DECEMBER 2017 CALIFORNIA

EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE

Peggy Delano

PROFESSIONAL PROFILES Jibid “Jay” Knajian Keller Williams Realty

Dave Steinberg Coldwell Banker Coastal Alliance

Dominic Zendejas Prosperity Homes

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Peggy Delano

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17 Professional Profiles

28 Jibid “Jay� Knajian Keller Williams Realty 4

10 Dave Steinberg Coldwell Banker Coastal Alliance ExecutiveAgent Magazine

6 Dominic Zendejas Prosperity Homes

December, 2017 - California Edition

Editorials 32

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BECOMING MORE PERSUASIVE -Tony Alessandra

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

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Five Ways To Attract (And Keep) Great Staff -Mark Gordon

City of Hope........................................................35 Fairway Independent Mortgage...........................2 Finance of America Mortgage...........................15 iPhotography Studio...............................................23

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Kinecta Federal Credit Union...............................36

Be A Top Producer Without Sacrificing Home Life -Jesse Loader

PWAOR...................................................................14 SBAOR....................................................................31 The Termite Guy......................................................3 Ticor Title Company....................................................30

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Photography: iPhotography Studio, Ian Wiant, Rob Paino Graphic Designer: Garon T. Arrias Editorial Manager: Trudy Van Writers: Haley Freeman, Shannon Hartsoe Editorial Writers: Tony Alessandra, Linda Brakeall, Bill Brooks, Tamara Dorris, T Scott Gross, Wendy Weiss, Chris Widener, Dirk Zeller, Zig Ziglar

Be Your Own Best Client -Walter Sanford

© Copyright 2017 Executive Agent Magazine. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Although every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy of published materials, Executive Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors.

Problems vs. Opportunities -Zig Ziglar

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Written by Haley Freeman

Dominic Zendejas

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ealtor® Dominic Zendejas is leading a new mission in real estate: harnessing the power of real estate to uplift humanity.

Dominic’s unique approach is inspired by something he observed early in his working life. He was in the shoe department at Nordstrom, when TOMS Shoes began

flying off the shelves. “TOMS were moving twice as fast as Uggs and Converse, and at a fraction of the cost,” Dominic recalls. “Meanwhile, TOMS was putting shoes on the feet of millions of needy kids and creating a style that was in demand. I wondered how it was possible for somebody to shake up an industry that way, and why it couldn’t happen in other industries.”

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One Team, One Dream Dominic kept that vision in mind as he went on to work at Apple, and then, as he made his move to a full-time career in real estate. His worlds came into alignment when he encountered a nonprofit organization called Prosperity Homes. “It’s a local entity based in Orange County that builds homes for people both locally and internationally.

In due time, I had tickets booked to Peru to build a house funded by money I raised from my commission proceeds.

The cost to build a 10 x 20 home was around $2,000.”

Finally, he saw a way he could use his professional expertise to deliver world class service to paying clients while giving back inside his business stream. But to do it effectively, Dominic needed to make a professional move to a real estate company that would better support his “for purpose” model. He chose Realty ONE Group in Huntington Beach and began building the Prosperity Homes Team. With a larger commission split and the support of this efficient, tech-driven company, Dominic and his team members are able to devote 10 percent of every home transaction to their sister nonprofit Prosperity Homes. “Our goal is to have an entire community of 1,000 homes built by 2020.”

Dominic is not afraid to be different. He embraces uniqueness not only in his revolutionary business model, but in the way he presents his brand to the public. His logo is purple, his signs are round - and they are getting noticed.

His willingness to stand out from the crowd gets his listings more play and attracts other thought leaders who also want to make a statement when they transact real estate business.

Some of these visionaries join the Prosperity Homes Team as industry “ambassadors,” other professionals from the real estate and mortgage sectors who share a passion for giving back through their trade. Ambassadors donate funds and participate with the Prosperity Homes Team in its numerous local and international home building projects.

sion and enthusiasm for helping people reach their real estate goals is enhanced by the knowledge that comes with every successful closing. They will help yet another family have a place to call home, “saving two birds with one home.”

A recent client described her experience this way: “Dominic was our partner throughout this process and took pride in our business. He is professional, personable, charismatic and genuine. He was absolutely wonderful to work with and made the process of buying a home as seamless as possible. We greatly appreciated his work and he helped us sell our home in about two weeks! I highly recommend him to anyone looking to buy or sell a home.”

Dominic leads from the philosophy: “One team, one dream.”

He explains, “We have a unified mission, and it’s not for the CEO to get rich. Whatever someone’s dream is, whether it’s about owning a home, prospering in their business, or taking care of their health or their family, it’s so much easier if we’re all on the same page. We’re all people on the same team, and on the same planet. When you really find clarity about where you can make a difference instead of where you can just make a paycheck, gravity pulls you toward good people who want to be around other good people. This is a simple story of helping make a difference on a per client, per journey, per day basis.”

