TEXAS 10-3-22

TEXAS EDITION

Welcome Home: WORKING WITH RELOCATORS IN TRANSITION

Is Finding a

NICHE MARKET

Right for You?

How to Speed Up

FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER TRANSACTIONS

FEATURED AGENTS

CHRISTOPHER ALMARAZ JADA SMITH LISA ADAMS MARTA MORALES SCOTT MYERS COVER STORY

DEBBIE VALLONE-HOMEIER

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How to Speed Up First-Time Homebuyer Transactions Working with first-time homebuyers can be among the most rewarding real estate transactions an agent can embark upon.

Not only are you helping guide newcomers into the housing market, but you’re also witness to the excitement and triumphs along the way, including handing over those keys for the first time. While 4

helping first-time homebuyers navigate the transactional process can be a reminder of real estate’s benevolent power, it can also come with its own bumps and bruises.

So, what’s the best way to streamline the homebuying process for first-timers, while maintaining the magic and keeping your sanity along the way?

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While helping first-time homebuyers navigate the transactional process can be a reminder of real estate’s benevolent power, it can also come with its own bumps and bruises.

Set expectations upfront and often.

It’s no secret that communication is a cornerstone of a successful real estate practice and client relationship. Amidst a transaction as complex as buying (or selling) a home, it’s important that no wires get crossed, no questions go unanswered, and no information gets lost in translation. To accomplish this, create communication parameters with your clients up front. Inquire about the communication medium they’re most comfortable with—a text, a call, an email, etc.

Then, tailor your outreach accordingly.

Also, consider setting a weekly time to check in, even if no official progress has been made. This helps clients and agents touch base, float questions and concerns, and get ahead of any problems or developments. Another helpful tool is to draft a transaction timeline for your client that outlines the major milestones along the way, what sort of information will need to be gathered, what steps taken, and what outcomes are possible. This might seem like exhaustive work, but in the era of digital research, clients will come to their own conclusions and biases Top Agent Magazine

whether you like it or not. To stay on the same page and timeline, be the foremost resource for your client, and don’t leave their questions up to chance.

Know your first-time homebuyer programs and perks.

There are a variety of national, state, regional, and local grants and programs that aid first-time homebuyers as they pay their down payment, shop for home or mortgage insurance, and otherwise deal with the financial implications of becoming a homeowner. Sometimes these programs are neighborhood-specific in certain cities, with incentives to buy in up and coming areas. In some cases, there are grants that support underrepresented minority communities breaking into homebuying, and these can go a long way in making the burden of a down payment and associated fees doable. In other words, do your research.

The right program or grant could make the difference in nabbing a dream starter home for your client, while setting them up for future financial success.

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Get pre-approved for a mortgage—and shop around for the best rate.

Not all mortgage rates are made equal. As an agent, you likely have good relationships with area lenders that you trust, but it’s still important to complete your due diligence when helping first-time homebuyers find the rate that suits their longterm housing goals. Also remember that first-time homebuyers are new to this process, and while real estate transactions are complex in their own right, the borrowing and lending processes can be alienating in their complexity. As an agent, it’s your job to play intermediary and teacher, ensuring your clients know their options, are prepared to make an educated decision, and

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feel confident that they’ve chosen correctly. Talk with your preferred mortgage partners to best outline options for your clients’ understanding, laying out a framework that’s informative, projected into the future, and allows them to feel empowered by knowledge.

All in all, working with first-time homebuyers can be an exciting and joyous occasion, as long as you’re adequately prepared for some hand-holding and instruction along the way. Aside from the enthusiasm of successful first-timers at the closing table, you’ll also enjoy the lasting benefit of strong referrals to their friends and family, many of whom will be shopping with you for their own first dream homes.

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DEBBIE VALLONE-HOMEIER

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Top Agent Debbie ValloneHomeier is a boutique broker with two agents working under her. She serves the beautiful Texas Hill Country, from Fredericksburg to Blanco to Canyon Lake, and her business includes houses and land, as well as some ranch properties.

A constant advocate for her clients and her industry, Debbie Vallone-Homeier is dedicated to serving others through real estate. Her family’s background is in commercial real estate, and after working in IT for years, she decided to take the leap herself. That was in 2007, and Debbie became a broker in 2010. For well over a decade now, Debbie has been fighting for her clients’ best interests and delivering comprehensive personal service that keeps clients coming back.

