ARIZONA 2-8-21

ARIZONA EDITION

COVER STORY

LUMINOUS ANTONIO FEATURED AGENT

KIMBERLY TOCCO

6 Ways to GET YOUR CLIENT TO TRUST YOU

MILLENNIAL BUYERS:

Where They Are & What to Know

HOW TO BUILD A TEAM

THAT WILL WIN BIG NO MATTER ITS SIZE

ARIZONA EDITION

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LUMINOUS ANTONIO

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KIMBERLY TOCCO

CONTENTS 4) 6 WAYS TO GET YOUR CLIENT TO TRUST YOU 6) HOW TO BUILD A TEAM THAT WILL WIN BIG NO MATTER ITS SIZE

15) MILLENNIAL BUYERS: WHERE THEY ARE & WHAT TO KNOW 22) 5 SIMPLE MINDSET SHIFTS THAT WILL HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS

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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 4

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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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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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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How to Build a Team That Will Win Big No Matter its Size In the real estate world building a team is a goal almost every agent strives towards achieving. Doing business with a team as opposed to solo has numerous advantages. With more agents handling clients as well as other employees specialized in areas such as marketing and administrative support there to assist you; you can greatly increase your business and sales.

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So, when creating a team, logic would tell us that the bigger it is, the better, right? Wrong. When it comes to real estate teams, size doesn’t matter so much as the players you bring onto that team to work with you. A team doesn’t have to be big to win big, and here are the secrets to building a team that wins big no matter its size.

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Hire the Right Team Members

Put Your Team Members in the Right Positions to Win

You’ve probably heard the saying, “you’re only as strong as you’re weakest link.” That idea holds true for any kind of team, including those in real estate. If you have weak members on your team, then it’s not possible to have a strong team. Drawing strong team members to your business is essential.

Finding strong team members is just one part of the equation. As the leader of your team, you now have to assess each member’s strengths and weaknesses and position them appropriately. You want the best player for each role playing that part and catering to their strengths. Choose your team member’s roles wisely, and place each individual in the position where their strengths can shine and they can best contribute to a win for the entire team. Every role is important to the team working smoothly and winning as a whole, so it is important to place each team member in the role most suited to his or her skills.

To better understand what kind of person would make a strong addition to your team, you need to ask yourself what skills and characteristics you want your team members to possess. The strongest members are often ones that share their leader’s values. When you share values with your teammates, you are all running along the same course towards the same goal as one. Your definition of a victory in this case is also your teammates’ definition of it. This helps strengthen even the smallest of numbers because you are all working together toward a common goal.

Another characteristic too look out for in potential team members is a positive attitude. You can teach someone the skills needed in real estate, but you can’t teach someone how to have a positive attitude.

Positive members tend to achieve more due to their optimistic nature, but more importantly, they spread that positive attitude to the rest of the team, which improves every members’ performance.

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Communicating Your Vision to Your Team

Your team members are the key ingredients to ultimate victory, but what recipe do you follow now to lead them to victory? That is what communication is for a winning team; the recipe you will use to

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help best utilize each team member and instruct them on how they need to work together to fulfill the recipe that will lead them to be a winning team. Your team members need to know the plan and you must give them the tools to successfully execute it.

It is up to the leader of a team to help your players see your vision and help them understand what a victory looks like. The goal may seem simple and obvious to you, but you must communicate it over and over again to your team members, so they understand it as well as you do. With different personalities coming together to form a unit, you are going to be dealing with numerous challenges such as competing agendas. You will find this on any team. You must keep the goal and at the forefront of your player’s minds in order to encourage them to put aside their own personal desires in order to come together as one cohesive, single-minded unit and push towards the team’s goal.

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Give Your Team Members the Tools to Help Them Perform at Their Best The final thing all great leaders do is equip their team members with the proper tools and training needed for them to succeed. You have to show them how they can each come together with their different strengths to work as a team towards one unified goal. This involves more than simple skills training, but also endurance, so they can last as a team and win even those matches that seem unending and impossible.

Think of all the challenges that they could possibly face ahead, and clear their path to victory by giving them the necessary training and tools they will need to get past any obstacle. As the leader, you must be prepared to continually communicate the team’s goal and your vision. Use that vision to motivate your team members throughout the journey towards victory.

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LUMINOUS ANTONIO

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Top Agent Luminous Antonio is broker/owner of Luminous Realty, a boutique brokerage in Sedona, Arizona.

