NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL 9-9-19

NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL EDITION

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

Is Branding the Way to

TAKE YOUR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL?

5 WAYS TO TRANSFORM

Turn Open Houses Into

DESTINATIONS

RENTERS INTO OWNERS

NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL EDITION

CHRISSY BARKER 14

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11 CATHERINE BARTON

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LILI LEIVA

SHANA SPITZER & LAURA ROCHE

CHRISSY BARKER

SHANA SPITZER & LAURA ROCHE 22

Chrissy Barker got her start in real estate seventeen ERIN GEORGE MICHELE CUMMINS DUMMER the encouragement of26 a friend and 25 years ago, atBRENDA agent. A natural people person, Chrissy relished the

Real has love alwaysto bee challenge and got tothe work, soon a reputation a chance After isfor over,estate clients le would affordencounter her the flexibility to transaction be building present Though relatively new to It was for her intimate client care, marketing savvy, and a Dummer part of time Erin–George’s lifO Top Agent Brenda Expe that jump started Michele glowing reviews about their together.

“Also,” the real estate business, Top her young children.track record of she results.explains, “I really “I grew up with in theMichele busines the That recently “We enjoyed working Realtor atmuch Reece Nichols succe do like career helpingin others. is said, pretty the Agent Lili Leiva’s servant’s Cummins my mom was an agent,” sh Today, Chrissy spearheads her work under the banner real estate industry. She her team.

We had our first offer 4 days after listan Shewmaker Pleasant Hill, listin of C3Real Estate Solutions.

While shein works asexplains. aa solo one“I goal to help people That decision was heart and true desire to help basis of my entire business.” worked with h agent, shewhich is supported by an in-house marketing staff they’reA at. week Whateverafter the situ was working at a rental car was amazing in this market. t in she the office open every summ Missouri is almost aThere, rare breed business took–off others informs every trans- fortuitous one, as Lili’s and a capable assistant behind-the-scene. clients toof up sowhen that I ca company, when a Realtor we had an even better offer.

Michele was always av and on weekends.”

It was on across the greater northern Colorado them authentically from ther immediately, basedserves on clients her honesty, integrity and action she is involved with. came ERIN GEORGE BRENDA DUMMER MICHELE CUMMINS LILI LEIVA estate professional who adver area, particularly her hometown region of Fort and in to rent a car. After ablereal toin answer our questions so m natural for provided Erin to enter th Collins.

In fact, Chrissy’s personal impeccable business that have already Lili’s focus on providing discussing truly cares about her made clients’ for h the market with practices extra services that we think the difference industry 17 years ago.

Toda of authenticity, home, conn her from ofher her competition. the very best customer ser- him,distinguished Over themuch course of career, sheboth hasThe garnered a and everything, I try tovideo come fr she her wor she was instantly selling our house. staging, photos, wellbeing, during andsiblings quali repeat and referral rate of roughly 50%—a credit to help people from that posi Immensely likable, yet possessed ofrelationships. a fierce work vice, coupled with her vast intrigued, together, serving Sonoma County.

Erin has built h and knew it was brochure were very professional.

We’ve dealt wi her longevity and lasting For her part, works!

People can tell when long after the transaction isrespect, in its CONTENTS on aRealtors foundation of honesty and truly Chrissy describes her working style as one in rooted in and you’re Lilipath has already endeared herself to scores of industry knowledge, have the ethic, on perfect for her. fewbusiness different Mission, and thisworking waswhic by authentic connections and a grounded perspective. complete.

Brenda’s attention twent ultimately led toMichele much treat my clien grateful who happily sending new success. resulted in her shining reputation Realtor That wasasina2002, andwho today she is so clients, busy that sheare now ourhas best experience. isChrissy the “I best!” earned a degree i well, and I honor them throughout the transaction. toserves detail, coupled with her Because she also a community yoga instructor, a repertoire at a frequ few ma full-time assistants is loving every minute her way. can always be counted onhas to two place her buyers’ and andbusiness 4) 5 WAYS TO 16) 5 STEPS TO ACHIEVE 31) 6 WAYS TO also make it as funintuitive, as it can and do everything Chrissy is uniquely level-headed, and be, transitioning to real estate vast reservoir of industry knowledge, makes her the of her work.

“It’s such a good fit, it’s a lot of work Michele says that her Key Cummins Real Esa sellers’ best interests front and center. measured in her “I havethe a bitload,” of a different creative to every listing. canmethods. to lighten she says.

ForeyeErin, being TRANSFORM RENTERS LONG TERM so SUCCESS AS GET YOUR CLIENT TO approach,” she explains.

“I knew I wanted my numberand strongest assets,” she says,Y “ and a big commitment, but it’s worth it,” she says.

Group logo has a meaning, it’s ‘Unlocking Perhaps the most powerful to like Lili’s abilideal choice of agent for testament anyone looking to abuy agent is much being coachor forsell athletes. When “If I ca INTOWorking OWNERS A REAL ESTATE AGENT TRUST YOU At RE/MAX Little Oak Realty in Mission, British Real Estate Potential,’ which she helps clients do Cop for what’s be Kansas the perfect, five-star overall ratingahead, then they can under the banner of PMZ Real Estate, inities thewould greater Cityprepare area. them – mak Bro Columbia, she serves all of Fraser Valley and beyond. daily basis.

As Michele looks towards the future, the decision on how the road turns.

When they have Lili services a wide swath of California’s verdant she currently holds on industry website Zillow.

Watc 35) 3 MENTAL TRICKS person there to let what Her presence the region isOPEN well-known, as she eager continue Shethem willknow never tire 9) 4 Central WAYSValley, MENTORING TURN HOUSES com. Among theeven raves is sheknowledgeable has toreceived isgrowing. this a region notable for 23) itsinagricultural “Our family has moved several times for my husband’s is als“ anticipate, the achieve process istheir much easier.” has her own radio show every Saturday at 8AM on THAT helping people real estate dreams.

WILL TAKE YOUR origins and quaint towns, but in recent years has one, which perfectly encapsulates the experience UP-AND-COMING INTO DESTINATIONS Country 107.1 FM. The vast career,” majority ofsays her business clients asked becomeabout friends, to know meet Brenda, when theI get origins of andinclu BUSINESS TO THE NEXT of working with her: “Lili wassuperior amazing to work seen an influx of new residents.

A significant porThis service andwould. commitment herwhat clientI EMPLOYEES MAKES YOU comes from referrals, which she credits to her caring many people that I never I truly to love her home-selling career.

“We moved around the country as a is highly motivated andhas kept tion of these new residentsdemeanor are those and who have ledus to on majority of her business bein LEVEL 27) IS opted BRANDING superior service.with. SheTHE Mygoals go-to saying is the ‘dotrack what it takes’ and I strive to A BETTER AGENT a bit, the andwhole I justhome became and more made more upexperience. of referrals.

She interested guides buyers andlocal selle throughout She to commute to their jobs in the San Francisco Bay quite so,buying always.”

WAY TO TAKE YOUR throughout the transaction, and is their bigge thecommunicate ideadiligent of helping people with move. I’ve as a m was very in staying onHOW top oftheir everything, Area, approximately ninety miles east Oakdale 39) TOnext SEND “I just love myofclients.

I tryin and with supporter every step of the way. “When they wor 13) ARE NEXT andTHE went beyond our expectations.

– aka YOU The Cowboy Capital of frequently the BUSINESS Worldand - where always loved different floor plans and architecture of other them I hopeTO that Ishe show thatabove I careand SMARTER EMAILS with me, they feel they’re well represented. I have th Being first-time home buyers, she kept in contact Lili’sBUSINESS office is located.

DOING AS beyond the LEVEL? transaction,” she explains.

“They’re trusting of in providing them with homes. When we finally combination settled here Missouri, I hadstrong facts a us who and answered questions quickly.

We of their entire well asagent providing theshe emotional side of it. bo YOU ON FACEBOOK?me to take care of the biggest investment 42) DAILY HABITS awith friend was a realour estate and suggested I I utilize Aske sides ofand my her brain,” Erin explains. For her sellers, sh whichofisreal veryestate important. there for constraint Lili began her journey in lives, the world in I’m wereconstantly on a tight time positive, become one, too.

It seemed the next naturaloffering step, asocomplimentar thoug THAT WILL INCREASE alsolike goes beyond, them and I would that beingenergetic a caring human 2017, having decided that a career sellingsay homes attitudebeing gave us peace ofabove mindand that we stager to make the most of the property.

Their relation I decided to jump in.”

Brenda’s natural affinity for the STRENGTH conti probably has the biggest impact on my business.” For chose YOUR the right MENTAL person to help ship does not end after the transaction, either, with Er Michele, real estate isn’t aboutjob the properties, it’s about assured rapid success, and today she is selling an by pr us close escrow I would reachingon outtime. frequently throughout the year via phon the people. She always wants what is bestof fortwenty her clients, average homesacalls each which is impressive without doubt use Lili again.” oryear, client events.

and will do everything possible to get them what they

for a solo agent.

Phone 310-734-1440 | Faxwant.

310-734-1440 This even extends to her marketing, where she Word spreads fast about her work, with clients leavin offers drone videos, walk throughs and professional glowing reviews about their time together. On mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com

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Currently, of Brenda’s business is based photography, no matter the selling price. “Imore like tothan do halfrecently said, Top “Not only did Erin help No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher.

Agent Magazine is us througho the process, but she continued“Itothink help after the sa the same type of luxury marketing for every property.

I on returning clients and positive word-of-mouth. published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracywas of published materials, Top Agent complete. Her attention to detail was amazing. want to be the best marketing it’s and real estate specialist because I’m veryTohonest and ethical,” she muses Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. subscribe or change address, send Cummins For more about Michele I can be,” she explains. “I also write blogs, advertise when asked to explain how she manages to inspire such inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. Published in the U.S. in magazines and run targeted ads on Facebook and please call 604.820.0555 or impressive levels of trust and loyalty.

“I always do my Instagram. I do TV commercials of my listings as well email mcummins@remax.net for them. When they ask me a question, they are as advertise them on my radiobest show.”

Top Agent Magazine

going to get the answer that I know, not what I think Copyright Top Agent Magazine Copyright Top Agent Maga it might be.”

