NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL 11-14-22

NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL EDITION

Embracing Smart Homes: Does New Technology Really Increase Home Value?

MAKE SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

PLAYING THE REAL ESTATE

24-HOUR TOUCH-UPS to Maximize Your Price List

Welcome Home: WORKING WITH RELOCATORS IN TRANSITION

Your Calling Card

FEATURED AGENT

JENNIFER ROTHENBERGER COVER STORY

DANE GATES

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Make Social Media Marketing Your Calling Card These days, it’s no secret that buyers begin their home search online. As the industry continues to take a digital turn, Realtors in the know must learn to utilize a whole new range of tools available to them—and for good reason. Social media is a dynamic hybrid of personal contact and targeted marketing. To make the most of this new medium, agents can’t settle for the occasional post and expect results.

Instead, let’s consider a few techniques that will make your social media presence 4

interactive, unmissable, and effective in generating business.

Your Profile is a Portal Ideally, you’ll have profiles across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and otherwise—but no matter what portal you’re utilizing, make sure your profile page is up-todate, well-curated, and easily navigated.

Consider your profile a landing page.

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Your photo, location, contact information, homepage, and a brief bio should all be readily visible so that potential clients can get an immediate sense for who you are and what your voice is. If a client wants to connect with you, it should be obvious how to do so. You might also incorporate a few savvier tools that make your profile more engaging—like hashtags. These searchable tags can help you lure potential clientele and give your audience a chance to explore deeper. #DreamHome #JustListed and #HomeInspiration are popular, existing tags to choose from, but you can cultivate your own hashtag by consistently tagging posts, which gives clients an extensive thread to comb through.

Interacting with Your Audience Posting regularly is great way to appear in feeds, but engaging with your audience is just as important—and it helps you reach a new audience in the process. It’s a positive start to like your audience’s posts, pictures, and statuses, but commenting takes your engagement a step further and separates you from typical respondents. It’s also important that you diversify your engagements. In other words, don’t center every communication around your business, propositioning your services, or trying to sell. If applicable, present your value-add, but otherwise steer your engagement towards the personal. Let your clients know that you’re there, you’re human, and Top Agent Magazine

ready to work at their pace. Which leads us to our next point...

Blending the Professional with the Personal Engaging with your audience is one thing, but what about generating original content?

How do you strike the right balance between a Call to Action, industry updates, and a personal touch? Think of it this way: any post you create should provide a point of connection for your audience.

Sometimes, you might be sharing a family photo, or commenting on some unifying current event—like the Super Bowl! Other times, you may be sharing a Coming Soon listing, or providing tips to spruce up a home for spring. Regardless, you should focus on quality. Is your copywriting engaging? Does it express your unique voice and personality, while maintaining clarity? Are you giving your audience something to connect with, even if you are sharing property photos or advertising an open house? Instill some fun and some personalization to every piece of content you make, so that clients can picture the voice and person behind the post.

Things are always changing on the social media frontier, but some rules never shift.

Adding clarity, consistency, and personality to your online presence are three surefire ways to grow your business and make social media second nature.

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Embracing Smart Homes:

Does New Technology Really Increase Home Value?

Technology and innovation move at a lightning-fast clip, so it can be hard to keep up with all the smart-home trends sweeping the market at a given time. From smart thermostats to security systems accessed through an app on your phone—there are endless options to customize and update your home for the modern era. But which, if any, of these smart home products add 6

value to property in a significant, worthwhile capacity? Especially with new generations of the same products released in quick succession, it can be hard to determine whether it’s worth it to take the plunge. With that in mind, we’ve conducted a deep-dive into the smart home options out there that make the most sense for your bottom line and real estate investments.

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Smart home amenities range in price and return.

There are certain smart home products that won’t break the bank while still adding lovely touches and time-saving features to your space. For instance, a smart thermostat may not run more than a few hundred dollars, but it can take so much of the guesswork and analog nuisance out of programming your home’s internal environment. That said, buyers selling properties with mid-range amenities like this can’t expect a windfall in return. While smart home features can certainly lure buyers and give the sense that a home is attractively modern (and thus move-in ready), it doesn’t mean that you’ll be reaping a sizable monetary reward for your foresight. Conversely, this reality doesn’t mean those smart options

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are without value entirely; it just means that the value of smart home options may be apparent in a different capacity, like luring a particular buyer or creating a desirable, sleek image for a property headed to market.

On the other hand, larger scale smart home amenities that are being left behind for the buyer—like a smart refrigerator or wired sound throughout the property—may be able to lure particular buyers who value high-end details. While it can be difficult to state definitively the value of smart home options, the rule tends to be that the more you put in, the higher the likelihood you’ll reap the investment you sow. Focus your smart home options on home appliances first, then work your way toward security, thermostat, and entertainment options.

