NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL 11-2-20

NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL EDITION

UNTANGLING THE BIDDING WAR: A Buyer’s & Seller’s Perspectives

FEATURED AGENTS

APRIL BARTON JUSTIN BROWN PAM BORNHORST RENÉ BURCHELL KEN CLAUDE EVAN CRAWFORD JANET DAUBER JOSH FISHER VALENCIA GIBSON ERICKA HARDIN SARAH HALLUM MICHELLE HOAGLAND HOLLY KENNEDY JAMES LONG JT MEYERS BRANDI POND DANA SCANLON LEE ANN THOMAS KATRINA TROMBLEY KIM TWOHEY

Top Agent Tips and Questions for

CHOOSING YOUR LISTING AGENT Uncommon Contact:

CONNECTING WITH CLIENTELE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA COVER STORY

CHRIS RAYNOR

NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL EDITION

JANET DAUBER 6

JANET DAUBER

11

19

CHRIS RAYNOR

JUSTIN BROWN

PAM BORNHORST JOSH FISHER

25

VALENCIA GIBSON

31

DANA SCANLON

Top Agent Pam Bornhorst – Operating good reputation in the area. That’s what Partner of Pam Borhorst & Team at Keller generates most of the 40 36 44referrals I receive.”

48 43 Williams Home Town Realty in Troy, Ohio – can claim three-and-a-half decades Excellent marketing strategies have also Kenis Claude April Barton and herplayed husband first role Outside of her of career, April activelyb of helping her many grateful buyers and a significant in the success career after se came to Alabama through the Army. local area.staging Recently, she has voluntee sellers in Miami County achieve their Pam and her team. Professional In 2014, foll real began estate goals.

Possessing a wealth andin photography that each listing is Serving for nine years, one an outreach movement that Janet Dauber her professional career of Janet is committed to staying touchoverwithensure her Devinee, discharge, he knowledge, adoing fierce web workand ethic, pastseas its best light, as dodriving virtual tours. deployment, and as a inamilitary awareness throughout the working asindustry an IT professional, clients.

“In addition toshown using gifting ser- safe looking to and a true commitment to going above and As far as exposure of these listings, no graphicJOSH designFISHER in the DC area for over BARTON 16 years viceveteran, that BORNHORST sends small items month, important sheout built a life inevery Mobile to give back as much as you cam RENÉ BURCHELL KEN CLAUDE PAM APRIL beyond for her clients, Pam has more than avenue is left unexplored. Quick sales for York t before transitioning into real estate. “My inter- I also my clients on important mile- leave something better andNew fromcontact the ground up. top When safer than yo earned her stellar reputation as an honest dollarlooking are the most frequent result, not After a negati est in the business wasreal sparked preparing stones, birthdays andthat home anniversaries, for alike second career allowed her sellers. of that, April invests in and renovates loc and trusted estate while advisor. to mention grateful rience with a r

APRIL BARTON

KEN CLA

to sell my mom’s house,” she recalls. “I real- as well as hand-delivering giftscommunity, during the holi- Mobile. When she’s not helping client toCONTENTS continue serving her involved havin ized this was thebegan direction I should be taking.” day season.

It’s important that my clients know Pam her journey in the world of real estate in When she’s not Pam the givescommunity, back to herApril is enjoying spare April turned to real estate. “Real estate was my trueworking, calling,” family into a hotel until I“A appreciate value them.”

1985, when she wasGUIDE selling her“Iown friendAGENT of andcommunity through a variety of ways, including herWAYS TO the deal she says. fellhome. in love with helping people claim their piece family.

4) A STEP-BY-STEP 22) TOP TIPS AND 41) 5 SURE-FIRE there hadand to be another way. “I thou hadas suggested I would be a good fit for real estate,” involvement with the local Chamber of Commerce Janet now mine works an independent of the AmericanQUESTIONS dream of homeownership.”

TO CONVERTING INTERNET FOR CHOOSING GET MORE REFERRALS better service she recalls, when sale of my home went south, through food drives for local pantries. She also loves than this,’” Ken reca agent for Cutler Real“and Estate in the Kent, Looking to the future, April envi realahead estate I just went ahead and got licensed and sold it myself. nothing more than spending time with her family, whichlicense here in South Ca LEADS TO the REAL LIFE SALES YOUR LISTING Ohio, serving state’s northeast 45) BRANDING BAD IN the coming Today, April is an agent/broker for RE/MAX Realty growth of her business. kindshe of where my realtoestate story begins.” Pam’s includes ten grandchildren. really love this job. In I wake up every region. SheThat’s reports is on track REAL ESTATE MARKETING Professionals, where she services clients throughout Mobile pursuing her license in Mississippi, whi ascendancy in the industry has continued year after year, Top Agent Josh Fisher the what area.

I would be doing even if I didn 9) HOW TO THROW A and works 28)solo HOWserving TO SPEED UPLas Vegas Metro surpass last year’s sales volume and she has achieved this success while also raising When asked whatRelocation advice she might have for newer and the surrounding areas.

A certified Military to serve an even wider base of clients that her business has already grown CLIENT APPRECIATION EVENT FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER 49)issays.

EASY BLOG TOPICS FOR “Ichildren. grew up here so know the city Pam very well,” he five Recently, Pam purchased her own Strategy Keller agents, whose passion mentoring younger Professional and IPricing Advisor, she–combines her she looks forward to the new Ken and his team serve the stories area inca to a 15% referral clientele.

She is also NO ONEWilliams WILLfranchise, FORGET TRANSACTIONS YOUR ESTATE BLOG and found immediate success; this work Realtors – grows thoughtful for lie a REAL moment“As before compassion, grit and outstanding ethic to fit the needs ahead. an agent, I care about Charleston, ma Go a member business of the 2019 & 2020 Ohio has grown faster than all expectations. replying. “Real estate is a career that youNorth have toCharleston, take ® of any client. we create a consensual, team-minded a think a big thing that makes me different from a Born and raised in Las Vegas, Josh Fisher began 53) THINGS YOU CAN DO Corner, Ladson, Berkeley, Do REALTORS President’s Sales Club, seriously.

It’s a wonderful job, but you have to be there 17) 5 REASONS WHY 34) 5 MORNING HABITS ourselves to a higher standard, we’re all Ridgeville, Harleyville, Saint Geo an elite group of only the top 10% of of agents is myneed social skills. very comhis foray intothen, the young Since Pamestate has builtata thriving businessage on a of sturdy lotwhen your clients you.

It’sANTICIPATE a lotI feel of negotiating TO YOUR YOU NEED Areal MENTOR TO MAKE YOUR DAY SUPER When home, April her background in no matter what.” impressive Ohio’s estate professionals.

“Ilisting foundation ofhis honesty, integrity sheer hard work. leans andon hand holding.

If you’re not in this business to help fortable negotiating andCLIENT’S talking to other people.

22. Hereal left behind position as and theaPRODUCTIVE VIP Host NEEDS 47% of Ken’s business overseeing personal team that consists thistobusiness probably and expertise in theothers, market ensureisthat her not for you.” have a real Currently passion and drive programming for awhat referral clients, a number far g 18)Wynn A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE of and obtained realspecializes estate in I also don’t have an off57) switch, Iand never really ofnightlife three“My Buyer’s ofhis which I do,” she asserts. mainAgents goal is(one toreach clients a wide audience of prospective buyers. With NEWER and AGENTS: Ken expects that rate to grow license innew order to joinINTERNET the rapidly growing local rest. I’m THE used always in being on my TO CONVERTING UNTANGLING construction), a transactional coordinator and aLeadership exceed my client’s expectations.” tookphone a lot ofand work an Associates in38) Supervisory and to Bachelors MORE QUESTIONS TOand dedication to coordinator, Pam’s team has its systemsof down industry, andREAL participate in the development answering calls and emails.

I’m really proactive LEADS listing TO LIFE SALES BIDDING WAR: A BUYER’S “and I’m very fortunate Business, she utilizes her background to best prepare a propASK YOURSELF—ARE YOUand gratefu to a science. These systems translate into an excellent

Top Agent Magazine the city. Josh has now had for & SELLER’S ertyhis forlicense market through targeted digitalCopyright and social media customer service experience that is unparalleled in the PERSPECTIVES STUMBLING OR UP AND It’s easy to see why people keep c campaigns.

Meanwhile, April over three years, and works solo serving local market.

As of this writing, Pam and her team sellutilizes her plentiful resources RUNNING? with Ken and his team, and to reco betweenMetropolitan sixty and one hundred a stag- connections to provide addiat RE/MAX andannually, professional the Las Vegas area. homes

friends and families. “We treat them number,” Ken says, “and we’re wi from RE/MAX,” says. “They provide me with all the Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 Part of Josh’s recipe quick success insheupon The lion’s share for of Pam’s business is based repeat mile to help our clients out. It’s m tools andindicator top-of-the-line education I need to sell a home!” clients, a sure excellent mag@topagentmagazine.com www.topagentmagazine.com real estateandis referral his familiarity with Vegas.of|“Ithe us. When I meet a client, it’s not abo customer service she and her team are providing. “I think No portion of this may the be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher.

Agent grew up here soissue I know city very well.

I’mTop going to Magazine earn. It’s is about doing April prefers the same attentive when For moreapproach information about Pam Bornhorst, a lot of it has to do Elsewhere, with my motivation,” she explains, published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials, Top Agent to help them out.

I make them feel co My aspirations originally were to when asked how she has managed to inspiretaking so much assisting hersimply buyers, them through each stepcall of937-361-4750 the please Magazine consumer cannot beloyalty. held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors.

To subscribe or change address, send the time to answer any questions the alsoable haswith toto doalearn with having a very help friends and family“Itprocess be personalized touch. In particular, April notes or email PamBornhorst@Realtor.com inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. Published in the U.S. how get her military experience fuels her efficient workflow and more about Las Vegas and their own When promoting their listings, Ken communication.

“I take an extremely systemic approach,” Copyright Top Agent Magazine foot in the door as far as investing,” he advantage of online marketing reso she says. “And I give my clients the voice they need to stand 2 says. And for such a young agent, it’s also Top Agent property websiteMagazine for each individua up for their best interests.” his confidence and communication skills have those listings promoted to au Likewise, they use boosted posts on that help set him apart from the rest. “I geringly impressivetional statistic. support for her clients. “I love the mentorship I receive

HOLLY KENNEDY

SARAH HALLUM EVAN CRAWFORD ERICKA HARDIN

Holly Kennedy began her professional “I hire professi Hallumfor began her real estate career in cleaning service on move-out, as well career as ainsocial worker.

“Though I loved videographers fo scka illustrious According to Evan, the company motto iscapture Hardincareer discovered Sarah a passion bringing a drone tohouse the property. when she in high school asspending landscaping 51 was a senior 52 56 to ease the stress of59 55I was the I found too walk-throughs. W grad“Converting clients into friends,” which lplayer estate after during the sale of 1999, her own home Shework, was very easy to he work with way andservice, always and flipped her first property father sentiment. selling and moving. and her team also much time away from my family,” she Sarah a home, I ensure ersity in Alabama. sayswith is a her genuine “I to love working ven years ago. “The listing and agent and I just available answer questions, and made the her brothers. After college, Sarah went invest in high-end photography, from Michelleincluding Hoagland joined “So on I decided to She explore otherwith and the safe, because e Blue Jays before “She told me, ‘If you with people within therecalls. community reaching cked,” she recalls. selling process a breeze. was there into teaching and became a head volleyball twilight photos, to help a home stand out from witho world of real estate as an agent options.

A friend of mine was a real estate cago White Sox. their homestead dreams.

While representing ren’t leaving the area, I would hire us every step of the way!

Thank“We youtellforouryour coach, butyou sheasand her dad, who was also a the pack. sellers, you’re going to really agent and loved the job.

I studied for the Holly says she in 2003.

She started out working van made the deciclients in their search for a place to call home, assistant in a minute.’” Sheteacher, was a stay-athard work and commitment, Ericka!” kept investing on the side. She was fall in love with your home again when you exam while I was still getting my degree in thanks to the s really solo, and later on developed a real estate.

It was I enjoy getting to know them personally in me mother at the time. When Ericka mentored by and her Dad, who continues to invest see the pictures,” Sarah says. social work.”

That was 13 years ago, and forges.

“I love m randfather owned order to find them a home that is the perfect team—the Michelle Hoagland in real estate and be a major influence in her family returned to the Prosper area less Ericka’s strong online presence is what Holly works withthe Exit Elite Realty in fri yn amom realwas determined fitreal forestate them,” he says.

“Wenow try to make HOLLY KENNEDY SARAH HALLUM EVAN CRAWFORD ERICKA HARDIN MICHELLE success. license Onetop, particular innovation Sarah has imple- and hermaking Aside Michelle team new yearwas later,a she toSarah investearned her drives her listings to the she says.

“I’mGroup.

Arnold, Missouri. biggest joy I rec amily members in experience fun and engaging, and they apprein early 2017, after mented to set herself apart is her VIP Keller list HOAGLAND work with Williams, also f self in her community and to become a moving to the Dallas-Fort very prominent on social media sites, while LEE ANN THOMAS face at the closin Worth area. Since then, sheciate and her small teamand the team for potential homebuyers.

“People want to and represent ight in,” heestate asserts. that.”

Evan showcase their her c Realty, ensed real agent. She felt this passion implementing unique marketing techniques,Preferred Holly reports that herknow business is 50% they thought the at Hallum Estates have established a this reputathat they are valued,” she says, “so “I love the flexibility work provides, in real personalities on their social media channels, Ann Thomas successfully ran a law much know each other,throughout so I make a lot of Twin uld allow her to serve the tion areafor in excellent a prac-Lee which has helped make me become the go-to the c clients the repeat and referral clientele.

“Ipersonal believe Knowing service, hard work, and engagement in when someone looking at a specific neighborhood, we 60 63 68 she says.

71 I made pendent videos, and throughout their transactions.

You is 67 as ifwell asforthe opportunity todecided get out and nvesting office 15 years when she it64 was calls Cities and texts,” al way asbrokerage, well as challenge their herself to see agent in the area,” she notes.

“My listings Metro area. community. offer to letatthem ontotothe VIPand list to learn about comingreturn because I@relate each them on theCham path is. crash.

“We hit it off find on person, Instagram and Facebook meet people.

I’m a“Ithem people I can’t time for others acan change. needed to do people something JT Meyers has always had an For his loyal service and outstanding track record, JT that eetcould “make a name for herself” while helping are not only posted to social media; they go to all major soon listings in that neighborhood.”

This innovative and Top Agent Katrina Trombl every person on a personal level,” she Dream is an ama Top Agent Brandi Pond – of But perhaps the greatest reaso Kim nness, several projects crawfordwillisgroup. more positive with my life, I real went ahead To marketaher listings,reputation Lee Ann takes imagine myself working in so awith cubicle,” he customer-focused hereal estate goals. As interest estate; however, hasapproach developed fantastic forprofeshimself et their one in of Cedar the topHill, producing websites a broad Inbeen addition, I’ve developed Based Sarah and herlicense,” teamin serve the “It’sreach. has proven a success with athle There are many reasons for why Michelle is one ofaround the asserts. always myCohen motto to treat myand clients as and Serenity Realty in Maume Chinowth & Realtors in growing business would be her h and got my real estate she recalls. sional photos videos promotes them everal years at the fit he says. diversify he initially it aside toa family pursue Forsyth County, with over 90% of hisit’svolume ents in the area, she has certainly done Worth that!And relationships other Realtors who my properDallas-Fort metroplex area.

