ALABAMA 5-18-20

ALABAMA EDITION

INCORPORATING CHARITABLE GIVING

FEATURED AGENTS

IN YOUR REAL ESTATE PRACTICE

STEPHANIE AJLOUNY RUSTY GLINES CRYSTAL BARNES KEY KADRA PARKMAN

IS STARTING A TEAM THE RIGHT SOLUTION FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

COVER STORY

MISTY WAIDE

ALABAMA EDITION

RUSTY GLINES Rusty Glines began his career in real estate five years ago, after moving back to Alabama from Ohio. “I7 wanted to get into 15 the investing side at first, and then once I got going, it took off,” Rusty says. Now Rusty has opened his own brokerage, Canopy Realty, and oversees a team of agents.

Rusty’s business is thriving thanks to the relationships he builds with his clients, and the excellent level of service he provides.

“Whether it’s a 3D walkthrough, drone footage, or professional photography, I try 16 19 I can 23 to provide the best for my clients, CRYSTAL BARNES STEPHANIE AJLOUNY KAD given the unique circumstances of each house. We it look its best andmarketing getKey it began uses targeted online to ensu Stephanie Ajlouny began her make Crystal Barnes h Kadra therefall as much wecareer can.” ingsasreach the audience mostinlikely to career in real estate out in the in real estate the rea ye in them. She alsoinprepares comparable of 2017, leaving a career in the 2000, the stateaof Georgia.

H distres Rusty is active in the local dadbusiness was a commuhomebuilder and which helps Stephanie determine how medical field that was rewardremods nity, and is a member of three different local soldprice houses him at the stal get the best forfor their home. ing but didn’t allow her enough years city family.

Chambers of Commerce. is also Then, inHe 2010, she atook atobig ri time to spend with her take member of the Marshall County Board of career.

At just 30-years Community involvement is an import working as an agent at ERA estate MISTY WAIDE STEPHANIE AJLOUNY NowRUSTY GLINES CRYSTAL BARNES KEY in her KADRA PARKMAN ® try to age, stay up toOutside date with Rusty lives in Guntersville, and he primarily Crystal purchased hershe ow Stephanie does. of work, King Real Estate, REALTORS Stephanie . “I learn what goes on in all the cities,” Rusty says.

“I go to local serves Northeast Alabama, including Marshall County, real estate beg Armybrokerage and otherand nonpro brings her hardworking attitude the Salvation Curren events and try to stay in front of people as much as I Jackson County, Huntsville,and andpositive, the surrounding area. rebuilding a real estate compan w friendly demeanor to a successful career ERA King is also hugely involved associa can.” When heinisthe notsays. working Rusty spending time midst ofnity, recession.

The riskyand move off, an About a third of his business comes from“Irepeat MISTY WAIDE so loves Stephanie herpaid colleague in real estate. love toand help people,” Stephanie Moody with his wife Jennifer and three daughters Kalyn Heinle, she currently runs a successful business and in just referral clients. “People appreciate the relationship I “I believe that’s my calling, whether in the medical those endeavors year-round, includint Alexis andyear Morgan Lambert.$10 He enjoys last has exceeded million ingetting sales.

Not a shabb build with them,” Rusty says.field “I’morhere to help them all veterans and other causes.

“We’re in real estate.

Especially duringGlines, stressful times, Harnessing the power ofalw te outside, spending time on Lake Guntersville, playing feat for a small town brokerage.

Crystal works with the way from start to finish. II always answer my phone, ways to help community,” enjoy taking that stress off of people and making the ingsbenefit is an our important tactic sports with friends, and8 being inbe hissuccessful church. of agents,active and primarily serves the of La and I’m always there for my process clients.”as easy as possible, CONTENTS while building ateam relationin area the digita Wedowee, also known as “Alabama’s Best Kept Secre When sheplished is not just working, Stephanie ship with them.” that by investin In the future, Rusty plans totime expand his new brokerage Throughout the process of buying or selling a home, with and her posting family, including beneficial her realtw e throughout the of Alabama and reach more people.

Her time in the business has allowed colle Rusty works educate his clients so that they are able daughter.

