WASHINGTON 10-24-22

WASHINGTON EDITION

Easy Blog Topics for Your Real Estate Blog

3 EASY AT-HOME DIY PROJECTS

TO INCREASE PROPERTY VALUE

SMALL YARD? BIG STATEMENT:

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF MICRO OUTDOOR SPACES

FEATURED AGENT

ERIC LOPEZ

COVER STORY

CHRISTINA O’KEEFE

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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) 4

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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Small Yard? Big Statement: How to Make the Most Out of Micro Outdoor Spaces When house-hunters compile their lists of musthave home items, a dreamy backyard space is often near the top. After all, who doesn’t want an outdoor oasis of their very own? From summer barbecues to open space for your dog to frolic— everyone has their own aspirations when it comes to creating the perfect backyard paradise. But as homebuyers seek properties deeper within city limits, and Millennials opt for properties with 6

urban amenities and access, home-connected outdoor spaces are becoming a bit smaller in stature.

Of course, size isn’t everything when it comes to outdoor space. Even balconies, rear patios, and ultra-tiny yards can provide homebuyers with the outdoor reprieve they crave—even on a smaller scale. For a few ideas that can help you envision all the possibilities of a micro outdoor space, read on for inspiration.

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Think vertically.

When space is at a premium, think up instead of out. In other words, make the most of small spaces by capitalizing on your backyard, balcony, or patio’s overhead height. Mood-setting string lights, hanging pocket or wall gardens, floating shelves, and modern overhead hangings can create a sense of privacy and luxury without cluttering the square footage on the ground.

Soothing sounds set the mood.

Upgrade the look of structural components.

Not in love with your patio pavers? Don’t have the sweetest view off your balcony? Whatever your small backyard living space gripe may be, there’s always a solution if you go back to the basics. Consider the structural components of your outdoor space that you aren’t in love with and there’s likely an affordable, eye-pleasing solution. For instance, plenty of home goods Top Agent Magazine

retailers make a variety of punchy or luxe outdoor rugs that can disguise stained or lackluster outdoor flooring. Power-washing is another great solution for old grime and dirt that’s an eyesore. Don’t have a great view? Planting ivy on bare walls, installing adjustable mood lighting, or hanging planters can create a more inviting ambiance.

While there may not be room for a swimming pool or pond in a micro yard or balcony, you can still bring the calming presence of water to your outdoor oasis. Fountains run the gamut in sizing and price, making this amenity an easy acquisition. What’s more, a running fountain not only adds a soothing sound to your space, but it also helps drown out noise from the street or the neighbors—making your space entirely your own and stress-free.

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Don’t compromise on your culinary dreams.

If you love to entertain in outdoor spaces or relish the chance to man the grill—small outdoor spaces don’t have to trip you up. Grill options (both propane and charcoal) come in a range of sizes, many of which can be outfitted securely to balcony posts or be tucked away and out of sight when out of use. Consider nesting tables or those with a removable leaf to adjust your seating and dining options depending on company.

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Another trick? A small, oscillating fan can keep air flow moving in a small space during grill season—and can be easily affixed to walls or posts, as well.

Don’t let yourself or clients be discouraged by spaces with more limited square footage in outdoor areas. Furniture and design trends have already begun shifting toward providing better small-space options, and at the end of the day, a backyard space is all about providing an area for relaxation. With a few well-placed, strategic choices, you can still have it all.

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CHRISTINA O’KEEFE

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CHR I STINA O’KEEFE “For me, there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing my clients through the process—whether I’m educating a buyer on their purchase, or helping a seller maximize the value of their home.”

A lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest, Christina O’Keefe has always been drawn to real estate. For 14 years, she built a successful career in oral surgery 10

and general dentistry; however, after she bought her first home at 19 and second home by 24 and served as a landlord for several years, she found herself seeking Top Agent Magazine

a new opportunity that better spoke to her entrepreneurial spirit, but still complemented her passion for helping others.

Inspired, she decided to switch tracks and pursue her real estate license—and the rest is history.

Ever since, Christina has gone on to establish a network of clients and colleagues that spans the region, with her business nearly doubling in each of these past five years. Today, she is a REALTOR® with

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CENTURY 21 North Homes Realty, where she assists clients throughout Skagit, Snohomish, Island, and Whatcom County, and the surrounding areas of Northwestern Washington. Combining her outgoing personality with her strong business acumen, she has cultivated a unique process to meet the needs of any buyer or seller.

