NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL 9-13-21

NATIONWIDE & INTERNATIONAL EDITION

FEATURED AGENTS

BOYD GRAINGER COURTNEY YANT-HAUG SAM SAKLA GREG BERARDI LYNNETTE BOUDET AMY GRAVES ANA TERESA RODRIGUEZ BETH BRAKE CAROLYN REDINGER DEBBIE MOCK DIANA RIVERA EYAL 'AL' LEVY JACQUELINE R. MASON JOSE LUIS GUZMAN KELLY STEYN LARRY COLE ROBIN I. SMITH SCOTT LEMON

COVER STORY

ERICA WOLFE

er Services NATIONWIDE is proud to&congratulate INTERNATIONAL EDITION

rica Wolfe GREG BERARDI BOYD GRAINGER

en you’re making what could be the 9 your st important financial decision of , you want as much information as you possibly get. Even more important is ng able to consult with someone who present all those pieces of information you in one clear picture, someone who your best interests at heart. That’s the ue Boyd Grainger brings to his clients.

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and his work ethic that keeps clients com23doesn’t take that ing back, though Boyd loyalty for granted. He continues to reach out after the deal is done to make sure clients are happy and to see if there’s anything they need.

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When it comes to marketing his listings, Boyd spares no effort. He helps his clients prepare and stage their home to WOLFE BOYD GRAINGER COURTNEY SAM SAKLA ore he becameERICA a Realtor, Boyd spent ensure maximum appeal to buyers. After YANT-HAUG r 15 years as a mortgage lender and 5 that he has professional photographers rs as a residential and commercial propcreate high-resolution photos and vid“Real estate a part of me since focused on44the values y developer.

Throughhas the been mid 2000s eos of the home, which 34 38 43 he posts with a built over 20 homes, but had trouble detailed description of the listing to every growing up,” says Amy Graves, a leading her career in the first p you’re truly passionate about so ding a real estate agent who offered the major real estate site and “When social media agent at eXp Realty. Coming of age in her my business is integrit you’re going Sa lity of service that he was looking for. So he got his platform. He also reaches out to the other agents and to stand out,” saysOri parents’ brokerage, she had an opportunity each transaction, I go i reflecting on the foundations of his acco n license and began representing his properties him- former clients in his sphere, taking advantage of every An real estate career. my clients first . Into2010 he became Realtor full time. learn the a business from top to possible bot- lead. serving

LYNNETTE BOUDET AMY GRAVES

A

ToPAGENT

her tom, and soon after earning her degree in sale.

These deals feel Before hehe’s was a top producing agent ing at le K y in-depth knowledge of lending and construction Boyd’s work doesn’t leave much free time, but MAGAZINE Marketing Analytics, sheanddecided to pursue and the more like lad re liams,the hefor wasme climbing corporate erentiates me from a lot of agents, enables me a dedicated participant in CrossFit, hitting gym Aft CAROLYN REDINGER helpher my clients get better value from their purchase,” at 5:15 every morning. “It’sGRI, a great SRS, community, and about world ABR, ofcare finance.

But after 13 years, Sam CAROLYN REDINGER DEBBIE MOCK EPRO own license.

Since then, she has found every client’ GREG BERARDI LYNNETTE BOUDET AMY GRAVES ANA TERESA BETH BRAKE wa s Boyd. “I’m also a good communicator, so if prob- it helps me begin every day energized and positive.” leapDIANA to explore aRIVERA passion he had always fast success as an in California Redinger her agent, career infirst Carolyn stayed true to RODRIGUEZ her msolyn arise during abegan transaction, I’m able to break it Boyd is feeling good has aboutalways the future ofyet his business never pursued: real estate entreprene vio “Besides loving homes, A longtime Georgia resident, Debbie Mock Diana Rivera knows the challenges that natural d a and we also do private sales, which we estate because she wanted to dedicate value of putting her clients' needs first. wn and for mymost clientsrecently in simple terms.

Betweenestablishing lending as well.

He’s been working with a coach to helpOutside him in47 Oregon, a her career, 51 52 55 aAm with buying or selling a my home, of her she says with a laugh. “ap always been to real come estate.

While "When I started real and estate journey self to helping people.

"When Iworth putdrawn my has market to agents our office.

This is building andhas over a decade’s of experience develop ain team, and has recently secured 5000 square The decision paid off, almost immedia network of satisfied buyers and sellers that active around her com eatured in Top Agent Magazine howfeet intimidating that process be for much tim many years I can was educated togetting stay in nd to something it of is age all a Realtor, there aren’t any problems thatbeneficial I can’t of office space.

Heago, plans to grow a team 5his license After in 2016, heAs hit isofselling a $600,000 ho coming inabout Memphis, Tennessee, sheof ater for a lot people because spans the coast. coaching and sponsor ow-through."

In her first year of real a certain area and price-point, but I people.

That’s why makes sureanother her ach icipate haven’t solved before. And sometimes agents by the end ofshe theofyear, adding 5 by the earning Rookiethem ground running, the Y Ter hershe and many do not want hundreds buyers home, they deserveofthe s spent of weekends driving around town with ate, was Rookie the Year and the believe it is about accommodating issue that might look intimidating to someone with end of 2022. honors at Keller Williams Plymouth.

Fr clients never have to worry about a thing. relations or the State of Florida! soccer, football, and b inthr was at their house, and we still get seeing herwas parents and looking at houses.

Inspired year she Top in her looking people, locations and quality thattoattention. works sowing experience turns outa to beAgent an opportunity.”

2018 today, he has Just been the top produc “I’m very passionate about seeing to the is seeing Amy is aof Licensed Broker for eXp has also formed par From thelater start of her career, Lynnette Boudet has I’m here for once them any tim “AToday, multiple offers listing price.” ing"can't" and developers ce.

Now with 35these years experience, them and have always“I’ve noted agent atBrokers his isbrokerage, and he they nowclose lead their faces ref by experiences, she decided tofor needs of above my clients,” Diana explains. we been focused on relationships making each as seamral toshe an aselectrician or ifclo olyn has been recognized forEstate her in transaction my vocabulary." where she assists clients throughout assortment h aRealty, Master of Science in Real from ent, team oftable 450 agents top of performer in Inspired, decided to pursu a network of profeswas aorg pa can bring alocal tear to yt pursue her license, and inJohns thebuilt years sincenotwith cess, skill and dedication with numer­ pkins University, Boyd is licensed inless the District of Beth volume and listing units—assisting clie andOregon stress-free possible for her clients.

Her regarding real estate, they -toisn’t working, she’s Coos County and thecareer Southern Coast.

There, she the Program, which lends sionals inas ourhas area to help me take careARC of any the business, and sincesuppo then, her inWhen real 60 estate, she "It is so important to be a skilled negotiahonorsMaryland, andlaunching designations including umbia, and Virginia, averaging over in a tri-county area across Metro Detroit ability to listen to clients’ needs make hisoverapplied giving back herreal time and resources to We their problems that might arise inmarket. aMOCK transaction.

When n background with estate andand throughout the area.RIVERA When she’s notan BETH BRAKE CAROLYN REDINGER DEBBIE DIANA accomplished career as inghas 150+ Million Dollars in Sales, tor in today's mustan nsactions a year forher a sales of around $25 Outside her career, Debbi become aextensive topvolume producer in her region.

Today, ® keep dreams a reality has made her the go-to REALTOR also streamlined thetoday's process to eliminate goa and support those in need.process “My husband Aenjoys crucial part ofand Lynnette’ e foundations Star Professional Real Estate Agent Award in rules and regulations.

We ® lion.

At least 40 percent of athat business from I’ve in is marketing tocomes cultivate aup-to-the-minute boutique ing back, spending quality When asked whatclients he thinks is their driving ofshe satisfied collea involved in her comg for Alderman Classic Debbie Realtor as much of the stress as possible.” doing throughout greater New Orleans and the north ealclients anddeter­ I support a nonprofit organization nner 7 consecutive years. all about are honored to work with many communities ing strategy.

“I am lucky to eat or referrals.

“I’m "It veryis hands-on and I heand says it allchildren. comes down to a ha forforknowledge every client. with hersuccess, husband and previously been Presi Realty, where she services clients throughor helping her Kel nation, and experience.

Success is about represent many military veterans in finding and selling p my clients informed every step of the way,” shore St. Tammany parish,SEA Louisiana, where she onToday, approach.

After helping his clients est, inofBoyd South Sudan called Partners, offers us Teresa great marketing Ana is the Left ening, caring, educating, and working diligently to their dream homes."

President of her local Bo out Moultrie and the surrounding areas of Diana has over 20 years of sales, financial and charities and donat lains.

“I’m also a good negotiator, and I work tireworks Latter & Blum.

Inchildren,” the real estate busi-where her where we help educate Beth Phone 310-734-1440 |atFax 310-734-1440 when I supervises have a new listing is she an elite Contact Boyd at 301-643-6446 ® ld my clientele base by providing excellent service. sly to get them the best possible price and terms on marketing experience, and lived and worked in on alsoher volunteers at When listing a property, Amy leverages a the full suite of Going forward, Amy has strong plans of Year by thehas she currently serves area Cham Southwest Georgia.

Voted Realtor ness for 13 years, she operates with integrity and ugh says.

They have built a K-8th grade platforms like Florida.

Twitter, L or emailbroker, boydgrainger@gmail.com r clients become customers and refer us® to Eastern As principal it gives Carolyn great pride to South throughout H ir transaction.”

It’srepeat that combination of knowledge mag@topagentmagazine.com |Pennsylvania www.topagentmagazine.com and Montgomery County since wanting toispractice resources to drive as much traffic to a home as possible. business.

As her volume maintains ita Moultrie Board of Realtors and having earned Best of and Kiwanis.

Moreover, she on the knowledge, always ensuring that clients and their ist, facility and help coordinate bringing Instagram.

My licensed ir family and friends. We are always finding solu­ 2000. mentor passher onreal her knowledge andworking experience She and began estate career as to an home She’s been veryshe activ the luxury market, the Best within her community, she possesses for the Moultrie Department Starting out, shehonors provides her clients with professional isdoes. in the ofPolice for her ns by offering preferred, experienced partners and real estate in growing theirprocess business. ool, the 8th grade toagents another city best interest areother at graduates the heart of what she also has astudying great online footp assistant to a broker.

“I enjoyed everything about the community find job Copyright Top Agent Magazine men, marketing expertise, an nnections to the of real estate."

She looks forward to expanding Infinity Living in County nedphotography where they finish their education. theeveryday tireless work ethic and boutique approach needed with the Colquitt Sheriff to ra andneeds staging services to ensure their License.

But more than she listings andanything, repost them, so business, and once Ipropfelt like I“One understood the methods, any buyer or seller. many come ways. back and educate explains.

After a of the goals is to have them toopened assist anyitsbuyer or seller. nations for and children inDiana need.constantly When I decided get mythere, license.” been representing lo erty shines in all promotional materials.

From new clients opportunities thatshe aw When working withtoLynnette, buyersShe’s 2016, Carolyn her own brokerage, Infinity 2 Top Agent Magazine ling, estate to devotetools village.

We currently donate 10% of sharevery closing clients in the Philadelphia metro area, Bucksback, County, already se or giving shefor can found rela sellers can count on her commitment in Columbus, Ohio,the where sheand serves asgenerate the she utilizes like Canva to polished, love being present such aexcellent terrific When listing a be property, An andeven Montgomery County full time forher over 7 yearshiking andup she’s excit back isOwner. toHer thisahusband, organization.”

