MARCH 2015 INLAND EMPIRE

EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE

CG Realtors Executive Agents of the Month

Inside Features: Isabel Alvarez Century 21 Award Sergio Andrade Alpine Mortgage Planning Lisa Riess-Mendez Complete Builder Service

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contents

Southern California’s Publication for the Real Estate Professional

ExecutiveAgent

Magazine

March, 2015

Inland Empire

Cover Story

Editorials

32 - Tony Alessandra: Visualization

08 - Matt De La Cruz:

Work/Life Balance Having It All

Fred Arrias Executive Publisher PO Box 73384 San Clemente, CA 92673 Ph: (949) 366-3349 Fax: (949) 266-8757 Email: Info@eamag.net Web: www.EAMag.net

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

24 - Jamel Gibbs:

How To Take Your Real Estate Business To The Next Level

Alpine Mortgage Planning............36 City of Hope..................................35

14 - Jason Hanson:

How To Determine If A Seller Is Not Motivated

i Photography Studio.................6 & 23 PWAOR..........................................7

28 - Dirk Zeller:

The Termite Guy.............................31

Can You Afford To Take A Break?

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imortgage....................................2

TIGAR...................................34

10 - Zig Ziglar:

Marketing Director: Frank Arrias Editorial Manager: Trudy Van Graphic Designer: Garon T. Arrias Photography: i Photography Studio, Ian Wiant, Rob Paino Writers: Lalaena Gonzalez–Figueroa, Shannon Hartsoe, Haley Freeman, Steven McReynolds

Worry

CG Realtors

Executive Agents of the Month

© Copyright 2015 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.

26 Isabel Alvarez

12 Sergio Andrade

04 Lisa Riess Mendez

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MAGAZINE

Written by Haley Freeman

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he story of Complete Builder Service, Inc. is the story of how two rivals, with very different talents and temperaments, came together to build a com-

As the president of CBSI, Lisa began her career as a temp with Barratt American, where she was promoted to sales agent in only three months. “Working with them gave me a hands-on opportunity to see the flaws in their system and think about what I would do better. 15 years later, I opened my own businesses based on what I had learned.”

Lisa was a successful business owner who was hard-hit by the market collapse, as was her competitor, Harold.

“The truth is that we really didn’t like each other very much. But Harold was the bigger person. He came up to me at a builder industry meeting and asked if we could talk. I found that he wasn’t what I expected. We decided that both we and our clients would benefit if we joined forces, and as a result, we merged our companies twoand-a-half years ago.”

As in any successful partnership, Lisa and Harold both play to their strengths. “I work directly with builders and community agents at home sites. Harold handles our Seller’s Edge rebate program and the financial end of the business. Our merger has been a huge benefit to our builders. We both did an incredible job with builders, but now clients have the best of two worlds. Harold is amazing at the business side of it, and I’m very good at the relationship side of it.”

pany that does a more complete job of delivering services to their clients than either could alone.

CBSI currently represents eight public homebuilders, including Richmond American and Pardee. “We are a nationally recognized company in the builder community.

When someone goes in to buy a new home and needs to sell their resale home, our builders ask them to use us.

They know we won’t overprice the listing, and we will close quickly and reliably, relieving a lot of stress for the builder. Many of our builder partners won’t take a contingent buyer in California unless they work with our company.”

Builder’s Advantage and 1-2-3 HomeKeys were the industry’s leading lights in contingent home sales, owned

by Lisa Riess-Mendez and Harold Vandiver, respectively.

Now partners in CBSI, the two have merged their considerable resources to form a company with a history of more than 21,000 successful, contingent home sales, some as far away as Canada and Puerto Rico, and a network of real estate agents around the nation, each with experience averaging more than 18 years in the industry.

