TENNESSEE 11-14-22

TENNESSEE EDITION

5 STEPS

TO ACHIEVE LONG TERM SUCCESS AS A REAL ESTATE AGENT

How to Recognize

TRUE LUXURY PROPERTIES 7 REASONS WHY

YOUR PROSPECTS AREN'T TURNING INTO CLIENTS COVER STORY

HAYDEN WHITE

FEATURED AGENTS

CHERYL BRETZ SUZI VAUGHN

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

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7 Reasons Why Your Prospects Aren’t Turning Into Clients Real estate experts suggest prospecting daily so that your sales pipeline never runs dry.

But sometimes all that effort doesn’t translate into results. If your prospects aren’t becoming clients, there’s a reason, which is better than it sounds because that means you can fix the problem.

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1. You’re Too Slow The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials estimates that there are about 2 million active real estate licensees in the United States alone. Of course, not all these individuals are working in the same markets. Nonetheless, that

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If your prospects aren’t becoming clients, there’s a reason, which is better than it sounds because that means you can fix the problem.

means that realtors face a lot of competition. If you are slow to respond to messages from prospective clients, someone else is sure to beat you to it. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to return calls and emails within 24 hours.

If you’re too busy working with active clients to return the phone calls and emails of prospective clients, consider hiring a real estate assistant who can help take administrative or marketing tasks off your plate.

2. They Don’t Trust You There are different reasons why a client might not trust you, some of which overlap with others on this list. When a client asks you a question, do you answer it directly or do you sidestep it?

Do you have testimonials and reviews from happy clients publicly available? Do you have an online presence? Social proof of your skills and knowledge is key.

3. You Don’t Seem Knowledgeable Enough Is your client constantly coming to you with new listings or marketing ideas rather than the Top Agent Magazine

other way around? Do they mention real estate and finance terms you’ve never heard of or ask you questions you’ve never thought to ask yourself? Every agent starts somewhere, but if this seems to be a pattern, it’s one clients will pick up on too.

Your clients want to know that you will add value to their home buying or selling experience, and part of that value is your expertise and passion.

4. You Have No Web Presence It’s not enough to be on Zillow or have a Facebook page. There are clients who don’t use these platforms, and at the end of the day, you don’t own the content or your access to it. Both platforms could suddenly go out of business and any following you’ve gained could be lost.

It doesn’t cost much to create and maintain a website today. If customization matters little to you, sometimes you can even get up and running for free. At the very least, it’s a good idea to invest in a domain name because yourwebsite. wordpress.com looks a lot less professional than yourwebsite.com.

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5. You Don’t Seem to Care When clients don’t think you care, it usually means they don’t feel like you are listening.

You may have systems, processes, and a proven marketing strategy. You may like to get right down to business, but to your client, this isn’t just business—it’s their life and their family’s livelihood.

When your client tells you what’s important to them, they want to make sure that you really hear them. Make sure your body language conveys that. Slow down. Shut your office door.

Make eye contact, nod your head, and pause before you speak so that they understand that you’ve put thought into your words—that they aren’t simply lines from a script.

6. You Use Too Much Jargon Remember that your clients don’t speak real estate. At most, they might buy or sell a home once every few years. They hired you to be their advocate and may even expect you to be a bit of a teacher too. Use layman’s terms so that your

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client fully understands how the two of you will work together.

7. Your Target Audience Is Everyone Your clients are home buyers and sellers, yes, but who is your ideal client? Some specialties you might consider are college students and recent graduates, working professionals, military families, seniors, CEOs, or other high-profile clients.

As a newer agent, your target audience might be anyone who will hire you, but over time, you might find that you click more with certain clients, that their lifestyle is similar to yours, or that their goals align with your mission. Whatever the reason, marketing your business to this “ideal client” rather than every potential client will make selling your services easier.

Remember: It’s within your power to alleviate your client’s concerns, but understanding why your prospects aren’t turning into clients is a good start.

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HAYDEN WHITE

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HAYDEN WHITE Hayden has a strong network of industry professionals that he works with on a daily basis, including closing attorneys, loan officers, loan originators, surveyors, soil scientists, home inspectors, photographers, and more.

As a second generation broker and auctioneer, Hayden White has been surrounded by real estate since birth. From a young age, he accompanied his father at listing and auction appointments, finding that they shared the same passion 8

for properties and working with people.

