NEW ENGLAND 8-22-22

NEW ENGLAND EDITION

6 WAYS TO GET YOUR CLIENT TO TRUST YOU Top Agent Tips and Questions for

CHOOSING YOUR LISTING AGENT

CECELIA ABEDI COVER STORY

3 BEYOND-THE-OFFICE ACTIVITIES TO INSPIRE A

CREATIVE BUSINESS BOOM

CREATIVE MEDITATION for the Real Estate Professional

FEATURED AGENT

JOHNNY RUIZ

NEW ENGLAND EDITION

9

CECELIA ABEDI

17

JOHNNY RUIZ

CONTENTS 4) 6 WAYS TO GET YOUR CLIENT TO TRUST YOU 6) TOP AGENT TIPS AND QUESTIONS FOR CHOOSING YOUR LISTING AGENT

15) CREATIVE MEDITATION FOR THE REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL 20) 3 BEYOND-THE-OFFICE ACTIVITIES TO INSPIRE A CREATIVE BUSINESS BOOM

Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 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

Top Agent Magazine

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

Top Agent Magazine

3

6 Ways to Get Your Client to Trust You The word “REALTOR®” can leave a sour taste in some people’s mouths. Many of today’s home buyers and sellers grew up during the 2009 recession. They are wary of anything 4

or anyone who comes off as too salesy, and they want to work with individuals who they can trust.

But how do you prove to someone you’ve likely never met that you can be trusted?

Top Agent Magazine®

Top Agent Magazine

1

Put Testimonials or Case Studies on Your Website

When something goes wrong, own up to your mistakes. Don’t hide bad news from your clients. Be upfront and responsive.

Testimonials and case studies are social proof that you have both the experience and the skills to do the job your clients are hiring you for. People often leave testimonials when they are either incredibly disappointed or extremely happy with the service they were provided, so they’re a good indication to prospective clients of the treatment they’ll receive.

Case studies, which you can post on your blog or website, have much of the same effect, but even more than testimonials, case studies demonstrate your real estate and finance expertise because they explain how you achieved a specific set of results.

2

Be Responsive and Accessible

Can your clients reach you easily? That doesn’t mean you need to be available 24/7, but you should respond to your clients within a few hours of receiving their message. When agents don’t respond to their clients’ calls or emails for days on end or fail to provide them with a direct line of contact, their clients’ experience can quickly become frustrating.

Agents are busy but so are their clients. If you constantly show up late to or reschedule meetings, your clients won’t feel like their time is respected or their business is valued. Make sure you set a realistic schedule for yourself rather than spreading yourself too thin.

3

Be Honest and Transparent

Sometimes you don’t have the answer to a client’s question. Be honest about your strengths, weaknesses, and the limits of your knowledge. A good response might be, “I don’t know, but I can find out.” Be transparent with your clients, and they’ll respect you for it.

You should always act in their best interest.

Top Agent Magazine

4

Go the Extra Mile

If you do the bare minimum, that’s what your clients will remember. Their experience won’t be memorable, and they won’t gush about you in online testimonials or in real life to people they know who could use your services. It’s that simple.

5

Put Yourself in Your Client’s Shoes

Clients understand that you need to earn money, but that doesn’t mean they want to feel like they’re just a dollar sign to you. Be empathetic to your client’s concerns, even if you’ve heard it all before. Your clients should know that you are there for them.

6

Be Consistent

Being responsive, friendly, and knowledgeable shouldn’t be an act. If you “turn on” your personality for clients and then suddenly become a different person when they leave the room, it’s likely that the cracks in your mask will eventually become apparent.

But “faking it till you make it” is so common it’s become a cliché. When we are starting out, we don’t always have the systems or resources in place to create a smooth client journey, from onboarding to closing, so instead we constantly try to reinvent the wheel. Give yourself time to pause, slow down, and reevaluate your workflow. Creating systems creates

consistency, and those systems can and should be constantly updated.

Developing trust between you and your clients will take time, but doing these things can give you a running start.

