LVAM Iss 22 - July/Aug 2017

July/August 2017

Did you hear the one about the comedian that became a Broker?

JOHN GRIFFITH ALSO INSIDE

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COntents Created Exclusively for the Las Vegas Real Estate Agent

6

Bookend Routines 101: a 3-step lesson

Equity Stripping Robert L. Bolick

Publisher

Publisher@LVAgentMagazine.com

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5 Steps to Stop Letting Your Business Run You! Galit Rozen

Amber De La Garza

8 Melodie C. Miller

16 18

Six Timeless Leadership Tips JC Melvin

Painting Trim Without Brush Marks Mike Klimek

20

NEWS

Copy editor Debbie Flessner Ceditor@LVAgentMagazine.com

21 Housing Stats

GRAPHIC DESIGN Sho Labaco

23

Art@LVAgentMagazine.com

Photography

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Connie Palen Photos@LVAgentMagazine.com

To view past issues, please visit

www.LVAgentMagazine.com

Jack Woodcock

JOHN GRIFFITH

COVER STORY For more information please email or call 702-530-5033.

Las Vegas Agent Magazine is distributed bi-monthly, via U.S. Mail to RealtorsÂŽ in the Las Vegas Valley.

We welcome reader correspondence and are always looking for the best possible content to offer our subscribers. Please send all comments, suggestions and inquiries to Publisher@LVAgentMagazine.com Las Vegas Agent Magazine assumes no responsibility for, or endorses the thoughts expressed or advertised. No portion of Las Vegas Agent Magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. All rights reserved.

Cover photo by: Connie Palen

4 Las Vegas Agent Magazine | JULY/August 2017 CopyrightŠ 2017.

All Rights Reserved

Las Vegas Agent Magazine: 702-530-5033

BOOKEND ROUTINES 101:

A-3 STEP LESSON

By: Amber De La Garza, The Productivity Specialist

Who needs routines? Well, you do. Even spontaneous, free spirits have routines.

Routines are simply automated habits layered on top of each other and performed in a specific sequence.

and at night. This technique affords the opportunity to achieve larger, longterm goals by consistently encouraging purposeful, scheduled action toward those goals at the beginning and end of each day.

Steps to Creating and Maintaining Useful Bookend Routines Determine Which Habits to Keep 1 First, identify and write down the habits you already engage in during the morning and at night. Post the list where you will see it, whether it is on your phone, mirror or monitor. Alternatively, you could utilize a habit tracking app that provides feedback, such as Habit List for IOS or Habit Bull for Android. Tracking your habits, whether manually or digitally, can be very valuable because it helps you determine which habitual actions you should ditch and STEP

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hey can be very helpful in keeping you on track toward your goals, but problems can arise if you create routines based on bad habits.

Doing so causes your productivity, and therefore your production, to suffer.

Free spirit or not, you have routines.

Make them work for you, not against you.

Start creating useful routines by first determining which actions you could take daily to enable yourself to achieve your goals when compounded over time.

Slow and steady wins the race. Never attempt to achieve your goals swiftly with erratic, extreme action. Doing so guarantees inconsistent results and the possibility of neglecting other areas of your business.

Instead, create routines that align with your goals, make progress at a manageable pace and practice bookending.

The Art of Bookending Starting and ending each day with the same series of good habits day after day is a productivity technique I call bookending.

Bookending provides a framework for your time, without leaving you feeling trapped by rigid time constraints. As a business owner, your days are often filled with randomness. There are days you have backto-back appointments and other days you can work quietly in your office for hours without a single interruption. Bookending provides ultimate flexibility in the middle of the day when it’s needed and just the right amount of structure in the morning

6

STEP

2

Use Triggers which ones you should intentionally implement daily.

Next, determine what additional activities you should add to your routine. Choose activities that align with your goals and help you make progress toward achieving them. Use the trigger method to make those activities become habits you do consistently as part of your routine. The trigger method involves purposefully completing a desired activity directly following a habitual activity, so that it becomes an automated habit as well. For example, if you want to make posting to social media a daily habit, start doing it immediately after you take your last bite of lunch, which you do every

Las Vegas Agent Magazine | JULY/August 2017

day anyway. Over time, posting to social media will become an automated habit you will engage in everyday following your lunch without having to think about it or schedule it. Using the trigger method is an excellent way of acting intentionally to help make behaviors grow into consistent habits.

Rework Routines Until They’re Right Lastly, you have to rework your routines until they work for you and the only way to do that is by trial and error.

You may create an amazing routine that sounds great on paper but is not feasible in real life. Don’t worry and certainly don’t give up. If you find you are too tired to complete a certain mentally demanding activity in the morning, try doing it at night instead. Conversely, if you find you are too riled up in the evening to close your eyes for 20 minutes to meditate, try instead doing it in the morning. Everyone’s ultradian rhythms are different, so what works for others may not work for you. Rework the layers of your bookend routines until the flow feels good to you.

STEP

3

Having a great number of tasks on your plate is typical in the real estate profession, but that doesn’t mean you have to be stressed out. When you are feeling too busy and overwhelmed, it is especially important to stick to your routines. When engineered to align with your personal style, schedule and goals, routines provide much needed stability and can reduce your stress. Bookend your day with routines to provide just the right ratio of structure to flexibility to keep you progressing toward your goals at a productive and manageable pace.

STOP SCREWING YOUR PRODUCTIVITY! Download 10 Ways You're SCREWING Your Productivity by texting SCREW to 444999 Many of the habits you engage in, although (possibly) well-intentioned, actually hinder you from achieving far more. They cost you time, money, energy, lost opportunities, and clients.

Amber De La Garza, The Productivity Specialist, works with business owners and entrepreneurs who are ready to transform the way they work so they can reduce stress, maximize time, and grow their business. Amber provides her clients with precisely what they need – the best in productivity training and consulting to meet their maximum potential and accomplish their goals.

