NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL 11-21-22

NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL EDITION

MAKE SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING Your Calling Card How to Send

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SUCCESS–

THESE 7 HABITS ARE THE REAL SECRET TO SUCCESS

By the Numbers:

Understanding the True Value of Square Footage

CONNECT BEYOND

REAL ESTATE

to Attract Future Clients

FEATURED AGENTS

CARRIE FREEMAN CRAIG MORTON DEREK KEARNS KIM LAM SHERIFE OLMEZ THERESA MARROCCO TOM WILLETT WESLEY MITCHELL

COVER STORY

KATHY COLVILLE

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5 Tips to Make New Hires

a Long-lasting Success Bringing a new employee into the mix is process commonly known as onboarding. The idea behind onboarding is to make the transition from new hire to team member as efficient and pain-free as possible. However, polling shows that some 31% of entry-level and intermediate level hires leave their new posts within just six months of starting. The question is: why?

The hiring and training process is time-intensive and doesn’t come cheap. This means that making 4

a good match for the long haul requires more than just assessments of skill and personality. To ensure a talented new hire sticks around and is truly positioned for success, the onboarding process must be executed with the same care applied during hiring. For a few ideas on how to make the most of the onboarding process, consider the tenets below as you guide your new hire toward long-lasting success within your company.

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1. Be honest about the scope of the role

2. Build in some perks

Let’s say you’re looking to add a new buyers agent or loan processor to your team. You write up the position’s responsibilities, but neglect to mention that you want the new hire to handle a host of administrative tasks, as well. Maybe it doesn’t seem important enough to outline in detail, as it’s the sort of thing the rest of your does. Miscommunications like these are a leading reason why new hires leave their roles.

If there isn’t clarity and transparency about a position’s true responsibilities, then new hires may become quickly disillusioned and seek out greener pastures.

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While stocking the breakroom with bagels every Friday may seem like a small gesture, it’s often those little morale-boosting moves that build loyalty and comradery among the team. Bike-to-work incentives, subsidized gym memberships, and benefits that match the needs of your employees—all are ways to demonstrate appreciation and investment in your team.

Likewise, the right candidate will return the favor and invest his or her energies into their new role.

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3. Get a sense of big-picture career plans

4. Keep the lines of communication open

Another reason new hires move on may have nothing to do with you or your office. In fact, many hires in entry-level or even intermediate roles have doubts about their long-term vision.

That’s why it’s important to be upfront from the beginning regarding a candidate’s five-year plan and ultimate dream job. Maintain realistic expectations when asking these questions, but use it as an opportunity to gage a candidate’s seriousness about the real estate or mortgage industry. Why this line of work over another?

Emphasizing industry longevity and career growth during the interview process can save you drama down the road.

Take a proactive approach in communicating with your new hire. Take time to check in regularly during the first six months of his or her addition. If you can, make time to train new hires yourself—if only for a part of the onboarding process. You’ll forge a deeper professional bond and create an avenue for further questions. All in all, make it clear that you’re personally invested in their presence and talents, and that you care what they have to say. That way, if any issues or doubts arise, you can stay on top of it and work out a solution, rather than lose a new employee.

5. Give new hires meaningful work to do It’s natural to keep the kid-gloves on with new hires, but don’t let that stop you from giving them a chance to shine. New team members will feel empowered and motivated if given meaningful projects to focus on. Don’t relegate their daily duties to busy work as they build experience.

Instead, task new teammates with something challenging, or that draws on a specific skill you hired them for. You’ll instill confidence, demonstrate your commitment to their growth, and with any luck—keep them around for the long haul.

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KATHY COLVILLE Top Agent Magazine

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KATHY COLVILLE Kathy Colville and Associates give every client top-level service, going above and beyond for every transaction to make the process as smooth and easy as possible.

For agent Kathy Colville, the thrill of helping a client find the perfect home is still one of her favorite parts of the job.

Kathy received her license 36 years ago when she and her first husband were getting ready to sell their first home 8

and find something a little bigger to grow into. What started out as a practical way to help her family find a house kicked off what would become a highly successful career as an award-winning real estate agent.

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Kathy Colville and Associates serves the area surrounding Washington DC including Northern Virginia, West Virginia and Southern Maryland.

Kathy’s team includes six other agents as well as two full-time employees who manage listings, coordinate marketing and handle transactions from contracts through closing. Last year, the team sold 94 units for a total of $53.86 million. Kathy is consistently ranked in the Top 1% of agents in the nation as well as Northern Virginia. She’s an

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active member of the local real estate community and serves on the Northern Virginia Board of REALTORS. After more than three decades, Kathy’s business is made up almost entirely of repeat clients and referrals. People trust her advice and appreciate her extensive experience. Kathy and her team also give every client top-level service, going above and beyond for every transaction to make the process as smooth and easy as possible. The team stays

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in touch with past clients through text messages, emails and mail. They also host quarterly client appreciation events from pool parties to movie nights. This fall, the team is treating clients to a family night out at a local brewery.

The team utilizes the full range of online marketing platforms such as Zillow, Realtor.com, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. They also send out email

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blasts and host open houses to get as many eyes on the property as possible.

Since so many buyers are looking online, they make sure that every property is featured with video and a 3D tour to give prospective buyers the feeling of being in the house even if they can’t physically be there.

When she’s not working, Kathy loves to spend time with family including her two daughters and four grandchildren!

