Executive Times April 2019
Let’s C e l e b r a t e Anniversaries Victoria Knitter Jennifer Rivera Marc Pehowski Heddy Humcke Jason Patti Deana Mentzel Gayle Gintner Angela Riemer Jeff Lucas Brenda Samuel Alexis Ruzell Stephanie Sosa Randy Wollert Barb Boehler Mike Wallace Erna Russert Dana Keegan Tony Greco Alice Bush Bob Arnold Jan Farber Jim Geracie Jill Geracie John Behrens
1 Year 2 Years 2 Years 2 Years 3 Years 3 Years 3 Years 4 Years 4 Years 5 Years 5 Years 7 Years 10 Years 11 Years 12 Years 12 Years 12 Years 12 Years 12 Years 12 Years 17 Years 22 Years 22 Years 28 Years
Birthdays Tricia Motte Kevin Schmidt Jennifer Yogurtian Marnie Ripple Tami Jaeck Steven Brill Sharon Doyle Jim Greenfield Susan Behrens Jennifer Bronk Bruce Nemovitz Victoria Knitter Jennifer Rivera Peggy Wester Mary Edwards Nicole Wendt
April 1 April 2 April 3 April 5 April 9 April 10 April 11 April 16 April 18 April 18 April 18 April 20 April 23 April 23 April 25 April 30
April Holidays • • •
Palm Sunday | April 14 Tax Day | April 15 Good Friday | April 19
• •
Easter | April 21 Administrative Professional Day | April 24
ET April | 2
The State of Our Company Written by Dale Schaechterle
As a business owner, it is a joy and privilege to spend over two decades getting to do what you love each day. Now that Realty Executives Integrity is approaching our 25th Birthday, I’ve been spending more time reflecting on our beginnings, where we’ve been, and what we’ve become. It’s been a healthy exercise, and has left me with an incredible amount of gratitude and appreciation for many key people, including our incredible Sales Executives. Some of you know our Realty Executives history, which goes back before I joined our Realty Executives Family, and features Tom Verette as our Founding Father. We have an incredibly rich history as a brand and I would like to focus on our most recent ten years and share an important trend the statistics reveal which will bless all of us! I recently completed an in-depth analysis of sales production trends over the past ten years for the Top Five Real Estate Companies in the Greater Milwaukee Marketplace. And guess what?
Realty Executives Integrity is the ONLY Top Five Company that has INCREASED our Market Share during that time period. The ONLY one, by 7.5% - which is incredible! In fact, Realty Executives Integrity has more than DOUBLED our closed sale production over the past ten years, registering a 104% INCREASE in total production. How did that happen? Simply put - YOU DID IT! The Sales Executives of Realty Executives Integrity are UNMATCHED in their professionalism, productivity and integrity. NO other company in our area comes close – because NO other company in our area can match our strong agent base – NONE! Interestingly, the remaining top five companies have all seen a significant DECREASE in their market share. All have seen a double digit decrease, and in the case of a company known to market a big red shape, they lead the way with a substantial 31% LOSS of their market share over the past ten years. While staggering, I’m not surprised. With a death grip on an antiquated way of doing business, which they continue to promote, there’s no wonder why so many of their best agents have decided to join Realty Executives Integrity. This makes us better and stronger in the process. We see this trend building momentum and escalating tremendously over the next five years. Consumers want to work with the best, and they are discovering that working with the best means pursuing a Sales Executive at Realty Executives Integrity. You are in the RIGHT place—a company on the RISE, not in decline. To help illustrate this trend, and the dominance of Realty Executives Integrity, we have created a brand new graph that is available for your use. Take a look on page 8 to see the power of this illustration and find a digital version in your Brokerage tab of your PrimeAgent Account or ask your CME for details! As I ponder these powerful statistics I began to ask myself “how are we able to double our production in ten years without adding to our agent count?” Because, in fact, our agent count is very similar to where it was ten years ago. I know exactly what is happening and it’s incredible! Our Sales Executives have begun to DOUBLE their business! Because of YOU we have surrounded ourselves within a culture of entrepreneurship, excellence, and achievement. This is my passion and my heart’s desire to see ALL of you attain! So, do yourself and your business a huge favor. Ask about our Realty Executives Path to YOUR Success – and let us help put you on the path to multiply your business! With Gratitude,
