ONTARIO 9-19-22

ONTARIO EDITION

5 Social Media Mistakes Real Estate Agents Must Avoid

The Daily Schedule of

A SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE AGENT

Welcome Home: WORKING WITH RELOCATORS IN TRANSITION

FEATURED AGENTS

DENISE CORTEZ ALISHA WHEELDON BILL O'NEILL DOROTHY HARRISON PINO BRUNI

Is Starting a Team

THE RIGHT SOLUTION FOR YOUR BUSINESS? COVER STORY

LISA SLY

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

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The Daily Schedule

of a Successful Real Estate Agent Everything you do should be intentional. A busy schedule isn’t the same thing as a productive schedule. Sometimes people write things like “find clients” on their to-do list, but finding clients isn’t actually a task. It’s a goal. Your daily schedule should be created with your goal in mind if you want to be a successful real estate agent, but a goal is too broad to add to your calendar.

Instead, you can break your goal down into projects, break those projects down into tasks, and schedule time in your calendar to complete each task. You’ll find that some of these projects will have an immediate impact on your business, and that those are the tasks that should be completed first.

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The fact is that as a real estate agent you can set your own schedule—if you’re not productive until 10am, then you don’t have to start your day until then. But having a daily schedule means that every day you have a running start on all those other agents who just “wing it.”

You don’t want to feel burned out and busy but like you’re simultaneously not getting a whole lot done. You can only keep up 70+ hour weeks for so long before your body breaks down and both your performance and income drop as a result.

Since every real estate agent’s operating hours look different, the following daily schedule is broken up by the suggested amount of hours you

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should spend on each task rather than specific times of day. However, certain tasks, like prospecting, appointments, and listing presentations should be performed at times when it’s most convenient for clients. If you’re an agent who likes to end their workday at 5 o’clock, remember that this is also the same time your clients are likely ending their day, meaning you might be unavailable for showings during the only time their schedule allows.

3.5 hours – This is that time of day that you should schedule all your appointments and listing presentations. If you are a newer agent, you might use this time instead to do more prospecting and appointment setting.

1 hour – Spend this time waking up, exercising either at home or at the gym, and eating breakfast.

2 hours – Now it’s time to unwind. Use this time to have dinner and spend time with you family. If you have children, this is usually the time of day when they are wrapping up homework assignments and getting ready for bed.

It’s important that you make time for these moments the same way you make time for your work.

2 hours – Use this time before you head to the office to develop a morning routine, if you haven’t already. You can meditate, journal, practice affirmations, or read personal development books to prepare for the day ahead.

1 hour – Once you’re at the office, spend this time to review the day’s schedule, catch up with your assistant or other colleagues, and check the latest industry news. This is also the time of day that you can role play to prepare for appointments.

1.5 hours – Spend this time prospecting and appointment setting.

1 hour – Now it’s time for a lunch break. If you’re a multitasker, you can also use this time to prepare for the afternoon and any meetings you have scheduled or connect with followers on social media.

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.5 hours – Look over the day’s schedule again and ensure you’ve checked every task off your to-do list. While you’re at it, be sure to review tomorrow’s schedule and goals too.

2 hours – Spend these last couple hours before you fall asleep to have quality time with your spouse or perform your self-care routines.

8 hours – Now it’s time for sleep—getting a full night’s rest is crucial if you want every day to be productive.

As you can tell, there’s still some wiggle room left in this schedule, but the important thing is to block out time every day so you can achieve your goals and help your clients.

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DENISE CORTEZ Mentorship is an important part of the structure of the Real Estate business, providing a level of experience and guidance for new agents. When Denise Cortez decided to become a REALTOR® six years ago, she didn’t want just one mentor, she wanted several of them. She wanted to learn from each of them and build on what they taught her so she could provide her clients with the very best experience.

“I started by getting mentored at my office because they have a sponsorship program. But I decided I didn’t want to be mentored by just one person. I have a really strong personality and I do things a certain way, I wanted to learn from three or four different mentors. That’s how I started to grow my business,” she said.