Dominic Zendejas Prosperity Homes, Realty ONE Group 2124 Main St., #220 Huntington Beach, CA 92647 Tel: 949-933-8925 Email: dominic@prosperityhomes.org Web: www.ProsperityHomes.org CalBRE # 01845320

But the resources Dominic and his colleagues commit to good works in no way detracts from the quality of service they provide to their clients. Dominic leads a group of progressive young professionals who blend the efficiency of technology with caring, personal service to create a real estate experience that far exceeds the ordinary. Their pasExecutiveAgent Magazine

Problems vs.

Opportunities

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e grateful for your problems. We all frequently deal with people who complain about the trials and tribulations of their daily lives. Life seems to be one big problem for them. I would like to take a common-sense, realistic approach and address this mindset. If there were no “problems” on your job, then your employer would hire a much less capable person than you to do the routine things that don’t require much thought.

In the business world, those who are able to solve complex problems are the ones who have the most value to the employer.

Many times the problems or challenges we face force us to grow and become more capable. The runner who trains for the mile run in the Olympics by running downhill will have no chance of winning the medal. The runner who trains by running uphill is far more likely to develop the speed, mental toughness and endurance which it takes to win the medal.

enough to be the heavyweight champion. Instead, Tunney decided that he would become a scientific boxer and win the title as a boxer, not a slugger. Boxing historians will tell you that he developed into one of the best boxers who ever fought. They also will tell you that as a puncher, he would not have had a chance against Jack Dempsey, who was considered by many to be the hardest hitter in heavyweight history. Tunney would never have been champion had he not had the problem of his broken hands.

Message: The next time you encounter a difficult climb, obstacle, “problem,” you should smile and say, “Here’s my chance to grow.” Develop that kind of an attitude and I will SEE YOU AT THE TOP! Zig Ziglar is a beloved author and America’s motivator.

He is the author of 25 books and offers training and consulting to organizations all across the globe. To learn more about Zig and his business visit his website at www. ziglar.com.

The best thing that ever happened to boxer Gene Tunney was that he broke both of his hands in the ring.

His manager felt that he could never again punch hard

Written By Zig Ziglar ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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DAVID STEINBERG Written by Haley Freeman

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Southern California native and self-proclaimed lover of all things relating to sun, sand and surf, Realtor® David Steinberg is truly “The Coastal Specialist.”

David is a successful real estate investor who, after years of renovating and flipping homes, realized his real estate advice was in demand. He obtained his license and began assisting clients with the purchase and sale of properties in California’s distinctive coastal communities, from Long Beach, to Seal Beach, to Huntington Beach.

As he prepared to migrate away from his high-level position at Warner Bros. Studio to pursue real estate full-time, David began searching for a brokerage with the right name and location to support his expanding coastal practice. He found the perfect mix of assets at Coldwell Banker Coastal Alliance in Long Beach, where Brokers Kris Conrad and Phil Jones have developed a group of the region’s top agents and a reputation for local excellence. “I’m aligned with what I consider the best of the best in Long Beach,” David says.

David focuses on relationship building among his peers, as he believes his colleagues are an important resource for advancing his clients’ interests.

“This brokerage is a dominant force in the local area where I am growing my business,” David says.

“Having direct access to 160 successful agents who closed more than $700 million in the Long Beach community last year is very important to me. We meet weekly to discuss buyer and seller needs, and it’s an opportunity for me to introduce a property that is soon to be released.”

David uses these opportunities strategically to create greater demand for his listings once they go on the market. “My goal is not to create an environment where I’m not allowing the rest of the world access - just the opposite. Using those 160 agents to create demand generates a higher sales prices for the seller.”

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When working with high-influence clients who may not want a sign in their yard, David can also market their homes successfully without drawing public attention.

During his many years as a real estate investor, David acquired special knowledge and resources that are of benefit to his clients today. One of his strengths is his ability to see longterm and advise his clients about an exit strategy that comports with their real estate goals. “Residential buyers tend to think about today and the exciting home they will create, but they don’t have the vision to look into the future. I try to fully understand what they are trying to accomplish, whether they will be looking to move out of the home in the next few years, or if it’s a portfolio piece, how they can use it to achieve their next financial goal. I want to be their lifetime agent, someone they will lean on for all their real estate and financial needs.”

Long Beach is a community on the move. With major enhancements to the city, including the millions being infused into the Queen Mary and the Second Street projects, it is an iconic coastal enclave offering an uncommon lifestyle. From first-time buyers to seasoned investors, David is passionate about helping people make the most of their coastal real estate experience. “I love the coast and everything it has to offer,” he says. “To me, being at work is like a playdate. I’m truly selling the dream.”

