Laughs!
Modern Email Etiquette for Today’s Agents
In today’s tech-forward culture, consumers are constantly inundated with promotional emails, alerts, invites, and social media blasts. As a real estate agent or a loan officer, how do you stand apart from the noise? What’s more, how do you stay relevant in a digital landscape that’s constantly changing?
For starters, there are a few timeless techniques you can apply to up your skillset when it comes email and digital communication: asking questions that
inspire conversation, politeness, and following up regularly—to name a few. Likewise, there are surely new tricks you can add to your arsenal to stay ahead of the curve. Let’s outline a few ways you can refine and update your email etiquette to compete in today’s virtual marketplace.
Make your subject line count
Too often, we labor over the content of our emails without giving much thought to subject lines.
Though email is no longer a new-fangled invention, there are certainly ways you can modernize its use and take advantage of its ubiquity.
However, these little headlines can go a long way in luring the consumer to open your email and ultimately click through to your website in search for your services. An enticing subject line should be short and sweet, ideally less than fifty characters. You might also include the name of the recipient, and be up front (though concise) about the subject matter of your message. Remember: the first thing a client will see is your name and subject line—be sure to make this prime real estate shine.
Think mobile
Research tells us that 79% of Americans check their phones within fifteen minutes of waking up. In fact, much of modern day correspondence occurs by smartphone. Accordingly, you’ll want to account for email readability on a mobile phone. For instance, incorporating paragraph breaks for each new thought allows information to be parceled out in a palatable way for readers utilizing small screens. Also, any sort of graphic flair or links within your email should be shortened and streamlined for mobile consumption. Send yourself an email every now and again and access it from your phone—you’ll be able to double-check that all the elements of your emails are working well on a mobile platform.
Incorporate email tools
There are excellent tools out there to enhance your email experience. With just a quick download,
you can add spellcheck, a URL address shortening feature, or a delay option that holds emails for thirty seconds before they’re sent. Think about the possibilities! Haven’t you sent an email without including the attachment you intended, or realizing you sent correspondence to the wrong client? If that’s the case, a delay feature can help you save face and build in a window for error— just in case. Regardless of which tools speak to your email habits, there are plenty of add-ons out there that can revamp your digital correspondence style.
Use email to maximize your online presence
These days, there are plenty of ways to communicate—email, text, phone, apps, and social media. When you interact through email, consider it an opportunity to invite your client to follow you elsewhere online. Ensure that your email signature includes unobtrusive, streamlined links to your social media accounts, professional website, or review page. This will build in an opportunity for clients to engage with your brand, and you may even add an online follower for the long term.
Though email is no longer a new-fangled invention, there are certainly ways you can modernize its use and take advantage of its ubiquity. Keep these approaches in mind as you reenergize your email technique and fortify your communication in the digital era.
Establishing Yourself as a LOCAL AREA EXPERT
For real estate agents and local business professionals, carving out a reputation as a go-to local expert is invaluable.
Below are tailored strategies for real estate professionals eager to become their community’s trusted authority.
Deep Dive into Local Insights
Gain an intimate understanding of your community’s pulse—its history, cultural nuances, and what makes it tick. Keep abreast of housing trends, economic shifts, and unique local attributes that influence the market.
Hone Your Specialty
Pinpoint a market niche that aligns with your community’s specific needs. Whether it’s a focus on historic homes, luxury properties, or first-time homebuyers, specializing sets you apart.
Forge Local Connections
Immerse yourself in the community by attending events, joining local organizations, and engaging in activities that matter to your neighbors. Cultivating relationships with fellow businesses and professionals enhances your network and referral potential.
Boost Your Digital Footprint
Craft a compelling online presence with a professional website and active social media channels. Share insights on local happenings, market updates, and valuable content that positions you as the local expert.
Collaborate with Neighborhood Businesses
Partner with area businesses and groups for mutual promotion. These partnerships can broaden your visibility and reinforce your community ties.
Commit to Community Service
Demonstrate your dedication to your area through volunteering and supporting local causes. Authentic engagement with your community can significantly bolster your personal brand.
Educate Your Audience
Offer your expertise through informative content that addresses the local market’s nuances. Publishing guides, articles, or videos can make you the go-to source for real estate advice in your area.
Leverage Client Success Stories
Utilize testimonials from local clients to underscore your impact. Encouraging satisfied clients to share their experiences online can further solidify your reputation.
Engage with Local Media
Position yourself as a local real estate authority by contributing to local publications and websites. Offering insights on real estate trends or market forecasts can increase your visibility and credibility.
Maintain Cohesive Branding
Ensure your branding is consistent across all platforms. A recognizable brand identity makes you easily identifiable and strengthens your market presence.
Stay on the Pulse of Your Community
Keep informed about local developments, news, and events. Sharing your perspective on how these could affect the local real estate scene showcases your expertise and keeps you relevant.
By diligently applying these strategies, you can establish yourself as the definitive real estate authority in your local market, enhancing both your credibility and your opportunity for growth within the community.
