NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL EDITION
IZZY BARDEN
KIM N. BREGMAN
NIKKI CLOUD
STEVEN DARLING
KAREN EAGLE
DAN FIRKS
EMILY DUARTE & CARLIE GOULET
MATTHEW GUIDA
JULIE HEINEY
TONY JAMES
NOAH KIRSHBAUM
GINO MARINO
KAREN MINTER
ANTOINETTE & GENNARO PAGANO
BILL PICCIRILLO
KIM RACHWALSKI
LINDY SGAMBATI
DEEDEE VERES
NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL EDITION
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DAN FIRKS
IZZY BARDEN
STEVEN DARLING
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KIM N. BREGMAN
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NOAH KIRSHBAUM
TONY JAMES
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NIKKI CLOUD
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KAREN EAGLE
EMILY DUARTE & CARLIE GOULET
CONTENTS 4) 5 SOCIAL MEDIA MISTAKES REAL ESTATE AGENTS MUST AVOID 8) 5 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO ACHIEVE YOUR BIGGEST GOALS 11) EVERY PLAYER IS VALUABLE: HOW TO BOOST YOUR TEAM’S MORALE
15) BUYERS AND SELLERS: UNDERSTANDING HOW HOME INSPECTIONS ARE NEGOTIATION TOOLS 19) 5 MORNING HABITS TO MAKE YOUR DAY SUPER PRODUCTIVE
29) FIVE WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR COMMISSION 33) WHY FELXIBILITY HURTS (NOT HELPS) YOUR ABILITY TO CLOSE SALES DEALS
23) MODERN EMAIL ETIQUETTE FOR TODAY’S AGENTS
Phone 888-461-3930 | Fax 310-751-7068 mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher. Top Agent 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 or facts supplied by its authors. To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. Published in the U.S. 2
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MATTHEW GUIDA
ANTOINETTE & GENNARO PAGANO
JULIE HEINEY
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BILL PICCIRILLO
37) 3 SUREFIRE METHODS THAT MAKE FOR A PRODUCTIVE MEETING
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GINO MARINO
KAREN MINTER
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KIM RACHWALSKI
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LINDY SGAMBATI
41) 4 WAYS MENTORING UP-AND-COMING EMPLOYEES MAKES YOU A BETTER AGENT
REALTOR Vendors and Real Estate Companies— Get Nationwide & International exposure! Top Agent Magazine
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DEEDEE VERES
46) TURN OPEN HOUSES INTO DESTINATIONS
Top Agent Magazine is seen by Real Estate Agents and Brokers in every U.S. city and Internationally! Please contact mag@topagentmagazine.com or call 888-461-3930 for ad rates and information.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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DAN FIRKS As Broker/Owner of Defined Realty Group at Keller Williams in Naperville, Dan Firks imparts his nearly quarter-century of real estate wisdom and savvy upon each member of his growing team. In doing so, his agents succeed, of course. But much more important is the success of their clients, who have come to depend on Dan and Defined Realty Group as area experts who excel in understanding the market, its trends and the unique communities and neighborhoods throughout the area. “I’ve loved real estate ever since I was working for a rental house agency in 1993,” says Dan, who one day decided he wanted to get in on the action of the well-dressed professionals in the front of the office who were helping people buy, sell and rent homes. After a few years of showing rental properties, he earned his license and began developing his “superstar” image as a REALTOR®. Dan and the members of Defined Realty Group take their clients’ decision to work with them seriously. “People are putting all their trust into us, knowing that we’re going to do a good job, steer them in the right direction and make it a stress-free, enjoyable process from the very beginning to the very end.” The thrill of working with buyers and sellers to help them with their most valuable asset is what drives Dan to continually improve his already impeccable service. As a REALTOR® and established, longtime resident of Naperville, Dan ranks in the top 1% of real estate agents nationwide. His team has received hundreds of five-star reviews on the most popular real estate websites. For listings, Dan’s established processes help the team sell homes for top dollar with the shortest possible time on the market. “Before we list, we put every home in a private listing network for ‘coming soon’ so other agents can see what’s going to hit the market,” explains Dan, noting that agents ask about the property before it goes live, which helps his team focus on the most alluring aspects of each home. They are often able to arrange early sales. The team works with the seller to prepare the home to perfection prior to high-quality photography. “And social media is huge. We also reach out to every single agent who is selling homes in the area of the listing and we also boost social media ads, targeting specific types of buyers.”
availability and responsiveness. They’ve also come to know Dan personally, seeing him out at favorite restaurants, volunteering with Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry and staying involved with an organization that empowers at-risk youth. He also is often seen walking and running his Great Schnauzer, Adonis, through Naperville’s beautiful forest preserve. “We stay in contact with our past clients, reaching out with 33 touches a year,” says Dan. “Our customer appreciation party every summer is called “Firks Fest.” At Firks Fest, Dan opens his property to more than 300+ guests for a barbecue, open bar, music, dancing, giveaways, a raffle, fireworks and family activities like rock walls & 60ft inflatable obstacles. He and his co-sponsors even hire childcare, so the parents can enjoy the night! “People know we care about them and want to stay in touch with them,” Dan says. “When someone is referred to us, we take such good care of them that whoever referred them to us looks like a superstar!” Dan explains that Defined Realty Group is expanding. In addition to himself, they have three buyers’ agents, a listing agent plus a listing coordinator, a closing coordinator, an executive assistant, social media department, public relations director and a website coordinator. “We’re looking for at least five-ten more real estate agents who want to join a top-producing team and learn all the things that I’ve learned over the years to grow their business,” says. “I want them to be superstars, too!”
To learn more about Dan Firks, visit DanFirks.com, DefinedRealtyGroup.com or go to his group’s Facebook page, email dan@danfirks.com or call 630.637.9009 www.
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In addition, because Defined Realty Group staffs its office all day, seven days a week, questions coming in by email or phone call are addressed immediately. From prospective buyers to clients and other agents, the team receives high marks for 6
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Marinosci Law Group is proud to congratulate
Dan Firks
on being featured for the state of Illinois in Top Agent Magazine!
3333 Warrenville Road, Suite 200, Lisle, IL 60532
Phone 630-799-8298 | Fax 401-541-3873 skudulis@mlg-realestatelaw.com |rbrennan@mlg-realestatelaw.com www.
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5 Things You Can Do To Achieve Your Biggest Goals If there’s one thing successful people can agree on, it’s that setting goals has been key to their success. Whether you’re creating a five year plan or just settling on what you want to achieve by the end of the day, setting goals gives you the focus and direction you need to complete even the biggest tasks. But there is a method to setting them. It’s a process that takes careful thought and consideration up front, which is then combined with the hard work necessary to implement your plan. Luckily there are proven methods to goal setting that you can start using immediately. 1. MAKE YOUR GOALS SPECIFIC Yes, it’s fun to think in grand terms of where you want to end up in life and in your career, but it’s better to have a specific goal like “Increase my sales by 25%”, than “Get rich.” When a goal is clear and specific, it allows you to figure out the exact steps you need to take to accomplish it. The more general it is, the more paralyzed you might be when it comes to figuring out what to do since, the choices may be overwhelming. 2. MAKE IT ATTAINABLE Making attainable goals might seem boring, I mean afterall, you want to dream big! But you don’t want to suffer through the disappointment of not reaching your goal, something that may not even be possible at this stage in your life to begin with. One solution to that is creating goal levels. You can have the dream goal, but underneath that you have the realistic goals that are setting up a foundation for achieving the big one. Things that are attainable still take work and effort to achieve. Those small victories will keep you motivated and encouraged to go for the bigger dreams. And don’t forget, those 8
little goals may have been things you wouldn’t have gotten done if you didn’t set out to achieve them, so be proud! 3. PUT A PLAN OF ACTION IN WRITING Your plan of action should include daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals. There is something about seeing things in writing and crossing them off the list that is oddly satisfying.The daily goals are especially important in regards to building up those good habits. The first few weeks of your plan of action are critical when it comes to your long term success. Reaching a goal is something you are doing every day, all throughout the day, in numerous ways. Achieving goals is all about creating good new habits. 4. MAKE IT MEASURABLE This is key, since you definitely want to reward yourself for a job well done, and having a goal that is measurable in some way is a sure way to know. Maybe it’s to increase your lead generation or to cut expenses, whatever the case, have a measurable test you need to meet, as well as a time frame. Then calculate what you have to do to reach that goal. Not only should your goal be specific, but the plan and the measure of success should also be set in stone. 5. ADJUST AS YOU GO You can have all the best laid plans, and you still might quickly realize that what you thought would help you reach your goal, might not be cutting it. Commitment to reaching your goals is good, but commitment to a plan you know isn’t going to work is not only a waste of time, but will be a devastating blow to your motivation. Sticking to a plan everyday means adjusting it accordingly.
