ILLINOIS 8-10-20

ILLINOIS EDITION

Tips on Breaking into the Luxury Market

By the Numbers:

Understanding the True Value of Square Footage

5 REASONS WHY YOU NEED A MENTOR

COVER STORY

JACQUIE LEWIS FEATURED AGENTS

KRISTINA KLEIN VIRGILIO ARREGUIN

ILLINOIS EDITION

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KRISTINA KLEIN

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JACQUIE LEWIS

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VIRGILIO ARREGUIN

CONTENTS 4) 5 REASONS WHY YOU NEED A MENTOR 9) 7 DEADLY SINS OF PERSONAL BRANDING

17) BY THE NUMBERS: UNDERSTANDING THE TRUE VALUE OF SQUARE FOOTAGE 26) TIPS ON BREAKING INTO THE LUXURY MARKET

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5 Reasons Why You Need a Mentor As great as it might feel to start your own business, and be solely responsible for its success, at some point, every entrepreneur reaches the limit of their potential, and needs a boost that only experience can provide.

But how do you get a lifetime of experience when you’re just starting out? Sure you can read countless books, but no book can replace the real life experience and advice of a mentor.

Mentors not only provides valuable insights, but they also have access to valuable connections as well. In fact a majority of the 4

most successful CEOs and entrepreneurs in the country have said that having a mentor early on was instrumental in their success.

Here are some of the reasons why.

1. They’re able to see where you need improvement, when you can’t When you’re working non-stop to get your business off the ground, you might feel sensitive to any criticism from people who aren’t going through what you are. A good

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mentor knows exactly what you’re going though, and has probably made every mistake. When you’re in the thick of it, you might not be able to see where the problems are. A knowledgeable outsider, who knows exactly where you’re at and has only your best interests at heart is just what you need.

When you have a trusting relationship with someone like that, you will be more willing to listen to that brutal honesty, even if that constructive criticism stings.

energy into it. They can see things in a completely logical way and guide you based on the facts rather than emotion. A good mentor helps you work smarter, not harder. They help you focus on your goals and how to get there, as well as setting boundaries for you so you don’t overextend yourself. They teach you how to say no and help you let go when you need to move on from a setback.

2. They will encourage you to think outside of the box

In addition to expertise, building a strong network is something that can only come with time. A mentor will most likely have that already, giving you access to people and resources that would take others years to gain. These connections will lead to opportunities that might never have happened otherwise. It’s also a great confidence boost knowing that your mentor trusts and believes in you enough to invite you into their inner circle.

Years of experience can give someone a great idea of what works and what doesn’t.

They’ve seen things first hand, not just in theory. At the same time, mentors recognize the importance of taking chances, calculating risks, as well as cutting losses and moving on. A good mentor isn’t trying to encourage you to be a carbon copy of them, they are trying to create the best ‘you’ possible. That includes encouraging you to take chances, and then being there pushing you to keep going forward if it doesn’t work out.

A good mentor knows that even failures can be opportunities.

3. They take the emotion out of decisions and help set boundaries Unlike you, a mentor has no emotional investment in certain business approaches that you might have decided to try. There’s nothing harder than admitting something isn’t working when you’ve put a lot of time and Top Agent Magazine

4. Networking

5. Encouragement At the heart or it all, a mentor offers you encouragement and motivation along the way, in good times and in bad. After a failure, it can be hard to get back on track and keep forging ahead. It helps to have someone who has spent year getting back up after being known down and coming out stronger than ever. It’s during those moments, when you feel alone and isolated, that having someone around offering you advice and positive feedback will be a much needed salve. They’re your cheerleader, they want you to succeed, and hopefully, you’ll pay it forward one day when you become as successful as them.

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KRISTINA KLEIN Kristina Klein always had an appreciation for homes, as her husband was in the remodeling business for 20 years. “We just lived for homes in general, so getting into real estate seemed like the perfect fit,” she stated.

She was initially licensed in 2006, got out of the business during the recession beginning in 2007, and was relicensed in 2017. She now works at Realtopia Real Estate, servicing northern Illinois and parts of Indiana.

“Even though I’m a solo agent, we have lots of other agents in the office who help each other out, so we sort of function as a team, which is nice,” she exclaims. She estimates she does a volume of 40 transactions per year with homes averaging at $250,000.

