INDIANA 8-23-21

INDIANA EDITION

Uncommon Contact:

CONNECTING WITH CLIENTELE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA

5 Ways to TRANSFORM RENTERS INTO OWNERS

HOW SOFT MONEY LOANS ARE THE FUTURE OF LENDING

FEATURED AGENTS

JANET CLARK & ELLIE CLARK ORZESKE CRAIG RALSTON

COVER STORY

KARA HINSHAW

INDIANA EDITION

CRAIG RALSTON JANET CLARK & ELLIE CLARK ORZESKE

For Craig Ralston, real estate runs in the our first home! The experiencethe transaction, For Janet Clark and Ellie Clark Orzeske, couldn’t 9 20 23 family.

“I became interested in it because have been better. They are support, real estate runs in the family.

“My very pro-leaving grandmother was an agent, as waswas my part owner of a real estate fessional and know how to For makehis the sellers, my father mother,” Janet explains.

Ten years ago, process of buying a home as stress free firm in our town,” he explains. After gradmarketing, pos Janet decided to enter uating the business, and as possible.

They were great at from Ball State University, Craig onanswersocial media her daughter Ellie followed shortly after. ing our many questions and explaining became an educator, then got into sales. things to us in a way that was “I’ll go out and “My daughter Sarah is also in real estate easy to the commute mytophone, in Denver, and my son But is a lender, so it’s was wearing on him, and understand. I recommend them any- touri he decided to explore other opportunities. one looking to sell or buy a home, highlights,” he s definitely a family business!”

Today, they Janet and Ellie have aFeeling team consisting well!” that his skills would transfer well can truly do it all and do it allinformation so t of themselves and one into other the agent, servreal estate industry, he earned his see it in person.” ing the greater Indianapolis area.

They During the few hours when Janet and license and hit the ground running.

It’s now KARA KARA HINSHAW JANET CLARK & CRAIG RALSTON each have their own clients, but their main goal is the Ellie aren’t working, they’re staying active with hobHINSHAW been 17 years, andELLIE he’sCLARK continued to grow with each Born and raised in Indiana, C ORZESKE same: to provide a smooth and happy experience for all bies and family time. “I love to bike on the trail systems, With lastlargely year being his most successful, involved. This has ledpassing to their year. business being garden, cook and travel,” Janethis says.time Ellieand lovesmoney trying to loca and this year on track to beat new it, Craig’s showing noand exploring charge of workforce deve based off of repeats and referrals. restaurants, traveling Indiana. signs of slowing down. As a solo agent with RE/MAX

Contractor Association of

“We’re really relationship-based,” Ellie explains.

In the comingNoble years, Janet Ellie hope to hire an CONTENTS Results, he serves Steuben, Lagrange, and andprogram called Constructio “Throughout the year Dekalb we host events, we in callIndiana, our cli- with administrative assistant of to helpwe things run smoothly. counties the vast majority brought students in to l ents and check in, especially during COVID as we They also want to slowly add more members to their his business consisting of repeat clients and referrals. says. “So, I am still involv couldn’t4) justUNCOMMON drop by or go out CONTACT: for drinks.” But the team, 15) but their ultimate goal maintaining the same 5 WAYS TO isTRANSFORM beenpeople the president of the S strong bond they create when WITH working with their clients great service.

“We just love showing everything CONNECTING CLIENTELE RENTERS INTO OWNERS “I think key to success customers Development Corporation, tends to last, as they truly makethe it an enjoyable jour-is treating Indy hasyour to offer, we think it’s one of the best kept THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA with respect and going the extra mile to make that Rotary Club, and more. He ney. For their buyers, they take the time to get to know secrets. It’s so rewarding to help people in their real 21) HOW SOFT MONEY them and discover what they are looking searching estate journeys He and be part ofREMC one of the largestUp deciclient feel takenfor,care of,” Craig explains. is anot Round Board, w 6)until RECONSIDER REFERRALLOANS ARE THE FUTURE tirelessly their ideal property is found.