Denise is an Award-winning Real Estate Broker for EXIT Realty Twin Bridges in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.

She is one of the few, if not only, Spanish-speaking REALTORS® in her community and is beloved by the Latino Community. She gains a great deal of personal satisfaction helping all first-time buyers as well as her Spanish-speaking clients. She has shown that love and appreciation for all fundraising events – including one that just raised over $2,000 for a local Charity that is close to her heart called “Life’s Seasons Care & Support”. Another way she contributes is by donating a portion of all her sales to this Amazing Cause since 2018. Other Charity work she’s been involved with, is an initiative called ‘Pretty In Pink’ for the Cancer Society for the past few years which has netted $14,000 on average each year.

“My parents were missionaries and taught us to always give back,” Denise said. “Between last year and this year I noticed my business growing more as I do more charity work and become more involved with my community.” When asked what her past clients

would say about her, she said “One thing that stuck with me, that I keep hearing over and over was my attention to detail with clients and not letting things slip through the cracks.” Denise, who has averaged between 25 and 30 transactions a year, has already completed that halfway through this calendar year and hopes to keep growing. Her knowledge of the industry, distinctive Marketing strategies and Consistency has been an important part of her growing success.

In her spare time, she loves being with her dogs, reading a good novel, exercising and most of all spending time with friends and family.

She is the essential caregiver to her grandmother or as she would call her in Spanish her “Abuelita.” She even finds time to squeeze in some hiking from time to time and has been diligent about getting her Interior Design Certification after staging her own Listings for the past year.

“I love learning,” she said. “I want to give my clients the best service I can give all while I continue to give back to my community. But my No. 1 thing is to be genuine and real with people. After all, it’s truly about building lasting relationships.”

You can contact Denise Cortez on her cell at 519-466-0342 or the office at 519-542-1000 or email her at denise@336exit.com Photography by Adrien McKechnie

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Francis De Sena and Martin Riley are proud to congratulate

Denise Cortez

on being featured for Canada in Top Agent Magazine!

t 519.336.9999 | e realestate@desenalaw.com | desenalaw.com 422 East Street North | Sarnia, Ontario | N7T 6Y4

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5 Fresh New Approaches to Content Marketing A couple of weeks ago we were conducting a workshop when we were asked two excellent questions about content marketing:

• People

don’t want to hear from a roofing company every day. So how do you produce fresh and interesting content for social media that goes beyond your core services and yet ties back to your business?

• Can

you extend your social media presence and content to include personal things (like your hobbies) and how does that affect your overall business image?

The workshop attendee who asked the first question was right. Almost no one wants to hear from any company every day… especially if all the content is about products and services…and yes, even if they’re giving helpful tips and information. Does that mean you should stop producing excellent daily content related to your business? No, of course not! Content is created for two reasons.

First, to provide knowledge, expertise and even entertainment to your ideal customers in order to achieve top of mind awareness as an authority in your industry. And second, to produce SEO-rich results that keep you at the top of search engines. You must strike a

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balance between the two, and try to include content that draws people in by being super interesting and entertaining….and yes, sometimes personal.

To help answer those content questions above, here are five different types of content (beyond the traditional stuff) that can give your brand a fresh, unique and balanced approach:

1. PHILANTHROPIC Your community efforts say a lot about who you are, and people will make an extra effort to do business with you as a result of this connection. We’ve consulted business owners who are very hesitant to promote these efforts because they don’t want it to seem as though they are exploiting the charities and organizations—and most especially because they don’t do it for the promotional aspects. They do it to give back. I ask you to keep this in mind. Nonprofit and charitable organizations very often have small marketing budgets. Not only do they rely on outside marketing forces to promote their initiatives, they would likely be forced to close their doors without that support. That means that when someone with a strong brand and presence promotes them, it’s a highly trusted and personal connection, and you can’t buy that kind of support. In other words, they not only need you to promote them, they want you to promote them. But your instincts are correct. It’s not about you. So just make sure your entire content focuses on the organization you’re helping, what they do for the community and how

others can join in the cause. Then it becomes a huge win for all.