Kristina reports that her business is 90% repeat and referral clientele. “I am a customer-service-oriented person who helps home buyers and sellers in the area,” she says. “Buying or selling a home can be exciting, but it can also be stressful. It’s particularly stressful for first-timers and those who have a short timeline. I know this firsthand, because I’ve been there myself. That’s why I work extra hard to keep my clients informed, and to make the process as smooth as possible.”

To market her listings, Kristina utilizes professional photography and videography and promotes via social media. She also works closely with real estate partners, holds open houses, and puts out highly visible reflective For Sale signs.

Kristina admits she loves her work for two reasons. The first is the people she meets and works with. “I love helping my clients realize their dreams of home ownership and the relationships I form,” she says. She also enjoys the art of negotiation. “I find the whole process very challenging and exciting,” she exclaims. “I love it.”

Kristina, who has one son, has been very active with her community, school board as well as sponsors local sporting events. “Our office is also involved with charitable organizations that aids children in need,” she notes.

When asked what she does for fun, Kristina replies, “I love real estate. If I’m not working, I’m bored. It’s not just a job if you love what you do.”

As for the future Kristina hopes to build a team. “I’d like to add a buyer’s agent and a transaction coordinator,” she says. “But I’d like to keep the team small and effective to keep us intimate and friendly.”

It is not surprising that Kristina receives stellar, 5-star reviews from her clients. Writes one recent customer: “Kristina helped us beyond measure. She took us through everything we needed to do and made buying our new home and selling our current home super easy for us. She is an amazing person to have on your side!

We would highly recommend her to all our friends and family!”

Kristina relies on several methods to stay in touch with her clientele. “We use the CRM drip method, which is always effective,” she states. She also sends out a personalized lifestyle magazine to all of her clients as well as a quarterly, market report. “I find they really appreciate the regular updates,” she says.

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For more about Kristina Klein, email kristina@realtopiare.com, visit SoldByKristinaKlein.com or call (815) 922.8144 www.

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Perfect Home Inspection is proud to congratulate

KRISTINA KLEIN

on being featured for the State of Illinois in Top Agent Magazine!

asilva@phinspection.com

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and they don’t care for sudden changes in procedure or lifestyle. They also like activities they can start and finish.

Compliants are thinkers. They’re always wondering how things work.

They want practicality, logic, fairness and a systematic approach. When talking to thinkers give facts, documentation and data. They seek accuracy.

They’re motivated by standards of high quality, limited social interaction, detailed tasks and logical organization of information.

7 Deadly Sins of Personal Branding

some personality assessment tools can cost thousands of dollars, but at Corcoran Coaching, we’ve opted for a much more affordable offering: a free DIsC assessment. Just visit www.corcorancoaching.com/behavioralstyle. php and you’ll be guided through a quick questionnaire to learn your own What is a style ‘personal Just likeothers com- as sistently dominant andbrand’? how to read well. (across all marketing platforms), pany or product branding, it’s built around a well-defined brand can elevate agent recimaging and messaging that is designed to ognition and help to establish credibility Yes, understanding people, listening to their needs and wants and responding create a feeling. And in the case of personal and authority. However, when executed appropriately all takehow work But because realare estate is a people branding, it influences you and wantattention. others incorrectly, the effects lackluster at best, business, it’s simply a must.

And the better at it you become, the to feel about you. From your photos to other and harmful at worst. To help you better avoid living as an or broker. brandyou’ll images,make elements andagent even content, theI promise. pitfalls of personal branding, we’ve there is a lot that goes into creating your compiled a list of what we feel are the 7 unique brand.to Displayed Best of luck you! correctly and con- deadliest sins.

Copyright©, 2015 BubbaNO Mills.

All rights reserved.

DIFFERENTIATION Branding about being known forvicereal estate agent who expressed to us that Bubba Mills isis not co-owner and executive president of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. (www.corcorancoaching.com/programs, 800-957-8353), an in international your profession.

It’s about being known she was already well branded her area. consulting coaching that performance coaching and for being and different in yourcompany profession.

