ILLINOIS 10-24-22

ILLINOIS EDITION

5 SOCIAL MEDIA MISTAKES REAL ESTATE AGENTS MUST AVOID

COOPERATION, NOT COMPETITION,

CONCIERGE CARE: Services that Lure Clients and Transform Your Reputation

CREATES MUTUAL SUCCESS FOR AGENTS

3 BEYOND-THEOFFICE ACTIVITIES TO INSPIRE A CREATIVE BUSINESS BOOM

FEATURED AGENTS

KATIE JURAK MARY ANN MANNA THALIA MENA COVER STORY

ASHLEY MILLER

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com http://www.topagentmagazine.com

Top Agent Magazine

3

5

SOCIAL MEDIA MISTAKES

Real Estate Agents Must Avoid There is perhaps no greater marketing tool for agents these days than having a large presence on social media, but there is more to social media marketing than just opening an account and gaining followers. A lot of agents forget the social part of social media. It’s all about engagement, but it needs to be the right kind of engagement. This can often be the first impression potential clients or industry peers have of you, so make it count. There is no second chance to make a first impression, and that is especially true for real estate agents. Here’s just a few things you want to avoid.

4

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

1 Using it to Vent

Social Media is a great place to complain and commiserate about things, but save that for your personal page. A real estate transaction is already a stressful ordeal, the last thing anyone wants is someone who seems like they’ll bring a negative energy to the process. Even worse?

Bad mouthing other Realtors® or listings. You’re selling yourself and your skills, so don’t sell anything that shows you in a bad light. Much like marketing a property, everything you put out should be professional and inviting.

2

Lack of Consistent Branding

Yes, social media is about social engagement, but it’s also about creating brand recognition. While you don’t want it to be purely promotional, you are running a business, so create a consistent branding across all social media platforms. If you can afford a professional graphic designer to help you out with this, that’s great. But at the very least, have the same profile pic, cover image and highly visible contact information, across the board. And don’t forget to share links to your other accounts, some people prefer different social media applications.

3Not Posting Enough

It’s good to create a schedule of how many times you’ll be posting per day and to pick times when you might have the most engagement.

Don’t over do it, but three posts a day at the right time, tends to be a good goal. There are numerous tools on Facebook, for example, that

can let you see when interactions are the highest.

Stick to your schedule and adjust accordingly.

It’s also important to not just post your listings.

Be a resource for people who follow your page.

Post community events, or other informative articles that are relevant to home ownership.

Be a page they want to follow even when they aren’t buying or selling a property. They’ll remember you when the time comes.

4

Not interacting With Your Followers

It’s called social media for a reason. The more you engage with your followers, the more they see you as a real person, and not just a marketing tool. Not only do you get to know your past clients and potential clients, on Facebook, engagement actually will make your posts seen by more people. So it’s a win/win.

5

Not Sharing or Linking to Others

It might not seem like a good idea to not promote the blogs, pages or listings of other people, but it’s not only an excellent way to build goodwill, it will also increase your own presence when they reciprocate. So make a point to share posts and links for local businesses and even the blogs of your peers, if it’s a post that offers valuable insight into an expertise you don’t have. That will encourage them to share your posts and even your listings, which will increase your potential buyer pool. This is another incentive to create your own blog. Unique informative content is always of value, and more likely to be shared than promotional links.

Top Agent Magazine

5

TopTop Agent Magazine Agent Magazine

Cooperation, Not Competition, Creates

Mutual Success for Agents When people get along during a business transaction, everyone comes out happier. And in a service industry like real estate, agents have the power deliver that happiness. By working cooperatively, sharing advice and helping each other help clients, agents not only enhance their own reputations, but that of real estate in general.

6

“Bring everyone together” Matt Kobelski, with Credentials Real Estate Group in Massachusetts, points out that providing good service involves more people than the party you’re representing. “I’m not afraid to bring together all the parties in a deal and say, ‘OK, let’s figure out a solution that works best

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

Teaming up with an agent from a different brokerage on a transaction is not as uncommon or complicated as it might seem

for everyone,” he explains. “My goal is to avoid being adversarial.” Real estate, he believes, should always be a field in which each person can win. “It’s about working toward a mutual goal, shaking hands, and walking away happy that a seller sold, a buyer bought and everyone got what they wanted.”

