FLORIDA 4-18-22

FLORIDA EDITION

Playing the Real Estate Matchmaker

THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD: How to List High When Neighbors Are a Nuisance

If it’s Good for the Soul,

IT’S GOOD FOR THE BUSINESS

FEATURED AGENTS

LAURIE ERMER ANNE GRAFFY RON LENNEN & MAUREEN ROTELLA PAIGE PETERSON

COVER STORY

JIM CARZO

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com http://www.topagentmagazine.com

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There Goes the Neighborhood:

How to List High When Neighbors are a Nuisance Troublesome neighbors are a relatively common issue that agents come across. You can control the image of your client’s property and you can control your listing presentation, but you can’t always control what’s happening on your client’s street. How do you diffuse difficult neighbors that could lower your bottom line or embarrass you in front of prospective buyers?

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First of all, it takes tact and a gameplan. With that in mind, let’s consider a few ways you can maintain a listing’s viability and competitive edge—even when bothersome neighbors are involved. Here are a few common neighborly scenarios agents encounter and how to diffuse them to your advantage.

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How do you diffuse difficult neighbors that could lower your bottom line or embarrass you in front of prospective buyers? It takes tact and a gameplan.

as a courtesy introduction to the neighborhood.

While it may seem like needless busy work, it can dramatically improve prospective buyers’ perceptions of the area. Plus, you may positively ingratiate yourself with neighbors in the area and demonstrate your above-and-beyond service to your clientele in the process.

Is the neighbor’s landscaping an eyesore?

Here’s your recourse.

Most towns and cities have established ordinances regarding yard upkeep. If any of the properties adjacent to your listing are wildly overgrown, littered with junk, or otherwise in a state of obvious disrepair—take it up with the city. Rather than get directly involved at first glance, you might loop in city officials whose job it is to monitor clean-up efforts on rundown yards and properties. If this doesn’t work, you may have to take a more hands-on approach.

Start by thinking small and operating from a place of authenticity and neighborly service.

You might explain to the neighboring tenant that you’re listing and offer to mow their lawn Top Agent Magazine

Are there foreclosed or abandoned homes on your client’s block?

Do your homework.

It may take a little research and digging to figure out the banking entity that owns a foreclosed home, but it’s well worth the effort. Banks are typically required to maintain foreclosed homes on at least a basic level. If you’re worried about

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squatters, an unsightly façade, or general disrepair of a neighboring foreclosed property—go to the source. Sometimes banks take their time in hiring a third party to maintain a foreclosed property, but with some proactive prodding on your part, you may be able to speed the process along and resolve eyesores even before prospective buyers come calling. Remember: the squeaky wheel gets the grease. An improved bottom line will be your reward for those few prodding phone calls and emails.

Noisy, nosy, or annoying neighbors?

Don’t be discouraged.

Obnoxious neighbors can really rain on a seller’s parade, especially the kind of neighbor 6

that takes their less-than-stellar behavior to their porch, front yard, or sidewalk. While this sensitive issue may seem daunting, there are a few official channels you can utilize to thwart the issue before getting personally involved. If the neighborhood in question is governed by an HOA, you might take it up with them. If the troublesome neighbor is harassing passersby or taking to the sidewalk—in other words, public space—then you may be able to involve local authorities in worst-case scenarios. Of course, it’s always possible to talk to troublesome neighbors faceto-face, but do so with caution and with safety as the priority. Always reason gently and empathetically, utilizing I... phrasing, instead of accusatory You... phrasing. After all, some neighbors are clueless about their impact on the neighborhood and may adjust their behavior after being called out. If the issue persists and no third-party authority can help, then you may have to disclose the neighbor’s issues to prospective buyers, depending on the disclosure laws in your region. While this may seem like a blow, you can at least rest easy knowing you pursued all the potential avenues for resolution available. Likewise, your client will likely appreciate your thorough efforts to resolve the issue.

While troublesome neighborhoods can bring down an optimistic mood when listing a property, sometimes being real estate is all about being resourceful. With diligence, digging, and a little follow-up, you just may be able to resolve some of the issues plaguing your neighborly plot.