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KATHERIN MALINDA HOWE AIMEE L. HANSON 34 BRITTANY HECKENBERG 33 30

Katherine Johnso by the Acwort Malinda Howe’s success can How did Aimee L. Hanson become believe in forming strong relationships other Top Agent Brittany Heckenberg think it’s with because ofreal our experi Georgia be attributed to many things. first year wo one of the most trusted and accomIt’s been when very effective forshe memanages to ofRecr – of estate Kellerprofessionals.

Williams Realty asked how toni Award.

“It’s It could be attributed to fessionally in r plished brokers in the Twin Cities? get listings in front of them first so they can prepare their Downtown in Denver, Colorado sive trust and loyalty amongst her says humbly. her years of experience, or buta her buyers,” she explains. “That helps drive buzz for new experien – takes great pride in what of our shifting markets, from a bu hershe in-depth knowledge Twenty-seven years ago, Aimee listing.” She then target markets the listing inofthe area,farther much does for a living. A consummate er’s market to a flat market andMain This year Acworth started her real estate career sending information downtown about the listing to bothand neighbors grandfather was KATHERINE BRITTANY AIMEE L. HANSON MALINDA HOWE professional who is passionate opportunity and growth not only business, and the surrounding area.

But working as an agent in a firm in the and agents. She also creates a thorough campaign on social ness, and for man JOHNSON HECKENBERG about helping her many buyers clients we serve.”

There are someone deep perhaps most of all it can be Twin Cities area. When she was media that targets local groups full of prospectiveworked buyers. with ma h that she would attributed to her approach tocontributed and sellers achieve their real personalized course, thatapproach have to Br just twenty-five years old, she founded her own brokerage, This innovative, tailored, often and selling land. helping“Iher cit serving hercontinuing clients.

SHARON MALE estate results goals, repustory. love which is now SPARA based in St. Paul.

Seven in Brittany’s a quick at a very competitive price. Aimee 41 sale PATRICIA SALEGNA ANITA PAINTER 37 Realty 38 years 43success her the ins and tationinclude for honesty, dedicationand and excellent customer out of property,” she says. “It’s fuo later, she expanded her business a title company hereasier. team She complete, on average, 100a transactions a year When to Sharon Male’s son “I love process is an agent from Re/Max Realtron estate, and But all ofaonce that what I do because I get to help people,” she says.

For Patricia ‘Tricia’ Salegna, real After tran serviceShe’s has been earned. get my sellers the most am Anitaable wasto bang onher with the suggested With a with love an foraverage people and a of $285,000. she shares with her titlementioned attorney. now truly personally price Many of listings During William she should get into “I Realty living and working in been our area for many clients and her have a servant’s heart, and I think I’m serving God had reached the right age, Katherine dec estate has a part of her life their time wA make My surehouse that my is alway my hours. home. soldbuyer quickly and desire to help multiple others, offers Anita within brokered over $425 million in real estate transactions and receive the real estate business, she by years offering and knowledge.

We highly childhood, he w the process.

S helping peopleexperience find the right place.

It’scan not about for as long as she remember.

Tricia is the time to take the next step and go full time negotiations.

She kept in re Painter hadestate a feeling realearlyhandled Brittany her journey in real at a very withthe every transaction.” leads a thriving nine-person “Webegan are powerhouse took team. his advice and ajumped in. therecommend Sharonthe who works Another me than closin money - although money ishard nice!

- you!” what’s truly “My mom hasfor been inher the busiexperience f work in the real right decision.

In very first week of withofme wayshowing and was very quit estate would be the idealoffice here in the Twin Cities,”That she age, says.

“Even though are a wrote, What’s favorite part thealong job? the “I love outand as we a receptionist in“Her aAimee’s real estate was starting in 1996, today aggressive advertising campaign ness for 34the years sofirst from thebegan time areputation, closing.pea Tric my rewarding is helping someone find right home.” completed her transaction. had sneak when I had athorough question.

Anita goes abov career for her. just decided relatively small team, people the three area whosixteen. weand are.” houses!

It’s always changing, always something new. when she know was only Upon graduating high Expert, marketing is anoth she in has assistants from the “I moment we school, theit’s listing.

Itthe led to lots Isigned was young I heard lingo and buying proce PATRICIA SALEGNA SHARON MALE ANITA PAINTER I also get a lot of joy out of educating my clients so they for her clients.

I would highly recomme to jump in and do it, now WILLIAM WALTERS from her,” he ex she attended college, during which time she started of The Heckenberg Group.

High thethe language.

Iour washome. lucky-She to adopt is making great strides in her Malinda and lots of showings and sale was “I experience would not be helps a lot of people find theofright home she’s “Straight out of the gate things have gone An impressive 90% ofcareer.

Aimee’s business comes from understand every aspect of the transaction.”

To give back to her team and wouldn’t hesitate to use I’ve been in the industry for working a flexible schedule as an assistant for an agent. photography ensures that each pro uating college, some ofthis the year, best practices from our intera Serving Rice Lake, on with steptransactions of the way.” myof family, frih trackustoevery do 80 with prices repeat and referral clients.

Her knowledge, experience, community, sponsors local festivals particsays humbly.

“I’m at three million in EV in the future.”

15 ranging years,” Anita Eventually, after contacting herthethrough anexplains. adAimee seeking best light, aand robust presence on ofaagain the finest real estate brokers not have, ad LENDER from $250,000 toone $500,000.

Most of theand homes Northumberland, Kawarthas on becoming asale la leadership, and innovative thinking set her apart from ipates in school supply donation drives for local schools.

Serving the Campbell River right now, and I hope to add another two miw in the business at a very young streamlined full-time assistant, agents Brittany began working for veteran media ensure maximum r his exposure, amazing sheDuring lists are the time, market forheonly a shortsomething time. “For and beyond, Sharon is one of the top producing anyonfree Sharon iswanted staying involved withmore interact other agents in the area keep her clients coming back.

In her time—which is very rare—she When Anita isn’t working, she’s staying region in British Columbia, age,” she cherished explains.

“Itfree came very naturally.” residential by the end oftop the year.” home Denver Carol Duncan.

“Working with was dollar.

Brittany alsoconstruc takes ca unique homes or historic homes itfor can take aAlthough little in her region, and is and showing no Realtor signs of slowing the community or Carol spending time with family.

She’s ®theto befor chained to aoff desk.

I always Having and worked in the Twin all Award her life,in she travels with her boyfriend, who is a15 national touring musiTricia initially went into education field aswith a and teacher, are above community through BC she works with RE/MAX tohome handle thean longer,” she says.

“But most of my properties are a wonderful experience,” she says, “she’s my biggest approach, every – Hosp rega down. lived She received the Re/Max HallCities of Fame been part of the Roseneath Fair years, hasChildren’s enjoys passing along her expertise to her clients in ways cian.

For the future, Aimee wants to keep her brokerage she spent her summers selling real estate.

Eventually, it real estate license, so I took the co three years, myself and two other people Check Realty to provide superior service to every the help and p the market in 10 to 15 days.”

Katherine’s immediate success can attentio be attri 2014. “I work very hard at my do,” sheI could helped theever Children’s Miracle since 2007. fanjob andand thewhat bestI mentor have had.” After a Network receiving the same careful took off,enough andmade shethat started pursuing it full time.

Today she During free that benefit them—be it sharing information about school small she can ensure each and every one of have hosted Children’s Miracle Weekend client.

The majority of her business is up of working fun.”

Billimproving says. He serve down-to-earth way she dealstowith her the clie explains. “I represent peopleseventeen-year honestly and put in extra with She Carol, also loves spending time herdecided business. association Brittany decided isability partagents of #1 Team in thea Douglas Elliman Syosset nity as an ac districts referrals to trusted vendors.toShe her provides excellent service, while continuing tocheque portion of every commission to referrals, a out testament her tothe provide an Malinda’s expertise comes as aAustin result ofbegan hours. Iand loveteachers, my job.”orAlthough she loves everything “I’m dedicated toHeckenberg itin7 Acworth days aof week, going to seminars orare the larger North area.

“I want people New York, and working to venture on her own and create The Brittany and Ryan also ardent office, The Pascullo | the Salegna Team, which includes school.

She lives by her slogan of: Fair, Simple, and Honest.

“Our grow in a smart way—which will perhaps include opening her deep involvement in community.

“I have been she explains.

Anita spends her free time amazing experience for buyers and sellers. about real estate, her favorite part with is theher relationships conferences.

There’s always things I can do to media, upgrade meas from my social from thethroug video Group husband, Ryan Heckenberg.

Brittany gives back Sotheby’s International Realty.

Fiv her mother Pascullo teamwhile Leader and brother community, clients appreciate ourway. transparency,” “We are anbusiness office inPatti Minneapolis.

“Slow and steady wins the race!” themy vice chairwoman of the Tourism Board oftraveling. our city outdoors and she builds along the “I’ve met so she manysays. wonderful and make it better.” from my newsletter, to feel comfortable including her past Presidency ofan K Michael Pascullo.

The team wasby just named asexperience thein tophis spread NF a made great strides career, realistic and up front about commissions, costs, and every she says, with a smile backed decades of of of what’s Acworth for over in tenthe years now,” she explains. “I just make sure they know happening people in my career as an“ICurrently, agent,” sheThe says.

Sharon and talking to me at the grocery store,” sh Heckenberg Group consists of Brittany, a Professionals in Denver, her and .5% in New York State for all real estate professionals. playing spor financial aspect of a real estate transaction.”

Her past doing just that. lotspushy. of volunteering here, and I’m always working ness largely made up offocused referrals.

WR Anita’s future plans are on buil she explains.

“I’mdonot I believe an a strong will go above and beyondmarket,” to make sure her clients With determination and passion for what she Tricia also recently received an award from Long Island full-time Transaction Coordinator, Erin,business and her in husband elsewhere.

“Both Ryan and one of believe in work maintaining authenticity, and clients rave about courage, endless energy, and passion to does, bring new as“Iwell.

I able also with the team.

Shewhich tothrive. find like-minded ind consumer makes good decisions.

I justthat really he’s towants provide one-on-one are happy.

All ofher this hardeducated work has not gone unnoitofisRealtors clear Sharon Board called Rising Stars, istoawarded Looking tow Ryan, a seasoned general contractor.

“Ryan has been a will a continue rare blood disorder,” explains staying grateful and humble.

But moreser thaB for helping them achieve their goals.

North Star Church, and here at Anchor Realty Partners, on production educating and For Anita, see the inold this “It’s ticed, with Sharon placingfocus 10th in for helping the Iftopeople.” someone isagents looking for estate help withrewards real estate, and the topBrittany.

