Wisconsin 5-15-17 by Top Agent Magazine

WISCONSIN EDITION

How to Recognize TRUE LUXURY PROPERTIES 1 Billion-Plus Reasons Why YOU SHOULD BE ACTIVE ON FACEBOOK

COVER STORY

MARGARET CANFIELD

Killing Clients with KINDNESS AND VALUE

WISCONSIN EDITION

MARGARET CANFIELD

CONTENTS 4) 1 BILLION-PLUS REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD BE ACTIVE ON FACEBOOK 13) HOW TO RECOGNIZE TRUE LUXURY PROPERTIES

17) KILLING CLIENTS WITH KINDNESS AND VALUE 21) ATTITUDE!

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1 Billion-Plus Reasons Why You Should Be Active on Facebook By Bubba Mills

The number is staggering and potentially career ending for REALTORS® who ignore it: 1,440,000,000. That’s the total number of monthly active users on the social medium Facebook. That number alone is reason enough to use it regularly in your real estate business. But Facebook can also help turn you into the expert in your community. Just by sharing knowledge and relevant events about the community you can become the go-to source for all things local – a perfect way to capture the attention of prospective buyers. Plus, Facebook advertising also gives you tons of targeting layers like age, location, recent life events and interests. Plus, it constantly adds new targeting filters and functions that help you reach even more niche prospects who closely meet your customer criteria. Talk about pinpointing a target audience. 4

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Another Facebook real estate ad tool is Website Custom Audiences that lets you create Facebook ads that target users who have visited your website. And several apps specifically for Facebook have emerged. Consider these: • Heyo.com: Helps you host contests, showcase promotions and high-

light special offers. • Woobox.com: Let’s you easily create quizzes and other fun tools for engaging content. • Pagemodo.com: Helps you make your Facebook business page both sleek and stylish and tabs allow for easy lead capture. But the latest offering is just as cool. It’s called Facebook Live and it lets you stream live video on the internet. I recently wrote about Periscope, another live video streaming app, but when you use Facebook Live you’re automatically featured at the top of Facebook users’ news feed. What’s more, statistics show that live video is viewed more than recorded video. How can REALTORS® use Facebook Live? Open Houses: Broadcast a walk-through of a new listing

and highlight all the great features.

Webinars: Host live webinars targeted to buyers and sellers. They can sub-

mit questions just like a real-life seminar.

Real Estate Talk Show: Offer the latest news in the industry plus share lo-

cal events and your newest listings. In short, become the Lester Holt or Diane Sawyer of real estate in your town with your own “TV” show! Facebook offers these tips for using Facebook Live: Promote: Tease upcoming Facebook Live broadcasts for more viewers. Plan better: Take time to plan what you want to do in the video, whether

it’s a few key talking points or to have a few questions ready ahead of time in a Q&A, in case incoming comments slow down.

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Invest in some equipment: A shaky live stream turns off viewers so con-

sider a tripod or other stabilizing tools, especially if you’re taking viewers on a tour of an open house. And check the shot before going live.

Get the lighting right: If you’re indoors be sure you have plenty of good

lighting and avoid a lot of light directly behind you because it’ll wash you out.

Sound good: A common mistake for beginners is overlooking sound.

Consider an external microphone to make sure your viewers can actually hear you. And if the live option makes you a little nervous, you can also stream pre-recorded videos. Hey, that has worked like a charm for TV for decades. Some businesses promote their web series to “air” on Facebook Live at a certain time like TV shows. After they are streamed, Facebook Live videos function as normal Facebook videos. Some business owners believe videos may perform better if they begin as live ones. NowThis, a news company that publishes entirely on social platforms, experimented by streaming a 38-minute compilation of its favorite viral videos via Facebook Live. The stream received over 20,000 views and over 500 comments, according to Facebook’s counters. Yes, all the new-fangled internet tools, apps and options for REALTORS® can be a bit overwhelming. Just take it one step at a time and you’ll slowly be right there in the business-winning mix. E-mail me today at Article@CorcoranCoaching.com and I’ll send you more free information about how technology can help your real estate business. Copyright©, 2016 Bubba Mills. All rights reserved.

