented space with catered food, drinks and entertainment.

Bee’s marketing, very different and much more comprehensive than most, creates a metropolitan image in a small town. “As a boutique brokerage, we do some of the things you would normally expect only from large franchises,” she says.

“But I invest in my company, my agents, and our customers and don’t mind spending $5,000 on a beautiful brochure, for example, because it comes back tenfold.”

She spares no expense for her listings. Each one, regardless of price point, gets professional photography and aerial photography, if the property calls Top Agent Magazine

for it, as well as the use of a new technology called “Matterport” which is a cutting edge Virtual 3D tour that allows the viewer to immerse themselves in the property during this virtual walk through; the viewer can look at any view and angle at their leisure, a custom brochure and a mobile-friendly landing page with photos, directions, contact information and more. On larger properties, she uses Matterport technology and puts sneak previews up as part of an extensive social media campaign.

She often pays for her listings to be featured on the cover of Homes and Land Magazine or similar outlets. That is all in addition to targeted direct mailing campaigns and posting on the MLS. “I try to give our customers the edge,” she says. “I feel I have a responsibility to the seller, who has trust in me, to perform.” Bee leaves no doubt that she’s done everything possible to sell a home. If the home still doesn’t sell, the customers knows the problem is their price, not her marketing and effort.

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Community and family activities keep Bee wellrounded. As a member of the Rotary of Downtown DeLand, she’s able to support a variety of different charitable organizations, and she’s active on her local Board of Realtors. A former member of the German National Team in Formation Skydiving, Bee now has a family, so her leisure activities have

changed a bit. She and her two kids love to ride their horses or play with their cats, birds and hamsters.

Going into her sixth year in real estate, Bee plans to keep growing her footprint locally and keep fulfilling her customer’s expectations. A natural winner, she’s sure to do both.

To learn more about Bee Powell of Bee Realty Corp, Deland, Florida, visit bee-realty.com, facebook.com/BeeRealtyCorp, call 386.956.9498 or email beepowellsells@gmail.com http://

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Killing Clients with Kindness and Value

By Walter Sanford

Sometimes, we need to “kill” our clients with kindness and offer value. I know it goes against everything in our nature to turn the other cheek when they are being mean.

Recently, a coaching client had some challenges with a particular client, and I’m sure you have also worked with the kind of client who discourages you so much that you just want to hit the delete button!

How about offering a response that increases your fame and makes the client always wonder what they may be missing? They might not list with you, but they will never forget you.

Included in the balance of this article are the email from the client, the request for help from my coaching client, and then my suggested response.

Email from the Potential Client: Sorry, I have been really busy. Let me tell you where I’m at with everything. You may or may not be interested.

I am definitely putting the house on the market. The house has been rented for the last 5 years with the same family. They originally signed a rent to own lease. Three years ago, they decided they didn’t want to buy it.

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Anyway, I recently informed them that I’m going to put the house on the market. Now, they are reconsidering buying the house. I don’t think they will buy the house, but I guess you never know. If they do buy the house, it would be for sale by owner. I will not let them drag their feet.

We happen to know a lot of REALTORS® in (area). Some are pretty good friends and with that comes opportunities at rates way under the norm. One of them did sell our last house quickly but circumstances have changed. I know you are a very good REALTOR®, because I have heard other REALTORS® talk about you.

You may not be interested at this point anymore. If you are still interested, let me know what your best rate is. Let me know if you are okay with the current tenants on a “for sale by owner” agreement, if that happens.

I would want a short-term agreement. The current rent is higher than my mortgage payment so I’m okay if they don’t buy and I’m not forced to sell at a low price. However, I want to sell ASAP. I’m wanting to purchase another property so I’m not going to overprice the house and I will negotiate.

Email from Coaching Client to Me: Walter, this guy is a college basketball coach. I want to help him, but I need to have a chance to run a successful business, too! How do I answer this?

Email from Me to Coaching Client (to share with potential client): Thank you so much for the nice words. It is very exciting to hear that our hard work is creating some buzz. I think we can accommodate you and exceed your expectations: 14

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1. We believe that we exceed client expectations more often than most agents, because we spend the time to understand what the client needs.