Once it is sions they will ever make.” afraid to shovel snow from their sidewalk or help time to submit an offer, theyPLANNING make sure it’s competitive ONLY WHEN OF them in any way heFOR can. This results in LENDING them coming With a strong passion fo Photo by The Addison Group while also getting them the best deal possible. When it back to him, even years after they’ve worked together, has truly found his calling THE FUTURE comes to selling a property, Janet and Ellie have a straknowing thatlistings he will continue growing in the fu tegic marketing plan that puts their in always front of exceed their expectations.

They also expertise reputation for delivering gr as many eyes as possible.

“We firstlove meethis with the sell- in the area. With Steuben County being 101 lakes, it’s a popular vaca- most is getting folks to thei ers, look at comparative sales, and thenhome have to a stager come in to help stage tion the home,” says. “WeHe do recently sold the highest home Janet destination. enjoyable and comfortable w professional photography, make brochures, and host a priced lake property in the county for $2.43 million, Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 broker’s open to show it off to all local agents.” Once likely because he remained in contact with the owner mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com those steps are complete, the listing is placed on all the for two and a half years. “Even though it is a seller’s major No social media portion of thisplatforms. issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher. Top Agent

market, properties be priced correctly because Magazine is published

by Feature Publicationsneed GA, Inc.to Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials, Top Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied authors.

For more about Janet Clarkby&itsEllie Clark Orzeske, ‘Pricing is King,’” he explains.

“My experience defiAfter working with Janet and Ellie, buyers and sellers To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. please call 317-691-6651, 317-691-5841 love to spread the word about their experience.

Onethe property properly and nitely helped with pricing Published in the U.S. or email janet.clark@talktotucker.com, recently said, “Both Ellie anditJanet above and selling in a went timely fashion.” beyond while helping us through the process of buying 2

or ellie.clark@talktotucker.com

Whether he’s helping someone sell a luxury estate, TopAgent AgentMagazine Magazine Copyright Top assisting a first-time home buyer, or finding the ideal commercial property for an investor, all of Craig’s

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

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Uncommon Contact:

Connecting with Clientele Through Social Media Social media is one of the newest and most powerful tools in an agent or mortgage professional’s arsenal. With just a few keystrokes, you can stay top-of-mind with buyers, sellers, and borrowers near and far, past and present. The key is knowing how to use these mediums to your advantage, working smarter instead of harder to keep the thread of professional relationships intact. With that in mind, here are a few ways you can maximize the pull and power of social media by shifting just a few of your ideas and practices for the better.

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Not everything has to be about business.

While your relationship with a client or fellow vendor began over the course of business, your relationship going forward doesn’t have to be limited. One of the great things about social media is that’s it’s social. Not every comment, post, or communication has to revolve around your business, its metrics, or turning a sale. In fact, you should do your best to branch out and curate a brand and online identity that’s about who you are and

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the lifestyle you’re authentically interested in living. In that vein, consider interacting with clients in an organically-driven way, encouraging them during life’s milestones, reaching out with a local event, restaurant, or news item that’s relevant to their interests or neighborhood. The goal is to be a persistent presence in their lives without feeling like a talking head. Engage as you would like to be engaged with, as a human being with interests and needs and boundaries. Keep that personal thread in mind and your dynamic will shift from past business contact to present resource.

Expand your medium.

Many Realtors are comfortable on Facebook as an interactive meeting to connect with clients, but there are several other mediums where you can connect with clients both past and present, as well as future. Particularly when courting Millennial clientele, the fastest-growing segment of the buying market, a presence on Instagram and Snapchat are key to finding new faces, demonstrating hot properties, and creating an interactive brand as an agent. Not only does this help when you’re listing a property and seeking potential buyers, but it also serves as a perusable portfolio of your work and real estate prowess. You can also use these mediums to interact with clients on an outlet they might feel most comfortable in. Liking pictures, commenting, streaming Instagram Live home tours and Stories are all ways you can build engagement by simply spreading your social media presence around. Likewise, Top Agent Magazine

these photo and video driven mediums are popular for home design ideas, and before and after renovation pictures. When you expand from Facebook into these new platforms, you’ll already have plenty of visual content ready to be transferred and consumed by an expanded audience.