Lisa Riess-Mendez ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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CBSI puts considerable effort into qualifying the Realtors® who work with them around the country. “We want someone with a minimum of five years’ experience, and we take time to verify their numbers. We also want to meet them in person to make sure that their appearance and the way they present themselves is top-notch. Agents come to us from large offices and boutique offices – the important things we look for are that they are established, familiar with their area and have a reputation for being a good agent in the community where they do business. We realize that they are representing not just us, but also the builder.”

of the market. “I can’t go out there and tell a builder that I know what is going on in the market unless I’m actually experiencing it. Things change constantly, and when I go out to a new account, I want to know exactly what their needs are.”

Agents in the CBSI network have the opportunity to add substantially to their incomes – some earn an additional $50,000 to $100,000 per year. In exchange for these qualified leads, agents are required to move properties promptly and get reports in on time. All clients are surveyed about their experience after the sale. Top agents are now being assigned as liaisons to new home communities within a 15-mile radius of their location and will make weekly visits to increase service to builders.

Lisa sums up what CBSI does best, “Whether it is a resale or a new home, we help close more sales. Our goal is to help alleviate as much stress as possible for the builder community.”

A proactive business owner, Lisa personally takes one listing a month so that she can keep her finger on the pulse

The team at CBSI believes that everyone deserves a home, so they generously support Homeaid, a provider of outreach and housing for the homeless. “We also do things like keep packages of essential items in our trunks that we can give to a homeless person if we see them on the street.”

Lisa Riess-Mendez Complete Builder Service, Inc. Tel: 951-712-8133 Email: Lisa@completebuilderservice.com Web: www.completebuilderservice.com CalBRE# 01151407

Stronger Together ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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Work/Life Balance Having it all

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here are many people that don’t believe that you can have both a successful career and successful life without sacrificing one or the other, this is simply not true. We all have the capabilities and the time to have abundance in our lives. The only way to do that is to plan it.

Work/life balance is a concept including proper prioritizing between “work” (career and ambition) and “lifestyle”

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(spiritual/meditation, family, health, social, mental and financial). Related, though broader, terms include “lifestyle calm balance” and “lifestyle choices”. Life is supposed to be in harmony that brings joy, happiness and fulfillment not destruction, destruction is stress, frustration, guilt or regret. If you were to look at each area of your life as a glass ball, except your career; which should be seen as a rubber ball and that you were trying to juggle all 7 at once. If you happen to drop your family, health or even spiritual ball they would break. If you dropped your career/job ball it would bounce back, in other words there are some things that you just cannot afford to drop.

I have some ideas that may help remember no one gets more than 24hrs a day! plan and use it wisely.

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5 Keys For Better Work / Life Balance:

first thing, it will kick start your metabolism and give you the energy to get through the day.

1. Build downtime in your day - schedule time for family and friends. Date night with spouse significant other.

2. Drop unnecessary activities that drain your time and energy - time you spend surfing the web, social media sites, personal calls and checking your bank accounts.

3. Rethink your to do list - grocery shopping once a week, dry cleaners have them dropped off and picked up, hire a gardening service to do the yard work.

4. Get moving - get up early and get your workout done

5. Relaxation goes a long way - set a goal to leave the office 1 hour early once a week. plan on some one on one time with your children. Plan a 20-30 minute power nap daily, plan a 3 day weekend get away with your partner or just good old fashion communication.

Matt De La Cruz Founder / CEO Winning Minds Tel: 248-249-7350 – 800-781-1118 Email: Matt@winningminds.com Web: www.winningminds.com

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Worry W

orry has been described as “interest paid on trouble before it comes due.” One of America’s worst enemies is worry. Worry is like a rocking chair; it requires a lot of energy, and it gets you nowhere. Leo Buscaglia said, “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.”

Question: Are you a worrier? Americans take more pills to forget more worries about more things than ever before and more than people in any other nation in history. That’s bad. According to Dr. Charles Mayo, “Worry affects the circulation and the whole nervous system. I’ve never known a man who died from overwork, but I’ve known many who have died from doubt.” Doubt always creates worry, and in most cases, lack of information raises the doubt.

