CONNECTICUT 9-20-21

CONNECTICUT EDITION

TOP AGENT TIPS AND QUESTIONS FOR CHOOSING YOUR LISTING AGENT

HOW TO OVERCOME YOUR WORKPLACE FEARS

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QUALITIES OF EXCEPTIONAL EMPLOYEES

3 EASY

AT-HOME DIY PROJECTS

FEATURED AGENT

TO INCREASE PROPERTY VALUE

SAMANTHA CELENTANO COVER STORY

JESSICA BOSWELL

CONNECTICUT EDITION

SAMANTHA CELENTANO

with. Sam was fanta While many struggle for years to find their 9 20 helped with the en true calling in life, Samantha Celentano very responsive an found hers at just 18. When she was still suggestions for con in high school, she knew she wanted and other services to become a real estate agent. “A lot of didn’t know. I don’t people turned me down and encouraged have managed with me to go to school and get a salary job,” added a personal tou Samantha says. But after sitting through Very happy with t her first semester in college studying JESSICA BOSWELL JESSICA SAMANTHA CELENTANO property!)” business, she couldn’t helpBOSWELL but daydream about what her life would be like When Samantha i as a Realtor®. “I realized I couldn’t do a nine to five job, so I went home and told my parents working out, exploring new re I wanted to get my real estate license,” she explains. with her fiance. Lately, she’s be CONTENTS They were on board, but only if she agreed to continue time planning for the future. “I ju college the AGENT same time.

“SoAND I did it, and it was 16) a little Banker 2 years ago, 4) at TOP TIPS 3 EASY AT-HOME DIY which I lov QUESTIONS FOR CHOOSING PROJECTS TO INCREASE tough, but once I received my license I was able to international company, and I’ll be YOUR AGENT PROPERTY complete 10 LISTING transactions in that first year.” She’s been CBVALUE desk from anywhere and ge an unstoppable force ever since, serving the greater Eventually, she would like to hire 4 QUALITIES OF 22) HOW TO OVERCOME New7) Haven region of Connecticut.

EXCEPTIONAL EMPLOYEES YOUR WORKPLACE FEARSyears ahead With many exciting After a few years in the business, she is now getting ready to grow and make her m repeat clients and referrals, which she credits to her world. “I love how every day is honesty and integrity. “My clients will tell me that fun job and I am enjoying every Phone 310-734-1440 Fax that 310-734-1440 they love how truthful I |am, I’m not just trying to sellmag@topagentmagazine.com them a house, I’m looking |around the house, www.topagentmagazine.com No portion of this telling issue may be reproduced in anyI manner without analyzing it and them what reallywhatsoever think,” sheprior consent of the publisher. Top Agent Magazine is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials, Top explains.

Samantha, her topforpriority is ensuring Agent For Magazine cannot be held responsible opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors.

To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. her clients are happy and preparing them to make the Published in the U.S. best decisions possible. “I never want my clients to get into something they aren’t comfortable with, or that 2 Top Agent Magazine they weren’t educated about. I will always give them my opinions and they can take it from there.” When

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Top Agent Tips and Questions for Choosing Your Listing Agent Now that you’ve decided to sell, it’s time to select the professional to help you market your property. Before meeting with agents, however, consider Top Agent Magazine’s tips for preparing yourself. Frist, ask yourself what kind of relationship you’d like to have with your listing agent. Are you seeking a casual, personable relationship and the latest marketing tools or are you interested in a more formal, traditional relationship and approach to marketing techniques? Next, populate your list of agents by attending open houses and asking for recommendations from recent buyers and sellers.

Finally, schedule your meetings at your home, where you’ll be able to gauge the chemistry between you and each agent.

During your meetings, expect any Top Agent to ask you several questions, but also consider discussing the following: 4

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Will you please describe your sales experience and local network?

Ask your Top Agent to describe recent listings and sales of homes comparable to your own. Ask about the sellers’ priorities, the original list price, market time and number of offers. Top Agents will also describe how well they are connected with other REALTORS® in the region as well as their contacts with relocation companies, local corporations and chambers of commerce.