The family enjoys boating and relaxing Top Agent Magazine

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at their lake home and winter skiing at their mountain retreat. Kathy and her husband also have many opportunities to travel together internationally as part of his job. Kathy’s future plans for her business also involve family; one of her daughters is already part of the team

and the other, a teacher, has recently completed her real estate license. One day, when she’s ready to retire, Kathy hopes to turn the business over to them.

In the meantime, she plans to continue doing the work she loves and helping her clients to find the perfect home.

To learn more about Kathy, call 703-475-3484, email yes2kathy@gmail.com or visit her website at kathycolville.com www.

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By the Numbers:

Understanding the True Value of Square Footage Measuring the square footage of a property may seem like an objective and straightforward task, but you’d be surprised at how many agents and homebuyers misunderstand this pivotal figure.

True square footage provides homebuyers a concrete understanding of their prospective domain, but here’s the problem: the rules to determine a home’s square footage are not always uniform across the board. What’s more, much of Top Agent Magazine

a home’s value is determined by its size, so accuracy is certainly important. While many real estate agents have their own systems for determining or confirming a home’s true square footage, it doesn’t hurt to update your practices and become an expert on the subject. After all, you may learn a few techniques that could add value to a listing, or better prepare you in guiding house-hunters on the lookout.

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1. Do your due diligence Most towns and cities have a local records department where floorplans and blueprints are kept on file. It’s worth noting that these records don’t typically include any subsequent additions or remodels on a property, but they still give archive hunters a legal baseline when outlining a property’s square footage. Oftentimes, a straightforward online search of a city or county’s records office can pull the information necessary, or else agents can poke around in person to uncover informative blueprints at the records office. Either way, access to original blueprints or floorplans is a great tool for determining livable square footage. As a bonus,

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original blueprints and floorplans—especially in historic properties—can be intriguing visual aids for prospective buyers, as well.

2. Know the rules While there aren’t universal standards when it comes to measuring square footage, there are general guidelines that can help determine square footage in an authentic way. Per the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), here are the official recommendations for measuring a home’s real square footage: n

Called “below grade spaces,” basements and sunrooms beyond a home’s typical

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living quarters do not count toward a home’s true square footage. According to ANSI, even big draws like finished basements don’t count toward a property’s Gross Living Area. Of course, even below grade spaces have their own desirable value and should be outlined as such on listings. n

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Did you know the space inside closets and on stairways counts toward a home’s square footage? Even if these areas are relatively small, they still add to a property’s calculable square footage.

When recording square footage, ANSI actually suggests performing measurements from a property’s exterior—though this method does not account for the

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thickness of exterior walls, which could skew square footage numbers. n

Just like below grade spaces, a garage, a pool house, or even a guest house should not be included in a property’s Gross Living Area. The rationale at work here is this: if you must go outside to access additional living areas, then they are beyond the square footage scope of the primary dwelling and should not be included in a home’s Gross Living Area.

3. Double-check by doing the dirty work Buyers and sellers have or will make a sizable investment in a property, so isn’t it fair to double-check all the relevant facts and figures

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when it comes to true square footage? If you want to take on the endeavor yourself, here are a few helpful steps to take. n

First, you’ll need a few things to get started, including a tape measure that can measure at least 100 ft., graph paper, and a pencil.

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Next, choose a room to start measuring wall-by-wall. Measure Wall 1, then proceed to assign each square on the gridded paper a corresponding measurement, rounding to the nearest tenth of a foot for the sake of clarity.

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From there, draw out the wall you measured and measure the remaining walls in the

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room. Once you’ve completed the room’s measurements, multiply the room’s length and width to determine its square footage. n

As you go measure throughout the home, using your own system to scale, you will construct a failsafe floorplan.

Mastering your craft is everything, and the real estate industry is no different. Every now and again, it’s worthwhile to update your well of information, take matters into your own hands, and continue to innovate with the industry. While square footage may not seem like the juiciest starting off point for such a venture, never forget: mastery of technical knowledge is a sure sign of expertise.

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CARRIE FREEMAN

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CARRIE FREEMAN

It was Carrie Freeman’s driven nature that led her to start a career in real estate eighteen years ago. She initially owned an interior design company doing Interior Design and Staging. “I was working for some top agents in the area and eventually decided I wanted to get my license and start working as a REALTOR®,” Carrie explains. Today Carrie has a thriving business, serving buyers and sellers in Washington State’s King and Snohomish counties. Known for its stunning natural beauty and booming tech scene, this region is a remarkable place to call home. Years into her path as an agent, Carrie works with many repeat and referral clients. She loves making the real estate journey enjoyable for all involved, and is always finding ways to reduce her clients’ stress.

keeps them prepared and ready to tackle the next steps, which eliminates any worries. Education is one of the pillars of her business, as she knows teaching her buyers and sellers about the process makes it go much smoother. As a born and raised Washingtonian, Carrie also enjoys showing her clients the best neighborhoods and communities. Her familiarity with the region means she understands its real estate market on a deeper level.

“It’s my knowledge and service that keeps them coming back,” Carrie explains. Building lasting relationships with those she serves is one of her top priorities. Throughout each transaction, she stays in constant communication with her clients, letting them know of any updates or changes. Carrie also 18

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She’s able to advertise effectively to potential buyers, getting her listings seen by as many people as possible. Through her brokerage, John L. Scott, her properties are placed on all the top search engines and real estate websites. “They’re on the MLS as well, and I also post on Facebook and Instagram,” she explains. An experienced home stager, she can provide staging when it’s necessary, which typically boosts the home’s sale price.

