Real Estate Magazine - CENTURY 21 Town & Country - March 2016

www.rismedia.com

CENTURY 21 Town & Country management team

Heart, Soul and Staying Power Earn Top Spot in Michigan

CENTURY 21 Town & Country Page 54

WE COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT AGAIN WITHOUT OUR AGENTS. Thanks to the dedication of our agents, the CENTURY 21® brand ranked “Highest Overall Satisfaction for First-Time and Repeat Home Buyers and Sellers” by J.D. Power for the second year in a row. Congratulations all!

C21.COM The CENTURY 21® brand received the highest numerical score among full service real estate firms for first-time and repeat home buyers and sellers in the proprietary J.D. Power 2014-2015 Home Buyer/Seller StudiesSM. 2015 study based on 6,059 total evaluations measuring 5 firms and measures opinions of individuals who bought or sold a home in the past 12 months. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed February - April 2015. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com ©2016 CENTURY 21 Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. CENTURY 21® is a trademark owned by CENTURY 21 Real Estate LLC. CENTURY 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunities Act. Each office is independently owned and operated.

This is home.

It’s a place called confidence.

It’s home because your clients feel positive and sure about the choice they’ve made. In partnering with you, they place their trust in your advice, counsel, and expertise to lead them there.

Our commitment is to always be there for you, and them, on this journey home.

pillartopost.com Each office independently owned and operated.

{Contents} March 2016/Vol. 32, No. 3 • www.rismedia.com

{On the Cover} 54 Heart, Soul and Staying Power Earn Top Spot in Michigan CENTURY 21 Town & Country As Scarlett O’Hara noted in “Gone with the Wind,” hardships make or break people. Any real estate broker who has weathered a recession would surely agree with that—including John Kersten, the industry veteran and spirited president of CENTURY 21 Town & Country in Detroit, Mich., who has guided the company through the city’s worst economic downturn and into a thriving new era. “People still think of Detroit as declining,” Kersten says, “but the Greater Detroit area has good schools and good communities, and the economy in many ways is on the upswing.” And in spite of the economy, Kersten’s focus on measured growth and positive action has vaulted the company onto CENTURY 21’s Top Ten list of companies in each of the last three years. In this month’s cover story, Kersten shares the strategies that have led to that happy statistic and the reasons why he remains confident in a solid and growing future.

54

{Highlights} 26 A Booming Success In this exclusive feature, learn how BoomTown is providing today’s real estate professionals with the tools they need to close more deals.

72

{Headliners} 12 NAR Power Broker Roundtable: REALTOR® Safety: The Ongoing Challenge

15 P olicy Matters: Update: Using Drones in Real Estate

18 R EBAC Report: Tips for Communicating Effectively with Homebuyers

22 E xecutive Appointments 34 W ebinar Recap: The Millennial Wheel: Recruiting—and Retaining—Tomorrow’s Agent

61 U rban Home Values Outpace the Suburbs

79 5 Reasons Why Now Is the Time to Buy a Home

36 Realogy Presents Zap! In this month’s feature, take a closer look at how Zap is changing the real estate game.

42 Power Broker Perspectives This month, Sheryl Chinowth, Dan Elsea and David Acosta provide a behind-the-scenes look into the factors that have contributed to their continued growth.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 3

{Features} 24 L ocal Appraisers Bring Equity Back to Real Estate

47 Why Blogging for Your Real Estate Business Can Be a True Advantage 54 Heart, Soul and Staying Power Earn Top Spot in Michigan 62 Strategies: American Home Shield; First American Home Buyers Protection Corporation; HSA Home Warranty; Imprev; Quicken Loans; Realtors Property Resource®; The Entrust Group 72 RISMedia’s Great Spaces 83 Ask the Experts: Building a Team; FIRPTA Rate Increase; Pre-listing Home Inspections

26

79

{Interviews} 53 Leo Pareja, Keller Williams Realty 58 Bob Glaser, Smith & Associates Real Estate

58 Mark J. Sletten, Engel & Völkers Park City

59 Paul Argueta, Real Estate Heaven

32 John F. Fox - The Power to 69

{Experts} 28 Dermot Buffini - Success Strategy: Using Tech to Stay in Touch with Clients’ Needs 30 Geoff Lewis - Business Building: In Tech, the Next Big Thing Isn’t Everything

4 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Manage Consumer Relationships and Your Business, Simultaneously 49 Seth Kaplan - Life in Mobile: Talking Tech on Main Street: Mark Spain 50 Nayeli Pelayo - Latino Homeownership Rate Breaks Away from the Pack with a Rise in 2015 76 Verl Workman - Basic Training: Team Dynamics 80 Desirée Patno - Mastering the Balancing Act: Mothers in the Workforce

{Every Issue} 9 Publisher’s Desk 21 Did You Know?

89 Service Profiles 98 Referrals 104 RE: Real Estate—NAR’s REALTOR® Store: OneStop Shopping for Busy Brokerage Professionals

“With Boston’s growing significance as an international destination, Engel & Völkers’ renowned network will aid in elevating our presence on a truly global scale.”

Keith Shirley & Valerie Post Engel & Völkers Boston

Only the best in the business join our brand.

As the owners of Meridian Realty Group, Keith Shirley and Valerie Post lead their team to becoming one of the leading boutique, full service real estate firms serving Boston and the surrounding areas. The Boston area has more than 30 million international visitors a year, a number that continues to grow, with residents from all over the world, so being able to service clients with a global reach is critical. Today, as the owners of Engel & Völkers Boston, they now have the strong international presence that will allow their agents to not only assist their clients in the Boston Metro area, but all over the world. Since many of their existing clients own homes in various locations around the world, they now have a network that will provide the same level of professionalism and expertise they have received from Engel & Völkers everywhere.

Engel & Völkers 430 Park Avenue, 11th Floor · New York · NY 10022 · Phone +1 212-234-3100 info@evusa.com · evusa.com

©2016 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

{Online} Trending on Real Estate + Adele = One Hilarious Parody

“LOVE THIS!”

A REALTOR® from Iowa just released one killer parody of Adele’s worldwide smash hit “Hello.” It’s a parody so spot-on that every agent who’s ever been in the field will be able to relate! http://bit.ly/1PQssku

- Darryn McCoy, Real Living John Burt Realty

Real Estate + Adele = One Hilarious Parody bit.ly/1PQssku

5 Home Improvements that Pay Off—and 5 that Don’t Favorable economic conditions have long triggered investment in home improvements, and progress on the housing front is set to spur the next wave of homeowner spending. http://bit.ly/1lD9vDY

Smarter Living: How to Automate Your Home If you want to make your home smarter and work for you, look at these easy fixes to some of the house’s longest-standing issues. http://bit.ly/1PlHIk0

“It’s a great time to buy or sell a home!”

This real estate Adele parody by Megan Hill Mitchum is a must-see for everyone in the biz!

- Katrina Hanson, Hanson & Co. Real Estate

Consumers Feel Confident in January

5 Hot Curb Appeal Trends for 2016

bit.ly/1nAvFb9

Curb appeal is in the eyes of the buyer, but what is not debatable is the lift that curb appeal gives to the value of a home. In fact, it ranks second only to home size in weighing a home’s value. http://bit.ly/23w7Jqa

Snazz Up Your Real Estate Biz with Snapchat

Social media is all about attention— keeping the attention of those we want to see our message. This is exactly why Snapchat could be vital to marketing real estate in 2016. http://bit.ly/1IZ25WV

- Ben Goddard, Directors Mortgage

Connect with RISMedia @RISMediaUpdates

Linkedin.com/company/rismedia

@HousecallBlog

Youtube.com/user/rismediaupdates

@RISMedia

@RISMediaUpdates

@RISMedia

6 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“I’ve been itching to do some projects around my house!”

7 Important Home Renovation Tips You Might’ve Missed bit.ly/1nDnEm9

NAR: My Advocate

for exclusive membership advantages

adVOCaCy NAR advocates every day on behalf of the nation’s 1 million REALTORS® and 75 million property owners through lobbying, policy development, political communications, grassroots advocacy and as the nation’s largest contributor to federal candidates. reALtOr.Org/POLitiCAL-AdVOCACy

realtOr benefits® PrOgraM Your official member benefits resource bringing you discounts and special offers on products and services just for REALTORS® from over 30 industry-leading companies.

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NAR advocates for its one million members every day. www.REALTOR.org

MeMber Value Plus Get more from your membership! Complete simple actions and earn valuable rewards like free products, gift cards and more with the Member Value Plus (MVP) program.

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MeMber Center Access benefits from your Local, State, and National REALTOR® Associations, and customize and view your 2015 membership card. Access your benefits on the go with the app for your tablet or mobile device!

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{Publisher’s Desk} Technology to the Rescue...

Right?

O

ne of the most difficult challenges today’s real estate brokers face is managing technology overload.

Whether at a conference or flipping through the pages of this magazine, brokers are confronted with a barrage of new apps, new devices, and new versions of the technology their agents just got comfortable using. And while they all come in different shapes and sizes with various catchy names, every technology worth its salt is aimed at doing the same thing: saving you time and making you money.

This very dilemma is what motivated Alex Perriello to deliver the Zap platform to Realogy brands CENTURY 21, Coldwell Banker, ERA and Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. After acquiring ZipRealty in 2014, Realogy got busy rolling out the firm’s proprietary Zap technology to brokers, agents and consumers.

“Our franchisees told us they were investing in technology on the local level but not getting the results that they wanted.

So each year they invested more, but they felt like they were in danger of falling behind,” Perriello explains. “We decided it would be a great investment on our part to provide the Zap platform to them at no additional cost, because at the end of the day, our job is to make our franchisees more successful.”

’

Stay engaged with your prospects and customers with RISMedia’s industryleading content—relevant articles, videos and drip email campaigns for staying engaged between buy/sell transactions!

“Pop-a-Note” (Drip Email) Fun, light and unique way to keep in touch with clients and prospects using an easy drip email platform. Send notes on pop culture topics of interest, helpful real estate-related topics, or both!

Includes custom branding with photo, contact info and links, plus a customized News Hub with more consumer-facing real estate articles.

Created by real estate professionals for real estate professionals, Zap is designed to cover all the tech bases for brokerages— a custom-branded website and mobile app, MLS listings with key data, robust search functionality, consumer-tracking capabilities for agents, and more. The idea is to do away with tech overload with one full-service, easy-to-use platform. Read all about Zap in this month’s cover story on page 36.

We cover technology in many ways in this issue, always with the same goal in mind: to help you learn about what’s out there, and how it can improve your business. For example, learn about BoomTown on page 26, Buffini & Company’s MarTech Trends Conference on page 28, Win Local on page 49, and Realtors Property Resource on page 64. And for some great advice on how to keep your cool when it comes to technology, be sure to read Geoff Lewis’ commentary on page 30, which reminds us that this is still a people business.

Wishing you continued success,

John E. Featherston CEO & Publisher

Content Library Thousands of articles and hundreds of video tips to choose from, updated daily! Access relevant, professionally written and editable content that you can download and use to enhance all of your communications—website, blogs, social media sites, newsletters—including RSS feeds for automatic delivery. Search for keywords, or filter for industry professionals or consumer targets for your communication and engagement systems.

For more information, contact Brett Johnson at 203.855.1234, ext. 143 or bjohnson@rismedia.com.

CEO & Publisher John E. Featherston Executive Vice President Darryl D. MacPherson

EDITORIAL Executive Editor Maria Patterson Online Managing Editor Beth McGuire Managing Editor Paige Tepping Senior Editor Nick Caruso Senior News Editor Zoe Eisenberg Online Associate Editor Suzanne De Vita Contributing Editors Lesley Grand; John Voket; Barbara Pronin; Keith Loria; Andrew King; Deborah Kearns; Reva Nelson

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Chief Information Officer Edward T. Kingston Web Designer Kevin Kirwan Director, Client Solutions Peter Di Salvo Information Technology Manager James Jones

DESIGN Art Director Christy LaSalle Production Manager Susanne Dwyer Senior Designer Kelli McKenna

SALES Senior Vice President Anne Kraft Senior Vice President Kara T. Stripay Business Development Advisor Brett Johnson

ADMINISTRATION Client Relations Manager Patty Sinisko Circulation Manager Alice Heffron EVENTS AND MEMBER NETWORKS Events & Network Relations Manager Randi Vannucchi Research Analyst Jaxson Corsi RIS CONSULTING GROUP Vice President, Managing Director John Sculley, CRP Projects Director Peg Guinta, CRP Email: consulting@rismedia.com

HEADQUARTERS 69 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851 RISMedia: (203) 855-1234 • FAX (203) 852-7208 Top 5 in Real Estate Network®: (203) 853-2167 FAX (203) 852-7208 RIS Consulting Group: (203) 852-4304 • FAX (203) 852-4309 www.rismedia.com • www.top5inrealestate.com

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Copyright® 2016 by The Relocation Information Service, Incorporated-RISMedia, Norwalk, Connecticut. All rights reserved. Editorial and executive offices at 69 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851. Telephone: (203) 855-1234. Magazine subscription rate $83.40 per year, including postage ($166.80 for two years); Canadian subscription rate $200.00 (U.S.) per year, including shipping and handling ($400.00 for two years).

All subscription and advertising correspondence call 1-800-724-6000. Material in this publication may not be stored or reproduced in any form without permission. Requests for permission should be directed to Managing Editor, RISMedia, Inc., 69 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of specific authors and columnists and are not intended to or do not necessarily represent the opinion or views of the publisher, his staff, other authors, advertisers, or subscribers.

{The NAR Power Broker Roundtable} REALTOR® Safety: The Ongoing Challenge MODERATOR:

J. Nicholas (Nick) D’Ambrosia

Tracy Hutton: Safety is always a top

President, CENTURY 21 Scheetz Real Estate, Indianapolis, Ind.

priority for us, and agent education is key. We train our agents to always be on guard—not just to be alert and aware of their surroundings, but to let other people in the office know where and when they will be showing a home. We ask them to do at least a cursory check on who their clients are before they agree to meet them alone—and most recently, we’ve added self-defense training to our continuing education curriculum.

Candace Adams

Candace Adams: The events in

Liaison for Large Residential Firms Relations, NAR; Broker of Record, The Long & Foster Companies, Chantilly, Va. PARTICIPANTS:

Tracy Hutton

President/CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties, Wallingford, Conn.

OB Jacobi President, Windermere Real Estate, Seattle, Wash.

The Power Broker Roundtable is brought to you by the National Association of REALTORS® and Nick D’Ambrosia, NAR’s Liaison for Large Residential Firms Relations. Watch for this column each month, where we address broker issues, concerns and milestones.

Nick D’Ambrosia: It was not the first

time a real estate agent had been robbed or murdered while showing a home, but the recent conviction of Arron Lewis in the Arkansas murder of REALTOR® Beverly Carter sparked a new wave of determination nationwide to increase awareness and promote REALTOR® safety. In 2015, NAR expanded its REALTOR® Safety program, creating new resources to help its members feel more empowered, confident and safe—and brokers everywhere have multiplied efforts to educate their agents about how best to protect themselves.

Tracy, what are you doing in your market to help ensure the safety of your agents?

12 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Arkansas have heightened our sensitivity and put us on alert for the best kinds of programs to utilize.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices provides valuable safety training materials and NAR makes a great turnkey safety program available to its members. In our offices, safety tips and self-defense techniques are a part of all our networking events, and a buddy system is being used by more and more of our agents. We also let our colleagues and office personnel know where we will be and when we expect to return, and we have a company-wide safety code word in place. If an agent were to call in and use that word, we would immediately call 911.

OB Jacobi: The safety issue is very

personal for us. Ten years ago, one of our own agents—a six-foot-threeinch male, and a young father—died of multiple stab wounds in the home he was showing. His killer was not found until 2011, but Mike’s death galvanized the community. It inspired the formation of a Real Estate Safety Council and led the Seattle King County REALTORS® and Washington REALTORS® to start an agent safety program that paved the way toward the development of NAR’s national

agent safety program.

ND’A: That kind of horror story is hard to hear, OB, and even before it spurred the broader agenda, I’m sure it kick-started some new precautions within your own company.

OBJ: Yes, absolutely—from awareness and self-defense training to basic rules like having 911 in your phone’s contacts. Three months ago, we started a pilot program with a company called React Mobile. It’s a personal safety app that turns your smartphone into a lifeline. It has GPS tracking to show your location and a little Bluetooth panic button they call a Sidekick. You can wear it or carry it in your pocket, and all it takes is one quick click to alert your customized contact list.

CA: I’m a big believer in safety train-

ing and education—I think it has to be mandatory for every agent today— but a device like this could be a next-generation safety net…definitely worth pursuing.

ND’A: The good news is there are several products and apps available, such as Guard Llama, that have real estate safety applications. It’s important to research resources that best fit your brokerage’s needs. And another good resource is the REALTOR® Safety Program at Realtor.org/Safety. If you haven’t yet discovered or utilized them, NAR’s safety videos, tools, and more are a valuable first line of defense. The newest NAR Safety video, “Real Estate, Safety and You,” is a good way to start the conversation with clients about safety and what they can expect from their agent in terms of safety protocols. RE 8For an expanded version of this article and other NAR Power Broker Roundtable topics, please visit www.rismedia.com.

An eightpack of crayons at the Millers’ closing led to four successful sales for their agent the next month.

When Joanne began showing the Miller family homes, she quickly took a liking to little Iris. And when it came time to recommend a title provider, she knew it had to be a company that would adhere to the TRID rule while taking care of the entire family. So Joanne directed the Millers to Stewart Title. Our team delivered a smooth closing experience – and some old-fashioned entertainment for Iris – so Joanne could leave a lasting impression on the Millers … and on the friends they sent her way the next month.

To see how we can make you look good to your customers, visit stewart.com/ris1.

© 2015 Stewart.

{Policy Matters}

Update: Using Drones in Real Estate This column is brought to you by the NAR Real Estate Services group.

by Stephanie Spear

C

hances are good that in 2015 you read an article, heard a news story, or overheard a conversation about the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones, in real estate and other businesses. But it seems that there are still more questions than answers about this emerging technology, especially when it comes to real estate. To help real estate professionals better understand the conversation surrounding drones, below is some basic information on the use of drones in real estate.

What is a drone?

A drone, or UAS, is an unmanned aircraft and all of the associated support equipment, control station, data links, telemetry, communications and navigation equipment, etc., necessary to operate it.

Drones may be controlled either autonomously by onboard computers and communication links or by a pilot via a ground control system.

The machines being used for real estate purposes are mostly micro drones, which weigh 4.4 pounds or less, have a short battery life of about 20 minutes, and typically have four rotors.

Which government agency has oversight over drones?

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has jurisdiction over the operation of drones in the National Air Space.

What is happening with regulations related to the use of drones?

Currently, the commercial use of drones is prohibited, except for those operators who successfully obtain a Section 333 waiver from the FAA. Currently, there are over 3,000 operators in the U.S. who have obtained a Section 333 waiver. At this time, having and complying with the waiver is the only path

to the lawful commercial use of a drone.

However, change is on the horizon. It is anticipated that the FAA will issue its final rule in the summer of 2016, which will govern the commercial use of small drones. The final rule will provide guidance on the safe and lawful operation of drones, as well as the required training, certification and registration of drone operators.

Additionally, the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, has convened a multi-stakeholder working group to develop a set of voluntary RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 15

“best practices” for the safe and responsible operation of drones. It is anticipated that the NTIA will publish these “best practices” in early 2016.

dressing the use of drones in real estate, which cautions REALTORS® about the current prohibition on

Why and how are drones being used in real estate?

For real estate professionals, drones have several applications that could dramatically enhance different aspects of the business. The use of drone technology will serve to elevate and enhance a real estate professional’s ability to market property listings. Large properties, listings with large acreage, and waterfront properties are just some of the types of properties that are ideally suited for this new technology. In addition, the use of drones is a faster and more cost-efficient method of obtaining aerial images than traditional methods, such as a manned aircraft. Drones will also likely have a significant impact on real estate-related services, such as roof inspections, appraisals, mapping, property management and insurance inspections.

Does NAR support the use of drones in real estate?

At the November 2014 REALTORS® Conference and Expo in New Orleans, the NAR Board of Directors adopted a policy statement ad-

For real estate professionals, drones have several applications that could dramatically enhance different aspects of the business. the commercial use of drones, and pledges NAR’s support and continued efforts to encourage the adoption of federal laws that allow for the commercial use of drones,

including in real estate, in a safe, efficient and cost-effective manner. NAR has been active in various regulatory and legislative efforts related to drones, including testifying before the House Judiciary Committee, commenting on the FAA’s proposed rulemaking on drones and as a participant in the NTIA privacy working group. NAR has also submitted several letters of support to Congress and the Administration on the use of drones in real estate, and senior FAA officials have spoken at several REALTORS®Conference and Expo events.

Where can I find more information about drones in real estate?

A wealth of information is available at www.realtor.org/drones, including a series of FAQs, which answer common questions regarding the legal and regulatory landscape of drones and a real estate professional’s ability to use this emerging technology. NAR has created this dedicated webpage, which provides legal and regulatory updates on this issue, as well as other relevant drone news and information, in response to real estate professionals’ growing interest in drones. RE Stephanie Spear is a commercial regulatory policy representative for the National Association of REALTORS®.

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by USING from the

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*$2000 cap for all trades during listing period ©2015 American Home Shield Corporation. All rights reserved.

{REBAC Report}

Tips for Communicating Effectively with Homebuyers

by Marc Gould

H

ere at REBAC, we often talk about the importance of building rapport with the buyer. A successful deal depends on establishing a positive interpersonal relationship with clients. But what if your agents and buyers have very different ways of communicating? Understanding and adapting to various communication styles is central to making the buyer-agent relationship work. Here are some styles commonly encountered in the field, along with suggestions on how your agents can adjust their own communication styles to complement those of their clients.

Emotional communicators tend to focus first on how they feel about a situation. When faced with a life-changing event, such as buying a home, emotions can influence their decisionmaking. Be a good listener and a reassuring presence throughout the process, and avoid anything they may perceive as putting pressure on them.

They may need some additional encouragement, but knowing that you’re there for them can help put emotional communicators at ease in a stressful situation.

Meanwhile, direct communicators just want the bottom line. They work best with someone who can synthesize the details into a few key points. Determine which factors matter most to them and address these first. While direct communicators often make decisions quickly, their singular focus sometimes results in blind spots. If there are additional elements they haven’t considered, present these in a way that relates back to their primary concerns.

Conversely, buyers with an analytical communication style want all the facts. Present them with toolkits, fact

18 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

sheets and statistics (ABR® designees, see REBAC.net for resources) and be prepared to answer questions. Agents who position themselves as the go-to source for their buyers’ information needs will easily win an analytical communicator’s confidence in their abilities.

Social communicators value personal connections above all else.

They feel more comfortable with agents who treat them more like friends than business clients. Make these connections by relating stories and anecdotes, and avoid formality.

When sharing facts about properties or markets, be sure to emphasize how this information affects the buyers’ personal lives.

The first buyer consultation session is the ideal time to get a feel for your buyer’s communication style. After all, the purpose of this meeting is for buyers and agents to get to know one another and assess whether they’d like to work together. Goals, plans and feelings are natural topics of conversation in this setting. Advise your agents to pay close attention to what the buyer is saying, as well as how they’re saying it.

When working from scripts, modify responses to suit the buyer’s particular communication style. For example, when asked, “All agents have access to the MLS, so what is the advantage of working with you?” answer an analytical communicator with a focus on hard numbers: years of experience in their market, number of transactions and knowledge of data on their preferred neighborhoods. With a social communicator, emphasize aspects like working with buyers as a team and looking out for that buyer’s specific needs and wants. Being prepared with a few small script adjustments will result in more successful partnerships with clients.

Need more suggestions for fostering a positive interpersonal relationship with buyers? ABR® designees will want to check out the March issue of Today’s Buyer’s Rep, which will look at ways to successfully navigate the process of working with challenging buyers. RE Marc Gould is vice president, Business Specialties, for NAR and executive director of REBAC. A wholly-owned subsidiary of NAR, The Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) is the world’s largest association of real estate professionals focusing specifically on representing the real estate buyer.

With more than 30,000 active members, REBAC awards the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation to REALTORS® who work directly with buyer-clients. To learn more, visit REBAC.net.

MAKING THE BEST BROKERAGES BETTER

SM

WHERE LEADERS

LIVE.

What distinguishes Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® is strong leadership at each of its brokerage companies, large and small. These people are at the helm of the network’s 500+ market-leading firms around the world, coming together under the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® banner to create a powerhouse that collectively sells more homes than any other network. At LeadingRE, it’s all about “Making the Best Brokerages Better” with a robust menu of industry-leading brokerage services in technology, marketing, education and lead generation.

LeadingRE.com | 800.621.6510

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® Brokers: Armand D’Alfonso, Nothnagle Realtors – New York J.B. Goodwin and Mark Murrell, JBGoodwin Realtors – Texas Lynsey Engels, Mel Foster Co. – Iowa Claude Ginesta, Ginesta Real Estate – Zurich Diane M. Ramirez, Halstead Property – New York

GIVE YOUR TEAM A POWERFUL EDGE. Empower them with the

ABR DESIGNATION ®

.

THE ABR® DESIGNATION SETS YOUR TEAM A PART. Each and every REALTOR® in your agency contributes to your bottom line. Help them earn more with the ABR® Designation. REALTORS® with designations earn nearly twice as much as agents without designations.* They also benefit from improved buyer loyalty, and extensive resources, tools and education unmatched in the industry.

Strengthen your team and your bottom line.

Visit rebac.net/abr/benefits-brokers to learn more. *Based on the 2013 NAR Member Profile survey data, the median income of REALTORS® with no designation was $33,500, and the median income of those with at least one designation was $61,100. The difference between the two is $27,600.

This information is accurate as of May 2013.

{Did You Know?} #REalityCheck

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, 90 percent of buyers use the Internet to search for a home...

Homebuyers in Boston, New York and Washington, D.C., have to stay in a home for at least three years to break even on a home purchase.

Source: Zillow’s Q4 2015 Breakeven Horizon

97%

and find photographs to be the most useful feature on brokers’ sites.

