NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL 12-3-18

NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL EDITION

CONNECT BEYOND REAL ESTATE

to Attract Future Clients

4 WAYS TO WIN THE BATTLE AGAINST PROCRASTINATION

Joe Pavich Jr. COVER STORY

FEATURED AGENTS

SYLWIA CHLIBOROB PEDRO MOTA DAVID MACKIE CLAUDIA MARION JOE COCKRELL CARMELA & ALFREDO DIGENOVA PETER FENWICK SANDRA JULIANO MATTHEW LINDSAY HEIDI POWELL

NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL EDITION

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JOE PAVICH JR.

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PEDRO MOTA

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SYLWIA CHLIBOROB

DAVID MACKIE

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DAVID MACKIE

CLAUDIA MARION

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CLAUDIA MARION

CONTENTS

says Claudia, w Vivacious, energetic, and armed with a vast arsenal level of loyalty of market knowledge, Top Agent Claudia Marion - of makes sure to s Homes by Claudia Marion powered by Keller Williams consultation to The Marketplace Las Vegas, Nevada has achieved forging his– own unique path to succes David Mackie’s real estate story thus far contains as much inbegan to achieve their success through a combination of hard work and a eral years following his graduation from Un narrative about service to others through realcommitment estate as itto providing ing the best dec her buyers and sellers with New to Bos does about the refined elegance and class heexcellent delivers to me.” Claudia ha customer service.Hampshire, and before returning worked in affordable housing with the New Boston’s elite real estate connoisseurs. Having grown her buyers out o want to tat born into Finance the real estate world as Onmight Authority. returning up the son of Florence Mackie, a renowned Claudia Bostonwas areaalmostHousing bebythehis best fit the daughter owner. “I used the pull ofcompany the familiar – backed new REALTOR® and broker, David helped his mother withof a construction looking to achie to go to work with my father when I was a little girl,” – made David perhaps the most well-round open houses and showings. “But I was also doing affordciate the honest says Claudia, “and I would sit in the model homes and ® market-savvy REALTOR and Broker for Bos able housing for the Community Builders in Boston andout forcookies help pass and hand out floor plans. I really exclusivefrom properties. a developer that primarily did senior community housing.”

Expert marketin loved it, so when I graduated high school I got my license and began working in new construction.” Claudia’s continuing methodsme of to gettb dia soon found that “About arena stifling, however. wanted to 13 hours ago,“I my mother asked Clearly, his family legacy helped launch David’s interest and to that end be out there meeting people, instead of waiting for them partner,” David explains. “She had spent her ca and passion for real estate, but it was after college that he presence, which to come to me,” she explains. More than twenty-five onthehigh-end properties Backof Ba years in, she is still currently ing one of most sought-afful.in“Most th a little bit in Southfrom End.” While Facebook ter agents working in the Sin Hill City and market. on ra th with Florence, the two soldmarketing properties Nearly the entirety of Claudia’s businesstoiswell basedover on $10 potential buyers $2 million million.

“I who are going repeat and referral clients, a experience sure sign thatlearning she is makhow to handle tho working with r ing her many buyers and sellers happy. “I always make and serveand those little kinds bitof ofclien trust sure they always know theproperties process step-by-step what’s coming next, so they don’t feel overwhelmed,” working with yo

4) CONNECT BEYOND REAL ESTATE TO ATTRACT FUTURE CLIENTS

21) 8 THINGS SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE NEVER DO

33) UNTANGLING THE BIDDING WAR: A BUYER’S & SELLER’S PERSPECTIVES

13) THE DAILY SCHEDULE OF A SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE AGENT

26) 5 STEPS TO ACHIEVE LONG TERM SUCCESS AS A REAL ESTATE AGENT

37) 4 EASY WAYS TO REDECORATE YOUR OFFICE THAT WILL BOOST MORALE & IMPRESS CLIENTS

17) 4 WAYS TO WIN THE BATTLE AGAINST PROCRASTINATION

30) ARE YOU DOING BUSINESS AS YOU ON FACEBOOK?

41) BRANDING BAD IN REAL ESTATE MARKETING

An independent agent since Florence’s a few years ago, David also serves sele immediately outside Boston, including Phone 888-461-3930 | Fax 310-751-7068 Wellesley and Weston. He earns close his business from referrals and repeat c mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com appreciate him for his knowledge, h No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher. Topno-pressure Agent Magazine is his deep mar attitude and standing. “ITop know when to step in and he published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials, Agent

Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com.

Copyright Top Agent Published in the U.S. 2

Top Agent Magazine

CARMELA & ALFREDO DIGENOVA

JOE COCKRELL 35

Husband and wife team Carmela and Alfredo DiGenova have taken the Ontario real estate market by storm. Alfredo has been in the industry for 13 years, and always encouraged Carmela to join him. “One day, I thought, I’m a people person, I should just get my license,” Carmela explains. She went to school to become an agent, and hasn’t looked back since. “I’ve learned a lot from my husband,” she says. With her background in accounting, and Alfredo’s extensive experience in real estate, they’ve become specialists in their field.

Today, they work with RE/MAX Premier Inc., and their team consists of themselves with one other licensed realtor. Serving the York Region and Toronto, they’ve become a mostly referral-based business.

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ask them any questions related to real estate.

“We let them know what is going on in there market-place.” “We advertise in magazines, send out monthly flyers, newsletters and we even have a local street signage giving us 24 hour local branding.”

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PETER FENWICK

Peter Fenwick’s entrance into the nee After managing their family-owned important to fully understand what your client real estate industry was seren- the resort in Missouri, Joe Cockrell was and what you aredipitous. selling.”

After the transaction, clients love to leave He was working for a wh glowing wife testimonials about their time together. ready for his next challenge. His management consultant specialOne recently said, “We just wanted to extend our personal and appreciation for Billie had already been practicing realthanks When embarking the listing J izingupon in goal setting, process, stress No helping us find our home in the desired management, and time managenee estate since 2001 when Joe decided to Youleverage online exposure to reach buyers near an location we wanted. made it your goal to help us find what we were looking for and you ment. After being introduced to a mil join forces with her were twelve ago.smiling In andering extremelyyears patient, always willing to Table help in any Rock Lake and the greater Tri-Lak JOE COCKRELL CARMELA & possible ALFREDO real estate company and working in t way. No matter what the PETER obstacle was, FENWICK you always found the time since, Joe a and Billie Cockrell popular vacationwith andthem, second home destination, th way around it. You were not pushy to get the sale and always he felt a deep connec- also DIGENOVA “We’re very passionate about our clients, weestablished don’t think of them themselves looked out for our best interest.

You were always availablenet to answer have as premier digital to lure prospective buyers.

High-qualit tion.

“It really clicked,” Peter bal as clients, we think of them as family,” they explain. “The reason our questions during the evenings, weekend on the phone and via we’ve been successful is because we bring something extra togreater the email.Table Once we decided on Lake the home we wanted toplays pursue, your explains.

“So I got my estate certification and joined the agents of the Rock also anreal integral role in giving house-hunt table. Our view is, when we deal with a client, we put ourselves outstanding skills came into play. You went well beyond 40negotiating 43 MATTHEW LINDSAY 39 SANDRA team. how I began in 1980.” he has a team of Wi in their shoes.” If their clients are looking to purchase, they showJULIANO our expectations in closing thisfor deal. YouThat’s have a large network region, complete with a reputation sive look at listings onToday, the market, in additio them all the pros and cons of any given property. “They make of real estate professional resources to offerattoFenwick’s, your clients. Your agents mainly specializing in Prospect, South sur personalized client care knowledge. across the leading online listing platforms and the decision but we bring them down and the pathunmatched what should be local suggestions for inspectors, moving companies etc. was a his tremendous Living inAustralia.

Seattle while wife finished onwas educating our clients ao When heroffirst son was in 2002, unique.

It’s important tobest stay in touch withtance my customers so they Although she was always fascin “The piece of advice I got to specialize and done,” Carmela says. Carmela and Alfredo understand that there is born advantage.

We are extremely happy!!

Whenever I talk to anyone that Matthew Lindsay entered the new classes, learning more abo date site.

Regardless of property type, Joe and Bi a lot to learn about the real estate industry, take their envisioned time is in needbeing of buyingcollege, or think selling aof house, I am DEFINITELY sending Sandraso they Juliano me as a constant resource for all their real estate needs in an area, ideally one in which youidea live,”ofheworking says. He in hasrealano by the e to their clients what to expect. “A lot of people aren’t them to you.” property management business, managtheover market.”

They of then are fru we a them stay-at-home mom after severalfor whatever stage of2000 lifemarketing they are in in.”

Joeexplaining and Billie have lived in theas we Tri-Lakes region the last their approach to the home athishand, sold over homes the suburb thedid course knowledgeable about it, so we educate as much can. We Heidi Powell herself – and ing large,career, multi-family All the what to expect. intheir Corporate with and Alfredo look towards the future, their with a total of 72 homes, he’s sold introduce them to mortgage specialists, inspectors, lawyers, movers America and they inbuildings. ahave street and thirty-three years and years base home onAs Carmela Table Rock Lake. process is tailormade to –optimize each listing’s clients a great service by waitim and anyone else that they could benefit from.” set onShe openingwhile up a satellite office in York Region andday, anotherhe would he hoped that, one crazy hours and frequentsights travel.

With buyers, Sandra enjoys getting to know unique needs. more than half of them.

“We’re verypeople’s committed to our local mo one in Toronto.

But nobusiness matter how much they grow, their love for As When a husband-and-wife team, they spearhead their own his very own skyscraper.

Afterhousing years With marketing MattheT launch this phase oflistings, her career. feltmarketing compelled to they leave this herbusiness role will as remain “Itheeducate on price values and the communiit comes to staying in touch and themselves, same.