MATT SALWAY
Top Agent Matt Salway stands out as a real estate agent for his deep understanding and connection with the military community in the Hampton Roads area, commonly known as Virginia Beach.
From the moment Matt Salway bought his first house in 2016, he knew he had stumbled upon something intriguing in real estate. “My friend sold me that house, and I was inspired by his work, so I asked him how I could get my real estate license,” Matt explains. Serving in the military, Matt pursued it as a second career, thinking it might pay for a vacation once a year. But it ended up being much more than that, as he discovered a deep passion for this field. His journey
has since transformed into a rewarding path, and he’s on track to complete over $30 million in volume this year.
Matt stands out as a real estate agent for his deep understanding and connection with the military community in the Hampton Roads area, commonly known as Virginia Beach. Serving one of the top markets in the country, he has carved out a niche by focusing on active duty service members and veterans,
specializing in VA loans. “I’m active duty myself, so I speak their language, I understand what they’re looking for and what they need,” Matt explains. This unique expertise has driven his success, with all of his 60+ sales this year involving VA loans. Additionally, about 35 to 40% of his business comes from repeat clients and referrals, reflecting the strong relationships he has built within this community.
When it comes to marketing his listings, Matt employs a multifaceted approach, ensuring maximum exposure. “We post across a few different social media pages,” he says, utilizing the power of online platforms to reach a broad audience. He also adds a personal touch by directly sending each listing to the top 500 real estate agents in Hampton Roads, enhancing the network’s effectiveness. Boosted marketing on social
Matt has carved out a niche by focusing on active duty service members and veterans, specializing in VA loans. “I’m active duty myself, so I speak their language, I understand what they’re looking for and what they need,” he explains.
media amplifies the reach further, capturing the attention of potential buyers. Listings appear on his company’s website, gaining nationwide exposure through other Iron Valley branches.
Looking ahead, Matt’s future plans for his business include stepping into the new construction market alongside his wife Heather, who is also his business partner. They are purchasing lots to build new homes targeted at the military community, aiming to provide affordable and modern housing close to the base. Matt’s wife started a pre-listing renovation company called Spruced Up Renovations that handles upfront home upgrades at no initial cost to the seller, collecting payment from the proceeds at
closing. A truly innovative approach, it has been well-received, with clients benefiting from increased home values without the burden of upfront expenses. Together, they are expanding their business while focusing on delivering quality services to their community.
What Matt enjoys most about his work is helping clients reach their dreams, whether it’s selling their home to start a new chapter
or moving into a new place. He takes pride in maintaining ongoing communication with his clients, ensuring they know he is always available to help with any needs that arise after the sale. Matt’s dedication to client satisfaction helps him build lasting relationships. For Matt, the true reward lies in knowing he has made a positive impact on the lives of those he serves. “I just love seeing a smile on people’s faces when they’ve accomplished their goals.”
3 Easy At-Home DIY Projects to Increase Property Value
Most homeowners have a lengthy list of chores and bit projects they intend to accomplish around the house. Oftentimes, those to-do items are completed piecemeal over a long stretch of time, or else sometimes not at all. However, when it comes time to prepare a home for market, all those tasks begin to pile-up and overwhelm. The
list of things to do before the photographer comes or the first open house is held might seem endless, but not if you tackle just a few things here and there as you go. These sorts of projects—easy, DIY, at-home tasks you can accomplish in a few hours or less, with tools you most likely have on hand— go a long way with marginal effort.
Complete a quick rehab of closets and storage areas
Many agents advise clients to declutter and depersonalize their spaces ahead of professional photography and home showings. The idea is to provide prospective buyers with a neutral palette. Not only does this allow them to imagine their own lives unfolding within those four walls, but it also helps make a home’s square footage stand out. One way to add visual space to your home without calling in the contractor is to declutter common storage areas and closets. When buyers can get a complete look at a closet’s capacity, or a pantry’s depth, or the garage’s full functional potential, they get a better sense of a home’s potential and thus, its value. In that vein, consider decluttering and cleaning your high-traffic storage spaces: the garage, pantries, closets, attics, and basements. Besides, organizing and discarding unwanted items help you prep for a move anyway, while giving potential buyers a peak at how spacious your home really is.
Add easy curb appeal with a bit of sweat equity
Sure, curb appeal can arrive in the form of a new mailbox, pathway lighting, or updated house numbers, but it can also come cheaper than that. Curb extends to the upkeep of your lawn, landscaping, and home’s façade, and there are plenty of ways
you can give these zones a refresh without spending anything but time. Keeping your front and back yard green and uniform adds a lux layer to exterior square footage. Likewise, polishing the outside of your windows, trimming hedges, and sweeping the walkway can make a tidy and wellcared for first impression. There are other measures you can take too. Planting wildflower seeds in empty beds, or collecting some landscaping rocks to frame mulched areas can add a bit of character to your residence. Repainting the front door, ensuring trees are trimmed, and keeping back patios
neat and uncluttered also underscore a home at its finest, which is ripe for buyers to snatch up.
Transform tiled spaces into sparkling clean surfaces.