Bubba Mills is the CEO of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. (www.corcorancoaching.com/programs, 800-957-8353), an international Real Estate, Mortgage, and Small Business coaching company committed to helping clients balance success in business, while building value in life. Bubba Mills is a nationally recognized inspirational and education speaker, coach and mentor to the top real estate agents and mortgage companies. To find out more about Corcoran Consulting & Coaching, call 1-800-957-8353 or visit us at www.CorcoranCoaching.com. 6

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MARGARET CANFIELD Top Agent Magazine

MARGARET CANFIELD Photo: Unique View Productions

It’s oasis from the city; a space on the lake; a home that’s about an hour’s drive to Chicagoland or the Milwaukee area; a community that blends year-round living and outdoor recreation with seasonal, vacation living while maintaining a strong sense of community. This is what Margaret Canfield gets to promote every day for home buyers or sellers in Walworth County, Wisconsin, home to the world-renowned community of Lake Geneva and many more of the state’s top lakes. A broker with Chicago-based @Properties, Margaret is the prime example of one of her buyer profiles. “I grew up in the Chicago area, but I’m fourth generation at Lake Geneva,” she 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

says. Shortly before leaving a career in corporate sales with significant travel, she decided to move to Lake Geneva, which already felt like home. “I said, ‘I’m going to make this work; I can go back and forth to the city; I’ll figure it out.” In the early 2000s, she earned her license and entered real estate full time. Already part of the fabric of Lake Geneva, Margaret realized immediately that she could provide unique insight to her clients about Walworth County’s communities. “It’s a different place. You don’t have suburbs; you’re at a lake with details to understand, like boat slips, lake access, buoys and associations,” she says. “I’m known by both my buyers and sellers for having that information.” An added Top Agent Magazine

benefit is Margaret’s background in corporate sales and negotiation. Perhaps most valuable, however, is Margaret’s patience. Even after deciding to buy in the Lake Geneva area, most people need time. Some are considering Lake Geneva for a second home, a vacation home, or a smaller permanent home to replace their larger home in the Chicago or Milwaukee area. Others seek investment opportunities with a home they can live in down the road. Buyers not only retain these homes for longer than the average fiveto-seven years, but they need longer to decide. “Not all agents are willing to spend up to a year-and-a-half with a buyer,” says Margaret. “I know they need time to determine their Top Agent Magazine

needs and set plans. I’m happy to help for as long as it takes.” Buyers and sellers appreciate Margaret’s communication, both during their working relationship and afterwards. “I send information and local or national market updates monthly to my database, plus newsletters and postcards,” she says, adding that she heavily leverages a tremendous presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube. Her team includes her assistant, a social media professional and a public relations firm. Her team customizes unique posts for each platform. Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

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Margaret not only maintains relationships with people this way, but strategically markets her listings there. Margaret’s listings encompass a wide price range, but each receives professional photography, a custom URL, professional electronic and print brochures, photo tours, social media boosts and Adwerx campaigns. Properties over $500 thousand receive additional services of photo integrated professional floor plans and possible aerial photography; properties over $1 million receive all that plus featuring on Luxury Portfolio Worldwide, WSJ; Crain’s and other publications. In addition, her website is an invaluable resource Top Agent Magazine

containing detailed information on the lake communities in Walworth County. She is also quite active locally. Among many nonprofits she supports with time and treasure, Margaret gives significantly to the Lake Geneva Chapter of Lyric Opera of Chicago and its community outreach efforts. “This spring we’re taking hundreds of seventh graders to Chicago by train for a day with the Opera,” she says. “Many are from agricultural areas and have never been to the city much less on a train.” Efforts like that involve immense fundraising effort, which Margaret embraces while supporting with many other local nonprofits including Open Arms Free Clinic, Aurora Foundation and Holiday Home Camp. Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

“I’ve never been one to sit behind a desk,” says Margaret, who loves real estate for the variety and the interesting people she meets. In her free time, she takes advantage of all Lake Geneva offers, especially open-water swimming, hiking and biking. As the perfect ambassador for the area, Margaret plans to continue offering top service, with a focus on cutting-edge technology and remaining intimately informed about the market and its properties. “People can get

all they want online,” she says. “I provide the specifics they need when fulfilling a dream on the lake.”

To learn more about Margaret Canfield, visit margaretcanfield.com, email margaretcanfield@atproperties.com or call 262.949.9272 www.

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

architecture retains its value. Do your homework on architects and find the ones that have a good track record of designing beautiful, but practical homes. Don’t simply pay attention to how the building looks today. Consider how it will look in a few decades. Keep an eye out for the “bones” of the building, and decide whether they will stand the test of time or not. Things such as a solid foundation, high-grade materials, unusual details, and artistic components are good aspects to consider. Will the structure hold up well or will it degrade and crumble without constant upkeep? That funky molding may look artistic today, but in ten years will it be considered artistic or just plain weird?