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STEVEN DARLING Top Agent Magazine
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STEVEN DARLING In life and in real estate, Steven Darling has always had a knack for taking life’s challenges and turning them into blessings. Steven was in his third year of college majoring in Biology when he found out he was going to be a father. Knowing he needed to increase his income to support his new family, he dove into real estate. While necessity drove him to the business, he soon found he had both a passion and a talent for real estate. Sixteen years later, Steven is a senior loan officer and the managing real estate broker for the OnQu Realty team, where he also manages an exclusive team of ten agents. He and his team serve all of San Diego County. Sixty percent of his business comes from repeat and referral clients eager to sing his praises to their friends and family. His clients rave about the care and attention Steven provides. They appreciate his honesty and direct approach. “I’m not a salesman,” he says. “I try to be my clients’ friend.” As a Christian, Steven always tries to put others before himself. In his career, he has done every single aspect of residential real estate, from processing loans to transaction coordinating. “I did everything to learn the business. I have experience and knowledge of every realm of residential real estate.” Steven has flipped over 50 houses and every year he completes approximately 50 loans. He now puts his skills and expertise to use not only serving his clients, but also mentoring a team and helping them to be successful by both training them and sending referrals their way. When it comes to marketing listings, Steven has a five step initial program that includes door drops, door knockers, flyer drops, mailers, and advertised open houses. He also uses
cutting-edge software that creates advertising through social media and posts listings on all the major real estate websites. “We do a ton of marketing for our listings!” he says. The result is quick sales at high prices. Steven develops such a strong relationship with his clients that it’s easy for him to stay in touch once a transaction is over. He connects with past clients via text, email and phone, and also uses social media to stay apprised of big events in his clients’ lives. What does Steven like most about his work? “It’s the relationships,” he says, without hesitation. “The greatest compliment I receive from past clients is, ‘We miss seeing you as much since we bought our house!’ It’s those friendships that mean the world to me. I tell my team, ‘The goal of your work isn’t to have a real estate transaction, it’s to get invited to the housewarming!’” Steven and his wife have three children who are active in sports. His wife is the President of the Santee Ravens Football Association where Steven has been coaching for nine years. His son currently plays on the team. “We just won the National Championship for the first time in San Diego history!” Steven says with a smile. In their free time, he and his wife attend their children’s sporting events, music recitals and other events. Steven and his family are members of Riverview Community Church. Having reached his professional goals, Steven now wants to focus on mentoring other agents and growing his office and team. With his dedication to his team and his community, he’s sure to continue on that path of service!
To find out more about Steven Darling, you can contact him by phone at 619 - 504 - 9983 or by email at Steven@OnQuRealty.com 10
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Every Player is Valuable: How to Boost Your Team’s Morale In the fast-paced world of real estate, it can be easy to overlook the contributions of those lower-level employees who are instrumental in our success, yet are overlooked when it comes to recognizing the important roles they play in keeping our business operating smoothly. Even a task that seems simple, such as answering phones, can be overwhelming at Top Agent Magazine
times. Letting these employees know that they are appreciated is something that often goes overlooked at busier companies, and can often result in impaired morale overall, as employee dissatisfaction tends to be contagious. Here are some things that you can do to increase morale and productivity in your workplace: 11
While it’s important to point out when an employee is doing something wrong, it is equally – if not more – important to acknowledge when that employee is doing something right.
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While it’s important to point out when an employee is doing something wrong, and sometimes to reprimand, it is equally – if not more – important to acknowledge when that employee is doing something right. Even a simple compliment can go a long, long way towards building that employee’s morale, and therefore their willingness to go the extra mile for your team. An example: “Sally, I just heard you on the phone with that client. You sounded very professional and I really appreciate your representing our business that way.”
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Determine what all of your employee’s goals are, and what their expectations for growth might be. There may be lower level employees who are perfectly content doing what they’re doing, and who have absolutely no expectations for growth in your business. Others, however, may have an interest in moving up the ladder. Make it your business to determine this early on, and try to take a personal interest in your employee’s growth with your company. Knowing there is room to grow is an important factor in employee satisfaction, and knowing who wants to grow and who
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doesn’t is something you should be aware of. Groom from within, and your employees will be grateful and work harder.
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If your workplace is highly stratified, with multiple levels of employees (agents, senior agents, loan processers, assistants, etc.,) make an effort to ensure that everyone feels valued as part of the team regardless of what they earn. Various team building exercises that encourage trust and a sense of familiarity can go a long way towards fostering an environment that is less unnecessarily competitive and more productive and cooperative. A quick web search for “Trust Building Exercises” will help you locate many good ways to achieve a newfound level of camaraderie amongst your team. Many of them are quite a bit of fun, too. Hopefully these tips will assist you in creating a better-functioning, higher-achieving team of motivated, caring employees. Remember, a chain is only as strong as the weakest link, so be sure to keep everyone feeling appreciated, supported and valued, and your company will only benefit. Top Agent Magazine
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TONY JAMES Top Agent Tony James of Keller Williams Realty International in Franklin, Tennessee has spent nearly a decade finely honing his reputation as an agent who can be trusted to provide all of his grateful clients with the very best customer service available. Focusing primarily on new construction sales, Tony’s affably conscientious approach and dedication to problem-solving have endeared him to nearly all who have done business with him. Tony began his official journey in the real estate industry when he was licensed in 2011. Prior to that, however, he had spent many years doing multi-family property management. “I traveled and lived all over the country,” says Tony, “and when I got moved back to Nashville, I started to realize that I’ve been putting people into homes for years, and that it was something I really enjoyed doing.” It wasn’t long before Tony made the decision to switch to real estate sales. “I’d recently bought a home, and the real estate agent I used suggested that I might make a good agent.” That agent was more than prescient, as Tony has gone on to build a highly successful career. When asked what sets him apart from his competitors, Tony tells a story of working for his first builder. The owner of that company was retiring, and called Tony into his office. Thinking he was going to be fired, Tony was surprised when he was complimented and praised for his sales performance, in particular his ability to make buyers feel comfortable. “He told me that I quickly engender trust among clients, and that he was impressed that I actually gave a damn,” says Tony. “That’s honestly what it is. People can tell when you care; you have to sell yourself before you can sell anything else.” A large factor in Tony’s success is his willingness to embrace new technologies to better showcase his properties. Among his favor-
ite tools is HouseLens, the online showcase hub that provides video, interactive 3D tours, 2D floor plans, and drone video to show each listing to its best advantage. “It gives people an opportunity to walk the house if they can’t physically be there,” says Tony. “It’s one of my favorite tools. I’ve sold houses to people in France because of this technology.” He is equally enthusiastic about another, more traditional method of marketing: The MLS. TV ads have also been used to guide buyers to his listings. While the financial rewards of his chosen profession are not inconsiderable, it’s the more intellectual side of things that he enjoys most about what he does. “For me,” says Tony, “it’s all about problem solving. I’m in a unique situation where people come to me and say, ‘I need a house that does this or that’ and my mind starts racing trying to think of a floor plan that would work for them. I love that challenge.” When he’s not working, Tony enjoys biking, reading and working out. He also spends quite a bit of time with his recently adopted Dalmatian, Titus. He is also a charter member of the Nashville chapter of Sister Cities, and of the Nashville Fashion Alliance. As for the future, Tony has several irons in the fire. In addition to continuing to grow his already lucrative business, he soon plans on branching out to existing construction sales. He is also in the early stages of potentially opening another office in San Francisco, as the idea of having two home-bases is appealing to him. “One of the things I like about this business is that you can make it what you want it to be. It’s the ultimate job when it comes to creating your own mold. It never gets old, it never gets dull,” says Tony.
For more information about Tony James, please call 615 - 778 - 1818 or email TonyJames@KW.com 14
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Buyers and Sellers: Understanding How Home Inspections are Negotiation Tools That stunning home or vacation property may seem perfect. But Top Agents advise anyone buying or selling to prioritize the importance of professional home inspections. For sellers, many agents recommend preparing for two separate inspections, one for your own information before listing and the second at the buyer’s obligation. For buyers, know that the listing agent is required to disclose certain major issues discovered on professional inspection. But every buyer should also order a thorough home inspection. For both buyers and sellers, inspection provides knowledge and knowledge may translate to power, time saved or money. THE SELLER’S INSPECTION You’ll save time before closing if you find potential “sticking points” before listing your home. Even those repairs that a seller isn’t required to fix may be worth the upfront investment. Replacing or repairing leaky faucets, wornbut-not-compromised sections of roofing or cosmetic masonry work will go a long way to build trust between you and buyers in your market. In addition, the last thing a seller wants right before closing is a major surprise. If your inspection uncovers a significant issue requiring disclosure, you’ll have an opportunity either to make repairs or to get professional estimates on cost, which you then can present to buyers either as a credit or reduction in sale price. Top Agent Magazine
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THE BUYER’S INSPECTION Selecting your Inspector: Before hiring an inspector, your agent may ask if the seller conducted an inspection and who conducted it. With this knowledge, you’ll hire a different inspector. Consider some important factors when choosing your home inspector: First, remember the adage that “you get what you pay for.” This property is one of your biggest investments it’s the place you’re going to cherish as your home or vacation destination for years to come. Entrust it to a highly rated and properly licensed inspector with the appropriate professional affiliations and credentials. Your Top Agent is your best referral source, but read online reviews or ask for recommendations to learn more about inspectors and the inspection process. As a buyer, know that a home inspection report gives you opportunities to request repairs, a lower sale price or credit for work to be done. Talk to your agent about how to make the most of your inspection report. Your agent will likely have contacts with local professionals you can consult with for fair estimates on the cost of the repairs you would like made. In extremely competitive markets however, your negotiating power may be limited to major issues requiring disclosure. Heed the advice of your agent in making necessary requests without risk of losing your dream home. Be sure to attend the inspection or assign a proxy if you’re out of the area. Then, go above and beyond and give a luxury property the attention it deserves. Your inspector should help you find concealed issues that can help you negotiate. Honest oversights on the part of the seller, for instance can only be rectified if discovered before closing. For example, clogged exterior drainage inadvertently concealed by hardscape may become a flooding issue down the road. On the flip side, recent partial-room painting may indicate something more than the seller’s beautification efforts. HOW SERIOUS IS IT? Remember that a home inspection is one of the most useful items in the buyer’s toolkit, but be careful not to get overwhelmed by the results. Prioritize issues by immediacy (safety) and break down each category by cost to repair to determine how the issues may impact negotiations. 16
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NOAH KIRSHBAUM 17
NOAH KIRSHBAUM When looking to buy or sell a home in the Greater Portland Area, you won’t find an agent more respected or in-demand than Noah Kirshbaum. Noah and the Kirshbaum Group excel at all types of transactions, but specialize in the unique demands of new construction. Before getting his license, Noah was remodeling and flipping his own investment properties and really knows the process inside and out. “I have a different sort of team model. I have partners who are experts in different sectors of the business. I like to think of us as a random group of misfits that have come together because ultimately we are good people and have solid relationships built on trust. It’s been a really successful business model.”
walk into a client’s home and give them a detailed list of what needs to be done. If they need help with staging, we offer that service. I use incredibly gifted photographers and videographers and we’re really able to show the property in the best possible light. I also do my own creative social media video clips, that have been really useful building interest in the property.”
