FLORIDA 10-7-19

FLORIDA EDITION

10 SECONDS TO CHANGE A HABIT

COVER STORY

GOOGLE ADWORDS: How to Make Google Do the Work for You

BEYOND

CLEANING AND DECLUTTERING:

What Improvement Expenses Make the Most Sense?

Stacey Towns FEATURED AGENT

MICHELLE RINALDI

FLORIDA EDITION

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MICHELLE RINALD

After her husband Paul’s business was forced to close, Michelle Rinaldi and her family decided it was time to transform a less than ideal situation into an opportunity for radical growth. She knew she possessed the people skills and professional whereSTACEY TOWNS MICHELLE RINALDI withal demanded by the real estate industry, and she craved a career with a limitless ceiling. With success in her sights, Michelle earned her license to serve buyers and sellers across Singer Island and South Florida. Ultimately, Paul CONTENTS followed suit and they’ve since built a formidable team in the Rinaldi Group, powered by eXp Realty. All told, their family adventure in real estate began nearly ten years ago, 4) BEYOND CLEANING 16) 10 SECONDS TO and today Michelle and her husband have continued to AND DECLUTTERING: WHAT CHANGE A HABIT fortify their reputation as regional business leaders.

IMPROVEMENT EXPENSES MAKE THE MOST SENSE?

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Michelle brings a wealth of experience to her role as an 22)Combining THINKING OF LISTING? agent. her honors degree in communication NINE WAYS TO GET READY with her background on Wall Street, she offers clients incisive insight.

Likewise, she and her husband unite their 13) GOOGLE ADWORDS: talents to drive their business forward. “My husband has HOW TO MAKE GOOGLE DO a calming effect on people and makes the buying process THE WORK FOR YOU stress-free,” Michelle says. “He’s patient and helps clients achieve clarity. He also has a good eye for investment properties, and over the years we’ve acquired several oceanfront condos where Paul renovates them and I resell them. We are about to close one next month, and in just Phone 888-461-3930 | Fax 310-751-7068 three years will have doubled our initial investment.” As mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com savvy investors themselves, Michelle and her husband No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever prior consentclients of the publisher.

Agent are without able to advise with anTopinsider’s expertise.

Magazine is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published What’s more, their proven resilience, perseverance, and materials, Top Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. industriousness create a buying or selling process defined To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. by sound decision-making and a sense of security.

Published in the U.S. “Success didn’t happen overnight,” Michelle remembers.

“It took learning the industry from the ground up. I spent years watching top agents and drawing from them, pulling Top Agent Magazine different tactics and then tweaking and blending them to create my own method. This is a competitive business

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

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Beyond Cleaning and Decluttering: What Improvement Expenses Make the Most Sense?

Decluttering open spaces, emptying cabinets and drawers and removing knick-knacks might seem like obvious – and free – ways to improve a home’s presentability. Unfortunately, however, not all sellers or agents are willing to do much more than decluttering and cleaning.

Think of the listing as a reflection on yourself. If you didn’t comb your hair, shine your shoes, dress 4

neatly and drive a clean car, people would think you don’t care about yourself. They may wonder, “If he doesn’t care about how he presents himself, how is he going to present my house?” Likewise, not prepare a house for its most beautiful presentation might cast doubt on how the overall marketing will go. And, while not all changes will be immediately noticeable, chances are that what isn’t changed will be noticed.

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Ashley Aguilera, REALTOR®, broker and owner of The Aguilera Team in California’s Murrieta Valley and Temecula, says that after every consultation, her team formulates a game-plan. “We want to set their property apart from everything else on the market, but also fall within the comfort zone of the seller’s lifestyle,” she says. Changes may run the gamut from minor repairs and moving furniture for better flow, to adding accent pieces to harmonize the home’s look or create a “wow” factor before professional photography.

Many agents recommend conducting a professional inspection prior to listing; some will even hire the inspector at their own expense. Of course, any necessary repairs found during inspection and not repaired before listing must be formally disclosed. But wouldn’t it be nice to have no surprises during the buyer’s formal inspection?

In general, some improvements are required, others are low-cost and others pay for themselves

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with lower time on the market, competing offers or higher sale price.

Landscaping & Exterior First impressions begin outside. Be sure to mow and edge the lawn regularly; prune back overgrown trees and hedges; hire a professional to repair uneven pavement (especially if it’s a hazard); remove or replace dying annuals; and clean or repair porches or railings. Are there dry or dead patches of lawn? An inexpensive repair to the irrigation system might be the solution.