“Additionally, I pay for a full pre-inspection of each home I sell so we can offer that to the buyers,” she says. “And I offer house cleaning services, as well as a van my clients can use if they need it for moving purposes.”

Working with Carrie removes much of the friction that comes with buying or selling a home. She takes care of every aspect, allowing her clients to focus on the most pertinent tasks, like getting approved for a mortgage or preparing to move. One recent client raved about their time with Carrie, saying, “When I started looking for a house, I had so many questions, but after meeting with Carrie I felt reassured. Her experience in the real estate industry is clearly evident. She is very approachable and responsive, and even though she has multiple clients, you always feel that you are her priority. I never felt pressured to buy something in this crazy market and she was always helpful in suggesting if I should go over an asking price range. I will definitely recommend her to anyone looking to buy a house.”

Continuous growth is in Carrie’s future, as she plans to expand her business. She was part of a national TV show called the American Dream, and hopes to do more TV work in the coming years. There’s no question she will reach tremendous heights in this field.

“I don’t plan on leaving real estate anytime soon. I truly love it.”

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For more about Carrie Freeman, please call 206-355-6230 or email carriefreeman@johnlscott.com

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Cooperation, Not Competition, Creates

Mutual Success for Agents When people get along during a business transaction, everyone comes out happier. And in a service industry like real estate, agents have the power deliver that happiness. By working cooperatively, sharing advice and helping each other help clients, agents not only enhance their own reputations, but that of real estate in general.

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“Bring everyone together” Matt Kobelski, with Credentials Real Estate Group in Massachusetts, points out that providing good service involves more people than the party you’re representing. “I’m not afraid to bring together all the parties in a deal and say, ‘OK, let’s figure out a solution that works best

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Teaming up with an agent from a different brokerage on a transaction is not as uncommon or complicated as it might seem

for everyone,” he explains. “My goal is to avoid being adversarial.” Real estate, he believes, should always be a field in which each person can win. “It’s about working toward a mutual goal, shaking hands, and walking away happy that a seller sold, a buyer bought and everyone got what they wanted.”

But Is it that simple? Most agents have experienced the ways conflicting personalities and tension during a transaction can heat up even the most cordial relations. In reality, however, it’s more productive to let down your guard and work with others as a team than it is to allow stress and competition to preside. South Florida REALTOR® and broker associate, Risë V. Siegrist, for instance, has zero interest in competing with other agents. “It’s more important to be professional and associate with competent, caring people,” she says. By serving others with a cooperative spirit, experienced agents like Risë set an excellent example for emerging real estate stars. Risë hopes to be a model for the next generation of agents, training people who may one day become part of her team.

Risë’s position on cooperation inspires more reasons for nurturing relationships with other agents. Over the decades, many agents change brokerages several times. Who knows if that agent across the table will one day work at the Top Agent Magazine

same brokerage you do? Perhaps you’ll even have an opportunity to partner on an exciting, future transaction. Good relations keep doors open to endless possibilities.

Co-listing cooperation Teaming up with an agent from a different brokerage on a transaction is not as uncommon or complicated as it might seem. In fact, some agents cleverly capitalize on their collective attributes, rather than competing against one another. South Carolina REALTOR® Kimberly Pannit is a perfect example of the universal benefits of co-listings. Although she has always been an independent agent, Kimberly works hard to form professional alliances that give her business the feel of a cooperative network across brokerages.

This cooperative approach may be nontraditional, but it benefits clients in unique ways. By working closely with agents at other brokerages, she shows how agents can improve client service while helping one another.

Kimberly’s cooperative approach began in her own neighborhood, where an agent friend from a different brokerage also lives. “Several years ago, I approached her because both of us were friends with our neighbors. I asked, ‘Why don’t we give our neighbors superior service and

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co-list together? We both love our area and are passionate about our jobs, the location and schools.’” She also didn’t want to make their mutual friends choose between them when they could work together. “I said, ‘Let’s give them amazing service together!’” With their brokers’ permission, two weeks later the agents co-listed their first home and put extra energy into ensuring uninterrupted client service.

Networking and “Co-opertition” When the ultimate goal is to match a client with the perfect home or create optimal terms of sale for a listings, networking with other agents can facilitate that ideal buyer-seller match.

Nashville REALTOR® and broker/owner Lisa Land embraced every opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the real estate industry and to her local market, even before building her own team. “Agents would frequently ask me for help or advice,” she says, noting that she shares, rather than guarding, the methods she uses to get through difficult or confusing transactions. “I was fortunate to have great mentors when I started in real estate, so I’m always

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willing to offer help, even to agents outside of The Luxe Collective.”

Meanwhile, on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, Janet Leigh Scott describes the climate between agents as relaxed and professional. “While the real estate market is highly competitive, we’re truly a ‘co-opertition’ market; agents work together and a have greater sense of community than you might experience in off-island brokerages,” Janet says. “If I have buyer coming into town, I’ll reach out to agents I’ve done transactions with to ask if they have anything coming up that might not be on the market yet.”

Even in hot, competitive L.A. real estate, independent agents such as Andrej Nagy of The Agency RE knows the importance of receiving and providing professional mentorship.

“My relationships with clients are extremely important,” he says. “But my relationships with agents on the other side of a deal are also important.” For REALTORS® like him, working smoothly with other agents is a privilege.