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

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

• Unobstructed Views and Light: You want to live in

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

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

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

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

You want to look for high ceilings that increase the openness of a room. Of course, you don’t want to go too high. Above 14 feet will get you diminished marginal returns.

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

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

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space you desire. You will have to, however, make sure that your new home does have an area that you can turn into this storage space. • In-Unit Laundry: In-unit laundry has become necessary for

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

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

important, particularly in winter when you don’t feel like walking to the gym a few blocks down. One thing to consider is the Do you really want of the gym in relation to have to trek down size to the size of the building in flights of stairs? light of common area fees. • Move-In Ready: I’d advise against buying time-consuming and

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

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

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

If you want to buy luxury property that is really worth it’s price, then I would suggest adding these points to your list of things your new home must have. If you want to get a high quality home that is a true luxury, you’ll want to watch out for these aspects as well as the location. Some properties might claim to be luxury based on their location, but when compared against this list, they don’t make the cut. So, don’t be fooled by imposters, and make sure you find a true high-end property. Top Agent Magazine

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Killing Clients with Kindness and Value By Walter Sanford

Sometimes, we need to “kill” our clients with kindness and offer value. I know it goes against everything in our nature to turn the other cheek when they are being mean. Recently, a coaching client had some challenges with a particular client, and I’m sure you have also worked with the kind of client who discourages you so much that you just want to hit the delete button! How about offering a response that increases your fame and makes the client always wonder what they may be missing? They might not list with you, but they will never forget you. Included in the balance of this article are the email from the client, the request for help from my coaching client, and then my suggested response. Email from the Potential Client: Sorry, I have been really busy. Let me tell you where I’m at with everything. You may or may not be interested. I am definitely putting the house on the market. The house has been rented for the last 5 years with the same family. They originally signed a rent to own lease. Three years ago, they decided they didn’t want to buy it. Top Agent Magazine

Anyway, I recently informed them that I’m going to put the house on the market. Now, they are reconsidering buying the house. I don’t think they will buy the house, but I guess you never know. If they do buy the house, it would be for sale by owner. I will not let them drag their feet. We happen to know a lot of REALTORS® in (area). Some are pretty good friends and with that comes opportunities at rates way under the norm. One of them did sell our last house quickly but circumstances have changed. I know you are a very good REALTOR®, because I have heard other REALTORS® talk about you. You may not be interested at this point anymore. If you are still interested, let me know what your best rate is. Let me know if you are okay with the current tenants on a “for sale by owner” agreement, if that happens. I would want a short-term agreement. The current rent is higher than my mortgage payment so I’m okay if they don’t buy and I’m not forced to sell at a low price. However, I want to sell ASAP. I’m wanting to purchase another property so I’m not going to overprice the house and I will negotiate. Email from Coaching Client to Me: Walter, this guy is a college basketball coach. I want to help him, but I need to have a chance to run a successful business, too! How do I answer this? Email from Me to Coaching Client (to share with potential client): Thank you so much for the nice words. It is very exciting to hear that our hard work is creating some buzz. I think we can accommodate you and exceed your expectations: 18

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1. We believe that we exceed client expectations more often than most agents, because we spend the time to understand what the client needs. Then we develop a customized program to meet and exceed that goal. We would love to help you in accomplishing your real estate needs. 2. We would be happy to exclude the current residents from the listing agreement for 30 days. This would help in motivating the current residents to buy in that they can see the price discounted by the commission, if they commit to buy within the 30 day period. We would like to offer you our closing service that handles everything for a flat fee of $4,000. This handles the contract phase, aligning the team of affiliates, and the closing. This, of course, is at your option. 3..Our commissions are normal for our market, but we save you money over any commission discounter. Our specialty is increasing your net proceeds. We do this by bringing you more buyers with more effective marketing, better negotiating, better systems for handling inspections, better pre-approval tools for your buyer, better contracts, and less post-seller litigation from better contracts. Commission discounts usually cost you money because of the agentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lack of emphasis on your net proceeds check. It is like a basketball player who is playing with no heart, only for the scholarship. 4. Our rate is retail 6%. This may eliminate us, but that would be a shortsided conclusion. Here are 5 of the ways we can beat any commission discount: A. We beat the average List to sell ratio in (area) by a larger margin than any discount. B. We beat the days on market, which affects your carrying costs and lost opportunity costs on your equity. C. We have a low litigation rate as compared to national standards. D. We can market your home a little over retail due to our marketing. Top Agent Magazine