Top Agent Magazine ®

5

Top Agent Tips and Questions for Choosing Your Listing Agent Now that you’ve decided to sell, it’s time to select the professional to help you market your property. Before meeting with agents, however, consider Top Agent Magazine’s tips for preparing yourself. Frist, ask yourself what kind of relationship you’d like to have with your listing agent. Are you seeking a casual, personable relationship and the latest marketing tools or are you interested in a more formal, traditional relationship and approach to marketing techniques? Next, populate your list of agents by attending open houses and asking for recommendations from recent buyers and sellers.

Finally, schedule your meetings at your home, where you’ll be able to gauge the chemistry between you and each agent.

During your meetings, expect any Top Agent to ask you several questions, but also consider discussing the following: 6

Top Agent Magazine

Will you please describe your sales experience and local network?

Ask your Top Agent to describe recent listings and sales of homes comparable to your own. Ask about the sellers’ priorities, the original list price, market time and number of offers. Top Agents will also describe how well they are connected with other REALTORS® in the region as well as their contacts with relocation companies, local corporations and chambers of commerce.

Be sure to ask about each agent’s knowledge of how your market has changed over time and what has influenced change.

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

How will you market the property? Each

Top Agent has a unique set of online or local marketing tools at his or her disposal. Some use lead-generation applications and nearly ever luxury agent take advantage of video. Even video marketing tools vary from agent-to-agent, however.

You’ll get to decide if you prefer an agent with higher-end video production and 3D Matterport tours or an agent with more intimate techniques featuring walk-and-talk style video tours.

What factors influence your list-price recommendation? Before an-

swering this question, most Top Agents will have several questions for you, including whether you’re more focused on a faster sale or a higher list price.

They’ll also educate you on how best to balance both market time and list price relative to sales histories your area.

Now that you’ve seen the home, what repairs or improvements do you recommend before listing? You’ll learn a lot by listening to agents’

opinions on your home’s sale potential with or without some improvements.

Most Top Agents will also recommend a full professional inspection prior to listing to avoid surprises during buyer inspection.

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

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

Top Agent Magazine

7

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

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

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

Houses will your Top Agent want to host? How many truly Open Houses?

Some Top Agents may even reveal a “swankier” approach to the Open House – such as an evening cocktail party or by-invitation “open” hours to which buyers visit along with the agent representing them.

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

important question will help you understand the scope of your agent’s practice. You’ll get to see if your agent runs a robust team with many hands on deck or if he or she works by close, one-on-one contact with each client.

Either approach is wonderful; you get to decide what suits you.

Now, let’s list!

8

Top Agent Magazine

CECELIA ABEDI

Top Agent Magazine

9

“I have sold in almost every part of Connecticut.

But my focus areas are Fairfield County and New Haven County,” Top Agent Cecelia Abedi laughs, “I’m a New England gal all day.”

Cecelia Abedi is an innovative real estate agent with an entrepreneurial spirit. Her “organically grown” business is thriving, likely due to her personable client approach and ambition. Cecelia shares how her background in sales eventually led her to the real estate industry. While visiting Cuba with a friend, she began strategizing for the future.

The topic of real estate came up and inspired Cecelia to pursue a career change.

Cecelia’s late significant other, Jason Jastrzebski, was a passionate and top-performing lender who encouraged her to explore the industry. She shares, “I did a Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

complete shift.” Since receiving her license in 2019, Cecelia has primarily worked as an independent agent, with brief intervals on a team. Her most recent team experience was on the Vanderblue Team, which ranked in the top 1% of brokerage teams by the Washington Street Journal. She was even featured in Vanity Fair as an expert in the housing market in Connecticut.

Cecelia shares, “I have sold in almost every part of Connecticut. But my focus areas are Fairfield County and New Haven County.”

She laughs, “I’m a New England gal all day.” Her affinity for the surrounding area is influenced by the boating culture and eclectic foodie scene. Cecelia notes how over 30,000 people relocated during the pandemic and found solace in Connecticut for the spacious living and waterfront accessibility. Cecelia says that Tony’s at the J House, a beloved Greenwich hotel and restaurant, is her “go-to spot.”