While he’s learned a lot from firsthand experience on the job, Hayden is also highly trained and has taken courses at the Missouri Auction School and the TREES® real estate school in Nashville.

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Additionally, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Tech focused on Business and Speech Communication.

Today, Hayden is working full-time at Agee & Johnson Realty and Auction where he serves clients throughout the middle Tennessee area.

In Hayden’s office, there are 30 agents and 6 brokers who have over 200 years of combined real estate experience. “While I work independently, I can rely on this highly trusted group of agents to help

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and guide me when I need it,” he says.

He also has a strong network of industry professionals that he works with on a daily basis, including closing attorneys, loan officers, loan originators, surveyors, soil scientists, home inspectors, photographers, and more. “I love working with all of them,” he explains. “We’re a big family here.”

Hayden’s outgoing personality, natural leadership skills, and real estate knowledge have earned him recognition in his

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community and beyond. Around 60% of his business comes from repeat and referral clients who seek him out time and again to do business. To reach new clients, he focuses on digital marketing, using platforms like Facebook to share his listings. The marketing content he shares includes professional photography, videography, drone footage, and virtual walk-throughs. To attract attention in-person, Hayden has a life-size cut out of himself that he puts in front of his listings. “I’m known as the ‘cut-out guy’ in town now — it actually works really well

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in turning heads,” he says with a laugh.

“I even made a hashtag, Hayden White #AlwaysOnSite.”

When he’s not working, Hayden volunteers his auctioneering skills at charity benefits. He’s auctioned items at the Cumberland University Phoenix Ball, the Eddie George Celebrity Golf Classic, the Music City Charity Golf Festival, and more. He spends the rest of his spare time with his family, who get together often to celebrate holidays and special events.

Currently, Hayden and his fiancée are remodeling the home they just purchased.

Every year so far of working in real Top Agent Magazine

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estate, Hayden’s business has had an average increase of 101%. He’s hoping for more growth in the near future with the long-term goal of becoming the managing broker at Agee & Johnson, which is the position his father currently holds.

For now, he is taking it one day at a time, helping others while enjoying the challenges of the job. “Working with my brokerage has helped me grow as an individual and helped me grow my business.

I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

To learn more about Hayden White, call 615-587-1152, email jhwhite@realtracs.com or visit haydenwhiterealtor.com www.

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By the Numbers:

Understanding the True Value of Square Footage Measuring the square footage of a property may seem like an objective and straightforward task, but you’d be surprised at how many agents and homebuyers misunderstand this pivotal figure.

True square footage provides homebuyers a concrete understanding of their prospective domain, but here’s the problem: the rules to determine a home’s square footage are not always uniform across the board. What’s more, much of Top Agent Magazine

a home’s value is determined by its size, so accuracy is certainly important. While many real estate agents have their own systems for determining or confirming a home’s true square footage, it doesn’t hurt to update your practices and become an expert on the subject. After all, you may learn a few techniques that could add value to a listing, or better prepare you in guiding house-hunters on the lookout.

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1. Do your due diligence Most towns and cities have a local records department where floorplans and blueprints are kept on file. It’s worth noting that these records don’t typically include any subsequent additions or remodels on a property, but they still give archive hunters a legal baseline when outlining a property’s square footage. Oftentimes, a straightforward online search of a city or county’s records office can pull the information necessary, or else agents can poke around in person to uncover informative blueprints at the records office. Either way, access to original blueprints or floorplans is a great tool for determining livable square footage. As a bonus,

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original blueprints and floorplans—especially in historic properties—can be intriguing visual aids for prospective buyers, as well.

2. Know the rules While there aren’t universal standards when it comes to measuring square footage, there are general guidelines that can help determine square footage in an authentic way. Per the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), here are the official recommendations for measuring a home’s real square footage: n

Called “below grade spaces,” basements and sunrooms beyond a home’s typical

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living quarters do not count toward a home’s true square footage. According to ANSI, even big draws like finished basements don’t count toward a property’s Gross Living Area. Of course, even below grade spaces have their own desirable value and should be outlined as such on listings. n

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Did you know the space inside closets and on stairways counts toward a home’s square footage? Even if these areas are relatively small, they still add to a property’s calculable square footage.