Bathrooms and kitchens are where sellers can stand to add plenty of value in the process of selling a home. While pricey renovations might be out of the question for some, there are still affordable and time-effective ways you can transform for these spaces for the better. Cleaning,
bleaching, or redoing your tile grout—in either kitchens, bathrooms, or other tiled spaces—can give these high-trafficked areas a new lease on life. Ensuring windows, mirrors, stainless steel appliances and backsplashes are streak-free and polished also demonstrate to buyers that your home is well-cared for and practically move-in ready. Sometimes, the devil is in the details. You might consider relining drawers, changing out knobs and fixtures,
or else decluttering cabinets and shelves for a fresher look.
No matter the challenges ahead as you prepare your home for sale, completing a few small tasks every weekend or so can put you miles ahead of the competition. Without spending a dime, you can add serious value to your home’s bottom line, setting you up for success as you begin your own home-shopping adventure.
Productivity Killers: 4 Ways to Make Better Use of Your Working Hours
Even on the busiest of days, it can be hard not to get distracted by social media, smartphones, chatty colleagues, or personal to-do list items. So how do you keep your professional blinders on and power through your tasks with efficiency? Practice these four tips and witness your productivity skyrocket—easing stress and bringing renewed energy to your daily duties.
1. Create a sense of peace and quiet
The office may not be your idea of a tranquil oasis, but for most, focus requires quiet and calm to best lend attention to the task at hand. If you find yourself seated next to talkative coworkers or in the center of a bustling office atrium, consider noise can-
celing headphones, earplugs, or carving out an empty conference room for your work day. Turning the volume down creates fewer chances for disruption, allowing you to make the best use of your time.
2. Organize your workspace
A messy work area breeds anxiety and distraction, but a clean and organized desk inspires efficiency. If you’ve got a busy day ahead, take fifteen minutes and organize your workspace: gather miscellaneous papers into their proper place, dispose of out-of-date or unnecessary documents, or give your keyboard a dusting. Not only does cleaning and organizing your workspace prepare you for the work ahead, it also helps you transition to a productive, goal-oriented mindset.
3.Create a goal-oriented reward system
Coffee breaks, coworker catch-up, and social media check-ins tend to break up our workflow on an hourly basis. Instead of trying to go cold turkey on these workplace routines, reframe them as rewards. For every to-do list item you complete, allow yourself a fives minute treat, whether that’s a fresh cup of coffee or a walk around the block. Not only will creating a reward
system help you stay motivated throughout the day, it will also provide you with much-needed mental breaks that actually boost long-term productivity.
4.Take your smartphone off the table
The number one productivity killer in this day and age? Smartphones. With access to endless social media portals, web browsing, text conversations, and games, smartphones are one-stop shops for distractions. While you may not want to delete apps from your phone, try leaving your smartphone in a locked desk drawer until your next break, or safely in your car. By simply putting your smartphone out of your line of sight, the impulse to distract yourself is muted.
Even though technology and the modern office create ample opportunity for distraction, making these few small adjustments can go a long way in safeguarding your productivity. After all, a productive day allows you to enjoy your time at home and outside the office, without the worry of incomplete tasks and looming deadlines darkening your day. Keep these productivity tricks in mind as you mount your daily to-do list and you’ll be thanking yourself tomorrow.
KEY MISTAKES TO AVOID FOR A SUCCESSFUL HOME SALE
Steering clear of these common home selling errors is essential for a seamless and effective transaction. Here are some top home-selling mistakes to avoid:
1Picking the Wrong Agent
An experienced and compatible real estate agent is crucial. Select an agent with a strong performance history and knowledge of your local market.
2 Improper List Price
Avoid setting an unrealistic asking price. Analyze the local market and similar properties to find a competitive and fair price.
3Not Making Repairs
Make necessary repairs and improvements to attract buyers. Addressing issues beforehand can make your home more appealing.
4No Home Staging
Proper staging is key. Declutter, depersonalize, and arrange furniture to highlight your home’s features.
5Not Tending to Curb Appeal
First impressions are vital. Enhance your home’s exterior with maintenance, landscaping, and possibly a new paint job.
6Lack of Marketing
Expand beyond traditional marketing. Utilize online platforms and various channels to increase your home’s visibility.
7Low-Quality Listing Photos
Ensure your listing has high-quality photos. Attractive, clear images can significantly impact buyer interest.
8Dishonesty
Be transparent. Fully disclose the property’s condition to avoid potential legal complications.
9 Having Emotions Involved
Maintain a business perspective. Emotional attachment can complicate the selling process.
10 Ignoring Market Trends
Understanding current market dynamics can guide your decisions regarding pricing and the best time to sell.
11Not Being Flexible
Openness in negotiations can facilitate a sale. Be willing to consider reasonable offers and compromises.
12 Unprepared Showings
Maintain a show-ready home at all times. A tidy and clean environment can make a strong impression during unexpected showings.
By avoiding these common mistakes, you can increase your chances of selling your home quickly and at a satisfactory price.
