ARIZONA 2-22-21

ARIZONA EDITION

24-HOUR TOUCH-UPS to Maximize Your Price List FEATURED AGENT

KELLY BLUE COVER STORY

4 WAYS TO

WIN THE BATTLE AGAINST PROCRASTINATION

How to Answer the Inevitable Question:

WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE YOU?

RODNEY & LAUREN WOOD

ARIZONA EDITION

The Miller Team is proud to congratulate

KELLY BLUE 6

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RODNEY KELLY RODNEY& & LAUREN on being featured forBLUE the State of Arizona WOOD in Top Agent Magazine! LAUREN WOOD CONTENTS Patti Miller, Loan Officer, NMLS 1032987

520.249.3308 4) 4 WAYS TO WIN THE BATTLE 17) HOW TO ANSWER THE TeamMiller@AltitudeHomeLoans.com AGAINST PROCRASTINATION INEVITABLE QUESTION: WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE YOU? 470 E Fry Blvd, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 | NMLS 2036032. AZ BK 1007669 8) PLAYING THE REAL ESTATE MATCHMAKER— FOLLOW THESE 20) 24-HOUR TOUCH-UPS TO 8 DATING RULES TO ENSURE YOU MAXIMIZE YOUR LIST PRICE MATCH YOUR CLIENT WITH THE PERFECT HOME FOR THEM

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4 Ways to Win the Battle Against Procrastination One of the most common professional afflictions is procrastination. The funny thing is, everyone knows that procrastination is negative—it’s a waste of time, a creator of stress, and is entirely a problem of our own making.

Still, knowing all of this doesn’t necessarily decrease our odds of procrastination. There are plenty of explanations we give when putting 4

work off until the last minute. Perhaps you convince yourself that you work best under pressure, but it’s truer that you’re used to working under pressure by necessity. Maybe you’re a perfectionist and the fear of getting it all wrong puts you off from the task. Whatever the justification may be, overcoming procrastination requires some willpower and technique. With

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that in mind, take a look at a few tricks below to jumpstart your motivation and nix the lastminute time crunch. After all, you owe it to yourself and your business to operate like a procrastination-free professional.

1. Make Your Intentions Known As realtors and mortgage professionals, you may serve as your own boss. So, when the time comes to complete a task and you put it off—perhaps you’re only disappointing yourself. This is easily remedied by making a new promise to try again tomorrow. On the other hand, it’s much harder to break promises and commitments to others. Try verbalizing your intent and commitment to your team, or to an assistant who can hold you accountable, or better yet—to a business partner or to a client.

Make a hard deadline public and you’re likely to perform for fear of embarrassment or losing face. In a way, this puts the pressure of expectation on you, instead of the pressure of the ticking clock.

2. Take a Baby Step When tasks pile up, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. If you’ve got a number of items on your to-do list, including some heavy hitters that require a lot of attention and time, begin by taking on something simple. Identify an easily completed job that needs attention and put it first in your queue. Duties that are straightforward and aren’t time-intensive can lead you to the rest of your to-do list, fueling you with the satisfaction of a task already complete. Even if it’s as small as returning e-mails, or dropping off your dry-cleaning, one simple thing off your Top Agent Magazine

list can inspire you to continue on to the next item in the spirit of productivity.

3. Work in Windows If work is the last thing you want to do and you can’t seem to self-motivate, make a compromise with yourself. Agree to work just fifteen minutes, and mean it. This tiny window of time is easy enough to complete, isn’t overwhelming, and you’ve already agreed to move on once time is up. The truth? Odds are that just fifteen minutes of active work will inspire you to keep going. After all, the most difficult part of procrastination is getting started. By putting in those fifteen minutes, you’ll trick yourself into diving into the action.

4. Switch Up Your Environment If you’re stuck in rut when it comes to procrastination and productivity, try changing your surroundings. If the office feels stale and stressful, take your work to the nearest coffee shop and try to tackle your tasks there. Perhaps the quiet, studious ambiance of a library can make you focus, or a picnic table outside the office can stimulate the senses. Sometimes changing your scenery can breathe new life into your routine and give you the extra push you need to get work done.

There’s no one way to overcome procrastination.

In fact, it’s likely a lifelong process of building discipline, finding techniques that work for you, and simply prioritizing your time more effectively. Don’t lose hope—remember these tricks and winning the war will be possible, even if you lose a few battles along the way.

