REALTOR® Review Leadership Issue March 2015

SPECIAL Leadership Issue

REALTORreview 速

A publication of the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS速 I SPRING 2015

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• •

The first web address is FREE for the first year for the first 500,000 NAR members Special pricing for multi-year and multi-domain purchases Optional FREE realtor.com® profile website for U.S. members OR 6 months FREE website hosting* on top of NAR member website discounts from Placester®, a REALTOR Benefits® Program partner

Go to mvp.realtor.org

REALTOR ®

SPRING 2015, VOL. 6, NO. 4

review

features

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RRAR BOARD OFFICERS Harriette Doggett: President Mark Parker: President-elect Mollie Owen: Past President Tom Gongaware: Secretary/Treasurer Steina DeAndrade: President, REALTOR® Foundation of the Triangle 2015 RRAR DIRECTORS Dianna Braun Gina Miller Eddie Brown Player Murray Anne Cain Steven Norris Brenda Carroll Mindy Oberhardt Frank DeRonja Teresa Pitt Diane Donnelly Zach Shabot Bill Fletcher Renee Smith Van Fletcher Tom E. Smith Lewis Grubbs Margaret Sophie Linda Kolarov Glenn Weeks Tim McBrayer Leslie Williams

I AM A REALTOR®

An interview with Shruti Desai

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BALANCING THE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA The things you share on Facebook just might come back to haunt you

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A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

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REALTOR® SAFETY WHEN MEETING STRANGERS Resources & apps to help keep you safe

departments 3 President’s Message 11 Neighbors Helping

REALTOR® FOUNDATION OF THE TRIANGLE OFFICERS President: Steina DeAndrade President-elect: Jose Serrano Secretary/Treasurer: Gina Miller Community Service Chair: Harrison Tulloss NCAR REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS Linda Trevor and Jose Serrano NAR DIRECTORS Linda Trevor and Asa Fleming

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RALEIGH REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® 111 Realtors Way, Cary, N.C. 27513 Phone: 919-654-5400; Fax: 919-654-5401 www.rrar.com

WHY RESPONSIVE WEBSITE DESIGN COULD BE SABOTAGING YOUR LEAD GENERATION EFFORTS Mobile should be your primary focus, not an afterthought

Neighbors

26 Local Market Update 28 RRAR Events Featured on our cover: (L-R) Mollie Owen, President Harriette Doggett and Linda Trevor. ®

Preliminary Identity Colors

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REALTOR® REVIEW STAFF: Patricia Gregory Rand, editor, patriciar@rrar.com Sandee Washington, managing editor, sandeew@rrar.com Shelly Beck, graphic designer, sbdesign@cox.net For editorial contributions and ad inquiries, please contact Patricia Gregory Rand at patriciar@rrar.com or (919) 654-5400.

Members are cautioned that the inclusion of a name, specific commercial product or service in an article, or in this publication does not imply endorsement by the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®. All advertisers in this publication wholly support the Fair Housing Act and fully promote equal opportunity housing.

Copyright 2015 by the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®.

All rights reserved.

rrar.com REALTOR Review

TRIANGLE REALTORS® LEADERSHIP ACADEMY DEAN Scott Hoyt

spring 2015

Congratulations

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president’s message

HARRIETTE H. DOGGETT

AN EXCERPT FROM HARRIETTE’S INAUGURAL SPEECH:

I can remember my parents teaching me that to make a difference, you must get involved.

They also taught me that I could be anything I wanted if I was willing to work hard enough for it and wanted it bad enough.

Let me take you back a little ways in time. I remember a day back in January of 1988 that I sat in a tiny little classroom in our then association building on Annapolis Drive where there was hardly any parking.

I took my REALTOR® orientation class and while I don’t remember a lot of details about the class itself I do remember how proud I was to become a REALTOR®. I may not have understood everything I was getting into, but I do remember that sense of pride I felt. As I stand before you today, I’m even more proud to have that ‘R’ behind my name than I ever have been.

Are you proud to be a REALTOR®?

Do you have a sense of honor and pride by having an extra letter behind your name… the little R in the circle? There are so many things that come with being able to say you’re a REALTOR®. We have the distinct privilege of being able to say that we help people accomplish their dreams.

What other profession can actually

say they a earn a living by helping people accomplish dreams… the dream of home ownership?

Back in 1988, when I started by real estate career, the Offer to Purchase was one legal size page with the terms and conditions on the back. The Exclusive Right to Sell Agreement did not even fill up one 8.5x11 page.

