COLORADO 1-7-19

COLORADO EDITION

BE THEIR REALTOR® FOR LIFE:

Why Millennials Are Now

How to Build a Relationship with Your Clients that Will Last a Lifetime

THE HOTTEST SEGMENT OF THE BUYERS MARKET

Shavonn Janes COVER STORY

COLORADO EDITION

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SHAVONN JANES

Shavonn Janes CONTENTS

4) 3 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR WORKSPACE WORK FOR YOU 6) BE THEIR REALTOR® FOR LIFE: HOW TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR CLIENTS THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME

15) WHY MILLENNIALS ARE NOW THE HOTTEST SEGMENT OF THE BUYERS MARKET 21) YOUR SECRET PRESENTATION WEAPON

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3 Ways to Make Your Workspace Work for You Productivity experts agree that a curated workspace positively impacts productivity and mood, but oftentimes we settle for bland desks and cubicles that lack personalized details or considerations for workflow. Why miss out on the opportunity to optimize your surroundings when it could brighten your day—and boost your performance? Keep in mind some of these tactics to make your workspace your own and reap the benefits along the way.

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DETERMINE YOUR WORKING STYLE AND DECORATE ACCORDINGLY For the creative set, a colorful and art-filled workspace can inspire fresh ideas and reduce stress. Likewise, casual yet aesthetically pleasing furniture, accessories, and décor set an inviting yet functional mood. A pop of color from an office tool—even something as basic as a stapler—can inject a sense of fun and modernism into your daily tasks. For the more analytical, right-brained worker, clean

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lines and zero clutter go a long way. A few well-chosen personal photos in tasteful, unassuming frames can provide a motivating connection to the world beyond the office, while accessories and supplies that are sleek, monochrome, and contemporary inspire a sense of calm efficiency.

BUILD A WORKSPACE WITH YOUR DAILY ROUTINE IN MIND If you find yourself spending hours on the phone per day, or assembling stacks of documents and brochures, or even coming and going from the office with frequency—there are simple adjustments you can make to your workspace that will save you time and energy. If you sit for long hours—responding to e-mails or making calls—try incorporating an ergonomic chair or keyboard wrist-pad to maximize comfort. If you spend a long time assembling presentation materials, then file organizers, trays, and easy-to-pull labels can shave valuable time off your efforts. Lastly, those who step out for frequent meetings can reduce the hassle of being on-the-go by making your space mindfully organized—a coatrack and a dish for your keys by the door, an auto-brew coffeemaker, or an easily edited whiteboard calendar can make jet-setting simpler.

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ADD EASY DETAILS THAT ENRICH YOUR WORKING EXPERIENCE While organization and décor can rally productivity and mood, there are also a few extra details you can introduce to your workspace to improve the quality of your working life.

Healthy, easy to grab-and-go snacks—think nuts, homemade trail mix, and fresh fruit— can keep your energy up without the sugar crush or guilt. If there’s a window nearby, a hard-to-kill plant like a philodendron or a fern not only cleanse the air around you, but also provide a welcome connection to the natural world. Being prepared in a pinch is another great way to make your workspace work for you: a spare tie, a tube of lip balm, hand sanitizer, or a box of Band-Aids can save you a trip to the store when an unexpected need arises.

While we take great pains to make our homes our sanctuaries—complete with the decorations, furniture, and food we favor—we often overlook our work areas, even though we spend a sizable portion of our week sitting at the same desk. Challenge yourself to add a few of these personalizing, productivity-boosting details to your work area and bring the comfort of home to your working life.

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Be Their REALTOR for Life: ®

How to Build a Relationship with Your Clients That Will Last a Lifetime In the world of real estate, an agent’s relationship with their clients can make or break their career. This industry revolves around working well with people, and being able to develop a strong relationship with your clients is the foundation that you business is based upon.

Just like with a house, if that foundation is weak, the rest of the structure is also going to be unsteady and fragile. The mark of a good REALTOR® is their ability to build up a good referral network and following of loyal clients. This isn’t something that just happens by accident. Building healthy, strong relationships with your clients takes work and knowing how to gain another person’s trust, respect, and friendship. Here are some ways to make sure you are building the right kind of relationship with your clients.