Life is much like Christmas. You’re more apt to get what you expect than what you want. Mathematically speaking, it really doesn’t make sense to worry. Psychologists and other researchers tell us that roughly 40 percent of what we worry about will never happen and 30 percent has already happened. Additionally, 12 percent of our worries are over unfounded health concerns. Another 10 percent of our worries involve the daily miscellaneous fretting that accomplishes nothing. That leaves only 8 percent. Plainly speaking, Americans are worrying 92 percent of the time for no good reason, and if Dr. Mayo is right, it’s killing us.

One solution that will reduce your worry is this: Don’t worry about what you can’t change. Example: For a number of years I’ve flown in excess of 200,000 miles a year. On occasion, flights are canceled or delayed. As I write this, I’m sitting on the runway waiting for my gate to clear. If I worry or get angry, nothing will change. If I take constructive action and finish this article, I’m ahead of the game. That’s a positive way to use the energy that I would have wasted on anger, frustration, or worrying.

The message is clear: If you don’t like your situation in life, don’t fret or worry--do something about it. Worry less, and act more.

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.

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Written by Zig Ziglar

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MAGAZINE

Written by Haley Freeman

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ersistence is a quality that has defined Sergio Andrade’s character throughout his life and career. As a youth growing up in a gang and drug infested neighborhood in L.A., Sergio saw the degrading effects of poverty and violence on the

people around him. “I remember sitting on the porch many nights, thinking that I couldn’t live there my whole life. I remember wondering what I was going to do to get my mom and siblings out. I knew that to accomplish it, I had to work on myself.”

At 19 years old, and with a strong sense of purpose, Sergio joined the military. He didn’t want to just be in any service – he wanted a challenge to help him become a better man and change his circumstances. He became a Paratrooper for the 82nd Airborne Division, and completed his elite training at Fort Benning, Georgia. “More than 120 trainees quit or were eliminated in the first day, but I persisted and managed to finish at the top of my class.”

After his distinguished military service, Sergio returned home to a family in financial crisis. After working a series of hard labor jobs for little pay, Sergio again determined that he would improve his life and do something meaningful. A friend suggested that he become a mortgage broker. “I picked up the LA Times and called 30-40 people in one day until someone finally offered me an interview. Nearly everyone wanted someone with a license or experience, and I had neither.” But Sergio had persistence.

Sergio Andrade ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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A few years later, at only 29 years old, he opened his first mortgage company. He was motivated to give people the professional, accurate, and straightforward service that they deserve. He prides himself on being as accurate as possible, especially with his good faith estimates, so that none of his clients have to deal with any surprises at the finish line.

Sergio now brings his many years of experience and integrity to the team at Alpine Mortgage Planning. He previously worked with managers Brett and Marlene and decided to follow their leadership to this dynamic company. “The culture here is one of trust because our managers are people of their word. There is warmth and chemistry, honesty and openness. The whole team unites and works to solve problems together, rather than leaving every man for himself.”

As a seasoned professional who has also worked as a Realtor® and Broker, Sergio understands the needs of borrowers and agents. “I take the time to meet with my clients, educate them on the entire financial process, review in detail their documenta­ tion, and complete a pre-approval loan analysis, usually leading to a closed escrow.”

Sergio also applies persistence in communication.

“The majority of agents spend a lot of time worrying about their transactions. There can be some unforeseen challenges that arise, and many LOs think hiding will make it go away. You must always keep your agents updated on the process, and communicate if something goes wrong. I understand that an agent’s reputation can be ruined by lack of good communication with their loan officer.”

In addition to his dedication to his career, Sergio is also dedicated to his family. “I don’t believe you have to be a workaholic to be good at what you do.

There must be balance in life. Without balance, you can’t have a joyful life. I love being a dad, and I love spending time with my wife and kids. When I was young, I adopted the motto, ‘persist until you succeed,’ which my kids are learning to apply in their lives as well . I am a person of my word and always persist to deliver the highest quality service in the industry to my clients and agents.”