1-5941 |and propertytransferservices.com ncipalsince, Broker and Jim, them and to guide after the transaction When listing property, Debbie is there for her with family, to very the mou

erving his cli- and high-quality counsel.” Berardi Realty te dedication. New York State from Albany down to New or twenty-four City, helping clients with a wide array of rea nse with this transactions. A native of the area, Greg ha operty Transfer Inc. for the sale of some of the larges responsible orrison on real Services, ed awards for erties in the region. www.

EYAL "AL" LEVY

LUIS GUZMAN JACQUELINE R.JOSE MASON KELLY STEYN is also known for his serious mar-is unique, When she Savannah, Georgia, Every began home She is a Kelly Steyn’sintegrated interest service. in real estate “Irelocated had ato burning desire to accomplish and promote his listings.

Jacqueline R. Mason had to call and I use property details and neigh56 seven 59 60 63 keting approach.

He engages in Philadel early in life. “From childhood I always bigger than engages his vast network differentsomething real estate agents, before she myself,” Jose borhood dynamics to dictate the best ® leadersh ,” Kelly recalls. wanted to be a Realtor various methods to get his listings receivedGuzman a call back. “Very quicklywhile I real- discussing his marketing solution for each listing.” word. “My fellow agen explains, addition loved houses.

I loved real the“IHe highest visibility.

“I reading do everyzed thatentrance there was a gap to fill, I knew into theandreal estate world. looking for my inventory other co estate listings in the newspapers, and I stems hat I’d be able to prioritize my clients and Jacqueline’s passion forflyers her job thing from open houses and previously worked in the food industry, able, it seems like they lik flexibilit knew I wanted to do something involving give them a much more personal and elefrom the fact that she truly enjoys workto social media, direct mail, and allows Kelly“Igot vated experience,” she explains. ingcollege, with people. loveher mystart clients and and loved helpingMerging others. Always houses.” pas- After meI in closing deals, so mI voice, an in title insurance before getting her license her degree in Interior Design with her paslove real estate.

I love that buildings have print advertising. I make sure my send out an email to all th sionate about serving people, he decided sion to help others, she’s been assisting history, and that families have moved into locally.” and selling new construction houses. listings always have professional to sellers closeinhis business down and pursue says that his focus enjoys is to as buyers and achieving their real them and have a lifestyle “New construction was mycreated stepping stone around EYAL 'AL' LEVY JACQUELINE R. JOSE LUIS GUZMAN KELLY STEYN estate goals for 15estate years. career. “That was in photos. their home.

Yourcreate can either make or what is expected, as “ is to noise a real 2016, than into realThe estate, and it was ahome great way toLEMON LARRY COLEMASON SCOTT ROBIN I.goal SMITH break your lifestyle, so it’s very personal learn a the lot about the industry as a so whole,” around upcoming listing that mile is the key.” In the and everything seemed to fall into place When working with Jacqueline her clients can count onLemon andgot it affects theestate way you communicate with each other Scott into real because various local charities.

He is credibleto customer brand-new That’s why I really Thereseraren’twhere many real estate agents who built strong relationships with acontinue network growing a shehe says.

In ones.

2010, Kelly transitioned to an independent me I wanted towell be,” when itto®hits the market, everybody her hands-ontake approach, her keen listening ear, as down the way you doqualor don’t have dinner parties he wanted to offer people a higher plating a nonprofit organiz 64 67 68 know Las Vegas better than Robin I. Smith. like of addressprofessionals she trusts, including lend- I am also v y, Larry Cole strives goingand in she withhasn’t clientslooked and possible. back since.

Realtor as her absolute discretion.

“I understand people and because of the space limitations.

Your home is really a says.With Today is mentoring new comAfter working withon Jos ity service than he knows had experienced with families of children with Ne already about it,” he says. over Jose three decades representing cliers, contractors, stagers, and movers.

“We ess experience ing what they likeyour andentire what needs to homeowners how environments, andtoI his pay attention to what they’remultiple look- agents building block for life.” in the past.

It wasn’t hard a condition from which hi ing agents and preparing to the bebe thechanged. sellers love to tell othe ents up and down the valley, them she’s seen affectionately them ‘Robin’s Peeps,’ rs every Every neighborhood is call covering Eyal’s methods helped him finish and sustainable, and Kelly serves the Philadelphia region, ng with for. I can havesingle a good conversation with somebody to identify the first principle of daughter suffered for sever ® unique, and for me it’s crucial cityclients grow from 330,000 people infor thehim late she laughs.

“One ofexperience. my favorite things ays find keeping to fig- Delaware, servfuture generation of REALTORS One recently through the National Philadelphia, Chester, and them the right house because I really listen to last Jacqueline believes in continued education and is a and of his his business.

“It’s about theMontgomery, client’s goals, free time goes to fam year with an impressive $12.3 seventies to its current population of over about this job is the feeling I get when his heand pays ure out what my clients enjoy, and what whatbusiness, they want, more importantly, what they need. member at the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, to grow that side of“Im Bucks counties.

Over 60% of her business comes from not the agents’,” Scott explains. “Our heI does havebeen a hobby. ing the Maryland, Virginia, Washington, ily and have usin million in sales volume.

2.

3 million.

Many of those people relied we solve a problem for someone, whether wants and needs and they absolutely can’t stand, and go from Clients also respect that when they’re working with me, isrepeat where she’s earned GUILD Going passion for helping people.

We take the darts in multiple dar homeowners on wha and referral clients, an recognition. impressive feat thatforspeaks tipped

D.C.ison Dallas, Texas regions.

“I want services for last few y her knowledge of the toare help them overcoming an to the them sheir solutions toand make there. allows me tocontinue process andinspires. plan privacy my utmost concern, andarea they guarward, she plans tothey working diligently onobstacle time to listen, to It discover what need. that’s I’mmore always trying to recrui sustainable, he to the trust and confidence she “My clients find home. the value of doing ortheir selling their home, orrental finding to discretion.” instill in them more than what occasions (to estate sell, buy, managem estate my dreams a their realand one step to finding We’re not just gets trying close athey deal.” tition (willingly or not),” h anteed behalf of us her clients incloser order buying to make real know that Itoam hardworking and always looking in their Social by nature, Eyal thrives when them a place to stay while their new home dreams cently get joined forces them thecome perfect home.” paid for—tothealways go theRobin extra mile for true. others,” iscompleted.” extremely honest, humble andlov al Kelly’s lifelong best interest,” Kelly says.

“They know I will get it done “I’ve watched valley get built,” isLuis being he has isROBIN ableTheI.toAtlanta create That guided Marketconnections As for the future of his bu Jacqueline creditsserves her extremely high rate of repeat andethic and currently LARRY COLE SMITH SCOTT LEMON shows in everything for them,will and have that myan goal alwaysHe theirisgoal.

I listen Joseexplains. explains.

“If they years practice that, they help. very straightforward, trustw spent ofwith my career Experts toOutside an incredible percent repeatisis is in the process of grows referral business to Los her “I tight knitthirteen relationships clis throughout the of 86 work, Larry deeply with people and help them reach areabest we a lot oi toreferral what their is and served find out what they want, new construction, which meant Robin’s marketing strategy with client rate asplan they clients andand his begins volume, andhave he recently career.” responsible; however, his quality ents. “I amazing reallyrepresenting care about every client like they’re my andinvolved in the AAhave community.

He’sin team their goals.

He has an empathetic and I love helping m then I work hard to make that happen.” the Greater Atlanta area with Keller Williams.

The rebranding campaign that saw The R that I had to cover the entire Las Vegas Basin.

People staging the home for the professional photos that will family, and I work hard to exceed their expectations. I also a member of the localattitude.

Country I always recommend his service team has closed close to 600 transactions in the last 15 Team become The Atlanta Market Exper are actually amazed when they learn how much territory be shown with the listing information on a diverse range those houses. It’s rea will always go out of myofway to make sure somebody Union Counties. ear for his clients and enjoys learning about them. ative, his knowledge the market Club where he enjoys playing golf. “Ilastlove toand travel With strongThis work ethic and a desire to exceed expecfamily members who aresomeone in the process years.

Scott closed 33 touch transactions year isison to bringon aand hyper-focus on numbers while wearepresent.” of platforms.

They advertise homes the social media find their h Staying in with past clients important, has a good experience. is probably the biggest Iess wasdedication born here, so to I definitely have to and play golf.

Myforperfect vacation day consists of “I like be out on the field and meet new people a similar pace 2021.

It’s no secret what keeps their his clients are always positioned to pro sites, real estate magazines, and other major media pornvestment they are going to make, so it’s crucial that I tations, hasHaving developed athereputation forin the superior ing and/or any other Kelly pool works toafternoon, maintainand those relationships long real estate related m nding of theUpon localJose market. golf in morning, a beach clients coming back. understand the market very Journal, the market or what changes may be arou getting her license in 1989, Robin worked in gen-“We tals such asin The Wall Street as well as through get ittwo right.

I always tell my clients that when we get to st traits that every day.

Helping them face the different obstacles after closing.

She keeps contact via email, monthly “Going the extra mile” has resulted in the gracias por todo Jose Luis!” g as I service. have,eral I also possess a deep sunset dinner.” and to we’re constantly assessing mailings new numbers and home’s “This neighborhood, is typically the largest forfeel twolike years, butwell, wanted switch to and postcard in the door transaction he closing table, I real wantestate them to it’s Christmas newsletters, social media.

“Social media has been ceptional service. that real estate often presents, and overcome them, data so that we can adapt quickly to any changes.

That will go through, and it can also be the m the history,” he explains.

His natural majority of his clients deriving from referrals and repeat new home shesaid, felt that she needed knocking, and reaching out to other agents. She also stays morning. I recently had construction a client who because called and really helpful to keep in touch with clients, keep up knowledge and flexibility is what allows us to get our because there are so many moving par with people, and his focus on relaLarry’s advice for agents who are just starting out into iswas incredibly rewarding.

This path is exciting toresults know homes werethat built in order to best serve career inon touch with clients long afterfor the his closing.

Along with ‘Ideas just want you to know, this actually better than business.

“Ihow make sure my focus is price entirely my With a love community, alwa clients thewith best and terms.” cess.

Itop findof it very fulfilling Jose to be able t what’s going on in their lives, and stay of one-time transactions, has earned in real estate, is to keep clients at the center of their her have clients.

Herand second year keeps volume $7.7best million calls or those texts to who touch base with people, she sends out Christmas.’ That type of feedback is what meofit’s xpectations beautiful, and suited for love clients, remove that stress, and help them clients rather than money.

My purpose is to serve peoto give back.

“I help the homeless shelt mind,” Kelly says. at and referral clients.

“I’m a pretty business.

“Thefor business butvideo it’s not easy. and—barring interruptions impressed American Homes enough tois simple, monthly newsletters working relentlessly on the behalf ofWest my clients.”

Scott utilizes athem comprehensive marketing strategy for in reach their goal.” repeat and referto continually learn.

One important thing to keep ple.”

Jose, real estate is all about helping people support Catholic charities to feed the hom ho’s easy to make getFor along with.

Most of You have to be able to tailor every deal to the client’s an exception to their policy his of only hiring agents to due pandemic—hosts listings.

In addition bothtoofthe Georgia’s Multiple 5-6 client events a year.

When it comes to marketing, Kelly uses a comprehenbecome my friends.” needs and wants.