If specializes She stated,in“When I walk into a restaurant theallimplementation sound systems Real Estate Companies, Mortgage agents were the of same, howbusiness would your in into my community, people already know Companies and Small Businesses. Bubba Mills is a nationally recognized inspirational customers know who to choose? Lack of I’m a real estate agent.” And while that and education speaker, coach and mentor to the top real estate agents and mortgage differentiation is out by more far the #1 personal is a great start, it’s nowhere close to succompanies.

To find about Corcoran Consulting & Coaching, call 1-800-957-8353 We love to tell the story of a cessful branding. Let’s assume I walked or branding visit us at sin. www.CorcoranCoaching.com.

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into that restaurant and noticed her. But I also noticed two other agents in the same restaurant. Now, who do I choose? Which

‘brand’ stands out to me? What lets me know that one of them is uniquely positioned to serve my needs?

and they don’t care for sudden changes in procedure or lifestyle. They also NO FOCUS like activities they can start and finish.

In business, you can’t be all things to all side of your specific focus. That would be people. Many have and failed.

In or- always quite difficult.

It does mean over work. time Compliants are tried thinkers.

They’re wondering howthat, things der to have business and brand, doneacorrectly), you approach. will do moreWhen and They wanta successful practicality, logic, fairness(ifand systematic you must define yourfacts, ideal custommore ofand the data. exact They kind ofseek business you talking toclearly thinkers give documentation accuracy. er and how you will super-serve that cus- want, and conversely, even stop doing They’re motivated by standards of high quality, limited social interaction, tomer. In other words, declare and develop the kind of business you don’t want. And detailed tasks and focused, logical itorganization of information. a specialty.

By being does NOT that’s what a great brand is designed to mean that you stop doing all business outaccomplish.

some personality assessment tools can cost thousands of dollars, but at Corcoran Coaching, we’veNO opted for a much more affordable offering: a free AUTHENTICITY DIsC assessment. Just visit www.corcorancoaching.com/behavioralstyle.

Recognizable personal brands can be very You should be able to ‘breathe your brand’ php and you’ll be guided through a quick questionnaire to learn your own clever and memorable, but if your brand in everything that you do. This is importdominant andlast. how to read as well. isn’t ‘you’,style it won’t If you try toothers put ant not only for your customers, but perout a persona that is different from your haps most importantly for you. There is Yes, needs and wants responding ownunderstanding and the way you people, live yourlistening life, peo- to their a tremendous amount of and confidence that ple will take notice overwork time. and The attention. most comes knowing youisare who appropriately all take Butwith because realthat estate a people incredible it’s personal brands weaveAnd pro-theyou portray, that become, you have the business, simply a must. better at itandyou thehabits, better fessional and personal intoorone. inspiration, knowledge and expertise to living you’ll make asqualities an agent broker.

I promise.

Your brand becomes an extension of you. back it up.

Best of luck to you!

NO CONSISTENCY

You can have a2015 recognizable memocards, postcards, brochures, etc. Other peoCopyright©, Bubbaand Mills.

All rights reserved.

rable brand, but if you don’t display those ple don’t see them nearly as often, so don’t branding correctly consis- viceapply or compare your own habits and Bubba Millselements is co-owner andand executive president of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. (www.corcorancoaching.com/programs, 800-957-8353), an international tently across all of your marketing plat- exposure to theirs. Repetitiveness in marconsulting andyou coaching company in only performance coaching and forms, it does little good.

In orderthat to specializes keting is not a good thing, it’s essenthe implementation sound systems Real Estate Companies, Mortgage accomplish this taskofwell, youbusiness must step tialinto for retention.

Once you determine the Companies and Small Businesses. Bubba Mills is a nationally recognized inspirational back from your marketing and see it the overall messaging and look of your brand, and education speaker, coach and mentor to the top real estate agents and mortgage way others To do.find Youout seemore yourabout socialCorcoran media Consulting that look should continuecall across literally companies. & Coaching, 1-800-957-8353 every day. You see your business every marketing platform you touch. orchannels visit us at www.CorcoranCoaching.com.

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NO CONTENT The ultimate goal of personal branding is comfortable producing is the key to keeping to become known as an authority in your it simple. No one wants to be bogged down andchosen they niche. don’t That caremeans for sudden or lifestyle.

They also withprocedure producing content.