She loves to hertoson’s Stephanie serves northeast Alabama, mainly the 4)to INCORPORATING 17) 6state WAYS TO GET YOUR forms suchgoing asCrystal Instagram and wantasto far be involved as much I can in real estate and as an impressive number of enjoy repeat and referral wh to make informed decisions every stepCounty of the way.

“This andasspending time outdoors a famil Etowah area, but “I also away as getting goodclients, advice CHARITABLE GIVING IN YOUR CLIENT TO TRUST YOU see After our company grow,” he says.

“I get a lot of satisfacrely on her professionalism and tireless work ethic is the biggest investment a lotBirmingham of people willand everOxford, make, AL. or sports. almost three ing, hiking, such as how to prepare you PRACTICE tion out of helping people who never thought get them through the process of they a realcould estate transactio and I wantREAL to makeESTATE sure they’re comfortable making years, she is beginning to see more and more repeat are the top things buyers are buy or sell a house.

It’sprides a bigIn decision, and it means acustomer lot Crystal herself on her excellent servi these decisions. I keep them and up toreferral date onbusiness, what’s going the future, Stephanie plans to kee and it’s easy to 21) see why 5 people THINGS YOU CAN utilizing social media, Kadra that they’ve trusted me to help them.” and her ability to problem-solve.

“In real estate transa on.” Rusty’s experience on want both to sides of a real estate building inioned her community. want to work with Stephanie appreciadvertising. “I “I’ve had AanTEAM THE again. “Clients DO tions TO ACHIEVE YOUR there’s a lot of hurdles to jump.

And I don’t ev transaction13) helps IS himSTARTING give his clients idea of what with their needs, while con ate my communication and follow-up,” she says. “I ing peopleThey’re a big investment but RIGHT SOLUTION FOR YOUR BIGGEST GOALS look at an not solvable. There’s a solution to expect. “If they’re buying, I try to give them sellmyasbusiness,” she buyers says. “I’ve ve enjoy building thatthe relationship with my clients during issue connect to mybeen listing everything, and I will find it,” she says. And she did ju er’s perspective too, to make sure they get the whole BUSINESS? able to do do thiseverything full time and havem the buying and selling process, and I’ve never had a I canstill to help that when she found a solution for the current marketin scope of the process and understand what become the opposite spend timeofwith my family as well. I w client I didn’t friends with.” a successful closing!” issue she was facing due to the COVID-19 pandem side is thinking.” any other way.” which ruled out her ability to do house tours. So in ord For this reason, staying in touch with past clients Her high rate of repeat and re to market her listings more effectively, Crystal start Staying in touch with past clients is important to Rusty’s comes naturally to Stephanie. She connects with them doing 360 virtual tours. Kadra’s ability to connect wi approach, and he maintains his own database to keep on social| media, as well as via postcards, and often just one of the largest purchases 310-734-1440 Fax 310-734-1440 track of allPhone his contacts.

He reaches out periodically on with a friendly phone call to make sure they’re happy offload the stress that buyin Living in a small town has its advantages.

For Cryst social media and by mail. “I’m big on social media,” mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com with where they are and see if they need anything. bringtoby clien it’s the fact that if she goes thekeeping grocery her store, she Rusty says. “That’s how I built my business.”

No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher.

Top place.

Agent “All of my cl taking bound to bump into a client of hers, which makes t Magazine is publishedStephanie

by Feature Publications Althoughher precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of relatable published and down to takes timeGA, toInc. educate clientsjob througheasily oforstaying in touch much easier.

But she also likes It’s also an important toolMagazine for marketing his listings. materials, Top Agent cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed facts supplied by its authors. out the process of buying or selling a home.

“Step by and a lot of theapeople I work To find out more about Rusty Glines, keep in contact via email, and sends out monthly new “Social media reachesorfar beyond whatsend theinquiry typical To subscribe change address, to MLS mag@topagentmagazine.com. step, I walk them through everything,” she says.

“I try appreciate it.

I also make it a letter to her clients, with local events and new properti call 256-960-2024, email rustyglines@gmail.com, Published the U.S. He does paid advertising can do now,” Rustyinexplains. to make it as easy as possible for them.” When she every week, even if there isn on visit the market.