Don’t just react.

Create your own content.

It’s easy enough to post a link to a new listing, or retweet a helpful article on real estate news. Creating your own organic content is a different story, but worth its weight in gold when it comes to luring engagement, ranking higher in search fields, and overall crafting an interactive presence for yourself and your business online—which is where more than 90% of homebuyers and sellers begin their process. Creating your own content can seem risky, or else like no one is listening in a digital world already crowded with information. However, original content is sure to boost personal engagement with your social media pages, guaranteed.

Instead of recycling content, consider posting a video with a Q+A theme for first-time homebuyers, or perhaps posting a live tour of a new listing will perk up your clientele surfing at home.

No matter how you decide to expand your social media presence when it comes to interacting with clients, consistency is key.

Find the ways that work best for you and stick to them, and you’ll watch your audience and business grow in tandem.

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Reconsider Referral-Only When Planning for the Future

A 100% referral rate is a testament of client happiness. But even a 30% referral rate is proof of client satisfaction. It’s all relative, say some agents. One number pays tribute to past success, which is certainly a story worth telling. But the other might better predict the future. Many agents plan for the idea that 6

working only on referral may not be sufficient during slower times of the year, in a down market, or when an agent needs to expanding into a new sector.

Unless you are clairvoyant enough to flawlessly predict every market change or every

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Many agents plan for the idea that working only on referral may not be sufficient during slower times of the year, in a down market, or when an agent needs to expanding into a new sector. life change that your clients and referral partners may experience, it’s wise to maintain an active marketing presence. The reasons vary, however, depending on the goals and trajectory of each individual’s business.

If long-term success, a growing team, a legacy or expansion into new areas are not priorities, then working a sphere of influence may be enough for some agents, especially those who may be in the industry mostly for the love of the business. But for a majority of agents, no matter how much they love their work, their real estate and mortgage businesses are careers, first and foremost.

Let’s start with the team-builders and mentors. Agents and brokers who are building teams are wise to invest in business marketing, advertising and community outreach. Ty Hutchins, who owns and operates Ty & Company Real Estate in Colorado’s Front Range, says that, while she could personally live off referrals alone, her goal is to build up her agents. “I do the marketing piece for my team, so I can help them succeed,” she says. That marketing includes running commercials on TV and in movies theatres, as well as lead generation that identifies potential buyers, sellers and Top Agent Magazine

investors between the Colorado Springs and Denver markets. Her team’s goal, she adds, is to promote their reputation of being honest, hardworking professionals with the reach of a major brand but the personalized approach of a boutique.

Then there are the growers. Khrista Jarvis and Nicole Jung of The Khrista Jarvis Team in the San Francisco Bay Area, are on a considerable growth track. “We’re the #1 team in our area and the top team in Compass Real Estate nationally,” explains Khrista. While high marks for service on behalf of their clients have led them to these heights, they know that they must continue to evolve and market their brand. “We do a good deal of social media marketing for our listings and for our business,” she says. Their names, therefore, are frequently linked to sentiments of trust, dependability and market knowledge, both in their marketing and in their reviews.

Next, there are those who weathered the worst of times. Susan Roche entered real estate sales in 2003, following several years of property management in North Carolina.

The key to her sustained triumphs through major market swings lies in her long-range planning. “If the market starts to dip or fall,

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I have safety nets in place,” says Susan Roche, team leader of Simply Real Estate, based in Charlotte. “When it’s a seller’s market, I still plan for a buyer’s market and when it’s a buyer’s market I plan for a seller’s market..” In other words, no matter how comfortable her existing work may feel, she networks consistently. She also employs a full-time marketing director who leads several projects including ongoing research, events and social media exposure in addition to listings marketing. By staying ahead of market changes, Susan knows she can unfailingly represent her clients’ best interests while still maintaining a safety net for her business.