Their businessset thrives Sarah’s clients.

Mich I with would treat member.

Iput really do care.”

Holly believes critical torea giv tophelp local real estate agentswell in the city of Rosemount, she’s never looked back. via social media, industry websites, bill– has built a thriving off on their own and opened The In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the team recently invested Tulsa, Oklahoma – is a hardwhich she pours into her career.

“I alway l. Pretty on referrals from past clients. “We ourselves onAfter starting andcoming atiespride career at ofIntel. fromhas either repeat clients or“We referrals.

For him, in front everyone.”

She works closely with the loca and local magazines. the ashe when why she ainhigh percentage ofrun repeat and ith eXp Realty. That was 3 service,” years Sarah inAside a hi-tech 3-D camera soand his clients can thoroughly review business on solid founda working real estateboards, professional authentic and real,” says.

“A lo am h says, “and we go above beyond expecCommunity involvement is important to Sarah and her from his passion for work, James process a family, he began seeking a though, the work is rewarding in-and-of itself.

“I simply cka began Keller Williams’ McKinney office in 2009 It’s not surprising that her clients give her stellar reviews. at-risk kids.

She is also involve She is the Principal Broker/Owner for RE/ whole gamut,” she says. garde referral business.

One of them is her consistency ely successful ever since. tations.” This properties virtually.

They also feature listings via social media, who has built a thriving business their success by reaching sales goa honesty, integrity and true c leads to a high referral rate, and Sarah and team, and they work with Homes for Heroes to give back pathw has a deep love for his local commuain their his support, excellent training, also job where he could balance his love my career,” he says.

“There’s nothing in the world gain and market pres“Being well connected in key in my business” she adds.

MAX Edge Realty in Mountain View a One and customer recentlywhen wrote: “Hollytowas wonderful and Backpacks, ainnon-profit progr open and caravans whenpeople permitted. itofcomes communication staying touch be LEE ANN THOMAS JAMES LONG JThouses MEYERS BRANDI POND KATRINA KIM TWOHEY the team are well-known in the area.

“When see our to veterans, teachers, and others who are of service to on a foundation honesty, integgoals.

For me that would crea for the wellbeing of her looks nity.second He office co-founded Red Brick Nights, e owner officetoin Melbourne, Arkansas, withahis Lee buyers Ann love most about her happy home life with I’d rather be does doing.” ce.

In 2017, she joined thebuyer’s Ebby Prosper/Celina throughout thepassion entire process.

WeWhat were first time serve, non-perishable foods th n team, including three Look with clients.

“Ismiles lookpartnered at eachmy of clients. my clients as clients TROMBLEY signs in the yard,both theyoffices knowcovering it’s a Hallum Estate. We’re the community.

They also recently with afaces local rity and vast industry knowledge.

I’m very ethical, and I buyers and sellers in the allentrepreneurship surrounding counties.

“Ihelping have work?

“Putting on people’s when they “I m free local monthly event with outdoor live g clients vate her business and where she continues her commitWhat Ericka loves most about her job is overcoming daily and didn’t know much about what to expect.

Holly made and last until the child returns for and onstruction specialist, and very theirthorough The about Crawford Willis Group is actively involved in giving targeting our View neighborhood and our photographer, Ivy’s Photography, to donate signage toalways conti for life, not just one transaction.

We strive to lived in Mountain all my life as well as raised my think they can’t get a home,” she states.

“It’s so satisBrandi’s focus onnew providing each see that.” area market.

Katrina’s sure we were informed about everything through theseniors entire week. ”It’s concep mylo nt to community, and point, the back school district.

So challenges.

“Each day unique and offers opportunimusic, food trucks, and pop-up asislocal others.

“I was looking for someOutside of real estate, JT remains active in ahisbeautiful commubama area. Evan business, says they’ve the community.

In the addition toshops volunteering time price and to I’m known forshe being Heritage High graduating amid the heretth t offer something ofbuyers value to them.

Our relationship is into children here,” notes.

“Ineighborhood have built a reputation of and fying toSchool help people attain their dream property, and and every one of her many home buying process.

She made sure to keep us informed place ready-to-eat food sure, client-first business ,nsactions she is onthis track to close over $11 million sales volume ties,” she states.

“It’s about getting creative.

I love solving needs thing more local,” he says.

“So I decided at last to go nity.

A true builder at heart, he participates in events and well as activities for children.

He is also on specialist.” coronavirus crisis.

Sarah’s involvement with the local year on their way resources variousand local organizations, they started Mission: beingtodiligent trustworthy to of all things my clients.” they know it’s because I took in care of them.” carve built with the long term mind.

It’s not just about going on the sellers’ side and never steered us in Friday so they have something and sellers excellent service has translated intomentorship aninto is also veryasmuch and their reports that her business is 99% repeat and things likeisPreservation marketing issues or problems that arise translated stellar reputation a trusted rea school district extends also to her program, into realbelongs estate.” contributes toduring causes suchaBrandi as Habitat for Humanity andinvolv City Council, and to the Historical isreports based on strong e2020 business is 70% Outdoor ReCREATION, which awith non-profit organization finding them69) aaher house.

If they evershe need something in gives 61) PLAYER IS 65) 6 WAYS TO GET YOUR UNCOMMON CONTACT: the wrong direction.

She made buying home much less says. erral a transaction.

It’s very exciting.”

Clients approachability, and also her depth which allows her to continue passion of teaching and exceptional reputation as a trusted real estate advocate.

Currently, she is the President of the Miracle Foundation, which makes playgrounds for advocate who consistently places the needs and Board wellSarah’s as the board of the Oklahoma City rked hard over the That personalized, unique a repeatclientele. clients areEVERY our bread and asvalue that donates 100% of its proceeds to local parks & rec departLee Ann reports that at least 50% of her business is Because she’s so vested in her community, Lee Ann thrive the future, we can help provide them with vendors or depart stressful.” of knowledge.

“It’s about educating yourself and introduce local young toback the world ofas real estate. which the music VALUABLE: HOW TO BOOST CLIENT TO TRUST YOU CONNECTING WITH Today, JT isand a Realtor for Berkshire Hathaway, where he kids with Elsewhere, he helps toduring sponsor the transa eve they coming back ments for park restoration, new creations, andpeople hikes with kids. ofcancer. her clients and center every repeat referral clientele.

“Idaily believe come believes inpeople giving as oftenfront possible.

“I donate to rocketed Metropolitan Association of Realtors. ientsthat who arekeep happy ofsupports what has Kim anyfot Holly saysalso she works is first with and services,” she says.

And shevolunteers stays involved with something new daily,” explains.

“When you When isother not working or giving back, Sarah loves get referrals from friends, family, parents kids ofI she has always believed inshe giving back to her commubecause amEricka trustworthy,” she asserts.

“I make our schools asCLIENTELE well as Foodbank sit on the boards theShe local bank andfirsthand passionate about eachlearning and MORALE Evan back isand also organizing an Alternative Baseball organization Brandi began her realsurrounding estate career after working for over schools. services clients throughout Forsyth and the Second Harvest and of with hospice my knowlCalgary and the surroundin YOUR TEAM’S THROUGH talk toshe people who are “I buying and selling a home, you’re spending time with her family and getting out on theon lake.

Holly shares her love for her clients while maintaining “My husband, Chris, and becom I hav clients by reaching out to check them and hosting st customers, and I love that,” exclaims. truly nity and often donates to local charities as well as myself 100 percent available, I’m always in communiand chamber of commerce,” she says. omyself assure Ithey experience best ofareas. forwork adults with special set toyears begin ineducation spring 2021. twenty years inspend andAnd thecare healthcare field. began “I When Children’s Home, volunteering Offering moreneeds than 12 of experience— in hisKatrina hometown. not helping clients, he fo Outside James loves to travel and know what the herhe’s career in 2010, following years, repeats and referrals talking about one of their biggest assets.

So by undercontact by sending them care packages.

“During the this August,” she says.

“We hav SOCIAL MEDIA kids various appreciation cation, and I giveEvan them top priority.” they keep coming back because I family. am honest and volunteers herand kids’ Ericka is aas single Momspending to Ops 4events. if that’s not Going enough, wife are involved with the and already having built, managed sold his own can be found quality time with his wife and wasand comfortable with my path Director of time withthe his forward, hehis is at focused onschools. dieve I can make a client of Kim’s business. teen-year stint working for Chrysler.

“I left that standing financing, the comps, the neighborhood and In thecareer future, Sarah plans to continue serving her clients pandemic, I sent out hand sanitizers and Chlorox wipes,” daughter, Alyssa, is 28 and in Lee Ann(15), enjoys spending Sundays with her family contir aightforward. I tell it like it school is, as I want them tobrokerage—he have all children, Logan (22), Caden (19), and Ryan local foster program and are passionate about helping boutique bring an expert’s insight to Kannan three daughters.

“Family is important tochildren,” me,” heBrandi forcan aofalarge Orthopedic practice,” recalls, “but Iyear was When she’s not working, asHer well ascare the reputations local builders maintain ashe high volume (thisand she isconsider onmost track to his brokerage, and securing new space for k is a deal breaker growingdistrict, could stay at home with my young she she say.service, “Atand Thanksgiving I send out pies during the is 22 and a US Marine.

My son clients agree she offers top-notch which when she has time off.

“I also my work to be When it “They’re comes to marketing, Michelle places anew lot of the information make the bestvendors, decisions.”

(13). They are herour “why”doisbetween life and$15-20 why she works hard others get involved. van and his teamto receive stellar and we setting ourselves apart with million inso volume).

Above all, Sarah any transaction. says. why IShe get up in the morning work as comi unexpectedly laid offseason, after company went through than traveling toand destination additional agents.

“I want grow the brokerage with or example, at times Christmas Ithe forward Poinsettia plants.” also daughter together is Gabriella, w is are why they togive her stellar reviews.

One customer fun,” she exclaims.

What keeps her clients “My husband was in pharmaceutical sales, and to clients’ reach her goals. She is extremely proud of children. photography, tly wrote: “After interviewing a weight on top-notch video knowledge.

By having answers to“Lee my questions, I foragent. loves sharing thehard joy of homeownership her clients. asher Iprofessional do.” awant merger.”

Asisjust Iyour was contemplating what was next for with other cultures.

“I atalso really love mails holiday andShe every-occasion cards.

“I always want son, Anthony the age ofthat 21 on recently wrote: Ann to Thomas other like minded agents.

I don’t grow nd say that it would friends and families?

“Fee that industry began doing cutbacks, he lost j Evan and his wife, who a gymnast on“I the Auburn was the perfect for sanno surprise that choice she receives stellar reviews forand her Ericka enjoys and Italy is tours, on her “bucket for always putting on antoopen Her team amus. able toWhen give them more value.” love serving and list” I love the challenge.

I’m house. a her team, ittocomes towith listing awas home, JTtraveling puts his clients in loves life people.

She willhusband give you over 100%.

As people, forand future, Lee Ann wants expand them to know I’mShe thinking of them.” me, my suggested real estate.

Ithe told him I didn’t she says, “and enjoy theuparts; m numbers, I want grow the right people,” he heir liking, but when receive from my clients is th I decided to go back to work.

I ended going Gymnastics team while in college, met and have lived in o,-notch and we didn’t know anything work ethic. One client recently wrote: “Iup would her next adventure. problemof.solver, and I’m passionate about “My people getting utilizes social media to plan their advantage.

They comes withtoideas that others have never perhaps another isadding toforfind the best position succeed.

After providing them with also In the months ahead, envisions alikenew member As the future, wa know anything about the business, but heopen said that I office. wasJT the When opera.” says. his to new agents is: “It’sspends crucial tothought hey just want fresh whole process veryHolly easy fo lunch with a afford. friend who an auctioneer, who ne Sarah andAuburn heradvice team also distinguish themselves by into homes they never thought they could Iisand wered every single question weAnd now for ten years.

Evan much of hisnodown hly recommend Ericka Hardin for anyone selling or advertise listings on their Facebook Instagram We have had our house listed for over a year with minded agents, mentor them, and keep them with me,” To market her listings, Holly gets creative, using the successful pathincreasing and is working professional photography, he utilizes his full resources at to his team to accommodate his rapidly really good with people, so I decided to give it a try.” listen to clients so that you can understand, not so that is a really manageproviding services to make the transition of buying or can get a first-time homebuyer into that first home, it’s a buying or selling,” Kim tell re wetheir were home. comfortable ourhaving time his three kids, camping, and building an array of buyer’s agent.

She told me to get my real estate ying I hadwith been a with difficult time As for the future of her business, Ericka would like to prospects.

Since we listed with Lee Ann about 65 plenty daysmedia. shevolume. says.

“I love theeverything idea frequent of growing better together.” profiles, and out Their straInternet and “Right now, has Ultimately, she’d like to an Berkshire Hathaway toIn ensure that a house draws Insend the meantime, henewsletters. will continue applying hisopen selling go us. more smoothly.

They can provide a“Iwebsite, very rewarding feeling.” can arespond.” on.

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MICHELLE HOAGLAND

JAMES LONG

JT MEYERS

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REALTOR Vendors and Real Estate Companies— Get who Nationwide & ofInternational much appreciated by my clie service and to meeting the needs her clientele. “I truly love helping ofExposure! both the real estate industry and her local people.

A home is one of the biggest you know.” ndwritten letters. He from past clients. A significant achievement by any www.

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strive to Ericka maintain Hardin, long-term email erickahardin@ebby.com, relationships with my purchases someone and I keep atbui it To learn more about Currently, who lifetime, is in the midst willKatrina make in– negotiations their and I ofCopy mes in handy during clients to help them make the Brandi best possible financial measure, points to one particular reason when about Evan Crawford, email evan@crawfordwillisgroup.com, possible deal for my clients.” team to support her ever-increasing business – ca love being a part of that.

The relationship and the trust Through it all, JT knows the importance of staying on call (469) 450-3299 decision with their real estateor purchase,” she asserts.

“I are shopping onlinevisit ebby.com/bio/erickahardin

asked to account for the trustby and loyalty she inspires.

“I Agents Top Agent Magazine isa full seen Estate sitsocrawfordwillisgroup.com, or call (334) 558-8700 build with athe client, and being to guide and uponcall the cutting edge of themaking market. time agent, that entirety of her able business is based re work hard toward the “As process as smooth and youReal an online preswww.

thinkinit’s because I work hard to develop relationships To learn more about Lee Ann Thomas, honesty and com I’m completely the industry. I take great direct them towards goal.and I getIt’s a lother of satisfaction clients, their referrals positive word of mouth, a su seamless as Iimmersed possibly can.”

Copyright Top Agent Magazine email propertybylee@gmail.com, with not only my clients, but with other professionals, remember after working with pride in the trust my clients give me and hold that fiduthat she is providing exemplary customer servic like for example.

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Lee Ann to stay in touch with her clients. “We all pretty the people I have worked says Katrina, when asked how she has managed tw friends!”

Kimand says.loyalty a JT applies his knowledge and experience equally as well such impressive levels of trust Another driving factor behind Brandi’s success story Copyright Top Agent Magazine whenTohelping his buyers.

Catering his process directly learn more about James Long those she works with. “I’m never going to try a would be herfrom thorough and marketing strateto their needs, he(405) is there for them the start to intelligent the relationships please call 627–8239 someone into buyingMaking a homethose just for the comm s work is being able gies. Utilizing blend look of both old school and cutting-edge To learn more about JT Meyers end of the transaction—and beyond. “Ia never at the about her work, butinto she also I believe that if you can talk someone som or email jamesokrealtor@gmail.com y make new friends. technologies, are jtmeyersrealtor@gmail.com, deal,” he says. “Instead, I look at theBrandi client. Itensures doesn’tthat all her listingsemail lenges.