But on the flip side, that youchanges must in likedemonstrate activitiesthe they can start and finish. knowledge, expertise and/ no one knows how much you know until or experience to back up your position. you share it. Great content demonstrates your knowledge and how helps your customers Content that are best expresses youThey’re and your always Compliants thinkers. wondering things work. at the same time.

In addition, it serves anbrand could be as simple as a series of They want practicality, logic, fairness and a systematic approach. When other purpose with search engine optimizaphotos, quotes, e-books, video shorts, etc. talking to thinkers give facts, documentation and data. They seek accuracy.

Choosing the type of content you’re most tion and attracting prospects online.

They’re motivated by standards of high quality, limited social interaction, detailed tasks and logicalNO organization of ACTION information.

CALL TO

You’re spending money to market across using other people’s money’. Your call some personality assessment tools can cost thousands of dollars, but at multiple platforms, so why not take the to action may change with different marCorcoran Coaching, opted for more affordable offering: keting channels or purposes, buta free you opportunity to extendwe’ve an invitation fora much DIsC assessment.

Just visit www.corcorancoaching.com/behavioralstyle. your prospects to engage with you? It can should always, always have one. If you want people to do something, tell them a simple call be to action, such as ‘call me phpbeand you’ll guided through a quick questionnaire to learn your own you’d like them to do. That’s how you first’ or more ‘contact me others for a aswhat dominant stylespecific, and how to read well. free home staging assessment’ or ‘download my e-book and learn how to invest

move prospects one step closer to becoming customers.

Yes, understanding people, listening to their needs and wants and responding appropriately all take work attention. But because real estate is a people NOand FOLLOW-THROUGH business, it’s simply a must. And the better at it you become, the better with hundreds of agents, folWhyyou’ll is this included in branding, living make as an agentyou or may broker.munication I promise. ask? Because your brand is your bond. It’s low-through is at the top of the list when it comes to customer complaints. You don’t your handshake. When you say you’ll do Best of luck to you! something, how can people trust you if want to be that person. Putting an incredible you don’t follow through with your prom- message and image out there isn’t enough. must live up to those standards with ise? This is often elementMills. that people Copyright©, 2015theBubba All rightsYou reserved. forget altogether. And in fact, in our com- every customer, every transaction

Bubba Mills is co-owner and executive vice president of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. (www.corcorancoaching.com/programs, 800-957-8353), international ® Tonya Eberhart is the Branding Agent to Business Stars and founder ofan BrandFace , LLC. ® consulting andMichael coaching company that specializes in performance coaching Carr is America’s Top Selling Real Estate Auctioneer & BrandFace partner. and the implementation of they sound systems into Real Estatedesigned Companies, Mortgage Together, focusbusiness on personal branding and marketing to help real estate ® professionals become theBubba face of their & a star in their market. BrandFace Companies and Small Businesses.

Millsbusiness is a nationally recognized inspirational Real Estate Professionals is a book, speaking and and an exclusive and educationfor speaker, coach and mentor toprofessional the top real estateseries agents mortgage workshop for agents, and is currently active in 18 U.S. states, Canada and New Zealand. companies. To find out more about Corcoran Consulting & Coaching, call 1-800-957-8353 For more information, visit www.BrandFaceRealEstate.com. or visit us at www.CorcoranCoaching.com.

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JACQUIE LEWIS

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JACQUIE LEWIS Based in Highland Park, Jacquie is recognized as a top of class award-winning agent that serves the Chicagoland area from downtown all the way up the North Shore.

Jacquie Lewis began her career in real estate 17 years ago, after working in the medical and education fields. She cites her experience working as a fundraiser for the organization ORT as having an especially formative influence on her approach to real estate. “When you empower somebody, you are giving them the information to succeed,” Jacquie says. “In real estate, you are informing, educating, and 12 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

offering your clients the tools to make sound, educated, and informed decisions about their needs and their goals. And my job is to do just that.”

Based in Highland Park, Jacquie is recognized as a top of class award-winning agent that serves the Chicagoland area from downtown all the way up the North Shore. Jacquie Top Agent Magazine

brings her expertise and professionalism to a very discerning clientele. An impressive 80% of her business comes from repeat and referral clients, and it’s easy to see why people keep coming back. “I work very hard to give them the support they need,” she says. “Buying or selling a house is a very emotional process for Top Agent Magazine

people, so it’s important for a Realtor® to be sensitive, have compassion, be a good listener, and stay positive. I give clients the building blocks to succeed, and when the process is over they are often amazed at how easy it was.”

