REALTOR Magazine December 2022

MEDIA MAKES AN IMPACT

I challenge you to begin with WHY?

Aculture of a group, characterized by Simon Sinek, author of Start with Why, as “people who come together around a common set of beliefs.” The Bakersfield Association of REALTORS® does just that, precisely. The Association brings REALTORS®, affiliate partners, community stakeholders, and other professionals and groups together. We come together under an umbrella of a shared set of beliefs, values, and principles – and the universal goal of helping families achieve the American Dream of homeownership. Adhering to the Code of Ethics, giving back through community service, and advocating for good public policy are just a few examples of the simple and complex ways that we come together as professionals and as REALTORS® to promote this shared culture. I am honored that you have entrusted me as the 2023 President of the Bakersfield Association of REALTORS®. I am excited, eager, and thankful for the hard work and support of our CEO, staff, my amazing, hardworking leadership team, and our inspiring membership as we gear up for the new year.

I believe in us and the power that comes from the teams where they are clear, unified, and can identify their WHY. Very few people or companies can clearly articulate why they do what they do. But not us!

REALTORS® are the fabric of the community; when we work together, we make extraordinary things happen. The best way to thrive in this changing market is to keep learning, adapt, and come together as a profession and community. The new year will bring new opportunities and its important industry challenges. There will be topics that we have been addressing for years that need

to be revisited differently. Still, there will also be new modern-day questions about how best to deal with buyer’s agent commissions, preserve our local housing affordability, increase inventory, and electrification and climate change policies. And that’s okay. We are ready for whatever 2023 may bring because I know unequivocally that when the members of our Association work together to create solutions by gathering as THE industry experts to share knowledge, exchange information, and engage in tough conversations, we create and dream up new ideas and solutions – we ALWAYS emerge energized and empowered to create the solutions and ideas that only we can. Always! If you join me, your colleagues here at the Bakersfield Association of REALTORS®, and organized real estate at all levels, the possibilities are endless for the future. We can all benefit from the results of coming together in the spirit of our culture and WHY to improve our industry, businesses, profession, community, consumer experience, and just plain old’ getting things done.

look forward to serving you!

I

REALTORS ® are the fabric of the community; when we work together, we make extraordinary things happen

2022 WAS A YEAR OF CHANGE

In the begining of 2022 we switched to a new lock key service, SentriLock, and with our amazing CEO and staff at our Association, we had a smooth transition and exchange. We then implemented a new website member landing page, the Bakersfield REALTOR® Dashboard. The Dashboard makes it easy for our members to find everything they need in one place, from accessing the MLS tools we frequently use to helping our members be more efficient and productive. It’s a handy resource center where information is just one click away; the Associations social media links allow our members to stay current on news, events, and even upcoming events on the Association calendar. The Dashboard also provides account balance at a glance, where you can make a payment at the click of a button.

In the spring, I had the privilege of representing our Association both in Sacramento and Washington D.C., where thousands of REALTORS® met for Legislative Day to talk with our elected Congressional Representatives and Senators

to discuss the critical housing issues before them.

As I reflect on my past year as President of the Bakersfield Association of REALTORS®, I genuinely feel honored and blessed to have been allowed to lead this outstanding Association with the help of so many REALTORS® and Affiliates who commit themselves wholeheartedly to being committee members, committee chairs, vice chairs, Directors and Executive Officers. First and foremost, I want to thank all of my leadership team. Together we have helped to bring informative MLS forums, CI Forums (Commercial Investment), TUG classes (Technology User Group), gathered ideas

and insights from our Brokers Forums, and teamed up with YPN (Young Professionals Network) to give REALTORS® the tools and encouragement they need to succeed in their careers.

Through our Diversity Committee, we educated our members on the importance of equal opportunity housing and the REALTORS® responsibility to uphold Fair Housing Laws; Our Golf Committee plans and coordinates the golf tournament bringing our members together to raise funds for our Charitable Foundation. Our Hospitality Committee was instrumental in helping to promote and encourage attendance to Association events while also playing a crucial part in planning and arranging special events throughout the year, including our Inaugural Celebrations. Our SPF (Strategic Planning & Finance) Committee ensures that our Association plans for the long term by setting goals. From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for making 2022 a great year for our members.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for making 2022 a great year for our members!

Buckets of business every real estate agent

must have

The old adage is true — putting all of your eggs in one basket is just begging for them to get broken!

Having worked in property sales for almost two

decades, one thing I know for sure is that depending on a single source of business or marketing strategy is the kiss of career death for both real estate brokerages and agents.

I have seen this play out so many times.

The day Craigslist took away the ability to livelink within posts with no warning, entire brokerages which were built around Craigslist ads were absolutely crushed, and lost the majority of their business in a matter of moments.

When Google started punishing websites for excessive reciprocal linking, companies that depended on this tactic went from the top of the Google ranks to page 100+, no matter how big their ad spend, resulting in former firehoses of leads dwindling to just a few random drops.

And, of course, when Covid-19 restrictions put a halt to any and all in-real-life activities, those agents who depended solely on open houses and happy hours to fill their pipeline found themselves unable to work.

This is why a marketing mix is so important. If you spread your time, money and efforts across several buckets of business, you’re increasing the chances of filling some of them at any one time, even if one or more of them dries up for reasons outside of your control.

Here are some buckets of business

Friends + family (sphere): If you’re an experienced real estate agent, you’ll likely agree that this is one of the biggest and most important buckets. If you’ve been in the business for at least a couple of years and you run your numbers, you’ll likely find that at least 75% of your sales are sourced from people who already know, like and trust you.

Sphere referrals: Hopefully, the people in your sphere not only trust you with their own real estate questions and needs, but they also send people in your direction. These “friends of friends” should quickly become part of your sphere, and spill over into that friends + family bucket if you do a great job and add them into your nurturing systems after their transaction.

Farm: Farming is as old as real estate itself, and it’s usually achieved by focusing on a geographic area with both old-school and tech-driven lead generation tools.

Depending on where you want to focus, you might use a combination of postcard campaigns, online ads and interaction on neighborhood platforms like NextDoor and Facebook groups, hyper-local event sponsorship and pop-bys, as well as big-data predictors that can help you focus on those people who are most likely to make a move.

Open houses: Yes, open houses. If you’ve heard consultants or industry pros say that open houses

aren’t relevant or effective anymore, I’d bet that they aren’t anywhere close to folks who are actually selling real estate. Open houses might have had a forced hiatus during Covid-19 lockdowns, but in most areas they came back in a big way, and now that homes are sitting a bit longer on the market, they’re one of the best ways to meet new potential buyers and sellers.

Floor time: This looks different depending on a brokerage’s business model, but can be a great way to meet new people, especially if your office is a storefront in a walkable area. Open the door, and have a water bowl ready for thirsty dogs. Don’t forget to share your business card and some fun, informative swag or collateral. Have fun with it!

Online: There is definitely room for an online lead bucket in most agents’ marketing mix, but tread slowly and spend carefully. If your brokerage provides IDX leads in exchange for a closing split (or even better, during your floor time), this is a great way to give them a go. If you find that you’re good at and enjoy working to connect with and convert leads into clients, and if you have solid flow + nurturing systems to play the long game, go ahead and fill that online bucket.

Networking: Whether it’s a formal BNI (Business Networking International) group that meets weekly, a book club with your friends, participation on a nonprofit board or a school or local Chamber committee, the networking bucket is filled with mutually supportive relationships that grow with a common cause. Be careful to have the right intentions, though, no one likes a helping hand who is only focused on selling their own services.

Agent referrals: This is one of the buckets that a lot of real estate professionals are missing, but professional referrals should be a strong and consistent part of your business. By going to industry conferences, volunteering at your Realtor Association, getting involved with national and international Facebook groups for real estate agents and more, you can develop relationships and create your own referral network without paying high relocation company and affiliate network fees.