We had one computer in the office for fifty-something agents. We carried around this really thick book that was delivered every two weeks. It was the MLS book. Data was due to the MLS two weeks prior in order to meet the printing deadline. If you either saw a new listing yourself or your customer happened to see it before you did, we were picking up the phone and calling the listing agent to find out about their new listing… how much was it, how many bedrooms, etc. We would call the listing office to schedule the appointment to show and had to wait for a return call to let us know that it was ok to show. We actually See PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE on page 4 REALTOR Review ®

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MISSION STATEMENT The Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS®, the area’s voice of real estate, promotes the highest ethical and professional standards and cooperation among its members; provides products, programs and services to meet the evolving needs of the real estate industry and consumers; and serves as a leading advocate of private property rights and community involvement.

VISION STATEMENT “Anticipating and meeting the opportunities and challenges of our industry.”

COUNCIL & COMMITTEE CHAIRS Communications & Public Relations Chair – Laurie Donofrio Women’s Council of REALTORS® Chair – Steven Norris Triangle International Council of REALTORS® Chair – Grayson Hodge Community Service Committee Chair – Harrison Tulloss Governmental Affairs Committee Chair – Margaret Sophie Diversity Committee – Chair – Leslie Williams The REALTOR® Foundation of the Triangle President – Steina DeAndrade Top Producers Council Co-Chairs – Brendan Carroll and Gracie Goins Property Management Council Chair – Richard Millender Young Professionals Network – Co-Chairs – Ginger Vereen and Shruti Desai Small Brokers Council Chair – Ken Smith RRAR STAFF DIRECTORY Main Office (919) 654-5400 Fax (919) 654-5401 www.rrar.com RRAR Company Store, (919) 654-7253 Chief Executive Officer Tessa Hultz, Ext.1022, tessah@rrar.com Association Services Director Betsy Ramsey, Ext. 1004, betsyr@rrar.com Association Services Associate Vicki Buckholtz, Ext. 1027, vickib@rrar.com Communications Director Patricia Gregory Rand, Ext. 1026, patriciar@rrar.com Communications Associate Sandee Washington, Ext. 1023, sandeew@rrar.com Education Director Cara Mottershead, Ext. 1006, caram@rrar.com Education Associate Sonya Yankoglu, Ext. 1024, sonyay@rrar.com Executive Assistant Brendan Bailey, brendanb@rrar.com Facilities Manager Mary Rachel Bowling, Ext. 1016, maryrachelb@rrar.com Governmental Affairs Director Christopher MacDonald, Ext. 1025,

christopherm@rrar.com Information Associate Shelia Clark, Ext. 1001, sheliac@rrar.com Store Manager Yukari Powers, Ext. 1028, yukarip@rrar.com TMLS STAFF DIRECTORY Vice President of Operations Rachel Wiest, Ext. 1019, rachelw@trianglemls.com Communications/Data Asset Manager Christy New, Ext. 1008, christyn@trianglemls.com Compliance Director Letitia Pennington, Ext. 1014, letitiap@trianglemls.com Compliance Associate Dontez Ward, Ext. 1020, dontezw@trianglemls.com Data Distribution Director Carol Hamrick, Ext. 1007, carolh@trianglemls.com Membership Associate Kristina Faison, Ext. 1005, kristinaf@trianglemls.com MLS Systems Director Kathy Matheson, Ext. 1012, kathym@trianglemls.com MLS Technical Support Associate Luke Bollenbaugh, Ext. 1009, lukeb@trianglemls.com MLS/Realist Support Associate Jennifer Horton, Ext. 1010, jenniferh@trianglemls.com Technical Operations Director Matt Nagy, Ext. 1017, mattn@trianglemls.com Training Development Manager Allan Nielsen, Ext. 1003, allann@trianglemls.com CTC/MLS Training Manager Lynne Brid, Ext. 1015, lynneb@trianglemls.com RRAR/TMLS MEMBERSHIP/ FINANCE DEPARTMENT Membership/Finance Director Randi Clodfelter, Ext. 1021, randic@trianglemls.com Finance Associate Pat Long, Ext. 1018, patl@trianglemls.com Finance Associate Jill Pressley, Ext. 1011, Jillp@rrar.com Membership Associate Kelly Hunsucker, Ext. 1013, kellyh@trianglemls.com

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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‘talked’ to one another back then!

My first ‘mobile phone’ was the size of a brief case and had an actual full size receiver with a pigtail cord connection. I now get a real chuckle seeing an agent connect a ‘full size receiver with pigtail coil cord’ to their now tiny razor thin mobile phone.

And – email didn’t exist for us! We took ‘pink slip’ messages and resisted when they tried to introduce voice mail saying there’s no way someone would want to talk to a machine! As the ole saying goes, ‘we’ve come a long way baby!’

Being a REALTOR® affords much more than just earning a good living.

The R in the circle behind brings a multitude of benefits. First and foremost are the friendships that we develop through our relationships with our colleagues and our clients.

