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INSIDE FEATURES: Mollie Eubanks Ricci Realty Victor Jimenez Daftarian Group Barry & Shane Krevoy loanDepot® Noelle Longmeyer Keller Wiliams Pacific Estates Michael Milakovich New American Funding Decira Pimentel Realty ONE Group
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EXECUTIVE AGENT OF THE MONTH
Matt Whitcomb Keller Williams Realty
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INSIDE FEATURES
36 Mollie Eubanks Ricci Realty
16 Noelle Longmeyer Keller Williams Pacific Estates 4
14 Victor Jimenez Daftarian Group
30 Michael Milakovich New American Funding ExecutiveAgent Magazine
10 Barry & Shane Krevoy loanDepot®
6 Decira Pimentel Realty ONE Group
JANUARY, 2018 EDITORIALS
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How to Reach Your Goals -Ben Angel
Fred Arrias Executive Publisher PO Box 73384 San Clemente, CA 92673 Ph: (949) 297-8323 Fax: (949) 266-8757 Fred@eamag.net www.EAMag.net
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How to Train Cats and Salespeople -John Boe
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX - NOC Eagle Home Mortgage.....................................38 Finance of America Mortgage..........................2 iPhotography Studio...............................................25 Kinecta Federal Credit Union...............................13
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Stop Wishing for the Life You Want -Jim Rohn
loanDepot®..........................................................................9
NAHREP..................................................................28 New American Funding...................................................29
PWAOR...................................................................39 The Termite Guy......................................................3
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Ticor Title Company...................................................40
A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss -Walter Sanford
Photography: iPhotography Studio, Ian Wiant, Rob Paino Graphic Designer: Garon T. Arrias Editorial Manager: Trudy Van Writers: Ben Angel, John Boe, Haley Freeman, Jim Rohn, Walter Sanford, Dirk Zeller © Copyright 2018 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.
BUSINESS VISION . . . IS WHERE IT ALL STARTS -Dirk Zeller
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Decira Pimentel “It’s All About You” Written by Haley Freeman
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ealtor® Decira Pimentel is originally from Michoacán, Mexico, where her parents owned a large hacienda. She remembers her father teaching her the importance of property ownership. “He owned many acres of land, and having property for him and for my ancestors was a big deal. It differentiates you from the rest. I agree that anywhere you are in the world, home ownership positions you differently. I grew up with that
sense of pride.” Not surprisingly, Decira found her professional calling in real estate. She began as a property manager and later obtained her real estate license. Her expertise in managing large properties sharpened her grasp of compliance matters and provided a segue for representing multi-unit and commercial properties in her real estate practice.
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Decira has acquired many professional designations over the course of her 20-plus year real estate career. She is a Certified Distress Property Expert (CDPE); an Accredited Real Estate Property Manager (ARM); is Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource (SFR) certified; e-PRO® certified; and is a Luxury Portfolio agent at Realty ONE Group. All of these help her serve her diverse community of clients with distinction, from first-time buyers to experienced investors. With her breadth of market knowledge, Decira is always ahead of the market and ready with reliable advice about where and when to buy or sell in Orange County and beyond. “I know the possibilities and the product, so I can help people get where they want to be. They don’t have to go searching without direction. I am here to guide them to the property that fits their goals and budget.” Decira sets her clients up for success by helping them plan for the future. “When the market was doing really good, that’s when I made less money, because I was telling people to hold off on buying. If the numbers don’t add up, you’ll pay for it later. I always sit down and look at their income, expenses, and expectations and dreams for the future. How long are they planning to live in the house? Will they be having more kids? Will the kids be going to a university? Will they be retiring soon? This is the biggest investment most will make in life. I want them to understand how they can use a home to create financial security. I even show them how they can pay it off in 15 or 20 years. I prepare my clients to own a home, not just buy it.” Over the years, Decira’s heartfelt belief in the power of home ownership has helped her transform whole families and their futures. Today, nearly all of her business comes from referral and repeat clients. “In the beginning, I believed that some of my clients deserved to have a home more than they did. In dealing with many first-time homebuyers, I made them believe it, too. They could count on me to find a way to help them build their dreams. Once one family member purchased a home, others saw it was possible, and then they bought homes.”
One loyal client described Decira this way: “I’ve known Decira for a long time now, she has handled the sale of our property and the leasing of our rental property, both in OC. She’s very professional, and always available to answer questions and explain things when needed. She’s someone that I can trust and can count on.” Decira works in partnership with Realtor® Maria Romero, so someone is always available and responsive when a client needs assistance. They leverage the cutting edge tech tools at Realty ONE Group to educate and inform clients, as well as to provide maximum exposure to properties for sale. “If I’m not available, I never want someone to miss an opportunity. We use software that gives our buyers access to new properties as soon as they are on the market, and for sellers, we are marketing our listings on over 500 websites.” Decira has been married to her husband for 28 years, and they share four children, two boys and two girls. After coaching her children in soccer for many years, Decira says she learned, “If you don’t participate, you don’t win. The same applies in business and real estate. If you don’t buy, you don’t gain.” With her tagline, “It’s all about you,” Decira conveys the selfless spirit she brings to her real estate practice. She is passionate about the importance of owning a home, and she is committed to helping everyone achieve their American Dream.
Decira Pimentel Realty ONE Group 2300 E. Katella Anaheim, CA 92806 Tel: 714-785-9739 Email: decira@aol.com Web: www.salemyhomecalifornia.com CalDRE #01239269
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HOW TO TRAIN CATS AND SALESPEOPLE hich do you think would be harder to train, a cat or a salesperson? Seriously, which one would you pick? While it’s true that cats have a welldeserved reputation for being independent, demanding and virtually impossible to train, the same can be said for many salespeople. Surprisingly, the same training and reward techniques required to get Fluffy to jump through a hoop can also be utilized to motivate your sales team to achieve peak performance!