When I as first sit with a150 client, my For more about Jacqueline R. Mason plays a big in mind Jacqueline’s success.

She with new construction experience.

A year and a half later soMarketing simple: make itrole about this business, is that ittargets doesn’t matter how achieve their goals, and making the experience stressanywebsites, free time, he can be found traveling Listing Services, he also over sive approach to ensure maximum exposure for her goal is to find out more about them, and make the please call (912) 220–1844, has a strong online presence to ensure herGroup sellers she was hired away by thethat Pulte when they came Going forward, her aim is to continue helping as many uploading professional photos and virtual toursnature. oflearn his free as possible.

Hesell listens intently to their needs and ing .challenge “It” being their many years you have been in it, you will always get a premium price for their homes.

“I’m working on email jrmsav@gmail.com, oftohelping his clients transaction center around their needs, not mine.” listings.

Through targeted social media ads, asexceptional well Las Vegas, impressing again with her that knowledge of remote people as she can, offering same service homes allow even buyers to appreciate the the does it issue takes make their dreams happen. rtopit’s first time something new,” says. my website right now and redesigning for a properties’ morehe JMasonRealtor.com orsocial visit dollar, which is why he places the city’s real estate numbers. foralso which she’s toon be known.

“It’s not just about as organic media posts and email blasts, Kelly features.

He boosts the come listings Nowhatever portion of this mayittobe reproduced inbest any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher.

To find out m selling homes.

It’sfind getting to to know andhas some his digital marketing “The various social media platforms.

ItAlthough isn’t to Throughout the transaction, he’s honest provides In the next few years, Jose puts herand clients’ listings inhard front ofabout abuylarge of people, Top Magazine is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. precautions areaudience taken ensure the accuracy am home to Agent startstrategy.

RE Lic ersyears thesebefore days, butbeScott isresponsible quick to point out why we Robin worked withcreates Pulte forAgent over 10 returnmeeting all of their needs.” s it feedsguidance, to so many other real estate potential buyers.

The results speak for themselves, andreach of published materials, Top Magazine cannot held for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its Copyright Top Agent Magazine which a sense of trust.

“When they wants to expand his into other terr call 484.343.240 the bestisoffer for When he’s not helping clients their perfect future shouldn’t trust justtime any find agent to help us sell our home. ing topowerful. general real estate so she would have more ine reach very If you’re Kelly averages about $12 million per year in volume. authors.

To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com.

Published in the U.S. me, they know my value andwe that what plish sales of $40,000,000email per kelly.stey year an “Right have athe market that no one has ever seen to with spend with her daughter.

The next 15know years pter ofwork their life. home, Eyal likes tonow, relax by pool, play basketball, ll you’re doing is putting up teenage signs compass.co before, with historic low inventory, historic low inter- per year or more. “We are on t were of a rollercoaster.

With the help of her I beyond offer issomething pure, honesty.” closings cards, probably nottransparent going to Kelly enjoys staying involved inthink her community. ve andyou’re to and spend quality time with his family. est rates, and many buyers.

But clients should twin brother she rebuilt her individual business, e top price. Digital mediaRobert, is the way plish this in the coming year.” He Photo alsoby Ton w term when priority and housing crash long by getting into they’re short hiring a Realtor. Get the agent eittois. be My on top of weathered your emailthe markettohis explain how they’ll the current broker’s market, and license and see how far When it Her comes to joined marketing listings, Josehandle utilizes Top Agent Magazine 3 he an sales. brother her again in 2012 and soon ed have and aas easy as footprint.” strong online If you are looking to buy or sell a home in whatmore they seeabout unfolding Eyal next. How willLevy, they adapt?”

To learn "AL" his door to door campaign byKeller delivering really take this “Eventually, I afterwards they built a team with Williams. door The hangers area,business. let Scott and his team help you make www.

www.

CONTENTS 6) HOW TO RECOGNIZE TRUE LUXURY PROPERTIES 16) MODERN EMAIL ETIQUETTE FOR TODAY'S AGENTS 21) 4 EASY WAYS TO REDECORATE YOUR OFFICE THAT WILL BOOST MORALE & IMPRESS CLIENTS 26) GOOGLE ADWORDS: HOW TO MAKE GOOGLE DO THE WORK FOR YOU 32) HOW TO SEND SMARTER EMAILS

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36) 3 MENTAL TRICKS THAT WILL TAKE YOUR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL 40) TOP AGENT TIPS AND QUESTIONS FOR CHOOSING YOUR LISTING AGENT 45) 3 MIND-BENDING PHILOSOPHIES TO EXPAND YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE 49) 3 SUREFIRE METHODS THAT MAKE FOR A PRODUCTIVE MEETING

53) 3 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR WORKSPACE WORK FOR YOU 57) 4 QUALITIES OF EXCEPTIONAL EMPLOYEES 61) 4 REASONS WHY MULTITASKING CAN ACTUALLY DERAIL YOUR DAY 65) THINKING OF LISTING? NINE WAYS TO GET READY

Top Agent Magazine

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Top Agent Magazine

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How to Recognize True Luxury Properties What to Consider Other Than Location When luxury home buyers are looking for a new abode, they are often advised to pay most of their attention to location, location, location. And it’s true that good locations often have better properties, but if you’re only looking at location then you might be forgetting what it is in a luxury property that makes it luxury. You could view a property in a great location, and because you completely ignored any of the other factors that make a property high end, you might find that once you move in, you aren’t as pleased with the actual house itself as you thought you would be. Here are the other things you should look out for when purchasing a luxury home: • Architectural Uniqueness: The simple fact is that good

architecture retains its value. Do your homework on architects and find the ones that have a good track record of designing beautiful, but practical homes. Don’t simply pay attention to how the building looks today. Consider how it will look in a few decades. Keep an eye out for the “bones” of the building, and decide whether they will stand the test of time or not. Things such as a solid foundation, high-grade materials, unusual details, and artistic components are good aspects to consider.

Will the structure hold up well or will it degrade and crumble without constant upkeep? That funky molding may look artistic today, but in ten years will it be considered artistic or just plain weird?

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Top Agent Magazine

• Practical Layout: Make sure you have enough room to live

in comfort. As a buyer of luxury property, you probably have quite a busy social schedule. You want to make sure that the layout will lend itself to helping you maintain clear separation between your social areas and private ones. You don’t want guests having to go back into your bedroom to use the bathroom. Look out for places with stairwells, awkward columns, long hallways, and other wastes of space.

• Unobstructed Views and Light: You want to live in

a home that gives you lots of natural light, such as one that is open to the outdoors. That natural light will improve your mood, as well as the resale value. The openness of a space filled with natural light will make you feel more comfortable and happy in your new home. What about the view? Do you see a Do you park, a bridge, a river, or a skyline? Is the see a park, fantastic view out your window protected? a bridge, You’ll need to understand the surrounding air a river, or a rights and zoning allowances of neighboring buildings to understand the possible risks. skyline?

• Windows: Windows are the primary source of losing heat and

cooling. Make sure they are double-paned with good insulation that will protect your home against weather and noise. Unless the windows are already like this, it is unlikely that the condo or co-op board will allow you to install your own.

• Ceiling Height: Consider the cubic footage of the property.

You want to look for high ceilings that increase the openness of a room.

Of course, you don’t want to go too high. Above 14 feet will get you diminished marginal returns.

• Storage: If you’re a woman, you will understand this one. We need

lots of closets and additional storage room to fit all of our clothes, shoes, jackets, hats, purses, etc. However, lucky for you, your potential home’s existing closet square footage will not limit you from putting in more storage space. Custom closet companies can create any kind of storage

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space you desire. You will have to, however, make sure that your new home does have an area that you can turn into this storage space.

• In-Unit Laundry: In-unit laundry has become necessary for

any luxury home or apartment. Do you really want to have to trek down flights of stairs to use the basement laundry? If you still consider it wasted space, you can convert it into more closet space.

• The Gym: Having a fitness area nearby is an amenity that is especially

important, particularly in winter when you don’t feel like walking to the gym a few blocks down.

One thing to consider is the Do you really want of the gym in relation to have to trek down size to the size of the building in flights of stairs? light of common area fees.

• Move-In Ready: I’d advise against buying time-consuming and

frustrating fixer-uppers no matter how much you want to add custom kitchens, finishes, fixtures, and other characteristics. Choose a property that already has all of these amenities taken care of. These properties have already had the same designers you would hire fashion the house at a fraction of the cost you would pay to have them do it after you move in. In this light, it is worthwhile to pay a little extra for the move-in ready home.

• Reputation: Pay attention to the reputation of the building. A

property that has a good reputation tends to retain its value. You can easily find this out online on posts, and established locals are likely to have an opinion.

If you want to buy luxury property that is really worth it’s price, then I would suggest adding these points to your list of things your new home must have.

If you want to get a high quality home that is a true luxury, you’ll want to watch out for these aspects as well as the location. Some properties might claim to be luxury based on their location, but when compared against this list, they don’t make the cut. So, don’t be fooled by imposters, and make sure you find a true high-end property.

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ERICA WOLFE

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Top Agent Erica Wolfe leads The Wolfe Team with eXp Realty, serving clients all across North Palm Beach and Martin counties.

At one time or another, most of us have endured a home-buying experience that could politely be described as exhausting—long hours of driving just to look at homes that don’t come close to matching our needs, struggling to get people to return our calls, a new stressor around every corner. It’s only natural, then, that we might be a little envious of the residents of Florida’s Northern Palm Beach County, who have the distinct advantage of being able to work with Realtor Erica Wolfe. Just talking with her is enough to make you want to move there.

“The most important thing is good communication,” says Erica. “I take the time to get to know my clients, to discuss their needs and their wants, so we can develop a search or marketing strategy tailored to them. Two of the things I love most about this job is 10 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

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using my creativity to provide a better experience for my clients, and seeing their happy reaction when we exceed their goals.”

That creativity is nowhere more evident than in the stunning videography Erica Top Agent Magazine

and her team employ to market clients’ properties. A visit to Erica’s website or YouTube channel lets buyers open the door into any kind of home they happen to be dreaming about, whether that’s a secluded single-family home with lots 11 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

of trees or a luxury beach-front property where the sound of the surf lulls you to sleep every night. Erica’s videos combine breathtaking, panoramic views of the properties with movie-quality footage of the interiors, capturing the most beautiful and unique features of every home. The Wolfe Team makes it easy for us to hunt Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

for ourselves through a medium we’ve all come to love. It’s a quick little cinematic experience, complete with upbeat music and even narration if the nature of the property warrants it. The only “downside” for sellers is that when they see their home through Erica’s marketing lens, they may have second thoughts about moving.

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A visit to Erica’s website or YouTube channel lets buyers open the door into any kind of home they happen to be dreaming about, whether that’s a secluded single-family home with lots of trees or a luxury beach-front property where the sound of the surf lulls you to sleep every night.

The passion Erica brings to her work will look familiar to anyone who’s doing their own dream job. Erica started her real estate career at just 21 years old. “Of course, I had to work very hard to break through that ‘you’re-too-young’ perception,” she explains. “I hustled for every opportunity I could get.” Her hard work paid off.

Thirteen years later she leads The Wolfe Top Agent Magazine

Team with eXp Realty, serving clients all across North Palm Beach and Martin counties. This year she’s closed $60 million in sales, 75 percent of that business coming from repeat clients or referrals. A lot of hard work and creativity goes into that success, but Erica boils it down to one main point: “I say what I’m going to do and I do it. People respect that.”

