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Executive Times September 2019

Let’s C e l e b r a t e Anniversaries Kristi Artiles Tina Catalanotte Sue Heitz Kim Schedler Julie Lessila Abigail Myers Jen Gizelbach Laura Glosemeyer Dave Rosenlund Barb Breitenfeldt Kent Breitenfeldt Sue Patti Tina Ferlindes

2 Years 2 Years 2 Years 2 Years 2 Years 2 Years 2 Years 3 Years 9 Years 15 Years 15 Years 24 Years 33 Years

Birthdays Dave Herrington Suzanne Heinrich Brian Roslawski Kalina Eichstaedt John Arneson Jan Farber Monty Stallings Elizabeth Bertrandt-Klug Rachel Hinterberg Erick Belus Jim Perzacki Claire Zastrow John Drain Joelle Christofferson

September 2 September 4 September 4 September 7 September 8 September 11 September 11 September 16 September 21 September 23 September 23 September 24 September 29 September 30

September Masterminds “Client Appreciation & Keeping in Touch” Wednesday, September 4th – Lake Country Mastermind 9:30 – 11:00am at Milwaukee Street Traders – Delafield Wednesday, September 25th – North Shore Mastermind 9:30 – 11:00am at NSeven Coffee – Grafton Wednesday, September 25th – Brookfield Mastermind 9:30 – 11:00am at the Brookfield Lower Level Training Center

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2019 Regional Conference Dana Keegan We have been brainstorming and planning powerful learning opportunities for our Sales Executives and we are excited to announce they have officially launched this month! You have to "LEARN TO EARN" in any industry and more so in a dynamic, evolving industry like real estate. Educating yourself in best practices, skills tactics, navigating industry trends, converting opportunities, mastering communication skills and delivering your value proposition is critical in our business. We invite you to take part in as many of these training opportunities that you are able for the benefit of YOUR business. The only cost is the investment of your time. Each one of our FREE peer led classes offers a learning opportunity for every level and approach to business. Your September training calendar was delivered via email and a printed copy in your mailbox in August but if you didn't receive it…no worries. You can see page 10 for details or visit your training calendar in Prime Agent for a digital copy today! You can also swing by your front desk and ask for a copy; they'd be happy to provide a hard copy for you.

#beintheknow #joinus #peerlearning #fuelthethinktank #freelearning September 18th also marks the date for our annual Regional Conference at the Milwaukee County Zoo from 10am-2pm and we couldn't be more thrilled to have Jared James presenting as your keynote speaker. Jared will be delivering two POWERFUL sessions geared towards "Adapting to a Shifting Market" and "The Power of a Daily Blueprint" for your business and life outside your business. Permanent marker that date and time in your calendar and make the investment in your business. If you haven't already RSVP’d, it’s not too late! You can do so by going online to the website below. Did I mention that lunch is going to be amazing?

#nojoke #feedthethinktank #doyouzoo #foodie www.JoinJaredInWisconsin.com Grab a friend in the industry and bring them along with you too! This year's Regional Conference will be one for the books and who wouldn't want to take an opportunity to network with the best and learn amazing business strategies?! We'll see you this month as we fuel the think tank together at our MANY training opportunities!

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Welcome to our new

Tracy Schimmers Hartland Office 262.372.1126 TracySchimmers@RealtyExecutives.com

SALES EXECUTIVE

. . . D o y o u k n ow. . . someone who would make a great Executive? Let our Professional Development Team know! Email: MakeYourMove@RealtyExecutives.com

s i r e b m e t S ep Helpful Apps & Tools to keep you safe: 1. Invisawear www.invisawear.com

For more RealtorÂ® safety tips, see page 8.