Once you have established all of these buckets of Business, the magic is in the balance. If you don’t already, now is a GREAT time to start tracking your ROI on each of your sources of business. Go back through all of your transactions and note where they came from – those are the Buckets where you will want to invest the most time, money and effort, while also working to fill the others in order to maintain that awesome Marketing Mix that will sustain your future production, no matter how hard the world, or the market, tries to tip those Buckets out!

Stacie Staub is the Co-Founder and CEO of West + Main Homes.

CHYANNE WILEMON

DEREK SPRAGUE

GLENN PORTER

CAMILLE REDMOND

JENNY MAGANA

MICHELLE VALVERDE

BILL MELL

MICHELE COOPER ROGER MAGANA

TERRI COLLINS

PARIS DAVIS

ANNA ALBIAR

SCOTT HANSON

Expand Your Network or Pay it Forward, Join a Committee in 2023

Acquire new knowledge and skills, and demonstrate and develop your leadership skills. We have a variety of committees below that could be enhanced by your participation; join one now!

EDUCATE

EDUCATION

To serve and assist those brokers practicing Commercial/Investment Brokerage through high quality educational programs, meetings, and marketing/networking sessions to maintain a high level of professionalism, integrity, and profitability.

COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT

Plans and organizes monthly Commercial Investment Forum, including pitch sessions and educational speakers geared towards commercial and industrial real estate.

ONBOARDING/MEMBER RETENTION

Promotes membership in the Association by presenting benefits of membership, encouraging participation, and seeking ways to enhance the value of membership. Plans and conducts orientation sessions for new members of the Association/MLS.

TECHNOLOGY

Evaluates and advises with respect to available technology to enhance and promote member professionalism and efficiency. Increases the comfort and technological skill level of our member

ADVOCATE

DIVERSITY

Educate the public of the importance of equal opportunity in housing and recognizing that everyone has rights and responsibilities to uphold Fair Housing Laws. Provide educational opportunities for students and their families to understand the significance of their role in Fair Housing. Endure our membership is committed to providing equal professional service to all in their search for real property.

R.GOV TASKFORCE

Creates and facilitates a blueprint for our members to engage in local, regional, and national issues that affect our industry. Members meet to review local government policies, ordinances and programs that impact real estate transactions. They serve as advisors to the Board of Directors

regarding the Associations’ position on issues.

SERVE REALTORS® CARE

GOLF TOURNAMENT

Plans, promotes and coordinates the annual REALTOR® Golf Tournament. Brings together members in a relaxed setting and environment that promotes goodwill and fellowship. Proceeds benefit local organizations.

ENGAGE

AFFILIATES

Affiliate support and participation has always been a vital part of our Association’s success and membership experience.

HOSPITALITY

Help foster and promote a friendly, welcoming, and caring community to our members and guest.

BROKERS ADVISORY GROUP (Invitation Only). Drawing on the experience, knowledge and strategic wisdom of our Broker community, this forum is a vehicle for the

sharing of ideas and perspectives in order to identify opportunities to enhance services for our Broker partners.

BROKERS FORUM

Provides a forum for dissemination of information to brokers and sales managers. Fosters communication between designated REALTORS® by setting regular, informal meetings for the purpose of sharing ideas. Provides input to the Board of Directors on industry policies and practices. Brokers and Designated Managers only.

MLS OPEN FORUM

MLS Open Forum engages our MLS participants and subscribers for educational purposes, sharing of information and obtaining feedback regarding ways to improve MLS services.

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORK (YPN) ADVISORY

YPN helps young real estate professionals excel in their careers by giving them the tools and encouragement to become involved in four core areas:

n REALTOR® Associations

n Real Estate Industry

n Peers

n Community

LEAD

GRIEVANCE

Analyzes complaints involving alleged violations of the Code of Ethics, membership duties or bylaws, and makes recommendations regarding disposition of said complaints.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE (Presidential Appointment). A committee of REALTOR® members specially appointed for the purpose of reviewing, vetting and interviewing Officer and Director Candidate applicants.

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS (Presidential Appointment)

Promotes and enforces the Code of Ethics of the National Association of REALTORS® and conducts ethics and arbitration hearings.

*Note: Consists of REALTORS® with sufficient background to make informed and objective determinations.

REALTOR® and Salesperson Nominating STRATEGIC PLANNING AND FINANCE

The committee coordinates the planning and budgetary activities of the Association.

It is responsible for setting the long-term direction for the Association by identifying critical issues affecting our industry.

How do our committees function? Committee Chair Position Basic Function

Consistent with the association’s policy and strategic plan, the committee chair guides the committee in its work as outlined by the scope of work and charge from the chief elected officer and board of directors.

Responsibilities

n With staff, develop a work plan that will allow the committee to effectively and efficiently discharge its responsibilities for the year.

n With staff, develop agendas and conduct committee meetings.

n Approve reports of committee meetings before their distribution

n Work with staff to ensure that the work of the committee is carried out between meetings.

n Approve reports on committee activities, including requests to the board of directors for action.

n Where appropriate, guide the committee in proposing products and services that will further the goals and objectives of the association.

n Where appropriate, make policy recommendations to the board of directors.

Committee Member Position Basic Function

Actively participate in the work of the committee; provided thoughtful input to the deliberations of the committee; focus on the best interest of the association and the committee rather than on personal or constituent interest; and work toward fulfilling the committee goals.

Responsibilities

n Review all relevant materials before committee meetings. Make contributions and voice objective opinions on issues.

n Attend committee meetings.

n Carry out individual assignments made by the committee chair.

n Work as part of the committee and staff team to ensure that the committee proposes policies and/or develops products and services that help association members who are responsible for programs within the scope of interest of the committee.

n Represent the committee in meetings of other associations groups.

n Promote clarity within the committee on the committee’s role and how it supports and fits within the association.

Staff Liaision Basic Function

Serve as an informed resource person to the chair and members of the committee. Assist the chair in facilitating committee discussions and activities that address the committee’s charge. Work with the chair to ensure that all committee work is consistent with the association’s goals and objectives.

Responsibilities

n Provide through orientation for each new committee chair and assist the chair in providing orientation for new and continuing committee members each year.

n Work with the chair to develop a plan of work that will allow the committee to effectively and efficiently discharge its responsibilities for the year.

n Work with the chair to develop agendas and conduct effective meetings.

n Provide administrative support for planning and execution of all committee meetings.

n Draft reports of committee meetings for review and approval by the committee chair.

n Work with the chair, other committee members, and association staff to ensure that the work of the committee is carried forth between meetings.

n Facilitate communication of committee activities, including requests for action and/or proposed policies, to the chief staff executive and board of directors.

n Report to the committee chair and committee as a whole on decision of the board of directors, executive committee, or other association committee which impact the committee’s activities.

n Where appropriate, assist the committee in proposing products and services that will further the goals and objective of the association.

Call Cindy Kiser at 635-2315 for more information on joining a committee in 2023

YPN Creates an Inclusive Environment

ALISHAAN ABBAS

Flourish with YPN in 2023

“Flourish,” and “Inclusion” are two words to describe the Bakersfield Realtors’ Association Young Professionals Network (YPN) in the year 2023. Through inclusive practices and policies that provide equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, we can ensure the growth and development of a healthy and favorable environment to flourish.

The young professionals in our community are the next round of leaders. Creating a holistic, welcoming, and nurturing environment where these like-minded and ambitious individuals may gather is personally a vital aspect of the YPN’s goals. Every year, the members of the Advisory Committee are interviewed and chosen. The members of the 2023’s Committee have been hand selected to serve due to their unique skills and leadership qualities. This diverse dream team of an Advisory Committee includes Nick Cushman (Vice Chair), Angela Hernandez & Alma Herrera (Events), Stephanie Carrasco & Erika Sandoval (Community Outreach), Hannah Cooper & Bronson Pearce (Sponsorship), Sumer Webb (Membership), Tori Vazquez and Karina Ayala (Social Media), and Sara Aripez (Secretary).