Be sure to ask about each agent’s knowledge of how your market has changed over time and what has influenced change.

You’ll learn a lot by listening to agents’ opinions.

How will you market the property? Each

Top Agent has a unique set of online or local marketing tools at his or her disposal. Some use lead-generation applications and nearly ever luxury agent take advantage of video. Even video marketing tools vary from agent-to-agent, however.

You’ll get to decide if you prefer an agent with higher-end video production and 3D Matterport tours or an agent with more intimate techniques featuring walk-and-talk style video tours.

What factors influence your list-price recommendation? Before an-

swering this question, most Top Agents will have several questions for you, including whether you’re more focused on a faster sale or a higher list price.

They’ll also educate you on how best to balance both market time and list price relative to sales histories your area.

Now that you’ve seen the home, what repairs or improvements do you recommend before listing? You’ll learn a lot by listening to agents’

opinions on your home’s sale potential with or without some improvements.

Most Top Agents will also recommend a full professional inspection prior to listing to avoid surprises during buyer inspection.

How will you help with staging? Some Top Agents will pay for part or

all of the staging costs. At a minimum, however, a Top Agent will have a staging professional or two in their partner network. While they’re at it, they may provide referrals for carpet cleaning, painting, gardening and other minor finishing touches.

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What attributes of the property will you want to highlight? Each Top

Agent will have a somewhat different answer to this question, but that’s a good thing! Even if you have your own ideas about your home’s greatest attributes, you’ll glean insight into the current market by considering different agents’ opinions. In learning their views, you may even change your mind about your home’s most marketable features!

What is your approach to Open Houses? How many agent-only Open

Houses will your Top Agent want to host? How many truly Open Houses?

Some Top Agents may even reveal a “swankier” approach to the Open House – such as an evening cocktail party or by-invitation “open” hours to which buyers visit along with the agent representing them.

Who will be our primary point(s) of contact from your office? This

important question will help you understand the scope of your agent’s practice. You’ll get to see if your agent runs a robust team with many hands on deck or if he or she works by close, one-on-one contact with each client.

Either approach is wonderful; you get to decide what suits you.

Now, let’s list!

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4 Qualities of Exceptional Employees Hiring a new employee is one of the more stressful parts of being a business owner. After all, you’re taking someone on and trusting that they’ll not only be a valuable addition to the team, but won’t do anything to hurt your business’s hard earned reputation.

Sometimes a person comes in and you click right away, and other times you might be blown away by an impressive resume. But there are things you should look for that might not be as obvious at first. Employees that have the following qualities are ones you should seek out, because they will definitely be well worth the time and energy you invest in them.

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1. They have the confidence to be innovative There’s a reason people are drawn to those who think outside the box. Not only do innovations often lead to an extremely profitable business, even when that thinking doesn’t pan out, creative thinking is something that will energize your business and will motivate more employees to start taking chances.

Innovative thinkers also usually have great leadership skills. Ironically, you want an employee who isn’t afraid to speak up to authority and is someone who knows how to bend the rules without breaking them. They know that

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the success of the team and business is what’s most important, as long as it’s done ethically and with respect for everyone involved.

2. They are constantly reviewing their past performance A good employee looks forward, but they also look back. They are always evaluating what worked and what didn’t work in past performances and then adjusting their plans going forward accordingly. If they are coming off a big win, they know how to capitalize on that by using the momentum and cementing in everyone’s minds the value that they add to the team.

If things didn’t go as planned, they assess what they can do better next time, and they don’t get bogged down in insecurity. They take responsibility and they have confidence that they won’t repeat past mistakes. They know that failure is a temporary state, and are able to learn lessons from their mistakes, that will make them a better employee going forward.

While no one wants to fail, having the confidence to try something and fail will one day let you strike gold. Someone who lets failure shut them down, leads to a dead end and will soon make them a dead weight on your team.

3. They value teamwork Even though an exceptional employee might be a rising star, they realize that success is 8

not an individual endeavor, it relies strongly on who you’re working with. Exceptional employees make sure that everyone is contributing and valued for their input. They put the interests of the company above their own, and thrive in an environment where ideas and information are shared freely.

