ONTARIO 7-11-22

ONTARIO EDITION

BE THEIR REALTOR® FOR LIFE:

Every Player is Valuable:

HOW TO BOOST YOUR TEAM’S MORALE

FEATURED AGENTS

VINCE FRACASSI CHRIS HOAGE

How to Build a Relationship with Your Clients that Will Last a Lifetime

5 WAYS TO TRANSFORM

RENTERS INTO OWNERS COVER STORY

LEEANNE & PAUL FRANCOMBE

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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 con4

sideration 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

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Your plan of action should include daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals. 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 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 Top Agent Magazine

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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CHRIS HOAGE Christopher Hoage is an award-winning, seasoned Realtor® who started the business in 2007 and has worked tirelessly to improve and enhance the real estate industry. Christopher has always been a go-getter, so it was no surprise when he got his first job at the age of 12 working at a music store. The proprietor also owned real estate, and Christopher would landscape the properties. Looking back, that was Christopher’s first introduction to real estate. “It got me interested in buying property. Because of that, I bought my first house when I was 19 and moved in at 20.”

Currently, a solo agent with Re/Max Twin City Realty, Christopher serves the area of Brantford, Ontario, Canada.

Wary of using the word team, Christopher collaborates with a group of agents in his office so that everyone can have their fair share of a work-life balance. He feels they are all equals and there is no need to designate a team leader. With the support of other agents, Christopher makes the transition of moving seamless. His approach is customer-centric and provides a real estate experience that’s second to none. He is detail-oriented and takes a personal interest in each client, ensuring their needs are met throughout the buying or selling process.

Christopher is always looking for new ways to improve his business and better serve his clients. His business has grown 50% each year for the past 3 years and he currently averages an 80% past client referral rate. He’s been awarded the Remax Platinum award for 2020,2021, 2022, and is the recipient of the Remax Hall Of Fame Lifetime Achievement award. His success, in part, is due to his ability to turn clients into long-term friends. “I’ve never been the guy to spend a lot of money on advertising. I’d rather spend it back on my clients through

housewarming gifts, or clients’ parties, or making sure they are taken care of.”

For listings, Christopher enlists the services of a professional photographer to construct media packages that he is convinced are the best in the business.

In addition to media content; a customized website, Matterport, and an open house round out Christopher’s core marketing strategy. This strategy has helped Christopher average 40-50 transactions per year. “It’s not a crazy amount of volume but it allows me to maintain a work-life balance.”

Christopher has always been passionate about helping people achieve their dreams of homeownership. For him, there’s nothing more gratifying than seeing someone become a first-time homebuyer. In the past two years, Christopher’s wife has also transitioned into a career in real estate. Together, they sponsor a National Service Dog training program. Christopher has also served on the board of directors for the Brantford Regional Real Estate Association and currently serves on the ITSO Board. Through these organizations, he can help make a difference in the lives of others.

Christopher and his wife are eagerly preparing for the arrival of their first child. In between all the nesting and getting the house ready, they make sure to shower some extra love on their two dogs. Christopher is determined to make his real estate group the top customer service provider in their market. He plans to do this by refining the group for more consistency among its agents. This way, every client will have a consistently great experience, no matter who they work with within the group.

“When the group comes together and does business with any client; that client experience stays top-notch.”

To learn more about Christopher Hoage, call (519) 751-4828, email Christopherhoage@remax.net or visit brantfordhomesale.com www.

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Copyright Top Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine

Chris Hoage Kim Steele is proud to congratulate

on being featured in Top Agent Magazine for Ontario, Canada!

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Be Their REALTOR® for Life: How to Build a Relationship with Your Clients That Will Last a Lifetime In the world of real estate, an agent’s relationship with their clients can make or break their career. This industry revolves around working well with people, and being able to develop a strong relationship with your clients is the foundation that you business is based upon.

Just like with a house, if that foundation is weak, the rest of the structure is also going to be unsteady and fragile. The mark of a good REALTOR® is their ability to build up a good referral network and following of loyal clients. This isn’t something that just happens by accident. Building healthy, strong relationships with your clients takes work and knowing how to gain another person’s trust, respect, and friendship. Here are some ways to make sure you are building the right kind of relationship with your clients.