20 inthe real under 40of years forindustry. growing.

Shb them throughout the transa huge benefit to our business,” says “Because couple years hosted thatguiding by being very open - we’ve no secrets, no ahid LLC we support local charities, like theinannual Turkey people their journey in life,” she expl is making sure Newmarket office in 2018. most important part of the transaction wants a great experience with a hard working agent, all of Nassau County, Suffolk County, and Queens. the most re sellers appreciate Bill’s ofreal his estate experience and knowledge – he’sisbuilt homes and where we godedication all out wi like toestate becommunity, very upfront with people.”

To give back to the national community and Chase, which a to 5Kexpect runthe here Acworth.”

Sharon iswhat definitely realinstrongly agent for all believes thatyour success“Real will estate come everyone is knowledgeable and knows apartments, he’sshe kind of done it all – he can go on listing painting, superheroes, fire trucks, share extensive knowledge and expertise, provides what want.

The her majority of her business referrals, estateManhattan needs.

Serving to Montauk, Tricia isinseeing her “Success transactions want they to put the work. at next.comes Today from she has a team ofreal people, so her clients When she’s not serving clients or the community, content development and professional instruction for the appointments with me and tell our sellers what improvepair is also currently working on A fo While Katherine is aand self-described rategoes soar by providingalways honest feedback guida reward a testament to her superiorare service. just kindAnd to thatreferral come down to focusinto andType effort taken “I’m care of 24/7. attention beyond Malinda loves most of all to spend time with her family. nation’s largest provider of Real Estate Education.

The ments need to be made to get top dollar for their home. their son, Henry who just turned fo (“I“I’m like everything intoitskeep rightI fascinates place!” she throughout transactions.

“Ihigh always try m people. My clients, customers and associates havewithance energy, and know wh always control both.” the transaction as well, Anita hosting all events “My husband and I work different hours, so it’s always courses she creates are used to educate real estate profesAlso, he can get it done quickly without having to wait myself accessible,“Itohost continue being listener not feel makes sure atogood never makeas her wise clients mentioned my good sense throughout of humor,” she “I her the explains. year to show appreciation.

“I’m very thorough inhav ex important to find pockets of explains. time toLooking spend together,” sionals, appraisers contractors and arefor implemented in for months a acontractor towell come to openness the future,with Brittany’s plm asIin.” aalso good communicator...this is critical.

Keeping me that I lov “My honesty and them make people feeland comfortable.”

She’s also trusted client events, usually two a she year, but do pop bys also help sellers stand out amongs says.

“And when it’s not too hot Iforefront. love to get out in is to To find ou thirty states across the nation.

“There is a lot of credibility the ‘client-first’ philosophy at the Nothing forward: to continue grow their and highly regarded agentto in the inarea, withhow many check and see they’re doing,” she explains. “Inever feel pushed or pressured,” she says the more garden.” that comestoalong with this aspect my work,” sheimpressively explains. rewarding toentirety me than receiving astaging call from a friend Iofoffer services, own vis Currently – and – determine almost thehow additional talent to and support thi coming her knowing shelook hasofat extensive experience. my clients,top give them the best my database every year and I’meducate or family member of a satisfied customer.

I provide furniture.”

Bill also has extensive The Heckenberg Group business is based upon repeat however, is her longtime, overa call 77 “I get a lot of referrals from Realtors in the Toronto possible and then help them make a dec goinga tolisting connect tothe each person in different ways.”

For Malinda shuns the spotlight, people notice L. theHanson, work each and more clientbut with individualized attenWhen comeslook timeforward to prepare foralso market, To find out about Aimee customers and word-of-mouth, acustomer significant achievecontinue offering the incredible cuscm area, Iitalways to that.”

Sharon adveras he has lived in the area his email her client events, she focuses on socializing, hosting an on that.

I want them to feel and she does; last year she was named Person of the Year tion.”

Many qualities go into being an excellent realconfident Aimee starts by contacting her vast network of agents call 612-202-4434, email AIMEEHANS@AIM.COM, tises frequently within the Toronto region, placing her ment in the highly competitive world of real estate.

“I become synonymous with The Hec ‘open house’ at her housesoor Ia movie night. in buyers, their choice, because this isthem the bigge I can educate and estate professional - integrity, market knowledge, effecthroughout the Twin Cities.

“Agents have buyers, or visit spararealty.com listings in magazines.

Whenever she has a listing, she

WILLIAM

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

Top Agent Magazine is seen by Real Estate Agents and Brokers in every U.S. city and Internationally!

Please contact they’re ever going to make in their lives.” tive negotiation skills, and a high-quality professional mag@topagentmagazine.com the best decisions.

I also have ge offers virtual tours, whichAlthough helps bring the best Anitaout markets herselfnetwork, on social media, much For all more about Brittany Heckenberg, of which are Tricia’s hallmarks.

She is also knowledge, and experience worki features in every property.

Copyright Top aggressive comes to negotiating andAgent gettingMagazine her business comes from referrals, withwhen pastitclients orof her call 310-734-1440 for call 303-877-2641 or email Brittany@HGDenver.com a law clients theytogether. want. She department markets herself for and her list- firm in Man leaving glowing reviews about theirwhat time For more about Sharon Male, After the transaction,ad clients leave glowing reviews as a concierge service to buyers an ings on many different websites and print magazines, rates information.

One wrote, “Iand recently listed my house with Anita. I Copyrigh about their time together. One recently wrote, “With https://

sure is reaching as many people asto possible. call 905-352-FISH (3474) or connect the people they n have never before had a realtor making whoplease was as she helpful and them For more i Sharon, our farm near Rice Lake and Warkworth sold “From static banners and interactive print ads, to the most knowledgeable as Anita. She gave me solid sharon@sharonmale.com, advice on easier For email for them to transition to Pa th more about Anita in 3 weeks and for more money than we ever expected! popular search engines and real estate portals, marketing p what to do to get my house ready for sale.visit She had her After the transaction is over, he st SHARONMALE.COM and advertising are critical components,” she says.call 250-286-118 please Her personality and dedication to us made the whole Top Agent Magazine 3 email: team assist me. Once her stager got through with my callingemail them anita@anitapainte and writing them no house, it looked like it could be featured in a magazine.

WWW.

clients to know he is not just thei

5 Ways to Transform

Renters into Owners Perhaps the largest demographic of untapped business lies in the rental market. From major cities and suburbs to rural communities—renters across generations are opting to rent rather than own. The question is: why? For starters, many Americans are undereducated about the inventory and financing options available that might suit their budget and lifestyle. Secondly, many would-be homeowners have difficulty 4

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

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

Top Agent Magazine ÂŽ

Top Agent Magazine

1

Show renters that purchasing a home isn’t impossible

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

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

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

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Collaborate with mortgage professionals to find the right financing opportunities

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

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

That’s where your expertise as an agent comes Top Agent Magazine

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

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

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

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

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Paint the big picture

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

Rents rise, families grow, and retirement looms.

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

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

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

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

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Catherine Barton

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CATHERINE BARTON Catherine Barton, a top producer at Long Realty West Valley in Surprise, Arizona – alongside her husband Ron – is a consummate, dedicated professional whose charming, easygoing nature belies her sharp, incisive business acumen and determination to achieve the best possible outcomes for her many grateful buyers and sellers. The bulk of Catherine and Ron’s work takes place in one of Arizona’s largest retirement communities, the expansive and upscale Sun City Grand, which she and Ron also call home.

Catherine has more than forty years of real estate experience under her belt, and she was one of the original sales agents when the Sun City Grand was being built, making her better equipped than most to help buyers transition into or sellers transition out of the community. The Bartons have made over 1,000 sales in the Sun City Grand and surrounding area.

Currently, the majority of Catherine and Ron’s business is based on repeat clients and referrals from other satisfied customers, an incredible achievement in the highly competitive world of real estate. “My husband is very, very good at customer service,” says Catherine, when asked how she has managed to achieve such an impressive level of loyalty amongst her clients. “We respond quickly and we are there to help them find resolution to problems they might have. Our clients know that they can count on us before, during and after the close of escrow.”

Another reason would be Catherine and Ron’s commitment to strive to ensure each property is shown in the best light possible. Catherine’s long-held interest in design

comes into play here and listings are prepared for market.

Complementary staging advice is done and high-quality professional photography is utilized. Walkthrough virtual tours are also part of their marketing strategy, as are flyers and flyer boxes and deft exploitation of the Internet and social media platforms. These efforts lead to faster sales and happier customers. Their success is also due in large part to the genial relationships Catherine maintains with other Realtors.

“Real Estate is a wonderful and fulfilling career,” says Catherine, with genuine sincerity. “I feel that we are able to make a big difference in our customers’ lives.

When someone is buying or selling, they are making a huge change in their life, and we help them during that transition. That is very rewarding!”

When she’s not working, Catherine enjoys spending time at home and watching her favorite real estate show, “Home Town,” which shows how real estate specialists in a small town in Catherine’s home state of Mississippi are able to affect change, even in a community of only 18,000. “It just goes to show that one doesn’t have to be doing real estate in New York or L.A. to make an impact in people’s lives,” she says.

When asked about her plans for the future of her business, Catherine grows thoughtfully quiet for a moment before replying. “My plan for the future is to try to spend even more time with our customers; visiting with them, hearing what their lives are like, what they are enjoying. So yes, that’s what I want to do going forward, spend more time with these great folks.”

For more information about Catherine Barton, call 623-826-9392, email team@CatherineBarton.com or visit CatherineBarton.com www.

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4 Ways Mentoring Up-and-Coming Employees Makes You a Better Agent In the world of real estate, there are always new agents joining the ranks. Even if you’ve been practicing for just a few short years, you’ve likely learned your fair share of lesson along the way. As an agent, much of your working philosophy is derived from first-hand experience and your work on the ground. This means that new agents are less prepared for the inevitable curveballs of the industry. That’s where you come in.

While mentorship is often pitched as a relationship that solely benefits the mentee, there is actually plenty to be gained from becoming a mentor. After all, personal growth goes hand-in-hand with professional growth, and becoming a mentor asks agents to thoughtTop Agent Magazine

fully explore and demonstrate their own ideologies, practices, and rationale. With that in mind, take a look at some of the benefits of mentorship below, and you’ll get a sense of why counseling new agents can be a boon to your own business.

Teaching lessons to others reinforces your own professional values.

Showing the ropes to young agents is a great way to brush-up on your foundational skills.

