NEW JERSEY 5-9-22

NEW JERSEY EDITION

Easy Blog Topics for Your Real Estate Blog

24-HOUR TOUCH-UPS to Maximize Your Price List

RECONSIDER REFERRAL-ONLY WHEN PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

FEATURED AGENT

HALLEY NATKIN

COVER STORY

ERIC MILLSTEIN

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

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6 Things All Successful Negotiators Do If you think about it, you’ve been negotiating your whole life. As a kid you negotiated constantly with your family, your teachers, and your classmates. If you’re a parent, you’re negotiating probably more than you ever have in your life. But it’s one thing to negotiate staying up late on a school night, people oftentimes have trouble translating those real world negotiation skills into the business world. But the truth is there are a lot similarities.

Expert negotiators all have skills and techniques they bring to the table. It’s quite possible you also have them, and don’t even realize 4

it. Here’s a look at some traits that are common among expert negotiators.

1. They keep emotion out of the process It’s very easy to feel frustrated, angry and defensive during a negotiation process. But when emotions run high, it’s often difficult to respond with logic and reason. This can be especially difficult if the person you’re negotiating with tries to escalate the situation. As the saying goes, keep calm and carry on. You

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have an end goal in mind, and getting heated won’t help you meet it. If things don’t go your way, remember it’s not personal. Best to leave the table with no hard feelings. Hopefully even though you may not have gotten what you’ve wanted this time around, you’ve established a foundation for success at your next try.

2. They’re reasonable If you don’t ask for what you want you’ll never get it, but at the same time, you need to be reasonable about what you’re asking for. Yes, ask for a little more than you want, so you have some wiggle room to compromise. But if you ask for too much too soon, you might shut down the person you’re negotiating with from the start, or even worse offend them. No one wants to feel like they’re being taken advantage of. Ask for what you deserve and you’ll never go wrong. At the very least you might start the conversation on how that might be possible down the line, if it isn’t just yet.

3. They’re well-prepared Part of being reasonable is being well-prepared. One of the biggest mistakes novice negotiators make is showing up over-confident and under prepared. Have the research and facts to back up what you’re asking for. Show your negotiation partner evidence of why what you’re asking for is not only fair, but necessary. Facts are hard to shoot down. This will also give you the confidence to really push for what you want. It’s not just something you think, it’s something that’s undeniable true. If you go in unprepared you’re more likely to flounder, which will damage your credibility going into future negotiations.

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4. They always strive for a win/win solution for everyone Yes, negotiations are about getting what you want, but as the old saying goes, you get more flies with honey than vinegar. Your negotiation partner might also have reasonable requests that you need to consider. Ultimately, successful negotiations are about compromise on both sides, and ending up with an outcome that benefits everyone.

5. They’re creative Problems and conflict are a natural part of any negotiation. One surefire way to impress, is to head off any impending roadblocks, by coming up with creative solutions. It’s easy to point out problems and be negative. Truly expert negotiators think outside the box, and dazzle with innovative concepts and ideas that leave everyone excited about the process.

6. They’re good listeners Listening in order to really understand where your negotiation partner is coming from is important for two reasons: you not only want to make them feel heard, but knowing what they want is invaluable information you can use to get what you want. At the start, you’re gathering information by asking questions and really hearing what they say, which includes picking up on body language and nonverbal cues as well. This is part of being well-prepared, using every possible thing you can to have an advantage.

Being in control of the situation, and then leading everyone to a successful conclusion all around is what great negotiation is all about.

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Reconsider Referral-Only When Planning for the Future

A 100% referral rate is a testament of client happiness. But even a 30% referral rate is proof of client satisfaction. It’s all relative, say some agents. One number pays tribute to past success, which is certainly a story worth telling. But the other might better predict the future. Many agents plan for the idea that 6

working only on referral may not be sufficient during slower times of the year, in a down market, or when an agent needs to expanding into a new sector.