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1. Use Your Friendliness and Optimism to Win Them Over: No one wants a pushy, overly confident salesperson for a REALTOR®. Clients are much more inclined to put their trust in the hands of someone who is friendly when it comes to one of the biggest financial transactions of their lives. A pleasant, outgoing disposition will win you more clients as well as friends. You want to establish rapport in the first few minutes of first meeting prospective clients. Rather than starting with business right off the bat, begin your meeting with some small talk such as similar interests, hobbies, and family life. This will immediately help to put your clients at ease, and show that you are not simply trying to “sell” them something.

People also respond well to optimism. During what can be a very stressful time, clients need someone to help them stay positive when a situation looks difficult and challenging. Optimism also tends to radiate charisma, and people want to be around and do business with charismatic people. You want to learn how to understand, motivate, and inspire people.

2. Be an Inquisitive Learner and an Empathetic Listener:

On the other side of this coin is knowing how to listen empathetically. Empathy involves actually putting yourself or your mind in their shoes so you can genuinely understand their concerns, needs, and opinions. That understanding and empathy is then reflected in your conversation with that client. Your clients want to know that you care about their situation, and that they’re not just another sale for you to make. People are much more willing to put their trust in you when they can sense that you are actually making an effort to feel what they feel in order to understand their situation.

Showing your interest through questions, and then thoughtfully listening goes a long way towards gaining trust. Showing empathy and acknowledging the feelings and emotions involved in your clients situation helps build a relationship founded on genuine care and trust.

3. Watch for Nonverbal Clues:

Don’t be afraid to show your curiosity and ask your clients a lot of questions. Some of these questions may even be difficult and uncomfortable. You want to discover and learn as much as you can about your client. Don’t make the mistake of jumping straight into the role of the know-it-all. Every different client has unique needs, so you want to learn as much as you can about their specific situation before trying to propose a solution. You want to uncover their primary motive for buying or selling, and flush Top Agent Magazine

out any potential concerns they might have.

After you’ve gained as much information as possible, you can then gauge their interest in your possible solutions by asking “what if” questions. Being inquisitive also demonstrates to your clients that you are genuinely interested and invested in their situation.

Most communication happens nonverbally, so knowing how to interpret your client’s body language can be incredibly helpful. Here are a few things to pay special attention to: Eye contact: Be careful with the level of eye contact you use with clients when first meeting.

Too much and too little eye contact can send the wrong impression. You want to try and maintain eye contact around 70 percent of the time. That is the amount that most people are comfortable with. Pay attention to your client’s level of eye

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contact to determine how comfortable they are.

When someone avoids eye contact that could mean they are not engaged in the conversation.

A good way to quickly build a feeling of rapport when first meeting clients is to make eye contact when you first meet them and then start nodding yes to what they’re saying. If the client reciprocates the eye contact and nodding, you’ve established a connection.

4. Prove your honesty and credibility:

Choose the right handshake for each client: One handshake does not fit all people, and that first handshake can be crucial to making a good first impression. The way to do a good handshake for each client is to try and mirror the other person’s handshake in strength, keep your shoulders aligned as you are preferably standing when you shake hands. While you shake your client’s hand make sure you make eye contact and give them a sincere smile.

Showing a little weakness can actually be to your advantage in this situation, and will actually make others more inclined view you as honest. You don’t want to come across as too good to be true. When revealing this weakness, however, the key to coming out on top is turning what sounds like a weakness into a strength. For example, your service may be more expensive, but that’s because you offer more personalized and extra services than your competitors.

Honesty and integrity are the two traits that 98 percent of buyers and sellers report are qualities they consider “very important”. The thing is you can say you have these traits all you want on your website, bio, etc., but trust has to be earned, and the only way to do this is to prove your credibility.

Here are a few tips for how to sound more credible:

When you talk to your clients avoid using filler words such as “um” and “uh”, which can decrease your credibility. You also want to watch the tone of your voice. People tend to translate a deeper tone as sounding more credible.

You want to develop a relationship to last a lifetime when interacting with your clients. There are many things you can do to accomplish this, and using these tips can take you from getting just a few referrals and repeat customers to gaining a loyal client following. Taking the little extra time to make sure you are projecting the right attitude and making sure that you are doing things to gain your client’s trust can make a world of difference for your business.