Verbalizing and demonstrating processes, or walking through the rationale behind negotiation tactics—all cause mentors to think through their established practices and outline in detail why they’ve chosen this route over an

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alternative. This helps older agents fine-tune their routines, while getting back in touch with the critical thinking that went into constructing those habits.

Mentorships allows you to see the big picture.

surely sharpen your ability as the head of a team. What’s more, you’ll be building skills of empathy, understanding, teaching, and constructive criticism. Working on those skills will better your practice and your ability to lead in your office.

After a lengthy industry tenure, it’s not uncommon for battle-worn agents to lose some steam and begin to burn out. By devoting some time to mentoring up-and-coming agents, you’ll get back in touch with your early days, remembering the excitement, the trials, and the hard lessons gleaned. Spending time with the next generation of real estate professionals can reinvigorate your practice, as seeing the business from the eyes of an eager amateur can inject energy into your working life.

You’ll benefit from seeing things from a new perspective.

Just as working with young agents can help you remember your career’s big picture, you may also benefit from working alongside someone with a new perspective. Young agents bring a different set of skills and awareness to their work, and established agents can benefit from a fresh take. If technology isn’t your strong suit, or you’re interested in tapping the Millennial homebuyer market, working with a younger agent is an excellent way to see through fresh eyes.

Mentoring young agents makes you a better leader.

As a mentor, you’ll often direct the flow of your professional relationship—figuring out which issues to tackle, making an agenda, and imparting lessons in a clear way. These are all characteristics of a leader, and acting in a position of authority as mentor can 10

While some may balk at the time commitment or energy required to take on a mentee or two, you might consider it an act of ongoing education or professional development. While your mentee will undoubtedly benefit from access to your expertise, there’s certainly much to be gained from taking the time to cultivate tomorrow’s real estate leaders.

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SHANA SPITZER & LAURA ROCHE When Shana Spitzer and Laura Roche joined forces 7 years ago, they knew they would become an unstoppable duo. With Laura’s 20+ years of experience in the industry, and Shana’s decade-long work in interior design, they make the perfect pair. “We don’t have any assistants, we do everything ourselves,” Shana explains. By providing superior service to their clients, they have built a business mainly on referrals. Serving all of coastal Orange County, Shana and Laura take a hands-on approach, guiding their clients throughout the transaction, leaving no question unanswered.

“We take our business very personally,” they say.

“We didn’t want to expand our business with a team.”

When working with Shana and Laura, clients can trust they will receive one-on-one attention. “We are very honest, and they can trust that we’ll do everything we can to get the house sold.” Shana’s interior design background also helps, as she has a large network of subcontractors, stagers, and more to help prepare their house for sale. “It’s important to make a good first impression, especially in our area. We work in a very high net worth area, so there’s a certain expectation people have when they enter a house.” For both buyers and sellers, support is provided throughout, and it doesn’t end when the transaction is over.

“We typically become really good friends with them, and we stay in touch by grabbing dinner or lunch,” Laura says. They also send out mailers and keep in

contact through social media. Afterwards, clients leave glowing reviews about their time together. One recently said, “We had a wonderful experience with Shana Spitzer and Laura Roche selling our home in Corona del Mar. They were always professional, diligent, honest, and responsive. They also did their best to minimize any inconvenience to us while doing what was necessary to market our home. It had some unique features that made a comprehensive and aggressive marketing plan especially important for finding the right buyer. They succeeded much faster than we expected and during the offer/acceptance/ escrow period, Shana’s and Laura’s skills in negotiating and problem-solving truly impressed us.

Behind their warm and friendly exteriors are astute, savvy, knowledgeable, and strategic dealmakers. We wholeheartedly encourage anyone who is considering hiring Shana and Laura to give them a chance. They are the best of the best.”

During any free time, Shana and Laura are giving back to their community through breast cancer support groups and CASA, a nonprofit that supports children in the foster care system. They also like to practice yoga and work out.

As they look towards the future, they’re eager to continue doing what they’re doing. “We just love what we do. We get a lot of satisfaction in seeing our clients happy at the end of the day.”

For more information about Shana Spitzer and Laura Roche, call 949-338-1070 or email sspitzer@villarealestate.com, lroche@villarealestate.com 12

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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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CHRISSY BARKER

Chrissy Barker got her start in real estate seventeen years ago, at the encouragement of a friend and agent. A natural people person, Chrissy relished the challenge and got to work, soon building a reputation for her intimate client care, marketing savvy, and track record of results.

Today, Chrissy spearheads her work under the banner of C3Real Estate Solutions. While she works as a solo agent, she is supported by an in-house marketing staff and a capable assistant behind-the-scene. There, she serves clients across the greater northern Colorado area, particularly in her hometown region of Fort Collins.

Over the course of her career, she has garnered a repeat and referral rate of roughly 50%—a credit to her longevity and lasting relationships. For her part, Chrissy describes her working style as one rooted in authentic connections and a grounded perspective.

Because she also serves a community yoga instructor, Chrissy is uniquely level-headed, intuitive, and measured in her methods. “I have a bit of a different approach,” she explains. “I knew I wanted my number 14

one goal to help people and meet them wherever they’re at. Whatever the situation is, I try to get my clients to open up so that I can listen to them and help them authentically from there.”

In fact, Chrissy’s personal creed blends the tenets of authenticity, home, connection, and balance. “In everything, I try to come from that perspective and help people from that position,” she says, “and it works! People can tell when you’re being authentic and you’re truly working on their behalf.”

Chrissy earned a degree in marketing and built a repertoire at a few major ad agencies before transitioning to real estate. She brings a trained creative eye to every listing. “Marketing is one of my strongest assets,” she says, “but it’s also something I Copyright Top Agent Magazine

really enjoy.” Beginning with high-end professional photography, she then disseminates listings to a range of social media outlets, listing platforms, and also taps her local sphere of fellow professionals.

Likewise, she writes compelling copy to accompany every brochure and mailer, while applying strategic pricing models and targeted ads to drum up interest in short order. At present, she has sold a range of properties—from condos in the $250,000 range, to luxury homes at the $850,000 price-point.

Beyond the office, Chrissy is active in her local and professional communities. She is a member of a local HOA board, stays connected to colleagues via her participation in the Fort Collins Board of Realtors, and stays rooted in education by attending seminars and professional classes in the area.

In her free hours, she most enjoys time spent with her husband, twin daughters, and son—hiking, camping, skiing, snowboarding, and enjoying Colorado’s idyllic outdoors. She also spends much of her time teaching and practicing yoga.

As for the future, Chrissy intends to keep progress on an even keel, with plans to potentially add a transaction coordinator in the months to come. For now, she is content to foster connections with her clientele and support her community one home at a time.

Finally, with years of cumulative experience and insight, Chrissy Barker considers what she enjoys most about her work so far. “I love that every day is different,” she says. “More than that, I love people.

I love to connect, interact, and understand them and their goals. I thrive when I’m giving back.”

To learn more about Chrissy Barker email CBarker@c3-re.com, call (303) 704–0476, or visit ChrissyBarker.com 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.

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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.

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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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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.

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BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION

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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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LILI LEIVA Though relatively new to the real estate business, Top Agent Lili Leiva’s servant’s heart and true desire to help others informs every transaction she is involved with.

Lili’s focus on providing the very best customer service, coupled with her vast industry knowledge, have resulted in her shining reputation as a Realtor who can always be counted on to place her buyers’ and sellers’ best interests front and center.

Working under the banner of PMZ Real Estate, Lili services a wide swath of California’s verdant Central Valley, a region notable for its agricultural origins and quaint towns, but in recent years has seen an influx of new residents. A significant portion of these new residents are those who have opted to commute to their jobs in the San Francisco Bay Area, approximately ninety miles east of Oakdale – aka The Cowboy Capital of the World - where Lili’s office is located.

Lili began her journey in the world of real estate in 2017, having decided that a career selling homes

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would afford her the flexibility to be present for her young children. “Also,” she explains, “I really do like helping others. That is pretty much the basis of my entire business.” That decision was a fortuitous one, as Lili’s business took off almost immediately, based on her honesty, integrity and impeccable business practices that have already distinguished her from much of her competition.

Immensely likable, yet possessed of a fierce work ethic, Lili has already endeared herself to scores of grateful clients, who are now happily sending new business her way.

Perhaps the most powerful testament to Lili’s abilities would be the perfect, five-star overall rating she currently holds on industry website Zillow. com. Among the raves she has received is this one, which perfectly encapsulates the experience of working with her: “Lili was amazing to work with. She is highly motivated and kept us on track throughout the whole home buying experience. She was very diligent in staying on top of everything, and she went above and beyond our expectations.

Being first-time home buyers, she kept in contact with us and answered our questions quickly. We were on a tight time constraint and her positive, energetic attitude gave us peace of mind that we chose the right person to help us close escrow on time. I would without a doubt use Lili again.”

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When asked what she enjoys most about her profession, Lili pauses for a thoughtful moment before answering. “I love building relationships with my clients,” she says, her sincerity obvious. “There’s a large emotional component to buying or selling a house, and I feel that it’s my job to help remove as much stress from the process as possible.” To do just that, Lili frequently goes above and beyond the call of duty to make sure her clients feel well taken care of.

activities. Lili also gives back to her community, primarily through her church and its charitable efforts and ministries, among other avenues.

When she’s not working, Lili enjoys nothing more than spending time with her family. Camping, traveling and cooking are just a few of their favorite

If you’re in California’s Central Valley and are looking for a dependable Realtor, Lili Leiva would be an excellent choice.

“I really just want to treat others the way I want to be treated,” says Lili, when asked to sum up her business philosophy. “Nobody’s perfect. I’m also about walking in love, and about knowing that I can make a difference in someone’s life…one client at a time.”

For more information about Lili Leiva, please call 209-918-5015 or email LLeiva@pmz.com Top Agent Magazine

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Laughs!

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

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MICHELE CUMMINS It was a chance encounter that jump started Michele Cummins career in the real estate industry. She was working at a rental car company, when a Realtor came in to rent a car. After discussing the market with him, she was instantly intrigued, and knew it was the perfect path for her.

That was in 2002, and today she is so busy that she has two full-time assistants and is loving every minute of her work. “It’s such a good fit, it’s a lot of work and a big commitment, but it’s so worth it,” she says.

At RE/MAX Little Oak Realty in Mission, British Columbia, she serves all of Fraser Valley and beyond.

