ALABAMA 1-11-21

ALABAMA EDITION

By the Numbers:

Understanding the True Value of Square Footage IF IT’S GOOD FOR THE SOUL, IT’S GOOD FOR THE BUSINESS

FEATURED AGENT

ANGELA GRISHAM

ARE YOU A VALUE-ADDED AGENT? COVER STORY

JERRY SAGER

Long-Term Rental.

No Long-Term Commitment.

Looking for a great alternative to leasing or even purchasing?

Helping clients relocate to a new city? It’s time to rethink your personal or business transportation needs and try our LongTerm Rental Program. You can choose a new model vehicle for a competitive monthly rate. No cost for preventative maintenance and generous monthly miles are included.

Best of all, no long-term commitment.

Messer Airport Hwy - Off Airport 5344 Messer Airport Hwy. Birmingham, AL 35212 280 Station Shopping Center / Inverness 450 Cahaba Park Circle Birmingham, AL 35242 Birmingham Airport - In Airport 5900 Messer Airport Hwy. Birmingham, AL 35212

Downtown 2301 3rd Ave. S. Birmingham, AL 35233 Pelham 451 Southgate Drive Pelham, AL 35124

BudgetBHM.com/long-term-rental | 205-322-3596 x 1611 | longtermrental@budgetbhm.com ©2021 Budget Car and Truck Rental of Birmingham. A Budget System Licensee.

ALABAMA EDITION

ANGELA GRISHAM

Top Agent Angela Grisham – of Coldwell “Selling a home is so complex 9 19 Banker Pinnacle Properties in Northern Angela. “There’s so much to it.

Alabama – is one of the hardest working, list a house, I don’t just go and lo honest and dedicated Realtors currently I go much further. I make sure the working in the lucrative Shoals Area accurate, I measure; I just do a lo Market. Ranked number fourteen out of homework than many of my comp the area’s 450 agents – a remarkable feat I also teach my clients about the for a solo agent - Angela has truly earned as we’re moving through the pro her stellar reputation as a trusted real estate believe they can see the passion I h advocate who consistently goes above and real estate, and for helping them beyond for her clients. their goals.”

JERRY SAGER ANGELA GRISHAM Angela’s interest in real estate began at a When she’s not working, Angela relatively young age. “I’ve always loved homes, and reading (provided she can find the time in h architecture,” she recalls. “When I was nineteen, my schedule) and spending time outdoors with her mother needed to sell her home and I decided to help She is also an ardent philanthropist who give her, and I did it. But then I got married and had kids to her community in many ways, particularly and pushed it to the back of myCONTENTS mind until my children her church and with a special emphasis on help were older.” Licensed in 2014, Angela has since built a need children. thriving business on a solid foundation of integrity and 4) UNCOMMON CONTACT: 15)works

BY THE NUMBERS: a true compassion and empathy for all those she Angela’s plans for the future of her business with, including other agents. continuing its exponential growth, and above all, CONNECTING WITH CLIENTELE UNDERSTANDING THE TRUE providing the top-of-the-line, exceptional cu THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA VALUE OF SQUARE FOOTAGE Currently, almost the entirety of Angela’s considerservice that has become synonymous with her n able business is based upon repeat clients, referrals and has been so faithful this real estate jou 6) AREpositive YOUword A of mouth, an impressive achievement 20) IFinIT’S“God GOOD FOR THEinSOUL, the highly competitive world of real estate. “One of the mine,” says Angela, her sincerity obvious. “I’v VALUE-ADDED AGENT? IT’S GOOD FOR THE BUSINESS reasons for this,” says Angela, when asked how she so fortunate.” manages to generate such trust and loyalty, “is that I’m committed to staying in constant touch with my clients.

Communication is key, I always answer my phone.”

There are a multitude of other reasons as well, which include her outgoing, gregarious personality and fierce work ethic.

Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440

mag@topagentmagazine.com Angela, who currently holds |a www.topagentmagazine.com perfect, five-star overall

No portion ofrating this issue be reproduced in any manner whatsoever onmay Zillow.com comprised of many glowingwithout testi-prior consent of the publisher. Top Agent Magazine is published GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published monials,byisFeature also anPublications expert marketer of her listings.

Her materials, Topleave-no-stone-unturned, Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed intelligent approach - which or facts supplied by its authors.