Sergio Andrade MLO 1018368 Senior Mortgage Advisor Alpine Mortgage Planning 3990 Concours, Ste. 350 Ontario, CA 91764 Cell: 626.524.4565 Direct: 909.657.5110 Email: SAndrade@alpinemc.com Web: www.alpinemc.com/sergioandrade

© 2015 A division of Pinnacle Capital Mortgage Corp | Equal Housing Lender | NMLS 81395 | WA CL-81395 | AZ BK-910890 | Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act Regulated by the Division of Real Estate Colorado. .

Persist Until You Succeed ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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How To Determine If A Seller Is Not Motivated

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recently got off the phone with a seller. The deal involved a property in a neighborhood I really like.

There was decent cash flow ($200) and this was the bread and butter type of deal I like to close.

I didnt get the deal. One of the funny things about this business is how sellers will appear motivated at first and then when you talk to them the next time their story completely changes.

Well, with this particular deal I was trying to buy the property subject-to. I want to show you how I try and close a seller and how I know when its time to give up.

When you first talk to a seller you build rapport and ask questions you need regarding the property. (For me, I was talking with this person after my assistant found out the initial information about the property). Once you’ve gotten all of the information you need, you present your offer to the seller.

Now, if a seller is truly motivated they will take it immediately. However, on this particular call the guy informed me that he didnt want to be on the hook for the loan and he would try and rent his property himself. I then proceeded to re-explain all of the benefits of working with me such as he would have guaranteed payments for the next 5 years; he wouldnt have to worry about vacancies or any tenant hassles at all. After I explained all of this, he still wasnt interested.

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Do you know how to tell if a person is at least slightly motivated? If they ask questions! You see, every time I explained all of the benefits of working with me, the guy didnt ask any questions or care at all. If he were even a little bit interested he would have at least asked me a few question questions are good and this is when your sales skills and scripts come into play.

However, if you’re dealing with an unmotivated seller it doesn’t matter if you’re the best salesperson in the world, because he doesnt want what you’re selling.

Anyway, so after I explained to him the benefits of selling to me about three different times and how not once did he bite or ask any questions, I knew there was no deal to be had. But, Im still going to follow up with this guy in 30 days because time always increases motivation.

And remember you can’t force a deal. I know we all want deals badly but if they aren’t interested there is nothing we can do. So as soon as you figure out someone is not motivated, get rid of them and move on to the next person.

Jason R. Hanson is the founder of National Real Estate Investor Month, author of How to Build a Real Estate Empire and mentor to students all across America. To get a FREE copy of Jason™ Special Report The Insider™ Guide To Buying Your First Investment Property in 83 Days or Less! visit http://www.PrimoCoach.com or call 800-865-1702.

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Written By Jason Hanson ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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Nomination Form Nominate a fellow REALTOR速 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: 949.366.3349

Name_______________________________ Company___________________________ Phone______________________________ Email_______________________________

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Cover Story

CG Realtors Executive Agents of the Month

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CG Realtors Written by Haley Freeman - Ian Wiant Photographer

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he award-winning Costantino Group is led by Char and Dennis Costantino, along with their son, Eric Crumbaker. Ranking in the top 10 of Century 21 producers across the nation, real estate success is a family tradition inspired by Char’s parents, who formerly owned a Century 21 franchise.

“I grew up in the business,” Char says. “My parents started the legacy and trained me to be the kind of person they would want to carry on their success. When they retired, I realized that we had something very special. We had worked really hard over the years and never compromised our values for a commission. They taught me to do the right thing by following their example.”

Char and Dennis have been in real estate since 1985, and three years ago, they invited Eric to join them. They saw an extraordinary opportunity to come together as a multi-gen-

erational team, to combine the wisdom of experience with the enthusiasm of youth to formulate a whole new approach to the business of real estate. “We wanted to be the group that does it differently from all the others,” Char says.