And Crystal loves promoting her tow on social media to reach as many people as possible. or canopyrealtyal.com prepares a listing for the market, Stephanie meets with followup is very important.” which is why she was thrilled to experience a big mil her client to walk through the property and discuss stone in her career To when she was featured HGTV 2 Magazine findTop outAgent more about on Stephani the marketing tools she will use. These include pro-Bargain she’s not for at work, you Copyright TopWhen Agent Magazine Lakefront Hunt in April 2017, an episo www.era.com/ERA-King-Real-Estate--5 please call 256-676-8309, visit her fessional photography, as well as placementtitled on social time with herWedowee”. family on th “A Big Wow on Alabama’s Lake www.

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

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Incorporating Charitable Giving in Your Real Estate Practice

As real estate professionals, taking part in the community and serving others is central to a long-lasting practice. After all, agents are in the business of homeownership, building a financial future, and helping their clients begin new and fruitful chapters. With that in 4

mind, how might an agent deliver that spirit of service in a broader sphere?

The truth is, charitable giving offers nothing but upsides. Contributing to a worthy cause is a noble and meaningful endeavor, but it

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Contributing to a worthy cause is a noble and meaningful endeavor, but it also presents positive byproducts for the giver: tax write-offs, name recognition in the community, and the ability to expand your network.

also presents positive byproducts for the giver: tax write-offs, name recognition in the community, and the ability to expand your network. If charitable giving is an idea you’ve toyed with, or a practice you’ve engaged in only now and again, here are a few ways to make it a foundational element of your business and a win-win for all.

Find causes that speak to you.

Donating funds or resources can feel anonymous if you’re divorced from the organization you’re working with. While national and international charitable organizations are certainly effective and worthwhile, you might consider partnering with local chapters of those organizations, or identifying hyper-local organizations that address need in your state, county, town, or even your own neighborhood. The first step to establishing a charitable relationship is to find a cause that you genuinely care about. For many, animal rescue is a tangible cause where resources and volunteership are always welcome. For others, children’s health and advocacy is a calling. Regardless Top Agent Magazine

of your personal passion, participation can be big or small. From sponsoring a local youth sports league to partnering with an area animal shelter for their annual spay-athon event—there are all sorts of ways to make a difference.

Unite your team for the common good.

One way to make charitable giving a staple is to do it in arm and arm with others. Supporting a local cause is a great way to bring your team together in a unifying capacity. Hosting coat drives in winter, blanket drives for local animal shelters, or backpack drives for needy students at the start of the new school year— all are straightforward and highly useful, direct ways to give to your community as a team. It’s also important to set collective goals as a way of keeping people motivated and accountable over time. Offices are productive, but often hectic spaces.

Injecting a collective goal with a positive, tangible result can create an ambiance of goodwill and generosity—both of which are worthwhile attributes to cultivate as

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the leader of your team. Lastly, consider timely giving as a way of connecting your team to their community. Natural disasters, local fundraising drives, and improvement funds are all direct ways your team can contribute, while they themselves reap the benefit in the community.

Include clients in the process.

You’ve likely heard of charitable donations made in the name of your client as an alternative to the classic closing gift, but there are a few ways you might update this method of giving. For starters, consider including your clients in the selection process. Do they have a special cause that’s close to their hearts? Likewise, you might

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consider making regular, consistent giving a part of your routine post-closing. Instead of following up with your yearly poinsettia plant or pumpkin, you might find a cause in their neighborhood or township that you can support in their name. It’s wise to choose something apolitical, but a cause that’s hyperlocal to their area demonstrates unique thoughtfulness.

There are plenty of ways in which society as a whole can benefit from charitable causes that build goodwill in the world, support those less fortunate, and bolster a positive future. Incorporating charitable giving in your business model is a generous way to make this mentality a central tenet of your team and a defining characteristic for your clients to remember.

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MISTY WAIDE Top Agent Magazine

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MISTY WAIDE Top Agent Misty Waide is the founding broker at Red Tree Realty, where she supervises an elite team to service clients throughout Northern Alabama.

Misty Waide has always valued helping others. For years, she was an elementary school teacher who also worked with special education students. Then her husband Rob started out in real estate. After spending a summer assisting him at the office, 8 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Misty also fell in love with the business and decided to earn her own license.