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When she’s not working, Erica works with the town council to find ways to improve the community and make it easier for other citizens to get involved. She spends her free time boating and taking advantage of the many other joys of coastal

living. Going forward, Erica wants to keep growing her business, and continue coaching new agents on how to build up their own client base and offer the kind of quality service that makes people want to come back.

Contact Erica at 561-908-4255 or email Erica@wolferealtyteam.com

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Top Agent Magazine

Property Transfer Services is proud to congratulate

Erica Wolfe

for being featured in Top Agent Magazine for the State of Florida!

_

Property Transfer Services, Inc. 561-691-5941 | propertytransferservices.com www.

631 US Highway 1, Ste 400, North Palm Beach, FL 33408

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Modern Email Etiquette for Today’s Agents In today’s tech-forward culture, consumers are constantly inundated with promotional emails, alerts, invites, and social media blasts. As a real estate agent or a loan officer, how do you stand apart from the noise? What’s more, how do you stay relevant in a digital landscape that’s constantly changing?

For starters, there are a few timeless techniques you can apply to up your skillset when it comes email and digital communication: asking questions that 16

inspire conversation, politeness, and following up regularly—to name a few. Likewise, there are surely new tricks you can add to your arsenal to stay ahead of the curve. Let’s outline a few ways you can refine and update your email etiquette to compete in today’s virtual marketplace.

Make your subject line count Too often, we labor over the content of our emails without giving much thought to subject lines.

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Though email is no longer a new-fangled invention, there are certainly ways you can modernize its use and take advantage of its ubiquity.

However, these little headlines can go a long way in luring the consumer to open your email and ultimately click through to your website in search for your services. An enticing subject line should be short and sweet, ideally less than fifty characters.

You might also include the name of the recipient, and be up front (though concise) about the subject matter of your message. Remember: the first thing a client will see is your name and subject line—be sure to make this prime real estate shine.

Think mobile Research tells us that 79% of Americans check their phones within fifteen minutes of waking up. In fact, much of modern day correspondence occurs by smartphone. Accordingly, you’ll want to account for email readability on a mobile phone.

For instance, incorporating paragraph breaks for each new thought allows information to be parceled out in a palatable way for readers utilizing small screens. Also, any sort of graphic flair or links within your email should be shortened and streamlined for mobile consumption. Send yourself an email every now and again and access it from your phone—you’ll be able to double-check that all the elements of your emails are working well on a mobile platform.

Incorporate email tools There are excellent tools out there to enhance your email experience. With just a quick download, Top Agent Magazine

you can add spellcheck, a URL address shortening feature, or a delay option that holds emails for thirty seconds before they’re sent. Think about the possibilities! Haven’t you sent an email without including the attachment you intended, or realizing you sent correspondence to the wrong client? If that’s the case, a delay feature can help you save face and build in a window for error— just in case. Regardless of which tools speak to your email habits, there are plenty of add-ons out there that can revamp your digital correspondence style.

Use email to maximize your online presence These days, there are plenty of ways to communicate—email, text, phone, apps, and social media.

When you interact through email, consider it an opportunity to invite your client to follow you elsewhere online. Ensure that your email signature includes unobtrusive, streamlined links to your social media accounts, professional website, or review page. This will build in an opportunity for clients to engage with your brand, and you may even add an online follower for the long term.

Though email is no longer a new-fangled invention, there are certainly ways you can modernize its use and take advantage of its ubiquity. Keep these approaches in mind as you reenergize your email technique and fortify your communication in the digital era.

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

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BOYD GRAINGER When you’re making what could be the most important financial decision of your life, you want as much information as you can possibly get. Even more important is being able to consult with someone who can present all those pieces of information to you in one clear picture, someone who has your best interests at heart. That’s the value Boyd Grainger brings to his clients.

Before he became a Realtor, Boyd spent over 15 years as a mortgage lender and 5 years as a residential and commercial property developer. Through the mid 2000s he built over 20 homes, but had trouble finding a real estate agent who offered the quality of service that he was looking for. So he got his own license and began representing his properties himself. In 2010 he became a Realtor full time.

“My in-depth knowledge of lending and construction differentiates me from a lot of agents, and enables me to help my clients get better value from their purchase,” says Boyd. “I’m also a good communicator, so if problems arise during a transaction, I’m able to break it down for my clients in simple terms. Between lending and building and over a decade’s worth of experience as a Realtor, there aren’t any problems that I can’t anticipate and haven’t solved before. And sometimes an issue that might look intimidating to someone with less experience turns out to be an opportunity.”

With a Master of Science in Real Estate from Johns Hopkins University, Boyd is licensed in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, averaging over 60 transactions a year for a sales volume of around $25 million. At least 40 percent of that business comes from repeat clients or referrals. “I’m very hands-on and I keep my clients informed every step of the way,” Boyd explains. “I’m also a good negotiator, and I work tirelessly to get them the best possible price and terms on their transaction.” It’s that combination of knowledge Top Agent Magazine

and his work ethic that keeps clients coming back, though Boyd doesn’t take that loyalty for granted. He continues to reach out after the deal is done to make sure clients are happy and to see if there’s anything they need.

When it comes to marketing his listings, Boyd spares no effort. He helps his clients prepare and stage their home to ensure maximum appeal to buyers. After that he has professional photographers create high-resolution photos and videos of the home, which he posts with a detailed description of the listing to every major real estate site and social media platform. He also reaches out to the other agents and former clients in his sphere, taking advantage of every possible lead.

Boyd’s work doesn’t leave much free time, but he’s a dedicated participant in CrossFit, hitting the gym at 5:15 every morning. “It’s a great community, and it helps me begin every day energized and positive.”

Boyd is feeling good about the future of his business as well. He’s been working with a coach to help him develop a team, and has recently secured 5000 square feet of office space. He plans to grow a team of 5 agents by the end of the year, adding another 5 by the end of 2022.

Contact Boyd at 301-643-6446 or email boydgrainger@gmail.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 19

Michael Bendebba is proud to congratulate

Boyd Grainger

on being featured for the state of Maryland in Top Agent Magazine!

MICHAEL BENDEBBA

Branch Manager | NMLS# 483853 mikeb@fairwaymc.com Office: 240.776.5731 | Cell: 240.682.1050 Fax: 866.728.9044

www.yourfairwayVAlender.com

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Top Agent Magazine

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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COURTNEY YANT-HAUG Top Agent Magazine

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COURTNEY YANT-HAUG

Courtney Yant-Haug entered real estate with the goals of helping others and to improve the industry. “I hated seeing what was happening in the market with foreclosures at that time,” Courtney says. “I earned my real estate license in ten days and resigned a high-level position at bank. I dedicated myself to trying to get people back in houses through renting or offering different programs to provide a path to home ownership. My motto is don’t try to be successful, try to be valuable. This is the largest purchase clients will ever make, and we can’t lose sight of that.” Courtney has been recognized for her success and her thoughtful approach to service. In 2013 and 2014, the Young Professional Network named Courtney a Top 40 Under 40 Realtor®, an honor given to those who represent the industry in a positive light, and who are trailblazers within their communities. In 2015, her Brokerage was named a Top 25 Residential Real Estate Brokerage by the Phoenix Business Journal.

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After working for Power Realty Group Model Home Center, a family owned and operated business in Phoenix, Arizona, Courtney took over as a Broker and Owner. “We’re a unique business,” Courtney says. “We’ve been around for a long time, and we operate through local malls, which gives us a lot of visibility and access to the communities we serve.”

When Courtney trains and mentors new agents, she emphasizes the importance of growing their networks through existing clients. “We’re proud to have many repeat clients and referrals,” Courtney says. “Our agents know how to foster long-lasting relationships.” Many of Courtney’s agents have been with her for a long time, a testament to her compassionate leadership and her ability to foster a sense of camaraderie as a team. “I’m a total people-person,” Courtney says. “I’m very hands-on in my training and mentorship, and with clients. I tell Top Agent Magazine

my agents that if they focus on commissions, they will lose sight of their purpose which is to provide the best service.”

For Courtney, the greatest rewards of her career come from helping her clients and her agents succeed. “I love helping people achieve the dream of home ownership,” Courtney says. “And I love helping my agents achieve their professional goals. Seeing the look in their eyes when they blow their own goals out of the water is an amazing feeling. It is also incredibly rewarding to watch people’s families grow over the years. This career allows you to be part of people’s lives, which is a privilege.”

Dedicated to helping others through her career and through community service, Courtney is involved in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and raises money each year to spread awareness. “My sister was diagnosed with lymphoma when she was pregnant with my niece,” Courtney says. “So I am a huge supporter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.” She is also an active advocate for suicide prevention. When Courtney is not busy helping clients or giving back her time, she loves to travel, hike, be outdoors, and to spend time with family in Idaho, including her three nieces and two nephews.

Looking to future, Courtney is excited to continue to build on her impressive success and to grow with the industry. “I love this career because it requires me to constantly evolve with the market,” Courtney says. She has plans for the real estate industry as well, hoping to bring her approach to a national sphere. “The market has gotten so cut-throat lately,” Courtney says.

“As an industry, we need to remember that it’s not about us, it’s about our clients. It’s about valuing clients, and ourselves, not as a commission or a statistic, but as people.”

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For more about Courtney Yant-Haug, please call 480-786-6100 or 480-227-4476, email Courtney@azmhc.com or visit courtney.searchphoenixvalleyrealestate.com w

ww.

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Google AdWords:

How To Make Google Do the Work for You There is no denying that the internet is the first place a buyer begins looking for a new home in this digital age. Knowing how to put the powerful tools available on the internet to work for you can give you a decided advantage when it comes to attracting prospective buyers to your listings, as well as you as an agent. Google is easily one of the major superpowers of the internet, and they have one of the most powerful advertising tools available. Knowing how to utilize Google AdWords in the correct manner can make your internet advertising immensely powerful and possibly your best way to reach prospective buyers.

Google AdWords is also extremely cost-effective. This multifaceted tool gives you much more control over your advertising campaign than other more traditional methods. You can target specific audiences, choose the specific search terms, also known as keywords, that will bring up your ad in someone’s search results, and you can set a budget for each campaign that will dictate it’s reach and how long the campaign will run. Here are some tips for how to put Google AdWords to work for you.

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ent websites. You want to set yourself apart from every other real estate website users are viewing in their search for a house.

MAKE SURE YOUR ADS ARE GOING TO SEND USERS TO A SITE THAT WILL CAPTURE THEIR ATTENTION

You can spend an infinite amount of money on Google advertising campaigns, but if those ads don’t send users to a site that will capture and hold their interest, then you’ve just wasted all that money. Don’t put your cart before the horse. Make sure you are considering exactly where these ads are going to send users. To set up your website for success, at the very least you want to make sure users are greeted by clear call-to-action, such as a message that will encourage them to sign up for your newsletter or subscribe to your blog. You want to set up your website to maximize and capture the leads the ad campaign sends your way.

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BUILD CUSTOMIZED OR CUSTOM-MADE WEBSITES RATHER THAN TEMPLATE WEBSITES It is easy and tempting to use template websites, or to offer your agents template websites if you are a real estate manager or broker. While this offers a cost-effective solution to providing every agent with a website, it does little to set you or your agents apart and capture the attention of users that are used to seeing a wealth of differ-

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MAKE SURE YOU ARE OFFERING VALUE ON YOUR WEBSITE

Don’t simply use your website as a kind of brag sheet. Let users know what makes your particular services valuable to them. Highlight your expertise in a certain location through tools such as blog posts, providing market updates, or giving pertinent information on a unique type of property. This will ensure that your online advertising campaigns are much more successful.