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Smart home amenities capture the attention of buyers

Agents must know how to pitch the value of smart home options

Even if you have mostly opted for small or mid-range smart home options, you can still benefit from their presence in a property—even if they don’t inflate your bottom line as a result. Smart home amenities have the power to focus the attention of buyers, sending a clear signal that the previous owners were tech-forward and made an effort to upgrade the property for the contemporary era. Millennial or Gen Z buyers especially value these up-to-date modifications, and the presence of these desirable gadgets can create added interest and drive up value naturally. Likewise, featuring these options in listing photography can also drive interest from younger or high-end buyers looking for move-in ready spaces.

Remember that smart home features are relatively fresh to the market. While some new construction properties are equipped with these smart amenities, just as many homes on the market don’t offer these upgrades and modern flairs. This means that many buyers, of all ages even, aren’t familiar with the benefits and perks of these options, let alone how they’re operated. Before you can derive value from a smart home or smart home features, you’ll need to understand a product’s proper usage, cost, and benefits. Do your homework regarding what smart home features can offer in terms time or cost savings, and be able to show prospective buyers how easy these objects are to use, as well. Do both, and you’ll be in proper command of what smart home features can offer buyers and pitch them accordingly.

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DANE GATES

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DANE GATES

“I strive to keep every transaction positive and exciting.

At the end of the day, I love exploring all aspects of our industry while leveraging that enthusiasm to the benefit of my clients.”

Born and raised in Houston, Dane Gates has always been drawn to real estate. His grandmother was a prominent Broker in the region, and through her, he had an opportunity to learn the business from the ground up. After graduating from college, 10

he would pursue a career in wholesale insurance, where he further cultivated his outstanding communication skills and penchant for client service. Along the way, though, Dane found himself seeking a change, which motivated him Top Agent Magazine

to step down from his insurance position and head downstairs to a real estate company in the very same building, where he would get his start as an agent.

The rest is history.

In the 18 years since, Dane has authored an award-winning career in real estate, establishing a network of satisfied clients that spans Texas. Today, he is a REALTOR® and Broker Associate with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Premier Properties, where he assists Top Agent Magazine

clients throughout North Houston and the surrounding counties. There, he has established a boutique process to meet the demands of any transaction, from single-family properties to vacant land and investments.

When listing a property, Dane prefers a comprehensive approach. After helping his clients prepare their home for the market, he shares it via a highly targeted blend of digital and social media campaigns. He also utilizes proven resources 11

like mailouts to the surrounding communities, as well as his own Broker-to-Broker network, to ensure a seamless transaction catered to each client’s best interests.

Elsewhere, Dane is just as attentive when assisting his buyers, drawing from his own experiences as an investor to guide them to the right property for their needs.

“At this stage of my career, I’ve worked hard to be knowledgeable not only of the areas in which I serve, but also of the different types of properties and utilities available in our region,” he says.

“There’s nothing more rewarding than sharing those insights with my clients.”

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Over the years, Dane has earned a fantastic reputation throughout Texas, with the majority of his volume coming from repeat clients and referrals. Having completed $30 million in volume in 2021 alone, he remains driven by the core values that continue to set him apart.

“I strive to keep every transaction positive and exciting. At the end of the day, I love exploring all aspects of our industry while leveraging that enthusiasm to the benefit of my clients.”

Outside of real estate, Dane is dedicated to his community, supporting organizations like Sunshine Kids and the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. When he’s not with Top Agent Magazine

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clients or giving back, he enjoys visiting the go-kart track with his son, competing in local drag racing or track racing competitions, or spending quality time with his family.

Starting in 2020, Dane expanded into new construction, with plans to build houses on several newly acquired lots in the coming months. Now on pace to exceed his 2021

volume, he intends on further deepening his work with construction and commercial ventures while introducing innovative software to streamline the client experience. “In real estate, no two days are the same,” he says. “Whether I’m seeing a family acquire their primary residence or an investor accumulate their portfolio, I treat every day as an opportunity to help someone realize their dreams.”

To learn more about Dane Gates, email Dane@DaneGates.com, visit DaneGates.com or call (832) 654-4795 www.

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24-Hour Touch-ups to Maximize Your List Price Sometimes it takes a full-scale overhaul to prepare a house for market. Other times, only a series of small adjustments are required to make a listing’s true potential shine. Whether you’re gearing up for an open house, assessing a list price, or maximizing a property’s appearance prior to photography—the devil is in the details. However, touch-ups and refreshes don’t have to dominate your schedule or break the bank. For a few ideas of where Top Agent Magazine

to begin, consider our handy check-list below for quick home projects that will fortify your bottom line.