While painting an entire house can be extreme, a wise investment is to paint trim, porches, steps or railings that may look tired or have too many colors; choosing a single, neutral color for trim can create a bright, cohesive look. Finally, check the roof, gutters and windows, looking for spots to caulk, shingles to replace, or debris to remove.

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Paint is extremely important if the home has faded or dirty walls, holes or chips on paint or plaster. If an entire paint job is not feasible, at least consider cleaning repairing the obvious and adding a fresh coat of semi-gloss to baseboards, moldings, windowsills, doors, banisters balustrades and built-ins. Don’t overlook the ceilings!

A long-ago leak from a second-floor bathroom may have been completely repaired and moisture abated, but a patched-up ceiling is a red-flag.

Kitchens and baths

Walls, carpets, ceilings and trim Next, it’s time for agent and seller to open up to one another about the interior. Janelle Holte, who leads Seller’s Edge Home Team in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, loves walking into a home knowing that her team will be the driving force behind selling it.

“I like seeing how owners took care of it and raised their family in it,” she says. “But I won’t sugar-coat anything, so I tell them not to shoot the messenger!” She gives it to them straight, explaining what needs to be done to stage it to present well from a buyer’s perspective.

Those changes often include repainting at least the primarily living areas and replacing carpet, especially worn carpet or carpet that has faded or stained beyond what professional carpet cleaning could remedy. Sometimes, all that’s needed is professional carpet stretching to remove any buckling prior to cleaning.

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Most agents agree that the easiest costs to recoup in home improvements prior to selling are those spent in bathroom and kitchen updates. Complete remodels are unwise; you can’t anticipate the style preferences of their buyer. But refinishing, touching-ug up or painting cabinets can create a great impact, while also forcing the seller to remove unwanted or overstocked items from cabinets and drawers. Don’t forget the cabinet pulls – shiny, new nobs look nice.

Lee Ritchie of Ritchie Realty Group in Columbus, Ohio, gives a reminder to discuss any and all issues up front. “People need to be able rely on the professional who’s presenting, pricing and marketing their home,” she says. An honest and diligent agent will be an open book about the current market conditions, the quality of comparable listings and the potential return-on-investment for improvements.

Some agents, like Debra Dobbs of @properties in Chicago, even roll up their sleeves to help with decluttering and repairs. While not at all required or expected, doing so sure lets sellers see the investment their agent is willing to make for them.

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Stacey Towns

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Stacey Towns

“Her smile is her logo. Her personality is her business card, and how she leaves others feeling after the experience becomes her trademark.”

—Testimonial

Stacey Towns leads with her personality.

Effusive, friendly and full of positive energy, Stacey immediately makes her clients comfortable and at ease, setting the stage for a stress-free real estate transaction.

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But don’t take our word for it. Here’s one of Stacey’s clients - one of the many who return to her again and again for their real estate needs - talking about Stacey’s energy: “Her smile is her logo. Her personality is her Top Agent Magazine

business card, and how she leaves others feeling after the experience becomes her trademark.”

Stacey brings that smile and personality together with her 14 years as a licensed Top Agent Magazine

REALTOR® and the fact that she’s a native of Polk County to serve her clients with experience, positivity and unmatched results.

“For me it’s not about selling a home,” she says. “I don’t even look at the commission.

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It’s always about the client - I’m always focused on what’s best for them. My goal is not to sell somebody a house, my goal is to make clients into family and friends and give them good information they can use.”

at Stacey Towns Realty LLC that matches her enthusiasm and energy, as well as being made up of other Polk County natives. Being natives means that the people they’re working with are not just clients - they’re neighbors.

That focus has served her well; in her 14 years in the industry Stacey has built up a team

“I love helping people in our community,” Stacey says. “It’s not just finding their

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home, it’s helping them through a life change. Buying or selling a home is a big commitment financially and emotionally, and I love being there to support people through it.”

For Stacey being of service to her community—whether through real estate or Top Agent Magazine

through her work with the Chamber of Commerce or supporting local charities - is most important, and it’s nice to be recognized for it. Recently Stacey Towns Realty LLC was nominated as the number one real estate office by Best of Haven Magazine, and that has been a true honor for Stacey.

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“It’s been my absolute pleasure to call this community home and my privilege to serve such truly wonderful people,” Stacey says.

“People have started out as clients have become close friends and eventually family to Stacey Towns Realty. We are truly blessed to have all of them as our family. It means

so much that the people in this community have trusted in me to help them with their real estate needs, and I look forward to continuing to serve for many years.”