702-527-2307 | Amber@TheProductivitySpcialist.com

Equity Stripping By: Robert L. Bolick, Esq.

Let’s say that you have a rental with significant equity. You hold it in an LLC for asset protection. That’s a good first step.

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he problem is that if a tenant or guest of a tenant has a legitimate claim arising from the property, he or she can proceed against the property held in your LLC. They may not be able to sue you personally (assuming you properly maintain and operate your LLC), but they can go after all your hard-earned equity in your property.

In order to pull this off you need to have sufficient liquid funds to create your own note and second deed of trust. That’s the catch – you need to have access to funds on a short-term basis.

For example, say you have a rental worth $200,000 but the mortgage is only $80,000, meaning you have $120,000 in equity in your property. If a liability occurs on the property which either isn’t covered by insurance or is in excess of policy limits, you could lose the property and all $120,000 of your equity.

2. You fund this with a significant amount

finance LLC to your rental LLC and then back into your finance LLC.

3. Your finance LLC (which holds the

At the end of the day, you are back where you started, except that you now have a legitimate $100,000 second deed of trust on your rental, and your equity has been reduced from $120,000 to $20,000.

4. You actually transfer $100,000 from the

The advantage of being your own lender as opposed to taking out a second loan on your property with a third party is that you pay interest to yourself rather than losing the interest paid to a third party.

5. You make payments each month on

For income taxes, it’s a wash. Your rental LLC pays $100 in interest and your finance LLC receives $100 in interest, giving you a net zero tax effect.

6. Over a matter of time, your property

For those with significant equity in a property and sufficient cash to be your own lender, this can be a slick way to transfer equity from an LLC with potential liability to an LLC with no liability, thereby securing any equity in a rental for yourself and removing it out of the reach of a creditor.

Perhaps the easiest way to reduce your exposed equity is to get a second mortgage on your property. The obvious downside is that you now have another loan to service and another drag on your cash flow.

A better option is to get a secured line of credit (LOC) on the property. For example, if a lender gives you an $80,000 line of credit, it shows an $80,000 lien on the property, regardless of the outstanding balance on the loan. If you never draw on the LOC (a difficult temptation to resist), you never pay any interest and your cash flow remains intact.

The problem with this is that if you wait until after a liability occurs on the property to draw on your LOC to reduce your equity, a creditor could go after those funds.

Here’s how it works: 1. You create a new LLC to act as your own private lender (a “finance LLC”).

of cash – in this example, $100,000. If you have a line of credit or access to funds on a relatively short-term basis, this makes it easy. $100,000 cash) lends your rental LLC (which owns your rental) $100,000, evidenced by a promissory note and secured by a second deed of trust. finance LLC to the rental LLC. If no funds are transferred, a creditor could set aside the lien as bogus.

the note from your rental LLC to your finance LLC. It is a legitimate financial arrangement with bona fide substance, even though in essence, you are taking money out of your left pocket and putting it into your right pocket.

Is there any other way to protect your equity? Yes, but it requires some effort on your part. Essentially, you can set up a separate, independent LLC to act as your own private, personal lender. This technique is sometimes known as “equity stripping”.

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Las Vegas Agent Magazine | JULY/August 2017

LLC distributes $100,000 back to you.

There are no tax consequences to you because your LLC is a “disregarded entity” for tax purposes.

7. You can then contribute the funds back

into your finance LLC as a capital contribution. This is also tax-free.

8. The funds, in essence, go from your

Robert L. Bolick is an estate planning and asset protection attorney in the firm’s Las Vegas office. Mr. Bolick previously was owner and president of Bolick & Boyer in Las Vegas. He maintains an “AV” rating with Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating awarded to attorneys for professional competence and ethics.

702-870-6060 | rbolick@djplaw.com | www.djplaw.com

ARE YOU RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS...

OR IS IT RUNNING YOU? If you are tired of working insane hours in your business…

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I am here to assure you ALL of this is possible with the right MENTOR My name is Galit and I have over 20 years' experience running my own successful brokerage in Las Vegas. As a committed mother of 3, I built my business around my LIFE first, without ever sacrificing my business success or profits.

I have helped numerous business owners more than double their profits while cutting their work hours in HALF! Here is what it takes: • STRONG BOUNDARIES • AUTHORITATIVE DELEGATING • CRYSTAL CLEAR PRIORITIES • STREAMLINED SYSTEMS • LOTS OF SELF-CARE

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cover feature

Enthusiasm goes a long way towards overcoming a lack of knowledge or experience, but no amount of training can cover for a lack of enthusiasm.

F

or those who have achieved either personal or professional success (or both) in life, they have rarely followed a completely direct line to get there. Somewhere along the way, there was more than likely a sidetrack, a diversion or a setback that caused them to make a temporary detour on the way to accomplishing their goals.

Las Vegas Realtor John Griffith not only experienced two employment sidetracks on his path to real estate agency ownership, but each of those were what could have been lifelong careers on their own. As diverse as his jobs seemed to be, though, his time at each would prove to be a valuable education for what was to come.

Griffith grew up in Park Forest, Illinois, a southern suburb of Chicago, as one of three children. As a young child, he was fascinated by stand-up comics, and would hole up in his room listening to Steve Martin and Rodney Dangerfield albums.

After his high school graduation, he thought he might like to work in comedy himself, but wasn’t quite sure how to get there.

“I knew I wanted to move to California, because I wanted to try my hand at stand-up comedy,” Griffith said. “A friend of mine was working in the claims department at Allstate Insurance in Illinois, and she said, ‘Why don’t you just get a job with them and they’ll transfer you to California?’”

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He did get a job in the Allstate claims department but of course, it wasn’t quite that easy to immediately get a transfer out of state. After working there for a year, Griffith finally got the transfer he wanted, and made the move out to California to follow his dreams.