In 2016, the number of new homes on the market is expected to grow more rapidly, resulting in a 16 percent increase in new-home sales year-over-year.

Source: realtor.com®

69%

of millennial renters say they would buy a home sooner if they had “down-payment protection.”

Source: valueinsured.com

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 21

{Executive Appointments}

HomeServices Relocation, a division of HomeServices of America, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, is in the process of expanding its business development team. Leading this initiative is industry veteran Marian Padgett, who recently joined the company as national director of business development, bringing nearly two decades of relocation experience to the organization. Padgett began her career with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices in 1996 marketing directly to clients. Over the years, she advanced to positions of more responsibility, ultimately serving as branch manager and broker-in-charge of the Charlotte offices.

Lauren Buchel has joined

Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. as the new regional director for its Midwest territory. Buchel will be responsible for providing strategic consulting to Weichert® affiliated offices in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio to help bolster their respective local market presence and office sales growth.

Having spent the majority of her professional career in real estate, Buchel brings more than 25 years of real estate experience to her new role.

Quicken Loans recently announced that veteran technology executive John Fikany has joined the company as vice president of strategy. In the newly created role, Fikany will be responsible for development of strategy and execution for large technology and other initiatives, while identifying and leveraging technol22 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ogy and business opportunities within Quicken Loans and its family of companies.

RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. announced that Dave Metzger has decided to leave his position as chief financial officer (CFO) and chief operating officer (COO), effective March 31, 2016, to relocate and spend more time with his family. As a result of Metzger’s decision, the RE/MAX board of directors appointed Karri Callahan, vice president and corporate controller, to the position of CFO, and Adam Contos, senior vice president of marketing, to the position of COO. Metzger and Callahan will act as coCFOs through March 31, 2016.

Sherry Chris

has been elected chair of Rebuilding Together’s national board of directors. Chris, who is president and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, will lead the

14-member board as Rebuilding Together transforms the lives of lowincome homeowners by improving the safety and health of their homes and revitalizing communities. With affiliates across the country, local Rebuilding Together affiliates and nearly 100,000 volunteers complete about 10,000 rebuild projects nationwide each year. In 2014, Rebuilding Together delivered nearly $73 million in home improvements to more than 17,000 homeowners and residents across the country.

Duncan Niederauer, former CEO

of the New York Stock Exchange, has been appointed to Realogy Holdings Corp.’s Board of Directors. With his appointment as an independent director, the Realogy Board now consists of 10 directors, eight of whom are classified as independent directors for purposes of the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange. The Realogy Board has not yet determined the committees on which Niederauer will serve. RE For more executive happenings, please visit www.rismedia.com.

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Local Appraisers Bring Equity Back to Real Estate

by Andrew King

O

ver the past five years, a disturbing amount of real estate transactions never came to fruition, even though a buyer was willing to pay the same amount the seller wanted—and the same amount that a mortgage company was willing to lend to the buyer. It’s enough to make a broker pull their hair out. The problem, in these cases, is the appraisal.

Candace Adams, president of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties, says appraisers have been “heavily reliant on comps, and conservative,” and one of the best ways to avoid a snag with the appraisal is to use all cash.

“An all-cash offer trumps an offer that includes a mortgage contingency as far as the terms of the agreement,”

24 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

says Adams. “Sellers are more apt to choose an all-cash of true value. offer due to expediency.”

One of the unintended consequences of the legislaSince most homebuyers can’t afford to pay entirely in tion, says Coile, was that appraisal companies would cash, the deal often comes down to the financing. The send appraisers from out of town into markets they were process is improving, though, due to recent loosening not familiar with, and it showed in their valuations. But of mortgage guidelines and the fairness of appraisers, now, Coile says enough time has passed and the kinks have essentially been worked out of the system. After Adams says.

Appraisers are independent property valuation experts banks stopped using appraisal companies that weren’t who are forbidden to collude with banks under strict doing well, the appraisal companies got better at using guidelines that were passed in the wake of the financial local experts.

“It’s not perfect,” adds Coile. “We still have issues, but crisis. They have no agenda other than to make sure the price is right. The problem, frustrated brokers have ar- we don’t have as many as we did.” gued, is that they’ve been prone to mispricing properties Plus, brokers have a renewed importance in the process. They can provide guidance as to over the past five years. As a result, “As brokers, we can what comparables can be used in their the housing recovery in some areas client’s appraisal. It is merely a sugmight not have gone as smoothly as it give appraisers more gestion, and the appraiser has to verify should have following the crash of the direction. We are able everything independently. Still, a good late 2000s. broker should know all the relevant “We had a large percentage of disto give some tressed properties,” says Jon Coile, sales in their territory and be smart intelligence president and CEO of Champion Realty and strategic about providing them to Inc. in Maryland. “Some of the short appraisers. that appraisers may sale properties were pretty dinged up.”

As an example, Coile says a client not readily know, In the early 2010s, part of the extra could get burned by an appraiser who conservatism that depressed an apfails to distinguish between two differand they can do their praised value could have come from ent types of water views on the Chesown research and get apeake Bay. To the untrained eye, all appraisers looking to avoid the same confirmation.” water views might appear the same, overpricing mistakes that led to the but real estate is so hyper-local that a crash. Some transactions were ham– NICK SEGAL pered by outdated comparable sales one-block difference in location could CEO, Founding Partner, Partners Trust that were unreasonably low as a result mean a 10 percent (or more) premium of the panic and low sales volume at for a property. The broker who knows the time. Now, however, brokers are more optimistic and their market the best would be able to provide proof that are excited to be working with appraisers again. supports an accurate valuation—one that is more of an According to Coile, higher prices are being supported “apples to apples” comparison to show what that water by higher comparables, and it just took a while for the view is really worth. market to churn through short sales, foreclosures and Nick Segal, CEO and founding partner of Partners Trust real estate-owned deals. in Los Angeles, says a good way to do this is for brokers “A lot of that distressed inventory has been absorbed,” to use land records that differ from the Multiple Listing reports Coile. “There are more valid comps now.”

Service. These off-market sales, such as for-sale-byAnother factor, says Coile, is that appraisers have got- owner deals, wouldn’t be found easily, and it’s up to the ten better at determining the values of local properties brokers to know how to use them. because more of them live locally and are familiar with “As brokers, we can give appraisers more direction,” the nuances of their territory. says Segal. “We are able to give some intelligence that After the crash, new codes of conduct were carved out appraisers may not readily know, and they can do their of the Dodd-Frank financial reform regulation, which im- own research and get confirmation.” RE posed strict separations between appraisers and mortgage companies. The idea was to prevent them from Andrew King is an award-winning journalist with 15 years “flipping” scams that were fairly common during the high of experience with the Gannett newspaper company, aptimes of the mid-2000s. It worked by re-appraising and pearing in The Journal News (Westchester, NY), Asbury Park re-financing properties every few months at considerable Press and USA Today. He also contributes to The Real Deal, mark-ups—and commissions—that were not indicative TheLadders.com and TechPageOne.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 25

A Booming Success BoomTown provides the tools real estate professionals need to close more deals

by Keith Loria

B

ack in 2006, BoomTown’s Grier Allen and Cooper Bane—president and cofounder, and VP Product/co-founder, respectively—began looking at the real estate industry, searching for what the big problems were and how they could solve them with technology and digital marketing.

Back then, the real estate industry was very different. Agents used to talk about Internet buyers and Internet sellers like they were a separate entity from the business.

In fact, they were a percentage of the business. But now, you just have buyers and sellers…and they’re all using the Internet.

Allen sat down with us to discuss this shift in business. “Over the last few years, the real estate consumer has changed. Homebuyers are more educated in real estate. Sellers have access to more data. So real estate agents and businesses have to become more nimble and stay ahead of the curve. They need insights into their leads, and need to know who to contact and when,” he says.

In a lot of ways, Allen explains, the consumer has gained more power than the seller (i.e., the real estate agent). “Buyer beware” has 26 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

turned into “seller beware.” And it’s because consumers have more information at their fingertips than ever before. They already know what they want, and they’re not looking to be hard-sold or cold-sold. They’re looking for their problems to be solved, even the ones they haven’t identified yet.

Enter real estate technology. To close more deals, Allen and his team realized agents needed to better attune themselves with homebuyers and sellers. They needed to know what buyers and sellers were thinking. They needed a glimpse as to what they were feeling.

That’s why BoomTown decided to invest in features like the Hot Sheet, lead segmenting and the NOW panel.

With these tools, agents can see the

client’s digital behavior. They don’t have to sift through emails or backand-forth phone calls to decipher what the buyer (or seller) wants. The non-specialty work is handled by the technology. In return, agents using the BoomTown system can spend more time focusing on the things that matter to the consumer.

For business owners and team leaders, the benefit comes in the form of increased productivity and performance. Agents no longer have to spend hours cold-calling or following up with leads. The BoomTown technology helps simplify the process with marketing automation tools, integrations with the Mojo phone dialer and email drip campaigns. More deals can be closed in less time.

To make sure their agents are performing, BoomTown offers accountability tools for brokers and team leaders. With live reporting and digestible snapshots, it becomes really easy to see which agents on their team are taking the time to answer emails and make phone calls. It becomes clear how many leads certain agents need to close a deal—helping identify potential return on investment (ROI).

“Brokers and team leaders spend a lot of money to help drive leads to agents, but they weren’t able to see the ROI because there was no system of transparency in place,” Allen says. “A lot of the time leads were dropped. From their perspective, it’s all about being able to get their advertising spend to go as far as it possibly can and hold agents accountable.”

As an example, BoomTown’s Chief Technology Officer Chris McClellen

“Over the last few years, the real estate consumer has changed.

Homebuyers are more educated in real estate. Sellers have access to more data. So real estate agents and businesses have to become more nimble and stay ahead of the curve.”

- GRIER ALLEN President, BoomTown

notes that a broker once called the support desk thinking something was wrong because the platform showed that one of his top agents wasn’t making phone calls. BoomTown was able to show data that supported that this agent wasn’t working his leads and making his calls.

“You can tell who is working their leads and who isn’t,” McClellen says.

“Previously, you’d have to take someone’s word for it, but we can use the data for accountability. It helps them

run a team efficiently and have some objective measures to hold the team accountable. You can have conversations with agents if you need to, and you can reward agents if you want using the data.”

McClellen notes that technology is so important to the success of today’s real estate agents for a number of reasons. Not only does it allow them to find real opportunities in today’s competitive market, it enables them to close deals with buyers and sellers in a timely manner, with ease.

For team leaders and brokers, technology is just as critical, providing a first-hand glimpse into the performance of agents, allowing them to see what is and isn’t working. As a result, real estate businesses can ensure profitability while simplifying the grunt work.

For more information, please visit 14 1414 www.boomtownroi.com/ris.

Success Strategy:

Using Tech to Stay in Touch with Clients’ Needs

by Dermot Buffini

W

hile serving the real estate industry for the last 20 years, we’ve learned that you must adapt to the everchanging landscape and needs of consumers. You must stay relevant with the current market and technology.

Here are a few of the things we’ve done to stay in touch with our clients while keeping up with the latest technology.

Evolving with Technology We’re not standing still as technology becomes more and more embedded into our daily lives. We began a few years ago when we created and launched Referral Maker® CRM. Our clients asked for a CRM that would support their ongoing client relationships. We listened and responded with a CRM that not only helps them manage their relationships, but helps them manage all aspects of their businesses.

Last year, we began broadcasting the Success Tour™ live via webstream at each event. If you’ve ever been to a Buffini & Company event, you know how enthusiastic our clients are. Many were disappointed that they couldn’t make it to every single event. Broadcasting the Success Tour allowed our clients to stream the event live in their offices so they could watch it alone or with their teams or colleagues.

Currently, we’re building a studio to record the two new podcasts we’re launching this month—The Brian Buffini Show and The Real Estate Success Show. Podcasting is a new way for us to impact and improve the lives of our current and future clients from anywhere they’re listening.

Staying in Touch with Clients’ Needs While we’re expanding our reach

28 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

to tens of thousands more people through technology channels, we’re still doing what we do best—local live events. It’s important to us to get face-to-face with our clients just as we tell our clients to get face-to-face with theirs. When we checked in with our clients, we learned that they’re overwhelmed by all the technology choices available that promise to help them get more leads, get organized, etc. What’s more, they’re not sure how to mesh this technology with our referral system.

We have access to the best agents in the country—one in eight homes sold in the U.S. is sold by one of our clients. So we researched the most popular apps, services and gadgets on the market to help our clients cut through the clutter and spend their time doing what they do best—serving their clients.

Introducing MarTech Trends™ This year, we launched the MarTech Trends conference, a one-day training taking place in 13 cities across the U.S. in which our experts break down all of the trends in marketing and technology and reveal what works, what doesn’t, and how it all ties into the fundamentals. That’s the key—technology should enhance the fundamentals, not replace them.

The relationships you build with your clients will last long after the trends

fade. The right technology will help agents become more productive and efficient so they can spend more time serving their clients and asking for referrals.

By honing in on our clients’ needs, we’re able to respond with a solution that will not only help them work smarter, but build their relationships as well. After all, real estate is a business of relationships—the more relationships you build, the more successful you are. And when our clients succeed, we succeed. We’d love for you to join us at this year’s MarTech Trends events. To learn more, visit w w w. b u f f i n i a n d c o m p a ny. c o m / events/martech-trends. RE Dermot Buffini is CEO of Buffini & Company, North America’s largest real estate coaching and training company, which has helped over three million sales professionals in 37 different countries improve their business, increase net profit and enhance their quality of life since its founding in 1996. Before assuming the role as CEO in 2013, he spent 10 years as the senior vice president of Business Development, where he was responsible for developing new markets, corporate partnerships and the overall growth of the company.

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In Tech, the Next Big Thing Isn’t Everything

by Geoff Lewis

I

n today’s fast-paced tech world, we’ve become conditioned to expect the next big thing every year. The tech companies know this, and their marketing departments are skilled at using it to their advantage. But is there really a next big thing every year?

We all have problems we want to fix, needs we want to address and milestones we want to reach—and technology can seem like the solution on all counts. As a result, we’re exposed to a never-ending procession of bright, shiny objects with the latest features and functionality.

That procession of new technology, and the innovation behind it, serves our interests by making us more efficient and productive. But it’s good to recognize that most of what’s being offered is an incremental enhancement of something that came before it.

Consider the iPhone. I’ve been fascinated by its evolution over the years, and I think it illustrates an interesting point about technology, change and perception.

Game-changer Apple unveiled its revolutionary new product in January 2007. Smartphones had been around for several years, but the iPhone’s touchscreen interface made it instantly unique.

It was a big deal, and millions of us bought one within the first few weeks.

This was a true game-changing moment and product. But Apple was far from done.

Just 18 months later, the iPhone 3G burst onto the scene. It was fast30 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

er, had more storage and included GPS functionality. Many of us upgraded, others jumped in for the first time, some stuck with their original iPhone, and others chose another brand. Some people dismissed smartphone technology altogether, but that group diminished over time.

Then the process repeated itself over and over.

The iPhone 3GS arrived, with a landscape keyboard. The iPhone 4 came next (Retina display! FaceTime!), followed 16 months later by the iPhone 4S (Siri!) and then the slimmer, navigation-enabled iPhone 5. A year later, the iPhone 5C and 5S came out—with useful features such as Touch ID and Air Drop, and not-so-useful ones like a motion processor. In September 2014, Apple introduced the larger iPhone 6 and 6 Plus (Apple Pay!) and then last fall, the iPhone 6S with 3D Touch.

Distractions Through all of these iterations, the features we use the most (phone, contacts, calendar, messaging) haven’t changed much, and they remain on our home screens. There really hasn’t been a “next big thing” in smartphone technology since 2007, though we hope for a game-changer every year. Nonetheless, we get distracted by the constant bombard-

ment of shiny new apps, downloading them and then quickly moving on.

The point is that variations of game-changing technology will keep coming whether we need them or not. The key is knowing what you want your technology tools to do, educating yourself on your options, assembling a mix that suits you, and putting it all to work.

Focus on Relationships Whatever it is, the next big thing in technology will never replace what’s most important in our business: personal relationships. That’s what should always remain at the center of your “home screen.” Although Apple may be on iPhone v 9.0, there will always only be relationships v 1.0.

In a relationship business, technology is an invaluable tool—but it’s not the reason you’re successful.

You are. RE

Geoff Lewis is president of RE/MAX, LLC. For more information, visit www.remax.com.

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Manage Consumer Relationships and Your Business, Simultaneously Commentary by John Fox

A

s technology continues to reinvent itself and forever change the way we do business, consumers are becoming more and more accustomed to connecting with their product and service providers in easier and more adaptable ways. From being able to automatically binge-watch TV shows, and then having your provider list viewing recommendations, to clicking on a home for sale on the Web and getting directions to the property, the local school or the nearest house of worship, consumers are demanding, and they deserve, interaction that is personalized to their needs and desires. All in all, customer relationship management (CRM) is becoming a top priority for companies wanting to be No. 1 in the market, or striving to maintain leadership positioning.

A new report from management consulting firm North Highland, “Optimizing Your Customer Experience Focused Organization: An Actionable Guide,” cited three ways for companies to use enhanced CRM and take advantage of their brand name in the collaborative economy: 1. Partner with companies that have strong positive brand sentiment.

2. L everage your own brand to increase your collaborative capacity.

3. Focus on customer experience to build your brand.

For me and my company at CENTURY 21 Unlimited Real Estate, we are positioned quite well for CRM growth and success in the markets we serve. As an independent franchisee with Century 21 Real Estate LLC, we were chosen as a beta-testing company for the ZapTM platform 32 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

by ZipRealty®. As such, my affiliated sales associates are receiving not only a CRM product, but personally branded websites, a transaction management system and digital marketing tools, to name a few.

The best news is that Zap is already generating additional busi-

ness for us. We recently closed a buyer prospect who we previously considered inactive. With the help of the powerful ZapScoreTM—which provides our sales associates with the ability to monitor online activity and the level of consumer engagement— we noticed a significant increase in this prospect’s activity. We reached out to the buyer prospect, listened to their current concerns and challenges, and are now set to close in six weeks (at press time). With over five million bits of consumer behavior data collected each month, this is just another way Zap helps us save time, win more business and deliver the highest quality service to buyers and sellers.

With Zap soon to be a CENTURY 21®System-wide product, we will be able to leverage the power of being the franchisor with the largest global network in the residential real estate industry and open opportunities not only in our markets, but with homebuyers and sellers across the country.

Efficiently managing consumer relationships is critical. With Zap, we’re able to integrate a proven CRM as well as state-of-the-art lead scoring and tech tools to be “where they are at a time and place they want us to be.”

We know real estate significance today is about customer-centricity and individual personalization. With Zap, and the suite of other learning tools and technologies the C21® System provides, I’m confident CENTURY 21 Unlimited Real Estate is ready to tackle head-on the many challenges real estate consumers have, and deliver solutions that best meet their needs. RE

John F. Fox, CDPE, is president of CENTURY 21 Unlimited Real Estate.

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Webinar Recap: The Millennial Wheel: Recruiting—and Retaining— Tomorrow’s Agent

by Suzanne De Vita

A

t just above 30 percent, millennials now make up the largest segment of buyers. Only 2 percent of REALTORS® are under the age of 30. How can the industry reconcile such a discrepancy?

As attendees of RISMedia’s recent Broker Best Practices Webinar learned, the solution is a spoke-hub recruitment and retention strategy, centered on—what else?—all things millennial.

“My study groups have shown that millennials would rather work with people close to their own age,” says Vince Leisey, president of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate, in the DocuSignsponsored webinar, “Bringing on the Best: Finding, Hiring and Keeping Your Next Superstars.” “If they’re truly going to be the generation with the greatest buying power… we need to understand how to communicate with them, how to relate to them, and how to attract them to our business.”

One of the key spokes in the wheel? A team-oriented environment.

“Most top-producing agents, especially millennials, want to be surrounded with other top-producing agents they can mastermind with,” says Rick Geha, leader of The Rick Geha Team with Golden State Realty & Leasing, and a former recruiter with Century 21 Real Estate and Keller Williams Realty. “If they can find those other top producers in their own office, they are more 34 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Vince Leisey President Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate

Rick Geha Team Leader The Rick Geha Team, Golden State Realty & Leasing

goals and manage their time. The first step, the 1, requires agents to ask themselves, “What is my one objective?” In the second step, the 3, agents must ask themselves, “What are the three action steps I need to do every day to achieve that objective?” In the third step, the 6, agents map out the six activities they need to either stop doing, do less of, or delegate to accomplish their goal.

“Our belief is that we need to rerecruit the agents that we have first,” Leisey says, “and that if we do a great job of taking 6 million dollarproducers and making them 7 million dollar-producers…everybody in the marketplace takes notice of that.

It becomes real easy to recruit.”

The most valuable takeaway from the webinar? Successfully executing these strategies begins and ends with culture, agree Geha and Leisey.

“If you have incredible culture… you’ll have no problem recruiting new agents, because they’re going to be influenced by you, your disposition and your confidence level,” Geha says.

“Most top-producing agents, especially millennials, want to be surrounded with other top-producing agents they can mastermind with.”

– Rick Geha

Leader, The Rick Geha Team

likely to stay.”

“They are the generation of collaboration, teams, doing things together—completely unlike the baby boomer generation, which was, ‘It’s me against the world...I don’t need anybody else’s help,’” says Leisey, whose three largest teams have leaders averaging 30 years old.

Leisey calls upon a numerical system, called the “1-3-6” process, to teach new recruits how to set

“Culture is No. 1 in an organization,” says Leisey. “Let’s work with purpose, but let’s also give [agents] an environment where they can take a break, have some fun and relax.”

RE To listen to the webinar in its entirety, please visit bit.ly/20y26p8 Suzanne De Vita is RISMedia’s online associate editor.

36 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

by Nick Renda

Realogy’s Launch of Integrated Technology Platform Set to Propel its Brands Forward

I

n August 2014, Realogy prevailed in its bold strategy to pursue Emeryville, Calif.based ZipRealty, acquiring the innovative brokerage business and Zip’s proven end-to-end technology platform for $167 million. Following fast on the heels of that move, Realogy has been rolling out ZipRealty’s proprietary Zap® technology to the brokers, agents and consumers of the CENTURY 21®, Coldwell Banker®, ERA® and Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate franchise brands. Today, more than 500 Realogy franchise brokerages and 25,000-plus affiliated sales associates are up and running on the Zap platform. That’s where the real story begins…

After months of casually looking at homes online, a potential homebuyer decides it’s time to get serious about buying a home. She begins searching for homes in a specific area, looking for properties that have a specific number of bedrooms and bathrooms and that fit into her price range. Spotting a couple of interesting possibilities, she saves those homes with the intention of coming back to them later, maybe visiting them if they’re open this weekend. Later that same day, a real estate agent with knowledge of the consumer’s search area gets an alert on her mobile device about the woman’s search activity and is advised that it’s time to reach out to this potential buyer. Before the consumer even thinks to call an agent about getting into those houses, the agent is contacting the potential buyer, armed with a sneak-peek window into the early stages of the consumer’s homesearch process.

That’s the power of Zap. It’s not as dramatic as Clark Kent emerging from a phone booth as Superman, but Zap does give mild-mannered real estate agents and brokers real superpowers when it comes to identifying

potential customers and accurately anticipating their service needs.

There are many real estate agent-technology platforms out there, but none operates quite like Zap. According to Lanny Baker, chief executive officer of ZipRealty, Zap is a fully integrated system that gives brokers and agents the ability to understand, anticipate and serve their clients’ needs.

“The power of Zap is that it provides the agent the ability to know who needs help, what help they need, and how to deliver that help even before they reach out for it,” Baker says.

The Realogy-Zap story began in early 2012. During a meeting of Realogy’s franchise brand senior leadership, a strategic recommendation was made to improve the company’s value proposition for its affiliated brokers by offering a turnkey technology solution.

“We identified what we wanted before it existed,” says Alex Perriello, president and chief executive officer, Realogy Franchise Group. “It was a grand idea, but the technology didn’t exist at the time. So the question was, ‘Do we build it, do we license it, or do we buy it?’

There was a lot of conversation and analysis surrounding those options, until we previewed the Zap platform several months later.”

ENTER ZIPREALTY Enter ZipRealty and its new Zap platform. A system 15 years in the making, it offered everything that Perriello and his team were looking for. After doing their due diligence, it was determined that buying the company and its technology was the best way to go. In August 2014, Realogy acquired ZipRealty for $167 million, including its owned brokerage offices that were subsequently integrated into NRT, Realogy’s owned brokerage segment.

“We decided we needed to own the company if it was going to be core to our franchisees’ future success,” Perriello explains. “You can have great technology, but without the talent in place to keep it cutting-edge, you will disappoint rather than amaze, and we always look to amaze.”

A big part of what made the Zap platform attractive to Realogy is that it was built and refined by a real estate brokerage company.

“The Zap technology was fine-tuned by real estate operators with first-hand knowledge of the day-to-day business,” says Perriello. “You can see that in every aspect of the platform—customer relationship management (CRM), websites, mobile apps. This was not technology for technology’s sake. It was designed to sell houses.”

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 37

The next decision Realogy made was to make Zap an integral part of its brands’ value propositions for their franchisees by providing it free of charge.

“Our franchisees told us they were investing in technology on the local level but not getting the results they wanted. So each year they invested more, but they felt like they were in danger of falling behind,” Perriello explains. “We decided it would be a great investment on our part to provide the Zap platform to them at no additional cost, because at the end of the day, our job is to make our franchisees more successful. When they win, we win.”

ZAP IS INTERCONNECTED In addition to being created by a company with a firsthand understanding of how the real estate brokerage business works, the Zap platform stands out because of the way in which it is completely interconnected.

How does it all work? Simply put, Zap “captivates, predicts, informs and connects.”

With Zap, each participating brokerage receives a custom-branded website and mobile app that displays complete, accurate and up-to-date MLS listings surrounded by all kinds of relevant data, such as school information, lot lines, neighborhood profiles, price trends and transaction histories. The Zap platform allows consumers to create their own searches, dig deep into local market data, and save and share the results they find. Meanwhile, Zap sends automated notifications to agents, keeping them up-to-date on each individual consumer’s research activity. Configurable agent websites and agent-specific mobile app experiences provide marketing support that promotes the agent’s local expertise and service track record with other consumers.