Debbie is a boutique broker with two agents working under her. She serves the beautiful Texas Hill Country, from Fredericksburg to Blanco to Canyon Lake, and her business includes houses and land, as well as some ranch properties. Debbie’s business is heavily driven by repeat and referral clients, which is no surprise considering the excellent service she provides. “Most of my clients become my friends,” Debbie explains. “I believe in doing 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

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what’s best and what’s honest. I build a relationship, and it just grows!”

When it comes to marketing her listings, Debbie uses a varied approach to cover all bases and ensure optimum exposure. She belongs to 5 local MLSs, allowing her to reach Top Agent Magazine

more prospective buyers and agents. “Each one is marketed so agents in those areas can see my listings, and they are then syndicated through the network,” Debbie says. She also belongs to Lands of Texas and promotes her listings via social media, local newspaper ads, and networking with other agents.

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“I like my business just as it is. I don’t want to grow it too big, because I like being able to manage and teach the agents that I have in how to do things the right way. I want to continue doing what I’ve been doing for the last 15 years, helping serve my clients and my community the best I can. I wouldn’t change a thing!”

Giving back to her community and her industry is paramount to Debbie. She serves on local real estate boards and has been President of two of them. Debbie has served with Texas REALTORS® as a trustee of their political arm. “I love that, because it keeps me in touch with the latest information to be able to give to my clients,” she says. Debbie is a Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

Golden R Major Investor in TREPAC (Texas Association of REALTORS® Political Action Committee), NAR (National Association of REALTORS®) President’s Circle member, and Hall of Fame with RPAC (REALTORS® Political Action Committee - National level).

Debbie’s name is up on the National Association of REALTORS® wall in Washington DC. Top Agent Magazine

Having lived in Blanco with her husband Carl since 2001, Debbie is involved with numerous other organizations and regularly volunteers her services to help out with local events.

When she is not working or giving back, Debbie enjoys traveling, spending time with her son and his family, and doing pottery. She and her husband even collaborate sometimes Top Agent Magazine

on designs incorporating her pottery into his woodworking projects.

As for what the future holds, Debbie says, “I like my business just as it is. I don’t want to grow it too big, because I like being able to manage and teach the agents that I have in how to do things the right way. I want to continue Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

doing what I’ve been doing for the last 15 years, helping serve my clients and my community the best I can. I wouldn’t change a thing!”

Debbie also plans to stay involved with efforts to fight for property rights on a local, state, and

national level. “I’m a firm believer in being involved, not just in selling real estate, but in helping people to know the laws and fight for their property rights. That gives me a little bit of an edge, and I love doing whatever I can to help our profession. To me, that’s really important.”

For more about Debbie, call 713-818-6658, email debbie@ValloneRealEstate.net or find her online at vallonerealestate.net www.

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

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

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

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

Think about those questions that you’ve had to

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

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

Evergreen Content

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Stay Local

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

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

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

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

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CHRISTOPHER ALMARAZ Education and empowerment are at the heart of REALTOR® Christopher Almaraz’s business. Based in the Houston, Texas area, he focuses on lifting up the Hispanic community and helping them see their own potential as homeowners. A born leader, Christopher has held numerous executive leadership positions including being the COO of a real estate company where he recruited 230+ agents and developed four of the top 25 teams in the city of Houston. Now, he’s on a mission not only to help his own clients boost their credit scores and get into their dream homes, but to train others to share in his recipe for success.

Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer, property investor, or Non-US citizen looking to relocate, Christopher is a highly sought after agent with the expertise to help you meet your goals. Certified by NAHREP 10, John Maxwell, Tony Robbins, and Dave Ramsey, he’s a coach, mentor and trainer who uses his knowledge to educate agents and clients to achieve their goals. “I’m here to pay it forward,” says Christopher. “If you educate one person, they’ll educate 10 more. I’m trying to educate as many people as possible.”

To spread the word about his services, Christopher and his team of 18 agents use social media and real estate search engines like Witly to share their listings. Over half of his business comes from referrals from past clients. Many of them never thought they would be able to buy a property, and then did with Christopher’s help.

“They might have had bad credit and low income, but with my guidance, they were able to get into a great home.” It’s the dedicated customer service that brings business to Christopher and his team.

Christopher is very involved in NAHREP Katy West Houston, which is an organization that helps support Hispanic home ownership. He served as President of Top Agent Magazine

the chapter last year and is currently a NAHREP 10 Certified Trainer. With everything he does, Christopher is committed to serving the local Hispanic community. His team also helps out in other ways, like giving away 15 turkey dinners last year on Thanksgiving to families in need. They have also bought uniforms for private school children and bicycles for third-graders.