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JIM CARZO

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With a strong presence in country club and gated communities, Top Agent Jim Carzo recognizes the intimate nature of his niche market of Naples and Bonita Springs, Florida.

Jim Carzo, a lifetime salesman, is a natural at gaining a client’s trust. It is what every realtor strives for. Coming from Sales at IBM, he went through the company’s award winning training program “I have a degree from Syracuse University,” he says, “and here I am sitting in a classroom learning how to answer the phone. At the time I didn’t get it, but over the years it was that attention to detail that has instilled in me the importance of customer service.” Jim made the switch to real estate when a neighbor introduced him to an opportunity in his home market of Naples and Bonita Springs, Florida. The neighbor became a friend and an industry reference. After an initial period that he considers the hardest work he has ever done, Carzo has been 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

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making friends with clients ever since. “ Real estate is the best career move I have ever made,” he says. “I wish I had done it ten years earlier.”

With a strong presence in country club and gated communities, Jim recognizes the intimate nature of his niche market. Neighbors who could become clients often catch wind of an agent’s tactics, so Jim stakes his business on honesty and openness with Top Agent Magazine

buyers and sellers. “ I have a reputation for being a straight shooter.” For him, that makes all the difference in earning the vast majority of his business through referrals.

Jim has put together a professional team that supports him with closings and legal matters so he can focus on relationships with clients. “ I am available 24/7 and I don’t go away after the closing. I am there for added advice from contractors to physicians,” he says. “My clients come to me Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

Jim stakes his business on honesty and openness with buyers and sellers. “ I have a reputation for being a straight shooter.” for everything. I am the answer man and I find it to be very gratifying.”

Jim does his fair share of social media. He has an informative website and utilizes all the avenues that social media offers.

Favoring real-world contact though, the agent leans more heavily on personal meetings with potential clients who are in need of counsel & direction. In addition to Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

his one-on-one outreach, word of mouth generates a buzz in the luxe areas of southwest Florida. “These days a large percentage of our listings are sold before they hit the market.” Jim says. “In order to secure listings, you have to rely on your past performance, your base. To get in early on a good property for sale you have to have the inside track and strong relationships with your peers.”

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That drive to link with clients extends to Jim’s leisure time. As a lifelong motorcycle enthusiast, Jim can be seen on any given Sunday morning cruising out early to Sanibel Island.“ For me there is nothing better than motoring over the causeway while the sun is rising.” Running, skiing, cycling, physical fitness and golf keep him active and open to opportunities for relationship building. “I’ve got to take care of and service both buyer and seller regardless of whom I am representing,” Jim explains, “because the buyer usually becomes my client within a year or two.

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So I am constantly doing things outside of real estate for my buyers and sellers.”

With his personal approach working swimmingly, he has extended his client base and is now listing more and more multimillion dollar properties. “In my experience, marketing in all its forms will help you to succeed. However if you want to exceed your expectations as we like to say at John R. Wood Properties, you need to get up each and every morning and hustle. There is simply no substitute for hustle”.

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To learn more about Jim Carzo , visit JimCarzo.com, call (239) 908-1156 or email Jcarzo@johnrwood.com www.

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If it’s good for the soul,

IT’S GOOD FOR THE BUSINESS

Visibility, name recognition and knowing you’re supporting the community that makes your success possible are good reasons to take part in community service. But how is it that some people seem to be able to give time to charities while running their own businesses, managing their own families and households, exercising regularly, attending sporting events and concerts, eating well and sleeping seven or eight hours a night?

The truth is, not all agents are able to do everything so easily. But more important is the fact that no one needs to do everything all of the time. The trick is to make sure that, whatever you do holds meaning.

REALTORS® and mortgage professionals who seem the most gregarious in their community outreach are those whose giving seems to fill their own souls. When their Top Agent Magazine

volunteer efforts or donations directly impact causes they or their clients care deeply about, “giving back” becomes energizing.

Jason O’Quinn of Prime Lending in Dallas Texas, for instance, says that his family’s ongoing work building homes for some of the poorest families in Honduras fills him immeasurably. “It rejuvenates me,” he says.