“Having

a highly sophisticated CRM component integrated with the consumer-facing Zap experience is the genius behind the whole platform. Without that kind of connectivity, leads are just leads– and we’re not in the lead business. We’re in the business of helping our franchisees and their affiliated agents sell more houses.”

ALEX PERRIELLO President & CEO Realogy Franchise Group

Zap-powered agents gain tremendous insight about consumers’ behavior and interests, while the agent’s daily activities—touring homes, listing homes, showing properties, closing deals—are simultaneously cataloged

38 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

and communicated to consumers through the same interconnected Zap system.

“Everything is thoroughly connected, creating an ecosystem that conveys valuable customer insight to agents while showcasing relevant agent knowledge for highly interested consumers,” says Jamie Wilson, ZipRealty’s senior vice president of technology. “There’s no development that we do on the consumer mobile or Web experience that is not being thought about and incorporated by our data acquisition team, our CRM team, our broker tools team, and vice versa.”

ZAP PREDICTS Most importantly, Zap predicts. The ZapScore is the key component to the entire system, a predictive numerical rating for each consumer in the database scored by an algorithm 1 to 99 that rates how likely potential clients are to buy or sell a home in the next 60 to 120 days.

“Zap tracks consumer activity and each night, every single consumer in the database gets a new score,” Wilson says. “Based on 15 years of consumer behavior data, consumers are ranked against every other consumer in the database. Effectively, what it does is sort everybody according to our highly accurate prediction, from who’s the most likely person to buy a house to who’s the least likely to do so at a given point of time.”

This is a huge win for the agents, according to Perriello, because it takes the guesswork out of customer follow-up.

“Now the agent knows more about each lead, what their preferences are, what homes they have been looking at, how likely they are to transact business, and, most importantly, it gives them a systemized way to respond to those potential customers,” says Perriello. “Having a highly sophisticated CRM component integrated with the consumer-facing Zap experience is the genius behind the whole platform. Without that kind of connectivity, leads are just leads—and we’re not in the lead business. We’re in the business of helping our franchisees and their affiliated agents sell more houses.”

ZAP INFORMS Zap informs by capturing important details about the consumer interactions on the website and mobile app, as well as those between consumer and agent, and makes all of that accessible to the consumer, the agent and the broker. As Wilson explains, this improves productivity for the agent who can focus their personal attention on the clients most likely to buy or sell. And the broker can easily review which agents are bringing in the most business and best utilizing the Zap tools to build business opportunities.

John Fox, broker, CENTURY 21 Unlimited Real Estate in Tannersville, Pa., notes the strength of Zap’s customer relationship tool.

The ZapScore is a predictive umer in numerical rating for each cons orithm the database scored by an alg potential 1 to 99 that rates how likely me in clients are to buy or sell a ho the next 60 to 120 days.

“Managing customer relationships is the cornerstone of our business,” he says. “Efficiently managing those relationships is the goal. Integrate a great CRM with features for the consumer and throw in state-of-the-art lead scoring and you have a game changer. The Zap program does all that and more.”

ZAP CONNECTS Lastly, the system connects the entire business…the consumer to the agent, the agent to the consumer and the broker to both consumers and agents. A broker may go to an industry event and pick different technologies they like, but when they get back home and try to run them all together, few, if any, will connect in an easy or seamless fashion.

“With Zap, we have a product that meets each of those different wants and needs, and they’re all built to work together,” says Wilson. “Once we solve a broker’s technology issue, they can go back to the business of being visibly present experts in their community, marketing locally and recruiting agents.”

ZAP ROLLOUT So far, the Zap rollout is exceeding expectations for Realogy. Launched to Realogy franchise affiliates in 2015, the initial goal was to implement the system in 300 companies in the first year, but that goal was well surpassed by year-end.

The introduction to brokers began at brand confer-

ences and events in the beginning of the year, and the response to the product has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Perriello.

“I had a lead that I had not spoken to in over a year,” says Ben Burnside of ERA Cornerstone Realty in Denton, Texas. “When we implemented Zap, the lead was ported over. Zap sent my lead an email, which I would not have done on my own. It turns out she had the highest ZapScore in my queue of leads, so I connected with her and we are looking at houses. That’s how powerful Zap and the lead scoring tool can be for your business.”

In addition to promoting more sales, Zap has proven to be a compelling recruiting draw for agents, according to Perriello. “We felt that Zap would be a material enhancement to our brand value propositions by helping our brokers attract agents who were looking for a technology solution as part of affiliating with a leading brand,” he explains.

Greg Armstrong, broker/owner of Coldwell Banker F.I. Grey & Son Residential, Inc., in New Port Richie, Fla., has seen an influx of new agents due to Zap. “Since we launched Zap in 2015, our recruiting has gone wild,” says Armstrong. “We have grown our company by more than 30 percent in six months. Zap shows agents that we are unquestionably the leaders of our industry today and in the future. This is the best recruiting weapon that we have ever had.”

According to Perriello, brokers using Zap say that the agents they recruit “come for the leads, but stay for the technology.”

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 39

ZapStore: ‘Supermarket for the Super Agent’ Even in the comics, superheroes sometimes require outside help. Just like Batman has his utility belt, Realogy brand-affiliated brokers and agents on the Zap platform will have the ZapStore, an online marketplace where they can access innovative third-party applications, products and services that will seamlessly integrate with the Zap platform.

There are a lot of innovators working across the globe on technology solutions for the real estate industry, but they all face the same challenge—how to integrate with myriad broker and agent platforms.

“The ZapStore will be the next ‘big thing’ in our industry,” says Alex Perriello, president and chief executive officer of the Realogy Franchise Group. “We are taking the dysfunction out of innovation.”

With the ZapStore, the advantage for innovators is that they only need to integrate their application once—with the Zap platform—and their product will be instantly accessible to and ready to implement for all of the brokers and agents on the platform.

“ZapStore will help us attract innovators and increase the value of the Zap platform to brokers and agents,” says Lanny Baker, chief executive officer of ZipRealty. “These third-party products will fill in the gaps between big bricks that ZipRealty is building, and make the whole Zap platform stronger and more compelling.”

Once a product is in the ZapStore, brokers can access the product, and with one click it will be available for their use seamlessly within the Zap platform, rather than having to operate separately.

Currently ZapStore is only available to brokers. The ZipRealty team is working on simplifying the integration process for third-party vendors, which will expedite the number of available products and services once the agent version of the ZapStore opens later in 2016.

“As more vendors place products in the ZapStore, it will create more excitement and enthusiasm for the Zap product as we go forward,” says Perriello. “I like to think of it as the supermarket for the super agent.”

THE FUTURE OF ZAP The goal in 2016 is to continue expanding the number of Realogy franchised companies on the Zap platform and to help agents leverage the system’s full capabilities, giving more and more franchises and agents their own “superpowers.”

“As more brokers talk to each other and hear the success stories, the interest and appetite for Zap will continue to grow,” Perriello says. “We believe we have addressed the leading concern for every broker in the country as it relates to technology—how to keep pace and remain relevant with the online consumer.”

David Winans, broker/owner of Better Homes and Gardens®Real Estate David Winans & Associates in Dallas, Texas, is anticipating the implementation of the Zap platform at his brokerage.

“We believe Zap will enable us to drive lead conversion rates higher than they’ve ever been in our 32-year history thanks to its unique ZapScore algorithm. Realogy’s leadership and innovation have yet again added tremendous value to our company, recruiting and retention efforts, and bottom line,” says Winans.

2016 will also see the launch of the ZapStore, which allows seamless integration of third-party applications into the Zap system. (See sidebar above).

“The vision of the ZapStore is to solve the technology integration challenges for the brokerage,” Wilson

40 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

explains. “It makes available to brokers and agents the third-party tools that they never would have been able to integrate so easily before, and those add-ons will be one click away in the ZapStore.”

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT For Baker and Wilson, the ZipRealty team’s goal is to continue to improve on the Zap product and build value for Realogy-affiliated brokerages. “The more brokers and agents on the platform, the better it becomes for everyone,” says Baker.

The Zap team uses an “agile development” process whereby users (brokers and agents) share feedback that helps drive new features and functionality on an ongoing and frequent basis.

“Zap is constantly evolving, and everyone benefits in real-time,” says Wilson. “Changes to the operating system are applied seamlessly to all Zap users so no one will ever be left out using last year’s model.”

“We’re solving problems that the rest of the industry doesn’t even know exist yet,” says Perriello. “We’re delivering solutions that are way ahead of the competition because we have all of the pieces in place—not just within the Zap product, but also within Realogy and our portfolio of iconic brands. Few others have our expertise and years of experience, and no one has our team in Emeryville.” RE

{Power Broker Perspectives}

Forward-thinking, Family Focus Sparks Organic Growth Sheryl Chinowth CEO & Co-founder Chinowth & Cohen

by Keith Loria

W

hen Chinowth & Cohen REALTORS®opened in 2004, it had just one office and 25 sales associates, but thanks to the leadership of cofounders Sheryl Chinowth and Lee Cohen, it has grown to become one of Oklahoma’s largest real estate companies, with more than 420 associates in eight offices.

“As Tulsa becomes more of an international business city, our business will grow as long as we keep our associates and our clientele in the forefront.”

- SHERYL CHINOWTH CEO & Co-founder Chinowth & Cohen

42 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“We are a truly familyowned business, and the four leaders of the company are part of the same family. We care about each other and every associate and staff member who has joined our family,” Chinowth says. “We are a family culture, and not only have we maintained an outstanding marketing department, we’ve kept on the edge of technology.”

Chinowth notes that the Tulsa market has rarely been affected by the ups and downs of the economy, and the firm has seen a steady increase in sales and business, resulting in the company’s expansion.

“Every year since we opened, our firm has had steady and strong growth.

Our agent count has grown steadily and, therefore, we have opened new offices

to support the growth,” she says. “We have grown into a few new markets, yet we are not a company that has grown much from mergers and acquisitions.

The majority of our growth has been organic.”

The firm kicks off every year with training for its employees, offering great motivators, and for 2016, the company held a miniconference where its top producers shared their secrets to success, as well as the tools they use.

“The first of this year, we brought in the Ninja Selling training and our agents were charged up and are ready to go,” Chinowth says. “We have 52 classes running continually and we teach the DiSC personality class where we cover working with millennials as well as first-time homebuyers.”

Currently, the biggest obstacle to homeownership in Tulsa centers around low inventory—especially in the under $500,000 price range.

Another concern is government regulations that are making it hard for appraisers to keep prices current with the market.

“Many appraisers are concerned about the ‘under the microscope’ culture we are seeing in many aspects of the real estate industry today. The mortgage industry, as well as the title industry, share these sentiments,” she says. “Although it is necessary to monitor the practices of all of the above industries to make sure no one is being taken advantage of, the pendulum has moved so far to one side, many seem to be feeling they must move toward safety rather than fairness.”

Still, the firm’s biggest challenge has been keeping up with growth.

“We do not hesitate to add staff to make sure our associates have plenty of support to make it possible for them to spend as much time with their clientele and their ‘at home’ families as possible,” Chinowth says. “As Tulsa becomes more of an international business city, our business will grow as long as we keep our associates and our clientele in the forefront.”

VITALS Years in business: 12 Size: 8 offices, 420 associates 2015 sales volume: $800 million 2015 transaction volume: 3,200 sides Regions served: Northeast Oklahoma, including

Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Bartlesville, Owasso, Bixby and Sand Springs

www.cctulsa.com

Multi-brand Business Model Makes for Competitive Edge Dan Elsea President - Brokerage Services Real Estate One

by Keith Loria

L

ike most markets, metro Detroit and Michigan jumped up about 6 percent in terms of homes sold in 2015, after falling about 5 percent the previous year.

“We were a bit surprised at the jump, since Michigan, after being the first to fall in the recession, was the first to jump back. After almost four years of recovery, we thought the market would settle back down, but instead it jumped up,” says Dan Elsea, president brokerage services for Real Estate One Family of Companies. “The contributing factors were both low interest rates and rising wages, but mostly, it was the second wave of the recovery finally kicking in, which was the release of pent-up sellers, finally with equity, who could afford to sell. Roughly two-thirds of those sellers were also buyers, so it stoked the buyer fire as well.”

The company operates under five different brands—with Real Estate One acting as the flagship—and each has a strategic significance and a loyal following.

“We have an extremely productive salesforce, one of the most productive among the large brokers across the country, and all of our brands have great depth in each of the markets they service, giving us a competitive alternative to the national franchised brands,” Elsea says. “We

“We have a unique, multi-brand business model that gives us the flexibility to adjust to different markets, which helps attract both consumers and sales associates.”

- DAN ELSEA President - Brokerage Services Real Estate One

VITALS Years in business: 30+ Size: 73 offices, 2,045 agents 2015 sales volume: $5.031 billion 2015 transaction volume: 24,171 sides Regions served: State of Michigan www.realestateone.com have a unique, multi-brand business model that gives us the flexibility to adjust to different markets, which helps attract both consumers and sales associates.”

While Real Estate One’s footprint in the state of Michigan may have a few holes, its primary focus is to build within its current footprint.

“Growth comes from both improving our agents’ success and adding talent. We focus on providing a great business platform for our agents with personal branding, education and marketing tools that give our agents the best opportunity for success when they are competing for a client,” Elsea says. “We have added talent equally through experienced agents, acquisitions and new agents to the business.”

Looking at the state of the market in early 2016, Elsea notes forsale inventory in the under $250,000 markets is still a challenge; meanwhile, upper-end inventories are rising faster than demand, so the firm is beginning to see a challenge in this segment, as well.

“We see some great niche opportunities with in-

vestors and new construction. We have also been successful with a ‘Listing Love Letters’ campaign, which involves sending handwritten letters to targeted areas telling a story about your buyer; we will do over 10,000 in a given campaign, with clients’ responses running about 1 in 25,” reports Elsea. “We are also seeing more and more agents who have hit a ceiling with their business, so they are frustrated and looking for additional resources to grow their business, which fits into our business model.”

Initiatives like that have helped rank Real Estate One as one of the Top 10 Workplaces in Michigan for the past five years.

“Like most companies that have been around a while, we have built a culture that attracts and retains,” says Elsea. “Our culture focuses on a very open and caring environment for our sales associates and employees. Our core values form the acronym EXCITE—Excellence, Caring, Integrity, Teamwork and Empowerment, words we have lived by for 85 years, but just finally put down on paper a few years ago.”

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 43

Diverse Markets, Integrated Approach David Acosta Principal David Acosta Real Estate Group Keller Williams

by Keith Loria

I

n November 2015, David Acosta Real Estate Group, Keller Williams entered into its third market, adding San Diego, Calif., to its already established Los Angeles and El Paso, Texas, markets.

“We offer an opportunity for people to concentrate their efforts on what they love to do.”

- DAVID ACOSTA Principal David Acosta Real Estate Group Keller Williams

“Real estate is local. We have the great fortune of being in two completely different markets (different price point, population, inventory levels, etc.), so what is considered luxury in one…is just an entrylevel condo or home in another,” says Acosta, princi-

44 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

pal of the firm. “This keeps us focused, and we consistently identify trends, try to anticipate and adapt to cycles in the market and use what brings us results in one market in the other.”

Last year, the El Paso market remained flat, with a shift from a resale market to a new-homes outlook due to buyers getting tons of options from builders and discount incentives. Meanwhile, the L.A. market continued to rise due to low inventory.

“People continue to move to the Greater Los Angeles area from all over the world,” Acosta says.

“New house formation in the nation has helped boost sales.”

Challenges do exist in each market, however. For example, Acosta notes that in L.A., the lack of inventory causes prices to rise, and people seem to be waiting for another bubble to pop, when in

reality, the market has already had a correction and prices seem to be steadily rising.

“Buyers need to move up fast and take advantage of still-low interest rates,” he says. “They won’t know that it was too late until they miss the boat.”

In the El Paso market, the opposite holds true.

Acosta explains that there are too many options in most communities and buyers feel they can wait, without realizing that opportunity knocks for those who listen.

“The San Diego market is experiencing various communities going through the gentrification process, and prices are rising in several very soughtafter areas, and will continue to rise,” he says. “This could price out buyers if they don’t utilize low rates now, rather than waiting.”

Even with San Diego coming on board just recently, the company is already mapping out its growth through Southern California for the rest of 2016, with plans to grow in North County San Diego, Irvine/Orange County and

West L.A. “Keller Williams Expansion-Teams initiative provides the infrastructure and support to be able to hire and develop talent rapidly, and we are focused on expanding into 4 - 5 teams this year in So-Cal, with the goal of 8 - 20 people in each team for 2016,” Acosta says. “In Texas, our focus is in Dallas, a market that has recently been exploding back to the preboom projections in 2005 and 2006.”

The firm is also targeting REALTOR® teams and brokers that are phasing out of the business in the next couple of years, absorbing some of them as an exit strategy.

“We offer an opportunity for people to concentrate their efforts on what they love to do,” Acosta says. “There are tons of young people with great and diverse talents who have already entered the workforce and experienced that a job might not be a career; they are prime for harvest into an opportunity that allows them to expand their market reach, and be mobile and fluid.” RE

VITALS Years in business: 13 Size: 2 offices, 3 sales teams 2015 sales volume: $65 million 2015 transaction volume: 345 sides Regions served: El Paso, Texas; Los Angeles, Calif.; San Diego, Calif. www.david-acosta.com

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{Blog Spot}

Why Blogging for Your Real Estate Business Can Be a True Advantage

8 Getting Started Creating a real estate blog doesn’t have to be difficult. Pick topics that you think people will want to understand better, and start writing. If you aren’t keen on the writing part, hire someone to do the writing for you.

Once you have the basis for the blog, you can edit it to your liking and then publish it for your readers.

by Bill Gassett

M

ost real estate agents realize that having a Web presence is a must if they want to be successful. One of the keys to an online presence is blogging. Having a blog allows you to present your experience as an agent, show that you understand the local market, drive business to your agency, and more.

With each helpful, targeted, informative blog post, you show your audience that you do, in fact, know what you’re talking about.

8 Local Market Expert Beyond explaining basic real estate concepts, develop local community pages. Community pages allow you to establish yourself as a local expert. One of the main aspects of buying a home is the sense of place and community that the buyer is looking for. Understanding the place where the home sits is as important as how many bedrooms and baths it has.

es. In your effort to build a blog and community pages, you’ll also be learning. This will make you a better, stronger real estate agent—a win-win for you and your clients.

8 Drive Business One of the biggest factors Google and other search engines use to rank websites is the content they provide. Web searchers are looking for information, and search engines want to satisfy searchers. If you have good, genuinely valuable information on your site, it’ll make you appear higher up on the search rankings. The higher you get, the more business you’ll generate.

8 Becoming a Better Agent Once you start explaining real estate (teaching it), you’ll discover your own strengths and weakness-

8 Promotion of Your Blog Exceptional content is the most important piece of the puzzle, but promotion is a close second. If you want to make sure your blog becomes a reliable business source, you’re going to need a plan to make sure it’s visible. Be active on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and LinkedIn. These are valuable places where your content can get shared, driving traffic back to your site. Once you have the basics of social media marketing for your real estate blog down, keep looking for ways to improve your exposure.

Remember, when starting your blog, be patient. You’ll probably need to have created at least 50 posts before you start seeing any meaningful traffic to your site. Keep at it, and you’ll be glad you did. RE Bill Gassett is a nationally recognized real estate leader who has been helping people move in and out of the Metrowest Massachusetts area for the past 27+ years. He is one of the top real estate agents in Ashland, Mass., and has been blogging for his real estate business for over 10 years.

This article originally appeared on RISMedia’s blog, Housecall.

Visit us at blog.rismedia.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 47

{Life in Mobile}

Talking Tech on Main Street

A Conversation with Mark Spain

by Seth Kaplan

I

’ve had the great pleasure of working with Mark Spain and his team over the past couple months, so I jumped at the opportunity to pick his brain and share a recap of our conversation below.

As the No. 1 team within the Atlanta Board of REALTORS® for 11 years running, Mark Spain Real Estate truly has its finger on the pulse of the industry.

Seth Kaplan: You recently switched from a dial-for-info to a text-for-info system. What shaped this decision?

Mark Spain: We noticed that the volume of leads on our dial-for-info system were declining. In addition, our conversion ratio had decreased.

In talking with consumers and our customers, the experience wasn’t perfect for the end user. While the dial-for-info system provided price and other important data, the consumer had a difficult time getting additional information and photos.

With over 65 percent of real estate searches taking place on mobile phones, we made the decision to switch to a text-for-info system that would provide a better overall customer experience, while also driving more traffic to our website.

SK: With a large, growing team—and over 300 listings—what role does technology, in particular mobile, play in managing your business?

MS: It’s huge for us! That said, I don’t think our size plays that important of a factor. Consumers are getting more demanding in terms of what they expect from real estate

Mark Spain CEO Mark Spain Real Estate

agents, and any agent that wants to remain competitive has to stay on top of the current trends. For us, we use systems like REthink for our CRM to give us visibility into our business, Clicktools for customer surveys, and now, Win Local® for lead generation. We have to remain on the cutting edge at all times.

SK: What tool(s) do you find most effective for marketing to prospective buyers and sellers?

MS: Win Local® has proven to be a great tool for our lead generation efforts. We also use some online portals and spend a lot of time refining our own company website to provide a killer client experience.

At the end of the day, though, the biggest secret is to just call people back. In my mind, that is the piece most agents miss.

Final Thought: There’s no debating that technology has led to major changes across all industries, and real estate is no exception. That being said, buyers, sellers and prospects are human, too, and there is yet a technology to replace a good, old-fashioned, quality phone call.

Headquartered in Alpharetta, with a sales team serving all of metro Atlanta, Mark Spain Real Estate is in growth mode. The team has rapidly grown to 80 agents and is currently adding about an agent a week. RE Founder Mark Spain is an Atlanta native and a University of Georgia graduate from the Terry College of Business. In 2013, Spain broke the $2 billion sales mark for lifetime sales—he is believed to be one of only 50-100 REALTORS® out of well over one million real estate agents in the nation to achieve this.

If you’d like to participate in Talk Tech on Main Street, contact Seth Kaplan at Seth@mobilerealestateid.com.

Seth Kaplan is president of MRE – Win Local®.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 49

Latino Homeownership Rate Breaks Away from the Pack in 2015 NAHREP’s State of Hispanic Homeownership Report says Hispanic market is booming Commentary by Nayeli Pelayo

L

atinos are transforming the housing market, according to NAHREP’s annual State of Hispanic Homeownership report, which highlights homeownership growth, household formation trends, purchasing power, educational achievements, entrepreneurial activity and labor force participation for the U.S. Latino population.

Set to be released March 15, the report indicates that Latinos are no longer an emerging market, but the driving force behind growth in homeownership in the U.S. NAHREP’s report also provides the latest information on Latino attitudes and behaviors related to homeownership through a comparative analysis for 2015, with historical data as benchmarks for the industry. In addition, it will highlight Latino population growth in non-traditional markets and the growing cultural competency gaps

50 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

in the country’s housing workforce.

Each year, the report discusses the primary obstacles to Hispanic homeownership with recommendations on how the industry and government can best address them.

Throughout the year, NAHREP uses the report to help guide industry leaders, policymakers and real estate and lending professionals to

overcome these barriers.

Previewing the 2015 State of Hispanic Homeownership Report, Latino homeownership has begun to break from the pack by posting an improving homeownership rate, while the general population continues to trend negatively. In the 12 months ending on September 30 2015, the Hispanic homeownership rate increased from 45.6 to 46.1 percent. Comparatively, the rest of the U.S. population saw their homeownership rates go down from 64.4 percent to 63.7 percent during the same 12-month period. Last year’s report revealed Latinos had a purchasing power of $1.5 trillion, projected to grow to $2 trillion by 2020. Moving forward, Latinos represent one of the greatest growth segments in the housing market for the next decade and beyond.

The full State of Hispanic Homeownership Report will be released at NAHREP’s 2016 Housing Policy and Hispanic Lending Conference at the Fairmont Georgetown in Washington, D.C., on March 15. For more information on how to attend the policy conference session where the report will be released, contact npelayo@nahrep.org. A complimentary PDF copy of the report will also be available online after the release at www.nahrep.org/media-center/ state-of-hispanic-homeownershipreport. RE Nayeli Pelayo is the Communications and PR director for NAHREP. For more information, please visit www.nahrep.org.

Weichert puts it at your fingertips. ®

At Weichert, Realtors®, we are constantly innovating, developing resources to propel your career to a giant leap forward. Here are a few that may interest you:

Technology – Independent Research ranks Weichert.com among the top five of all real estate broker Websites*.

Every month, our site averages over 2.5 million visits, with 700,000 additional visits to our mobile website* Leads – The Weichert Lead Network® provides a one of a kind, instant response experience for online househunters and provides local Weichert sales associates with live leads through a personal handoff.

Support – Weichert® University is available, on demand, offering hundreds of courses to fit your schedule. These are supplemented with webinars, live training, and skill sessions, to keep you out front.

If you are committed to making this your best year yet in real estate, tap into Weichert. Our offices continue to look for outstanding sales associates who have the drive to be the best. Call your local Weichert office today or 800-301-3000. We’d be glad to explain all Weichert can do to move you forward.

Information about Weichert franchises is available on www.weichertfranchise.com or by calling 800-533-9007. *Experian Hitwise Most Popular “Websites in Business and Finance – Real Estate” ranked by view share, 8/13. ©2014 Weichert, Realtors®. Weichert® is a federally registered trademark owned by Weichert Co. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. REALTOR® is a federally registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a Member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Each WEICHERT® franchised office is independently owned and operated.

This advertisement is not an offering. An offering can only be made through a Uniform Franchise Offering Circular and in states where authorized. In New York State, an offering can only be made by a prospectus filed first with the Department of Law of the State of New York. Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law. If you are presently under contract with a real estate franchise, please disregard this solicitation.

OUR ADVERTISEMENT HAS NOT BEEN REVIEWED OR APPROVED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORPORATIONS. ANY COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE CONTENT OF THIS ADVERTISEMENT MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORPORATIONS at www.corp.ca.gov.