2. HOBBIES You bungee jumped from four of the tallest bridges in the U.S. In your spare time, you go fly fishing. You love playing chef and use only locally grown, organic foods. Your friends are always begging you to go to Vegas with your card shark talents. You’ve done mission work in Africa and would like to start your own group. You almost played professional baseball. You have an insane talent for gardening design or bass guitar.

Your family works at a soup kitchen once a month. Ok…you get the picture. And two more words. Reality TV. People are interesting…and people are interested in interesting people. We remember others based on these unique traits. And most of all, people love the story behind the face. Don’t be afraid to share your hobbies. Quite often, it’s the first thing that will personally connect you to a prospect.

3. CREATIVE CONNECTION This one is perhaps our favorite. While we can’t imagine seeing something come across our news feed from a landscaping company every day, imagine this for a moment. What are we always told to remember in this hectic world? Stop and smell the roses, right? So what if…a landscaping company posted a beautiful flower each day, just to remind you to ‘stop and smell the roses’. And at the bottom of that photo (small print), you included

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the type of flower and type of environment needed to make it flourish (moist soil, full sun, etc.). And then, of course, watermarked it with your logo….and a title like, “Sam’s Daily Reminder: It’s Time to Stop & Smell the Roses”. You could even include some great, thought-provoking quotes. It has the personal connection (Sam), the business connection (flowers & logo watermark) and a cool creative connector (pause the meetings and paperwork to take a moment and appreciate life by noticing this beautiful flower). This is a great idea for staying ‘top of mind’ and connecting business with the kind of creative messaging people wouldn’t mind seeing every day.

4. EXPERIENCES This one is similar to hobbies from the personal aspect, but instead of something that identifies us like our hobbies, our experiences are random happenings that can have great interest and meaning to our audience.

Whether you have a unique experience buying a new car or a fateful conversation with a stranger in the airport, if you feel it ties into a life lesson or business lesson you’d like to share, by all means do. The lesson is to keep your radar up 24/7. Any experiences you have which relate to your

ideal customer are an opportunity to connect beyond the business world. And when we do that, we become a part of the family.

5. INFLUENCERS “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future”. You’ve probably heard that saying, and the same is true whether you are a teenager or a business owner. Maybe you’ve learned a lot of your business knowledge from Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Warren Buffet…or you like to quote Benjamin Franklin. Perhaps you have some mentors you’d like to recognize and tell why they’re important to you. Sharing the people and things that influence us is what makes us human. No matter how successful your business, you didn’t get there alone. People and circumstances shaped you along the way. Recognizing others for their contribution in our lives, large or small, is important in staying connected and grounded.

We hope these five types of content help you to put a fresh spin on what you share with your audience, whether personal or professional. We believe you must have the combination of both to build an incredible brand.

Tonya Eberhart is the Branding Agent to Business Stars and founder of BrandFace®, LLC. Michael Carr is America’s Top Selling Real Estate Auctioneer & BrandFace® partner. Together, they focus on personal branding and marketing designed to help real estate professionals become the face of their business & a star in their market. BrandFace® for Real Estate Professionals is a book, professional speaking series and an exclusive workshop for agents, and is currently active in 18 U.S. states, Canada and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.BrandFaceRealEstate.com.

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LISA SLY Top Agent Magazine

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Top Agent Lisa Sly of The Kate Broddick Team serves Brantford and Norfolk County. The team has earned the distinction of being the #1 Real Estate Team in Brantford, every year since 2015*.

With many thriving cities that offer diversity, culture, and job opportunities, Southern Ontario has become a sought after place to call home. Top sales representative Lisa Sly loves to guide people in their real estate journeys here, making the process as seamless as possible.