ET April | 3
April Happenings Events to Enjoy
Office Gatherings
25th Annual Easter Egg Hunt April 13 | 11:00am Fireman’s Park – Germantown
Lake Country Mastermind April 3 | 9:30-11:00am Milwaukee Street Traders - Delafield
14th Annual Easter Egg Hunt April 13 | 9:00am Little Prairie Primary School – East Troy
Franklin Mastermind April 4 | 9:30-11:00am Franklin Office Workroom
Open Skate & Easter Egg Hunt April 13 | 10:00am Mullet Ice Center – Hartland
Brookfield Mastermind April 10 | 9:30-11:00am Brookfield Office Lower Level
Hop to the Movies Visit the Easter Bunny, hunt for eggs, & see the movie Hop! April 20 | 9:00am Marcus Majestic Cinema – Waukesha
Executive Excellence Awards Breakfast (See Page 7 for Details) April 11 | 8:00-11:00am Milwaukee County Zoo
Some events require an RSVP or ticket purchase online
Lions Easter Egg Hunt April 20 | 10:00am Lions Legend Park – Franklin
North Shore Mastermind May 1 | 9:30-11:00am Fiddleheads Coffee in Mequon
ET April | 4
5 Clever Features to Include in Your Next Home Renovation Article Courtesy of: Realty Executive International Blog
Home renovations offer the perfect opportunity to upgrade the functionality of your home, in addition to modernizing the design and feel of your space. Here are five clever features you should consider including in your next renovation to elevate your home’s functionality. 1. Smart Systems Today’s homes are smart. They incorporate technology to make our lives safer, easier, more energy efficient, and more enjoyable. If you’re renovating, you’d be wise to include a smart system that can handle these tasks for you: • Lighting: Lights on a motion sensor can save on energy usage, and lights on automatic timers give the impression that the home is occupied even while you’re away on vacation. • Heating and air: Smart thermostats allow you to automate the temperature in your home and even control it from your phone. You can give the HVAC system a rest while you’re at work during the day, then turn it on remotely so the house is the perfect temperature when you arrive home. • Multimedia: With voice activation, you can turn on your sound system, video call family, or start your favorite TV show by just stating orders out loud. Your house is at your command. • Home monitoring: Security cameras, noise detectors, and motion sensors can all be installed to help protect your home. Smart monitoring systems can send you a text alert if a potential problem is detected. Smart systems have you covered! 2. Walk-In Showers Not only do walk-in showers look sleek, but they are also a smart safety feature. Many at-home falls happen while climbing out of slippery tub/showers. Walk-in showers dramatically reduce this risk by eliminating the need to climb over a wall every time you get in and out of the shower. 3. In-Wall Pest Control If you’ll be opening up your walls, make a little extra investment in in-wall pest control. In-wall pest control uses a network of small cables running through the walls to distribute pest control chemicals throughout the structure. Just spray the chemicals into the network entrance points regularly to maintain a pest-free home. 4. Pull-Out Cabinets Pull-out cabinets are a genius solution for homes with limited counter space. These cabinets tuck neatly under your existing counters, looking like standard cabinets. But when you need a bigger work surface, you can roll these cabinets out and use the finished tops to extend your counter space. And these are ideal for more than just kitchens. You could also use pull-out cabinets in your home office, garage, and hobby room! 5. Clever Storage Spots Traditional builds often leave some space wasted. Which is a shame because we all need more storage. Take a few notes from creative tinyhouse builders who know how to maximize storage space: Install pull-out drawers for shoe storage under the staircase where the space is too short to store much else. Create a raised platform in the playroom so you can store lots of the toys in the space between the existing floor and the new platform floor. Add baseboard drawers under kitchen cabinets to store thin items like baking trays, muffin tins, and cooling racks. Don’t just settle for a more pleasing aesthetic with your next home renovation. Use these tips to improve the function of your home at the same time!