Noah has established himself as a Realtor® who provides an exceptional customer experience, with the key component of excellent communication. “Before I was a Realtor® I was a working to become a Marriage and Family Therapist, so I’m a really good listener. I’m able to hear what the specific needs of my clients are from the first meeting. Then throughout the transaction, I make them feel heard and taken care of. I’m diligent and thoughtful about providing an unsurpassed level of communication. I take a lot of flack in my personal life because I’m always on my phone with clients, but this is who I am. When people need me, I’m there for them. I have a lot of empathy, which can be unusual in this business.”
Noah has plans to expand his remodeling and construction division, and is also producing video clips that he would like to eventually turn into a TV pilot. “I feel like I’m only just getting started. The sky really is the limit in this business. I love what I do and couldn’t be more excited about the future. “
If you ask Noah’s clients what they love about working him, they most often mention his sense of humor and professionalism. “I think they’re able to have fun because they trust that I have everything taken care of. I make strong relationship with my clients and I keep those relationships keep going after the transaction. We actually become friends. I recently asked some past clients if they would join me on an HGTV show appearance and was really honored that they said yes. We’ re having a viewing party for the show soon, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with how it turned out.” Another area where Noah is a stand out in his area is with his innovative marketing and his dedication to always staying on the cutting edge of the latest technologies. “Because of my expertise in new construction and flipping, I’m able to 18
Noah is actively involved in his community and is on the board for Smile Oregon, a charity that helps children with cleft palates get much needed surgery. He also supports Stand Down, a non-profit that focuses on veterans healthcare. Noah is currently training for his next Ironman triathlon. When he isn’t working, he enjoys live music, and taking advantage of all the wonderful restaurants and farmer’s market his area has to offer.
To learn more about
NOAH KIRSHBAUM call 503-957-3836 email talktonoah32@gmail.com or visit NoahSellsHomes.com Copyright Top Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine
5 Morning Habits to Make Your Day Super Productive For many, most mornings begin with a rush—a rush to get dressed, a rush to find something edible for breakfast, a rush out the door and into rush hour. Likely you have heard articles advising you to set your
alarm early to give yourself some flexibility —which is sound advice, of course—but consider a few of these additional tweaks to your morning routine that can set a productive tone for your day at large.
1. Keep Screens Away Until Breakfast Oftentimes, our first instinct upon waking is to check-in on our phones, tablets, or computers, to scope out the latest social media updates and e-mail correspondence. While diving into the action might seem productive, studies show that waylaying screen time until you’re up and dressed, and have had a good breakfast, will actually make your first pass Top Agent Magazine
at all things digital more focused, clear, and efficient. Instead of answering a few e-mails, checking out a friend’s photos, and then hurrying to shower and dress, instead make a resolution to keep the online world at bay for the first half-hour to an hour after you rise, then you’ll approach the digital world with fresh eyes, energy, and adeptness.
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2. Meal Prep Sometimes hitting the snooze button is inevitable, but if you make prepping breakfast the night before a part of your routine, then grabbing something healthy on the go will be a snap—and your stomach will thank you for it. Load up your coffee machine ahead of time, so all you have to do
is hit brew. Or, chop up a fruit salad, mix a smoothie, or simply put a granola bar and a grapefruit in your lunch bag, ready to be grabbed on your way out the door. Even if it’s small or basic, keeping yourself fueled will keep distractions, inefficiency, and mood swings at bay.
3. Queue Up a Podcast on Your Commute Whether you’re driving, biking, or taking public transportation into the office, a podcast is a perfect way to brush up on industry knowledge. Try sourcing a podcast relative to your field and narrated by experts. Not only will it get you thinking about the topics of your industry—while expanding
your professional vocabulary—it will also wake up your brain and get your head in the game as you prepare to launch your day. Use your commute time to bump up your knowledge and conversation points, and you’ll be ahead of the curve before you reach the office.
4. Begin with a To-Do List When work gets busy, sometimes just getting started is an overwhelming prospect. Before you dive in to your e-mails and projects, take twenty minutes and be thoughtful as you assess your daily and weekly to-do
list items, then map them. By giving yourself a bullet point system of what you need to accomplish and by when, you can undo some of the anxiety that a busy schedule promotes.
5. Walk It Out, Even If You Missed the Gym While we often rely on coffee for our morning buzz, exercise provides a potent burst of energy that can supercharge your day. But, let’s say you’re running behind and skip the gym—all is not lost! Take fifteen minutes in
the early morning to take a walk around the block a few times. The fresh air and aerobic exercise will wake you up, get your blood moving, and provide your morning with a natural injection of motivation.
Everyone’s morning routine varies, but perhaps the first step is identifying aspects of your routine that could be improved, and tackling them from there. From waylaying
screen time distractions to getting in a little blood-pumping exercise, keep these tips in mind as you launch your most productive morning routine ever.
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IZZY BARDEN Top Agent Israel “Izzy” Barden of Big Bear Lake Real Estate in picturesque Big Bear Lake, California has spent nearly two decades helping buyers and sellers achieve their dreams of homeownership. With a focus on the client and a solid work ethic, Izzy has firmly established himself as a real estate agent who can be trusted to put the need of his clients front and center. A former Vice President of a financial services company, Izzy began casting about for new career opportunities when that company closed its doors. “My wife was a transaction coordinator for the biggest realtor in town,” says Izzy, “so I went to work for him. I was originally licensed in 2001, and I’ve been doing it full-time for fifteen years.” Since then, his reputation for honesty, integrity and hard work have become his calling card. His longtime residence in this sleepy, vacation-destination community has provided him with a wealth of local knowledge that greatly benefits his many grateful clients. Overseeing a small team that includes a transaction coordinator and two buyer’s agents, Izzy can boast of a business that is comprised almost 50% of repeat clients and referrals. “We’re small enough to care,” says Izzy by way of explaining his success, “but we do a good volume of business. We did 100 sales last year; thirty-three million dollars. We’re in the top ten producing teams in the Valley.” The approach Izzy and his team takes is weighted much more to the personal side of things than the financial aspect. “I try to make my team more relational than transactional,” he says. “Once we start the deal, we don’t just hand it off to administration. I make sure my clients are involved every step of the way and stay connected to the client.” Izzy’s work ethic is impressive. “There’s no replacing hard work,” he explains. “I work seven days a week. I make sure my team is very active, and they come into the office five days a week.”
Channeling a significant portion of his profits back into Big Bear Lake Real Estate has proven a successful tactic for Izzy. “I always re-invest in my business,” he says. “That’s pretty much the secret to my success.” The gratitude his clients feel for his services is best summed up by this glowing review on his website: “We had the best experience with Izzy Barden, we felt like he treated us like a friend instead of a client. He always informed us of every detail involving our purchase and looked out for our best interests. He also grew up in Big Bear so we felt even better knowing he was very familiar with the area. We will refer him to friends and family if they decide to purchase in Big Bear and we would use him again if we decide to purchase another home.” What Izzy likes most about his job is the flexibility of schedule that it provides. “I like the freedom of it,” he says. “I work more than I ever did before, but it doesn’t feel like it because I’m working for myself, I have my own team, have my own goals, and I run my operation as I see fit.” He adds with a laugh: “and the money’s not bad.” Looking to the future, Izzy plans on hedging his bets against any possible future market downturn. “I’m getting a little bit more into construction development. I’m trying to get into a good space so that when foreclosures come back around I’ll be in a good place to buy, remodel and flip houses.” “I’m a full-time professional in real estate,” says Izzy. “I don’t do anything else, it’s all I do seven days a week. I come from a customer service background and I understand the human side of the business. My client’s futures are important to me, because I know it’s the biggest transaction most of them are going to do in their lives, and I make sure I’m involved from start to finish. Most clients end up being my friends. Our motto is: We Care. That’s how we start every meeting: with gratitude that we’re in this business and that we care about our clients.”