Refresh grout for a sparkling clean look.

Perhaps the quickest and most cost-effective way to make bathrooms, kitchens, and other tiled areas shine is to refresh grout until it looks

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good as new. Specialty grout stain removers and cleaners are inexpensive and sold at most home improvement stores. Plus, the project only takes a bit of elbow grease and an hour or two for a major makeover effect. Suddenly, dark, stained, and worn-down bathrooms gleam as if tile has just been placed.

Create mood lighting with soothing bulbs and fixtures.

A warm white light from specially chosen LED bulbs creates a welcoming environment when potential buyers come calling.

If outdated fixtures are bringing down a home’s otherwise modern styling, consider more design-neutral replacements that won’t

detract from the property’s charms. These are inexpensive but highly noticeable and impactful upgrades that shift a home’s ambiance for the better.

Repaint doors for an updated and inviting entryway.

It may sound like a hassle, but repainting doorways with a fresh coat signals a wellkept property—and that’s before prospective buyers even pass through the threshold. You can also change out generic doorknobs and switch-plates to add an updated flare while on a budget. Color-of-the-year trend choices can turn heads, while neutral paint choices signal less hassle for future homeowners.

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scrub, or with the addition of new shelves or styled bulbs.

Make windows shine— both inside and out.

Cleanliness goes a long way in communicating a well-cared for home in which buyers can imagine themselves. Cleaning the inside and outside of windows not only refreshes a room, but it allows light to infuse the space while appealing to the move-in ready crowd.

Closet spaces are not an afterthought.

Every prospective buyer wants storage options, and you’ve surely led a home tour where guests inspect closets and pantries.

Don’t let these hidden spaces go overlooked. Make sure they’re clean, cleared as much as possible, and you can even touch them up with fresh paint, a good

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Remove tough appliance stains with a bit of elbow grease.

If you’re packaging appliances with the sale of a property, you’ll want to make sure those big-ticket items are also in top shape to showcase their value. Stainless steel polish, electric cooktop polish, and stain removing pads for the kitchen sink can make your appliances look five years younger with nothing more than an hour or two’s labor.

Organize garage and basement areas to maximize storage and hint at bonus space.

It may take a labor of love, but organizing and decluttering these special storage spaces

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can add significant value to a property. Instead of telling prospective buyers how much storage space there is—let these areas speak for themselves by giving them a neutral, airy bout of cleansing. That way, craft-lovers, car aficionados, and buyers with interest in renovating basement areas can witness the potential immediately.

Individually, these bit to-do list items might seem like extra work without the promise of 18

a major return. But combined? These small tasks go a long way in crafting a home’s image and projecting pure potential. After all, prospective buyers imagine their lives unfolding inside those walls. That’s why cobbling together these small-scale projects can have a big payoff in the end. Not only will a home present itself in a cohesive, attractively-packaged form, but it can also translate to higher interest and a significant pay-off—in more ways than one.

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JENNIFER ROTHENBERGER A longtime resident of South Jersey, Jennifer Rothenberger has always been passionate about helping others.

Originally from Pennsylvania, she would first take an interest in real estate while authoring a successful, twenty year career in retail management, when she began working with Habitat for Humanity in 2009 and came to realize the profound impact homeownership can have on a family. At the encouragement of her husband, she would later decide to switch tracks and pursue her real estate license in 2017, quickly establishing a robust network of buyers, sellers, contractors, and investors that spans her region.

Today, Jennifer is a REALTOR® with Compass Real Estate, where she assists clients throughout South Jersey and its surrounding areas. Combining her penchant for client service with her extensive background in sales and management, she has established a proven workflow to meet the demands of any transaction.

When listing a property, Jennifer prefers a comprehensive strategy. Starting out, she helps her clients fully prepare their home for the market, supplying them with a suite of professional photography and videography services. From there, she broadcasts their listing via a highly targeted blend of digital and social media campaigns. She also leverages proven resources, such as postcards to the surrounding neighborhoods, to give each client an added advantage—all in the lead-up to their standout open house showing.

Elsewhere, Jennifer is just as attentive when assisting her buyers, thoughtfully guiding them to the right investment for their best interests. Over the years, she has

earned a fantastic reputation throughout South Jersey, with the vast majority of her volume coming from repeat clients and referrals. Now averaging close to $5 million in annual volume, she remains committed to the core values that have consistently set her apart. “My time at Habitat for Humanity completely changed my perspective on what having a home means to a family,” she says.

“I was so affected hearing things like the story of a single mom who was comforted to know that her son would just have a place to lay his head each night. Our homes are where we build our families; they represent security and stability, and stories like hers truly resonated with me.”