ET April | 5
Co n
s n o i t a l u grat
to Karen Wenzel selected as a member of
America’s Top 100 Real Estate Agents®
“Selection to America’s Top 100 Real Estate Agents® is by invitation only and reserved to identify the nation’s most esteemed and skilled Real Estate Agents and Brokers with a history of routinely selling homes above market value. …less than one percent (1%) of active Real Estate Professionals in the United States will receive this honor – truly the most exclusive and elite level of Real Estate Agents and Brokers in the community.”
We are so proud of you, Karen! Follow, Like & Share our Marketing Campaign to build YOUR business
@REWisconsin @realty_executives_Wisconsin
Realty Executives Wisconsin
2017 & 2018 MARKET LEADER
BROKERAGE OF THE MONTH APRIL 2017
2016 EXTRAORDINARY BROKERAGE
Powered by Expertsâ„¢
ET April | 7
Attend Your Awards Breakfast! It’s time again to recognize our Sales Executives at our annual Awards Breakfast! Please make plans to attend and spend your morning with me on April 11th. Here are my Top Five reasons you need to attend: 1. FREE FOOD! 2. Everyone is recognized, and all attendees leave with a gift of appreciation. 3. International Award Winners abound at Realty Executives Integrity; come cheer them on! 4. Special awards are given for our Rising Stars, Legends, Staff and Affiliates who serve us with excellence! 5. A multi-recorded musician will perform; you don’t want to miss her performance!
…Oh, and did I mention: really good FREE FOOD!! Here are the details: April 11th | 8:00-11:00 am Peck Welcome Center at the Milwaukee County Zoo RSVP HERE www.ExecutiveExcellenceAwards.com 100% Yours,
ET April | 8
REALTY EXECUTIVES INTEGRITY TOPS the rest as the ONLY Top Five Company that INCREASED Market Share over the past 10 years!
4% 0 1 d se ss!! a re cce c In Su % n r 5 o . i u 7 O ct y u d b d le o e b r s u P a l o e a D r t c e n To W eI r ha S t e k r a M
100 90
I n c re a s e
70
Pro d u c t i o n
80
40
60 50
30 20 10 0 2008
2009
2010
2011
2013
2012
2014
2015
2018
2017
2016
Ye a r s
Is Your Company Moving UP or DOWN? Compared to other To p Fi v e C o m p a n i e s Shorewest | down 31% Remax Realty 100 | down 24% Coldwell Banker Residential | down 17% First Weber Group | down 14%
C h a n g e i n M a r k e t S h a re
+10% +5% 0 -5% -10% -15% -20% -25% -30% -35% -40%
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
Ye a r s Market Share of Top 5 Companies from 1/1/2009 - 12/31/2018 as per MLS sold data, as of February 2019. Total Closed Production of Top 5 Companies from 1/1/2009 - 12/31/2018 as per MLS sold data, as of February 2019.
www.REIntegrity.com • 1(800) 942-0046
Where home and happy meet®
ET April | 9
Welcome to Our New
EXECUTIVES Bianca Smith Cedarburg Office 414.943.5531 BiancaSmith@ RealtyExecutives.com
Rachel Hinterberg Brookfield Office Welcome Home Team 262.434.0198 RachelHinterberg@ RealtyExecutives.com
●
Brian Lorence Brookfield Office The Geracie Team 262.527.2548 BrianLorence@ RealtyExecutives.com
Piera Dyer North Shore Office 414.315.4152 PieraDyer@ RealtyExecutives.com
Brandon Villars Brookfield Office 262.525.8732 BrandonVillars@ RealtyExecutives.com
Tony Wineinger Lake Country Office 262.565.7095 TonyWineinger@ RealtyExecutives.com
Do you know
●
someone who would make a great Executive?