“Wethem love waking up and point, doing90-95 community.”

Around percent of his business is based wit send out statistics to their service and online let neighbors know to what we do.the Bringing people happiness us give feel good.” of looking at makes realTo estate deals andJoe wantthemselves.

“I she highly recomme under the banner of region, Lake Time Realty.

Over course of back, and Billie support their profess VP of advertising at Citibank ties.

We discuss timing and I guide them on negotiations,” says. because in the years prior to Pro ea off referrals and repeat business.

MATTHEW LINDSAY SANDRA JULIANO ing“We to learn more, Matthew transitioned tothe identify things that need POWELL to be aof full time mom. But as much workHEIDI together.

I am their resource. seek out my expe-may their combined thirty years experience, they have cultivated nity by participating inThey region’s Chamber of said her license, Heidi learned the ind real and estate salesthe upon moving back an idea of whatis might pop up o as she cherished the opportunity, into highest levels ofcommitted service.

A to move a in huge “Theexpect main is we are ethics real did a business driven almost exclusively by repeat and rience referral theirthing remaining free hours beyond the office, th from the ground up by workin staying home was much different to investment Alaska withboth his wife. tion.” a walk-through financially and emotionally.”

ForFollowing both buyers and estate,” he says.

“It’s the number one most important thing. out clientele, with a niche in working with lakefront property quality time spent with their family and loved development for contractors andmy architects. ea than she expected. “It was a huge sellers, business and depersonalizing, so the“Ihom advocate clients, Iftherefore, we mess“it’s up about in anybecoming way, we an will make itfor up.” One way shift thatsecond I was nothomes. fully prepared for. In hindsight, I suppose still 1985, and “We’ve been on the laketo Isince on the lake with their children and grandchildren Eight years prior getting into realso estate, Matthew was adegree wildof things effort to make sure thePittsb hom my Communication from the University of understanding all their needs and matching up so we can they do this is by guaranteeing a minimum selling price. If Du needed a ‘career’ the family. needed balance.” firefighter for the stateisofreach Though personally rewarding go aalong longlook way! often hardfr to we know theoutside area of very well,”Iland Joe says.

“Our lake aAlaska.

Corps out on that a10motorcycle ride the area’s many the enddon’t goal.” and for about years I was able atIt’s real estate they get minimum price, thentothey don’t charge tici work, upward mobility was slow-going. “I was managing a couple ing in the home day after day.” of Engineers lake, youoptions, have she to knowacross the channels and the As for future, Joeand and Billie tothe keepabith development, architecture construction perspective, their clients for the their work. Peter and his team intend also take During her search for new so career of firecame crews and athe lotidea of different he says. “I loved my photographer does her magic. “ Sandraresources,” has won and support of peers,“We attorneys, time togrowth getthetorespect know their buyers andher sellers. tend toexperi For more information about says.

This view, combined with her prior sales regarding docks, and Army Corp lines.

There’s mindful and steady, with a focus on m of processes real estate and discoveredslips, that the industry shared some aspects job, but the only way to movelenders, up wasinspectors if someone retired or passed of the two of us,” says and corporate relocation specialists.

Much of Matthew sell most ofpositioned our properties by appointment only. real We have a sale For with work had done earlier in her career.

“Many ago,topersonally Carmela DiGenova – Sales Representative perfectly Heidi for residential estate a lot of she specialized knowledge here when itmoons comes shoreline personalized, boutique-style customer care thei away.”

Wanting to develop and professionally, he entered to make our homes stand in her newqualifying business comes from these sources asand personal referrals. out process that is unheard of, the relationships can and before&my transition to digital marketing, I worked in corpoAlfredo DiGenova – Broker Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist, real/you estate sales, joining a from teamRecognized nearly two as years ago.toHowever, MatThen comes online marketing, fr management, and it’s experience can only get living come expect.

In the next few years, there is a leading producer in her field, she is top 10 in we have withwith our buyers isteam. built on campaigns integrity and trust, which with nesa rate relocations for large organizations, moving employees around thew quickly discovered thatvisit he could grow faster hisnatural own to partnership call 416-658-8888, email info@therealtygroup.com, or THEREALTYGROUP.com her own town and has won top awards such as Chairman’s Circle “It was a very transition,” says Heidi, who to and working here for as long as we have.” tial to add like-minded team members to their the world. I facilitated the move for employees and their families, allows thesouth-central buyers to feelAlaska, comfortable.”

When they first meet ach His business, Precision Home Group, serves ® ideal buyer for each property. theoff topbetween 2% ofminutes Realtors , and sheher is their achildren ZILLOW years careers until wereofco ob including cost-of-living differentials in their new country, helping which represents afew client, they spend 30full-time with them discussing their now, they are content to expand lakeside primarily around Anchorage,Top and Agent includes four agents, a asTopaAgent results of her numerous outstanding customer them navigate international schools, housing options, property Copyright Magazine preschool.

“I figured I’d start in real estate and just w 35) HOW TO OVERCOME When it comes to their workingtransaction style, Joe and Billie inti-marketing homeowner coordinator andwork a full-time person. at a time. Looking to take his business m management, etc.” she says. “Real estate was a perfect segue, and I service reviews. little bit at first, while my kids werethelittle,” she remem to raise bar in marketing, se mately alongside clients as they identify the property that’s could do it rightFEARS in my own town.”

YOUR WORKPLACE “The most important thing we do is provide information,” says Matmeantime, however, he remain “But after being in this business for about a minute-a rightwith in the community where she raises her ideal for them and their goals—from custom-built Because secondshe works Finally, decades of experience at hand a ripe aboutbuilt promoting our sales or anyone profits.

Ifthe you look atstaying mythere’s having recently partneredabou with half, can seeconsiders nothing part-time Sandra enjoys ease ofthat in touch with her clients Licensed before hergated son was athew. year “It’s old, not Sandra a family, homesinin2003 a nearby community, aI do$700,000 estate Joe Cockrell what he enjoys most abou media,to all isCT, educate whether they’re buying, sellAnchorage tothecreate the nonprof career across the close-knit communitiessocial of Fairfield County, bypeople, running into them while out and about, whether at grocery From an NextHome“IDynamic in Freeport, Pen with expansive lake views. All the while, Joe and Billie apply love the brokerage lake and our life here,” he getting into investments, whatever it is.” Aagent. great number of soccer his part initiative. want feed, which are within commuting distance ofing, Manhattan.

Her referral or store, PTA meetings or on the kids’ fields.

“NoArmstrong, oneWe is just a to vania, she has become an expert across Allegh clients hire him after having followed and engaged with his content. homeless or at-risk youth and pe first-hand, expertevery insight they their clients’ buying helping find the property they’re looking business has increased yearas since shefacilitate entered real estate.

“I client; ultimately, they’repeople all my neighbors!”

Westmoreland counties.

They Matthew they’re readyenvironment to explore and their Butler options. on fres provide full-service representation,” says. remember “With sellers, I offer or selling experiences.

“Oursheknowledge really setswhen us apart,” to be part of,their andfeet.” the Starting people with we wo “And, Ihome continue to educate them while we’re workingunique together.” in the nonprofit, people first fe a robust suite of marketing services to get their featured and She values the lifestyle to the quaint, historic Connecticut Joe says. “Our lake has hundreds of miles of shoreline, and excited to get down here to the lake, findmock-in the h webroker/owner feed them and hold sold quickly; and with a buyer, it’s all about educating them on the towns so Heidi independently as of a broke easilyworks accessible to Manhattan. Her family is everything there are a variety of property types out there.

That’s why it’s and take part in our community.”

Through communication, active transactions and ing and sales training,” he says. ® town, communities, neighborhoods, price points, etc.” more information about Peter Fenwic her during and, aFor REALTOR , sheother is a true ambassador for the that asincludes several amazingly skilled, indepen Top Agent Magazine isregular seen bytocommunities Real Estate Agents long after, Matthew remains connected with people.

“We follow-up for workers come onsite to mee she serves. email info@fenwicks.com.au, karen@fenw agents.

Sheand draws her back business r With over 85% of buyers starting their home search online, Sandra through social media, phone calls, texts, email, directnearly mail.” 90% get of people into thefrom workfo and in every U.S. city and Internationally! clients and referrals, mostly due to her knowledge, ho has createdBrokers a dynamic marketing plan People that replicates the buyer appreciate how engaged and direct the members of Precision endeavor for Matthew, whose l experience. “If I’m the buyer, how am Home I looking for are. a property, Group “We’re highly responsive and put great impor- “Iand families build in stable futures and commitment to clients. don’t believe telling pe whether it’s a $200,000 condo or a $2 million estate?” She employs what they want to hear. I tell them what they need to h professional photography, aerial images and interactive floorplans, Her transparency builds mutual trust while expediting t she monitors traffic to the property and online views, tweaking actions. “I put it all out there so that people understan each listing to ensure it is presented in its best way possible and Please contact mag@topagentmagazine.com stays “fresh” online.

“I also hire a professional copywriter to paint facts and the comparables,” Heidi says. “I am confide a detailed experience for the buyer so that they feel compelled to what I present. My clients and prospects know that the preview the property in person.” or call 888-461-3930 for ad rates and information. estate value is backed up by statistics.”

HEIDI POWELL

www.

REALTOR Vendors and Real Estate Companies— Get Nationwide & International exposure!

She finds that social media has become increasingly impactful. “I stay in touch with clients past and present as well as speaking to the next generation of buyers through informative posts. Everyone email Joe@LakeTimeRealty.com, is interested in real estate in some shape or form, whether it’s Top Agent Magazine just wanting to keep up with their neighborhoods market values or considering upsizing due to a growing family. We’ve seen an

To learn more about Buyers and Joe sellers Cockrell know that, with Heidi, they are part To learn more about Sandra Juliano,

group effort to meet their needs. real estate LakeTimeRealty.com, or“For callme,(417) 880i visitvisit bhhsneproperties.com/real-estate-agent/ 3 www.

about the houses or the commission,” she explains. “Pe www.