“I love that every c someone as else can talk them out of it.” 3 Top Agent Magazine matter who they are orshown in their best light, what their situation might and be; Ithat they are seen by visit jtmeyers.bhhscarolinas.com are always keeping me on m potential buyers as possible. “I primarily use social Copyright Top Agent Magazine always keep their best many interests in mind.” or call (336) 575-9138 become an even bettertoREAL Kat For more abou media – Facebook, Instagram, LInkedin andEducating Snapchat,”her clients is very important www.

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and Brokers in every U.S. city and Internationally! https://

Please contact mag@topagentmagazine.com or call 310-734-1440 for ad rates and information. www.

A Step-by-Step Guide to

Converting Internet Leads to Real Life Sales In the era of apps, instantaneous social platforms, and text messaging, it’s little surprise that the modern homebuyer begins his or her search for real estate representation online.

Even if you’ve got a top-notch website or an influential social media presence, how do you connect with web surfers who have yet to commit to the services you offer? Take a look below to learn a few key techniques to bridge the gap between digital interest and real-world sales.

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RESPONSIVENESS IS KEY Like it or not, our digital culture relishes immediacy and instant gratification. With that in mind, be sure to stay on top of online interest forms, e-mails, or newsletter signups. Don’t let an online lead go to waste by taking too long to engage and follow-up.

Things move fast, and it’s easy for potential clientele to forget which websites they’ve visited. Even if your lead isn’t ready to commit then and there, you demonstrate your

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Mastering the fundamentals of digital communication is the first step to converting digital interest into concrete business. accessibility and attentiveness by following up swiftly—a characteristic anyone would seek in an agent or lender.

ENGAGE WITH OPEN-ENDED CONVERSATION When online back-and-forth goes stale, communication drops off quickly. If you’re following up via e-mail, social media, or text, be sure to keep topics focused squarely on the potential client. Ask open-ended questions to give your lead the opportunity to loosen up and engage on a personal level. There’s no better way to cement a digital lead than to take a pointed interest in the specifics of their situation. Doing so transforms the impersonal invisibility of the internet into a true connection.

GIVE ADDED VALUE Plenty of businesses send impersonal, automated messages in response to an online inquiry, but establishing a true connection may mean providing your lead with something of value. Perhaps you’re forwarding a property for sale that fits the interests of your lead, or a relevant article, or maybe you take the time to send a personal message—demonstrable value and a personal touch separate your follow-up response from spam. Other ideas to consider when Top Agent Magazine

adding value to your follow-up technique: incorporate area promotions and access to local events, make a date for coffee, or offer a brief consultation free of charge to make the first move.

DON’T STOP MAKING CONTACT If you don’t connect with your internet lead right off the bat—don’t be discouraged. It often takes multiple tries before a follow-up interaction sticks. Folks are busy and frequently flooded with e-mail blasts and junk mail. A lead may not engage without a little prodding that shows you’re committed to their business. Remember: it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.

Digital leads don’t have to be difficult to capture. The internet plays a powerful role in funneling modern clientele your way, but in order to take full advantage of the web’s reach, you’ll need to tailor your follow-up technique. Mastering the fundamentals of digital communication is the first step to converting digital interest into concrete business. Keep these tips top-of-mind as you build your online presence and mine the vast world wide web for an endless wealth of clientele. Earning a command of digital lead conversion is the surest way to bolster your business in the ever-evolving digital era.

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JANET DAUBER

Janet Dauber began her professional career working as an IT professional, doing web and graphic design in the DC area for over 16 years before transitioning into real estate. “My interest in the business was sparked while preparing to sell my mom’s house,” she recalls. “I realized this was the direction I should be taking.”

Janet now works as an independent agent for Cutler Real Estate in Kent, Ohio, serving the state’s northeast region. She reports she is on track to surpass last year’s sales volume and that her business has already grown to a 15% referral clientele. She is also a member of the 2019 & 2020 Ohio REALTORS® President’s Sales Club, an elite group of only the top 10% of Ohio’s real estate professionals. “I have a real passion and drive for what I do,” she asserts. “My main goal is to exceed my client’s expectations.”

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Janet is committed to staying in touch with her past clients. “In addition to using a gifting service that sends out small items every month, I also contact my clients on important milestones, like birthdays and home anniversaries, as well as hand-delivering gifts during the holiday season. It’s important that my clients know I appreciate and value them.”

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Thanks to a sizable social media following, Janet puts her listings before a broad audience. “I pride myself on providing the same level of commitment to each and every listing.” she asserts. “For my marketing, I hire professional photographers and drone videographers, and I offer staging assistance so each of my listings gets the attention it deserves.” She also secures social media ads, creates live video tours, and designs many of her own marketing materials.

One of Janet’s motivating factors to return to northern Ohio was her love for the city of Kent. It is not surprising that with Janet’s sense of civic pride she finds it extremely rewarding to give back to her community.

“I volunteer for a local food bank and man a booth at the annual Kent Heritage Festival and local business expo,” she says. “Since the onset of COVID, I have been offering a weekly gift card giveaway on Facebook to help promote local businesses.” This past year, she sponsored her high school alma mater’s athletic program, as well as a firework display, for the commencement ceremony. She is also a proud member of the Kent Fair Housing Board.

When not working or volunteering locally, Janet enjoys spending time with family and friends. “I also love to travel, try new restaurants, attend live sporting events and concerts with my husband David, and relax with our family dogs, Blue and Gracie,” she says.

Janet’s end goal is to become the premiere agent in Kent. “I am working towards establishing myself and my brand in the area, so I’m hyper-focused on my community,” she says. “I want them to know I’m here and ready to help them realize the American dream of home ownership.”

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To learn more about Janet Dauber, please call (330) 437-5454, email JDauber@CutlerHomes.com, or visit TreeCityHomeSales.com www.

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Liberty Home Mortgage is proud to congratulate

JANET DAUBER

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

Dottie Movshin (NMLS#1141750) | Loan Officer Call/Text: 330-475-6291 dmovshin@libertyhm.com |dottiethelender.com www.

498 South Avenue #A, Tallmadge, Ohio 44278 (NMLS#1114762)

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

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

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

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

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

Apply A Personal Touch

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

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

Theme Your Event Whether the area’s high school sports team has made it to the state champion10

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

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CHRIS RAYNOR Top Agent Magazine

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Top Agent Chris Raynor of EXP Realty serves northern California and northern Nevada, and he also has partnerships with agents who cover the entirety of both states.

Chris Raynor began his real estate career on the lending side in 2004, before moving to sales, where he remains today. Chris became a licensed broker in California in 2009, soon expanding his operation to Nevada a few years later. Where he expanded their service areas as CEO/Broker/RealtorÂŽ at Raynor Real Estate, then later joining and moving his brokerage into EXP Realty in 2019, Chris has won a loyal 12Copyright Top Agent Magazine

base of clients by being a skillful negotiator and a tireless fighter on his clients’ behalf.

Chris serves northern California and northern Nevada, and he also has partnerships with agents who cover the entirety of both states.

About 80% of Chris’s business comes from repeat clients, and in all, 99% of his business is referral-based. These impressive numbers are Top Agent Magazine

a testament not just to the strong relationships Chris has with the professional colleagues who make up his referral network, but also the lasting positive impression he leaves with his clients, who appreciate his honesty and dedication. “We always tell the truth,” Chris says, “and we always back up what we say we’re going to do. I won’t take on a client unless I’m willing to give 110%.”

Top Agent Magazine

Perhaps more than any other trait, Chris’s clients value his toughness and resolve as a negotiator.

His tagline is “Honest, assertive representation,” and his record of success backs this up. “I’m very assertive in negotiating and fighting for my clients,” Chris explains. “I hear again and again from clients, ‘We never had anybody fight for us the way you did.’” His solid communication and his attention to detail also put clients at ease.

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Chris’ tagline is “Honest, assertive representation,” and his record of success backs this up. “I’m very assertive in negotiating and fighting for my clients.”

“Our clients always come out more educated about the process than they went in,” he says.

He works from a 3 pillared approach, Passionate, Persuasive, Strategist which earned him the nick name the “Pitbull” his 2nd year in real estate by his clients. His approach is simple, he strategizes on each property how to accomplish his client’s goals with Marketing, Mindsets, Systems and Converting.

When marketing their listings, Chris and his team use a strategy of hyper-localization to target their efforts on audiences who are most 14Copyright Top Agent Magazine

likely to be interested in a particular home.

This is how he maintain 98.5% of list price while selling 800% more than the average agent in ½ the time. “Our ads are syndicated across multiple websites,” Chris says, “and it’s not uncommon for us to see a massive amount of traffic in a very short amount of time.” They also use professional video and drone footage to help a home stand out online. “We try to use the strategy on each property, and we budget a large investment for each property to replicate that kind of success. It’s good for us as a business model, and it’s also good for the seller because we get properties sold fast for Top Agent Magazine

the most amount of money regularly creating multiple offer scenarios which aids in a position of negotiating on his client’s behalf.”

Involvement in his community is important to Chris, and he serves on the Board of Directors for Northern Nevada, as well as other positions Top Agent Magazine

within the association. When he is not working, Chris is an avid mountain biker and loves to go for rides in the mountains around Lake Tahoe.

Chris loves farming with keeping chickens, bees and growing a variety of fruit trees and vegetables in his garden. He’s also a serious coffee connoisseur.

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In the future, Chris plans to continue contributing positively to his industry and coaching agents all over the country. “I believe that anybody, anywhere, in any market can accomplish their goals if they approach it from a systematic business plan with the right mindset and correlate the right tools,” Chris says. “I really believe anybody can

go out and be successful in this business, and that’s why I love the industry. I love trying to hit a home run for my clients every time whether it’s the properties I am selling or those I am coaching; I love seeing the smile on the client’s face at the end of the process seeing the success accomplished.”

To find out more about Chris Raynor, email chris@RaynorRealEstate.com, call 209-324-0170 or visit RaynorRealEstate.com and RaynorRealEstateReno.com www.

www.

NV Broker Associate 1001532 • CA Broker Associate 01788471

16Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

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 Top Agent Magazine

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 18

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.

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

JUSTIN BROWN

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JUSTIN BROWN

Justin Brown runs Three Hills Real Estate Service, a full-service brokerage representing buyers, sellers, investors, landlords, and renters in everyday real estate transactions.

Justin Brown likes to joke that he owes his love of real estate to a board game. “I became enthused with property at a very early age,” he recalls.

“Looking back now, my family laughs about how I was obsessed with playing Monopoly as a kid, so I guess you could say I was just born with it.” In 2010 at age 24, he was given tickets to a real estate investing seminar and became hooked. “Everything changed overnight.” After losing his first investment property to foreclosure, he found success with his second and third flips then decided he wanted to pursue becoming licensed in real estate, which he did in 2012, later earning a Brokers’ license in 2016. “I’m usually excited to get my day started. Just as often, I can’t bring myself to go to bed at night, I’m locked into a passion. It’s been this way for years, now,” he says.

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He now runs Three Hills Real Estate Service, a full-service brokerage representing buyers, sellers, investors, landlords, and renters in everyday real estate transactions. “But we are so much more than that,” he insists. “The strongest arms of our company are the property management and maintenance teams.” With a fleet of vehicles across Boston’s north and south shores, they’re prepared to take care of any regular or irregular repair necessary 24 hours, 365 days. “Our crews will occasionally work through the night so that a new resident can move in within 24 hours of an old resident vacating. Our goal is no days vacant.”

Justin says he owes his 80% repeat and referral business to his company’s ‘ownership mindset’.

“There are so many pieces that go into making our Copyright Top Agent Magazine

company successful,” he notes. “But that’s the one quality that cannot be overstated. It’s what sets us apart from the industry. A Landlord doesn’t want to see us tacking on 10% to the cost of a roof replacement, for example. They want to see expenses driven down by having us on their team. We will rent any apartment free of charge to landlords, how awesome?”

Justin’s database contains over 10,000 client names to whom he reaches out in a variety of creative ways. “I have three Facebook pages, which I use to connect,” he says. There are also drip campaigns, cards, notes and phone calls.

As for marketing, Justin believes in keeping costs low for owners. “We run a tight ship,” he says. “We don’t allocate a large budget to advertise on the radio or put up a dozen billboards. We are investing in producing the most cutting-edge and growth-focused property management option on the market today, so far as I am aware.” He notes that most of their deals are off-market resulting from personal leads.

Justin strongly believes in giving back to the community whenever possible. “We have many values that I believe are worthy of our brand. We try to do what we can for the kids, in particular,” he states. “We’ve organized toy drives between our residents. Put Christmas trees in the courtyards of our properties then had Santa come light the tree and hand the presents to the children.”

As for the future, Justin plans to continue to grow and expand with the goal for Three Hills to become the premier brand name in all of New England. “We want to align ourselves with the people we serve,” he says. “Serve them well and repeat. We are committed to success through the success of our clients.”

Top Agent Magazine

To learn more about Justin Brown, email him at justin@threehillsres.com, https://threehillsres.com/blog/2018/5/8/meet-justin-brown-of-three-hills-real-estate-service or visit him here, or call 617-461-6511 Copyright Top Agent Magazine 21

Top Agent Tips and Questions for Choosing Your Listing Agent Now that you’ve decided to sell, it’s time to select the professional to help you market your property. Before meeting with agents, however, consider Top Agent Magazine’s tips for preparing yourself. Frist, ask yourself what kind of relationship you’d like to have with your listing agent. Are you seeking a casual, personable relationship and the latest marketing tools or are you interested in a more formal, traditional relationship and approach to marketing techniques? Next, populate your list of agents by attending open houses and asking for recommendations from recent buyers and sellers.

Finally, schedule your meetings at your home, where you’ll be able to gauge the chemistry between you and each agent.

During your meetings, expect any Top Agent to ask you several questions, but also consider discussing the following: 22

Top Agent Magazine

What attributes of the property will you want to highlight? Each Top

Agent will have a somewhat different answer to this question, but that’s a good thing! Even if you have your own ideas about your home’s greatest attributes, you’ll glean insight into the current market by considering different agents’ opinions. In learning their views, you may even change your mind about your home’s most marketable features!

What is your approach to Open Houses? How many agent-only Open

Houses will your Top Agent want to host? How many truly Open Houses?

Some Top Agents may even reveal a “swankier” approach to the Open House – such as an evening cocktail party or by-invitation “open” hours to which buyers visit along with the agent representing them.

Who will be our primary point(s) of contact from your office? This

important question will help you understand the scope of your agent’s practice. You’ll get to see if your agent runs a robust team with many hands on deck or if he or she works by close, one-on-one contact with each client.

Either approach is wonderful; you get to decide what suits you.

Now, let’s list!

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Will you please describe your sales experience and local network?

Ask your Top Agent to describe recent listings and sales of homes comparable to your own. Ask about the sellers’ priorities, the original list price, market time and number of offers. Top Agents will also describe how well they are connected with other REALTORS® in the region as well as their contacts with relocation companies, local corporations and chambers of commerce.

Be sure to ask about each agent’s knowledge of how your market has changed over time and what has influenced change.

You’ll learn a lot by listening to agents’ opinions.

How will you market the property? Each

Top Agent has a unique set of online or local marketing tools at his or her disposal. Some use lead-generation applications and nearly ever luxury agent take advantage of video. Even video marketing tools vary from agent-to-agent, however.