Doing so builds rewarding relationships while ensuring win-win transactions for everyone at the closing table.

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THERESA MARROCCO 23

THERESA MARROCCO

Theresa Marrocco started in the real estate business when she was young, while her father was one of the largest developers in the state of Michigan. After Theresa graduated high school, she immediately began working alongside him, learning the skills and knowledge of building and development. After the 2008 housing market crash, Theresa opened up an eCommerce website which versed her in unique marketing methods. Then, on a whim in 2014, Theresa felt inspired to get her real estate license. Her past experiences gave her a smooth transition into the industry. “I wish I had done real estate sales earlier,” Theresa shares.

While Theresa has support on the side, today, she is a solo agent with her Broker’s license in Michigan. However, in 2019, she became licensed in Florida. While Florida now holds 24

the brunt of her business, she has accomplished retaining Michigan clients. While her Florida business is mainly out-of-state buyers, 100% of her Michigan business is based on repeat and referral customers due to her honest and straightforward approach. This, paired with her charisma, causes her clients to continuously return to work with her. Theresa attributes her ability to work with others well as something she learned from her father. She often hears she treats people like family. “It’s how my dad did business, and that’s how I learned to treat others,” Theresa shares.

Additionally, Theresa’s background in the building world has allowed her to easily give referrals for home improvements for her clients. Alongside her altruistic nature is her niche for brainstorming creative ideas for the house. Theresa reminisces about a comment Top Agent Magazine

from one of her clients who told her,” When you walk into a house, you always pick which wall you want to take down first!”

For Theresa, her relationships with clients form effortlessly, and often they become lifelong friends. Next to the organic friendships formed from Theresa’s personable approach to working with clients, she stays in touch with them through social media and daily communication. When it comes to marketing, Theresa prefers video marketing.

She has recently begun implementing narrated videos as an avenue of advertising. This strategy circles back to her past trade as an eCommerce business owner, where she leans on the promotional methods of various unrelated industries to offer a different approach and stay on top of current marketing trends.

This last year alone, Theresa closed an astonishing seven million in volume.

Despite her success, the most treasured aspects of her career fall into her love of people, houses, and connecting with others. When Theresa is not catching up with her clients, she is active in her community, partaking alongside her brokerage with various causes like the 5K Walk for breast cancer and fundraising to support the Fort Myers community after Hurricane Ian. When Theresa has spare time, you will find her traveling and cooking. While Theresa has arrived at a comfortable place in her real estate career, she is starting a podcast called “The Florida Diaries” and continues communicating through social media videos. It’s been a successful journey for Theresa, and she sums it up in a few words, “I love what I do!”

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To learn more about Theresa, email theresa@realhousesofsouthflorida.com, call 954-299-2190, or visit realtor.com/realestateagents or zillow.com/profile/TheresaMarrocco www.

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CONNECT BEYOND

REAL ESTATE

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

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

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

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

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Talk About Your Philanthropic Activities

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

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

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

Your Local Community

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

Use Your Creativity to Connect

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

Share Your Hobbies

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

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

Divulge Interesting Experiences

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

What and Who Inspires You

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

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

that will draw in a broad range of followers.

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

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CRAIG MORTON

Phoenix-area REALTOR® Craig Morton is all about making happy customers. Sure, it is part of his branding, with the tagline #helpinghappypeoplebuyandsell. But beyond the marketing value, Craig strives to see happy faces on both sides of the deal. “I love that we can have people with two different goals. One person wants to sell the house, another person wants to buy a house,” he says. “But we can come together and really just make it work and get creative – especially in this market with high interest rates, prices are so high, things are crazy. If we can all work together and get creative to make it work for everybody, that’s really my favorite.” With that customer-first strategy, Craig has grown Team Morton at A.Z. & Associates Realty Group into a team of five reporting $35 million in annual sales volume on just over 100 transactions.

his parents wanted him to get an education that would help advance the company, so Craig earned certification in energy-efficient building and design. He didn’t know at the time how useful his background would be in a real estate career because he was still looking forward to running the construction company. Following his father’s death, Craig, who by then was a licensed contractor and REALTOR®, realized his education gave him insight he could share with customers. “I started really diving into the aspect of how I actually know how homes are supposed to be built and what to

Carig has merged his real estate knowledge with extensive experience and education in home building. His parents owned a construction company for 25 years. When it was his turn to take over the family business, 30

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look for. That’s a great thing that I can offer as a REALTOR®. Then, I started getting really busy and went all in at that point.”

Of all the lessons Craig has learned along the way, the need for communication sticks with him.

He recalls an instructor asking the class what the No. 1 complaint with the Arizona Department of Real Estate was. “The answer to that question was that REALTORs® are transactional and that most consumers, buyers or sellers don’t ever hear from their agent again after the transaction.” To set his team apart, Craig put together a plan. They blanket customers with cards, phone calls and text messages. They send out a “happy, positive, motivational” quote on postcards to clients each month. They also send out notifications of events and happenings around the city. “We try to stay really in front of our clients and our sphere to just make sure they know that we’re there for them and provide as much value as possible,” Craig says.

Craig’s story is that of the hometown kid who grew up, built a business presence and gives back to the community that raised him. Hailing from Phoenix not only deepens his market knowledge, but it strengthens his commitments to the city. “I’ve grown up in the same community that I live in, so I know a lot of people around and we end up doing a lot of things in the community.” Craig is involved with a number of charities, including Man’s Best Friend, an organization that trains service dogs for veterans. His prominence in and outside of business has led to him being recognized among the 40 under 40 by local media. Aside from real estate and charitable work, he enjoys camping, offroading and visiting friends who seemed distant during the pandemic shutdown.