850/sandra-juliano or go to her Matthew Facebook page, To learn more about commonly misunderstand what we do. RealLindsay, estate isn’t g email sandrajuliano@bhhsne.com

CONNECT BEYOND

REAL ESTATE

to Attract Future Clients What kind of content are you sharing on your blog, website, and social media? Does most of it have something to do with buying or selling a home? While sharing the latest market information or tips on how to qualify for a mortgage, or when someone should buy or sell is important and demonstrates your value as a REALTOR®, it shouldn’t be the only subject you cover. If you only focus on real estate, you’ll be missing the chance to connect with future clients that might not be ready to move just yet. By sharing a lot

of industry-heavy content, you are only going to appeal to those who are currently in the market rather than a broad base of potential clients.

To pull in those other future clients you want to provide fresh, interesting content that will appeal to those possible future clients that aren’t quite ready to move yet. However, you also want to still tie this content back into your business goals.

So, how do you share content that will speak to a wider audience, but also still be relevant to your business?

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Talk About Your Philanthropic Activities

The philanthropic work you do to support your community says a great deal about who you are as a person. Many people will be attracted to working with you because of the charitable works you are involved with. While you may be hesitant to share these efforts because you feel it may come across as bragging, you also need to remember that sharing information about the charitable organizations you support will actually help those organizations. Many of them have small marketing budgets, so any free exposure you can give them helps to promote their cause.

In fact, they want and need you to promote them.

And you can promote them without coming across as a braggart. Focus your content entirely on the organization. Talk about why you support them, how they help the community, and how others can also get involved. This turns what could have been bragging into something that benefits everyone. n

Your Local Community

We humans are connected to each other through our community – our local sports teams, parks, churches, schools, and much more. What better way is there to connect with people in your community than to talk about your community? Demonstrate that you are an expert on your community, and bring that community to your followers. Share information about a local event; perhaps even share the actual event through live-stream video. Interview city officials to get the low-down on the latest development project. Share information with your followers about things they didn’t know about their community. Consult with local historians or the historical society to share interesting information about your community that your followers will want to read. You could even turn it into a series of podcasts or videos. n

Use Your Creativity to Connect

Find creative ways to engage your followers on the topic of real estate. Try engaging your followers in an interactive project such as posting photos of interesting front doors. Doors are the entry point into our homes as well as our private lives. The way we adorn our front door can give someone a sense of our style and personality. Ask followers to submit photos and choose one to post each Friday. Make sure to watermark each photo with your logo at the bottom and include an inspirational quote that ties back to the importance of home. You could also ask your followers to provide a little story or caption to go along with the photo that tells something about them and their home. These kinds of projects are interesting and unique, and clearly connect back to your business. n

Share Your Hobbies

Are you an adrenalin junkie who has bungee jumped from some of the tallest bridges in the world? Are you a foodie that grows your own organic vegetables and fruit? Do you have a Top Agent Magazine

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secret passion for photography? Everyone has hobbies that they enjoy outside of work. When you look past the surface people become quite interesting. People also happen to find interesting people interesting, and tend to remember people based on their distinctive traits. We humans love discovering a person’s behind the scenes story, the mind behind the face. While you don’t want to talk too much about yourself, sharing pieces of your personal life and things that interest you can be a great way to connect with followers. By sharing interesting facts about your life, you will find that many followers will feel a strong, personal connection to you based on your hobbies and personal interests. n

Divulge Interesting Experiences

This is somewhat similar to the idea of sharing your hobbies. Sharing some of your more interesting personal experiences such as a fateful conversation with a stranger or an exciting adventure you had while in another country can be a great way to connect with followers as long as it also relates to some kind of life or business lesson. Talk about experiences you’ve had with clients or purchasing your own home. Experiences that relate to your business are great ways to connect with future clients in a manner that goes beyond the world of business. n

What and Who Inspires You

No matter what you’ve chosen to spend your life doing, you didn’t get there alone. You may have had a mentor that made a special impact on your life or someone already in the business that you looked up to and who perhaps inspired you to get into real estate. You may have found inspiration through a love of architecture or design. People want to know why others do the things they do. Sharing who or what influences you in your personal and business life is a great way to connect with followers. Recognizing that you didn’t get to where you are now by yourself shows humility, and talking about those people that had an influence on you shows others that you stay connected to the world and people around you.

Connecting with potential clients is something that is essential to any REALTOR’S® business. If you’re doing the work to create interesting blog posts and make those connections, you want to make sure that you’re sharing the right kind of content to draw in those future clients. It takes a lot more than simply providing the latest market news. To get the most out of what you share, you need to provide a wide array of interesting content

that will draw in a broad range of followers.

Providing the right kind of content can make all the difference when it comes to connecting with future clients and building the right kind of relationship with them right from the start. Connecting through your website or social media and sharing more than just real estate advice will help you build confidence and trust with future clients before you even meet them.

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Joe Pavich Jr. Top Agent Magazine

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Servicing buyers and sellers across the southwest Florida region, Joe Pavich Jr. is an industry leader with the highest sales in the world by Realty World International.

JOE PAVICH JR. Back in the late 1990s, Joe Pavich Jr. was in the midst of a career with Enterprise Rent-A-Car. He’d always been interested in real estate, but until then he had never considered the possibility of becoming an agent. He knew he wanted a job that would allow him to be his own boss, affording him limitless potential and creativity. That’s when he realized how perfectly his skillset in client care with Enterprise would transition to the world of real estate. Inspired by the challenge of a new professional path, Joe earned his license 8 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

and hit the ground running as a full-time agent in 2001. In his first month, he sold three homes— an early indicator of the many successes still to come. Now, seventeen years later, Joe is an industry leader with the highest sales in the world by Realty World International and has received the Chairman Award for highest sales in the World six years in a row in a company nearing 1000 offices across the nation. Joe is a leader, with a reputation defined by knowledge, integrity, and trust, plus a personal touch. To date, he has personally sold more than $600,000,000 in real estate in southwest Florida’s competitive marketplace.

Joe services buyers and sellers across the southwest Florida region. There, he works with the full-time support of a dynamic staff that includes Top Agent Magazine

Executive Administrative Assistant Teresa Thullen, and two assistants, Caroline Bennett and Julie Ciaramitaro. “I have an incredibly talented staff that really focuses on supporting our clients,” Joe says. “We have a seamless process in place, and when I receive a call from a potential client, they meet with me directly. I’m able to handle a high volume of business because I am able to delegate duties to my staff who genuinely cares and we’re able to work closely together to support our clients.” Beyond his collaborative approach, Joe cites industry knowledge and forthright communication as some of the core tenets of his working style. “I listen to my clients,” Joe says. “Whether I’m working with a buyer or a seller, I focus foremost on what my clients’ needs and goals are. I always look at the transaction from their perspective. I always put their needs first and I never sell something to a client that I don’t believe in.” All told, Joe has managed to drive roughly 80% of Top Agent Magazine

his business through repeat and referral clientele alone—a testament to the lasting relationships he nurtures along the way. “We were the first real estate office in Estero, founded by my father in 1997. Mainly, what sets me apart is my branding, time in the market, referral base, and our high level of experience,” Joe says. “I am able to sell a home faster and for more money. We have a great team here and when people work with us, they realize we create a very stress-free process where things progress smoothly. We have three full-time assistants on-call 24/7, so we’re always reachable with immediate responses to whatever questions a client might have. We’re a very hands-on office and that gives our clients a strong sense of confidence as they go through the process.”

When embarking upon the house-hunting process, Joe applies his in-depth local knowledge to ensure buyers benefit from a comprehensive overview of Copyright Top Agent Magazine 9

each locality. “I know every single community in and out,” he says. “When I meet with my clients, I consider what type of pricing and lifestyle they’re looking for, down to the detail—from whether they play golf or want a pool, to whether they’re looking for a single-story home or otherwise. When listing with clients, we discuss their timeline and get all the information necessary to time their transition properly.” In fact, from buyers to sellers, countless clients have shared their winning experiences alongside Joe. One client who sold his house with Joe in May 2018 had this to say about his experience: “I was very impressed with Joe and his team during the process of selling our home. His market insight, strong work ethic, and strong investment in marketing our home resulted in an offer after only twelve days. Joe was always available to answer our questions, and update us on any and all developments. Joe’s marketing is simply incred10Copyright Top Agent Magazine

ible, I had my home listed with another agent for one year and Joe sold it in one week. I would highly recommend Joe to anyone looking to sell or buy a home in Southwest Florida.” On the buyer’s side of the closing table, another of Joe’s clients remembered him for his detail-oriented service and above and beyond delivery: “As out-of-state buyers, Joe and his team provided incredibly invaluable local assistance with our second home buying process. He and his team went above and beyond in providing real estate broker assistance.

They guided my wife and I through the entire buying process: finding suitable sites, selecting our best choices, financing options, closing process, and even provided incredibly helpful post-closing assistance, like transferring utilities and providing us with an exhaustive list of local service providers. They really made a difficult process pain-free, relaxing, and enjoyable! Joe is top on my list!”

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Joe’s approach to marketing is similarly detailed and includes a variety of cutting-edge tools that showcase listings in their finest light. Beginning with a home assessment to ensure homes are market-ready, Joe then leverages professional photography, drone video, and 3D Matterport tours to ensure listing presentations are both high-quality and immersive. From there, exposure across the leading online listing platforms and social media, through video postcards, and on Joe’s highly-trafficked website ensure online visitors are courted Top Agent Magazine

in style. Whether customizing marketing materials for television, smartphones, magazines, or otherwise, Joe’s approach is comprehensive and attuned to detail.