The team’s success begins with the strengths of its individual players. “This has been a wonderful journey for all of us,” Char says. “We are all three so different. I think that’s why we make such a good group – we all bring something different to the table. Eric has so much passion and is so driven. He went to Chicago out of college to help his sister with her business in the fashion industry. In a year he helped her take it to a whole new level. He is very entrepreneurially minded – he believes that everybody has the opportunity to achieve something great if they are willing to work hard. When he came back, he decided to get his real estate license and see what we could build together.”

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CG Realtors Char continues, “Dennis is completely different from me. I’m more outgoing and hands-on with people. He’s more quiet-natured. He does a lot of the back-end business support, like research, implementing new programs and handling the finances. His skills are essential to our success.”

“I do all the negotiating on contracts,” she acknowledges. “I tend to read people well and to find solutions quickly. I want to be proactive rather than reactive in a transaction. I think that skill comes with experience. I believe that every buyer has a good chance of getting the property they want and every seller has a good chance of getting the maximum price possible for their home when they have a skilled negotiator.”

“People who have lived in this community a long time know who Char Costantino is,” Eric says. “They know they want to work with her because they know what kind of person she is and what they are getting when they hire her.”

The whole team attributes a portion of their success to the outstanding coaching they have received from Tom Ferry. “He is a daily inspiration, keeping us focused on what we need to do every day,” Char states. “We write down all of the things we are grateful for every day and review our goals for the week, month and year. If you write it out daily it becomes like gravity pushing you to owning it.”

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From Their Family to Yours Three Generations in Real Estate She continues, “My personal coach, Debbie Holloway, has been a gift to me. She had an amazing business in Kentucky and is still very influential in her community and involved in a lot of organizations that see her goodness. Every time we turn a bend we find greatness and people who gravitate to us and us to them. It is amazing to find mentors in life who have a passion for what they do and a willingness to share it by giving us their time and belief in us. We have so much to aspire to.”

Eric participates in a mastermind group and describes his coach, Tom Ferry, as “one of the very significant men in my life. Real estate can be a stale profession if you are not always improving. This training has molded us into better leaders and better people. It has enhanced our listening skills, made us better at structuring systems and more successful at sales. As leaders, we always try things first before we present it to our group. I think this creates trust. We are all like a family.”

The Costantino Group is always trying new things. “We have a young group of motivated, A-players,” Char says.

“When someone joins us, we have them take a personality test to make sure we put them in the right place and they can do what they are naturally gifted at instead of putting them in a position they will fail in. We take a special interest in anyone who comes on board with our team. We are all like-minded with the same values.”

The team participates in regular brainstorming sessions, where ideas and goals are rewarded with incentives.

Everyone on the team has a voice and a stake in their future, since everyone’s contribution is valued. The group is now sharing a book club. They are reading motivational books and biographies of people who inspire them and discussing them together. Their first book is The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster by Darren Hardy.

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Another exciting new development is the group’s new office in Claremont Village. “This is Eric’s vision,” Char explains. “We are trying to establish a new culture in the industry, one that reflects the personality and culture of our community where there are many artists, musicians, philosophers and educators. Our dynamic mix of generations and cultures make this on the top five cities to live in according to Forbes. Our building is all glass and overlooks Indian Hill Boulevard. The high ceilings and natural light give it a loft feel. We have an open office space with couches, and we will host regular events where we can invite the community and feature new, local artists.

We want people to see that we are doing things differently and always on the move. We want to separate ourselves from the customary way of selling real estate.”

Giving back to the community through charitable efforts is also integral to the culture of the Costantino Group.

They are avid supporters of Steven’s Hope for Children, an organization founded by Sandy and Tony Cappelli, to offer financial and emotional support to families caring for critically ill children. They also offer assistance to the Special Olympics, Community Senior Services and Executive Women International (Ewi). Eric is an active

member of Claremont Young Professionals, taking part in various community activities throughout the year.

They say the family that plays together, stays together, so this family plays golf! Char is also a marathoner. “A marathon is your life. It is a journey. You prepare every day – you put the miles in and train your body. You train mentally so that when you think you can’t make it, you can push yourself to finish and to win. It’s an amazing feeling to pass that finish line – a high for accomplishing something you never thought you could do.”

