VIRGINIA MORTGAGE 4-17-23

VIRGINIA MORTGAGE EDITION

HOW TO BUILD A TEAM THAT WILL WIN BIG

NO MATTER ITS SIZE

3 EASY AT-HOME DIY PROJECTS TO INCREASE PROPERTY VALUE

5 MORNING HABITS TO MAKE YOUR DAY SUPER PRODUCTIVE HOW TO GET THE BIGGEST RECHARGE OUT OF YOUR LUNCH HOUR

COVER STORY

RICHARD RAY

VIRGINIA MORTGAGE EDITION

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RICHARD RAY

CONTENTS

and culture. These contributions have landed him in the position to be ranked amongst the top 1% of mortgage originators in America. In addition, he has earned many honors including but not limited to presidents club, top purchase lender, and he was selected to represent mortgage brokers at the New York Stock Exchange.

In addition to serving current clients, Richard is excited to share his depth of industry expertise with those who are new to a life of homeownership. “We consider ourselves to be advocates of consumer education. We’ve got a lot of consumer financial awareness programs launching throughout various markets, and we’re excited to spend more time face-to-face with our community. The educational aspect is absolutely one of my favorite things – I love that.” Richard has contributed to the development of many successful programs that teaches college students and college grads about homeownership and finances. He has mentored and trained many young professionals that are now leaders in the mortgage and real estate industry that are currently making significant contributions to the development of various communities across the country.

Beyond his present and future clients and colleagues, Richard goes to great lengths to share his success and prosperity with the extended community.

He is an avid martial artist, flag football coach, and proud parent-coach of his children’s basketball teams! “My

4) HOW TO BUILD A TEAM THAT WILL WIN BIG NO MATTER ITS SIZE

19) HOW TO GET THE BIGGEST RECHARGE OUT OF YOUR LUNCH HOUR Copyright Top Agent Magazine

14) 3 EASY AT-HOME DIY PROJECTS TO INCREASE PROPERTY VALUE

22) 5 MORNING HABITS TO MAKE YOUR DAY SUPER PRODUCTIVE

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How to Build a Team That Will Win Big No Matter its Size In the real estate world building a team is a goal almost every agent strives towards achieving. Doing business with a team as opposed to solo has numerous advantages. With more agents handling clients as well as other employees specialized in areas such as marketing and administrative support there to assist you; you can greatly increase your business and sales.

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So, when creating a team, logic would tell us that the bigger it is, the better, right? Wrong. When it comes to real estate teams, size doesn’t matter so much as the players you bring onto that team to work with you. A team doesn’t have to be big to win big, and here are the secrets to building a team that wins big no matter its size.

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Hire the Right Team Members

Put Your Team Members in the Right Positions to Win

You’ve probably heard the saying, “you’re only as strong as you’re weakest link.” That idea holds true for any kind of team, including those in real estate. If you have weak members on your team, then it’s not possible to have a strong team. Drawing strong team members to your business is essential.

Finding strong team members is just one part of the equation. As the leader of your team, you now have to assess each member’s strengths and weaknesses and position them appropriately. You want the best player for each role playing that part and catering to their strengths. Choose your team member’s roles wisely, and place each individual in the position where their strengths can shine and they can best contribute to a win for the entire team. Every role is important to the team working smoothly and winning as a whole, so it is important to place each team member in the role most suited to his or her skills.

To better understand what kind of person would make a strong addition to your team, you need to ask yourself what skills and characteristics you want your team members to possess. The strongest members are often ones that share their leader’s values. When you share values with your teammates, you are all running along the same course towards the same goal as one. Your definition of a victory in this case is also your teammates’ definition of it. This helps strengthen even the smallest of numbers because you are all working together toward a common goal.

Another characteristic too look out for in potential team members is a positive attitude. You can teach someone the skills needed in real estate, but you can’t teach someone how to have a positive attitude.

Positive members tend to achieve more due to their optimistic nature, but more importantly, they spread that positive attitude to the rest of the team, which improves every members’ performance.

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Communicating Your Vision to Your Team

Your team members are the key ingredients to ultimate victory, but what recipe do you follow now to lead them to victory? That is what communication is for a winning team; the recipe you will use to

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help best utilize each team member and instruct them on how they need to work together to fulfill the recipe that will lead them to be a winning team. Your team members need to know the plan and you must give them the tools to successfully execute it.

It is up to the leader of a team to help your players see your vision and help them understand what a victory looks like. The goal may seem simple and obvious to you, but you must communicate it over and over again to your team members, so they understand it as well as you do. With different personalities coming together to form a unit, you are going to be dealing with numerous challenges such as competing agendas. You will find this on any team. You must keep the goal and at the forefront of your player’s minds in order to encourage them to put aside their own personal desires in order to come together as one cohesive, single-minded unit and push towards the team’s goal.

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Give Your Team Members the Tools to Help Them Perform at Their Best The final thing all great leaders do is equip their team members with the proper tools and training needed for them to succeed. You have to show them how they can each come together with their different strengths to work as a team towards one unified goal. This involves more than simple skills training, but also endurance, so they can last as a team and win even those matches that seem unending and impossible.