Even professionals with more than three decades’ experience and deep referral networks know the importance of business

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marketing. Cathy Richards, co-owner with Nancy Dalaska of Epic-Wasatch Homes in Park City, UT, entered real estate in 1987 and still draws at least a fifth of her business from lead generation, social media marketing and community outreach. Her business partner, Nancy, adds that real estate is about much more than their own business. “We love collaborating and brainstorming with other agents to help them prosper,” says Nancy. “We believe the healthier the market, the better we all are.”

Regardless of market conditions, even the best reputation can’t guarantee long-term success. To sustain and grow, it’s wise to feed your business by increasing exposure, remaining flexible and maintaining systems for customer service, networking, research, marketing and lead-generation.

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KARA HINSHAW

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KARA HINSHAW With seventeen years in the business, Kara is the broker and owner of Key Associates Signature Realty serving southern Indiana, helping clients find their dream home in the place she’s called home most of her life.

Kara is a real estate professional for our times, combining an engineering background with hometown personability and a local’s regional knowledge in a people-focused approach to the industry.

Having watched her parents work in real 10

estate for years, Kara decided to try the family business after moving back to her hometown. Today, with seventeen years in the business, Kara is the broker and owner of Key Associates Signature Realty serving southern Indiana, helping clients find their dream home in the place Top Agent Magazine

she’s called home most of her life. Currently eighty-five percent of her business derives from repeat and referral clients.

Kara’s knowledge of the area is secondto-none. Through her brokerage’s YouTube channel, Kara educates homebuyers with in-depth videos that give a greater context and understanding of the Top Agent Magazine

ins-and-outs of local markets than can be gleaned from a Zillow listing.

Though her brokerage has grown considerably in the last five years, Kara operates her business as a team, giving needed support to new agents, helping to start their careers, while ensuring that her clients are paired with agents who have 11

studied Kara’s local-market fluency.

“I think building that niche expertise makes you a better agent,” Kara explains.

“That’s where I feel a lot of agents these days are lacking.”

Kara’s emphasis on knowing her market, and her client-first approach to navigating a transaction bring buyers and sellers back to work with her and refer her.

“It’s exciting to help people,” she says.

“That’s what I love most: the challenge 12

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of finding solutions for buyers when there’s no inventory. That takes knocking on doors, working with people you know, and seeing what you can connect people with.”

Kara adds, “That’s when you truly know who the market experts are – agents who aren’t market experts can’t find the inventory.”

Kara’s service to her clients doesn’t stop at finalizing a transaction. Through a comprehensive combination of social media interactions, quarterly check-in calls, and annual Christmas parties, Kara fosters lasting relationships, keeping her clients at top of mind long after closing a sale.

When it comes to marketing, Kara utilizes all avenues to reach the right buyer. Once a property is prepared with professional photography and videography, Kara engages a robust digital marketing rollout for each listing. Posts across a wide range of realty websites plus boosted ads and video-tours on social media platforms put Kara’s listings right at a buyer’s fingertips. Last year, Kara closed $33 million of her own volume. Key Associates Signature Realty as a brokerage is on track for $70-80 million in volume for 2021.

As a business-owner who cares about her community, Kara is involved in her Top Agent Magazine

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church and associated charities. When she’s not working, Kara stays active running and exercising regularly. A lover of travel, Kara has maintained a passion for seeing the world ever since studying abroad in Australia during college.

Looking to the future, Kara envisions expanding her business across southern Indiana and beyond. “I was a small brokerage in a town of 2500,” Kara concludes. “Now I’m at twenty-eight agents and three offices and still going!”