Craig sees expansion in the years to come. “I would like to keep growing and doing a great job for our clients,” he says. “Maybe grow the team a little bit bigger, but I’m not necessarily trying to have the biggest team in the world. I just want a good quality team that does a good job and are like-minded individuals.”

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For more about Craig Morton, please call 623.910.6277, visit Mortonrealtyco.com, or email Craig@mortonrealtyco.com www.

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Success– These 7 Habits Are the Real Secret to Success What makes somesome people so sucWhat isisit itthatthat makes people so cessful andand others not? successful others not?Is Isthere thereaa secret secret recipe recipe one one can can follow, follow, as as easy easy as as baking baking aa cake, cake, which which will will give give them them the the strength strength to to achieve achieve their their ultimate ultimate goals goals and and have have ititall? all?

The The answer answer is is that, that,in inaamanner, manner,there thereis. is.The The trick trick is is in in how how you you think think about about success success and and what what itit means means for for you. you. Many Many people people define define success success as as achieving achieving their their personal personal goals, goals, but but could could this this be be leading leading them them to to look look atat the the world a little too narrowly? The people people that that are are truly truly successful successful in in every every aspect aspect of of 32

don’t stop stop at at simply simply achieving achieving their lives don’t their personal goals. goals. They They succeed succeedin inmany many job,job, reavenues of of their theirlife, life,including includingtheir their lationships, health, andand family just to name relationships, health, family just to a few.a few. name ultra-successful people tend It turns turnsout outthatthat ultra-successful people to have quite quite a number of things in comtend to have a number of things in mon. One One main main skill many possess common. skill seem many toseem to is high emotional intelligence, or the abilpossess is high emotional intelligence, or ity to manage your emotions so that you the ability to manage your emotions so can you staycan calm focused even even in high that stayand calm and focused in

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high stress situations. Luckily, it seems not all of them are simply born with this ability, but have many strategies they use to help them achieve higher emotional intelligence. Here are seven strategies and habits that will help you achieve success in every area of your life.

1

BE COMPOSED The first thing successful people always seem to have under control is their composure. Successful people stay calmand composed when the going gets tough and fingers start pointing. They don’t panic. The secret? They understand that in life things are always changing.It doesn’tmatter if something is bad at the moment because that will change soon enough. In this topsy turvy life all you can really do is adapt in order to stay happy and remain in control of how you react.

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BE KNOWLEDGEABLE Have you ever noticed how successful people always seem to have such awide range of knowledge and interests? Successful people do know more because they are always working to grow and learn. They strive to constantly increasetheir self-awareness. If a spare moment exists,then they will fill it with some kind of self-education. They do this because they are passionate about learning new things and ways to improve their life. Ignore the fear of being judged and ask questions, because that is the only way you can learn. Successful people don’t

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fear asking questions. They fear not asking those questions and growing stagnant.

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BE DELIBERATE It is important to think and reason before you come to a decision. Successful people don’t rush. They seek out advice from others, they think of all the aspects, and sleep on their thoughts before finally making their decision. Your gut instinct can be misleading, and lead you to make a rash decision that you will come to regret later.

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BE CERTAIN, AND SPEAK WITH CONVICTION Successful people speak with certainty.

Unless you communicate your ideas with conviction and certainty, then you will have a hard time getting people to listen to them.

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BE POSITIVE Successful people use positive body language when they are talking to draw other people in. Their tone is enthusiastic, they maintain eye contact, leaning in towards the person speaking to show interest. Successful people use it to draw those other people in. How you say something can be just as if not more important that what you say to people. Positive body language can completely alter how your speech is perceived by others, and helps to keep attention on you and what you are saying.

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BE MEMORABLE BY BE MEMORABLE BY LEAVING A STRONG LEAVING A STRONG FIRST IMPRESSION FIRST IMPRESSION You only have once to make a first impresYou only haveare oneincredibly time to make a firstas sion, and they important, impression, and they importthey are closely tiesare to incredibly positive body lanant, as You theyhave are around closely 7tied to positive guage. seconds to conbody language.

7 seconds vince a person toYou likehave youaround after you initially to convince a person to like after them you meet them. That is how longyou it takes initially a person to decidemeet whenthem. they After meet that, you. After that simplyisspending the rest ofthe therest converaisperson simply spending of the sation justifying that initial reaction they conversation justifying that initial reaction had. You yousure make a good they had.can Youmake can sure make you make impression by having strong strong posafirst good first impression by having ture, a firm handshake, a warm smile,smile, and posture, a firm handshake, a warm openopen shoulders. and shoulders.

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BE FEARLESS BE FEARLESS Successful people know that to give in Successful peopleThey know that let giving to fear is a choice. don’t the into fear fear a choice.

They don’t let takeisover, instead focusing onthe thefeart rushake of over, instead, they focus on the rush of euphoria that comes with conquering fears. euphoria that comes with conquering fears.

All of this adds up to having a high emotionAll of this addsWhat up tohelps having emoal intelligence. you atohigh succeed is tional intelligence.What helps you toemosucthe ability to control those whirlwind ceed theyou ability control whirlwind tionsisso can to stay calmthose and focused on emotions so you can stay calm andcan focused actually succeeding.