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1. Use Your Friendliness and Optimism to Win Them Over: No one wants a pushy, overly confident salesperson for a REALTOR®. Clients are much more inclined to put their trust in the hands of someone who is friendly when it comes to one of the biggest financial transactions of their lives. A pleasant, outgoing disposition will win you more clients as well as friends. You want to establish rapport in the first few minutes of first meeting prospective clients. Rather than starting with business right off the bat, begin your meeting with some small talk such as similar interests, hobbies, and family life. This will immediately help to put your clients at ease, and show that you are not simply trying to “sell” them something.

People also respond well to optimism. During what can be a very stressful time, clients need someone to help them stay positive when a situation looks difficult and challenging. Optimism also tends to radiate charisma, and people want to be around and do business with charismatic people. You want to learn how to understand, motivate, and inspire people.

2. Be an Inquisitive Learner and an Empathetic Listener:

On the other side of this coin is knowing how to listen empathetically. Empathy involves actually putting yourself or your mind in their shoes so you can genuinely understand their concerns, needs, and opinions. That understanding and empathy is then reflected in your conversation with that client. Your clients want to know that you care about their situation, and that they’re not just another sale for you to make. People are much more willing to put their trust in you when they can sense that you are actually making an effort to feel what they feel in order to understand their situation.

Showing your interest through questions, and then thoughtfully listening goes a long way towards gaining trust. Showing empathy and acknowledging the feelings and emotions involved in your clients situation helps build a relationship founded on genuine care and trust.

3. Watch for Nonverbal Clues:

Don’t be afraid to show your curiosity and ask your clients a lot of questions. Some of these questions may even be difficult and uncomfortable. You want to discover and learn as much as you can about your client. Don’t make the mistake of jumping straight into the role of the know-it-all. Every different client has unique needs, so you want to learn as much as you can about their specific situation before trying to propose a solution. You want to uncover their primary motive for buying or selling, and flush Top Agent Magazine

out any potential concerns they might have.

After you’ve gained as much information as possible, you can then gauge their interest in your possible solutions by asking “what if” questions. Being inquisitive also demonstrates to your clients that you are genuinely interested and invested in their situation.

Most communication happens nonverbally, so knowing how to interpret your client’s body language can be incredibly helpful. Here are a few things to pay special attention to: Eye contact: Be careful with the level of eye contact you use with clients when first meeting.

Too much and too little eye contact can send the wrong impression. You want to try and maintain eye contact around 70 percent of the time. That is the amount that most people are comfortable with. Pay attention to your client’s level of eye

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contact to determine how comfortable they are.

When someone avoids eye contact that could mean they are not engaged in the conversation.

A good way to quickly build a feeling of rapport when first meeting clients is to make eye contact when you first meet them and then start nodding yes to what they’re saying. If the client reciprocates the eye contact and nodding, you’ve established a connection.

4. Prove your honesty and credibility:

Choose the right handshake for each client: One handshake does not fit all people, and that first handshake can be crucial to making a good first impression. The way to do a good handshake for each client is to try and mirror the other person’s handshake in strength, keep your shoulders aligned as you are preferably standing when you shake hands. While you shake your client’s hand make sure you make eye contact and give them a sincere smile.

Showing a little weakness can actually be to your advantage in this situation, and will actually make others more inclined view you as honest. You don’t want to come across as too good to be true. When revealing this weakness, however, the key to coming out on top is turning what sounds like a weakness into a strength. For example, your service may be more expensive, but that’s because you offer more personalized and extra services than your competitors.

Honesty and integrity are the two traits that 98 percent of buyers and sellers report are qualities they consider “very important”. The thing is you can say you have these traits all you want on your website, bio, etc., but trust has to be earned, and the only way to do this is to prove your credibility.

Here are a few tips for how to sound more credible:

When you talk to your clients avoid using filler words such as “um” and “uh”, which can decrease your credibility. You also want to watch the tone of your voice. People tend to translate a deeper tone as sounding more credible.