“Selling or buying a home is one of the biggest decisions that most people make, and, for many, it’s a very emotional experience and a life changing transition,” says Luminous Antonio, a top agent and broker/owner of Luminous Realty, a boutique brokerage in Sedona, Arizona. “It’s important to have clear guidance and to feel comfortable and supported. My eighteen years of experience has taught me the importance of establishing a strong and mutually beneficial relationship with my clients.”

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Luminous became a licensed real estate professional in 2002. She approaches real estate in the same way she approaches everything, keeping communications simple and direct. She is attracted to win-win situations, avoids drama, speaks the truth, and loves to create mutually beneficial outcomes. “My easy-going attitude, in-depth market knowledge, and experience attracts the clients I can assist,” says Luminous. “The only person I compete with is myself.”

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Luminous works totally solo, but that does not slow her down at all. Her independent boutique brokerage, Luminous Realty, has a reputation built on her in-depth market knowledge, sustained presence, high standards of excellence, relationships, and referrals. Nearly 60% of her business comes from repeat and referral customers. When asked what brings them back, Luminous credits her calm Top Agent Magazine

personality and responsiveness. “I’m not high pressure, I’m not pushy, and I am always the one to answer your call or question. Clients seem to like a direct connection rather than talking to an assistant or team member,” she explains. “I fall in love with my clients, I really do. It’s a heart connection, the same way that people connect with houses through their heart.”

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“I fall in love with my clients, I really do. It’s a heart connection, the same way that people connect with houses through their heart.”

Luminous’ clients return that heart connection with their business. “I’ve managed to stay in the top twenty REALTORS® out of the 750 in the area year over year,” Luminous says. “I offer an incomparable level of service and global visibility under a brand that stands for trust, discretion, and excellence. I understand how to reach and serve discerning clientele. Along with this expertise, I offer the tailored, trusted service my clients have depended upon since 2002, collaboration with seasoned and respected colleagues, and referrals to and from my network of the world’s top brokers.”

It’s the people that Luminous really loves about her job, but she also loves the thrill of finding the right house for those people. “It’s like a treasure Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

hunt,” she says. “When it comes to sellers, I love the opportunity to exercise my trained artist’s eye to present the property in the absolute best possible light. My favorite moment is when seller, buyer, and agent are all feeling great about the transaction!”

Luminous is deeply involved with her community.

Over the years, she has served on the board for several organizations including Sedona Women and the Sedona Visual Artists Coalition, and she is past president of the Sedona Luxury Real Estate Professionals. She gives widely to a number of charities such as the Humane Society, Gardens for Humanity, Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, Sedona Film Festival, Waldorf Schools, and many others.

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When she isn’t busy raising money or supporting local foundations, Luminous has always been one to forge her own path. Beginning at age 18, she brokered sales of European and American paintings from the eighteenth through the twentieth centuries, period furniture, handmade carpets, fine art, and jewelry through auction rooms in New York such as Sotheby’s, Christie’s, and Doyle’s.

“Then, after moving west, I furthered my art education,” she says. “I earned a degree in Painting and a Top Agent Magazine

degree in Performance/Video at the San Francisco Art Institute. My work is collected, shown, and performed in galleries, art centers, and other public places.” An innovator in the uses of Tibetan Crystal Bowls and voice harmonics, Luminous founded X-Static Sound Research & Development in 1986, a project focused on the healing properties of sonics.

As a lifelong world traveler and researcher of ancient archaeological and sacred sites, Luminous published Integrative Archaeology in 2012 – a guide for Copyright Top Agent Magazine 13

travelers to sacred sites. “I founded the Integrative Archaeology Foundation 501(c)(3) dedicated to supporting indigenous cultures to sustain their wisdom, ceremonies, language, traditions and existence,” she explains.

A true renaissance woman, Luminous definitely stays busy. “I swim, walk, or do yoga every day,” she says. “I have created over 500 paintings, authored a few books, and traveled the world. And, in that realm, the best is yet to come.”

To learn more about Luminous Antonio, call 928-221-3800, visit LuminousRealty.com or email luminoussedona@gmail.com www.

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Millennial Buyers: Where They Are & What to Know Homebuyers and sellers come from all walks of life. If you’ve been an agent for long, you’ve likely worked alongside a wide variety of folks—from first-timer homeowners and down-sizers, to second home searchers and those finally hunting for their dream home. While there is hardly a shortage of diversity in the housing market, there Top Agent Magazine

is one generation that is making big strides in homeownership these days: Millennials.