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LEEANNE & PAUL FRANCOMBE 11

LEEANNE & PAUL FRANCOMBE Their team approach makes clients more comfortable, Paul says. “When we meet clients for the first time we’ll meet together. That way they can see us both, talk to us both and get a gauge on us.”

If you were to ask REALTORS® LeeAnne and Paul Francombe what keeps their clients coming back they could list a number of reasons. They are responsive. They are knowledgeable. They have experience. But 12

LeeAnne will tell you the real reason, “I have to say pumpkins.” LeeAnne and Paul deliver the pumpkins to their clients every Halloween. “People just love our pumpkins but we also just finished delivering our spring bulbs to Top Agent Magazine

our clients,” she says. “We just love our clients, so we enjoy seeing them and talking to them.”

Working with a spouse could prove to be difficult for many couples. But the Toronto pair have figured it out, and it’s working for them and their clients.

“We work well together, we offset each other. Some people couldn’t work with (their) spouse and spend time with their spouse all the time, but it works Top Agent Magazine

perfectly for us,” says LeeAnne. Their team approach makes clients more comfortable, Paul says. “When we meet clients for the first time we’ll meet together. That way they can see us both, talk to us both and get a gauge on us.” It is a time for clients to ask questions before the whole process begins. If later they have to work with just Paul or LeeAnne, the trust is already there. “When things are busier, and there’s not the availability of time, 13

they’ll get to just have one of us,” he says. “ But they know both of us so we can interact between the two of us. It’s fairly seamless.”

The Francombes each had careers in real estate before they met at work in 2007. Paul had been licensed for 10 years, and LeeAnne had spent a couple of decades on the administrative side of things.They were both drawn by the idea of helping people. “There was a point in my life where I had enough

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life experience to be able to represent people in such a big endeavor. I got my license 25 years ago and haven’t looked back since,” he says. LeeAnne understands. “Basically, I decided that it was time for a career move and looking more towards helping people and just trying to make a change,” she says.

With a 90-percent referral rate, LeeAnne and Paul are seeing previous clients looking to downsize at the same time their children are purchasing their first homes. A robust database Top Agent Magazine

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helps them keep in touch, mostly with handwritten notes. “We really do enjoy helping people out. There’s a lot of joy with that,” Paul says. “And when we go back to drop off a pumpkin, they send us a message saying, ‘I’m so happy in

my house. Thank you so much.’ And we just really like that a lot,” says LeeAnne. “We’re not focused on the monetary aspect of it. We’re actually focused more on helping and making our clients happy.”

To learn more about LeeAnne & Paul Francombe, visit francombe.ca, email info@francombe.ca or call 416.579.7541 www.

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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: 17

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.

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VINCE FRACASSI

Before becoming a REALTOR® in 2010, Vincent Fracassi worked for many years in the warehousing and distribution industry, alongside his father. During that time, Vince developed a keen interest in the investment market, and property management. Realizing that his heart wasn’t in the logistics business, real estate quickly took center stage. Starting as a solo agent with Coldwell Banker Community Professionals, Vince quickly became a top producer, and in 2018, with the help of his partner Nicolette, formed Fracassi & Co.

quality customer service in the industry,” he says. They excel at providing top-notch marketing, including professional photography and videography, staging, and social media, as well as concierge-like service throughout the process. “We work closely with our clients to ensure that we are always bringing the best product to market.”

Putting the customer experience first, Vince’s team has achieved numerous accolades including top team, and number six in Canada for Coldwell Banker last year. The team relies heavily on client referrals, as well as referral partners from across the globe. “When I started in 2010, I noticed that there was a lack of 20

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The initial focus of the business was investment properties, which included the purchase and sale of single, and multi-family homes. From there, he expanded quickly to high-end and custom homes, and is considered a rising star in luxury market. Today, Fracassi & Co. is proud to represent some of the top builders in the GTHA. “I’ve learned a lot about construction from our clients, and I really enjoy being involved in the building process,” says Vince.

