What have been some of the challenges you faced? Dianah Having balance in your life—real estate is hard work, and you have to be on top of your game to be successful—from the writing of the contract to the settlement table. Take the time to be who you are spiritually. For me, volunteerism is important; also finding “me time.” Also, it’s not about the volume for me; it’s about the service we offer our clients.
What are some the changes you’ve seen in the business environment? Kimberly TRID (TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure) changes. Title companies can no longer adjust or make changes to the settlement sheet—it all has to be done by the lender. That was a major paradigm shift for the industry. Danai Marketing has changed quite a bit. It’s all about the data. We have to adjust continually to stay on top of the changes. Also, I can’t stress enough the importance of the relationship. What’s your personal brand? You have to sell the lifestyle your clients are looking for—be the neighborhood expert. Kymber Harnessing the digital footprint. You have to look at your ROI for the things you’re doing. What you were doing a few years ago may not work now or may not make sense financially to continue doing. You have to constantly adjust—find your niche; what’s unique to you.
How do you balance work and family? Kymber Having had three boys in five years, organization is key! I make a calendar for the year where I plug in all of the important dates (vacations, kids’ activities, dates nights, etc.) so I can make time for my family. You have to be fierce about your schedule. Don’t let others dictate the schedule for you. Tell them, “I can meet with you on [this date] between the hours of 2 and 5 p.m.” If you want to be successful, you have to put in the time—know where you want to be and reverse engineer what it will take to get there. Get an accountability partner. Use your natural/native places to grow your business (schools, book clubs, PTA meetings, etc.)
Kimberly You must be accessible—take phone calls on the weekend, but around your schedule. It’s okay to do life stuff—that’s why we work for ourselves. Spend time with family; you can never get that time back. Balance is so important; be flexible with yourself.
WCR Panel L-R: Kimberly Galvin, Dianah Shaw, Linda Kibunja, Kymber Lovett-Menkiti, and Danai Mattison Sky.
Dianah Be self-motivated and have a plan. Know what motivates you, but put the money in perspective. A misconception is that agents make a lot of money, but keep in mind that being in the real estate business costs money.
What are some of challenges in the real estate industry right now? Kymber Everything is evolving quickly. You have to embrace technology instead of seeing it as a disrupter. Learn and understand how to use data. Always reinforce the value you bring to your clients. Dianah The growth of the DC market has been tremendous. DC clients are more sophisticated, but they still need an experienced REALTOR® to guide them through the process. Millennials need to understand that they may not be able to afford property in a hot neighborhood right away, but they should be looking to home ownership as an opportunity to build wealth. CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — Spring 2019 15