Unless you are clairvoyant enough to flawlessly predict every market change or every

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Top Agent Magazine

Many agents plan for the idea that working only on referral may not be sufficient during slower times of the year, in a down market, or when an agent needs to expanding into a new sector. life change that your clients and referral partners may experience, it’s wise to maintain an active marketing presence. The reasons vary, however, depending on the goals and trajectory of each individual’s business.

If long-term success, a growing team, a legacy or expansion into new areas are not priorities, then working a sphere of influence may be enough for some agents, especially those who may be in the industry mostly for the love of the business. But for a majority of agents, no matter how much they love their work, their real estate and mortgage businesses are careers, first and foremost.

Let’s start with the team-builders and mentors. Agents and brokers who are building teams are wise to invest in business marketing, advertising and community outreach. Ty Hutchins, who owns and operates Ty & Company Real Estate in Colorado’s Front Range, says that, while she could personally live off referrals alone, her goal is to build up her agents. “I do the marketing piece for my team, so I can help them succeed,” she says. That marketing includes running commercials on TV and in movies theatres, as well as lead generation that identifies potential buyers, sellers and Top Agent Magazine

investors between the Colorado Springs and Denver markets. Her team’s goal, she adds, is to promote their reputation of being honest, hardworking professionals with the reach of a major brand but the personalized approach of a boutique.

Then there are the growers. Khrista Jarvis and Nicole Jung of The Khrista Jarvis Team in the San Francisco Bay Area, are on a considerable growth track. “We’re the #1 team in our area and the top team in Compass Real Estate nationally,” explains Khrista. While high marks for service on behalf of their clients have led them to these heights, they know that they must continue to evolve and market their brand. “We do a good deal of social media marketing for our listings and for our business,” she says. Their names, therefore, are frequently linked to sentiments of trust, dependability and market knowledge, both in their marketing and in their reviews.

Next, there are those who weathered the worst of times. Susan Roche entered real estate sales in 2003, following several years of property management in North Carolina.

The key to her sustained triumphs through major market swings lies in her long-range planning. “If the market starts to dip or fall,

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I have safety nets in place,” says Susan Roche, team leader of Simply Real Estate, based in Charlotte. “When it’s a seller’s market, I still plan for a buyer’s market and when it’s a buyer’s market I plan for a seller’s market..” In other words, no matter how comfortable her existing work may feel, she networks consistently. She also employs a full-time marketing director who leads several projects including ongoing research, events and social media exposure in addition to listings marketing. By staying ahead of market changes, Susan knows she can unfailingly represent her clients’ best interests while still maintaining a safety net for her business.

Even professionals with more than three decades’ experience and deep referral networks know the importance of business

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marketing. Cathy Richards, co-owner with Nancy Dalaska of Epic-Wasatch Homes in Park City, UT, entered real estate in 1987 and still draws at least a fifth of her business from lead generation, social media marketing and community outreach. Her business partner, Nancy, adds that real estate is about much more than their own business. “We love collaborating and brainstorming with other agents to help them prosper,” says Nancy. “We believe the healthier the market, the better we all are.”

Regardless of market conditions, even the best reputation can’t guarantee long-term success. To sustain and grow, it’s wise to feed your business by increasing exposure, remaining flexible and maintaining systems for customer service, networking, research, marketing and lead-generation.

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ERIC MILLSTEIN

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Since joining Soleil Sotheby’s International Realty in 2017, Top Agent Eric Millstein has developed a reputation for delivering excellent service on a local, national and global level.

For Eric Millstein, entering the real estate industry was an easy decision. Eric focuses on and has found great success at the South Jersey Shore (Margate City, Ventnor City, Longport, and surrounding areas), as well as with his international business in Costa Rica. “My grandfather and mother were in real estate, so I’ve 10 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

always been drawn to it,” he explains.

Since joining Soleil Sotheby’s International Realty in 2017 Eric has developed a reputation for delivering excellent service on a local, national and global level.