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LOCATION IS EVERYTHING!

Location is everything in real estate, and the same holds true for Google AdWords. You can target specific locations in your ad campaign. While one approach is to focus on the area around your location, a more advanced approach would be to link AdWords campaigns to your Google My Business account. This is a Google service that includes your address in the ad, allowing people to then click on it and see exactly where you are located on a map.

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USE GOOGLE ADWORDS IN YOUR CAMPAIGN TO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS IN GENERAL

Focus an AdWords campaign on expanding your business by incorporating specific zip codes and neighborhoods that will help you establish a presence in an area where you would like to increase your real estate business. Making sure that your ad appears in search results that are related to the real estate in a specific area will help shape the image and brand of your business as well as bring in new leads.

HARNESS THE POWER OF DATA

When you run a Google AdWords campaign Google Analytics captures a wealth of information about your target client demographic.

You can gain real insight into your online visitors, such as when they visit, what they do and look at on your site once they get there, and what search terms they use. You can use all of this information to grow your business. Use Google Analytics to determine which users (location, gender, age) are utilizing specific aspects of your site, such as looking at multiple listings, reading your blog, etc. You can then use this information to target these specific demographics in your AdWord campaigns, Gmail ads, the Google Display Network, and other advertising.

Using the internet to help advertise your business and your listings is one of the smartest moves you can make as an agent in this modern age. However, you don’t want to simply go into the process blind or you’re wasting a lot of potential resources and data that could make all the difference. To reap the benefits of Google AdWords, you must apply an intelligent strategy to using these campaigns.

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SAM SAKLA Top Agent Magazine

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SAM SAKLA

“When you’re truly passionate about something, you’re going to stand out,” says Sam Sakla, reflecting on the foundations of his accomplished real estate career.

Before he was a top producing agent at Keller Williams, he was climbing the corporate ladder in the world of finance. But after 13 years, Sam took the leap to explore a passion he had always harbored yet never pursued: real estate entrepreneurship.

The decision paid off, almost immediately.

After getting his license in 2016, he hit the ground running, earning Rookie of the Year honors at Keller Williams Plymouth. From 2018 to today, he has been the top producing agent at his brokerage, and he now leads a team of 450 agents as top performer in closed volume and listing units—assisting clients in a tri-county area across Metro Detroit.

prepare their home for the market, he shares it to over 950 syndicated websites and then goes the extra mile, eliciting social media campaigns and disseminating physical advertisements throughout the surrounding areas to give his sellers an added advantage—all leading to a standout open house showing.

But Sam is just as devoted to his buyers, leveraging his background in finance to identify the right home for their best interests. Recently featured in Real Producers Magazine, he has garnered a

When asked what he thinks is driving that success, he says it all comes down to a hands on approach. After helping his clients fully 30

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terrific reputation throughout Michigan, as evidenced by his strong rate of repeat clients and referrals. “This business comes down to honesty and integrity,” he says. “If a client calls, texts, or emails me at any time, they know I’ll get back to them on the same day. It’s not just about making a profit; it’s about supporting them and making their dreams come true.”

In maintaining his commitment to service, Sam also has uncovered a distinct niche in assisting homeowners in foreclosure. By educating his clients and giving them options, he has been able to ensure hundreds of homeowners save their properties or recoup their home equity.

“When these properties go to Sheriff sale auctions, homeowners can feel as though they’ve lost everything—but that’s not the case,” he says. “I’m here for a client if they need a loan option or investor option. Above all, if I can help them save their home, I want to do that.”

But for Sam, the passion to help others extends far beyond the bounds of real estate. When he’s not working to help his clients, he’s focused on giving back to the community—donating to area food banks and organizations working to combat pediatric cancer such as St. Judes and the St. Baldricks Foundation.

When he’s not with clients or giving back, he can be found spending quality time with his family—coaching his children’s baseball and soccer teams, or taking the occasional trip with them up North.

It’s his job as “Dad”, he says, that gives him the motivation and inspires him to want a more successful and robust future. And he has strong plans for that future: scaling the excellent model of service and communication that has earned him so many five-star reviews while tapping into the new ripe areas of opportunity that the strengthening Metro Detroit area market offers.

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To learn more about Sam Sakla please call (313) 598-6559 or email ssakla@kw.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 31

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.

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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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GREG BERARDI

Greg Berardi is a leader in real estate, serving his clients with integrity, drive, and complete dedication.

He worked for Win Morrison Realty for twenty-four years, and continues to hold his license with this brokerage, also parenting with Win Morrison on real estate sales and ventures. He has earned awards for his success, including recognition as the top or one of the top producers in Ulster County. In 2020 Greg personally closed over 80 transactions with gross sales far exceeding $30 million for both residential and commercial MLS and Non-MLS sales. In 2016 Greg was recognized as Ulster County’s Top MLS Real Estate Broker out of 600+ agents.

and high-quality counsel.” Berardi Realty serves New York State from Albany down to New York City, helping clients with a wide array of real estate transactions. A native of the area, Greg has been responsible for the sale of some of the largest properties in the region.

One of the many qualities that sets Greg apart from other Realtors in the region is his rich experience with a stunning variety of residential and commercial transactions. Greg’s expertise is well-known,

After his successful run with Win Morrison Realty, Greg opened his own Brokerage, Berardi Realty, a boutique business designed to provide the highest quality service. “The seven agents who work with me are completely committed,” Greg says. “They share my drive. The goal of Berardi Realty is to provide excellent service 34

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and he is sought-after for his knowledge and his honesty. With a broad portfolio of personal real estate investments, Greg understands the industry in a way few other Realtors do. “I own everything that I sell,” Greg says, “so I know these properties from the ground up.” Greg handles many aspects of all real estate needs, including property management, fix and flips, land subdivisions, new construction, financial investment strategies, and the planning and execution of development projects.

Berardi Realty boasts a repeat client and referral rate of over 90%, a testament to their commitment and skill. “I have complete dedication,” Greg says. “I put my job before anything, and I enjoy it.

When you’re dealing with people’s biggest assets, you have to give 100%.” Greg finds satisfaction in seeing his clients happy and knowing that he has acted with integrity. “I’ve never made a deal that has been a benefit for myself over my client,” Greg says. “I’ve talked people out of deals if I didn’t think it was right for them. When a client comes to me, they’ll get my honest opinion, and I’ll do things in their best interest from the time I meet them to when their property sells.”

Born and raised in the local area, Greg is dedicated to giving back to the community. His Brokerage makes generous donations to a wide array of local organizations. They also sponsor events, fundraisers, and drives. For a local prom, Berardi Realty paid for the tuxedos and gowns of any students who couldn’t afford one. In Greg’s free time, he loves to bike, to spend time outdoors, and to travel. He is currently learning how to be a pilot.

Proud of what he has built, Greg plans to continue to build on his impressive success by supporting his agents. “I want to make the seven agents in my company as good or better than me,” Greg says. “I want to make a better agent than I am.

That is how I can ensure that future clients will seek out our services knowing that we will take care of them.”

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For more about Greg Berardi , call 845-201-1111 or 845-389-7895, email gregberardiwmr@gmail.com, or visit https://berardirealty.com

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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 36

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-

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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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LYNNETTE BOUDET

From the start of her career, Lynnette Boudet has been focused on making each transaction as seamless and stress-free as possible for her clients. Her ability to listen to clients’ needs and make their dreams a reality has made her the go-to REALTOR® throughout greater New Orleans and the north shore of St. Tammany parish, Louisiana, where she works at Latter & Blum. In the real estate business for 13 years, she operates with integrity and knowledge, always ensuring that clients and their best interest are at the heart of what she does.

When working with Lynnette, buyers and sellers can count on her commitment to guide them even after the transaction is done. This approach has helped her build a successful network of repeat and referral business. “This is a relationship-based business. People want to work with people they like. I think it’s important to stay in touch with former clients and let them know you’re there for them even after the sale. I tell my clients all the time that our relationship is not over at the closing table, and that 38

I’m here for them any time. If they need a referral to an electrician or if they have any questions regarding real estate, they know they can call me.”

A crucial part of Lynnette’s success is her marketing strategy. “I am lucky to work with a broker that offers us great marketing tools. The first thing I do when I have a new listing is I blast it on social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. My licensed assistant, Shelley Pettus, also has a great online footprint, and she will take the listings and repost them, so we get the largest online

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exposure,” she says, and adds, “We also employ more old-fashioned methods such as postcards that go out to the nearest 300 households closest to the listing. We do it even though things are moving so rapidly in the current market that by the time they get the postcard the listing is often already under contract. I feel it’s important to cover all the bases so that my listings appeal to the largest pool of buyers.”

When she’s not working, Lynnette is passionate about community involvement. She is a member of Professional Women of St. Tammany, where she helps raise money for scholarships for local women. She has also recently enrolled in a leadership class that helps professionals get involved in the community. “We visit local hospitals and jails to see what we can do as businesspeople to help give back to those sectors.” She also works with an organization that helps homeless teens. “These are kids with adult problems. Some of them have been shunned by their families for various reasons, and now they’re sleeping on the street. Recently, we raised money for a young lady to get a used car so that she can work and go to school.”

Going forward, Lynnette plans to continue working hard to help her clients achieve their real estate goals. “I believe that you should never be content with the status quo. You’re only as good as your last sale, that’s why I want to keep learning and growing.” Lynnette has earned several real estate designations to ensure that she is always at the top of her game. Those include, Certification in Home Staging, Accredited Buyer’s Representative, Seller’s Representative Specialist, Senior Real Estate Specialist, Graduate Realtor Institute, Certified Residential Specialist, Military Relocation Professional & Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist. She is consistently ranked in the top 3% of over 2,000 Latter & Blum agents. In 2020 she ranked 156 out of over 5,000 agents in Greater New Orleans.

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For more about Lynnette Boudet please call (985) 773–8414 email lboudet@boudethomes.com, or visit buysttammany.com www.

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

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

During your meetings, expect any Top Agent to ask you several questions, but also consider discussing the following: 40

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Will you please describe your sales experience and local network?

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

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

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

How will you market the property? Each

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now, let’s list!

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AMY GRAVES “Real estate has been a part of me since growing up,” says Amy Graves, a leading agent at eXp Realty. Coming of age in her parents’ brokerage, she had an opportunity to learn the business from top to bottom, and soon after earning her degree in Marketing Analytics, she decided to pursue her own license. Since then, she has found fast success as an agent, first in California and most recently in Oregon, establishing a network of satisfied buyers and sellers that spans the coast.

Today, Amy is a Licensed Broker for eXp Realty, where she assists clients throughout Coos County and the Southern Oregon Coast. There, she has applied her extensive background with real estate and foundations in marketing to cultivate a boutique process for every client.

When listing a property, Amy leverages a full suite of resources to drive as much traffic to a home as possible.

Starting out, she provides her clients with professional photography and staging services to ensure their property shines in all its promotional materials. From there, she utilizes tools like Canva to generate polished, sharable campaigns over a blend of social media websites.

Leaving no stone unturned, though, she also sends flyers to the surrounding neighborhoods and hosts stand-out open house showings to give her clients an added advantage. But through it all, she leans on the acute insights gleaned from her experiences in the marketing sphere to build a genuine, grassroots campaign around each listing.