You’ll get to decide if you prefer an agent with higher-end video production and 3D Matterport tours or an agent with more intimate techniques featuring walk-and-talk style video tours.

What factors influence your list-price recommendation? Before an-

swering this question, most Top Agents will have several questions for you, including whether you’re more focused on a faster sale or a higher list price.

They’ll also educate you on how best to balance both market time and list price relative to sales histories your area.

Now that you’ve seen the home, what repairs or improvements do you recommend before listing? You’ll learn a lot by listening to agents’

opinions on your home’s sale potential with or without some improvements.

Most Top Agents will also recommend a full professional inspection prior to listing to avoid surprises during buyer inspection.

How will you help with staging? Some Top Agents will pay for part or

all of the staging costs. At a minimum, however, a Top Agent will have a staging professional or two in their partner network. While they’re at it, they may provide referrals for carpet cleaning, painting, gardening and other minor finishing touches.

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Top Agent Magazine

VALENCIA GIBSON Top Agent Magazine

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VALENCIA GIBSON

“It’s the connection that keeps people coming back and referring me...relationships are the key, if you got into this business for the money then you are in it for the wrong reasons.”

With a positive attitude and a passion for helping others, Valencia Gibson has quickly become a successful real estate agent in the Dallas, Texas region. “I was told since I was 21 that I would be good at this, so when I relocated to this area I decided to try,” she says.

Prior to working as an agent, she had a career in property management. It felt like a natural transition to assist people with buying and selling, but she knew she needed a mentor. “It was difficult to get going, so one night I went to bed praying I would be given an opportunity to work with someone, and the next morning I had three missed calls from a real estate agent.”

Valencia began working for that agent, assisting her on social media and marketing. Soon 26

she had enough skills and confidence to go out on her own, and now Valencia’s client base is largely made up of repeats and referrals.

“I think it’s the connection that keeps people coming back and referring me,” she says. “I don’t make friends, I build family. When they work with me they join a lifelong family bond.

Establishing that personal relationship with my clients, where they can call me when they need me, I think that really sets me apart in this industry.” Rather than focusing on the commission or sales volume, Valencia hones in on what she has with others. “Relationships are the key, if you got into this business for the money then you are in it for the wrong reasons.”

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During the transaction, Valencia guides her clients and offers advice, just as she would to a family member. For her buyers, she makes sure they find the perfect property for the best price possible, while she markets her listings heavily for her sellers to ensure they quickly receive amazing offers.

No matter who she is serving, no question is left unanswered, and she remains there for them even after the transaction is over.

Clients love to spread the word about her work, one recently saying, “She was absolutely awesome! She went to look at properties and sent pictures, videos, and phone calls when I could not go myself. She enabled me to find the perfect home for my children and myself! I couldn’t have completed this process without her! She even writes up agreements! A true angel and so supportive during this process! Thank you Mrs. Gibson.” Another said, “Valencia Gibson has been exceptional! She was very helpful and knowledgeable. She made herself available to show me houses that I wanted to see. If I had any questions, she was quick to answer. She worked hard to get my dream house and I’m very excited for it. If you want your dream house, I’d pick Valencia.”

Looking ahead, Valencia has plans to not only serve more clients, but help other real estate agents grow. “I’m working on a way to connect real estate agents nationwide with the training they need.”

Meanwhile, she’s enjoying every second of her work. “I love helping anyone that I can realize the financial freedom being a homeowner or landowner can bring.”

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For more about Valencia Gibson, please call 972-513-8338 or email valencia@rainbowrealtynetwork.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 27

How to Speed Up First-Time Homebuyer Transactions Working with first-time homebuyers can be among the most rewarding real estate transactions an agent can embark upon.

Not only are you helping guide newcomers into the housing market, but you’re also witness to the excitement and triumphs along the way, including handing over those keys for the first time. While 28

helping first-time homebuyers navigate the transactional process can be a reminder of real estate’s benevolent power, it can also come with its own bumps and bruises.

So, what’s the best way to streamline the homebuying process for first-timers, while maintaining the magic and keeping your sanity along the way?

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While helping first-time homebuyers navigate the transactional process can be a reminder of real estate’s benevolent power, it can also come with its own bumps and bruises.

Set expectations upfront and often.

It’s no secret that communication is a cornerstone of a successful real estate practice and client relationship. Amidst a transaction as complex as buying (or selling) a home, it’s important that no wires get crossed, no questions go unanswered, and no information gets lost in translation. To accomplish this, create communication parameters with your clients up front. Inquire about the communication medium they’re most comfortable with—a text, a call, an email, etc.

Then, tailor your outreach accordingly.

Also, consider setting a weekly time to check in, even if no official progress has been made. This helps clients and agents touch base, float questions and concerns, and get ahead of any problems or developments. Another helpful tool is to draft a transaction timeline for your client that outlines the major milestones along the way, what sort of information will need to be gathered, what steps taken, and what outcomes are possible. This might seem like exhaustive work, but in the era of digital research, clients will come to their own conclusions and biases Top Agent Magazine

whether you like it or not. To stay on the same page and timeline, be the foremost resource for your client, and don’t leave their questions up to chance.

Know your first-time homebuyer programs and perks.

There are a variety of national, state, regional, and local grants and programs that aid first-time homebuyers as they pay their down payment, shop for home or mortgage insurance, and otherwise deal with the financial implications of becoming a homeowner. Sometimes these programs are neighborhood-specific in certain cities, with incentives to buy in up and coming areas. In some cases, there are grants that support underrepresented minority communities breaking into homebuying, and these can go a long way in making the burden of a down payment and associated fees doable. In other words, do your research.

The right program or grant could make the difference in nabbing a dream starter home for your client, while setting them up for future financial success.

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Get pre-approved for a mortgage—and shop around for the best rate.

Not all mortgage rates are made equal. As an agent, you likely have good relationships with area lenders that you trust, but it’s still important to complete your due diligence when helping first-time homebuyers find the rate that suits their longterm housing goals. Also remember that first-time homebuyers are new to this process, and while real estate transactions are complex in their own right, the borrowing and lending processes can be alienating in their complexity. As an agent, it’s your job to play intermediary and teacher, ensuring your clients know their options, are prepared to make an educated decision, and

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feel confident that they’ve chosen correctly. Talk with your preferred mortgage partners to best outline options for your clients’ understanding, laying out a framework that’s informative, projected into the future, and allows them to feel empowered by knowledge.

All in all, working with first-time homebuyers can be an exciting and joyous occasion, as long as you’re adequately prepared for some hand-holding and instruction along the way. Aside from the enthusiasm of successful first-timers at the closing table, you’ll also enjoy the lasting benefit of strong referrals to their friends and family, many of whom will be shopping with you for their own first dream homes.

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DANA SCANLON Top Agent Magazine

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DANA SCANLON

Dana Scanlon started out working in project management, marketing and sales for an international trade show company. Though successful, she was searching for a career that fully maximized her talents as an entrepreneur. Having grown up around real estate, she decided to attain her license and explore the industry. At first, Dana, a dual citizen of France, carved out a niche market by helping international clients find homes in America. Over time, though, her work expanded to encompass buyers and sellers of all backgrounds. “My work with foreign nationals and diplomats carried right over to my work with domestic clients,” she says.

“Solving the challenges facing my foreign clients helped me forge skills that made me a better agent for all of my clients. ”

and I understand both the financial and emotional nuances of a sale.”

When listing a home, Dana prefers a systematic approach. Following an initial consultation, she provides her clients with professional staging services, photography and videography. Afterwards, she showcases her listings via targeted digital and social media marketing campaigns. But Dana also leans on the resources at Keller Williams to grant

Today, Dana is an agent with Keller Williams Capital Properties, where she supervises an elite team to service clients throughout Bethesda and the surrounding areas.

Over the years, she has cemented a culture around personalization, understanding and open communication. “I truly care about the quality of service,” she says. “My team 32

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her sellers an additional reach through advertisements over syndicated publications such as the Wall Street Journal. To reach affluent buyers for the higher end homes she markets, Dana deploys additional resources, including Mansion Global, Barrons, the New York Times, Dupont Registry, and prominent real estate sites throughout Europe, Asia, China, the Middle East and South America. Most importantly, she emphasizes the importance of a data-driven plan. “We acknowledge the proven data that tells us how to maximize the value of a home. I will always go by the statistics; they ensure a smoother transaction for my clients, and the highest return.”

Elsewhere, Dana utilizes her background in project management to carefully guide her buyers through their transaction. “I strive to be as knowledgeable about my market as possible,” she says. “I’m all about getting ahead of potential problems and finding solutions before they’re needed.”

For her tireless commitment to her clients, Dana has won an outstanding reputation in her region, as evidenced by her strong rate of repeat clients and referrals, her numerous industry awards and her outstanding reviews over Zillow. Dana, however, sees the work as its own reward. “I enjoy the process of being drawn into people’s lives and growing close to my clients over the course of a transaction.

We always become friends along the way.”

When looking to the future, Dana intends to continue providing the boutique service that has come to embody her accomplished career in Bethesda. “I take every client’s journey toward homeownership on a personal level,” she says. “As an agent, I live for those wonderful moments when everything comes together. After all, there’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing the excitement in my buyers and sellers when they know they’ve made the perfect decision for their needs.”

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To learn more about Dana Scanlon email dana@danaglobaladvantage.com visit danaglobaladvantage.com or call (301) 575-4915 www.

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5 Morning Habits to Make Your Day Super Productive For many, most mornings begin with a rush—a rush to get dressed, a rush to find something edible for breakfast, a rush out the door and into rush hour. Likely you have heard articles advising you to set your

alarm early to give yourself some flexibility —which is sound advice, of course—but consider a few of these additional tweaks to your morning routine that can set a productive tone for your day at large.

1. Keep Screens Away Until Breakfast Oftentimes, our first instinct upon waking is to check-in on our phones, tablets, or computers, to scope out the latest social media updates and e-mail correspondence. While diving into the action might seem productive, studies show that waylaying screen time until you’re up and dressed, and have had a good breakfast, will actually make your first pass 34

at all things digital more focused, clear, and efficient. Instead of answering a few e-mails, checking out a friend’s photos, and then hurrying to shower and dress, instead make a resolution to keep the online world at bay for the first half-hour to an hour after you rise, then you’ll approach the digital world with fresh eyes, energy, and adeptness.

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2. Meal Prep Sometimes hitting the snooze button is inevitable, but if you make prepping breakfast the night before a part of your routine, then grabbing something healthy on the go will be a snap—and your stomach will thank you for it. Load up your coffee machine ahead of time, so all you have to do

is hit brew. Or, chop up a fruit salad, mix a smoothie, or simply put a granola bar and a grapefruit in your lunch bag, ready to be grabbed on your way out the door. Even if it’s small or basic, keeping yourself fueled will keep distractions, inefficiency, and mood swings at bay.

3. Queue Up a Podcast on Your Commute Whether you’re driving, biking, or taking public transportation into the office, a podcast is a perfect way to brush up on industry knowledge. Try sourcing a podcast relative to your field and narrated by experts.

Not only will it get you thinking about the topics of your industry—while expanding

your professional vocabulary—it will also wake up your brain and get your head in the game as you prepare to launch your day. Use your commute time to bump up your knowledge and conversation points, and you’ll be ahead of the curve before you reach the office.

4. Begin with a To-Do List When work gets busy, sometimes just getting started is an overwhelming prospect.

Before you dive in to your e-mails and projects, take twenty minutes and be thoughtful as you assess your daily and weekly to-do

list items, then map them. By giving yourself a bullet point system of what you need to accomplish and by when, you can undo some of the anxiety that a busy schedule promotes.

5. Walk It Out, Even If You Missed the Gym While we often rely on coffee for our morning buzz, exercise provides a potent burst of energy that can supercharge your day. But, let’s say you’re running behind and skip the gym—all is not lost! Take fifteen minutes in

the early morning to take a walk around the block a few times. The fresh air and aerobic exercise will wake you up, get your blood moving, and provide your morning with a natural injection of motivation.

Everyone’s morning routine varies, but perhaps the first step is identifying aspects of your routine that could be improved, and tackling them from there. From waylaying

screen time distractions to getting in a little blood-pumping exercise, keep these tips in mind as you launch your most productive morning routine ever.

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JOSH FISHER

Top Agent Josh Fisher works solo serving the Las Vegas Metro area.

“I grew up here so I know the city very well,” he says.

Born and raised in Las Vegas, Josh Fisher began his foray into real estate at the young age of 22. He left behind his position as the VIP Host of Wynn nightlife and obtained his real estate license in order to join the rapidly growing local industry, and participate in the development of the city. Josh has now had his license for over three years, and works solo serving the Las Vegas Metropolitan area.

think a big thing that makes me different from a lot of agents is my social skills. I feel very comfortable negotiating and talking to other people.

I also don’t have an off switch, I never really rest. I’m used to always being on my phone and answering calls and emails. I’m really proactive

Part of Josh’s recipe for quick success in real estate is his familiarity with Vegas. “I grew up here so I know the city very well.

My aspirations originally were to simply help friends and family be able to learn more about Las Vegas and get their own foot in the door as far as investing,” he says. And for such a young agent, it’s also his confidence and communication skills that help set him apart from the rest. “I 36

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in making sure that my clients get what they want, when they need it.”

Josh maintains contact with clients primarily through phone calls, Facetime, and emails. And he markets his listings via MLS and social media, where he has a large following. “I use my sphere of influence to push the marketing,” he says.

And it’s certainly worked well for him so far, as he’s on track to close 15 deals this year.

Despite always being on call, Josh really enjoys having complete control over his schedule. “I love the freedom that I have working in this business. Even though I’m always working, I work for myself now and I’m able to do whatever I like, whenever I like, which is such a great luxury to have.” Aside from being able to control his time, he really enjoys the ability to help people. “Real estate can be hard sometimes, but seeing the smile on a client’s face when they do find the right home is very rewarding. It’s a smile just as big as if they’re going to Disneyland.”

When he does take some time off, Josh loves to play golf. He also enjoys staying active in the gym. “These two things help me keep my mind frame correct and keep me focused on being productive.” Going forward he plans to continue to build the residential portion of his business and grow his clientele base. He is also teaming up with a friend to do house flips. And through his success he hopes to help many more people achieve the dream of homeownership. “My goal is to create my own little real estate empire. I love the fact that I have the ability to help so many people in different ways,” he says.

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To learn more about Josh Fisher email JoshFisherrealty@gmail.com, or call (702) 787–4526 Copyright Top Agent Magazine 37

Untangling the Bidding War: A Buyer’s & Seller’s Perspectives In a competitive marketplace, bidding wars become the norm. While this may put sellers in an excellent position to recoup on their investment, it can push buyers beyond their budgets and test their temperaments in the process. As an agent, how do you navigate both sides of the coin? After all, you want to net the best results for your client—regardless of which side of the closing table they’re on. To fortify your approach to a heated bidding war, here are a few ideas and insights to better clue you in on the perspectives of buyers and sellers alike.

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Buyer’s Perspective: Emotions Running High?

Channel it.

When the market is booming, buyers feel the pressure—especially when affordable inventory is limited. This can create stress, feelings of hopelessness, and impulsivity. As an agent, how do you channel this emotional energy into something positive? Consider asking buyers to put those anxieties and high hopes onto paper. Have buyers outline

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who they are, why they’re inspired to buy a home at this juncture in their lives, and how they see their lives unfolding once they become a homeowner (or repeat homeowner). Think of it as a letter of intent.