His new hometown may have been on the west coast, but it was still about an hour and a half from where the comedy clubs were in downtown Los Angeles. Griffith began a grinding schedule of working at his Allstate day job in San Bernardino, and then driving into Los Angeles to try to get a shot at appearing on stage for three minutes at an open mike night at The Comedy Store on Sunset Blvd.

Of course, there was no pay for those appearances—the whole point was to get noticed by someone in the industry, which would hopefully lead to a paying gig.

Comics that he became friends with at The Comedy Store helped him land an audition for a comedy group called New Faces of the Improv. After five or six auditions, they invited him to join the group as a featured performer.

By then he was performing weekly at the Santa Monica and Hollywood Improvs, but it wasn’t necessarily a glamorous life—and he still wasn’t getting paid.

“The biggest audience I ever played was in front of 900 people in San Diego and

Las Vegas Agent Magazine | JULY/August 2017

to hear 900 people in an auditorium all laughing uproariously at something you’ve said, it’s like a drug,” Griffith said. “But that’s not what you’re doing every week. So some days, you’re ‘performing’ at Z Pizza in Irvine and then two days later, you’re at a Marmac’s restaurant in Garden Grove. Then a few days later, you’re at the bowling alley in Cerritos and THEN you’re booked for a week at a regular comedy club.”

Meanwhile, Griffith’s insurance job was progressing, as well. In 1993, he heard that his company had an opening in their “special investigations” unit. Up until that point, his work in claims had rarely allowed him to come out from behind his computer. In his new position, he spent most of his time out in the field, investigating potentially fraudulent claims.

He said that required him to spend most days riding around in his car, giving him ample opportunities to work on jokes for his other job.

“Over the years, I developed a specialty investigating staged car accidents and medical fraud,” Griffith said. “In insurance work, I dealt with contracts, litigation and negotiating settlements, and learned how to read the other side of the table and find common ground.”

Still working in the comedy clubs after his day job, Griffith was performing at the Santa Monica Improv one night. Because

At the time, he was working at a “typical” large real estate company, and says that the problem with his getting started with sales is that he just didn’t know how to build his own book of business.

“I thought that I would just have to wait for something to fall into my lap,” Griffith said. “It’s not that I had false expectations, I had no expectations.”

L-R....John, wife Maggie (parents), son Riley (17), daughters Ellie (11), Ashley (28), and Holly (16)

he always knew he would be required to get up for work the next morning, he was never one to hang around the club bar before and after his set, like many of the other comedians did.

So after his set, he left the stage, went out the door and began walking down the street to his car. A woman started running down the street after him, calling his name. After he finally turned around, she said to him, “Mr. Wachs would like to speak to you.”

“Great!” he replied. “Who is Mr. Wachs?”

Though Griffith didn’t know it at the time, Robert Wachs was already a well-known figure in stand-up comedy. He had founded New York City’s Comic Strip Live in 1975, the famous venue that spawned the careers of comedians Eddie Murphy, Joe Piscopo, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Billy Crystal, Adam Sandler, Sam Kinison and more.

He was also an entertainment lawyer and a manager of comedians.

“He told me that he wanted to manage my career, so I signed a five-year contract with him,” Griffith said. “His ultimate goal was to get me into writing, but he also kept telling me that I needed to quit my day job and take my act on the road. I had many friends that did that, and the lifestyle didn’t appeal to me. I was making a decent living

with the insurance company and I kept thinking I could succeed in both worlds.”

Eventually he realized he couldn’t. After his wife Maggie had their second child, Griffith turned his full-time focus to his Allstate job. Once he did that, he was able to get into a management role and as a result, drifted further and further away from comedy, ultimately allowing his contract with Wachs to expire in 1998.

As the Griffith family continued to expand to five, they eventually outgrew their Mission Viejo townhouse. Southern California real estate prices precluded them from looking for a new home there, so they decided to move to Las Vegas.

Griffith said that after the move, his wife was encouraging him to look for a new career that had better earning potential.

Because he had some friends in California who were in the real estate industry, he thought being a Realtor in Las Vegas may be something he would want to try.

“I got my real estate license in 2004, when the market was just booming,” he said. “When people from California heard that I was licensed in Nevada, my first line of business was the out of state investors buying stuff here sight unseen. But I really didn’t start closing deals until 2005.”

All that changed one day when he gained his first client--at the insurance company where he was still working. He overheard a coworker in the cubicle next to him speaking to his wife about selling their home. When they were done with their conversation, Griffith popped his head up over the top of the cubicle and asked the coworker, “Do you have an agent?”

Even though it turned out to be his very first real estate transaction, everything went smoothly. The happy coworker told other people in the office, and as the word about Griffith’s efficient real estate work spread, so did his business.

Among other things, such as how to speak with and deal with all types of people, one of the most important things Griffith’s career in comedy taught him was how to be confident in his abilities. There is nothing like standing up in front of a hostile crowd and attempting to make them laugh, to both bring a person down to earth and cultivate inner strength.

“When you apply the thick skin you develop in comedy to real estate, I guess they’re a lot alike,” he said. “If you can’t take rejection and you don’t want to put the work into connecting with people, it’s just not a field you should be in. You also learn how to not judge a book by its cover.”

As Griffith moved into working in real estate full time, he was associated with several larger firms and doing quite a bit of business, specifically with out of town investors. When the crash came, he and many others were forced to learn about

Headshots, 1992. 3 hours and 16 rolls of film later....

July/August 2017 | Las Vegas Agent Magazine

11

short sales and then REOs. He said those were particularly brutal because every house that came on the market immediately brought in 30 to 40 offers. But though the competition was tough, he did gain a lot of experience with writing offers.

In June of 2016, Griffith opened his own agency on Village Center Circle, John Griffith Realty. He immediately began looking for realtors that fit into the mold of his hardworking, but friendly business model.