Then we develop a customized program to meet and exceed that goal.

We would love to help you in accomplishing your real estate needs.

2. We would be happy to exclude the current residents from the listing agreement for 30 days. This would help in motivating the current residents to buy in that they can see the price discounted by the commission, if they commit to buy within the 30 day period. We would like to offer you our closing service that handles everything for a flat fee of $4,000. This handles the contract phase, aligning the team of affiliates, and the closing. This, of course, is at your option.

3..Our commissions are normal for our market, but we save you money over any commission discounter. Our specialty is increasing your net proceeds. We do this by bringing you more buyers with more effective marketing, better negotiating, better systems for handling inspections, better pre-approval tools for your buyer, better contracts, and less post-seller litigation from better contracts. Commission discounts usually cost you money because of the agent’s lack of emphasis on your net proceeds check. It is like a basketball player who is playing with no heart, only for the scholarship.

4. Our rate is retail 6%. This may eliminate us, but that would be a shortsided conclusion. Here are 5 of the ways we can beat any commission discount: A. We beat the average List to sell ratio in (area) by a larger margin than any discount.

B. We beat the days on market, which affects your carrying costs and lost opportunity costs on your equity.

C. We have a low litigation rate as compared to national standards.

D. We can market your home a little over retail due to our marketing.

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D. We urge a pre-inspection plan to get rid of the little and big problems before a buyer is involved and wants everything built new.

5. Our agreements are 6 months, but that is not what sells properties.

Marketing and price sell property. If we are wrong about those two items, we will adjust every week based upon showings and consultations with you.

6. I would also like to advise you on a misconception. Rental costs average about 35% of market rent in our area. Add in lost opportunity costs on your equity that is not doing anything at this point. I can show you how your current position is losing you money every month.

I think our next step is a presentation of the tools we bring to achieve your goals. Listing with friends is loyal, but is it the best business decision?

Do they have the tools and will you hold their feet to the fire when the results are not what you need? (Client’s name), you know the difference superstars make on a team. Let’s go for the win.

It’s not so much whether my coaching client obtained the listing, but he needed to stand up for a profitable, long term business. Never sell yourself short to get business. You will never be happy.

In these situations, I cannot guarantee an outcome, but I can guarantee the client will never forget you. You are planting seeds of discontentment with the small amount of money saved in a commission compared to not achieving their goal. Whether he/she admits it or not, he/she will have respect for you.

Do more lead generation so you won’t have to work so hard on leads like these.

Copyright©, 2015 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Walter Sanford has been designing and implementing real estate systems for 30 years.

One of the most successful REALTORS® and now wealthy from his systems, Sanford teaches his systems and strategies through his products, seminars, and personal coaching producing the best results in the industry. Do what works, do what is proven. Hire Walter Sanford. Call our office at 800.792.5837, email walter@waltersanford.com, or chat with us online at www.waltersanford.com.

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TOMIKA SPIRES-HANSSEN After graduating college, Tomika Spires-Hanssen was to start a career in physical therapy, but quickly realized that it just wasn’t a good fit for her. She knew she loved working with people, and when a family friend Linda Bega who owned a brokerage in Inverness, Landmark Realty, suggested that with her personality, she would be a perfect Realtor®, Tomika decided to give it a try. “From the moment I started I just loved it. Here I am 17 years later and I’m still enjoying every minute of it.”

and really try to make it personal. We offer ourselves as a resource to them connecting them with the right people or places to fit their real estate needs.. We keep them up to date on market trends and community events and keep in touch at social events. It’s not all about real estate for us, we care about every client and we enjoy being a part of their lives.

Both my partner and I were born and raised here and we enjoy being a part of this tight knit community.”

Since the start Tomika has been a consistent multi-million dollar producer, and has won numerous awards for her achievements including being named Realtor of the Year, the New Realtor on the Scene Award, and has been an nine time recipient of the MLS Co-Broke Award. Tomika has served as a board of director and treasure for her local real estate board and volunteered on many committees. Over her career Tomika has closed over 2000 real estate transactions.