This year, they will be participating in a Toys for Tots drive in December. “We help the kids so we can help the parents,” says Christopher.

Christopher and his team have already closed 150 home transactions this year and are on track to close 200. However, it is clear that their goals are more than just sales-oriented. They regularly host classes to teach the community about real estate as well as how to improve credit. “I love the fact that I’m able to help someone accomplish something that they didn’t think they could accomplish. I want to turn renters into landlords,” he says. By providing a fundamental real estate education to others, Christopher inspires those around him to share in their knowledge.

“The bottom line is that when you have that servant’s heart and do things not expecting anything back, the doors will open for you ten-fold.”

To learn more about Christopher Almaraz, please call 281-451-9756 or email Christopher@houstonsfinest.realty.

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JADA SMITH With a family-centered philosophy and an all-around real estate mind, Jada Jo Smith is enjoying sweet success with her independent brokerage Orange Blossom Real Estate, LLC named after the organic farm where she grew up. Jada got her real estate license in her early 20’s and has been working in the field ever since. This is her 15th year in business and this year she’s celebrating 10th anniversary of her blossoming company. Today she’s grown Orange Blossom into a top producer in sales per year in addition to leading a robust and successful team.

Jada, known as Texas Land Lady™ and her team serve most of Central & South Texas with agents in the greater Austin, San Antonio, Kerrville, Boerne, South Texas and Texas Hill Country. Jada says, “If we can drive it, we can do it!” With nearly all of their business coming through repeat clients and referrals, it’s the personal relationships as well as the wealth of knowledge Jada brings to the business, particularly in regard to land sales, that sets her apart. Her background in mineral and abstract title gives her well-founded expertise in her niche area of farm and ranch sales.

With the motto, “Let our family take care of yours,” Orange Blossom truly is a family business. After she started the brokerage ten years ago, Jada’s mom was the first to get her real estate license and join! Since then, Jada’s husband has come on board to lend his filmmaking experience to the company’s marketing.

His top of the line videos, drone footage and photography help to showcase listings on the company’s website, Instagram and Facebook pages. Making sure that clients feel cared for and not like just a sales statistic is central to Jada’s business approach.

Helping people to find their dream property is what Jada loves most about working in real estate. She also 16

enjoys problem solving, handling all the little things that pop up during the process to provide a seamless and stress-free experience for her clients.

Jada says that, while people may start out as clients, they end up lifelong friends.

Jada is actively involved in the community and especially committed to land and water conservation. From adopting two sections of highway to supporting local River Authorities and heading up the Sabinal Canyon Coalition, Jada is devoted to working for sustainability and education on land stewardship. She’s currently working on opening an area information center in Utopia, Texas to serve as a resource beyond buying and selling the land to truly care for and preserve it. With a 3-year-old daughter at home, Jada wants to grow a business that she can be proud of and to maintain the level of care, family feeling and land stewardship that are the heart of her business.

To learn more about Jada call (512) 773-1170, email orangeblossomjada@gmail.com, visit orangeblossomland.com and texaslandlady.com or on Instagram @TexasLandLady www.

www.

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Is Finding A Niche Market Right for You?

A lot of Realtors® take the ‘jack of all trades’ approach to their businesses, and some are extremely successful with doing it all and doing it well. But taking that approach can also make it hard to stand out if there are a lot of agents in your area taking the same approach.

If you’re looking for a way to stand out from the rest, finding a niche market might be the way to go. Although it might sound limiting at first, with the right branding and marketing, your specialty and expertise may help you lock up a market after you become well known for being the ‘go to’ Realtor® in a certain demographic. Having a niche helps you target your marketing, making it more effective, until eventually people are seeking you out as you build your reputation as the foremost expert in your particular niche.

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Despite the benefits of taking on a specialty, it’s still something that only a small percentage of Realtors® do, which means you have a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor in your area by being ahead of what is sure to be a looming real estate trend.

You want to claim your stake on the niche that best fits not only your passions, but something that fills a void in your market.

If this all sounds good to you, the next step is finding your niche! Here are a few things you need to consider:

There are two approaches to having a specialty, one that is truly your all-consuming passion or a sort of revolving niche, one that changes with the market 17

In addition to creating a thriving business, finding a niche may even unlock a hidden passion. Does your area have a large historic home inventory? Are you passionate about helping first time home buyers realize their dreams?