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One evening while channel surfing I came across a fascinating animal act that grabbed my attention. The act featured a cat trainer with a half dozen cats of varying size, shape and color. Unlike a circus lion tamer who attempts to intimidate with a chair and whip, this man simply used a combination of treats and verbal praise to motivate his cats to perform difficult tricks. Using only soothing voice tones and a pocket full of cat treats, he would calmly command each cat to do its own specific trick. Amazingly, he got one cat to walk on his front paws, one balanced on a ball, while yet another pushed a toy baby stroller across the stage. After the performance, the cat trainer was interviewed and asked how he was able to get his cats to willingly obey his commands. His response surprised me with its simple wisdom. He said that he didn’t train the cats at all, he simply figured out what each cat liked to do best and then encouraged that behavior! “People need to realize that a cat’s indifference doesn’t mean they can’t learn cool tricks,” says celebrity animal trainer Joel Silverman. “It simply means you haven’t convinced them yet that doing so is in their best interest. A dog naturally wants to please and will work for you, but a cat needs a paycheck to be motivated.” Five Tips to Help You Train Cats and Salespeople 1. Check for temperament suitability. Temperament testing allows you to identify those who by nature lack the discipline, desire or self-motivation to consistently achieve peak performance. Sales managers who lack the benefit of temperament understanding are inclined to place too much emphasize on their gut-level feeling during the hiring process. If you hire someone that is not suited for the position, you will experience low morale, high turnover and find yourself constantly in the training mode. On the other hand, when you recruit the right person you will find that they are self-motivated and eager to train. 2. Look for “hot buttons”. Traditionally, sales managers have relied primarily on commission to motivate their sales force. Unfortunately, a compensation structure based solely on commission does not address individual motivational 8
factors and therefore, money alone will not motivate your sales force. A successful incentive program is a mixture of awards, recognition and peer pressure. There is tremendous power behind a timely word of praise or a handwritten note acknowledging achievement. While money is certainly an important ingredient in any incentive program, it should by no means be the only tool in a manager’s motivational toolbox. If money by itself were a sufficient motivation, commission-based salespeople would simply sell more without additional enticement. 3. Make the training fun and positive. All cats and most salespeople have pretty short attention spans and low boredom thresholds. Keep lessons short, interesting and always try to end on a positive note. 4. You must be patient when training cats or salespeople. It’s important to respect individual abilities and preferences. Make allowances for personality, and don’t get frustrated if the training schedule doesn’t go exactly as expected. Remember that people have off days and on days just like cats. “When I’m really pushing and the going gets tough,” says Silverman, “Sometimes the cat just sits down and says, ‘I give up’. Even the brightest cats, if they feel you’re pushing them too hard, will, in effect, say, ‘Screw you, buddy, I’m going to go over there, sit down, and stare into space.” 5. Make sure to take time for rest and relaxation. All work and no play will make the cat, the salesperson and the trainer grumpy. Whether it is playing with a ball of yarn or enjoying a round of golf, taking time out to play is critically important. By successfully balancing play and work, you will return recharged, refreshed and ready to accomplish more By incorporating these five powerful tips into your training program, you will develop an award-winning sales team and achieve unbelievable results! “I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.” - Albert Einstein John Boe presents a wide variety of motivational and sales-oriented keynotes and seminar programs for sales meetings and conventions. John is a nationally recognized sales trainer and business motivational speaker with an impeccable track record in the meeting industry. To have John speak at your next event, visit www.johnboe.com or call 937-299-9001. Free Newsletter available on website.
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Written by Haley Freeman
BARRY & SHANE KREVOY
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Within six months, he was a sales manager overseeing 60 loan officers. As Shane grew up, Barry enthusiastically shared his professional passion with him and sparked a family legacy of service that continues today.
After his distinguished service in the United States Marine Corps, Barry discovered that he could go on making a meaningful contribution to society through a career in mortgage lending. During his second month in the industry, Barry was the top Loan Consultant in his office.
Shane began assisting Barry with marketing and administrative tasks when he was only 15 years old. By the time he graduated from high school, Shane had three years of rigorous training and experience under his belt. But shortly after he entered the mortgage business full time, the market collapsed. He spent the next several years with AT&T, where, imitating his father, he worked his way up the ranks from sales consultant to customer service manager.
or father/son mortgage team Barry and Shane Krevoy, helping a family buy a home isn’t just business; it’s personal. To them, it is a privilege to help someone move into the place where they will raise a family, transition to retirement and build much of their personal wealth. They are a family helping families in a company that takes pride in helping people realize their American Dream.
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A Family Helping Families This dynamic duo again joined forces in 2014 to form one of loanDepot’s top lending teams in Irvine. Together, they offer home buyers and their agents a double-dose of Krevoy service excellence and good humor, along with the insights and relatability of two generations. Barry says, “Shane is a millennial and super tech savvy, in part, because of the work he did at AT&T. I think with the whole slew of young buyers coming in the next several years, it’s important to have someone on the team who can relate to millennials. We are also a super high-tech company - we spent hundreds of millions of dollars on technology in the last three years that we’re just starting to roll out. Where Shane can lean on me for experience, I can lean on him for freshness. Our band width is more as two people, and with the help of our incredible production assistant, Angie Stryker, we’ve been able to more than double our production.” As the preferred lender for two of the top 100 agents in Orange County and a pipeline made up of more than 90 percent purchase business, the Krevoy team is ready for further growth and is expanding into the builder space. “It’s almost impossible these days to become a highproducing Loan Consultant all by yourself,” Barry says. “With the foundation of our team and the support of our branch manager, Brenda Hemry - she’s Wonder Woman, by the way,” he laughs, “we have the bases covered here.” Military service is a proud part of the Krevoy heritage, and loanDepot is an industry leader in providing service members and their families with easy access to VA loan products. loanDepot is the only company in the nation offering the VA Renovation loan, which lends up to 110 percent loan-to-value based upon post-improvement appraised value. Barry is also vice president of the Orange County chapter of the Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP), a national organization dedicated to “increasing sustainable homeownership, financialliteracy education, VA loan awareness, and economic opportunity for the active-military and veteran communities.”
military families understand and access their VA housing benefits, a hard-earned reward for service. In addition to their tireless work in the housing sector, they also volunteer many hours to supporting various non-profit initiatives that benefit veterans. In 2016, they organized the Orange County Veterans Music & Arts Festival, an event that combined their many shared passions to raise money for area vets. These extraordinarily compassionate, approachable guys understand that for many, the process of buying a home is daunting. They go above and beyond to shoulder the burden so homebuyers and their agents don’t have to. They leverage their individual talents and shared commitment to home ownership to see that everyone has an equal shot at the American Dream. “Our branch at loanDepot is made up of a lot of families who work together,” Shane says, “and the company as a whole encourages community and camaraderie. It goes hand-in-hand with the idea of working as a family. When we help someone get a home, we feel like we become part of their family. We are a family helping families.” Barry & Shane Krevoy loanDepot® 2855 Michelle Drive, Suite 190 Irvine, CA 92606 Tel: 949.735.4009 Email: BKrevoy@loandepot.com Email: SKrevoy@loandepot.com Web: www.loandepot.com/bkrevoy Web: www.loandepot.com/skrevoy NMLS ID 923896 / 1295481
Barry and Shane are equally passionate about helping
Rates, terms, and availability of programs are subject to change without notice. loanDepot.com, LLC NMLS ID 174457. Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act CRMLA 4131040.
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Stop Wishing for the Life You Want
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mbition is a minute-by-minute, day-by-day mentality—an eager desire. To many people, ambition is kind of a mystery. The dictionary says it is “an eager desire for distinction, power or fame.” But what does that really mean? Let’s start with the word eager. All by itself, eager is kind of exciting. Kids are eager for birthday parties. They expect to be the center of attention, to get many presents, to eat too much. For that matter, I guess adults are eager for birthdays, too. (Unless, of course, they’re embarrassed that the candles on their cake outnumber their achievements.) We can be eager to see a ball game, eager to see our kids in a dance recital, eager to see an old friend, eager to shop for a new car. Eager sounds like a lot of fun!
money to pay the bills, take a vacation or just take a little pressure out of their lives. But before their lifestyle can change, their wishes need to become desires. If they really desired change, they wouldn’t spend their evenings just watching TV and wishing they were doing something more.