In the community, Joe gives back through a variety of local and regional charities and organizations, including sponsorships for Super Kids, New Horizons, the Florida Stingrays, Alico Family Golf, the Literacy Council, Golisano Children’s Hospital, Southwest Florida Family Businesses, and the Copyright Top Agent Magazine11

American Heart Association’s Circle of Red. When he finds spare time beyond the office, Joe most enjoys time spent with his family and loved ones— his wife, Jenn, and their children Joey, Juliana, and Jacob. He also enjoys Florida’s idyllic outdoors and staying active.

Finally, with nearly two decades of superlative service under his belt, Joe Pavich Jr. considers what he values most about his chosen path. “Every day is different and that keeps things fun and challeng-

ing. It’s so rewarding to meet a buyer or seller’s timing on a transaction to make it as seamless as possible. A lot goes on behind the scenes, and we take our roles seriously,” he says. “Beyond that, it’s incredibly rewarding to build lasting relationships with my clients. People continue to come back to me and work with me because they trust my team and me, and know that I will get the job done. It’s so rewarding that my clients rely on me to help make a milestone decision like buying or selling a home.”

To learn more about Joe Pavich Jr., email pavich123@gmail.com, visit joepavichjr.com, call (239) 910 - 0304, or visit https://property.mibor.com/profile/35331 his Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram www.

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The Daily Schedule

of a Successful Real Estate Agent Everything you do should be intentional. A busy schedule isn’t the same thing as a productive schedule. Sometimes people write things like “find clients” on their to-do list, but finding clients isn’t actually a task. It’s a goal. Your daily schedule should be created with your goal in mind if you want to be a successful real estate agent, but a goal is too broad to add to your calendar.

Instead, you can break your goal down into projects, break those projects down into tasks, and schedule time in your calendar to complete each task. You’ll find that some of these projects will have an immediate impact on your business, and that those are the tasks that should be completed first.

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The fact is that as a real estate agent you can set your own schedule—if you’re not productive until 10am, then you don’t have to start your day until then. But having a daily schedule means that every day you have a running start on all those other agents who just “wing it.”

You don’t want to feel burned out and busy but like you’re simultaneously not getting a whole lot done. You can only keep up 70+ hour weeks for so long before your body breaks down and both your performance and income drop as a result.

Since every real estate agent’s operating hours look different, the following daily schedule is broken up by the suggested amount of hours you

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should spend on each task rather than specific times of day. However, certain tasks, like prospecting, appointments, and listing presentations should be performed at times when it’s most convenient for clients. If you’re an agent who likes to end their workday at 5 o’clock, remember that this is also the same time your clients are likely ending their day, meaning you might be unavailable for showings during the only time their schedule allows.

3.5 hours – This is that time of day that you should schedule all your appointments and listing presentations. If you are a newer agent, you might use this time instead to do more prospecting and appointment setting.

1 hour – Spend this time waking up, exercising either at home or at the gym, and eating breakfast.

2 hours – Now it’s time to unwind. Use this time to have dinner and spend time with you family. If you have children, this is usually the time of day when they are wrapping up homework assignments and getting ready for bed.

It’s important that you make time for these moments the same way you make time for your work.

2 hours – Use this time before you head to the office to develop a morning routine, if you haven’t already. You can meditate, journal, practice affirmations, or read personal development books to prepare for the day ahead.

1 hour – Once you’re at the office, spend this time to review the day’s schedule, catch up with your assistant or other colleagues, and check the latest industry news. This is also the time of day that you can role play to prepare for appointments.

1.5 hours – Spend this time prospecting and appointment setting.

1 hour – Now it’s time for a lunch break. If you’re a multitasker, you can also use this time to prepare for the afternoon and any meetings you have scheduled or connect with followers on social media.

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.5 hours – Look over the day’s schedule again and ensure you’ve checked every task off your to-do list. While you’re at it, be sure to review tomorrow’s schedule and goals too.

2 hours – Spend these last couple hours before you fall asleep to have quality time with your spouse or perform your self-care routines.

8 hours – Now it’s time for sleep—getting a full night’s rest is crucial if you want every day to be productive.

As you can tell, there’s still some wiggle room left in this schedule, but the important thing is to block out time every day so you can achieve your goals and help your clients.

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Sylwia Chliborob Top Agent Magazine

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SYLWIA CHLIBOROB How did Sylwia Chliborob become known as one of the most positive and dedicated real estate agents in Northwest Chicago? After graduating from DePaul University with a degree in Finance, Sylwia Chliborob started in the industry as a real estate paralegal sixteen years ago. She soon fell in love with the business and became licensed as an agent. In her first year in the business, she sold 22 properties.

“I enjoy being outside with people, showing houses, and going to listing appointments,” she says. She’s an expert at staging listings, creating a thorough marketing plan, selling homes and closing deals. “This is what really makes me feel fulfilled and I think I’m a workaholic too!” she says with her characteristic smile. Sylwia currently works as a solo agent with Century 21.

While she primarily serves Chicago Northwest, she’s happy to travel further afield for a good, loyal client.

Sylwia also uses virtual staging. After working with Sylwia, her clients remember her full commitment to them and her positive attitude throughout the entire transaction. “Positivity can work magic!” she says. They also appreciate her availability and quick response to questions.

What’s Sylwia’s favorite part of the job? “I like the marketing part of the business and getting everyone to the closing table! I find it very rewarding when my clients are happy. A client a few years ago called me her angel—I’ll never forget that.” To give back, Sylwia—who is an animal lover—donates a percentage of each commission to the Anti-Cruelty Society in downtown Chicago. She also gives generously to Canine Rescue. In her cherished free time, Sylwia adores spending time with her toddler son and swimming. Her ultimate goal is for her business to be 100% referral every year. She’d also love to branch out into commercial real estate. With her dedication to her clients and her positivity, she’s sure to make those dreams come true!

Many years, 100% of her clients come from repeat and referral clients. What keeps her clients coming back and eager to spread the word about Sylwia among their friends and family? “Most people find me to be a cheerful and positive person!” she says.

“My clients know I am very committed to them and I treat each transaction very seriously, as if it was my own.” Her clients also rave about her honesty and her willingness to tell them the truth, not just what they want to hear. She tries to teach her clients to be objective throughout the process. Sylwia does foreclosure work as well. “Banks value my work ethic and they keep giving me listing assignments, which I appreciate,” she says. To stay in touch with past clients, Sylwia reaches out via social media and sends emails full of helpful information. She creates her own personalized cards that she mails to her clients every couple of months. “People really enjoy my cards because I create them myself. They are very personal and unique.”

When it comes to marketing listings, Sylwia is renowned for her thorough and effective 21-step marketing plan. “Some of the most important steps are staging, high quality professional photos, a YouTube video of the house, a unique property website for each listing, open houses, neighborhood calls, door knocking in the area, and social media advertising on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn,” Sylwia explains. She understands that most buyers start their search online, so she hires a professional photographer who takes gorgeous shots of each listing, including a drone photo of the home and a twilight image. “The photos are beautiful!” she says. “I really believe my photographer is one of the best in Illinois.” Sometimes 16

To find out more about Sylwia Chliborob, email sylwiachliborob@hotmail.com, call 847 - 845 - 8382, or visit her online at BrokerSylvia.com www.

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4 Ways to Win the Battle Against Procrastination One of the most common professional afflictions is procrastination. The funny thing is, everyone knows that procrastination is negative—it’s a waste of time, a creator of stress, and is entirely a problem of our own making.

Still, knowing all of this doesn’t necessarily decrease our odds of procrastination. There are plenty of explanations we give when putting Top Agent Magazine

work off until the last minute. Perhaps you convince yourself that you work best under pressure, but it’s truer that you’re used to working under pressure by necessity. Maybe you’re a perfectionist and the fear of getting it all wrong puts you off from the task. Whatever the justification may be, overcoming procrastination requires some willpower and technique. With

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that in mind, take a look at a few tricks below to jumpstart your motivation and nix the lastminute time crunch. After all, you owe it to yourself and your business to operate like a procrastination-free professional.

1. Make Your Intentions Known As realtors and mortgage professionals, you may serve as your own boss. So, when the time comes to complete a task and you put it off—perhaps you’re only disappointing yourself. This is easily remedied by making a new promise to try again tomorrow. On the other hand, it’s much harder to break promises and commitments to others. Try verbalizing your intent and commitment to your team, or to an assistant who can hold you accountable, or better yet—to a business partner or to a client.

Make a hard deadline public and you’re likely to perform for fear of embarrassment or losing face. In a way, this puts the pressure of expectation on you, instead of the pressure of the ticking clock.

2. Take a Baby Step When tasks pile up, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. If you’ve got a number of items on your to-do list, including some heavy hitters that require a lot of attention and time, begin by taking on something simple. Identify an easily completed job that needs attention and put it first in your queue. Duties that are straightforward and aren’t time-intensive can lead you to the rest of your to-do list, fueling you with the satisfaction of a task already complete. Even if it’s as small as returning e-mails, or dropping off your dry-cleaning, one simple thing off your 18

list can inspire you to continue on to the next item in the spirit of productivity.

3. Work in Windows If work is the last thing you want to do and you can’t seem to self-motivate, make a compromise with yourself. Agree to work just fifteen minutes, and mean it. This tiny window of time is easy enough to complete, isn’t overwhelming, and you’ve already agreed to move on once time is up. The truth? Odds are that just fifteen minutes of active work will inspire you to keep going. After all, the most difficult part of procrastination is getting started. By putting in those fifteen minutes, you’ll trick yourself into diving into the action.