Jacquie also co-hosted a weekly Real Estate radio show, Real Estate Revealed on AM 560.

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“I work very hard to give them the support they need,” Jacquie says. “Buying or selling a house is a very emotional process for people, so it’s important for a Realtor® to be sensitive, have compassion, be a good listener, and stay positive.”

Jacquie makes every effort to stay in touch with all of her past clients. She texts and calls to check in, see how they are doing and to offer her help. Jacquie says, “Don’t be surprised if you find something from me during the holidays at your front door.” Communication and transparency are also crucial when it comes to marketing her listings, and Jacquie has a robust presence on social media. “I’m all over Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram,” she says. “We take videos highlighting the home’s best features during our open houses and post all over social media accounts.” Now with the global pandemic, every one of Jacquie’s listings has a virtual tour or a 3D movie (a dollhouse perspective). Jacquie strives to Copyright Top Agent Magazine 14

market her listings in every possible way. She also points to the proprietary distribution lists she and her team have put together. “With this system, I am able with the click of a mouse to be in the inbox of 3,000 Realtors® in the Chicagoland area. That way, they can always be aware of my current listings, coming listings, pocket listings, and open houses. That is a huge advantage that brings a lot of value to my sellers. My buyers benefit equally as I can communicate with the same Realtors to request their potential new listings that might not appear on the MLS.” Another source of Jacquie’s appeal is the white-glove concierge service she offers. She Top Agent Magazine

has her own staging team who works to help a home look its absolute best so it can stand out.

“We have to be in front of the market because there’s a lot of competition and you want your house to be the one that sells first.” Jacquie believes, “We’re in a price war and beauty contest and we have to win both.”

Giving back to the community is also a priority for Jacquie and her team. Every year she organizes Top Agent Magazine

an office outing to the Ronald McDonald House, and she donates a portion of her money from each transaction to the Coldwell Banker Charitable Foundation and the Northwestern University Hospital Brain Tumor Institute.

When she is not working, Jacquie loves to get exercise, walking outside with her dog Tucker (her “assistant”) no matter the weather. She also loves golfing, platform tennis, pickleball, and Copyright Top Agent Magazine 15

playing bridge. Jacquie is a proud new grandma, and loving it.

In the future, Jacquie plans to continue making every effort to stay at the head of the class.

“Real estate is an evolving industry, and it’s very important to keep up with new technology, and to be able to use it effectively.” Jacquie wants to continue educating colleagues and clients to be successful in moving forward.

Jacquie understands that buying or selling a house can be a very daunting experience, but with her expertise, concern, and professionalism Jacquie’s clients find the process to be just what they’re looking for.

In closing, Jacquie says that real estate is her dream job that invigorates her passion to succeed for her clients.

To find out more about Jacquie Lewis, please call 847-858-2155, email jacquie.lewis@cbexchange.com, or visit northshorehomepro.com http://

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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

n

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.

n

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.

n

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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VIRGILIO ARREGUIN

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VIRGILIO ARREGUIN

Virgilio Arreguin began his career in real estate with his brother, Francisco Ruiz, a life insurance agent, flipping homes and buying investment properties for themselves and family. “My brother and I were driving when I saw a post somewhere that asked, ‘Do you want to get into real estate?’ My brother encouraged me. I thought about it and decided to get my license,” he recalls. “And the rest is history, as they say.”

Virgilio works solo at Re-Max 1st covering the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Though he’s only been in the business for five years, he can already boast an 80% repeat and referral clientele business. “I’m grateful that people come back to me. My desire is to serve them the way I myself would like to be served” he exclaims. “I’m in the business of being an advisor with whom clients can feel comfortable.

I’m always seeking to be respectful and honest with everyone.

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Virgilio says his main purpose is to “serve” his clients rather than look at the business as a numbers game. “Whether it’s a $50,000 condo or a $600,000 estate, there is a person or family behind that deal and that’s what matters to me,” he says.