To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. includes everything from exceptional professional Published in the U.S. For more about Angela Grisha photography to targeted Facebook ads – almost always please call 256-710-8348 translates into a fast sale for top dollar, not to mention or email Ange3405@aol.com

happy customers.

Top Agent Magazine

3

Copyright Top Agent Ma

Uncommon Contact:

Connecting with Clientele Through Social Media Social media is one of the newest and most powerful tools in an agent or mortgage professional’s arsenal. With just a few keystrokes, you can stay top-of-mind with buyers, sellers, and borrowers near and far, past and present. The key is knowing how to use these mediums to your advantage, working smarter instead of harder to keep the thread of professional relationships intact. With that in mind, here are a few ways you can maximize the pull and power of social media by shifting just a few of your ideas and practices for the better.

4

Not everything has to be about business.

While your relationship with a client or fellow vendor began over the course of business, your relationship going forward doesn’t have to be limited. One of the great things about social media is that’s it’s social. Not every comment, post, or communication has to revolve around your business, its metrics, or turning a sale. In fact, you should do your best to branch out and curate a brand and online identity that’s about who you are and

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

the lifestyle you’re authentically interested in living. In that vein, consider interacting with clients in an organically-driven way, encouraging them during life’s milestones, reaching out with a local event, restaurant, or news item that’s relevant to their interests or neighborhood. The goal is to be a persistent presence in their lives without feeling like a talking head. Engage as you would like to be engaged with, as a human being with interests and needs and boundaries. Keep that personal thread in mind and your dynamic will shift from past business contact to present resource.

Expand your medium.

Many Realtors are comfortable on Facebook as an interactive meeting to connect with clients, but there are several other mediums where you can connect with clients both past and present, as well as future. Particularly when courting Millennial clientele, the fastest-growing segment of the buying market, a presence on Instagram and Snapchat are key to finding new faces, demonstrating hot properties, and creating an interactive brand as an agent. Not only does this help when you’re listing a property and seeking potential buyers, but it also serves as a perusable portfolio of your work and real estate prowess. You can also use these mediums to interact with clients on an outlet they might feel most comfortable in. Liking pictures, commenting, streaming Instagram Live home tours and Stories are all ways you can build engagement by simply spreading your social media presence around. Likewise, Top Agent Magazine

these photo and video driven mediums are popular for home design ideas, and before and after renovation pictures. When you expand from Facebook into these new platforms, you’ll already have plenty of visual content ready to be transferred and consumed by an expanded audience.

Don’t just react.

Create your own content.

It’s easy enough to post a link to a new listing, or retweet a helpful article on real estate news. Creating your own organic content is a different story, but worth its weight in gold when it comes to luring engagement, ranking higher in search fields, and overall crafting an interactive presence for yourself and your business online—which is where more than 90% of homebuyers and sellers begin their process. Creating your own content can seem risky, or else like no one is listening in a digital world already crowded with information. However, original content is sure to boost personal engagement with your social media pages, guaranteed.

Instead of recycling content, consider posting a video with a Q+A theme for first-time homebuyers, or perhaps posting a live tour of a new listing will perk up your clientele surfing at home.

No matter how you decide to expand your social media presence when it comes to interacting with clients, consistency is key.

Find the ways that work best for you and stick to them, and you’ll watch your audience and business grow in tandem.

Top Agent Magazine

5

Are You a Value-Added Agent?

I’ll bet if I asked ten real estate agents, all ten would answer ‘yes’ to that question. Yet, when I ask agents how they are value-added, they say things like: • I communicate regularly with my clients.

• I have a written listing presentation.

• I am honest.

• I am trustworthy.

Are these ‘value-added’ attributes? Or, does the client expect these attributes and services?

6

Are these exceptional services or average services? I’m writing this article at the beginning of a New Year. It’s a perfect time to re-assess your professionalism and master being that ‘value-added’ agent.

Client Expectations are Higher than Ever Unfortunately, too many real estate agents assume they are ‘value-added’ because they are providing the services they want to provide— Top Agent Magazine

the services they think the client values. However, there’s a real client out there, and the client has different expectations. How do I know that? Because so few agents regularly survey their clients. In fact, when I’m speaking to an audience, I survey them, and find that less than 25 percent gather after-sale surveys! So, the majority of agents don’t know if the services they are providing are average or exceptional.

Why Bother Being Exceptional?

• Because you want to set yourself apart.