But Is it that simple? Most agents have experienced the ways conflicting personalities and tension during a transaction can heat up even the most cordial relations. In reality, however, it’s more productive to let down your guard and work with others as a team than it is to allow stress and competition to preside. South Florida REALTOR® and broker associate, Risë V. Siegrist, for instance, has zero interest in competing with other agents. “It’s more important to be professional and associate with competent, caring people,” she says. By serving others with a cooperative spirit, experienced agents like Risë set an excellent example for emerging real estate stars. Risë hopes to be a model for the next generation of agents, training people who may one day become part of her team.

Risë’s position on cooperation inspires more reasons for nurturing relationships with other agents. Over the decades, many agents change brokerages several times. Who knows if that agent across the table will one day work at the Top Agent Magazine

same brokerage you do? Perhaps you’ll even have an opportunity to partner on an exciting, future transaction. Good relations keep doors open to endless possibilities.

Co-listing cooperation Teaming up with an agent from a different brokerage on a transaction is not as uncommon or complicated as it might seem. In fact, some agents cleverly capitalize on their collective attributes, rather than competing against one another. South Carolina REALTOR® Kimberly Pannit is a perfect example of the universal benefits of co-listings. Although she has always been an independent agent, Kimberly works hard to form professional alliances that give her business the feel of a cooperative network across brokerages.

This cooperative approach may be nontraditional, but it benefits clients in unique ways. By working closely with agents at other brokerages, she shows how agents can improve client service while helping one another.

Kimberly’s cooperative approach began in her own neighborhood, where an agent friend from a different brokerage also lives. “Several years ago, I approached her because both of us were friends with our neighbors. I asked, ‘Why don’t we give our neighbors superior service and

Top Agent Magazine ®

7

co-list together? We both love our area and are passionate about our jobs, the location and schools.’” She also didn’t want to make their mutual friends choose between them when they could work together. “I said, ‘Let’s give them amazing service together!’” With their brokers’ permission, two weeks later the agents co-listed their first home and put extra energy into ensuring uninterrupted client service.

Networking and “Co-opertition” When the ultimate goal is to match a client with the perfect home or create optimal terms of sale for a listings, networking with other agents can facilitate that ideal buyer-seller match.

Nashville REALTOR® and broker/owner Lisa Land embraced every opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the real estate industry and to her local market, even before building her own team. “Agents would frequently ask me for help or advice,” she says, noting that she shares, rather than guarding, the methods she uses to get through difficult or confusing transactions. “I was fortunate to have great mentors when I started in real estate, so I’m always

8

willing to offer help, even to agents outside of The Luxe Collective.”

Meanwhile, on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, Janet Leigh Scott describes the climate between agents as relaxed and professional. “While the real estate market is highly competitive, we’re truly a ‘co-opertition’ market; agents work together and a have greater sense of community than you might experience in off-island brokerages,” Janet says. “If I have buyer coming into town, I’ll reach out to agents I’ve done transactions with to ask if they have anything coming up that might not be on the market yet.”

Even in hot, competitive L.A. real estate, independent agents such as Andrej Nagy of The Agency RE knows the importance of receiving and providing professional mentorship.

“My relationships with clients are extremely important,” he says. “But my relationships with agents on the other side of a deal are also important.” For REALTORS® like him, working smoothly with other agents is a privilege.

Doing so builds rewarding relationships while ensuring win-win transactions for everyone at the closing table.

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

ASHLEY MILLER Top Agent Magazine

9

Top Agent Ashley Miller has formed a team, comprised of hardworking moms that focusses on Champaign, Bloomington and Decatur, Illinois.

A local real estate team tried to recruit Ashley for years. At first, she had no interest in joining them. But their persistence slowly wore Ashley down, pulling her from her career in marketing and advertising. After all the years of saying no, in 2015, Ashley joined a team for Keller Williams. She started, as many do, as a buyer agent, and worked her way up to become director of sales and operations, overseeing over 300 transactions a year. She built up a huge machine, recruiting agents and teaching them the path to success. By 2018, that teaching had her coaching other agents full time. After seeing how many top producers she had coached to success, she realized it was time to form her own team. She continues to coach today, but also has her up and coming team that she started in 2021.

Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

Top Agent Magazine

That team, comprised of hard-working moms, focusses on Champaign, Bloomington and Decatur, Illinois. They’re all very involved in the community, working at the university, with farmers and as teachers. It’s a small-town feel, and they have a huge sphere of influence with all of the aspects they’re involved in. Ashley also keeps in contact with other agencies in the area through a service she owns, placing lawn signs and

Top Agent Magazine

lockboxes for busy agents who can’t get out in the field. She refers to it as ‘an Uber for realtors’, but it keeps her in contact with colleagues.

Keeping up with that small town feel, in addition to the usual newsletters and market updates that get sent to her client database, Ashley makes sure that one of the newsletters contains no real estate info at all. It’s all simply personal about

Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

Ashley loves the process and training others to learn and love the process as well. The satisfaction her career gives her isn’t simply the smile on the faces of new homeowners, but also the faces of those she coaches. what’s going on in the team’s lives and around town, keeping the connections very real and grounded, not just business. Social Media does a lot of the heavy lifting for marketing, along with the usual MLS listings, and the team has a very detailed process calendar for how many days to wait between steps for each new property. Open houses and traditional flyers end up completing the full-service marketing cycle.

Her new team will complete about 36 transactions this year, with the goal of 100 under their belt next year. Ashley is addicted to the business side of real estate. She loves the process and training others to learn and love the process as well. The satisfaction her career gives Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

Top Agent Magazine

her isn’t simply the smile on the faces of new homeowners, but also the faces of those she coaches. The moms on her team haven’t had much exposure to big, life changing opportunities, and she knows she’s completely changing the lives of them and their families for the better.

Her team is women near and dear to her heart. Like those she coaches across

Top Agent Magazine

the country, there’s a ripple effect with each person she helps, where they now help others get the properties of their dreams, setting up legacies for future generations, for clients and agents alike.

Contentment is taking a break from the latest home improvement project, and watching her three-year-old play outside, knowing she’s helping so many others reach the same happy home life she’s achieved.

Copyright Top Agent Magazine 13

For more information about Ashley Miller, please call 217-552-7921or email ashmiller@kw.com

Copyright Top Agent Magazine 14

Top Agent Magazine

3 Beyond-the-Office Activities to Inspire a Creative Business Boom Maintaining motivation year-round is a challenge, especially for those who are several years into a demanding real estate career. It’s easy to burn out, get stuck in a rut, or cycle blindly through a well-worn routine. But those that leave an impact on their industry understand that creativity holds the key to innovation and longevity. To stay ahead of Top Agent Magazine

the curve and build your brand, you’ve got to take the time to breathe new life into your practice and see things from a new angle. But where to begin?

To invite change, you’ve got to look outside the box—or in this case, beyond the office. If you’re in need of a professional creative make-

Top Agent Magazine ®

15

To stay ahead of the curve and build your brand, you’ve got to take the time to breathe new life into your practice and see things from a new angle. over, or at least want to experience a burst of inventive energy, consider some of the activities below. You may just shake up your routine, bend your brain in new ways, and inject some inspiration into your professional path.

Expand your mind through meditation.

You’ve likely heard all about the supposed powers of meditation, and perhaps you’ve long considered it an over-hyped New Age invention. But did you know that some of the foremost entrepreneurs of our era practice this cost-free, mentally restorative routine? From Oprah Winfrey to Steve Jobs, practitioners of meditation cite its stress-relieving principles, in addition to improvements in concentration, energy, self-awareness, and overall health.

16

Even mainstream medicine is beginning to understand the preventative and restorative health benefits that meditation affords. As professional fields go, the mortgage and real estate industries require their fair share of emotional labor—you’re tasked with guiding clients through the investment of a lifetime.

Meditation promotes peace and perspective, while reducing stress, adding a new level of self-awareness, and helping you mentally declutter. When it comes down to it, it only makes sense that taking time to go quiet and center your mind helps professionals find wherewithal amidst a hectic industry. Next time you’re feeling drained, out of ideas, or at your wit’s end—consider just fifteen minutes of meditation to get you started. Like most things, it takes some practice. But, if you commit the time, you’ll be thanking yourself later.

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

Learn something new.

If you’re facing burnout, then adding a new responsibility to your plate may seem like the least appetizing self-help solution there is.