Eric’s outlook on the future is summed up in two words, “Inspired and excited. We want to be a fun-loving, personable, high-energy brokerage that attracts clients and agents like us. We’re always trying new things and want to bring great people along with us.”

“For all of the years I’ve been doing this, I feel I’ve brought value to people who are seeking something different. We have a proven track record and a reputation for integrity, and we plan to continue that legacy long into the future.”

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CG Realtors

Offices: Claremont & Upland Char: (909) 228-8862 Eric: (909) 821-3269 ccostantino@cgrealtors.com www.cgrealtors.com www.costantinoreviews.com CalBRE #00896039 ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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How To Take Your Real Estate Business To The Next Level

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aking your real estate business to the next level is not as hard as it may seem. Actually, it is quite simple.

In order to really move your business to new heights there are a couple of things you need to do. In this article I will briefly explain how to take your real estate business into orbit.

Outsourcing: If you ask me, the only way to take your business to the next level is to outsource your business. Outsourcing is hiring people or companies to take care of certain parts of your business for you. A lot of real estate investors are control freaks over their business and that is a big mistake. They think that they can do everything on their own. To be honest, no one can do everything on their own. In order for you to break new barriers in your real estate business you must hire people to help you.

Phone Services: One way that you can outsource is to hire call answering services. Most services like these will screen all of your calls and you can even give them a script. Once they have screened your calls they will email you. At that point you can pick and choose who you want to call back. If the deal is good, you can tell the answering company to put urgent in the email subject heading.

Direct Mail Services: Another way to outsource your business is to hire a direct mailing company. Make sure you research companies that specialize in the type of leads you need. Most direct mailing companies will automatically advertise for you on a monthly basis according to your budget. This is an easy way to stop procrastination when it comes to spending advertising dollars. This is also a good way to save time with putting labels on post cards and other forms of mail.

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Written By Jamel Gibbs

Other: You don’t always need to hire a company to outsource your business. You can hire people to do certain things for you that you cannot do on your own, or just don’t have enough time in the day for. College students are great for doing paperwork for you. They are also good for running errands and things of that nature. You can hire people and teach them how to do things the way you want it to be done. If they can do it half as good as you and you hire 2 or 3 people to do the same thing, then your doing good.

Hiring people and companies is definitely the way to go if you want to hit that next level in your real estate investment business. When your budget is right you should consider doing so. Think about it, if you’re worth $200 an hour, why would you be doing a job worth $10 an hour. Hire someone to do that job for you. When you do this you can focus on what your good at which is bringing in more business.

Copyright © 2008 Jamel Gibbs - All Rights Reserved. WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it. Check out Jamel Gibbs at http://www.

HowtoFlipforProfits.com.

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Isabel Alvarez

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sabel Alvarez is a self-motivated, energetic person who recognized early in her life that real estate was a profession where she would excel. Her initial aspirations of becoming an elementary teacher cooled as she realized that being tied down in a building all day was not a good fit for her lively personality. In her early twenties, Isabel enrolled in real estate training with

Coldwell Banker. “I wanted something that allowed me to control my income and hours. I don’t like having the same routine every day. I like being on the move, and I’m pretty adventurous. I already had experience with commission sales, and I had really enjoyed working as a receptionist for Century 21 when I was in college.”

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Driven to Serve and Succeed Written by Haley Freeman

Isabel was the youngest agent in her office, but her determination to succeed helped her to gain the confidence of clients and colleagues. “I have to say that everybody in my office helped me along the way. It was hard for people to trust that I knew what I was doing because I was young and looked even younger. I realized that to succeed, I had to really know my business. So I spent a lot of time looking at properties and learning about the areas. I also educated myself on the local market conditions and trends.”

Today, with more than 19 years of experience in the business, Isabel is a top-producing agent with Century 21 Award. “I came here when the market fell, and I was looking for a positive, motivating work environment.