Elsewhere, Amy is just as attentive when assisting her buyers. The wife of a veteran, she has uncovered a distinct niche in military relocations; however, regardless of the client, she upholds an unmatched standard for openness and communication throughout the transaction, taking a truly service-minded approach. Since launching her career, Amy has earned a fantastic reputation with the vast majority of her volume coming from professional referrals. Having already completed 30 transactions in her first year since coming to Oregon, she remains Top Agent Magazine

focused on the values that have anchored her career in the first place. “The core of my business is integrity,” she says. “With each transaction, I go in with a mindset of serving my clients first, not just making a sale. These deals feel less like transactions for me and more like relationships—I truly care about every client’s goals.”

Outside her career, Amy is tremendously active around her community. On top of coaching and sponsoring her children’s soccer, football, and baseball teams, she has also formed partnerships with an assortment of local organizations, such as the ARC Program, which lends support to troubled youth throughout the area. When she’s not with clients or giving back, she enjoys spending quality time on the beach with her husband and children.

Going forward, Amy has strong plans for the future of her business. As her volume maintains its rapid growth, she is in the process of studying for her Principal Broker’s License. But more than anything, she looks forward to the new clients and opportunities that await on the coast. “I love being present for such a terrific moment in people’s lives. Whether I’m interacting with clients or winning their trust, there’s nothing more fulfilling than sharing in the excitement of their transaction.”

For more about Amy Graves email Amy.graves@exprealty.com, visit amygraves.exprealty.com or call 1 (541) 294-8439 www.

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ANA TERESA RODRIGUEZ Originally from Venezuela, Ana Teresa Rodriguez began her career by starting a market-ing company with her sisters. After relocating to Florida, she was approached by some previous clients who offered her a position at CF Magazine.

As their Editor-in-Chief, Ana Teresa first took an interest in real estate while interviewing Brokers and developers for features on the industry.

Inspired, she decided to pursue her license and delve into the business, and since then, she has gone on to author an accomplished career as an agent, building a network of satisfied clients and colleagues that spans the region.

Today, Ana Teresa is the Lead of ATR Luxury Homes, where she supervises an elite team of 12 to serve clients throughout South Florida. Having uncovered a niche in the luxury home market, she possesses the business acumen, marketing expertise, and integrity needed to assist any buyer or seller.

When listing a property, Ana Teresa takes a hands-on approach. Leveraging her extensive marketing background, she provides her sellers with all the resources needed to tell the story of their home, from professional staging and photography to outreach via a series of targeted digital and social media campaigns. Along the way, though, she is there for her clients, offering them white glove treatment throughout. “It makes no difference to me whether I’m listing a $200,000 home or a $20 million home,” she says. “Either way, I’m here to take care of the whole process for my clients and treat them with VIP service from start to finish.”

In the meantime, Ana Teresa is every bit as devoted to her buyers, leaning on her extensive knowledge of the region to help them make informed decisions and guide them to the right investment for their best interests. In fact, she keeps in touch with her clients long after the deals are done through frequent check-ins and market updates, often becoming good friends with them over the course of their transaction.

Through the years, Ana Teresa has earned a fantastic rep-utation throughout both Florida and the nation, with the vast majority of her volume coming from repeat clients and referrals. And the key to her success? “I don’t see my clients as a number; instead, I see them as family mem-bers trying to achieve their dreams. After all, a home is something very personal—it defines our happiness, our future. When you’re working as a Realtor, you’re working to help your clients find an ideal place to establish those foundations in their lives.”

Outside her career, Ana Teresa is deeply involved in her community. On top of hosting an annual Thanksgiving toy drive and contributing to various local charities and causes, recent pledge from ATR Luxury Homes to establish the Latina Entrepreneurship Program Fund at the Miami Herbert Business School, a new annual on-campus program designed to accelerate the development of future women entrepreneurs from underrepresented groups. Also as the chairman of New Land Theatrical, she is organizing the first annual Charity gala show “America Viva” a live performance in celebration of the mestizo culture this October 16 2021 at the new world center in Miami Beach.

Going forward, Ana Teresa has strong plans for the future of her business. As her volume maintains its rapid growth, she will be launching a YouTube channel and uncover-ing more cutting edge opportunities for all her buyers and sellers. “Real estate is a constant interplay between com-passion and expertise,” she says. “With each transaction, I strive to maintain that balance of helping others while providing professional assistance—no matter what."

For more about Ana Teresa Rodriguez please call (786) 442-5309, email ana@atrluxuryhomes.com, or visit atrluxuryhomes.com www.

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3 Mind-Bending Philosophies to Expand Your Professional Perspective

Beyond the day-to-day duties that make your business tick, so much of success is derived from the principles you put in place to guide your business. The foundational tenets you subscribe to can make or break your business for the long-term; they not only influence how you complete routine Top Agent Magazine

tasks, but also impact your growth, your ability to manage a team, and what the future might hold. With all that in mind, here are three philosophies to remember as you strategize your professional life—whether you’re mapping your monthly goals or creating an overarching plan for growth.

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1

Treat Your Business Like a Business

One of the perks of working in real estate is that you’re often able to create and manage your own schedule and volume, but that doesn’t mean you can skimp on the technical details of being your own boss.

No real estate professional worth his or her salt would forgo empowering tools like a business and marketing plan, or spreadsheets to track cash flow and expenses, or regular profit-and-loss statements, or fiscal year budgets and projections. Taking these measures may appear daunting at first— and completing them will certainly require discipline and a learning curve—but harnessing valuable data and information can intelligently inform your professional decisions, strategies, and long-term growth.

2

Achieve a Holistic Understanding

When schedules are busy, it sometimes feels like enough to reach the end of the week’s to-do list. But, if you’re planning on a lasting career built on year-to-year growth, it’s not enough to account for the short-term.

By creating daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, and five-year goals, you’re outlining and quantifying your progress.

While your quarterly and yearly goals may be clear in your mind, what about five years from now? Perhaps you’d like to add to your designations, or incorporate a new team member, or add an additional branch.

No matter how you envision your profes46

sional future, the first order of business is to create a timeline. Once you have a clear deadline in mind, it’s far easier to build out the steps and calendar necessary to achieve your goals.

3 Specificity is Empowering While you may have a general sense of where you’d like to see your business go in the next few months or years, it’s hard to work toward or attain a goal that’s abstract.

To make the most of your time and efforts, you must identify and understand precisely what you’re aiming toward. For instance, instead of planning to add volume to your enterprise, outline a specific, attainable number to work toward. Or, if you’d like to add an administrative staff in the years to come, consider the details of this decision—the money it would take, the type of people you’d want to hire, how many hours per week they’d work, what tasks they would complete, etc. Adding hard details to your goals not only makes them more realistic, but progress is more easily made when you have specific items you can cross off your to-do list along the way.

While there are no 100% fool-proof or guaranteed routes to success, shifting your mindset from the present and the abstract, to the specific and the long-term can have a major impact on your chances of success.

Instead of dreaming of being more productive or successful, do yourself a favor and craft a gameplan you can bank on.

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BETH BRAKE With an entrepreneurial spirit and a love for helping others, Beth Brake has flourished as an agent in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area. She got her start seven years ago while she was working several part-time jobs. “A friend of mine was a real estate agent, and she hired me to be a contract-toclose coordinator,” Beth says. This piqued her interest in the field, and soon she was pursuing her own real estate license. After passing the test, she hit the ground running, keeping her side jobs until she was busy enough to go full time. “I was a hairstylist, assistant athletic director at a school, after school daycare provider, I cleaned houses, I did whatever it took,” she explains. After a year, Beth had enough clients in real estate to devote all her time to it. She hasn’t looked back since, and is truly enjoying every minute of her work.

As the lead of GoalLine Real Estate Team, Beth has a transaction coordinator, full-time licensed executive assistant and a buyer’s specialist who all work together to help clients have a smooth experience.

Nearly all of her business derives from repeats and referrals, demonstrating just how committed she is to going above and beyond expectations. “I focus on building relationships with everyone I work with,” she says. “I establish trust with them, so they know I am going to fight every battle for them.” Beth focuses on communicating with her buyers and sellers, striving to answer every question before they ask it, which eliminates stress. “We lead with our hearts, we honestly want what is best for our clients.”

This includes taking the time to understand what her buyers are looking for, and never stopping until their ideal property is found. Meanwhile, her sellers enjoy strategic marketing of their listings, ensuring they sell for top dollar. “We do paid social media ads for our public listings and strategically market them Top Agent Magazine

and we also do private sales, which we market to agents in our office. This is beneficial for a lot of people because many do not want hundreds of buyers looking at their house, and we still get multiple offers above listing price.”

When Beth isn’t working, she’s giving back her time and resources to support those in need. “My husband and I support a nonprofit organization in South Sudan called SEA Partners, where we help educate children,” Beth says. They have built a K-8th grade facility and help coordinate bringing the 8th grade graduates to another city where they finish their education. “One of the goals is to have them come back and educate the village. We currently donate 10% of every closing to this organization.”

Looking ahead, Beth’s sights are set on continuing to build her brand and growing the team. She is grateful for her brokerage, Keller Williams® Realty, as they have allowed Beth and her team members to learn as much as possible with continued training and education. “I work my tail off, but Keller Williams® Realty has equipped me to be the producer I am.”

For more information about Beth Brake, call 214-769-2947 or email bethbrake@kw.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 47

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

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Top Agent Magazine

3 Surefire Methods that Make for a Productive Meeting Sometimes a business meeting can achieve exactly what it sets out to do: communicate, assess actions, set goals, or otherwise. Other times, meetings can feel like a drain on your time and energy, and only advance your agenda in marginal ways. While meetings are an integral form of communication in the professional world, how can you ensure that they are both productive and worthwhile?

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The truth is, it takes intentioned planning to make a meeting a success. A well-curated meeting makes partners and employees feel unified as a team, excited about what’s to come, and motivated to achieve a collective goal. With that in mind, consider a few approaches below to maximize your next meeting and ensure that all parties involved leave with a renewed sense of direction and inspiration.

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1. Create a detailed agenda in advance Oftentimes meetings are scheduled with a loose goal in mind—to hash out the terms of a contract or to strategize a new marketing campaign, for example. To ensure your meeting is productive, time-efficient, and achieves its end, create a detailed agenda in advance. This means breaking down your overarching goal into pieces and outlining what’s required to complete each component. You might also consider making time blocks for each respective component, so there is a clear structure and hierarchy in place. Not only does this ensure that time is used wisely and evenly, but it also creates order and momentum for the greater task at hand. What’s more, you’ll want to distribute this detailed agenda in advance of your meeting, so that all attendees will be familiar with the format and delineated goals of your gathering. This will set a professional tone, while keeping team members and conversation on task.

2. Reserve off-topics ideas and comments for later Too many meetings are derailed when an off-topic question or comment is made and hijacks the attentions of attendees. While it’s natural that outlying issues may arise when all team members are gathered, you can ward off distractions by creating a so-called holding area for off-topic talking points. This holding area will serve as the receptacle for any off-topic or lower priority addendum, and you can create a chunk of time towards the end of your meeting to readdress those 50

points separately. Once you’ve achieved the highest priority goals of your meeting, you can then return to the items in your holding area. Note: be sure to familiarize your staff with this approach so that the expectation is already in place and interruptions won’t distract from your meeting’s true intent.

