ILLINOIS 10-21-19

ILLINOIS EDITION

5 SOCIAL MEDIA MISTAKES REAL ESTATE AGENTS MUST AVOID

Playing the Real Estate Matchmaker

By the Numbers: Understanding the True Value of Square Footage

COVER STORY

EDWARD BOUTROS

FEATURED AGENT

COLLIN WASIAK

GEORGIA ILLINOIS EDITION EDITION

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COLLIN WASI

Collin Wasiak launch tenure in real estate fi ago. At the time, he was at a law firm, but reevalu next phase of his career p parents, who were both tablished industry profe EDWARD BOUTROS COLLIN WASIAK EDWARD encouraged him to try BOUTROS at real estate. After earning his license, Collin ground running and quickly established a repu CONTENTS an agent on the rise, known for his citywide kno educational approach, and entrepreneurial spirit

4) 5 SOCIAL MEDIA MISTAKES REAL ESTATE AGENTS MUST AVOID 6) PLAYING THE REAL ESTATE MATCHMAKER— FOLLOW THESE 8 DATING RULES TO ENSURE YOU MATCH YOUR CLIENT WITH THE PERFECT HOME FOR THEM

15) BY THE NUMBERS: UNDERSTANDING THE across Chicago u Today, Collin serves clients TRUEofVALUE OFReal SQUARE banner Compass Estate. There, he swi FOOTAGE a client base that now amounts to roughly 50%

business derived from repeat and referral client 21)isWHY DOESN’T goal to educate clientsTRAINING and make sure they WORK FOR YOU? the tools and resources they need to make the b sion for them,” he says. “First, it’s important sure that it makes sense to buy or sell, and I clients through that evaluative process. I’m t them whether they’re ready to buy or sell now, months, or years from now. What’s most impor Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 make sure they have the educational foundation mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com smart decisions. We create an experience tha caliber, all the No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever withoutand priorclients consent ofhave the publisher.

Tophelp Agent they need to p Magazine is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published on their timeline. It’s my job to facilitate that pro materials, Top Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors.

To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com.

Published in the U.S.

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When listing properties, Collin launches c strategic campaigns to get homes moved Top the Agentbest Magazine market in short order, for result. H photography, custom videography, and int

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SOCIAL MEDIA MISTAKES

Real Estate Agents Must Avoid There is perhaps no greater marketing tool for agents these days than having a large presence on social media, but there is more to social media marketing than just opening an account and gaining followers. A lot of agents forget the social part of social media. It’s all about engagement, but it needs to be the right kind of engagement. This can often be the first impression potential clients or industry peers have of you, so make it count. There is no second chance to make a first impression, and that is especially true for real estate agents. Here’s just a few things you want to avoid.

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1 Using it to Vent

Social Media is a great place to complain and commiserate about things, but save that for your personal page. A real estate transaction is already a stressful ordeal, the last thing anyone wants is someone who seems like they’ll bring a negative energy to the process. Even worse?

Bad mouthing other Realtors® or listings. You’re selling yourself and your skills, so don’t sell anything that shows you in a bad light. Much like marketing a property, everything you put out should be professional and inviting.

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Lack of Consistent Branding

Yes, social media is about social engagement, but it’s also about creating brand recognition. While you don’t want it to be purely promotional, you are running a business, so create a consistent branding across all social media platforms. If you can afford a professional graphic designer to help you out with this, that’s great. But at the very least, have the same profile pic, cover image and highly visible contact information, across the board. And don’t forget to share links to your other accounts, some people prefer different social media applications.

3Not Posting Enough

It’s good to create a schedule of how many times you’ll be posting per day and to pick times when you might have the most engagement.

Don’t over do it, but three posts a day at the right time, tends to be a good goal. There are numerous tools on Facebook, for example, that

can let you see when interactions are the highest.

Stick to your schedule and adjust accordingly.

It’s also important to not just post your listings.

Be a resource for people who follow your page.

Post community events, or other informative articles that are relevant to home ownership.

Be a page they want to follow even when they aren’t buying or selling a property. They’ll remember you when the time comes.

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Not interacting With Your Followers

It’s called social media for a reason. The more you engage with your followers, the more they see you as a real person, and not just a marketing tool. Not only do you get to know your past clients and potential clients, on Facebook, engagement actually will make your posts seen by more people. So it’s a win/win.