For more information about Izzy Barden, please call 909-273-8980 or email Izzy.Barden@gmail.com Top Agent Magazine
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KIM N. BREGMAN Kim Bregman got her start in the industry working in commercial real estate as a tenant representative. It was there that she mastered the intricacies of the transactional process and honed her skills in relocation and negotiating sales. She then became a Broker and started her own consulting company, Turnkey Operations of Palm Beach County, which facilitated the relocation of small businesses to South Florida. It was during the process of leasing and setting up “turnkey offices” that she added the services of assisting company owners and their employees with relocation services. Optima Properties is an Exclusive Buyer Brokerage that works solely with homebuyers and commercial tenants. As a member of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents, Kim stands apart for her commitment to fiduciary responsibility and servings buyers’ interests above all else. Today, she’s cultivated a sterling reputation for wise counsel, business savvy, and the proven ability to rise to a challenge. As a second-generation native Floridian born and raised in Miami and a resident of Boca Raton and Delray Beach for over 35 years, Kim’s understanding of the area runs deep. Accordingly, she serves clients in Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties, sharing her firsthand insight into the market, its trends, inventory, and amenities. “I’m intimately familiar with the lifestyle here,” she says. “I know the area very well and as an exclusive agent for homebuyers, I never have a conflict of interest by representing Sellers.” Because she works exclusively with buyers, Kim’s role as a realtor is distinctly tailored. “My approach is full-service,” she explains. “I represent the buyers’ best interests and always uphold my fiduciary responsibility of loyalty, confidentiality, and full disclosure.” What’s more, Kim’s professional experience is comprehensive. She holds an MBA, has worked in several sectors of the real estate market, and served in corporate America. All of these experiences have helped fine-tune her approach to guiding clients toward their ideal property. “I’m very business-oriented and I often appeal to buyers who are equally business-minded,” she says. “My education allows me to work with sophisticated clients, and I have a diverse background of experience. I worked for IBM in management, I owned and sold my own Internet company, have sat on the boards of charities and non-profits, and have owned and managed vacation rental properties. I’m able to bring that diverse background to my work in real estate and identify with clients’ needs and interests. As a result, I’m someone they know they can relate to and trust.” To keep in touch with clients she’s served in the past, Kim connects person-to-person and via e-mail long after the closing table. She also equips clients with specific and relevant information pertaining to the purchase process and ensuing homeownership, 22
continuing to serve as a resource well beyond a deal has closed. In considering what she enjoys most about her career, Kim cites the ability to creatively problem solve and deliver on her clients’ long-term real estate goals. “I like the challenge of brokering deals and meeting and working with interesting people,” she says. “I always get a great deal of satisfaction when we finally get a buyer into the right property. It’s my job to manage anxiety and any variables that occur during the contractual, moving, relocating and closing process. To give back to the South Florida community that she’s called home for several decades, Kim has dedicated herself to a range of charitable causes over the years. She’s served on several non-profit boards and her husband served as a past President of the United Way or Palm Beach County. Kim herself has served as a volunteer at large for the organization. When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast back in 2008, Kim worked with the United Way and The Red Cross and rallied resources and energy to serve displaced Louisiana residents resettled in South Florida. In her remaining free hours, Kim most enjoys travel, theater and time spent with family and close friends. Looking ahead, Kim has plans to continue growing her business and client base in the years to come and is encouraged by the new construction and growth in the area. As a lifelong resident of South Florida, she also hopes to continue serving as a regional resource for past clients and aspiring buyers alike. Now, with over three decades of incisive experience behind her and an abiding allegiance to her clients’ interests, the future is bound to be bright for Kim Bregman.
To learn more about Kim N. Bregman email kim@optimaproperties.com, call 561 – 251 – 7170, visit optimaproperties.com, or facebook.com/OptimaProperties 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, 24
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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NIKKI CLOUD Nikki Cloud of Keller Williams Realty in Fort Worth, Texas is a Realtor who is known to always go the extra mile when taking care of her many grateful buyers and sellers. While she wields nearly a decade of experience and hard-earned knowledge, she also delivers a truly personal, caring experience to those she services. Her business tagline “I am the KEY to your dream home” is more than just pretty words, it’s a near-guarantee that Nikki will find the perfect home for her clients. Recognized as the #1 Top Selling Agent with Keller Williams in Fort Worth, Nikki professes a love for real estate that goes back to her childhood. “I’ve always been fascinated by homes,” she says. “I had no clue I would excel in the real estate business as I have, but it’s something that I have a passion for and I really enjoy doing.” Currently working with a small team, Nikki covers a wide geographic area that includes not only Fort Worth but surrounding areas such as Crowley, Arlington and Mansfield, among others. With nearly 80% of her business based on repeat and referral clients, Nikki is obviously satisfying her customers who have come to trust her with all of their real estate needs. “I feel like one of the things that sets me apart,” she explains, “is that I like to make all of my clients feel like they’re family, or close friends. I treat every transaction as if it were my own transaction, and I think that’s mainly why they continue to come back and why they keep referring their loved ones to me so I can take care of them.” With a perfect five-star rating on Zillow.com, it’s rather obvious that Nikki’s many clients are impressed by and grateful for the exceptional customer service she provides. With a staggering eighty-plus perfect reviews, Nikki is without a doubt a consummate professional. Among the many glowing testimonials is this
one: “Nikki Cloud is so helpful and she treats your home buying experience as if it is her own. Her attention to detail in the walk-through helped me out a great deal. I was pretty nervous about purchasing a home but between Nikki and her assistant Sharon, it was an easy process. They call you to check on you throughout the entire process. If I had questions I knew I could call them for help and get a fast response. I have referred friends and family to Nikki and will keep doing so. Choose her if you want a great experience. I know I will again.” Staying in touch with her past clients is of paramount importance to Nikki, and to that end she employs a variety of methods for maintaining contact. “Social media is a huge tool for staying connected with past clients and potential clients,” Nikki enthuses. “We also call to check on them periodically throughout the year. We send holiday cards and birthday cards, and also emails. We use every way imaginable to stay in touch, because there are a lot of them and we want them all to know that we’re still here if they need us, even long after the transaction.” While there are many benefits to a career in real estate, it’s the more personal side of the industry where Nikki finds the most job satisfaction. “I love the interactions with my clients,” she says. “I love letting them know that I care, and of course treating their transaction as if it were my own.” Another benefit is the ability it gives Nikki to help others. “It helps fuel my foundation that is geared toward unserved children, mentally challenged individuals, and the elderly people along with my other businesses that I have.” As for the future, expansion is in the works. “I’m constantly growing in every area. My plan is to continue to grow and possibly add more members to my team,” says Nikki. “I’ll just keep working, working, working,” she adds with a laugh.
For more information about Nikki Cloud, please call 682-559-2210 or email NikkiCloud@KW.com Top Agent Magazine
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KAREN EAGLE Real estate investor or house flipper? Like many of us, Karen Eagle was exploring these two popular options as her next career move. “I was thinking about purchasing some rental properties or maybe buying and flipping some homes, so I decided I would get my license and learn about the process. It just immediately clicked with me, and I began my career as a Realtor® in 2011. I never ended up purchasing an investment property!” Karen says. Karen found an unexpected profession – and a successful and lucrative real estate practice. Through helping people buy and sell their most precious asset, Karen found her calling; and her real estate business took off. Her clients noticed that she paid close attention to every detail. They appreciated that she worked hard to ensure that every transaction was efficient and actually rewarding. They watched her go the extra mile, and for these reasons, demand grew for her services. In order to serve more people, Karen carefully and patiently formed a team. The Karen Eagle Group is comprised of four team members, with Karen being the lead agent. Three professionals work closely with Karen to maintain her high standards of professionalism, discretion and client satisfaction -- a buyer’s agent, an assistant/ marketing guru, and a writer/publicist/social media expert. Karen and her team primarily serve Northeast Ohio, in particular the Eastern suburbs of Cleveland. They excel at all types of transactions, but specialize in luxury listings. Well-known for their professionalism and results, it’s not surprising that Karen and her team have earned a near 100% rate of repeat and referral business.
“While we do sell many luxury listings, we provide high-end customer service for every listing. No one is treated differently. For every transaction, our goal is to exceed the client’s expectations and make the process as seamless and as painless as possible. We have a good handle on our marketplace and the industry as a whole, which gives our clients a real advantage. That not only keeps them coming back, but they recommend us to their friends and family, which we appreciate very much.” The Karen Eagle Group also excels in their comprehensive approach to marketing their listings. “My brokerage, Howard Hanna Real Estate, has the bulk of the market share in Northeast Ohio, so we are able to make double the impact. I do a tremendous amount of social media marketing, and all of my listings are well written with professional photos, so they really grab people’s attention. My publicist has great relationships with local media outlets, and we are fortunate enough to receive many requests from multiple outlets on a regular basis. We also issue press releases for any house that has a “story” and have had our listings featured on: Dwell, Curbed, WSJ Mansion Global.com, and Architectural Digest.com.” Karen is actively involved in her community. She supports Flashes of Hope and also serves on the board of trustees for the Chagrin Falls Educational Foundation. When she isn’t working, Karen enjoys visiting her children at college, staying active, and doing renovation work on her home. Karen would like to continue to grow her team, but her first priority is always maintaining her team’s ability to provide excellent customer service. “I love to see growth every year, but I always want my team members to have the time and opportunity to grow themselves through continuing education. We all strive to be our best, and that makes the team stronger as a whole. I love what I do. I get to have a positive impact on people’s lives, and that gives me a great sense of accomplishment.”
To learn more about Karen Eagle, visit kareneagle.com, call 440.773.6187, or email kareneagle@howardhanna.com www.