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KELLY BLUE A true people person with a love of real estate, Kelly Blue has flourished as an agent in the Cochise County region of Arizona. Her passion began with flipping houses with a friend in Missouri and dabbling as an interior decorator. She relocated to Arizona in 2009 to marry the love of her life. It wasn’t long until she decided to jump into real estate full-time. “I fell in love with it,” she says. Today she works as a solo agent, while her husband helps her with the paperwork. “He’s a pastor at Calvary Chapel here in Sierra Vista, but I coaxed him into getting licensed,” Kelly explains. “So now he takes over my paperwork and files, which is great because he has an analytical mind.” They have certainly become a successful duo. Kelly is thrilled to have past clients eager to have her represent them again. Much of her new business is from past clients referring friends and family to her.

“It’s my honesty and integrity that keeps them coming back,” she says. “I’m definitely a workaholic, I’m always available to my clients and am very easy to reach.” Whether her client is buying a $40,000 plot of land, or a $400,000 house, Kelly always puts them first. “They are all treated with the same great service.” For her buyers, she is patient and guides them throughout every aspect of the transaction. She listens intently to their needs and helps locate the ideal property for them. Once it’s found, she negotiates to get them the best deal possible. Meanwhile, her sellers enjoy exceptional marketing. “I do a lot online, but I’m also in the Real Estate Press Magazine every month. All of my listings are featured there.”

After the transaction, clients leave glowing reviews about their time together. One recently said, “Kelly was truly amazing. She made herself available whenever we needed her, including evenings and weekends.

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Kelly was such a professional yet she made us feel like we were working with family. Kelly took upon herself all the burdens and worry of our home buying experience and made the experience fun and exciting rather than stressful. It was a great experience. I would recommend Kelly to anyone.”

When Kelly isn’t working, she’s giving back to the community through her local church. “I also do activities with A Tree for Christmas, which is a charity very dear to my heart, and Relay for Life. I sponsor families privately that are in need, whether it’s for the holidays or buying them groceries.” During any free time, she’s baking, enjoying the outdoors or relaxing with her husband. Kelly has 9 grandchildren and 3 great-grandsons. Her daughters and their families are a motivation to her strong career drive.

Kelly is looking towards growing her business and loves to mentor new agents. No matter where her path leads, she will undoubtedly soak up every minute of it.

“I love the people. I truly love just being able to help them with their real estate goals.”

For more information about Kelly Blue, please call 520-678-3502 or email kelly.blue@era.com Copyright Top Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine

The Miller Team is proud to congratulate

KELLY BLUE

on being featured for the State of Arizona in Top Agent Magazine!

Patti Miller, Loan Officer, NMLS 1032987 520.249.3308

TeamMiller@AltitudeHomeLoans.com 470 E Fry Blvd, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 | NMLS 2036032. AZ BK 1007669

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Playing the Real Estate Matchmaker –

Follow These 8 Dating Rules to Ensure You Match Your Client with the Perfect Home for Them When you think a bit more about it, the ultimate goal of a real estate agent serving a client is really to match them up with the perfect house for them, almost the way a matchmaker tries to find two people that will fit well together as a couple. When people are looking for a house, they often treat the process as a quest for “the one” house that will fulfill their dreams of living in the house of their dreams. Don’t be fooled. It is always a search for “the one”, at least when it comes to helping a couple or family find a home.

When you look at your client’s search for a home in this manner, then you might begin to notice some pretty obvious similarities

between shopping for a home today and online dating. In this day and age most people live a substantial part entire lives online. People socialize with their friends on Facebook, they meet potential friends in forums and online communities, and we now even search for our perfect mate online. Shopping for a home also happens to usually start online. When they begin this search, make no mistake; they are looking for the “one.” These people then turn to you, the REALTOR® to play matchmaker for them. It is your job to wade through the pool of eligible homes (bachelors) and sort through all the ones that are too expensive, too nerdy, not cute enough, not smart enough, etc. until you find the “one.”

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It makes sense then to consult the tried and true practices in matchmaking that help those professionals find the right people for each other, and see if any of them could also apply for matching your clients with their dream home. You’ll find that these 8 dating rules may just show you the secret to matching your clients with the perfect home.

back to the store if you’re not happy with your new home. It’s best to first help your client get prequalified. This is a tangible step that shows they are ready to move on to a new home. You want to make sure they are completely over their love affair with their previous home. You can even ask them for a sign or proof that they’re ready to move on.