I am your 2023 YPN Chair, Alishaan Abbas.

n Alishaan Abbas, Broker Associate, Agentcor-Big Block Realty

n 2023 YPN Chair

n 2020 & 2021 Agent of the year, Agentcor-Big Block Realty

n YPN Advisory Committee Member

n Diversity & Equal Opportunity Committee Member

I am California born and raised, and I proudly call Bakersfield and Kern County my home. I am half Pakistani & half Salvadorian. Coming from a multicultural background enables me to welcome and encourage diversity, a significant part of my mission. I have served this local community as a Realtor since getting my Real Estate license in 2018. Since starting my career,

I have earned several awards and recognitions, such as the Agent of the Year for the most individual transactions sold in 2020 & 2021 at Agentcor-Big Block Realty. The Alishaan Abbas Real Estate Team, established in 2020, has been

fortunate to help 100+ families buy or sell real estate in 2021 and 2022. In addition, I have served as the Vice Chair of the YPN committee and a member of the Diversity & Equal Opportunity committee at the Bakersfield Association of Realtors and participated in numerous events and community activities. Now I am honored to serve as your 2023 YPN Chair.

The YPN Advisory Committee has made tremendous strides in 2022. It is exciting to continue bringing our community together in 2023 with our innovative out-of-the-box thinking. For 2023 we have some classic events to look forward to, such as the “Welcome Back Kickoff Mixer,” “Tax Planning with Joel Sandoval,” the “Softball Tournament,” and some fun twists on other favorite returning events. Additionally, we have a special event exclusively dedicated to our Affiliate Sponsor Partners. Returning, we also have Lunch & Learns, featuring highly requested, exciting, and educational topics and a few mixers that will blow you away!

I joined the Real Estate Industry at the age of 20 and took on the role of an active community leader at a young age. I completely understand what it means and how it may feel to look at a room full of individuals and not know whom to talk to or where to even begin, but you don’t have to feel that way. If you are “young in the business” or in “the business and young,” I challenge you to join the Young Professionals Network. Allow this resilient community to be where you come when needing comfort or guidance.

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2023 YPN Chair | lorem ipsum Come

Grow Your Profession

Participate in Commercial Investment

Forum’s

The Commercial Investment (CI) committee plans and organizes monthly Commercial Investment Forum events with pitch sessions and educational speakers geared toward commercial and industrial real estate.

The Commercial Investment Forum has been active and serving to teach and expose members of the Association of REALTORS® to current advances in various phases and current methods in planning, development, lending, and marketing commercial and industrial properties throughout Kern County. The committee has been Chaired and Co-Chaired by REALTORS® and supported by the Association Staff, Board Liaisons, and Management for years. Regular meetings are held by an advisory to select topics and choose speakers of various industries throughout Kern County. Most are new topics, and some are recurring by popular demand.

Past speakers, to name a few, vary from: City & County agencies (Planning, Tax Assessor-Collector, Building Department, Economic Development, Code Enforcement, etc.), Amazon, title company

wire & title fraud (Jonda Stewart), Law Firm of Young Wooldridge (Water Law), local developers of significant projects, political representatives supporting the real estate industry, banks, Opportunity Zone Specialists, Exchange Officers, Community Opportunity Lenders (Keith Brice), Multifamily updates & projections (Marc Thurston), Sister City Reports (Bob Meadows-City of Shafter), Tehachapi Planning Committee (Corey Costello,

planning Director), The Wonderful Company, farms, and much more.

Please mark your calendar and reserve the THIRD FRIDAY of every month to attend in-person meetings to hear amazing speakers contributing to the knowledge and ongoing update training and development of real estate opportunities for our local REALTORS®. The meetings begin at 8:00 am, allowing time for a meet and greet with breakfast sponsored by various lenders, home warranty, and home inspection companies. There is a short period to pitch properties for sale or announce your clients’ needs. Then the presentation of our carefully selected speakers. Don’t miss any of our upcoming speakers with unique topics.

PROFESSIONAL training, education, leadership, and knowledge are paramount in the real estate industry; therefore, we strive to bring you exceptional speakers, at our Commercial Investment Forums. Attend one or all of the forums and network with your colleagues. Attend, learn, and grow while mastering your real estate profession.

CONTRIBUTION BY CLINT BEAR / RE/MAX GOLDEN EMPIRE

which are geared towards commercial and industrial real estate

Association launched SentriLock lockbox

SentriLock focuses on providing a safe and secure showing experience

CONTRIBUTION BY AJ BHUEE | WATSON REALT Y

Technology is rapidly changing, and while we are constantly updating the software for our showings, the hardware was left behind. We introduced SentriLock, NAR’s official real estate lockbox solution. SentriLock fills the gap that is left between scheduling showings and accessing keys.

The platform, a member benefit of the Bakersfield Association of REALTORS®, is designed to help real estate agents manage the logistics surrounding home showings more efficiently. SentriLock allows agents to quickly open lockboxes from their smartphones or tablets and is the only allin-one platform built to manage showings, client communications, and property access.

SentriKey Showing Service™ is fully integrated with the SentriKey Real Estate Lockbox System. It is intended to ensure a seamless experience for both agents and brokers. The platform’s dashboard has a single, intuitive location for agents to quickly and easily manage their showings. Got a contractor, painter, or third-party person who needs temporary access? No problem. You can easily grant time-specific access through the SentriConnect® app or FlexCodes™ that provides revocable temporary access to anyone authorized. You can easily set up appointment times to restrict when properties can be accessed. Unauthorized and untimely access is a thing of the past. It’s safe and convenient, allowing you to focus on selling – without the hassles.

This dashboard provides a detailed list of each day’s appointments for buyer’s agents and includes property notifications, alarm codes, and special instructions upon entering a property. Seller’s agents can find information regarding the status of each showing request, along with the showing

agent’s name and contact information and if there is a notification that a key is missing. Sellers also have peace of mind; notifications are instantly sent when the lockbox is opened. This lets sellers know when a showing has begun and automatically provides notification when the showing is complete.

SentriLock echoes the industry’s focus on providing a safe and secure showing experience with SentriLock’s optional safety feature. One main safety feature is that users can set up emergency contacts. The Agent Safety feature automatically and discreetly alerts the emergency contacts if the REALTOR® indicates that they do not feel safe or cannot confirm that the environment is safe.

The lockbox is engineered with a highstrength, corrosion-resistant steel vault and bolt cutter-resistant shackle; your SentriGuard® lockbox is built to last. With the industry’s longest, fully agent replaceable battery life, it’s designed to be nearly maintenance-free. Additionally, the smartphone app makes everything fast and easy.