David Steinberg Coldwell Banker Coastal Alliance 1650 Ximeno Ave. Long Beach, CA 90804 Tel: 562-972-3283 Email: David.Steinberg@ColdwellBanker.com Web: https://www.longbeachcoastalliving.com CalBRE # 01921010

David is succeeding in doing just that. A recent client reported: “We met Dave Steinberg through an open house. His knowledge of the Long Beach area was top notch. We had a very specific request and needed to be in a school district to meet our needs. Not only was he aware of what we were in search of, he also was attentive to what we wanted and demanded in our home purchase. He will be our agent for many, many years to come. Thank you, Dave, for all you have done to help us with our home goals.”

David also has the experience to see a home’s potential and make suggestions about which improvements will increase its value. He has an arsenal of qualified architects, contractors and other specialists at the ready to assist clients who are looking to renovate a home.

The Coastal Specialist ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Be A Top Producer Without Sacrificing Home Life

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ork/life balance…. that phrase holds a lot of power. How you execute this can be the difference between success and failure, between extraordinary and mediocre, or even the difference between a happy marriage and divorce.

We all know how demanding this industry is so I won’t ramble on about specific examples to illustrate that. At some point in your career (if you are aspiring to do more than you currently are), you will run into a problem where your daily schedule simply doesn’t work anymore. The amount of time you are spending at work seems to creep longer and longer as the weeks pass and before you know it, you’ll feel as if you missed a decent chunk of your home life.

We all know or have heard of someone who is successful, but has zero relationship with their children, or has been divorced three times, or is continually chasing that happiness they think is at the end of the next sale, the next project or the next business deal. I truly believe that you can have it all. I do not and refuse to believe that it’s simply one or the other. You can be successful at your craft AND be an amazing, supportive partner and parent.

I have a wife of nine years and two children, ages seven and five. They are my everything. I’m not saying that because that’s what I should be saying. Every decision 12

I make is with those three in mind. When you become a top-producing Realtor®, it becomes difficult to maintain that balance, so here is a few tips to strive to have it all.

1. Shared calendars.

We have amazing technology – make it your friend. I put everything in my calendar that I share with my wife.

I really mean everything. I have a recurring appointment late in the evening labelled, “Uninterrupted wife time”.

No joke. I found that when I had friction in my relationship, it didn’t have anything to do with the fact that I was working, it was that I didn’t communicate it properly.

2. Limit your time for set appointments.

Currently I have Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings and one day on the weekend available for showings or listing presentations. That’s it. I am flexible on which days I choose to fill depending on my client’s availability, but not on the amount of days per week. These days also change as my kids’ extra-curricular activities change throughout the year. Kids come first.

3. Teach your clients how to communicate with you.

If you are available at the drop of a hat, you will be taken advantage of. I tell my new buyers which days I am available, and when I am not. So far, not one single person has stood up and walked away because I am not available 24/7.

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Written By Jesse Loader

4. Wake up early.

By getting up early, it allows me more time in the evenings to spend time with my wife and kids. This point is always controversial because I hear this all the time: “I just work so much better late at night, I can’t do mornings.”

Okay, but I believe that most of the time that is a BS excuse. I do understand that some people work better and are more productive late at night, but I think it’s the minority. Your body has limitations and when it’s taxed all day I can’t imagine it’s running at peak performance at 1 am (but I’m not a doctor). I get more done in the 90 minutes before anyone in my house is awake, than I do the rest of the day in the same amount of time. No phone calls, no texts, no emails, no notifications, just work. You would be absolutely stunned at how much you can accomplish in 90 uninterrupted minutes.

5. Go on vacation.

Seriously, this might be the most underused tactic to becoming more productive. Have you ever noticed how busy you get right before going on vacation? That’s not a coincidence. You have a set deadline that you sure as hell aren’t going to miss, so you become laser focused on the top priorities and you ignore the stuff that can wait.

Either learn to do this daily…or go on a lot of vacations.

I choose the latter.

6. Prioritize with a family-first mentality.

No one will care how many houses you sold, how much money you made, or what awards you won when you’re on your death bed. Family is truly the most important thing in anyone’s life, and although it’s hard not to care about the materialistic things in the moment, try to think about the bigger picture. Plan vacations, hockey, dance, anniversary getaway and other family events first. They take priority in your new shared calendar. If you plan on spending the evening with your kids to just hang out at home this Wednesday, put that in your calendar. When someone calls and asks to see a house Wednesday at 7 pm, your response needs to be, “I’m sorry, I already have an appointment at that time, but how does Thursday at 6 pm sound?”

Work/life balance, time management…these are topics that we all struggle with and I’m definitely no exception.

This topic is an evolution for me always. I hope to share new tips with you in the future. I have found though, that since I made a conscious decision to prioritize my family first, everything improved, including my bottom line.