But do you ever hear people say they are “eager to live a better life,” “eager to have a better family,” “eager to make a lot of money”? Probably not. And that’s a problem, because as I see it, living a better life, having a better family and making a lot of money takes an eager desire.
Ambition is a minute-by-minute, day-by-day mentality. To have the ambition to work toward a better family life, a newer car, a bigger house, a financially secure future… you have to live it every moment.
We have the remarkable ability to get exactly what we must have. But there is a difference between wishes and desires. We’ve all heard people say, “Oh, I wish I could just drop five pounds. I want to be a little lighter.” We’ve probably said it ourselves. Although we might wish we could breathe a little easier in our clothing, we have to have the desire to exercise a little more and eat a little less. The “I wish I could lose weight” has to become “I have the eager desire to lose weight.”
The backbone of an eager desire to change is discipline. True ambition is disciplined, eager desire. It’s that little part within us that says, “If I want to be ready for that meeting tomorrow, I need to finish preparing for it today.” “If I want to make sure I can pay for my kid’s college education, I need to start saving today.” “If I want a better life tomorrow, I need to start working on it today.”
Jim Rohn knows the secrets of success - in business and in life. He has devoted his life to a study of the fundamentals of human behavior and personal motivation that affect professional performance. He can awaken the unlimited power of achievement within you! Reproduced with permission from the Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine. Copyright© 2006, Jim Rohn. All right reserved. For information about Jim’s keynote presentations and seminars, contact the FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@FrogPond.com http://FrogPond.com.
The backbone of an eager desire to change is discipline. True ambition is disciplined, eager desire. I’m also sure you’ve hear people talk about wishing they had more
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We’ve got feet all over the streets of OC. 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. Erik Jenner, NMLS# 38025 Manager Mortgage Loan Sales direct: 949.253.5337 | cell: 949.293.1237 Erik.Jenner@kinecta.org www.kinecta.org/ejenner Andy DeLuca
George Deekrich
Debbie Grant
Jake Kim
Mary Van Dorn
Tracy Williams
Corey Schumacher
Eldin Serrano
NMLS# 440903 Sr. Mortgage Loan Consultant tel: 310.297.4528 | cell: 949.291.7189 Andrew.DeLuca@kinecta.org www.kinecta.org/adeluca
NMLS# 644587 Sr. Mortgage Loan Consultant tel: 949.726.2394 | cell: 949.413.8669 Debra.Grant@kinecta.org www.kinecta.org/dgrant
NMLS# 1034211 Sr. Mortgage Loan Consultant cell: 949.275.8838 Mary.VanDorn@kinecta.org www.kinecta.org/mvandorn
NMLS# 491690 Sr. Mortgage Loan Consultant cell: 949.306.1304 Corey.Schumacher@kinecta.org www.kinecta.org/cschumacher
NMLS# 194556 Sr. Mortgage Loan Consultant tel: 310.643.1353 | cell: 949.293.7359 George.Deekrich@kinecta.org www.kinecta.org/gdeekrich
NMLS# 346847 Sr. Mortgage Loan Consultant cell: 714.679.3710 Chae.Kim@kinecta.org www.kinecta.org/ckim
NMLS# 762891 Sr. Mortgage Loan Consultant tel: 949.253.5350 | cell: 714.333.5932 Tracy.Williams@kinecta.org www.kinecta.org/twilliams
NMLS# 287457 Sr. Mortgage Loan Consultant tel: 424.634.0384 | cell: 714.476.4373 Eldin.Serrano@kinecta.org www.kinecta.org/eserrano
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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Victor Jimenez Service That Exceeds Expectations Written by Haley Freeman
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rom his first job in the United States Marine Corps, Victor Jimenez has devoted his entire career to delivering white glove service. After serving in locations as far away as Australia, Asia and Africa, Victor
degree in city planning and real estate studies. “I always had an affinity for architecture,” he says, “and that was the beginning of my journey into real estate.” A highly disciplined and self-motivated professional, Victor soon became a licensed broker and owner of a successful mortgage and real estate company. In 2013, he pledged his considerable expertise exclusively to the conveyance of luxury properties in Orange County’s coastal markets. This led him to luxury real estate boutique Daftarian Group in Newport Beach, where he is a broker/associate representing some of California’s most discriminating clients in the sought-after communities of Corona del Mar, Newport Beach and Newport Coast. “We are per capita one of the highest-performing real estate companies in Orange County because of our customer-first mentality and commitment to giving six-star service,” Victor explains. “The standard in the industry is five stars, so we always want to surpass it. Our marketing of luxury properties stands out beyond anything else out there. We set the standard in the marketplace, and we continue to evolve. We are constantly looking for the next best thing we can offer to stay at the forefront of the real estate industry.”
returned home and attended college at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. There, he earned his
With nearly two decades of experience in the local market, the Daftarian Group’s peerless reputation and the collaborative support of his top-producing colleagues, Victor is well-equipped to accommodate the unique needs of high-net-worth and high-profile individuals when transacting real property. “Trust is critical to the clients we serve. They are very savvy, and it’s very important to understand exactly what their expectations are. Being familiar with the local area and its homes is also essential, since understanding the market is vital to negotiating the best terms for a buyer or a seller. In a large transaction, a mistake can literally cost a client millions of dollars.”
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He continues, “Discretion is also important, since some of our clients are very private people, and they do not want to be on public display. They trust us with their privacy. This is an example of when our team approach is such a benefit to our clients. When representing an offmarket property, I have more than just my own sphere of influence to connect the right buyer and seller, I also have the contacts of the ten other agents in our office. We also maintain good relationships with agents outside our office who do business in this area, and it helps us get deals done. When we bring a buyer’s offer to another agent, they know it’s a solid qualifying offer.” Victor’s friendly manner helps him connect with people of all backgrounds and put them at ease during a highstakes transaction, while his military training enhances his uncompromising ethics and relentless pursuit of service excellence. “Being in the Marines taught me to do things systematically, keep things organized and thus be more productive through time management. The Marines are also proud people, and it is important for us to keep a good name. That means doing good business and treating people right.” A recent buyer said he was able to purchase his dream home in Laguna Beach because of Victor’s “excellent work and negotiation skills. He knows how to make your offer competitive, and that’s something that’s key in the home buying process. He helped us from beginning to end and even after the home closed. Victor is an excellent real estate broker. His team gets business done.”
in the numerous activities that Orange County offers in the surf, sun and nearby mountains. He also looks forward each week to sharing dinner with his grown daughter, Alexis. Victor and his colleagues at Daftarian Group are setting a new standard for real estate excellence. Buyers and sellers in Orange County’s exclusive coastal enclaves can rely upon them for reliable, expert advice and meticulous, concierge service. Victor says, “Our clients can hire us with confidence, knowing we will be there through every step of the process and get the job done right.”