“There’s quite a dichotomy between the houses we build there and the houses we finance here,” he says. “It refocuses me, going from financing $1 million homes in Dallas to physically laying cinderblock for $10,000 homes in Honduras. Everything has more meaning when we sacrificially give of our time, talent and treasure.”

The longtime “big picture” for Colorado REALTOR® and property manager, Linda

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Todd, for instance, has included giving back to the community, whether serving as a lead carpenter for Habitat for Humanity, making deliveries for Meals on Wheels, or pitching in for the sake of baseball. And through her lifelong passion for baseball, she harmoniously blended her personal interests, her work and her community service. For many years, she was so involved Little League the local league named a new field after her. “I cried for 3 days after they told me that!” She and her husband also started a scholarship fund for junior college baseball players and serve as a host family for the rookie league of the Colorado Rockies, putting up newly drafted players in their home.

For Florida REALTOR® and property manager, Mario Gonzalez, neither his business nor his primary community outreach would exist without the other. A retired U.S. Navy pilot, Mario formed his brokerage, Navy to Navy Homes, when he saw a need for military personnel to find affordable homes to purchase. “We got into it to help, but that led to a full-blown real estate business.” Besides providing opportunities for investment and homeownership, the company donates 35% of every commission to Homes for Heroes, veterans’ groups, or organizations benefiting fire, police, medical organizations, churches and homeless shelters. “We’re small, but we give so much back that we were the top Homes for Heroes company in Florida and

top-five nationwide.” But he does none of this for the attention. His friends may call him the “Humble Hero of Heroes,” but helping is Mario’s passion. “To be such a small business and be the top Homes for Heroes affiliate is mind boggling!”

Like Mario, for many, the best service takes place in simple and quiet ways. Illinois REALTOR®, Susie Scheuber, for example, takes a humble approach to giving back. Although she donates a portion of every commission check to the Children’s Miracle Network, she doesn’t discuss this with clients unless they happen to ask. “I do it because I want to and because, to me, giving back is the right thing to do when you’ve been fortunate in business and life,” says Susie.

We all know how inertia works; the more energized we get by certain behaviors, the more likely we are to continue those behaviors. For some top agents, community outreach has become such a natural routine of their daily lives that they never find it burdensome. A good way to add community service into your life, therefore, is through the causes that mean the most to you. For starters, consider giving a small donation after closing to the charity of your client’s choosing. Learning the different causes that they care about just might foster a new mission for you.

If you have a unique story to share about how your community outreach has impacted your life and your business or inspired others, click here for consideration in our magazines: www.topagentmagazine.com/nominate-a-real-estate-agent-to-be-featured 14

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LAURIE ERMER Laurie Ermer just might be one of the most well-rounded Realtors® you will ever meet. She knows real estate, of course, but her background prepped her on virtually every aspect of the business. She doesn’t just see the home; she sees the possibilities of what it could be.

“I have a good grasp and knowledge of the construction industry, as I was the project manager and designer on two homes we built here in Ft Lauderdale.

My love for interiors gave me the idea to start what would become a successful interior store which I owned and operated for 15 years. As my thirst for great architecture and design came to the forefront, I sold the store and went back to school and studied architecture,” said Laurie, who noted that once her kids were of age, she was looking to condense all her myriad interests. “So, one day I was like, ‘You know, I would love to get into real estate.’ I mean, I love architecture, design, people … so I decided to get my license and here I am. I’ve been a top producer for the five years I’ve been in it, so knock on wood.”

Realtor®, interior specialist, a hand in construction and architecture – she does it all. Working as the sole agent in Laurie’s Lauderdale in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., under the Compass Real Estate umbrella, Laurie amassed $20 million in transactions last year covering all of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County. And speaking of South Florida, add one more item to her resume – she knows the area inside and out.

“Both my husband and I were born and raised in the Miami area. We’ll never leave here. It offers so much of everything – culture, people, beaches, delicious foods and just so much happening,” said Laurie, who has

been heavily involved in community service with the United Way of Broward County with past service on many local nonprofit boards as well as constant financial donations.