John's Musings John and daughter Ashley

“When I opened my brokerage, I was competing with all the big companies for agents, and I was thinking, ‘Why would anyone want to come and work for me in this little strip mall next to Albertsons, when they could be working in these big, prestigious outfits?’” he said. “The reason is because I provide my people with leads on a daily basis at no charge. With me, it’s all about getting out there, meeting people and putting your card in people’s hands. They may not use you, but they have family and friends, and they may say, ‘I had a good experience with John, you should give him a call.’”

Griffith said that conservatively, the agents who work in his office can average more than 10 leads per day, if they want. He says that he is on the floor with his agents every day, which makes it more of a team environment than a hierarchy.

Though Griffith has nothing but positive things to say about the brokers he’s worked for in the past, he feels that his firm offers agents something special.

“I’ve always thought that a broker or manager should inspire you to do bigger things than you’re already doing,” he said.

“That’s why I make myself so accessible and why I give these leads for free. My

success is based on their success, and I’m happy to see their business growing every month.”

He said his wife Maggie is his rock, holding down the fort at home and keeping his “ship sailing straight.” Daughter Ashley is a school teacher at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School, son Riley, 17, and daughter Holly, 16, are students at Bishop Gorman High School and youngest child Ellie, 11, is a student at St. Elizabeth.

When he speaks about his family, Griffith’s voice is filled with pride, and he says he knows that he couldn’t have achieved this level of success without their support. So with a happy, stable home life and a professional history that has provided him a lifetime of real world wisdom, he says he feels nothing but positive about the future.

“I made it to the middle act in comedy, where I had 30 minutes onstage, but to get to that 30 minutes took me seven years,” he said. “My past experiences have made real estate very enjoyable, because my comedy career taught me how to connect with people, even those you have just met.

And working on lawsuits that involve elements of organized crime is much more stressful than talking about whether or not the refrigerator is going to be included in the sale. It all seems very manageable.”

S

top using the word "nestled" in your listings. Bilbo Baggins' cottage in Middle Earth was nestled among the trees, your 3/2 at Flamingo and Rainbow isn't nestled, it backs to the Einstein's and Starbucks.

When you take your exterior shots for your listings, take the time to pull the 3 cars out of the driveway and move the 2 others parked in front of the house. It blocks our view of the dead lawn.

Take a class with a humorous instructor.

Laughing while learning leads to a 73% greater retention of the material being taught. I just made that number up and put it in print, now it can be quoted. Voila!

Fake news!!

When your agent to agent remarks include "Don't call, text only" I can't help but take that personally. Your life would be so much more enriched if you were just able to take 2 minutes to tell me over the phone that you already have 9 offers on the house and 3 more coming so I can wrap the fish in my FHA offer with the closing costs request.

John Griffith can be reached at John Griffith Realty, 1930 Village Center Cir, Suite 5, Las Vegas, 702-250-5958, or you can email him at john@johngriffithrealty. com. You can also visit his website www.johngriffithrealty.com. John runs a 100% commission brokerage in Summerlin, gives free daily leads and is anxious to speak with any agents who like to work hard and have an enthusiastic attitude.

July/August 2017 | Las Vegas Agent Magazine

12

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Painting Trim Without Brush Marks By: Mike Klimek

One of the first projects many new homeowners take on deals with painting. Whether it’s the entire house, a room or just the trim, painting can make a dramatic difference.

Y

ou don't need an airless sprayer for f lawless results. When painting baseboards, all you need is a steady hand, a quality brush and patience.

in the corner with the latexFloetrol mixture overlapping the tape. Pull the tape after the paint has had time to firm up but before it completely hardens.

You get brush marks on a paint job for a couple of reasons. Latex paint dries fairly quickly, and if you are brushing it on (as opposed to spraying), the brush marks may dry before the paint has time to lay down.

You can extend the drying time of latex by using a paint conditioner called Floetrol. You can buy it at any home center or paint store for about $10 per quart.

Follow the directions on the label for the proper amount to add.

Don't add it directly to your gallon bucket.

Use a separate bucket (called a "cut" bucket) to mix a small amount of paint and Floetrol.

Something around the size of a coffee can works well. You want to have at least 2 inches of the paint mixture in the bottom of the can.

Before you start slapping paint on the trim though, there is a little preparation required.

A must for getting a clean cut-in line (the line that separates the colors from your walls to your trim) is caulking. Lay a small bead of caulking where the trim meets the wall. Smooth it out with a wet finger and you will get a razor-sharp line. Without caulking, you will have to fight all the tiny bumps in the texture.

If you have steady nerves you can forego the tape, but this isn't for beginners. With the angled brush, get about 2 inches of paint on it, tap the sides of it on the inside of the cut bucket and gently scrape the excess paint off on the lip of the bucket. Take the brush and push it in the corner and steadily pull it across the edge of the trim. you can get an artist's paint brush (one with about three hairs in it) and touch up the line.

If you are going to use tape, use inchwide blue painter's tape. It's more expensive (about $4 per roll), but it will lift off easier, with less chance of taking the paint on the wall with it. You can also lift it off and reset it and it will still stick. Make sure that the leading edge of the tape is perfectly straight with no ripples or bubbles, and that you use one continuous length. If you stop midway down the wall and need to add another piece of tape, you will see the splice. This will be evident if the colors are contrasting.

Once the tape is down, you can start to paint the trim. Use a quality angled synthetic-bristle brush for latex and start

You have two choices to make straight lines: a steady hand or masking tape.

I know lots of people who use tape to make the cut-in line. The only danger is that the paint will sometimes seep under the tape and ruin the line. If this happens

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Las Vegas Agent Magazine | JULY/August 2017

Watch the bristles on the outside edge since these form the line. You may have to twist your wrist slightly to guide the brush along the caulking. As you approach the end of the trim, turn the brush over, stick it in the corner and paint in the other direction until the paint overlaps. Paint the borders of the trim first and then fill in the field.