These habits help on Theseintelligence, habits can youactually gain a succeeding. higher emotional help a higher emotional intellibut asyou yougain probably already know, anything gence, but dealing as you probably know, involving with youralready emotions in anything dealing with your a healthyinvolving manner takes serious work.emoSo, tions healthy takestime. serious don’t in givea up if you manner fail the first You work.

So, don’t up again. if you fail the first must always try give and try time.You must always try and try again.

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DEREK KEARNS When it came to his career, it was a long journey for Derek Kearns, an agent with City2Shore Real Estate based in Northern Michigan. After graduating high school, Derek served as a law enforcement officer for eight years. After living paycheck to paycheck throughout his twenties, Derek took control of his life and began implementing budgeting and finance strategies into his daily regime and became intrigued with long-term investments so he may build lasting wealth for his family. Derek’s hunch led him to parttime real estate while working full-time as a Sheriff’s Deputy. While his initial plan was to bring in extra income, he soon developed a passion for real estate and quickly found success as an agent. “I haven’t looked back since,” Derek shares.

Shortly after, Derek realized that full-time real estate could be the key that would bring him joy, passion, and sufficient income. At the same time, he could do what he loved; helping others. Soon this became his reality, and today, Derek is his clients’ go-to real estate professional, walking alongside them through their unique home journey. As Derek moved to full-time, he got serious about his marketing techniques and his efforts in building relationships. At this point, he is approaching three years in the industry. Derek narrows it down to a critical trait that allowed him to gain success so quickly: his motivation. As a solo agent with City2Shore, Derek has already established a 25% repeat and referral business.

What is it about Derek that differentiates him as an agent? First, his construction background allows clients to add value to their homes. Next, he has expertise in handling and marketing rental properties and helping clients acquire tenants. Lastly is Derek’s niche for working with investors as their buying agent. Aside from his unique

skillset, Derek believes heavily in marketing. His first step is to put his listings on multiple listing platforms. He also has a website linked directly to the MLS and uses paid advertising on social media to expand the viewing area for people in the market. Derek also hires photographers for aerial drone photography of properties. As a result of his efforts, Derek is in the pipeline for five million dollars in volume this year.

Though a full-time career has worked out for Derek, he stays humble in the reasons he is doing it. For Derek, his “why” boils down to one thing; helping others. “I have dedicated my entire life to serving others. I enjoy meeting new people and guiding my clients through the whole process of the homebuying journey,” Derek shares. He makes it his duty to build trust with clients and to protect their interests during the transaction. Derek serves his community through involvement on the Security Team for his church. Additionally, he partakes with his agency, City2Shore, in an annual nonprofit event called Sleep in Heavenly Peace, which builds beds for children without the means of having a bed in their homes. Additionally, his past career working for law enforcement and six years spent in the Army National Guard showcase that Derek’s drive to help others is fueled by his passion for serving and protecting his clients, community, and country.

When Derek isn’t working, he cherishes moments with his family and watching his four children grow. He also enjoys exercising, hunting, and fishing. His main goal is to develop his business into an efficient “well-oiled machine” that is steady with repeat and referral clients so he may continue serving his community. Derek’s integrity and service are unmatched as a Top Agent of Northern Michigan!

To learn more about Derek, email derek.kearns@city2shore.com, call 231-434-9202, or visit derekkearns.city2shore.com or zillow.com/profile/derekkearns https://

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www.

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KIM LAM Meet Kim Lam, a specialty buyer’s agent, listing agent, and Bellevue, Washington’s go-to realtor. As a member of the Hao Dang Team with Windermere Real Estate, Kim found her way to the industry after her previous employer recommended she get her license. After working in office management and real estate for a couple of months, Kim decided to take the plunge and move into the industry full-time.

Now licensed for four years, Kim works with one of the top-producing teams in Washington State. With abounding numbers of five-star reviews and a heart devoted to giving back to others, Kim knows how to provide the resources her clients need as they make their most significant investments.

Kim predominantly serves the greater Seattle area and has helped numerous families settle and find joy as they find their perfect homes. Due to Kim’s commitment to clients and ability to understand each family’s unique situation, she has established a repeat and referral business of 80%. In addition, clients trust Kim and her process in assisting them on the homebuying journey.

Kim’s primary strategies include assessing clients’ homes so they can make improvements and secure top dollar at closing. Whether staging homes, negotiating with sellers, or reverse prospecting on the listing end, Kim stays eager in her marketing efforts. Clients especially appreciate Kim’s connections with top vendors in the industry and her strong negotiation skills.

Additionally, she and her team implement standard marketing processes such as open houses and broker openings to attract more activity. As a result of Kim’s efforts, she averages between fifteen and twenty units per year in volume. 2022 is looking to be as equally successful for Kim. Though the closing process means the finish line, Kim keeps her door open with clients and continuously touches base with them through phone calls, 36

remembering special anniversaries, holiday greetings, and sending gifts. Additionally, her team hosts quarterly events with various activities, such as organizing barbecues or taking pictures with Santa during the holidays. One of these programs is Client Giant, where the team sends quarterly gifts to clients. While Kim is successful in her business, she enjoys helping create a seamless process for clients to find the right home. Using her industry knowledge, Kim finds and wins homes for clients that fit their needs. Meanwhile, her guidance ensures that meaningful and genuine relationships are formed with clients.

When Kim isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her daughter and traveling. While most travel for pleasure, Kim travels to give back to the less fortunate.