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EMILY DUARTE AND CARLIE GOULET Top Agents Emily Duarte and Carlie Goulet of Keller Williams’ Lux Home Group in Phoenix, Arizona can boast of having nearly thirty year’s experience helping buyers and sellers reach their real estate dreams. With a focus on exceptional client service, coupled with savvy business acumen, the pair have firmly established themselves as real estate agents who can be trusted with what is often the largest purchase or sale their clients will ever make. Both agents started their careers relatively young, with Emily entering the industry following a short post-college career working towards the position of buyer for luxury retail enterprise. “I wasn’t getting where I wanted to be fast enough,” she explains. “Then I ran into a friend who was doing real estate, and she recommended I get my license. She made it sound incredibly easy, but as I’ve realized over the last twelve and a half years, it’s not as easy as it looks from the outside.” Carly had just graduated from high school when her journey began. “I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, and one of my friends was going to real estate school,” she explains. “I said I’d go with her because I enjoyed school and learning, and I ended up getting licensed really young.” The pair built successful solo careers before joining forces as a team several years ago. Since then, they have built their team up to include sixteen highly-dedicated and client-focused agents, all serving various parts of the greater Phoenix area. Combining both a commitment to establishing solid relationships with their client and an emphasis on new technology, the pair can boast a repeat and referral business that exceeds 60%. The element responsible for this client loyalty, the pair believe, is their attention to detail when it comes to helping their clients achieve their dreams. “I am definitely a perfectionist,” says Carly, “I like everything to be perfect and to provide a great experience for all of our clients.” That experience transcends the transaction process. “After the transaction we stay in touch,” explains Emily. “We have client parties, we have giveaways, we contact them when there are special events in their lives. We want them to know we’re always there for them. It’s not just a transactional -based relationship.” With a large portion of their business predicated on selling expired listings, the pair have found success selling properties less dedicated agents have been unable to move, 28
utilizing savvy and cutting-edge marketing techniques. “Most of the time we’re selling these properties at the same price or higher than they were previously listed,” says Carly. “We do professional photos and videos, and Keller Williams has an excellent syndication platform system.” When asked what they like most about their chosen profession, Emily responds: “For me it’s been about twelve and a half years of building awesome relationships. We get to be a part of a really important life experience with our clients.” Says Carly, “I love our team, and growing and building it. I love showing people that real estate can be easy, and I just love seeing our team members grow and become great, and to win at life.” The future is bright for The Lux Home Group. “Our plan is for world domination,” laughs Emily. “We have huge goals for 2018; we want to double our volume from last year, and we have all the pieces in place to do that. We want to continue growing one of the biggest teams we can, not only to impact as many client lives as we can, but also the lives of the member of our team. We feel we’re in a unique position, there aren’t a lot of women-owned real estate teams, and we really want to make a difference and show that we can build something really big.”
For more information about Emily Duarte and Carlie Goulet, please call 480 -999 - 2304 or email Emily@LuxHomeGroup.com Copyright Top Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine
Five Ways To Increase Your Commission By Walter Sanford
Sanford Systems has the best systems for making money in real estate. Sometimes, our clients forget how to stop discounting and to instead raise their “fee.” This month, we’ll cover five ideas. Here we go:
1
Raise it. Before the listing appointment, fill out all paperwork with the new rate and make it business as usual. Scared? Well, make a great listing presentation. Don’t leave until you get the objection. Learn how to overcome the objection. If you have to, drop it back down to your old retail rate but only after much hesitation.
2
Email new listings. Send new listings to your database immediately, hours before it hits the MLS. This is a two-fer: #1 - Keep your database informed with secret, prelisting information that they are reluctant to spam and in the email tell them to forward this hot info to their sphere. #2 - You make more double ends with new people.
3
Institute a cancellation fee. Many agents allow sellers to cancel listings with a guarantee stating
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they can cancel if they are not happy with the process. If you offer this guarantee, you will always be worried about offending sellers who are serial cement heads with a bent toward overpricing. You won’t try hard enough to get the price reduction, thinking they are going to cancel the listing. On the other hand, sometimes sellers have a legitimate reason for needing to cancel, and, as upsetting as that is, you can’t sell a property that the seller does not want sold. Offer them an out and you get paid for your time, while working with a chance to get the listing back. “I offer an ‘any reason to cancel’ clause. It is $1000 in the first month and goes up an additional $500 a month after that. (Adjust for your price range.) It is fully refundable should you ever re-list the property with me and I am successful in contributing to its close.”
4
Gain limited partnership as commission. I carried many of my commissions due from builders as a limited partnership interest in their next project, rather than giving them discounts.
5
Skip the discounts. Instead of discounts, carry your commission as part of any seller carry back. It is better than taking a beating on the amount. I coach top agents on a limited basis. If you are interested in coaching or a speaking engagement, please call our office at 800.792.5837. Be sure to ask about the half-off sale on our already discounted internet prices for training systems. Don’t re-invent the wheel. Use 30 years of real estate wisdom and experience to your benefit! Copyright©, 2016 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. 30
Top Agent Magazine
MATTHEW GUIDA It was while earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration that Matthew Guida discovered his passion of real estate. “I had planned to pursue my master’s degree in marketing or finance, but in the meantime, I wanted to be part of helping people achieve the American Dream,” Matthew recalls. After solidly establishing himself in the excitement of real estate in 2013, that grad school idea became a thing of the past. Matthew has been working independently since becoming an agent, carving a path from Coldwell Banker to William Raveis Real Estate in Wethersfield, CT. While building his independent business, Matthew counts himself very fortunate to be part of the Wethersfield William Raveis office, an agency filled with wonderful mentors. “We all help each other out,” he says. “If one of us has a question about a situation, we know that someone in the office has been through it and we can easily approach them to get an opinion and wisdom.” With a focus on his service to his clients, Matthew treats every transaction the same, whether it’s a rental, a seller in a $150,000 short-sale or a buyer of a $1+ million mansion. In delivering the best possible service in every client engagement, he has cemented his reputation of trustworthiness, fairness and integrity. “I know that’s what helps me generate new business from referrals and maintain repeat business.” He also remains top-of-mind within his market, making concerted efforts to nurture relationships within the communities he serves. “A lot of my past clients are local, so I stop in and see them; one client gives me cookies every time I stop in!” This relationship illustrates the kind of client engagements he creates and maintains. For that client, he was able to help them purchase their neighbor’s house two doors down when they were seeking one-story living. His clients enjoy hearing from him with his updates on the value of their homes, the market trends and any listings he has.
Treating people fairly and equally extends to Matthew’s listing marketing. Beginning with staging if wanted or needed, Matthew presents your home in its best possible light before having high-definition photos taken. If the home is the “right” listing, he’ll even do drone photography. Matthew informs sellers that because buyers begin searching online, the true first “showing” is virtual. “If buyers like what they see online, they’ll make an appointment to see it in person.” He presents the listing to other agents at his office’s weekly meeting, followed by tours and collaboration on what can help sell each home. “The next step is laminated brochures for every listing,” says Matthew, who also holds open houses and broker’s open houses. In addition to sending postcards to the neighborhoods, he finds great success with targeted social media marketing. “Targeting and boosting posts on Facebook to the buyer profile is extremely effective.” The many aspects of real estate that Matthew enjoys are the flexibility of working for himself and the variation from day to day. “There are so many different houses and clients out there,” he says. With his flexibility, he is able to take care of himself, working out regularly, reading and spending time with friends. “You can be the richest person in the world, but if you’re unhealthy, none of the money matters.” Following on to that, Matthew receives personal rewards by taking part in several activities with his office to benefit the community, from volunteering and fundraising for the Damon Runyan cancer research foundation, Wethersfield Social Services and the Wethersfield Cornfest. Matthew’s future is very promising. “I’d love to start my own team and be a team leader, working with newer agents,” he says, adding that anyone with even an inkling of interest in entering real estate should take the classes, get licensed and find their niche. “There are so many different aspects of real estate people can get into. It’s such a rewarding career.”
To learn more about Matthew Guida,
visit raveis.com/matthewguida, email matthew.guida@raveis.com or cell 860.888.2732. www.
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JULIE HEINEY Top Agent Julie Heiney of RE/MAX Property Specialists in Pocono Lake, Pennsylvania has spent more than three decades honing her craft, and is currently one of the most respected agents working in her area. Demonstrating a perfect balance between highly-professional and lighthearted, her many clients are grateful to her for making what can often be a tumultuous, emotional experience a much more relaxed and enjoyable one. “I think this needs to be a fun experience,” says Julie. “Most of the people I deal with, our vacation people, they’re not buying a permanent home. They’re doing it for entertainment and a good time. The real estate process shouldn’t be such a nightmare, it should be something you enjoy doing. So I really think I do try and make it a good time. We try and have fun. I think most people would say they had a good time while they were working with me.” Working solo and selling in the Pocono Lake, Pocono Pines and Blakeslee areas, Julie got her start in the industry back in 1986. “I was working as assistant to the president for a property developer, and went and got my license and took off on my own to sell real estate,” she explains. Since then, she has firmly established herself as an agent who can be trusted to put her client’s needs front and center. With nearly 35% of her business based on repeat and referred clients, Julie is obviously providing her clients with exemplary service. What keeps them coming back, she believes, is the fun she injects into what can often otherwise be a difficult, emotional situation. She also strives to simplify the entire process. “I do try and make the paperwork process easier,” she explains, “and young people especially like to deal with me because I’ve been doing this for so long, I can usually
find a way to speak with them that maybe some people who haven’t been in the business as long as I have can’t.” The appreciation Julie feels for her clients is a two-way street, as this glowing review for her services on Zillow.com attests: “Julie surpassed all our expectations to help us find our perfect home in the Poconos. She knows the area better than any other real estate agent we came across. She is sincere and extremely professional, which helped us feel at ease throughout the buying process. She went above and beyond to get us the best deal despite the challenges, and we closed on our dream log cabin within a month. Pick Julie…you won’t regret it and you’ll gain an amazing friend for a lifetime. Thanks again Julie!” Savvy, cutting-edge marketing plays a large role in Julie’s continued success. Having recently embraced technology as the way of the future, she is highly active on multiple social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. She still, however, uses old-school, tried-and-true methods that are more personal in nature, such as phone calls and hand-written notes. When she’s not working, Julie is adamant about giving back to her community, and is grateful for RE/MAX’s affiliation with the Children’s Miracle Network. She also enjoys spending time in antique shops, making jewelry and caring for her Bengal cat, which she laughingly calls “very high maintenance.” As for the future, Julie simply plans to continue building her business while sacrificing none of the exceptional client service that has become her hallmark.