Training: https://www.sentrilock.com/training/ Showing Service Lockbox Support Call 513.756.2407

2022 Onboarding

FEBRUARY REALTORS®

Alexzander Acevedo, Miramar International Calloway; Vanessa Acevedo, Miramar International-Riverwalk; Lani Ayala, Performance REALTORS®, Inc; Renee Bennett, Keller Williams Realty; Monica Biggs, California Home Pros; Elizabeth Billington, California Home Pros; Vanessa Carrillo, Agentcor-Big Block Realty; Marty Casey, Cal Pro Real Estate; Sean Castro, Agentcor-Big Block Realty; Albert Ceballos, California Home Pros; Maddy Champagne, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Ashley Colegial, MV & Associates Real Estate; Sergio De Alba, RE/ MAX Select; Cynthia Duarte Ramirez, Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Liz Files, California Home Pros; Joshua Galvan, Corcoran Global Living - BAK; Aliyah Garcia, Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Nermeen Ibrahim, eXp Realty of California Inc; Shashi Kapoor, Miramar International Calloway; Jesse Khalid, Daystar Realty; Athanasia Kiuftis, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Sonya Llanas, Graddy & Company; Mary Luevanos, MV & Associates Real Estate; Eddie Manna, Realty ONE Group Strong; Jonathan Marani, eXp Realty of California Inc; Jesse Martinez, Agentcor-Big Block Realty; Jared Mathews, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Brandon Mellon, Wingate Real Estate Services; Lily Montoya, Infinity Real Estate Services; Andrew Nguyen, MV & Associates Real Estate; Mayra Olguin, MV & Associates Real Estate; Ryley Ott, Century 21 Jordan-Link & Co; Jonathan Quevedo, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Rudy Ramirez, Infinity Real Estate Services; Desmond Ramseur, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Lee Rangel, The Ryan Dobbs Real Estate Team; TJ Rosas, Watson Realty; Catherine Ruelas, Coldwell Banker Preferred,RLT; Jacob Ryan, Coldwell Banker Preferred, REALTORS®; Alexxes Salas, Kern Realty; Drea Salazar, The Ryan Dobbs Real Estate Team; Jonathan Sanchez Genel, MV & Associates Real Estate; Beatriz Sanchez, Miramar InternationalRiverwalk; Alex Santa Cruz, Agentcor-Big Block Realty; Shanjit Singh, Infinity Real Estate Services; Shane Stapleton, The Davis Group Real Estate, Inc.; Maily Stroud, JZ RealtyColumbus; Leilani Tedeski, Realty ONE Group Strong; Abraham Trevino, Century 21 JordanLink; James Turner, Miramar International Calloway; JC Valadez, Agentcor-Big Block Realty; Marlene Valenzuela, MV & Associates Real Estate; John Villasenor, Miramar International Calloway; Fernando Vivanco, Werx Realty Group, Inc.

MARCH REALTORS®:

Mohamed Abdelaal, Redfin Corporation; Rich Anthes, Coldwell Banker Preferred, REALTORS®; Elmer Ayala, Watson Realty; Marilu Barboza, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Katherine Beeson, Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Associated Real Estate; Jose Berlanga III, Agentcor-Big Block Realty; Tiffany Bicknell, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Ty Lavar Carter, Clemmer and Company Real Estate Services; Jorge Casas, Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Daniel Christian, eXp Realty of California Inc; Meghan Cooper, Watson Realty; Itzel Cota Flores, California Home Pros; Michael Cox, Brimhall Realty; Triston Gilliam, Open Door Real Estate; Nicholas Keese, Miramar International Calloway;

Lenny Laguana Chavez, Infinity Real Estate Services; Shawna Lee, Century 21 Jordan-Link & Co.; Florlyn Lubatti, Miramar InternationalRiverwalk; Mark McCallum, Watson Realty; Noah Clifton McDonald, Graddy & Company; Merlie Mesar, My World Realty; Ruby Miranda Romero, Keller Williams Realty; Anthony Ortega, Realty ONE Group Strong - Columbus; Yesenia Ortiz, Performance REALTORS®, Inc; Nancy Ray, MV & Associates Real Estate; Shaunee Regan, Prestige Properties Team Tipton - Miramar International - Stockdale Hwy; Crystal Sanchez, Solutions Realty, Inc.; Kristie Scott, Century 21 Jordan-Link & Co.; Armen Shakoorian, Nexus Real Estate; Daisy Silva, MV & Associates Real Estate; Navjot Singh, Matrixx Realty; Candace Sparks, eXp Realty of California Inc; Deisy Tamayo, Better Homes Realty; Ruth Valdez, Infinity Real Estate Services; Ginger Wells, Watson Realty; Daisy Zepeda, Agentcor-Big Block Realty

APRIL REALTORS®: Joseph A. Barajas, My Realty, Paige Basham, Agentcor–Big Block Realty; John B. Batey, Bryan Batey Homes; Liz Bravo, Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Vickie J. Christian, Kyle Wigley, Broker; Socorro Collins, RE/MAX Golden Empire; George L. Coon, Watson Realty; Jahayra S. Corral, Keller Williams Realty; Santoshree Dasgupta, Miramar International–Riverwalk; Amanpreet S. Dhaliwal, Miramar International–Calloway; Erika I. Figueroa, Wingate Real Estate Services; Astred Garcia, Performance REALTORS® Inc.; Blanca Garcia, Metropolitan Real Estate; Kassandra Garcia, Elite REALTORS®; Rosa M. Garcia, Keller Williams Realty; Destiny Gill, RE/MAX Golden Empire; Vicki M. Glance, United Real Estate Consultants; Luke Higdon, The Ryan Dobbs Real Estate Team; Robin Singh Hundal, Infinity Real Estate Services; Benjamin C. Jernstedt, Watson Realty; Geralyn Johnson, Dani Blain Real Estate Inc.; Karla C. Juarez, JZ Realty; Lauren Larios, Coldwell Banker Preferred RLT, Lad Manna; Realty ONE Group Strong; Crystal Moreno, Posh Properties of California; Martin Munoz, Miramar International–Riverwalk; Brittany Nerio, Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Martin Nunez Jr., Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Stephanie E. Pascal, RE/MAX Select; Lisa Perez, Premier Realty; Mary Rojas, Performance REALTORS®, Inc.; John Austin A Saldana-Quezada, MV & Associates; Harpreet Thiara, Hero Real Estate Inc.; Alyssa l. Vargas, Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Bradley Wirsing, Watson Realty; Gregory Youngblood, RE/MAX Golden Empire.

MAY REALTORS®:

Deanna Ankersmit, Redfin Corporation; Lizbeth Beltran Bonillo, Agentcor–Big Block Realty; Robert D. Berlanga, Miramar International–Calloway; Barbara Bogner, Performance REALTORS® Inc.; Vanessa Calderon, Werx Realty Group Inc.; Shelly Cobean, Bill Mell & Associates; Guadalupe Delgadillo De Garcia, Coldwell Banker Preferred RLT; Sabrina Gonzales, Corcoran Global Living; Amanda A. Heredia, Infinity Real Estate Services; Beulah Jonathan, Agentcor–Big Block Realty; Khaula Luna Kassas, Infinity Real Estate Services; Jeffrey L. Lavallee, Watson Realty; Ludie LuGrand, Watson Realty; Darniqua McConnell, Watson Realty; Jesse McNaughton, Agentcor–Big Block Realty;

Maria Mendieta, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Jordan Morales, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Mayra O. Nebre, Realty ONE Group Strong; Alexis Perez Esquivel, Miramar International–Riverwalk; Alex Puente, Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Ana Rosales, Miramar International–Riverwalk; Jordan T. Salinas, Watson Realty; Manraj Singh Ghuman, Realty ONE Group Strong; Lovepreet Singh Shergill, Bluehorse Real Estate Inc.; Ryan Spillers, Frontier Real Estate Services; Marina J. Stidman, Watson Realty; Vivienne Tupou, Dream Home Realty; Jozette E. Valencia, RE/ MAX Golden Empire; Megan Vangel, RE/MAX Golden Empire

JUNE REALTORS®

Candice J. Banducci, Brimhall Realty; Jim Bray, Infinity Real Estate Services; Jennifer A. Calley, Miramar International–Calloway; Brittany Conner, The Ryan Dobbs Real Estate Team; Rudolph Corral, Sousa Realty; Janet De Tomaso, Miramar International–Riverwalk; Juan C. Echeverri, Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Lucia Gonzalez, Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Kraig J. Gradowitz Jr., AgentcorBig Block Realty; Todd Kobayashi, Watson Realty; Deyci Leal, Homestead Real Estate; Karina N. Martinez, The Closers Team–Werx Realty; Dafine Medina, The Mora Partners; Michael Melendez, Infinity Real Estate Services; Haydee Morales Torres, Agentcor–Big Block Realty; Joangela Moran, Miramar International-Calloway; Hector M. Moreno Jr., Agentcor–Big Block Realty; Karla Paredes, Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Victoria G. Salazar, Golden Valley Real Estate; Erika T. Sandoval, RE/MAX Select; Stephanie M. Swanson, Watson Realty; Josiah P. Zepeda, The Closers Team–Werx Realty