Empathetic and people-oriented, she started her professional life in social work after receiving a bachelor’s and master’s degree in the field. “I worked as a mental health therapist and clinical social worker for over a decade,” she explains. But Lisa’s sister, Kate Broddick, kept encouraging her to enter the real estate industry and join her team. After living in the United States for some time, Lisa and her fiancé moved back to Canada, and she decided to become an agent. Passionate about helping people, she felt real estate would provide her with endless growth and variety. As a member of The Kate Broddick Team, Lisa has reached great heights and is grateful she made the leap into real estate.

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Serving Brantford, Norfolk County and the surrounding areas, The Kate Broddick Team has earned the distinction of being the #1 Real Estate Team in Brantford, every year since 2015*. For Lisa, a large portion of her business consists of repeat clients and referrals, as she aims to deliver the best service possible.

Lisa loves the Brantford & Norfolk areas.

“There’s such a beautiful diversity of people moving here from all walks of life”, and Lisa enjoys working with all of them. “Whether someone is leasing a small rental property or they’re buying a huge estate home, we strive to treat every transaction like it’s our most important priority.”

Connecting with others is one of her strongest talents, as she enjoys conversing with people Top Agent Magazine

and building trust. “It’s just such a raw experience to open yourself up to a stranger and make one of the biggest purchases of your life,” she explains. “It’s very humbling.”

Throughout every transaction, Lisa is honest and transparent with her clients, helping them make informed choices while maintaining the highest ethical standards. “Buying and selling isn’t always fun; there are difficult conversations to be had, and I never shy away from them,” she explains. “I tell my clients what they need to hear.” Lisa finds this especially true when the home market cools down, as buyer and seller expectations are sometimes not aligned. She explains what is currently happening, what she believes their property should be sold for, and the different strategies she will implement to advertise it. This honesty 13 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Lisa plans to continue mentoring new agents through the team’s training program. “I just love teaching people and watching their abilities change and grow,” she says. is what clients love about working with her; they’re given realistic expectations about what they’ll experience in the market.

Social media is a large part of the team’s marketing efforts, with their listings going on all the top platforms where they have amassed large followings. In fact, The Kate Broddick Team has won awards for their social media presence across North America! Lisa also places her listings on two MLS systems, which helps spread the word far and wide across Southern Ontario. Every property is listed on their office’s website, teamkate.ca, which receives an average of half a million visitors per month. With the team now consisting of 15 agents (and growing), they help promote each other’s listings as well.

Community plays a big role in The Kate Broddick Team’s work. They are dedicated to giving back and volunteering. Each sales representative on the team has their own passions in the community. Every December, Copyright Top Agent Magazine 14

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the team takes part in their 12 Days of Giving promotion, donating to various organizations and charities that mean the most to them. Lisa is on the foundational board for the Lansdowne Children’s Centre, which provides services for infants, children and youth with physical, developmental and/or communication special needs. Her involvement there and throughout the city has helped numerous families in need.

Currently, The Kate Broddick Team has 15 Agents (with more joining soon!) as well as 7 Administrative Support Staff to ensure every transaction is completed smoothly. They have specialists in coaching, marketing, inside sales and client concierge, so clients and their homes are well taken care of. And it’s working; Lisa and The Kate Broddick Team have an abundance of 5-star reviews on a variety of rating platforms!

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As time goes on, Lisa plans to continue mentoring new agents through the team’s training program. “I just love teaching people and watching their abilities change and grow,” Lisa says. Team Kate’s mentorship program pairs new agents with more experienced sales representatives so they receive a guided hand in all aspects of client care, from listings to offers to open houses and more. This in turn provides consistency of care to all of the team’s buyers and sellers, leading to happier clients overall!

The Kate Broddick Team prides itself on creating an inclusive atmosphere for all of its members, allowing everyone to collaborate their ideas and implement them for the benefit of their clients. She finds it incredibly exciting to be a part of this tight-knit group, where everyone roots for one another. “We all truly Copyright Top Agent Magazine 15

get along and it’s a phenomenal work environment. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

looking forward to welcoming our clients into our modern new locations”, she says.