To find out more about Stacey Towns visit her website at staceytowns.com, call 863-557-3034 or email sold@staceytowns.com https://

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Google AdWords:

How To Make Google Do the Work for You There is no denying that the internet is the first place a buyer begins looking for a new home in this digital age. Knowing how to put the powerful tools available on the internet to work for you can give you a decided advantage when it comes to attracting prospective buyers to your listings, as well as you as an agent. Google is easily one of the major superpowers of the internet, and they have one of the most powerful advertising tools available. Knowing how to utilize Google AdWords in the correct manner can make your internet advertising immensely powerful and possibly your best way to reach prospective buyers.

Google AdWords is also extremely cost-effective. This multifaceted tool gives you much more control over your advertising campaign than other more traditional methods. You can target specific audiences, choose the specific search terms, also known as keywords, that will bring up your ad in someone’s search results, and you can set a budget for each campaign that will dictate it’s reach and how long the campaign will run. Here are some tips for how to put Google AdWords to work for you.

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ent websites. You want to set yourself apart from every other real estate website users are viewing in their search for a house.

MAKE SURE YOUR ADS ARE GOING TO SEND USERS TO A SITE THAT WILL CAPTURE THEIR ATTENTION

You can spend an infinite amount of money on Google advertising campaigns, but if those ads don’t send users to a site that will capture and hold their interest, then you’ve just wasted all that money. Don’t put your cart before the horse. Make sure you are considering exactly where these ads are going to send users. To set up your website for success, at the very least you want to make sure users are greeted by clear call-to-action, such as a message that will encourage them to sign up for your newsletter or subscribe to your blog. You want to set up your website to maximize and capture the leads the ad campaign sends your way.

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BUILD CUSTOMIZED OR CUSTOM-MADE WEBSITES RATHER THAN TEMPLATE WEBSITES It is easy and tempting to use template websites, or to offer your agents template websites if you are a real estate manager or broker. While this offers a cost-effective solution to providing every agent with a website, it does little to set you or your agents apart and capture the attention of users that are used to seeing a wealth of differ-

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MAKE SURE YOU ARE OFFERING VALUE ON YOUR WEBSITE

Don’t simply use your website as a kind of brag sheet. Let users know what makes your particular services valuable to them. Highlight your expertise in a certain location through tools such as blog posts, providing market updates, or giving pertinent information on a unique type of property. This will ensure that your online advertising campaigns are much more successful.

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LOCATION IS EVERYTHING!

Location is everything in real estate, and the same holds true for Google AdWords. You can target specific locations in your ad campaign. While one approach is to focus on the area around your location, a more advanced approach would be to link AdWords campaigns to your Google My Business account. This is a Google service that includes your address in the ad, allowing people to then click on it and see exactly where you are located on a map.

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USE GOOGLE ADWORDS IN YOUR CAMPAIGN TO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS IN GENERAL

Focus an AdWords campaign on expanding your business by incorporating specific zip codes and neighborhoods that will help you establish a presence in an area where you would like to increase your real estate business. Making sure that your ad appears in search results that are related to the real estate in a specific area will help shape the image and brand of your business as well as bring in new leads.

HARNESS THE POWER OF DATA

When you run a Google AdWords campaign Google Analytics captures a wealth of information about your target client demographic.

You can gain real insight into your online visitors, such as when they visit, what they do and look at on your site once they get there, and what search terms they use. You can use all of this information to grow your business. Use Google Analytics to determine which users (location, gender, age) are utilizing specific aspects of your site, such as looking at multiple listings, reading your blog, etc. You can then use this information to target these specific demographics in your AdWord campaigns, Gmail ads, the Google Display Network, and other advertising.

Using the internet to help advertise your business and your listings is one of the smartest moves you can make as an agent in this modern age. However, you don’t want to simply go into the process blind or you’re wasting a lot of potential resources and data that could make all the difference. To reap the benefits of Google AdWords, you must apply an intelligent strategy to using these campaigns.

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10 Seconds to Change a Habit

By Barry Eisen

I’ll bet that most of the speakers you’ve heard and books you’ve read on the subject of personal development, tell you that it takes 21-30 days to change a habit. Like a wives’ tale passed on generation to generation, sometimes the story is better than the information.

Clichés like, “habits are hard dying,” and “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks,”etc., are primarily about protecting your ego from possible failure (psychological) and upsetting your brain in its quest to stay unchallenged and comfortable (physiological).