Having a personal connection to what you specialize in is always a great way to start out. If you’re passionate about something, you’re almost guaranteed to have the work ethic it takes to have success in a niche market. Once you hone in on a niche, make sure the market data backs up your focus.

Another approach is changing with the market. If you’re truly an expert in a few areas of the business, it might be good to have sort of a revolving niche. In a down market you might specialize in short sales and foreclosures.

When things pick up, you may take your innovative approaches and start applying them to luxury homes.

Whether you take the consistent niche approach or the flexible one, it’s really all about figuring out what best suits you and your market.

Fill a void in your market Maybe you don’t have an instant passion for one particular niche. In that case, there are several areas you can consider. A lot of it will start with really researching and analyzing your market and having a good eye for what future trends will be. Is there a certain demographic that is surging in your area? Cater your business to serve them. Maybe you are fluent in Spanish and your area is seeing a rise in a Latino population, who are emigrating from other countries. Or perhaps, you live in an area that has a larger retirement population. There 18

are numerous demographics that truly need expert real estate advice. Be the one to fill it.

You can also focus on a particular neighborhood or gated community. Helping people navigate the ins and outs of a particular HOA can be a lifesaver.

Are you already serving a niche?

Of course, sometimes you may already have a niche and are unaware of it. Maybe you are already dealing with a lot of first-time homebuyers. Look over your sales records and see what might already be there, then make it official.

Figure out why you’re drawn to that area and then nail down the reasons you’ve excelled with that niche and use it to create a marketing plan and branding.

Find ways to really sell your expertise Once you figure out your niche, get the training, designations, and certifications that will enhance your expertise. Another way to let it be known that you are the ‘go to’ Realtor® in your particular niche is to become a resource online. Create a website with informative blogs and marketing information. Make a mark on social media where you can link back to your site, so potential clients can actually interact with you.

There is a lot to consider when you’re thinking of going the niche market way with your business, but if you consider everything carefully and focus in on something you can be passionate about, the rewards could be a major win for you and for your clients.

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LISA ADAMS It is amazing what a simple, off-hand, innocuous remark can lead to. Lisa Adams can certainly tell you. When Lisa’s twin daughters were five years old, she and her husband decided to move to the south part of Houston, Texas, and contacted a real estate agent to show her around.

“We were looking at homes and I mentioned about wanting to get a part-time job, and the agent said, ‘Well I happen to need a part-time assistant.’ I started working for her and the schedule fit for my kids. I just love to look at homes and I’m a people person, so it really fit,” Lisa said. “Six months later she said, ‘Well why don’t you get your license and help me with our buyers?’ I was like, No problem! A few years later I decided to go out on my own, but I had a great mentor and teacher. She was a former schoolteacher so I had the best of the best to teach me real estate.”

Now Lisa is in her 22nd year in the business and is a solo REALTOR® with Martha Turner Sotheby’s Realty in the Houston area, including Cypress, Huntsville and anywhere in the metropolitan area. Her volume has consistently been more than $5 million annually for the last five to six years, including $7.2 million last year. She’s done it with a copious amount of repeat and referral business that makes up the bulk, if not all, of her client list.

“I think it’s because I’m not a high-pressure salesperson. I’m definitely the kind of person that says, ‘If this home is not going to fit for you then it’s not going to fit for me.’ I don’t push people when they’re making a huge financial decision for them and their family,” said Lisa, who said she benefits from Sotheby’s

being a respected worldwide company, with listings marketed on more than 700 websites, in different countries for those relocating, and in different languages. “I like to be thorough. I like to point out the things that might bother somebody, like it’s a busy street, that they might not think about. I’m very easy to work with. I like the different people that I meet. I like to talk about what they like, what their lives are like, and I try to put that puzzle together. I like to look at houses and pick them apart.”

When she’s not working, Lisa enjoys cruises as part of her love of travel, takes care of her elderly parents, is a grandmother now herself, and is devoted to her family. Her generous community support skews toward the swim community in Houston, including stores that specialize in swimwear and equipment, summer swim leagues, and the U.S. National Team. There’s a particularly good reason for that, though – Lisa’s two daughters are both world-class swimmers. One reached the U.S. Olympic trials; the other, Cammile represented the United States in both the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. As for the future, Lisa’s mantra is to “Just keep going.”