Those relationships grow deep and very meaningful over the years!

It also means being able to give back… giving back to our communities and those in need. I am proud that in 2007, our Association had the vision of The REALTORS® Foundation of the Triangle (RFT). Through RFT thousands of dollars and many volunteer hours have gone to benefit our community. The Foundation is working with a goal in mind to find that ‘big idea’ that we can put our name behind that the community will say ‘the REALTORS® did that’! I invite your input and I invite you to become involved with our Foundation.

In the mean time, there are countless volunteer hours given by members who are on the Community Service Committee to programs such as collecting thousands of books for

Wake Up & Read, serving food in the Soup Kitchens, and spearheading drives to collect countless numbers of diapers and wipes through our Diaper Drives and giving toiletries to our Troops abroad through our USO drive. This year, you adopted close to 900 angels for our Project Angel Tree for children in the guardian ad-litem program. College Scholarships are given to local high school students who have already shown their abilities to lead and give back to their communities. That’s not all our Community Service Committee does each and every year to give back to our community. REALTORS® all across our nation are giving back to their communities in so many different ways.

Another very important area is our political advocacy. It is one of the most important things the Association does to help protect private property rights and to protect our industry and our livelihood. Every year buyers, sellers, and REALTORS® are challenged with tough policy decisions on a local, state, and federal level. The real estate industry is constantly under attack and seen as a source of additional tax revenues dollars by our legislators. The contributions you make to RPAC serve you by helping elected officials, on a non-partisan basis, who support the best interest of homeownership and of our business. As REALTORS®, we work independently. Through our contributions to RPAC we make a winning team.

Another benefit of being a REALTOR® is our Code of Ethics. It’s that set of standards by which each of us should practice every day. We are unique by today’s standards in that we are a ‘self-policing’ industry.

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Our Government Affairs Committee meets the third Wednesday of each month around lunchtime. Stay ‘up to date’ regarding transportation, taxation, regulations, legislation or proposed legislation that affects our industry our livelihood and/or private property rights. Not to mention that we have an opportunity to interview our candidates running for elections and to report back to our membership those who are favorable to the real estate industry. If you wish to become involved with this Committee, please contact the Chair, Margaret Sophie.

Next, the Grievance and Professional Standards Committee is for those who are interested in the process of Code of Ethics enforcement.

Our Young Professionals Network (YPN) holds events throughout the year for our younger members or those who are ‘young at heart’. This group is constantly hosting speakers to share how to better your business or stay on the cutting edge with the latest APP or software.

Our Diversity Committee as well as Communications & Public Relations host speakers and members of the press.

We also have our Councils: Small Brokers Council for those with 25 office members or less; Triangle International Council of REALTORS®; our Women’s Council of REALTORS® (and you don’t have to be a woman to join that council); our Top Producers Council and our Property Management Council.

Finally, Our Board of Directors meetings are normally the second Wednesday morning of each month and you are always welcome to attend these meetings, as a guest, to hear about the operations of your Association.

And if you feel that you have leadership qualities and want to help shape the future of our Association, consider running for our Board of Directors.

Maybe you are a born leader but you’re not sure how to harness your energies. Consider the Triangle REALTORS® Leadership Academy.

We are one of a very few Associations

that have a Leadership Academy.

We’re so proud to offer this incredible opportunity for our members to enhance their leadership skills.

We have many ways for you to get involved with your Association. Ask us questions and we’ll help direct you

In closing, I’m looking forward to serving as your 2015 President.

Remembering the words of my parents that in order to make a difference, you have to be involved. I hope you’ll get involved with your Association and I hope you’ll join me in being proud to be a REALTOR®.

to involvement in your Association!

I am a REALTOR ®

An interview with RRAR member Shruti Desai

I am passionate about a lot of things: Gardening, traveling, cooking, Fitness, Wellness.

A few years ago, my Dad went through open heart surgery and this was an eye opener for me. As I watched him go through the recovery process, I realized that I had to take

better care of my health. I have been a vegetarian since I was 5 years old but never ate well. My diet consisted mostly of pizza and French Fries. I love to cook and experiment with different types of cuisines that are full of flavor and are healthy too. This love for healthy eating is also how I REALTOR Review ®

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got into gardening. I love using fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs from my garden. Another activity that I enjoy is going to the gym to work out and have also started taking yoga lessons as I feel this helps provide a healthy balance with the high-intensity and See I AM A REALTOR® on page 6

I love being an involved member of this board since we help multiple charities. I have been in involved with numerous community service organizations since middle school.