Jesse Loader is a licensed Realtor® in the greater Edmonton area and also offers real estate mentorship through his group, Reach Your Peak Coaching and Consulting.

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Cover Story

Peggy Delano

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Peggy Delano More Than a Real Estate Company Written by Haley Freeman - Photography by Ian Wiant

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eller Williams Realty is more than just the world’s number one training company and the world’s largest community of real estate agents.

It is an organization with a purpose: To build careers worth having, businesses worth owning, lives worth living, experiences worth giving, and legacies worth leaving.

Peggy Delano is the CEO/Team Leader of the KW Laguna market center. She has devoted the last 12 years of her 25-plus year real estate career to traveling the country, opening market centers and developing talent for this dynamic organization. “This company amazes me,” Peggy says. “I believe in their vision, and I get to work with the greatest people in the world.”

Peggy began her real estate career while living on the East Coast and working for American Airlines. “Nobody ever talked about lead generation, and there was no

training. So I took the sales skills I learned at American Airlines and applied them to real estate, and I was able to create a very successful business.”

She went on to manage a Prudential office in Connecticut with a focus on luxury properties. She also opened her own consulting company. With her passion for leading and developing other motivated business people, it was only natural that her next move would be to Keller Williams.

After a successful tenure of nearly a decade, Peggy’s life took an abrupt turn. Her husband of 33 years passed away.

That’s when her good friend Rino Caturano, Operating Partner of the Laguna franchise, invited her to join his office as CEO/Team Leader. “This was one of the most sought after positions in Keller Williams,” she recalls. “I got rid of everything and moved out here with a few personal things. Rino trusted me to come here, and launch his new luxury office located at the Laguna Design Center.”

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Her new journey began at the beginning of 2016, and she has found rewarding work and a new extended family as she has helped to grow the office from 34 agents to nearly 200. “Rino is the most amazing leader. He’s not only my friend, coach and mentor, he respects me and holds me up to a higher standard. He’s there to help me fulfill my dreams and be my accountability partner. I have a sign in my office that says, ‘Whose life can I change today?’. My job is to take his vision of growing and collaborating together, and attract other agents with that vision. Then I sit down with them and get their vision, and empower them to achieve it.”

Cesi Pagano, a market center colleague, described the impact Peggy has made since she joined the organization: “I couldn’t be more proud of our team leader, Peggy Delano, for bringing our market center to amazing levels of growth, keeping the culture we all are here for at KW and for being there for our agents. I am honored to be in business with Peggy and to be part of this incredible office that is full of high-level agents who all share the same ethical values.”

With Keller Williams’ focus on making each agent the CEO of their own business, whether they are a solo or a member of a team, Peggy is committed to helping every individual participate in the company’s profit share program and reach 100 percent commission with a small annual per-agent contribution. “The market center gives back approximately 48 percent of profits every month to agents who help grow the company. I want to help people grow into profit share. It’s part of building a legacy worth leaving.”

In addition to recruiting and then developing quality agents using Keller Williams’ legendary training systems, it is Peggy’s job to train and coach the top 20 percent, also known as the Agent Leadership Counsel (ALC). “Gary Keller formed the ALC as an opportunity for the best and brightest to build lasting relationships and improve their leadership skills. Masterminding strengthens the bond between members of the ALC, and empowers them to help all their fellow agents reach their individual goals.”

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Peggy refers to the ALC as her “board of directors,” and a few of them commented on the cultural assets that attracted them to Keller Williams.

David Sidoni, leader of David Sidoni & Associates, said: “I chose this Keller Williams office for the vision. Peggy and KW see each agent as not just a top producer, but as an industry leader. The support and training goes far beyond just how to be a successful single agent. You are shown the path to building a team, running a business, and eventually writing your own ticket in the industry. The education and resources make for limitless potential. This is the main difference I felt here versus other brokers. The goal is not to hire and create top agents – that’s the minimum expecta-

tion – the environment Peggy has created here taps into all the higher level business opportunities Keller Williams has to offer. That’s exciting, and helped me to realize that others were selling me short.”

Broker Associate, CPA, Wayne Chang commented: “The reason I chose Keller Williams Realty is because of the training and culture within the company and amongst agents. I enjoy working with other high-caliber professionals that run their real estate business at a high level.

Having great company culture and values is also very important to me, because it isn’t only about making money.

Everyone can do that. It’s about how you make it, and at Keller Williams, we put clients first. Win-win or no deal.”

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In 2017, Keller Williams announced the integration of Keller Williams Laguna Niguel-Laguna Beach with Team Laguna Inc., one of Southern California’s most acclaimed coastal real estate companies. Peggy says, “Danielle Purcell has been the owner/broker of Team Laguna for over 25 years as an independent real estate company. She merged her team with us this past May. She came to KW for the international luxury brand, training and coaching.”