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If purpose is strong enough, shifts can happen immediately. A near death experience while driving on the freeway can make the driver quit tailgating forever. A drug overdose can have a sobering effect. Having The choice as to a new baby in the family can make a smoker stop smoking right now. whether you make Having enoughfinancial pressure, it easy or hard, like a child in the family needing fast or slow are college tuition money, can cause choicesyou get to an inconsistent salesperson to prospect consistently like their hair is make. on fire. There are lots of positive and negative motivations that can cause change instantly. When the perception of achieved pleasure is strong enough, the behavior will change. Purpose can take the form of the carrot or the stick.

Some habits will never change if you perceive the end result not being worth the efforts necessary to get there. Over thinking is just another way of saying... self-sabotage.

So, is there a real answer to the question, “How long does it take to change a habit or attitude?” Here’s my answer. See if it works for you.

Immediately, NOW. The only time you spend on this earth is called NOW. What’s done is history. What hasn’t happened yet is the FUTURE. The only time you have to think or act is in the NOW. If you focus on the best decision in your NOW, for that moment you made a change. Make that same change again in the next NOW time, and you will have reinforced and made more comfortable the habit or attitude you are addressing.

Make the same decision many times and you have the expression used by many neuroscientists that, “When brain cells fire together, they wire together.” At a certain point of critical mass (tipping point) the new behavior becomes a no-brainer... automatic. This can take a one time shift or days or weeks or...? The choice as to whether you make it easy or hard, fast or slow Top Agent Magazine

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are choices you get to make. So why make things hard when you always have choice? You always have NOW. 3 Keys to Change Habits and Attitudes

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When confronted with a “tough” decision (e.g.) Prospect for business or check out Facebook? - Eat this serious piece of cake or go for the fruit?

- Go to the gym or turn on the TV? - Return the phone call or put it off for tomorrow? Take a deep breath and picture yourself doing what’s right, not what’s easy. Surrender the self-imposed stress you associate with the change. Let go of the history of excuses and make a better choice NOW.

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Follow through with that thought (NOW), not just to make this better decision, but also to set a pattern of realizing the power you have in controlling your life. This is a simple, but valuable lesson about helping to develop confidence and a positive self-esteem. Most who go to the many varieties of therapy, usually go because of lack of control issues or self imposed victimization. Show yourself what you CAN DO.

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Learn and use self-hypnosis and hypnosis to reinforce the habits you choose. In “speaking” to your subconscious mind with words, pictures and emotion, in a relaxed state of mind, you are encoding brain cells with instructions (cause). You become what you think about (effect). Hypnosis will speed up learning, whether it be specific subject matter or whether it be learning an improved habit, 2-5 times faster.

Habit change doesn’t have to be difficult, but it does usually entail being Mindful. Exercise your good decision making abilities and you’ll develop a do it now attitude, improve physical health and energy, develop consistency in your business, more fully enjoy your relationships and so much more.

Copyright©, Barry Eisen. All rights reserved.

Barry Eisen teaches personal development seminars and coaches Southern California top producing REALTORS®. “Your business will never grow more than you do” is the theme; self hypnosis and behavior modification are the tools for playing a bigger game. barryeisen.com, barryeisen@LA.twcbc.com 818-769-4300 18

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MICHELLE RINALDI After her husband Paul’s business was forced to close, Michelle Rinaldi and her family decided it was time to transform a less than ideal situation into an opportunity for radical growth. She knew she possessed the people skills and professional wherewithal demanded by the real estate industry, and she craved a career with a limitless ceiling. With success in her sights, Michelle earned her license to serve buyers and sellers across Singer Island and South Florida. Ultimately, Paul followed suit and they’ve since built a formidable team in the Rinaldi Group, powered by eXp Realty. All told, their family adventure in real estate began nearly ten years ago, and today Michelle and her husband have continued to fortify their reputation as regional business leaders.

Michelle brings a wealth of experience to her role as an agent. Combining her honors degree in communication with her background on Wall Street, she offers clients incisive insight. Likewise, she and her husband unite their talents to drive their business forward. “My husband has a calming effect on people and makes the buying process stress-free,” Michelle says. “He’s patient and helps clients achieve clarity. He also has a good eye for investment properties, and over the years we’ve acquired several oceanfront condos where Paul renovates them and I resell them. We are about to close one next month, and in just three years will have doubled our initial investment.” As savvy investors themselves, Michelle and her husband are able to advise clients with an insider’s expertise.

What’s more, their proven resilience, perseverance, and industriousness create a buying or selling process defined by sound decision-making and a sense of security.

“Success didn’t happen overnight,” Michelle remembers.

“It took learning the industry from the ground up. I spent years watching top agents and drawing from them, pulling different tactics and then tweaking and blending them to create my own method. This is a competitive business and you need to keep pushing forward. There are always pitfalls along the way, but each time I got up and moved one step closer to where I am today.”