Her presence in the region is well-known, as she even has her own radio show every Saturday at 8AM on Country 107.1 FM. The vast majority of her business comes from referrals, which she credits to her caring demeanor and superior service.

“I just love my clients. I try and communicate with them frequently and I hope that I show that I care beyond the transaction,” she explains. “They’re trusting me to take care of the biggest investment of their entire lives, which is very important. I’m constantly there for them and I would say that being a caring human being probably has the biggest impact on my business.” For Michele, real estate isn’t about the properties, it’s about the people. She always wants what is best for her clients, and will do everything possible to get them what they want. This even extends to her marketing, where she offers drone videos, walk throughs and professional photography, no matter the selling price. “I like to do the same type of luxury marketing for every property. I want to be the best marketing and real estate specialist I can be,” she explains. “I also write blogs, advertise in magazines and run targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram. I do TV commercials of my listings as well as advertise them on my radio show.”

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After the transaction is over, clients love to leave glowing reviews about their time together. One recently said, “We enjoyed working with Michele and her team. We had our first offer 4 days after listing, which was amazing in this market. A week after that, we had an even better offer. Michele was always available to answer our questions and provided so many extra services that we think made the difference in selling our house. The staging, photos, video and brochure were very professional. We’ve dealt with a few different Realtors in Mission, and this was by far our best experience. Michele is the best!”

Michele says that her Key Cummins Real Estate Group logo has a meaning, and it’s ‘Unlocking Your Real Estate Potential,’ which she helps clients do on a daily basis. As Michele looks towards the future, she is eager to continue growing. She will never tire of helping people achieve their real estate dreams. “My clients become friends, I get to know and meet so many people that I never would. I truly love what I do.

My go-to saying is ‘do what it takes’ and I strive to do so, always.”

For more about Michele Cummins, please call 604.820.0555 or email mcummins@remax.net Copyright Top Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine

Turn Open Houses into Destinations People are busy. Even those who are actively looking to buy a house or want to learn about the market for a future purpose have busy schedules.

But with bit of added time, creativity and investment in making open house into destinations, you’ll see greater turnout. And we all know that greater turnout increases the likelihood of offers.

There are several creative ways to hold an open house with a mindset of hospitality and with the goal of providing something of value to each person who attends.

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The neighbors-only open house Some agents embrace the “nosy neighbor” concept as a benefit, not an eye-rolling challenge.

With his client’s permission, Wesley Peters, a Keller Williams broker in the Baltimore Metro Area, often gets the neighbors together before a home hits the market. “We invite other brokers, too, but we include as many neighbors as we can,” he says, explaining that he schedules these events for a Thursday or Friday evening, happy hour-style, rather than midday on a Sunday. They get a better turnout at 5:00 pm than

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midday on a weekend when the neighbors are busy with their lives. In a relaxed setting, conversations flow, neighbors can mingle and catch up, and the buzz begins before the home is listed.

In advance, prepare invitations and hand-deliver them to homes on the streets you and your client agree are best to include. The destination is the event; the value each attendee receives is the social interaction and the removal of any awkwardness over visiting their neighbor’s house.

Your client’s benefit is the buzz.

A turnkey block party any time of year Once a property is listed, some agents take on the role of party planners. Certain streets or neighborhoods, they find, are perfect for lowkey social occasions. In some place, such as neighborhoods with many young families, a bounce-house or games may even ramp up the fun factor. But the idea of a seemingly spontaneous block party during an open house can be easy to pull off, whether you’re serving lemonade and cookies or coffee and pastries. The chance to meet prospective neighbors turns the event into a destination for both buyers and the neighbors; the value comes in buyers’ ability to see how the neighbors interact. Your seller’s benefit is that the grapevine will be filled with happy stories about their home. Tips: By keeping basic supplies in storage, you’ll be ready for a pop-up block party any time. Promote this type of event with targeted social media marketing and fliers or postcards to communities within a short distance of your listing.

Invite other professionals It’s common mortgage lenders to attend open houses. But why not provide even more value to people who attend? Chances are, you have more than a handful of professional partners who welcome an opportunity to join you at your open house. Consider inviting an interior designer, a contractor, a gardener, even a gardener or a painter. Invite them to your broker’s open in advance or give them time to view the property 24

before the open house begins. Then encourage them to stroll the property during the open house or to sit with you. When visitors ask about needs or concerns they may have about the house – such as loan questions, the cost of improvements or upgrades or even remodeling – you’ll be able to introduce them to an expert on the spot. For that matter, your invited pros don’t even necessarily have to be in home-related businesses!

Prospective buyers always want to know about the community when visiting open houses.

Consider inviting representatives of community

organizations, like youth sports group or owners of mom-and-pop retailers to help your visitors get a feel for the neighborhood or town. For this type of open-house, prepare a flyer or card with your community contacts on it so visitors can leave with resources as well as information.

Open house should be about the buzz. They’re about creating a conversation about your listing and making the home memorable to visitors. By giving people a unique experience they won’t forget, you’ll show your sellers how creative you are in meeting their needs.

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BRENDA DUMMER Top Agent Brenda Dummer – Realtor at Reece Nichols Shewmaker in Pleasant Hill, Missouri – is a rare breed of real estate professional who truly cares about her clients’ wellbeing, both during and long after the transaction is complete. Brenda’s attention to detail, coupled with her vast reservoir of industry knowledge, makes her the ideal choice of agent for anyone looking to buy or sell in the greater Kansas City area.

“Our family has moved several times for my husband’s career,” says Brenda, when asked about the origins of her home-selling career. “We moved around the country quite a bit, and I just became more and more interested in the idea of helping people with their next move. I’ve always loved different floor plans and architecture of homes. When we finally settled here in Missouri, I had a friend who was a real estate agent and she suggested I become one, too. It seemed like the next natural step, so I decided to jump in.” Brenda’s natural affinity for the job assured rapid success, and today she is selling an average of twenty homes each year, which is impressive for a solo agent.

Expert marketing strategies also factor into Brenda’s success story. “I use Facebook a lot to promote my listings,” she says, “and I occasionally advertise in print when I think that might help sell the home.” Online advertising is her primary method of locating buyers for her properties, and to that end she utilizes highquality photography, ensuring that each home is shown in its best light. Quick sales – her homes average only twenty days on the market – for top dollar are the most frequent result.

When she’s not working – which is rare, she admits – Brenda enjoys spending time with her family.

Watching movies is almost an addiction for her. She is also generous with giving back to her community, including serving on her church council and her work as a Girl Scout leader. She is also a sponsor of the local dance team and High School Booster Club, as well as a member of the local Chamber of Commerce, and other charitable organizations.

Asked about the future of her business, Brenda grows thoughtful for a moment before replying. “I want to continue meeting new people and growing my business by providing great service to all my clients.”

Currently, more than half of Brenda’s business is based on returning clients and positive word-of-mouth. “I think it’s because I’m very honest and ethical,” she muses when asked to explain how she manages to inspire such impressive levels of trust and loyalty. “I always do my best for them. When they ask me a question, they are going to get the answer that I know, not what I think it might be.”

While there are a great number of Realtors who consider the client-agent relationship complete at the closing table, Brenda strives to maintain her connection to her buyers and sellers long after the transaction is finished.

“All of my clients know I’m going to follow through for them, and that I’m always available if they need me.”

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For more about Brenda Dummer, please call 816-8351355 or email BrendaD@ReeceNichols.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 25

ERIN GEORGE Real estate has always been a part of Erin George’s life.

“I grew up in the business, my mom was an agent,” she explains. “I worked with her in the office every summer and on weekends.” It was only natural for Erin to enter the industry 17 years ago. Today, she and her siblings work together, serving Sonoma County. Erin has built her business on a foundation of honesty and respect, which has ultimately led to much success. “I treat my clients well, and I honor them throughout the transaction. I also make it as fun as it can be, and do everything I can to lighten the load,” she says. For Erin, being an agent is much like being a coach for athletes. “If I can prepare them for what’s ahead, then they can make the decision on how the road turns. When they have a knowledgeable person there to let them know what to anticipate, the process is much easier.”

This superior service and commitment to her clients’ goals has led to the majority of her business being made up of referrals. She guides buyers and sellers throughout the transaction, and is their biggest supporter every step of the way. “When they work with me, they feel they’re well represented. I have that combination of providing them with strong facts as well as providing the emotional side of it. I utilize both sides of my brain,” Erin explains. For her sellers, she also goes above and beyond, offering a complimentary stager to make the most of the property. Their relationship does not end after the transaction, either, with Erin reaching out frequently throughout the year via phone calls or client events.

Word spreads fast about her work, with clients leaving glowing reviews about their time together. One recently said, “Not only did Erin help us throughout the process, but she continued to help after the sale was complete. Her attention to detail was amazing. I 26

have no doubt that we would not have received the credits we did without her attention to the process and dogmatic follow through. Erin was thorough, persistent and delightful. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our experience of buying a house because of Erin. I would highly recommend her as a Realtor. She has lived in the area for many years and knows this area. She is helpful, friendly and thorough. What more could we ask for? I have already recommended her to several people.”

During any free time, Erin is spending it with family or staying involved with the community. She has been on the Board of Directors for the Association of Realtors, is part of the Government Affairs Committee, and is frequently active with her children’s schools. Erin also loves traveling, hiking, and listening to music.

Looking towards the future, she has her sights set on employing more people and focusing more on directly helping her clients. Real estate is Erin’s true passion in life, and she can’t imagine doing anything else. “It is an amazing and beautiful escape from my world. To escape into my clients’ dreams and desires is the best medicine I could ever ask for.”

For more information about Erin George, please call 707-815-5028 or email erin@winecountrycommunity.com Copyright Top Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine

Is Branding the Way to Take Your Business to the Next Level?

Despite the importance of finding a Realtor® that is the best person to serve their needs, a lot of people only end up interviewing one Realtor® when they’re thinking about buying or selling a home. A lot of times people make that decision based on a referral, but why not do everything you can to be the name they think of when they make the decision to hire a real estate professional outside of referrals? Especially if you’re starting out and haven’t built up any repeat and referral business yet.