Every year I become more and more involved. Currently, I help RRAR organize volunteer events with the Shepherd’s Table, Senior Bagging and Back-pack Buddies. I recently became the 2015 co-chair for RRAR’s Young Professionals Network. This organization is great because we do a good mix of events that target RRAR’s young members. Outside of RRAR, I volunteer with the MakeI AM A REALTOR® A-Wish Foundation, Hospice, Board continued from page 5 Associate at Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, pace that comes with real estate. In and the Young Professionals Network my free time I love making my own for Jainism.

I am a REALTOR® because I love house hold products like laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, sham- helping people out. If I could afford poo, and hand soap just to name a to work for free, I would. I have a past client that was legally blind and few. I feel that if I am putting good wanted to sell her home and move foods into my body then I need to into a new place with very few stairs. take care of the outside as well.

There were quite a few bumps while As a member of RRAR I am involved we were under contract on her old in Community Service Committee. place. She had no family in town so REALTOR Review ®

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she looked to me as her family. Everything was done the old fashioned way; going to the bank for money transfers and any letters she needed for the lender. There was a lot of picking-up and dropping off involved.

We finally found a charming home for her that had only one step into the home. I still wasn’t satisfied with still having a step though, so through my connections with the Community Service Committee I arranged to build her a ramp! I also helped her get some repairs done. Before we knew it… she was closed on the old place and moved into her new place.

I stopped by a few days later to drop off a microwave that I donated to her.

Her whole family was over visiting and they greeted me with so much love and smiles, as they already had heard a lot about me, that it made this whole transaction all worth it.

I look forward to continuing to help people find their dream home, connect with the community and I may look into volunteering at Saving Grace Animal Shelter for a few hours a month or as a foster parent.

Balancing the personal and professional on social media THE THINGS YOU SHARE ON FACEBOOK JUST MIGHT COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU MARNIE BLANCO CONTRIBUTOR

When it comes to real estate, the nature of our relationships with clients can be complex to define.

We’re completing a business transaction, which is professional by nature.

At the same time, we’re assisting with a major, emotional decision, and that’s very, very personal.

And when it comes to interacting via social media, it can be hard to find the balance between staying professional and also sharing

some of your personal side to create strong, more engaging connections.

It’s a fine line to balance, and sometimes mixing the personal with the professional can be disastrous. A social media faux pas might not be as bad as Olivia Pope and President Fitzgerald Grant getting together on my favorite show to binge-watch, but inappropriate tweets, Facebook posts and photos have nonetheless

ended careers. If you’re going to let your clients have access to your social media (and let’s face it, you probably should), you must be careful of oversharing, which can turn people off professionally.

As difficult as it is to find, keeping that personal-professional balance is critical to maintaining relationships and building a satisfied client base.

So here are some tips to help you get there: See BALANCING on page 8

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BALANCING

Take a page from Chipotle’s playbook

Mom’s always right

One of my favorite lunch spots is Chipotle. Its food is fresh and tasty, and its customer service is stellar.

Chipotle uses Salesforce to maintain a network of every customer service inquiry. It does this to create positive, lasting relationships with customers.

While Chipotle may see these customers once or twice a week, in real estate, the turnover rate is much slower (people aren’t searching for new houses every day). That’s why building and managing positive relationships with customers is key to ensuring that the next time they’re looking for an agent, they come back to you.

continued from page 7

For me and many of my colleagues, our personal and professional lives collide on social media. Just as often as we’re posting pictures of our children’s soccer games and family’s Thanksgiving dinner, I see agents using Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to find new leads, promote listings and network with colleagues.

Most of the things I see shared on social media are pretty innocuous and, therefore, appropriate for all audiences. But every now and then, a bikini selfie or a St. Patrick’s Day bar-hopping photo makes its way onto a Facebook timeline when it probably shouldn’t. You have the ability to restrict who sees what on your social media accounts for a reason, so use it.

Some sage advice I received on my way to college was to never be photographed doing something I wouldn’t want my mother to see. If you’re about to post something on social media, think about what your mother would say. If she wouldn’t “like” it, maybe you should think again before posting.

I read a book a few years ago titled “Social Media is a Cocktail Party”; the book notes that unless you know someone very well, your interactions with this person at a cocktail party would be relatively formal. The same should be true for your social media interactions with your clients. Keep them light, keep them semiformal, and don’t get too personal. For example, wishing your client a happy birthday or commenting on their adorable family photo or cute dog over Facebook is a totally appropriate way to interact without crossing any lines.

your audience and building a relationship slowly over time is perfect.

Newsle is a good way to do that and show people you care, and that you want to stay in touch for reasons that aren’t always business-related.

Not so ironically, that often leads to more business.

The perfect blend When it comes to the kitchen, the old saying is that you’re either a cook or a baker. With baking, recipes are really precise. You have to ensure the proper measurements and add them in the correct order or your baked goods won’t turn out well. With cooking, there’s a lot more wiggle room. You can throw in the spices that you like and give each dish your own signature flare.