• You want to create client loyalty.

• You want to create at least 50 percent of your business from client referrals (the latest National Association of Realtors survey Profile of Members found that the average Realtor got only 18 percent of their business from referrals. That’s a hard and expensive way to run a real estate business!

• Because you want to run a more pleasant, profitable business.

Four Actions Value-Added Agents Take How can you identify value-added agents? By their actions. Here are four actions I believe show agents that are above just ‘average’. The principle here is:

Watch the actions, not the words.

If I were a manager, or a seller or a buyer, and I wanted to find a value-added agent, here’s what I would look for: Top Agent Magazine

1. Has a database and populates it This agent is committed long-term to his clients and to his business. He uses a contact management program (CRM) to manage ‘leads’, so none are lost — and clients do not feel neglected. After all, it takes much longer today to convert a ‘lead’ to a sale than it used to take.

Actively using and maintaining a CRM means the agent is committed to forming long-term professional relationships over time.

Other demonstrable actions concerning the agent’s CRM are: • Has a rapid-response method to deal with Internet inquiries and other inquiries via email. (The average client expects a response within eight hours—but a recent survey showed the average agent responded in 50 hours!).

• Has a method to follow up on all leads until they ‘buy or die’. As a client, that means I won’t get lost. As a seller, it means my agent will follow up with all leads and give it 100 percent to sell my home.

2. Invests in the technology and follow-up pros have This agent makes every decision based on their vision of their career at least three to five years in the future. For example, instead of selling someone a house anywhere just to get a sale, my value-added agent sells only in an area they define as their ‘target area’. That way, they’ll get known, and can build on their reputation.

The value-added agent has the ‘guts’ to turn down business! Because they care more about the well-being of the client than getting one grimy commission check, they learn to 7

‘tell the truth attractively’, and work harder to retain the client than to make one commission.

Adding those Client Benefits to your Dialogue

3. Works for referrals, not just sales I said the agent learns to ‘tell the truth attractively’, even if the buyer or seller may not want to hear it. For example, if it’s in the best interests of the seller to list their home at a lower price, the value-added agent has the strategies and the statistics to prove that the seller won’t be well served by pricing higher.

Of course, it’s not enough to actually take these actions. You need to explain to the client why these actions are in their best interests, and how you stand apart from most agents by employing them. Why? Because your client won’t know you run your business so professionally.

And, the client probably doesn’t know most agents don’t run their businesses this way!

And, this value-added agent has the intestinal fortitude to walk away if they know the home will not sell at the client’s desired price (but doesn’t have to too many times because they create a stellar reputation amongst their clientele).

TIP: Always show your clients, don’t just tell them. You do have a Professional Portfolio and evidence on your website, don’t you?

4. Keeps the buyers and sellers’ best interests in mind Our value-added agent makes every decision to grow trust, not just to make a fast buck. For example, the agent sits down with a prospective couple and finds out they can’t purchase right away and creates a plan with them to save for their down payment. Then, the agent keeps in touch over a period of months, offering helpful information and market updates.

Put Yourself to the Test

How many of these actions P. S. Managers and team leaders—two tips do you exhibit?

What do you want to work on to become a true 1. Call each of your agents’‘value-added’ phone mails.

What’s the impre agent?

Are they professional? Do they state the company n TIP: represent your culture and image?

Managers, give your agents a 2. Create a quick class in phone messaging using the ‘test’ on these four points.

In other words, this agent practices seller or buyHow many pass? this blog. er agency representation, not ‘agent agency’!

Copyright ©, 2016 Carla Cros

Carla Cross,CRB, CRB, MA, is theoffounder andSeminars, president Carla Cross & Carla Cross, MA, President Carla Cross Inc.,ofand Carla real management and sales.

Herspecializing internationally s Crossestate Coaching, is an international speaker in realbest-selling estate management and Running business planning for all professionals. agents, Up and in 30 Days, is real nowestate going into its 5thHer edition sevenexperience internationallyas published books, including Up and Running in 30 Days , vast a top-selling agent and award-winning manage and 20 agent and management programs have helped thousands of real sales podium, blending her musical background with her proven estate professionals to the greater productivity and teaches profitability.someone Reach Carla strategies (she uses piano AND even to at play—f 425-392-6914 or www.carlacross.com. and practical).

Find out more at www.carlacross.com.