When recording square footage, ANSI actually suggests performing measurements from a property’s exterior—though this method does not account for the

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thickness of exterior walls, which could skew square footage numbers. n

Just like below grade spaces, a garage, a pool house, or even a guest house should not be included in a property’s Gross Living Area. The rationale at work here is this: if you must go outside to access additional living areas, then they are beyond the square footage scope of the primary dwelling and should not be included in a home’s Gross Living Area.

3. Double-check by doing the dirty work Buyers and sellers have or will make a sizable investment in a property, so isn’t it fair to double-check all the relevant facts and figures

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when it comes to true square footage? If you want to take on the endeavor yourself, here are a few helpful steps to take. n

First, you’ll need a few things to get started, including a tape measure that can measure at least 100 ft., graph paper, and a pencil.

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Next, choose a room to start measuring wall-by-wall. Measure Wall 1, then proceed to assign each square on the gridded paper a corresponding measurement, rounding to the nearest tenth of a foot for the sake of clarity.

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From there, draw out the wall you measured and measure the remaining walls in the

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room. Once you’ve completed the room’s measurements, multiply the room’s length and width to determine its square footage. n

As you go measure throughout the home, using your own system to scale, you will construct a failsafe floorplan.

Mastering your craft is everything, and the real estate industry is no different. Every now and again, it’s worthwhile to update your well of information, take matters into your own hands, and continue to innovate with the industry. While square footage may not seem like the juiciest starting off point for such a venture, never forget: mastery of technical knowledge is a sure sign of expertise.

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CHERYL BRETZ After working in accounting and business management for over twenty years and owning her own consulting business, REALTOR® Cheryl Bretz made the move into real estate. She had spent many years on the road selling software while running small business seminars and finally, the time came when she no longer wanted to travel every other week. Buying a 1935 historic mansion in Nashville without an agent was her first foray into real estate, but one that has had a remarkable impact on her life.

In every career, including her present one, Cheryl has excelled. Even when she was working part-time at an independent real estate firm, she quickly became the number one salesperson in her office. After going full-time the next year, she earned the prestigious CENTURION® Award. Her work ethic and passion for helping people have helped her grow her network tremendously, eventually leading her to establish her own brokerage, Blue Skies Realty, LLC. Now, she oversees two other agents and is supported by her husband who is also a licensed agent. Together, they represent homebuyers and sellers in the greater Nashville area, including downtown, Hendersonville, and Williamson County.

Auditorium and Union Station. She’s also a Rotarian which keeps her involved with numerous community projects like making sure every child in their area has a dictionary. Finally, she is an advocate for Huntington’s Disease, which affects her daughter. In her spare time, Cheryl loves gardening, oil painting, reading and spending time with her grandson.

This year marks Blue Skies Realty, LLC’s 10th year in business and they have had some incredible achievements so far.

Looking to the future, Cheryl has no plans of slowing down. For now, her team is working hard to help people, whether they are first-time homebuyers or relocating to the area for a new job. “Real estate is the greatest opportunity to build wealth in America,” explains Cheryl.

“People often need a lot of professional guidance with the home buying process and I truly enjoy helping them make the most of it.”

Around 85% of Cheryl’s business comes from repeat and referral clients, which means that she focuses more on fortifying existing relationships rather than prospecting for new ones. She’s active on social media, particularly Facebook, and keeps in touch with clients throughout the year via phone and email. During the holidays, Cheryl sends out cards and magnetic calendars to let clients know she is thinking of them. “I consider clients to be friends,” she says.

When she’s not doing real estate, Cheryl does a lot of community service in the city of Hendersonville and Nashville where she resides. She’s a preservationist and has fought to protect numerous historic and beautiful buildings in Nashville, including the Ryman Top Agent Magazine

Contact Cheryl at 615-969-5475, email cherylbretz@msn.com, or visit her website: cherylbretz.com www.

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How to Recognize True Luxury Properties What to Consider Other Than Location When luxury home buyers are looking for a new abode, they are often advised to pay most of their attention to location, location, location. And it’s true that good locations often have better properties, but if you’re only looking at location then you might be forgetting what it is in a luxury property that makes it luxury. You could view a property in a great location, and because you completely ignored any of the other factors that make a property high end, you might find that once you move in, you aren’t as pleased with the actual house itself as you thought you would be. Here are the other things you should look out for when purchasing a luxury home: • Architectural Uniqueness: The simple fact is that good

architecture retains its value. Do your homework on architects and find the ones that have a good track record of designing beautiful, but practical homes. Don’t simply pay attention to how the building looks today. Consider how it will look in a few decades. Keep an eye out for the “bones” of the building, and decide whether they will stand the test of time or not. Things such as a solid foundation, high-grade materials, unusual details, and artistic components are good aspects to consider.