Shared success is the ultimate goal for every project. Exceptional employees have the confidence to know that even when they’re not singled out for praise, they’re an irreplaceable component of a larger machine.

4. They are self-motivated learners A key thing to remember is that while experience is a valuable commodity, intelligence and intellectual curiosity is usually something that can’t be taught. Yes, you might request employees get additional training or attend seminars, but exceptional employees will be seeking out educational opportunities constantly. Even if they don’t have a lot of money for weekend retreats, they will be getting books from the library, downloading audiobooks, and most importantly, taking advantage of one their greatest resources, YOU. Exceptional employees know that the way to stay ahead is to always be at the forefront of new technology and systems. They don’t see educating themselves as a burden, they actually enjoy it. They realize that everything they take in, will one day make them not only an exceptional employee, but an exceptional boss as well.

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JESSICA BOSWELL Top Agent Magazine

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Through a combination of effective client interaction and hard work, Top Agent Jessica Boswell has established a reputation for herself as an elite Realtor in Connecticut, and shows no signs of slowing down.

Four years ago, Jessica Boswell got her start in St. Louis under the mentorship of Angela Kittner, a Top Producing Agent in the area.

She has since moved back to Connecticut, where she was born and raised, and built an impressive career in her own right as a solo agent - she is currently ranked #55 by individual transaction sides in the state, #1 by 10 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

individual closed units in her brokerage’s entire New England network, and offers exceptional service to close to roughly 100 clients each year. Through a combination of effective client interaction and hard work, Jessica has established a reputation for herself as an elite Realtor in Connecticut, and shows no signs of slowing down.

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When it comes to meeting with new clients, Jessica prioritizes building lasting relationships over meeting her own bottom line. She is eager to share information with clients in order to keep them informed and prepared, and keeps herself available throughout the transaction and beyond to field any questions or concerns a client may have. By sticking with her clients, she earns their trust and provides a stress-free experience for them. “This is a relationship business. I treat every client like they’re the Top Agent Magazine

only one I have, and I stay in touch with them long after the transaction is closed,” Jessica says. Due to the thoroughness of her personalized service, Jessica has established an expansive network of past clients in her community who appreciate her work, and she has built a strong base of referral business as well.

As a native of Connecticut, Jessica is intimately familiar with the real estate landscape of the state, and is well-equipped to guide 11 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

As a native of Connecticut, Jessica is intimately familiar with the real estate landscape of the state, and is well-equipped to guide her clients towards making sound financial decisions in regards to buying or selling a home. her clients towards making sound financial decisions in regards to buying or selling a home. Her knowledge of her market is second to none, and she uses that expertise to maximize value for her clients.

Jessica has earned a lot of her success through her skill when it comes to selling homes, and she brings a lot to the table Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

when helping a client acquire maximum profit on their property. She uses professional photography, videography, and staging to bring out the true potential of each home, and pushes those listings across the MLS, more than 300 third-party websites, and especially social media to make sure they are exposed to a wide variety of prospective buyers. Jessica is a Top Agent Magazine

designated Seller Representative Specialist and Pricing Strategy Advisor, and she goes the extra mile to ensure her clients sell their homes efficiently and for the best possible price.

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In her free time, Jessica enjoys hiking and vacationing at the lake with her husband and two young children. She loves interacting with her community - she maintains a significant online presence through which Copyright Top Agent Magazine 13

to keep up with past clients, and she regularly donates to various local organizations, including the local Women’s Shelter and the West Hartford Art League. She hopes to focus her aid on women in need in the next year while looking to bring on administrative

staff, an inside sales associate, and additional agents to her team to help her accommodate her steadily growing business. If you’re looking for a hard-working, knowledgeable real estate agent in Connecticut, look no further than Jessica Boswell!

For more information contact Jessica at (860) 329-6085 or jessica@jboswellrealestate.com.

You can also visit her website at jboswellrealestate.com www.