4. Switch Up Your Environment If you’re stuck in rut when it comes to procrastination and productivity, try changing your surroundings. If the office feels stale and stressful, take your work to the nearest coffee shop and try to tackle your tasks there. Perhaps the quiet, studious ambiance of a library can make you focus, or a picnic table outside the office can stimulate the senses. Sometimes changing your scenery can breathe new life into your routine and give you the extra push you need to get work done.

There’s no one way to overcome procrastination.

In fact, it’s likely a lifelong process of building discipline, finding techniques that work for you, and simply prioritizing your time more effectively. Don’t lose hope—remember these tricks and winning the war will be possible, even if you lose a few battles along the way.

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Pedro Mota

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PEDRO MOTA For Pedro Mota the best thing about real estate is a smile on a face. “When I see that smile on the face of the people that when they first get into their new home,” he says. “Most of my clients are first time buyers, and it’s very rewarding to see them get something they can call home, and to be happy with it.”

just chasing me forever to come in and do something different,” Pedro explains. “He just kept telling me it was something I would be good at.”

He gets a lot of smiles; Pedro estimates that most of his business comes from referrals, even though he’s only been a Realtor® for three years. His secret? “I’m just a people person,” he says. “Basically I do anything I can for my clients. I’m there 24/7 for them, and I like to go above and beyond for them. I like to help them find exactly what they’re looking for.”

When he’s not getting new homeowners into their dream homes, Pedro likes to spend his time quietly. “I go fishing,” he says. “I just love it! I love it because it’s a relaxing, quiet time.”

That people-driven personality is what got Pedro into being a Realtor® in the first place. He has been involved in the construction side of real estate for a while, but a friend saw potential in him. “This friend of mine was

And he was right. Today Pedro is a top Realtor® in Essex and Union Counties, specializing in first time home buyers. “I am very easy to work with,” Pedro says proudly.

“And anything that comes up - I don’t stop until I figure out what I need to do to fix it. My time is very limited, but my clients deserve the best.”

He doesn’t have a lot of quiet time in his future, as Pedro has big plans. “I want to continue to grow personally, but I also want to grow as a group,” he says. “Right now I work solo, but my intentions and my goals are to create a great group of people that have the same ideas as I do, work the same way that I do, to serve clients as well as I try to do.”

To find out more about Pedro Mota, visit facebook.com/pedromotarealtor, call him at 973-462-6440 or email mota.ritechoice@gmail.com. www.

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8

Things Successful People Never Do

There always seems to be people around you who find success with ease, but trust me, that is NOT the case. Although luck can often times play a role in someone’s success, most of the time it’s due to hard work and avoiding bad habits.

The best way to find your own success is to implement some of qualities you see in people you admire into your own life. The hard work part is still up to you, but by shifting your perspective a bit, and NOT doing some of the following

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things, that success might happen a little quicker.

1

DON’T JUST WING IT

Successful people plan everything. Not only do they have yearly goals, but weekly and sometimes daily ones as well. By giving your time a purpose, and a clearly defined goal, you’ll eliminate the time you spend haphazardly doing things that might not be a priority. It will also make you feel less scattered, which is always a good thing.

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2

THEY DON’T TAKE ON MORE THAN THEY CAN ACHIEVE

Successful people take on what they can do well, and no more. That all starts with a daily ‘do to’ list. They always make sure their list is manageable and then they don’t sleep until that list is completed. If you find yourself not finishing your list, assess whether it was too much or if you slacked off. You’ll be surprised at the feeling of accomplishment you feel when you finish your list. Not finishing will bring you down, so make sure you aren’t biting off more than you can chew.

3

THEY DON’T WORK HARDER, THEY WORK SMARTER

Yes, having a strong work ethic is key, but that doesn’t mean you should waste time on things that will have less of an impact on your success. Focus on the things that will give you the most bang for your buck. Better to spend the majority of your time there, than spread yourself thin on numerous tasks.

4

THEY DON’T TRY TO PLEASE EVERYONE

This might seem like a bad call in business, but successful people know when to cut your loses and move forward. Anything or anyone, that frustration into your life, is never a good thing.

5

REPEAT THE SAME MISTAKES

Similar to not trying to please everyone, successful people are also diligent about accepting when something isn’t working 22

and moving on from mistakes. Yes, you learn from them, but don’t repeat them. Part of being innovative is trying new things, that will keep you fresh and energized, but learning how to let go is an equally important part of the equation.

6

GO FOR THE SHORT RUN SOLUTION

Successful people are in it for the long haul and therefore thinking long term. When you have a plan for success and the patience to see it through, while you might have a slow start, you’re establishing a foundation for long term success. Going for the easy fix, usually doesn’t pay off.

7

PAY ATTENTION TO THE NAYSAYERS

Lets face it, we all have people in our lives who might be a little more pessimistic than is healthy to be around. You can’t change them, all you can do is not let them drag you down into their ‘glass half full’ mentality. Have your plans and goals, be confident about them. When you’re insecure, that’s when you’re most vulnerable to those types of people.

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THEY NEVER QUIT

That doesn’t mean letting go of things that aren’t working. It means having an end goal.

Whatever obstacles or challenges come up, you take them on, always with that end goal in sight. Successful people know that adversity and overcoming those challenges, is how you grow, and will ultimately make you a better business person.

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DAVID MACKIE

David Mackie’s real estate story thus far contains as much narrative about service to others through real estate as it does about the refined elegance and class he delivers to Boston’s elite real estate connoisseurs. Having grown up the son of Florence Mackie, a renowned Boston area REALTOR® and broker, David helped his mother with open houses and showings. “But I was also doing affordable housing for the Community Builders in Boston and for a developer that primarily did senior community housing.”

began forging his own unique path to success. For several years following his graduation from University of New Hampshire, and before returning to Boston, David worked in affordable housing with the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority. On returning to Boston, the pull of the familiar – backed by his new experience – made David perhaps the most well-rounded, deeply market-savvy REALTOR® and Broker for Boston’s most exclusive properties.

Clearly, his family legacy helped launch David’s interest and passion for real estate, but it was after college that he

“About 13 hours ago, my mother asked me to become her partner,” David explains. “She had spent her career focusing on high-end properties in Back Bay, Beacon Hill and a little bit in South End.” While partnering with Florence, the two sold properties ranging from $2 million to well over $10 million. “It was great experience learning how to handle those kinds of properties and serve those kinds of clients.”

An independent agent since Florence’s retirement a few years ago, David also serves select suburbs immediately outside Boston, including Brookline, Wellesley and Weston. He earns close to 70% of his business from referrals and repeat clients; they appreciate him for his knowledge, his relaxed, no-pressure attitude and his deep market understanding. “I know when to step in and help a person

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understand when to make the right moves.”

People who want to buy or list property in places like Boston or Wellesley at $2 million, $5 million or more are confident that David understands those markets. He also knows how to market those homes, using professional photography after any staging, plus the best printed materials, syndicated online marketing and social media exposure possible.

Meanwhile, real estate is more about people than homes. David, therefore, has always been grateful for his upbringing. Sure, real estate involves sales, but as a child and a young man, David internalized the “soft skills.” It is nearly second-nature for him to listen, apply patience and instill confidence in others. “People who are buying or selling $4 million properties want to be confident that you’re confident in what you’re doing; that you’re experienced and that you can assure them there aren’t going to be problems.” It’s David’s job, therefore, to be transparent with his clients while also removing the stressful aspects of a transaction from their experience.

For David, the thrill of real estate happens when deals close, even the difficult ones.

Given the price point at which he works, he says, “Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it takes forever, but it feels so good when you’ve accomplished something so important and everyone is happy.” Also making him happy is the potential for growing his business while also enjoying his life as much as possible. He knows that work can’t be everything, no matter how demanding the real estate world may be. David enjoys helping with fundraisers for the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation and is also involved in the Vermont town where his family owns a home. Bike riding, skiing and backpacking are his personal favorite pastimes and he gets takes part in them as often as possible across Massachusetts and Vermont. “Of course, I always have my phone with me,” he admits. The clients he represents deserve his availability, even if the same person calls three times while David is cycling in the woods. “You have to stop and make time to talk with people!”

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To learn more about David Mackie, visit davidmackieproperties.com or facebook.com/david.mackie.562, email David.Mackie@nemoves.com or call 617.480.6044 www.

www.

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5 Steps to Achieve Long Term Success as a Real Estate Agent Real Estate can have a reputation as an industry with a high turnover as far as agents go. Being a ‘people person’ with an entrepreneurial spirit is a great start, but what some fail to realize when starting out is that this is a business.

So if you’re in it for the long haul, you need to treat it that way. Here are some key steps you need to take to have your own successful real estate business.

1

FIND A MENTOR

Once you get your license and hang your sign at a Brokerage, you’ll find that you’re pretty much on your own. That’s why it’s a good idea for new agents to find a large Brokerage that offers in-house training and mentorship or a boutique brokerage that has more seasoned agents who are eager to take a new agent under their wing. Being able to shadow a more experienced agent is invaluable and allows you to mirror what you’ve seen and run through the numerous scenarios that will arise when you are representing a client.

2

CONTINUOUS TRAINING

This is a business that is constantly changing, so it’s smart to always stay ahead of the curve when it comes to new technological innovations and systems. There are even numerous online resources, where you can keep up on your trade, such as blogs by top producing agents that are a treasure trove of information. A confident agent with an in-depth knowledge of the business is one that easily earns the trust of their client, leading to repeat and referral business, which will be the bread and butter of your business.

