LIBBY ROGERS

EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE

LIBBY ROGERS Executive Agent of the Month

TM

LIBBY ROGERS Growing by Referral Written by Haley Freeman - Ian Wiant Photographer

L

he built the first custom home in a new neighborhood – a red brick colonial with white pillars. People would stop and ask if it was for sale. I remember telling him we should just sell it and build a bigger house.”

Libby says that real estate has been in her blood since she was a little girl. “My dad built the houses we lived in. It was a hobby for him, not a career. When I was four,

A born entrepreneur, Libby has always made her living in sales and has worked for herself since she was only 23 years old. As a single mother with a young son to provide for, she turned to real estate as a lucrative solution. “I knew the income would always be enough to support my family, and I had the confidence that I could sell,” she says.

ibby Rogers is the broker/owner at R.B. Haley Fine Homes & Estates, a fast-growing boutique real estate firm where real estate is not just a profession, but a way of life. Libby has spent two decades perfecting her craft, and she is steadily building a team of like-minded professionals with a shared emphasis on integrous representation and the highest caliber of customer service.

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Giving back to the community is our GOAL! Libby approached real estate as she has all her business ventures, by building strong relationships with people.

During her 10 years as a broker/owner, virtually all of her personal transactions have come to her by referral. “I’ve always worked by referral, and the relationships I built in other businesses helped me to get my real estate career off the ground. I prefer to do multiple transactions with the same client and their referrals to looking for the next stranger to do business with.”

Libby eventually remarried and had two more children.

Her company, R.B. Haley is a tribute to the names of each of her children, Rex, Brittney and Haley. With her family’s name and her own reputation riding on the brand, Libby is intent on building a team of quality agents in the same way she has built her client base – by referral. “The agents working for me are not just numbers on a balance sheet. I’m looking for agents with the same ethics, morals and values that I have. Several of my agents have been referred by my service providers who have been trusted colleagues for many years. In turn, those agents brought friends with them from other companies. Every one of our agents has come to us by referral, and we are a very close knit group with high retention.”

Word is getting out about the positive and productive culture at R.B. Haley. The company is growing rapidly, and Libby expects the number of agents to double before the end of 2015. Libby considers the growth of her organization an opportunity for her to cultivate her own professional growth. “As a broker, I still have so much to learn. I remind my team that the great part of developing a brand is being able to make it the way we want it. They need to tell me their needs, because I’m learning too. It’s humbling to be working in this capacity. Instead of just serving clients, I also have to understand what my team needs and carve out time to give that to everyone.”

Libby’s team includes a good mix of ages and skill levels in the business. She has also recruited former clients with an aptitude for real estate. Libby encourages inexperienced agents to find a niche, “Try to find something you bring to the table that is uniquely you.” When she began in the industry in the mid-90s, she specialized in foreclosure properties – an unusual specialty at that time. One of Libby’s new team members is from Holland.

They are working together seeking Dutch companies who want to relocate employees to the U.S., thereby creating an exclusive niche market.

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

LEADERSHIP, KNOWLEDGE, PASSION A current niche at R.B. Haley is the management of vacation rentals. Libby acquired luxury vacation homes for some high-profile clients, and realizing that those properties would be vacant most of the year, she suggested that her clients market them as vacation rentals. “This is a wise vehicle for combining quality of life with investment.

The coast is a smart place to buy this kind of property.

After a few years, you can have a full, revenue-generating calendar, and the same people will come back year after year.”

Libby also believes in the value of education and coaching. She began working with Brian Buffini early in her career. “His training is simple but profound. That is where I learned the value of getting people comfortable referring you to those they like and trust. My team also utilizes his coaching. Right now I am assisting one of my top-producing agents with coaching. As our business grows, we have new and unique challenges to overcome.

Sometimes we have to figure out how to find the support to meet our clients’ needs.”

Happy Homeowners!

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

My inspiration for R.B. Haley; Rex, Brittney and Haley Another way in which Libby provides good leadership to her clients and team is through her passion for real estate investment. “I have always bought properties along the way. I tell my agents it’s hard to sell a house when you don’t own one. On the other hand, I am able to tell clients that I bought this or did that project and made money – you can do it too. Buying a home is about so much more than just finding a house you like. It is also an investment and an opportunity to make money. I always tell my clients that they need to love the house, but they also need to have an asset in case something in life changes. It should be an asset instead of a liability, something that will be salable in any kind of market.”

Maintaining long-term client relationships means finding ways to stay in touch and let people know they are valued. Libby recently hosted a “sunset at the beach” client appreciation party. “We had wine and food, clients brought their friends, and by the end of the evening, there were new deals in the works. People will never just be numbers on a roster here. We want everyone to feel valued.”

Libby and her team are also reaching out to the community through charitable works. “This year I am getting my agents behind a charity called Backyard Produce. So many people here have food-bearing trees and plants, and that food is going to waste. We want to be a drop point for that food so it can be distributed to people in need. As a real estate community we have the power of numbers to educate and make an impact on a cause. When I was a single mother I remember times when I didn’t have food in my refrigerator. Feeding people is a way to make a real difference.”

“I try to advise my clients as if I were making a decision for my own family,” Libby says. “My job is to make sure they are safe and all of their needs are being met. Without exception, I think real estate is one of the best things ever to happen to a person, but it’s all about choices and timing. I trust every agent here to give our clients the same level of service and professional advice that I would give them.”

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Libby Rogers

R.B. Haley Fine Homes & Estates 12396 World Trade Dr., Ste. 306 San Diego, CA 92128 Tel: 619-203-6597 Email: Libby.Rogers@RBHaley.com Web: www.RBHaley.com CalBRE # 01843189 ExecutiveAgent Magazine