However, learning a new skill can reinvigorate your understanding of familiar tasks and dilemmas. Plus, learning a new skill doesn’t have to mean formal classes or time-draining homework. Select something that can even kill two birds with one stone. Want to let off some steam, too? Try a kickboxing class that meets just once-a-week. You’ll have something new to look forward to, meet new people, challenge yourself, and earn some feel-good endorphins, Top Agent Magazine

too. Want to cut loose and have some fun? Join a board game meet-up group, take a cooking class, or try rock-climbing for the first time. A stimulating new activity will light up long-dormant parts of your brain, and your clients and colleagues will surely notice the influx of energy to your outlook. Still don’t think you have enough time to add something new to the mix? Blend your morning commute with an audio language learning service. The point is to shake-up your habits and introduce a new challenge that’s unrelated to work. Doing so can make you look at things in a new light and boost your mood along the way.

Top Agent Magazine ®

17

See new sights.

If you can, there’s no better way to break from routine than to physically separate yourself from your surroundings. There’s nothing more inspiring than traveling to new destinations, experiencing new cultures, and getting a sense of the world’s true vastness. If a trip abroad isn’t in the cards, don’t fret. There are bound to be plenty of places relatively close by that you’ve never seen. And these trips don’t have to break the bank, either. Devote just one or two days to visiting a place you’ve never gone before, like a state park, protected forest, or a small seaside village. Perhaps you’re only a few hours from a National Park you’ve been meaning to visit but have never made time for. Or, there’s a lively city one state over that you’ve always wanted to try. Whatever the destination, near or far, you’ll refresh

18

your perspective entirely when removed from all your usual routines. New restaurants, traffic patterns, storefronts, weather—whatever the change may be, you’ll be experiencing everything brand new all around you. Taking the time for trips like these isn’t easy. In fact, making yourself devote those free days may be a difficult task itself. But it’s the most direct way to get a breath of truly fresh air, and when you return home you’ll be able to assess familiar surroundings in a totally new light.

However you decide to add creativity to your professional life, don’t wait. Once you take the plunge, you’ll be regretting you hadn’t done it sooner. After all, the key to longevity is regular maintenance, so do your part and break the mold today.

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

KATIE JURAK Over the past sixteen years, Katie Jurak of Homer Glen, Illinois, has built a real estate business founded on integrity, reliability, and dependable communication. “The process of buying or selling a home starts with finding an agent you can trust. When people find a good fit, they will come back to you. I’m always easy to get in touch with, and my clients know that they can ask me questions any time of day, and they will get a straightforward answer. Once they discover that I am always honest, then they come back whenever they have real estate needs.”

Katie’s introduction to the world of real estate was an unorthodox and serendipitous experience. “I started in 2006. I never planned to become a REALTOR®, but my best friend and I were chatting over a cup of coffee, and she mentioned that she wanted to get her license. I went along with it to support her, and during my licensure coursework I discovered that I really loved what I was learning. Here I am today, still loving my job – it was very unexpected, but it’s a perfect fit!” Today in 2022, Katie works as a solo agent with RE/MAX Millennium, where she has been for the past two years. She services the suburbs both north and south of Chicago, and she boasts a book of business that is over eighty-five percent repeat and referral clients, averaging between twelve and eighteen transactions each year.

In addition to her open-door communication policy, Katie attributes her business’s success to her individual marketing efforts combined with the broadly cast digital footprint afforded her by RE/MAX. “I advertise listings everywhere possible. Obviously, the technology we have at our fingertips right now is great, and social media is probably the biggest part of my marketing. I also sponsor ads to promote my listings, and RE/MAX has excellent platforms to reach new clients over the internet.” She also bolsters her endeavors by hand tailoring her approach Top Agent Magazine

from client to client, accommodating specific requests and creative ideas whenever the opportunity arises.

With her position as a trusted agent cemented in Chicagoland, Katie is proud of the legacy she’s established. “I’m very happy where I am right now, and I’m grateful for everything I’ve been able to accomplish, but there is always room to improve. I’d like to continue growing my business, and one day, maybe have a team of my own. I’d love to be a leader and mentor for newer agents, working side by side with me so that we can both grow.” With the networking opportunities provided by her current brokerage, Katie is excited about what’s on the horizon for her and anyone else entering the profession.

In addition to her ambitious professional goals, Katie finds balance between work and personal life. She is happily married, and a mom of two teenage boys.

She leads an active and adventurous lifestyle. “We love to travel all over the world, and I love to hike, run, and hit the gym – it helps me clear my mind and stay focused!” In between growing her business and enjoying the outdoors, she also finds time to support fundraisers and local events.

