Executive Times March 2019
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Let’s C e l e b r a t e Anniversaries Hayley Duerwachter Marie Gingher Melinda Hughes Andy Manchester Cathy Moon Lisa Roehl Deb Schroeder Karen Berger David Herrington Vadim Ruzell Michael Allen Brittany Arata Yvonne Caby Michaela Dwornik Miranda Zuege Chuck Kinzel Neil Miyashita Larry Giorgi Jim Perzacki Peter Sylvester
1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 2 Years 2 Years 2 Years 4 Years 4 Years 4 Years 4 Years 4 Years 5 Years 5 Years 6 Years 8 Years 12 Years
Birthdays Heddy Humcke Mark Mundt Karen Berger Frank Ferlindes Kim Schedler Tonya Swenson Debbie Sievert Jodie Perzacki Michael Lessila Diane Alexander Heather Steiner Lisa Roehl John Plavsic Gene Anderson Cathy Moon Marc Pehowski Tonya Thomsen Laura Glosemeyer
March 17:
Mardi Gras Daylight Savings Begins At 2:00am (Set Clocks Ahead 1 Hour) St. Patrick’s Day
March 20:
First Day of Spring
March 5: March 10:
March 3 March 3 March 4 March 4 March 7 March 7 March 8 March 10 March 12 March 13 March 14 March 18 March 26 March 27 March 27 March 28 March 30 March 31
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Yo u r S u c c e s s i s O u r S u c c e s s Written by Claire Zastrow
As a Leadership and support team, we at Realty Executives Integrity continually ask ourselves
“How can we surround our Sales Executives to build THEIR business and DOUBLE their income?” Over the years we have worked to fine tune this process and are proud to say we now have systems, tools and resources in place that are proven to double your business and build your brand. At Realty Executives we are all about YOU: • Growing Your Business How You Want • Marketing and Building Your Brand How You Want • Having the Freedom That You Want for Your Business and Life Throughout the year, it’s our great pleasure to watch our Executives succeed in both business and personal life. Your success is our success. Our annual Executive Excellence Award breakfast is an opportunity for us to come together and celebrate all that you do. This year, I want to personally invite each of you to our awards breakfast held at the Milwaukee County Zoo. My mission is to see ALL of you on April 11th to offer our congratulations for success in business and to extend our gratitude for having you as part of our Realty Executives Integrity family. We have a culture of Top Producers and our awards breakfast is a testament to this very thing. We present Realty Executives International awards for incredible commissions earned as well as Realty Executives Integrity awards for Staff Achievement, Affiliate Award, Legend Award and MORE. All who attend are recognized and we are looking forward to having you there!
Claire Thursday, April 11th | 8:00 – 11:00 am | Milwaukee County Zoo
RSVP today at … www.ExecutiveExcellenceAwards.com
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March Happenings Events to Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 9 | 12:00pm
Office Meetings Lake Country Mastermind March 6 | 9:30-11:00am
Downtown Milwaukee
Milwaukee Street Traders - Delafield
Leprechaun Search March 11-15 | 9:30am-5:00pm
Franklin Mastermind March 7 | 9:30-11:00am
Delafield Public Library
Franklin Office Workroom
Lucky Leprechaun 7k Run March 16 | 10:00am
Brookfield Mastermind March 13 | 9:30-11:00am
Wauwatosa
Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 17 | 11:00am
Town of Erin
Brookfield Office Lower Level
March Training Module Tax Changes for Realtors® & Planning for YOUR Business March 20 | 9:30-11:30am
Brookfield Office Training Center
Brewer’s Opening Day Party March 28 | 1:00p-3:00pm
Franklin Office
North Shore Mastermind March 27 | 9:30-11:00am
Fiddleheads Coffee Shop - Mequon
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6 Ways to Get Your Home Ready for a Spring Sale Article Courtesy of: Brenda Richardson – Forbes Real Estate