They teamed up soon after and started their own brokerage. Sadly, Rob passed away recently, but Misty is continuing to build on the strong foundations they have Top Agent Magazine

established in their community. “We’d always dreamed of a career where we could meet people, talk to them and help them,” Misty says. “Real estate was the perfect opportunity.”

friendly personality with her past experience as a teacher, she has developed a winning reputation in the area, with the vast majority of her volume coming from either repeat clients or referrals.

Today, Misty is the founding broker at Red Tree Realty, where she supervises an elite team to service clients throughout Northern Alabama. By combining her

When listing a property, Misty utilizes a range of marketing resources. Starting out, she walks her listers through a competitive market analysis to visualize how their

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“We become friends with our clients,” Misty says. “That’s the best part of this business. I get to meet new people every day and assist them with the biggest transaction of their lives.” home compares to others in the area. She also maximizes a house’s potential by providing professional photography, social media marketing and even radio advertising to generate buzz. Throughout the process, though, Misty sticks to her core values. “I always answer the phone,” she says. “I know how complicated real estate can be. Our clients need us to be available.”

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Elsewhere, Misty takes pride in the neighborly relationships forged with her buyers and sellers. For her, keeping in touch with former clients is never difficult. “We become friends with our clients,” Misty says. “That’s the best part of this business. I get to meet new people every day and assist them with the biggest transaction of their lives.”

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Outside of her career, Misty maintains an active role in her community. By working with a diverse list of charitable organizations like Angel Tree, Give a Kid a Chance and Relay for Life, she and her team are able to make a difference in their hometown.

“No matter how our community needs us, we’re there to help,” Misty says. At home, Top Agent Magazine

she loves relaxing and spending time with her three children.

When Misty looks ahead to the future, she envisions the steady growth of her business. But she also is planning the further cultivation of her team. “Training brokers brings out the teacher in me,” she says with Copyright Top Agent Magazine11

a laugh. “I always set target goals for the end of the year, giving them a chance to shadow me and better learn the business.”

Misty and Rob Waide fell in love with real estate for similar reasons. They were both looking for a career that balanced the joys

of entrepreneurship with the fulfillment of helping others. Even though Rob is no longer with us, Misty and her team are carrying on his warmhearted legacy at Red Tree Realty.

“If not for Rob, I wouldn’t be doing this,” Misty says. “There’s nothing more rewarding than being there for someone else.”

To learn more about Misty Waide call (256) 443-3030, email mistywaide@gmail.com, or visit redtreerealtyinc.com www.

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Is Starting a Team the Right Solution for your Business?

You’ve started your own real estate business and after a slow start, you’ve found your footing and business has really taken off. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Until maybe you’re getting more business than you can handle. After all, you don’t want to sacrifice service for more listings. The top-notch level of service you offer is probably what created your boom in Top Agent Magazine

business in the first place, so you don’t want to compromise that. But, at the same down, you don’t want to turn down business either. It’s at this point, a lot of Realtors® consider starting a team. But, how do you know if that’s the right call for you? Here are a few questions you might want to ask yourself to help make your decision.

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The top-notch level of service you offer is probably what created your boom in business in the first place, so you don’t want to compromise that.

CAN YOU AFFORD IT? First things first, are you really making enough money to warrant hiring help? One of the key things to think about is your ability to generate leads. Are you so busy with your existing contracts, that you have no spare time to generate more business? Then, it might be time to consider your options. Figure out the time you’ll be afforded to generate more business, how many more transactions that will lead

to, and then see if that pays for the assistant’s wages. That should help you easily see if it’s worth the investment. If it’s on the border, you may still want to go for it if you have a lot of confidence in the market and your ability to bring in business. If you’re not quite there yet though, it might be a good idea to look into a virtual assistant until your business is ready to expand.

ARE YOU READY TO BE A TEAM LEADER? Or in other words, how comfortable are you delegating tasks and responsibilities? For some agents, they need to be actively involved in every step of the process. Being a team leader is not only about being able to delegate, it’s about mentoring and guiding your team as well. Not only do you have to help them serve the team

better, you need to look at yourself honestly too, constantly evaluating what you can do better. It’s also your job to set up systems and operations, that are constantly refined with the feedback of your team members. Clear and constant communication is key with your clients as well as your team.