There’s also plenty of great big things on the horizon for Lisa and The Kate Broddick Team.

With 2 new offices opening soon in Brantford & Simcoe, the team continues to expand to meet the demand of their growing client base. “We’re

With so many new opportunities for buyers and sellers in Brantford, Brant County and Norfolk County, Lisa Sly is set to help meet her clients’ real estate goals with enthusiasm. “It’s going to be exciting!”

For more information about Lisa Sly, call 519-755-0927 or email lisa@teamkate.ca *All data provided by the Brantford Regional Real Estate Association (BRREA) for the highest sales volume & highest number of completed transactions from January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2021.

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Is Starting a Team the Right Solution for your Business?

You’ve started your own real estate business and after a slow start, you’ve found your footing and business has really taken off. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Until maybe you’re getting more business than you can handle. After all, you don’t want to sacrifice service for more listings. The top-notch level of service you offer is probably what created your boom in Top Agent Magazine

business in the first place, so you don’t want to compromise that. But, at the same down, you don’t want to turn down business either. It’s at this point, a lot of Realtors® consider starting a team. But, how do you know if that’s the right call for you? Here are a few questions you might want to ask yourself to help make your decision.

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The top-notch level of service you offer is probably what created your boom in business in the first place, so you don’t want to compromise that.

CAN YOU AFFORD IT? First things first, are you really making enough money to warrant hiring help? One of the key things to think about is your ability to generate leads. Are you so busy with your existing contracts, that you have no spare time to generate more business? Then, it might be time to consider your options. Figure out the time you’ll be afforded to generate more business, how many more transactions that will lead

to, and then see if that pays for the assistant’s wages. That should help you easily see if it’s worth the investment. If it’s on the border, you may still want to go for it if you have a lot of confidence in the market and your ability to bring in business. If you’re not quite there yet though, it might be a good idea to look into a virtual assistant until your business is ready to expand.

ARE YOU READY TO BE A TEAM LEADER? Or in other words, how comfortable are you delegating tasks and responsibilities? For some agents, they need to be actively involved in every step of the process. Being a team leader is not only about being able to delegate, it’s about mentoring and guiding your team as well. Not only do you have to help them serve the team

better, you need to look at yourself honestly too, constantly evaluating what you can do better. It’s also your job to set up systems and operations, that are constantly refined with the feedback of your team members. Clear and constant communication is key with your clients as well as your team.

CAN YOU FIND PEOPLE WHO SHARE YOUR VISION? Of course, the above two points are moot, if you’re unable to find people that you trust and that share your business’ philosophy. Having a supportive and professional team culture is instrumental in a team’s success. These are people you will be working with closely for long hours so you not only need to trust in their expertise and professionalism, you want to find people with a positive attitude. You will all be relying on each other to create seamless trans18

actions in sometimes stressful circumstances.

Having the right team spirit, so to speak, is what will help your business and team grow.

The ultimate goal of a team is to have thriving careers for everyone on board.

So, if you want to see your business grow maybe a team is right for you. It may even give you a little free time for a personal life. We can all dream, can’t we?

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ALISHA WHEELDON The progression from selling clothing to selling furniture to selling houses seemed like a fairly natural one to Alisha. She had been approached by brokers looking to take her on a few times during her retail career, but she never felt quite ready. After enough prodding, she finally gave in and obtained her real estate license to work in southwest Ontario, covering mostly Oxford, Middlesex, and the surrounding areas. Having lived in these regions all her life, that’s a comfortable territory for her, able to give a true picture of what it’s like living there as a native.

It’s been well over four years now and Alisha’s business is driven by an 80% referral and repeat customer rate. Word of mouth gets around about how honest she is, always taking extra steps to make sure that all parties know exactly what it is that they’re signing at any given moment. She never forces a sale, making sure that everyone is not just comfortable but actually happy with the current deal. She’s inquisitive and proactive – always asking and letting clients tell her what steps they want her to take. With that kind of attitude, it’s clear why her referral rate is so high.