If you are going to continue painting the next day, make sure you thoroughly clean the brush or some of the bristles will harden and it will be like painting with a dinner fork.

When you will be painting again soon, and plan to use the same paint, you can also throw the brush in a freezer bag and stick it in the freezer. Just thaw it out for half an hour before you use it the next time.

Mike Klimek is a licensed contractor and owner of Las Vegas Handyman.

He has written hundreds of articles regarding home repair and remodeling and has been published in Southern Nevada Home & Garden Magazine, Finishing Touches Magazine, Zip Code Magazines, and Real Estate Success Magazine. He has written for the Las Vegas Review-Journal & Sun since November 2000. Watch for Mike’s regular column here and in the Las Vegas RJ. (702) 896-0000 | questions@pro-handyman.com

5Stop

Steps to

Letting Your Business Run You! By: Galit Rozen

Remember that first moment you made the decision to work for yourself, to be your own boss? You had these ideas of grandeur like you could vacation when you wanted and make your own hours, and no one would be able to tell you what you had to do.

at all hours of the morning or night, choose not to respond until the set hours you have already clearly stated to the client. Think about it, can you really help a client out at 10 p.m. or is this more about their need to send that message?

2.

Prioritizing – Have you heard the expression “squirrel’ or “shiny new object syndrome?” These expressions refer to constantly allowing yourself to be distracted with the most immediate new thing that comes up in your business with either a client or yourself. As an entrepreneur, you must prioritize your day.

Have that list of items you must complete each day in front of you and focus on that list until the items are checked off and

F

irst, if this does not sound like your business, why is that? As an entrepreneur, you could be running your business around your life, not the other way around.

Ask yourself if you are happy with the boundaries you have set for your clients, the hours you work and freedom you have to do what you want.

If you are happy, then you are running your business around your life. One of the first exercises I work with my business mentoring clients on is trying to completely understand what they would like their lifestyle to be as an entrepreneur. If they are currently in business, we modify their business to match what they want. If they are starting their own business, we build the business around their lifestyle. This includes vacation, time with family, hours/ days they work and so much more.

If you are running your business around your life, good for you. If you are not happy and this does not feel to you how a business should, here are 5 steps you can follow to stop letting your business run you.

1.

Boundaries - With technology today it can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Anyone can get a hold of you at any time in multiple ways. Just because you receive a text from a client at 10 p.m., this does not require you to respond. If you do respond, you have now set an expectation in that client’s mind that you will respond to them at any hour. When you first start working with a client, make very clear your boundaries of the days you work and the hours you work. When you make clear these boundaries up front, they are now clear to the client. If the client reaches out

16

completed. Distractions will occur and fires will need to be put out at times, but it is your responsibility to know if something that comes up can truly wait. How many times have you looked back on your day and felt like you completed nothing? Your priority list will help you feel accomplished at the end of your day.

3.

Delegating – To be a successful entrepreneur you must recognize where your time is spent in the most valuable way, and what the is time that builds your business, which translates into profit. It is common for business owners to think they can do everything themselves.

This is just not possible and you will not be spending your time wisely. I suggest you look at your business and make a list of all the moving pieces that result in building a team. In today’s wonderful world of technology, it is not required to hire fulltime team members. You can delegate out to part-time, piecemeal team members on an as-needed basis. Plus, wouldn’t it be

Las Vegas Agent Magazine | JULY/August 2017

more fun to work on the things you love all day, instead of spending most of your time doing things you do not enjoy and which are not producing income?

4.

Self-Care – When you work for someone, you usually know what days off you have and can plan family time, exercise and spending time for yourself on that time away from the job.

When you own your business, you must set these up in your calendar, just as you would an appointment with an important client. If you knew an important client was coming into town, you would make sure that time was set aside for that client. You must do the same with your time. Look at your month in advance and carve out time for the things that are important to you. When a client asks if you can meet during one of those times, the easy thing to do would be to cancel your time. What if instead you let the client know you had an appointment with another client during that time? It is not necessary to tell the client you are meeting your friend for coffee or going to the gym. It is common that you will have other client appointments, right?

If vacation is important to you, block off vacation time in your calendar months in advance and know it is set in stone. If you don’t put aside time for you, then it will not happen. Remember, self-care will help your business be more successful, because you will not experience burnout.

5.

Mentor – Continuing education is one of my favorite things. Why? Because I am very aware that I do not know everything. If there is a place in your business where you are lacking expertise or guidance, knowledge is out there for you. Reach out to a group in town or online with likeminded business people.

Is there someone you look up to in the business that you can learn from? Classes you can take to increase the expertise you can offer your clients? What about hiring a business mentor? Accountability, support, expertise and guidance are all things that will increase your business profits, and take you to the next level. Make sure to always incorporate some type of support and/or education to continue to progress in your business.

Galit Ventura-Rozen is a Women empowerment and Business Mentor that works with women to break thru their personal ceilings to turn what they love to do into a successful business or start their business of choice from the ground up.

Galit works with her client through private business mentoring, in group programs, and in workshops. To learn more about Galit at visit www.galitempoweringu.com

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Six Timeless

Leadership Tips By: JC Melvin

“Everything old is new again.” I remember hearing this phrase growing up and never quite understanding it. I thought, “This phrase just doesn’t make any sense.” Now, the older I get, the more I realize this phrase is showing itself as evident and true.

E

ven as we are deep into the technology era and either software or apps are available for almost every concept or work application in our daily lives, leadership in the workplace is still quite alive and has not been replaced by technology.

Here are the six key leadership skills or tips I believe are necessary to be a high functioning leader in this age.

1.

“Walking the walk”. As the leader of an organization, you are part of a team effort. It’s important that the team know what your role is as a part of the team, and it’s worthwhile to clarify to the group what your “job” is on the team. Remember that the team is watching what you do, so from our attitude to our work ethic, we are modeling the kind of behavior we are looking for.