You want to develop a relationship to last a lifetime when interacting with your clients. There are many things you can do to accomplish this, and using these tips can take you from getting just a few referrals and repeat customers to gaining a loyal client following. Taking the little extra time to make sure you are projecting the right attitude and making sure that you are doing things to gain your client’s trust can make a world of difference for your business.

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Shavonn Janes Top Agent Magazine

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“The Janes Group, serves all along the front range with clients in Windsor, Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Johnstown, Milliken, etc. - all of the Northern Colorado communities, even down to Denver.”

Shavonn Janes You may know her from a recent transaction, seen her profile and praiseworthy reviews on online, or maybe you’ve been her client…but Shavonn Janes’ journey in real estate began as a buyer investing in properties. “My husband and I were buying rental properties,” she remembers. “We realized that we really enjoyed learning about and being in the mix of real estate, and decided that it was more 10 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

than just a hobby. There was opportunity to build a career in this industry. I got my license and was with Berkshire Hathaway for two years before I decided it was time to start a brokerage with my husband.”

That team has grown beyond Shavonn and her husband, Mike. “Our team consists of six real estate agents, including me, all along the front range,” Shavonn says of The Janes Group, which serves all of Northern Colorado. “We serve clients in Windsor, Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Johnstown, Milliken, etc. - all of the Northern Colorado communities, even down to Denver.”

Fast-forward four years, and Shavonn has built a powerful referral and repeat clienTop Agent Magazine

tele business, with about 65% of her clients coming from referrals or previous clients ready to move again. What’s her secret?

“It’s really just all about serving our clients,” Shavonn says. “With our brokerage we value a dependable, client-focused team, so that we are all supporting each other, including Top Agent Magazine

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each other’s clients. Mike and I are selective about the agents who join The Janes Group because we want REALTOR®’s who have the same values, mindset and focus we do about serving the public in real estate.”

That care continues beyond the closing table; Shavonn keeps in touch with her clients all year long, with small gifts tied to seasonal themes. “For Halloween we dropped off litCopyright Top Agent Magazine 12

tle stickers to put on their pumpkins,” she says. “And on the Fourth of July we brought them fireworks. Just little things to let them know we’re still thinking of them, and that if they have any real estate needs they can reach out to us.”

Shavonn’s new clientele base has developed through strong online marketing and leads.

“One of the largest client-focused benefits Top Agent Magazine

that sets us apart from the competition are our Coming Soon online listings and promotions,” she says. “We are Premiere Agents with Zillow; that directs all of our listings in top online site placement, and then we also implement re-targeted digital marketing efforts for our listings to interested buyers.”

job is helping people,” she says. “I love looking at houses and I love making people feel good, so real estate falls perfectly between those two things. Helping someone find their first home, their second home or their dream home… it makes them feel good, and that makes me feel great in return. It’s so rewarding.”

Those marketing initiatives allow Shavonn to find new clients to help. “The best part of this

From building a client base and real estate business from the ground up, to running her

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own brokerage in four years, Shavonn has big plans for the future. “We’re opening our new office in downtown Loveland in February! Our overall goal in the next three years is to gain five more agents that share our team’s core values. As The

Janes Group continues to build the right team that serves our clients with the best personalized experiences, we’re going to keep growing with the intention of being the most trusted real estate brand in Northern Colorado.”

To find out more about Shavonn Janes, visit her website at thejanesgroup.com, call her at 970-581-8838 or email her at homes@thejanesgroup.com www.

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Why Millennials Are Now the Hottest Segment of the Buyers Market

and How You Can Attract Them to Your Home There are many factors when it comes to knowing how to sell your home to the Millennial generation. Millennials are becoming an important part of the buyer market, and to fail to cater to their needs will cut you off from a large and important segment. But, why have Millennials all of a sudden become interested in buying houses when they were perfectly content to rent for the rest of their lives?

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A number of factors contribute to what has recently made Millennials the hottest segment of the Buyers market. One factor is the improved job outlook for Millennials. Millennials took a serious blow during the recession.