While they may start off being referred to as clients, many end being called friends, coming to Alisha’s house for playdates with the kids, going for outings and grabbing lunch. This casual friendly attitude keeps her constantly front of mind when someone looking for an real estate agent comes up. She supports all of the businesses her client-friends are involved in whenever she can, fostering a small town community support system.

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In addition to MLS and ReMax’s powerhouse international online marketing system, Alisha uses social media to get the word out about new listings, although, up until recently, very little additional marketing has been required. The market is shifting, and she’ll be paying special attention to getting the word out in front of the right eyes. Her system is working well, landing her around 25 transactions a year, and very little time to try and take on more.

Alisha loves everything involved in the real estate process, but mostly it’s the constant meeting new people that keeps her excited. There’s an energy that comes off of clients when they get a good price or find the perfect new home to settle in.

It’s an especially intense feeling when she finds a property for a new family to grow up in. While incredibly rewarding, she finds she would rather keep the level of service and attention where she has it right now, rather than try to cram in more business that would dilute her attention.

For more info, call 519-532-9549 and email alisha.wheeldon@gmail.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 19

BILL O’NEILL With a background in buying and selling real estate as an investment, when the market dropped in the late ‘80s, Bill O’Neill turned to building. He had great experience in managing people, so managing a construction team was right up his alley. After a while, he saw that the agents buying and selling his buildings were making about the same money he was, and with none of the risk he was investing and a lot less sawdust on their hands. When joking about it with one of the REALTORS®, they said “Well, then get a license”. So in 1995, he did just that.

Bill works the Kitchener-Waterloo region of Ontario as a solo agent, although he never lists a property before enlisting the help of a professional photographer and stager. He stays in constant touch with his client base through a monthly newsletter, branded calendars, phone calls to keep his voice in mind, and delivery of traditional pumpkins around Halloween. This kind of casual contact keeps sending him new clients through friendly referrals. Those referrals combined with the repeat business of a long history in the area total about 80% of his current clientele.

The referrals come because Bill puts the needs of the client before his own, stressing the honesty and integrity in his work. That work ethic puts him in the top 100 agents in all of Canada.

He doesn’t care how much commission is due on a job, all clients are treated as the same priority, big or small, old or new. He’ll work in developments as well as traditional homes, again, treating each transaction with the same level of detail and care.

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Bill stays engaged even after so many years in the business. Every day is a new challenge. He never knows what’s going to happen, who is going to call or how it’s going to go, and that keeps him on his toes, alert and ready for any situation the day may bring.

It’s a job that he loves digging into. In his words, “as long as you go out and turn the stones, you’ll find the gold.

If you don’t turn the stones, you find no gold.”

He’s certainly not looking to retire, but instead, plans on doing what he loves, which is helping people fulfill their real estate dreams. He’s got a set schedule that’s gotten him very far and made him very successful and he sees no reason to change, with the exception of the occasional house showing that may tear him away a little early from his favorite pub. Bill understands he is in the very fortunate position of enjoying going to work every day and will continue to do so for years to come.

For more info, call 519-577-1724 and email bill@billoneillsellshomes.com Top Agent Magazine

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SOCIAL MEDIA MISTAKES

Real Estate Agents Must Avoid There is perhaps no greater marketing tool for agents these days than having a large presence on social media, but there is more to social media marketing than just opening an account and gaining followers. A lot of agents forget the social part of social media. It’s all about engagement, but it needs to be the right kind of engagement. This can often be the first impression potential clients or industry peers have of you, so make it count. There is no second chance to make a first impression, and that is especially true for real estate agents. Here’s just a few things you want to avoid.

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1 Using it to Vent

Social Media is a great place to complain and commiserate about things, but save that for your personal page. A real estate transaction is already a stressful ordeal, the last thing anyone wants is someone who seems like they’ll bring a negative energy to the process. Even worse?

Bad mouthing other Realtors® or listings. You’re selling yourself and your skills, so don’t sell anything that shows you in a bad light. Much like marketing a property, everything you put out should be professional and inviting.