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Since Paul joined the team, Michelle has refocused her role on listings. Applying a creative eye and her twentystep marketing campaign, she ensures every home makes a striking market debut. Because her banner company is nationwide, she is able to leverage listings to more than 20,000 agents across the country, not to mention the exposure generated by her wide-ranging social media presence. “We are the most technologically-advanced brokerage, forging the way to the future of real estate,” she says. When listing, Michelle makes wise use of her tech-forward platform. “Each property is different and I create a plan that showcases each property’s strongest features,” she says. “There is no one-size-fits-all, and no short cuts. I am also a master negotiator and can pull a deal together even if it seems hopeless. There is always a way. The Rinaldi Group has a high level of standards, and we will not compromise on all that our clients deserve.”

This year, Michelle and her team are on track to close $20-million in volume, and she presently holds records for highest sale in several Singer Island buildings.

With unanimous five-star reviews from past clients, the future of Michelle’s business looks exceedingly bright.

She is currently working on a book geared toward buyers and sellers, authoring training courses for rookie agents, and plans to expand her team in the near future. “My clients know I care about them and am truly listening to what their goals are,” she finally reflects. “Getting them to their goals will always come first.”

For more about Michelle Rinaldi, call (561) 371-6224, email info@RinaldiRealEstate.com, or visit RinaldiRealEstate.com www.

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Laughs!

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Thinking of Listing?

Nine Ways to Get Ready The less time a home spends on the market, the more likely it is to sell at or above list price. That’s why our Top Agents recommend getting a property ready for marketing well before listing. Anyone who is even just starting to think about listing will benefit from some basic upkeep and pre-staging work. Even if you decide now is not the time to list, you’ll enjoy these simple improvements around the home.

With the right local resources, most pre-listing preparations take less than a week and will make the formal staging process simpler for all involved.

Ask Top Agents in your area for referrals of local pros to hire. Once you’ve selected your Top Agent, keep yourself open to his or her opinion on other TLC to help decrease your home’s market time.

1. Inspection: The last thing a seller or buyer wants is a surprise at

inspection. That’s why a complete inspection before listing is so valuable.

Many necessary fixes, such as minor roof or appliance repairs, can be discovered and repaired in less than a week. If inspection uncovers a major issue, any Top Agent will tell you that this knowledge is power; disclosing and expecting to take responsibility will increase buyers’ trust without affecting market time.

2. De-Clutter: Take a little time to pack away surplus furniture items and

extra knick-knacks, papers, books or occasional-use items throughout your house. Remember this may require boxing away video game supplies or packing up comfy throw pillows and blankets. Move these items temporarily into closets, the garage or attic with the assumption of possibly renting a storage unit just before listing.

3. Paint: Whole-house painting is likely not necessary, but consider touching

up baseboard moldings and doorways and open wall spaces in high-use areas 22

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such as bathrooms, the office, family room and indoor recreation spaces.

Also consider a little varnish on the front door or banister.

4. Artwork and Decor: Take a neutral look at your décor. Better yet, ask a

Top Agent to do so. Buyers should be able to picture themselves living in your home. While your Top Agent may not advise you to appear generic, you’ll likely need to thin out any shrine-like displays to family, hobbies or cultural interests.

5. Deep-Clean Housekeeping: After you’ve de-cluttered and touched up

the paint, request a deep cleaning from your housekeeping service and weekly cleanings thereafter. Make sure they pay attention to details like dusting or vacuuming window treatments and lampshades or wiping smudges off door jams and baseboard moldings.

6. Carpets and Rugs: Bring in the pros, but don’t just clean the carpets.

Because the cleaners will be moving furniture anyway, ask them stretch and tighten any buckled areas of carpeting. Doing so now saves the trouble of having to credit your buyer for this following final walk-through. Also consider removing small area rugs to let the beauty of your hardwood floors shine.

7. Look at the Loo: Buyers may not notice a brand-new toilet seat, but they

will turn up their noses at the one with the broken hinges. Freshly replaced toilet seats, faucets or doorknobs in heavily trafficked bathrooms can go a long way in first impressions.

8. “Mow & Blow”: Consider buyers as guests you want to feel welcome

as they ascend the front walk. If you don’t already have one, hire a weekly gardening service to keep up with the mowing, weeding, pruning and basic maintenance outside so you can focus on other things.

9. Staging: Once you’ve selected a staging professional for the finishing

touches, ask them and your Top Agent for final recommendations on day-today upkeep, storage options and what-to-do (or what not to do) while your house is on the market.

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