Unemployment in this group soared to 14 percent, compared to the 9.6 percent for the population as a whole. But, in recent years that number has been decreasing, with unemployment for Millennials being 9.3 percent this past year.

Rising rents are also contributing to making Millennials more interested in purchasing homes now. Rents have risen so much that buying a home now just makes more sense. Half of all renters spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing. Millennials are becoming increasingly stressed over the constantly increasing financial obligation to something that isn’t even theirs to own.

The near-historic low mortgage rates are luring Millennials towards purchasing a home with their promise of affordability. When compared with the skyrocketing rental rates, buying a house looks even more enticing.

Another factor helping Millennials get over the hump of purchasing a house is the lower down payment requirements. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are now offering new loan programs that require as little as a 3 percent down payment. This may just be the last push the Millennials needed to turn toward buying a home rather than rent.

So, now that we’ve established that Millennials are finally joining the Buyers market, the next thing that it is important to understand is what exactly Millennials are looking for in a home. What kind of floorplans do they prefer? What locations are they interested in? Here are some of the essentials that Millennials are looking for in a home: • Updated Kitchens and Baths: Almost everyone wants to buy a

home with new kitchen and bath fixtures, but this is especially true for Millennials Buyers. Millennials are going to spend most of their savings on the down payment and furnishings, leaving little room to update the Kitchen and Bath, which are also the most expensive parts of a home to

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update. Millennials who are on a budget simply won’t have the money to sink into those areas. An updated Kitchen and Bath is sure to bring in a younger crowd.

• Big Kitchen with Open Floor Plan: For Millennials, the kitchen has

become the room where they hangout in addition to the family room. This is why having an open space that can transition easily from the kitchen to the TV room is high on the list of things Millennials are looking for in a home. Along a similar vein, Millennials are attracted to an open floor plan rather than one that compartmentalizes the home. This has to do with how Millennials entertain. Millennials want their guests to flow through the rooms and mingle together, rather than be sectioned off in different rooms.

• Home Office: More than 13 million Americans now work from home,

and if you look at the trend, that number is only going to increase as the time goes on. With technology steadily increasing, more Millennials than ever have the flexibility to work from home. But, the home office isn’t just for someone working from home full time. Having a separate space dedicated to work helps people concentrate and focus on work while they are at home. They can separate themselves from the activities going on around the house and have a quiet space where they can set up their workday, plan a presentation, hold a meeting on Skype, or even pay bills.

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• Less Maintenance: Many Millennials work different schedules that

don’t conform to the 9 to 5 workday, as well as full social calendars. This doesn’t leave them much time to clean a big house. Lawn services and low-maintenance front yards are particularly appealing, as they take less responsibility to still keep the curb appeal high.

• Energy-Efficient Appliances: Millennials have been educated on

keeping the Earth clean from the time they were born. They want to do their part to help the environment and appreciate the long-term cost savings that come with it. Energy-efficient appliances and greener ways to heat and cool the home might end up being the tipping point that makes them choose one house over another.

• Hardwood Floors: Millennials don’t have the time or patience to clean

dirty carpets, especially those that own pets. Hardwood and laminate flooring is easy to mop up if there’s been a mess. The more time they can conserve, the better.

• Good Location: Millennial buyers are looking for homes that are in

proximity to public transportation and have a good walking score. Young Millennial buyers without children are more likely to want a location closer to the action of the city, while Millennials with children would prefer more residential areas.

• Technology: Technology rules the Millennial’s life. They do work on

their computers through an Internet connection and solely use cellphones for communication. They are going to ask about how strong the cell service is and about the Internet service provider. While these amenities are out of the seller’s hands, Millennials are still going to ask these questions, and you will need to know how to answer them.

Knowing what Millennials are looking for in a home will ultimately help you make the necessary changes that will attract these buyers to your home.

Since they are the a serious segment of the market now, updating your home to fit their needs will lead to more buyers and better offers. So, get with the times and embrace the Millennial buyer.

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Laughs!

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Your Secret Presentation Weapon

by Rich Levin

You are at a listing presentation, and Agent: “Do you know the number you know the seller is interviewing one complaint owners, like you, have other agents. Would you like to about their present REALTOR®? distinguish yourself as the best?