CAN YOU FIND PEOPLE WHO SHARE YOUR VISION? Of course, the above two points are moot, if you’re unable to find people that you trust and that share your business’ philosophy. Having a supportive and professional team culture is instrumental in a team’s success. These are people you will be working with closely for long hours so you not only need to trust in their expertise and professionalism, you want to find people with a positive attitude. You will all be relying on each other to create seamless trans14

actions in sometimes stressful circumstances.

Having the right team spirit, so to speak, is what will help your business and team grow.

The ultimate goal of a team is to have thriving careers for everyone on board.

So, if you want to see your business grow maybe a team is right for you. It may even give you a little free time for a personal life. We can all dream, can’t we?

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STEPHANIE AJLOUNY Stephanie Ajlouny began her career in real estate in the fall of 2017, leaving a career in the medical field that was rewarding but didn’t allow her enough time to spend with her family.

Now working as an agent at ERA King Real Estate, Stephanie brings her hardworking attitude and positive, friendly demeanor to a successful career in real estate. “I love to help people,” Stephanie says.

“I believe that’s my calling, whether in the medical field or in real estate. Especially during stressful times, I enjoy taking that stress off of people and making the process as easy as possible, while building a relationship with them.”

Stephanie serves northeast Alabama, mainly the Etowah County area, but also as far away as Birmingham and Oxford, AL. After almost three years, she is beginning to see more and more repeat and referral business, and it’s easy to see why people want to work with Stephanie again. “Clients appreciate my communication and follow-up,” she says. “I enjoy building that relationship with my clients during the buying and selling process, and I’ve never had a client I didn’t become friends with.”

For this reason, staying in touch with past clients comes naturally to Stephanie. She connects with them on social media, as well as via postcards, and often just with a friendly phone call to make sure they’re happy with where they are and see if they need anything.

Stephanie takes time to educate her clients throughout the process of buying or selling a home. “Step by step, I walk them through everything,” she says. “I try to make it as easy as possible for them.” When she prepares a listing for the market, Stephanie meets with her client to walk through the property and discuss the marketing tools she will use. These include professional photography, as well as placement on social media, Zillow, and other online platforms. Stephanie Top Agent Magazine

uses targeted online marketing to ensure that her listings reach the audience most likely to be interested in them. She also prepares a comparable market analysis, which helps Stephanie determine how her clients can get the best price for their home.

Community involvement is an important part of what Stephanie does. Outside of work, she volunteers with the Salvation Army and other nonprofits in Gadsden.

ERA King is also hugely involved with the community, so Stephanie and her colleagues participate in those endeavors year-round, including working with veterans and other causes. “We’re always seeking out ways to help benefit our community,” Stephanie says.

When she is not working, Stephanie loves to spend time with her family, including her two sons and her daughter. She loves going to her son’s baseball games, and spending time outdoors as a family, whether fishing, hiking, or sports.

In the future, Stephanie plans to keep growing and building in her community. “I want to continue helping people with their needs, while continuing to grow my business,” she says. “I’ve been very blessed to be able to do this full time and still have the flexibility to spend time with my family as well. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

To find out more about Stephanie Ajlouny, www.era.com/ERA-King-Real-Estate--568c/Stephanie-Ajlouny-4878145a please call 256-676-8309, visit her website here. or email at stephaniea@eraking.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 15

RUSTY GLINES Rusty Glines began his career in real estate five years ago, after moving back to Alabama from Ohio. “I wanted to get into the investing side at first, and then once I got going, it took off,” Rusty says. Now Rusty has opened his own brokerage, Canopy Realty, and oversees a team of agents.

Rusty’s business is thriving thanks to the relationships he builds with his clients, and the excellent level of service he provides.

Rusty lives in Guntersville, and he primarily serves Northeast Alabama, including Marshall County, Jackson County, Huntsville, and the surrounding area.

About a third of his business comes from repeat and referral clients. “People appreciate the relationship I build with them,” Rusty says. “I’m here to help them all the way from start to finish. I always answer my phone, and I’m always there for my clients.”