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Choose the Hand You’re Dealt

by Lesley Grand Leo Pareja The Leo Pareja Team Keller Williams Realty www.leoparejateam.com

Years in real estate: 13 Region served: Washington D.C. metropolitan area Average market time: 45 days When and why did you first form an agent team?

I went for leverage right out of the gate when I first entered real estate.

Considering how broad the spectrum of human personality types is, it is almost impossible for a single person to do every part of the real estate business and do it well. By having a team made up of people with varied skill sets, I’m able to provide clients with the full range of services that make for an excellent customer experience.

You’ve achieved tremendous success in your 13+ years. What are the most important steps involved in that success?

In our industry, there is not only one way to succeed. I discovered in about my fifth year of selling real estate that multi-transactional business was the best path for me. While the average family moves about once every 7 - 9 years, providing for a single transaction, there are developers and investors who buy and sell much more frequently. So that’s where I concentrate my energy; going after business from developers and banks, which may account for anywhere from 5 15 listings at a time.

How does Keller Williams corporate support the success of your team?

Keller Williams provides excellent

training and support. The culture is all about more people sharing responsibility so that the consumer as well as the agent benefit. In an industry famous for burnout, almost every one of my team members takes up to three weeks of vacation.

We all cover for one another. In the end, it is a ton of fun.

What do today’s consumers need most from a real estate professional?

Today’s consumers need a professional to analyze the data. There is a wealth of information online, but what does it really mean? And how is each client impacted? As specialists, we answer those questions, we advocate for our clients and provide support, walking them through the process every step of the way.

Why is it important to now take on the role of 2016 President Elect for NAHREP? I am passionate about NAHREP (The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals). In fact, I founded the Washington, D.C., chapter. Our mission is to create sustainable homeownership for Hispanics who took a disproportionate hit in the last housing downturn. Among other things, the group believes our

present-day credit scoring model (FICO) is outmoded. The emphasis should be on the ability to pay a mortgage, rather than debt/credit levels. Our mission is to make sure that legislation is in place that covers everyone.

If you could only use one word to describe what you feel is most important to any successful real estate practice, what would it be?

Choice. Everything is choice. The most important thing to do is to learn to choose whatever hand you are dealt. For instance, in 2010, when the real estate market was imploding, I chose not to participate.

I did not throw my hands up in the air and say, “Nothing is possible.” Instead, I looked at the whole picture, including what transpired in other business cycles, and saw opportunity. Starting in 2007, when I first sensed a shift, I began calling on large financial institutions that had mountains of foreclosed properties, and I asked, “How can I help?” So in 2010, when everyone realized what had happened in the market, I was already the dominant player. RE RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 53

{Broker Spotlight}

Heart, Soul and Staying Power Earn Top Spot in Michigan

by Barbara Pronin

CENTURY 21 Town & Country

A

s Scarlett O’Hara noted in “Gone with the Wind,” hardships make or break people. Any real estate broker who has weathered a recession would surely agree with that—including John Kersten, the industry veteran and spirited president of CENTURY 21 Town & Country in Detroit, Mich., who has guided the company through the city’s worst economic downturn and into a thriving new era. “People still think of Detroit as declining,” Kersten says, “but the Greater Detroit area has good schools and good communities, and the economy in many ways is on the upswing.” And in spite of the economy, Kersten’s focus on measured growth and positive action has vaulted the company onto CENTURY 21’s Top Ten list of companies in each of the last three years. In this exclusive interview, Kersten shares the strategies that have led to that happy statistic and the reasons why he remains confident in a solid and growing future.

Barbara Pronin: John, let’s begin with a synopsis of your career path and how you came to lead your company.

John Kersten: I was born in Detroit, 74 years ago, and went to Wayne State University here in the city. As house controller for the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, I got involved in the purchase of a new fraternity house, and that sparked my interest in real estate. The agent I worked with told me she thought I’d do well in the industry, and so I started my career as an agent with her company 48 years ago. Ultimately, I moved into management, and have stayed with it ever since. I bought my first CENTURY 21 office—one office with nine people in it—in suburban Detroit in 1980, and at our peak, we had grown to more than 1,200 agents in 16 offices. We were the No. 1 company in the CENTURY 21 franchise for 13 years straight. Of course, during the economic tsunami that hit us a few years ago, we were forced to close and consolidate offices.

But we stayed afloat and now we’re powering forward, with seven offices and over 350 agents, and I’m proud to say we are presently the No. 1 CENTURY 21 firm in Michigan and the tenth-ranked firm nationally.

BP: How would you describe the firm’s positioning in your market54 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“It’s about being part of a wider community.

People who are going through a struggle benefit from being part of a community, rather than by themselves.”

- JOHN KERSTEN President, CENTURY 21 Town & Country

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 55

CENTURY 21 Town & Country management team

“As we speak, we’re still crunching the numbers, but 2015 was a satisfactory year overall, and we are optimistic that the market will come alive for us in the spring of 2016.”

- JOHN KERSTEN President, CENTURY 21 Town & Country

56 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

place, and what sets it apart from the competition?

JK: We have a recognized and

BP: How would you describe current market conditions in your area?

JK: Our average sales price var-

well-respected brand and a longestablished presence in our suburban Detroit market area—primarily Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties, where we’re known for our outstanding personal service and a true commitment to excellence. We have been ranked as one of the leading Michigan residential real estate companies in Crain’s Detroit Business Residential Broker Report, and we are listed in the Top 500 of RISMedia’s Power Broker Report. As important, we’re blessed in every one of our offices with quality management, loyal people, and an overall ‘yes, we can’ team attitude that translates into great client relationships that continue to drive business.

ies greatly, from $150,000 or $200,000 in the central city to some $700,000 in our core suburban market, where inventory is still in short supply. As we speak, we’re still crunching the numbers, but 2015 was a satisfactory year overall, and we are optimistic that the market will come alive for us in the spring of 2016. That’s based on the fact that the Michigan economy is currently improving and many new jobs are being created, especially in the manufacturing and hospitality sectors, and we have an award-winning relocation services team to help incoming employees and executives make a smooth and hassle-free transition.

BP: What has been your approach to growth, John, and is that changing now that the market is rebounding?

JK: We have always been firm believers in judicious growth—that is, careful expansion, prudent spending, and finding the best ways to cut costs without cutting services, either to our customers or to our agents, when times demand it. That’s the primary reason we have been able to weather the downturns and come out of them stronger and prepared to move forward.

BP: What do you see as the biggest challenges facing your firm and its agents?

JK: Our agent count is growing, but we have lots of capacity to take on new agents at the present time, and that is a challenge in itself. We provide great training for both new and experienced agents, and we are actively seeking to attract quality people with a passion for excellence and a commitment to our high professional standards.

BP: What do you see as your greatest opportunity?

JK: The growing demand for housing in our market area. Detroit’s automotive industry and all its ancillary industries are expanding once again, so the job market is wide open and things are going in the right direction. We anticipate more buyers will be coming into the area and sellers will want to upgrade, so there’s great opportunity for consumers here, and great opportunity for our agents.

BP: How are you serving the needs of today’s more informed, tech-savvy consumers?

JK: We have a great website designed to attract and serve the needs of consumers and provide leads to our agents, and we’ve gone from being the largest print media

advertiser in our market to the best Internet marketer, with a workable and productive social media strategy that results in more leads. We are seeing more and more mobile-based business these days, which our agents are well-equipped to handle, and we provide all the necessary technology to ensure that transactions go smoothly. At the same time, we are very aware that, for most people, real estate is still a face-to-face business. Our agents excel at working with customers as they prefer to work, and are always happy to meet face-to-face whenever the customer is ready.

BP: You mentioned the need for more agents. How are you attracting and retaining top agents?

JK: We continue to provide a wealth of training for new and experienced agents at all levels, and I’m pleased to say we operate day-to-day in a caring, collegial, and mentoring environment, thanks in large part to our dedicated manager/coaches. There is a lot of friendly camaraderie here, lots of sharing going on all the time, lots of agent recognition, and a respectful and cooperative environment that brings out the best in everyone. Our agents are actively promoted on our website and rewarded publicly for their efforts, in addition to our internal recognition.

BP: In your opinion, what is most critical to your firm’s success going forward?

JK: I would say the continued growth of our Michigan economy so that we are working in a healthy and vibrant environment. Internally, for us as a company, it will be vital to recruit the right people with the goal of slowly rebuilding our infrastructure to where we were before the recession, while maintaining the same high standards that have been the backbone of everything we’ve achieved.

“Our agents are among the best in the business, and that’s a reputation we’ve worked hard to achieve, and one we plan to uphold.”

- JOHN KERSTEN President, CENTURY 21 Town & Country

BP: Your firm was recently honored with a Good Neighbor Award from NAR for contributing to the improvement and well-being of life in your community. How did that come about?

JK: I am proud to say we are the top Easter Seals fundraiser in the CENTURY 21 System, raising more than $15 million for Easter Seals Michigan. It’s a project that is dear to our hearts, because Easter Seals has been helping people with special needs from medical rehabilitation to autism spectrum disorder for over 100 years, and our agents and customers devote countless volunteer hours to raising the much-needed funds. It’s just a part of our culture.

BP: And what else is in store for your company?

JK: Looking ahead, I see more of the same—steady growth and continued recognition as a company with heart and professionalism. Our agents are among the best in the business, and that’s a reputation we’ve worked hard to achieve, and one we plan to uphold. RE For more information, please visit www.century21town-country.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 57

{Broker Best Practices} Opening the Lines of International Communication

by Paige Tepping

Bob Glaser President/CEO Smith & Associates Real Estate, a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® Tampa, Fla.

Years in real estate: 28 Number of offices: 4 Number of agents: 240 Top tip for staying organized: Work on your top priorities early in the day.

What are some of the current trends you see in your market right now?

We’re dealing with a consistent market that’s predominantly made up of next-generation move-up buyers who are showing great interest in urban centers. There’s been a lot of building taking place in St. Petersburg, Tampa and Clearwater, providing buyers with more options, which is causing them to move. All in all, we’re looking forward to a good 2016.

How are you preparing your agents for the future of real estate?

Preparing our agents for the future centers around the recent development of a CRM that will enable them to stay in touch with their customers by providing pertinent information.

What is the most significant trend positively affecting your business today?

The most significant trend affecting our business today is the fact that consumers are more knowledgeable than ever before when it comes to the buying or selling process. The fact that they have access to so much information is beneficial to us as real estate professionals because the more they know, the better the transaction.

58 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

How does your company stay flexible and current?

Staying current boils down to being involved. That being said, many of our managers serve on state and national boards, and members of our staff are involved on an advisory level with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®. We also have a tech person who travels to meetings throughout the U.S. to stay up-to-date with what’s happening in the technology sector. Personally, I’m involved on the international side of things. This includes networking with international brokers and attending Luxury Portfolio International® meetings.

How is the international market impacting your local real estate market?

For us, we’ve been able to attend various meetings and develop one-on-one relationships with individuals from Italy, Belgium, Switzerland and Spain, which is crucial as we continue to experience rampant international growth. In addition, all of our listings are included in Luxury Portfolio International®, and we’re seeing a slow climb in interest when we look at the metrics on each listing in terms of who looked at it and from where.

Maintaining a Collaborative Culture

by John Voket

Mark J. Sletten Associate Broker Engel & Völkers Park City Park City, Utah

Region served: Park City and Deer Valley, Utah Years in business: 31 Number of offices: 2 Number of agents: 175 Best tip for getting the right listing price: Know the market and have a high quality presentation where you present the data, not only verbally, but in a graphic format as well.

Best time management tip: Besides the annual business plan that should be updated quarterly, schedule your day the night before so that you’re on target first thing in the morning.

Can’t-live-without tech tool: Engel & Völkers’ online marketing strategy, which includes highresolution imagery not just of properties, but of lifestyle messaging as well, which is critical in my market where the majority of business is done with clients looking for a vacation home in the mountains.

What are the two most important things you do to promote client retention?

When it comes to client retention, constant communication by both phone and email is critical. I also ski/ride with clients when they’re in Park City/ Deer Valley. It’s what they come to the area for, and I have a captive audience when riding the lifts.

What is the most important benefit of working in an international destination market?

The ability to market my listings to an international clientele. With Vail Resorts having created the largest winter resort in America in Park City, and marketing this resort to the world, including their 400,000 or so season passholders worldwide, international visitors now have Park City on their radar…and they’re coming here in ever increasing numbers.

How do you qualify agents you meet as possible prospects for recruitment?

We qualify agents through both their production and personality. Although Engel & Völkers has the most collaborative culture of any brokerage I’ve experienced, not all top producers have the personality necessary to contribute collaboratively.

“When it comes to client retention, constant communication by both phone and email is critical.”

– Mark J. Sletten Associate Broker, Engel & Völkers Park City

Based on your recent move to Engel & Völkers, what advice would you give to brokers/agents who are looking for new opportunities to grow their brand and business?

If you haven’t already, get in touch with a local Engel & Völkers license partner to see the brand

and everything it has to offer for yourself. If you don’t have an Engel & Völkers brokerage in your area, take advantage of every avenue to expose your properties and services. This is a critical step, particularly for millennials who are in the market for real estate.

Dedicated Systems Pave the Way for Continued Success

by Zöe Eisenberg

Paul Argueta CEO Real Estate Heaven Pasadena, Calif.

Region served: Los Angeles, Pasadena, West Hollywood and Palos Verdes Years in real estate: 22 Number of offices: 4 Number of agents: 150 Average time on market: 40 days Average sales price: $700,000 Favorite thing about working in the industry: No two days are ever the same. Every day is an adventure. I also love being a problem solver.

It’s the most challenging transactions that I enjoy navigating the most, mainly from the satisfaction that comes from having helped clients who had all but given up on finding or selling a home.

You recently changed your operations to provide more systems and technology to your 150 agents. What triggered this?

My biggest flaw has always been in maintaining communication with my past clients. It stings when you see a home that you helped someone purchase a few years ago on the market with a different agent or company. What that says is that I did a poor job of keeping in touch with that client—even if it wasn’t my personal client. If I represented the seller as the listing agent, it’s my responsibility to make sure the buyer has an agent to take care of his or her needs after the sale. My company did not have a dedicated system in place to do that.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 59

We did have Excel spreadsheets, but when you’re speaking to the volume of people I speak to on a daily basis, you need a more robust system that provides more than just an email drip campaign.

Top Producer offered that system, and the Market Snapshots they sent were an invaluable tool and great conversation starter. I was the original guinea pig, and in six months, I had acquired seven listings that I attribute 100 percent to the Top Producer and Market Snapshot system.

What kind of commitment does the agent make to you to participate in company-generated prospecting?

In order for any of our agents to be assigned a lead, they must be a subscriber to our bundled package.

In addition, commission checks are not released until a file is submitted for review through our online document management software and deemed compliant and complete.

How do you distribute leads to those who are interested?

We use the FiveStreet system, which allows the administrator of the account to assign leads and rotate them throughout an entire team.

What does an agent get in their technology “bundle” to work with these leads?

We created something we call the REH-Tech Bundle, which includes the Top Producer CRM, Market Snapshot, FiveStreet lead assignment system, professional landing page (included in the Market

60 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Snapshot toolbox), four assigned leads per month, and a few other tools that provide digital signatures and online document management software.

How do you get agents to believe in this as being a potential win?

The easiest way for an agent to believe that the REH-Tech Bundle is a win is for them to see actual results. I have been using the Top Producer system for eight months and have procured seven listings as a direct result. My agents see this. In addition, our firm regularly builds value for the bundle on a daily basis. We promote our victories on our private Facebook groups. We send internal messages letting everyone know about the new listings or new escrows that came from using these tools. As the broker/owner, it isn’t enough for me to tell them to use the tools just once. Lead by example and remind the agents daily is our motto.

How does this affect your success? Do you have any stories you can share?

Christian Perez is a young man who recently graduated from our real estate school, The College of Real Estate. He learned about the bundle as a student prior to becoming licensed. He saw the results, and believed in the system so much, he actually took out a personal loan from a family member and paid the cost of the service for the year. He began entering everyone he knew into the system.

Sixty days later, he has three active listing contracts worth over $1.5 million in inventory, and he has only been licensed for about two months. RE

Urban Home Values Outpace the Suburbs in Top Metros Urban home values are outpacing the value of homes in the suburbs in most top-tier metros, as city life gains popularity and high-end condos fill the sky in Boston, Washington, D.C., Seattle, and other cities with fastchanging downtowns.

Homes in the suburbs have typically been worth more, on average, than homes in urban areas. That’s still true in much of the country. Suburban homes in Nashville, Tenn., Cincinnati, Ohio, and Richmond, Va., have a higher price tag than the average home in the city.

But in Boston, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, the mean value of urban homes has recently surpassed the mean value of homes in suburban areas.

The shift reflects demographic trends of millennials delaying family life and choosing condos, and shifting preferences, as people seek walkable neighborhoods with urban amenities.

It has vast implications for lowincome people who have traditionally lived in cities to be near services and employment. Zillow recently found that, in San Francisco and Seattle, high-income people are making shorter commutes to downtown, while low-income people are traveling much further to get to work in the urban core.

Zillow based its analysis of urban and suburban home values on a survey of how people define their own neighborhoods and then used characteristics of those places to extrapolate the results and define zip codes all over the country. By looking

at home values within those areas, Zillow could see how home values have fared in each type of place over the years.

“This trend, in part, reflects homebuyers’ changing preferences, as they seek amenity-rich, dense and walkable areas that are often closer to their workplace,” says Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Svenja Gudell. “In the future, this lifestyle trend will change some suburbs as we know them, and they’ll start to feel more urban as buyers move further from city centers in search of affordable housing in communities that still feel urban.”

Nationally, suburban home values grew 5.9 percent in 2015, while urban homes gained 7.5 percent in value. In 1997, urban home values grew at 3.8 percent, while suburban values grew 4.1 percent.

On a per-square-foot basis, home values for urban areas are way up.

In Washington, D.C., for example, urban homes in 1996 cost 6 percent more per square foot than suburban homes. Today, they cost 41 percent more per square foot. RE For more information, visit www.zillow.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 61

{Strategies} Add Immeasurable Value with a Home Warranty THE ULTIMATE PROTECTION FROM AMERICAN HOME SHIELD®

by Nick Caruso

R

eal estate is an undeniably fast-paced rollercoaster of an industry. Agents and brokers need the ability to ride the ups and downs and be a problem solver all the way to the closing table in order to be successful in their business. Some of a transaction’s major hurdles may come from a faulty home system or appliance failure, and while this may cause some stress for the buyer, seller or agent, it doesn’t have to be a dealbreaker. Not with a reliable home warranty attached to the sale.

David Fogg, a REALTOR® with Keller Williams Burbank in California, has armed his listings with home warranties through American Home Shield (AHS®) since he started selling real estate 25 years ago. As part of a mother/ son team, Fogg says that 95 percent of the duo’s transactions have home warranties automatically written into the contract, and that the reaction to these included policies is always positive.

“Everybody thinks it’s a good idea. If I’m representing the buyer, I let them know that I’m going to ask the seller to pay for a one-year home warranty to protect the major systems in the property. When a seller is listing a property, I tell them that a home warranty is included in the closing costs that I’ve already quoted them. They smile, and if anything goes wrong, they contact AHS directly,” says Fogg.

Fogg says his clients have had nothing but great experiences with the warranty provider, and that having AHS as a safety net for issues that may arise enables him to focus his efforts on one of the most important facets of his job: going out and securing more listings without being bogged down.

“I think it’s added value to whomever you’re representing,” he says. “I think the buyers in our area expect the 62 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

seller to provide a home warranty, and I will always coach my sellers, in advance, to do just that. Not only are buyers expecting it, but it’s to the seller’s advantage to provide the home warranty as well.”

With the invaluable protection that a home warranty provides, buyers, sellers and their agents can rest assured that the home is in good hands. Not only is there inherent relief from financial responsibility for all parties should something go awry, but the bonus of having an already instated home warranty plan after the sale is irreplaceable for the buyer.

“As a local agent, I’ve been pleased with AHS,” says Fogg, “so anytime I have an opportunity to tell people how great Janet Dubrasky and the team at AHS are, I do.”

For more information, visit www.ahs.com/realestate.

Self-Directed IRAs: A Smarter Way to Invest in Real Estate THE ENTRUST GROUP HELPS REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS BETTER INVEST IN THE BUSINESS THEY KNOW

by Keith Loria

F

or more than three decades, The Entrust Group has provided account administration services for selfdirected retirement and tax-advantaged plans. The Entrust Group continues to assist people in purchasing alternative investments with their retirement funds, administering the buying and selling of assets that are typically unavailable through banks and brokerage firms such as real estate.

The Entrust Group even created its own Real Estate IRA Center for individual investors and real estate professionals who wanted something more from their IRAs. The aim of the program? To help break down the Real Estate IRA investment process, explain the paperwork required, and walk people through the various IRS regulations.

It was back in the early ’80s when Bill Keller, a broker with Coldwell Banker in the Napa Valley region, first became familiar with The Entrust Group as his interest in assets, such as residential and commercial real estate and other non-traditional investments, continued to grow.

“I was looking for some way to do my own investment, self-directed, and I couldn’t find anything like that,” says Keller. “Whenever you looked into retirement, you had to buy stocks, and I wasn’t a big fan of that,” he adds.

“I wanted to do my own thing. I discovered The Entrust Group and learned that I could do some investments on my own.”

For almost three decades, Keller has been a happy client of The Entrust Group, and being in the real estate game himself, he understood the money he could make by investing in real estate. Still, while investing in real estate with a self-directed IRA isn’t too different from a regular real estate purchase, Keller needed guidance regarding the rules and processes that had to be followed to do it right.

“I started with notes and deeds of trust, and I was able to really build up my retirement portfolio,” he says.

“There were never any problems. It worked so well that I convinced most of my associates to open up an account with The Entrust Group, and many of us have bought notes together thanks to their help.”

In the beginning, Keller had a dedicated agent on behalf of The Entrust Group who was very knowledgeable about the business, and these days, he says The Entrust Group’s entire team is just as aware of what’s going on. In fact, Keller feels that service is one of the key features that makes the company stand out.

“They are always responsive and get the job done,” says Keller. “They knew what we wanted to accomplish, were willing to listen and make things work for us. They are flexible and accommodating.”

Keller estimates that he has done more than 100 deals with The Entrust Group over the years, and has seen his retirement portfolio grow exponentially.

“It’s so important to get started on planning for retirement, and the sooner you do, the easier it is,” says Keller. “These folks know all about it, and have made a big difference for me.”

For more information, please visit www.theentrustgroup.com.

Taking Customer Service One Step Further FIRST AMERICAN HOME BUYERS PROTECTION CORPORATION HELPS REALTORS®PROVIDE PEACE OF MIND FOR CLIENTS

by Zöe Eisenberg

J

ean Rawls knows how to stand out among the competition. Since she started her career in real estate in 1993, the Keller Williams agent has worked with some of Atlanta’s most demanding clients, and has been recognized as one of Atlanta’s Top 100 REALTORS®. How has she maintained such a high level of success over the years? With supreme customer service.

“My determination to provide stellar customer service is what ultimately brought me success,” says Rawls. One valuable service that Rawls offers her clientele is a home warranty through First American Home Buyers Protection Corporation. “A home warranty equals peace of mind for buyers and sellers,” says Rawls, “and it’s a standard part of most real estate transactions in our Keller Williams’ offices.”

Just as Rawls has been a leader in the real estate industry for more than 20 years, First American has been a home warranty industry leader for more than 30 years. This made the company a logical pick when Rawls was on the hunt for quality home warranty coverage that she could offer both buyers and sellers.

A First American home warranty allows buyers to enjoy their new home and protects their budget by safeguarding their appliances and home systems.

It also protects sellers against the expense of unexpected home repairs before, during, and after the sale.

Offering a home warranty can also provide the seller with a competitive edge over other homes on the market.

Of course, by protecting both buyers and sellers, First American also helps the agent, who can now offer their client peace of mind throughout the listing period and beyond.

To help agents even further, First American offers RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 63

marketing materials that agents and brokers can use to help educate homebuyers and sellers as to the benefits associated with a home warranty policy.

“As real estate professionals, we use many different databases to gather information, but there’s nothing that aggregates all the pieces together like Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®).”

- ERNIE ANAYA Commercial Real Estate Agent, Bull Realty, Inc.

“A home warranty is a smart choice for any real estate professional and their clients,” says Rawls. “Even the best home will need repairs, and there is no way to predict when they will happen. At Keller Williams, agents rely on home warranties to protect their clients’ investment.

The warranty helps eliminate stress on all sides.”

For more information, please visit www.homewarranty.firstam.com.

Maintaining a Competitive Edge with Comprehensive Market Data REALTORS PROPERTY RESOURCE® SETS COMMERCIAL AGENT UP FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS

by Paige Tepping

F

or Ernie Anaya, a commercial real estate agent with Bull Realty, Inc. in Atlanta, Ga., the importance of having access to comprehensive market data can’t be overlooked as he works to buy, sell and develop healthcare and assisted living facilities for his firm. “As real estate professionals, we use many different databases to gather information, but there’s nothing that aggregates all the pieces together like Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®),” says Anaya, who was intrigued by everything the platform had to offer after seeing a demo upon joining the Atlanta Board of REALTORS®.

64 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

A single-source database that aggregates hundreds of datasets on over 160 million properties, Anaya points to the demographic information he can access through RPR as being most beneficial to his day-to-day business needs.

“If you look at retail stores like McDonalds, demographics play a large part in site selection,” says Anaya, “but most doctors—for example—don’t have a clue how to pick a site. And if they pick the wrong site, they aren’t going to get the patients they need in order to find success.”

But thanks to RPR Commercial, Anaya has access to all the information he needs to set his clients up for continued success. From identifying areas of high concentrations of the customers his clients are looking for, to helping business owners find the best location and even determining what business would be appropriate for a given location, Anaya continues to set himself apart from the competition, turning to RPR on a daily basis.