Will the structure hold up well or will it degrade and crumble without constant upkeep? That funky molding may look artistic today, but in ten years will it be considered artistic or just plain weird?

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• Practical Layout: Make sure you have enough room to live

in comfort. As a buyer of luxury property, you probably have quite a busy social schedule. You want to make sure that the layout will lend itself to helping you maintain clear separation between your social areas and private ones. You don’t want guests having to go back into your bedroom to use the bathroom. Look out for places with stairwells, awkward columns, long hallways, and other wastes of space.

• Unobstructed Views and Light: You want to live in

a home that gives you lots of natural light, such as one that is open to the outdoors. That natural light will improve your mood, as well as the resale value. The openness of a space filled with natural light will make you feel more comfortable and happy in your new home. What about the view? Do you see a Do you park, a bridge, a river, or a skyline? Is the see a park, fantastic view out your window protected? a bridge, You’ll need to understand the surrounding air a river, or a rights and zoning allowances of neighboring buildings to understand the possible risks. skyline?

• Windows: Windows are the primary source of losing heat and

cooling. Make sure they are double-paned with good insulation that will protect your home against weather and noise. Unless the windows are already like this, it is unlikely that the condo or co-op board will allow you to install your own.

• Ceiling Height: Consider the cubic footage of the property.

You want to look for high ceilings that increase the openness of a room.

Of course, you don’t want to go too high. Above 14 feet will get you diminished marginal returns.

• Storage: If you’re a woman, you will understand this one. We need

lots of closets and additional storage room to fit all of our clothes, shoes, jackets, hats, purses, etc. However, lucky for you, your potential home’s existing closet square footage will not limit you from putting in more storage space. Custom closet companies can create any kind of storage

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space you desire. You will have to, however, make sure that your new home does have an area that you can turn into this storage space.

• In-Unit Laundry: In-unit laundry has become necessary for

any luxury home or apartment. Do you really want to have to trek down flights of stairs to use the basement laundry? If you still consider it wasted space, you can convert it into more closet space.

• The Gym: Having a fitness area nearby is an amenity that is especially

important, particularly in winter when you don’t feel like walking to the gym a few blocks down.

One thing to consider is the Do you really want of the gym in relation to have to trek down size to the size of the building in flights of stairs? light of common area fees.

• Move-In Ready: I’d advise against buying time-consuming and

frustrating fixer-uppers no matter how much you want to add custom kitchens, finishes, fixtures, and other characteristics. Choose a property that already has all of these amenities taken care of. These properties have already had the same designers you would hire fashion the house at a fraction of the cost you would pay to have them do it after you move in. In this light, it is worthwhile to pay a little extra for the move-in ready home.

• Reputation: Pay attention to the reputation of the building. A

property that has a good reputation tends to retain its value. You can easily find this out online on posts, and established locals are likely to have an opinion.

If you want to buy luxury property that is really worth it’s price, then I would suggest adding these points to your list of things your new home must have.

If you want to get a high quality home that is a true luxury, you’ll want to watch out for these aspects as well as the location. Some properties might claim to be luxury based on their location, but when compared against this list, they don’t make the cut. So, don’t be fooled by imposters, and make sure you find a true high-end property.

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SUZI VAUGHN There’s no question that Suzi Vaughn was meant to be a real estate agent. With a passion for her community and a love of people, Suzi can’t imagine a more fitting career path. She first thought about entering this field when she and her aunt began discussing it. Unfortunately, her aunt passed away, but a couple of years later, Suzi decided to earn her license and see where it took her. “So I got in and first started working with buyers, and just really enjoyed showing them the different areas and homes,” she explains. “I grew up here, and I love to introduce people to this region.” Serving Upper Cumberland in Tennessee, there’s no shortage of beautiful places to see. Now years into her career, Suzi assists both buyers and sellers with their real estate needs. Most of her business consists of repeat clients and referrals, as she goes above and beyond to create an enjoyable experience for all involved.

No matter who she is serving or what their price point is, Suzi’s goal is to be a source of comfort for her clients. “I want everyone to feel 100% comfortable with asking any questions they might have,” she explains.