Another client described Victor as “genuine, warm and very creative in terms of trying to make deals work.” A longtime resident of California’s Golden Coast, Victor knows and loves the community he sells. He is an avid fitness enthusiast who not only spends many hours in the gym, but also enjoys spending time outdoors engaging
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Victor Jimenez Luxe Real Estate BRE # 01993277 DBA Daftarian Group 369 San Miguel Dr., Ste. 370 Newport Beach, CA 92660 Tel: 949.307.4579 Email: Victor@DatarianGroup.com Web: www.DaftarianGroup.com CalBRE # 01715970
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Written by Haley Freeman
Noelle Longmeyer
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rom the beginning of her 16-plus year career in real estate, Noelle Longmeyer has been deliberate about developing herself as a professional so that she can, in turn, provide quality service and education to her clients. Now an award-winning agent at Keller Williams Pacific Estates in Long Beach and team leader of NEST SoCal Group, Noelle is a powerful woman business owner and a dynamic force in Southern California real estate. Long Beach is the hub for Noelle’s real estate practice, which spans LA and Orange counties. She has deep, personal ties to the Long Beach community, originating
with her days as a student and, later, a human resources manager for California State Long Beach Foundation. “I love Long Beach,” she says. “It is an international, metropolitan city with a vibrant arts scene. Downtown Long Beach has been experiencing a renaissance, and I think it will continue. My husband grew up in Westminster, and we ended up living there near Seal Beach. It’s one of the last remaining quaint beach areas and equidistant to both Long Beach and Huntington. We really have the best of both worlds. There are so many differences between the two counties, and I love introducing people to unique communities they may not know about. I’m a huge cheerleader for the areas I work in.”
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Noelle’s passion for the communities she sells and the unique lifestyles they offer inspires her superlative client service. A designated Military Relocation Professional (MRP) and Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES), she is constantly adapting her practice to meet the needs of the region’s shifting populations. “I think diversity is a big component of my success. A lot of agents tend to focus on one niche. But I meet so many people on any given day, and I feel like I get to be part of the citizenship of a much larger family.” Noelle adapted her practice to better serve military families after she represented a client in 2010 who had difficulty getting a VA offer accepted by area listing agents. “I took issue with that, and I felt a responsibility to help educate the community that a VA loan is a treasured opportunity for many military families. There are so many myths around VA loans, and a lot of education still needs to happen. I have a wonderful partnership with a VA lender and have grown from there. I’m honored to work with military families, and I advocate for the military community and educate them about how to use their benefits, as well.” Helping seniors and/or their children with the many decisions surrounding the liquidation of an estate requires both empathy and special knowledge. Noelle has both, and she helps families navigate these challenging times with compassion and skill. “It’s such a complicated emotional experience, and it really takes a special touch to steer clients through that process successfully. Part of the SRES designation is learning to help someone through the emotional minefield of selling a property they have lived in most of their life. There are also potential tax implications, the legalities of a trust and exemption from certain disclosures that need to be addressed.” Diversity is a hallmark of Noelle’s team, and she is a champion of women as leaders in business. “Although 58 percent of all licensed agents in California are women, only 24 percent are in leadership. That’s a call to action in my opinion. I just started participating in a student mentorship program through Long Beach City College, partnering with students who are getting their real estate license. It’s very important to me to help bring people up in the profession, especially women.”
bring richness and relatability to her team. “Growing my team through diversity has been beautiful to me. Mania Persekian is from the Armenian community and Michelle Lee is originally from Taiwan. These women have brought me into their worlds and expanded our team’s ability to serve international and luxury markets with greater sensitivity.” As a mother of three, Noelle is committed to setting the right example for succeeding in business. “I want to make sure my son and two daughters see that they can have integrity and be leaders in whatever they choose to do.” Doing business thoughtfully and with purpose also makes it sustainable. As Noelle expands her team and serves more families, she says, “My clients’ goals are always at the forefront. I want to see their families succeed, and I want to be part of their story for the rest of their lives.” Noelle Longmeyer, MRP, SRES Keller Williams Pacific Estates 2883 E. Spring St., Ste. 100 Long Beach, CA 90806 Tel: 714-514-5643 - 562-344-5146 Email: NLongmeyer@gmail.com Web: www.nestsocal.com CalDRE # 01313351
She is also eager to include people who reflect the global cultures represented in Southern California. Noelle currently works with two other remarkable women who ExecutiveAgent Magazine
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Nomination Form Nominate a fellow REALTORÂŽ to be featured in one of our feature stories; on the cover as Executive Agent of the Month, or as a special feature story. All candidates must be nominated by a real estate professional. The selection process includes a questionnaire, personal interview, reference check and final approval by the Advisory Council. Candidates are evaluated based upon professionalism, length of service and uniqueness of story, as well as industry and community involvement.
I Nominate: Name_______________________________ Company___________________________ Address____________________________ _____________________________________ City, State, Zip_____________________ _____________________________________ Phone______________________________ Email_______________________________ Submitted By: Fax/Email nomination to: Executive Agent Magazine PO Box 73384 San Clemente, CA 92673 Fax: 949.266.8757 Email: Info@eamag.net Tel: 949.297.8323
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Cover Story
Matt Whitcomb Executive Agent of the Month
ExecutiveAgent Magazine
Matt Whitcomb Written by Haley Freeman - Photography by Ian Wiant
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etween his junior and senior years at Virginia Tech, where Matt Whitcomb earned his dual degrees in marketing and business management, he and a buddy ventured west to California. Standing on the terrace at Universal Studios and surveying the lower lot, Matt felt a sensation in his chest that was a signal of epiphany. Matt recalls, “I looked at Corey and said, ‘I’m supposed to be here.’” Matt returned home and finished school, then sold all he had, trekked back to California and pitched a tent at Doheny State Beach. In short order, he found his way to the Montclair shopping mall, where he bought himself an interview suit before heading to a Universal Studios career fair. He told the representative, “I just drove 3,000 miles, and I want to work for your company.” His persistence was rewarded with an interview with a senior vice
president of the global entertainment theme park division. Soon, Matt was breaking new ground with the company’s interactive marketing team, where he helped build a $60 million business in the online space. Not everyone has the gumption to drive 3,000 miles and stay in a tent to achieve their dreams. If Matt was willing to go that far to pursue his early career ambitions, just imagine what he would do to help you find the perfect home. The Journey So Far Matt maintains an unconventional approach to real estate derived from a rich and colorful life journey. “There was a moment in my first year in real estate where I realized all those chapters in my life finally converged and prepared me for this.”
ExecutiveAgent Magazine
With a genteel Southern accent and a work ethic honed in the dirt of southwestern Virginia, Matt has succeeded both as an entrepreneur and in the corporate sector, where his genius for marketing and spirit of innovation have rendered unparalleled results. He was an early student of business, raised by an enterprising father who moved from installing rooftop television antennas to becoming one of the early purveyors of satellite dish technology. “He became very successful as one of the people who launched Direct TV to the world when it was invented,” Matt says. “He used to take me with him to national trade shows, and at 12 years old, he was enrolling me in strategic marketing seminars. I grew up with a lot of positive inspiration.” Matt grew up learning to install satellite systems, which required not just technical knowledge, but the savvy to
adapt quickly to the people whose homes he entered, from young families to seniors. “I also helped my dad build some spec houses. He’s a licensed general contractor, so I grew up on job sites. I learned a high attention to detail and to be a perfectionist in terms of the crafts I developed.” After Matt’s successful stint with Universal Studios, and a leading consumer product company, he returned to Virginia to help with the family business. “My dad needed help scaling his business that had gone from 10 employees to roughly 100. The volume of work entailed servicing over 100 customers each day, 7 days a week. I moved back and built the direct marketing platform for Dish Network. We evolved to one of the top service and installation partners in the U.S. and eventually sold off the business.”