Throughout the process of buying or selling a home, Rusty works to educate his clients so that they are able to make informed decisions every step of the way. “This is the biggest investment a lot of people will ever make, and I want to make sure they’re comfortable making these decisions. I keep them up to date on what’s going on.” Rusty’s experience on both sides of a real estate transaction helps him give his clients an idea of what to expect. “If they’re buying, I try to give them the seller’s perspective too, to make sure they get the whole scope of the process and understand what the opposite side is thinking.”

“Whether it’s a 3D walkthrough, drone footage, or professional photography, I try to provide the best I can for my clients, given the unique circumstances of each house. We make it look its best and get it out there as much as we can.”

Rusty is active in the local business community, and is a member of three different local city Chambers of Commerce. He is also a member of the Marshall County Board of REALTORS®. “I try to stay up to date with what goes on in all the cities,” Rusty says. “I go to local events and try to stay in front of people as much as I can.” When he is not working Rusty loves spending time with his wife Jennifer and three daughters Kalyn Heinle, Alexis Glines, and Morgan Lambert. He enjoys getting outside, spending time on Lake Guntersville, playing sports with friends, and being active in his church.

In the future, Rusty plans to expand his new brokerage throughout the state of Alabama and reach more people.

“I want to be involved as much as I can in real estate and see our company grow,” he says. “I get a lot of satisfaction out of helping people who never thought they could buy or sell a house. It’s a big decision, and it means a lot that they’ve trusted me to help them.”

Staying in touch with past clients is important to Rusty’s approach, and he maintains his own database to keep track of all his contacts. He reaches out periodically on social media and by mail. “I’m big on social media,” Rusty says. “That’s how I built my business.”

It’s also an important tool for marketing his listings.

“Social media reaches far beyond what the typical MLS can do now,” Rusty explains. He does paid advertising on social media to reach as many people as possible.

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To find out more about Rusty Glines, call 256-960-2024, email rustyglines@gmail.com, or visit canopyrealtyal.com www.

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6 Ways to Get Your Client to Trust You The word “REALTOR®” can leave a sour taste in some people’s mouths. Many of today’s home buyers and sellers grew up during the 2009 recession. They are wary of anything Top Agent Magazine

or anyone who comes off as too salesy, and they want to work with individuals who they can trust.

But how do you prove to someone you’ve likely never met that you can be trusted?

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1

Put Testimonials or Case Studies on Your Website

When something goes wrong, own up to your mistakes. Don’t hide bad news from your clients. Be upfront and responsive.

Testimonials and case studies are social proof that you have both the experience and the skills to do the job your clients are hiring you for. People often leave testimonials when they are either incredibly disappointed or extremely happy with the service they were provided, so they’re a good indication to prospective clients of the treatment they’ll receive.

Case studies, which you can post on your blog or website, have much of the same effect, but even more than testimonials, case studies demonstrate your real estate and finance expertise because they explain how you achieved a specific set of results.

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Be Responsive and Accessible

Can your clients reach you easily? That doesn’t mean you need to be available 24/7, but you should respond to your clients within a few hours of receiving their message. When agents don’t respond to their clients’ calls or emails for days on end or fail to provide them with a direct line of contact, their clients’ experience can quickly become frustrating.

Agents are busy but so are their clients. If you constantly show up late to or reschedule meetings, your clients won’t feel like their time is respected or their business is valued. Make sure you set a realistic schedule for yourself rather than spreading yourself too thin.

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Be Honest and Transparent

Sometimes you don’t have the answer to a client’s question. Be honest about your strengths, weaknesses, and the limits of your knowledge. A good response might be, “I don’t know, but I can find out.” Be transparent with your clients, and they’ll respect you for it.

You should always act in their best interest.

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4

Go the Extra Mile

If you do the bare minimum, that’s what your clients will remember. Their experience won’t be memorable, and they won’t gush about you in online testimonials or in real life to people they know who could use your services. It’s that simple.

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Put Yourself in Your Client’s Shoes

Clients understand that you need to earn money, but that doesn’t mean they want to feel like they’re just a dollar sign to you. Be empathetic to your client’s concerns, even if you’ve heard it all before. Your clients should know that you are there for them.