Century 21 is an enduring brand, with a reputation that is recognized worldwide. I especially like the backing and training I receive here that helps me to give more knowledgeable service to my clients.”

Isabel is certified as a Cartus Relocation Agent and a USAA & Navy Federal Preferred Agent. Both elite designations require rigorous training and annual recertification.

Isabel prefers to work primarily as a solo agent, not only because she is a self-starter, but also because most of her business comes from referrals. “I don’t want to pass them off to another agent when it is me they have been referred to for what could be the largest investment of their life. I want to be sure they get the service they have been promised. My mom is also an agent, so sometimes I team up with her when I have a client in south San Diego where she works and lives.”

Real estate is a family endeavor, as Isabel’s brother is a lender, and her nine-year-old daughter is a Realtor®-intraining who often accompanies her after school. Isabel’s family is also in construction and enjoy working together.

“I have learned a lot from remodeling many times and doing things myself, so I have extra knowledge to help my clients. I may notice things that could be a potential problem and am able to point that out to them. There are a lot of investor flips on the market right now, and sometimes they look good on the outside but are not so good underneath.”

Magazine’s 5 Star Reader Satisfaction Award. In 2014, Isabel received Century 21’s Masters Ruby Award, selling almost $8million in Real Estate last year alone. “Last year was a great year. I was able to help so many clients who came to me through referrals. I’m not doing much advertising, so it means a lot to me to know that people respect me that much to entrust me to their friends and family.”

Isabel contributes a portion from every sale to Easter Seals through the Closing for Kids program. This 35-year partnership between Century 21 and Easter Seals has generated over $100 million for the organization. “I have a friend whose 22-year-old son is autistic. I really wanted to help support an organization that she and others can go to for resources and guidance.”

“I love helping people get into a home. Showing property is fun to me. I have become friends with many clients, and I really enjoy my time with them. My manager told me recently that I’m like a mama bear. I’m always out there looking out for my clients’ best interests and will fight for them if needed. I think my best qualities are that I am no-nonsense, driven and trustworthy. I don’t believe you can talk someone into buying a house. My job is to guide them so they can choose the right home where they will be happy for many years.”

Isabel Alvarez Century 21 Award Carlsbad 2011 Palomar Airport Road Carlsbad, CA 92011 Tel: 760-207-2831 Email: isabelsellshomes@gmail.com Web: www.sellingsandiegocounty.com CalBRE # 01219632

Isabel’s professional dedication has earned her many honors. She has been a Top 10 Club member since joining Century 21 in 2007, and she is a recipient of San Diego ExecutiveAgent Magazine

EA

Can You Afford To Take A Break?

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s the summer heats up, vacations become more frequent for clients, prospects, and you. It becomes easy to fall into a complacent attitude toward

work.

You can’t afford to add to the problem so, sorry, you can’t afford the day off.

But when you feel the pull of the beach or the golf course on a day you know you should work, here are a few ways to get back on track.

Review your goals for the year.

If you’ve noticed that you’ve been making days off too much of a habit lately, you might need to evaluate how in step you’ve been with your sales goals lately. Can you really afford to take the day off today? In other words, have you earned the right by your previous actions up until today through disciplined effort to take the day off?

Have you reached your goal for the year? Are you tracking toward your goal? Have you taken the number of listings you need for the year? Do you have the number of transactions pending and closed that you need?

When I am coaching a client, I’m most concerned about the number of listings compared to the goal, as well as the quality of the listing in terms of pricing and the pipeline of pendings the client has currently. If the client is a little behind in production but the pending pipeline is strong, as well as the pipeline of inventory, I’m confident they will catch up to their goal.

So ask yourself: Where are you at right now?

Consider how consistent you’ve been in your prospecting, lead followup, and lead generation calls in the last 30 days.

If you’ve been consistent in hitting the phones and making face-to-face appointments in the last 30 days, you won’t be slowed in your momentum or break your established habit with one day away.

However, if you’ve been erratic in these efforts, you might want to rethink that day off. One day off may only add to the problem that already exists: inconsistent effort and results.