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3

BUILD A STRONG ONLINE PRESENCE

Yes, referrals are the basis of your business, but building a strong online presence and marketing yourself to new clients is also important, especially before you’ve built up a strong referral base. Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and other social media tools are great way to get leads both for your listings and for yourself. It’s even a good idea to buy several domain names when you start, so that when you’re ready to build a website, you can ensure you have the names you want. Obviously the internet is also a great resource to find leads. Before you find a niche for yourself, it’s important to take advantage of every avenue there is. A lot of successful agents started off doing things no one else wanted to take on like foreclosures, expired listings or lower priced homes. But as you’ll find out, helping those who need it most is a great way to build a loyal client base, that will not only come back to you when they are ready to sell or buy again, but will be your biggest cheerleaders when it comes to referring you to friends and family.

4

BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION

5

SET GOALS

One thing you’ll find in this business is that doing a lot of work up top, will lead to a more successful outcome down the road. That goes for marketing plans for your listings, as well as your business as a whole. It might not be the fun part, but it will allow you to one day focus on what you do best, dealing with your clients. Set up your CRM and the other systems you want to use from the get go. Getting these things established before you’re hopefully a busy agent is the best time to really learn them and decide what’s best for you.

Once you build a strong foundation and are establishing your client base, it’s important to continually set goals that help you implement your business strategy.

You can even invest in a real estate coach if you need someone to hold you accountable. It’s also important to constantly reevaluate what you’re doing. Set up a monthly audit, where you go over what is and what isn’t working. As we mentioned above, this is a fluid business and things are constantly changing, the same can be said of your business. What worked a year ago, might be losing you money as your business grows.

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CLAUDIA MARION

Vivacious, energetic, and armed with a vast arsenal of market knowledge, Top Agent Claudia Marion - of Homes by Claudia Marion powered by Keller Williams The Marketplace in Las Vegas, Nevada – has achieved success through a combination of hard work and a commitment to providing her buyers and sellers with excellent customer service.

Claudia was almost born into the real estate world as the daughter of a construction company owner. “I used to go to work with my father when I was a little girl,” says Claudia, “and I would sit in the model homes and help pass out cookies and hand out floor plans. I really loved it, so when I graduated from high school I got my license and began working in new construction.” Claudia soon found that arena stifling, however. “I wanted to be out there meeting people, instead of waiting for them to come to me,” she explains. More than twenty-five years in, she is still currently one of the most sought-after agents working in the Sin City market.

Nearly the entirety of Claudia’s business is based on repeat and referral clients, a sure sign that she is making her many buyers and sellers happy. “I always make sure they always know the process step-by-step and what’s coming next, so they don’t feel overwhelmed,” 28

says Claudia, when asked to account for the exceptional level of loyalty her customers show her. Claudia also makes sure to sit down with every client for a one-hour consultation to listen to what exactly they are wanting, to achieve their goals. “I also make sure they are making the best decision for them, not the best decision for me.” Claudia has also been known, on occasion, to talk her buyers out of a home. “I will let them know that we might want to take a step back, that perhaps it might not be the best fit for them, and remember what they are looking to achieve. I know that in the end, they appreciate the honesty.”

Expert marketing has also played a large part in Claudia’s continuing success story. Staying abreast of new methods of getting her listings seen is important to her, and to that end she has employed a robust social media presence, which she has found to be incredibly successful. “Most of the views I get on my listings are coming from Facebook,” she explains, “so we do a lot of our marketing on there.” Past clients are also a rich source of potential buyers, Claudia has found. “They’re the ones who are going to have friends who are looking. Also, working with referred clients means there’s already a little bit of trust in place and they will be more open to working with you.”

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When asked what her clients remember most about working with her, Claudia grows pensive for a moment. “One thing I hear from them is that I’m very real,” she says. “With me, what you see is what you get. They know that I’ll always be completely honest with them.” Claudia also points to her availability as another aspect they remember. “Even if I can’t answer the phone, I’m available by text message,” she says.

Despite the financial rewards of her chosen profession, it’s the more personal side of the industry that Claudia finds most rewarding. “What I like most about what I do is that I have the ability to listen to people and to then help them fulfill their dreams. Handing over the keys to their new home is a really fulfilling event for me,” she enthuses.

Giving back is also of paramount importance to Claudia, and to that end she is involved with multiple charitable organizations. As a member of her office’s Agent Leadership Council, she has helped spearhead the annual Keller Williams Cares event that benefits a host of revolving charities. She is most passionate, however, about helping single mothers get back on their feet after a divorce. She also uses her network of contacts to connect them with a lender, and coaches them to prepare them to buy a home again when the time comes.

A single mother, Claudia also expresses great pride and joy in her son, who is currently attending the University of San Francisco. “He is the most important person in my life, and he is my why for working so hard,” she says.

Looking to the future, Claudia’s plan is to possibly form a team again, and to continue growing her business…as long as that growth does not come at the expense of the amazing customer service that has become synonymous with her name.

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For more information about Claudia Marion, please call 702-521-9797 or email homesbyclaudiamarion@gmail.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 29

Are You Doing Business As YOU On Facebook?

Are you ‘Doing Business As YOU’ on your personal Facebook page? In other words, are you posting your business content from your personal page?

Yesterday a REALTOR® asked us, “Why should I bother with a company Facebook page? Can’t I just post everything from my profile page?”

The answer lies in what we call division of content. As you may be aware, social media began as just that… social. It was never truly intended for business use.

Over time, as businesses began to see the potential in reaching the masses in a new way, they began to intrude on this communication. Today, it is widely accepted that business will be conducted on all social platforms, but the manner in which we do so (and in which we are received) is still a touchy subject at times.

We believe it’s important to be transparent on social media. Draw the line between communicating as the Person and the Professional. Not only does this help you keep your content separate and appropriate, it also gives the control to your network of family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances and customers.

They get to decide whether to ‘like’ or ‘follow’ your company page. They get to decide whether they want to see your business related posts. User control is the #1 reason you need a business page if you’re conducting business on Facebook. Wouldn’t you rather have a willing and engaged audience over a forced, potentially reluctant one? We have personally eliminated many of the ‘DBA’ offenders from our news feeds and you have likely done the same.

As in all controversial social media topics, there is some gray area. And that gray area is often subjective, so consider this post food for thought and decide for yourself. We try our best to keep professional content on our business pages, with a couple of exceptions: 1. Philanthropic Promotion: We’re in favor of posting anything that will help an organization in need on both your personal and business pages. Nonprofits often have little to no marketing budget and rely on all of us to promote their good works, so we believe that’s a good line to cross (as long as it’s about the organization, and not you).

2. Recognition Tagging: Facebook does not allow you to tag an individual on your business page. Yes, there are some tricky work-arounds, but they are inconsistent at best. So when it’s truly important for us to recognize and tag an individual, especially someone who has done something nice for us (inviting us as guests on their radio show or podcast, for instance), we will generally post that on the business page first, then share it from our personal pages, along with a comment recognizing and tagging the individual(s) or business who helped us.

Either way (personal or business), remember to be true to the social aspect. Our participation on social media should be about giving, helping, recognizing and connecting…especially when it comes to your business.

Tonya Eberhart is the Branding Agent to Business Stars and founder of BrandFace®, LLC. Michael Carr is America’s Top Selling Real Estate Auctioneer & BrandFace® partner. Together, they focus on personal branding and marketing designed to help real estate professionals become the face of their business & a star in their market. BrandFace® for Real Estate Professionals is a book, professional speaking series and an exclusive workshop for agents, and is currently active in 18 U.S. states, Canada and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.BrandFaceRealEstate.com.

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Laughs!

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JOE COCKRELL After managing their family-owned resort in Missouri, Joe Cockrell was ready for his next challenge. His wife Billie had already been practicing real estate since 2001 when Joe decided to join forces with her twelve years ago. In the time since, Joe and Billie Cockrell have established themselves as premier agents of the greater Table Rock Lake region, complete with a reputation for personalized client care and unmatched local knowledge.

Joe and Billie have lived in the Tri-Lakes region for the last thirty-three years and base their home on Table Rock Lake.

As a husband-and-wife team, they spearhead their business under the banner of Lake Time Realty. Over the course of their combined thirty years of experience, they have cultivated a business driven almost exclusively by repeat and referral clientele, with a niche in working with lakefront property and second homes. “We’ve been on the lake since 1985, so we know the area very well,” Joe says. “Our lake is a Corps of Engineers lake, so you have to know the channels and the processes regarding slips, docks, and Army Corp lines. There’s a lot of specialized knowledge here when it comes to shoreline management, and it’s experience you can only get from living and working here for as long as we have.”

When it comes to their working style, Joe and Billie work intimately alongside clients as they identify the property that’s ideal for them and their goals—from custom-built second homes in a nearby gated community, to a $700,000 estate with expansive lake views. All the while, Joe and Billie apply first-hand, expert insight as they facilitate their clients’ buying or selling experiences. “Our knowledge really sets us apart,” Joe says. “Our lake has hundreds of miles of shoreline, and there are a variety of property types out there. That’s why it’s

important to fully understand what your client is looking for and what you are selling.”

When embarking upon the listing process, Joe and Billie leverage online exposure to reach buyers near and far. Considering Table Rock Lake and the greater Tri-Lake region is a popular vacation and second home destination, they cast a wide digital net to lure prospective buyers. High-quality photography also plays an integral role in giving house-hunters an immersive look at listings on the market, in addition to visibility across the leading online listing platforms and on their up-todate site. Regardless of property type, Joe and Billie customize their marketing approach to the home at hand, ensuring their process is tailormade to optimize each listing’s market debut.

To give back, Joe and Billie support their professional community by participating in the region’s Chamber of Commerce. In their remaining free hours beyond the office, they most enjoy quality time spent with their family and loved ones, boating on the lake with their children and grandchildren, and heading out on a motorcycle ride along the area’s many scenic routes.

As for the future, Joe and Billie intend to keep their business’s growth mindful and steady, with a focus on maintaining the personalized, boutique-style customer care their clients have come to expect. In the next few years, there is also the potential to add like-minded team members to their ranks, but for now, they are content to expand their lakeside community, one homeowner at a time.