D. We urge a pre-inspection plan to get rid of the little and big problems before a buyer is involved and wants everything built new. 5. Our agreements are 6 months, but that is not what sells properties. Marketing and price sell property. If we are wrong about those two items, we will adjust every week based upon showings and consultations with you. 6. I would also like to advise you on a misconception. Rental costs average about 35% of market rent in our area. Add in lost opportunity costs on your equity that is not doing anything at this point. I can show you how your current position is losing you money every month. I think our next step is a presentation of the tools we bring to achieve your goals. Listing with friends is loyal, but is it the best business decision? Do they have the tools and will you hold their feet to the fire when the results are not what you need? (Client’s name), you know the difference superstars make on a team. Let’s go for the win. It’s not so much whether my coaching client obtained the listing, but he needed to stand up for a profitable, long term business. Never sell yourself short to get business. You will never be happy. In these situations, I cannot guarantee an outcome, but I can guarantee the client will never forget you. You are planting seeds of discontentment with the small amount of money saved in a commission compared to not achieving their goal. Whether he/she admits it or not, he/she will have respect for you. Do more lead generation so you won’t have to work so hard on leads like these. Copyright©, 2015 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Walter Sanford has been designing and implementing real estate systems for 30 years. One of the most successful REALTORS® and now wealthy from his systems, Sanford teaches his systems and strategies through his products, seminars, and personal coaching producing the best results in the industry. Do what works, do what is proven. Hire Walter Sanford. Call our office at 800.792.5837, email walter@waltersanford.com, or chat with us online at www.waltersanford.com. 20

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Attitude! By Verl Workman

My father was a former Marine and I learned as a small child that there is no such thing as an ex- Marine! He used to wake us up early in the morning by yelling â&#x20AC;&#x153;Reveilleâ&#x20AC;? and all seven of us children would march up the stairs to have a family breakfast together. As a high Top Agent Magazine

school history teacher, Dad was big on education and drove home the importance of being good in school and paying attention. One year he had a group of students from his AP (advanced placement) classes compete in a nationwide model United Nations project where the students would deal with world issues. His class from Skyline High School in Utah won the national award in Washington DC where they competed and received that great honor. Dad was very proud of his students and their accomplishment. He talked about that award for years. I suggested to my dad one time that he was lucky because he had all the smart kids from his AP classes and could pick the smartest students in the school to compete. He looked me in the eye and raised his left eyebrow and said this “Son, I work with some of the smartest kids, but I choose to work with the kids who have the best attitudes.” He went on to say that “it doesn’t matter how smart you are if you don’t have a good attitude”. That conversation made a deep impression on me and has been one of my favorite memories of my father. In this challenging real estate market many agents find themselves faced with some difficult choices—but the most important choice we can make today is to keep a positive attitude and take action when others are simply whining and looking for excuses for failure. There are enormous opportunities today in every market. The business out there may not be your favorite type of business and it may not be the most fun, but if you have the right attitude, you can not only make money, you can thrive today. Here are a few simple things you can do each day to keep moving in the right direction: • GET up • Get showered and dress for success 22

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•

• Get into a productive work environment • Prospect 2-3 hours every day • Work your most profitable business (your database) • Look for real buyers and generate buyer leads from every source possible (buyers are paychecks) • Surround yourself with positive people that are goal focused and happy Hire a coach that can give you direction and guidance and hold you accountable to do the right things in your business We are blessed to live in this country where we can work for ourselves and enjoy all of the freedoms that make this such a wonderful place to live. We have our families, health, and skills that allow us to help people and we get paid very well for the service we provide. And we have technology and resources that allow us to do our jobs better. It is now up to each one of us to get going, stay positive and keep our attitudes in check. The first time I visited my Dad’s classroom I saw the sign above his desk that simply said this “Attitude is more important than Aptitude.” To this day, I believe that simple quote has made a great impact on my life and career. I love what I do! Verl Workman is a leading national speaker, coach and consultant. Despite his busy speaking schedule, and role as co-founder of Pinnacle Quest Consulting Group, he still sells real estate so that he can test and stay abreast of the latest tools and techniques that maximize results. He uses that knowledge to assist individuals and companies in building effective business strategies, implementing powerful technology solutions, and establishing strategic competitive advantages through coaching, seminars and private consultations. To contact Verl visit www.verlworkman.com. ©Verl Workman. All rights reserved. Top Agent Magazine

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