To learn more about Katie Jurak, visit www.katiejurak.net, email katiejurak@gmail.com, or call (773) 934-9994 19

MARY ANN MANNA After working in wealth management for many years, REALTOR® Mary Ann Manna went through several major life changes that lead her to start taking real estate classes. Her initial draw to the industry came from her love of photography and interest in the real estate market. In 2003, she got licensed and started working as a broker, moving between several brokerages before starting Manna Real Estate in 2021. Now, she runs her own thriving business representing both home buyers and sellers in DuPage County, Kane County and the Western Suburbs of Chicago.

With her sister as her assistant, Mary Ann works with around 80% repeat and referral clients. The strength of her business comes from her willingness to go above and beyond in everything she does. An excellent problem-solver, she acts as a resource and advisor to clients, helping them get the tools and services to sell their homes for the highest value possible. “Every house will have some issues and I’m here to troubleshoot with my clients to get their home prepared to sell,” she says.

To keep in touch with her clients both during and after a sale, Mary Ann sends out emails as well as birthday and holiday greetings. She lets clients know when properties have sold in their neighborhoods and provides updates on homes coming for sale. When it comes to marketing, she has both an active digital and in-person presence. To expand her reach online, she puts out social media ads. She is also known for her signage for open houses, making sure they stand out to bring in new people to her listings.

Currently serving as a county wide elected official, the President of the DuPage Regional Education 20

Board, and the President of the West Chicago Rotary Club, Mary Ann is very involved in her community. She is also a member of the West Chicago Lions Club and was previously a Township Trustee, a member of the Mosquito Abatement Board for West Chicago and a member of the West Chicago Chamber Board. In her spare time, you can find Mary Ann gardening, walking her dogs, and hosting friends at her pool in the summer.

To date this year, Mary Ann has completed over $3 million in sales volume; a number that continues to grow. Moving forward, she is actively looking for agents to build her team to be able to serve more clients in the surrounding areas of Chicago. She also plans to get more involved with the investing side of the business, scaling her impact. “I want to be able to help my clients at all stages in their real estate journey, whether they are buying portfolio properties or selling a home that has been in their family for fifty years. Finding long-term solutions motivates me everyday to work harder.”

Contact Mary Ann at 630-222-1202, email Homes@MaryAnnManna.com or visit her website, MaryAnnManna.com www.

Copyright Top Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine

Concierge Care: Services that Lure Clients and Transform Your Reputation It’s a no-brainer: customer service is central to success in the real estate industry. While properties may be the product, this industry really revolves around people and the relationships you cultivate along the way. With that in mind, how would you describe the service you provide? If solid service is the baseline, then to set yourself apart you must deliver service that’s exceptional. But, how? Returning calls and displaying a friendly face won’t necessarily separate you from the pack. If you really want to take your customer service to the next level and build a reputation for white-glove, concierge-level courtesy, then keep a few of the following tips in mind as you create a professional style that’s completely bespoke.

Top Agent Magazine

Make your communications matter For many agents, communication during and after a transaction are perfunctory affairs, with one-sizefits-all newsletters or promotional postcards that feel mass-produced. To really grab the attention of your clientele, you’ll want to build a recognizable brand. To accomplish this, begin by adding value to your regular communications. Clients are likely to bypass your communications if they think your only intent is to sell them something. Focus instead on creating content that’s compelling and dishes out value to your clientele. Just like a favorite blog you revisit again and again for its quality content, con-

Top Agent Magazine ®

21

sider your communications as an extension of your brand and identity. A few popular ideas from which clients can derive value include: local restaurant guides, tax tips for homeowners, reports on home values and the marketplace, or highlighting home décor and landscaping trends. Make your communications readable and useful, and your clients past and present will think twice before skipping past your name.

Showcase the lifestyle Clients remember when you go the extra mile, and that additional effort distinguishes run-of-the-mill agents from high-powered professionals. Whether listing or buying, consider a property’s lifestyle.

First, think about a client’s everyday experience.

Where’s the best breakfast spot nearby? How’s access to public transportation or bike paths? Which outdoor recreational opportunities exist in the area?

Where might your client swing by for coffee?

Neighborhood guides that outline the livability of a home and its area not only boost value and highlight potential, but they also demonstrate your ability to think outside the box and connect on a personal level. After all, a home isn’t just a house; a home is all about the daily experience that unfolds within and beyond those four walls. With that in mind, do your homework and make yourself a local expert.