Finally, with decades of experience at hand a ripe for reflection, Joe Cockrell considers what he enjoys most about his career as an agent. “I love the lake and our life here,” he says. “I love helping people find the property they’re looking for. Its a fun environment to be part of, and the people we work with are so excited to get down here to the lake, find the home for them, and take part in our community.”

To learn more about Joe Cockrell email Joe@LakeTimeRealty.com, visit LakeTimeRealty.com, or call (417) 880 – 3988 www.

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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 34

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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CARMELA & ALFREDO DIGENOVA Husband and wife team Carmela and Alfredo DiGenova have taken the Ontario real estate market by storm. Alfredo has been in the industry for 13 years, and always encouraged Carmela to join him. “One day, I thought, I’m a people person, I should just get my license,” Carmela explains. She went to school to become an agent, and hasn’t looked back since. “I’ve learned a lot from my husband,” she says. With her background in accounting, and Alfredo’s extensive experience in real estate, they’ve become specialists in their field.

Today, they work with RE/MAX Premier Inc., and their team consists of themselves with one other licensed realtor. Serving the York Region and Toronto, they’ve become a mostly referral-based business.

“We’re very passionate about our clients, we don’t think of them as clients, we think of them as family,” they explain. “The reason we’ve been successful is because we bring something extra to the table. Our view is, when we deal with a client, we put ourselves in their shoes.” If their clients are looking to purchase, they show them all the pros and cons of any given property. “They make the decision but we bring them down the path of what should be done,” Carmela says. Carmela and Alfredo understand that there is a lot to learn about the real estate industry, so they take their time explaining to their clients what to expect. “A lot of people aren’t knowledgeable about it, so we educate them as much as we can. We introduce them to mortgage specialists, inspectors, lawyers, movers and anyone else that they could benefit from.”

When it comes to staying in touch and marketing themselves, they send out statistics to their service region, and let neighbors know to

ask them any questions related to real estate.

“We let them know what is going on in there market-place.” “We advertise in magazines, send out monthly flyers, newsletters and we even have a local street signage giving us 24 hour local branding.”

After the transaction, clients love to leave glowing testimonials about their time together.

One recently said, “We just wanted to extend our personal thanks and appreciation for helping us find our home in the desired location we wanted. You made it your goal to help us find what we were looking for and you were extremely patient, always smiling and willing to help in any possible way. No matter what the obstacle was, you always found a way around it. You were not pushy to get the sale and always looked out for our best interest. You were always available to answer our questions during the evenings, weekend on the phone and via email. Once we decided on the home we wanted to pursue, your outstanding negotiating skills came into play. You went well beyond our expectations in closing this deal. You have a large network of real estate professional resources to offer to your clients. Your suggestions for inspectors, moving companies etc. was a tremendous advantage. We are extremely happy!! Whenever I talk to anyone that is in need of buying or selling a house, I am DEFINITELY sending them to you.”

As Carmela and Alfredo look towards the future, they have their sights set on opening up a satellite office in York Region and another one in Toronto. But no matter how much they grow, their love for this business will remain the same. “We love waking up and doing what we do. Bringing people happiness makes us feel good.”

For more information about Carmela DiGenova – Sales Representative & Alfredo DiGenova – Broker / Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist, call 416-658-8888, email info@therealtygroup.com, or visit THEREALTYGROUP.com www.

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PETER FENWICK Peter Fenwick’s entrance into the real estate industry was serendipitous. He was working for a management consultant specializing in goal setting, stress management, and time management. After being introduced to a real estate company and working with them, he felt a deep connection. “It really clicked,” Peter explains. “So I got my real estate certification and joined the team. That’s how I began in 1980.” Today, he has a team of agents at Fenwick’s, mainly specializing in Prospect, South Australia. “The best piece of advice I got was to specialize in an area, ideally one in which you live,” he says. He has sold over 2000 homes in the suburb over the course of his career, and in a street with a total of 72 homes, he’s sold more than half of them. “We’re very committed to our local community.” Around 90-95 percent of his business is based off referrals and repeat business.

“The main thing is we are committed to ethics in real estate,” he says. “It’s the number one most important thing.

If we mess up in any way, we will make it up.” One way they do this is by guaranteeing a minimum selling price. If they don’t get that minimum price, then they don’t charge their clients for their work. Peter and his team also take the time to get to know their buyers and sellers. “We tend to sell most of our properties by appointment only. We have a qualifying process that is unheard of, and the relationships we have with our buyers is built on integrity and trust, which allows the buyers to feel comfortable.” When they first meet a client, they spend 30 minutes with them discussing their

needs. “It’s the quality of the relationship and the service at the end of the day. A lot of people appreciate the extent to which we support the community.”

Not only do they help their community with their real estate needs, they also sponsor events, contributing a quarter of a million dollars throughout the years. They sponsor Concerts in the Park, which is hosted annually every February. They also sponsor Prospect Community Magazine, the local football club and donate to 25 local and international charities.

With a long and fruitful career in this industry, it is no surprise that many glowing testimonials are written for Peter and his work. One recent review read, “After dealing with another Real Estate Agent and being totally perplexed and frustrated with their performance, switching to Fenwick’s and dealing with Anthony Wenzel proved to be a much more professional experience. It was a pleasure dealing with him – and the whole staff at Fenwicks. Everyone in the Prospect area would be mad to use anyone else.” Another said, “Thank you Peter for everything you and your team did to sell my Grandma’s home. We are so pleased with the outcome – especially as it sold so quickly!”

During any free time, Peter is relaxing with family or practicing transcendental meditation, which he credits for his ability to maintain good health and longevity.

For Peter, this career has been a dream come true, and he can’t imagine doing anything else. “It’s really a people business. I love the interaction with people and helping them achieve their goals of buying or selling. It’s the satisfaction of being able to help people that keeps me going.”

For more information about Peter Fenwick, please call +61 - 402 - 795 - 200 or email info@fenwicks.com.au, karen@fenwicks.com.au, visit fenwicks.com.au www.

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4 Easy Ways to Redecorate Your Office that Will Boost Morale & Impress Clients Your office is a battle-station of sorts. It’s where you field business, launch your communications, and make the magic of your enterprise happen on a daily basis. While you’ll certainly need to have all the functional elements of an office in order to get your work done—desk, chair, internet—have you really considered the physical environment you’ve cultivated in the process? Think of it this way: working all day in a windowless, poorly lit room Top Agent Magazine

wouldn’t exactly inspire productivity or morale, would it?

The fact is humans take all sorts of social, behavioral, and emotional cues from our environments.

And as a real estate professional, you likely already understand the power of the visual and the benefits of making a good impression. With all that in mind, how can you redecorate or retool your

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office space in a way that will boost your mood, productivity, and client relationships? For inspiration, here are a few tips to keep in mind as you consider the ambiance and environment in which you conduct business.

1. A little goes a long way Redecorating your office space doesn’t have to break the bank. Style and décor are often about tiny details adding up to make an overall impression. For instance, paint color, plant life, and lighting are all straightforward ways to rejuvenate a room without spending a fortune. Have dark, drab walls? Consider springing for a lighter, fresher color that will breathe new life into your space. Have bare window sills or empty corners?

Buying and potting a few low-maintenance plants like ferns or succulents can add freshness and pops of color to a sparse room. Rely on fluorescent lighting? Consider sprucing up your space with a few well-chosen floor and table lamps that add accents of taste while warming up the tone in your office. A few intuitively placed items can inspire renewed energy.

2. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle One way to make a big change in your office environment without spending a penny is to declutter and reorder. Let’s say you have rows upon rows of crowded, bulky filing cabinets. Try digitizing your records and cut the clutter, opening up square footage in the process. Maybe your desk has faced the same wall for years. Have you considered rearranging your existing furniture and décor? Just by reorganizing the flow of your workspace, you can give your office the cheapest face-lift possible.

You can also make work areas flow more intuitively, based on the processes and collaboration you’ve adapted to over time.

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3. Think like a client Imagine you’re walking into the office for the first time. As a client, what details would stick out? What red flags would come to mind? While you’re used to working in the same space every day, clients are coming into your office with no set expectations. With that in mind, complete a walkthrough of your office area to address eye sores, clutter, and whatever feels unprofessional or amateur. Half the battle of redecorating your space is finding opportunities and seeing things anew, instead of being content with the status quo.

4. Build out your brand Redecorating your space is about aesthetics, but it’s also about creating a unifying setting for your professional brand. If you’re catering to luxury clientele, it makes sense that your office space should appear elegant, high-end, and sophisticated.

If you’re selling second homes out in the country, perhaps a more rugged but well-curated ambiance would set the right tone for your services. Maybe you’re courting the Millennial market or touting your tech-forward approach to real estate. In that case, a modern, sleek, progressive layout would speak to your company’s values and culture.

Whatever the case may be, think of your office environment as an extension of your brand that communicates with clients, motivates your team, and sets the tone for your day-to-day operations.

Even if decorating isn’t exactly in your wheelhouse, there are plenty of simple and philosophical shifts you can make to your space that will maximize your presence and productivity. What’s more, real estate is a business built on relationships—so it doesn’t hurt to create an office where clients are comfortable and confident in the environment you’ve built.

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SANDRA JULIANO When her first son was born in 2002, Sandra Juliano envisioned being a stay-at-home mom after several years in Corporate America with crazy hours and frequent travel. She felt compelled to leave her role as VP of online advertising at Citibank to be a full time mom. But as much as she cherished the opportunity, staying home was much different than she expected. “It was a huge shift that I was not fully prepared for. In hindsight, I suppose I still needed a ‘career’ outside of the family. I needed balance.”