Top Agent Magazine

Currently, 95% of Cecelia’s business is referral-based. From family friends to colleagues, clients are drawn to Cecelia for her honesty. She shares, “This is the biggest purchase of their lives. We have to create Top Agent Magazine

a relationship.” Cecelia does not work with just anyone, rather, she is dedicated to ensuring that the client-agent relationship is a good fit for all. She happily refers a client to an agent she deems a better fit, as needed.

Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

Currently, 95% of Cecelia’s business is referral-based. From family friends to colleagues, clients are drawn to Cecelia for her honesty. She shares, “This is the biggest purchase of their lives. We have to create a relationship.”

Cecelia prioritizes trust as an important part of the real estate process, “It’s not just about a sale.” She works closely with all of her clients to educate them on industry trends and know-how. Cecelia shares how her client-agent connections go far beyond just sending mailers, cards, or automated emails.

She maintains close relationships with all past clients, keeping in touch through frequent texts and calls.

Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

Cecelia markets current listings across social media, using targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram. Her brokerage also offers award-winning in-house marketing tools and recently have been named THE exclusive representative in Connecticut for Forbes Global Properties. Cecelia strives to continually promote properties through the most unconventional means. Her projected annual volume is nine million for 2022.

Top Agent Magazine

One of Cecelia’s favorite parts about the industry is meeting new people, “It’s about learning your client’s style.” She enjoys creating relationships and educating people about the industry. Cecelia is active in the Rotary Club and the Yale Graduate Club, a Top Agent Magazine

nod to the local ivy league population. She regularly participates in community events such as turkey drives and Toys for Tots.

When asked about her plans for the future, Cecelia says, “Wherever my soul brings me Copyright Top Agent Magazine 13

next.” She continues, “I’m always looking for a new venture.” Cecelia enjoys starting new businesses and shares about her recent success with a startup over the pandemic.

She also intends to continue networking with local brands through partnerships. Cecelia shares about the recent loss of her partner,

Jason, and how he positively impacted her life during their five-year relationship. She closes with a favorite quote of his, “I have one life to live, and I’m going to live it.”

Cecelia chuckles, “Life is not guaranteed. If you want something, you have to take a risk.

That’s what I intend to keep doing.”

To get in touch with Cecelia, email abedic.realty@gmail.com visit abedirealty.com, or call 203.275.7228 www.

C. Abedi Realty is BBB accredited Copyright Top Agent Magazine 14

Top Agent Magazine

Creative Meditation

for the Real Estate Professional The real estate world can be an industry of intense emotional and psychological pressure. Deadlines, meetings, employee needs, client needs and a hundred other items on which one needs to focus on a daily basis can create an environment that is not only not conducive to mental well-being, but can be outright detrimental.

Learning to quiet the mind has been the focus of meditation for millennia. While those not familiar with the concept of meditation may instinctively think of yoga mats, incense, and chanting when the word “meditation” arises, there are in fact, many forms of meditation that can integrate quite Top Agent Magazine

easily into the daily hustle & bustle world of the busy real estate agent.

First, think about when you are alone each day. Here are some possible times to practice mediation during the work day: • When driving to the office in the morning • When driving to a showing or to meet a client • Before your open house begins • After the open house • Driving home in the evening 15

Repeating a mantra can be very calming, particularly when you are trying to rid yourself of negative, self-defeating thoughts.

These are just five examples of times when you can take advantage of meditation techniques to quiet your mind and, by extension, increase productivity. A calm mind is a more thoughtful, better tuned instrument.

Here are some examples of meditations you can try:

1

For when you’re driving, download and listen to any number of audio Guided Meditations available on the internet. YouTube has a generous selection of these, many of which are geared towards success in business.

2 Repeating a mantra can be very calm-

ing, particularly when you are trying to rid yourself of negative, self-defeating thoughts. It doesn’t matter what words you choose, as long as you feel good about your choice. “I am a success” or “I will approach all of my clients with love today” are two examples. Whatever works for you and gets you into the desired mindset.