For more information about Julie Heiney, please call 570-730-3156 or email HeineyJulie@gmail.com 32
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Why Flexibility Hurts (Not Helps) Your Ability to Close Sales Deals By Kendra Lee
For many sales reps, being flexible throughout the sales process seems like the best, consultative approach to establish a strong prospect relationship and win more sales. Rather than suggest what a prospective client should buy, reps opt to empower the client to dictate their needs. In doing so, the thought process is that reps convey patience and a commitment to ensuring the client gets exactly what they want, which will in turn improve their chances of closing the deal. Here’s what that approach accomplishes instead: Slower buy cycles and lower closing ratios. Truth is, most buyers don’t know exactly what they need from you. Sure, prospects know the outcome they want to achieve. They might even have an idea of which tools or services might help accomplish it. But they don’t know which specific products, services, or solutions will get them there. Other prospects know the outcome they want to achieve, but have no idea how to get started, let alone which products, services or solutions to look at. Top Agent Magazine
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Either way, to achieve the outcome they’re aspiring to, buyers often look to you to guide them toward the right decision. When you don’t provide that guidance, it stalls the sales process and dramatically reduces closing ratios. Here’s why: 1 Flexibility doesn’t empower buyers — it confuses them 2 Forcing work on to your buyers typically causes them to look elsewhere for someone who can figure out how exactly to address their problem In both cases, your performance suffers. Ultimately, buyers — particularly in the earlier stages of their buy cycle — don’t want total flexibility or the freedom to choose any possible solution. They want, and need, guidance from you to navigate toward the right one. When you provide that definitive insight in the early stages of the buying cycle, customers gain confidence that you’re the right person to get them to where they need to be. To put it more bluntly, being “flexible” is a cop out. It might make you feel better, but it’s not helping prospects. If you really want to empower small and mid-size businesses to make meaningful change, you have to be willing to make a definitive, confident recommendation and show prospects a clear path to addressing their problem. When you do that, you’ll close sales faster and your clients will be happier. They’ll get what they need (and want), and your closing ratios will trend in the right direction. Copyright©, 2016 Kendra Lee. All rights reserved.
Contact details for Kendra Lee: Phone: 303-741-6636 (Old fashioned, but very effective.) Email: Info@klagroup.com (Yes, I get every one of these personally.) Twitter: @KendraLeeKLA (And I do follow all direct messages on Twitter!) KLA Group is a sales consulting and training firm focused on helping clients get more customers in the Small and Midmarket Business (SMB) segment through lead generation, prospecting, hiring and onboarding strategies. 34
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GINO MARINO Gino Marino grew up in the world of real estate. His mother was an agent, and his father a developer, so it was only natural that when the time came, Gino decided to take up the same mantle and become an agent in his own right. At the age of twenty-six, he decided to take the plunge, following in his parents’ footsteps. Now, eight years after his start in the business, he’s carved out a dynamic reputation for nuanced industry knowledge, intrepid marketing strategies, and an abiding focus on servings his clients’ interests above all. Today, Gino serves clients across Long Island. In the five years since he transitioned his work to full-time, he’s earned a remarkable 85% of his business from repeat and referral clientele—the surest testament to a job well done. Beyond his demonstrable track record of success, Gino also cites a commitment to communication and positivity as foremost drivers of his business philosophy. “In most instances, my clients and I end up becoming friends,” he explains. “I have a strong work ethic, an energetic personality, and a deep industry knowledge.” In fact, his exposure to real estate and the development process from a young age contributes much to his working style today. Not only can he advise clients on renovation solutions, timelines, and market trends, but he also instills a sense of confidence and security in those he serves. “Especially today, with the market’s competitive environment and relatively low inventory, searching for a home can feel like a grueling process for clients,” he says. “I work with a lot of first or second-time homebuyers and young families. With that in mind, I do my best to bring a trustworthy, positive, and encouraging attitude to the table.” Gino also makes it a point to stay accessible round-the-clock for clients, recognizing that availability and steadfast communication go a long when making the investment of a lifetime.
As for listing properties, Gino’s approach is tech-savvy and forward-thinking. Likewise, he doesn’t take a one-sizefits-all approach to sales. Instead, he assesses each property’s unique characteristics and position when crafting a customized strategy prior to market. “Every property is different in the way it needs to be marketed and advertised,” he explains. His tailored campaigns are comprised of professional photography, aerial shoots, virtual tours, and floorplans. He also leverages the power of the internet and social media to drum up maximum exposure for each listing. This includes preferred placement on the leading digital listing platforms and social media networks, using targeted ads, and building custom websites to lure potential buyers. In considering what he enjoys most about his daily work, Gino cites the variety of the job and the ability to forge new bonds with industry colleagues and clients alike. “Every day is different and exciting to me,” he says. “I love the art of the deal and negotiating, because it’s so important to me to get the best deal possible for my buyers and sellers, but I most enjoy meeting new faces every day.” To support the Long Island community he calls home, Gino is involved in his local church’s charitable efforts, as well as with PinkTie.org, an organization that uses professional networking to support worthy causes. In his remaining free hours, Gino most enjoys time spent with family and loved ones, and by staying active through exercise and boxing. Looking ahead, Gino has plans to continue growing his business and platform to continue serving Long Island’s aspiring home buyers and sellers. He’s also been active in the market through buying and flipping homes and has aspirations to continue his reach in the real estate development sector. Now, with eight years of experience behind him and an ambitious vision for the future, the road ahead is sure to be paved with promise for Gino Marino.
To learn more about Gino Marino email ginom.realestate@gmail.com or gmarino@signaturepremier.com, visit his website here, or call 646-210–4461 or 631-432-9415 http://www.signaturepremier.com/agent?AgentId=46453&ListingStatus=Active,UnderContract&
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KAREN MINTER Top Agent Karen Minter may be relatively new to the real estate industry, but she has already built a stellar reputation as a Realtor who can be trusted to provide excellent client service to her many grateful buyers and sellers. With clear and consistent communication and a desire to make the transaction process as smooth as possible, Karen is quickly becoming one of the most respected agents working Charlotte, North Carolina. Karen’s journey to assisting buyers and sellers was a circuitous one. A former juvenile probation officer and children’s case worker, Karen began casting about for a new career after relocating with her family from Pittsburgh to Charlotte. “When we moved down here I was a stay-at-home mom,” she explains. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to get back into that field again, and one day I was taking a walk and decided I wanted to sell houses.” Not one to equivocate or procrastinate, within six weeks Karen had obtained her license and began selling. In August of 2016 she signed with Keller Williams Realty, South Park. Joining forces with Team Lodestone, she quickly found a home and ever-increasing success, much of which she credits to the exceptional team leadership of Broker/Owner Marissa Boyle. “She is fabulous,” says Karen. “I love the fact that she took me under her wing and taught me ways to get business and maintain positive relationships with clients.” With a business that is based on an ever-growing number of referrals from satisfied clients, Karen is well on her way to continued success. When asked to account for this level of client loyalty, Karen responds: “It’s definitely my customer service. I really care about my clients. I’d worked in social services my entire life before real estate, so I’ve always cared about people,
wanted to help people, and have their best interests in mind when working with them.” Another factor, she believes, is the level of communication she enjoys with her clients. “I’m not just trying to help my clients find a house, and then I’m gone,” says Karen. “I maintain contact after the sale, asking how they are, asking about their families. I think that sets me apart from a lot of other real estate agents. I keep them up to date on everything, so they know how the process is going. I minimize problems for them and try to deal with any hiccup before it becomes something bigger.” Her real estate career has provided a huge paradigm shift for Karen. In her previous career in social services, she asserts, she worked with people who were experiencing some of the darkest days of their lives. “This, however, is the reverse,” she explains. “I’m working with people during the most exciting and best time of their lives. They’re so excited about buying their first home, and they’re looking to me for guidance and help. I love being a part of their lives during this time.” When Karen isn’t working, she enjoys nothing more than spending time with her family. “We love to get out and travel and check out different areas,” she says. She is also active in her community, and she and Team Lodestone work with local charity Crisis Ministries. She was also involved as a coach for Girls on the Run program, training young girls to run a 5K. As for the future, Karen’s plans are simple. To continue growing her already-thriving business and to eventually create a sub-team within Lodestone. “I’d love to help other agents the way Marissa helped me,” she explains. When asked what advice she might have for those contemplating a career in real estate, Karen replies: “When you have a goal, stick to your goal and work hard to achieve it. Never give up.”
For more information about Karen Minter, please call 980 - 949 - 1770 or email KarenMinter@kw.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine
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Top Agent Magazine
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? Top Agent Magazine
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 38
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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ANTOINETTE & GENNARO PAGANO Top Agents Antoinette and Gennaro Pagano of Keller Williams Realty West Monmouth in Morganville, New Jersey have a nearly two-decade track record of providing exceptional client service to their many buyers and sellers in the Garden State. As leaders of the Team Pagano Group, they and their dedicated team of fourteen professionals work hard to make sure that every client’s interests are placed first and foremost. Gennaro came to the world of real estate after a successful career in the computer field, working for such giants as Gateway and Dell. “I saw this one real estate agent,” says Gennaro, “and liked his lifestyle. I just began thinking about it in the back of my mind, and one day I got laid off from my job and decided to go to school for real estate and get my license. It’s one of the best moves I ever made.” Antoinette, who was a housewife at the time, decided to get her own license at the urging of Gennaro. Now with more than seventeen years of experience under their belts, they are currently enjoying life at the near-pinnacle of their profession.
couple find most satisfying. “I love helping people make their dreams come true,” says Antoinette. Assisting and educating those dealing with foreclosures or other serious real estate issues is extremely gratifying, says Gennaro. “We’ve been thanked many times by clients who say they would not have known what to do if it weren’t for us.” Both Antoinette and Gennaro are passionate about giving back to their community, and have been involved in numerous charitable activities that have raised thousands of dollars for local charities. When they’re not working, the pair enjoys traveling. When pressed as to any hobbies they might have, Antoinette replies, “shopping.” Laughingly, Gennaro responds, “making my wife happy.” As for the future, this stunningly successful pair simply plan on continuing to grow their team while consistently providing the very best client service available. “My husband and I try to do everything as ethically as possible,” says Antoinette. “We’ve been in the business many years and have a great reputation. We just want to continue to grow and make people happy.”