Who Is In and Not In Your Client’s League? Know Your Client’s Price Range:

Be Genuine, Not Superficial

When a person is looking for a mate, it is a waste of time for them to even consider those potential mates that are clearly out of their league. These people won’t even stop to give them the time of day.

In the world of real estate the idea is the same. There is no point showing your clients houses that they can’t afford and will simply lust after without having any real chance of purchasing the house. It is your job to keep your client ground in reality, and help them be realistic in terms of price when choosing their next home.

When trying to manage the many pitfalls of online dating, on inevitably goes on a date where the other person looks nothing like their picture online. That can be just as big of a problem when looking for a house. When clients show you a particular house they want to visit, ask them to name something about the house that they like other than the aesthetics. This way you can see if they are simply infatuated with the way the house looks in those pictures, or if there is a deeper interest in the home that could become a deeper connection between your client and the house.

Never Let Your Client’s First Impression of a Home Rule Their Decisions

Make Sure Your Client is Ready to Move On From Their Last Dream Home You’re job is also to make sure that your client is truly ready to move on from their previous home. This is a long term commitment, and they need to be absolutely sure they actually want to buy a new house. You can’t simply take the receipt

When your client first sees a house they have already been lusting after in their mind, they’re often so excited to finally be looking at it, especially if it does in fact look as good as it did in the pictures.

Make sure to encourage them to take some time before making such a big com-

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mitment, and don’t let their excitement push them into making a rash decision. It is your job to keep them grounded in reality. Push for your clients to do an inspection to make sure the house isn’t hiding any dark secrets. Sometimes the most charming facade can hide tons of slime and deadly mold.

Follow Your Heart (or Gut) People often laugh at and ridicule the idea of love at first sight, but when it comes to homes, the phenomenon can certainly happen. Your client may just find their perfect dream home at the very first place you take them. If you have a client that does insist this is the case, then you don’t want to try and rationalize with them or talk them out of their decision. You do, however, want to make sure you are watching out for their interest and make sure your clients take all the necessary precautions before they jump in headfirst.

See What Other People See in The Home – Do They See What Your Client Sees?

Have you come to the conclusion that your clients are being blinded by all of the twinkling windows and crystal clear water glistening in the backyard pool, and can’t see that the house they’ve fallen in love with is really just a dirty animal (maybe a pig) dressed up in nice clothes and lipstick. Ask your client if they would be willing to look at the house again with

their close friends, family, and anyone else they trust for a second opinion there to see it with them. If the house really is a dud, they’ll be able to see past any personal bias your client might have to the truth. They will be able to help your client see through the shining facade

Celebrate the Happy Union!

When a couple gets married they tend to throw a big party and celebrate their union. The same goes for the closing.

Your clients have just essentially married the house of their dreams, and now it’s time to rejoice. Congratulate them on their new union. Show your support for their new homeowner status by going to their housewarming party.

Help Your Clients Maintain Their Dream Home & Ensure a Lifetime of Happiness You can’t just disappear after the transaction is finished. Become their realtor for life by showing your clients how to maintain their dream home. Act as their resource for other professionals they may need to maintain the house such as handymen, plumbers, electricians, etc. Show them how to keep up with home maintenance so they don’t ignore problems that surface and end up with a much larger issue than they started with. Help them make sure their dream home lasts so they can live happily ever after in their home for a lifetime.

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RODNEY & LAUREN WOOD “We have such loyal clients because we do things other people don’t do. We go the extra mile, from helping people pack to hiring professional stagers.”

Rodney Wood began his real estate career 21 years ago, coming from a background in construction and education.

Now he and his wife, Lauren Wood, lead the Wood Real Estate Team, working together to serve their community and Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

help their clients achieve their real estate goals.

Based in Mesa, Arizona, the Wood Real Estate Team primarily serves Eastmark and other East Valley communities.

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Their strong local ties contribute to their thriving repeat and referral business.