2.

Define Goals. It’s important that the leader has clear goals that can be easily understood, with results that can be accurately quantified and measured. As a part of defining goals, the leader must also possess the ability to communicate effectively to and with the group. This puts the team on the same page, with the same results in mind in the same time frame. The achievement of the goal is a huge win-win for the entire team.

3.

Providing feedback. The leader should be skilled in two areas of providing feedback: First, the ability to provide feedback in a positive and effective manner, like a mini-training session when necessary.

And secondly, providing the feedback early, so as not to allow the wrong task or any misunderstanding about the goal to go on too long before it’s corrected.

18

4.

Making time for your team.

Yes, as leaders in the workplace, we have our own tasks and deadlines to meet. Let’s just remember not to get so wrapped up in ours that we forget the people on the team.

We always want to be there to provide the support and guidance the team needs to meet the goal’s objectives.

5.

Understanding Motivation.

Understanding what tr uly motivates the different members of the team is key. While we are all working for the monetary reward and the income needed to pay for our lifestyles, money is not the only factor motivating your people. Some may be looking for a balance between their work and family life, some for recognition and others for more responsibility or for a sense of achievement.

Las Vegas Agent Magazine | JULY/August 2017

6.

Understanding your role as the leader. This is key for the successful leader. The role is much different than that of the workers. We must be clear that the job has changed and the responsibilities are very different. The leader must be constantly learning-based, so that they are able to effectively lead. The job of a leader is to always be honing their skills, taking on the responsibility of how the team functions and creating new leaders.

So while technology plays an ever more significant role in the operations of business and industry, the role of a leader remains the same. These tips are here to keep us grounded in the old foundations that, as it turns out, are new again.

JC Melvin is the founding dean of the NVAR and the GLVAR Leadership Programs. JC is an international speaker and Certified Trainer for “The ONE Thing” Workshop. He is the Corporate Broker for KW Realty Southwest in Las Vegas. For more info on “The ONE Thing” or to schedule a program, add him on Facebook or jc@jcmelvin.com | 702.595.5024.

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Industry Icon Nevada REALTOR®

Jack Woodcock

Earns NAR’s highest honor

L

ongtime Las Vegas REALTOR® Jack Woodcock was named the 91st recipient of the prestigious National Association of REALTORS® Distinguished Service Award (DSA) at the REALTORS® Legislative & Trade Expo in Washington, D.C.

what he calls “the REALTOR® Party.” He has chaired the political action committees of the NVAR and the Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS® for eight years and held the position of Region XI RPAC Trustee from 2007 through 2012. He was inducted into the NAR RPAC Hall of Fame in 2003, and has been a Golden “R” investor in these political action committees since 2002.

NAR established the DSA in 1979 to honor REALTORS ® who have made outstanding contributions to the real estate industry and who serve as leaders in their local communities. The award is considered the highest honor an NAR member can receive. Recipients must be active at the local, state and national association levels.

That certainly describes Woodcock, said Greg Martin, 2017 president of the Nevada Association of REALTORS® (NVAR), who was at the event last week when the honor was announced.

“From serving his country to serving his state and his profession, service is probably the word that best describes Jack and why he’s so deserving of this award,” Martin said. “Since entering the profession in 1974, Jack has been the REALTOR® embodiment of honor, leadership, service and commitment. He has emerged as a proven leader in our industry.”

About the NVAR

He has said that one of his greatest industry accomplishments is the key role he played in

Martin added that Woodcock “has dedicated most of his adult life to his profession.”

Woodcock will be officially presented with the DSA award during the NAR Board of Directors Meeting at the REALTORS® Conference & Expo scheduled for Nov. 6 in Chicago.

Woodcock has been a strong supporter of NAR’s government affairs efforts and

Woodcock is also a proud veteran who served for 11 years in the U.S. Air Force and received two Air Force commendation medals and a Bronze Star for meritorious combat service while serving two 18-month tours in Southeast Asia. He also served in Germany, in Holland and in the Pentagon in the Command and Control Center for Air Force One

The Nevada Association of REALTORS® is a professional trade association with more than 15,000 members. NVAR is committed to protecting, promoting and preserving our communities.

Visit www.NVAR.org. 760 Margrave

Provided by: Nevada Association of Realtors® 20

founding, funding and developing the Lied Institute for Real Estate Studies at UNLV in the 1980s. In 2011, the Lied Institute and UNLV honored Woodcock with its Lieder Award.

Las Vegas Agent Magazine | May/June JULY/August 2017 2017

Local Housing Statistics Local Housing Statistics N ews

GLVAR Housing Statistics for June 2017

T

he Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS ® (GLVAR) reported today that local home prices and sales continued to climb as homes continue to sell faster amid a very tight housing supply.

GLVAR reported that the median price of existing single-family homes sold during June through its Multiple Listing Service (MLS) increased to $257,373. That was up 2.9 percent from May and up 9.5 percent from June 2016. Meanwhile, the median price of local condos and townhomes sold in June was $128,000, down 7.2 percent from May, but up 11.3 percent from June 2016.

For the first time this year, GLVAR President David J. Tina said the local housing supply actually increased, with the number of homes available for sale rising very slightly from May to June. But at the current sales pace, he said Southern Nevada still has less than a two-month supply of existing homes available for sale. A six-month supply is considered to be a balanced market.

“We’re still dealing with a housing shortage, but at least our housing supply didn’t get any tighter last month,” Tina said.

Tina said the current housing market can be difficult for prospective home buyers, especially those looking for homes in lower price ranges. He advises would-be buyers to be aggressive and be prepared to “put a ring on it” when they find a home they like.

“If you’re looking for a home under $300,000, you’re really going to have to compete,” he said. “If you’re looking for a home between $350,000 and $800,000, you may have a better shot. The high- end market is a different story.”