“Not only do the reports generated through RPR look extremely professional, they also provide a lot of information that is beneficial to my clients,” says Anaya, who recently helped a client expand his medical business by closing on a building in a prime location in Atlanta. “By looking at the client’s demographic target, I was able to find an area that would offer the highest growth, highest median income, highest housing value and highest medical expenditure. We then used RPR’s Heat Maps to determine which area was best for the client.” From there, Anaya was able to narrow down the properties in the area to zone in on traffic patterns and other pertinent information. “This enabled us to close very quickly, separating me from a competitor who was trying to get the client from me,” adds Anaya.

While RPR has been instrumental in generating repeat business for Anaya and his firm, the team working behind the scenes is another important part of the equation. “Everyone at RPR has been extremely helpful. Not only do they take the time to respond when we have questions or concerns, they always get back to us in a timely manner.

“I would recommend RPR to anyone because it’s going to give you an edge over the competition,” concludes Anaya.

For more information, please visit www.narrpr.com.

A Different Approach to Mortgages HOW THE QUICKEN LOANS PROCESS HELPS BROKER/OWNER DEREK BEATRICE MAXIMIZE HIS BUSINESS

by Paige Tepping

W

hether it’s choosing a real estate agent to guide you through the process of buying or selling a home, to perusing listings looking for the home of your dreams—and everything in between—consumers are turning to the Internet in record numbers as they look to turn their real estate dreams into reality. And thanks to Quicken Loans, financing that dream is easier and more turnkey than ever before.

Offering a fast, streamlined approach, Quicken Loans is not only changing the mortgage process, but doing so in a way that appeals to today’s tech-savvy consumer.

“We were seeing more and more buyer clients coming to us with preapprovals through Quicken Loans,” says Derek Beatrice, broker/owner of EXIT Realty Beatrice Associates in Middleton, Mass., who notes that there’s an unfounded industry stigma surrounding the Internetbased company’s ability to close loans. But for Beatrice and his entire firm, working with Quicken Loans has proven to be advantageous from the get-go.

“We’re very happy with their service,” says Beatrice, who goes on to say that Quicken Loans is the real deal when it comes to financing loans in today’s competitive environment. “They’ve never missed a beat, even with the changes associated with TRID (TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure) and the problems people have been experiencing.”

Seamless transition aside, Beatrice explains that one of the things that sets Quicken Loans apart is the fact that not only are they an online lender, but they understand the needs of today’s buyers. “Everything is done via text or email today,” says Beatrice, “and there are many clients that we don’t actually meet in-person until it’s time to show them properties,” underscoring the importance of being able to offer consumers the ability to keep the real estate process moving from start to finish through the medium in which they feel most comfortable.

“Quicken Loans is all about customer service and what’s best for the client, and they will absolutely pick up the phone or set up a face-to-face meeting for those clients who prefer a more personal experience.”

- DEREK BEATRICE Broker/Owner, EXIT Realty Beatrice Associates

The Agent Relations team sets Quicken Loans apart from the competition even further. Their dedicated team of relationship managers are committed to making real estate agents their clients, and working together to enhance the homebuyer’s experience—even those still looking for that personal connection. “Quicken Loans is all about customer service and what’s best for the client,” says Beatrice, “and they will absolutely pick up the phone or set up a face-to-face meeting for those clients who prefer a more personal experience.”

In addition to offering a personal touch in a not-sopersonal, tech-driven world, Beatrice can’t say enough about the Quicken Loans process, which allows clients to get preapproved in a timely manner. “We recently changed all of our yard signs to incorporate a text code so that when a prospective buyer is in front of a property, they get an email within seconds that includes pertinent property information, photos, a video tour and a Quicken Loans preapproval link. If someone wants a preapproval on a Sunday evening, Quicken Loans has them covered,” says Beatrice.

Hands-on from the very beginning, Quicken Loans has worked hard to earn EXIT Realty Beatrice Associates’ business, rather than having it handed to them. “At the end of the day, even though they’re an Internet lender, there’s still that personal touch,” concludes Beatrice.

“And that’s still needed in real estate transactions.”

For more information, please visit www.Agent.QuickenLoans.com or call (866) 718-9842.

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Broker Branding Reaches New Heights BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES FOX & ROACH, REALTORS® TAKES IT TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL

by Zöe Eisenberg

I

n today’s ultra-competitive environment, the way you market yourself and your business obviously matters. But branding your brokerage has become increasingly complex given the proliferation of channels customers use to engage in homebuying and selling. Gone are the days when putting your face on a park bench was enough to attract new business.

Add into this dynamic environment the constant pressure to stay connected with clients, and suddenly, the idea of heightening your branding can feel overwhelming.

For Rajeev Sajja, vice president of Digital Innovation with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS®, one of the most innovative solutions to this dilemma is a marketing service offered by Imprev.

With Imprev, Sajja ensures that all digital, print and social media marketing for every listing showcases the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach brand.

Sajja has been in the real estate industry for 15 years, and the technology industry for over two decades. His interest in working in the real estate industry stemmed from an appealing chance to innovate and provide tools and services to agents that truly make their profes-

sional lives better. To help his company do this, Imprev automates listing material, converts leads through multichannel marketing campaigns and ensures brand consistency, all so that the agent can spend less time at their desk and more time out in the field.

“[Imprev] has helped our agents earn their client’s trust with the knowledge that they will market the client’s property at the highest level to get it sold.”

- RAJEEV SAJJA Vice President of Digital Innovation, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS®

An automatically created set of digital marketing that includes branded YouTube videos, single-property sites, IDX virtual tours and Just Listed ecards allow agents to maximize exposure for every single listing and do it in a way that builds the value of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach brand.

“Automated marketing helps us deliver our digital home-marketing system promise to our sellers,” says Sajja, who explains that Imprev’s marketing automation helps his agents look good in front of their clients without investing the time and energy often required to create such a high-quality marketing campaign.

Sajja’s team has also realized that using marketing automation changes the recruiting and retention conversation. By offering a marketing service instead of another tool, Sajja’s team provides agents something that makes their lives easier and something they won’t find at every brokerage. Marketing automation enables his agents to focus their energy on delivering more value to their clients. “[Imprev] has helped our agents earn their client’s trust with the knowledge that they will market the client’s property at the highest level to get it sold,” says Sajja. “Our sellers have grown to appreciate our Digital Home Marketing System—powered by Imprev—as a comprehensive suite of marketing services that help them market their property effectively.”

With clients like Berkshire Hathaway, RE/MAX, Coldwell Banker and Royal LePage, it’s clear that more and more brokers across the country are turning to Imprev to increase the value of their brand and make their marketing more impactful.

For more information, please visit www.imprev.com.

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Elevating the Consumer Experience HSA HOME WARRANTY PROTECTS BUYERS AND SELLERS ALIKE

by John Voket

A

s president of CENTURY 21 Scheetz, Tracy Hutton has propelled her firm to the forefront of the Indianapolis market by looking out for each and every client while taking care of those within the region who may be facing a personal crisis.

For Hutton, helping her team sustain its leadership position comes down to espousing the company’s four core values: strive for greatness, encourage positivity, earn trust, and love and support your communities.

“Last year, we gave $100,000 back in community grants,” says Hutton. “From helping our local Easter Seals programs to fighting homelessness and supplying some emergency relief for those who fall through the gaps—people we learn about from stories gathered by our agents—we encourage our agents to initiate those requests for assistance from our grant fund.”

A staple in the Indianapolis market for 40 years, CENTURY 21 Scheetz remains busy serving many referral and multi-generational clients, along with handling a lot of relocations. Overseeing a team of 340 agents, Hutton appreciates the added value an HSA Home Warranty brings to the table.

“We are always happy to see our clients choosing service providers such as HSA, whose service can elevate the consumer’s overall experience and satisfaction,” says Hutton, who notes that there are a number of examples that come to mind when HSA has come to the aid of her clients, the first being a stove that stopped working shortly after closing.

“We contacted HSA immediately and their responding service technician determined that the problem couldn’t be repaired,” says Hutton, whose client ended up getting a brand-new stove. “That was one family that was thrilled to learn about how HSA helped protect their new home.”

In another situation, the client of the company’s No. 1 agent and team leader opted to put sellers cover-

“Our clients have come to rely on HSA to help protect their homes. When it comes to choosing a service provider, finding the right fit requires a lot of thought, so when you come upon one that fits, you stick with it.”

- TRACY HUTTON President, CENTURY 21 Scheetz

age—including HVAC protection—on a listing. After a buyer was secured, the home inspection turned up a defective heating element in the furnace.

“In this case, the HSA Home Warranty saved the client $800, and the furnace was fixed a few hours later,” Hutton recalls, “saving the seller money, making the buyer comfortable that a needed repair was made before their closing, and helping overcome a challenge in the transaction.”

And last but not least, HSA stepped in to save the day when a seller walked into his house to discover a dripping ceiling resulting from a broken pipe on the second floor. “With one phone call, HSA sent somebody out and the warranty covered a $450 repair,” says Hutton.

“Our clients have come to rely on HSA to help protect their homes. When it comes to choosing a service provider, finding the right fit requires a lot of thought, so when you come upon one that fits, you stick with it,” concludes Hutton. RE For more information, please visit www.onlinehsa.com.

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THE COMPETITIVE EDGE

Web-based tools that offer insight into buyer demand THINKING OF SELLING? WE HAVE 18 QUALIFIED BUYERS THAT MATCH THINKING OF SELLING? WE HAVE 31 QUALIFIED BUYERS THAT MATCH

TURN YOUR BUYER DATA INTO LEADS, LISTINGS AND PROFITS RIS.GetBuyside.com

{Trending}

Bridging the

Generation Gap with New Hires

by Kate Zabriskie

“Did you see what he wore to work today?

This is a corporation, not a club!”

“How does she not know to bring a notebook and a pen to a meeting?”

“What would make him think it was okay to party with clients until three in the morning?”

If you have new hires fresh out of school in your workplace, some of that may have a familiar ring.

So what’s happening? Are the new hires prompting those reactions just bad hires? Are you just unlucky? Probably not.

Rather, the source of the surprises most likely has to do with training (or the lack of training) related to workplace expectations. Before you say, “But they should know...” don’t waste your breath. Maybe they should know, but they don’t.

New hires are called new hires for a reason. They are freshly minted employees who don’t know much about the workplace because most of them haven’t been in it that long.

Think about it: if the shoe were on the other foot and you found yourself in some kind of “Freaky Friday” hell, do you think you would flawlessly understand today’s highschool or college social codes?

Dream on, and good luck with that.

As someone with more experience than the people you hire, you have a responsibility to get them off to a good start. By consistently following three steps, you can shortcircuit many of the problems people encounter when they start working with new hires.

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Step One: Understand something about them.

Millennials, as a generation, are different from those who have come before them. More than a few still live at home and don’t plan on leaving soon. Besides, if they borrowed money for school, they may already owe as much as what amounts to a mortgage. That doesn’t mean they’re clueless about life outside of the nest, but their circumstances are probably very different from yours at the same age. Assume nothing.

Next, you must understand these people grew up surrounded by everpresent technology and in an era of instant answers. Sure, you may have had an Atari or Nintendo, but it’s not the same thing. They had, and still have, Google. They are used to being able to find information and find it quickly. Raised in an era of parents as friends and instant answers, many of these individuals have no problem questioning authority. In the workplace, you may see a new hire ask questions and interact with senior leaders in ways you don’t expect. Maybe you already have.

Another difference between millennials and other generations is how they view praise. As children, this generation played on sports teams where everyone received a trophy just for showing up. They were also rewarded and recognized with ribbons and certificates at school for being polite, having integrity, and displaying common courtesy. Millennials expect feedback loaded with praise, whether merited or not.

Longevity in an organization is another difference between this generation and others. Years ago, it was taboo to job-jump or have gaps on a resume. These days, you will find that this generation will gladly take six months off to go hiking along the Appalachian Trail or volunteer somewhere overseas.

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Strangers to delayed gratification, they aren’t saving those activities for retirement, and they don’t expect to spend a lifetime with a company. Instead of pretending that millennials will be part of your team for a decade or more, look for ways to make the most of the time you have together while they are.

New hires are called new hires for a reason.

They are freshly minted employees who don’t know much about the workplace because most of them haven’t been in it that long.

Step Two: Spell out everything.

Millennials are not the Amazing Kreskin. Do not rely on their clairvoyant powers. Again, assume nothing. Take workplace dress, for example. There was a time not too long ago when women wore hose to work and wouldn’t consider crossing the office threshold in open-toed shoes. That was then.

These days, if you offer no guidance, some will cross the threshold in footwear you wouldn’t wear outside your house. And when the parade of fashion crimes starts, you will have no one to blame but yourself. You need to tell people that contrary to what they may see online or in a magazine, the flip-flop is not the new Ferragamo.

Once you’ve thought about the basics, you’ll need to anticipate the times “on the job” when the new hire will interact with people outside your organization. Is the new hire attending a client function

with you? If so, it makes sense to review your expectations before you head out the door. If you expect a certain set of behaviors, you need to make clear what they are.

Step Three: Use praise, and do it often.

Most people like praise. The difference between millennials and other generations is that they are used to getting it.

To get the most out of your new hires, you must learn how to give feedback more often. A word of caution: Millennials know when they are being patronized just as well as the next person, so choose your words wisely. You are going to have to pay attention and recognize good work. It’s more time-consuming, but if you put in the effort, you will probably see more of what you want to see.

Do not rely solely on feedback on the fly. The reality is it’s easy to get busy. Make the time to have structured conversations with your new hires about their development.

Thinking about skipping this step?

Don’t. Regularly scheduled one-onone meetings will ultimately benefit the new hire, the organization, and you.

Developing any employee takes time, and working with new hires has its own set of challenges.

There are few shortcuts along the road to success in the workplace.

How much effort you put in to another person is certainly up to you. But think back to your first days in the world of work. If someone spent the time to work with you early in your career, you were lucky.

If you didn’t have that opportunity, don’t you wish you had? RE Kate Zabriskie is the president of Business Training Works, Inc., a Maryland-based talent development firm. She and her team help businesses establish customer service strategies and train their people to live up to what’s promised. For more information, visit www.businesstrainingworks.com.

You can depend on HomeTeam for a faster, more efficient home inspection every time. While onsite, each team member focuses on his or her own area of expertise—which helps us cover every area, from the ground up. With our systematic approach and detailed reports you can rest assured that you have the information you need.

That’s the HomeTeam promise.

888-515-5198 | hometeam.com/realestate Each office is independently owned and operated. ©2016 The HomeTeam Inspection Service, Inc. All rights reserved.

{RISMedia’s Great Spaces}

by Nick Caruso & Zoe Eisenberg

Hollywood Home Offers Panoramic Views Set on a hillside cul-de-sac above Sunset Plaza, this gated, three-level residence is the brainchild of fashion model and designer Melanie Mar, known for her discerning eye for detail and unique creative flair.

The modern, cleanly designed home features walls of windows and disappearing doors so there’s absolutely no way you can evade the home’s sweeping views of the strip below.

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A livable work of art, the home, located at 1489 Stebbins Terrace, offers three bedrooms and four bathrooms. iPhone apps control all systems, from stereo and Wi-Fi to fireplace, pool and gate. Stunning amenities include a saltwater pool with an epic view and a dramatic wall-spanning fire feature that lends the space a little bit of magic. The third level of the home offers a covered 700-square-foot deck with builtin bar for yet another viewing vantage point.

Tyson Takes another Swing at Vegas Living Mike Tyson, former heavyweight boxing champion, recently purchased a new home in the luxurious gated community of Seven Hills in Las Vegas, Nev. The Italian-style home has over 10,000 square feet of space, sitting on a pristinely manicured 0.76 acres, with its own private gate.

It includes six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, marble flooring, a wine cellar, two casitas, a grotto-style swimming pool and a four-car garage.

Although Tyson declared bankruptcy in 2003, his home purchase suggests he seems to be back on both feet; he’s currently starring in Adult Swim’s “Mike Tyson Mysteries.”

The champ closed on the home on December 28, 2015. His former residence, located just a block away, is currently listed for sale for a smart $1,500,000.

Listed for: $2.5 million Listed by: Kenneth Lowman, Luxury Homes of Las Vegas

Listed by: Billy Rose, president of The Agency and Aaron Kirman, President of Aaroe Estates Listed for: $7,500,000

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Washington’s Second White House Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz, Bernie Sanders and Marco Rubio can forget about the debates and never-ending campaigns and get to a White House that’s just a few miles down the road—a replica of the real one on Pennsylvania Avenue. It even has an oval office.

The scaled-down version, taken from the blueprints of the original, has all the elements of the real White House and even a few extras, but the layout of the staff offices and other workaday wings and work areas were eliminated to make it more of a comfortable home. Its origin was a patriotic labor of love by a Vietnamese man who was working on his engineering doctorate in New Zealand in the early 1970s. However, after completing his studies, it was impossible for him to go back to Vietnam due to the war. At that point, the United States took him in as a refugee. As he settled into his new life in a new country, he discovered how much he loved America. As he became successful in his field, he decided to build a replica of the

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people’s house, the White House, as a tribute to his adopted homeland.

Located in McLean, Va., just outside of D.C., the easily recognized White House replica is sited on 1.6 acres. The estate was built in 1995 with total square footage of 14,000, which includes 8,338 square feet of living space with seven bedrooms and nine baths. The main level of the three-story home has marble floors throughout and a steel-reinforced marble staircase in the large foyer.

Ceilings are 11-feet tall and the foyer moldings are exact duplicates of the original. Also included is the oval office, formal rooms, chef’s kitchen, a gym, wine cellar, home theater, an elevator, a party room for 100 and six fireplaces. Upstairs are hardwood floors, bedrooms and the special Lincoln bedroom and bath with marble floor and walls. The lower level is a finished walk-out basement with windows and stairs to the main floor. The exterior has an attached three-car garage and a detached 1,500-square-foot storage building.

Listed by: Cathy and John McCambridge, Samson Properties, McLean, Va. Listed for: $3.25 million Photo Credit: TopTenRealEstateDeals.com

Want to Own the Playboy Mansion? There’s Just One Catch Visiting the iconic Playboy Mansion is a pipe dream to many, let alone having a chance to own it. Well now that pipe dream could become a reality and the mansion could be yours... if you have $200 million.

Hugh Hefner’s playtime palace recently hit the market, seeking the right buyer to own the legendary home of Playboy’s original playboy and publisher, who bought the mansion in 1971 for just over $1 million. Who wouldn’t want to own a mansion, especially one with such a notoriously...colorful history? The infamous party pad is situated on five acres in Los Angeles’ Holmby Hills, boasting 20,000 square feet, with 29 rooms and a four-bedroom guesthouse. The successor to this throne will also acquire a home theater, gym, tennis court, gorgeous in-

ground swimming pool/grotto setup, and even a zoo license. This deal is no monkey business! (Or wait, it is monkey business. There are actual monkeys on the property, along with parrots, toucans, peacocks, cranes, and of course, “bunnies.”)

There’s just one small catch for all the maestros who want the keys to this saucy spread: Hefner’s going to be your new roommate.

That’s right, folks! Think buying the Playboy Mansion is going to score you loads of bikini-clad eyeand arm-candy? Well, let’s be serious—it might. But with that amenity comes one silk-robed 89-year-old who just won’t stop cramping your style. Imagine waking up in your new estate, after a night of partying and salaciousness, to find a half-naked Hugh standing in your kitchen frying up some bacon...or maybe worse!

But on the flip side, at least your new roommate would never ask you to turn the music down or make your super-attractive friends leave at a decent hour. He seems like quite the man of leisure. (Real talk though, we suppose if you have $200 million to spare, you can probably let the man live out his life and move in after the fact...but we digress.)

Despite its legacy, the mansion hasn’t been exceptionally relevant in the world of pop culture since (arguably) the ’90s. The hedonistic heyday that was once celebrated there has been mostly subdued, but its naughty reputation and gratuitous history will likely live forever. RE Photo Credit: TopTenRealEstateDeals.com

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{Basic Training}

Team Dynamics

by Verl Workman

O

ne of the hottest topics of 2016 is how to build, manage and grow your real estate team. Teams are popping up everywhere, brokers are adjusting business models to accommodate teams, and leaders are emerging by allowing agents to focus on specialty areas of the business.

As you consider building or joining a team, here are a few things to ponder:

portunities beyond your personal ability to follow up?

8 Is there greater opportunity in your market than you alone can handle?

8 Does working with others who have common goals and different skills interest you?

8 Do you feel like you’re at capacity and can’t possibly do any more yourself?

8 Do you honestly believe that your clients will be better served if you delegated tasks and activities to specialists in each area of the transaction?

8 Can you generate leads and op76 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

If you answered yes to most of these questions, then a team might just be the right solution for you.

Building a team begins with establishing your core values and mission, and clearly identifying your goals. Once you have those things in place, you must utilize a hiring process to put the right people in the right seats on the bus. Some of the tools we use include the free DiSC profile test found on WorkmanSuccess.com, an interview process that includes a final interview conducted by the team leader’s coach, and a discussion involving clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Each position should have an agreement with

clearly spelled out responsibilities and expectations.

For example, buyer agents on teams we coach must agree to a minimum of two transactions per month, attend daily huddles, practice proven scripts and dialogues and complete the Buyer Agent Training program, BAM. A buyer agent’s primary responsibilities are simple: they must commit to prospect daily, show homes and negotiate contracts. Once a deal is under contract, the transaction is moved to a client-care coordinator, or transaction coordinator, who moves the transaction from contract to closing. The buyer agent stays involved if any negotiation is needed due to inspection or appraisal issues.

By having buyer specialists, listing specialists and transaction specialists, the client is better served because each person in the transaction becomes an expert in their area of responsibility.

Building a team is the first step in removing limiting beliefs that keep us from serving a lot more families. As a single agent, you’re limited by the hours in a day. As your team grows, you remove limits and have the ability to serve more, make more, and help others become successful.

The mindset of the team leader changes from “Only I can do this task” to “How can I help others be successful with this task?” A simple shift in thinking brings massive results. As a leader on the team, your job becomes simplified to two primary responsibilities: business development and people development.

We hire to our core values and provide great training to each position on the team. Our goal in helping agents establish and grow teams is to create what I like to call opera-

tional excellence in every aspect of the business. Following are areas where operational excellence will make the most difference in success and failure as a team: 8 Prospecting systems, including online lead generation, conversion strategies and daily tracking of the right activities that generate listings and buyers. There’s an abundance of leads and lead sources if you’re willing to put in the work and follow a proven system.

8 Transaction management and deal processing. We don’t have people problems, we have process problems. If your team members aren’t performing at a level that you believe they’re capable of, ask yourself, “Where is our process failing us?” Then fix the process instead of attacking the people.

8 Create real estate experts. Getting a license is a critical first step, but there’s no substitute for market knowledge. Train your buyer agents, listing partners and inside salespeople to know your market. Ongoing training and education beyond what’s required to stay licensed often separates the average from the exceptional.

8 Create a sales-focused team.

8 Hold meaningful team meetings and daily huddles with accountability. This shows your team that you care enough about their success to inspect what you expect.

8 Work your sphere of influence. We spend so much time and money going after new business that we frequently fail to take care of the people who already know and trust us. You must automate your follow-up with a high-touch system

so that you’re at the front of your client’s mind at the moment real estate comes up.

The best teams in the world follow proven systems for success.

Each month, RISMedia’s Agent Webinar series highlights many of these team leaders as they share best practices for listing, marketing, farming and team dynamics.

Hiring an established coach who specializes in building teams can shorten the learning curve, save thousands of dollars in costly mistakes, and help you create millions of dollars in commissions. It’s not all about the money, but profitability is one clear measurement of success.

There can be amazing synergy in creating a team. The next generation of agents (millennials) love to work in groups, collaborate and share in success. The team concept is not new, but there’s a new movement in our industry to build a real business of value instead of simply creating a job for ourselves.

Building a team is not for everyone, and you must learn to give up control of certain aspects of the business if you want to be a successful team leader. When done correctly, your life—including your free time—will improve, your service will be better, and your income will grow while you help serve the members on your team, as well as your collective clients. RE Verl Workman is the founder and CEO of Workman Success Systems (385-282-7112), an international speaking, consulting and coaching company that specializes in performance coaching and building successful power agents and teams. Sign up today for a free business consult with Verl by sending an email to coach@verlworkman.com.

To hire Verl to speak at your next event, email events@verlworkman.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 77

owners with rates above 4 percent who will be in their home for five or more years should consider refinancing. Call your local lender. Shop it around. If you can, consider the 15year loan over the 30-year loan.”

5 Reasons Why Now Is the Time to Buy a Home

by Zöe Eisenberg

T

ed Jones, Stewart Title’s chief economist, says now is inarguably the right time to buy a home. Those who have been waiting on the sidelines, struggling with rising rent and dreaming of a place to call their own should wait no longer, according to Jones, who believes we are in the perfect market to promote homeownership. Here are five reasons why.

1. Jobs are up. “Jobs are everything,” says Jones. “In the last 12 months, we’ve created 2.65 million new jobs. Year-over-year job growth rates are up 1.88 percent. Leisure and hospitality is booming, so consumer confidence is clearly up. We feel really good about the future right now.”

2. Interest rates are low. Jones comments that current interest rates are below 4 percent. “I don’t think I have ever seen cheaper rates,” he says, “and I likely won’t for the rest of my life. Affordability is high right now.”

While wannabe buyers should certainly opt in right now, Jones also notes that existing homeowners should consider refinancing. “Home-

3. Prices are rising. “People who purchased a home a year ago basically got their first year of ownership free, based on increase in home value,” Jones notes. As prices rise, more and more people are realizing the time to buy is now. “The quicker you purchase a home, the more home you can afford before values go up,” says Jones.

4. Fuel costs are down. Cheap energy costs mean many consumers can now afford higher mortgage payments, according to Jones.

Lower electric bills and savings on gas mean more in the bank for that monthly payment.

5. Technology makes it easy.

“The Internet is the backbone of the changes taking place in real estate,” says Jones. Over the last decade, the Internet went from useful to absolutely necessary in the homebuying process. New platforms and tools are being created every day to help the agent and the client operate seamlessly.

So what does 2016 hold for homeownership? Jones predicts a 4.9 percent increase in home sales, and a bump in values, too. “Home values will go up, maybe not at as strong a pace, but still moving,” Jones affirms.

Planning the right time to buy a home, according to Jones, is much like planning the right time to plant a tree; the right time was last year.