Working with both buyers and sellers, the pair also focus on REO’s and short sales throughout the state of New Jersey, and have earned a reputation for both honesty and integrity. Their stellar reputation has translated into a business that is based, staggeringly, almost 75% upon repeat clients and referrals from satisfied customers. The reason for this, says Gennaro, is that “we treat our clients the way we want to be treated.” Antoinette offers another reason: “It’s about the entire experience we provide for them. It’s also about the trust that they place in us; we’re extremely honest.” The gratitude their clients feel for Antoinette and Gennaro is made abundantly clear by this glowing review found on Zillow.com: “They were great! They were always there to answer any questions or concerns I had. They also kept me up to date with everything that was going on with the sale of my property. I knew when it was being shown, and got feedback from them on any offers there were. My property sold within weeks of me listing it with them. I would definitely use them again if I was to buy or sell a home. I also recommend anyone that is looking for a realtor to call them.” Despite the considerable financial rewards of their chosen profession, it’s the more personal side of the industry that the Top Agent Magazine
For more information about Antoinette and Gennaro Pagano, please call 732 - 905 - 8881 or email teamang@optonline.net Copyright Top Agent Magazine 39
BILL PICCIRILLO Bill Piccirillo always had an entrepreneurial spirit and a personality tailor made for working with people. After leaving the Navy in 1994, he got his initial taste of the real estate business when he bought his first home. He became a successful businessman, owning several commercial properties, restaurants and a construction business, before getting into real estate full time in 2013. “With the diverse experience I had, it just kind of made sense that I pursue it full time. It ended up being the perfect fit.” A year and half ago Bill brought his team The Piccirillo Group to Keller Williams. His team is currently one of the most in-demand teams in Connecticut, serving Fairfield & New Haven Counties in CT as well as the Hudson Valley in New York. Bill is the team lead, and his right hand man is Stuart Shapiro, who is fully licensed and takes care of all of the backend of the business so Bill can focus on what he does best, working with clients. Everyone in the The Piccirillo Group is dedicated to providing their clients with an exceptional customer experience. “I carefully create my team making sure that everyone really has a dedication to serve. I love what I do. I love helping people, whether that’s getting a buyer into their next home or helping a seller move up, downsize or relocate, all aspects of helping people brings me a lot of satisfaction. We are involved with commercial properties, as well, and this requires focus at different levels. Our goal is to help sellers make as much money as possible and to help buyers save as much money as possible.” The Piccirillo Group has a large presence online and use social media in particular to great effect when it comes to marketing their listings which all have all professionally created photographs, floor plans, videos and aerial work. They also use social media as an effective marketing tool to stay in touch with past clients and as an effective tool to market themselves as a team that is here to help. “We post numerous useful and informative articles on everything from DIY tips to cost saving measures for homeowners. Anything that is relevant to owning or selling a home and related to our area, we find the best information to share. 40
We want to help people even when they’re not a client, and that really helps put our name out there.” Stuart credits Bill’s personality and ability to relate to people as being another key to the team’s success. “He’s not only professional, but he’s really fun to be around. He’s a great communicator and that’s so important in this business. That’s something people really remember about working with him. He listens and then is able to guide them in ways that makes them feel comfortable throughout the whole transaction.” Bill and his whole team are active in their community. Throughout his career, Bill has been involved in numerous golf fundraising tournaments that have raised money for charities such as the American Heart Association. He also serves as Chairman on the Board of Directors of the World Heritage Cultural Center a non-profit that helps keep culture alive through dance, art & food. When he isn’t working, Bill enjoys spending time with his friends and family and golfing. Bill has a passion for travel and would like to do more of that in the coming years. Bill would like to continue growing his business and would love to have expansion teams globally. “To me this isn’t a job, it’s my passion. This business is about more than just real estate. It’s about people’s lives and their dreams.”
To learn more about Bill Piccirillo and The Piccirillo Group, call 203 - 426 - 2817, email wpiccirillo@gmail.com, or visit TPGSOLD.com http://
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4 Ways Mentoring Up-and-Coming Employees Makes You a Better Agent In the world of real estate, there are always new agents joining the ranks. Even if you’ve been practicing for just a few short years, you’ve likely learned your fair share of lesson along the way. As an agent, much of your working philosophy is derived from first-hand experience and your work on the ground. This means that new agents are less prepared for the inevitable curveballs of the industry. That’s where you come in. While mentorship is often pitched as a relationship that solely benefits the mentee, there is actually plenty to be gained from becoming a mentor. After all, personal growth goes hand-in-hand with professional growth, and becoming a mentor asks agents to thoughtTop Agent Magazine
fully explore and demonstrate their own ideologies, practices, and rationale. With that in mind, take a look at some of the benefits of mentorship below, and you’ll get a sense of why counseling new agents can be a boon to your own business. Teaching lessons to others reinforces your own professional values. Showing the ropes to young agents is a great way to brush-up on your foundational skills. Verbalizing and demonstrating processes, or walking through the rationale behind negotiation tactics—all cause mentors to think through their established practices and outline in detail why they’ve chosen this route over an
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alternative. This helps older agents fine-tune their routines, while getting back in touch with the critical thinking that went into constructing those habits. Mentorships allows you to see the big picture.
surely sharpen your ability as the head of a team. What’s more, you’ll be building skills of empathy, understanding, teaching, and constructive criticism. Working on those skills will better your practice and your ability to lead in your office.
After a lengthy industry tenure, it’s not uncommon for battle-worn agents to lose some steam and begin to burn out. By devoting some time to mentoring up-and-coming agents, you’ll get back in touch with your early days, remembering the excitement, the trials, and the hard lessons gleaned. Spending time with the next generation of real estate professionals can reinvigorate your practice, as seeing the business from the eyes of an eager amateur can inject energy into your working life. You’ll benefit from seeing things from a new perspective. Just as working with young agents can help you remember your career’s big picture, you may also benefit from working alongside someone with a new perspective. Young agents bring a different set of skills and awareness to their work, and established agents can benefit from a fresh take. If technology isn’t your strong suit, or you’re interested in tapping the Millennial homebuyer market, working with a younger agent is an excellent way to see through fresh eyes. Mentoring young agents makes you a better leader. As a mentor, you’ll often direct the flow of your professional relationship—figuring out which issues to tackle, making an agenda, and imparting lessons in a clear way. These are all characteristics of a leader, and acting in a position of authority as mentor can 42
While some may balk at the time commitment or energy required to take on a mentee or two, you might consider it an act of ongoing education or professional development. While your mentee will undoubtedly benefit from access to your expertise, there’s certainly much to be gained from taking the time to cultivate tomorrow’s real estate leaders.
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KIM RACHWALSKI How did Kim Rachwalski become the preeminent realtor in southwest Denver with a reputation for caring for her clients’ best interests? When Kim’s children started school full-time, she realized her talents weren’t being put to full use in her work in the retail world. She had a background in interior design and real estate had always fascinated her. Eleven years ago, a real estate agent friend offered to have Kim shadow her for the day. “When we were done I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I wish I would have done this fresh out of college!’” Kim says. She soon took the leap into real estate. “It was a great fit from the very start!” she says. “I love adversity and change and new people and new challenges.” Kim currently serves all of southwest Denver. As a result of the amazing service she provides, a staggering 80% of her business comes from repeat and referral clients. What keeps her clients coming back and eager to sing her praises to their friends and family? “I make it personal,” Kim says. “I try to be attentive to my clients’ needs. I work with their needs in mind.” Kim is known throughout the area for her award-winning marketing. She hires professional stagers as well as photographers who take aerial photographs to highlight the best features of the listing. “I use cutting-edge marketing designed to capture as many buyers as we can in unique ways,” she says. She posts all listings on a wide variety of real estate sites and places ads in local newspapers. “I find that helps with the neighbors of the home for sale who didn’t know it would be on the market.”
To keep up with past clients, she will often pop by to say hello or see what the client has done to make a new home their own. She also sends thoughtful cards and gifts and hosts client appreciation events a couple times a year. Kim is dedicated to developing friendships with her clients and enjoys maintaining those relationships. What is Kim’s favorite part of the job? “I love the relationships that I am blessed to make,” she says. “During a transaction you have heightened senses and emotions. People often feel vulnerable at that time. I cherish the people I have met who have come to be my dear friends through that process. Those relationships are priceless.” Kim traveled on many mission trips when she was growing up and she still goes on dental mission trips. “Those trips help me to realize the world is bigger than we are,” she says. To give back to her local community, Kim sponsors events through her children’s former schools. She also volunteers with a nonprofit that supports mentally and physically disabled adults, and does fundraising for an organization that provides scholarships for women’s higher education. “These commitments help me stay focused on what’s really important,” she says. “Giving back is important to me so I make it part of my routine!” In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her two children, traveling, and playing tennis. Kim feels blessed to have this job, which she loves. For the future, she wants to continue building relationships and helping her clients to navigate the sometimes daunting task of buying and selling real estate.