Top producer Parisa Houshangi stated: “I was doing well in another company, but I was hitting the ceiling and needed a new platform to break through. With the full support of my team leader, Peggy, Keller Williams training, tools and systems, plus surrounding myself with amazing top producers, I was able to take my business to the next level. My Big Why is my two children. I want them to have a more comfortable life than me. I want them each to have their own home as their wedding gift from me. A paid off home.”

The only real estate company with a true luxury division, Keller Williams is uniquely poised to offer premier service to the region’s discerning coastal clientele. Year to

date across the country our luxury division has closed over 23,488,991,530 in sales. And at a time when many real estate companies are downsizing, this Keller Williams market center in Laguna Niguel is aggressively expanding, opening up an additional 3,000 square feet of premium work space with 13 more offices available to accommodate its growing community of agents.

Helena & Shawn Noonan are celebrating 1 year at KW. Helena stated, “We left our Laguna boutique company cause of KW’s systems, models and innovated fast paced style plus the incredible support and expertise I get from my manager Peggy Delano. She focuses on branding the agents business and taking it to the next level, her approach is simply agent centric.”

In the aftermath of the recent natural disasters that impacted many, Keller Williams had a call to action and raised 20 million dollars to those in need through KW Cares & Mega Relief, and over 3000 of our agents assisted in the cleanup. In closing Peggy wanted to stress our cultural belief about putting people before profit.

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PEGGY DELANO - Team Leader/CEO Keller Williams Realty Laguna Niguel - Laguna Beach, 23807 Aliso Creek Road, #100 Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 - Tel: 860.638.7944 – 949.482.3999 Email: peggydelano@kw.com - peggydelano@gmail.com Web: http://lagunakellerwilliams.com - CalBRE # 01934115 ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Be Your Own Best Client

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s real estate agents, we work as purveyors of the most profitable, long-term investment opportunities in North America. Every day, we talk with our clients and prospects about the wonders of owning real estate, but we don’t buy enough investment real estate ourselves!

For most of us, no matter how rewarding and fun it is to work with homebuyers and sellers, we really are not planning on working in the real estate business until the day we die. At some point in time, we all want to retire comfortably; living off our real estate investments is a wonderful way to be able to retire comfortably. If you’re looking to effectively retire in ten or fifteen years from now, it’s time to make a decision for financial freedom today by making a commitment to build your own real estate investment portfolio.

The no-hassle, no-time-involvement way to build your portfolio There are several innovative ways to build a real estate portfolio. Remember, we’re the professional selling this commodity every day. In fact, one of the easiest, most secure ways to acquire properties for your own portfolio is something you do everyday, despite the fact that its methods are rarely used! This system is based upon finding listed, free-and-clear properties.

Here’s how to do it: 1. Research all currently listed properties that are or close to being free and clear or properties that have assumable loans. This can be done on a daily basis by looking at each day’s new listings or by surfing the current MLS database for the above parameters. Some MLS systems are easier than others to find the current free and clear listings.

If it is hard for you, then ask your title rep to help you match current listings with old mortgages nearing payoff!

B. Subtract 40% from that gross income; this will allow enough to pay taxes, insurance, vacancy and maintenance factors, utilities, management and all other operating expenses.

C. Take the remaining 60%, by using your calculator of choice or a common amortization chart. Determine how much of a loan this 60% income will service, based on a fully amortized loan of 30 years, at let’s say 7 percent.

D. Once you determine the amount of debt this 60% income covers, divide that by .90 (or 90%); this will give you the sale price or your offering price (it’s divided by .90 because you will be putting up to 10% down).

2. Make an offer on these listings. This is where your computer comes in handy, by keeping a template of your state’s offer form on your computer, you need only fill in a few numbers, addresses, and boxes on each offer. In the offer, ask the seller to carry back 90% financing at 7%, fully amortized over a 30 year-period. Do not put in a “due on sale” clause.

3. Fax your offer to the cooperative agent so that agent can present the offer directly to the seller.

4. If the offer is accepted, do the walk-through and make a final determination as to whether or not you want this property in your portfolio.

5. Keep the property and let the tenant pay it off!

Yes, sometimes it takes thirty offers to obtain the perfect match for your portfolio and meet the seller’s needs. With a fill-in-the-blanks form, email, or a fax machine nearby, you’re not investing a lot of time or effort into these acquisitions. It’s very easy to acquire five or six new properties a year by using these simple methods.

Long-range benefits of these portfolio investments: When you start acquiring property with sell carry-back financing, some wonderful things happen. First, the sellers or mortgage beneficiaries may try to re-negotiate the loan to obtain more cash.

Once you’ve found one such property: A. Determine what gross income can be produced from the property.

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ExecutiveAgent Magazine

This is to your benefit, since you will be asking for discounts for early payoffs and interest rate re-negotiations for agreeing to make larger payments. Since these are private loans, there are no restrictions on their re-negotiations.