“We have very loyal clients,” Rodney says. “I still have relationships from 20 years ago who call me. Repeat business and referrals are the bulk of what we do, and we have an awesome neighborhood where we do a large percentage of the sales. We love living in Eastmark, and that makes it even easier for us to sell homes here. This area requires a bit of local knowledge regarding the HOA, tax situation, and community awareness and Top Agent Magazine

we feel that our experience in those areas really add value to what we do.”

For the Wood Team’s clients, it comes down to trust. “We try to treat their money just like it’s ours,” Rodney explains. “Also, we have an understanding that this is an emotionally overwhelming transaction for most people, so we do everything possible to mitigate those negative emotions so that it’s a positive experience. We do all that we can to make it easier for them.”

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Lauren adds, “We have such loyal clients because we do things other people don’t do. We go the extra mile, from helping people pack to hiring professional stagers. Rodney is exceptionally good with negotiation. The customers are thrilled with the results and they truly feel that he’s been on their side and helped them receive the best value for their home.” The team is proud to have sold over $70,000,000 in home values in the past year, and Rodney, personally, is honored to be ranked nationally as a Top 1% Producer.

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When it comes to marketing their listings, Rodney and Lauren use a variety of methods including flyers, social media and promotional events, as well as networking through the many organizations and clubs to which they belong. Lauren says, “a lot of it is person-to-person. We get to know people in the neighborhood at a personal level, and this helps build trust.”

Community involvement is important to the Wood Team, and Lauren is part of the Eastmark Leadership, as well as assisting with the Eastmark travel club,

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“We understand this is an emotionally overwhelming transaction for most people, so we do everything possible to mitigate those negative emotions so that it’s a positive experience.” pet club, wine club, and entrepreneurs’ club. When they are not working, Lauren and Rodney enjoy traveling. Rodney rides motorcycles, and Lauren loves to volunteer with the pet rescue community.

In the future, Rodney and Lauren plan to continue growing their business while still offering their clients the personal service they value. “We love what we do and will continue to grow every year, but for now we’re just focused on taking care of the clients”, Rodney says. The two also use their experience to train their team in how to be successful in navigating transactions and how to build strong relationships with clients. “Our tagline is ‘Because experience matters,’” Rodney says, “and that’s true in real estate like Top Agent Magazine

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just about anything else. It makes a difference, especially when it comes to successfully closing a transaction and making everybody happy. Real estate

transactions represent the most important financial decisions of most peoples lives.

Having an experienced partner on your side can make all the difference.”

To find out more about Rodney and Lauren Wood and the Wood Real Estate Team, call (480) 983-5063, email WoodRealEstateTeam@gmail.com or visit TheWoodRealEstateTeam.com.

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How to Answer the Inevitable Question:

Why Should I Choose You? In some markets, a real estate agent is competing against thousands of other individuals and teams. There are only so many bells and whistles—so many buzz words you can throw at prospective clients. To a buyer or seller who has interviewed several other agents already, all of it begins to blend together and every realtor sounds as though they’re reading off the same script.

Your clients want to know why they should choose you. They want to know what makes you different. It’s highly likely they’ll even Top Agent Magazine

ask you this question directly in your initial interview, but as an agent, you might have a hard time coming up with a response that either you or your clients are truly satisfied with.

To answer your client’s why you must go back to your own why.

WHAT SKILLS DO YOU HAVE THAT OTHERS DON’T? Just because there are other agents in your area doesn’t mean those agents have the

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same skills that you do. We each bring our own backgrounds and experiences to the table. What comes naturally to you? Maybe it’s your negotiating skills or your ability to connect people that sets you apart from the rest.

WHAT PART OF THE BUSINESS DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST? There are skills and then there are passions.

In real estate, there’s so much to enjoy.

There’s the opportunity to match a family with the right home and the sense of safety and comfort that brings their loved ones.

There’s the ability to give someone a sense of financial security by advocating and negotiating on their behalf. And then there’s the houses and neighborhoods themselves— the architecture, history, and community.

WHAT ARE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS? When you look at your client list and the portfolio of work that you’ve built over the years, what are you most proud of? Sure, there are financial rewards, but there are also other accomplishments that your prospective clients will likely be eager to hear about, such as happy client testimonials, a thriving referral business, volunteer and charity work, or even how you lift and support your own team.

Everyone needs money, but those other accomplishments and how you speak about them show your client what kind of person 18

you are and if that’s the type of person they want to work with.