Think of all the challenges that they could possibly face ahead, and clear their path to victory by giving them the necessary training and tools they will need to get past any obstacle. As the leader, you must be prepared to continually communicate the team’s goal and your vision. Use that vision to motivate your team members throughout the journey towards victory.

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RICHARD RAY Top Agent Magazine

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Richard Ray, Managing Partner with Caliver Beach Mortgage, leverages over twenty years in the mortgage industry to simplify the home loan process. Richard manages the home loan experience with an owner operator mentality, and by taking a hands on approach. “We are the ‘DMV Home Loan Experts ’ – my team is absolutely outstanding. If everybody does a little, then nobody has to do a lot, and that gives us the ability to partner with REALTORS® and builders, to help families across the country achieve homeownership in record breaking numbers.”

For Richard, the seeds were planted at an early age. “My parents taught me the importance of finances at the age of 10, when they opened my first bank account to deposit my newspaper route earnings.”

His profession came into fruition when he was a teenager. “I actually started college when I was only fifteen,” he recalls, “and I got recruited by Norwest Financial when I was sixteen years old. That’s when I started as an intern, and I never left the mortgage business!” His impact on the industry has given him the experience to oversee a vast repertoire of loans, including residential, commercial and non-traditional. Despite this breadth and familiarity, Richard insists that outstanding service is more about expertise, empathy, and flexibility than anything else. “There is no such thing as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ mortgage. Every client has their own set of circumstances and their own set of goals. We make sure we hand-tailor our approach to customize a road map toward homeownership for every family we work with.”

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“We are the ‘DMV Home Loan Experts’ – my team is absolutely outstanding. If everybody does a little, then nobody has to do a lot, and that gives us the ability to partner with REALTORS® and builders, to help families across the country achieve homeownership in record breaking numbers.”

On top of originating his own personal pipeline, which at any given time consists of over $100 million dollars in families seeking homeownership, Richard has also contributed to building and managing an award winning Top Agent Magazine

company culture and infrastructure which has resulted in over a billion dollars in fundings.

Richard has made significant contributions to the mortgage industry in the areas of origination, infrastructure, training, recruiting Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

and culture. These contributions have landed him in the position to be ranked amongst the top 1% of mortgage originators in America. In addition, he has earned many honors including but not limited to presidents club, top purchase lender, and he was selected to represent mortgage brokers at the New York Stock Exchange.

In addition to serving current clients, Richard is excited to share his depth of industry expertise with those who are new to a life of homeownership. “We consider ourselves to be advocates of consumer education. We’ve got a lot of consumer financial awareness programs launching throughout various markets, and we’re excited to spend more time face-to-face with our community. The educational aspect is absolutely one of my favorite things – I love that.” Richard has contributed to the development of many successful programs that teaches college students and college grads about homeownership and finances. He has mentored and trained many young professionals that are now leaders in the mortgage and real estate industry that are currently making significant contributions to the development of various communities across the country.

Beyond his present and future clients and colleagues, Richard goes to great lengths to share his success and prosperity with the extended community.

He is an avid martial artist, flag football coach, and proud parent-coach of his children’s basketball teams! “My Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

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Richard is grateful that his reach has helped him positively impact everyone he meets. “I get to change lives every day,” he exudes. “Not just immediately, but for future generations to come. This is step one in building generational wealth – it’s a basic building block. nines-through-tens team made it to the playoffs, and my elevens-through-twelves team took gold! Planting the right seeds in their heads, even in a sports environment – I really enjoy that. Teamwork, makes the dream work!

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We are shaping our future leaders. Like my parents did me, I also value the importance of making a positive impact on our future leaders. Everything I do is centered around my family and my community.”

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Richard is happily married to his wife Julee, and the proud father of 6 children 4 girls and 2 boys. Richard’s mission in business is “changing lives, one household at a time.” His mission in the community is “changing lives,

one child at a time.” When he’s not helping families become homeowners or training the next generation of business leaders, he enjoys dedicating his time to coaching the children in his community.

Contact Richard Ray at 202-390-4483, email richardr@caliverbeach.com, or visit his website: caliverbeach.com https://

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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 14

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.

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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 Top Agent Magazine

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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 16

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,

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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,

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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.

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How to Get the Biggest Recharge

Out of Your Lunch Hour When things get busy, it’s typical to find a grab-and-go lunch and keep plugging away on the tasks at hand. While some days demand this kind of hustle, your lunch hour can be a valuable window in which to recharge and set the tone for the latter half of your day. In fact, taking a mindful break at midday can create Top Agent Magazine

mental space for extended productivity and provide the morale boost necessary to take on a new task for the afternoon.

But how do you maximize that hourlong reprieve amidst a busy schedule?

Here are a few ideas for inspiration, no matter what your tastes or preferred habits may be.

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Taking a mindful break at midday can create mental space for extended productivity and provide the morale boost necessary to take on a new task for the afternoon.