When listing a property, Christina prefers a comprehensive strategy. After helping

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her clients fully prepare their home for the market, she shares it via a highly targeted blend of digital and social media campaigns, leveraging a variety of platforms to ensure a global reach. She also utilizes proven resources like print campaigns and postcards to the surrounding communities to give each client an added advantage.

Elsewhere, Christina is just as attentive when assisting her buyers. As a Military Certified agent, she is especially enthusiastic about helping our veterans and

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service members navigate their transaction and realize the dream of homeownership. In fact, she offers all her buyers and sellers a complementary home warranty to give them peace of mind while making the best choice for their needs. After the deals are done, she keeps in touch through her Preferred Client Program, which connects clients with regular newsletters and market updates to make sure they are thriving in their new homes.

and referrals. Now averaging over 24 transactions per year, she remains committed to the lasting standards that set her apart. “At the end of the day, these are some of the most important transactions of our lives,” she says. “For me, there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing my clients through the process— whether I’m educating a buyer on their purchase, or helping a seller maximize the value of their home.”

In her award-winning career, Christina has earned a fantastic reputation across Washington State, as evidenced by her rapidly growing rate of repeat clients

Outside of real estate, Christina is dedicated to her community. On top of supporting area clothing drives, coat drives, and food drives throughout the year, she

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also contributes to 4-H and Easterseals fundraising. When she’s not with clients or giving back, she can be found spending quality time with her husband, two daughters, and dogs. A lifelong learner, she also enjoys furthering her real estate education so that she can continue positioning her clients at the forefront of their local market.

Going forward, Christina has exciting plans for the future of her business. As her volume maintains its steady growth, she intends on scaling her hands-on approach throughout Northwestern Washington. In the meantime, though, she is more than satisfied with the fulfilling life and career she has cultivated in the community she loves.

To learn more about Christina O’Keefe, email christinahomesalesc21@gmail.com, visit christinahomesales.com or call (425) 231-2651 www.

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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 Top Agent Magazine

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 16

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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 Top Agent Magazine

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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ERIC LOPEZ Eric Lopez is a motivated and personable Real Estate Broker known for his community givebacks and client-centered approach. The Co-Founder of The Revolution Group, Eric works alongside Real Estate partner Billy Purta and Transaction Coordinator Shawnie Ross to make real estate dreams happen across the west coast.

“We want to revolutionize the way we do real estate.”

Eric shares how he and his family moved to the PNW from the coastal part of Orange County over 5 years ago. This home-buying process was difficult, and Eric vowed that if he ever became an agent, his clients would have the opposite experience. At the time, Eric had launched a Social Media management company, igniting his entrepreneurial spirit. Once the pandemic began, Eric began seeking a career shift and his wife encouraged him to pursue his long-standing dream of becoming a real estate agent.

Eric’s desire to give back extends into his personal life.

He shares how he entered the UCLA kidney transfer program in 2011 and donated his kidney to a kid in need in Chicago. He says, “We were one of the first in the program, and now they have performed over 3,000 transfers since.”

Today, Eric has been working as a Real Estate Broker for the past two years. Upon earning his license in 2020, Eric partnered with Billy Purta to launch The Revolution Group, a collective of real estate brokers looking to make a difference in their community. Eric notes that the Revolution Group is licensed all the way up the west coast, with Eric licensed in Washington and California, and Billy in Washington, California, and Oregon, “We can help you anywhere you need to be.” The Revolution Group is heavily founded on community giveback, with 10% of every transaction donated to a charity of the client’s choice. Their collaborative dynamic ensures that each agent can remain dedicated to 24/7 availability while “also maintaining a work/life balance.”

Eric shares that The Revolution Group’s repeat and referral rates comprise 60% of their business, “We hardly spend any money on advertising, mostly just the community giveback.” He attributes this to their dedication to being “dream makers,” working together to fully support clients throughout the entire process. Eric says, “Teamwork makes the dream work; without the proper support system in place, this success isn’t possible.” The Revolution Group does everything in-house to simplify the buying and selling process. Billy creates the media content and Eric takes the reins to “get it out there.” Eric notes, Top Agent Magazine

The Revolution Group is strongly motivated by its mission: “Making the dream of home ownership a reality.” This goal extends to every person, regardless of background. Eric notes, “The people we enjoy working with the most are the ones who think they can’t get into a home.” He smiles, “I really like getting the underdog into a house.” Together, Billy and Eric have completed over 60 deals collectively and given over $30,000 in community giveback.

In his free time, Eric stays active. He is the goalie for a local hockey team, practices yoga, and often can be found riding his Peloton. He and his wife’s two children are two and seven years old, “I do it all in love, and for them.”