Your clients will feel they’re in good hands and will better envision their future unfolding, all thanks to your thorough legwork.

Customize your approach to clients As an agent, it’s only natural that you build your own daily routines and practices that keep your business running. While it’s necessary to create positive habitats that streamline your workflow, it’s also important to remain adaptable. For instance, Millennial clients may prefer to chat by text, instant 22

message, or email, whereas older clientele may prefer face-to-face time or connecting by phone call.

Adapting your communication style is as simple as a brief discussion: ask your client how they prefer to communicate and adapt accordingly. While it may seem like a small matter, it provides clients with a sense of comfort and control. Again, the key here is communication. Talk with your clients about their preferred methodology. Maybe they prefer a marathon house-hunting trek on a weekend day, or perhaps they rather sift through listings online before making in-person visits to a narrowed list. It’s okay to encourage clients or fill them in on industry norms, but it’s important to create an experience that’s tailored to their style and personality.

Authentically seek feedback While it may feel uncomfortable, asking for feedback during and at the end of a transaction can dramatically improve your working style and professional blind-spots. It can also help you adapt your working style to better suit your respective clients.

Of course, it’s important to be open-minded and to quash the need to be defensive. Not all feedback will be useful, but you can incorporate the parts that are. This not only grows your skillset, but it also demonstrates to clients that you are open to constructive criticism and sincerely prioritize a job well done over personal praise. As a bonus, positive feedback can be parlayed into client testimonials, which are incredibly useful tools to boost your business on the whole.

It’s no secret that real estate is a busy, self-determined business. While your client care may feel all accounted for, there is always room to grow. Professionals at the top of their field know this and never stop building out their repertoire. If you want to take your business to the next level and create an imprint that’s synonymous with concierge care, then keep these ideas in mind as you build your relationships and your brand.

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

THALIA MENA Thalia Mena is a passionate real estate agent serving clients across northwest Chicago.

She works under Coldwell Banker Realty as a solo agent and specializes in working with first-time homebuyers. With only two and a half years as a licensed agent, Thalia has already found great success and established her market niche. Her extensive professional background in customer sales fuels her real estate approach and ensures that she is fully prepared to assist any client looking to buy, sell, or invest.

Thalia shares that her initial entry into real estate “started with a conversation.” Motivated by a friend, Thalia began learning more about the real estate industry and eventually earned her license. At the end of 2020, she quickly launched her solo agent practice under Realty of Chicago. She currently serves the majority of the Chicago area, specializing in northwest Chicago and the west suburbs. Thalia offers client services in both English and Spanish.

Astoundingly, after just two years in the industry, Thalia shares, “In 2022 so far, 50% of my business has come from repeat and referrals.” She attributes her high return client rates to her professional approach, “I’m very open, honest, and available.” Thalia is passionate about educating her clients about the market and often provides ample resources throughout the process.

Thalia primarily markets listings across social media.

She values an in-person approach, using postcard distribution and door-knocking in local neighborhoods to get the word out about new listings. She stays in close contact with all of her past clients, via phone calls and occasionally a home visit, “When people hear your voice or see you face-to-face, it’s much more personable and exciting.”

Thalia shares how she has closed a total of 30 transactions since launching her real estate business in 2021.

When asked what she enjoys most about the industry, Top Agent Magazine

Thalia shares, “I truly love being able to educate people.” She continues, “There is so much opportunity within real estate, and I want people to be able to learn what they are capable of. My ultimate goal is getting them to the closing table.”

Thalia’s brokerage, Coldwell Banker Realty, is affiliated with St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Thalia shares how she participates in their donor program, where a percentage of every one of her transactions is donated to the cause.

She intends to continue growing her community involvement and use her platform to help those in need.

Outside of work, Thalia enjoys spending time with her ten-year-old daughter. She can often be found traveling somewhere new and getting in a regular workout. Regarding her plans for the future, Thalia shares that she is looking to build a team of individuals to “increase production, reach more people, and expand the community ten times over.” She intends to continue educating homebuyers and simplifying the process of helping clients find a dream home.

To get in touch with Thalia Mena, call 708.765.8223 or 630.954.4600, or email Thalia.Mena@cbrealty.com 23

24

Top Agent Magazine