By the end of June, GLVAR reported 5,174 single-family homes listed for sale without any sort of offer. While up 4.1 percent from May, that’s down 27.1 percent from one year ago. For condos and townhomes, the 639 properties listed without offers in June were up 1.4 percent from May, but still represented a 51.9 percent drop from one year ago.

Meanwhile, local home sales continue to increase. The total number of existing local homes, condos and townhomes sold in June was 4,368, up from 3,957 in June 2016. Compared to one year

Southern Nevada home prices and sales keep climbing amid tight supply ago, sales were up 10.3 percent for homes and up 10.6 percent for condos and townhomes.

According to GLVAR, total sales so far in 2017 continue to outpace 2016, when 41,720 total properties were sold in Southern Nevada. That was more than the 38,577 properties sold during 2015. It was also more total sales than in 2014, but fewer than each year from 2009 through 2013.

GLVAR said 27.2 percent of all local properties sold in June were purchased with cash, up slightly from 27.0 percent in June 2016. That’s well short of the February 2013 peak of 59.5 percent, indicating that cash buyers and investors are still more active in Southern Nevada than in most markets, but that their influence has generally been declining.

For several years, GLVAR has been reporting fewer distressed sales and more traditional home sales, where lenders are not controlling the transaction. That trend continued in June, when 3.4 percent of all local sales were short sales – which occur when lenders allow borrowers to sell a home for less than what they owe on the mortgage. That compares to 4.4 percent of all sales in June 2016. Another 2.9 percent of all June sales were bank-owned, down from 5.9 percent one year ago.

These GLVAR statistics include activity through the end of June 2017. GLVAR distributes statistics each month based on data collected through its MLS, which does not necessarily account for newly constructed homes sold by local builders or homes for sale by owners. Other highlights include: The total value of local real estate transactions tracked through the MLS during June was more than $1 billion for homes and more than $112 million for condos, high-rise condos and townhomes.

Compared to one year ago, total sales volumes in June were up 17.8 percent for homes, and up 29.0 percent for condos and Homes and condos continued to sell faster than last year at this time. In June, 83.3 percent of all existing local homes and 87.2 percent of all existing local condos and townhomes sold within 60 days. That compares to one year ago, when 74.2 percent of all existing local homes and 71.2 percent of all existing local condos and townhomes sold within 60

July/August 2017 | Las Vegas Agent Magazine

21

Housing NEWS N ews

Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS® June 2017 Statistics

Single Family Residential Units AVAILABILITY AT END OF PERIOD # of available units listed Median list price of available units Average list price of available units

*AVAILABILITY AT END OF PERIOD # of available units listed w/o offers Median list price of available units w/o offers Average list price of available units w/o offers

$ $

$ $

Change from Change from Jun 17 May 17 Jun 16 5,174 +4.1% -27.1% 357,750 -0.3% +13.8% $ 571,895 +0.3% +17.7% $

Jun 17 1,727 139,900 165,816

Change from Change from May 17 Jun 16 3,927 -0.3% -5.0% 275,000 +1.9% +34.1% $ 351,154 +1.9% +52.4% $

Jun 17

NEW LISTINGS THIS PERIOD # of new listings Median price of new listings Average price of new listings

$ $

Change from Change from May 17 Jun 16 3,584 +1.9% +10.3% 257,373 +2.9% +9.5% $ 295,201 -0.5% +6.7% $

Jun 17

UNITS SOLD THIS PERIOD # of units sold Median price of units sold Average price of units sold

$ $

TIME ON MARKET FOR UNITS SOLD THIS PERIOD 0-30 days 31-60 days 61-90 days 91-120 days 121+ days TOTAL HOME SALES DOLLAR VALUE FOR UNITS SOLD THIS PERIOD

Jun 17 68.5% 14.8% 6.6% 3.8% 6.3%

May 17 66.0% 15.6% 7.1% 3.9% 7.4%

Source: Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS®

Condo/Townhouse Units

Change from Change from Jun 17 May 17 Jun 16 10,737 -1.4% -18.3% 297,500 +2.6% +12.3% 434,688 +2.3% +12.2%

Jun 16

Jun 17 639 159,999 193,618 Jun 17 774 139,900 164,500 Jun 17 784 128,000 143,205

Change from Change from May 17 June 16 -3.9% -31.7% +3.6% +21.7% +4.7% +25.9% Change from Change from May 17 June 16 +1.4% -51.9% +6.7% +39.6% +4.0% +39.8% Change from Change from May 17 June 16 -0.6% +3.6% +3.6% +45.7% +10.5% +57.0% Change from Change from May 17 June 16 +0.5% +10.6% -7.2% +11.3% -2.2% +16.7%

Jun 17

56.4% 17.8% 9.3% 6.2% 10.3%

May 17

74.6% 12.6% 5.1% 3.3% 4.3%

Change from Change from Jun 17 May 17 Jun 16 $ 1,057,998,680 +1.4% +17.8% $ 112,272,487 Jun 17

Jun 16

75.9% 11.4% 7.1% 1.5% 4.1%

54.3% 16.9% 12.8% 4.7% 11.3%

Change from Change from May 17 June 16 -1.7% +29.0%

For media inquiries, please call George McCabe, with B&P Public Relations, at (702) 325-7358 DISCLAIMER: This data is based on information from the Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS® (GLVAR) Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. MLS collects, compiles and distributes information about homes listed for sale by its subscribers who are real estate agents. MLS subscription is available to all real estate agents licensed in Nevada, but is not available to the general public.

Not all licensed agents subscribe to the MLS. MLS does not include all new homes available or listings from non-MLS agents, nor does it include properties for sale by owner.

The territorial jurisdiction of the GLVAR as a member of the National Association of REALTORS® includes Clark, Nye, Lincoln and White Pine Counties, Nevada, and such other areas as from time to time may be allocated to the GLVAR by the Board of Directors of the National Association of REALTORS®.

*This category reflects the existing market availability of listings without pending or contingent offers.