It’s no surprise that his clients give him stellar reviews. One customer wrote recently: “Virgilio has been an awesome real estate agent that worked extremely closely with us to help

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us search for our home over the last few months. He has been extremely patient with the home showings, very prompt in clarifying response and very accommodating with our busy schedules. He has lot of domain knowledge and was able to guide us with the property shortlisting. We recommend of Virgilio very highly and wish him good luck.”

To stay in touch with clients, Virgilio regularly sends out emails to check in. He also forwards fun novelty items. “I like to give my clients or prospects mugs, calendars, t-shirts, things people like and enjoy,” he says.

Virgilio says he makes full use of social media when marketing his listings. “I have enjoyed using social media and have found it to be a great tool for promotion,” he says.

He also uses high end real estate sites and, of course, the MLS. Last year, he closed $3.4 million, and this year, he’s on his way to doubling that figure.

What Virgilio loves most about his work is his ability to serve the people of his community, whether it’s buying their first home or saving money. He also serves local residents through a ministry which he serves and attends every week. “I love to give back,” he says.

When not working, Virgilio spends time with his wife and three kids. “Apart from Jesus, my family is the biggest blessing” he asserts.

As for the future of his business, Virgilio hopes to continue to grow. “I appreciate the preference from my clients and referrals, and with Gods help through Jesus Christ, I will adapt to the growth in business”.

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To learn more about Virgilio Arreguin, call (847) 627-9248, visit keyhomesusa.com or email virgilio@keyhomesusa.com www.

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Tips on Breaking Into the Luxury Market So, you’ve been doing residential real estate for a while and you’re looking to up your game. A lot of people consider going into the luxury market at that point. Or, maybe you started in the business always intending to specialize in luxury properties and were just learning the ropes before you tackled one of the industry’s most lucrative specialties.

No matter the reason, the luxury market is a whole new ballgame and you don’t want to go into it unprepared. First impressions are everything in this business, especially when you’re dealing with wealthy clients and investors. Here are few things to consider if you’re thinking of going from starter homes to estates.

LEARN HOW THE LUXURY MARKET AND CLIENTELE ARE DIFFERENT As experienced as you might be in traditional real estate, the luxury market is almost like starting at ground zero. Everything from the buyers, to the sellers, and obviously, the properties themselves, will take a new approach.

One of the key ways it is different is that the feeling of exclusivity truly matters. You will be doing more targeted marketing through high-end networking groups as wealthier clients tend to be more comfortable when 26

you come recommended by people they trust to have the highest standards. There are no mass-marketed open houses. It’s all about private showings. Although professional, one-on-one service is key in this business no matter what the price point, wealthier buyers are accustomed to concierge-style service, and the way to stand out from the rest is to provide service that goes above and beyond what even they expect.

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LOOK THE PART If you’re thinking of going the luxury route, creating high-end branding and marketing yourself properly is of the utmost importance.

That includes your own personal look. You and your business will need a total makeover, or at least a major upgrade. It might even be time to buy that new car you’ve always wanted. It is also key that all of your marketing materials are high end. So start gathering a stable of highly-trained professionals,

photographers, and stagers as every aspect of the service network you’ll be providing complements the brand that you’re selling.

It’s well worth the time to get all of this nailed down and seamless before you even think of entering the luxury market. Another good investment? You want to have an indepth knowledge of all the latest real estate technologies and innovations. Don’t just look the part, actually be on the cutting edge.

SELL THE LIFESTYLE Yes, you’re selling a home, but you’re also selling a lifestyle, which in luxury is almost more important. When someone is spending millions of dollars on a home, they want to see the fabulous life they will be living in their new digs. Really highlight amazing party spaces, unique one of kind features,

and amenities. As with anything of value, things that make a property rare, will automatically make it more appealing to people who can afford the best. It also helps people connect more emotionally with a home, giving it even more value than if you just try and sell it as a good investment.

NETWORKING, NETWORKING, NETWORKING Networking is an important aspect of this business at every level, but it a vital tool in the luxury market. Most of your referrals and targeted marketing will be done through luxury agent exclusive networking groups. In addition to that, it is even more important in this segment of the business to be actively

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involved in your community through volunteering and supporting local charitable events. You will not only build a stellar reputation, but you’ll also be giving back to the community you represent, and ultimately, integrity is what it’s all about in this business.

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