And, in addition to all that Fort Lauderdale has to offer, there are the gorgeous homes. Laurie estimated that about 25 percent of her business comes from repeat clients and referrals. In fact, the second sale she ever did five years ago was from a gentleman who relocated from Washington D.C. – and who called her recently ready to sell that home.

Between reaching out to all her clients with holiday cards and gifts, including wine bottles this past year engraved with her Laurie’s Lauderdale logo, she has a robust way of staying connected.

“I think it’s my positive attitude. I’m real. I’m honest.

I say it like it is. I give them information they need to hear, and I never get discouraged by a property,” said Laurie, who markets her listing in every way imaginable – MLS, social media, Instagram, Facebook, magazines, periodicals, even the Compass Catch listings from her parent company. “I run the gamut to get the word out.”

Laurie said she just wants to keep growing her business and her brand in the future and is even thinking about expanding into a team.

“It’s the interaction with people. I just love the flexibility of my work. I put my heart and soul into it. It’s enjoyable. It’s rewarding to have a client that’s happy and finding their new home,” Laurie said. “The satisfaction I get in return is seeing that happiness because I was able to fulfill their dream.”

You can contact Laurie Ermer by calling 954-647-6870 or sending her an email at laurie.ermer@compass.com. Laurie’s website is laurieslauderdale.com www.

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ANNE GRAFFY Some people who become Realtors® take the lessons and knowledge they gleaned from a previous career and hope it translates to the real estate world. Anne Graffy took her attributes from two careers and turned it into one of the most successful realty businesses on the west coast of Florida.

function for them. Or show them how to acquire the look and feel they are looking for. This is so important with the limited inventory we have been experiencing over the past couple of years.”

Anne is a big proponent of social media to help market her listings. Selling waterfront property, for instance, she posts on sites that boaters, fishermen and coastal home enthusiasts visit. She currently has a pipeline of buyers and future sellers on her desk right now – so many that she is referring them out to other agents. She said, “I think a lot of agents focus on their next lead and do not really nurture the people in their data base or in their own group of contacts. If you consistently touch base with the people you know, and create a specific niche, you will never need to buy a lead.”

My formal education and training are in interior design and marketing. For 21 years I worked in the design field and during that time I assisted many real estate agents with staging homes that they listed. Many of my Interior Design clients were direct referrals from local Realtors® in coastal communities,” Anne said.

“I changed careers and joined Parke Davis–Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. I decided to start flipping homes at this time. I was doing most of the groundwork finding and purchasing the homes, so I decided to get my real estate license to save myself the commission. Many of the physicians I called on began asking me to help find them a home, or a weekend getaway. The rest is history.”

Anne stays involved in her community as a volunteer. She is active in historic downtown New Port Richey, which has a rich history of Hollywood actors and actresses who discovered this area in the 1920s.

Over the years she has volunteered on the board for her waterfront community, Gulf Harbors, and works with Habitat for Humanity, American Heart Association, and other community organizations.

Indeed, it is. A solo agent working for the Dalton Wade Real Estate Group, Anne is based along the coast of New Port Richey, Fla., and covers that area on south to St. Petersburg Beach. She has help from her team of a transaction coordinator, a social media marketing group and an assistant who does everything in between. Anne specializes in waterfront and luxury/custom-built homes and closed over $10 million in transactions in 2021 with a 90 percent direct referral rate.

But there must also be time to enjoy life.

“I’m working with other agents at this point to help with my clients. My better half has been a boater his entire life and just purchased a small yacht. We are about to start the great loop with me doing parts of the trip by meeting the boat along the way during the 5,000–7,000-mile loop of the eastern United States. I don’t see myself ever totally retiring, I always want to be involved at some level with real estate,” Anne said, adding with a chuckle, “I have a friend in the business who I really admire, she is nearing 80 years old and does rings around the younger agents in her office. Why not, if you love what you do?”

“My design background is a huge part of my success,” she said. “When a client and I walk in a house and the client says, ‘This won’t work because of X, Y and Z,’ I can help them visualize solutions to make the home

To contact Anne Graffy, call her cell phone at 727-560-1635, email AnneGraffy@gmail.com or visit annegraffy.com.