When it comes to real estate, finding the balance between personal and professional is a lot like cooking.

There are key ingredients in any relationship between agent and client that you must include. Make those connections on Facebook, but leave out the questionable photos.

To add a personal touch to professional relationships, I use a tool called Newsle, which notifies me when a contact is mentioned in an article online or on social media. You can use this both personally (through Facebook) and professionally (through LinkedIn) to stay on top of your friends’ and clients’ successes and congratulate them when it’s appropriate. Think of it like dating: Nobody likes it when you come on too strong, but nobody likes being ignored, either. Knowing REALTOR Review ®

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Marnie Blanco heads up industry relations for dotloop.

REALTOR Safety When Meeting Strangers ®

Safety is a top priority for REALTORS®. That’s why you should always have a personal security plan in place.

When alone, meet new customers at the office instead of the property.

Always let someone in your office

know where you are going, with whom and when you plan to return.

For more NAR Safety Resources visit www.realtor.org/topics/realtorsafety/safety-resources. Also look into some of the safety apps available:

Verify customer information

Agent Armor, Bmonitored, Client Interactive Tracking App, LifeLine Response, OnGuardHelp, PeopleSmart and RealAlert.

Enlist a coworker

Careful with personal info

Keep customer in sight

Announce your showings

Pay attention to exits Keep phone in hand

Trust your gut

self

Take ea class -defens

Scout locations early REALTOR Review ®

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Congratulations on being elected Secretary-Treasurer for 2015.

We are proud of you and appreciate your dedication and contributions to RRAR.

Tom Gongaware

allentate.com REALTOR Review 速

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neighbors helping neighbors

REALTOR® Foundation Sets A New Record: Collects More than 5000 Books for Wake Up & Read CARY, NC (MARCH 9, 2015) – The REALTOR® Foundation of the Triangle (RFT) Community Service Committee conducted its first annual book drive for Wake Up and Read.

These books will be shared with childcare centers and schools throughout Wake County. Children will select ten books each, helping them create home libraries and personally own books that they can enjoy reading over the summer.

Tessa Hultz, RCE, CAE and CEO of the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS® (RRAR) said, “Thanks to our members more than 5000 books were collected for children in Wake County. The REALTOR® Foundation of the Triangle partners with programs such as Wake Up and Read through which we can make a meaningful impact on our community.”

The mission of the REALTOR® Foundation of the Triangle is to identify REALTOR Review ®

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and support initiatives that enhance the quality of life in our community.

The Foundation provides resources to improve housing needs. REALTORS® develop caring and effective relationships and partnerships with individuals and community organizations. The Foundation offers equal opportunity and access to programs and services.

The Foundation values the resources entrusted to it and uses them responsibly.

Congratulations Linda Trevor

From all your friends at ReMax united REALTOR Review 速

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RRAR Receives Awards for 2014 RPAC at NCAR Inaugural Meetings After tireless work from the RRAR RPAC Committee in 2014, RRAR successfully surpassed the RPAC fundraising goal of $80,880.

At the NCAR Inaugural meetings, RRAR 2014 Chairman, Harriette Doggett was presented with multiple awards including the chairman’s trophy for extraordinary fundraising. RRAR also received the 100 percent Goal Award and Most Dollars Raised by a Local Board award. Diana Braun received the Region 10 Cup Award for meeting goal.

HARRIETTE DOGGETT RECEIVING THE CHAIRMAN’S TROPHY FOR EXTRAORDINARY FUNDRAISING.

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2015 RRAR PRESIDENT HARRIETTE DOGGETT AND HUSBAND BILL.

A Night to Remember REALTOR Review 速

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BOTTOM: RRAR BOARD MEMBER AND PAST PRESIDENT OF THE REALTOR速 FOUNDATION OF THE TRIANGLE, FRANK DERONJA AND WIFE CRISTIN.

ANNETTE ANDERSON IS ON THE LEFT; RRAR 2015 PRESIDENT HARRIETTE DOGGETT IS IN MIDDLE AND CHARLENE GALLOWAY IS ON THE RIGHT.