Selling your home in the spring doesn’t mean you have to actually wait until spring to prepare your home for a sale. After the holiday whirlwind of festivities and guests, it’s time to get your house in order this winter for a successful spring sale. I asked two pros, Mary Cook, president of interior design firm Mary Cook Associates in Chicago, and Judy Dutton, deputy editor of realtor.com, for advice on what you can do now to get ready for spring showings and open houses. Here’s what they had to say. Let natural light flood the rooms. “The best way to prepare your home for a spring sale is to open it up, lighten it up and brighten it up,” says Cook. For instance, she recommends raising shades and opening curtains to let in natural light. If your decorative valances have seen better days, remove them. “There was a period of time when people were doing a lot of decorative valances,” says Cook. “They are not operable window treatments, and they are just hanging there. After six years, they become faded by the sun, and they are dust collectors, so take them down.” Renovate what's outdated. “If your kitchen or bathroom screams 1980s and may give buyers flashbacks, they should be updated before you sell,” says Dutton. For example, updating fixtures like bath faucets, towel racks and cabinet pulls can say a lot about your sense of style. “Just know that on most renovations, you won't recoup all of your costs dollar for dollar,” Dutton says. “For instance, a major kitchen remodel will cost an average of $66,000 but will only add about $41,000 to your home's value with a 62% return on investment.” Think small with renovations. “Rather than replace the kitchen cabinets, just replace the doors or repaint the cabinets instead,” says Dutton. “Rather than replacing the whole tub, re-glaze it to make it look as good as new. If you're going to spend serious money on anything, focus on the exterior of your home, since this is the very first impression buyers get of your home and it counts.” For instance, she says one renovation that pays for itself and boosts curb appeal is a garage door replacement, which will cost around $3,600 but net a 97% return on investment. “Stone veneer outside the home is yet another upgrade that has a 95% return on investment,” says Dutton. Cook says make sure all your lightbulbs are operable to show your home in its best light. “There might be a chandelier where one or two bulbs are out, and you don’t really notice it,” she says. “Go around and check all your lamps and light fixtures and make sure that all your bulbs are working.” Article Continued on Next Page
ET March | 5 6 Tips to Get Your Home Ready for a Spring Sale Continued…
Paint with whites and neutrals. A new coat of paint is a relatively cheap and easy way to give an instant facelift to your house. “If the colors currently on your walls aren't all that flattering—for instance, yellow bathroom walls, what were you thinking?—now's your chance to make it right,” says Dutton. “Generally, the best paint colors to pick are neutrals, whites and grays. Anything more vivid might appeal to a few buyers but not a wide range.” Fix anything broken. Cook and Dutton recommend getting your home pre-inspected so you know everything that's wrong upfront and repair accordingly. “You'd be amazed how tiny flaws you've ceased to notice in your own home like a loose doorknob or creaky window can stick out in buyers' minds and make them think, 'What else is broken here?’ " says Dutton, adding: “Be sure to make any repairs, particularly to things buyers will notice, but also other things you just know must be done. After all, any home buyer who makes an offer will likely get your home inspected, and home inspectors scrutinize about 1,600 features from the foundation to electrical and beyond. So if there are any issues, they will come to light eventually, and you'll have to fix them anyway. So you may as well get a jump on that, rather than give buyers any wiggle room to negotiate.” Repairs take time so it's smart to get these things rolling now so your home is in great shape by spring. “Another bonus to tackling these repairs now is that many repairmen are cheaper in the winter—particularly for summery things like HVAC maintenance, roof repairs, gutter cleanings and window replacement,” says Dutton. Pay attention to odors. The smell of pets, cooked food and tobacco can kill a home sale. Textiles such as carpet and throw rugs hold odors, says Cook. She recommends having your carpet professionally cleaned before putting your home up for sale. In the spring, the scent of fresh cut flowers can add a natural fragrance to your home.
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Attend Mastermind! Every month across Realty Executive Integrity offices, we host a Mastermind with YOU in mind! Led by your fellow Sales Executives, designed and supported by your Leadership Team, the Mastermind approach to advancing your business centers around powerful conversations. Sharing best ideas between successful Realtors® is a powerful and proven way to grow your business…and that’s exactly what we bring to you every month! See your Front Desk CME for full details, and I’ll see you there!