8

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

JERRY SAGER Top Agent Magazine

9

JERRY SAGER Top Agent Jerry Sager with Red Hawk Realty Group at Keller Williams Hoover, helps lead an elite team to service clients throughout the Hoover and Birmingham Metro areas.

For thirty years, Jerry Sager forged an accomplished career in the business sphere, climbing the corporate ladder for a major national retailer. Along the way, he took an interest in real estate, in particular for how it spoke to his entrepreneurial spirit, attention to detail and passion for community involvement. Sure enough, his instincts proved right: Jerry would win Rookie of the Year in his first year with Keller Williams Hoover. “Real estate was the perfect fit,” he says. “Once I got my license, I took off instantly. I simply 10 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

fell in love with helping people and serving others in my community.”

Today, Jerry is a Realtor with Red Hawk Realty Group at Keller Williams Hoover, where he helps lead an elite team to service clients throughout the Hoover and Birmingham Metro areas. By applying his previous experience as a businessman to the real estate industry, he has established a personalized workflow around openness and client service. “Every transaction is different,” he says.

Top Agent Magazine

“You can’t work with each client the same way; instead, you need to find out how they want to be represented, and you need to look out for their best interests.”

When assisting clients, Jerry prefers a comprehensive approach catered directly to their Top Agent Magazine

needs. Most of all, he understands the gravity associated with any purchase or sale. “A home is our most important life investment,” he says. “I can still remember the excitement of buying my first house. The satisfaction of seeing that joy on my clients’ faces drives me to fight for them every day.”

11 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

“A home is our most important life investment,” Jerry says.

“I can still remember the excitement of buying my first house.

The satisfaction of seeing that joy on my clients’ faces drives me to fight for them every day.”

And Jerry is a proven fighter. A key partner at the largest Keller Williams group in his area, he will do whatever it takes to ensure a transaction runs smoothly—even if that means going door knocking in a neighborhood on a 100° summer afternoon. Moreover, his standards of service last long after the deals are done. Jerry likes to remain in close contact with his clients through frequent calls, pop-bys and even Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

lighthearted events such as pumpkin carving competitions, all to ensure that his customers are thriving in their new homes.

Outside his career, Jerry is tremendously active in his community. On top of supporting his church, he also recently assisted the Alabama Childhood Food Service organization, his team has contributed to childhood Top Agent Magazine

cancer research and he has volunteered at area food banks and senior homes. When he’s not helping clients or giving back, Jerry, a cello player and singer, can be found attending symphony concerts with his wife, Karen of 29 years, also an agent, and their two children, Bethany and Garrett.

Top Agent Magazine

Going forward, Jerry and his team have strong ambitions for the future. Over the next five years, they plan to expand their group to the Gulf Coast, where they are looking to establish a real estate presence on the beach. However, Jerry is equally focused on the present and maximizing the strong market potential for all Copyright Top Agent Magazine 13

his buyers and sellers. “In real estate, there’s a misconception that once you earn your license, business will just come your way,” he says.

“That’s not true. Real estate requires hard work;

you have to be willing to put in long hours and tough days to get the job done for your clients.

But through it all, this is also one of the most rewarding careers in the world.”

To learn more about Jerry Sager please call (205) 441-1112, email jerry@redhawkrealtygroup.com, visit jerrysagerhomes.kw.com www.

Copyright Top Agent Magazine 14

Top Agent Magazine

By the Numbers:

Understanding the True Value of Square Footage Measuring the square footage of a property may seem like an objective and straightforward task, but you’d be surprised at how many agents and homebuyers misunderstand this pivotal figure.

True square footage provides homebuyers a concrete understanding of their prospective domain, but here’s the problem: the rules to determine a home’s square footage are not always uniform across the board. What’s more, much of Top Agent Magazine

a home’s value is determined by its size, so accuracy is certainly important. While many real estate agents have their own systems for determining or confirming a home’s true square footage, it doesn’t hurt to update your practices and become an expert on the subject. After all, you may learn a few techniques that could add value to a listing, or better prepare you in guiding house-hunters on the lookout.