Knowing this is likely the largest transaction many people will ever make, Suzi does everything possible to eliminate stress. “I want to give everyone the exact same attention and just encourage them along the way. I do the best I can to fight for them every step of the way and get them where they need to be.” Whether she’s assisting a buyer in getting the home of their dreams or helping a seller earn the most for their property, she continually exceeds expectations.

When it comes to marketing her listings, Suzi has several strategies. She always posts her properties on the MLS, utilizes social media, and spreads the word through her network of colleagues and past clients. “I will host open houses as well because they’re still very beneficial,” she explains. Each home features high-quality photographs, and sometimes video if the property would benefit from it. Suzi tailors her Top Agent Magazine

approach to each specific home to ensure she’s reaching the right buyers.

After the transaction, she remains in touch with her clients. She meets them for coffee, sends them texts and emails, and reaches out on social media. “Sometimes social media is the quickest way I can reach out because I’m in their feed or they’re in mine, so it’s easy to just stay in contact.”

Suzi is a board member at The Steven’s Center, an organization that supports young or unexpected parents in the Upper Cumberland area. It gives Suzi an avenue to give back and invest in the future of the community.

Suzi also enjoys working with her family’s memorial company, Vaughn’s Monument Works, specializing in veteran memorials to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. She makes time for her family whenever possible, and loves going to the zoo with them or stopping by the library.

In the coming years, Suzi plans to continue growing her business and building upon her already solid reputation.

“I love empowering my clients to reach their goals.”

For more information about Suzi Vaughn, please call 931-261-9684 or email suzi@therecollective.com 21

5 Steps to Achieve Long Term Success as a Real Estate Agent Real Estate can have a reputation as an industry with a high turnover as far as agents go. Being a ‘people person’ with an entrepreneurial spirit is a great start, but what some fail to realize when starting out is that this is a business.

So if you’re in it for the long haul, you need to treat it that way. Here are some key steps you need to take to have your own successful real estate business.

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FIND A MENTOR

Once you get your license and hang your sign at a Brokerage, you’ll find that you’re pretty much on your own. That’s why it’s a good idea for new agents to find a large Brokerage that offers in-house training and mentorship or a boutique brokerage that has more seasoned agents who are eager to take a new agent under their wing. Being able to shadow a more experienced agent is invaluable and allows you to mirror what you’ve seen and run through the numerous scenarios that will arise when you are representing a client.

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CONTINUOUS TRAINING

This is a business that is constantly changing, so it’s smart to always stay ahead of the curve when it comes to new technological innovations and systems. There are even numerous online resources, where you can keep up on your trade, such as blogs by top producing agents that are a treasure trove of information. A confident agent with an in-depth knowledge of the business is one that easily earns the trust of their client, leading to repeat and referral business, which will be the bread and butter of your business.

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BUILD A STRONG ONLINE PRESENCE

Yes, referrals are the basis of your business, but building a strong online presence and marketing yourself to new clients is also important, especially before you’ve built up a strong referral base. Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and other social media tools are great way to get leads both for your listings and for yourself. It’s even a good idea to buy several domain names when you start, so that when you’re ready to build a website, you can ensure you have the names you want. Obviously the internet is also a great resource to find leads. Before you find a niche for yourself, it’s important to take advantage of every avenue there is. A lot of successful agents started off doing things no one else wanted to take on like foreclosures, expired listings or lower priced homes. But as you’ll find out, helping those who need it most is a great way to build a loyal client base, that will not only come back to you when they are ready to sell or buy again, but will be your biggest cheerleaders when it comes to referring you to friends and family.

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BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION

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SET GOALS

One thing you’ll find in this business is that doing a lot of work up top, will lead to a more successful outcome down the road. That goes for marketing plans for your listings, as well as your business as a whole. It might not be the fun part, but it will allow you to one day focus on what you do best, dealing with your clients. Set up your CRM and the other systems you want to use from the get go. Getting these things established before you’re hopefully a busy agent is the best time to really learn them and decide what’s best for you.

Once you build a strong foundation and are establishing your client base, it’s important to continually set goals that help you implement your business strategy.

You can even invest in a real estate coach if you need someone to hold you accountable. It’s also important to constantly reevaluate what you’re doing. Set up a monthly audit, where you go over what is and what isn’t working. As we mentioned above, this is a fluid business and things are constantly changing, the same can be said of your business. What worked a year ago, might be losing you money as your business grows.

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