“The quicker you plant a tree, the bigger it grows,” he says. In this current marketplace, the faster you become a homeowner, the sooner you reap the benefits. RE RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 79

Mastering the Balancing Act:

Mothers in the Workforce Commentary by Desirée Patno

W

omen are making waves, from small startups to powerful boardrooms, but are there enough of us? Diversity does not only mean people from different ethnic backgrounds; it also involves gender, and gender diversity is not as widespread as it should be.

In several industries, women are unjustly considered unprofitable investments who quit their jobs as soon as they have children; this is used as an excuse to pay them lower wages than male employees and deny them advancements. If a woman makes 75 percent of a man’s salary, most people infer this as a 25 percent difference in pay. In reality, it means that the man makes 33 percent more than the woman.

Obstacles Faced by Mothers Several mothers tend to push their careers to the backburner, where it 80 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

eventually gets lost and forgotten.

Does this happen because women aren’t able to cope with the stress of being a working mother, or is it attributed to the lack of flexibility in their home or work environments?

Enrolling your child in daycare may seem like a saving grace, but that’s easier said than done. Childcare does not come cheap, and a study conducted by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) found that childcare costs are more than the average in-state college tuitions at public institutions in 33 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The option of

saving the money spent on childcare services is more attractive to many parents, and unfortunately, leads to many women opting out of careers.

Real Estate Real estate is one industry where salary is more dependent on work than gender or qualifications. Real estate is ideal for professionals of all education levels looking to switch careers, earn extra income or find a more flexible work schedule. Real estate professionals have the liberty to conduct business around the clock; you are your own boss, can pick with whom you want to work and have less disparity in pay.

For women who leave other industries to pursue real estate, it is essential to build healthy relationships that can lead to comprehensive and trustworthy teams. Women are excellent multitaskers, but a team provides the leeway to pick up your child from school or rush to a doctor’s appointment while a team member shows a home to a client. Not having to choose between being there for your family and losing a potential client reduces stress or feelings of guilt.

Time is of the essence for women professionals, and in order to satisfy this diverse group and retain more women in the workforce, it is critical to map out a game plan that strikes a balance between family and work.

For REALTORS®, 58 percent of whom are women, the real estate industry provides the career accommodations to make this balancing act more possible. RE Desirée Patno is founder and CEO of the National Association of Women in Real Estate Business (NAWRB). For more information, please visit www.nawrb.com.

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In other words, you get everything you need to get the listing, get the deal and get ahead. All for less than most agents spend on smartphone service. Find out how top producers stay on top – and how you can join them there. Visit us at Top5inRealEstate.com today.

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{Ask the Experts} Arthur Darmanin Chief Executive Officer Sellstate Realty Systems Network, Inc. www.JoinSellstate.com

Q: Is building a team right for me?

A:agents

This is a question that many ask themselves as they start to gain momentum in their careers. The short answer is that a team can be beneficial so long as you’re aware of what it takes to build and maintain a successful team.

We know that the positive to building a team is the ability to leverage yourself through others in attempts to accumulate wealth. While this is certainly true, in many cases, teams require substantial investments in both time and money. In addition, successful teams will also require your leadership and rely on your ability to train others.

The question that agents should ask themselves prior to diving into a team is: “Why do I want a team?”

If the answer is because you have more leads than you’re able to handle and you’re afraid that you’ll lose out on revenue, then there’s another option that should be considered.

Instead of building a team, consider approaching agents in your office that could use the extra business to set up a referral system.

You should be able to negotiate your percentage somewhere in the range of 25 - 30 percent for every sale from one of your buyer or seller leads.

When taking this approach, be sure to choose the agent(s) carefully. They must be willing to do the work necessary and be loyal to your office. If you’re unsure of who to approach, ask your broker to help you find the right person in your office.

Once you’ve selected the agent(s) that you’ll be working with, be sure to sign a written referral agreement for each referral, and make your broker aware of who is involved. These agreements will be similar to those that are drafted between different brokerages who work together on a transaction and will help avoid any future misunderstandings.

When working with the agents, don’t make the mistake of giving too many leads to one individual as they’ll likely not be able to keep up and will “cherry pick” the best leads and drop the rest. Instead, spread your leads to a number of agents and have a group working your leads. This practice will also help you identify the best closers.

The nonproductive agents should be dropped from your referral group.

Now that you know who to work with, and are passing along refer-

rals, you must follow up, follow up, follow up. The importance of following up with the agents that you gave leads to cannot be emphasized enough. These leads are worth money to you. The first follow-up should be within hours of handing off the lead to ensure that contact has been made with the client. This is so important that the written referral agreement could even include a section that the agent receiving the referral must report back to you on a daily basis. While this may seem overbearing, the thing to remember is that these updates could be done with a simple email.

While going through the process of creating this referral group, you’re also setting the foundation of building a team. Should you eventually decide to move forward with a team, you’ll already have the systems and potential team recruits in place.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 83

Cindy Fauth Global Marketing Manager National Association of REALTORS® www.realtor.org/global

Q:know about the FIRPTA rate inWhat do U.S. agents need to

crease? And what is the EB-5 visa?

A:

If an international client comes calling, it’s important for U.S.based real estate agents to understand the differences between a transaction in the client’s home country and one in the United States. Not all countries require title insurance, for example. Many don’t have buyer’s agency. Some have large financial implications, such as the United States’ required federal withholding tax, called the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA).

What is FIRPTA? When selling a U.S. property, foreign investors are required to withhold 10 percent of the purchase price and remit it to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at the time of closing,

unless certain exceptions are met.

With the new increase, the rate jumps to 15 percent for properties over US$1 million only.

Why is it important to you?

Though the buyer is legally responsible for remitting the funds to the IRS, in certain circumstances, the buyer’s agent can be held responsible.

Why the increase?

The recently-enacted Protecting American Taxpayers from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act (H.R. 2029, P.L. 114-113) includes two very positive FIRPTA provisions that are conservatively estimated to boost foreign investment in U.S. commercial real estate by $20 - $30 billion per year.

However, as part of a package of tax changes to “pay for” the two provisions, Congress also included the FIRPTA increase.

EB-5 Visa Program In other government news related to international real estate, the House and Senate leadership have recommended that the EB-5 visa program be extended (without changes) until September 30, 2016. Under this

“If an international client comes calling, it’s important for U.S.-based real estate agents to understand the differences between a transaction in the client’s home country and one in the United States.”

– Cindy Fauth Global Marketing Manager, National Association of REALTORS®

84 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

program, immigrant investors can gain lawful permanent residence for themselves and their immediate family by requiring that the immigrant make a capital investment of either $500,000 or $1,000,000 in a new commercial enterprise located within the United States. The new commercial enterprise must create or preserve 10 full-time jobs for qualifying U.S. workers within two years (or under certain circumstances, within a reasonable time after the two-year period) of the immigrant investor’s admission to the United States as a Conditional Permanent Resident (CPR).

You’ll want to have experienced tax and immigration attorneys on hand for your client to help guide them through the legal requirements during the purchasing process. But, it’s important that you have a solid understanding of FIRPTA and EB-5 as well. NAR’s Government Affairs division has compiled a comprehensive and easy-to-understand Issue Brief on FIRPTA and the recent withholding rate increase.

The Issue Brief can be found at narfocus.com/billdatabase/clientfiles/172/19/2547.pdf.

To learn more about what to expect when working with foreign buyers, the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) courses can help. The education offers five full days of study focusing on the critical aspects of international real estate transactions, including globalization of economies, international capital flow, marketing and business planning strategies, roles and expectations in international transactions, and the unique business and cultural practices of countries around the world. More information is available at realtor.org/global.

Don Haschert Owner Pillar To Post Home Inspection of Harrisburg, Pa. www.pillartopost.com

Q:spections helpful in today’s

Why are pre-listing home in-

competitive market?

A:closer to your initial asking You stand to earn a return far

price. When a buyer invariably performs his or her own inspection, should he or she find undisclosed flaws, you stand to lose more money off your initial asking price than you might assume. In fact, for every flaw a buyer finds in a home that would cost $1,000 to fix, you stand to lose $3,000 - $5,000 off of your asking price. In truth, the average buyer doesn’t really know what it would cost to fix a given issue, yet flaws that are not made apparent to a buyer before their own inspection is performed are seen as far more egregious than those disclosed beforehand, even if you bring an issue to their attention and make known that you won’t fix it.

You become the most knowledgeable person about your listing. It may seem self-evident, but a prelisting home inspection report will make you the most educated person on a listing. Yet, sellers often fail to see the value of being completely aware of a home’s condition before trying to sell it. While a seller might be legitimately ignorant of a home’s flaws, that ignorance is no excuse to initiate the selling process blind to a home’s condition. By having a pre-listing inspection performed, you can be the authority on your property, conveying both credibility and expertise to a buyer.

You gain considerable leverage in the negotiating process. Beyond connoting competence and professionalism, by having a pre-listing home inspection performed before placing your property on the market, you also stand to gain considerable leverage once the negotiating process begins. With Pillar To Post Home Inspectors, for example, you are given a full report on the condition of the property, leaving you to determine which changes are worth fixing on your own, and which are better left to the future owners. Many changes that need to be made are inexpensive, affording a seller the opportunity to nip them in the bud before they

can become known to others. If you find some issues that would cost more to fix than you care to spend, you can get your own direct quote from a respected home repair professional. You can then pass these quotes onto a prospective buyer, saving them time by giving them an accurate upfront assessment of their potential costs.

Leaving a hard copy of a completed summary that includes pictures sitting on the table at an open house is also a big help—a gesture that goes far in the eye of the buyer. RE Don Haschert can be reached at don.haschert@pillartopost.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 85

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Index of Preferred Providers The leading companies providing services to the real estate and relocation industries

RREIN Service Providers

ABR®....................................................................................... 90

Ascent Real Estate, Inc............................................................. 94

American Home Shield............................................................. 90

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate..... 94

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices........................................... 90

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS®......94

BoomTown............................................................................... 90

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty........ 94

Buffini & Company................................................................... 90

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty..................... 94

Century 21 Real Estate LLC...................................................... 90

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS®.......94

Certified New Home SpecialistTM............................................... 90

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties.............. 94

Contractor ConnectionSM........................................................... 90

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties.............. 94

CRS Data................................................................................. 90

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties................... 95

DocuSign................................................................................. 90

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Mason-McDuffie.......... 95

Dotsignal................................................................................. 91

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty................. 95

Engel & Völkers........................................................................ 91

Calcagni Real Estate................................................................ 95

The Entrust Group.................................................................... 91

CENTURY 21 AllPoints Realty.................................................... 95

ERA Franchise Systems, LLC..................................................... 91

CENTURY 21 Award.................................................................. 95

HomeFinder.com...................................................................... 91

CENTURY 21 New Millennium................................................... 95

Homes.com............................................................................. 91

Coach REALTORS®................................................................... 95

HomeSmart International......................................................... 91

Coldwell Banker Advantage....................................................... 95

HSA Home Warranty................................................................. 91

Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper, REALTORS®............................... 95

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.......................... 91

Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty.................................... 96

Moxi Works............................................................................... 91

Coldwell Banker Prime Properties............................................. 96

MRE – Win Local®.................................................................... 92

Diane Turton, REALTORS®......................................................... 96

National Association of REALTORS®.......................................... 92

Fillmore Real Estate................................................................. 96

On The Move, Inc...................................................................... 92

First Team® Real Estate............................................................ 96

The Personal Marketing Company............................................. 92

GARDNER, REALTORS®............................................................. 96

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors.................................................. 92

Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate................................................ 96

Quicken Loans......................................................................... 92

J. Rockcliff REALTORS®............................................................. 96

The Real Estate Book............................................................... 92

Jordan Baris, Inc., REALTORS®.................................................. 96

Real Living Real Estate............................................................. 92

Kinlin Grover Real Estate Real Living......................................... 97

Realogy Holdings Corp............................................................. 93

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.................................................. 97

realtor.com®............................................................................ 93

Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty...................... 97

Realtors Property Resource®.................................................... 93

McCOLLY Real Estate................................................................ 97

Realty ONE Group.................................................................... 93

Page Taft Real Living................................................................. 97

RE/MAX, LLC............................................................................ 93

Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate................................................ 97

RIS Consulting Services........................................................... 93

Randall, REALTORS® Real Living..................................................... 97

RISMedia’s Top 5 in Real Estate Network®................................ 93

RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central........................................... 97

Stewart Title............................................................................. 93

RE/MAX Gateway..................................................................... 97

Top Producer® CRM.................................................................. 93

RE/MAX Professionals.............................................................. 97

Workman Success Systems...................................................... 93 zipLogix.................................................................................... 93

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 89

ABR®

CENTURY 21 REAL ESTATE LLC

(800) 648-6224 • www.rebac.net • Chicago, Ill. • Marc Gould, Executive Director Brokers are busy with many competing priorities. They should feel comfortable with their salespeople who have earned the ABR® designation when working with buyer-clients. Real estate professionals can hone their skills in representing the needs of homebuyers in real estate transactions and earn the coveted Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation, giving agents knowledge and confidence to navigate the market.

(877) 221-2765 • www.century21.com • Madison, N.J. • Rick Davidson, President & CEO Century 21 Real Estate LLC is a leading global residential franchise real estate sales organization, with approximately 6,900 independently owned and operated franchised brokerages and more than 100,000 independent real estate professionals in 78 countries and territories worldwide. The Century 21® System capitalizes on brand marketing, promotions and sponsorships, and fundraising efforts with Easter Seals to build brand awareness and preference.

Technology initiatives include both English- and Spanish-language consumer websites, www.century21.com and www.century21. com/espanol, a recently redesigned intranet site, www.21Online. com, and the Century 21 Learning System®, a Web-based learning platform. Century 21 Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp.

AMERICAN HOME SHIELD (800) 735-4663 • www.ahs.com/realestate American Home Shield, a subsidiary of The ServiceMaster Company, founded the home warranty industry in 1971 and remains the industry leader. Servicing more than 1.3 million customers across 49 states, the company also issues and administers preventive maintenance contracts on major home systems and appliances in 48 states. The Memphis-based company operates three customer service centers, employs approximately 1,600 people and has a national contractor network made up of more than 10,000 independent home-service contractors.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES (800) 666-6634 • www.berkshirehathawayhs.com Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is a brand-new real estate brokerage network built for a new era in residential real estate.

The network, among the few organizations entrusted to use the world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway name, brings to the market a definitive mark of trust, integrity, stability and longevity. The brand, grounded in the financial strength, efficiency and tradition of its HomeServices of America parent company, will change the face of residential real estate.

BOOMTOWN www.boomtownroi.com/ris The BoomTown platform, an essential part of the agent’s daily business, cultivates relationships that turn people into lifelong customers. Our solution includes a customized real estate website integrated with local MLS data, client success management, a cutting-edge CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system with marketing automation for real estate, and personalized advertising services. Google-certified digital marketers handle our clients’ online marketing needs so they can focus on the most dollar-productive activity: closing deals.

BUFFINI & COMPANY (800) 945-3485 • www.buffiniandcompany.com Headquartered in Carlsbad, Calif., Buffini & Company is the largest real estate coaching and training company in North America.

Founded by real estate expert and master motivator Brian Buffini, the company provides a unique and highly effective lead generation system and comprehensive business coaching and training programs, which have helped entrepreneurs in 37 countries improve their business, increase net profit and enhance their quality of life.

90 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

CERTIFIED NEW HOME SPECIALISTTM (800) 428-1122 • www.sellnewhomes.com SellNewHomes.com is the online headquarters for Certified New Home Specialist™ and Residential Construction Certified™ training, sales systems and marketing tools, created by Dennis Walsh & Associates, Inc. Based in Newport Beach, Calif., the company is owned and operated by nationally recognized new home, real estate and construction experts Dennis and Teresa Walsh. The Walshes have established Certified New Home Specialist™ as the No. 1 brand of training and support products for new home sales success. To learn more contactus@sellnewhomes.com.

CONTRACTOR CONNECTIONSM www.contractorconnection.com Contractor Connection®, an industry leader in contractor-managed repair and home improvement services, provides insurance carriers and consumers a national network of residential and commercial contractors who are vetted and managed for performance, measuring quality, timeliness and customer satisfaction. For more information, please visit www.contractorconnection.com.

CRS DATA www.crsdata.com Since 1989, CRS Data has provided you with a wealth of tax data. Our new, customized MLS Tax Suite by CRS Data integrates seamlessly into your MLS system and gives REALTORS® current tax data, detailed maps and robust features on all browsers and mobile devices. Find listings and FSBOs quickly, evaluate them effectively and give clients professional presentations. We’re proud to provide a personal customer service experience to support our intuitive MLS Tax Suite. Learn more by visiting www.crsdata.com.

DOCUSIGN (866) 219-4318 • www.docusign.com/nar • Seattle, Wash.

• Suzanne Alberti, Marketing Campaigns Program Manager - Web DocuSign is part of the National Association of REALTORS®’ Second Century Ventures investment portfolio and is the official and exclusive provider of ESIGN services for NAR members under the REALTOR Benefits® program. Offering the exclusive REALTOR® Edition, DocuSign is the safe, secure way to electronically send, sign and store real estate documents. DocuSigned documents are legally binding and backed with an audit trail.

DOTSIGNAL (866) 403-6010 • www.dotsignal.com Dotsignal is a mobile platform company with a single focus of helping clients engage with consumers using mobile technology. Dotsignal RE is designed to make “mobile” a significant part of the real estate brokerage business. Dotsignal was founded by CEO Matthew Simons in 2010 and represents the mobile initiatives of enterprise clients spanning a range of industries, including some of the largest and most respected brands in real estate. For more information, visit www.Dotsignal.com and www.facebook.com/dotsignal.

ENGEL & VÖLKERS (212) 234-3100 • www.evusa.com Since its beginning in 1977 as a specialty boutique providing exclusive, high-end real estate services in Hamburg, Germany, Engel & Völkers has become one of the world’s leading companies specializing in the sale and lease of premium residential and commercial property, yachts and private jets. Engel & Völkers currently operates a global network of over 7,000 real estate advisors in more than 750 brokerages and 43 commercial offices spanning 37 countries across six continents, offering both private and institutional clients a professionally tailored range of luxury services.

Committed to exceptional service, Engel & Völkers supports its advisors with an array of premium quality business services; marketing programs and tools; multiple platforms for mobile, social and web; as well as access to its global network of real estate professionals, property listings and market data.

THE ENTRUST GROUP (800) 392-9653 • www.TheEntrustGroup.com The Entrust Group (“Entrust”) has been the industry leader in account administration services and education for Real Estate IRAs for more than 34 years. Entrust helps real estate professionals grow their business by assisting their clients in the purchase of real estate with their retirement funds, an option typically unavailable through banks and brokerage firms. Entrust provides personal service, a knowledgeable staff, and education to make real estate investing with IRAs straightforward and compliant.

ERA FRANCHISE SYSTEMS, LLC (800) 869-1260 • www.era.com • Madison, N.J. • Charlie Young, President & CEO Since 1971, ERA Franchise Systems, LLC, a global residential real estate leader, has set new standards in customer service, technology and training for the real estate industry. Top-notch offerings from ERA Real Estate include the Sellers Security® Plan, a comprehensive home protection plan, and ERA.com, its award-winning consumer website. The ERA network includes approximately 2,300 independently owned and operated offices with more than 33,000 brokers and independent sales associates throughout the United States and 34 other countries and territories. ERA Franchise Systems, Inc. is a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp.

HOMEFINDER.COM (866) 920-9493 • www.homefinder.com/agents-and-brokers • Chicago, Ill. HomeFinder.com is a leading online real estate search site and provider of strategic digital marketing solutions. The 20,000 real estate agents that comprise the HomeFinder.com advertising network utilize a unique suite of product offerings, including a patent pend-

ing Single Property Website. Through a national affiliate network of 375 online newspaper partners, HomeFinder.com is the only real estate search site to also provide relevant listing content to homebuyers through local online newspaper portals.

HOMES.COM (866) 697-3308 • http://connect.homes.com/ Homes.com offers brand advertising, lead generation, online reputation and marketing solutions to connect you with over 12.5 million consumers monthly! With a high average visit time, consumers visiting Homes.com are more engaged and more likely to buy when compared to visitors of other national real estate websites.

Connect with these motivated homebuyers and sellers with the most powerful suite of tools for your real estate business—and convert more leads to closed transactions.

HOMESMART INTERNATIONAL (800) 865-9025 • www.homesmartfranchise.com Founded in 2000, HomeSmart International is one of the fastestgrowing real estate companies in the nation with 66 offices in 14 different states, two countries and more than 7,500 agents.

HomeSmart International strives on the fundamental principles of efficiency and innovation by offering the systems and technologies necessary to stay on the leading edge of success.

HSA HOME WARRANTY (800) 367-1448 • www.onlinehsa.com • Madison, Wis. • Mike Clear, President HSA Home Warranty provides home warranty coverage in 48 states and E&O insurance in all 50 states. The HSA Home Warranty repairs or replaces mechanical systems and appliances that fail due to normal wear and tear during the coverage period. With HSA Home Warranty, real estate professionals minimize their risk by lowering their exposure to liability. They avoid post-sale disputes about who should pay for the repair, and they can get the problem fixed quickly and conveniently by making just one call to HSA.

LEADING REAL ESTATE COMPANIES OF THE WORLD® 312-424-0400 • www.LeadingRE.com Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® is a selective global community of the highest quality independent real estate companies. We exist to make our members better by connecting them to opportunities and people around the globe, supporting them with a global referral network, professional development programs, unique events and connections to people and opportunities worldwide. For more information on our 500 firms that span over 50 countries with 120,000 sales professionals, visit: LeadingRE.com.

MOXI WORKS (206) 673-4591 • www.moxiworks.com Moxi Works is a residential brokerage services company that makes agents significantly more productive and brokerages more profitable by helping them effectively run their businesses. Moxi Works’ integrated tools are centered on a sphere-based selling process that drastically increases agents’ repeat and referral business, while lowering overall technology costs for the brokerage.

Brokerages with Moxi Works collectively sell over $72 billion worth of homes annually.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 91

MRE – WIN LOCAL®

THE PERSONAL MARKETING COMPANY

(877) 720-0988 • www.MobileRealEstateID.com · Seth Kaplan, National Sales Director MRE – Win Local® is a mobile marketing and technology company that helps real estate agents, brokers and real estate-related firms power their mobile initiatives. Our suite of products for real estate professionals allows them to incorporate complex mobile technology throughout their existing marketing mix to reach consumers on all mobile devices. MRE – Win Local® will ensure real estate professionals are positioned to promote their brand and listings to buyers and sellers across all mobile devices.

(800) 458-8245 • www.tpmco.com • Lenexa, Kan. The Personal Marketing Company creates marketing systems for agents to become known in their market and attract clients for long-term success. Our marketing development team brings proven marketing expertise, cutting-edge technology and personal service to develop customized marketing solutions which can include: direct mail, email marketing, contact management, prospecting and farming, newsletter programs, FSBO and expired campaigns, client follow-up systems and marketing planning services.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

(800) 294-5591 • www.pillartopost.com • Tampa, Fla. · Jay Gregg, Marketing Founded in 1994, Pillar To Post is now the largest home inspection company in North America with over 400 franchisees located in 47 states and eight Canadian provinces. The Pillar To Post difference includes printing a computer generated report on-site at the time of the inspection, requiring each inspector to carry $1 million in E+O insurance that covers both the agent and the broker, and three unique home inspection packages designed to better suit the individual needs of our clients.

(800) 874-6500 • www.REALTOR.org • Chicago, Ill. • Dale Stinton, Chief Executive Officer •B ob Goldberg, Sr. VP, Sales & Marketing, Business Development & Strategic Investments, Professional Development, Conventions • K enneth Burlington, VP, Strategic Alliances, Business Development, Product & Sales Management • Karen Bebart, VP, Marketing, Digital Marketing, Marketing Research • Matt Lombardi, VP, Conventions •M arc Gould, VP, Business Specialties; Dean, Student Services, REALTOR® University • Mark Birschbach, VP Strategic Investments, Second Century Ventures The term REALTOR® identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. NAR members have access to the REALTOR Benefits® Program, the official member benefits resource for discounts and special offers on products and services just for REALTORS®. Program partners are industry leaders who understand the unique needs of real estate professionals and are committed to your success. Visit www.REALTOR.org/RealtorBenefits. NAR is also proud to make the .REALTOR domain available exclusively to members to help them stand out in the marketplace as the trusted source for real estate for consumers. Visit http://about.

REALTOR. And, for a lifetime of learning, REALTOR® University can take your career to the next level with continuing education courses, earning a designation or certification, or a Master in Real Estate degree. Visit www.REALTORU.com. The REALTOR® Store features print and ePublications including top-selling “The Little Red Book: Safety Rules to Live by for REALTORS®,” and the “2015 NAR Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers.” Visit http://store.REALTOR.org. Additionally, NAR’s venture capital arm, Second Century Ventures, has invested in companies that push forward innovation in the real estate industry and can benefit NAR’s members. Visit www.secondcenturyventures.com.

ON THE MOVE, INC. (800) 645-9949 • www.onthemovetrucks.com • Boerne, Texas • Susan Nash, President/CEO • Sylvain Mallaise, Director of Sales • CJ Steen, Marketing Director On The Move’s trucks are moving billboards personalized with your company’s graphics and can be used for free by your clients.

This moving billboard can be driven around town by drivers you do not have to pay, using gas you do not have to provide, while making thousands of visual impressions daily. A billboard can cost more than $1,000 per month. For less money you can obtain a rental truck for your clients to use and to even donate its use for community goodwill.

92 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

PILLAR TO POST HOME INSPECTORS

QUICKEN LOANS (866) 718-9842 • AgentRelations@QuickenLoans.com For more than 30 years, Quicken Loans has been celebrated for providing an amazing mortgage experience. In fact, J.D. Power ranked Quicken Loans highest in client satisfaction for mortgage origination the last six years. Along with being the second largest mortgage lender, Quicken Loans leads the industry in technology. Quicken Loans launched Rocket Mortgage—the first ever completely online mortgage experience. Whether applying for a mortgage online or with a mortgage banker, Quicken Loans is committed to client experience.