Born and raised in the Atlantic City area, he brings a knowledge and expertise that benefits his buyers, sellers and investors.

Eric’s business has grown exponentially, due to his clients referring him. “It is an enormous compliment and honor when someone refers me. I love what I do, truly.”

Eric credits his background in hospitality, building, developing and executing contracts for helping him exceed client expectations. “Because I was in a customer service oriented role before, my training has really lent itself to how I approach Top Agent Magazine

my customer base now,” he says. Understanding how stressful this experience can be for his clients, he approaches each transaction with care and respect. “I’m very aware that when someone is buying a house or renting an apartment, they are

looking forward to creating new memories and dreams there. And when they are selling, they are selling those memories and dreams to someone else. So both sides of that can be equally enlightening, refreshing, stressful, scary and full of elation.”

Margate City, NJ

Ventnor City, NJ

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Margate City, NJ

Working with Soleil Sotheby’s International Realty, Eric has found his dream career and looks forward to many more years of growth.

“At the end of the day, I’m going to get you where you want to be.”

His top priority throughout the process is to eliminate worries. Eric makes the buying and selling process as enjoyable as possible for all involved, by particularly involving his strategic alliances like Advisor’s Mortgage and Surety Title. By Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

communicating at every step, and making sure all questions are answered, Eric gives his clients all the advice they need to make educated decisions. “Whether I’m representing a buyer or a seller, I’m always available to them, keeping everything Top Agent Magazine

running smoothly.” For his sellers, he has a 31 point marketing plan that spreads the word far and wide about their listings.

He’s also able to quickly refer his clients to professionals who can complete any necessary home projects, as he’s established strong connections to local vendors.

Those who work with Eric are eager to spread the word. One recently said, “I can honestly say that without Eric and his careful attention to detail, willingness to go the extra mile, authentic care for his clients, patience walking my wife and me through this process, frankness and

Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica

Margate City, NJ

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Linwood, NJ

honesty, we would not be in this beautiful home in Margate. He has always gone above and beyond the call of duty for us.

Thank you!”

Working with Soleil Sotheby’s International Realty, Eric has found his dream career and looks forward to many more years of growth. “At the end of the day, I’m going to get you where you want to be.”

For more information about Eric Millstein, please call 609-892-9947, email emillstein@soleilsir.com or call Soleil Sotheby’s International Realty at 609-487-8000

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Easy Blog Topics for Your Real Estate Blog Today, blogging looks a lot different than it did back in 2007, when the platform was just beginning to take off. Successful bloggers don’t choose blog topics on a whim. They think strategically and develop pillar content that their target audience will come back to again and again.

Real estate bloggers should be less concerned with whether the same post already exists (it does) Top Agent Magazine

than with how they can be more informative and helpful than their competition. Your personality is likely the thing that your clients connect with, and your blog is another place where you can let it shine.

Pillar content refers to those evergreen posts that never get old because they are always timely.

Think about those questions that you’ve had to

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answer a hundred, if not thousands of times— that’s your pillar content. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could direct your clients to a blog post or, better yet, they discovered the answer on your website rather than you having to constantly repeat yourself?

Or maybe you helped a client sell their house for much more than they were expecting by conducting a series of small and inexpensive renovations. Tell your readers how you did it.

Evergreen Content

Your clients are likely new to the area. Inform them about upcoming community events or mom-and-pop shops they may have never heard of. Are there hiking trails or parks nearby?

What’s the best place to grab a cup of coffee before work or a beer after? You can spotlight these places regularly as a monthly series.

This should really make up the bulk of your content. The possibilities are endless, and you could easily come up with an entire year’s worth of content with only a few hours of brainstorming.

Here are some examples: You could provide your readers with a list of questions they should ask when interviewing a realtor, the steps to becoming a real estate investor, real estate facts all first-time homeowners should know, steps new parents should take to prepare their home for a baby, recommended vendors for home maintenance, or common real estate terms defined.