Millennials can be loosely defined as those between the ages of twenty-two to thirtyseven. As you can see, this constitutes a wide swathe of the population. If you’re an agent who stands to learn a bit more about

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a demographic whose influence and homeownership goals are rapidly evolving, tune in below for a few pointers that can help you expand a segment of your clientele in the process.

Where do Millennials prefer to buy?

Many Millennials came of age during or immediately following the Great Recession, and as such, many of them relocated or returned to mid-size cities and smaller communities where the cost of living was most affordable. Of course, there are countless Millennials that call the U.S.’s major cities home—especially those in the

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tech industry. The good news is that you can court Millennial clientele no matter where you service area is located. That said, community amenities are of great importance to this generation. They value public transportation, green space, and entertainment—from coffee shops and topnotch restaurants to farmer’s markets and boutiques. Emphasizing those attributes will be key in selling to Millennials and locating neighborhoods they’re most interested in.

What sort of communication do Millennials prefer?

Most Millennials are digital natives, or close to. That means they grew up learning

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how to navigate digital spaces, and prefer to communicate through mediums like email, text, and social media. This isn’t to say that Millennials aren’t good communicators, but they’re often on the go, and have learned to research and shop online. To accommodate this, it’s best to build a presence across the most popular listing portals and social media platforms. Although, it’s not enough to establish a site and wait for the calls to come in. Responsiveness is a key factor for Millennials, who expect speedy response times. Make sure you’re checking your inbox frequently, responding accordingly, and engaging with your audience online. This will let Millennials know

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that you’re savvy, available, and understand the value of their preferred method of communication.

Are Millennials ready to buy?

It’s a common misconception that Millennials are uninterested in the rite of passage of purchasing a home. While Millennials maybe waiting a bit longer than their parents did to buy a home, there are good reasons to explain this phenomenon. For starters, Millennials entered the job market during the downturn, which means they are more conservative when making big purchases, and have to play catch-up to reach a sound

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financial position. Likewise, student loan debt has proved a major financial inhabitation for Millennials. Instead of socking away a few hundred a month to save for a home, they’re forking over that cash to pay down their educational loans. How does a Realtor compete with this reality? For starters, a bit of understanding goes a long way. Work with your mortgage partners to find financing possibilities that cater to this younger demographic. Recognize that Millennials—like most buyers—have some trepidations when buying a home.

Also consider fielding Millennial clientele with the long view in mind. You might be 18

courting them for months or more until they’re ready to take the plunge, but they’re also famous for their reviews. When a job is done well, Millennials shout it from the rooftops—or at least share it a dozen time from their phone.

As time passes, Millennials will continue to dominate the marketplace when it comes to buying and selling homes. A little self-education on this powerful demographic can go a long way. If you know your clients and your audience, you’ll be in a far better position to serve their interests and make a customer for life.

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KIMBERLY TOCCO Top Agent Magazine

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KIMBERLY TOCCO

“I have a very unique presence,” says Kimberly Tocco, explaining her approach to her career as a top agent working out of Arizona. “I’ve always stuck to my own personality, and I don’t do anything that is typical of an agent.”

Nothing about Kimberly Tocco’s real estate career has followed a traditional path. “I have a very unique presence,” she says, explaining her approach to her career as a top agent working out of Arizona. “I’ve always stuck to my own personality, and I don’t do anything that is typical of an agent.”

That experience formed how Kimberly views the power of real estate. “When I handed the keys to my husband and saw how he had a foundation again, how he had his legs under him again, I knew that there was a need for someone like me,” Kimberly says.

Kimberly first got into the real estate business following a personal tragedy. In 2011, one of her children committed suicide, an event which left Kimberly and her family reeling. “The only way we could get a house was with an extenuating circumstance loan because we’d had a bankruptcy after losing my son,” she says. “We were stuck in these horrible rentals. No agents would help us. I had no choice but to get my license in order to help my family get into a home.”

She prides herself on going to bat for clients struggling to find their way into a home. To date, she has given back over $540,000 of her own commission to help families in her community. She also does a large amount of pro bono work to help clients in need.

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Kimberly’s dedication is reflected in her clients’ loyalty. Her business is 100% based in referrals. “I don’t do emails, I don’t do phone calls,” she says.

She credits her background in corporate formation Copyright Top Agent Magazine

and private investigation for her formidable negotiation skills. 96% of her buyers walk away with at-value or instant equity, and 86% of her listings sell for record-breaking prices.