Top Agent Magazine ®

15

1. Do your due diligence Most towns and cities have a local records department where floorplans and blueprints are kept on file. It’s worth noting that these records don’t typically include any subsequent additions or remodels on a property, but they still give archive hunters a legal baseline when outlining a property’s square footage. Oftentimes, a straightforward online search of a city or county’s records office can pull the information necessary, or else agents can poke around in person to uncover informative blueprints at the records office. Either way, access to original blueprints or floorplans is a great tool for determining livable square footage. As a bonus,

16

original blueprints and floorplans—especially in historic properties—can be intriguing visual aids for prospective buyers, as well.

2. Know the rules While there aren’t universal standards when it comes to measuring square footage, there are general guidelines that can help determine square footage in an authentic way. Per the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), here are the official recommendations for measuring a home’s real square footage: n

Called “below grade spaces,” basements and sunrooms beyond a home’s typical

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

living quarters do not count toward a home’s true square footage. According to ANSI, even big draws like finished basements don’t count toward a property’s Gross Living Area. Of course, even below grade spaces have their own desirable value and should be outlined as such on listings. n

n

Did you know the space inside closets and on stairways counts toward a home’s square footage? Even if these areas are relatively small, they still add to a property’s calculable square footage.

When recording square footage, ANSI actually suggests performing measurements from a property’s exterior—though this method does not account for the

Top Agent Magazine

thickness of exterior walls, which could skew square footage numbers. n

Just like below grade spaces, a garage, a pool house, or even a guest house should not be included in a property’s Gross Living Area. The rationale at work here is this: if you must go outside to access additional living areas, then they are beyond the square footage scope of the primary dwelling and should not be included in a home’s Gross Living Area.

3. Double-check by doing the dirty work Buyers and sellers have or will make a sizable investment in a property, so isn’t it fair to double-check all the relevant facts and figures

Top Agent Magazine ®

17

when it comes to true square footage? If you want to take on the endeavor yourself, here are a few helpful steps to take. n

First, you’ll need a few things to get started, including a tape measure that can measure at least 100 ft., graph paper, and a pencil.

n

Next, choose a room to start measuring wall-by-wall. Measure Wall 1, then proceed to assign each square on the gridded paper a corresponding measurement, rounding to the nearest tenth of a foot for the sake of clarity.

n

From there, draw out the wall you measured and measure the remaining walls in the

18

room. Once you’ve completed the room’s measurements, multiply the room’s length and width to determine its square footage. n

As you go measure throughout the home, using your own system to scale, you will construct a failsafe floorplan.

Mastering your craft is everything, and the real estate industry is no different. Every now and again, it’s worthwhile to update your well of information, take matters into your own hands, and continue to innovate with the industry. While square footage may not seem like the juiciest starting off point for such a venture, never forget: mastery of technical knowledge is a sure sign of expertise.

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

ANGELA GRISHAM Top Agent Angela Grisham – of Coldwell Banker Pinnacle Properties in Northern Alabama – is one of the hardest working, honest and dedicated Realtors currently working in the lucrative Shoals Area Market. Ranked number fourteen out of the area’s 450 agents – a remarkable feat for a solo agent - Angela has truly earned her stellar reputation as a trusted real estate advocate who consistently goes above and beyond for her clients.

Angela’s interest in real estate began at a relatively young age. “I’ve always loved homes, and architecture,” she recalls. “When I was nineteen, my mother needed to sell her home and I decided to help her, and I did it. But then I got married and had kids and pushed it to the back of my mind until my children were older.” Licensed in 2014, Angela has since built a thriving business on a solid foundation of integrity and a true compassion and empathy for all those she works with, including other agents.

Currently, almost the entirety of Angela’s considerable business is based upon repeat clients, referrals and positive word of mouth, an impressive achievement in the highly competitive world of real estate. “One of the reasons for this,” says Angela, when asked how she manages to generate such trust and loyalty, “is that I’m committed to staying in constant touch with my clients.

Communication is key, I always answer my phone.”

There are a multitude of other reasons as well, which include her outgoing, gregarious personality and fierce work ethic.

Angela, who currently holds a perfect, five-star overall rating on Zillow.com comprised of many glowing testimonials, is also an expert marketer of her listings. Her leave-no-stone-unturned, intelligent approach - which includes everything from exceptional professional photography to targeted Facebook ads – almost always translates into a fast sale for top dollar, not to mention happy customers.

Top Agent Magazine

“Selling a home is so complex,” says Angela. “There’s so much to it. When I list a house, I don’t just go and look at it.

I go much further. I make sure the size is accurate, I measure; I just do a lot more homework than many of my competitors.