“I want to keep going and take whatever this market is offering us now and continue to move forward,” she said. “I’d like to better my presentations and knowledge of the market and where it’s going. That’s the good thing about Sotheby’s, they help with keeping us informed -- not just the Houston area but the whole country. And I’d like to continue to be an agent you can call whenever you want and ask me whatever you want. If I don’t know it, I’ll find out.”

Contact Lisa Adams at 281-330-4342 or through email at Lisa.adams@sothebys.realty Her profile is sothebysrealty.com/eng/associate/180-a-83661-65053220/lisa-adams www.

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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 20

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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MARTA MORALES Compassionate and caring, with a drive to educate her clients and help them through the entire process, Marta Morales has a proven track record of turning real estate dreams into reality.

“I came from a background in corporate accounting and banking, so real estate was something different for me,” Marta recalls. “I got into the business because I was buying and selling my houses on my own. When I realized some of the things I found out at the closing table that I should have known through the process, I took that as a challenge! I wanted to learn real estate and help other people with things that they might be going through just like I did.” Now that’s exactly what Marta does, guiding her clients through every step of the transaction.

With eXp Realty, Marta services Corpus Christi and the surrounding Texas Coastal Bend area, from Rockport in the north to Kingsville in the south. A substantial portion of Marta’s business comes from repeat and referral clients, a testament to the trust she inspires. “I take care of my clients from beginning to end, and they have confidence in me,” Marta explains. “They know that I will get them through the process, educate them, and negotiate for them, and they feel that I will do the same for anyone else they send to me.”

Marta nurtures those relationships by staying in touch with her clients. She pops by during the holidays to offer seasonal greetings and gift bags, as well as keeping in touch via social media or just giving them a call to see how they’re doing.

When it comes to marketing her listings, Marta uses a comprehensive approach to ensure optimum exposure.

In addition to the MLS, Marta invests heavily in social

media marketing. She also uses social media to promote her open houses, promoting them community-wide to bring a good turnout. She combines these methods with door-knocking and phone calls to the neighborhood.

Outside of her real estate business, Marta likes to be involved with her community. She belongs to several business organizations, including the Northwest Business Association, the Padre Island Business Association, the Women’s Entrepreneur Society of Corpus Christi, the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), and the Coastal Bend Home Builders Association. As a member of the Corpus Christi Association of REALTORS®, Marta serves on the Walk With Pride Foundation committee; a 501C3 charitable organization which raises funds to purchase new shoes for area school children. She also volunteers yearly at a local high school doing mock job interviews to prepare students for the real world. When she’s not working or giving back, Marta loves spending time with her husband and their large blended family, as well as attending major league baseball games, going to art museums and galleries, and making her own jewelry.

Looking toward the future, Marta wants to continue to build her real estate business and may eventually start a team of her own. Above all, she wants to continue giving real estate and her clients 100%. “It’s very fulfilling getting to know my clients and helping them with their purchase or sale,” Marta says. “It’s even bittersweet, because I become friends with them and then they have to move on at the end! But we keep in touch, because I want to keep the relationship going. For me, building those relationships is the most important part.”

To find out more about Marta Morales, please call 361-844-8850, email coastalbenddream.house@gmail.com, or visit coastalbenddream.house www.

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4 Ways to Win the Battle Against Procrastination One of the most common professional afflictions is procrastination. The funny thing is, everyone knows that procrastination is negative—it’s a waste of time, a creator of stress, and is entirely a problem of our own making.

Still, knowing all of this doesn’t necessarily decrease our odds of procrastination. There are plenty of explanations we give when putting Top Agent Magazine

work off until the last minute. Perhaps you convince yourself that you work best under pressure, but it’s truer that you’re used to working under pressure by necessity. Maybe you’re a perfectionist and the fear of getting it all wrong puts you off from the task. Whatever the justification may be, overcoming procrastination requires some willpower and technique. With

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that in mind, take a look at a few tricks below to jumpstart your motivation and nix the lastminute time crunch. After all, you owe it to yourself and your business to operate like a procrastination-free professional.

1. Make Your Intentions Known As realtors and mortgage professionals, you may serve as your own boss. So, when the time comes to complete a task and you put it off—perhaps you’re only disappointing yourself. This is easily remedied by making a new promise to try again tomorrow. On the other hand, it’s much harder to break promises and commitments to others. Try verbalizing your intent and commitment to your team, or to an assistant who can hold you accountable, or better yet—to a business partner or to a client.

Make a hard deadline public and you’re likely to perform for fear of embarrassment or losing face. In a way, this puts the pressure of expectation on you, instead of the pressure of the ticking clock.