Each year she visits Vietnam and spends time with the children, where she treats them to meals, takes them to the arcade, and gives them the gift of experiencing things they don’t normally do. Additionally, Kim donates to their schools so they may acquire uniforms, backpacks, and various supplies. As for the future, Kim and her team intend to expand while experimenting with different strategies to generate new leads. She will also continue her annual visits to Vietnam. One thing is sure; the world needs more agents like Kim Lam.

To learn more about Kim, email kimlam@windermere.com or call 206-979-3585 TopAgent Agent Magazine Magazine Copyright Top

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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SHERIFE OLMEZ Sherife Olmez of Melbourne, Victoria, brings a nurturing demeanor to her dual career in property management and real estate sales. “We’ve seen tremendous growth after the pandemic, as Melbournians moved from the city center and started working remotely, we’ve had to stay flexible. Our Biggin & Scott team has a regional office as well as a metropolitan office, and I help people who are looking to buy, invest, sell, or rent. I get to help them on that journey from start to finish.”

Originally, Sherife owned and operated a family business in retail sales while she was raising her two sons.

When they reached an age of relative self sufficiency, she began seeking opportunities to expand her career.

“We had done some renovations ourselves, bought and sold several properties, and I just love helping people – I felt like real estate would be the right fit.” Since becoming a licensed REALTOR® nine years ago, Sherife has grown her business by relying almost entirely on organic, word-of-mouth advertising, and she boasts a book of business that is over ninety percent repeat and referral clients. “It’s more of a personalized service, and I think that’s very appealing in the market we’re in at the moment. A lot of property management agencies have huge portfolios, and it’s impossible to get in contact with a manager who won’t pick up the phone – they lose that human element. I’m on the other side. I catch up with all of my landlords once every few months, over coffee or through Zoom. That’s what I enjoy most, and I think that’s what sets me apart.”

Her instinctive, interpersonal touch allows Sherife to work with anybody and everybody, and she prides herself on her range and breadth of business. “I work with everything from one bedroom apartments up to $3 million homes. In terms of rentals, we started off in the business about a year and half ago, and when I started we only had three properties. I’ve organically grown that to about sixty now.” Her unique ability to thrive in Top Agent Magazine

the space between landlord and tenant has cemented her in the property management business, and Sherife hopes to continue her work indefinitely. “I’d like to continue doing this until I’m at least ninety!

It just doesn’t feel like work to me – I love putting deals together, and I love getting interesting people together. Especially on the rental side. Being able to facilitate difficult situations, even with what we’re going through with the cost of living – it’s a bit of a balancing act, but being the go-to person for both sides fits my nurturing personality.”

Sherife extends this care and attention to her family, her business, and her extended community. “We join and sponsor different things depending on what resonates with us. When the boys were in school I was part of the Mother’s Club and I did a lot of fundraising within the campus. Last year, I lost a close friend to breast cancer, so we’ve dedicated a lot of time to fun runs and charities for that in Melbourne.” By staying connected to her hometown and dedicating her business to a boutique model close to home in Melbourne, Bayside, and Regional Victoria in Neerim South, Sherife expects to grow her sales volume “as high as one hundred and twenty properties each year, but probably no more than that. I don’t want to sacrifice my relationships with my clients.”

Contact Sherife at 0404 022 854, email solmez@bigginscott.com.au or visit bigginscott.com.au/agent/sherife-olmez www.

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TOM WILLETT Rarely do we meet an individual that resembles what it means to be a rising star more than Tom Willett, an affiliate broker from Greeneville, Tennessee. Tom is a true visionary regarding real estate and the pure potentiality of what can be achieved in life, whether looking at a property, a client’s dreams, or the endless possibilities for his business. It started as a hobby for Tom when he bought and sold real estate as a private investor when he was only twenty-one. However, what began as a hobby of buying and flipping homes led Tom to pursue it full-time, literally turning nothingness homes into something extraordinary and making his dreams a tangible reality.

Though Tom had an engineering background and a six-figure income in his previous profession working in transportation, the 8-5 grind wasn’t cutting it for Tom. But, guided by trust and confidence, Tom made the switch and became an active real estate agent.

What is unbelievable about Tom is that he has only been in the trade for five months and has already sold twenty-six homes. Tom narrows his success down to a few key traits that have accelerated his success. One, his ability to bridge the gap while communicating between clients and lenders, and two, his deep-rooted belief that closing a home is not just about a transaction.

Lastly, Tom brings forward a huge game-changer, using tact and honesty to create a meaningful experience for his clients during the buying and selling process.

As a solo agent, Tom currently serves a fifty-mile radius around Greeneville, Tennessee. His strategy entails focusing on one area at a time and pivoting to the next if he sees more traction and a greater likelihood of a home selling. What separates Tom is his complete transparency, his niche for analytics and fearlessness in discussing numbers, and his ability to articulate facts so he may build credibility and trust. Once the day is over, Tom is humble in his primary objective; to reveal the true value of a home and treat each client’s journey as a unique experience.

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Tom stays in touch with his past clients by using a CRM system to reach out monthly. Additionally, he follows up a few times a week with current clients and always makes a point to check their welfare after the transaction. Regarding marketing, Tom travels down several avenues to promote his listings, including sending postcards, generating newsletters, and staying present on social media and LinkedIn. Furthermore, he relies on the MLS and takes extra effort to network on various For Sale Owner groups.