3. Conclude every meeting with a brief summary and action items The very last thing you should do before concluding your meeting is to reemphasize the main takeaways of your gathering and outline a specific list of action items. Again, successful meetings are clear and give attendees a sense of direction. That’s why reiterating action items—or next steps in need of completion—to each respective employee is an essential component of a productive meeting. Likewise, summarizing main takeaways unifies a team’s understanding of what’s important and why the meeting was called in the first place. Ending on a concrete yet proactive note helps launch team members toward the next event in their day and gives them a sense of confidence as they tackle their duties.

Meetings don’t have to be a formality or a bore. When planned and executed with incisiveness, they can inspire your talent roster and streamline productivity in your office.

Especially in the world of real estate, ensuring everyone is on the same page and doing their jobs effectively is key to success and longevity. Put a little planning into your next meeting, and you’ll save yourself valuable time and energy as you move forward.

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ToPAGENT MAGAZINE

CAROLYN REDINGER CAROLYN REDINGER Carolyn Redinger began her career in real estate because she wanted to dedicate herself to helping people. "When I put my mind to something it is all about follow-through." In her first year of real estate, she was Rookie of the Year and the following year she was a Top Agent in her office. Now with 35 years of experience, Carolyn has been recognized for her success, skill and dedication with numer­ ous honors and designations including selling over 150+ Million Dollars in Sales, Five Star Professional Real Estate Agent Award Winner for 7 consecutive years. "It is all about deter­ mination, knowledge and experience. Success is about listening, caring, educating, and working diligently to build my clientele base by providing excellent service.

Our clients become repeat customers and refer us to their family and friends. We are always finding solu­ tions by offering preferred, experienced partners and connections to the everyday needs of real estate."

In 2016, Carolyn opened her own brokerage, Infinity Living, in Columbus, Ohio, where she serves as the Principal Broker and Owner. Her husband, Jim, and son, Levi, are also licensed with Infinity Living. Caro­ lyn works with buyers, sellers, investors, new builds, and small commercial properties, as well as managing quality homes and condominiums. With a dedicated marketing department, Infinity Living offers clients tailored advertising strategies to maximize visibility.

Their marketing campaigns include broad coverage across social media, digital platforms, and local print media along with professional in-house staging recommendations.

Carolyn has also earned numerous Feng Shui Certifi­ cations. "Feng shui means wind and water, and the elements you bring into your surroundings to support yourself for betterment in life, including staging and color therapy. Feng Shui is incorporated into our busi­ ness, enhancing spaces and resolving issues." Carolyn offers clients this unique option upon request.

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Carolyn has always stayed true to her value of putting her clients' needs first.

"When I started my real estate journey many years ago, I was educated to stay in a certain area and price-point, but I believe it is about accommodating people, locations and quality that works for them and have always noted "can't" is not in my vocabulary."

"It is so important to be a skilled negotiator in today's market. We must keep up-to-the-minute in today's rules and regulations. We are honored to work with many communities and represent many military veterans in finding and selling their dream homes."

As principal broker, it gives Carolyn great pride to mentor and pass on her knowledge and experience to other real estate agents in growing their business.

She looks forward to expanding Infinity Living in many ways.

@)

http://www.facebook.com/InfinityLiving.org https://www.instagram.com/infinitylivinghome/ � Facebook.com/InfinityLiving.org @infinitylivinghome

http://www.infinityliving.org www.infinityliving.org

Direct: 614-679-1274 credinger@infinityliving.org • CRB, CRS, GRl, ABR, CSD • Five Star Real Estate Agent 2015-2021- 7 years • $15o+ Million in Sales • Real Estate, Property Mgmt &Feng Shui "We Love our Veterans!" F

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DEBBIE MOCK GRI, SRS, ABR, EPRO A longtime Georgia resident, Debbie Mock has always been drawn to real estate. While coming of age in Memphis, Tennessee, she spent weekends driving around town with her parents and looking at houses. Inspired by these experiences, she later decided to pursue her license, and in the years since launching her career in real estate, she has become a top producer in her region. Today, Debbie is a Realtor® for Alderman Classic Realty, where she services clients throughout Moultrie and the surrounding areas of Southwest Georgia. Voted Realtor® of the Year by the Moultrie Board of Realtors® and having earned Best of the Best honors within her community, she possesses the tireless work ethic and boutique approach needed to assist any buyer or seller.

When listing a property, Debbie is there for her clients each step of the way. After helping them fully prepare their home for the market, she shares it over both the regional MLS and a blend of targeted digital and social media campaigns. In the meantime, she utilizes print publications like American Lifestyle Magazine to give her sellers an added advantage, catering each decision to their needs and taking any stress out of their transaction.

Elsewhere, Debbie is just as helpful when assisting her buyers, carefully guiding them to the right investment for their best interests. An expert at working with out-of-state clients, she believes in going above and beyond with every transaction, keeping in touch with her buyers long after the closing to ensure they are not only satisfied in their new homes, but also thriving in their new community.

Through the years, this model of compassionate service has earned Debbie a fantastic reputation, with the vast majority of her volume coming from repeat clients and referrals. Having completed 42 transactions so far in 2021, she remains focused on the proven values that have anchored her successful career in the first place.

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“Besides loving homes, I love people,” she says with a laugh. “Whether a client is selling a $600,000 home or a $20,000 home, they deserve the same service and attention. Just seeing the excitement on their faces once they reach the closing table can bring a tear to your eye.”

Outside her career, Debbie is tremendously involved in her community. Having previously been President and Vice President of her local Board of Realtors®, she currently serves on her area Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis. Moreover, she is on the Advisory Board for the Moultrie Police Department and collaborates with the Colquitt County Sheriff to raise funds and donations for children in need. When she’s not with clients or giving back, she can be found relaxing on the beach with her family, hiking up to the mountains, or tending to her beautiful garden, which was built by her husband.

Going forward, Debbie offers a clear vision for the future of her business: “Just keep doing what I’m doing.” Now averaging over 55 transactions per year, she intends on expanding her client base while deepening her work in her community. “At the end of the day, I treat my clients as if they were members of my own family,” she says. “For me, real estate isn’t just a career; instead, it’s an opportunity to help the people I care about most.”

To learn more about Debbie Mock, email tondeb13@mchsi.com, visit aldermanclassicrealty.com or call (229) 873-2533. www.

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3 Ways to Make Your Workspace Work for You Productivity experts agree that a curated workspace positively impacts productivity and mood, but oftentimes we settle for bland desks and cubicles that lack personalized details or considerations for workflow. Why miss out on the opportunity to optimize your surroundings when it could brighten your day—and boost your performance? Keep in mind some of these tactics to make your workspace your own and reap the benefits along the way.

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DETERMINE YOUR WORKING STYLE AND DECORATE ACCORDINGLY For the creative set, a colorful and art-filled workspace can inspire fresh ideas and reduce stress. Likewise, casual yet aesthetically pleasing furniture, accessories, and décor set an inviting yet functional mood. A pop of color from an office tool—even something as basic as a stapler—can inject a sense of fun and modernism into your daily tasks. For the more analytical, right-brained worker, clean

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lines and zero clutter go a long way. A few well-chosen personal photos in tasteful, unassuming frames can provide a motivating connection to the world beyond the office, while accessories and supplies that are sleek, monochrome, and contemporary inspire a sense of calm efficiency.

BUILD A WORKSPACE WITH YOUR DAILY ROUTINE IN MIND If you find yourself spending hours on the phone per day, or assembling stacks of documents and brochures, or even coming and going from the office with frequency—there are simple adjustments you can make to your workspace that will save you time and energy. If you sit for long hours—responding to e-mails or making calls—try incorporating an ergonomic chair or keyboard wrist-pad to maximize comfort. If you spend a long time assembling presentation materials, then file organizers, trays, and easy-to-pull labels can shave valuable time off your efforts. Lastly, those who step out for frequent meetings can reduce the hassle of being on-the-go by making your space mindfully organized—a coatrack and a dish for your keys by the door, an auto-brew coffeemaker, or an easily edited whiteboard calendar can make jet-setting simpler.

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ADD EASY DETAILS THAT ENRICH YOUR WORKING EXPERIENCE While organization and décor can rally productivity and mood, there are also a few extra details you can introduce to your workspace to improve the quality of your working life.

Healthy, easy to grab-and-go snacks—think nuts, homemade trail mix, and fresh fruit— can keep your energy up without the sugar crush or guilt. If there’s a window nearby, a hard-to-kill plant like a philodendron or a fern not only cleanse the air around you, but also provide a welcome connection to the natural world. Being prepared in a pinch is another great way to make your workspace work for you: a spare tie, a tube of lip balm, hand sanitizer, or a box of Band-Aids can save you a trip to the store when an unexpected need arises.

While we take great pains to make our homes our sanctuaries—complete with the decorations, furniture, and food we favor—we often overlook our work areas, even though we spend a sizable portion of our week sitting at the same desk. Challenge yourself to add a few of these personalizing, productivity-boosting details to your work area and bring the comfort of home to your working life.

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DIANA RIVERA Diana Rivera knows the challenges that come with buying or selling a home, and how intimidating that process can be for people. That’s why she makes sure her clients never have to worry about a thing.

“I’m very passionate about seeing to the needs of my clients,” Diana explains. “I’ve built relationships with a network of professionals in our area to help me take care of any problems that might arise in a transaction.

I’ve also streamlined the process to eliminate as much of the stress as possible.”

Diana has over 20 years of sales, financial and marketing experience, and has lived and worked in Eastern Pennsylvania and Montgomery County since 2000. She began her real estate career working as an assistant to a broker. “I enjoyed everything about the business, and once I felt like I understood the methods, I decided to get my license.” She’s been representing clients in the Philadelphia metro area, Bucks County, and Montgomery County full time for over 7 years now, closing an average of 25 to 30 transactions a year.

An enviable 85 percent of her business comes from either repeat clients or referrals, a loyalty that she’s earned through her honesty, constant availability, and her relentless efforts to make sure her clients find what they’re looking for. She’s also a terrific negotiator and 95 percent of the time she’s able to get offers over the asking price for her sellers or land better terms and prices for her buyers. She makes the process easy even if they are moving to Philadelphia from a different state or country. One happy couple described their experience with Diana like this: “She was very honest and knew exactly what to look for in each house, especially pointing out issues we would not want to be dealing with or that would fail an inspection. Diana has a hard work ethic that was very much respected and appreciated. We feel we have a trustworthy agent as well as a friend!”

Given the lengths Diana goes for her clients, it’s only Top Agent Magazine

natural that many of them come to think of her as a friend. “When you spend that much time working with someone to help them achieve their dream, it becomes a real relationship. My favorite part of this business is seeing the smiles on people’s faces when we close a transaction, and knowing that I was a part of helping create that happiness!”

When not helping her clients to achieve their goals, Diana is helping the community, doing garage sales in the neighborhood, or helping her Keller Williams office with different charities and donations. Since she’s bilingual, Diana also volunteers at Drexel University with students wanting to practice conversational Spanish or English.

She’s been very active in helping members of the Latino community find jobs in the Philadelphia area as well.

Diana constantly looks for new ways to improve the already excellent service she provides for her clients, and she’s very excited about the future of her business.

“I’m always training myself in the newest technology that services our industry, or examining better ways to analyze market data. I also continue to work with other brokers to develop new negotiation strategies that will allow me to better represent my buyers and sellers.

They deserve the best, and that’s what they’ll always get from me.”

Contact Diana at 267-678-6797 or email dianadelivers@gmail.com.