To find out more about Kara Hinshaw, call 812-686-3268, email karahinshaw@keyassociates.com or visit www.karahinshaw.com or www.youtube.com/channel 14

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5 Ways to Transform

Renters into Owners Perhaps the largest demographic of untapped business lies in the rental market. From major cities and suburbs to rural communities—renters across generations are opting to rent rather than own. The question is: why? For starters, many Americans are undereducated about the inventory and financing options available that might suit their budget and lifestyle. Secondly, many would-be homeowners have difficulty Top Agent Magazine

visualizing the potential investment of purchasing property, and how homeownership can build wealth and security in the long-term.

As an agent, you’re always on the lookout for potential clientele. Now, to guide renters toward the real estate market, keep a few of these strategies in mind as you meet and greet this untapped demographic.

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1

Show renters that purchasing a home isn’t impossible

Possibly the biggest hurdle for renters is believing homeownership is possible. Beyond saving for a down payment and boosting credit scores, there are dozen more factors to consider: affording utilities, homeowner’s insurance, renovations, property taxes, and more. Besides that, assembling pay stubs, finding an agent, arranging house tours, negotiating a price, and timing the transition are all major considerations to surmount.

One way to combat this thinking is to make the process transparent and demystified. Find examples of past clients who made the leap successfully, or profile the average buyer in your marketplace and see how that renter compares. Provide evidence that it’s been done before and can be done again, then build a game plan from there.

into play. Consider making a checklist, or step-by-step road-map, that guides clients through the process from start to finish. This way, you’ll manage expectations and create a path to ownership that’s specific, instead of abstract. They won’t have to wonder what goes into buying a home when they can look at an interactive site or read a document and see the steps outlined before them, with you there to guide the way.

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Collaborate with mortgage professionals to find the right financing opportunities

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Help would-be homebuyers create a road-map to ownership

It’s no secret that buying a home can feel overwhelming. Compared to signing a yearlong lease on an apartment, taking on the house-hunting process is a daunting affair.

That’s where your expertise as an agent comes 16

Many renters aren’t aware of the variety of mortgage financing options out there that cater to first-timers, offer low down payments, or down payment assistance. Most buyers believe that the standard 20% down is a hard and fast rule, when in reality, there’s far more flexibility out there to cater to renters where they are. There are even loan options catering to freelance workers, renovation options, and other unconventional routes to ownership.

Work with a mortgage pro and find the route that suits your renter best.

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pay monthly in a mortgage—while building a lasting asset.

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Compare and contrast rental rates with monthly mortgage payments One way to convince renters to make the shift is to demonstrate the savings potential of paying into a monthly mortgage, rather than throwing away rent on a property they don’t own. To do this, draw up the average rental rates in your area, then find some potential listings that would demand a similar amount in monthly mortgage payments. Sometimes placing these numbers and images sideby-side can prove to renters that what they manage to pay monthly in rent, they can

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Paint the big picture

For most, renting isn’t the most sustainable financial option when it comes to housing.

Rents rise, families grow, and retirement looms.

Building a financial future and homeownership go hand-in-hand. When planned appropriately, buying a home can create a path toward retirement and position homeowners in a better place for further investment in the future. A rental has little security or investment returns to offer, while owning a home makes a renter king or queen of the castle.

Prospecting renters as potential homebuyers may seem like a time-intensive way to cultivate new clients, but logic is on your side.

Keep these tips in mind as you broach the conversation with renters in your hometown.

All it takes is clear-cut value proposition and a listening ear.

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Laughs!

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JANET CLARK & ELLIE CLARK ORZESKE For Janet Clark and Ellie Clark Orzeske, real estate runs in the family. “My grandmother was an agent, as was my mother,” Janet explains. Ten years ago, Janet decided to enter the business, and her daughter Ellie followed shortly after.