Buyers benefit from taking abstract fears and dreams and articulating them on paper. Likewise, this document can serve as a valuable tool during a bidding war. Letters like these can help sellers with multiple offers make a personal, emotional connection with a particular buyer.

Sellers Perspective: Manage expectations.

When multiple offers are rolling in on a property, it’s easy for sellers to get carried away. Numbers are flying, expectations are heightened, and sellers may become hypnotized by higher and higher offers and ideal outcomes. While it’s good to celebrate prime market positioning, it’s also important to maintain an even keel so that your seller’s mind is clear and they’re thinking rationally through their options.

Sometimes the highest offer isn’t necessarily the sure thing. Manage your clients’ expectations by leading by example, offering a balanced perspective, and talking them through all potential outcomes so that they don’t only hone in on the best-case scenario.

During a bidding war, tensions are running high for seller’s too, who will soon begin their next chapter in another home. Keep a cool head and remind your client to see the big picture, recognize that it’s possible for some offers to fall through, and to sit tight until the closing table has been successfully reached.

Buyer’s Perspective: How do you authentically and convincingly convey your interest?

When ten or so offers are in the mix, it can be hard to differentiate your buyer from the next. While numbers will obviously do a lot of the talking, you’d be surprised how much of a difference a Top Agent Magazine

personal touch can make. Some popular approaches to standing out include personal letters—as mentioned above—tailored to the property. Was the property in question a family home for years? You might have clients detail their dreams of raising a family inside those walls, rather than tear the property down and rebuild something to boost the lot’s value. Including a family photo is also a good tact for personalizing letters in a bidding war. Likewise, little gifts included with your offer can speak volumes about your personality and due diligence as an agent. It may seem a little cheesy, but when sellers are looking at ten near-identical offers, those personal touches can really paint a compelling, personalized picture.

Seller’s Perspective: How powerful is cash?

Data shows that cash offers—typical of investor clientele—double the chances of having an offer accepted. This goes hand in hand with waiving a financing contingency, which also helped boost the probability of an accepted offer, according to research. Cash is king, however, since offers that aren’t completely reliant on comprehensive financing seem to minimize risk for sellers, who are already eager to see a deal go through. Cash deals also tend to go through quickly, freeing sellers up to pursue their next property and move on to new horizons. While not every buyer has the ability to operate in cash, it’s a worthwhile consideration for those in ultra-competitive markets and with liquid capital.

While the bidding process can be stressful for agents and clients alike, it’s important to remember that it’s a time of opportunity, too. If you want to make the most of it as a seller, data shows that a personal touch can endear buyers to their seller counterparts. For sellers navigating a competitive process, it’s important to keep a balanced perspective. For agents, here’s the bottom line: get creative, be resourceful, and use all the tools in your arsenal to achieve the best result for the clients you serve.

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APRIL BARTON April Barton and her husband first came to Alabama through the Army.

Serving for nine years, one overseas deployment, and as a military veteran, she built a life in Mobile from the ground up. When looking for a second career that allowed her to continue serving her community, April turned to real estate. “Real estate was my true calling,” she says. “I fell in love with helping people claim their piece of the American dream of homeownership.”

Today, April is an agent/broker for RE/MAX Realty Professionals, where she services clients throughout Mobile and the surrounding areas. A certified Military Relocation Professional and Pricing Strategy Advisor, she combines her compassion, grit and outstanding work ethic to fit the needs of any client.

When listing a home, April leans on her background in programming and expertise in the market to ensure that her clients reach a wide audience of prospective buyers. With an Associates in Supervisory Leadership and Bachelors in Business, she utilizes her background to best prepare a property for market through targeted digital and social media campaigns. Meanwhile, April utilizes her plentiful resources at RE/MAX and professional connections to provide additional support for her clients. “I love the mentorship I receive from RE/MAX,” she says. “They provide me with all the tools and top-of-the-line education I need to sell a home!”

Outside of her career, April is actively contributing in her local area. Recently, she has volunteered for Justice for Devinee, an outreach movement that seeks to improve safe driving awareness throughout the community. “It’s so important to give back as much as you can,” she says. “Try to leave something better and safer than you found it.” On top of that, April invests in and renovates local properties around Mobile. When she’s not helping clients or giving back to the community, April is enjoying spare time spent with her family.

Looking ahead to the future, April envisions the continued growth of her business. In the coming months, she will be pursuing her license in Mississippi, which would allow her to serve an even wider base of clients. Most importantly, she looks forward to the new stories and friendships that lie ahead. “As an agent, I care about making a difference. If we create a consensual, team-minded atmosphere and hold ourselves to a higher standard, we’re all going to succeed— no matter what.”

Elsewhere, April prefers the same attentive approach when assisting her buyers, taking them through each step of the process with a personalized touch. In particular, April notes how her military experience fuels her efficient workflow and communication. “I take an extremely systemic approach,” she says. “And I give my clients the voice they need to stand up for their best interests.”

For her tireless service, April has already developed an outstanding reputation around Mobile, with the majority of her volume coming from either repeat clients or referrals.

When asked about the secret to her success, she cites her client relationships. “You have to approach transactions not as a salesperson, but rather as an advocate. I view all my buyers and sellers as forever friends in the community and approach their transaction as if I were to occupy the property.”

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To learn more about April Barton email aprilannbarton@gmail.com, visit aprilbarton.remax-alabama.com or call (251) 327-4325 www.

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5 Sure-Fire Ways to Get More Referrals

by Bubba Mills

Wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to market your services? Just serve and help clients all day—it’s why you chose real estate in the first place, right? To help people. But if you’re like most REALTORS®, you’re likely working your butt off just to get those clients.

So what’s the answer? Referrals— from your current and past clients, family, friends and acquaintances.

Imagine what your business would look like if everyone you knew gave you just one good buying or selling referral. Yeah, savor that feeling for a minute.

savings. Remember this: when you take exceptional care of your clients, they’ll do your marketing for free.

Referrals are where the money is and here are five tips you can start using today to get more: 1. Make your service downright unforgettable. Past clients can’t refer you if they don’t remember you.

Help them remember you by giving them memorable service. Take time to brainstorm ways to increase your service. Remember that referrals are earned, not paid for. By the way, I teach a seminar called Marry Me! Getting Your Clients to Say ‘I Do!’ that gives tips on how to offer service that yields referrals. Visit http://getbubbasnotes.com/marryme and get them free.

Run the numbers. Your average client who sticks with you is worth $25,000 if they move three times (first average commission is $5,000; they move in five years, that’s another $10,000 for the buy and sell. Same with the third 2. Cross promote and partner with move, another $10,000.) Then if the other businesses. Think about all the client refers two people, suddenly local businesses in your city and you’re talking $75,000. And that’s then ask this question: What can I without marketing, so add in that do to help those local businesses Top Agent Magazine

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while promoting my business?

Think coupons for your clients and leaving your business cards in their stores.

3. Think A.B.A.—Always Be Asking. If you don't ask, you don't get referrals. Add a P.S. to your email signature. Something like this: “P.S. If you know anyone thinking of buying or selling real estate, please tell them about ABC Real Estate and hit the reply button and tell us how we can help them!”

Also, put some serious thought into your closing gifts. I’ve given Cutco Knives with my name engraved on the blades. Every time they use the knives, they think of me. Give gifts that have a shelf life.

4. Get involved in your community.

People are more likely to refer to someone they believe is a good person – someone that gives back to the community. And remember, it’s not your signs all over town that make you a community icon; it’s what you do for your community.

Volunteer at retirement centers, help rebuild and paint local parks, serve food at the local soup kitchen, take part in fundraisers and be seen at block parties and street picnics.

5. Show your gratitude when you do 42

get referrals. Thank your referrers for their help, and keep them updated on how the new relationship is going.

The referral system is built on strong relationships and shared value.

Share what’s on your mind. How much time are you spending to get referrals? Can you improve your referral numbers? If not, why not?

What’s preventing you from getting more referrals? What successes or failures have you had with asking for referrals in the past? Please send any comments or questions you have to Article@CorcoranCoaching.com or http://www.facebook.com/Corcoran Coaching.

Bubba Mills is co-owner and executive vice president of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. (www.corcorancoaching. com/programs, 800-957-8353), an international consulting and coaching company that specializes in performance coaching and the implementation of sound business systems into Real Estate Companies, Mortgage Companies and Small Businesses. Bubba Mills is a nationally recognized inspirational and education speaker, coach and mentor to the top real estate agents and mortgage companies.

To find out more about Corcoran Consulting & Coaching, call 1-800-957-8353 or visit us at www.Corcoran Coaching.com.

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PAM BORNHORST Top Agent Pam Bornhorst – Operating Partner of Pam Borhorst & Team at Keller Williams Home Town Realty in Troy, Ohio – can claim three-and-a-half decades of helping her many grateful buyers and sellers in Miami County achieve their real estate goals. Possessing a wealth of industry knowledge, a fierce work ethic, and a true commitment to going above and beyond for her clients, Pam has more than earned her stellar reputation as an honest and trusted real estate advisor.

Pam began her journey in the world of real estate in 1985, when she was selling her own home. “A friend of mine had suggested I would be a good fit for real estate,” she recalls, “and when the sale of my home went south, I just went ahead and got licensed and sold it myself.

That’s kind of where my real estate story begins.” Pam’s ascendancy in the industry has continued year after year, and she has achieved this success while also raising five children. Recently, Pam purchased her own Keller Williams franchise, and found immediate success; this business has grown faster than all expectations.

Since then, Pam has built a thriving business on a sturdy foundation of honesty, integrity and sheer hard work.

Currently overseeing a personal team that consists of three Buyer’s Agents (one of which specializes in new construction), a transactional coordinator and a listing coordinator, Pam’s team has its systems down to a science. These systems translate into an excellent customer service experience that is unparalleled in the local market. As of this writing, Pam and her team sell between sixty and one hundred homes annually, a staggeringly impressive statistic.

The lion’s share of Pam’s business is based upon repeat and referral clients, a sure indicator of the excellent customer service she and her team are providing. “I think a lot of it has to do with my motivation,” she explains, when asked how she has managed to inspire so much consumer loyalty. “It also has to do with having a very Top Agent Magazine

good reputation in the area. That’s what generates most of the referrals I receive.”

Excellent marketing strategies have also played a significant role in the success of Pam and her team. Professional staging and photography ensure that each listing is shown in its best light, as do virtual tours.

As far as exposure of these listings, no avenue is left unexplored. Quick sales for top dollar are the most frequent result, not to mention grateful sellers.

When she’s not working, Pam gives back to her community through a variety of ways, including her involvement with the local Chamber of Commerce and through food drives for local pantries. She also loves nothing more than spending time with her family, which includes ten grandchildren.

When asked what advice she might have for newer agents, Pam – whose passion is mentoring younger Realtors – grows thoughtful for a moment before replying. “Real estate is a career that you have to take seriously. It’s a wonderful job, but you have to be there when your clients need you. It’s a lot of negotiating and hand holding. If you’re not in this business to help others, this business is probably not for you.”

For more information about Pam Bornhorst, please call 937-361-4750 or email PamBornhorst@Realtor.com 43 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

RENÉ BURCHELL With a strong drive to succeed and a passion for helping others, René Burchell has made great strides as a Realtor® in North Dallas, Texas. As a native Texan, growing up in Keller, just north of Fort Worth, she always knew she would accomplish whatever she set her mind to. She got her start in 1992 after graduating high school, her aunt encouraged her to gain her real estate license with the plan to work together.

“She wanted me to help her sell farm and ranch properties, so I got my license!” she explains. But before she started, she felt she really needed to experience the corporate world for a bit. “At that time, I was intimidated by starting real estate, I felt I needed to earn more skills in order to earn trust to succeed, I was really unsure of what I wanted to do for a career, so I went inactive with my license and took that path of corporate work first. It was exactly what I needed and ended up learning a lot of professional and personal skills that I use to this day.”

Ten years later, she said good-bye to the corporate world and was ready to start her own business within real estate and has not looked back since. “I have had the pleasure of operating my business for 20 years which is why most of my business is referred by past clients,” she explains. “My boutique team consists of a licensed office-marketing manager as well as a licensed transaction coordinator, who helps with our day to day duties.” Serving mostly the Dallas, Denton and Collin County areas, the vast majority of her clients derive from repeat clientele as well as referrals, a testament to her superior service.

Why do her clients keep coming back? “I embody high integrity, transparency and honesty,” she says. “I’m upfront and I like to prepare my clients what to expect from beginning to end. There are many factors that go into assisting and ensuring a smooth sales transaction; surprises will arise inevitably, there may be hurdles, emotions, negotiations, possible renegotiations, as well as other outside parties involved that need to be managed efficiently and thoroughly with clear communication all the way through the final closing date, sometimes thereafter. Just like a fingerprint,

every transaction is different, they are never the same.”

René understands how important this time is in her clients’ lives and does everything possible to make it an easy and smooth experience. “I’m heavily focused on customer service, my former alliances with Corporate America were in the financial sector, so I dealt with a lot of high-profile clientele. You learn to adapt to each person, find out exactly what their needs are and then complete it. I give my clients what they need and do it with the highest level of expectation and customer service.” When it comes to her buyers, she’s making sure they’re getting the best deal possible for the home that ticks all their boxes, while her sellers are getting top dollar for their properties.

Afterwards, clients love to spread the word about her work.

One recently said, “We absolutely adore René! We were referred to her by our very best friend, and she helped us buy (and build) our very first home! When it came time to move 7 years later, she helped us sell our home and find our new one! I can’t recommend René enough! As far as expertise, knowledge, and just being super down-to-earth and friendly, you can’t find anyone better!” Another wrote, “René is so knowledgeable and well-versed in the real estate business.

René is a gift to the industry and is always available for her clients. René thank you for All of your efforts and support in a smooth build and closing. You are #1.”

As René looks ahead, she continues to plan on accomplishing all of the goals she has set for herself not only for this year but beyond. She loves everything about her work and can’t picture herself doing anything else.

“I believe I am guided to help the people who become my clients, we just click! My business is different each day, I am blessed with who all surrounds me and I am incredibly grateful. It’s so exciting to get to know new people, who then turn into clients and moreover friends, all by helping them achieve their goals.”

For more about René Burchell, please call 469-877-3303 or email rene@reneburchell.com 44

Top Agent Magazine Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Branding Bad in Real Estate Marketing

by Rob Flitton

To begin with, you cannot establish a brand for ANY business until and unless you know what your product and intended clients are.

Think of your brand as a “message with instructions” for a potential client. It won’t be a direct message, but an image, group of words, symbol or design, or combination of these, that will allow the client to easily identify how you solve an existing problem or concern that they have.

If you are not clear about who you are talking to, and why, your message with instructions will speak to anyone and everyone, and therefore to no one.

Your message has to be both intimately related to the real concerns of an extreme niche of people, and authentically connected to who you are. Otherwise, the people you are intending to reach will not see or hear you, and will not use you.

The choice that the vast majority of agents make to brand or co-brand Top Agent Magazine

with their brokerage company is a mistake that is causing them to be invisible to a large pool of potential clients, and lose traction or growth in their business. This mistake sees them repeating anemic efforts season after season to hunt for clients, instead of reaping the much larger benefit of farming or growing clients.

In any given marketplace there are, say, a dozen major real estate brokerage brands. Just like some people love Ford and hate Chevrolet, or like Apple and hate Microsoft, they will either like or love the brand you’re with, or be indifferent to it—we can ignore the indifferent category, because they make the case that the company’s brand isn’t very important.

By choosing to co-brand or line up with their brokerage, the agent therefore has as much as an 11 out of 12 chance of alienating a potential client.