Moving loans to other properties, re-negotiating payment terms, and paying off early for discounts are all accomplished if it is a win-win situation for you and the previous seller! You don’t have to apply to a bank, go through horrendous credit applications, pay points, or explain your intentions to sometimes-stringent bankers. Best of all, you obtained terms that were unavailable in the current marketplace through institutional lenders. The seller has received a much higher than currently available rate of return, which is magnified because it may be an installment sale, so the seller is earning interest on money that may have been paid to the IRS. The safe rate of return, tax benefits, and annuity nature of the loan are part of the seller’s motivation to be the lender rather than be crushed out.

So what’s next?

Now that you’ve acquired the property, what do you do with it? Manage it! In fact, since you are managing for the long term, you should be making improvements to the property, constantly increasing its cash flow, and moving it to higher, positive cash flows.

Why not just sell the property and take the profits? It’s possible, and done regularly by investors. Remember, whenever you sell, you subject yourself to the market and its current price level, taxes, anxious tenants, costs of sale, and take your investment “off line.”

If you choose instead to hold, to manage, to consistently increase the value of the property, and to obtain positive cash flow, you can build the surety of an annuity. Use this positive cash flow to reduce the underlying loans. This quickly moves amortization from thirty years to as low as seven to twelve years. Your cash flow may increase every year, allowing you to make further principal reductions and allowing the loan to be paid off much faster. While you’re still in the middle of your real estate career, you’ll have

your first building paid off free and clear.

Because you’re still earning commissions, why not tackle this philosophy even more aggressively? Take all of the positive cash flow from your now paid off building number one that you own and apply to building number two that you own. You may already be making principal reductions on building number two from your positive cash flow, therefore moving an already reduced amortization down to an amortization of five to seven years.

Very soon, you’ll have that building paid off, allowing the positive cash flow of two free and clear buildings to pay off building number three even more quickly. With all three paid off, you can now start paying off number four and so on! It works like a great, big snowball! In the last years of this formula, you’ll be able to pay off many buildings quickly and effectively.

Start today by making smart cash flow offers. Once you know how many units you want, you’ll know how many units you have to acquire within certain time frames, then you will know how much to serve from your commissions for your 10% down payments. Buy them correctly . . . no balloon payment, no financing problems, and at positive or break-even cash flow. Use the positive cash flow to pay off your underlying loans, and you, too, can easily join the membership of just 3% of American citizens who retire with financial independence.

Walter Sanford was one of the top real estate agents in North America for nearly thirty years, and now, he is one of the most requested speakers, trainers, and coaches.

He has authored twelve systems and books on checklists, pro-active lead generation, affiliate lead generation, plus others mentioned in this article. You can hire Walter or buy his products by visiting his website for more details at www.waltersanford.com, by calling 815-929-9258, or emailing Walter at walter@waltersanford.com.

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Five ways to attract (and keep) great staff

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ccording to one Gallup poll, 50 per cent of employees leave their job because of their bosses.

Other studies have shown that employees leave for several other reasons such as opportunity, better pay or more responsibility. Regardless, attracting and retaining quality staff is not only good for the bottom line, it’s good for customer service. So here are five ways to best attract and retain great staff.

1. Be a coach, not a dictator.

We all know being a manager or owner is not an elected position. Maybe that’s why so many managers are prone to bark orders and rely on negative reinforcement. Instead, become a coach. Team coaches are still the boss, but understand that like athletes, staff need to be instructed, encouraged, praised, appreciated and when necessary, dis-

ciplined. The key is to prioritize your energy towards the positive tasks first.

2. Be flexible – to a point.

Regardless of what some bosses think, employees do not live to work. They have lives outside of the company. A sick parent, a dentist appointment or a child’s class field trip can all conflict with a pre-set work schedule. Setting policies that give freedom within established boundaries can reduce stress and allow staff to better focus on their jobs when at the office.

3. Understand the job.

Managers often have a hard time understanding what employees go through on a daily basis, especially if it’s a job they’ve never held themselves. Being yelled at by customers, meeting tight deadlines, hard physical labour – these can all impact mood and productivity. Understanding how daily tasks can affect staff well-being will result in more empathetic and thoughtful bosses.

4. Be a problem solver.

Managers need to understand that they and their staff are all on the same team. And anyone who feels part of a team naturally wants to contribute more. Helping staff solve work related problems not only reduces down time, it can present opportunities for ineffective processes and procedures to be updated 5. Empower others.

An employee who is not sure what they are allowed to say will always say no. This can result in angry customers, lost sales or missed opportunities. Staff that are empowered to make decisions within a framework of guidelines will usually make the right ones. Empowerment will also lead to pride and ownership of their positions – two traits that employees will likely not want to give up.