2014 RRAR PRESIDENT MOLLIE OWEN RECEIVES HER ANGEL WINGS FROM HARRIETTE.

See A NIGHT TO REMEMBER on page 16 REALTOR Review 速

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RENEE SMITH, MARK WOOTEN, LINDA TREVOR AND HUSBAND TONY GILLIAM, LESLIE WILLIAMS DOUGLAS AND LAURIE DONOFRIO

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

continued from page 15

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TOP: TRIANGLE REALTOR速 LEADERSHIP ACADEMY CLASS OF 2014

MELLA POOL AND FRIEND STEVE SMALLMAN AND DAUGHTER ANGEL

See A NIGHT TO REMEMBER on page 18 REALTOR Review 速

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HARRIETTE DOGGETT AND FAMILY

THE PLANK CHALLENGE

BRENDA CARROLL AND HUSBAND

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

continued from page 17

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Congratulations Tessa

Tessa Hultz, RCE, CAE and CEO of the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS速 accepting her award for the Association Executive Leaders of Tomorrow Young Professionals REALTOR Review 速

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The The Economic Economic Forecast...

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Learn Learn to to keep keep the the (economic) (economic) forest forest in in your your view view and and not not lose lose sight sight of of the the (data) (data) trees! trees!

What Whatisisthe theforecast forecastfor fornew newand andexisting existinghousing housingmarkets? markets?

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It’s a Diaper Drive May 1st - 16th

May 1-15 are our Diaper Drive weeks with numerous drop off locations  Saturday, May 16 is Walgreens Diaper Sale & Collection Day 

Details & locations: www.RFTriangle.org

To volunteer your office as collection point or for questions: Contact Sara DuChon at SDuchon@fmrealty.com / 919-745-7564

Visit Raleighrealtors on YouTube to see our latest Biz Bites and videos.

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Why responsive website design could be sabotaging your lead generation efforts MOBILE SHOULD BE YOUR PRIMARY FOCUS, NOT AN AFTERTHOUGHT Here’s a hard truth: For many in the real estate industry, mobile strategy isn’t paying off.

Too few leads are being generated, and most mobile apps have, unfortunately, failed to achieve any real market adoption.

We all know the homebuyer is increasingly mobile-focused, and we see it everywhere we look: in grocery store checkout lines, on every commuter train or bus, even inside our own homes.

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This year is going to be an even bigger bonanza for mobile devices due to the explosion in large-screen smartphones and the proliferation of tablets on coffee tables and kitchen counters everywhere.

If you have not already done it, now is the time to optimize your mobile site if you want to reach and identify more prospective homebuyers.

Going “mobile first”

The “mobile first” development process focuses your strategy on optimizing your Web presence specifically for mobile consumers.

There is a danger in taking a shortcut by offering a scaled-down (responsive) site developed for a desktop computer. For many consumers, your responsive site won’t be very responsive. Users will often find your site is slow to load and weighed down with CSS files, none of which are required for a quick and efficient mobile search.

When homebuyers grab their mobile devices, the research says they are using it to search. That’s why building for the mobile site first lets you focus on providing easy access to the information that the consumer wants while giving you deep visibility into their activity.

Mobile Web design

Mobile-first is a functional approach to Web design that develops the mobile interface first, and then builds up to the traditional desktop website.

Today, most Web development companies do it backward: Mobile becomes the afterthought instead of the primary focus. What the homebuyer gets on the smartphone, as a result, is a tarnished version of your desktop website.

Conversely, mobile-first uses “progressive enhancement,” the process

of enhancing a mobile interface until it’s a fully functional desktop website.

Best of both worlds

Technology has made the functionality of the mobile Web interface now on par with what one would expect from a quality mobile app.

During the “app revolution” in the last five years, your Web vendor got a pass. Now that it’s possible to have the best of both worlds, why doesn’t your Web vendor provide you with a quality mobile site?

The answers to this question are a little unsettling, but likely include the following: They don’t have to. Just pick up your smartphone and take a look at several real estate brokerage sites.

What you’ll notice is a sea of mediocrity when it comes to the site’s mobile functionality. Although there are some impressive mobile interfaces provided by Web vendors, they are rare due to the lack of competition in the mobile Web development in the real estate industry. In fact, Web vendors are probably relieved that so many firms invested in their own mobile apps. It saves them both the trouble and expense of developing mobile functionality for your site.

It was free. You received a responsive design site as part of your Web investment. In effect, you got what you paid for: a slow-loading mobile site, most often without a GPS map search or photo-swiping technology. As long as websites and mobile sites are purchased from the same vendors, expect more of the same.

Lack of talent.

Quality mobile site development requires a different skill set than traditional Web design. These folks are hard to find and REALTOR Review ®

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spring 2015

expensive to retain. Besides, they already have jobs: They are working at mobile-first and app development companies.

If you’ve been questioning the efficacy of your mobile application results — and I know a lot of you have been lately — then you need to rethink your where your focus has been and where it needs to be.

The approach is no longer from the desktop down; it is from the smartphone up. When you invest, you need to consider what it takes to develop a quality mobile site strategy.

The solution for most real estate firms today will never be found in a real estate app: You need to avoid the barrier of any mobile solution that requires a download to view optimized content. All of our phones are loaded with apps we never use.