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Be Consistent

Being responsive, friendly, and knowledgeable shouldn’t be an act. If you “turn on” your personality for clients and then suddenly become a different person when they leave the room, it’s likely that the cracks in your mask will eventually become apparent.

But “faking it till you make it” is so common it’s become a cliché. When we are starting out, we don’t always have the systems or resources in place to create a smooth client journey, from onboarding to closing, so instead we constantly try to reinvent the wheel. Give yourself time to pause, slow down, and reevaluate your workflow. Creating systems creates

consistency, and those systems can and should be constantly updated.

Developing trust between you and your clients will take time, but doing these things can give you a running start.

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CRYSTAL BARNES KEY Crystal Barnes Key began her career in real estate in the year 2000, in the state of Georgia. Her dad was a homebuilder and she sold houses for him at the start.

Then, in 2010, she took a big risk in her career. At just 30-years of age, Crystal purchased her own real estate brokerage and began rebuilding a real estate company in the midst of recession. The risky move paid off, and she currently runs a successful business and in just the last year has exceeded $10 million in sales. Not a shabby feat for a small town brokerage. Crystal works with a team of 8 agents, and primarily serves the area of Lake Wedowee, also known as “Alabama’s Best Kept Secret.”

Her time in the business has allowed Crystal to collect an impressive number of repeat and referral clients, who rely on her professionalism and tireless work ethic to get them through the process of a real estate transaction.

Crystal prides herself on her excellent customer service and her ability to problem-solve. “In real estate transactions there’s a lot of hurdles to jump. And I don’t ever look at an issue as not solvable. There’s a solution to everything, and I will find it,” she says. And she did just that when she found a solution for the current marketing issue she was facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which ruled out her ability to do house tours. So in order to market her listings more effectively, Crystal started doing 360 virtual tours.

Living in a small town has its advantages. For Crystal, it’s the fact that if she goes to the grocery store, she’s bound to bump into a client of hers, which makes the job of staying in touch much easier. But she also likes to keep in contact via email, and sends out a monthly newsletter to her clients, with local events and new properties on the market. And Crystal loves promoting her town, which is why she was thrilled to experience a big milestone in her career when she was featured on HGTV’s Lakefront Bargain Hunt in April 2017, for an episode titled “A Big Wow on Alabama’s Lake Wedowee”.

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For Crystal, her career in real estate is more than just a way to make money. “This is more than just a job for me. Of course it’s my career, but I like people and I feel like I’m helping them. There’s nothing better than seeing how happy everyone is the day of closing,” she says.

Outside of work Crystal remains just as busy. She is the chairperson at Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association, and helps organize numerous events throughout the year, from activities for children to wildlife protection. She is also a board member of the Randolph County Chamber of Commerce, and has been involved in various other organizations to help the community.

When she’s not working or volunteering, Crystal likes to spend her time fishing out on the lake or relaxing at her family’s farm. But most of her time is devoted to working or planning her next business moves. And her plans for the future consist of more growth. She owns her office building and has decided to add on a second story to it, in order to be able to expand her business and work with more agents. But she’s not looking to add just anyone to her team. Crystal—who is ePro certified and GRI certified—is looking for committed and quality agents to join her. “I like to work with like-minded real estate agents that have the same work ethic as me, so that’s who I’ll have my eye on.”

To learn more about Crystal Barnes Key please call 256-610– 2447, email crystal@hunterbend.com, or visit hunterbend.com/crystal-barnes www.

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5 Things You Can Do To Achieve Your Biggest Goals If there’s one thing successful people can agree on, it’s that setting goals has been key to their success. Whether you’re creating a five year plan or just settling on what you want to achieve by the end of the day, setting goals gives you the focus and direction you need to complete even the biggest tasks.

But there is a method to setting them. It’s a process that takes careful thought and conTop Agent Magazine

sideration up front, which is then combined with the hard work necessary to implement your plan. Luckily there are proven methods to goal setting that you can start using immediately.