Outside of real estate, Jennifer is an avid supporter of the Oaklyn Cougars Athletic Association, with her husband and oldest son also serving as football coaches in the area. When she’s not with clients or giving back, she can be found spending time with her family or practicing her favorite hobbies—fashion merchandising, restoring furniture, and home decorating.

As her volume maintains its steady growth, Jennifer intends on scaling her distinct approach to client care while expanding her project management services for her investors. In the meantime, she looks forward to all the new connections that await. “I advise my clients the way I would advise my own children,” she says. “At the end of the day, there’s nothing more rewarding than getting them to the settlement table and seeing them realize their dream, whether it’s for a $500,000 home or a $100,000 investment property. Regardless of the transaction, I’m always here to fight for them and advocate for their needs.”

To learn more about Jennifer Rothenberger, call (856) 322-2964, email jennifer.rothenberger@compass.com or visit compass.com www.

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Welcome Home:

Working with Relocators in Transition People stage moves for all sorts of reasons.

From the joyous and pre-planned, to the unfortunate and unexpected, new chapters begin with the help of an agent. When you’re working with buyers from a different region, state, or country, the typical complications of a transaction can be compounded. So, what’s a savvy agent to do?

For starters, envision the big picture. Relocators have extra obstacles between them and Top Agent Magazine

their dream home. They don’t necessarily know which neighborhoods are ideal for their lifestyle, what they should budget for utilities, what type of homeowner’s insurance is ideal, or how they can tour, let alone close, on a house from afar. All in all, it’s a tall order, but if you can manage a relocation transaction successfully, you could tap into a sizable pool of clientele. Think of it this way: if you’re the shining star of a relocator’s moving process, their word-of-mouth praise could be

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exponential. Likewise, a winning reputation within that client’s corporate sphere could lead to lucrative, stable referrals and partnerships for years to come. Here are a few key ways to help clients navigate the relocation process with minimal stress and maximum results.

Create a full-scale timeline for you and your client that makes expectations clear.

Moving is already one of life’s biggest stressors, but relocations have a dozen more moving parts that your average deal. Consider creating a master-plan of sorts to help you and your client visualize the steps required to achieve success in the midst of a relocation.

Even from afar, your client will be able to refer to the roadmap you’ve set. Likewise, this makes sure you and your client are on the same page regarding expectations, timelines, and checklists. Assemble an articulated, overarching gameplan also helps demystify the process and lower stress. Instead of clients wondering what’s next, what’s needed, who to call, and when to be ready—handy guidelines of your own devising will be at their fingertips.

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Attune your communication style so that nothing goes overlooked or miscommunicated.

Establish early on how your client prefers to communicate and which methods should be excluded. Also, make sure to outline what timeframes are ideal to communicate in, and how often they expect to hear from you with status updates or follow-ups. Some clients might prefer a more hands-off approach that lets you manage most details behind the scenes with updates only when progress is made. Most clients in the midst of a serious relocation, however, will prefer to be in touch more frequently. Customizing is key. If they prefer text messages and emails over calls, that’s a helpful detail to know from the outset. If they prefer face-to-face video chats or can only speak after business hours—those are also key parameters to work within. The less mystery and hassle, the better.

Be a local resource with vetted recommendations and vendors on-hand.

Relocating homeowners may not know the best neighborhoods and their amenities, or where the best school districts are, which areas are high-traffic, or where their dollar might stretch a little further. Identifying your clients’ goals can help narrow this field, but you’ll also want to be careful not to overwhelm them with information. After all, they’re taking on a huge life transition and making a move as an outsider. You’ll want to serve as a onestop-shop who can remove some steps and stress from their organizational obligations.

Have a contractor who can get a head-start on home projects while clients make the move?

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Excellent. Or, perhaps you can provide an out-of-state agent referral so that clients can sell their existing property in a timeline that works in conjunction with their new purchase. Make yourself a community expert and a connector, and you’ve won a client— and their referrals—for much longer than a single transaction.

Think outside the box when weighing variables.

Relocations aren’t your typical transaction.

You’ll need to do a bit more planning to avoid pitfalls along the way. For instance, have you considered how you’ll tour homes with clients if they live hundreds of miles away?

Are there time zone differences to factor in?

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If clients are relocating from another country, are there any special visa or naturalization considerations? How will their belongings travel? Are there pets to relocate? There are plenty of questions to ask and plan for, but the key is to be communicative and thorough up front. The more information and planning time you have, the smoother the transition will go.

There are certified real estate agent designations you can pursue that set you apart for your experience when it comes to relocations, but in lieu of those—arm yourself with the planning details and methods that will make your client a raving fan. In the process, you’ll up your game, create a happy client, and hopefully field similar business for years to come.

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