YOUR OFFICE CME’s Nicki Wendt | Brookfield (262) 783.7080 | Nicole@wirealtyexec.com
Claire Zastrow | All Locations (262) 369.8959 | Claire@wirealtyexec.com
Tiffany Decker | Brookfield (262) 783.7080 | Tiffany@wirealtyexec.com
Jessica Jastrowski | Franklin (414) 235.5777 | Jess@wirealtyexec.com
Erica Lemke | Cedarburg (262) 377.6099 | Erica@wirealtyexec.com
Angela Riemer | Hartland (262) 369.8900 | Angela@wirealtyexec.com
Angela Riemer | East Troy (262) 642.3363 | Angela@wirealtyexec.com
Emily Shaw | North Shore (414) 906.4500 | Emily@wirealtyexec.com
office l l a f st o or a li March f 3 e g n See Pa sterminds i Ma
100% Yours,
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Welcome to Our New EXECUTIVES
Diane Frisch East Troy Office 414.881.2678 DianeFrisch@RealtyExecutives.com
Steve Yurk | Doyle Home Selling Team Lake Country Office 262.366.9086 SteveYurk@RealtyExecutives.com
Brianna Sievert Brookfield Office 414.388.7979 BriannaSievert@RealtyExecutives.com
Michael Fitzpatrick Lake Country Office 262.354.2540 MichaelFitzpatrick@RealtyExecutives.com
. . .Do you know. . . someone who would make a great Executive?
Let our Professional Development Team know!
Email: MakeYourMove@RealtyExecutives.com
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INTEGRITY INSIGHTS
“
I tell my clients that Spring comes in February! In 2017, the Spring market exploded in February and last year for 2018 the market started in March. This year our crazy market started in January already due to low inventory again. I feel our Spring market is already here, so I tell my sellers that! Actually, my seller that called in January to meet and list in the Spring listed on February 13th! I also tell my sellers that due to lower inventory they can set the price standard versus waiting for the neighbors to list and then we are competing with the prices they set. I feel this way especially when dealing in subdivisions or small communities.
“
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When a client wants to wait until Spring to list their home, what do you do to get the listing and show them it's more beneficial to list sooner rather than later?
Gina Dingman
East Troy Office 262.613.3898 Gina@RealtyExecutives.com
POWERED BY EXPERTS
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Tip of the Month Build Custom Webpages on YOUR Agent Website
Do you specialize in New Construction? Working with First Time Home Buyers? Are You An Expert Home Stager? Are You Passionate About Where You Live? Are Local Festivals A Staple of Your Town? Do You Have Resources You Can Share With Your Clients?
Your Realty Executives website through PrimeAgent can be a resource hub of information for those you serve so that you become the expert, one-stopshop your clients need for all the information they are looking for! Every Realty Executives agent website has the ability to add additional resource pages for your clients. Reach out to your CME today to learn how to create a powerful website for YOUR business!
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Three Steps To Improving Your Reputation with Home Buyers and Sellers Article by: Realty Executives International Blog
In a competitive market, customers are looking for a specialist who can give them the advantage with cuttingedge Real Estate knowledge and insight of a true industry expert. You don’t need 15 years of Real Estate behind you to become a Real Estate expert. If you’re relatively new to the profession, you’ll certainly want to draw from the experience of more tenured agents. But time alone does not guarantee expertise. Here are three top tips to help position yourself as an expert and gain the upper edge in the marketplace. 1. Focus on a Specialty Rather than try and be all things to everyone, a better business strategy may be to specialize in a specific community or type of property. Such an approach may mean saying “no” to properties and locations outside of your focus. Once you’ve chosen a focus, learn everything there is to know about that area or property type. While this may require a steep learning curve initially, start with anything a buyer or seller will encounter in the short-term and then broaden your focus from there. An experienced agent will learn from what they encounter. An expert agent will purposely hunt down what they need to know. 2. Master Your Client’s Real Estate Needs It sounds like a tall order, but an expert Real Estate agent will know more about the true Real Estate needs of their client better than anyone else. A good CPA probably won’t know what their clients like to eat, but they will be so well informed about their financial situation, that they would not think of getting tax advice from anyone else. Likewise, a Real Estate agent who has taken the time to thoroughly know their clients will be able to predict the kinds of properties they like before they’ve seen them. In fact, an agent who knows a client’s likes and dislikes so well should be able to anticipate their needs and say, “I know this property is outside the parameters that we discussed, but here’s why I think it will be perfect for you.” Clients can only receive that kind of valuable advice from a true expert 3. Network With Problem-Solving Pros The reason that recommendation platforms like Yelp, HomeAdvisor, and Angie’s List are growing in popularity is because people seeking professional help don’t want to just call the first result on Google. They want to know what kind of experience other people have had in similar situations, preferably in the form of personal recommendations. An expert agent will know other professionals who can solve clients’ problems. The expert’s database of problem solvers should be both wide and deep, with first-hand connections and knowledge of specialists for every kind of problem. Ideally, an expert agent will be such an effective source for home service professionals that their clients will stay in touch. Agents spend many hours and lots of money on ways to touch base with former clients. Being a resource they want to stay in touch with is the best way to continue the relationship.