I also teach my clients about the market as we’re moving through the process. I believe they can see the passion I have for real estate, and for helping them achieve their goals.”

When she’s not working, Angela enjoys reading (provided she can find the time in her busy schedule) and spending time outdoors with her family.

She is also an ardent philanthropist who gives back to her community in many ways, particularly through her church and with a special emphasis on helping inneed children.

Angela’s plans for the future of her business include continuing its exponential growth, and above all, to keep providing the top-of-the-line, exceptional customer service that has become synonymous with her name.

“God has been so faithful in this real estate journey of mine,” says Angela, her sincerity obvious. “I’ve been so fortunate.”

For more about Angela Grisham, please call 256-710-8348 or email Ange3405@aol.com 19 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

If it’s good for the soul,

IT’S GOOD FOR THE BUSINESS

Visibility, name recognition and knowing you’re supporting the community that makes your success possible are good reasons to take part in community service. But how is it that some people seem to be able to give time to charities while running their own businesses, managing their own families and households, exercising regularly, attending sporting events and concerts, eating well and sleeping seven or eight hours a night?

The truth is, not all agents are able to do everything so easily. But more important is the fact that no one needs to do everything all of the time. The trick is to make sure that, whatever you do holds meaning.

REALTORS® and mortgage professionals who seem the most gregarious in their community outreach are those whose giving seems to fill their own souls. When their 20

volunteer efforts or donations directly impact causes they or their clients care deeply about, “giving back” becomes energizing.

Jason O’Quinn of Prime Lending in Dallas Texas, for instance, says that his family’s ongoing work building homes for some of the poorest families in Honduras fills him immeasurably. “It rejuvenates me,” he says.

“There’s quite a dichotomy between the houses we build there and the houses we finance here,” he says. “It refocuses me, going from financing $1 million homes in Dallas to physically laying cinderblock for $10,000 homes in Honduras. Everything has more meaning when we sacrificially give of our time, talent and treasure.”

The longtime “big picture” for Colorado REALTOR® and property manager, Linda

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

Todd, for instance, has included giving back to the community, whether serving as a lead carpenter for Habitat for Humanity, making deliveries for Meals on Wheels, or pitching in for the sake of baseball. And through her lifelong passion for baseball, she harmoniously blended her personal interests, her work and her community service. For many years, she was so involved Little League the local league named a new field after her. “I cried for 3 days after they told me that!” She and her husband also started a scholarship fund for junior college baseball players and serve as a host family for the rookie league of the Colorado Rockies, putting up newly drafted players in their home.

For Florida REALTOR® and property manager, Mario Gonzalez, neither his business nor his primary community outreach would exist without the other. A retired U.S. Navy pilot, Mario formed his brokerage, Navy to Navy Homes, when he saw a need for military personnel to find affordable homes to purchase. “We got into it to help, but that led to a full-blown real estate business.” Besides providing opportunities for investment and homeownership, the company donates 35% of every commission to Homes for Heroes, veterans’ groups, or organizations benefiting fire, police, medical organizations, churches and homeless shelters. “We’re small, but we give so much back that we were the top Homes for Heroes company in Florida and

top-five nationwide.” But he does none of this for the attention. His friends may call him the “Humble Hero of Heroes,” but helping is Mario’s passion. “To be such a small business and be the top Homes for Heroes affiliate is mind boggling!”

Like Mario, for many, the best service takes place in simple and quiet ways. Illinois REALTOR®, Susie Scheuber, for example, takes a humble approach to giving back. Although she donates a portion of every commission check to the Children’s Miracle Network, she doesn’t discuss this with clients unless they happen to ask. “I do it because I want to and because, to me, giving back is the right thing to do when you’ve been fortunate in business and life,” says Susie.

We all know how inertia works; the more energized we get by certain behaviors, the more likely we are to continue those behaviors. For some top agents, community outreach has become such a natural routine of their daily lives that they never find it burdensome. A good way to add community service into your life, therefore, is through the causes that mean the most to you. For starters, consider giving a small donation after closing to the charity of your client’s choosing. Learning the different causes that they care about just might foster a new mission for you.

If you have a unique story to share about how your community outreach has impacted your life and your business or inspired others, click here for consideration in our magazines: www.topagentmagazine.com/nominate-a-real-estate-agent-to-be-featured Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

21

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

22

Top Agent Magazine