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3 Easy At-Home DIY Projects to Increase Property Value Most homeowners have a lengthy list of chores and bit projects they intend to accomplish around the house. Oftentimes, those to-do items are completed piecemeal over a long stretch of time, or else sometimes not at all. However, when it comes time to prepare a home for market, all those tasks begin to pile-up and overwhelm. The 16

list of things to do before the photographer comes or the first open house is held might seem endless, but not if you tackle just a few things here and there as you go. These sorts of projects—easy, DIY, at-home tasks you can accomplish in a few hours or less, with tools you most likely have on hand— go a long way with marginal effort.

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Complete a quick rehab of closets and storage areas Many agents advise clients to declutter and depersonalize their spaces ahead of professional photography and home showings. The idea is to provide prospective buyers with a neutral palette. Not only does this allow them to imagine their own lives unfolding within those four walls, but it also helps make a home’s square footage stand out. One way to add visual space to your home without calling in the contractor is to declutter common storage areas and closets. When buyers can get a complete look at a closet’s capacity, or a pantry’s depth, or the garage’s full functional potential, they get a better sense of a home’s potential and thus, its value.

In that vein, consider decluttering and cleaning your high-traffic storage spaces: the garage, pantries, closets, attics, and basements. Besides, organizing and discarding unwanted items help you prep for a move anyway, while giving potential buyers a peak at how spacious your home really is.

Add easy curb appeal with a bit of sweat equity Sure, curb appeal can arrive in the form of a new mailbox, pathway lighting, or updated house numbers, but it can also come cheaper than that. Curb extends to the upkeep of your lawn, landscaping, and home’s façade, and there are plenty of ways Top Agent Magazine

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you can give these zones a refresh without spending anything but time. Keeping your front and back yard green and uniform adds a lux layer to exterior square footage.

Likewise, polishing the outside of your windows, trimming hedges, and sweeping the walkway can make a tidy and wellcared for first impression. There are other measures you can take too. Planting wildflower seeds in empty beds, or collecting some landscaping rocks to frame mulched areas can add a bit of character to your residence. Repainting the front door, ensuring trees are trimmed, and keeping back patios 18

neat and uncluttered also underscore a home at its finest, which is ripe for buyers to snatch up.

Transform tiled spaces into sparkling clean surfaces.

Bathrooms and kitchens are where sellers can stand to add plenty of value in the process of selling a home. While pricey renovations might be out of the question for some, there are still affordable and time-effective ways you can transform for these spaces for the better. Cleaning,

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bleaching, or redoing your tile grout—in either kitchens, bathrooms, or other tiled spaces—can give these high-trafficked areas a new lease on life. Ensuring windows, mirrors, stainless steel appliances and backsplashes are streak-free and polished also demonstrate to buyers that your home is well-cared for and practically move-in ready. Sometimes, the devil is in the details. You might consider relining drawers, changing out knobs and fixtures,

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or else decluttering cabinets and shelves for a fresher look.

No matter the challenges ahead as you prepare your home for sale, completing a few small tasks every weekend or so can put you miles ahead of the competition.

Without spending a dime, you can add serious value to your home’s bottom line, setting you up for success as you begin your own home-shopping adventure.

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SAMANTHA CELENTANO While many struggle for years to find their true calling in life, Samantha Celentano found hers at just 18. When she was still in high school, she knew she wanted to become a real estate agent. “A lot of people turned me down and encouraged me to go to school and get a salary job,” Samantha says. But after sitting through her first semester in college studying business, she couldn’t help but daydream about what her life would be like as a Realtor®. “I realized I couldn’t do a nine to five job, so I went home and told my parents I wanted to get my real estate license,” she explains.

They were on board, but only if she agreed to continue college at the same time. “So I did it, and it was a little tough, but once I received my license I was able to complete 10 transactions in that first year.” She’s been an unstoppable force ever since, serving the greater New Haven region of Connecticut.

After a few years in the business, she is now getting repeat clients and referrals, which she credits to her honesty and integrity. “My clients will tell me that they love how truthful I am, that I’m not just trying to sell them a house, I’m looking around the house, analyzing it and telling them what I really think,” she explains. For Samantha, her top priority is ensuring her clients are happy and preparing them to make the best decisions possible. “I never want my clients to get into something they aren’t comfortable with, or that they weren’t educated about. I will always give them my opinions and they can take it from there.” When it comes to assisting her sellers, she also goes above and beyond, implementing detailed marketing plans to spread the word about each listing. Focusing on social media, she is tech-savvy and loves to showcase each property’s best features.