GET MOVING Just ten minutes of light exercise can get your blood pumping and your energy renewed.

Step outside and take a brisk walk around the block, or walk to your favorite sandwich shop instead of hopping in your car. Find ways to incorporate light exercise into your lunch hour routine and you’ll not only enjoy a chance to stretch your legs and get your eyes off of screens, but you’ll also reap the health and mood benefits of endorphins. Even extended stretching or mild calisthenics can provide rejuvenating relief in short order.

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PLAY CATCH UP Sometimes catching up with an old friend or family member can brighten your day and give you a morale-boosting outlet beyond the office. During your next lunch hour, why not combine a jaunt around the block with a call to catch up with your sibling or college buddy? Shifting your focus from work and centering instead on a comforting interpersonal relationship can really boost your mood and reinforce your personal values.

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CHANGE YOUR TUNE

SOAK UP THE SUN If you’re tempted to eat your lunch at your desk while staring into the same computer screen that you’ve been working on for hours—think again. Sure, a busy schedule sometimes means making that sacrifice, but when your schedule and weather permits, try to take your lunch outside and disconnect from your office setting. Soak up the sun, feel the breeze, and lift your gaze to the horizon instead of toward your phone or computer screen. The mood-boosting benefits of time spent recharging outside are well-documented, and a change of scenery can give you the boost you need to power through your afternoon to-do list.

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Use your lunch hour to treat your senses. As you eat or get active, try queuing up your favorite music or the latest episode of your favorite podcast. If you focus on the same tasks and stimuli for too long, your brain will fatigue and your focus will erode steadily over time. Shift gears and treat your mind to some music or stimulation outside of your daily tasks. You’ll help yourself relax, recharge, and create a natural transition point for your ensuing afternoon workflow.

Your lunch hour isn’t just about being purely functional. If you want to maintain a steady rate of productivity and leave the office satisfied by the progress of your day—use your lunch hour wisely. As important as it is to nourish your body, also consider nourishing your mind. No matter what your chosen outlet may be, don’t overlook the power of a well-spent lunch hour and the positive benefits that are sure to follow.

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5 Morning Habits to Make Your Day Super Productive For many, most mornings begin with a rush—a rush to get dressed, a rush to find something edible for breakfast, a rush out the door and into rush hour. Likely you have heard articles advising you to set your

alarm early to give yourself some flexibility —which is sound advice, of course—but consider a few of these additional tweaks to your morning routine that can set a productive tone for your day at large.

1. Keep Screens Away Until Breakfast Oftentimes, our first instinct upon waking is to check-in on our phones, tablets, or computers, to scope out the latest social media updates and e-mail correspondence. While diving into the action might seem productive, studies show that waylaying screen time until you’re up and dressed, and have had a good breakfast, will actually make your first pass 22

at all things digital more focused, clear, and efficient. Instead of answering a few e-mails, checking out a friend’s photos, and then hurrying to shower and dress, instead make a resolution to keep the online world at bay for the first half-hour to an hour after you rise, then you’ll approach the digital world with fresh eyes, energy, and adeptness.

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2. Meal Prep Sometimes hitting the snooze button is inevitable, but if you make prepping breakfast the night before a part of your routine, then grabbing something healthy on the go will be a snap—and your stomach will thank you for it. Load up your coffee machine ahead of time, so all you have to do

is hit brew. Or, chop up a fruit salad, mix a smoothie, or simply put a granola bar and a grapefruit in your lunch bag, ready to be grabbed on your way out the door. Even if it’s small or basic, keeping yourself fueled will keep distractions, inefficiency, and mood swings at bay.

3. Queue Up a Podcast on Your Commute Whether you’re driving, biking, or taking public transportation into the office, a podcast is a perfect way to brush up on industry knowledge. Try sourcing a podcast relative to your field and narrated by experts.

Not only will it get you thinking about the topics of your industry—while expanding

your professional vocabulary—it will also wake up your brain and get your head in the game as you prepare to launch your day. Use your commute time to bump up your knowledge and conversation points, and you’ll be ahead of the curve before you reach the office.

4. Begin with a To-Do List When work gets busy, sometimes just getting started is an overwhelming prospect.

Before you dive in to your e-mails and projects, take twenty minutes and be thoughtful as you assess your daily and weekly to-do

list items, then map them. By giving yourself a bullet point system of what you need to accomplish and by when, you can undo some of the anxiety that a busy schedule promotes.

5. Walk It Out, Even If You Missed the Gym While we often rely on coffee for our morning buzz, exercise provides a potent burst of energy that can supercharge your day. But, let’s say you’re running behind and skip the gym—all is not lost! Take fifteen minutes in

the early morning to take a walk around the block a few times. The fresh air and aerobic exercise will wake you up, get your blood moving, and provide your morning with a natural injection of motivation.

Everyone’s morning routine varies, but perhaps the first step is identifying aspects of your routine that could be improved, and tackling them from there. From waylaying

screen time distractions to getting in a little blood-pumping exercise, keep these tips in mind as you launch your most productive morning routine ever.

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