Eric notes that his plans for the future include mindful growth and continued community engagement. He shares how his wife, inspired by his own passion, is currently earning her real estate license. Eric hopes to further expand The Revolution Group across the West Coast and beyond, making dreams a reality for clients everywhere.

To get in touch with Eric, call 360-762-1102, visit rev-re.com, or email eric@rev-re.com www.

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Cooperation, Not Competition, Creates

Mutual Success for Agents When people get along during a business transaction, everyone comes out happier. And in a service industry like real estate, agents have the power deliver that happiness. By working cooperatively, sharing advice and helping each other help clients, agents not only enhance their own reputations, but that of real estate in general.

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“Bring everyone together” Matt Kobelski, with Credentials Real Estate Group in Massachusetts, points out that providing good service involves more people than the party you’re representing. “I’m not afraid to bring together all the parties in a deal and say, ‘OK, let’s figure out a solution that works best

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Teaming up with an agent from a different brokerage on a transaction is not as uncommon or complicated as it might seem

for everyone,” he explains. “My goal is to avoid being adversarial.” Real estate, he believes, should always be a field in which each person can win. “It’s about working toward a mutual goal, shaking hands, and walking away happy that a seller sold, a buyer bought and everyone got what they wanted.”

But Is it that simple? Most agents have experienced the ways conflicting personalities and tension during a transaction can heat up even the most cordial relations. In reality, however, it’s more productive to let down your guard and work with others as a team than it is to allow stress and competition to preside. South Florida REALTOR® and broker associate, Risë V. Siegrist, for instance, has zero interest in competing with other agents. “It’s more important to be professional and associate with competent, caring people,” she says. By serving others with a cooperative spirit, experienced agents like Risë set an excellent example for emerging real estate stars. Risë hopes to be a model for the next generation of agents, training people who may one day become part of her team.

Risë’s position on cooperation inspires more reasons for nurturing relationships with other agents. Over the decades, many agents change brokerages several times. Who knows if that agent across the table will one day work at the 22

same brokerage you do? Perhaps you’ll even have an opportunity to partner on an exciting, future transaction. Good relations keep doors open to endless possibilities.

Co-listing cooperation Teaming up with an agent from a different brokerage on a transaction is not as uncommon or complicated as it might seem. In fact, some agents cleverly capitalize on their collective attributes, rather than competing against one another. South Carolina REALTOR® Kimberly Pannit is a perfect example of the universal benefits of co-listings. Although she has always been an independent agent, Kimberly works hard to form professional alliances that give her business the feel of a cooperative network across brokerages.

This cooperative approach may be nontraditional, but it benefits clients in unique ways. By working closely with agents at other brokerages, she shows how agents can improve client service while helping one another.

Kimberly’s cooperative approach began in her own neighborhood, where an agent friend from a different brokerage also lives. “Several years ago, I approached her because both of us were friends with our neighbors. I asked, ‘Why don’t we give our neighbors superior service and

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co-list together? We both love our area and are passionate about our jobs, the location and schools.’” She also didn’t want to make their mutual friends choose between them when they could work together. “I said, ‘Let’s give them amazing service together!’” With their brokers’ permission, two weeks later the agents co-listed their first home and put extra energy into ensuring uninterrupted client service.

Networking and “Co-opertition” When the ultimate goal is to match a client with the perfect home or create optimal terms of sale for a listings, networking with other agents can facilitate that ideal buyer-seller match.

Nashville REALTOR® and broker/owner Lisa Land embraced every opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the real estate industry and to her local market, even before building her own team. “Agents would frequently ask me for help or advice,” she says, noting that she shares, rather than guarding, the methods she uses to get through difficult or confusing transactions. “I was fortunate to have great mentors when I started in real estate, so I’m always

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willing to offer help, even to agents outside of The Luxe Collective.”

Meanwhile, on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, Janet Leigh Scott describes the climate between agents as relaxed and professional. “While the real estate market is highly competitive, we’re truly a ‘co-opertition’ market; agents work together and a have greater sense of community than you might experience in off-island brokerages,” Janet says. “If I have buyer coming into town, I’ll reach out to agents I’ve done transactions with to ask if they have anything coming up that might not be on the market yet.”

Even in hot, competitive L.A. real estate, independent agents such as Andrej Nagy of The Agency RE knows the importance of receiving and providing professional mentorship.

“My relationships with clients are extremely important,” he says. “But my relationships with agents on the other side of a deal are also important.” For REALTORS® like him, working smoothly with other agents is a privilege.

Doing so builds rewarding relationships while ensuring win-win transactions for everyone at the closing table.

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