ExecutiveAgent Magazine
When circumstances eventually brought Matt and his family back to Southern California, he realized it was the perfect opportunity to leverage a lifetime of construction, marketing, business management and customer service skills to give people the ultimate real estate experience. Never one to shy from hard work, this one-time digger of ditches in the pouring Virginia rain held nothing back when he set out to build his real estate business. He walked neighborhoods and knocked on thousands of doors, burning holes right through the soles of his shoes in the summer heat. He became a creator of community, looking for opportunities to be of service and connect neighbors with one another. Matt explains, “When I talk to people, I ask them who they know in the neighborhood who might want to buy, sell or invest. So often people say, ‘I don’t know my neighbors.’ It’s a real sore spot for me. When I’m out in the community, I introduce neighbors to each other. If I visit a home and learn that a family is experiencing a crisis of some kind, without compromising their privacy, I let other people I visit know that they have a neighbor who needs help. I tie the hands of those neighbors. When you can help people get through different chapters in their lives, a paycheck becomes the reward.” Today, Matt teaches a class in door-knocking to his
colleagues at Keller Williams, and he still keeps that burned-through pair of shoes beside his desk as a reminder of what it takes to succeed. “How far you’re willing to go will determine how far you’re going to get.” Matt has gone far, drawing upon the knowledge he has acquired over the years to help sellers capitalize on the market and help buyers identify the right home. He represents clients in a consistent and respectful way, providing white glove service with integrity. “When I list a home, I look at what we have to do today to get top dollar in the shortest amount of time. Who is the target demographic for that home, and how do we reach by leveraging the most current communication channels and technologies? And whether it is a tear-down in Trabuco Canyon, or a fully updated million-dollar property, I will bring in professional photographers and use the same strategies to showcase it to its best advantage. All clients are important to me; I don’t discriminate between price points.” For buyers, Matt provides a second set of eyes and ears, and imparts valuable advice about the condition of a property and its investment potential. “A lot of flippers have been renovating homes in inferior ways, and buyers don’t always see that they’re buying junk. I want to protect their interests by pulling off that emotional mask, helping them look beyond the fresh paint and carpet to what the home will be three-to-five years from now.”
ExecutiveAgent Magazine
A Fresh Perspective on Real Estate Innovating The Future As he begins building his own real estate team, Matt is committed to developing well-rounded professionals who are effective as both listing and selling agents. “I want them to be able to say, ‘Not only will I sell your home professionally and get top dollar, I’ll also help you find your next home.’ I want good agents who can take clients across the finish line and deliver exceptional value and service the whole way.” Matt is also developing resources to support two of the market’s primary segments: downsizing seniors and tech-savvy millennials. “These are vastly different demographics, each requiring a unique skillset. I am diversifying a team structure that can serve the needs of both markets effectively.” As part of this push, Matt is producing mini webisodes that put a creative spin on his construction background and real estate knowledge to educate home buyers and
sellers. Among his current titles are: “The Ins and Outs of Downsizing Seniors,” and “The First-Time Homebuyer in Today’s Market.” Matt is also committed to improving the perception and stature of real estate professionals. With his background serving the Western Virginia Workforce Development Board, Matt is a passionate crusader for raising industry educational standards and protecting consumers. “One thing I’d like to see is for the industry to develop apprenticeships for new agents where they have three years of experience before they can take ownership of a transaction. There is a lot of money at stake for everybody, and the skill and reliability of agents are critical.” Matt has proven just how far he will go to get results. He brings a fresh perspective to real estate, innovating solutions that reach beyond the accepted industry model to deliver an elevated standard of service.
ExecutiveAgent Magazine
MATT WHITCOMB
Keller Williams Realty, 27101 Puerta Real #150 Mission Viejo, CA 92691 - Tel: 949.560.0959 - Email: Matt@MattWhitcomb.com Web: www.MattWhitcomb.com - CalDRE # 01981021 ExecutiveAgent Magazine
A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss...
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ExecutiveAgent Magazine
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ou are pumping on all eight cylinders, your systems are working, and you’re an expert in time and motion reduction. You can even get your “stone” rolling faster by performing your day-to-day activities with incorporated lead generation. Simple procedures can be added to your listing, marketing, and closing checklists to make certain you are taking advantage of every opportunity to service, “wow,” and replace your clientele. By converting common activities such as open houses, FSBO lead generation, or the opening/closing procedures into checklists, you reap the following rewards: 1. You don’t have to remember what made you successful last year. 2. You have a platform to subtract unnecessary steps from, thus reducing overhead. 3. You have a foundation to add to after reading this article or attending a seminar. 4. You can show your clients your business manual, made up of checklists, at your buyer/seller presentations. 5. They are easy! When you start a repeatable task, pull out your note taker of choice and write down the steps. 6. It provides the basis for delegation once you have decided to multiply your efforts through an assistant. 7. Uniformity through checklists also gives consistent service and speeds your “rolling rock” because of the organization it brings. Now, some secret steps to add to your checklists that will ensure that even the boring aspects of real estate generate speed, convenience, happiness, and money. Add to Your Seller Question Checklist: 1. Ask what their criteria will be for hiring a new agent. The agent who knows the most wins! 2. At the meeting, ask them to provide two keys to the home. Let’s end key-making forever! Have you ever shown up and had two keys on the kitchen table? It sure builds confidence! 3. Ask them if they plan to list any other properties at the same time. This one question alone made me more than $15,000 every year! Add to Your Marketing Checklist: 1. Put home flyers on your website so the homeowner can print and supply as necessary. What a great way to save on printing, time, delivery, wear and tear, and provide another way to disseminate information on your new listing. 2. Send a new listing letter to all expireds within
a pre-determined radius around your new listing, extolling the virtues of putting their home on the market, and allowing you to do a joint marketing campaign. 3. Add a cover page to your flyers in the brochure box, explaining why you should also represent the buyer. Yes, I really do love dual-agency. Add to Your Open House Checklist: • Bring blank thank you cards for handwritten notes to the people whose parkways you utilized for open house signs. It just takes a few minutes, and it is worth a listing a year! Add to Your Buyer Search Checklist: 1. Contact all expireds who may have homes that meet your buyers’ needs. This is a great way to prospect for listings and increase odds in obtaining dual-agency contact. 2. Contact your sphere of influence that owns homes which match buyers’ needs. See the above. Add to Your Goal Checklist: 1. Call five past clients a day and ask for repeat or referral business. 2. Obtain the phone numbers of all merged or out-ofbusiness real estate firms. Add their numbers to your bank of lines. 3. Solicit all the clients owned by your broker who were previously serviced by agents in your office who have left, retired, or moved. By providing this information and your doing a lot of the small things right – you will soon be the agent in your area to contend with. As your “stone” is rolling, there is precious little time to add these “extras,” but by adding these items to your checklists, you are insuring that these profit steps get taken before your “stone” gets finished rolling! 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.