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When you want to make your name synonymous with real estate transaction success, you might want to consider branding yourself. Personal branding, long a staple of Corporate America, is also an invaluable tool for those in the real estate industry as well. Understanding branding and being consistent about it, is one way to insure you’ll have a successful and long-lasting business. It’s up to you to make consumers think that their success in real estate is dependent on finding the perfect agent—YOU. 27

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS BRANDING? Branding is a long term marketing strategy that builds your carefully crafted image over time through consistent repetition. A common misperception about branding is that it’s is the same thing as marketing. While the two go hand and hand in many ways, branding is specifically about creating and reinforcing the perception of not only who you are as a person, but what your business values are, and getting that out to the world in a consistent way Everything from your logo, to your website

to your social media presence, should all line up and reinforce your brand. It’s that repetitiveness that will hammer home the perception you are trying to create. Your brand informs your marketing, while your marketing strengthens your brand. Of course then you have to do is make sure your service lives up to what you’re selling. Getting them in the door is one thing, but you’re in it for lifetime customers and referrals.

Every brand is strengthened when it is built on a foundation of integrity and trust.

CREATING A BRAND Although it might take time and money upfront to get it right, branding is almost guaranteed to pay off in the long run. But branding is more than just having a graphic designer come in and make a logo. Consider branding more of a promise to your clients and potential clients, succinctly stating the value and expertise working with you will afford them. There are clear, tried and true methods to creating your branding. Because you have to go all in on the way you want to brand yourself, it’s important to evaluate fully before you make the leap.

This all starts with an honest assessment of your business and where you want it to go, including how much time and money you’re willing to invest to get there. After that you may want to add focusing on a niche market to your branding. Regardless of whether or 28

not you have a niche, another important part of branding is coming up with a memorable tagline that sells your brand or niche. All of your graphics, picture and information, should be consistent across all social media platforms, marketing materials, advertising and websites.

If you are interested in branding yourself, there are numerous books on the subject that will give you an in-depth tutorial on the process and the steps you need to take.

But what it basically all comes down to is commitment. Find a brand that is true to you, one that you can commit to performing and then back it up by not only meeting, but exceeding what you promised.

If done right, soon you’ll become an in-demand agent whose name is synonymous with success!

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AIMEE L. HANSON How did Aimee L. Hanson become one of the most trusted and accomplished brokers in the Twin Cities?

Twenty-seven years ago, Aimee started her real estate career working as an agent in a firm in the Twin Cities area. When she was just twenty-five years old, she founded her own brokerage, which is now SPARA Realty based in St. Paul. Seven years later, she expanded her business to include a title company she shares with her title attorney. She’s now personally brokered over $425 million in real estate transactions and leads a thriving nine-person team. “We are a powerhouse here in the Twin Cities,” she says. “Even though we are a relatively small team, people in the area know who we are.”

An impressive 90% of Aimee’s business comes from repeat and referral clients. Her knowledge, experience, leadership, and innovative thinking set her apart from other agents in the area and keep her clients coming back.

Having lived and worked in the Twin Cities all her life, she enjoys passing along her expertise to her clients in ways that benefit them—be it sharing information about school districts and teachers, or referrals to trusted vendors. She lives by her slogan of: Fair, Simple, and Honest. “Our clients appreciate our transparency,” she says. “We are realistic and up front about commissions, costs, and every financial aspect of a real estate transaction.” Her past clients rave about her courage, endless energy, and passion for helping them achieve their goals.

believe in forming strong relationships with other real estate professionals. It’s been very effective for me to get listings in front of them first so they can prepare their buyers,” she explains. “That helps drive buzz for a new listing.” She then target markets the listing in the area, sending information about the listing to both neighbors and agents. She also creates a thorough campaign on social media that targets local groups full of prospective buyers.

This innovative, tailored, personalized approach often results in a quick sale at a very competitive price. Aimee and her team complete, on average, 100 transactions a year with an average price of $285,000. Many of her listings receive multiple offers within hours.

What’s Aimee’s favorite part of the job? “I love showing houses! It’s always changing, it’s always something new.

I also get a lot of joy out of educating my clients so they understand every aspect of the transaction.” To give back to the community, Aimee sponsors local festivals and participates in school supply donation drives for local schools.

In her cherished free time—which is very rare—she travels with her boyfriend, who is a national touring musician. For the future, Aimee wants to keep her brokerage small enough that she can ensure each and every one of her agents provides excellent service, while continuing to grow in a smart way—which will perhaps include opening an office in Minneapolis. “Slow and steady wins the race!” she says, with a smile backed by decades of experience of doing just that.

To give back to the national real estate community and share her extensive knowledge and expertise, she provides content development and professional instruction for the nation’s largest provider of Real Estate Education. The courses she creates are used to educate real estate professionals, appraisers and contractors and are implemented in thirty states across the nation. “There is a lot of credibility that comes along with this aspect of my work,” she explains.

When it comes time to prepare a listing for the market, Aimee starts by contacting her vast network of agents throughout the Twin Cities. “Agents have buyers, so I

To find out more about Aimee L. Hanson, call 612-202-4434, email AIMEEHANS@AIM.COM, or visit spararealty.com https://

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BRITTANY HECKENBERG Top Agent Brittany Heckenberg – of Keller Williams Realty Downtown in Denver, Colorado – takes great pride in what she does for a living. A consummate professional who is passionate about helping her many buyers and sellers achieve their real estate goals, Brittany’s reputation for honesty, dedication and excellent customer service has been truly earned.

Brittany began her journey in real estate at a very early age, starting out as a receptionist in a real estate office when she was only sixteen. Upon graduating high school, she attended college, during which time she started working a flexible schedule as an assistant for an agent.

Eventually, after contacting her through an ad seeking a full-time assistant, Brittany began working for veteran Denver Realtor Carol Duncan. “Working with Carol was a wonderful experience,” she says, “she’s my biggest fan and the best mentor I could have ever had.” After a seventeen-year association with Carol, Brittany decided to venture out on her own and create The Heckenberg Group with her husband, Ryan Heckenberg.

Currently, The Heckenberg Group consists of Brittany, a full-time Transaction Coordinator, Erin, and her husband Ryan, a seasoned general contractor. “Ryan has been a huge benefit to our business,” says Brittany. “Because of his experience and knowledge – he’s built homes and apartments, he’s kind of done it all – he can go on listing appointments with me and tell our sellers what improvements need to be made to get top dollar for their home.

Also, he can get it done quickly without having to wait for months for a contractor to come in.”

Currently – and impressively – almost the entirety of The Heckenberg Group business is based upon repeat customers and word-of-mouth, a significant achievement in the highly competitive world of real estate. “I

think it’s because of our experience,” says Brittany, when asked how she manages to achieve such impressive trust and loyalty amongst her clients. “I’ve seen all of our shifting markets, from a buyer’s market to a seller’s market to a flat market and in each market there is opportunity and growth not only for myself, but those clients we serve.” There are many other factors, of course, that have contributed to Brittany’s and the teams continuing success story. “I love negotiating the heck out of a property,” she says. “It’s fun for me. I love being able to get my sellers the most amount of money, and to make sure that my buyer is always walking into equity with every transaction.”

Expert, thorough marketing is another one of the hallmarks of The Heckenberg Group. High-quality professional photography ensures that each property is shown in its best light, and a robust presence on the internet and social media ensure maximum exposure, resulting in quick sales for top dollar. Brittany also takes a decidedly egalitarian approach, with every home – regardless of price point – receiving the same careful attention.

Brittany and Ryan are also ardent philanthropists – and while Brittany gives back through multiple methods, including her past Presidency of Keller Williams Young Professionals in Denver, her and Ryan’s main focus lies elsewhere. “Both Ryan and one of our four children has a rare blood disorder,” explains Brittany. “For the last couple of years we’ve hosted a blood drive within our community, where we go all out with bouncy castles, face painting, superheroes, fire trucks, and food trucks.” The pair is also currently working on forming a non-profit for their son, Henry who just turned four.

Looking to the future, Brittany’s plans are fairly straightforward: to continue to grow their business, and to hire additional top talent to support that growth. Above all, however, is her longtime, overarching objective: to continue offering the incredible customer service that has become synonymous with The Heckenberg Group.

For more about Brittany Heckenberg, call 303-877-2641 or email Brittany@HGDenver.com 30

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

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

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

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1

Put Testimonials or Case Studies on Your Website

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

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

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

2

Be Responsive and Accessible

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

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

3

Be Honest and Transparent

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

You should always act in their best interest.

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4

Go the Extra Mile

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

5

Put Yourself in Your Client’s Shoes

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

6

Be Consistent

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

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

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

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

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MALINDA HOWE Malinda Howe’s success can be attributed to many things.

It could be attributed to her years of experience, or her in-depth knowledge of downtown Acworth and the surrounding area. But perhaps most of all it can be attributed to her approach to serving her clients.

by the Acworth Business Association and received the Georgia Recreation and Park Association Volunteer Award. “It’s nice to be acknowledged by my peers,” she says humbly.

“I love what I do because I get to help people,” she says.

“I have a servant’s heart, and I think I’m serving God by helping people find the right place. It’s not about the money - although the money is nice! - what’s truly rewarding is helping someone find the right home.”

But all of that comes second to being of service to her clients and her community and being true to herself in the process. Says Malinda: “What’s more important to me than closing or making money is maintaining my reputation, my character and my integrity.”

Malinda helps a lot of people find the right home - she’s on track to do 80 transactions this year, with prices ranging from $250,000 to $500,000. Most of the homes she lists are on the market for only a short time. “For unique homes or historic homes it can take a little longer,” she says. “But most of my properties are off the market in 10 to 15 days.”

“I would not be where I am today without the support of my family, friends, Jay White with Bay Equity (BEST LENDER EVER), Tommy Allegood my Mentor and his amazing wife Carol who helps with all the new home construction. Lastly I would not have been able to handle the amount of transactions this year without the help and partnership of Deborah Hill – she makes working fun.”

Malinda’s expertise in Acworth comes as a result of her deep involvement in the community. “I have been the vice chairwoman of the Tourism Board of our city of Acworth for over ten years now,” she explains. “I do lots of volunteering here, and I’m always working to bring new business in as well. I also work with the North Star Church, and here at Anchor Realty Partners, LLC we support local charities, like the annual Turkey Chase, which is a 5K run here in Acworth.”

When she’s not serving clients or the community, Malinda loves most of all to spend time with her family.

“My husband and I work different hours, so it’s always important to find pockets of time to spend together,” she says. “And when it’s not too hot I love to get out in the garden.”

This year Malinda has been focused on growing her business, and especially working with developers. As someone deeply invested in Acworth it makes sense that she would focus on developing new properties and helping her city grow.