Buyers and sellers love to spread the word about their experiences with Samantha. One recently said, “We worked with Sam to purchase a summer property in Branford, CT, a location we were not very familiar 20

with. Sam was fantastic to work with. She helped with the entire transaction, was very responsive and provided valuable suggestions for contractors, legal advice and other services in a market that we didn’t know. I don’t know how we would have managed without her help, and she added a personal touch to the transaction.

Very happy with the service (and the property!)”

When Samantha isn’t working, she’s working out, exploring new restaurants or traveling with her fiance. Lately, she’s been spending a lot of time planning for the future. “I just moved to Coldwell Banker 2 years ago, which I love because they are an international company, and I’ll be able to sign on to my CB desk from anywhere and get working,” she says.

Eventually, she would like to hire a buyer’s agent.

With many exciting years ahead of her, Samantha is ready to grow and make her mark in the real estate world. “I love how every day is different, it is such a fun job and I am enjoying every minute of it.”

To contact Samantha Celentano, please call 203-871-8254 or email samantha.celentano@cbmoves.com Top Agent Magazine

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How To How To Overcome Your Overcome Your Workplace Fears Fear is something that can help protect us from danger, but it is also something that can be a hindrance to us in our lives, especially when it keeps us from potentially thriving and growing as a person. This is especially true in the workplace. Here’ a look at some proven ways to overcome common workplace fears.

your head, what exactly you’re feeling and why, it can help deflate the fear. Think of it as releasing some of the fear into the ether.

Yes, you’ll still be nervous about your presentation, but a lot of what was holding you back is gone. You’ll feel lighter, and hopefully have just enough butterflies to make your soar.

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Really owning the emotions that are putting you in a place of fear, is the first step.

By just naming it and then talking it out in

Nothing can make you feel more isolated than going down the path of “This is something that only happens to me.” Trust me,

ASSESS THE FEELINGS BEHIND THE FEAR

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TALK ABOUT YOUR FEARS WITH A TRUSTED CO-WORKER

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it doesn’t, and you might be surprised to find out that some people have had it even worse. Talking to someone you trust and admire, hearing their own fear horror stories and how they overcame them, will help normalize what you’re feeling. Releasing yourself from the idea that it’s something about you, will be an enormous relief.

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THINK OF THE WORST CASE SCENARIO

Although it might seem counter-productive, truly assessing what the worse outcome of the situation you’re afraid of serves two purposes. It might lead you to realize the worst case scenario isn’t that bad after all.

Of course it could also lead you to a really uncomfortable thought, you could lose your job. As bad as that is, it also gives you an opportunity to start focusing on what really matters, and how you might grow from the experience and possibly end up better off.

Countless people in their dream jobs now, were once fired and thought it was the end of the world. Hopefully, that won’t happen to you, but learning to have confidence in your abilities to always find a way, will be a great tool in overcoming fears.

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COMPARTMENTALIZE

If you’re a super-organized type, you might try actually setting aside time in your day to focus on your fears. It might seem odd, but it will let you NOT focus on your fears during the other hours of your day. Think of it as a task, you aren’t just sitting there worrying, Top Agent Magazine

Start thinking of fears as challenges.

As scary as it might seem to face them, for the most part they are things that can be fixed.

you’re taking in your fears and figuring out ways to overcome them.

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START THINKING OF YOUR FEARS AS OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH

Start thinking of fears as challenges. As scary as it might seem to face them, for the most part they are things that can be fixed.

A lot of fear is based on inexperience which leads to a lack of confidence. A common fear is workplace evaluations. Instead of looking at it as hearing everything that is wrong about you, think of it as an opportunity to see where you can improve. Going into it with a positive attitude rather than a defensive posture, will make the whole thing better for both parties.

Overcoming fears is oftentimes about a simple attitude adjustment. Like anything it takes practice, but the results of that practice will lead to a life that you’re able to thrive in both personally and professionally.

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