2. SentriLock App Enable your agent safety feature 3. FOREWARN www.forewarn.com

Article Courtesy of: Keeping Current Matters

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6 Ways to Stand Out From the Competition Differentiating yourself from your competition as a Realtor® requires understanding the unique benefits you deliver—and communicating those benefits to potential clients. It sounds simple, but most real estate professionals struggle to identify and articulate these points. There are several ways to do it. To get your ideas flowing, consider these possible approaches: 1. Specialized Niches Instead of trying to be all things to all people, consider zeroing in on a segment of the market where you can claim strong expertise. Successful niches can be based on a type of client or property, a location, or even specialized knowledge and skills. Many of the National Association of REALTORS®’ (NAR) designations and certifications can play a strong role in supporting your ability to promote a specialized niche, such as the Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®) or Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designations. 2. Commitment to Excellence (C2EX) NAR’s C2EX program, launched last November, is available at no extra cost to members. It’s another powerful way for agents and brokerages to stand out in a crowded field. Brokers can also brand their C2EX platform with a company logo and share content with the rest of the team. Encourage your entire office to complete the program and use the marketing materials to tell the world that you’re endorsed by the National Association of REALTORS®—and that you operate your business at the highest possible level of professionalism. 3. Trends and Technology In your advertising, tell clients how you’re keeping up with the latest industry developments—and how they benefit. This might include your use of e-signature software and other technologies that keep their transaction on track, your work with iBuyers to offer additional selling or buying options, or your use of a team structure. 4. Personal Style and Talents Are you a gifted and patient hand-holder? A skilled negotiator? Do you have intimate knowledge of every property in your market or unique financing options for credit-challenged buyers? Each of these qualities can play a critical role in informing potential clients how you’re different. Article Courtesy of: RisMedia – Written By: Marc D. Gould

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Article Continued From Page 6

5. Quantifiable Results If you claim to be good at something, back it up with facts. A mortgage specialist, for example, might be able to point to a higher percentage of first-time buyer-clients that were able to secure a mortgage and purchase a home relative to other first-time buyers. 6. What Clients Say If you’re still not sure what sets you apart, ask your clients. Or, reflect on the feedback you’ve already received. Most buyers and sellers don’t work with real estate professionals frequently enough to articulate how you and your brokerage compare to others. They can, however, say what they enjoyed about working with you, providing clues for crafting a unique value proposition. 7. Making a Statement Once you’ve compiled your thoughts, start writing and refining statements that convey your benefits from a client’s perspective. Aim to be as clear as possible and avoid using jargon.

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Did you know you can create Automated Flyers to share on social media with the click of a button?

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3rd Annual Before 16 Golf Outing Recap

At Realty Executives Integrity, we understand that charitable contributions and outreach programs are vital to ensuring a strong sense of community. Our Sales Executives embrace the idea of giving back, ensuring their footprint extends past the closing table and into the communities they serve. Through our active support of five charitable organizations, our Sales Executives have an opportunity to donate a portion of their commission income and/or time to give back to a greater purpose. At Realty Executives Integrity, we don't just sell homes...we build community.

We recently had the opportunity to sponsor the annual fundraiser golf event for Before16. This is one of the organizations that we actively support and their mission is to advocate adoption of orphans before the age of 16 to give them a future and a hope. One of our very own Executives, Jen Gizelbach, and her family opened their home to one of the children and are now in the process of adoption. She was able to share her story at the event and the incredible impact that Before16 has made on their family's life. It's because of donations received that this and other organizations we support can continue the good that they do. If you're wondering how to donate, you can simply check the box of the organization on the commission disbursement form and let us know the amount you would like to donate out of your commission. We'll take care of the rest. It's that easy to make a lasting impact!