And remember, hardly anyone downloads an app at the curb.

A quality mobile strategy can give you the tools to leverage your search engine optimization investment and incorporate IDX-based mobile landing pages for lead-generating tools like text and IVR (search-by-phone). An app, well, just stands alone.

Going mobile first ensures that you’ll best serve the largest segment of your homebuying market. It unites your mobile and desktop strategies — and you generate more quality leads.

And after all, it’s really all about one thing: lead generation.

Randall Standard is CEO of VoicePad and a 20-plus-year veteran of the mobile phone industry.

Local Market Update – February 2015 A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY TRIANGLE MLS

Wake County

- 8.9%

+ 8.9%

+ 2.7%

Change in New Listings

Change in Closed Sales

Change in Median Sales Price

February

Year to Date

2014

2015

+/–

2014

2015

+/–

New Listings

1,694

1,543

- 8.9%

3,297

3,256

- 1.2%

Closed Sales

958

1,043

+ 8.9%

1,924

2,022

+ 5.1%

Median Sales Price*

$223,875

$230,000

+ 2.7%

$222,350

$226,635

+ 1.9%

Average Sales Price*

$254,678

$266,744

+ 4.7%

$261,914

$263,655

+ 0.7%

Total Dollar Volume (in millions)*

$244.0

$278.2

+ 14.0%

$503.9

$533.1

+ 5.8%

Percent of Original List Price Received*

96.0%

96.7%

+ 0.7%

95.9%

96.5%

+ 0.6%

Percent of List Price Received*

97.5%

98.1%

+ 0.6%

97.5%

98.0%

+ 0.5%

Days on Market Until Sale

71

67

- 5.6%

68

64

- 5.9%

Inventory of Homes for Sale

5,554

4,457

- 19.8%

--

--

--

Months Supply of Inventory

4.0

3.1

- 23.2%

--

--

--

* Does not account for seller concessions. | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size.

2014

February 1,694

2015

3,297

1,543 958

- 8.9% New Listings

2014

Year to Date 3,256

1,043

1,924

- 1.2% New Listings

+ 8.9% Closed Sales

2015

2,022

+ 5.1% Closed Sales

Change in Median Sales Price from Prior Year (6-Month Average)**

All MLS

b

Wake County

a

+ 15%

+ 10%

+ 5%

0%

- 5%

- 10% 1-2008

7-2008

1-2009

7-2009

1-2010

7-2010

1-2011

7-2011

1-2012

7-2012

1-2013

7-2013

1-2014

7-2014

1-2015

** Each dot represents the change in median sales price from the prior year using a 6-month weighted average. This means that each of the 6 months used in a dot are proportioned according to their share of sales during that period. | Current as of March 10, 2015. All data from Triangle Multiple Listing Service, Inc.. | Powered by 10K Research and Marketing.

For further information regarding TMLS Market Trends and Analysis please visit: www.TriangleMLS.com

REALTOR Review ®

l 26 l spring 2015

Local Market Update – February 2015 A RESEARCH TOOL PROVIDED BY TRIANGLE MLS

Entire Triangle Region

- 5.9%

+ 4.8%

+ 1.5%

Change in New Listings

Change in Closed Sales

Change in Median Sales Price

February

Year to Date

2014

2015

+/–

2014

2015

+/–

New Listings

3,262

3,068

- 5.9%

6,409

6,270

- 2.2%

Closed Sales

1,733

1,816

+ 4.8%

3,477

3,538

+ 1.8%

Median Sales Price*

$195,000

$197,913

+ 1.5%

$196,000

$196,350

+ 0.2%

Average Sales Price*

$226,441

$237,192

+ 4.7%

$233,886

$236,016

+ 0.9%

Total Dollar Volume (in millions)*

$392.0

$429.9

+ 9.7%

$811.9

$833.7

+ 2.7%

Percent of Original List Price Received*

95.0%

95.7%

+ 0.7%

94.8%

95.5%

+ 0.7%

Percent of List Price Received*

96.9%

97.4%

+ 0.5%

96.8%

97.3%

+ 0.5%

81

78

- 3.7%

78

76

- 2.6%

Inventory of Homes for Sale

12,790

10,743

- 16.0%

--

--

--

Months Supply of Inventory

5.2

4.2

- 19.2%

--

--

--

Days on Market Until Sale

* Does not account for seller concessions. | Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size.