JULY REALTORS®: Teresa O. Alcocer, Agentcor- Big Block Realty; Royda A. Ali, Agentcor–Big Block Realty; Mayra Bastidas Gonzalez, Sierra Central Real Estate; Leilani Covarrubias, Watson Realty; Jeorgina Curiel, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Murad F. Darwish, Sierra Central Real Estate; Monique B. Diaz, Agentcor–Big Block Realty; Paulina V. Diaz, Open Door Real Estate; Imari Annette Ellis-Ford, Miramar International–Riverwalk; Jared Emmett, Keller Williams Realty; Alexandro C. Garcia, eXp Realty of California Inc.; Martha L. Garcia, Corcoran Global Living; Lissandra Gomez, Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Bernie Gonzales, Majestic Palm Realty; Leticia Madrigal, Keller Williams Realty; Raquel L. Merrick, Agentcor–Big Block Realty; Henry W. Russell IV, Hank Russell, Broker; Ramandeep K. Sekhon, Landstar Realty Group, Inc.; Jared Toothman, Benchmark Real Estate Group; Kevin M. Turner, Turner & Associates; Cecilia Valencia, Dream Home Realty; Omar Valencia, Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Ceasar Valle Jr., RE/MAX Golden Empire; Jonathan Vergara, Jaimee Shawna Graham, Broker; Sandra Walker, Paramount Real Estate; Claritza T. Zepeda, Corcoran Global Living

AUGUST REALTORS®

Ashley N. Aranda, Century 21 Jordan-Link & Co.; Lesley Berry, Watson Realty; Irma Carrera, Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Emily Dinsing, Realty ONE Group Strong; Eric Sergio Garcia, Solutions Realty, Inc.;

Angel J. Gonzalez, eXp Realty of California, Inc.; Miles Hawkins, Better Homes Realty; Linda Johnson-Leblanc, Watson Realty; Alexandra M. Petruzov, Watson Realty; Ryan Resendez, Brick and Boulder Real Estate; Chazz Rivas, The Davis Group Real Estate; Tamla Rivers, Realty ONE Group Strong; Anna Robles, Century 21 Jordan-Link & Co; Venesa M. Rodriguez, Agentcor–Big Block Realty; Manpreet SoHi, RE/MAX Select; Rasna Suri, Watson Realty; Phillip A. Taffera, Coldwell Banker Preferred, RLT; Donald Thomas Jr., RE/ MAX Golden Empire; Ashley E. Turner, Watson Realty; Catrina J. Wiley, Miramar International – Riverwalk; Ryan J. Willey, Wayside Homes

SEPTEMBER REALTORS®

Fabiola Atempa, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Carlos Alber Cardenas, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Armando Castaneda Lopez, Miramar International - Mill Rock; Gabriela Espana, Alex Mora Realty; Aubrie Felkins, eXp Realty of California Inc.; Tina D. Hamati, Miramar International Calloway; Corey M. Keathley, Coastal Connection Real Estate; Ivan

Montelongo, Better Homes Realty; Rose Marie Moreland, Larry Moreland Real Estate; Luan Cuu Nguyen, Keller Williams Realty; Michelle Paz, Miramar International - Mill Rock; Adilene F. Pena, Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Luis Eduardo Reyes Ibanez, Elite Realtors; Ashton W. Sharp, Keller Williams Realty; Lovjeet Singh, Keller Williams Realty; Rakesh Trehan, Watson Realty; Marcelo Uribe Silva, Alex Mora Realty; Consuelo Villafuerte, Corcoran Global Living-BAK; Maricruz Wilson, eXp Realty of California Inc.

OCTOBER REALTORS®

Maria C. Alcantar, Coldwell Banker Preferred, RLT; Joseph L. Arms, SearchKern.com Miramar International; Parampreet S. Bring, Infinity Real Estate Services; Natalie Betancourt Castaneda, Agentcor–Big Block Realty; Cynthia J. Castellanos, Majestic Palm Realty; Michelle M. Cobb, Coldwell Banker Preferred, RLT; Jennifer J. Contreras, Performance REALTORS®, Inc.; Ulisis Flores, Agentcor–Big Block Realty; Michelle A. Fogle, Bill Mell & Associates; Ibrahim M. Garas, Miramar International–Riverwalk; Aaron Ginn, Miramar

International–Calloway; Fran Hitchcock, Miramar International–Riverwalk; Leonardo Jimenez, Selling Bakersfield; Blanca E. Mandujano De Jimenez, Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Kuldip S. Mann, Infinity Real Estate Services; Vanessa D. Mariscal, BAS Realty; Destine D. Martinez, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Stephanie L. May, Keller Williams Realty; Jennifer L. Mersereau, eXp Realty of California, Inc.; Summer Rose Moreno, Agentcor- Big Block Realty; Sean L. Regan, Vylia Homes, Inc.; Jasmen J. Reyes, Agentcor–Big Block Realty; George R. Rodriguez, Century 21 Jordan–Link & Co., Elijah C. Rosales, Kyle Wigley, Broker; Parvinder Singh, The Ryan Dobbs Real Estate Team; Matthey S. Stillwell, Watson Realty; Dylan Struck, Miramar International, Riverwalk; Nicole A. Trigg, Watson Realty; Adrian P. Zuniga, Performance REALTORS® Inc.

NOVEMBER REALTORS®

Iris J. Acosta, Golden Valley Real Estate Group; Stephanie L. Arvanitis, Keller Williams Realty; Naomi Bermudez, The Mora Partners;

Nicole Lynch Brimhall Realty

Jenny Zeider Cissy Clark & Co.

Carri Zaninovich Watson Realty

Grant Sanders The Ryan Dobbs Real Estate Team

Tami Workman Coldwell Banker Preferred, REALTORS®

Judy Miller Good Neighbor Award Coldwell Banker Preferred REALTORS®

Bob Malkin Good Neighbor Award Miramar International

Cecile Shanklin Affiliate of the Year Ticor Title

Mike Saba REALTOR® of the Year

Watson Realty

Judy

Miller and Bob Malkin

honored with 2022 Good Neighbor Awards

In 2022 our Association Board of Directors created a local good neighbor award. The first recipients of the 2022 award was judy miller and bob malkin. Attend our annual inauguration on January 00 to see who our next good neighbor awards recipients will be.

CONTRIBUTION BY JUDY MILLER COLDWELL BANKER PREFERRED, REALTORS®

What a surprise to have been awarded the first Bakersfield Good Neighbor Award! I am honored and humbled with this award, which really goes out to everyone who has helped with Christmas for Seniors through our Association and Christian Real Estate Fellowship. Thank you so very much.

Our Christian Real Estate Fellowship (CREF) has helped with Christmas for Seniors during November and December each year for the past 7-8 years purchasing, wrapping, and delivering gifts to low-income, needy seniors. However, when COVID hit in March 2020 we realized that our lowincome, needy seniors were really in need of help now– not just with a gift at Christmas time. They found themselves in “lock down” and unable to get the food and toiletry items that they needed. So, our Association of REALTORS® along with CREF, Christmas for Seniors, and the Department of Aging & Adult Service partnered with CityServe to provide much needed food and toiletry items for our needy seniors. CityServe had a location on L St. that served as the “headquarters” where non-perishable food and toiletry items were dropped off, disinfected, packaged for the individual needs, and delivered by volunteers. Sandy Morris (with Christmas for Seniors) and I, received the calls letting us know what each senior needed, which in turn was then emailed to CityServe to fulfil their request and then be delivered.