THE REAL ESTATE BOOK (770) 962-7220 • www.realestatebook.com • Lawrenceville, Ga. The Real Estate Book’s multimedia marketing packages combine print with mobile and digital tools to create the most effective personal branding and lead generation tools and the most complete integrated media buy available. Included are interactive and locally distributed print ads; SMS text lead generation; personally branded Web, tablet and mobile sites; GPS-enabled yard signs and more. Go to Store.RealEstateBook.com to find your local Real Estate Book representative.

REAL LIVING REAL ESTATE (866) 373-6228 • www.realliving.com Real Living Real Estate is a full-service real estate brokerage network with a comprehensive and integrated suite of resources for franchisees and their sales professionals, as well as the consumers who work with them. The Real Living brand was recognized by Entrepreneur magazine, has received Inman Innovator Awards, and was named “the Most Promising New National Brand” by the 2013 Swanepoel TRENDS Report. Real Living Real Estate is a network brand of HSF Affiliates LLC, majority owned by HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate.

REALOGY HOLDINGS CORP.

RIS CONSULTING SERVICES

(973) 407-7215 • www.realogy.com • Madison, N.J. • Mark Panus, SVP, Corporate Communications Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY) is a global leader in residential real estate franchising with company­-owned real estate brokerage operations doing business under its franchise systems as well as relocation and title services. Realogy’s brands and business units include Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, CENTURY 21®, Coldwell Banker®, Coldwell Banker Commercial®, The Corcoran Group®, ERA®, Sotheby’s International Realty®, ZipRealty®, NRT LLC, Cartus and Title Resource Group. Collectively, Realogy’s franchise system members operate approximately 13,600 offices with more than 257,700 independent sales associates doing business in 110 countries and territories worldwide.

(203) 852-4304 • Norwalk, Conn.

• John Sculley, Managing Dir. • Peg Guinta, Projects Dir. RIS Consulting Services is an independent relocation consulting firm dedicated to designing and implementing comprehensive solutions to mobility issues. We deliver a full range of consulting services to our diverse corporate and relocation service company clients. The executives of RIS Consulting utilize their industry and specialty knowledge to analyze your situation, develop strategic options and implement designed solutions.

ENGAGE WITH REALTOR.COM® (800) 878-4166 Realtor.com® is real estate’s most accurate site, with listings pulled directly from over 850 MLSs and most listings updated every 15 minutes. Homes for sale on realtor.com® only display the real listing price established between seller and broker, not inaccurate machine generated estimates. Visit realtor.com®.

REALTORS PROPERTY RESOURCE® (888) 914-7771 • http://blog.narrpr.com • Chicago, Ill. • Dale Ross, CEO • Marty Frame, President • Jeff Young, Chief of Operations Realtors Property Resource® (RPR) is a national, parcel-centric database which is a free, exclusive benefit for REALTOR® members of the National Association of REALTORS®. The database provides REALTORS® with all available information about every parcel of residential and commercial property in the United States, giving brokers and agents valuable tools and features to make them better informed in order to increase their efficiency in the marketplace.

REALTY ONE GROUP www.RealtyONEGroup.com • (888) 461-0101 Realty ONE Group is a full-service real estate brokerage with more than 4,000 associates. It focuses on providing ethical, professional and results-oriented services to property owners and prospective real estate buyers. Since its inception in 2005, the company has grown to become the No. 1 real estate brokerage in Nevada and the fastest-growing real estate company in Arizona and California.

For more information, visit www.RealtyONEGroup.com.

RE/MAX, LLC (303) 770-5531 • www.remax.com • Denver, Colo.

RE/MAX was founded in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger, who still manage the company today. From a single office in Denver, Colo., RE/MAX has grown to be a global real estate franchise network with more than 100,000 Sales Associates in nearly 100 countries. The consumer website, remax.com, is consistently ranked among the most visited real estate websites, and LeadStreet provides referrals to RE/MAX Sales Associates with no fees from RE/MAX. To learn how RE/MAX can take your career to the next level, visit www.joinremax.com.

RISMEDIA’S TOP 5 IN REAL ESTATE NETWORK® (203) 853-2167 • www.Top5inRealEstate.com RISMedia’s Top 5 in Real Estate® is a membership network of leading real estate professionals who wish to “raise the bar.” Top 5 in Real Estate is a network of select real estate professionals from throughout the U.S. and Canada who have met the Top 5 in Real Estate’s stringent series of various career qualifications and who are committed to the future development of their professional skills and services to the consumers and the communities they serve.

STEWART TITLE Stewart is a customer-focused, global title insurance and real estate services company offering products and services through our direct operations, network of approved agencies and other companies within the Stewart family. Stewart offers personalized service, industry expertise and customized solutions for virtually any type of real estate transaction. Real estate services include title insurance; mobile applications; eco-friendly closings; SureClose® document management system; specialty insurance services; commercial and global expertise and more. For more information, visit www.stewart.com.

TOP PRODUCER® CRM (800) 821-3657 • www.TopProducer.com Top Producer® CRM is the super fast, super easy real estate marketing system that makes it a breeze to build your loyal client base. Keep your sales pipeline running smoothly, follow up automatically, and manage your business in minutes with Top Producer® CRM. Visit TopProducer.com.

WORKMAN SUCCESS SYSTEMS (801) 987-0085 • www.VerlWorkman.com • Salt Lake City, Utah · Rusty Keys, Events Manager For more than a decade, Verl Workman has been one of the real estate industry’s most popular speakers. Verl delivers the necessary performance skills, the latest and most effective tools, practical lead-generating methods, proven dialogues and systems that work in order to achieve top performance and industry excellence.

ZIPLOGIX (866) 693-6767 • www.zipLogix.com With more than 20 years of experience developing real estate-focused software solutions and used by more real estate professionals than any other program, zipLogix has been established as the industry standard. This experience delivers a completely integrated real estate solution system that is led by zipForm® Plus, the exclusive and official forms software of the National Association of REALTORS®.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 93

RREIN Member Profiles ASCENT REAL ESTATE, INC. (619) 325-4100 • www.ascentrealestate.net Owned and operated in San Diego since 2005, Ascent Real Estate embodies an enviable combination of entrepreneurial energy, comprehensive industry experience, and local market knowledge.

This mix lets Ascent “out national” its local competition, thanks to its exceptional professional team and world-class infrastructure, and “out local” the national competition, thanks to its laser-like focus on the specific markets in which it operates. Our highly productive sales team of approximately 140 agents has elevated Ascent as a leader in marketshare in the Metro San Diego areas that we service. Our agents receive ongoing training and education, and they go above and beyond to deliver the diligent and ethical standard of care we are committed to providing. And, as the exclusive San Diego affiliate of Leverage Global Partners, Ascent Real Estate is a hyper-local brokerage with a global reach.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES AMBASSADOR REAL ESTATE (402) 493-4663 or (800) 477-7653 agents@BHHSamb.com • www.BHHSamb.com Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate is dedicated to providing progressive, quality real estate services in Nebraska’s metropolitan Omaha and Lincoln surrounding areas. We service all types of markets: single-family residential, new construction, condos, corporate relocation, third-party relocation, acreages and commercial real estate. With approximately 400 licensed agents, we have an agent to meet your needs regardless of the style, price or age of the property you are looking for. We look forward to helping you sell your home or find that dream home you are looking for. We believe in each other and ourselves. We understand that trust is earned and that good, professional service is an essential part of that.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES C. DAN JOYNER, REALTORS® (800) 476-6650 · www.cdanjoyner.com Locally owned and operated, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS® has been serving communities in Upstate South Carolina since 1964. With more than 275 agents on board and nine offices serving the Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson area, we are ready to assist with any commercial and residential real estate need. In addition to residential and commercial sales, we also offer corporate services, relocation and property management. With a passion for fostering long-term relationships with our customers and clients while upholding the highest level of professionalism, it’s easy to see why we’ve been the No. 1 real estate company in the Upstate for more than 20 years.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES FLORIDA NETWORK REALTY (904) 296-1906 • www.FloridaNetworkRealty.com or www.BHHSFloridaNetworkRealty.com Since 1988, Founder, President and CEO Linda H. Sherrer has led a team of more than 300 real estate professionals in eight branch 94 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

offices in the buying and selling of residential property throughout Northeast Florida. The company also operates a corporate REO and relocation division, a builder sales and marketing division, a title company, a referral company and is in a mortgage partnership with EverBank. During the past decade, the company has sold more than 31,000 homes valued at more than $8.5 billion.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES FLORIDA REALTY (954) 693-0100 • (800) 386-1554 www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com • Sunrise, Fla. • Rei Mesa, CRS, CRB, President & CEO Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty (formerly Prudential Florida Realty) is a full-service brokerage servicing 17 counties throughout Florida and is a wholly owned subsidiary of WCI Communities, Inc. It is a franchise member of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. The company is the fifth largest brokerage in the nation among the affiliate network brokers and offers residential and commercial services, seasonal rentals, property management, REO & foreclosures, corporate relocations, referral services, mortgage, title, insurance, home service plans, and personal concierge services. BHHS Florida Realty is the No. 1 Fundraiser for The Sunshine Kids, having raised over $2.3 million since 2001.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES FOX & ROACH, REALTORS® (610) 889-7705 • www.foxroach.com Now the nation’s second largest provider of total home services, the company has 4,000 Sales Associates in 65 sales offices throughout the Tri-State area. These two legendary companies have joined forces to begin a new era in real estate. Through its affiliate, the Trident Group, the company provides one-stop shopping and facilitated services to its clients including mortgage financing and title, property and casualty insurance. For more information on Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS®, go to www.foxroach.com.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES GEORGIA PROPERTIES (770) 992-4100 • www.BHHSGeorgia.com Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties has 22 locations and 1,100 agents, and is an independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Under the leadership of CEO Dan Forsman, the company is known for innovation and delivering exceptional value to associates and their clients. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties is ranked No. 1 in homes sold, buyers represented and overall transactions for 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010 for the Greater Metro Atlanta area.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES NEVADA PROPERTIES (800) 735-4488 • www.BHHSNV.com With more than 260,000 homes sold and 35 years in the industry, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties is the leader in Las Vegas real estate. Consistently rated among the top brokers in the nation, our agents successfully help families find their dream homes. With six area offices, Berkshire Hathaway Ho-

meServices Nevada Properties is a full-service brokerage focused on quality service and the development of its agents. Call today to see how we can help increase your business.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES SELECT PROPERTIES (314) 835-6000 • www.bhhsselectstl.com Since 2002, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties has helped keep the St. Louis real estate market local. With 11 offices in the metro area, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select ranks as the No. 1 locally-owned real estate firm in St. Louis. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select prides itself on providing the highest quality real estate brokerage services to its clients and customers and takes pride in being recognized in the community for high standards and ethics.

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS REAL ESTATE MASON-MCDUFFIE (888) 971-4636 • www.bhghome.com Founded in 1887 as Mason-McDuffie Real Estate and transitioning to the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Mason-McDuffie name in 2010, we are the 17th largest real estate services firm in the nation (RISMedia), No. 1 in the San Francisco East Bay (SF Business Times), and a leading innovator of real estate technology solutions to our agents and clients. With 29 offices and 1,700 agents, we bring a fresh approach to the business through the universal awareness of the Better Homes and Gardens brand.

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS REAL ESTATE RAND REALTY info@randrealty.com • www.RandRealty.com Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty, founded in 1984, is the No. 1 real estate brokerage serving the northern suburbs of New York City, covering the counties of Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Sullivan and Putnam in New York and Bergen and Passaic in New Jersey. Rand has more than 850 sales associates, a commercial real estate company (Rand Commercial Services) along with title, mortgage, and insurance services (Hudson United). The companies can be found online at RandRealty.com, RandCommercial.com and HudsonUnited.com.

CALCAGNI REAL ESTATE (203) 272-1821 • www.calcagni.com • www.land-consulting.com Calcagni Associates is the premier independently owned and operated real estate company servicing central Connecticut for over four decades. We understand the benefits of providing service that goes beyond what is expected and pride ourselves on establishing lifelong relationships with our clients. In addition to residential real estate, we also specialize in land consulting and new construction, and have divisions that handle bank-owned properties and commercial real estate.

CENTURY 21 ALLPOINTS REALTY (800) 525-7793 • www.C21AllPointsRealty.com CENTURY 21 AllPoints Realty is an award-winning, full-service real estate company with six offices serving Connecticut. We work with buyers and sellers in our own communities and throughout the country, establishing lifelong relationships by delivering outstanding service when it comes to any of their real estate needs.

CENTURY 21 AWARD (800) 293-1657 • www.century21award.com CENTURY 21 Award is the premier southern California-based, full-service real estate company serving San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties from 15 distinctive office locations. Our 1,000 professional agents and staff are fully equipped to assist you with all of your real estate needs. Our services include residential, commercial, relocation, property management and bank-owned properties.

CENTURY 21 NEW MILLENNIUM (800) 727-6888 • www.c21nm.com CENTURY 21 New Millennium is a full-service real estate brokerage in the greater Washington, D.C. area. The company, which specializes in residential and luxury properties, joined the CENTURY 21® System in 1998 and has established a sound and successful organization providing traditional residential and commercial services, on-site mortgage, title, property management, and access to a vast network of relocation and other real estate service providers worldwide. It has earned the status of No. 1 CENTURY 21 Firm in the World for the past three years. With 18 locations and approximately 750 real estate professionals, New Millennium is consistently included in REALTOR® Magazine’s Top 100 Companies List for all real estate firms nationwide regardless of brand.

It is also a past winner of the prestigious Cartus Masters Cup, the Network’s highest honor. The Cartus Broker Network is the largest relocation network in the world and includes more than 775 hand selected brokerages in the United States.

COACH REALTORS® (800) 321-7356 x139 • www.coachrealtors.com · LP Finn, Operating Officer, LP@coachrealtors.com Coach REALTORS® is a Long Island-based, full-service real estate company with 18 office locations and over 600 sales associates serving Nassau and Suffolk counties, N.Y. Coach REALTORS® is an exclusive affiliate of Christie’s Great Estates, a division of the famed auction house, a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® and has been recognized by Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate for over 14 years.

COLDWELL BANKER ADVANTAGE (800) 274-5345 • info@AdvantageCB.com Coldwell Banker Advantage is a leading real estate company in the Fayetteville/Triangle area of North Carolina and is a nationally ranked Coldwell Banker office serving the communities of Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Cary, Raleigh, Wake Forest, Creedmoor, Clayton, Durham, Benson, Southern Pines, Pinehurst and Lake Gaston. Coldwell Banker Advantage represents the highest levels of experience, knowledge and customer service. Our full-service office can assist with mortgage financing, insurance, title insurance and in-house Concierge Service.

COLDWELL BANKER D’ANN HARPER, REALTORS® (210) 483-7002 • www.cbharper.com Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper, REALTORS® is the largest full-service real estate company serving the entire greater San Antonio metropolitan area, New Braunfels, Boerne, Bandera, Kerrville, Fredericksburg and Hill Country markets, representing buyers and sellers in all phases of their transactions. Since opening in 1986, the company has become a trusted name in the real estate industry. With eight offices, over 350 sales associates and over 100 support staff, the RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 95

company’s extensively trained representatives have knowledge and expertise to service all aspects of the real estate business. Core services include global relocation, property management and rentals, commercial sales and leasing and mortgage financing.

COLDWELL BANKER KAPPEL GATEWAY REALTY (800) 426-0898 • www.KappelGateway.com Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty was created through the merger of Kappel & Kappel Realty, Inc. and Solano Gateway Realty, Inc. Both firms, founded in 1972, are the market leaders in Solano County, combining more than $600 million in sales dollar volume in 2012 and welcoming more than 240 agents in seven offices serving Solano County, with branch offices in Vacaville, Fairfield, Dixon and Green Valley. Eighty-five percent of our business is derived from returning and referred clients, a true testament to our clients’ high level of satisfaction with our services and our trusted real estate professionals.

COLDWELL BANKER PRIME PROPERTIES (866) 323-2277 • www.ColdwellBankerPrime.com With 15 sales offices and 500+ full-time real estate professionals, Coldwell Banker Prime Properties is the No. 1 Coldwell Banker affiliate in New York State. Coldwell Banker Prime Properties is a full-service brokerage dedicated to meeting and exceeding the needs of their clients, customers and sales associates. If you want a successful career in real estate, call us today.

DIANE TURTON, REALTORS® (877) DTURTON • www.dianeturton.com Founded in 1986, Diane Turton, REALTORS® is a full-service real estate company with 16 offices throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties in New Jersey. Whether you’re looking to buy, sell or rent in New Jersey, you’ll receive service that will surpass your expectations. Diane Turton, REALTORS® consistently ranks in the top of the markets it serves. The firm also provides a full range of financial services through Turton Signature Services, including home mortgages, property and casualty insurance and title insurance.

FILLMORE REAL ESTATE (800) 528-6673 • www.fillmore.com Fillmore Real Estate is the New York Metro Area’s largest independently owned real estate broker. Specializing in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Bronx and parts of Westchester, Fillmore has residential, commercial and rental divisions. For more information, visit us at www.fillmore.com or call us at (800) 528-6673.

FIRST TEAM® REAL ESTATE (888) 236-1943 • www.FirstTeam.com First Team® Real Estate is the No. 1 privately held real estate company in Southern California with 2,000 agents and employees across 60 locations. First Team wins marketshare in any economic climate through innovation and proprietary marketing tools, and by successfully targeting the luxury market with First Team Estates®. Contact First Team today to find out how we have helped thousands of families realize their dream of homeownership— and how we can help you find yours.

96 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

GARDNER, REALTORS® (800) 566-7801 • www.GardnerRealtors.com Since 1943, GARDNER, REALTORS® continues our tradition of excellence as the leading full-service real estate company in the Southeast Louisiana and Southern Mississippi Region. The GARDNER Real Estate Family includes over 800 real estate professionals in 24 neighborhood offices that serve over 100 communities. Our professional services include residential and commercial sales and leasing, relocation and corporate services, asset management/REO and property management, plus the convenience and added value of one-stop shopping for mortgage, title and home warranty services. We are proud to be home grown, locally owned and internationally known.

Also, we love to give back to the communities we serve through GARDNER LOVE, which is the philanthropic arm of GARDNER, REALTORS® and The Gertrude Gardner Foundation.

GLORIA NILSON & CO. REAL ESTATE (732) 450-2300 • www.glorianilson.com Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate, owned by Dick Schlott, has serviced the most discerning buyers and sellers of residential real estate in New Jersey for over 35 years with more than 700 sales associates within our 23 offices throughout New Jersey and Bucks County, Pa. As an exclusive affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, along with our luxury lifestyle magazine we offer our clients and associates the most cutting edge marketing services both, globally and locally. For additional information about Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate, please visit www.glorianilson.com.

J. ROCKCLIFF REALTORS® (925) 251-2501 • www.rockcliff.com • www.rockliffcares.com J. Rockcliff REALTORS®, located east of San Francisco, is the East Bay’s premier real estate company. Recently named No. 1 in residential sales (in the East Bay) by the San Francisco Business Times, J. Rockcliff specializes in service. With leading-edge technology, state-of-the-art marketing across multiple mediums, the most experienced management team in the Bay Area and dedicated, ethical and professional agents, our goal is to provide a client experience that is second to none. With almost 600 agents and nine offices, J. Rockcliff REALTORS® is the fastest-growing real estate company in the East Bay.

JORDAN BARIS, INC., REALTORS® (800) 4-JBARIS • (973) 736-1600 • www.JordanBaris.com info@jordanbaris.com Founded in 1952, Jordan Baris Inc., REALTORS® is among the most respected full-service real estate brokerages in Northern New Jersey. With a team of close to 150 associates, the firm operates offices in West Orange and South Orange, with teams focused on Essex, Morris, Union and Hudson counties. Jordan Baris, Inc. offers real estate brokerage to buyers and sellers of residential and commercial properties, developers, tenants and landlords; title services through JB Title Agency, LLC; and global relocation services through its membership with the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.

KINLIN GROVER REAL ESTATE REAL LIVING

PATTERSON-SCHWARTZ REAL ESTATE

(508) 420-1130 • www.kinlingrover.com Kinlin Grover has 16 real estate offices covering Cape Cod from the bridges to Provincetown, specializing in the marketing and sale of waterfront, village, commercial properties and fine homes. From the very beginning, the Kinlin Grover mission has remained constant: “To help our clients make the best real estate decisions and to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.” In addition, Kinlin Grover Vacation Rentals is the largest real estate firm on Cape Cod with over 600 privately owned Cape Cod Vacation Rental Homes. We value every client and pledge to deliver unsurpassed service as trusted advisors, expert facilitators and skilled negotiators.

(877) 456-4663 • www.pattersonschwartz.com pattersonschwartz@psre.com Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate is Delaware’s largest independent REALTOR® with 50 years of service to the Delaware real estate market and surrounding communities in nearby Pennsylvania and Maryland. With seven offices and 350 sales associates, we are committed to excellence, integrity and quality service. We offer a full range of services, including residential home sales, purchase and rental, relocation services and property management.

LONG & FOSTER REAL ESTATE, INC. (866) 677-6937 ∙ www.LongandFoster.com Long & Foster Real Estate, the largest independent residential real estate company in the country, is part of The Long & Foster Companies, which includes Prosperity Home Mortgage, Long & Foster Insurance and Long & Foster Settlement Services. It is the exclusive affiliate for Christie’s International Real Estate throughout select parts of the Mid-Atlantic, and a founding affiliate of LeadingRE, a prestigious global network that includes Luxury Portfolio International®. Long & Foster represents over 10,000 agents in seven states, plus Washington, D.C.

LUSK & ASSOCIATES SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY (717) 291-9101 • www.LuskandAssociates.com When you work with Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty, you can count on specialists who can answer your questions, apply in-depth knowledge of current market conditions, and access extensive resources that can expedite the sale of your home. Call us today for your real estate needs.

MCCOLLY REAL ESTATE (800) 348-2100 x206 • www.mccolly.com Since 1974, thousands of families in Northwest Indiana and Chicago Southland have trusted their home-buying, -selling and relocation needs to the more than 500 sales professionals at McCOLLY Real Estate. We’ve created a one-stop shopping environment to save you time and money with our in-house mortgage, title and rental services.

PAGE TAFT REAL LIVING (203) 453-6511 • www.pagetaft.com Since opening its Guilford office in 1980, Page Taft has expanded its presence with offices in the historic towns of Madison and Essex, Conn. Page Taft agents foster long-term relationships with clients based on a strong foundation of trust and an unsurpassed commitment to excellence. These unique strengths set us apart from our competitors and make us your most valuable resource in fulfilling your real estate needs.

RANDALL, REALTORS® REAL LIVING (401) 364-3388 • www.randallrealtors.com Randall, REALTORS® Real Living has been a consistent leader in the marketing of Southern New England properties for more than 28 years. Specializing in waterfront properties and second homes, our agents boast a 98.5 percent client satisfaction rating.

Through our extensive marketing network, we offer tremendous exposure for our property listings and continue to deliver successful sales and representation for our clients. In addition, Randall, REALTORS®’ Vacation Rental Department offers a large selection of vacation rental properties serving the Southern Rhode Island shoreline and Eastern Connecticut.

RE/MAX 440 AND RE/MAX CENTRAL (215) 453-7653 • www.pahomesforsale.com • Tom Skiffington, Broker/Owner, tom@tomskiffington.com RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central is a first-class, professional real estate company. Our goal is to provide the most prompt, courteous and professional services to all our customers and clients. We are the leading RE/MAX in Pennsylvania and Delaware with the highest sales volume and transactions. RE/MAX 440/Central has 10 different offices in Bucks, Montgomery and Lehigh counties.

RE/MAX GATEWAY (703) 652-5760 • www.gateway2realestate.com The real estate market is ever changing. It takes constant evaluation, review of recent trends to forecast a potential future and education of agents through mastermind groups and real estate information exchanges. These are areas in which we excel at RE/MAX Gateway. Contact us today if you are looking to advance your career in real estate through a multitude of educational experiences and resources, or if you need real estate advice in order to make informed decisions when buying and selling houses.

RE/MAX PROFESSIONALS (303) 455-3300 • www.homesbythepro.com RE/MAX Professionals boasts the finest REALTORS® in the Denver Metro Area. For more than 30 years we have led the industry in sales, technology and professionalism. Recently, RE/MAX Professionals was recognized as the fastest-growing RE/MAX in the world with nearly 400 licensed agents.

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YOUR BROKER-TO-BROKER SOURCE FOR REFERRALS FROM REAL ESTATE’S LEADING RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE COMPANIES CALIFORNIA

COLORADO

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Mason-McDuffie 2260 Douglas Blvd., Ste. 140, Roseville, CA 95661 Contact: Linda Howard, President, Network Services Tel: (916) 488-1787 (Direct) • (800) 451-3131 (Toll Free) • Fax: 916-488-3749 Email: linda.howard@bhghome.com URL: www.bhghome.com Coverage Areas: Northern California, Northern Nevada Offices: 29 • Associates: 1,700

CONNECTICUT

CENTURY 21 Award - Orange County 22342 Avenida Empresa, Ste. 110, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 Contact: Joshua Tucker, Director of Relocation Services Tel: (760) 217-2491 (Toll Free) • Fax: (619) 374-2706 Email: jtucker@century21award.com Coverage Areas: Orange County Offices: 15 • Associates: 1,200

CENTURY 21 AllPoints Realty 117 North Main St., Southington, CT 06489 Contact: Kelly Peterson, COO • Tel: (800) 525-7793 Email: C21KellyPeterson@gmail.com URL: www.c21allpointsrealty.com Coverage Areas: Southington, Cheshire, Plainville, Bristol, Farmington, Newington, Berlin, New Britain, Waterbury, Watertown, West Hartford, Enfield, Somers, Suffield, Manchester, Windsor, South Windsor, East Hartford, Vernon, Tolland, Granby, New Haven, Branford, Northford, Meriden, Wallingford, North Haven, East Haven, Guilford, Old Saybrook, Orange, Naugatuck, Milford Office: 6 • Associates: 214

Ascent Real Estate, Inc. 410 Kalmia St., San Diego, CA 92101 Contact: Client Services • Tel: (619) 325-4140 Email: info@ascentrealestate.net URL: www.ascentrealestate.net Coverage Areas: San Diego Offices: 7 • Associates: 140

CENTURY 21 Award - San Diego, Riverside 7676 Hazard Center Dr., Ste. 300, San Diego, CA 92108 Contact: Joshua Tucker, Director of Relocation Services Tel: (760) 217-2491 (Toll Free) • Fax: (619) 374-2706 Email: jtucker@century21award.com Coverage Areas: San Diego, Southern Riverside Offices: 15 • Associates: 1,200 Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty 750 Mason St., Ste. 101, Vacaville, CA 95688 Contact: Rachel Guerin Phone: (707) 427-5344 or (800) 426-0898 • Fax: (707) 446-9830 Email: info@kappelgateway.com URL: www.KappelGateway.com Coverage Areas: Vacaville, Benicia, Davis, Dixon, Fairfield, Napa, Rio Vista, Suisun City Vallejo and Winters, Calif.