2014

February 3,262

2015

6,409

3,068 1,733

- 5.9% New Listings

2014

Year to Date 6,270

1,816

3,477

- 2.2% New Listings

+ 4.8% Closed Sales

2015

3,538

+ 1.8% Closed Sales

Change in Median Sales Price from Prior Year (6-Month Average)** Entire Triangle Region

a

+ 10% + 8% + 6% + 4% + 2% 0% - 2% - 4% - 6% - 8% 1-2008

7-2008

1-2009

7-2009

1-2010

7-2010

1-2011

7-2011

1-2012

7-2012

1-2013

7-2013

1-2014

7-2014

1-2015

** Each dot represents the change in median sales price from the prior year using a 6-month weighted average. This means that each of the 6 months used in a dot are proportioned according to their share of sales during that period. | Current as of March 10, 2015. All data from Triangle Multiple Listing Service, Inc.. | Powered by 10K Research and Marketing.

For further information regarding TMLS Market Trends and Analysis please visit: www.TriangleMLS.com

REALTOR Review ®

l 27 l

spring 2015

RRAR events

19 Community Service Committee, 11:30 a.m.

20 TICOR, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

RRAR BOD, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

21 Grievance Committee, 9:00 a.m.

New Member Orientation, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

25 Memorial Day CLOSED 27 Small Brokers’ Council, 9:00 a.m.

28 Property Management Council, 11:30 a.m.

JUNE

APRIL

1 RRAR Golf Tournament, Afternoon

1 2nd Quarter TMLS User Fees Due

3 Women’s Council of REALTORS®, 9:30 a.m.

Women’s Council of REALTORS®, 9:30 a.m.

Top Producer’s Council, 11:30 p.m.

Top Producer’s Council

4 New Member Orientation, 9:00 am - 3:00 p.m.

2 New Member Orientation, 9:00 a.m - 3:00 p.m.

Diversity Committee Meeting, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

8 Successfully Selling HUD Homes, 8:30 am - 11:00 am 8-11 Black Knight Conference and User Group

3 Good Friday CLOSED

10 RRAR BOD, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m

5 Easter

11 Diversity Committee Lunch & Learn, 11:30 a.m - 1:30 p.m.

8 Government Affairs Committee, 11:30 a.m.

12 TRLA Planning and Admin., 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

RPAC Committee, 1:00 p.m.

14 Flag Day

8-10 T3 Summit, Four Seasons Hotel: Las Vegas, NV 9 Diversity Committee Lunch & Learn, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

13 BOSS/Membership Meeting, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

16 TMLS BOD, 1:00 p.m.

Community Service Committee, 11:30 a.m.

17 Government Affairs Committee, 11:30 a.m.

15 RRAR BOD, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

RPAC Committee, 1:00 p.m.

16 Leadership Academy, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

18 Grievance Committee Meeting, 9:00 a.m.

Grievance Committee Meeting, 9:00 a.m.

New Member Orientation, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

New Member Orientation, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

21 Father’s Day

21 Community Service Committee, 11:30 a.m.

24 Small Broker’s Council, 9:00 a.m.

22 Small Broker’s Council, 9:00 a.m.

20-23 NCAR Legislative Meetings, Sheraton Raleigh Hotel, Raleigh, NC

25 Leigh Brown- Membership Event 28 Ramadan

30 Diversity Committee Meeting, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

JULY 2 New Member Orientation, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

MAY

4 Independence Day

1 TRLA Team Building Retreat, 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

9 Diversity Committee Meeting, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

4 REALTOR® Foundation RFT, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

16 New Member Orientation, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

6 Women’s Council of REALTORS®, 9:30 a.m.

Grievance Committee Meeting, 9:00 a.m.

Government Affairs Committee, 11:30 a.m.

18-21 Regional AE Conference, Ballantyne Hotel, Charlotte

RPAC Committee, 1:00 p.m.

23 Property Manager’s Council, 11:30 a.m.

7 New Member Orientation, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

27 REALTOR Foundation (RFT), 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

10 Mother’s Day

For more information, visit www.rrar.com

12-17 NAR Midyear Meeting, Washington, DC REALTOR Review ®

l 28 l spring 2015

Winner’s Trophies, Skill Contests, Auction, Prize Drawings, Dinner

  

IS PROUD TO SALUTE OUR LEADERSHIP ACADEMY GRADUATES AND THANK OUR 2015 RRAR BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Leadership Academy Graduates Melanie Osborne (2008) Margaret Sophie (2010) Glenn Weeks (2012) Amanda Calvert, Tim McBrayer (2013) Leslie Douglas (2015)

2015 RRAR Directors Steina DeAndrade, Director and RFT President Tim McBrayer, Director Teresa Pitt, Director Margaret Sophie, Director Glenn Weeks, Director

Counsel and Committee Chairs Harrison Tulloss, Community Service Committee Chair Margaret Sophie, Governmental Affairs Committee Chair Gracie Goins, Top Producers Council Co-Chair

Helping People Win