WHAT ARE YOUR INTERESTS? Real estate might seem like your entire world at times, but you also have a life outside of work. Maybe you like music or traveling or being outdoors. The best part about being a realtor is that there are often ways you can thread these interests into your work, like hosting client functions and events.

WHAT DOES YOUR CLIENT CARE ABOUT THE MOST? Let’s face it, your clients likely care the most about only a few things: saving or making the most money, doing it as soon as possible, and making sure that doing so isn’t too stressful. Your response to your client’s question—why should I choose you?— should address these concerns.

Maybe you excel at creating systems that make the selling process efficient and profitable for your client. Or maybe you excel at providing a personalized experience for homebuyers.

Try out a few responses. You might even start with a template: My [skills or passions] helps me [provide this service] because I can [achieve my client’s goal].

Like most things in life, coming up with a compelling and concise response for why clients should hire you will take time and practice.

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24-Hour Touch-ups to Maximize Your List Price Sometimes it takes a full-scale overhaul to prepare a house for market. Other times, only a series of small adjustments are required to make a listing’s true potential shine. Whether you’re gearing up for an open house, assessing a list price, or maximizing a property’s appearance prior to photography—the devil is in the details. However, touch-ups and refreshes don’t have to dominate your schedule or break the bank. For a few ideas of where 20

to begin, consider our handy check-list below for quick home projects that will fortify your bottom line.

Refresh grout for a sparkling clean look.

Perhaps the quickest and most cost-effective way to make bathrooms, kitchens, and other tiled areas shine is to refresh grout until it looks

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good as new. Specialty grout stain removers and cleaners are inexpensive and sold at most home improvement stores. Plus, the project only takes a bit of elbow grease and an hour or two for a major makeover effect. Suddenly, dark, stained, and worn-down bathrooms gleam as if tile has just been placed.

Create mood lighting with soothing bulbs and fixtures.

A warm white light from specially chosen LED bulbs creates a welcoming environment when potential buyers come calling.

If outdated fixtures are bringing down a home’s otherwise modern styling, consider more design-neutral replacements that won’t

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detract from the property’s charms. These are inexpensive but highly noticeable and impactful upgrades that shift a home’s ambiance for the better.

Repaint doors for an updated and inviting entryway.

It may sound like a hassle, but repainting doorways with a fresh coat signals a wellkept property—and that’s before prospective buyers even pass through the threshold. You can also change out generic doorknobs and switch-plates to add an updated flare while on a budget. Color-of-the-year trend choices can turn heads, while neutral paint choices signal less hassle for future homeowners.

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scrub, or with the addition of new shelves or styled bulbs.

Make windows shine— both inside and out.

Cleanliness goes a long way in communicating a well-cared for home in which buyers can imagine themselves. Cleaning the inside and outside of windows not only refreshes a room, but it allows light to infuse the space while appealing to the move-in ready crowd.

Closet spaces are not an afterthought.

Every prospective buyer wants storage options, and you’ve surely led a home tour where guests inspect closets and pantries.

Don’t let these hidden spaces go overlooked. Make sure they’re clean, cleared as much as possible, and you can even touch them up with fresh paint, a good

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Remove tough appliance stains with a bit of elbow grease.

If you’re packaging appliances with the sale of a property, you’ll want to make sure those big-ticket items are also in top shape to showcase their value. Stainless steel polish, electric cooktop polish, and stain removing pads for the kitchen sink can make your appliances look five years younger with nothing more than an hour or two’s labor.

Organize garage and basement areas to maximize storage and hint at bonus space.

It may take a labor of love, but organizing and decluttering these special storage spaces

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can add significant value to a property. Instead of telling prospective buyers how much storage space there is—let these areas speak for themselves by giving them a neutral, airy bout of cleansing. That way, craft-lovers, car aficionados, and buyers with interest in renovating basement areas can witness the potential immediately.

Individually, these bit to-do list items might seem like extra work without the promise of Top Agent Magazine

a major return. But combined? These small tasks go a long way in crafting a home’s image and projecting pure potential. After all, prospective buyers imagine their lives unfolding inside those walls. That’s why cobbling together these small-scale projects can have a big payoff in the end. Not only will a home present itself in a cohesive, attractively-packaged form, but it can also translate to higher interest and a significant pay-off—in more ways than one.

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