And there is another devastating result—the agent ends up financing the brand of their brokerage.

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The major brokerages today rely on online search success as much as any business—by promising leads to their agents they need a tremendous amount of Google Juice. So, they offer the agent leads, but also offer them a unique co-branded page or presence on their website. By having hundreds, or even thousands of agents with pages on their website, they are gaining massive website traffic (links) and having those agents pay them for it.

down and focus on marketing, followed by strategic branding of the agent alone.

The real estate business, or any business, comes down to two fundamental activities: finding potential clients (leads); and closing those clients (making them into customers).

And finding potential clients comes down to two fundamental activities: hunting—the effort to find “right If an agent ever decides to look into now” business every day form a changing their brokerage they are variety of sources; and farming—the somewhat trapped. Not only do they effort to grow a reliable bounty of lose any equity or money they spent leads by having a long term online on co-branding and collateral mater- and offline strategy with the agent, ials, and the reliance on having some and not their company, as the central leads here or there, but they are empty- core of a targeted branding strategy. handed vis-à-vis Google Juice—each time they leave a brokerage, they are Rob Flitton is a Seattle Real Estate Marketing specialist helping independent starting all over.

The solution for any agent is to drill 46

agents to increase their income. Email Rob robflitton@gmail.com at any time or call/ text him at 206-612-2314.

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

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KEN CLAUDE Ken Claude began his real estate career after serving in the military.

In 2014, following his medical discharge, he and his family were looking to move from upstate New York to South Carolina.

After a negative and costly experience with a real estate agent that involved having to move his whole family into a hotel until the deal closed, Ken decided there had to be another way. “I thought, ‘People deserve better service than this,’” Ken recalls. “So I earned my real estate license here in South Carolina, and I grew to really love this job. I wake up every morning and go do what I would be doing even if I didn’t get paid for it.”

Ken and his team serve the area including Summerville, North Charleston, Charleston, Goose Creek, Moncks Corner, Ladson, Berkeley, Dorchester, Hanahan, Ridgeville, Harleyville, Saint George, and more. An impressive 47% of Ken’s business comes from repeat and referral clients, a number far greater than average, and Ken expects that rate to grow further this year. “It took a lot of work and dedication to get there,” Ken says, “and I’m very fortunate and grateful.”

It’s easy to see why people keep coming back to work with Ken and his team, and to recommend him to their friends and families. “We treat them as a human, not a number,” Ken says, “and we’re willing to go the extra mile to help our clients out. It’s more about them than us. When I meet a client, it’s not about what commission I’m going to earn. It’s about doing whatever we can do to help them out. I make them feel comfortable and I take the time to answer any questions they have.”

When promoting their listings, Ken and his team take full advantage of online marketing resources. They create a property website for each individual listing, and pay to have those listings promoted to audiences in the area.

Likewise, they use boosted posts on Facebook to increase the number of potential buyers who see a listing. In addition, Ken and his team maintain a YouTube channel with videos promoting their listings.

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The results speak for themselves: Ken’s company averages over 60 transactions per year, and this year they set a goal to increase that number to 100. So far, Ken says, they are on track not just to meet that goal, but to exceed it. “I’m very grateful to have a whole team who are so good at what they do,” Ken says. “They help me out a lot, and they push me every day to keep doing what I’m doing.”

Community involvement is important to Ken and his team. They participate in Night to Shine, an event that gives disabled people a chance to have a fun, celebratory night. As part of the local Chamber, they also donate to other causes and stay active in the community. And as a veteran, Ken is dedicated to veterans’ causes, including Homes for Heroes, an organization that gives back to veterans.

In the future, Ken hopes to grow his business and eventually buy the building he and his company rent so he can provide more amenities to his team. He also wants to continue helping other vets. And, of course, he is always focused on helping his clients. “I work with many people who were told they would never be able to own a home,” he says. “And it means so much to be able to help them make that dream come true.

I want to make sure that when somebody else says it isn’t possible for them, we do all we can to help them explore how it may be possible.”

To find out more about Ken Claude, please call 315-486-2253, email at kclaude76@gmail.com, or visit searchsummerville.com www.

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Easy Blog Topics for Your Real Estate Blog Today, blogging looks a lot different than it did back in 2007, when the platform was just beginning to take off. Successful bloggers don’t choose blog topics on a whim. They think strategically and develop pillar content that their target audience will come back to again and again.

Real estate bloggers should be less concerned with whether the same post already exists (it does) Top Agent Magazine

than with how they can be more informative and helpful than their competition. Your personality is likely the thing that your clients connect with, and your blog is another place where you can let it shine.

Pillar content refers to those evergreen posts that never get old because they are always timely.

Think about those questions that you’ve had to

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answer a hundred, if not thousands of times— that’s your pillar content. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could direct your clients to a blog post or, better yet, they discovered the answer on your website rather than you having to constantly repeat yourself?

Or maybe you helped a client sell their house for much more than they were expecting by conducting a series of small and inexpensive renovations. Tell your readers how you did it.

Evergreen Content

Your clients are likely new to the area. Inform them about upcoming community events or mom-and-pop shops they may have never heard of. Are there hiking trails or parks nearby?

What’s the best place to grab a cup of coffee before work or a beer after? You can spotlight these places regularly as a monthly series.

This should really make up the bulk of your content. The possibilities are endless, and you could easily come up with an entire year’s worth of content with only a few hours of brainstorming.

Here are some examples: You could provide your readers with a list of questions they should ask when interviewing a realtor, the steps to becoming a real estate investor, real estate facts all first-time homeowners should know, steps new parents should take to prepare their home for a baby, recommended vendors for home maintenance, or common real estate terms defined.

You could explain to your readers what they need to know about home staging, which home renovations add the most value to their home, how to research schools or crime rates in specific neighborhoods, what a home association is, or how to start flipping houses and buying foreclosures.

Case Studies Sometimes realtors work with a client for years before they are ready to buy a home. Personal finance blogs are a thing for a reason. People want to see exactly how someone else achieved a shared goal. If you have a close relationship with a client who you helped become a homeowner, consider interviewing this client and writing up a case study that shows exactly how the two of you worked together to achieve this goal.

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Stay Local

There are plenty of real estate news outlets that will be posting about the state of the market—but they won’t be talking about your specific community, and that’s where your blog comes in.

Of course, if you only blog about community functions or properties on the market, then as soon as that event is over or that listing is sold, your content ceases being useful.

The best real estate blogs balance their content by posting a little about all the above. Maintaining a high-quality blog means your prospective clients don’t need to visit several websites to have their questions answered because you’ve done the work for them. It’s a tool that helps you make a great first impression.

If you still need help coming up with blog topics for your real estate blog, consider sending a survey out to your clients. You can send it via email and post it on social media. Ask your clients what real estate problems they need help solving and write your content with their responses in mind.

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EVAN CRAWFORD Evan Crawford began his illustrious career as a professional baseball player after graduating from Auburn University in Alabama.

He played 7 years with the Blue Jays before being traded to the Chicago White Sox. During his final season, Evan made the decision to pursue a career in real estate. It was a natural choice. “My grandfather owned a real estate company. My mom was a real estate agent. I had other family members in the business, so I jumped right in,” he asserts.

While working at an independent brokerage, Evan met Matthew Willis. “We hit it off right away and worked on several projects together,” he says. After several years at the agency, they decided to go off on their own and opened The Crawford Willis Group with eXp Realty. That was 3 years ago, and they’ve been hugely successful ever since.

They now have their own team, including three buyer’s specialists and a new construction specialist, and their territory is the East Alabama area. Evan says they’ve already completed 60 transactions this year on their way to a goal of 140; and he reports their business is 70% repeat and referral. “Our repeat clients are our bread and butter,” he states. “I believe that they keep coming back because we are devoted and passionate about each and every client. Our aim is to assure they experience the best transaction possible.”

It’s not surprising that Evan and his team receive stellar reviews. One client recently wrote: “After interviewing a few realtors in the area Evan was the perfect choice for us.

We moved from Colorado, and we didn’t know anything about Alabama. Evan answered every single question we had and more. He made sure we were comfortable with our decision, he helped us decide the area, helped us with negotiations. It felt like he was buying a house for himself, which is exactly what I was looking for. He was not selling me a house; he was helping me find a home. As a second home time buyer my experience with Evan exceeded my expectation, I would recommend him 100%.”

According to Evan, the company motto is “Converting clients into friends,” which he says is a genuine sentiment. “I love working with people within the community on reaching their homestead dreams. While representing clients in their search for a place to call home, I enjoy getting to know them personally in order to find them a home that is the perfect fit for them,” he says. “We try to make the experience fun and engaging, and they appreciate that.” Evan and the team showcase their personalities on their social media channels, videos, and throughout their transactions. You can find them on Instagram and Facebook at @ crawfordwillisgroup.

In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the team recently invested in a hi-tech 3-D camera so his clients can thoroughly review properties virtually. They also feature listings via social media, open houses and caravans when permitted.

The Crawford Willis Group is actively involved in giving back to the community. In addition to volunteering time and resources to various local organizations, they started Mission: Outdoor ReCREATION, which is a non-profit organization that donates 100% of its proceeds to local parks & rec departments for park restoration, new creations, and hikes with kids.

Evan is also organizing an Alternative Baseball organization for adults with special needs set to begin in spring 2021. And if that’s not enough, Evan and his wife are involved with the local foster care program and are passionate about helping others get involved.

Evan and his wife, who was a gymnast on the Auburn Gymnastics team while in college, met and have lived in Auburn now for ten years. Evan spends much of his down time with his three kids, camping, and building an array of furniture in his wood shop.

“You are only as good as the people you surround yourself with on a daily basis, and I believe we have the best agents in the country,” he says. Evan hopes to continue the company on its path to success, noting, “Our goal is to be authentic!”

To learn more about Evan Crawford, email evan@crawfordwillisgroup.com, or visit crawfordwillisgroup.com, or call (334) 558-8700 www.

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ERICKA HARDIN Ericka Hardin discovered a passion for real estate during the sale of her own home eleven years ago. “The listing agent and I just clicked,” she recalls. “She told me, ‘If you weren’t leaving the area, I would hire you as my assistant in a minute.’” She was a stay-athome mother at the time. When Ericka and her family returned to the Prosper area less than a year later, she was determined to invest herself in her community and to become a licensed real estate agent. She felt this passion would allow her to serve the area in a practical way as well as challenge herself to see if she could “make a name for herself” while helping others meet their real estate goals. As one of the top producing agents in the area, she has certainly done that!

Ericka began Keller Williams’ McKinney office in 2009 to gain their support, excellent training, and market presence. In 2017, she joined the Ebby Prosper/Celina office to elevate her business and where she continues her commitment to community, business, and the school district. So far, she is on track to close over $11 million sales volume in 2020 and reports that her business is 99% repeat and referral clientele.

“I get referrals from friends, family, parents and kids of past customers, and I love that,” she exclaims. “I truly believe they keep coming back because I am honest and straightforward. I tell it like it is, as I want them to have all of the information to make the best decisions.”

It is no surprise that she receives stellar reviews for her top-notch work ethic. One client recently wrote: “I would highly recommend Ericka Hardin for anyone selling or buying their home. I had been having a difficult time selling my home until Ericka stepped in to help us. Ericka has been a real estate agent in the Prosper area for a long time and it is evident that she knows this area well. Ericka went above and beyond to help with selling our home– from taking exceptional pictures, to marketing, and to even

bringing in a drone to capture the property.

She was very easy to work with and always available to answer questions, and made the selling process a breeze. She was there with us every step of the way! Thank you for your hard work and commitment, Ericka!”

Ericka’s strong online presence is what drives her listings to the top, she says. “I’m very prominent on social media sites, while implementing unique marketing techniques, which has helped make me become the go-to agent in the area,” she notes. “My listings are not only posted to social media; they go to all major websites with a broad reach. In addition, I’ve developed relationships with other Realtors who help put my properties in front of everyone.”

“Being well connected in key in my business” she adds.

What Ericka loves most about her job is overcoming daily challenges. “Each day is unique and offers new opportunities,” she states. “It’s about getting creative. I love solving things like marketing issues or problems that arise during a transaction. It’s very exciting.”

Ericka has always believed in giving back to her community and often donates to local charities as well as volunteers at her kids’ schools. Ericka is a single Mom to 4 children, Logan (22), Caden (19), Kannan (15), and Ryan (13). They are her “why” is life and why she works so hard to reach her goals. She is extremely proud of her children.

Ericka enjoys traveling and Italy is on her “bucket list” for her next adventure.

As for the future of her business, Ericka would like to continue to grow. “I definitely plan to do some kind of expansion, but it has to be in a qualitative direction,” she says. “I need to continue to serve my community and help my clients achieve the American Dream of home ownership.”

To learn more about Ericka Hardin, email erickahardin@ebby.com, visit ebby.com/bio/erickahardin or call (469) 450-3299 www.

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Top Agent Magazine Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Things You Can Do to Anticipate Your Cleint’s Needs First and foremost, the real estate industry is a customer service business. The key to any successful real estate business is one that can build a reputation by providing an unsurpassed level of care. That usually means a transaction that is seamless and stress-free as possible throughout the whole process. Your client’s experience is what keeps them not only coming back, but gets them to recommend you to their friend and family.

tise. By showing you can not only anticipate their needs, but have insight into any potential problems that might arise, they will have complete confidence in you. Achieving that level of trust is the key to a transaction that is as stress-free as possible.

The key to creating a great experience is anticipating your client’s needs. They are relying on your professionalism and exper-

From the moment, you meet a po-tential client, your goal should be to find out not only what they are looking for as far as their real estate

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GET TO KNOW YOUR CLIENTS ON A PERSONAL LEVEL

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goals, but who they are as a person. Listening and asking the right questions from the start is one of the most important aspects of the job.

You almost have to become an amateur psychologist, really honing in on the emotional reasons behind their real estate transaction.

Taking time upfront not only gives you valuable insight into your client, but it is the first impression your clients have that you truly care about them, and that this isn’t just another commission check for you. This goes miles in helping them feel comfortable enough to rely on your guidance.

Knowing who your client is on a deep level will help you navigate the transition ups and downs, allowing you to anticipate the best way to handle it.

SPOT POTENTIAL PROBLEMS AND PROVIDE SOLUTIONS Having insight into your client’s per-sonality type will come in handy when you anticipate an upcoming snag in the transaction. Most people find the process to be stressful even under the best of circumstances. One of the best rules of thumb is to always provide the solutions to anticipated problems when you present them to the client.

This should be the case even when the problem isn’t on you. Anything that can ruin a client’s overall experience can reflect poorly on you, whether you deserve it or not. This is a business philosophy called “zero risk”. You don’t want to take any chances with having an unsatisfied customer.

This is where your experience in the business pays off. You’ve probably seen most things and can easily anticipate problems that are 54

likely to delay the process. Remember you are in charge. You are the expert. And, remember, part of avoiding potential problems is making sure your client knows what to expect upfront, always communicate openly and honestly.

Telling people what they want to hear and knowing you can’t deliver it, is destined to fail, and will always reflect poorly on you.

FIND WAYS TO EXCEED EXPECTATIONS Recognizing ways to exceed a cus-tomer’s needs is just as important as looking out for potential problems, when it comes to creating an exceptional experience. Have a vetted list of trusted service providers. Be hands on.

There are Realtors® who are out there helping clients pack, mowing lawns, and picking kids up from school. They are there for a client in ways that are unexpected. Having one thing taken off your plate during a stressful period in your life can feel like a lifesaver and is not soon forgotten. It is those “little” things that will turn a client into a lifelong advocate for your business.