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A g e n t s : H ow Yo u r C o n s u m e r s Can Avoid Real Estate Scams Article Courtesy of: RISMedia, Written By Liz Dominguez

Agents, particularly those new to the real estate industry, may be unaware of the various risks surrounding a transaction. From wire fraud to title-related scams, today’s consumers, agents and other transaction vendors can be at risk of losing several thousand to hundreds of thousands of dollars in a matter of days. The dangers are increasing—the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) reports that phishing attempts have increased 1,100 percent between 2015 and 2017, and in 2017 alone, transaction cost losses due to mortgage fraud reached nearly $1 billion. As many will say, consumer awareness is the No. 1 way to avoid being victimized by a real estate scam. However, this is made significantly easier if agents know what these dangers are and how to properly educate their clients on how to avoid them. Here are a few real estate-related scams and how they could have been prevented:

Wire Fraud

For a family in Florida, who was, at first, completely unaware that any fraud had occurred, losing their home was a real possibility. Susan Spofford had found the dream home for her and her family on the Treasure Coast. Their offer was accepted, and the process was moving along smoothly—right up until the closing. When her attorney asked them to provide the $77,000 required for closing costs, Spofford knew something was wrong—they had already paid the sum via an email request for a wire transfer. The family had become a victim of wire fraud via a sophisticated email hack. While the Spofford family was lucky enough to be able to pay for the closing costs at the last minute, they did lose out on $77,000 dollars, which they will likely never see again. How could this have been avoided? Here are the tell-tale signs that the request was not legitimate: 1. The email address was not a perfect match. Although the display name matched that of the attorney’s secretary, and the office’s logo and contact information was correct, the email address itself was slightly off. In the case of email phishing, a single letter may be switched out, or the sender may have changed the account from @gmail or @outlook to something that looks very similar. Often, when it comes to emailrelated scams, the fraudsters will try to get everything as close as possible in order to bait the target. Agents should implore their clients to look at this information very closely to assure it is actually coming from the agent, the attorney, the lender or anyone else who has a role within the real estate transaction. 2. The message directed them to contact only via email. In this case, the individual posing as the attorney told the Spofford family that he would be “busy with limited access” to his phone. Agents should tell their clients to immediately call the person who sent the email, or confirm with them in person, even if fraud is not suspected. Any time money or sensitive information is requested, the client should take steps to confirm the authenticity of the sender.

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Deed Theft

Raymond Murray, a 67-year-old New York resident, could no longer work, his wife had passed and he was unable to afford living expenses on his disability check. During this vulnerable time, he was approached by a man named Mario Alvarenga, who said he could offer solutions to his problems by helping him avoid foreclosure, eliminate legal fees and reduce his monthly mortgage payment. Murray soon found out, however, that instead of his problems being fixed, they were added onto—he lost his home to fraud. Here’s how it all went wrong: 1. He was told to fire his attorney. The biggest sign that something isn’t right is being directed to fire the person who is protecting your legal wellbeing. Agents should warn consumers that anyone asking that they end their relationship with their lawyer, agent, lender, advisor, etc. may be involved in something nefarious. 2. The paperwork wasn’t read by a lawyer or financial advisor. What looked like a mortgage restructuring was actually a stealthily-obscured contract for sale. Any time clients have to sign something, ensure they are working with someone reputable and who has their best interest at heart. 3. Alvarenga was not vetted. If consumers decide not to pursue a relationship with one of the agents’ vendors, who have been vetted and are trusted sources, ensure their own pick has been thoroughly researched. Consumers should be educated on how to look for signs of fraud through reviews and online research. Additionally, if ever in doubt, agents should be a resource to them in confirming the validity of the services their clients are hoping to engage in. A second set of eyes never hurts.