Our REALTORS® and Affiliates rose to the challenge and gave of themselves to this needy cause. It takes all of us working together to meet the needs of others – it’s teamwork! If you helped in any way, this is YOUR award too!!! Thank you!!

Most of you have heard stories about someone receiving that “dreaded” telephone call in the middle of the night. Lori, my wife, and I received such a phone call around 3:00 AM on Sunday, March 1st, in 2009. We were told that our son, Jeff, was involved in a tragic accident earlier that evening and had sustained massive head injuries. Sadly, Jeff died in the trauma center at Kern Medical Center later that morning, surrounded by family and friends who had come to say their final goodbyes.

Later that day, the family was presented

with the opportunity to donate his organs, eyes, and tissues. Jeff was an incredibly giving person and if he knew he could save someone else’s life, he would have done it in a heartbeat!

The family consented to donate his organs, and Jeff subsequently saved the lives of five people in need of immediate organ transplants and healed 50 others through tissue and cornea donation.

Lori was truly inspired by the amazing legacy Jeff, “JJ”, left after his passing; we started JJ’s Legacy in 2010 to honor Jeff and other donor families in Kern County. Our mission is to honor Jeffrey Johns by educating Kern County residents on the value and importance of organ, eye, and tissue donation, increasing the number of registered donors, and providing compassionate support to donor and recipient families.

Here are a few things JJ’s Legacy is currently doing in our community:

n Provide Medical Grants to recipient’s family.

n Developed the “Got the Dot Leadership Program and Club”.

n JJ’s Legacy and our community supporters created “Comfort Rooms” at Adventist Health, Kern Medical, and Dignity Health.

n Partnered with the Kern County Dialysis Centers to provide medical grants and financial assistance.

n Distributes genuine huggable “Comfort Bears” to children in hospitals who are burn survivors

n Through the Legacy of Humankindness, JJ’s Legacy and Dignity Health honor a deceased donor family with a Floragraph of the donor.

n Partnered with Morningstar Fresh Food Ministries.

n Conduct three major fundraisers each year: Grillin’ & Brewin’ Event, an Annual Gala and Golf Tournament.

There are currently 106,000 people on the National Transplant List waiting for lifesaving organs.

Every year over 7,000 people die because organs weren’t donated in time. Anyone reading this story has the power to help!

CONTRIBUTION BY BOB MALKIN MIRAMAR INTERNATIONAL

ERA brokers offer ideas for advancing women’s leadership roles

Celebrating the advancement of women in leadership

TRACEY VELT | REAL TRENDS

ERA Real Estate celebrated Women’s History Month by identifying growth opportunities and how to overcome professional barriers for women aspiring to leadership roles in real estate. ERA’s Hera Society, the brand’s dedicated group focused on advancing women leadership within the affiliated network and the industry, hosted a roundtable discussion to uncover actionable insights to advance greater inclusion for women in real estate leadership.

Representing more than 130 years of collective real estate experience, ERA Hera Society’s panelists explored an array of topics from responding to recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic to redefining mentorship.

“When I started my real estate career over 30 years ago, there were very few women in leadership roles across the industry. It has been my personal mission to champion and mentor women who are passionate about our business and have a desire to become future leaders. The benefits of increasing women’s leadership in our industry are clear: we innovate faster with greater diversity and an infusion of new ideas and perspectives. The vast experience and perspectives of the many women leaders not only in the ERA network but the entire industry can help prepare and pave a path forward for aspiring women. The ERA network’s collaborative culture creates a unique environment where we can draw on insights, wisdom and ideas of our esteemed ERA® affiliated women leaders to help us all further this effort in meaningful ways.” – Sherry Chris, President and CEO of ERA® Real Estate

Impact of COVID-19 on women in real estate. Many observed that the pandemic brought to the forefront several adjustments, whether it was working virtually, navigating childcare or the accelerated adoption of technology in real estate. The COVID-19 pandemic forced greater adoption of technology and consumers ultimately welcomed new approaches.

The panelists did note that the integration of Zoom into everyday business made it easier to expand networks in ways that didn’t happen pre-Zoom, providing women greater access to ideas, advice and support.

“The full impact of COVID-19 is yet to be seen. What we do know is that COVID-19 has proved that real estate is an essential business. It accelerated the use of technology to connect and serve clients and facilitate and speed the transaction while still maintaining the fundamental human nature of real estate. Overall, I think women will be beneficiaries of this evolution in our industry as it offers more flexibility to serve their clients differently

in ways that fit their multi-tasking lifestyles.”

—Anna-Marie Ellison, managing partner of ERA King Real Estate headquartered in Anniston, Alabama.

Actionable Insight: Take advantage of technology to serve your clients in the ways they are looking for and use the flexibility of new ways of working to address your specific lifestyle needs.

The necessity of challenging societal norms. The discussion uncovered observations on how societal norms still play a role in how girls are raised and educated, and as adults, how women perceive their options and expectations. Considering that women couldn’t have their own credit card until 1977, women are still catching up financially with men as they overcome past prejudices and limitations.

This is further compounded by the fact that earning gaps may impact women’s access to the capital needed to start a company. Additionally, a huge psychological barrier to opening and operating your own brokerage is taking on the financial risk – whether that’s as a couple or as a sole proprietor.

“In today’s business environment, women have every opportunity to be the leaders and owners they want to be. Demands on time and resources can be daunting, so it may require finding creative ways to balance both professional and

personal priorities. I think any woman who has made it a choice to own a brokerage should be empowered to pursue that opportunity. Traditional roles of yesterday no longer apply. It’s about surrounding yourself with the right support systems to help you achieve your goals.” — Diana Wall, SVP of Strategic Growth for ERA Real Estate.

Actionable Insight: Create more leadership pathways to enhance and expand growth opportunities for women.

Committing to challenging ourselves Setting the bar higher as a path to increased self-confidence is critical to fueling the desire to pursue leadership roles rather than waiting to be asked. Confidence may also play an important role in taking on the financial risk of ownership. Moving into leadership roles means letting go of many day-to-day things and trusting someone else to do them, often a challenge for multi-tasking women.

“The first sale you have to make is to yourself. In other words, no one will buy into you, your abilities, until you do. Be your biggest fan and your own worst critic.” — Diana Wall “Dream bigger, set your bar higher and don’t doubt yourself because today’s doubts are tomorrow’s limitations.” — Haley Burlage, Broker/co-owner, ERA MyPro Realty.

Actionable Insight: Define your value, own it, and leverage it.

Adding business courses to real estate education. If agents are taught to run their business like a business, they will be better prepared to run and lead their own company.

Offering more business education classes aligned with real estate schools and continuing education offerings — such as P&L management, accounting principles and ROI — could better prepare women for owning a business. Additionally, the discussion emphasized helping future leaders understand the differences between managing employees and independent contractors, which is critical to success.

“The most highly attended classes offered at our company are the ones presented by outside business experts, reflecting the desire to elevate the business of real estate. It’s time to respond to that desire and position everyone for greater success.” — Cathi Sullivan, Broker/Owner, ERA Shields Real Estate.

Actionable Insight: Local, state and national associations should incorporate business courses in licensing and continuing

education requirements.

Recognizing the importance of mentors Mentors are another significant factor in promoting confidence for women in that they have an unwavering belief in their mentees. Many mentor relationships often occur naturally, growing out of mutual trust. However, women searching for a guide or counselor may need to actively expand their networks to increase the chances of finding a mentor. Some people are taken aback when asked to be a mentor, perhaps because of the commitment it implies or the formality of it. Reframing the formal term mentor as having an open-door policy for those looking for advice or guidance can increase opportunities for these types of fruitful relationships.

“Creating a personal board of directors or what I call my ‘tribe’ has proven to be a more effective path to reaping the benefits of learning from others.” — Gloria Frazier, Broker/Owner, ERA American Real Estate.