TAKE IN FEEDBACK A good service provider is always trying to do better. Many Realtors® have clients fill out surveys after the transaction is over. This serves two purposes. It helps you become better at your job and it shows your clients that you care about them and their opinions. You can also use social media to get feedback via analytics and interactions. All of this information can then be used to create better customer experiences in the future. After all, this is a customer service industry. Treat it like one and you’re bound to succeed.

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SARAH HALLUM Sarah Hallum began her real estate career in 1999, when she was a senior in high school and flipped her first property with her father and her brothers. After college, Sarah went into teaching and became a head volleyball coach, but she and her dad, who was also a teacher, kept investing on the side. She was mentored by her Dad, who continues to invest in real estate and be a major influence in her success. Sarah earned her real estate license in early 2017, after moving to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Since then, she and her small team at Hallum Estates have established a reputation for excellent service, hard work, and engagement in their community.

Based in Cedar Hill, Sarah and her team serve the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex area. Their business thrives on referrals from past clients. “We pride ourselves on service,” Sarah says, “and we go above and beyond expectations.” This leads to a high referral rate, and Sarah and the team are well-known in the area. “When people see our signs in the yard, they know it’s a Hallum Estate. We’re very thorough about targeting our neighborhood and our price point, and I’m known for being the neighborhood specialist.”

Clients value Sarah’s approachability, and also her depth of knowledge. “It’s about educating yourself daily and learning something new daily,” she explains. “When you talk to people who are buying and selling a home, you’re talking about one of their biggest assets. So by understanding the financing, the comps, the neighborhood and school district, as well as the reputations of local builders and vendors, we are setting ourselves apart with our knowledge. By having answers to my clients’ questions, I am able to give them more value.”

Sarah and her team also distinguish themselves by providing services to make the transition of buying or selling a home go more smoothly. They can provide a

house cleaning service on move-out, as well as landscaping service, to ease the stress of selling and moving. Sarah and her team also invest in high-end photography, including twilight photos, to help a home stand out from the pack. “We tell our sellers, you’re going to fall in love with your home again when you see the pictures,” Sarah says.

One particular innovation Sarah has implemented to set herself apart is her VIP list for potential homebuyers. “People want to know that they are valued,” she says, “so when someone is looking at a specific neighborhood, we offer to let them onto the VIP list to learn about comingsoon listings in that neighborhood.” This innovative and customer-focused approach has proven a success with Sarah’s clients.

Community involvement is important to Sarah and her team, and they work with Homes for Heroes to give back to veterans, teachers, and others who are of service to the community. They also recently partnered with a local photographer, Ivy’s Photography, to donate signage to local Heritage High School graduating seniors amid the coronavirus crisis. Sarah’s involvement with the local school district extends also to her mentorship program, which allows her to continue her passion of teaching and introduce local young people to the world of real estate.

When she is not working or giving back, Sarah loves spending time with her family and getting out on the lake.

In the future, Sarah plans to continue serving her clients and maintain a high volume (this year she is on track to do between $15-20 million in volume). Above all, Sarah loves sharing the joy of homeownership with her clients.

“I love serving people, and I love the challenge. I’m a problem solver, and I’m passionate about people getting into homes they never thought they could afford. When I can get a first-time homebuyer into that first home, it’s a very rewarding feeling.”

For more about Sarah Hallum, please call 806-231-2426, email realtorshallum@gmail.com, or visit hallumestates.com www.

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MICHELLE HOAGLAND Michelle Hoagland joined the world of real estate as an agent in 2003. She started out working solo, and later on developed a team—the Michelle Hoagland Group. Michelle and her team work with Keller Williams, Preferred Realty, and represent clients throughout the Twin Cities Metro area.

There are many reasons for why Michelle is one of the top local real estate agents in the city of Rosemount, and why she has a high percentage of repeat and referral business. One of them is her consistency when it comes to communication and staying in touch with clients. “I look at each of my clients as clients for life, not just one transaction. We always strive to offer something of value to them. Our relationship is built with the long term in mind. It’s not just about finding them a house. If they ever need something in the future, we can help provide them with vendors or other services,” she says. And she stays involved with clients by reaching out to check on them and hosting various appreciation events.

When it comes to marketing, Michelle places a lot of weight on professional photography, top-notch video tours, and always putting on an open house. Her team also utilizes social media to their advantage. They advertise listings on their Facebook and Instagram profiles, and send out frequent newsletters. Their strategic approach helped bring in over $21 million in volume just last year.

Despite earning impressive numbers, for Michelle it’s the human aspect that comes first in this business. “I truly love helping people. A home is one of the biggest purchases someone will make in their lifetime, and I love being a part of that. The relationship and the trust you build with a client, and being able to guide and direct them towards their goal. I get a lot of satisfaction 56

from helping them navigate through the whole process without feeling overwhelmed. There’s something really special about being able to help people with this really important transaction,” she says.

Aside from putting in a lot of hours at work, Michelle also finds it important to stay involved and give back her community. She helps host a shredding event for the city twice a year, and she belongs to the local Chamber of Commerce as well as a Rotary Club that gives to the Rosemount Marching Band, local athletics, and the local food shelf. Outside of work Michelle is also deeply involved at her church. And when it comes to her time off, she loves to read, garden, and take her pooch on long walks.

Looking towards the future, Michelle hopes to continue working in real estate with her husband and her team for as long as possible. She would like to carve out a role that involves less active listings and gives her the ability to oversee and help her agents thrive. But neither Michelle, nor her husband, have any plans of fully letting go of the work that has become their passion. “Real estate is our life. Our kids are grown, and this is what we love and want to continue to do.”

To learn more about Michelle Hoagland call (651) 253–1985, email mkhoagland@kw.com, or visit MichelleHoaglandGroup.com www.

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Newer Agents: More Questions to Ask Yourself—Are You Stumbling or Up and Running?

By Carla Cross

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ewer agents: Are you ‘stumbling’ or ‘up and running’? It’s estimated that over 50% of new agents fail their first year in the business.

From talking with thousands of them throughout my coaching, managing and speaking career, I know why: They can’t answer the questions below. In addition, they may be getting little guidance from their manager.

Not having the combination of these two things almost assures their failure.

In an earlier article, I gave you five questions to ask yourself to truly get ‘up and running’.

Now, here are five more.

Ask yourself: Do I know how long it will take to get a sale? To get a listing? To get a listing sold? (so you can project your income) (New agents tend to wait, and wait, and wait, to get into the business ‘stream’, thinking that there is no time frame to buyers’ decisions—wrong!)

Key point: Use the time lines in Up and Running to project your income. You don’t want Copyright Agent Magazine Top Agent Top Magazine

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Most new agents drastically underestimate their mental toughness in the face of adversity. to run out of money before you run out of time!

Do I have a method of setting goals and tracking accomplishments in the areas above— so I can analyze my specific strengths and challenges in this business? (Most agents never track what they do, so they don’t know what worked—or why what they’re doing isn’t working).

Key point: If you know how many listing appointments it takes, for example, for you to list one marketable property, you can project with confidence your income. You have truly become independent.

Do I have a budget so I know how much money I should be spending in marketing my listings?

Key point: Creating a marketing budget from day one assures you get paid for all that work you’re doing in lead generation (Up and Running has a prototype marketing plan for you, too).

Do I have someone to talk to regularly, to coach me, to keep me on track, and to help me if I 58

fall off my start-up plan (to keep me from failing)?

Key point: Most new agents drastically underestimate their mental toughness in the face of adversity. Studies show that having a mentor, a coach, someone on your side, greatly increases the chances of your success.

Do I have a method to keep myself motivated and inspired to keep on keeping on (like a coach or your manager)?

Key point: All the successful people I’ve ever met have a method to ‘keep themselves up’—diaries, logs, inspirational notebooks, readings, CDs, etc.

That’s why I put so much inspiration and motivation in Up

and Running—we all need it!

Give yourself every chance to succeed to answering ‘yes’ to all of these questions. You deserve success!

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, is president of Carla Cross Seminars, Inc., and Carla Cross Coaching. She is an international speaker in real estate productivity. Carla is the author of 6 internationally published books and several productivity-producing programs for real estate agents and leadership, including the new 3rd edition of Up and Running in 30 Days. See her programs at www.carlacross.com, or contact Carla at 425-392-6914.

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HOLLY KENNEDY Holly Kennedy began her professional career as a social worker. “Though I loved the work, I found I was spending way too much time away from my family,” she recalls. “So I decided to explore other options. A friend of mine was a real estate agent and loved the job. I studied for the exam while I was still getting my degree in social work.” That was 13 years ago, and Holly now works with Exit Elite Realty in Arnold, Missouri.

Holly reports that her business is 50% repeat and referral clientele. “I believe people return because I relate to each and every person on a personal level,” she asserts. “It’s always been my motto to treat my clients as I would treat a family member. I really do care.”

It’s not surprising that her clients give her stellar reviews.

One customer recently wrote: “Holly was wonderful throughout the entire process. We were first time buyers and didn’t know much about what to expect. Holly made sure we were informed about everything through the entire home buying process. She made sure to keep us informed of things going on the sellers’ side and never steered us in the wrong direction. She made buying a home much less stressful.”

Holly shares her love for her clients while maintaining contact by sending them care packages. “During the pandemic, I sent out hand sanitizers and Chlorox wipes,” she say. “At Thanksgiving I send out pies and during the Christmas season, I forward Poinsettia plants.” She also mails holiday and every-occasion cards. “I always want them to know I’m thinking of them.”

To market her listings, Holly gets creative, using the Internet and social media. “Right now, everything has to be online due to the current health crisis,” she notes.

“I hire professional photographers and videographers for high-end images and walk-throughs. When I do invite clients to a home, I ensure that the place is sanitized and safe, because I take every precaution.”

Holly says she enjoys what she does thanks to the strong relationships she forges. “I love meeting new people and making new friends,” she states. “The biggest joy I receive is seeing a client’s face at the closing table, especially when they thought they could not buy a home.

Knowing I made a difference by putting them on the path to reaching the American Dream is an amazing feeling.”

Holly believes it’s critical to give back to the community.

She works closely with the local schools, fundraising for at-risk kids. She is also involved with Brenden’s Friday Backpacks, a non-profit program that donates singleserve, non-perishable foods that can be easily prepared and last until the child returns to school the following week. ”It’s a beautiful concept in which we discreetly place ready-to-eat food into the kids’ backpacks each Friday so they have something to eat over the weekend,” she says.

Holly says she is first and foremost, a proud mother.

“My husband, Chris, and I have been married 14 years this August,” she says. “We have a blended family. “His daughter, Alyssa, is 28 and in real estate, his son, Cody, is 22 and a US Marine. My son, Brayden, is 20, and our daughter together is Gabriella, who is 13. I lost my oldest son, Anthony at the age of 21 on December 31, 2017.”

As for the future, Holly wants to continue on her successful path and is working on her broker’s license.

Ultimately, she’d like to open an office in Florida. “That’s a dream we have down the road,” she says.

To learn more about Holly Kennedy, email hkennedy2851@yahoo.com, visit hkennedy.exit-stl.com, or call (314) 255-8274 https://

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59 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

JAMES LONG James Long had an unusual start in real estate. He began his journey by investing in properties during the 2008 market crash.

As the owner of an oil and gas business, he figured it would be a wise idea to diversify his income when the market fell. Pretty quickly he found the real estate process enjoyable, and decided to obtain his license in 2010. He is currently the owner of Jameson Realty Group, serving clients throughout Central Oklahoma.

A successful real estate business is based on strong relationships, and James has worked hard over the years to build a solid network of clients who are happy to refer him. “Clients appreciate my firsthand knowledge of real estate. As an investor myself I know what other investors are looking for. And I can make a client see whether something they think is a deal breaker could in reality have an easy fix. For example, at times a client will walk into a house and say that it would take too much work to fix it up to their liking, but when we discuss it further it turns out they just want fresh paint and new countertops, which is a really manageable problem with an easy solution. Then I can walk them through different pricing options and they can have their dream home.”

In order to show clients his appreciation James stays in touch in a variety of ways. He likes providing them with a personal touch, and sends out handwritten letters. He also uses social media, which comes in handy during marketing as well. “Most people are shopping online now before they shop in person, so an online presence is very important to your marketability and how quickly you sell,” he says. To make sure that his listings are shown in the best light he uses professional photography. And thanks to his tireless work ethic he averages closing more than one transaction per week.

What James really enjoys about his work is being able to manage his time and constantly make new friends.

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“I love the flexibility this work provides, as well as the opportunity to get out and meet people. I’m a people person, I can’t imagine myself working in a cubicle,” he says.

Aside from his passion for work, James also has a deep love for his local community. He co-founded Red Brick Nights, a free local monthly event with outdoor live music, food trucks, and pop-up shops as well as activities for children. He is also on City Council, and belongs to the Historical Preservation Board as well as the board of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Association of Realtors.

Outside of work James loves to travel and spend time with his family. Going forward, he is focused on growing his brokerage, and securing a new space for additional agents. “I want to grow the brokerage with other like minded agents. I don’t want to grow just for numbers, I want to grow with the right people,” he says. And his advice to new agents is: “It’s crucial to listen to clients so that you can understand, not so that you can respond.”

To learn more about James Long please call (405) 627–8239 or email jamesokrealtor@gmail.com Top Agent Magazine Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Every Player is Valuable: How to Boost Your Team’s Morale In the fast-paced world of real estate, it can be easy to overlook the contributions of those lower-level employees who are instrumental in our success, yet are overlooked when it comes to recognizing the important roles they play in keeping our business operating smoothly.

Even a task that seems simple, such as answering phones, can be overwhelming at Top Agent Magazine

times. Letting these employees know that they are appreciated is something that often goes overlooked at busier companies, and can often result in impaired morale overall, as employee dissatisfaction tends to be contagious.

Here are some things that you can do to increase morale and productivity in your workplace: 61

While it’s important to point out when an employee is doing something wrong, it is equally – if not more – important to acknowledge when that employee is doing something right.

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While it’s important to point out when an employee is doing something wrong, and sometimes to reprimand, it is equally – if not more – important to acknowledge when that employee is doing something right. Even a simple compliment can go a long, long way towards building that employee’s morale, and therefore their willingness to go the extra mile for your team.

An example: “Sally, I just heard you on the phone with that client. You sounded very professional and I really appreciate your representing our business that way.”

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Determine what all of your employee’s goals are, and what their expectations for growth might be. There may be lower level employees who are perfectly content doing what they’re doing, and who have absolutely no expectations for growth in your business. Others, however, may have an interest in moving up the ladder. Make it your business to determine this early on, and try to take a personal interest in your employee’s growth with your company. Knowing there is room to grow is an important factor in employee satisfaction, and knowing who wants to grow and who

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doesn’t is something you should be aware of. Groom from within, and your employees will be grateful and work harder.

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If your workplace is highly stratified, with multiple levels of employees (agents, senior agents, loan processers, assistants, etc.,) make an effort to ensure that everyone feels valued as part of the team regardless of what they earn. Various team building exercises that encourage trust and a sense of familiarity can go a long way towards fostering an environment that is less unnecessarily competitive and more productive and cooperative. A quick web search for “Trust Building Exercises” will help you locate many good ways to achieve a newfound level of camaraderie amongst your team. Many of them are quite a bit of fun, too.

Hopefully these tips will assist you in creating a better-functioning, higher-achieving team of motivated, caring employees.

Remember, a chain is only as strong as the weakest link, so be sure to keep everyone feeling appreciated, supported and valued, and your company will only benefit.