ExecutiveAgent Magazine
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02 .26 – 02 .28
FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE New American Funding is diversified in a variety of markets and is consistently ahead of the trends. Today, with a servicing portfolio of $22 billion, and funding approximately $1 billion per month, we are at the height of our game.
Co-branded Mortgage Statements Statement Date: August 16, 2017
GoGo Partner Mobile App
For Return Service Only P.O. Box 170581 Austin, TX 78717-0031
MORTGAGE STATEMENT Online Information: www.newamericanfunding.com Click "MANAGE MY LOAN"
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JOE E. CUSTOMER 123 ANY STREET ANYTOWN, CA 12345
Mon - Fri 7:00 am to 9:00 pm CT Sat 10:00 am to 2:00 pm CT Telephone: 1-800-893-5304 TTY/TDD: 1-844-249-9633 Fax: 800-880-0639 Correspondence PO Box 170581 Austin, TX 78717-0031
Property Address: 123 ANY STREET ANYTOWN, CA 12345
Loan Number: Next Payment Due Date:
000000001 09/01/2017
Total Amount Due:
$3,825.78 $1439.69
$49.86 late fee will be charged if payment is not received in our office by 09/16/2017.
Explanation of Amount Due
Account Information Loan Due Date Outstanding Principal Escrow Balance Interest Rate Prepayment Penalty
09/01/2017 $272,897.11 -$474.85 3.625% No
Transaction Activity (08/05/17 - 08/16/17) Date Paid
Description
$419.16 $423.37 $820.53 $823.10 $200.00 $656.42 $1,439.69 $1,902.89 $0 $20.00 $1,902.89 $0 $3,825.78 $1,439.69
Principal Interest Escrow (Taxes and Insurance) Regular Monthly Payment Total Fees and Charges Past Due Payment(s) Total Amount Due
Principal
Interest
Escrow
Additional Monthly Amount
Charges and Fees
Partial Payment (Unapplied)
Co-branded Closing Cards
Drip Campaigns & Milestone Emails
Total
No transactions have occurred on your loan between the last billing statement and this statement date.
Special Messages If you are experiencing financial difficulty: Additional information about mortgage counseling or assistance can be found on the back of this statement.
ContactImportant With AnyNews Questions
Past Payments Breakdown Paid Last Month Principal Interest Escrow (Taxes and Insurance) Replacement Reserve Additional Monthly Amounts Fees and Charges Partial Payment (Unapplied)* Total Payment
GoGo Partner
$419.16 $0.00 $820.53 $0.00 $200.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $1,439.69 $0.00
Paid Year to Date $2,514.96 $1,184.85 $4,923.18 $2,877.52 $1,200.00 $3,552.85
$0.00 $0.00 $120.00 $0.00 $8,638.14 $7,735.22
* See reverse for information about partial payments
Available for Android & iPhone
PATTY ARVIELO
We enjoyed working with you when you purchased your home and look forward to helping you, your friends and family with all of their real estate needs. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call.
President, NMLS #49166 D: 949.748.4115 O. 888.788.6780 ext 7315 C: 714.401.9711 parvielo@nafinc.com
JANE DOE
Real Estate Agent, LIC #12345 D: 555.555.5555 C: 555.555.5555 first.last@rea.com REARealty.com
Please detach bottom portion and return with your payment.
Total Amount Due
Loan Number 000000001 Borrower JOE E. CUSTOMER Co-Borrower $1,439.69 Total Amount Due $3,825.78 Due By 09/01/2017 $49.86 late fee will be charged if the payment is not received in our office by 09/16/2017
PO Box 650076 Dallas, TX 75265-0076
WůĞĂƐĞ ǁƌŝƚĞ LJŽƵƌ ůŽĂŶ ŶƵŵďĞƌ ŽŶ LJŽƵƌ ĐŚĞĐŬ Žƌ ŵŽŶĞLJ ŽƌĚĞƌ͘ LJŽƵƌ ƉƌŝŶĐŝƉĂů Žƌ ĞƐĐƌŽǁ͕ ƉůĞĂƐĞ ŝŶĚŝĐĂƚĞ ƚŚĞ ĂŵŽƵŶƚ;ƐͿ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ďŽdžĞƐ Ăƚ ƌŝŐŚƚ͘ /Ĩ LJŽƵƌ ĂĚĚƌĞƐƐ͕ ƚĞůĞƉŚŽŶĞ ŶƵŵďĞƌ Žƌ ĞͲŵĂŝů ĂĚĚƌĞƐƐ ŚĂƐ ĐŚĂŶŐĞĚ͕ ƉůĞĂƐĞ ǀŝƐŝƚ ŽƵƌ ǁĞďƐŝƚĞ ůŝƐƚĞĚ ĂďŽǀĞ Žƌ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ ƵƐ Ăƚ ϭͲϴϬϬͲϴϵϯͲϱϯϬϰ͘
$3,825.78 $1,439.69
Total Amount Due
Additional Monthly Payment
$
Additional Principal
$
Additional Escrow
$
Total Enclosed
$
. . . .
912409343301902890000038257800100000000000000000000005
Jeff Moore Branch Manager San Clemente
Dusty lloyd Branch Manager Mission Viejo
Tom Briggs Branch Manager Huntington Beach
Brian Keranen Branch Manager Newport Beach
Eli Fairfield SVP Regional Manager LA West and OC
Brenda Dintino Branch Manager Irvine - North
Rob Briggs Branch Manager Huntington Beach
Daniel Perez Branch Manager Anaheim
Christopher Paliska Branch Manager Anaheim
Matthew Moore Sales Manager San Clemente
NMLS #324123
NMLS #247106
NMLS #303474
NMLS #483697
NMLS #411752
NMLS #239946
NMLS #171371
NMLS #255550
NMLS #1076530
NMLS #324114
PARTNER WITH US
W W W. N E W A M E R I C A N P A R T N E R . C O M
ELI.FAIRFIELD@NAFINC.COM
(310) 227-3359
Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. NMLS ID#6606. © New American Funding. New American and New American Funding are registered trademarks of Broker Solutions Inc. dba New American Funding. All Rights Reserved. Corporate Office is located at 14511 Myford Road, Suite 100, Tustin CA 92780. Phone (800) 450-2010. 11/2017
E XECUTIVE AGENT
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MAGAZINE
Written by Haley Freeman
Michael Milakovich After working his way through school at Columbia College Chicago, Michael established a successful mortgage lending career. But he grew tired of the chilly, Midwestern winters, and he opted instead for Southern California’s always sunny skies. He relocated just before the housing crash, and it was difficult to get a foothold in the declining market. So, an enterprising Michael took a break from the industry and began his own recycling firm, selling commodities overseas. He acquired a more global perspective on business, which was an asset when he decided to return to mortgage lending in 2016.