Let our Professional Development Team know! Email: MakeYourMove@RealtyExecutives.com
ET April | 10
INTEGRITY INSIGHTS
“
What do you do to set your buyer apart when submitting offers in a busy market?
“
“
Setting my clients apart from other buyers is my ultimate goal! One of my favorite things to do is to have my buyers write a personal letter to the sellers, telling them why they fell in love with their house. Sometimes I will even have them include a family photo! It really makes a huge difference!
Kalina Eichstaedt | Welcome Home Team Brookfield Office 414.544.8222 Kalina@RealtyExecutives.com
Lake Country Office 262.894.1527 Ashley@DalesTeam.com
“
Ashley Toth | Dale’s Team
I always call the listing agent to introduce myself and let them know that I have very interested clients and will be submitting an offer. I take this moment to personalize my buyers by telling the listing agent a little bit about them and why the property is so important to them. This helps make a personal connection with the seller and listing agent that will hopefully set my buyers apart from others.
POWERED BY EXPERTS
“
“
ET April | 11
The 10 Benefits of Blogging Article by: www.agentimage.com
Blogging is highly recommended for your business and to boost the SEO of your website. Not only does keeping a blog attract more potential customers, it can help you gain better skills and knowledge, and promote your business in ways you never thought possible. Here are 10 ways blogging can help your business grow: Increased Website Traffic With each new blog post you create, you’re essentially telling Google and other search engines: “Hey! My website’s active! Come check out my new content that should show up on your search engines!” By having your site appear on more search engines, you’re essentially paving the way for increased traffic. The Social Media Factor By posting on your social media pages about your blog updates, you’re providing material that people can share on social media sites. This gives you wider exposure and a bigger audience that you normally wouldn’t reach.
Establish Authority If you deliver content that addresses common searches and questions clients may have, people will start seeing you as an authority. Consistently providing readers with helpful information will show them that you know your stuff, and will put you in a positive light. Leave Your Mark By publishing a blog post, you’ll be leaving footsteps behind on Google and other search engines. People will be able to find your website if they see your blog post come up on the search engines, even if it was published months ago. A Wealth of Information By constantly posting on your blog, you’re collecting information that can be useful later on. You’ll be able to dig out a blog post that can answer questions, or serve as reference material for future clientele. Customer Interaction A blog can serve as a way for you to communicate with clients and prospects looking for properties in your target market. Intertwine your blog and social media posts to encourage engagement on both platforms. Maintain Interest Every time you publish a blog post, you’re giving customers up-to-date information that will remind them about your business. Instead of having a static website, a blog will provide a window for people to see what’s going on behind the scenes. It’s Personal Publishing blog posts will give off a “personal touch” that just might be what gives your business the edge over competitors. By blogging, you’re showing potential leads and existing clients that you’re passionate about real estate and helping others find their dream home or property. Better Writing Skills Last but not least, you’re honing your writing skills with every blog post you create. This will allow you to communicate better and get ideas across more seamlessly, an invaluable skill to have even outside of business.
ET April | 12
Tip of the Month B LO G G I N G O n Yo u r We b s i t e Did you know you can blog through
TIPS TO GET STARTED:
PrimeAgent right onto your website?
[Marketing Tab > Website Management > Blog]
Blogging is an easy way to remain top-of-mind for your website visitors and make you an invaluable resource! BLOG TOPIC IDEAS: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
All Things Real Estate Related Decorating Cleaning/Organizing Landscaping Cooking Crafting Ideas/DIY Home Maintenance Holidays Events in Wisconsin Local Cities What’s Happening This Weekend Seasonal Changes Tips/Life Hacks Articles You Find Interesting ….The possibilities are endless!
o Not a strong writer? Try sharing other blogs and articles you find interesting so you don’t have to do the bulk of the writing. Just make sure you give credit to other’s work if you don’t write it yourself! o Start slow. If you are just beginning, try to blog once a week. Eventually, you can work up to more! o You don’t have to write in paragraphform if you don’t want. Simple, bulleted lists are a great way to organize information. o Add some photos! For free stock images to use, check out: www.pixabay.com or www.pexels.com. o Read other blogs from your fellow Realtors®! The more you read and try it for yourself, the easier it will be!