Despite Tom’s astonishing success as a rising star, his work is rooted in integrity so he can protect his client’s best interests. “I serve from the heart,” Tom shares. Tom is driven by passion, empathy for others, big dreams, and confidence. As a former high school athlete, Tom makes charitable donations of at least five thousand dollars annually to the local high school’s athletics and academic fairs. When he isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his family, lifting weights, exercising, and watching football. As for the future, Tom intends to hire a small team to assist him. However, his main focus for 2023 is on growth and scalability. For Tom, the world is his oyster, and he will continue to make the world a better place while he achieves the impossible.

To learn more about Tom Willett, email nachoaveragebroker@gmail.com call 423-552-3876 or visit zillow.com/profile/nachoaveragebroker www.

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Make Social Media Marketing Your Calling Card These days, it’s no secret that buyers begin their home search online. As the industry continues to take a digital turn, Realtors in the know must learn to utilize a whole new range of tools available to them—and for good reason. Social media is a dynamic hybrid of personal contact and targeted marketing. To make the most of this new medium, agents can’t settle for the occasional post and expect results.

Instead, let’s consider a few techniques that will make your social media presence Top Agent Magazine

interactive, unmissable, and effective in generating business.

Your Profile is a Portal Ideally, you’ll have profiles across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and otherwise—but no matter what portal you’re utilizing, make sure your profile page is up-todate, well-curated, and easily navigated.

Consider your profile a landing page.

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Your photo, location, contact information, homepage, and a brief bio should all be readily visible so that potential clients can get an immediate sense for who you are and what your voice is. If a client wants to connect with you, it should be obvious how to do so. You might also incorporate a few savvier tools that make your profile more engaging—like hashtags. These searchable tags can help you lure potential clientele and give your audience a chance to explore deeper. #DreamHome #JustListed and #HomeInspiration are popular, existing tags to choose from, but you can cultivate your own hashtag by consistently tagging posts, which gives clients an extensive thread to comb through.

Interacting with Your Audience Posting regularly is great way to appear in feeds, but engaging with your audience is just as important—and it helps you reach a new audience in the process. It’s a positive start to like your audience’s posts, pictures, and statuses, but commenting takes your engagement a step further and separates you from typical respondents. It’s also important that you diversify your engagements. In other words, don’t center every communication around your business, propositioning your services, or trying to sell. If applicable, present your value-add, but otherwise steer your engagement towards the personal. Let your clients know that you’re there, you’re human, and 42

ready to work at their pace. Which leads us to our next point...

Blending the Professional with the Personal Engaging with your audience is one thing, but what about generating original content?

How do you strike the right balance between a Call to Action, industry updates, and a personal touch? Think of it this way: any post you create should provide a point of connection for your audience.

Sometimes, you might be sharing a family photo, or commenting on some unifying current event—like the Super Bowl! Other times, you may be sharing a Coming Soon listing, or providing tips to spruce up a home for spring. Regardless, you should focus on quality. Is your copywriting engaging? Does it express your unique voice and personality, while maintaining clarity? Are you giving your audience something to connect with, even if you are sharing property photos or advertising an open house? Instill some fun and some personalization to every piece of content you make, so that clients can picture the voice and person behind the post.

Things are always changing on the social media frontier, but some rules never shift.

Adding clarity, consistency, and personality to your online presence are three surefire ways to grow your business and make social media second nature.

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WESLEY MITCHELL REALTOR® Wesley Mitchell’s interest in real estate began when he was in high school, but he didn’t go into the industry until much later. Instead, his first career was in the insurance business where he focused on life insurance. From there, his career transferred into advertising for the yellow pages. 2015 came as a turning point in Wesley’s life when he decided that he needed to do work that he really loved. He craved the flexibility to work on his own terms and saw real estate as offering the perfect lifestyle.

Spurred by his passion for homes, Wesley got licensed as a REALTOR® and started working with clients in and around the Nashville, Tennessee area where he is based. Since then, he has been enjoying the freedom not only over his own lifestyle, but also of being able to help as many people as he can in a meaningful way.

Working as an independent agent within a brokerage, Wesley represents homebuyers and sellers at all stages of their lives. Whether they are firsttime buyers or families looking to upgrade to more space, Wesley learns exactly what his clients need to find their dream homes. “I’m very good at one-onone and care about meeting my clients’ goals,” he explains. While some of his business comes to him via referrals, Wesley puts a lot of effort into advertising. Considering his background in the field, it is no surprise that he oversees all of his marketing.

“Advertising and real estate go hand-in-hand, which is part of why I felt like a natural fit in this industry,” says Wesley. He has expert knowledge of digital marketing practices, keeping up with the newest technologies to reach new audiences. Additionally, Wesley takes advantage of traditional strategies like Top Agent Magazine

using billboards to draw attention to listings. Of course, regular correspondence via phone calls, texts, and emails also keep clients in the loop.

In his spare time, Wesley tries to give back locally however he can. For example, each year on Halloween, he gives out 150 pizzas for free. This not only brings people together and helps his community, but is an opportunity for Wesley to meet new people and expand his network.

This year, Wesley has already completed $7 million in transactions and he is hoping to reach $10 million by the close of December. By the end of next year, he hopes to have doubled that number. His willingness to learn, ambition to succeed, and awareness of the challenges of the changing market are what will propel his business to new heights in the coming years. “At the end of the day, I have the desire to help people and make things happen that they didn’t think was possible.”

For more about Wesley Mitchell, call 615-422-7624 or email wesmitchell2014@outlook.com 43 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

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