You might think that one more day won’t hurt, but that’s exactly why you are where you are currently. The 28

most important moment is now; the moment to change the outcome is now.

Accept that a day off to recharge is sometimes needed.

We all need time off, and we all deserve time off. As real estate pros, we tend to make ourselves available to our clients and prospects 24-7. But we can burn out quickly if we don’t take time off regularly. Sometimes we need to let ourselves take that day off.

But make it count. When was the last time you took a whole day off where you shut off your cell phone and didn’t answer it? When were you not “on call” or interrupted when you were with your family?

Maybe today needs to be that day.

For most real estate professionals, we have too many of what I call “half days.” These are days where we are half in and half out of the game. We are half at work and half at home. I think we kid ourselves when we do this, and actually spend most of the time in the land of neither.

The secret to success is to be all in at all times. If you decide to be at work, be all there. If you decide to take the day off, be all there as well.

So if the beach is calling and you’ve earned it, go enjoy what you earned without guilt!

Dirk Zeller is recognized as the premier coach for the real estate industry. He is one of the most sought after speakers and authors for high volume production while attaining life balance in the real estate industry. Dirk is the President of Real Estate Champions. Real Estate Champions provides exceptional business and developmental training to real estate agents and managers through cutting edge coaching programs and seminars including the “Four Day Work Week System Program™.”

Visit their web site at Real Estate Champions. © 2010, 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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Written By Dirk Zeller ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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Visualization

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ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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isualization is indispensable tools in helping people attain their goals. Musicians and athletes have proven that visualization is an effective substitute for real practice.

V

Feel. What would your tactile sensations be? You would feel people rubbing up against you in the crowded room. You would feel others shaking your hand. What else?

In visualizing your goals, you will live your accomplishments in your mind’s eye. The more of the five senses that you can involve, the greater your chances are of accomplishment.

Taste. Taste in your mind the champagne you will be drinking.

For example, you may want to be the Salesperson of the Year in your company. You know that each year an awards banquet is given during which a plaque is presented to the year’s sales leader. You may choose to focus on this banquet for your visualization exercise. Here is what you do: Make yourself comfortable. Close your eyes and relax.

Slowly and systematically go through all of the five senses. Imagine what you would be experiencing at the banquet.

Sight. Imagine what you would see there. You would see other salespeople and their spouses. Imagine what they are wearing.

You would see tables decorated and waiters scurrying about.

You would see the bar and people standing around talking.

Keep expanding what you “see” for several minutes.

Sound. What would you hear? You would hear the chatter of people. You would hear laughter, the tinkling of glasses, music from a band, and people talking. You would also continually hear people coming up to congratulate you. Imagine that!

Taste the food you will be eating. Experience the sweet taste of success - in advance! Most importantly, imagine the exhilaration you will feel when your name is called to receive the award! Take your time during this exercise and enjoy it. The more you can “visually” attend this banquet, the more motivated you will become.

To aid in your visualization exercise, you might want to start a visualization file. This is a file into which you put pictures, clippings, letters, and other reminders of what it will be like to succeed. Your file should also contain letters or awards that you have received in the past.

Anything that makes you feel good about yourself can be included in the file. It can then be used as a source of motivation and inspiration, especially if you begin to feel a little down or de- motivated. We all need to be reminded of our past accomplishments once in a while. Be your own best friend -- remind yourself!

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. Copyright© 1999, Tony Alessandra. All rights reserved. This article has been adapted from Dr. Alessandra’s book, The Platinum Rule (Warner Books, 1996). Dr. Tony Alessandra is recognized

by Meetings and Conventions Magazine as... “one of America’s most electrifying speakers.” For information about Tony’s keynote presentations, please call The Frog Pond Group at 800-704-FROG (3764) or email susie@ frogpondgroup.com; http://www.frogpondgroup.com.

Smell. Imagine all the smells you would experience: women’s perfume, food, alcohol, men’s cologne, and the smell of floral decorations. What else?

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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