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JT MEYERS JT Meyers has always had an interest in real estate; however, he initially set it aside to pursue a career at Intel. After starting a family, he began seeking a job where he could balance his happy home life with his passion for entrepreneurship and helping others. “I was looking for something more local,” he says. “So I decided at last to go into real estate.”

Today, JT is a Realtor for Berkshire Hathaway, where he services clients throughout Forsyth and the surrounding areas. Offering more than 12 years of experience— and already having built, managed and sold his own boutique brokerage—he can bring an expert’s insight to any transaction.

When it comes to listing a home, JT puts his clients in the best position to succeed. After providing them with professional photography, he utilizes his full resources at Berkshire Hathaway to ensure that a house draws plenty of attention. Beyond web-based marketing campaigns, he also takes advantage of his extensive professional network to better connect his listers to prospective buyers. “Many challenges in real estate come down to what you know,” he says. “But they also come down to who you know.”

For his loyal service and outstanding track record, JT has developed a fantastic reputation for himself around Forsyth County, with well over 90% of his volume coming from either repeat clients or referrals. For him, though, the work is rewarding in-and-of itself. “I simply love my career,” he says. “There’s nothing in the world I’d rather be doing.”

Outside of real estate, JT remains active in his community. A true builder at heart, he participates in events and contributes to causes such as Habitat for Humanity and the Miracle Foundation, which makes playgrounds for kids with cancer. Elsewhere, he helps to sponsor the Second Harvest Foodbank and volunteers with hospice care in his hometown. When he’s not helping clients, he can be found spending quality time with his wife and three daughters. “Family is most important to me,” he says. “They’re why I get up in the morning and work as hard as I do.”

In the months ahead, JT envisions adding a new member to his team to accommodate his rapidly increasing volume. In the meantime, he will continue applying his unmatched blend of compassion and service to clients across North Carolina. “I cherish the relationships,” he says. “There’s nothing more fulfilling than helping a buyer or seller reach the next phase of their life.”

Through it all, JT knows the importance of staying on the cutting edge of the market. “As a full time agent, I’m completely immersed in the industry. I take great pride in the trust my clients give me and hold that fiduciary duty close to heart.”

JT applies his knowledge and experience equally as well when helping his buyers. Catering his process directly to their needs, he is there for them from the start to the end of the transaction—and beyond. “I never look at the deal,” he says. “Instead, I look at the client. It doesn’t matter who they are or what their situation might be; I always keep their best interests in mind.”

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To learn more about JT Meyers email jtmeyersrealtor@gmail.com, visit jtmeyers.bhhscarolinas.com or call (336) 575-9138 www.

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BRANDI POND Top Agent Brandi Pond – of Chinowth & Cohen Realtors in Tulsa, Oklahoma – is a hardworking real estate professional who has built a thriving business on a foundation of honesty, integrity and vast industry knowledge.

Brandi’s focus on providing each and every one of her many buyers and sellers with excellent service has translated into an exceptional reputation as a trusted real estate advocate.

Brandi began her real estate career after working for over twenty years in education and the healthcare field. “I was comfortable with my career path as Director of Ops for a large Orthopedic practice,” she recalls, “but I was unexpectedly laid off after the company went through a merger.” As I was contemplating what was next for me, my husband suggested real estate. I told him I didn’t know anything about the business, but he said that I was really good with people, so I decided to give it a try.”

In 2016, she became a licensed Realtor, and she hasn’t looked back since. “I absolutely love it,” she enthuses.

Currently working with her daughter, herself a licensed agent, Brandi can boast that the lion’s share of her business is based upon positive word of mouth and referrals from past clients. A significant achievement by any measure, Brandi points to one particular reason when asked to account for the trust and loyalty she inspires. “I think it’s because I work hard to develop relationships with not only my clients, but with other professionals, like lenders, for example. I also just love meeting new people.”

Another driving factor behind Brandi’s success story would be her thorough and intelligent marketing strategies. Utilizing a blend of both old school and cutting-edge technologies, Brandi ensures that all her listings are shown in their best light, and that they are seen by as many potential buyers as possible. “I primarily use social media – Facebook, Instagram, LInkedin and Snapchat,” she explains. “I also send out Just Listed postcards, and occasionally place an ad in a local magazine.”

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But perhaps the greatest reason for Brandi’s evergrowing business would be her heart and soul, both of which she pours into her career. “I pride myself on being authentic and real,” she says. “A lot of other agents judge their success by reaching sales goals, but I have different goals. For me that would be creating relationships with my clients. I’m very ethical, and I believe my clients can see that.”

Brandi is also very much involved in her community.

Currently, she is the President of a parent organization which supports the music departments at local public schools. She also works with the Oklahoma Baptist Children’s Home, volunteering for multiple projects.

When she’s not working, Brandi enjoys nothing more than traveling to new destinations and learning about other cultures. “I also really love being on the water,” she says, “and enjoy the arts; musicals, concerts and the opera.”

When asked what advice she might have for newer agents just beginning their career, Brandi grows quietly thoughtful for a moment before replying. “There are going to be days when you get frustrated and want to give up,” she says, “but if you just keep pushing forward, it will get better. Just don’t give up.”

For more about Brandi Pond, please call 918-955-9576 or email BPond@cctulsa.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine

6 Ways to Get Your Client to Trust You The word “REALTOR®” can leave a sour taste in some people’s mouths. Many of today’s home buyers and sellers grew up during the 2009 recession. They are wary of anything Top Agent Magazine

or anyone who comes off as too salesy, and they want to work with individuals who they can trust.

But how do you prove to someone you’ve likely never met that you can be trusted?

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1

Put Testimonials or Case Studies on Your Website

When something goes wrong, own up to your mistakes. Don’t hide bad news from your clients. Be upfront and responsive.

Testimonials and case studies are social proof that you have both the experience and the skills to do the job your clients are hiring you for. People often leave testimonials when they are either incredibly disappointed or extremely happy with the service they were provided, so they’re a good indication to prospective clients of the treatment they’ll receive.

Case studies, which you can post on your blog or website, have much of the same effect, but even more than testimonials, case studies demonstrate your real estate and finance expertise because they explain how you achieved a specific set of results.

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Be Responsive and Accessible

Can your clients reach you easily? That doesn’t mean you need to be available 24/7, but you should respond to your clients within a few hours of receiving their message. When agents don’t respond to their clients’ calls or emails for days on end or fail to provide them with a direct line of contact, their clients’ experience can quickly become frustrating.

Agents are busy but so are their clients. If you constantly show up late to or reschedule meetings, your clients won’t feel like their time is respected or their business is valued. Make sure you set a realistic schedule for yourself rather than spreading yourself too thin.

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Be Honest and Transparent

Sometimes you don’t have the answer to a client’s question. Be honest about your strengths, weaknesses, and the limits of your knowledge. A good response might be, “I don’t know, but I can find out.” Be transparent with your clients, and they’ll respect you for it.

You should always act in their best interest.

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4

Go the Extra Mile

If you do the bare minimum, that’s what your clients will remember. Their experience won’t be memorable, and they won’t gush about you in online testimonials or in real life to people they know who could use your services. It’s that simple.

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Put Yourself in Your Client’s Shoes

Clients understand that you need to earn money, but that doesn’t mean they want to feel like they’re just a dollar sign to you. Be empathetic to your client’s concerns, even if you’ve heard it all before. Your clients should know that you are there for them.

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Be Consistent

Being responsive, friendly, and knowledgeable shouldn’t be an act. If you “turn on” your personality for clients and then suddenly become a different person when they leave the room, it’s likely that the cracks in your mask will eventually become apparent.

But “faking it till you make it” is so common it’s become a cliché. When we are starting out, we don’t always have the systems or resources in place to create a smooth client journey, from onboarding to closing, so instead we constantly try to reinvent the wheel. Give yourself time to pause, slow down, and reevaluate your workflow. Creating systems creates

consistency, and those systems can and should be constantly updated.

Developing trust between you and your clients will take time, but doing these things can give you a running start.

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LEE ANN THOMAS Lee Ann Thomas successfully ran a law office for 15 years when she decided it was time for a change. “I needed to do something more positive with my life, so I went ahead and got my real estate license,” she recalls.

And she’s never looked back.

She is the Principal Broker/Owner for RE/ MAX Edge Realty in Mountain View and a second office in Melbourne, Arkansas, with both offices covering all surrounding counties. “I have lived in Mountain View all my life as well as raised my children here,” she notes. “I have built a reputation of being diligent and trustworthy to all my clients.”

Lee Ann reports that at least 50% of her business is repeat and referral clientele. “I believe people come back because I am trustworthy,” she asserts. “I make myself 100 percent available, I’m always in communication, and I give them top priority.”

Her clients agree she offers top-notch service, which is why they give her stellar reviews. One customer recently wrote: “Lee Ann Thomas is your agent. She loves life and people. She will give you over 100%. She comes up with ideas that others have never thought of.

We have had our house listed for over a year with no prospects. Since we listed with Lee Ann about 65 days ago, we have had people looking on the website, and we have people coming this weekend to look. I am very pleased with Lee Ann. If you want results Lee Ann is the right person.”

Lee Ann is committed to the highest level of personal service and to meeting the needs of her clientele. “I strive to maintain long-term relationships with my clients to help them make the best possible financial decision with their real estate purchase,” she asserts. “I work hard toward making the process as smooth and seamless as I possibly can.”

Living and working in a small town makes it easy for Lee Ann to stay in touch with her clients. “We all pretty Top Agent Magazine

much know each other, so I make a lot of personal calls and texts,” she says.

To market her listings, Lee Ann takes professional photos and videos and promotes them via social media, industry websites, billboards, and in local magazines. “We run the whole gamut,” she says.

What does Lee Ann love most about her work? “Putting smiles on people’s faces when they think they can’t get a home,” she states. “It’s so satisfying to help people attain their dream property, and they know it’s because I took care of them.”

Because she’s so vested in her community, Lee Ann believes in giving back as often as possible. “I donate to our schools as well as sit on the boards of the local bank and chamber of commerce,” she says.

Lee Ann enjoys spending Sundays with her family when she has time off. “I also consider my work to be fun,” she exclaims.

As for the future, Lee Ann wants to expand her team, perhaps open another office. “My plan is to find likeminded agents, mentor them, and keep them with me,” she says. “I love the idea of growing better together.”

To learn more about Lee Ann Thomas, email propertybylee@gmail.com, visit leeannthomas.remaxarkansas.com or call (870) 213-8224 https://

67 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

KATRINA TROMBLEY Top Agent Katrina Trombley – of Serenity Realty in Maumee, Ohio – has built a thriving real estate business on a solid foundation of honesty, integrity and true concern for the wellbeing of her many buyers and sellers in the Toledo area market. Katrina’s low-pressure, client-first business ethos has translated into a stellar reputation as a trusted real estate advocate who consistently places the needs and wants of her clients front and center during every transaction.

it as possible.” Katrina is also recognized for her fierce negotiation skills. “I’ve been told that I’m too tough.

Perhaps that’s true, but it’s only because I’m trying to be a strong advocate for my clients.”

Katrina began her career in 2010, following a fourteen-year stint working for Chrysler. “I left that job so I could stay at home with my young children,” she recalls.

“My husband was in pharmaceutical sales, and when that industry began doing cutbacks, he lost that job. So, I decided to go back to work. I ended up going out to lunch with a friend who is an auctioneer, who needed a buyer’s agent. She told me to get my real estate license.

It was nothing I’d given any serious thought to, but once I got my license, I never looked back.”

When not working, Katrina enjoys nothing more than spending time with her family, and she is an avid gardener who enjoys watching her children engage in their sporting activities. She is a also an active philanthropist who supports multiple charitable organizations, one many being the Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation, which provides support for those living in low-income areas of the city.

Katrina’s business took off almost immediately, based in large part on her fierce work ethic and deep knowledge of both the real estate industry and her local market.

Currently, Katrina – who is in the midst of building a team to support her ever-increasing business – can boast that the entirety of her business is based upon returning clients, referrals and positive word of mouth, a sure sign that she is providing exemplary customer service. “I’ve been told that a lot of that has to do with my integrity,” says Katrina, when asked how she has managed to instill such impressive levels of trust and loyalty amongst those she works with. “I’m never going to try and talk someone into buying a home just for the commission.

I believe that if you can talk someone into something, someone else can talk them out of it.”

Educating her clients is very important to Katrina. “I try to be as upfront with them as I can be at the beginning,” she explains. “I try to walk them through the entire transaction process, and to be as realistic about 68

Another factor in Katrina’s success story would be her thorough and intelligent marketing strategies. Ensuring each property is shown in its best light, she also maximizes exposure for her listings through specifically tailored exposure to the most likely buyers, leaving no stone unturned in order to achieve fast sales for top dollar, not to mention happy clients.

“I thrive on having a client call me in the morning and ask for a showing in the afternoon,” says Katrina, her sincerity obvious. “I love how different every day is, and I love working with so many different clients. I really love my job, and I think my clients can see that.”

For more about Katrina Trombley, please call 419-350-6741, email KatrinaTrombley@gmail.com or visit katrinatrombleyrealestate.com https://

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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, 70

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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KIM TWOHEY Kim Twohey isn’t trying to fit her clients into a mould. “I always tell my clients that I am here to help them find their pathway home, whatever that looks like for them!” she says.

“I make sure that I customize my services to their unique needs and situation.”

That personalized, unique and attentive service is part of what has rocketed Kim to such success serving Calgary and the surrounding areas. Over the past ten years, repeats and referrals have accounted for 74.6% of Kim’s business.

What keeps her clients coming back and referring their friends and families? “Feedback that I consistently receive from my clients is that my approach makes the whole process very easy for them, whether they are buying or selling,” Kim tells Top Agent. “One of the most important things that I do is to really listen to what the clients want. I maintain regular communication throughout the entire process and I always make myself available to answer any questions they have. Clients can count on me to be honest. My negotiation skills are much appreciated by my clients. I am tough but fair in negotiations and I keep at it until I have gotten the best possible deal for my clients.”

appreciate the most about this career is that clients have trusted me to be a part of their story, whether it was helping them sell faster than they expected or finding their forever home.”

She’s also a part of the story of her community, dedicating a portion of every cheque she receives to a charity.

“My clients get to pick which charity they prefer - our local Ronald McDonald House or the Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society - and I ensure that a percentage of the money earned from their transaction is allocated as per their wishes.”

When not working Kim loves to spend time travelling with her family. “For the past nine years I have been fortunate enough to visit Central America during the winter months,” she says. “My son has learned to swim, snorkel, fish and speak some Spanish during those trips!”

Kim is currently working towards her Broker’s license, because she believes continuing her education is crucial, as is keeping up with developments in the market. But that doesn’t mean there’s no time to have a smile. “When we work together, my clients should expect to have a little fun!” Kim says. “Life is too short to be stressed out by buying or selling so I make sure the process is enjoyable.”

It’s her honesty and commitment that her clients remember after working with Kim, and it’s what forges solid bonds of friendship even after closing. “Many of the people I have worked with have become lifelong friends!” Kim says.

Making those relationships is one thing Kim loves about her work, but she also truly appreciates the challenges. “I love that every client is different and they are always keeping me on my toes and helping me to become an even better REALTOR®,” she says. “Being a REALTOR® is never boring. Each day brings new challenges and I thrive on that! At the end of the day, what I Top Agent Magazine

To find out more about Kim Twohey please visit kimtwohey.com, call 403-464-9300 or email kimtwohey@gmail.com www.

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