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Lack of Consistent Branding

Yes, social media is about social engagement, but it’s also about creating brand recognition. While you don’t want it to be purely promotional, you are running a business, so create a consistent branding across all social media platforms. If you can afford a professional graphic designer to help you out with this, that’s great. But at the very least, have the same profile pic, cover image and highly visible contact information, across the board. And don’t forget to share links to your other accounts, some people prefer different social media applications.

3Not Posting Enough

It’s good to create a schedule of how many times you’ll be posting per day and to pick times when you might have the most engagement.

Don’t over do it, but three posts a day at the right time, tends to be a good goal. There are numerous tools on Facebook, for example, that

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can let you see when interactions are the highest.

Stick to your schedule and adjust accordingly.

It’s also important to not just post your listings.

Be a resource for people who follow your page.

Post community events, or other informative articles that are relevant to home ownership.

Be a page they want to follow even when they aren’t buying or selling a property. They’ll remember you when the time comes.

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Not interacting With Your Followers

It’s called social media for a reason. The more you engage with your followers, the more they see you as a real person, and not just a marketing tool. Not only do you get to know your past clients and potential clients, on Facebook, engagement actually will make your posts seen by more people. So it’s a win/win.

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Not Sharing or Linking to Others

It might not seem like a good idea to not promote the blogs, pages or listings of other people, but it’s not only an excellent way to build goodwill, it will also increase your own presence when they reciprocate. So make a point to share posts and links for local businesses and even the blogs of your peers, if it’s a post that offers valuable insight into an expertise you don’t have. That will encourage them to share your posts and even your listings, which will increase your potential buyer pool. This is another incentive to create your own blog. Unique informative content is always of value, and more likely to be shared than promotional links.

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DOROTHY HARRISON Dorothy Harrison is a passionate real estate agent with a heart for mentoring young professionals entering the field.

Her “anybody can do it” attitude extends to both home ownership and real estate work and she is dedicated to empowering people to build generational wealth. Her extensive repertoire includes numerous accolades including the #4 Individual RE/MAX Hallmark Agent in Ontario and #51 WorldWide in 2022, Diamond Award Winner 2021, Hallmark Hall Of Fame Award, and Readers Digest Real Estate Agent of The Year for 2021 In The Ajax/Pickering Area. Dorothy currently works under RE/MAX Hallmark First Group Realty Ltd. serving the east Toronto area.

Dorothy shares how she previously worked as a mortgage underwriter for one of Canada’s largest known banks. After her third child, she decided to branch out from the “9 to 5” and pursue entrepreneurship as a real estate agent. Today, with over 13 years in the business, Dorothy hasn’t looked back and has no intention of slowing down just yet. She shares how she bought her first home at age 22 and had a difficult time finding an agent that “would give me the time of day as a young buyer.” This experience influenced her professional approach, and Dorothy strives to “ensure every client’s service is outstanding, no matter who they are or how big or small their real estate investment may be.”

Dorothy primarily serves Durham, Ontario, an affordable sector in the greater Toronto area, known for its young family demographics.

Dorothy’s repeat and referral rates are at a stellar 80%.

She attributes this to her “no judgment mentality” and meticulous real estate approach. Her personable nature is evident as she describes how she strives to “make sure clients all feel the love.” Dorothy shares, “What’s

kept me going is making people’s dreams come true.”

Dorothy markets her listings relentlessly, through an aggressive digital media approach across social media and the MLS. She notes how she syndicates property listings to over 400 websites for every home, in order to maximize visibility. Her current volume is over 50 units per year.

Outside of work, Dorothy is passionate about community outreach. She frequently volunteers within the communities that she services. A few of her constant support groups include refugee organizations, supporting young moms in need, Childrens Miracle Network and Canadian Cancer Society. Additionally, Dorothy sponsors her town sports organizations, her community school events, and local agricultural initiatives. She strongly believes giving back to the communities in which she lives, works and plays by organizing annual client events such as ice cream trucks, hosting movie events, promoting holidaygiveaways. She has become an integral part of the Durham Region.In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her family, playing sports and outdoor recreation.