Another advantage Tomika and Kimberly offer their clients is their comprehensive marketing packages that really target the buyers best suited for a home, and has led to their impressive sales results. “We really leave no stone unturned when marketing a listing. We’re huge on social media and on major websites. We still offer print media and we’ve kind of become known for our quirky ads. We have a lot of unique property types in our marketplace, so we go to great lengths to make sure our online marketing targets the needs for each property and client. Because of that we’re able to sell homes for top dollar in the quickest amount of time possible.”

Seven years ago, Tomika joined forces with Kimberly Mkhwane and they have established themselves as one of the most in-demand teams in their marketplace. Although they serve numerous areas in Central Florida, they specialize in Citrus County.

Tomika stays active in her community and supports several local organizations and schools. She also gives back to Habitat for Humanity, the American Cancer Society and the Family Resource Center. When she isn’t working, Tomika loves nothing more than spending time with her husband and children.

One of the keys to their success has been their devotion to providing an unsurpassed level of customer service to all of their clients. “My clients really become family to us.. Our goal is to create clients for life. Not only do we build strong relationships during the transaction but we also try to maintain those relationship long after. We do that in several ways

Tomika and Kimberly will continue building their business and look forward to bringing their unsurpassed level of service to even more people. “I love what I do. There is no better feeling than seeing somebody fall in love with a home and help them achieve their real estate dreams. I am blessed to be a part of this experience. I have a very rewarding career.”

To learn more about Tomika Spires-Hanssen call 352 - 586 - 6598, email tomika@landmarkinverness.com or visit sellcitruscounty.com and facebook.com/SellCitrusCounty www.

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Properties: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

by Denise Lones

I was shocked. There it was. An expensive property near a busy intersection that had stayed on the market for almost a year.

I asked one of my agents, “Why hasn’t this one sold?”

But none of these are reasons to put this property on the back shelf. In fact, there is a market for every market, no matter its location or condition. Too often, we make the mistake of shortchanging sellers who don’t have manicured lawns on cul-de-sacs with perfect houses. We prejudge our own listings to the detriment of the people we’re supposed to be serving.

He said, “Because it’s a dog. Look at it. Nobody wants those turrets that stick out like that. And besides, it’s at that intersection where there’s traffic all day long.”

I’ve been there. I’ve driven to properties hoping for a terraced I couldn’t believe what I was masterpiece with a stunning garden, hearing. This agent had “classified” and then felt that sick dropping this property in his own mind as feeling in the pit of my stomach something that wasn’t worth the when I finally saw it. trouble to market—pretending to service his customer while doing What do most agents do? They’re nothing. True, it wasn’t as beautiful polite, they take the listing, and they or pristine as surrounding neigh- get out of there fast. They rely too borhoods. True, it was in a not-so- much on their own opinion of the prime location. True, it could use property rather than pulling statistics to determine its true market value. some handyman work.

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OR they tell the seller, “This house isn’t going to sell unless you change the carpet, fix the paint, install new roofing, etc.”

Beware! This could lead into a legal nightmare. While on the surface this agent is giving generic advice, what if the seller does everything the agent suggests—and the house still doesn’t sell? That agent might want to call a good lawyer.

If a property needs work, that’s never a reason it won’t sell. There are investors, handypersons, contractors, and do-it-yourselfers who love these properties. Go to your local real estate investment club meeting and you’ll find people searching frantically for such properties. Advertise it as a “Handyman’s Special.” Target these people directly. You may be amazed how many of them are out there.

Here’s the truth: Every property— True, you may have to advise the good, bad, and ugly—will sell if seller they won’t get top-dollar if priced right. It is always about price. a lot of work needs to be done.

There is always someone in the But this is the true issue here—not market ready and willing to buy the work itself. It’s always about right now for the right price. price.

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Let’s talk ugly. A house is in pristine condition, but has a rather peculiar look. Well, I have news for you: Just because you think a house is ugly doesn’t mean there isn’t someone out there who will say, “This is the home I’ve been looking for all my life!”

cannot tell you how many times my jaw dropped when someone told me, “Perfect! We love it!” So, I’ve learned never to judge a house by its paint job, landscaping, or design.