See Page 11 for the 10 Benefits of Blogging
Samples of Blogs
Our Charitable Organizations
At Realty Executives Wisconsin Region, we believe community support and outreach is incredibly important. We actively support the following charitable organizations and each one is connected personally with a member of the Realty Executives Wisconsin Brand. We make it easy for our Executives to support these charities by allowing them to make donations directly from their closing checks. Outside of financial contributions, our leadership team and Executives also donate their time and energy to work events associated with these charities. • Before 16 is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit foundation built to care for orphans. • They strive to get children hosted by a family who is either considering adoption or will advocate for adoption. • Their hope is that the hosting process can provide the avenue to find a loving family for each child. They are dedicated to rescuing as many orphans as possible before they turn 16 are out the system. Learn more at www.Before16.org
• JR’s Pups-N-Stuff began with one goal in mind: to save animals from lifethreatening situations. • It was built by a network of foster parents in the Milwaukee area. • It is “a little rescue with a big heart.” Learn more at www.JRPupsNStuff.org
• SALS offers freedom with accountability for men and women who are serious about their sobriety. • They provide non-institutional sober living with a unique balance of independence and structure. • They are committed to providing safe, comfortable, and modern Recovery Houses for all. Learn more at www.SALShouses.org
• Habitat for Humanity builds and renovate homes for families in need of sustainable housing. • Mission: Bringing people together in homes, communities, and home. • “We envision a world where everyone has a decent place to live.” Learn more at www.Habitat.org
• Lindsay’s Voice was created as a way to celebrate the life of Lindsay (Wenzel) Lopez, a 32 year old wife and mother, who lost her 14-month battle against Leukemia on 11/22/10. • Mission: Raising awareness for Leukemia, Lymphomas, and blood Cancers, along with raising funds to support patient services and ongoing local research. • “Until there’s a day that nobody has to hear the words, ‘it’s Cancer,’ we continue to fight.” Learn more at www.TreesOfHopeWI.org
• Unite 4 Peyton was created to give hope to Spinal Muscular Atrophy [SMA] families. They want to help children and families maintain a quality of life, even with out a cure for now. • They strive to make a difference in the lives of those diagnosed with SMA. • SMA is a motor neuron disease where the motor neurons affect the voluntary muscles used for activities such as crawling, walking, head and neck control, and swallowing. It is a relatively common “rare” disorder—approximately 1 in 6000 babies born are affected, and about 1 in 40 people are genetic carriers. Learn more at www.Unite4Peyton.com
NMLS # 259353
www.TrustAPlus.com
The Perfect Partner To Grow Your Business When you partner with A+, you will gain access to a suite of A+ exclusive benefits that are guaranteed to help grow your business. Including: •
ASK THE UNDERWRITER - This service offers Realtor partners direct access to OUR underwriters. The same people who will be responsible for approving your clients file.
•
ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY - A+ has the final say in approval decisions. We handle the entire loan process internally at our headquarters in Muskego. When we issue a loan approval there are no second reviews. You can feel confident things will not change.
•
DIRECT CONDOMINIUM DECISIONS - Most approvals are done right at our Muskego headquarters by underwriters personally familiar with many local projects. We are authorized to directly approve all conventional, FHA and USDA projects for you.
•
RATES – Direct agency relationships will give your client the advantage of very competitive rates.
•
A+ REPUTATION - Our commitment to the Realtor community has been steadfast in Southeastern Wisconsin. When a counterparty to your transaction sees an approval from A+ there is never a doubt.
•
PREFFERED ACCESSABILITY -You will have the ability to pick up the phone and contact anyone at A+. Your dedicated loan officer right up to the President and/or CEO are at your service.