Here’s how.

“The agent doesn’t communicate or loses touch. It’s one of the simplest This is on an age-old and proven things and one of the most sales concept that is taught in high- important. I know some of the best level sales training in every major agents in town who sell a lot of corporation. In real estate, it is a homes and have the best intentions, subtlety that most agents simply but they just don’t follow up like don’t build into their skill set. Those they should, and you fall through who learn and use this skill stand out the cracks. and win against the competition.

“I set aside an hour each day just for Have you ever lost a listing and staying in touch with my clients.” could not figure out why? The seller says that they had more confidence “You don’t want to be in the dark, in another agent. This skill is the uncertain and uncomfortable. I reason they will choose you. They want you confident that we are both may not recognize why; they just doing everything we can to get your have more confidence in you. property sold for the most money in the shortest time. “I like to make Sample Seller Script these calls between eleven and Here’s an example. After, I’ll break noon on Thursday mornings. What it down for you so that you can is the best number to reach you at apply it for yourself. that time?”

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Robbins was a twinkle in his AABC: The Breakdown There are four steps to this mother’s eye. Most agents miss the presentation skill. They are subtle mark on this in today’s competitive and easy to learn. You must practice real estate market. To hit a bull’s to be natural with this skill, which I eye, use AABC as your secret weapon. You will begin to notice call AABC. sellers and buyers having more • Step one is the Action you take. In confidence in you, relaxing with the example above, it’s communicating you, and trusting your judgment. regularly.

Sample Buyer Script • Step two is the Advantage you “Would you like to have the bring that differentiates you. In the advantage of seeing the newest example above, it is setting aside an properties on the market, every day?” hour each day.

A – The Action: “Every day—often • Step three is the Benefit to them. twice a day—I will search for propIn the example above, it is making erties that are new to the market.” them certain, comfortable and A – The Advantage: “In our area confident. there are nearly three thousand real • Step four is the Close, which is estate agents. Every day, some of asking for a decision. In the them are placing new property on example above, it is asking for the the market. Within hours, often less, specific number to be reached on a I make sure that you are aware of any and every property that even specific day and time. remotely matches your desires.”

AABC B – The Benefit: “You’ll have the Action: What you do. best opportunity to find the property Advantage: Your distinction. that has the most of what you want Benefit: What’s in it for them? before you are in competition for it, Close: Asking for a decision. and you often get it at the best price.

This has been taught by Fortune 500 Each year, many of the homes I sell Companies decades before Anthony are those fresh listings that have 22

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only been viewed by my buyers.

It’s fun for me. It’s the best way to give you the competitive edge.”

C – Close: “Do you want me to contact you each day as soon as we become aware of any property in which you may be interested? If I call during the workday with an excellent choice—something that looks perfect—would you be able to come fairly quickly to see it?”

You will find AABC is your secret weapon. While other agents present their same old way, the buyers and sellers to whom you present see, hear, and feel something different, something more. They will more easily sign exclusive contracts with less commission challenges. They will trust you and make your job with them easier, because they strongly believe in your efforts on their behalf.

A Few Subtleties I like to start with a question. Do you know? Have you heard? Would you like?

The Action can be very simple. It is your Advantage—the way you do it differently—that makes the distinction.

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The Benefit is always more money, the best time frame, and/or more ease and convenience. That is WIIFT: What’s In It for Them.

The Close is critical. In addition to confirming their agreement, it makes them an active participant in the process.

In my work, I occasionally accompany Agents on listing presentations—Agents who take over a hundred listings a year. Once they begin to apply AABC, they immediately express that they feel, hear, and see the difference in the way their clients responded to them.

This is an advanced skill that raises your effectiveness and enhances your relationships and your results.

It requires preparation and practice.

It is a secret weapon that can shift your work and your career into the next gear.

Rich Levin is one of the most successful Real Estate coaches in the nation by virtue of the measurable results of his clients and creator of the Real Estate Hierarchy of Success, a working model for understanding and planning your business.

Copyright©, Rich Levin. All rights reserved.

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