Marc Gordon is a recognized marketing expert, speaker and strategist. His articles appear in over 200 publications worldwide. Visit marcgordon.ca or his online show at marctv.net for more business tips.

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ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Written By Marc Gordon

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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E XECUTIVE AGENT

TM

MAGAZINE

JIBID “JAY” KNAJIAN Written by Haley Freeman

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s a teenager, Jay Knajian fell in love with the beautiful homes and the remarkable lifestyle in Orange County when she accompanied her

parents to look for a home. She took her first job as a receptionist at a real estate office when she was 17 years old, and she was so eager to become an agent, she began studying for her real estate license while she was still in high school. She could hardly wait to turn 18 and become a Realtor®.

Jay started selling homes the summer after she graduated from high school, but she was determined to become a true expert in her field. While beginning her career, she attended California State University, Long Beach, where she earned her business degree with an emphasis in real estate finance and law.

Today, Jay is a buyer’s agent with one of Orange County’s most distinguished real estate teams, the Stepanian Group at Keller Williams Realty in Irvine. Her lifelong connection to the community and depth of industry knowledge are assets to a team known for its local expertise and unparalleled standard of service. “I’ve lived in Orange County since 1979, and in the Irvine area my whole adult life,” Jay says. “I lived here when Columbus Grove was not built yet and was still old military housing, and I remember when many neighborhoods were still orange groves.

I’ve watched this community being built.”

“Local Expertise Lifelong Passion”

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

While she is personally familiar with all of OC and will work with buyers wherever they need her, Jay focuses much of her real estate practice in Irvine, Tustin, Newport Beach and South Orange County.

A stakeholder in the Irvine community, she can advise clients on more than just current inventory and price-per-square-foot. “I’m a resident, homeowner, business owner and mom here. I have a son in the Irvine school district, and a daughter in a local preschool. My husband, Razmig Knajian, also owns a business in Irvine, Vision Experts Optometry. Because of these associations, I have personal insight into information people can’t find on the internet. This is where a Realtor® brings true value to a real estate transaction. In this digital world, people are losing their personal connection to the communities where they want to live and raise their families. I bring that one-on-one contact and advice that you can’t get from a computer.”

Jay has never lost the passion she felt for real estate when she was just a young woman beginning her career. Today, when her clients hire her to help them select the perfect home in Orange County, they get the benefit of both her enthusiasm and her experience. “I love the feeling I get when I help someone find the right home, whether they are a first-time buyer experiencing the thrill of buying a home of their own, or an investor purchasing their 10th property and knowing they made a good investment. Either way, I have the satisfaction of knowing I helped them achieve it. I’m excited about what I do, and I look forward to the future.”

Jay’s prior industry experience also includes office management, so she is detail-oriented and proficient in reviewing contracts, maintaining compliance standards and marketing. In her dealings with buyers, Jay is known for her honesty and patience. She is never pushy, and she takes time to fully educate her clients about their options.

When a transaction is challenging, she keeps communication open and works with her team to create solutions. “I treat my clients like family. I wouldn’t sell a client something that I wouldn’t sell to a member of my own family. Fred and Esther Stepanian have a wonderful system in place, and our transactions close very successfully. When unique situations come up, it’s a growth opportunity for me as a professional. Communication is key, and it makes anything possible. I’m excited to be working with such a professional team.”

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Jibid (Jay) Knajian Stepanian Group Keller Williams Realty 4010 Barranca Parkway, #100 Irvine, CA 92604 Tel: 949-421-8707 Email: jibidk@gmail.com Web: www.kwirvine.com CalBRE # 01082064

The Installation of Cheryle Ushkow as President and the 2018 Board of Directors Manhattan Beach Marriott 1400 Parkview Avenue Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 Wednesday, January 10th 11am - 12 pm “Magical” Champagne Reception 12pm Comedy Show, Lunch & Program Magic & Entertainment Not To Be Missed!

Tickets are $35 and must be purchased before 1/3/18 www.SouthBayAOR.com or call 310-326-3010

BECOMING MORE

PERSUASIVE W

hy are so many new ideas a tough sell? Isn’t it true, as the old saying goes, that if you invent a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door? No, that’s baloney! In fact, it’s never been less true. For a variety of reasons.

For starters, people everywhere have become more savvy, skeptical, even cynical. We’ve all become more jaded about advertising, more suspicious of political claims, and less trusting of those who bring us a message, any message--even one that may be in our best interest.

Second, and most important, many people just aren’t skilled at the art of persuading. No matter how brilliant your idea, no matter how technically advanced or economically sound it may be, it’ll go nowhere unless you get others to go along with it. And the only way you do that is by persuading them, by communicating clearly why they really should want to do what you really need done.