16

3 Something as simple as listening to pleasant music in your car can be considered meditation, provided it brings you to a place of comfort as opposed to one of spiritual discordance.

4 The most important thing, however, is to take time to find gratitude in everything you do. Count your blessings, be grateful the exciting career in real estate you have built for yourself.

Once you’ve mastered some of these techniques at quieting your mind, you can attempt to find some that work even better for you. Walking, plain silence, or even exercise can have meditative qualities and benefits if practiced on a regular basis.

When you’re truly feeling calm, your clients can sense this. And with this comes the feeling that you can be relied upon to stay focused and calm in any unforeseen circumstances. And in the world of real estate, that’s a highly prized commodity.

Top Agent Magazine

JOHNNY RUIZ Helping people through solving problems and offering solutions are keys to the success of real estate agent Johnny Ruiz. He got started in real estate in 2010 after tossing the idea around with friends. The job was especially appealing to Johnny as a single father, offering him the time and flexibility he needed in order to raise his daughter. Since then, Johnny and his business partner have built a team of 8 within the Centre Realty Group brokerage.

Johnny lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts and serves the Greater Boston Area. With Boston as its hub and largest city, Greater Boston is the largest tourist region in the state of Massachusetts. Boston hosts a variety of museums and attractions like The New England Aquarium and Museum of Fine Arts. The area’s rich history is featured at The Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum and a walking tour of historic landmarks on the red-brick Freedom Trail. Shopping, restaurants, entertainment venues and three professional sports teams make the Boston area a desirable place to live, work and visit with a rich mix of amenities typical of a major metropolitan area.

show the property at its best and orders professional and drone photography.

Listings go out on MLS and other real estate sites as well as Facebook. The team also prints brochures and mailers to get the word out. In addition to working with buyers and sellers, Johnny’s team works with homeowners facing foreclosure. They help to facilitate modifications to the mortgage, forbearance, or short sales when necessary.

When he’s not working, Johnny enjoys staying active working out at the gym and playing on a recreational basketball team. He’s also been involved in the community as a coach for high school and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball. He’s also working on teaching himself to play guitar. As his two daughters get older (one a sophomore in high school, the other a sophomore in college), Johnny intends to return to college to finish his degree. He would eventually like to complete law school and become a lawyer.

Johnny’s team earns repeat and referral business by making the real estate process as seamless as possible for their clients. They take pride in being able to solve problems as they arise, whether title issues or financing hiccups, in order to keep the process moving forward. The team uses a CRM system to stay in touch with clients. They offer market information and notify homeowners of potential refinancing opportunities.

Since they service a large number of rental properties, the team is also there to work with renters when they’re ready to buy.

Johnny markets new listings by working with the seller to asses potential issues ahead of property inspections.

He facilitates any staging and cleaning required to help Top Agent Magazine

Contact Johnny at 617.642.4115, email johnny.ruiz@centrerealtygroup.com or visit centrerealtygroup.com/johnny-ruiz www.

17 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Laughs!

18

Top Agent Magazine

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

Top Agent Magazine

19

3 Beyond-the-Office Activities to Inspire a Creative Business Boom Maintaining motivation year-round is a challenge, especially for those who are several years into a demanding real estate career. It’s easy to burn out, get stuck in a rut, or cycle blindly through a well-worn routine. But those that leave an impact on their industry understand that creativity holds the key to innovation and longevity. To stay ahead of 20

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

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

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

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

Expand your mind through meditation.

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

Top Agent Magazine

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

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

Top Agent Magazine ®

21

Learn something new.

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

However, learning a new skill can reinvigorate your understanding of familiar tasks and dilemmas. Plus, learning a new skill doesn’t have to mean formal classes or time-draining homework. Select something that can even kill two birds with one stone. Want to let off some steam, too? Try a kickboxing class that meets just once-a-week. You’ll have something new to look forward to, meet new people, challenge yourself, and earn some feel-good endorphins, 22

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

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

See new sights.

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

Top Agent Magazine

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

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

Top Agent Magazine ®

23

24

Top Agent Magazine