You could explain to your readers what they need to know about home staging, which home renovations add the most value to their home, how to research schools or crime rates in specific neighborhoods, what a home association is, or how to start flipping houses and buying foreclosures.

Case Studies Sometimes realtors work with a client for years before they are ready to buy a home. Personal finance blogs are a thing for a reason. People want to see exactly how someone else achieved a shared goal. If you have a close relationship with a client who you helped become a homeowner, consider interviewing this client and writing up a case study that shows exactly how the two of you worked together to achieve this goal.

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Stay Local

There are plenty of real estate news outlets that will be posting about the state of the market—but they won’t be talking about your specific community, and that’s where your blog comes in.

Of course, if you only blog about community functions or properties on the market, then as soon as that event is over or that listing is sold, your content ceases being useful.

The best real estate blogs balance their content by posting a little about all the above. Maintaining a high-quality blog means your prospective clients don’t need to visit several websites to have their questions answered because you’ve done the work for them. It’s a tool that helps you make a great first impression.

If you still need help coming up with blog topics for your real estate blog, consider sending a survey out to your clients. You can send it via email and post it on social media. Ask your clients what real estate problems they need help solving and write your content with their responses in mind.

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HALLEY NATKIN Halley Natkin is a REALTOR® with Coldwell Banker Realty in Fort Lee, NJ. After 17 years working in the retail industry, Halley decided it was a time for change and in 2008 obtained her Real Estate license and has been thriving as a full time agent since 2013. As a solo agent she serves Bergen County, Hudson County, and Passaic County and has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in these communities. She specializes in Condos, Cooperatives and Single Family homes. Her enthusiasm, work ethic, and professionalism make her the best resource for buying and selling your real estate. Halley is eager to help you find your next home or consult on the best strategies to sell your home.

Currently, 20% of Halley’s business is by way of client referral. New business also flows in steadily for Halley and she is #1 for closed transactions in her area. Some of Halley’s traits, that set her apart from her peers, are that she treats all of her clients equally and she believes in personalized attention. “I think it’s important when you are doing a transaction that there is consistency in dealing with one agent as opposed to a million different people.” She enjoys developing relationships with her clients and they know that she is with them from the beginning to the end of the transaction. When buying a home, Halley pays close attention to matching you with an ideal home that checks off all the boxes. When it’s time to move, Halley is equipped to handle everything from negotiating the purchase contract, arranging financing, overseeing the inspection, dealing with those random things that pop up unexpectedly right down to supervising your closing.

Halley maintains relationships with many her former clients in her community. For returning clients looking to move up or downsize, Halley is keen to help them get top dollar for their property and utilizes enhanced Top Agent Magazine

marketing opportunities through strong online presence on social media.

She also utilizes Coldwell Bankers’ premiere marketing package which encompasses all forms of advertising; whether that be in print or Television spots. Last year, Halley closed on over 70 transactions and is the recipient of the NJ Realtors® Gold Circle of Excellence Award for 2021 and the #3 agent in her office for 2021.

What she likes most about the business is the variety of new and interesting experiences it provides. “I’m somebody who tends to get bored easily… so it keeps me on my toes and I’m constantly learning new things.” Also love the opportunity to meet new people. Halley is charitable in her community, supporting animal causes and volunteering at her children’s school. Real Estate is a demanding job so when not on duty she enjoys spending quality time with her family, seeing her friends and traveling. Moving forward, Halley would like to expand her team, giving her the opportunity to capture and grow her already thriving business. As a specialist in her community, there is no one you can trust more with you real estate needs. “I enjoy being a local expert.”

To learn more about Halley Natkin please call (917) 626-8240, email halley.natkin@cbrealty.com, or visit halleynatkinsellsnj.com www.

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Laughs!

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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 20

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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Top Agent Magazine

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

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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 Top Agent Magazine

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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