“My daughter Sarah is also in real estate in Denver, and my son is a lender, so it’s definitely a family business!” Today, Janet and Ellie have a team consisting of themselves and one other agent, serving the greater Indianapolis area. They each have their own clients, but their main goal is the same: to provide a smooth and happy experience for all involved. This has led to their business being largely based off of repeats and referrals.

our first home! The experience couldn’t have been better. They are very professional and know how to make the process of buying a home as stress free as possible. They were great at answering our many questions and explaining things to us in a way that was easy to understand. I recommend them to anyone looking to sell or buy a home, they can truly do it all and do it all well!”

During the few hours when Janet and Ellie aren’t working, they’re staying active with hobbies and family time. “I love to bike on the trail systems, garden, cook and travel,” Janet says. Ellie loves trying new restaurants, traveling and exploring Indiana.

“We’re really relationship-based,” Ellie explains.

“Throughout the year we host events, we call our clients and check in, especially during COVID as we couldn’t just drop by or go out for drinks.” But the strong bond they create when working with their clients tends to last, as they truly make it an enjoyable journey. For their buyers, they take the time to get to know them and discover what they are looking for, searching tirelessly until their ideal property is found. Once it is time to submit an offer, they make sure it’s competitive while also getting them the best deal possible. When it comes to selling a property, Janet and Ellie have a strategic marketing plan that puts their listings in front of as many eyes as possible. “We first meet with the sellers, look at comparative sales, and then have a stager come in to help stage the home,” Janet says. “We do professional photography, make brochures, and host a broker’s open to show it off to all local agents.” Once those steps are complete, the listing is placed on all the major social media platforms.

In the coming years, Janet and Ellie hope to hire an administrative assistant to help things run smoothly.

They also want to slowly add more members to their team, but their ultimate goal is maintaining the same great service. “We just love showing people everything Indy has to offer, we think it’s one of the best kept secrets. It’s so rewarding to help people in their real estate journeys and be a part of one of the largest decisions they will ever make.”

After working with Janet and Ellie, buyers and sellers love to spread the word about their experience. One recently said, “Both Ellie and Janet went above and beyond while helping us through the process of buying

For more about Janet Clark & Ellie Clark Orzeske, please call 317-691-6651, 317-691-5841 or email janet.clark@talktotucker.com, or ellie.clark@talktotucker.com

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Photo by The Addison Group

Copyright Top Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine

How Soft Money Loans are the Future of Lending ‘Soft Money’ is a relatively new term in the lending industry; an innovative approach to private money lending, a soft money loan combines the benefits of a hard money loan with the greater security that a traditional loan Top Agent Magazine

offers. While a soft money loan requires more underwriting, it also offers lower risks and less risk, making it a deeply attractive option to borrowers who find the concept but not the details of a hard money loan appealing.

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Hard Money Loans As you know, a hard money loan is an assetbased loan, based on the Loan to Value (LTV) of the investment property. They require little underwriting, making them a quick loan for borrowers to get approved, are bridge loans, and are generally not based on a borrower’s credit score. This makes them a high-risk loan that is used for real estate investment. The high-risk nature of this type of loan as well as reservations from the 2008 housing market crash, may make some borrowers reluctant to pursue this type of loan. This type of loan also does not increase a borrower’s credit rating, which may also decrease their appeal to borrowers with good credit.

What is Soft Money?

Soft Money is an innovative new approach to private money lending which combines the benefits of both hard money loans and more traditional loans. First, a clarification on the name: the term ‘soft money’ in the world of lending is completely different from ‘soft money’ in the world of political campaigning. In the context of lending, the term ‘soft money’ implies that this type of loan falls somewhere between a hard money loan and a traditional loan.

A soft money loan requires more underwriting than a hard money loan, allowing it to have lower rates and greater security. It is based on both the borrower’s credit score and the property’s LTV, and is always a term loan

rather than a bridge loan. Additionally, this type of mortgage loan program is beneficial for real estate investors with a credit score of 650 or above. The combination of lower rates, higher LTV’s, no tax returns and a longer time frame makes the soft money loan a better fit than a hard money loan for many borrower’s situations, particularly those interested in investing in long term rental properties.