“Nothing in my career came without mentorship. Someone was grateful enough for what they had achieved to pay it forward and share what they had learned. Now I am a mentor to people open to such a relationship. Mentorship is the key to moving women forward.” — Kim Luckie, Director of Business Development, Marketing and Innovation for ERA American Real Estate.

Actionable Insight: It’s the job of the person who wants a mentor to find one. Seek mentorships with the same thoughtfulness and dedication that you would seek a new career opportunity.

Best advice given and received. When asked for the best advice they had received and given, the ERA affiliated women leaders had a great deal to share:

n Always be looking for where your advantage exists.

n Find your voice and use it loudly.

n There’s a big difference between self-centered and self-focused: it’s okay to be self-focused.

n Be authentic. Your authentic self is the best version of you and the one that allows you to lead in what you love.

n Stay true to who you are, no matter what.

n Speak up. Dissent. Disagree. Silence is agreement with the status quo.

n Ask for what you want. Be your own advocate.

n We all have skills. We just need to showcase them.

3 Homebuyer Trends

Real Estate Agents Need to Know

In today’s housing market, real estate professionals need the latest data in order to stay competitive. They also need to know who to target and when. The Orchard Marriage or Mortgage Report released earlier this month has shed light on some interesting trends surrounding relationship stages and family planning.

The information from the survey conducted by Orchard can be utilized by real estate agents in order to target certain demographics and create smart marketing strategies. So, what can real estate agents learn about their likely homebuyers from the survey’s findings?

1. For many homebuyers, it’s mortgage first, marriage second, One of the major takeaways from Orchard’s report surrounds the buying trends of couples who aren’t yet married or don’t plan on nuptials at all. A whopping 58% of unmarried couples would consider buying a house prior to getting married and of those unmarried couples, 37% expressed that they would want both names on the home title. In contrast 51% of married couples prefer to have both names listed.

When it comes to timeline, buying a home may come sooner in a relationship than expected. 25% of Americans would begin exploring real estate with a partner they’ve been dating for six months. While that may come as a surprise to many of us, a more surprising 10% of Northeast residents would consider saying “I do” to buying a property with a partner they’ve been with for less than six months. On the West Coast, however, that number falls to just 3%.

And when it comes to potential separation or divorce? Half of couples, both married and unmarried, indicate they would opt to sell the house and distribute the equity equally in the event of separation. 27% of married individuals, however, would prefer to stay in the house and buy out their partner’s share in the case of divorce.

While the mortgage first, marriage second trend is becoming more normalized, Realtors can’t forsake cohabitors who aren’t in romantic relationships. 26% of Americans hope to own property with one or more of their family members and 6% would even opt to buy a

home with a platonic friend.

2. Expectant parents have their own homebuying trends. Finding out there is one on the way can have a serious impact on life plans, including home buying. In fact, 88% of parents expressed increased interest in buying a home upon finding out they were expecting a child. 24% of expectant parents shared that they were already in the midst of looking at home listings during the first trimester of pregnancy, with an additional 38% starting their search by the second trimester.

For parents expecting multiples, such as twins or triplets, 97% reported that their interest in home buying surged and 4 out of 5 parents perused listings prior to their delivery or adoption date. And as families grow, so does their desire for more square footage.

A staggering 39% of American parents with home buying regrets feel that they don’t have the right size home for their current needs and 15% of parents shared that one or more children would be enough to upgrade to a larger home. 29% of parents reported that two more kids would be the tipping point in terms of needing more room and one-third of parents would upgrade their home size if three kids were to join their family.

But home size isn’t the only factor on the minds of expectant parents. Access to extended family members within close proximity was ranked as the most important consideration for parents with 92% sharing it was of significant importance. Additionally, 81% also pinpointed neighborhood diversity as a factor of importance when choosing where to raise a family.

Realtors can levage such information to help pair their clients with the right listings and can take pride in knowing that 86% of parents who bought a home

think that they made the right decision. These parents believe they made a solid investment and they feel their own sense of pride in their homeowner status.

3. Singles still aspire to be homeowners Although singles may not have been big homebuyers a decade ago, the tide is changing. Realtors today should get to know the single customer base in their area and learn how to best serve them. Especially the single women in their area.

50% of women have looked at online home listings compared to only 37% of men who reported casually browsing. Moreover, 75% of hopeful homebuying women have saved $20k or more for a down payment in contrast to 69% of men. And 51% of women have applied for a mortgage or home loan compared to just 41% of men.

Getting familiar with the single female home buyer could end up being a great move for Realtors. It’s reported that single, divorced or widowed women are 2.5x more likely to have savings for a down payment compared to men at a similar stage in life and 38% of divorced women currently own or hope to own property in the future.

Whether it’s unmarried couples, expectant and new parents, or house-hunting singles, knowing the wants and needs of first-time homebuyers can up your game as a Realtor. Armed with the right data, Realtors can target hopeful homeowners and arrive ready with listings that match each type of buyer.

This article reprinted with the permission of Real Trends Inc. Copyright 2022

10 213 273 $58,913,600 $73,150,090 $296,797 $277,200 24 24 99.98 100.00 21 196 188 $34,940,777 $29,731,812 $201,497 $168,341 21 27 100.33 99.84 22 234 249 $66,996,545 $64,044,616 $291,702 $263,761 19 18 101.03 101.77 23 36 48 $15,732,000 $17,743,400 $467,788 $376,455 28 27 100.29 99.29 31 201 285 $54,796,899 $66,220,131 $274,284 $234,182 29 22 99.79 100.21 32 434 553 $129,532,194 $150,873,175 $320,279 $279,546 19 22 101.12 101.21 33 264 319 $98,668,673 $102,085,615 $397,230 $330,602 23 30 100.61 100.73 34 72 88 $31,152,050 $35,336,500 $444,310 $408,500 26 25 99.07 99.19 41 104 116 $27,951,120 $24,813,985 $269,962 $214,699 26 19 99.77 100.93 42 115 148 $36,612,665 $39,227,765 $322,938 $271,502 21 18 101.40 99.91 43 19 11 $7,060,800 $3,232,500 $360,600 $285,250 31 18 100.89 97.43 51 486 602 $129,699,313 $143,744,159 $287,479 $250,368 20 18 101.27 100.80 52 1114 1383 $399,792,801 $420,403,919 $376,211 $322,653 18 18 100.94 101.53 53 661 793 $326,999,090 $348,251,175 $498,512 $442,923 21 18 100.06 101.12 54 47 36 $26,905,079 $18,508,520 $572,448 $534,133 18 28 100.67 99.73 61 211 261 $90,332,946 $100,827,524 $433,299 $388,269 19 17 100.36 101.22 62 812 1026 $376,708,144 $422,852,787 $465,680 $413,151 19 16 100.55 101.33 63 402 429 $238,710,726 $236,237,840 $597,833 $519,397 24 17 100.20 100.37 64 22 19 $16,124,320 $11,863,842 $732,782 $624,413 31 19 95.99 98.04 65 49 28 $21,056,965 $10,767,920 $429,734 $384,569 20 24 100.61 100.25 80 163 219 $69,029,040 $84,153,513 $433,952 $400,513 33 28 98.62 99.61 81 25 37 $5,066,900 $8,198,668 $202,676 $224,648 80 80 96.47 92.61 82 43 36 $10,213,100 $9,879,721 $267,624 $290,249 79 113 97.29 93.70 83 19 19 $6,529,000 $6,509,800 $356,611 $340,822 64 52 97.29 100.55 84 5 5 $3,601,000 $6,030,000 $820,000 $1,435,000 32 23 92.55 94.64 85 11 23 $4,268,005 $9,669,700 $388,000 $426,809 59 99 98.06 95.34 91 49 57 $13,405,650 $14,907,329 $275,639 $261,532 29 32 99.09 101.97 92 6 8 $3,206,000 $3,335,500 $534,333 $416,938 38 63 99.20 96.44 93 8 3 $2,178,210 $1,269,900 $301,857 $423,300 55 33 100.33 100.40

Social media reigns supreme for lead generation

eSignature is the most impactful business tool, NAR tech survey finds

Social media remains Realtors’ top leadgenerating technology tool, with 46% of respondents reporting it was their number one technology powered lead generation source, according to a new survey report from the National Association of Realtors.