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ichael Milakovich grew up in an affluent Chicago suburb. “My parents were middle class,” he says, “but they sent me to private school. I went to an all-boys Jesuit high school Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Il and their mantra is servant leadership. It’s who I am in everything I do. I learned to put the needs of others before my own.”
With his extensive mortgage background in roles spanning Loan Consultant to branch manager, Michael was selective about the company he would choose. He searched for a place with the right combination of products, service and culture, and he found them all at New American Funding. With an array of loan programs, leading edge technology, competitive rates and a collaborative work environment, Michael serves clients with confidence. “The New American Funding platform is amazing, and our efficiency in-house to close loans rapidly in the purchase market is fantastic. The support here is the number one reason I chose this company. I cannot give enough credit to my production assistant, Melissa Simms, for all she does day-to-day to keep the process running smoothly for everyone. And our branch manager, Dusty Lloyd, always has my back. In this industry, you depend on the people around you to succeed. It takes a strong and cohesive team to do the job well.”
A M ODEL OF S ERVANT L EADERSHIP ExecutiveAgent Magazine
Due to the impact that veterans have had on his own life, Michael has made VA loans a professional focus. “My grandfather served in the Marines and was in Iwo Jima during World War II. He received a Purple Heart. My dad was in the Navy and my great uncle was in the Army as well as 3 other cousins. Veterans are an underserved population, and many just don’t have the facts when it comes to VA loans and home financing. They are the best loans out there, I call them the ROLLS ROYCE of home loans and it’s important to me to make VA loans accessible to those who have served.” New American Funding works with SocialSurvey, an independent reputation management firm, to obtain real-time feedback from customers about their lending experience. After Michael helped a client get the VA loan she wanted, she had this to say:
Michael is also a consummate storyteller who recently took up improv comedy. “It helps me in business to be 100 percent transparent. Improv teaches you to adapt in conversation, because you’re always playing off what your teammate is giving you.”
“I sent Mike a text message early (6:00 a.m.) on a Saturday morning, asking if he had a few moments to discuss problems we were having with rolling over our construction loan and the appraisal. He had texted me back within an hour and spent another hour going through everything with me. He then got my husband and I started on a VA loan (which is what we wanted from day one, but were told by another lender it wasn’t worth it). Mike communicated daily, and we were able to close in three weeks.”
One of the life lessons Michael learned from his Marine grandfather is this: “Be willing to do what others won’t.” When it comes to getting the right home loan, Michael goes above and beyond to provide buyers with the ultimate service. One client said:
When Michael married his wife, Geri, seven years ago, he became stepfather to her son, Kyle. They have since welcomed another son, Vincent, to the family, and recently, granddaughters, Kennedi and McKenzie and daughter in law Maggie. Michael enjoys expressing himself through cooking. “It’s my de-stressing zone,” he says. “Cooking for me is most enjoyable when I open the fridge and make something out of whatever’s there. I can spend all day in the kitchen.” Michael is famous for his chili, his chicken enchiladas with homemade green sauce and his pineapple salsa, but he says Italian cooking is his favorite.
“Mike is always friendly, super responsive and knowledgeable. Working with Mike is like working with a best friend. He’s there for you the entire way and you really feel you’re in it together.” Michael Milakovich New American Funding 27101 Puerta Real, #320 Mission Viejo, CA 92691 Tel: 714.422.5143 – 949.265.1398 Email: mike.milakovich@nafinc.com Web: www.newamericanagent.com/MichaelMilakovich NMLS ID 268563
Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act, NMLS #6606. Corporate Office 14511 Myford Road, Suite 100, Tustin CA 92780. Phone (800) 450-2010. 2/2018.
ExecutiveAgent Magazine
BUSINESS VISION . . . IS WHERE IT ALL STARTS
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eing able to establish a business vision for your company separates you from the other agents who are in real estate. When building a team, you must pause and work to define your business vision. Enduring, successful people and successful companies establish their core values and core purpose. They then remain fixed on those core values and purpose throughout their business life. The changing elements are their business strategy and tactics due to the marketplace changes and competition influences. Successful people and companies know that it is critically important to know who you are and what you stand for. In many cases, knowing who you are, as a team, will be more important than where you are going. We all will change and adapt as our world changes and adapts. This change is inevitable. The only part about change that is in question is whether it will be evolution or revolution. Evolution is defined by Webster as: A process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage (especially a more advanced or mature stage). We want to engage in the small, gradual movement or change over a period of time. This type of change only comes from clarity of values and purpose. More effort, energy, and resources can be used to increase success, sales, and production in an evolutionary mode, rather than a revolutionary mode. Revolution is defined by Webster as: A drastic and farreaching change in ways of thinking and behaving. The change in revolution is more violent, sudden, and potentially damaging. The vast majority of resources will be used to keep up with the revolution at hand or trying to
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get out of the revolutionary process. The stress level is significantly higher, and the probability of success is much lower in revolution. By having well-defined core values and core purpose, you can avoid the forces of revolution more effectively. There has been a prevailing thought for sometime on the value of mission statements. The thought is that you have to build a mission statement for your team. When I ask many experts why they have that view, their answers are less than stellar: “Because good companies have them”; “You just do”; “Your people need something to guide them.” There are a host of others that I have heard regularly. I have personally coached hundreds of the most successful agents in the last fifteen years. I always ask if they have a mission statement. When they say “oh yes”, I ask them what it is. The phone always goes dead silent. Then you have this rustling of papers as they try to find the document that has their mission statement on it. Once they can’t find it, they try to recite from memory some garbled version of it. I personally feel that mission statements have little value, and we should abolish their use. Most small business owners’ (like real estate agents) mission statements are treated as something you have to have or do, but you don’t know why you have to have it or do it. The most common practice of building a mission statement for small business owners is to scalp what they like from a large company, like Nordstrom if you have a service mentality or Nike if you like competition or Wal-Mart if you want to serve the ordinary or disadvantaged consumer.