Fashion and Home design are her passion and Shopping is another pastime, Dorothy laughs, “It’s my therapy.”

Dorothy’s plans for the future include getting more involved with RE/MAX, her brokerage. She intends to leave a strong legacy behind through consistent mentorship and helping people “make the biggest and best investment of their lives through Real Estate.” She recently began building her own real estate portfolio to demonstrate the value of building generational wealth and investing in properties. Ultimately, Dorothy plans to keep helping people make the best investment of their lives and learn that anybody can truly find success in the real estate industry.

To get in touch with Dorothy, call 416.258.2140 or email dorothy@soldbydorothy.com

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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 24

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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PINO BRUNI Pino Bruni is a lover and a fighter. The award-winning Durham agent loves enhancing people’s lives through real estate, and he fights with everything he has to make the best showing for clients. “Anyone that needs me, they initially will immediately see how passionate I am about what I do. I absolutely love my job,” Pino says. I love everything about it. I’m a people person. So I’m all about meeting people, chatting with people, going into their homes figuring out how we can make it better, if it’s staging or getting some painting done or carpet repaired, or whatever the case may be. It’s about putting in that plan to maximize value for my clients and that entire process of meeting and chatting. Whatever it takes from start to finish is the biggest difference between me and others, so that alone really translates into clients that can trust me to refer me.”

Looking back over 20 years in real estate, Pino recalls his passion started with his father’s rental properties.

“I always had a huge interest in it,” he says. “It was something that I always wanted to do, buy and sell real estate sort of like my dad.” Before there was an app for that, Pino remembers pouring over home sales ads in the local newspaper. Through watching from the sidelines, he earned his real estate license in his 20s. From that original vision, he along with his partner Bob Anderson have built an agency that serves the Greater Toronto Area and moves more than 70 properties a year with a combined 50 years of experience.

They have done it by providing extensive customer service, including being one of few agencies to own its own staging company. Pino has added to that a host of home professionals to help with legal matters, cleaning and even landscaping. “We have a full arsenal that we can unleash for our clients,” he says.

Full service does not end when a house is sold. Pino stakes much on staying fresh in clients’ minds. He keeps

his customers engaged with a full slate of events throughout the year. Recently, he hosted a big event for Canada Day. Another gathering featured giveaways from food truck vendors. On Mother’s Day, he passes out flowers to his customers. For Father’s Day, it’s barbecue sauce and spice rub. All of that is in addition to regularly scheduled customer emails. “We do all types of events like that to cater towards our clients that keeps us focused and staying in contact.

The events help foster long-term relationships, with as much as 90 percent of Pino’s customers coming from repeat or referral business.

Pino, through his RE/MAX Jazz agency, gives back to the community he loves. The agency funds Wee/Max, a local children’s charity. Among other benefits to local kids, the group has purchased medical equipment for babies born prematurely at Lakeridge Health in Oshawa.

Some of the organization’s other work helps healthy children. In one case, Wee/Max assisted in raising funds and building a playground at a school once Pino caught wind that they did not have one. His community efforts are backed by the RE/MAX brokerage.

Pino’s success shows no signs of stopping. He and his partner have considered adding an additional agent or two. Any expansion would not be growth for growth’s sake. First-rate customer service is at the heart of Pino’s plans. With that in mind, he eventually may open an individual office in another region to extend his reach. Also on the table are more administrative services to make transactions smoother for clients.

Whatever comes, Pino will always be there to serve his beloved Durham community. “I preach everything Durham region, where we live,” he says. “ I was born and raised right here in our community – Oshawa, Whitby. It’s the community I’m proud of. And I’ll continue to represent for a very, very long time.”

To learn more about Pino Bruni, visit abteam.ca, email pbruni@rogers.com or call 905.718.1650 www.

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