To find out more about Kim Rachwalski, email kimrachwalski@gmail.com or call 303.919.9519 Top Agent Magazine
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LINDY SGAMBATI Growing up in a neighborhood of historic Victorian homes, Lindy Sgambati naturally developed an appreciation for architecture and home design at a young age. This passion carried through to adulthood, and one day while she was driving by a familiar real estate office, she noticed it had a sign out front welcoming applicants for hire. “Real estate was something I’d always wanted to do,” she remembers. With her two children at ready ages, Lindy finally decided to take the plunge. She went on to earn her license in 2014, and in the time since she’s established a proven track record of success. Today, she’s built a sterling reputation on personalized service, consistent communication, and a commitment to earning her clients’ trust for the long haul. Based in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Lindy primarily serves Westmoreland, Allegheny, and Fayette Counties. While she spearheads her work solo, Lindy is backed by the banner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty, a company that’s multifaceted in its scope and enjoys international reach. In the four years since launching her enterprise, Lindy now generates more than half of her business from repeat and referral clientele. In considering her professional philosophy today, she cites deep relationships and a spirit of service as the foremost drivers of her success. “I treat my clients like family,” she says. “That’s really the foundation of my business: to deliver great customer service that inspires clients to refer me to their loved ones.” What’s more, Lindy focuses on creating a personal connection with those she serves. To stay in touch, she pops-by for some face-to-face time on occasion, while in the past she’s delivered brownies, taken Thanksgiving pie orders, and hosts annual client appreciation events. All told, the bond Lindy forges with clients during the buying or selling process lives on long after the closing table has been reached.
To market listings, Lindy blends the best practices of traditional and digital marketing. She takes out ads in the local paper to ensure regional exposure, while also turning to social media and the leading digital listing platforms to promote visibility online. Likewise, professional photography and virtual tours accompany all listings to provide an immersive viewing experience. As part of Pittsburgh’s chapter of Rethink Council—geared toward millennial professionals in the real estate field—Lindy is active in crafting forward-thinking techniques that help shape and modernize her industry. She brings this proactive approach to her business by guiding plenty of first-time homebuyers as they embark upon the transactional process. “What I love most about what I do is being able to help people,” she says. “I especially enjoy working with first-time homebuyers who maybe don’t know how to get a pre-approval, or even where to start the process. Buying a home is the biggest investment most people will make, so being able to help others achieve that goal is very fulfilling.” To contribute to her community in charitable and civic ways, Lindy is part of the National Association of Realtors, as well as the local board of realtors. In addition to her work on Rethink Council, she gives back alongside her colleagues through Berkshire Hathaway’s commitment to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In her remaining free hours, Lindy most enjoys time spent with her family and loves ones, especially her two children. She also relishes the chance to fish, camp, and enjoy the occasional shopping day. Looking ahead, Lindy has plans to continue growing her business, with a goal in place to continue her industry education as she pursues Berkshire Hathaway’s Relocation Specialist accreditation. For now, she’ll carry on serving the aspiring buyers and sellers of the greater Pittsburgh region she calls home. Today, equipped with four years of intrepid experience and an abiding commitment to her clients, the best is yet to come for Lindy Sgambati.
To learn more about Lindy Sgambati email lindysgambati@thepreferredrealty.com, visit lindysgambati.com, call (412) 292 – 3393, or visit her Facebook page here. www.
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Turn Open Houses into Destinations People are busy. Even those who are actively looking to buy a house or want to learn about the market for a future purpose have busy schedules. But with bit of added time, creativity and investment in making open house into destinations, you’ll see greater turnout. And we all know that greater turnout increases the likelihood of offers. There are several creative ways to hold an open house with a mindset of hospitality and with the goal of providing something of value to each person who attends. Top Agent Magazine
The neighbors-only open house Some agents embrace the “nosy neighbor” concept as a benefit, not an eye-rolling challenge. With his client’s permission, Wesley Peters, a Keller Williams broker in the Baltimore Metro Area, often gets the neighbors together before a home hits the market. “We invite other brokers, too, but we include as many neighbors as we can,” he says, explaining that he schedules these events for a Thursday or Friday evening, happy hour-style, rather than midday on a Sunday. They get a better turnout at 5:00 pm than
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midday on a weekend when the neighbors are busy with their lives. In a relaxed setting, conversations flow, neighbors can mingle and catch up, and the buzz begins before the home is listed. In advance, prepare invitations and hand-deliver them to homes on the streets you and your client agree are best to include. The destination is the event; the value each attendee receives is the social interaction and the removal of any awkwardness over visiting their neighbor’s house. Your client’s benefit is the buzz. A turnkey block party any time of year Once a property is listed, some agents take on the role of party planners. Certain streets or neighborhoods, they find, are perfect for lowkey social occasions. In some place, such as neighborhoods with many young families, a bounce-house or games may even ramp up the fun factor. But the idea of a seemingly spontaneous block party during an open house can be easy to pull off, whether you’re serving lemonade and cookies or coffee and pastries. The chance to meet prospective neighbors turns the event into a destination for both buyers and the neighbors; the value comes in buyers’ ability to see how the neighbors interact. Your seller’s benefit is that the grapevine will be filled with happy stories about their home. Tips: By keeping basic supplies in storage, you’ll be ready for a pop-up block party any time. Promote this type of event with targeted social media marketing and fliers or postcards to communities within a short distance of your listing. Invite other professionals It’s common mortgage lenders to attend open houses. But why not provide even more value to people who attend? Chances are, you have more than a handful of professional partners who welcome an opportunity to join you at your open house. Consider inviting an interior designer, a contractor, a gardener, even a gardener or a painter. Invite them to your broker’s open in advance or give them time to view the property 46
before the open house begins. Then encourage them to stroll the property during the open house or to sit with you. When visitors ask about needs or concerns they may have about the house – such as loan questions, the cost of improvements or upgrades or even remodeling – you’ll be able to introduce them to an expert on the spot. For that matter, your invited pros don’t even necessarily have to be in home-related businesses! Prospective buyers always want to know about the community when visiting open houses. Consider inviting representatives of community
organizations, like youth sports group or owners of mom-and-pop retailers to help your visitors get a feel for the neighborhood or town. For this type of open-house, prepare a flyer or card with your community contacts on it so visitors can leave with resources as well as information. Open house should be about the buzz. They’re about creating a conversation about your listing and making the home memorable to visitors. By giving people a unique experience they won’t forget, you’ll show your sellers how creative you are in meeting their needs.
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DEEDEE VERES Developing client loyalty is pretty simple, according to Atlanta-area Keller Williams Associate Broker, Deedee Veres. “I make myself available, I’m honest, I look out for them and always put their needs first,” says Deedee. “For example, if they’re buying, we’ll discuss whether the property is going to be good for resale down the road.” Real estate, she knows, is not just about today’s transaction, but about advising people for the future. “It’s my job to show them what the consequence might be or what the situation may hold for them.” As an independent agent for much of her time in real estate, Deedee’s hands-on service works for her and her buyers and sellers, whether in residential, commercial or land. She does work with showings assistants and virtual assistants, and she enjoys partnering with different agents from time to time; but while she may consider the team approach one day, she would not want to give up the close interaction with every client. Deedee’s goal is that her clients feel she made the process easy, stress-free and seamless for them. “It’s my job to assist and educate the client so they make the best decision for their situation.” Providing care is the most rewarding aspect of real estate for her, whether helping people find the ideal investment property, commercial space, or the perfect house for their family. When selling properties, Deedee tailors her services and marketing to the property and to the seller’s needs. During the initial meeting for residential sales, she addresses what the seller will want to do to prepare the property. “It’s amazing the kind of staging you can do even with a small budget,” she says, mentioning easy, low-cost fixes that can be done before the professional photography session. “I sometimes go in ahead of photography and do even more staging; once the photos are done we go into the FMLS and GMLS and every online avenue we can adver-
tise in.” For commercial, she uses different avenues targeted to commercial brokers and developers. “We market directly to other agents and, once we start getting offers, I guide my client on what will facilitate the best transaction for their goal.” A mother of two college-age daughters, Deedee has found real estate to be the perfect career, given her service-oriented nature and her need for flexibility while raising her girls. Coincidentally, it was through a real estate transaction that Deedee met her husband and best friend, Ron. Introduced through a mutual friend/attorney, they were recently married and Deedee happily also has a son now. She enjoys the fact that, in real estate, the sky is the limit and the fact that, because she is involved in many facets of the industry, she has weathered economic downturns. “I may want to become more specialized, but I learned during the recession not to have all my eggs in one basket.” She shares this experience with other agents. She enjoys working and helping mentor other agents. She stresses how important it is that every agent, regardless of experience level, keeps up with continuing education to hone their skills and knowledge. As someone who knows that everyone’s time is precious, Deedee focuses on giving others everything they deserve at everyone’s convenience. This includes making sure she devotes time to her family, to her dogs and to her rejuvenating pastimes of mountain biking, road biking, working out, golfing, boating and cooking. Deedee’s community giving is also deeply personal and not tied intentionally to business development. “I give in monetary form more than time, but at Christmas time, I love adopting kids through local charities and buying the things on their lists. This always leads to a crying session I feel like I know these kids!” she says with a smile. It all comes back to Deedee’s goal in both work and life to make herself available to the needs of others.
To learn more about Deedee Veres,
visit ddvproperties.com, deedeeveres.com, or go to her Facebook page, email deedeeveres@gmail.com or call 770.880.5596 www.
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