During her search for new career options, she came across the idea of real estate and discovered that the industry shared some aspects with work she had done earlier in her career. “Many moons ago, and before my transition to digital marketing, I worked in corporate relocations for large organizations, moving employees around the world. I facilitated the move for employees and their families, including cost-of-living differentials in their new country, helping them navigate international schools, housing options, property management, etc.” she says. “Real estate was a perfect segue, and I could do it right in my own town.”

Licensed in 2003 before her son was a year old, Sandra built a career across the close-knit communities of Fairfield County, CT, which are within commuting distance of Manhattan. Her referral business has increased every year since she entered real estate. “I provide full-service representation,” she says. “With sellers, I offer a robust suite of marketing services to get their home featured and sold quickly; and with a buyer, it’s all about educating them on the town, communities, neighborhoods, price points, etc.”

With over 85% of buyers starting their home search online, Sandra has created a dynamic marketing plan that replicates the buyer experience. “If I’m the buyer, how am I looking for a property, whether it’s a $200,000 condo or a $2 million estate?” She employs professional photography, aerial images and interactive floorplans, she monitors traffic to the property and online views, tweaking each listing to ensure it is presented in its best way possible and stays “fresh” online. “I also hire a professional copywriter to paint a detailed experience for the buyer so that they feel compelled to preview the property in person.”

She finds that social media has become increasingly impactful. “I stay in touch with clients past and present as well as speaking to the next generation of buyers through informative posts. Everyone is interested in real estate in some shape or form, whether it’s just wanting to keep up with their neighborhoods market values or considering upsizing due to a growing family. We’ve seen an increase in work from home situation where a homeowner now need more space and a move is necessary. Everyone’s story is Top Agent Magazine

unique. It’s important to stay in touch with my customers so they think of me as a constant resource for all their real estate needs whatever stage of life they are in.”

With buyers, Sandra enjoys getting to know people’s unique needs.

“I educate them on price point, housing values and the communities. We discuss timing and I guide them on negotiations,” she says.

“We work together. I am their resource. They seek out my experience and expect the highest levels of service. A move is a huge investment both financially and emotionally.” For both buyers and sellers, therefore, “it’s about becoming an advocate for my clients, understanding all their needs and matching things up so we can reach the end goal.”

Sandra has won the respect and support of her peers, attorneys, lenders, inspectors and corporate relocation specialists. Much of her new business comes from these sources as personal referrals.

Recognized as a leading producer in her field, she is top 10 in her own town and has won top awards such as Chairman’s Circle which represents the top 2% of Realtors®, and she is a ZILLOW Top Agent as a results of her numerous outstanding customer service reviews.

Because she works right in the community where she raises her family, Sandra enjoys the ease of staying in touch with her clients by running into them while out and about, whether at the grocery store, PTA meetings or on the kids’ soccer fields. “No one is just a client; ultimately, they’re all my neighbors!”

She values the lifestyle unique to the quaint, historic Connecticut towns so easily accessible to Manhattan. Her family is everything to her and, as a REALTOR®, she is a true ambassador for the communities she serves.

To learn more about Sandra Juliano, visit bhhsneproperties.com/real-estate-agent/ 850/sandra-juliano or go to her Facebook page, email sandrajuliano@bhhsne.com or call 203.249.8625 www.

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MATTHEW LINDSAY Living in Seattle while his wife finished college, Matthew Lindsay entered the property management business, managing large, multi-family buildings. All the while he hoped that, one day, he would own his very own skyscraper. After years of looking at real estate deals and wanting to learn more, Matthew transitioned into real estate sales upon moving back to Alaska with his wife.

Eight years prior to getting into real estate, Matthew was a wildland firefighter for the state of Alaska. Though personally rewarding work, upward mobility was slow-going. “I was managing a couple of fire crews and a lot of different resources,” he says. “I loved my job, but the only way to move up was if someone retired or passed away.” Wanting to develop personally and professionally, he entered real estate sales, joining a team nearly two years ago. However, Matthew quickly discovered that he could grow faster with his own team.

His business, Precision Home Group, serves south-central Alaska, primarily around Anchorage, and includes four agents, a full-time transaction coordinator and a full-time marketing person.

“The most important thing we do is provide information,” says Matthew. “It’s not about promoting our sales or profits. If you look at my social media, all I do is educate people, whether they’re buying, selling, getting into investments, or whatever it is.” A great number of his clients hire him after having followed and engaged with his content.

They remember Matthew when they’re ready to explore their options.

“And, I continue to educate them while we’re working together.”

Through regular communication, during active transactions and long after, Matthew remains connected with people. “We follow-up through social media, phone calls, texts, email, and direct mail.”

People appreciate how engaged and direct the members of Precision Home Group are. “We’re highly responsive and put great impor-

tance on educating our clients and ourselves. We’re always taking new classes, learning more about the market and what’s driving the market.” They then are well-equipped to help clients know what to expect.

With marketing listings, Matthew begins by helping clients educate themselves. “I highly recommend they get a pre-listing inspection to identify things that may need repairing; if nothing else, we get an idea of what might pop up on the repair request in the transaction.” Following a walk-through, he advises sellers on decluttering and depersonalizing, so the home is show-ready. “We put in a ton of effort to make sure the home is picture-perfect; little changes go a long way! It’s often hard to see these things when you’re living in the home day after day.” Next, their in-house professional photographer does her magic. “My wife is the artist and marketer of the two of us,” says Matthew. “She has a critical eye for detail to make our homes stand out in photos and walk-through videos.”

Then comes online marketing, from landing pages and social media campaigns to partnership with buy-sell groups and targeting the ideal buyer for each property.

Looking to take his business model national, Matthew continues to raise the bar in marketing, service and educating clients. In the meantime, however, he remains fervently devoted to community, having recently partnered with three other business owners in Anchorage to create the nonprofit, Operation Reborn. “It’s a threepart initiative. We want to feed, groom and empower. We bring in homeless or at-risk youth and people from shelters, helping get them on their feet.” Starting with fresh haircuts from the barber partner in the nonprofit, people first feel better about themselves. “Then we feed them and hold mock-interviews onsite with resume-building and sales training,” he says. Local employers who are looking for workers come onsite to meet the individuals. “At its core, we get people back into the workforce.” It’s a fitting and appropriate endeavor for Matthew, whose life’s work is about helping people and families build stable futures.

To learn more about Matthew Lindsay, visit precisionhomegroup.com/agents/matthew-lindsay or go to his Facebook page, email matthew@precisionhomegroup.com or call 907.302.101

https://www.facebook.com/PrecisionHomeGroup/

www.

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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 42

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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HEIDI POWELL Although she was always fascinated by the idea of working in real estate, Heidi Powell did herself – and her clients – a great service by waiting to launch this phase of her career. That’s because in the years prior to earning her license, Heidi learned the industry from the ground up by working in business development for contractors and architects. “I earned my Communication degree from the University of Pittsburgh and for about 10 years I was able to look at real estate from a development, architecture and construction perspective,” she says. This view, combined with her prior sales experience, perfectly positioned Heidi for residential real estate sales.

“It was a very natural transition,” says Heidi, who took a few years off between careers until her children were out of preschool. “I figured I’d start in real estate and just work a little bit at first, while my kids were little,” she remembers.

“But after being in this business for about a minute-and-ahalf, anyone can see that there’s nothing part-time about it!”

From NextHome Dynamic brokerage in Freeport, Pennsylvania, she has become an expert across Armstrong, Allegheny, Westmoreland and Butler counties.

Heidi works independently as broker/owner of a brokerage that includes several other amazingly skilled, independent agents. She draws nearly 90% of her business from repeat clients and referrals, mostly due to her knowledge, honesty and commitment to clients. “I don’t believe in telling people what they want to hear. I tell them what they need to hear!”

Her transparency builds mutual trust while expediting transactions. “I put it all out there so that people understand the facts and the comparables,” Heidi says. “I am confident in what I present. My clients and prospects know that the real estate value is backed up by statistics.”

Buyers and sellers know that, with Heidi, they are part of a group effort to meet their needs. “For me, real estate is not about the houses or the commission,” she explains. “People commonly misunderstand what we do. Real estate isn’t glamorous. These are real houses that real people live in with real needs.” For buyers, Heidi makes sure that they can perfectly envision themselves in the house they may want to purchase.

And with sellers, she leverages her communication background and expertise to market listings. Having worked as a news photographer in the past, she has an eye and talent for Top Agent Magazine

high-quality photography, which always follows some degree of staging. “Whether it’s a $90,000 listing or a million-dollar listing, there are always things that need to be tweaked,” Heidi says. She also enjoys the widespread online exposure that each listing receives through NextHome’s syndication.

People may remember Heidi for being outgoing, energetic and loud, but they also appreciate the undivided attention she provides. “They usually hear me coming before they see me,” she jokes, noting that being “out there” is the same approach she takes to marketing homes and going above and beyond for each client.

Meanwhile, Heidi has been married for nearly 20 years. She and her husband, who is affectionately known as “Saint Jay,” are proud parents of two busy daughters. Quality family time is a high priority for the Powells. Heidi sponsors and participates in a number of annual events in Freeport and even founding a local business network. She actively volunteers and donates to charities that her clients support. “It’s really important for me to be a part of this community and to say ‘thank you’ through my contributions to different ventures.”

As Heidi grows her business, she also wants to give back to the real estate industry by mentoring and training more agents, both at her brokerage and on a larger scale. “I’d love to help people understand how NextHome and NextHome Dynamic can help them grow and mold their careers,” she says. “NextHome is a terrific franchise. As an owner, I like spreading the good will, love and sentiment of this company.”

To learn more about Heidi Powell, visit NextHomeDynamic.com or go to herhttps://www.facebook.com/NextHomeDynamic/ Facebook page, email heidi@NextHome.com or call 724.295.5566 www.

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