To find out more about Malinda Howe visit malinda-howe.com, call 770-917-0322/404-444-0225 or email malinda.howe@yahoo.com https://

Malinda shuns the spotlight, but people notice the work she does; last year she was named Person of the Year Top Agent Magazine

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KATHERINE JOHNSON Katherine Johnson is in her first year of working professionally in real estate, but her experience stretches much farther back. Her grandfather was in the business, and for many years she worked with him buying and selling land. He showed her the ins and outs of real estate, and once her twins had reached the right age, Katherine decided it was time to take the next step and go full time. It was the right decision. In her very first week of training she completed her first transaction.

“Straight out of the gate things have gone well,” she says humbly. “I’m at three million in sales this year right now, and I hope to add another two million to that by the end of the year.”

Katherine’s immediate success can be attributed to the down-to-earth way she deals with her clients, serving the larger North Austin area. “I want people who know me from my social media, from the videos I record, from my newsletter, to feel comfortable coming up and talking to me at the grocery store,” she explains.

“I believe in maintaining authenticity, and I do that by staying grateful and humble. But more than that, I do that by being very open - no secrets, no hidden parts. I like to be very upfront with people.”

While Katherine is a self-described Type A personality (“I like everything in its right place!” she says), she makes sure to never make her clients feel pressured.

“My honesty and openness with them means they never feel pushed or pressured,” she says. “I want to educate my clients, give them the best information possible and then help them make a decision based on that. I want them to feel confident and comfortable in their choice, because this is the biggest purchase they’re ever going to make in their lives.”

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She helps them feel comfortable by listening to them and understanding their needs. “Everybody is different and unique,” she says. “I like listening to their stories, understanding why they’re buying or selling, learning what they hope to accomplish in real estate. Their home is like a puzzle piece in their life - it fits in somewhere, and my job is to help them find the right piece.”

One of the puzzle pieces that completes Katherine’s life is her family. She loves spending time with her twins and her husband, especially when that time is spent on the water. And in her quieter moments Katherine is a voracious reader, who finally caved in and recently bought her first Kindle.

When she first got into real estate full time Katherine was looking at building an empire. But now, with a new perspective, her goals have changed. “I would like to open a boutique brokerage,” she says. “I want a solid foundation of fellow agents with the same values of low pressure and high service.”

Katherine smiles thinking about the future. “Although who knows,” she says. “Maybe that boutique is still the first step to that empire.”

For more about Katherine Johnson visit realestatewithkat.com, call 512.675.5949 or email kat@realestatewithkat.com www.

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3 Mental Tricks That Will Take Your Business to the Next Level It’s no secret that running a successful business requires careful planning and a tireless work ethic. Beyond those obvious ideals, it also takes the right mindset in order to capitalize on professional opportunity. In the world of real estate and mortgage lending, mental fortitude is a major component to reaching the next

level and achieving longevity in a sector that requires so much self-discipline. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a few key mental tricks you can employ to reinvigorate your working philosophy. Incorporate these techniques into your daily mindfulness routine and your business will surely benefit.

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1

Visualization helps you work efficiently and keep your cool.

This may sound like one of the oldest tricks in the book, but there’s a reason why Olympic athletes and those serving in first-responder positions use visualization as a time-honored mental technique. Not only does visualizing your daily tasks help you organize your mind, but it amps up your ability to focus on what’s important. Visualization also helps reduce stress in the moment, since you’ve already created a mental expectation of the task ahead. Whether you’re preparing for a negotiation or a pitch to new a client—visualization primes your brain and affords you an extra sense of control as you tackle your day.

2

Distill concepts into their simplest terms for ultimate understanding.

As an agent or loan officer, you’re likely juggling numerous clients and commitments on any given day. That’s why it helps to distill your responsibilities in clear, definitive terms. Let’s say you have a meeting set with a client to outline a marketing approach for their property. You may understand the broad strokes, but beforehand, try verbalizing the exact takeaways you’d like to impart to your client.

This may seem obvious, but one of the best ways to clarify your communication and ensure your com-

plete understanding of a subject is to explain it aloud in its simplest terms. This crystallizes your main point and can come in handy if you drift off-topic or need to double-down on your message.

3

Accept that mistakes will be made.

While it’s natural to fear failure, sometimes the dread of making an error can overwhelm your ability to perform. As the saying goes: don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.

If you accept in advance that set-backs will occur, challenges will come, and things won’t always go accordingly to plan—you’ll be less confounded when hurdles do arise. What matters is keeping an even keel as you sort through unexpected delays or mishaps. Accepting that mistakes will happen allows you to shift your focus towards a solution or contingency plan. In other words, don’t spend your energy trying to achieve perfection. Aim high and work hard, but be in touch with reality: upsets are bound to occur. Accept this and you’ll be ready when they do.

The path to lasting success is ongoing, and there are bound to be challenges along the way. It takes mental fortitude to make it to the top, so keep these tricks in mind as you continue to grow as a person and a professional. Seeing situations in a new light can make all the difference as you adapt, evolve, and take your business to the next level.

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SHARON MALE When Sharon Male’s son mentioned she should get into the real estate business, she took his advice and jumped in.

That was in 1996, and today she has three assistants and is making great strides in her career. Serving Rice Lake, Northumberland, Kawarthas and beyond, Sharon is one of the top producing agents in her region, and is showing no signs of slowing down. She received the Re/Max Hall of Fame Award in 2014. “I work very hard at my job and what I do,” she explains. “I represent people honestly and put in extra hours. I love my job.” Although she loves everything about real estate, her favorite part is the relationships she builds along the way. “I’ve met so many wonderful people in my career as an agent,” she says. Sharon will go above and beyond to make sure her clients are happy. All of this hard work has not gone unnoticed, with Sharon placing 10th in production for the Newmarket office in 2018.

The majority of her business comes from referrals, a testament to her superior service. “I’m just kind to people. My clients, customers and associates have mentioned my good sense of humor,” she explains. “I make people feel comfortable.” She’s also a trusted and highly regarded agent in the area, with many coming to her knowing she has extensive experience.

“I get a lot of referrals from Realtors in the Toronto area, I always look forward to that.” Sharon also advertises frequently within the Toronto region, placing her listings in magazines. Whenever she has a listing, she offers virtual tours, which helps bring out the best features in every property.

After the transaction, clients leave glowing reviews about their time together. One recently wrote, “With Sharon, our farm near Rice Lake and Warkworth sold in 3 weeks and for more money than we ever expected!

Her personality and dedication to us made the whole Top Agent Magazine

process easier. She is an agent from Re/Max Realtron Realty living and working in our area for many years offering experience and knowledge. We highly recommend Sharon who works hard for you!” Another wrote, “Her aggressive advertising campaign began from the moment we signed the listing. It led to lots and lots of showings and the sale of our home. She was with us every step of the way.”

During any free time, Sharon is staying involved with the community or spending time with family. She’s been part of the Roseneath Fair for 15 years, and has helped the Children’s Miracle Network since 2007.

She also loves spending time improving her business.

“I’m dedicated to it 7 days a week, going to seminars or conferences. There’s always things I can do to upgrade my business and make it better.”

With determination and a strong passion for what she does, it is clear that Sharon will continue to thrive.

If someone is looking for help with real estate, and wants a great experience with a hard working agent, Sharon is definitely the real estate agent for all your real estate needs.

For more about Sharon Male, please call 905-352-FISH (3474) or email sharon@sharonmale.com, visit SHARONMALE.COM WWW.

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ANITA PAINTER With a love for people and a desire to help others, Anita Painter had a feeling real estate would be the ideal career for her. “I just decided to jump in and do it, now I’ve been in the industry for 15 years,” Anita explains.

Serving the Campbell River region in British Columbia, she works with RE/MAX® Check Realty to provide superior service to every client. The majority of her business is made up of referrals, a testament to her ability to provide an amazing experience for buyers and sellers.

“I just make sure they know what’s happening in the market,” she explains. “I’m not pushy. I believe an educated consumer makes good decisions. I just really focus on educating and helping people.” For Anita, the most important part of the transaction is making sure everyone is knowledgeable and knows what to expect next. Today she has a team of people, so her clients are taken care of 24/7. And that attention goes beyond the transaction as well, with Anita hosting events throughout the year to show her appreciation. “I host client events, usually two a year, but I also do pop bys to check in and see how they’re doing,” she explains. “I look at my database every year and determine how I’m going to connect to each person in different ways.” For her client events, she focuses on socializing, hosting an ‘open house’ at her house or a movie night.

Although Anita markets herself on social media, much of her business comes from referrals, with past clients leaving glowing reviews about their time together.

One wrote, “I recently listed my house with Anita. I have never before had a realtor who was as helpful and knowledgeable as Anita. She gave me solid advice on what to do to get my house ready for sale. She had her team assist me. Once her stager got through with my house, it looked like it could be featured in a magazine.

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Anita was bang on with the suggested price to list my home. My house sold quickly and Anita expertly handled the negotiations. She kept in regular contact with me along the way and was very quick to respond when I had a question. Anita goes above and beyond for her clients. I would highly recommend Anita and her team and wouldn’t hesitate to use her services again in the future.”

When Anita isn’t working, she’s staying active in the community through BC Children’s Hospital. “The last three years, myself and two other people in our office have hosted Children’s Miracle Weekend. I also donate a portion of every commission cheque to the hospital,” she explains. Anita spends her free time staying busy outdoors and traveling.

Anita’s future plans are focused on building a bigger team. She wants to find like-minded individuals who see the rewards in this industry. “It’s about helping people in their journey in life,” she explains. And she strongly believes that success will come to those who want to put in the work. “Success at anything will always come down to focus and effort, and we can always control both.”

For more about Anita Painter, please call 250-286-1187 or email anita@anitapainter.com Copyright Top Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine

How To Send

SMARTER EMAILS

Email is a great tool for agents to use when trying to stay in touch with their past clients, as well as for reaching out to prospective clients. However, used incorrectly it can make your attempts to reach out seem like spam. The secret to using email effectively is making sure that everything you send out does one thing: ensure that you remain relevant to your contacts. To do this you have to get personal. Personalization will go far to ensure that your contacts are actually clicking on your emails. This means that if you do reply on an automated drip email campaign to build business, you need to customize your content so that it delivers something meaningful to each individual recipient. Here are some steps that will help you do exactly that:

1. SEND A WELCOME EMAIL TO

NEW CLIENTS AND PROSPECTS Rather than simply add new contacts to your automated email drip campaign, make sure to send each new contact receives a warm welcome as well. Sending a welcome email along with adding new contacts to your drip campaign is proven to be 86 percent more effective at catching your contact’s attention. Let them know they are welcome and that you appreciate their interest.