1. MAKE YOUR GOALS SPECIFIC

Yes, it’s fun to think in grand terms of where you want to end up in life and in your career, but it’s better to have a specific

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Your plan of action should include daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals. goal like “Increase my sales by 25%”, than “Get rich.” When a goal is clear and specific, it allows you to figure out the exact steps you need to take to accomplish it. The more general it is, the more paralyzed you might be when it comes to figuring out what to do since, the choices may be overwhelming.

2. MAKE IT ATTAINABLE

Making attainable goals might seem boring, I mean afterall, you want to dream big! But you don’t want to suffer through the disappointment of not reaching your goal, something that may not even be possible at this stage in your life to begin with. One solution to that is creating goal levels. You can have the dream goal, but underneath that you have the realistic goals that are setting up a foundation for achieving the big one.

Things that are attainable still take work and effort to achieve. Those small victories will keep you motivated and encouraged to go for the bigger dreams. And don’t forget, those little goals may have been things you wouldn’t have gotten done if you didn’t set out to achieve them, so be proud!

3. PUT A PLAN OF ACTION IN WRITING

Your plan of action should include daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals. There is something about seeing things in writing and crossing them off the list that is oddly satisfying.The daily goals are especially 22

important in regards to building up those good habits. The first few weeks of your plan of action are critical when it comes to your long term success. Reaching a goal is something you are doing every day, all throughout the day, in numerous ways.

Achieving goals is all about creating good new habits.

4. MAKE IT MEASURABLE

This is key, since you definitely want to reward yourself for a job well done, and having a goal that is measurable in some way is a sure way to know. Maybe it’s to increase your lead generation or to cut expenses, whatever the case, have a measurable test you need to meet, as well as a time frame. Then calculate what you have to do to reach that goal. Not only should your goal be specific, but the plan and the measure of success should also be set in stone.

5. ADJUST AS YOU GO

You can have all the best laid plans, and you still might quickly realize that what you thought would help you reach your goal, might not be cutting it. Commitment to reaching your goals is good, but commitment to a plan you know isn’t going to work is not only a waste of time, but will be a devastating blow to your motivation.

Sticking to a plan everyday means adjusting it accordingly.

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KADRA PARKMAN Kadra Parkman started out in real estate by investing in distressed properties in order to remodel and resell them. Two years later, in 2017, she decided to take a chance and get her real estate license, so that she could learn more about the market.

Currently, Kadra works as an associate broker at Wallace & Moody Realty.

Harnessing the power of technology to market listings is an important tactic for agents who want to be successful in the digital era. Kadra has accomplished just that by investing in her online visibility, and posting beneficial real estate information on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. “I think people enjoy getting good advice for free. I post on topics such as how to prepare your house for sale, or what are the top things buyers are looking for.” Aside from utilizing social media, Kadra also believes in old-fashioned advertising. “I’ve had success with mailers too.

They’re a big investment but it’s another way for me to connect buyers to my listings. It’s important for me to do everything I can to help my clients obtain their goal of a successful closing!”

taking a percentage from her sales and donating it to two non-profit organizations close to her heart. One of them is the Footprints Ministry, an organization designed to help families with children in the neonatal intensive care unit. The other is a local organization designed to help underserved young men get a better education.

There’s many reasons why agents decide to get into the real estate business, but for Kadra it’s pretty straightforward. “I’m a workaholic, and I’ve always loved real estate. My dad was in construction growing up, so I’ve always been in and out of homes. I just love the whole process, from marketing, to connecting with people and developing friendships. It’s all pretty exciting,” she says. Besides working, Kadra enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, fishing and going to the beach. Her goal for the future of her business is to continue providing her clients with excellent service.

Her high rate of repeat and referral clients demonstrates Kadra’s ability to connect with her clients as they make one of the largest purchases of their lives. She helps offload the stress that buying, or selling, a home can bring by keeping her clients clued in to everything taking place. “All of my clients become friends. I’m easily relatable and down to earth. I’m a hard worker and a lot of the people I work with take note of that and appreciate it. I also make it a point to talk to my clients every week, even if there isn’t much going on. I think followup is very important.”

When she’s not at work, you can find Kadra spending time with her family on their cattle ranch. She also ensures that she gives back to her local community by Top Agent Magazine

To learn more about Kadra Parkman email bkparkman@gmail.com, visit kadraparkman.com, or call (334) 320–8720 www.

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