BBB RATED A+
Experience the A+ difference for yourself. Visit trustAplus.com
Conveniently located within Realty Executives Integrity Offices Brookfield ∙ Lake Country ∙ Cedarburg ∙ North Shore ∙ Franklin
ET April | 15
13 Easy and Affordable Ways to Refresh Your Home For Spring Article By: Nancy Dunham from MoneyTalksNews
If the warmer air and budding trees of spring make you want to freshen your house, you’re hardly alone. The spring-cleaning urge goes way back — at least as far back as when homes were illuminated by oil or kerosene lamps and heated by wood or coal, according to The Washington Post. By the end of winter, the interior of homes would be covered in soot and grime. The newspaper quotes a woman’s 1864 diary that detailed the kind of effort that went into house cleaning in those times: “Swept and dusted sitting-room & kitchen 350 times. Filled lamps 362 times. Swept and dusted chamber & stairs 40 times.” Today, many of us still do annual spring cleaning, but we also want to redecorate or otherwise freshen up our homes. Following are a variety of low-cost, easy ways to do just that:
1. Declutter 2. Hang a spring wreath 3. Decorate with living plants 4. Air it out 5. Burn scented candles 6. Light up outdoor spaces 7. Add a floral tablecloth 8. Add a new bed skirt or pillow shams 9. Rearrange or repaint furniture 10. Brighten trim and baseboards 11. Add yellow accents 12. Add a plant to an empty corner 13. Transition your wardrobe .
This is a paid for advertisement
ET April | 18
Looking for Help Designated Realtors John Plavsic | Brookfield (262) 364.0555
Adam Poehlman | Cedarburg (262) 618.2565 Pam Burki | East Troy (262) 203.1812
Accounting
Dana Keegan (262) 618.2575 DanaKeegan@RealtyExecutives.com Arlene Nesta (262) 369.8985 arlene@wirealtyexec.com
Stephanie Sosa | Franklin (414) 235.5777
Jesse Garcia (262) 369.8986 jesse@wirealtyexec.com
John Behrens | Hartland (262) 391.8116
Certified Marketing Executives
Alexis Ruzell | North Shore (414) 477.8177
Career Development
Claire Zastrow | All Locations (262) 369.8959 | Claire@wirealtyexec.com
Nicki Wendt | Brookfield (262) 783.7080 | Nicole@wirealtyexec.com
Becky Wilde | Professional Development (262) 369.8915 | BeckyWilde@RealtyExecutives.com
Tiffany Decker | Brookfield (262) 783.7080 | Tiffany@wirealtyexec.com
Joanette Sum | Professional Development (262) 719.6442 | JoanetteSum@RealtyExecutives.com
Erica Lemke | Cedarburg (262) 377.6099 | Erica@wirealtyexec.com
Stephan von Seydlitz | Professional Development (262) 490.5137 | StephanV@RealtyExecutives.com
Angela Riemer| East Troy (262) 642.3363 | Angela@wirealtyexec.com
Adam Zastrow | Coach & Consultant (608) 498.0994 | AdamZastrow@RealtyExecutives.com
Jessica Jastrowski | Franklin (414) 235.5777 | Jess@wirealtyexec.com
Business Planning
Angela Riemer | Hartland (262) 369.8900 | Angela@wirealtyexec.com
Dale Schaechterle Dale@RealtyExecutives.com
Emily Shaw | North Shore (414) 906.4500 | Emily@wirealtyexec.com
Locate Us Brookfield 13005 W. Bluemound Road Brookfield, WI 53005 P: (262) 783.7080
Franklin 9130 W. Loomis Road, Ste 1000 Franklin, WI 53132 P: (414) 235.5777
Cedarburg W61N306 Washington Avenue, Ste 203 Cedarburg, WI 53012 P: (262) 377.6099
Germantown N112W15568 Mequon Road Germantown, WI 53022 P: (262) 250.0995
East Troy 2887 Main Street East Troy, WI 53120 P: (262) 642.3363
Hartland 810 Cardinal Lane Hartland, WI 53029 P: (262) 369.8900
North Shore 4655 N. Port Washington Road, Ste 300 Glendale, WI 53212 P: (414) 906.4500
Where Home and Happy Meet â„¢