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2. NURTURE YOUR RELATIONSHIP

THROUGH YOUR EMAIL To let your potential client know that you are thinking about them by sending them useful content that relates to the process of buying or selling a house. Some great topics include credit score information, ways to save money, regular market updates, what buying in your market is like, information about the neighborhood, tips on how they can prepare their home for sale, and other relevant information. A great way to

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add to these emails’ punch is to time them so that they coincide with what that individual is going through and dealing with at that time on their path through the buying or selling process.

3. CELEBRATE IMPORTANT DATES

Everyone loves to be noticed and appreciated.

Schedule emails to go to each client that celebrate their purchase anniversary or birthday.

Make sure you include a personal note and your own wishes that the year ahead goes well for them. If you’ve been a bit out of touch with your contacts, you might want to send them a friendly hello.

4.

MOBILE-FRIENDLY EMAILS With our phones being akin to mini computers, most people read their emails on their phone these days. So, it is particularly important to make sure that your emails are rendering well on the smaller screens. If you want to make any kind of impact, you have to run a mobile-friendly email campaign in today’s world. You are going to lose a lot of your audience if they can’t read your email on their phones.

5.

TRACK THE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR EMAILS AND ALTER ACCORDINGLY The best way to make sure your emails are being read and making the kind of impact you desire is to consistently monitor the analytics,

and see what your readers are actually clicking on and what elements are most popular with your contacts. Going forward you can alter different elements of your email campaign such as content, images, graphics, and even smaller elements like your subject line to draw in more clicks from your readers, and cater to what grabs their attention.

You also want to follow a targeted email strategy. The best way to do this is segment your email list based on the data from your CRM and the demographics of your contacts. Different clients are going to be interested in different content. Long-time clients looking to buy a second home or possibly downsize are going to be interested in completely different content than your first-time buyers. A good way to filter your contacts is by looking at which ones are looking to buy or sell, how far along in the process they are, as well as other important information about them.

6.

DON’T SPAM UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES You probably already know that flooding your clients’ emails is big no-no. However, different people have different ideas about what is too much contact. One great way to approach this problem is to ask your clients whether they would prefer weekly, monthly, or occasional emails from you. This way you can cater to each client’s preference.

The emails you send your clients can often be a double-edged sword when it comes to how well they work to bring in business. Following these simple rules will help your emails be as successful as they can possibly be, and will make your contacts much happier with you. So, don’t just send out emails without doing your homework about how to do it right. Your email campaigns can be a powerful tool if you know how to create and utilize them in the right manner.

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PATRICIA SALEGNA For Patricia ‘Tricia’ Salegna, real estate has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember.

“My mom has been in the business for 34 years so from the time I was young I heard the lingo and the language. I was lucky to adopt some of the best practices from one of the finest real estate brokers in the business at a very young age,” she explains. “It came very naturally.” Although Tricia initially went into the education field as a teacher, she spent her summers selling real estate. Eventually, it took off, and she started pursuing it full time. Today she is part of the #1 Team in the Douglas Elliman Syosset office, The Pascullo | Salegna Team, which includes her mother Patti Pascullo as team Leader and brother Michael Pascullo. The team was just named as the top .5% in New York State for all real estate professionals.

Tricia also recently received an award from Long Island Board of Realtors called Rising Stars, which is awarded to the top 20 agents in real estate under 40 years old for all of Nassau County, Suffolk County, and Queens.

Serving Manhattan to Montauk, Tricia is seeing her referral rate soar by providing honest feedback and guidance throughout all transactions. “I always try to keep myself accessible, to continue being a good listener as well as a good communicator...this is critical. Keeping the ‘client-first’ philosophy at the forefront. Nothing is more rewarding to me than receiving a call from a friend or family member of a satisfied customer. I provide each customer and client with individualized attention.” Many qualities go into being an excellent real estate professional - integrity, market knowledge, effective negotiation skills, and a high-quality professional network, all of which are Tricia’s hallmarks. She is also aggressive when it comes to negotiating and getting her clients what they want. She markets herself and her listings on many different websites and print magazines, making sure she is reaching as many people as possible.

“From static banners and interactive print ads, to the most popular search engines and real estate portals, marketing and advertising are critical components,” she says.

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After a transaction, clients leave glowing reviews about their time with her. One recently wrote, “Working with Tricia is the only way to buy a house! She customized the experience from before our first meeting through postclosing. Tricia’s knowledge of the neighborhoods, the buying process, and third-party contacts made the entire experience enjoyable. I felt informed and at ease because of our interactions. She anticipated questions that I may not have, advocated on our behalf as purchasers and streamlined the many phases and parties involved in a residential closing. Her professionalism and work ethic are above and beyond!”

During free time, Tricia stays involved with her community as an active member in her church and her children’s school. She is a passionate advocate in the local NF community, helping raise money to fund research and to spread NF awareness. She loves being with her family, playing sports, traveling, and cooking.

Looking towards the future, Tricia is eager to continue growing. She loves everything about her work, but finds the most rewards in meeting all the amazing people.

“Real estate is truly a “helping” profession. Real estate transactions are often complex but as a career, it can turn into a rewarding one. Everyone has a story, and each one fascinates me. It’s the people I meet, that I would otherwise not have known, and the life stories they share with me that I love most about my job.”

For more information about Patricia Salegna, please call 516-241-2280 or email: patricia.salegna@elliman.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 41

Daily Habits That Will Increase Your Mental Strength When it comes to building physical strength, the solutions are obvious, but keeping up your mental strength isn’t as easy as going to the gym. Although physical exercise does help clear your head and relieve stress, there are other things you can do daily that will help your mind be as strong and flexible as your body after a workout. Here’s just a few things you can do to help clear your head and make you more productive.

DON’T WASTE YOUR BRAIN POWER That might seem obvious, but think about how much mental energy you might use up worrying about negativity or things you have no control over. Instead of focusing on problems, focus on solutions. This actually take a lot of effort, we’re all conditioned to let worry paralyze us sometimes.

Try and catch yourself when you’re wasting time thinking about about past mistakes or current dilemmas you don’t have the power to stop. You really only have so much mental energy, and if you have kids and an especially stressful work situation, that might be even less than normal. Start treating your brain like the precious resource it is.

You don’t want to be running on empty when it really matters.

STEP OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE A lot of mental energy can go to dealing with anxiety. One way to deal with that is by forcing yourself to try new things and take on new challenges, that you might normally avoid because they make you feel unsure or scared. Challenge yourself daily, even with small things.

This is definitely something that becomes easier with practice. Start small, and in no time you’ll be taking on things you never thought were possible.

The simple task of trying something new every day will have you feeling energized and put you on the path to self-growth.

BE SELF-AWARE Your emotions affect everything you do, even if they’re not at the surface. Recognizing and labeling them is key. A lot of the above exercises require self-reflection. It’s okay to have the emotions you have, understanding why and where those emotions come from allows you to focus on dealing with them rather than just wallowing in them.

Being self-aware is also about self-care. Know the things that help relax and rejuvenate you. That way you can handle everyday stresses and remain calm even during the most turbulent times.

BE MORE POSITIVE

BE WILLING TO LEARN

Eliminating negative thoughts is essential to increasing your mental strength. Carrying around negativity is like swimming with all of your clothes on. You might be okay at first, but eventually you’ll feel like you can barely stay afloat. Don’t drown in negativity, use positive thoughts as a lifesaver.

This doesn’t mean you should ignore things you need to improve, just approach them with solutions rather than beating yourself up. Constant monitoring of this is important since it’s really easy to slide back into negative thinking.

A lot of people are still hung up on the idea that learning is a boring and tedious process, but you aren’t in junior high anymore. You can find something you’re actually interested in and immerse yourself in it, which engages your mind like nothing else. Whether it’s learning a new technology that will improve your business or something that will make you a more well-rounded person, the learning process keeps you engaged and open to new ideas. A curiosity about the world and new things is something that all mentally strong people have in common.

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WILLIAM WALTERS During William ‘Bill’ Walters’ childhood, he watched his mother work in the real estate business. “I had a sneak peak into the industry from her,” he explains. After graduating college, he had his sights set on becoming a lawyer, but realized he wanted something more interactive. “I didn’t want to be chained to a desk. I always wanted to get my real estate license, so I took the course and passed,” Bill says. He decided to serve the North Fork region of New York, and began working with Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty. Five years later, he’s made great strides in his career, and has built a business largely made up of referrals. Working on his own, he’s able to provide one-on-one service to each client, guiding them throughout the transaction. Buyers and sellers appreciate Bill’s dedication to getting them what they want.

“I’m high energy, and I know what I’m doing,” he explains. “I’m very thorough in explaining things. I also help sellers stand out amongst the competition.

I offer staging services, and own a lot of my own furniture.” Bill also has extensive local knowledge, as he has lived in the area his entire life. “For buyers, I can educate them and help them make the best decisions. I also have general construction knowledge, and experience working in the probate department for a law firm in Manhattan.” Bill acts as a concierge service to buyers and sellers, helping them connect to the people they need and making it easier for them to transition to their next life step.

After the transaction is over, he still stays in touch, calling them and writing them notes. He wants his clients to know he is not just their agent during the transaction, he’s their agent for life.

Clients love to spread the word about their time together. One recently raved, “Bill brings a truly local perspective to assisting his clients in buying Top Agent Magazine

and selling properties on the North Fork. He’s very insightful about real estate trends in the different towns on the East End. His knowledge ranges from raw land to condos and houses. During negotiations, Bill keeps his clients informed and provides sound advice. My husband and I highly recommend Bill to anyone considering buying or selling land or a house on the North Fork.”

Bill also goes above and beyond expectations when it comes to marketing. He utilizes all outlets possible, including print, social media and real estate websites.

By offering videography, floorplans, virtual staging, and whatever the property calls for, he makes sure each property is presented in the best way possible.

As he looks towards the future, he’s eager to continue repeating his success. “Things naturally get better as time goes on,” he explains. No matter where the future takes him, he will no doubt enjoy every minute of it. “I just love talking to different types of people. I like the fact that there’s so many different layers to real estate.”

For more about William ‘Bill’ Walters, please call 631-553-6533 or email williamwalters@danielgale.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 43

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