“It’s been like that for the whole eight years that I’ve been doing this,” Kimberly explains.

“It’s my skill in negotiation, in being able to identify the elusive property, and being able to put together an amazing presentation to open a bidding war.”

Kimberly stays active and involved in her community, particularly in regard to taking part in suicide intervention initiatives. “I’m known as the suicide eradicator. I speak to people weekly about holding on, giving it five more minutes or one more day,” says Kimberly. “That is my whole purpose.”

To further this cause, she has written a book and hosts a podcast, That Bitchin’ Real Estate Show, dedicated to overcoming life’s difficulties. To date, that podcast has aired over fifty-six episodes which Kimberly hosts and edits entirely on her own.

Looking to the future, Kimberly is excited to continue growing her business to better help her community. Most recently, her oldest son passed his real estate test and received his license. He and Kimberly are currently creating a charitable organization called Tenacious Angels. “Moving forward, not only will we continue to give back a percentage of our commissions for families, we’re going to be contributing to Tenacious Angels,” says Kimberly. “It is dedicated to buying food, blankets, clothing, and that sort of thing for the community.”

Mostly, Kimberly is dedicated to continuing to help people find peace through real estate.

“It’s not what you go through, it’s how you come through,” she says. “The adventure in life is finding joy, and I want to provide that to my clients through their goals of homeownership or sales.”

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To learn more about Kimberly Tocco, call 602-769-1476, email toccotenacity@gmail.com, or visit youtube.com/c/KimberlyTocco, IntuitiveRealtor.com or tenaciousrealestate.com www.

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5 Simple Mindset Shifts That Will Help You Achieve Your Goals

Everyone knows that a positive attitude is one of the key steps to achieving success. It’s very easy to let negativity bring you down and oftentimes, people end up quitting at the first set back. Even if you don’t think of yourself as a negative person, you’re probably doing numerous things you don’t even realize are holding you back.

Recognizing these negative mindsets, and then implementing simple mindset shifts, are sure to help you not only create a more positive outlook, but a more successful outcome to whatever goal you’re trying to achieve.

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1

Turn jealousy into admiration

It’s very easy to look at someone who has what you want, and feel envious, which quickly turns into criticism and excuses about why you weren’t able to get what they seemed to get with ease. This is something successful people never do. Instead, they recognize that the only thing keeping them from success is themselves.

If you want what someone else has, you should look to them as a role model. What

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are they doing that you aren’t? There’s probably more to their story than you’re giving them credit for. Someone else’s success doesn’t hinder your ability to do the same, but constantly having a ‘life’s not fair’ attitude definitely will.

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Tackle the things you dread doing first

We all procrastinate to some extent. Usually it’s things we don’t want to do. But when you put something like that off, it creates a serious cloud over your whole day.

Experts recommend getting those things out of the way first. Not only do get it crossed off your list, but you will feel energized by your accomplishments and tackle the day with even more force.

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Don’t make decisions based on emotion

Reaching goals, especially long term ones, can have a lot of ups and downs. The key to achieving them is to stay level-headed during setbacks, really focusing on your plan and how the setback fits into your long term vision.

If you have a solid plan in place, you could be destroying months of hard work with one rash emotional decision, that is probably coming from a place of panic.

When you’re feeling emotional...wait.

It really is that simple. Wait it out until Top Agent Magazine

you’re back in a rational state of mind and take it from there.

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Learn to love feedback

It’s very easy to be thrown off by negative feedback or constructive criticism. No one likes it. But when it comes to achieving your goals, you need to be able to hear it, assess it and then make an unemotional decision about what it means to you and your success.

In fact the business world’s most successful leaders are there because they not only take in that feedback, they actually constantly ask for it. Fresh perspectives on what you’re doing are always valuable. When you’re in the thick of it, it can be hard to see what needs improvement. Asking a trusted peer or advisor can be instrumental in keeping the momentum on reaching your goal going.

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Replace a fixed mindset with a growth mindset

You might be wondering what the difference between the two are. A fixed mindset thinks that growing intelligence or skills is impossible, while a growth mindset thinks those things can be developed.

People with a growth mindset are more likely to expand beyond their comfort zone, since they really believe almost anything is possible with hard work. And if it isn’t?

They’re willing to give it a try. Being willing to try and fail, is a key element to reaching even the most lofty goals.

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