ExecutiveAgent Magazine
WRITTEN BY DIRK ZELLER
We aren’t building it from within our own views, tenets, and principles of excellence in life and business. For most, we are building the mission statement based on what sounds good, looks good on a brochure or marketing piece, or is made up of the components that another successful company articulates in their mission statement. My best advice is to scrap the whole exercise and start focusing on what you stand for. What do you stand for? We can’t look for what we stand for in others. We have to discover it in ourselves. It is not outside in the world around you; it is in your inner world, in your mind and heart. In order for what you stand for to be authentic, you have to search for it. You aren’t asking yourself what you should stand for; you are asking yourself what you passionately stand for. Let me share with you an example of what I mean. At Real Estate Champions, we stand for hard work and continuous self-improvement. We believe passionately that the quest of self-improvement, both personally and professionally, is one of the noblest callings in life. I personally toil long hours weekly in the quest of self-improvement and building tools, training systems, scripts, materials, strategies, tactics, theories, coaching – the list is endless. I spend additional hours reading, writing, praying, and listening to podcasts to keep my personal development in high gear. I have other people on my team, as well, who contribute to this effort. There is no one in the real estate field who has produced more quality systems, tools, strategies, skill improvement,
and business master systems in the last fifteen years than we have at Real Estate Champions. You can pick any name, speaker, trainer, or coach, and most are still selling the same material they were ten years ago! We have 15 distinctly different coaching programs, over fifty different training programs and audio CDs, DVD training, internet subscription-based training, and ten books written on sales success. We don’t do it because it’s good business; we create new intellectual property and deliver it in many different ways because it’s what we stand for. It is born out of my personal core values and beliefs. We passionately believe that we need to engage in our own journey of personal self-improvement to impact the world. Once we take on that challenge, we will be able to impact the world around us. What do you stand for? Dirk Zeller is an Agent, an Investor, and the President & CEO of Real Estate Champions. His company trains more than 350,000 Agents worldwide each year through live events, online training, self-study programs, and newsletters. He’s the widely published author of Your First Year in Real Estate, Success as a Real Estate Agent for Dummies®, The Champion Real Estate Agent, Telephone Sales for Dummies®, and over 300 articles in print. You can get more information by visiting www.RealEstateChampions. com. © 2008, Dirk Zeller. All rights reserved. For information contact FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@FrogPond.com; http://www.FrogPond.com.
ExecutiveAgent Magazine
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How to Reach Your Goals
hen setting goals, the first question that I always ask myself is, Who must I become to achieve this specific outcome? Who must I become to bring this particular goal to life?
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If you’re not making it yet, you’re yet to become that person who can attain that very specific goal. You simply do not have the mental framework that supports the attainment, the manifestation, of that vision. Yet. I call this the identity gap. There’s a gap between who you and who you need to become to reach your goals. There will always be a gap, because we always have our sights set on something else that we want—a vision that we want to bring to life, and the person who we want to become. The gap between who you are and who you want to become is that beautiful gray area in which we experience our greatest happiness. Why? In this beautiful gray area, we have a purpose, we have a mission, we have a reason for living in the process of this
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self-evolution. The second we stop evolving is the second we lose meaning. The more goals that we set for ourselves, the more gaps we create. The more gaps that we create, the more chasms we cross, and the better and more significant we feel, and the more likely we are to succeed in the future. With each chasm crossed, we better ourselves. We become more focused, and eventually attain mastery of our craft until we’ve become the person who’s achieved their goals. Ben Angel, best-selling author of CLICK, Sleeping Your Way to The Top in Business and Flee 9-5, is Australia’s leading marketing authority. Followed by 80,000 internationally and founder of benangel.co—a site dedicated to providing entrepreneurs advanced online marketing courses and education—Ben provides easy-to-apply and even easier-to-understand strategies for reaching new customers with ease. Stay up to date with his latest marketing strategies at benangel.co/blog
ExecutiveAgent Magazine
Written By Ben Angel ExecutiveAgent Magazine
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E XECUTIVE AGENT
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MAGAZINE
Mollie Eubanks Helping People Get to the Next Chapter in Life Written by Haley Freeman - Photography by Kathleen Rivera, Apex Studio’s
M
ollie Eubanks’ clients don’t make a move without her. That’s because they have come to rely upon the comprehensive industry knowledge and straightforward counsel she has acquired over more than a decade in multiple sectors of the industry. With a real estate practice driven almost entirely by referral and repeat business, Mollie is the go-to professional for generations as they move from one chapter of life to the next. A native Texan who moved to Southern California as a young adult, Mollie was a full-time mom of three boys and working as a teacher’s aide at their Christian school when another parent, a Realtor®, approached her and said, “You’d be great in escrow. The manager of the company I use is looking for an assistant.”
“I didn’t know anything about the industry except what I’d learned from buying my own houses,” Mollie recalls. “The manager at New Century Title and Escrow had 40 years in the business, and she taught me so much. I have an incredible background because of her.” Mollie regularly handled the escrows of Realtor® Vince Ferragamo, former Los Angeles Rams quarterback and owner of Touchdown Real Estate and End Zone Mortgage in Orange County. He hired her as a loan processor, and she eventually became the manager of both of his offices before finally focusing on real estate sales full time. “Even though I enjoy lending, I found real estate was more rewarding for me. I am more hands on and get to know my clients really well. When the transaction closes on a building or a house, I love being the one who hands them the keys.”
ExecutiveAgent Magazine
Today Mollie is both a residential and commercial agent at boutique Ricci Realty in her home community of Orange, where her broad-spectrum industry experience gives her a decided professional edge in serving clients throughout Orange County and beyond. “I understand every step of the process and what each party needs to do next, and I’m not waiting for them to tell me there’s a problem. I track the escrow timeline daily, and I’m already asking what’s been done and what is still needed. This assures an escrow to close on time.” Mollie’s vast experience is an asset to sellers, as she has the savvy to scrutinize loan pre-approvals and communicate effectively with lenders. “If we’re in a multiple offer situation, I can call the lender and have a conversation before I advise my seller to accept the offer. There have been many times when a pre-approval was not a real preapproval, and I’ve prevented my seller from taking their house off the market, only to discover the loan never had the ability to close.” One seller said about her: “She did more than just sell the house: she gave us excellent advice about marketing; she was comfortable and knowledgeable about all applicable laws, rules and regulations; she had extraordinary people to call upon for the little tasks that come up in the course of a sale; and, most of all, she was friendly and supportive of all our needs. We always felt that she cared, and we trusted her implicitly.” A bona fide master of multitasking, Mollie is a ready problem solver with the know-how and determination to move transactions to a smooth conclusion for both buyers and sellers. In the commercial space, she has developed a niche of working with doctors to facilitate a seamless real estate experience. These busy professionals rely upon her to coordinate the whole transaction, saving them precious time by synchronizing escrow agents, lending professionals, Realtors®, architects, designers, contractors, city planning commissioners and CPAs, and providing a single, coherent communication channel. Mollie also has experience managing residential and commercial properties, from screening tenants to collecting rents.
dealing with clients and industry colleagues. She exercises compassion for people as they take on what is often an emotional life event, while remaining level-headed and solutions-oriented. She is a fierce but fair negotiator who seeks a win for everyone at the table. Mollie is also a longtime fitness enthusiast, who maintains her lively sparkle by hitting the gym every morning. Her little grandson calls her “Go-Go,” a fitting monicker for this vibrant woman who is always on the go. Whether someone is making a move to a condo or a luxury property, and whether they are a first-time millennial homebuyer or a downsizing baby boomer, Mollie is poised to help them get to the next chapter of their lives with maximum care and proficiency. She says, “I want to be someone’s Realtor® for life, and for the next generation, as well.”
Conscientious about her fiduciary duty as a professional, Mollie draws upon her Christian values when ExecutiveAgent Magazine
Mollie Eubanks Ricci Realty 606 E. Chapman Avenue, #100 Orange, CA 92866 Tel: 714.321.6241 Email: MollieEubanks@riccirealty.com Web: www.riccirealty.com CalDRE # 01844533
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