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
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5 Common Home Seller Misconceptions The real estate world is full of misconceptions about the home selling process. After all, selling a home can be complicated with lots of details that are easy to get wrong. In this article, we’ll look at five common home seller misconceptions and we’ll set the record straight on each! 1. Pricing high will leave room for negotiation.
Overpricing your house is always a bad idea. Buyer’s agents know the market, and they can spot an overpriced listing from a mile away. When buyer’s agents see an overpriced listing, they assume the seller is either 1) unreasonable, or 2) not serious about selling. Either way, agents don’t want to waste their time, or their buyers’ time, touring the house and making an offer they think will be rejected. So an overpriced house will sit on the market until the price is reduced. And by that time, the excitement over the new listing has worn off. Even worse, buyers might see the reduction and think the price had to be reduced because of a problem with the house. Always price your house fairly and let the market do its job. 2. The real estate agent that recommends the highest list price is the best agent.
Savvy sellers interview multiple real estate agents before choosing which agent will list their house. And the savviest sellers select the agent they feel can actually get the house sold; not just the agent that recommends the highest list price. Unscrupulous agents may exaggerate the list price in the hopes of winning your listing. But as we just discussed, overpricing is never a good idea. Instead of hiring a real estate agent that promises you the moon, hire an agent with the integrity to be honest with you. 3. You should get an offer from the open house.
Here’s an open industry secret: open houses aren’t as effective as most people think. Agents hold open houses because sellers expect them to. And because it’s an opportunity for the agent to meet more people and pass out business cards. But open houses mostly bring out curious neighbors and bored lookers. Serious buyers make appointments to see houses. So don’t be discouraged if the open house doesn’t produce an offer. Your agent is actively marketing the house in other ways so serious buyers can schedule a time to tour it. 4. Buyers will look past the clutter.
Buyers should be looking for good bones, right? Why would they be concerned about your furniture, your knick-knacks, or your paint colors? While that’s a logical point of view, buyers use just as much emotion as logic in their home buying decision. They are more drawn to homes that feel good. Clutter and too much furniture can make the house feel small and cramped. And unexpected paint colors distract from the good bones. Make the buyer’s decision easier by decluttering, deep cleaning, and painting if necessary so the house feels fresh and inviting. Continued on pg. 15
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5 Common Home Seller Misconceptions, Con’t. 5. You can save money by cutting out the real estate agent.
It may be tempting to cut out the real estate agent to avoid paying the commission, but study after study has shown this to be a big mistake. First, if your buyers have an agent, you’ll still need to pay the real estate agent fees for that agent (and why wouldn’t they want an agent when it costs them nothing?). So you only stand to save 2-3 percent by cutting out the listing agent and what will skipping out on the listing agent cost you? Sure, you can list the house for sale online yourself. But that’s only reaching a small percentage of serious buyers. Real estate agents list your home in multiple locations, actively promote your house via industry channels, and market your house to buyer’s agents, who get excited to show their clients the listing. And how much is your time worth? Do you want to spend countless hours marketing your home, arranging showings, reading up on real estate law, navigating the mountain of paperwork, and dealing with the escrow officers and title reps? But more than any of that, studies have proven that homes listed by professional real estate agents sell for more money that those listed by owner. You might save on the agent’s commission, but you’ll lose when your house sells for less. Don’t give in to these common home seller misconceptions. Hire a real estate agent to guide you smoothly through the home selling process. This article written by Michelle Clardie for Realty Executives International’s Blog
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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„¢