2. Take a Baby Step When tasks pile up, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. If you’ve got a number of items on your to-do list, including some heavy hitters that require a lot of attention and time, begin by taking on something simple. Identify an easily completed job that needs attention and put it first in your queue. Duties that are straightforward and aren’t time-intensive can lead you to the rest of your to-do list, fueling you with the satisfaction of a task already complete. Even if it’s as small as returning e-mails, or dropping off your dry-cleaning, one simple thing off your 26

list can inspire you to continue on to the next item in the spirit of productivity.

3. Work in Windows If work is the last thing you want to do and you can’t seem to self-motivate, make a compromise with yourself. Agree to work just fifteen minutes, and mean it. This tiny window of time is easy enough to complete, isn’t overwhelming, and you’ve already agreed to move on once time is up. The truth? Odds are that just fifteen minutes of active work will inspire you to keep going. After all, the most difficult part of procrastination is getting started. By putting in those fifteen minutes, you’ll trick yourself into diving into the action.

4. Switch Up Your Environment If you’re stuck in rut when it comes to procrastination and productivity, try changing your surroundings. If the office feels stale and stressful, take your work to the nearest coffee shop and try to tackle your tasks there. Perhaps the quiet, studious ambiance of a library can make you focus, or a picnic table outside the office can stimulate the senses. Sometimes changing your scenery can breathe new life into your routine and give you the extra push you need to get work done.

There’s no one way to overcome procrastination.

In fact, it’s likely a lifelong process of building discipline, finding techniques that work for you, and simply prioritizing your time more effectively. Don’t lose hope—remember these tricks and winning the war will be possible, even if you lose a few battles along the way.

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SCOTT MYERS Scott Myers is a San Antonio-based broker and owner of Century 21 Scott Myers Realtors. His full-service firm has served the San Antonio areas of Bexar County, Comal County, Kendall County, Guadalupe County, Bandera County, Wilson County, and Atascosa County since 1979 and he is dedicated to connecting his clients with the best agent possible. His brokerage offers an extensive array of residential, property management, and commercial real estate services across San Antonio, as well as exclusive Concierge programs to assist corporate executives and businesses relocate, 55+ active adults retire in San Antonio, and members of the military find exceptional housing near all major military bases.

Scott shares how his family influenced his decision to pursue real estate. In high school, his mother took him to the university counseling center to test for career options. This assessment revealed that Scott would be “good at sales if he believed it was in the best interest of the client,” a nod to Scott’s future professional pursuits. Shortly after college, Scott found himself seeking a long-term career. His grandmother had recently taken real estate courses and encouraged him to consider becoming an agent. This prompted Scott to earn his licensure and connect with another family member in the commercial real estate business.

Shortly after becoming an agent, Scott started as an agent with a local company and quickly became a top-producing member. Eventually, his real estate success led him to pursue becoming a broker. Navigating the trials of entrepreneurship and industry competitiveness proved to be a challenge, but one that Scott was willing to face. He laughs, “I opened my brokerage

in 1979, interest rates were over 17%, it certainly wasn’t an ideal time.” His tenacity proved worthwhile, and this year Scott celebrated 48 years in the business, 43 of which he has owned his own company.

Century 21 Scott Myers Realtors is known for its high repeat and referral rates – upwards of 35-40%. Century 21’s pre-established systems across the MLS ensure that every property receives ample marketing opportunities. Scott shares how each home “has a unique website,” which is promoted across 250 websites.

In addition, the brokerage provides a custom YouTube video and professional photography for every home. Scott notes that the team’s sales volume was an astounding 180 million in 2021.

In addition to making a mark in southern Texas’ real estate industry, Scott prioritizes charity work and giving back to his community. He shares how Century 21 is the largest supporter of Easterseals, an organization dedicated to leading the way to full equity, inclusion, and access through life-changing disability and community services. Scott personally donates to Easterseals and St. Jude Research initiatives.

Regarding the future of his brokerage, Scott says, “It’s been a success, I intend to continue to build on it.”

His plans include continuing to expand the company’s exclusive Concierge programs for business relocation.

He currently is involved with 17-18 different referral and lead companies, “We have a lot of sources.” Additionally, Scott will continue to serve on the exclusive Century 21 advisory committee, hosting webinars and offering counseling to newly licensed agents. He concludes, “The future is to keep moving forward.”

To get in touch with Scott and get connected with an agent, call 210-479-1222 or email Scott.Myers@Century21.com

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