Offices: 7 • Associates: 240 First Team® Real Estate 108 Pacifica Ave., Ste. 300, Irvine, CA 92618 Contact: Gayle D. Glew CRP, CRB, Director, Relocation and Corporate Services Toll Free: (855) 858-8028 Email: gayleglew@firstteam.com URL: www.firstteam.com Coverage Areas: Southern California counties of Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego Offices: 36 • Associates: 1,865 J. Rockcliff REALTORS® Headquarters Office: 4115 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Ste. 201, Danville, CA, 94506 Contact: Robin Dickson, CRS, GRI, Executive Vice President Tel: (O) (925) 251-2501, (C) (925) 324-1323, (TF) 877-JRCKCLF (572-2523) Email: rdickson@rockcliff.com • URL(s): www.rockcliff.com • www.rockliffcares.com Coverage Areas: Alameda County: Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Dublin Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, Sunol, Union City; Contra Costa County: Alamo, Antioch, Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Canyon, Clayton, Concord, Crockett, Danville, Diablo, Discovery Bay, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Hercules, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill Port Costa, Richmond, Rodeo, San Pablo, San Ramon, Walnut Creek; San Joaquin County: Country Club, Lathrop, Lodi, Manteca, Mountain House, Stockton, Tracy, Silicon Valley/San Jose area 98 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

RE/MAX Professionals 390 Union Blvd., Lakewood, CO 80228 Contact: Brad Whitehouse, Broker/Owner Tel: (303) 268-4236 (office) • (303) 887-5159 (mobile) Email: bradwhitehouse@remax.net • URL: www.homesbythepros.com Coverage Areas: Denver and surrounding areas Offices: 8 • Associates: 380 Calcagni Real Estate 330 South Main St., Cheshire, CT 06410 Contact: Steven Calcagni, President Tel: (203) 272-1821 ext. 302 Email: Steven_Calcagni@calcagni.com • URL: www.calcagni.com Coverage Areas: New Haven County, Central Connecticut Offices: 4 • Associates: 140

Page Taft Real Living 89 Whitfield St., Guilford, CT 06437 Contact: Karen Stephens, Executive VP • Tel: (203) 453-6511 Email: kstephens@pagetaft.com • URL: www.pagetaft.com Coverage Areas: Connecticut Offices: 3 • Associates: 60 Randall, REALTORS® Real Living 4009 Old Post Rd., Charleston, RI 02813 Contact: Jean Fournier, Dir. of Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (401) 486-9677 Email: jfournier@randallrealtors.com • URL: www.randallrealtors.com Coverage Areas: Connecticut and Rhode Island Offices: 9 • Associates: 175

DELAWARE

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS® 1 International Plaza, Ste. 100, Philadelphia, PA 19113 Contact: Linda Zanzinger, Vice President, Relocation/REO Services, Tel: (610) 595-3149 Email: Linda.Zanzinger@foxroach.com URL: www.foxroach.com Coverage Areas: Greater Philadelphia Region, Greater Allentown and Easton Region, SE Pa., Southern and Central N.J., Northern Del. Offices: 65 • Associates: 4,000 Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+

Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate 7234 Lancaster Pike, Ste. 220B, Hockessin, DE 19707 Contact: Marjorie Murray, RCC, Relocation Manager Tel: (302) 234-3600 (Office) • (302) 234-3605 (Direct) • (800) 443-2295 (Toll Free) Email: mmurray@psre.com URL: pattersonschwartz.com Coverage Areas: Delaware (New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties), Pennsylvania (Chester and Delaware counties), Maryland (Cecil, Kent and Harford counties) Offices: 8 • Associates: 350

FLORIDA

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Florida Network Realty 4190 Belfort Rd., Ste. 475, Jacksonville, FL 32216 Contact: Linda Lindenmoyer, Dir. Relocation, Referral Services and Bus. Dev. Tel: (800) 456-8036 • Direct: (904) 296-6400 ext. 313 Email: Linda.Lindenmoyer@Prunet.com URL: www.prudentialnetworkrealty.com or www.BHHSFloridaNetworkRealty.com Coverage Areas: Northeast Florida including: Jacksonville, Avondale, Ortega, San Marco, Riverside, Neptune Beach, Arlington, Southside, Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Mandarin, St. Johns, World Golf Village, St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, Crescent Beach, Orange Park, Fleming Island, Middleburg. Serving Clay, St. Johns, Duval, Flagler counties Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty 1580 Sawgrass Corporate Pkwy, Ste. 400, Sunrise, FL 33323 Contact: Rei Mesa, CRS, CRB, President, CEO Tel: (954) 693-0100 or (800) 386-1554 • Fax: (954) 236-6962 Email: ReiMesa@BHHSFloridaRealty.com URL: www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com Relocation Contact: Sharon Sapp, Vice President, Relocation, Referrals & REOs Email: sharonsapp@BHHSFloridaRealty.com Coverage Areas: 17 counties throughout Florida, including Southeast Florida, Southwest Florida and Orlando area Offering mortgage, title, insurance, home service plans, 1031 exchange services!

Offices: 39 • Associates: 1,350

GEORGIA

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties 863 Holcomb Bridge Rd., Roswell, GA 30076 Contact: Kathy Connelly, SVP Corporate Services • Tel: (678) 352-3321 Email: Kathy.Connelly@BHHSGeorgia.com URL: www.BHHSGeorgia.com Coverage Areas: Metro Atlanta and North Georgia Offices: 22 • Associates: 1,100

ILLINOIS

McCOLLY Real Estate 800 Deer Creek Dr., Schererville, IN 46375 Contact: Deborah Horton, CRP, RCC, Director of Referral/Relocation Services Tel: (800) 348-2100 ext. 206 Email: dhorton@mccolly.com URL: www.mccolly.com Coverage Areas: Alsip, Beecher, Blue Island, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Burbank, Burnham, Calumet City, Channahon, Chicago, Chicago Heights, Chicago Ridge, Clearing, Coal City, Country Club Hills, Crestwood, Crete, Dolton, Evergreen Park, Frankfort, Glenwood, Grant Park, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Hegewisch, Hickory Hills, Homer Glen, Homewood, Joliet, Kankakee, Lansing, Lemont, Lockport, Lynwood, Manhattan, Manteno, Markham, Matteson, Midlothian, Mokena, Momence, Monee, Morgan Park, Mount Greenwood, New Lenox, Oak Forest, Oak Lawn, Orland Hills, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Park Forest, Peotone, Plainfield, Posen, Richton Park, Riverdale, Romeoville, Roseland, Sauk Village, Shorewood, South Holland, St. Anne, Steger, Tinley Park, University Park, Worth Offices: 15 • Associates: 550

INDIANA

McCOLLY Real Estate 800 Deer Creek Dr., Schererville, IN 46375 Contact: Deborah Horton, CRP, RCC, Director of Referral/Relocation Services Tel: (800) 348-2100 ext. 206 Email: dhorton@mccolly.com URL: www.mccolly.com Coverage Areas: Beverly Shores, Burns Harbor, Cedar Lake, Chesterton, Crown Point, DeMotte, Dyer, East Chicago, Fair Oaks, Gary, Griffith, Hammond, Hebron, Hessville, Highland, Hobart, Kentland, Kouts, La Crosse, La Porte, Lake Station, Lake Village, Lakes of Four Seasons, Lowell, Merrillville, Michigan City, Morocco, Munster, Ogden Dunes, Portage, Porter, Rensselaer, Roselawn, Schererville, Schneider, Shelby, St. John, Sumava Resorts, Thayer, Valparaiso, Wanatah, Westville, Wheatfield, Wheeler, Whiting, Winfield Offices: 15 • Associates: 550

LOUISIANA

GARDNER, REALTORS® 3332 N. Woodlawn Ave., Metairie, LA 70006 Contact: Nancy Harmann, Director of Relocation & Corporate Services Tel: (504) 200-5080 • Cell: (504) 402-9567 • Toll Free: (800) 256-5677 Email: NHarmann@GardnerRealtors.com URL: www.GardnerRealtors.com Coverage Areas: Southeast Louisiana, including Greater New Orleans and Greater Baton Rouge, and Southern Mississippi, including the MS Gulf Coast Offering a full range of services including Residential, Commercial, Leasing, New Homes, REO, and Loss Mitigation; plus individual and corporate Relocation, Property Management and National/International Referral Network services Offices: 24 • Associates: 800

MARYLAND

CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 • Fax: (703) 822-0136 Relocation Contact: Scott Becker, Director, NM Relocation Email: move@c21nm.com URL: www.c21nm.com Coverage Areas: Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Southern Maryland markets. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation.

Offices: 16 • Associates: 700+ Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+ RE/MAX Gateway 4090B Lafayette Center Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Scott MacDonald, President Tel: (703) 652-5776 • Cell: (703) 727-6900 Email: scottmacdonald@remax.net URL: www.gateway2realestate.com Coverage Areas: Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, West Virginia Offices: 4 • Associates: 108

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 99

MASSACHUSETTS

NEW JERSEY

MISSISSIPPI

Diane Turton, REALTORS® 511 Forman Ave., Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742 Contact: Dawn Fetherston, Director of Relocation & Corporate Services Tel: 1-877-DTURTON Email: dturton@dianeturton.com • URL: www.dianeturton.com Coverage Areas: Monmouth County and Ocean County (N.J.) Member Organizations: Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, Luxury Portfolio, Luxury Real Estate Offices: 16 · Associates: 350

Kinlin Grover Real Estate Real Living 4 Wianno Ave., Osterville, MA 02655 Contact: Lucy Cundiff, Director of Agent Services Tel: (508) 420-1130 Email: lcundiff@kinlingrover.com URL: www.kinlingrover.com Coverage Areas: Southeastern Massachusetts Offices: 16 • Associates: 275 GARDNER, REALTORS® 3332 N. Woodlawn Ave., Metairie, LA 70006 Contact: Nancy Harmann, Director of Relocation & Corporate Services Tel: (504) 200-5080 • Cell: (504) 402-9567 • Toll Free: (800) 256-5677 Email: NHarmann@GardnerRealtors.com URL: www.GardnerRealtors.com Coverage Areas: Southeast Louisiana, including Greater New Orleans and Greater Baton Rouge, and Southern Mississippi, including the MS Gulf Coast Offering a full range of services including Residential, Commercial, Leasing, New Homes, REO, and Loss Mitigation; plus individual and corporate Relocation, Property Management and National/International Referral Network services.

Offices: 24 • Associates: 800

MISSOURI

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties 1650 Des Peres Rd., Ste. 205, Saint Louis, MO 63131 Contact: Angie Ignatowski, Relocation Director Tel: (314) 835-6000 • Direct (314) 835-6050 Email: aignatowski@bhhsselectstl.com URL: www.bhhsselectstl.com Coverage Areas: St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, Lincoln County Offices: 11 • Associates: Over 500

NEBRASKA

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate 13340 California St., Omaha, NE 68154 Contact: Katie Adams, CRP, GMS, VP Corp. Relocation and Business Development Tel: (800) 477-7653 or (402) 547-5137 Email: Katie.adams@BHHSamb.com URL: www.BHHSamb.com Coverage Areas: Omaha and Lincoln Metropolitan Area, including Omaha, Bellevue, Ralston, LaVista, Papillion, Gretna, Elkhorn, Fremont, Lincoln, Council Bluffs and surrounding communities

NEVADA

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties 3185 St. Rose Pkwy., Ste. 100, Henderson, NV 89052 Contact: Eileen Mitchell, Dir. of Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (800) 735-4488 Email: relo@BHHSNV.com • URL: www.BHHSNV.com Coverage Areas: Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin and Pahrump Offices: 6 • Associates: 1,050 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Mason-McDuffie 2260 Douglas Blvd., Ste. 140, Roseville, CA 95661 Contact: Linda Howard, President, Network Services Tel: (916) 488-1787 • (800) 451-3131 • Fax: (916) 488-3749 Email: linda.howard@bhghome.com URL: www.bhghome.com Coverage Areas: Northern California, Northern Nevada Offices: 35 • Associates: 2,000

100 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS® 1 International Plaza, Ste. 100, Philadelphia, PA 19113 Contact: Linda Zanzinger, Vice President, Relocation/REO Services, Tel: (610) 595-3149 Email: Linda.Zanzinger@foxroach.com • URL: www.foxroach.com Coverage Areas: Greater Philadelphia Region, Greater Allentown and Easton Region, SE Pa., Southern and Central N.J., Northern Del. Offices: 65 • Associates: 4,000

Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate 826 Alexander Rd., Princeton, NJ 08540 Contact: Patricia (Tricia) Kobos Relocation Line: (888) 467-MOVE • Direct: (609) 750-7605 Email: pkobos@glorianilson.com • URL: www.glorianilson.com Coverage Areas: Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean and Somerset counties, N.J.; Bucks County, Pa. Offices: 23 • Associates: 700+ Jordan Baris, Inc., REALTORS® 50 Mt. Pleasant Ave., West Orange, NJ 07052 Contact: Carol Abdo, Relocation Director Office: (973) 736-1600 • Toll Free: (800) 4-JBARIS • Fax: (973) 736-5159 Email: relocation@jordanbaris.com • URL: www.jordanbaris.com Coverage Areas: Essex, Union, Hudson and Morris counties. Specifically West Orange, South Orange, Maplewood, Livingston, East Hanover, Roseland, Short Hills, Montclair, Bloomfield, Belleville, Newark, East Orange, Orange, Irvington, Jersey City, North Bergen, Union, Vauxhall, Parsippany-Troy Hills Offices: 2 • Associates: 150 Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+

NEW YORK

Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty 10 Schriever Ln., New City, NY 10956 Contact: Janet Farsetta, Vice President, Relocation Tel: (845) 825-8071 Email: janet.farsetta@randrealty.com • URL: www.randrealty.com Coverage Areas: The major New York suburbs, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, Putnam, Sullivan and Ulster counties in New York Offices: 25 • Associates: More than 800 Coach REALTORS® 66 Gilbert St., Northport, NY 11768 Contact: Elaine Elish, Inbound Referral Coordinator Tel: (800) 321-7356 x138 Email: elaine@coachrealtors.com URL: www.coachrealtors.com/buying-and-selling/relocation.cfm The Coach Realtors Relocation Department understands the complexities and challenges of employee transfers and is very responsive to the many needs of relocating families. Coach’s relocation division is supported by three full-time re-

ferral coordinators: Elaine Elish, Kathy Brandofino and Roseanne Tourto. These 3 professionals draw upon more than 50 years of combined relocation experience in order to make the client transition a comfortable one.

Offices: 18 • Associates 618 Coldwell Banker Prime Properties 10 Osgood Ave., Green Island, NY 12183 Contact: R. James Long, Broker/Owner Tel: (518) 640-4008 • Fax: (518) 456-8980 Email: jim.long@ColdwellBankerPrime.com Coverage Areas: New York State, primarily Capital Region and Central New York Offices: 16 • Sales Associates: 500 Fillmore Real Estate 2990 Avenue U, Brooklyn, NY 11229 Contact: John Reinhardt, President/CEO • Tel: (800) 528-6673 Email: JohnReinhardt@Fillmore.com • URL: www.fillmore.com Coverage Areas: Brooklyn, Staten Island, Bronx and parts of Westchester Offices: 16 • Associates: 400

NORTH CAROLINA

Coldwell Banker Advantage 7610 Six Forks Rd., Ste. 100, Raleigh, NC 27615 Contact: Benina Drake, CRP, SVP Relocation and Referral Services Tel: (800) 274-5345 • Direct (919) 846-3330 Email: BDrake@AdvantageCB.com • URL: AdvantageCB.com Coverage Areas: Apex, Cary, Clayton, Creedmoor, Chapel Hill, Durham, Falls Lake, Fayetteville, Ft. Bragg area, Henderson, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Lake Gaston, Lillington, McGee’s Crossroads, Pinehurst, Pittsboro, Pope Air Force Base area, Raleigh, Southern Pines, Wake Forest and Zebulon Offices: 17 • Associates: 325 Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+

PENNSYLVANIA

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS® 1 International Plaza, Ste. 100, Philadelphia, PA 19113 Contact: Linda Zanzinger, Vice President, Relocation/REO Services, Tel: (610) 595-3149 Email: Linda.Zanzinger@foxroach.com • URL: www.foxroach.com Coverage Areas: Greater Philadelphia Region, Greater Allentown and Easton Region, SE Pa., Southern and Central N.J., Northern Del. Offices: 65 • Associates: 4,000 Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate 826 Alexander Rd., Princeton, NJ 08540 Contact: Patricia (Tricia) Kobos Relocation Line: (888) 467-MOVE • Direct: (609) 750-7605 Email: pkobos@glorianilson.com • URL: www.glorianilson.com Coverage Areas: Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean and Somerset counties, N.J.; Bucks County, Pa. Offices: 23 • Associates: 700+ Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+

Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty 100 Foxshire Dr., Lancaster, PA 17601 Tel: (717) 291-9101 • Fax: (717) 393-2336 Contact: Sandy Zercher Email: sandra.zercher@sothebysrealty.com • URL: www.LuskandAssociates.com Coverage Areas: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; Susquehanna Valley, Pennsylvania; South Central Pennsylvania Offices: 1 • Associates: 40 RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central 701 West Market St., Perkasie, PA 18944 Contact: Tom Skiffington, Broker/Owner • Tel: (215) 453-7653 • (215) 643-3200 Email: tom@tomskiffington.com URLs: www.pahomesforsale.com and www.lehighvalleyrealestate.com Coverage Areas: Pennsylvania counties: Bucks, Berks, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, Lehigh, North Hampton, and New Jersey Offices: 10 • Associates: 170

RHODE ISLAND

Randall, REALTORS® Real Living 4009 Old Post Rd., Charleston, RI 02813 Contact: Jean Fournier, Dir. of Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (401) 486-9677 Email: jfournier@randallrealtors.com • URL: www.randallrealtors.com Coverage Areas: Connecticut and Rhode Island Offices: 9 • Associates: 175

SOUTH CAROLINA

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS® 745 N. Pleasantburg Dr., Greenville, SC 29607 Contacts: Karen Taylor, Director of Relocation, ktaylor@cdanjoyner.com, (864) 678-5244 Jo Anne Conner, Network Mgr., jconner@cdanjoyner.com, (864) 678-5227 URL: www.cdanjoyner.com Brookfield GRS, SIRVA, AIReS Relocation, Graebel, MI Group Coverage Areas: Greenville, Greer, Taylors, Duncan, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Simpsonville, Fountain Inn, Powdersville, Easley, Piedmont, Anderson Offices: 9 • Associates: 275+

TEXAS

Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper, REALTORS® 18756 Stone Oak Parkway, Ste. 301, San Antonio, TX 78258 Contact: Pam Poitevent, Sr. VP Relocation Services Tel: (800) 521-1408 (Toll Free) • (210) 483-7035 (Direct) Email: ppoitevent@cbharper.com • URL: www.cbharper.com Coverage Areas: San Antonio metropolitan area including New Braunfels, San Marcos, Seguin, Spring Branch, Bulverde, Canyon Lake, Schertz, Universal City, Boerne, Bandera, Kerrville and surrounding areas Offices: 8 • Associates: 350+

VIRGINIA

CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 • Fax: (703) 822-0136 Relocation Contact: Scott Becker, Dir., NM Relocation Email: move@c21nm.com • URL: www.c21nm.com Providers of world class real estate services in the Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Southern Maryland markets. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation.

Offices: 16 • Associates: 700+ Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE March 2016 101

Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+ RE/MAX Gateway 4090B Lafayette Center Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Scott MacDonald, President Tel: (703) 652-5776 • Cell: (703) 727-6900 Email: scottmacdonald@remax.net URL: www.gateway2realestate.com Coverage Areas: Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, West Virginia Offices: 4 • Associates: 108

WASHINGTON, D.C.

CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 • Fax: (703) 822-0136 Relocation Contact: Scott Becker, Dir., NM Relocation Email: move@c21nm.com • URL: www.c21nm.com Providers of world class real estate services in the Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Southern Maryland markets. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation.

Offices: 16 • Associates: 700+ Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania,

Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+ RE/MAX Gateway 4090B Lafayette Center Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Scott MacDonald, President Tel: (703) 652-5776 • Cell: (703) 727-6900 Email: scottmacdonald@remax.net URL: www.gateway2realestate.com Coverage Areas: Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, West Virginia Offices: 4 • Associates: 108

WEST VIRGINIA

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Tel: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage Areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+ RE/MAX Gateway 4090B Lafayette Center Dr., Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Scott MacDonald, President Tel: (703) 652-5776 • Cell: (703) 727-6900 Email: scottmacdonald@remax.net URL: www.gateway2realestate.com Coverage Areas: Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, West Virginia Offices: 4 • Associates: 108

INDEX OF SERVICE PROVIDERS ABR®...................................................................................20 American Home Shield...................................................17

National Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses (NAWRB).................................78

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.............................. IBC

National Association of REALTORS®............................8, 27

Buyside..............................................................................68

National Association of REALTORS® Global.................103

Century 21 Real Estate LLC...............................................1

On The Move, Inc. .........................................................102

CENTURY 21 Town & Country.........................................BC

The Personal Marketing Company..........................41, 81

Contractor Connection®.................................................45

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors...........................................2

Engel & Völkers...................................................................5

The Real Estate Book.......................................................31

ERA Franchise Systems, LLC............................................46

Real Living® Real Estate...................................................13

Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI) Designation.........52

Realogy.............................................................................48

Homes.com........................................................................7

Realtors Property Resource®...........................................29

HomeSmart International................................................35

Realty ONE Group............................................................23

HomeTeam Inspection Service.......................................71

RE/MAX, LLC.....................................................................10

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World ................19

RISMedia’s Content Solutions...........................................9

MRE – Win Local®.......................................... IFC, 11, 16, 60

RISMedia’s Top 5 in Real Estate Network®...............82, 88

National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP)®..................................................33

Stewart Title.......................................................................14

®

Weichert, Realtors®...........................................................51 Workman Success Systems.........................................86-87

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he best place to shop online for industry specific products is the REALTOR® Store from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR)—it has the tools to advance your real estate career. The completely updated store makes it easy to find all the best resources in the industry, including books, brochures, research profiles, DVDs, and more!

Nearly 300 products are offered at Store.REALTOR.org, including many in a digital format. Download them immediately or access them online wherever, whenever you want via your personal account. Major topics designed to help brokers and their agents build business and better serve clients include: Transactions, Property Issues, Being a REALTOR®, Sales and Marketing, and Legal Issues.

You can also download and purchase reports from NAR Research, including the very popular “2015 NAR Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers-Download,” and many other topics of interest to brokers and their agents.

Many of the NAR research reports are available for FREE download for members.

valuable rewards.

Most actions take less than two minutes to complete, but the rewards add up fast. So far, MVP members have earned over $4 million in rewards, including free NAR products like the 2015 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers and our Social Media for REALTORS® Series from the REALTOR® Store, gift cards to retailers such as Amazon.com and Apple, and discounts on NAR courses that non-MVP participants miss out on.

Sign up at mvp.REALTOR.org.

Get In, Get What You Need, and Get Out with the REALTOR® Store and Save Whether your agents are looking for information or inspiration, there’s a good chance you’ll find it at the REALTOR®Store. Take advantage of all the great businessbuilding resources at Store.REALTOR.org; remember to use code RISM2016 to save 10 percent on your order.

Some popular titles include: 8“The Little Book Series” features “The Little Blue Book: Rules to Live By for REALTORS®” and “The Little Red Book: Safety Rules to Live by for REALTORS®.” These publications focus on the instructions, philosophies, and rules members of the National Association of REALTORS® utilize to be successful in their real estate careers.

Special Offers & Print on Demand NAR members can receive substantial discounts on many REALTOR® Store products, including numerous resources that are completely free of charge. Check out the constantly changing sale section of the store for all the latest offers.

Personalize and professionally print some of NAR’s most popular brochures for your clients, or receive them as personalized PDFs to show the high quality work your firm and its agents do through every step of the transaction by starting with these professionally personalized pieces.

Earn Free Products with the MVP (Member Value Plus) Program Simple actions equal rewards with NAR’s Member Value Plus (MVP) Program. Encourage your agents to sign up for the MVP eNewsletter so they’ll stay on top of the newest action and get the chance to earn free and greatly discounted rewards. The program allows them to stay informed and be more actively involved in NAR’s initiatives. Taking advantage of MVP is easy! Every two weeks, a new MVP offer is posted. Members take simple actions within the two-week timeframe, and earn 104 March 2016 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

8“Broker to Broker: Management Lessons from America’s Most Successful Real Estate Companies” brings you the ideas, strategies and lessons brokers and sales managers are implementing today.

8“21 Things I Wish My Broker Had Told Me: Practical Advice for New Real Estate Professionals.” Written with humor and insight, it provides hands-on advice that will help agents start, or maintain, a successful career in real estate.

By John Featherston and

Ralph R. Roberts

Power Teams

The Complete Guide to

Building and Managing

a Winning Real Estate Agent

Team

8“Power Teams: The Complete Guide to Building and Managing a Winning Real Estate Agent Team” includes a step-by-step guide to forming an agent team, but also the best practices of teams who have already reached a notable level of success.

Re:sources 8 Store.REALTOR.org 8 mvp.REALTOR.org

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