She also has profiles on Zillow.com and Realtor.com www.

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How to Throw a Client Appreciation Event No One Will Forget Clients are the foundation of any flourishing enterprise, and this is particularly true in real estate—an industry where relationships are central. Demonstrating your gratitude to former and current clientele is a winning way to cultivate your network, while upping your potential referrals and creating face-to-face time with the individuals that make your business tick. Keep in mind a few of the tips below as you stage a client event that will positively impact your brand, while conveying your appreciation to those who have driven your business all year.

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Supersize Your Guest List Inviting former clients to your client appreciation bash is only the first step in crafting your guest list. To really expand your sphere of influence, invite neighbors, local business owners and staff, old friends, family, associates, fellow alumni from your alma mater, and the like. Think of your client appreciation event as a celebration of business bringing people together. Expand your guest list and you’ll create a coveted, in-person opportunity to forge relationships and broaden your reach.

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An appreciation event may be geared toward your clients, but if done correctly it can also provide a fun-filled venue for your employees to enjoy a morale boost.

Consider A Sponsor Client appreciation events shouldn’t skimp on the details, but you don’t want to break the bank, either. To defray the cost of a client appreciation event, consider enlisting local businesses as co-sponsors. Not only does this approach ease the price tag of throwing a party, but it also creates an easy partnership between you and other entrepreneurs—widening your database and making for a memorable and generous event.

ship, or the Super Bowl is coming up quick, tailoring client appreciation events to already-established happenings can create an organic tie-in and boost your attendance numbers in the process. Throw a gingerbread house decorating party during the holiday season, or throw a barbeque during the Fourth of July. Capitalizing on a naturally occurring theme creates the opportunity for comradery between you and your guests.

Apply A Personal Touch

Don’t Forget To Reward Your Employees An appreciation event may be geared toward your clients, but if done correctly it can also provide a fun-filled venue for your employees to enjoy a morale boost, as well.

By encouraging your employees to cut loose at this celebratory event—instead of having them run interference all night—your team will feel appreciated and validated, too.

Theme Your Event Whether the area’s high school sports team has made it to the state champion18

Invitations may seem like a small detail, but they shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all. Consider handwriting some of your invitations for the clients you remember well, or for business associates who you regularly partner with. Personalizing invitations to key players is the surest way to a confirmed RSVP. Cultivating your network of professional connections is an essential part of driving business, and client appreciation events not only create memories between you and your clientele, but also inspire your to step back, reflect, and give thanks to those who keep your business booming.

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RON LENNEN & MAUREEN ROTELLA Ron Lennen and Maureen Rotella are two highly skilled real estate professionals with a half century of combined experience. Ron is very attuned to pricing, property valuation and skillful negotiations. Maureen’s authenticity and knowledge of the market allows her to be more relationship oriented.

The Lennen Rotella duo have been partners since April 2013 and part of a four person team, The Performance Group at Compass. The team was just named as one of the Top 100 teams for the Florida market and amassed over $62M in sales last year.

ads and direct phone calls help them to market to past clients while also reaching a select group of international clients searching for luxury properties.

What Maureen likes most about her time in this business is meeting new people. “We’ve met so many wonderful clients that have become friends.

They’ve entrusted us with one of their biggest personal and financial assets.”

Seeing the joy on a clients’ face when they sell their homes is one of the most fulfilling feelings for them both.

Serving mostly Fort Lauderdale, Lighthouse Point, Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach; Ron and Maureen’s scrupulous attention to earning their client’s trust has helped account for over 50% of their repeat business through referrals. They specialize in single family, luxury and larger condos whilst providing one of the highest levels of personal service to property buyers and investors. As a team, Ron and Maureen’s goal is to build lasting relationships with all of their customers so that they can feel confident all their needs will be met when returning. Adding their personal touch to client engagement, Ron and Maureen personally handle each and every client on an individual basis. They show their listings, qualify their showings personally and handle all the details of a closing from start to finish.