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Not Sharing or Linking to Others

It might not seem like a good idea to not promote the blogs, pages or listings of other people, but it’s not only an excellent way to build goodwill, it will also increase your own presence when they reciprocate. So make a point to share posts and links for local businesses and even the blogs of your peers, if it’s a post that offers valuable insight into an expertise you don’t have. That will encourage them to share your posts and even your listings, which will increase your potential buyer pool. This is another incentive to create your own blog. Unique informative content is always of value, and more likely to be shared than promotional links.

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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

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.

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.

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

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 8

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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EDWARD BOUTROS Top Agent Magazine

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EDWARD BOUTROS “As a successful Realtor and highly accomplished local real estate investor, I have been exposed to nearly every aspect of the business.

I take the same skills and experience that has made me a top notch investor and serve my clients to get them the results they are looking for.”

When Edward Boutros started his professional career as a chemical engineer, he quickly realized he was limiting himself. “I knew the corporate world wasn’t for me, I wanted to be a businessman, not an employee” he explains.

This prompted him to start investing in real 10 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

estate, and soon he had acquired a large portfolio of properties. When the market shifted, Edward then earned his real estate broker’s license, and started working as an agent in 2017 while continuing to invest. Although he has only been in the business for a little over Top Agent Magazine

two years, he has already far surpassed every goal he’s set for himself, and is recognized in the community as a successful agent. “I’m one of the top producers in my office. I’m set to be named as a top producer again this year,” he says. At Village Realty in Frankfort, Illinois, Edward serves the Chicago suburbs and beyond. His client base is largely made Top Agent Magazine

up of referrals. In fact, almost every transaction he’s completed this year was a referral.

“I think that’s because I’m diligent and I take my time with my clients,” Edward says. “I have a level of professionalism that’s very different from what other agents have. Part of that has to do with me being trained in the 11 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

corporate world.” Not only is Edward able to provide superior service to his clients, he is also able to offer them insight into the real estate market through his knowledge about investing. “As a successful Realtor and highly accomplished local real estate investor, I have been exposed to nearly Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

every aspect of the business. I take the same skills and experience that has made me a top notch investor and serve my clients to get them the results they are looking for.” He is also a strong negotiator, and works hard to get his clients what they want, whether they are buyers or sellers.

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After the transaction is over, clients leave glowing reviews about their real estate experiences with Edward representing them. One recently said, “Edward Boutros was a delight to work with from day 1. As a first time home buyer I was very nervous, and Edward made the experience easy and comforting. He was Top Agent Magazine

able to provide me with a vast amount of knowledge every step of the way, which was very essential since it was all new to me.”

Another client notes that “Edward, is an expert at assessing the highest reasonable value a property should be listed for, after taking into account market drivers, neighborhood, Copyright Top Agent Magazine 13

comparable values, and necessary repairs. He is efficient, organized, and a great negotiator.”

When Edward isn’t working, he’s giving back to the community. He became a Christian three years ago, and credits his newfound faith in Christ for drastically changing his outlook on life. “I realized after succeeding as a broker and investor, my life didn’t have the purpose I hoped it would, and after becoming a Christian,

I realized my life is not about myself, it’s about living for God.” Edward is regularly involved with a local prison ministry, and hopes to one day start his own ministry.

As Edward’s business continues to grow, he is eager to keep investing in properties. He also has his sights set on being a top producing broker every single year he’s in the business, a feat he will no doubt achieve.

For more information about Edward Boutros, please call 708-528-0289 or email edboutros@sbcglobal.net

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By the Numbers:

Understanding the True Value of Square Footage Measuring the square footage of a property may seem like an objective and straightforward task, but you’d be surprised at how many agents and homebuyers misunderstand this pivotal figure.

True square footage provides homebuyers a concrete understanding of their prospective domain, but here’s the problem: the rules to determine a home’s square footage are not always uniform across the board. What’s more, much of Top Agent Magazine

a home’s value is determined by its size, so accuracy is certainly important. While many real estate agents have their own systems for determining or confirming a home’s true square footage, it doesn’t hurt to update your practices and become an expert on the subject. After all, you may learn a few techniques that could add value to a listing, or better prepare you in guiding house-hunters on the lookout.

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1. Do your due diligence Most towns and cities have a local records department where floorplans and blueprints are kept on file. It’s worth noting that these records don’t typically include any subsequent additions or remodels on a property, but they still give archive hunters a legal baseline when outlining a property’s square footage. Oftentimes, a straightforward online search of a city or county’s records office can pull the information necessary, or else agents can poke around in person to uncover informative blueprints at the records office. Either way, access to original blueprints or floorplans is a great tool for determining livable square footage. As a bonus,

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original blueprints and floorplans—especially in historic properties—can be intriguing visual aids for prospective buyers, as well.