Investor Fraud

This past May, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged George Slowinski, principal/owner of Rebuilding America, LLC, which said it offered real estate investments based on home flipping, with committing over $20 million worth of real estate fraud in South Side Chicago. Slowinski was diverting 34 percent to 42 percent of every dollar earned from investors, a total of $2.8 million, to improperly pay for his company’s payroll, overhead and cost overruns on other projects without notifying investors. While details surrounding the investors’ relationships with Slowinski are unavailable, here’s what agents can tell their investor clients: 1. Be wary. Research everything thoroughly. Consult a financial advisor before investing in a home flip. Additionally, use a real estate agent to determine if the property’s valuation post-renovation is actually viable. Too often, investors are promised an attractive cut, only to find out that the earning potential is much less, if anything at all. 2. Walk away from “guaranteed” returns. The market fluctuates; therefore, what may be a good financial decision one month may prove to be a weaker return if the market shifts by the time the renovation is done, and when the property is finally listing-ready a few months later. If someone is promising a guaranteed return, be vigilant. 3. Don’t rush in. If looking to purchase a flipped home, consumers should follow their agent’s and home inspector’s lead to determine if the value is actually there. What may appear to be a full renovation may actually be a scam disguised by surface repair work. Real estate scams can be prevented if the consumer is savvy; however, that rarely comes without the help of an agent who can educate them on how to spot these red flags. This is a paid advertisement.

Experts™

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M ast e r m i n d Ro u n d U p W hat type of negotiator are you?! Last month's discussions centered on learning the negotiating style that you are and how to advocate for your clients and yourself to win the listings through expert negotiating.

Executive Take-Aways Using some of Brian Buffini’s materials about negotiating gave us a great launching point for our Mastermind discussion last month. W e talked about the different negotiating styles. Learning to identify these can significantly improve our ability to strategize. He also suggests some words and phrases that generate a peaceful, professional tone. Perhaps the best takeaway from the session: W e can navigate tricky conflicts by listening well, asking more questions, and discovering and reminding others of their main motivation. – Gaylene Davis • Franklin Office W orking through objections from seller re: Listing price: Once you have provided the comparative market analysis and convey an idea of what their home could sell for, the sellers may think it is worth a lot more. One response to that could be that " everyone else will be looking at this same data and determine a similar price that I have come up with" . If you still come to agreement on a higher initial listing price, get the seller's concurrence ahead of time as to the strategy and timing for price reduction so that it will not lose too much momentum after listing the home. Continue to keep a calm demeanor regardless of the situation at hand, staying in that frame of mind will hopefully foster similar responses from the others you are interacting with. The goal is to have everyone feel good about the deal being negotiated, and working towards that end will help drive a fair and equitable outcome. – Tony W ineninger • Hartland Office

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 • Habitat for Humanity builds and renovate homes for families • JR’s Pups-N-Stuff began with one in need of goal in mind: to save animals from sustainable life-threatening situations. housing. • It was built by a network of foster • Mission: Bringing parents in the Milwaukee area. people together in • It is “a little rescue with a big heart.” homes, Learn more at www.JRPupsNStuff.org communities, and home. • “We envision a world where • SALS offers freedom with accountability for everyone has a men and women who are serious about their decent place to sobriety. live.” • They provide non-institutional sober living Learn more at with a unique balance of independence and www.Habitat.org structure. • They are committed to providing safe, comfortable, and modern Recovery Houses for all. Learn more at www.SALShouses.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

Looking for Help Accounting

Designated Realtors John Plavsic | Brookfield (262) 364.0555

Career Development

Dana Keegan (262) 618.2575 DanaKeegan@RealtyExecutives.com Arlene Nesta (262) 369.8985 arlene@wirealtyexec.com Nicki Wendt (262) 369.8986 nicole@wirealtyexec.com

Certified Marketing Executives Claire Zastrow | All Locations (262) 369.8959 | Claire@wirealtyexec.com

Tiffany Decker | Brookfield (262) 783.7080 | Tiffany@wirealtyexec.com Erica Petri | Cedarburg (262) 377.6099 | Erica@wirealtyexec.com

Becky Wilde | Professional Development (262) 369.8915 | BeckyWilde@RealtyExecutives.com

Angela Riemer| East Troy (262) 642.3363 | Angela@wirealtyexec.com

Morgan Sampson | Executive Mentoring (920) 728.3160 | MorganSampson@RealtyExecutives.com

Tiffany Decker | Franklin (414) 235.5777 | Tiffany@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„¢ #WeMoveWI