Soft Money Loan rates start at 4.375% and go up to 85% LTV for most investment property types.

Why is Soft Money the Future of Lending?

Calling soft money ‘the new hard money’ may seem trite and contrived, but upon further reflection, soft money truly is the direction for the future of private money lending.

While the hard money loan is still the most popular option for many real estate investment scenarios, the soft money loan will increasingly become the loan used by first-time real estate investors or borrower’s looking to hold a long term investment property, and investors with a high credit score who are looking for higher LTVs and lower interest rates.

Unlike conventional investment property loans that max out at 70% LTV, a NO-DOC Soft Money Loan Program maxes at 85% LTV and with no PMI. This allows the borrower to put less money down on their purchase.

When you’re ready to invest, Stratton Equities can help. We are the nationwide leading direct Hard Money and NON-QM lender, with an impressive array of programs, lowest private money rates (starting at 4.375%), professional team of experienced loan officers, and quick loan approval process.

If you have an investment property and wish to speak with one of our Loan Officers, call Stratton Equities at 800-962-6613, email us, or apply for loan pre-qualification today!

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CRAIG RALSTON For Craig Ralston, real estate runs in the family. “I became interested in it because my father was part owner of a real estate firm in our town,” he explains. After graduating from Ball State University, Craig became an educator, then got into sales.

But the commute was wearing on him, and he decided to explore other opportunities.

Feeling that his skills would transfer well into the real estate industry, he earned his license and hit the ground running. It’s now been 17 years, and he’s continued to grow with each passing year. With last year being his most successful, and this year on track to beat it, Craig’s showing no signs of slowing down. As a solo agent with RE/MAX Results, he serves Steuben, Lagrange, Noble and Dekalb counties in Indiana, with the vast majority of his business consisting of repeat clients and referrals.

“I think the key to success is treating your customers with respect and going the extra mile to make that client feel taken care of,” Craig explains. He is not afraid to shovel snow from their sidewalk or help them in any way he can. This results in them coming back to him, even years after they’ve worked together, knowing that he will always exceed their expectations.

They also love his expertise in the area. With Steuben County being home to 101 lakes, it’s a popular vacation home destination. He recently sold the highest priced lake property in the county for $2.43 million, likely because he remained in contact with the owner for two and a half years. “Even though it is a seller’s market, properties need to be priced correctly because ‘Pricing is King,’” he explains. “My experience definitely helped with pricing the property properly and selling it in a timely fashion.”

Whether he’s helping someone sell a luxury estate, assisting a first-time home buyer, or finding the ideal commercial property for an investor, all of Craig’s clients receive the same superior service. He takes his time to understand exactly what they are looking for and doesn’t stop until their needs are met. Throughout Top Agent Magazine

the transaction, he offers guidance and support, leaving no questions unanswered.

For his sellers, he provides exceptional marketing, posting photos and videos on social media and real estate websites.

“I’ll go out and do a video of myself on my phone, touring the property and giving highlights,” he says. “I give them enough information so they will want to come and see it in person.”

Born and raised in Indiana, Craig makes sure to donate his time and money to local causes. “When I was in charge of workforce development for the Building Contractor Association of Fort Wayne, I started a program called Construction Career Academy, where we brought students in to learn about the trades,” he says. “So, I am still involved with that.” He has also been the president of the Steuben County Economic Development Corporation, past president of the local Rotary Club, and more. He is a current member of the REMC Round Up Board, which helps fund nonprofits.

With a strong passion for helping others, Craig has truly found his calling as an agent. He hopes to continue growing in the future and maintaining his reputation for delivering great service. “What I love most is getting folks to their next chapter in life in an enjoyable and comfortable way.”

For more information about Craig Ralston, please call 260-316-5566 or email craigralston@remax.net 23

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