You are not the world’s taste critic.

You cannot tell what people want. I

Copyright© 2014, Denise Lones. All rights reserved.

You have a job to do: sell the house at top-market price. You are hired to be the market expert. Sellers don’t Did you know there are people out have the time to do so themselves. there who prefer ugly houses? Yes, That’s why you have a career. ugly houses! Some people don’t care about the outside of a property. It’s always the market that They’re only interested in the determines what sells. No matter the inside, where they know they will shape, size, or condition. And you be spending most of their time. are not in charge of the market, These are people who don’t buy to which as always is based on supply impress others, but rather to please and demand. Whatever is in demand themselves. Thank goodness for will sell, whether it’s a beachfront these people. Without them, we’d mansion or a shack in the woods. Be have to tear down half the planet! creative. Use your marketing to target people who truly want these I’ve seen houses that look like properties. But most importantly, something from a Stephen King price the property correctly for the novel sell overnight while another market. that could be on the cover of Home and Garden languishes on the market Know thy market and thou shalt for weeks. Why? Because somebody know what sells—good, bad, or wanted that house. Period. ugly.

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3 Surefire Methods that Make for a Productive Meeting Sometimes a business meeting can achieve exactly what it sets out to do: communicate, assess actions, set goals, or otherwise. Other times, meetings can feel like a drain on your time and energy, and only advance your agenda in marginal ways. While meetings are an integral form of communication in the professional world, how can you ensure that they are both productive and worthwhile?

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The truth is, it takes intentioned planning to make a meeting a success. A well-curated meeting makes partners and employees feel unified as a team, excited about what’s to come, and motivated to achieve a collective goal. With that in mind, consider a few approaches below to maximize your next meeting and ensure that all parties involved leave with a renewed sense of direction and inspiration.

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1. Create a detailed agenda in advance Oftentimes meetings are scheduled with a loose goal in mind—to hash out the terms of a contract or to strategize a new marketing campaign, for example. To ensure your meeting is productive, time-efficient, and achieves its end, create a detailed agenda in advance. This means breaking down your overarching goal into pieces and outlining what’s required to complete each component. You might also consider making time blocks for each respective component, so there is a clear structure and hierarchy in place. Not only does this ensure that time is used wisely and evenly, but it also creates order and momentum for the greater task at hand. What’s more, you’ll want to distribute this detailed agenda in advance of your meeting, so that all attendees will be familiar with the format and delineated goals of your gathering. This will set a professional tone, while keeping team members and conversation on task.

2. Reserve off-topics ideas and comments for later Too many meetings are derailed when an off-topic question or comment is made and hijacks the attentions of attendees. While it’s natural that outlying issues may arise when all team members are gathered, you can ward off distractions by creating a so-called holding area for off-topic talking points. This holding area will serve as the receptacle for any off-topic or lower priority addendum, and you can create a chunk of time towards the end of your meeting to readdress those Top Agent Magazine

points separately. Once you’ve achieved the highest priority goals of your meeting, you can then return to the items in your holding area. Note: be sure to familiarize your staff with this approach so that the expectation is already in place and interruptions won’t distract from your meeting’s true intent.

3. Conclude every meeting with a brief summary and action items The very last thing you should do before concluding your meeting is to reemphasize the main takeaways of your gathering and outline a specific list of action items. Again, successful meetings are clear and give attendees a sense of direction. That’s why reiterating action items—or next steps in need of completion—to each respective employee is an essential component of a productive meeting. Likewise, summarizing main takeaways unifies a team’s understanding of what’s important and why the meeting was called in the first place. Ending on a concrete yet proactive note helps launch team members toward the next event in their day and gives them a sense of confidence as they tackle their duties.

Meetings don’t have to be a formality or a bore. When planned and executed with incisiveness, they can inspire your talent roster and streamline productivity in your office.

Especially in the world of real estate, ensuring everyone is on the same page and doing their jobs effectively is key to success and longevity. Put a little planning into your next meeting, and you’ll save yourself valuable time and energy as you move forward.

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