Source: Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS® For media inquiries, please call George McCabe, with B&P Public Relations, at (702) 325-7358.

Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS® Statistics Las Vegas Association REALTORS® StatisticsAssociation of REALTORS® (GLVAR) Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This information is deemed reliable DISCLAIMER: This data is basedGreater on information from the of Greater Las Vegas but is not guaranteed. MLS collects, compiles and distributes information about homes listed for sale by its subscribers who are real estate agents. MLS subscription is available to all real estate agents licensed in Nevada, but is not available to the general public. Not all licensed agents subscribe to the MLS. MLS does not include all new homes available listings in Unitsor Sold Availability Pending Contingent Offers from non-MLS agents, nor does it Without include properties for saleOr by owner.

The territorial jurisdiction of the GLVAR as a member of the National Association of REALTORS® includes Clark, Nye, Lincoln and White Pine Counties, Nevada, other areas as from time to time may be allocated to the GLVAR by the Board of Directors of the National Association of Endand Ofsuch Period 4000 REALTORS®.

Thousands

Availability Without Pending Or Contingent Offers [ End Of Period ] 14 12

Single Family Residential Units

10 8 6 4 2 0

Condo/ Townhouse Units

Units Sold in Period

3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0

For media inquires, please call George McCabe, B&P Public Relations, at (702) 325-7358.

For media inquires, please call George McCabe, B&P Public Relations, at (702) 325-7358.

DISCLAIMER: This data is based on information from the Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS® (GLVAR) Multiple Listing

(MLS). This information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. MLS collects, compiles and distributes information about GLVAR was founded in 1947 and provides Service its more than 11,000 local members with education, homes listed for sale by its subscribers who are real estate agents. MLS subscription is available to all real estate agents licensed in Nevada, but is not available to the general public. Not all licensed agents subscribe to the MLS. MLS does not include all new homes available or listings from non-MLS agents, nor does for sale by owner.

The territorial jurisdiction of of the GLVAR as a training and political representation. The local representative ofit include theproperties National Association member of the National Association of REALTORS® includes Clark, Nye, White Pine and Lincoln Counties, Nevada, and such other areas as from time to time may be allocated to the GLVAR by the Board of Directors of the National Association of REALTORS®.

REALTORS®, GLVAR is the largest professional organization in Southern Nevada. Each GLVAR member receives the highest level of professional training and must abide by a strict code of ethics.

For more information, visit www.HomeLasVegas.com or www.lasvegasrealtor.com.

DISCLAIMER: This data is based on information from the Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS® (GLVAR) Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. MLS collects, compiles and distributes information about homes listed for sale by its subscribers who are real estate agents. MLS subscription is available to all real estate agents licensed in Nevada, but is not available to the general public. Not all licensed agents subscribe to the MLS. MLS does not include all new homes available or listings from non-MLS agents, nor does it include properties for sale by owner. The territorial jurisdiction of the GLVAR as a member of the National Association of REALTORS® includes Clark, Nye, White Pine and Lincoln Counties, Nevada, and such other areas as from time to time may be allocated to the GLVAR by the Board of Directors of the National Association of REALTORS®.

22

Condo/ Townhouse Units

Source: Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS®

Source: Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS®

the GLVAR

Single Family Residential Units

Month

Month

About

Period

Las Vegas Agent Magazine | JULY/August 2017

SOUTHERN NEVADA HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION N ewsletter

T

he Southern Nevada Home Builders Association marks in July the 1st anniversary of its “Start Fresh Buy New Las Vegas” online marketing campaign designed to help local Realtors and potential homebuyers navigate the dilemma of buying a newly constructed home compared with a resale home.

that’s where they stop. But if they continue to do the math, they’ll discover there’s much more to it – not only in cost savings with monthly utility bills, but in lifestyle benefits, too.” Hernandez is one of the SNHBA members who helped develop the “Start Fresh Buy New Las Vegas” campaign.

The campaign, based at the website, www.BuyNewHomesLV. com, provides information about the long-term cost comparisons and benefits to consider before buying a home.

The lifestyle benefits are huge. “First, remember that everything is new,” Laska said. “All the systems, appliances and materials, so from the start, buyers enjoy long-term warranty protection and years of low-maintenance living. With a new home, buyers choose their neighborhood and floorplan, and personalize it to their own taste. And new-home communities offer amenities that older ones don’t, from shopping and dining to schools and recreation.”

Since the launch in July 2016, the website has attracted 43,362 users; 61,308 sessions; 64,645 page views; with an average visitor duration of 6 minutes.

“We are so pleased that the ‘Start Fresh Buy New Las Vegas’ campaign has been such a success,” said Wayne Laska, president of the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association, and principal of StoryBook Homes.

“When it comes to weighing the financial benefits of a new home versus an existing home, Realtors and buyers should consider more than just the sales’ price, and they’re finding that information at www.BuyNewHomesLV.com,” Laska said.

According to Bonnie Hernandez, executive director of marketing at American West Homes, “A lot of people think new homes are more expensive, so they’ll just compare the sales prices and

“The Las Vegas real estate market has experienced a slow, measured sustainable pattern of growth over the past few years and that’s projected to continue. New homebuyers are getting more value than ever before,” Laska said.

The “Start Fresh Buy New” education campaign was created by Builders Digital Experience and NewHomeSource.com on behalf of the residential construction industry to teach Realtors and the public about the many advantages of newly built homes. SNHBA’s Sales and Marketing Committee partnered with BDX to develop the local version of the program.

The Southern Nevada Home Builders Association ranks as the oldest and largest local trade organization representing the residential construction industry in the state of Nevada. It has approximately 500 members working in all facets of the homebuilding industry. SNHBA is an affiliate of the National Association of Home Builders, a Washington, D.C.-based trade association founded in 1942 to enhance the climate for housing and the building industry.

July/August 2017 | Las Vegas Agent Magazine

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