The Performance Group uses a mix of digital and print advertising to market their listings. Mailers, magazine

Ron and Maureen have been active in the community for years. They have both served on multiple boards in the Fort Lauderdale area and the combined list of organizations they’ve assisted over the years is a testament to the value Ron and Maureen have added to the entire industry. For instance, Ron has sat on the board of the National Association of Realtors and currently sits on Florida Realtors and Winterfest Boards. Maureen is a member of H.O.M.E.S., Inc. (which aids at risk and disadvantaged residents in her community), a member of “The Girlfriends Club” for Holy Cross Hospital, a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Woman’s Guild and fundraises annually for University of Miami-Jackson Ryder Trauma Center Burn Unit.

As a team, they plan on staying ahead of the curve using comprehensive targeted marketing, great service that inspires loyalty and finally by continuing to serve their community as actively as they can.

To learn more about Ron Lennen, email ron.lennen@compass.com, call (954) 494-8899 or visit compass.com/agents/ron-lennen www.

To learn more about Maureen Rotella, email maureen.rotella@compass.com or call (954) 805-4265

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Playing the Real Estate Matchmaker –

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

When you look at your client’s search for a home in this manner, then you might begin to notice some pretty obvious similarities 20

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

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

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

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

Be Genuine, Not Superficial

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have you come to the conclusion that your clients are being blinded by all of the twinkling windows and crystal clear water glistening in the backyard pool, and can’t see that the house they’ve fallen in love with is really just a dirty animal (maybe a pig) dressed up in nice clothes and lipstick. Ask your client if they would be willing to look at the house again with 22

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

Celebrate the Happy Union!

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

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

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

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PAIGE PETERSON With her first contact in the industry being a personal assistant for an investor in California, Paige learned the real estate world from the outside and worked her way in. She moved to Florida in 1999, and when her daughter was old enough that she could get back to work, she already had an affinity and broad base of knowledge. The choice just clicked. By 2013 she had joined a brokerage and activated her license.

While she works mainly as a solo producer, she’s definitely starting to consider assembling a team.

She covers Panama City Beach, Destin, Miramar Beach and all of the surrounding Emerald Coast areas, willing to travel to any site that’s a good fit.

Paige treats her clients or customers as she would want her family treated, which keeps them coming back and bringing their friends to her, building up her 80% referral rate. She gets personally involved with everyone involved in a transaction. Even after deals are closed, her involvement doesn’t end. A recent new owner called her concerned about a plumbing issue, and Paige was honored to be considered the go-to resource. Loyalty and dedication resonate with her contacts, because they know she makes them her main focus when needed. Handling the needs of multiple clients daily, her attention stays with the task at hand without distraction. Home buying is one of the top five life changing moments in a person’s life, and she wants to be there to help through that stressful time.

Her role jumps from being a cheerleader for sellers to being a treasure hunter for buyers as needed. When on the selling side, she promotes and treats the property as if it were her own, and the people involved exactly as she wants to be treated. Contact at holidays, checking in on the progress of renovations and a casual lunch get together can be expected as Paige forms friendships with her clients. It’s not just the real estate business. It’s the relationship business. She’s selling a lifestyle, not a house.

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Social media keeps her in contact with her growing database and is her broadest marketing tool. Facebook, internet advertising and the current video trend make transactions more attractive to buyers and sellers.

With a goal this year of over $20 million, she’s already well on her way, already very high tier for Emerald Coast agents, having an explosive start to 2022, beating the prior year in the first six weeks. Paige’s friends and prior clients are so comfortable with her, she’s no longer just their Realtor® but she is truly a friend for life.

The next step will be obtaining her Broker’s License and looking to formalize a team so she can have eight hands on her work rather than just two. With her fourth child no longer a little kid, she can turn more attention to travel and animals. From Toys for Tots to special charity cookouts to the Haven House Foundation, she never forgets animal programs, with special attention to the Save Underdogs Rescue group. More immediately, maybe there’s a long, slow trip down scenic 98, to take in the views, reminding herself of why she and so many of her clients love the beauty of the region.

For further info call 850-259-0643, email paige.peterson@bhgemeraldcoast.com or visit paige.bealocaldestin.com

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Top Agent Magazine