The most popular social media app among the random sample of Realtors surveyed was Facebook, with 89% of respondents reporting they used the app, followed by Instagram at 59%, LinkedIn at 53%, YouTube at 26%, Twitter at 19% and TikTok at 12%.

Other top lead generating tools included local MLS tools (30%) and their CRM (26%). Listing aggregator sites were found to be the least helpful, with only 16% reporting these sites as their top lead generation tech tool.

In addition, nearly half of the agents surveyed do not spend a lot on lead generation, according to the survey results, with 24% spending less than $50 a month and 25% spending between $50 and $250 a month. Just 18% spend more than $500 a month on lead generation.

Despite social media being named as the top lead generation tool, only 36% of respondents reported that they use social

media to find leads. According to the survey, the most popular uses of social media were to promote listings (63%) and build and maintain relationships with existing clients (57%), while 59% of respondents said that they were on social media because they expected to have a presence.

Although social media was found to be a valuable tool for agents, respondents reported that the technology tool most impactful to their business over the last 12 months was eSignature, with 79% of respondents reporting this as the most impactful, followed by lockboxes (67%) and local MLS applications/technology (67%).

When looking ahead to the next two years, 31% of respondents stated that cyber security tools will be very impactful, followed by 5G (30%), drones (27%) and artificial intelligence (15%).

The majority of respondents reported that their brokerage provides them with all the technology tools they need to be successful, with 35% of agents agreeing with this statement and 26% strongly agreeing. Just 15% of respondents either disagreed or strongly disagreed with this statement.

Of the tools provided by their brokerage, it was no surprise that 67% of respondents

found eSignature to be the most valuable, followed by lockbox/showing tech (53%), transaction management tools (45%), video conferencing (40%) and CRM platforms (35%).

In addition, nearly half (47%) of respondents reported that the technology fees charged by their broker are worth the value, while 12% responded that the price paid is not worth the value. An additional 38% of respondents stated that their broker does not charge of the technology provided. Overall, 55% of respondents reported spending between $0 and $250 per month on technology tools.

On the MLS side, respondents reported that technology provided by their local MLS included property data and history (85%), sales statistics (81%), public records search (75%) and listing syndications (72%).

While the majority of respondents (72%) reported that they were extremely satisfied or somewhat satisfied with their MLS’s technology offerings, 12% were on the dissatisfied side of the spectrum and 2% stated that they do not use any of the technology tools provided by their MLS.

This article reprinted with the permission of Real Trends Inc. Copyright 2022

Begin every transaction with integrity and

honesty

CONTRIBUTION BY GLENN PORTER RE/MAX GOLDEN EMPIRE

Have you ever wondered why Superman never gets violent? Sure, he gets the job done, but even though he defeats the villains, they are never destroyed. You might agree Superman is the epitome of a Superhero, in no small part because he is a nice guy named Clark Kent who has complete control of his life.

No matter where Superman is, Clark Kent is always with him, which is evident in what he does after he saves the world. At that moment, with the grateful people of Metropolis gathered around, anxious to thank him for his help (after all, he saved their lives), Superman leaps into the air flying to a discrete location to change into Clark Kent. That’s right, no grandstanding or bragging about his extraordinary power; that never happens; he returns to that mild-mannered Clark Kent persona. So, I pose this question, how can Superagents learn from Superman?

Superagents can follow his example by

Are you a Superagent?

never showing anger, demanding “their” way, grandstanding, bragging, or bullying the competition or affiliated participants in a transaction, it should be easy, right?

Superagents must provide selfless assistance to set themselves apart as real estate professionals, aka, Superagents. Give other agents a super escrow, and they will want to work with you again, and often, the one that helps you is never forgotten in our industry.

Superagents protect the weak and oppressed and save “their” day (and their city). If Superagents observe new agents making really “dumb” mistakes (like they did), it’s up to the

Superagents to help them and keep them from harming themselves or their clients. Be kind, take time to politely (like Superman) explain the process, and do whatever you can to make their day, giving solid advice politely and respectfully.

Superagents should begin every transaction with integrity and honesty, proclaiming that they will be providing the best transaction available and working hard to ensure everyone in the transaction feels respected and notices the professionalism exhibited. That, my friends, is the essence of the REALTOR Code of Ethics and makes you a Superagent.

Finally, like Superman, Superagents need confidence and competence, so they don’t need to bully their way through transactions, throw fits, brag about their success, or demand accolades. They train hard, take time to learn and hone their skills, and innovate ways to improve the overall experience of all parties in a transaction. Approach your business this way, and watch it grow.

Being a Superagent has its rewards, so hold yourselves to the “highest standards,” find ways to help others do a better job, be everything newer agents will want to become, and enjoy the best career in the world. Even the “bad” guys admired Superman, and even your most critical detractors will want to be more like you.

Have a Super Day and be a Superagent.

Rebecca A. Carroll, Keller Williams Realty; Sheryl E. Cleveland, eXp Realty of California, Inc.; Ashly L. Davis, SearchKern.com Miramar International; Carlos D. Esquivel, Watson Realty; Diana E. Galvan, eXp Realty of California, Inc.; Octavia T. Gordon, Watson Realty; Adam J. Hipolito, Watson Realty; Arneet Kaur, Infinity Real Estate Services; Ali Lara, Watson Realty; Henry A. Lozano, Coldwell Banker Preferred, RLT; Alma L. Magana Cisneros, Open Door Real Estate; Paige Marchant, Coldwell Banker Preferred RLT; Santiago E. Montoya Henriquez, Keller Williams Realty; Stephanie A. Nalesnik, Watson Realty; Anna Nowak, The Ryan Dobbs Real Estate Team; Miguel Angel A. Oceguera, Open Door Real Estate; Elvia Ortiz, Miramar

International–Calloway; Fawn T. Ottsman, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Jesse Roman, Dream Home Realty; Charles Santoya, The Ryan Dobbs Real Estate Team; Steven J. Smith, The Ryan Dobbs Real Estate Team; Tania Solis, Realty ONE Group Strong; Eric M. Sparks, Watson Realty; Athena M. St. Clair, St. Clair Realty; Merrisa Van Sickel, Werx Realty Group Inc.; Austin J. Varela, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Leticia Vega, Elite REALTORS®

DECEMBER REALTORS®

Lenesha E. Anderson, Coldwell Banker Preferred, REALTORS®; Vanessa Camacho, Keller Williams Realty; Brenda V. Dela Cruz, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Jill E. Farrell, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Bryan Jimenez

Garcia, Miramar International – Riverwalk; Connor McCarty, Coldwell Banker Preferred, REALTORS®; Lissette P. Medina, The Mora Partners; Jesse Medina Campillo Jr., Berkshire Hathaway Home Services; Miguel A. Montoya, Century 21 Jordan-Link & Co.; Antonia Morelos,The Mora Partners; Obadi Obadi, Watson Realty; Miguel Perez, Gallardo Performance REALTORS®, Inc.; Elizabeth S. Roig, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Sayuire N. Sanchez, RE/MAX Golden Empire; Iliana Santiago Farrell, Watson Realty; Nicholas S. Sibley, Watson Realty; Jasmine Tarango, Werx Realty Group, Inc.; Christopher A. Vallejo, Watson Realty; Saffron C. Villaryo, Keller Williams Realty; Taylor S. White, Watson Realty

REALTORS®