2. Know the rules While there aren’t universal standards when it comes to measuring square footage, there are general guidelines that can help determine square footage in an authentic way. Per the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), here are the official recommendations for measuring a home’s real square footage: n

Called “below grade spaces,” basements and sunrooms beyond a home’s typical

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living quarters do not count toward a home’s true square footage. According to ANSI, even big draws like finished basements don’t count toward a property’s Gross Living Area. Of course, even below grade spaces have their own desirable value and should be outlined as such on listings. n

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Did you know the space inside closets and on stairways counts toward a home’s square footage? Even if these areas are relatively small, they still add to a property’s calculable square footage.

When recording square footage, ANSI actually suggests performing measurements from a property’s exterior—though this method does not account for the

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thickness of exterior walls, which could skew square footage numbers. n

Just like below grade spaces, a garage, a pool house, or even a guest house should not be included in a property’s Gross Living Area. The rationale at work here is this: if you must go outside to access additional living areas, then they are beyond the square footage scope of the primary dwelling and should not be included in a home’s Gross Living Area.

3. Double-check by doing the dirty work Buyers and sellers have or will make a sizable investment in a property, so isn’t it fair to double-check all the relevant facts and figures

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when it comes to true square footage? If you want to take on the endeavor yourself, here are a few helpful steps to take. n

First, you’ll need a few things to get started, including a tape measure that can measure at least 100 ft., graph paper, and a pencil.

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Next, choose a room to start measuring wall-by-wall. Measure Wall 1, then proceed to assign each square on the gridded paper a corresponding measurement, rounding to the nearest tenth of a foot for the sake of clarity.

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From there, draw out the wall you measured and measure the remaining walls in the

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room. Once you’ve completed the room’s measurements, multiply the room’s length and width to determine its square footage. n

As you go measure throughout the home, using your own system to scale, you will construct a failsafe floorplan.

Mastering your craft is everything, and the real estate industry is no different. Every now and again, it’s worthwhile to update your well of information, take matters into your own hands, and continue to innovate with the industry. While square footage may not seem like the juiciest starting off point for such a venture, never forget: mastery of technical knowledge is a sure sign of expertise.

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COLLIN WASIAK Collin Wasiak launched his tenure in real estate five years ago. At the time, he was working at a law firm, but reevaluating the next phase of his career path. His parents, who were both well-established industry professionals, encouraged him to try his hand at real estate. After earning his license, Collin hit the ground running and quickly established a reputation as an agent on the rise, known for his citywide knowledge, educational approach, and entrepreneurial spirit.

Today, Collin serves clients across Chicago under the banner of Compass Real Estate. There, he swiftly built a client base that now amounts to roughly 50% of his business derived from repeat and referral clientele. “My goal is to educate clients and make sure they have all the tools and resources they need to make the best decision for them,” he says. “First, it’s important to make sure that it makes sense to buy or sell, and I walk my clients through that evaluative process. I’m there for them whether they’re ready to buy or sell now, in a few months, or years from now. What’s most important is to make sure they have the educational foundation to make smart decisions. We create an experience that’s highcaliber, and clients have all the help they need to progress on their timeline. It’s my job to facilitate that process.”

When listing properties, Collin launches creative, strategic campaigns to get homes moved off the market in short order, for the best result. High-end photography, custom videography, and interactive floorplan showcase each listing in its finest light, while traditional marketing materials like flyers, mailers, brochures, and sphere outreach ensure local buzz is created. From there, distribution across the leading online listing platforms and social media outlets secures optimal exposure. Yearly, Collin closes an average of forty listings, with the majority of price-points in the $400,000 to $600,000 range. All told, Collin’s industry debut has been characterized by plenty of hands-on experience, and a personal touch. He loves keeping in Top Agent Magazine

touch with his past clients by bringing familiar faces together twice yearly for client appreciation events.

Beyond the office, Collin gives back to his community through his previous participation with Habitat for Humanity, the Global Village program, Lakeview Pantry, and through his work with the Chicago Association of Realtors’ Young Professionals Network, where he presently serves on the Advisory Board. AT YPN, they frequently host events that benefit local charities and communities. In his free hours, Collin most enjoys time spent with his pup, Cooper, and with family and loved ones, in addition to staying active through bodybuilding and other physical fitness endeavors.