Learning to improve our persuasiveness is both easier and harder than it used to be. Easier because we’ve now got E-mail and voice mail, CD-roms and cellular phones, satellites and skywriting, and a vast array of other tools for communicating. But it’s also more difficult in that the deluge of messages and ill-equipped messengers cheapens them all. So nowadays, it’s more crucial than ever to hone the skills that heighten our power of persuasion.

Here are some ideas, big and small, for making yourself more persuasive: 1. Ask yourself: What do I really want? Sure, we all want security, happiness, health, love, and fulfilling work.

Digging a little deeper, we might find further shared values, such as recognition, power, freedom, and serving others. But what’s unique to you? What do you think about alone at three in the morning? What really resonates within your soul? What would you, in a perfect world and freed of family, fiscal, or geographic constraints, most like to be doing? Think about these questions as a means of searching for your great “because-- the difference between your current situation and your desired situation.”

2. Shift your focus to others. There’s an old story of a young lady who was taken to dinner one evening by William Gladstone and then the following evening by Benjamin Disraeli, both eminent British statesmen in the late nineteenth century. “When I left the dining room after sitting next to Mr. Gladstone, I thought he was the cleverest

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man in England,” she said. “But after sitting next to Mr. Disraeli, I thought I was the cleverest woman in England.”

If you practice attentiveness to others, you’ll find it does wonders for both of you. They’ll enjoy it; so will you. And together you’ll accomplish much more.

3. Train yourself to remember other people’s names. The sweetest sound, it’s said, is that of your own name being spoken. And calling others by name is an important first step toward building rapport and, thus, persuasion. Roger Dawson, in his book 13 Secrets of Power Persuasion, gives numerous techniques for overcoming this problem. One of the best: When you shake hands with a new person, note the color of his or her eyes. That forces you to make eye contact and, after a while, will also send a signal to your brain to store that person’s name in your short-term memory. Use the name soon afterwards, and you’ll have a lock on it. Try it!

4. Empower others. Skillful persuaders send out the message, spoken or unspoken, that they appreciate others’ abilities. For example, Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing (3M), the $15-billion-a-year firm famed for its innovation, leaders still utter--and follow--the maxims of William McKnight, its legendary leader for half a century: “Listen to anybody with an idea.”...”Encourage experimental doodling.”...and “If you put fences around people, you get sheep; give people the room they need.”

5. Hone your sense of humor. While being wheeled into the operating room after being shot by a would-be assassin, the ever-persuasive President Ronald Reagan got a chuckle when he wisecracked, “I hope the doctor is a Republican.”

We may not all be so cool in a crisis, but we can all profit by not taking ourselves too seriously.

Dr. Tony Alessandra, CSP, CPAE has authored 13 books, recorded over 50 audio and video programs, and delivered over 2,000 keynote speeches since 1976.

Dr. Tony Alessandra is recognized by Meetings and Conventions Magazine as, “one of America’s most electrifying speakers.” Copyright© 2004, Tony Alessandra. All rights reserved. For information about Tony’s keynote presentations, contact the Frog Pond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@frogpond.com; http://www.frogpond.com.

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Written By Dr. Tony Alessandra

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Our bone marrow transplant reunion is now standing room only.

Each year, City of Hope invites bone marrow transplant recipients and their families to attend the “Celebration of Life” event. It’s a joyous time during which survivors of blood cancers such as lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma embrace their health, their life and each other. It began more than 35 years ago when City of Hope created what is now one of the largest and most successful bone marrow transplant programs in the world. In fact, we’ve completed over 11,000 transplants and, according to national reports, our outcomes are among the best in the nation. The goal of curing cancer isn’t just something we work at. It’s what we live for.

If you have cancer, make us your first call. Or ask your doctor for a referral. We accept most insurance.

800-826-HOPE

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WE LIVE TO CURE CANCER. Science saving lives. cityofhope.org/bmt

11/25/13 6:02 PM

We’ve got feet all over the streets of the south bay Hello neighbor! Tired of the big banks? Experience the difference of having a trusted credit union in your lending corner. Partner with us and see how your business will benefit.

Pair your clients with one of our experienced team members.

Jason Redmond, NMLS# 1234810 Manager Mortgage Loan Sales tel: 310.643.4667 | cell: 310.871.1673 Jason.Redmond@kinecta.org www.kinecta.org/jredmond Adam Barreto

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NMLS# 1034324 Sr. Mortgage Loan Consultant tel: 310.643.4873 | cell: 310.529.2917 Adam.Barreto@kinecta.org www.kinecta.org/abarreto

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NMLS# 692402 Mortgage Loan Consultant cell: 310.529.4985 Rosa.Ortiz@kinecta.org www.kinecta.org/rortiz

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Visit www.kinecta.org/home-loans for info.

All loans are subject to credit approval. NMLS #407870. Intended for mortgage professionals only and not for consumer use.

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