Vince and his team are dedicated to their community and work closely with local charities, including St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton, and a new program called Backpacks for Brainiacs, which is an organization that fills backpacks for school-aged kids in communities in need. When he’s not working, Vince enjoys spending time with family and friends, including his wife and daughter. “We love being outdoors together.

Whether it’s going for hikes, or gardening, time spent at cottages or at the beach.”

Last year, the team’s production reached nearly 75 million in sales, which is quite a feat for a team of five agents. While he’s always looking to grow the business, Vince wants to keep his team close-knit with the focus on exceptional agents who can serve the luxury and higher end markets. Their goal over the next year is to enhance their back office and marketing team, with a longer-term plan to expand into regions such as Toronto and Niagara. “I think what I like most about the business is that it’s always changing and evolving,” he says. “Every day brings a new challenge and that’s really exciting to me.”

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To learn more about Vincent Fracassi please call 905-522-1110, email vince@fracassiandco.com or visit Fracassiandco.com www.

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5 Ways to Transform

Renters into Owners Perhaps the largest demographic of untapped business lies in the rental market. From major cities and suburbs to rural communities—renters across generations are opting to rent rather than own. The question is: why? For starters, many Americans are undereducated about the inventory and financing options available that might suit their budget and lifestyle. Secondly, many would-be homeowners have difficulty 22

visualizing the potential investment of purchasing property, and how homeownership can build wealth and security in the long-term.

As an agent, you’re always on the lookout for potential clientele. Now, to guide renters toward the real estate market, keep a few of these strategies in mind as you meet and greet this untapped demographic.

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Show renters that purchasing a home isn’t impossible

Possibly the biggest hurdle for renters is believing homeownership is possible. Beyond saving for a down payment and boosting credit scores, there are dozen more factors to consider: affording utilities, homeowner’s insurance, renovations, property taxes, and more. Besides that, assembling pay stubs, finding an agent, arranging house tours, negotiating a price, and timing the transition are all major considerations to surmount.

One way to combat this thinking is to make the process transparent and demystified. Find examples of past clients who made the leap successfully, or profile the average buyer in your marketplace and see how that renter compares. Provide evidence that it’s been done before and can be done again, then build a game plan from there.

into play. Consider making a checklist, or step-by-step road-map, that guides clients through the process from start to finish. This way, you’ll manage expectations and create a path to ownership that’s specific, instead of abstract. They won’t have to wonder what goes into buying a home when they can look at an interactive site or read a document and see the steps outlined before them, with you there to guide the way.

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Collaborate with mortgage professionals to find the right financing opportunities

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Help would-be homebuyers create a road-map to ownership

It’s no secret that buying a home can feel overwhelming. Compared to signing a yearlong lease on an apartment, taking on the house-hunting process is a daunting affair.

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Many renters aren’t aware of the variety of mortgage financing options out there that cater to first-timers, offer low down payments, or down payment assistance. Most buyers believe that the standard 20% down is a hard and fast rule, when in reality, there’s far more flexibility out there to cater to renters where they are. There are even loan options catering to freelance workers, renovation options, and other unconventional routes to ownership.

Work with a mortgage pro and find the route that suits your renter best.

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pay monthly in a mortgage—while building a lasting asset.

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Compare and contrast rental rates with monthly mortgage payments One way to convince renters to make the shift is to demonstrate the savings potential of paying into a monthly mortgage, rather than throwing away rent on a property they don’t own. To do this, draw up the average rental rates in your area, then find some potential listings that would demand a similar amount in monthly mortgage payments. Sometimes placing these numbers and images sideby-side can prove to renters that what they manage to pay monthly in rent, they can

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Paint the big picture

For most, renting isn’t the most sustainable financial option when it comes to housing.

Rents rise, families grow, and retirement looms.

Building a financial future and homeownership go hand-in-hand. When planned appropriately, buying a home can create a path toward retirement and position homeowners in a better place for further investment in the future. A rental has little security or investment returns to offer, while owning a home makes a renter king or queen of the castle.

Prospecting renters as potential homebuyers may seem like a time-intensive way to cultivate new clients, but logic is on your side.

Keep these tips in mind as you broach the conversation with renters in your hometown.

All it takes is clear-cut value proposition and a listening ear.

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Laughs!

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