As for the future, Collin intends to keep advancing steadily, while growing his team and building his ever-expanding network of clientele across Chicago.

Now, with five sterling years of experience, Collin Wasiak considers what he has come to enjoy most about his career in real estate. “I really enjoy the drive and freedom that owning my own business has given me,” he said. “I always strive to make sure my clients’ interests are served first, and I’ve really fallen in love with what I do. Growing my business and especially growing relationships with my clients make every day exciting.”

To learn more about Collin Wasiak email Collin.Wasiak@compass.com, https://www.compass.com/agents/chicago/collin-wasiak/ visit his website here, or call (847) 814–9911 Copyright Top Agent Magazine 19

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Why Doesn’t Training Work for You?

by Carla Cross

Why isn’t your training working for as a ‘performance art’, not a you? Every company says they ‘knowledge pursuit!’ ‘have training.’ Yet, whether you’ve been in business 2 days or 20 years, Big question for you: Think of your you’ve probably felt frustrated that last 3 trainings. What were you doing those hours spent in class—listening in class? Listening to the ‘expert’? to someone at the front (the Or, were you putting to work what ‘expert)—didn’t do you any good. you were learning—while in class, There’s one reason training doesn’t so you could get valuable feedback work—and here’s how to make it before you ‘practiced’ on real work for you, so you don’t waste people—your clients? precious hours in training rooms.

What you need to be doing in class Training doesn’t work because it’s to assure you can do it ‘for real’: not taught right—and the people in the class aren’t doing what needs to • If it’s appropriate, you need to role be done for training to make a play (like answering objections, giving a listing presentation, etc.) difference in their lives.

Here’s what training needs to help • If appropriate, you need to you every time you’re in class: differentiate (like finding mistakes in a purchase and sale agreement).

Training must have action inside class to be effective for you.

• If appropriate, you need to practice the actions in class and then What do I mean? go out and do it with a ‘real person’—the client—and come back I mean we have to look at real estate and tell how it went (practice a Top Agent Magazine

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listing presentation, do it ‘for real’, Real Estate: Performance Art and come back to class and refine it). or Knowledge Pursuit?

None of these things happening in class? Make it work anyway. Take the ‘actionable’ items you learned in class and go do them—for real— within 3 days of going to class (otherwise we only remember 10% of what we heard!). Now you’ve made your own action plan.

Trainers: I just videos showing training work. uTube channel.

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Let’s be honest: Do you know someone in your office who seems to know everything—but doesn’t sell a stick of real estate? Sure.

That’s the problem with treating real estate as a ‘knowledge pursuit’. It has little to do with results. It’s a performance art. How you perform in the field—with real clients— did a series of 5 determines your success. how to make your See them on my Big question for you: Which kind of agent are you? A ‘performance art’ Top Agent Magazine

How you perform in the field—with real clients—determines your success. agent or a ‘knowledge pursuit’ agent? Which is easier to become?

Your Training Should Resemble a Piano Lesson

will ‘do it’ for you 3.Relying on ‘on demand’ video.

Many large franchises are providing video on demand training. Brokers may be relieved that this is going to take training off their plates. I wish.

Unfortunately, video training can provide very limited production results. Why? Because people don’t learn much by watching video. Yes, they learn a little. They observe someone else doing something; they get information. But, they don’t have to take action.

As a long-time pianist and teacher, I know intimately that, if you don’t practice, you can’t play (or you play badly)! Think of effective training like a piano lesson. You practice outside class. You come prepared.

You get tips and modeling from your teacher. Then you practice in class with your ‘coach’ watching and listening. Then, you ‘go out in the field’ and practice. You come back When you’re ready to get results ready to perform for your coach from your training, you’ll be ready to treat your training like the power again. That’s effective training. tool it really can be.

Here are 3 things that don’t work in training (and things for you to avoid): Carla Cross, CRB, MA, is an international 1.Listening for a long period of time and thinking you can do it (you already know that, from your experiences, right?)

2.Thinking most company training Top Agent Magazine

speaker and president of Carla Cross Seminars, Inc. and Carla Cross Coaching.

A former national Realtor Educator of the Year, Carla is known as one of the ‘go-to’ experts in her profession. She’s written training and coaching programs for most of the major real estate franchises.

Contact Carla at 425-392-6914 or www.carlacross.com.

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