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EYAL "AL" LEVY Coming from a career path in the jewelry business and pivoting to real estate seven years ago, Eyal "AL" Levy already had a solid understanding of the traits that help make a business successful. It’s those practices, including his work ethic, honesty, market knowledge, and straight-forward approach to business, that make him a true real estate jewel. He prides himself on providing a comprehensive real estate service personalized to all the unique individuals he works with.

Affiliated with Orange Home Sales, Eyal carefully helps buyers and sellers navigate the New Jersey real estate market with a focus on Essex, Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, and Union Counties.

Honest communication and a relentless dedication to ensuring that his clients win, are just two traits that help him provide his clients with exceptional service.

His ability to listen and transform ideas into results while also managing his clients’ expectations have allowed him to build a solid base of repeat and referral business. “My motto everyday is simple: make it happen for my clients,” he explains. “It” being their desired real estate result—whether it’s first time homebuyers searching for their dream home to start a family in, or a seller hoping to get the best offer for their property and start a new chapter of their life.

“My clients know that I will go above and beyond to make it happen for them—whatever it is. My priority is making the transaction stress-free and as easy as possible for them.”

Eyal has earned praise from his clients for his negotiation skills, patience, and diligence. His clients trust him implicitly in the handling of their transaction. He 56

is also known for his serious marketing approach. He engages in various methods to get his listings the highest visibility. “I do everything from open houses and flyers to social media, direct mail, and print advertising. I make sure my listings always have professional photos. The goal is to create noise around the upcoming listing so that when it hits the market, everybody already knows about it,” he says.

Eyal’s methods helped him finish last year with an impressive $12.3 million in sales volume.

Social by nature, Eyal thrives when he is able to create connections with people and help them reach their goals. He has an empathetic ear for his clients and enjoys learning about them.

“I like to be out on the field and meet new people every day. Helping them face the different obstacles that real estate often presents, and overcome them, is incredibly rewarding. This career path is exciting and beautiful, and it’s best suited for those who love to continually learn. One important thing to keep in mind about this business, is that it doesn’t matter how many years you have been in it, you will always learn something new,” he says.

When he’s not helping clients find their perfect future home, Eyal likes to relax by the pool, play basketball, and spend quality time with his family.

To learn more about Eyal "AL" Levy, email eyallevy.orangehomerealty@gmail.com, call (201) 640–0487, visit orangehomesnj.com, Facebook: facebook.com/orange.home.399 Instagram: instagram.com/eyal.al.levy www.

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4 Qualities of Exceptional Employees Hiring a new employee is one of the more stressful parts of being a business owner. After all, you’re taking someone on and trusting that they’ll not only be a valuable addition to the team, but won’t do anything to hurt your business’s hard earned reputation.

Sometimes a person comes in and you click right away, and other times you might be blown away by an impressive resume. But there are things you should look for that might not be as obvious at first. Employees that have the following qualities are ones you should seek out, because they will definitely be well worth the time and energy you invest in them.

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1. They have the confidence to be innovative There’s a reason people are drawn to those who think outside the box. Not only do innovations often lead to an extremely profitable business, even when that thinking doesn’t pan out, creative thinking is something that will energize your business and will motivate more employees to start taking chances.

Innovative thinkers also usually have great leadership skills. Ironically, you want an employee who isn’t afraid to speak up to authority and is someone who knows how to bend the rules without breaking them. They know that

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the success of the team and business is what’s most important, as long as it’s done ethically and with respect for everyone involved.

2. They are constantly reviewing their past performance A good employee looks forward, but they also look back. They are always evaluating what worked and what didn’t work in past performances and then adjusting their plans going forward accordingly. If they are coming off a big win, they know how to capitalize on that by using the momentum and cementing in everyone’s minds the value that they add to the team.

If things didn’t go as planned, they assess what they can do better next time, and they don’t get bogged down in insecurity. They take responsibility and they have confidence that they won’t repeat past mistakes. They know that failure is a temporary state, and are able to learn lessons from their mistakes, that will make them a better employee going forward.

While no one wants to fail, having the confidence to try something and fail will one day let you strike gold. Someone who lets failure shut them down, leads to a dead end and will soon make them a dead weight on your team.

3. They value teamwork Even though an exceptional employee might be a rising star, they realize that success is 58

not an individual endeavor, it relies strongly on who you’re working with. Exceptional employees make sure that everyone is contributing and valued for their input. They put the interests of the company above their own, and thrive in an environment where ideas and information are shared freely.

Shared success is the ultimate goal for every project. Exceptional employees have the confidence to know that even when they’re not singled out for praise, they’re an irreplaceable component of a larger machine.

4. They are self-motivated learners A key thing to remember is that while experience is a valuable commodity, intelligence and intellectual curiosity is usually something that can’t be taught. Yes, you might request employees get additional training or attend seminars, but exceptional employees will be seeking out educational opportunities constantly. Even if they don’t have a lot of money for weekend retreats, they will be getting books from the library, downloading audiobooks, and most importantly, taking advantage of one their greatest resources, YOU. Exceptional employees know that the way to stay ahead is to always be at the forefront of new technology and systems. They don’t see educating themselves as a burden, they actually enjoy it. They realize that everything they take in, will one day make them not only an exceptional employee, but an exceptional boss as well.

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JACQUELINE R. MASON When she relocated to Savannah, Georgia, Jacqueline R. Mason had to call seven different real estate agents, before she received a call back. “Very quickly I realized that there was a gap to fill, and I knew that I’d be able to prioritize my clients and give them a much more personal and elevated experience,” she explains. Merging her degree in Interior Design with her passion to help others, she’s been assisting buyers and sellers in achieving their real estate goals for 15 years.

When working with Jacqueline her clients can count on her hands-on approach, her keen listening ear, as well as her absolute discretion. “I understand people and environments, and I pay attention to what they’re looking for. I can have a good conversation with somebody and find them the right house because I really listen to what they want, and more importantly, what they need.

Clients also respect that when they’re working with me, their privacy is my utmost concern, and they are guaranteed my discretion.”

Jacqueline credits her extremely high rate of repeat and referral business to her tight knit relationships with clients. “I really care about every client like they’re my family, and I work hard to exceed their expectations. I will always go out of my way to make sure somebody has a good experience. This is probably the biggest investment they are going to make, so it’s crucial that I get it right. I always tell my clients that when we get to the closing table, I want them to feel like it’s Christmas morning. I recently had a client who called and said, ‘I just want you to know, this was actually better than Christmas.’ That type of feedback is what keeps me working relentlessly on the behalf of my clients.”

Marketing plays a big role in Jacqueline’s success. She has a strong online presence to ensure that her sellers get a premium price for their homes. “I’m working on my website right now and redesigning it for a more Top Agent Magazine

integrated service. Every home is unique, and I use property details and neighborhood dynamics to dictate the best marketing solution for each listing.”

Jacqueline’s passion for her job stems from the fact that she truly enjoys working with people. “I love my clients and I love real estate. I love that buildings have history, and that families have moved into them and have created a lifestyle around their home. Your home can either make or break your lifestyle, so it’s very personal and it affects the way you communicate with each other down to the way you do or don’t have dinner parties because of the space limitations. Your home is really a building block for your entire life.”

Jacqueline believes in continued education and is a member at the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, where she’s earned GUILD recognition. Going forward, she plans to continue working diligently on behalf of her clients in order to make their real estate dreams come true.

For more about Jacqueline R. Mason please call (912) 220–1844, email jrmsav@gmail.com, or visit JMasonRealtor.com www.

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JOSE LUIS GUZMAN “I had a burning desire to accomplish something bigger than myself,” Jose Guzman explains, while discussing his entrance into the real estate world. He previously worked in the food industry, and loved helping others. Always passionate about serving people, he decided to close his business down and pursue a real estate career. “That was in 2016, and everything seemed to fall into place to take me where I wanted to be,” he says. Today Jose is mentoring new coming agents and preparing them to be the future generation of REALTORS® serving the Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Dallas, Texas regions. “I want to instill in them the value of doing more than what they get paid for—to always go the extra mile for others,” Jose explains. “If they practice that, they will have an amazing career.”

With a strong work ethic and a desire to exceed expectations, Jose has developed a reputation for superior service. “Going the extra mile” has resulted in the majority of his clients deriving from referrals and repeat business. “I make sure that my focus is entirely on my clients rather than money. My purpose is to serve people.” For Jose, real estate is all about helping people achieve their goals, and making the experience as stressfree as possible. He listens intently to their needs and does whatever it takes to make their dreams happen.

Throughout the transaction, he’s honest and provides guidance, which creates a sense of trust. “When they work with me, they know my value and know that what I offer is pure, transparent honesty.”

When it comes to marketing his listings, Jose utilizes his door to door campaign by delivering door hangers and personally inviting the neighbors to his open house event. His son Joseph and his future agents are always ready to help with the door hangers campaign to invite

and promote his listings. In addition, he engages his vast network to spread the word. “My fellow agents are always looking for my inventory that is available, it seems like they like working with me in closing deals, so I make sure to send out an email to all the agents.” Jose says that his focus is to always do more than what is expected, as “going the extra mile is the key.”

After working with Jose, buyers and sellers love to tell others about their experience. One recently said, “My family and I have been using Mr. Guzman services for the last few years on various occasions (to sell, buy, rental management, etc.). Jose Luis is extremely honest, humble and always happy to help. He is very straightforward, trustworth, and very responsible; however, his best quality is his ‘Can Do’ attitude. I always recommend his services to friends and family members who are in the process of buying, selling and/or any other real estate related matter. Muchas gracias por todo Jose Luis!”

With a love for his community, Jose always makes time to give back. “I help the homeless shelter in D.C., and support Catholic charities to feed the homeless.” During any free time, he can be found traveling and appreciating nature.

In the next few years, Jose has some big plans. He wants to expand his reach into other territories, accomplish sales of $40,000,000 per year and exceed 100 closings per year or more. “We are on track to accomplish this in the coming year.” He also wants to earn his broker’s license and see how far he and his team can really take this business. “Eventually, I want to get to the point where we can donate a house to a family in need every single year. I believe we can all accomplish great things.”

For more about Jose Guzman, call 240-660-7291 or email jluisguzman04@gmail.com 60

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4 Reasons Why Multitasking Can Actually Derail Your Day Common wisdom dictates that a master multitasker is likely to garner the most success. After all, doesn’t juggling multiple projects at once mean you’ll work faster than if you took each one as it came? While multitasking is often cited as a desirable skill—and surely serves its purpose now and again—studies show that a mere 2% of individuals can actually multitask effectively. Meanwhile, the remaining 98% might be doing more harm than good by trying Top Agent Magazine

to tackle too much at once. Take a look below at some little-known facts about the risky side of waging a routine built on multitasking.

1. Multitasking decreases productivity While multitasking gives us the illusion of completing two tasks at once, it actually means

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our focus and productivity is split. In other words, switching back and forth between two activities doesn’t mean they’ll each be completed sooner; it means that you’re getting half-as-much complete as you would if you focused on a singular task. Multitasking fatigues your brain, elicits stress, and make you less efficient in retaining new information.

2. Multitasking is actually addictive While watching TV or taking a walk, have you ever noticed the impulse to check your smartphone or scroll through your social media feed? Even though we think about multitasking as a workplace skill, it’s also an addictive form of mental stimulation. By satiating our need for distraction with constant check-ins online, we become accustomed to frequent breaks in our focus, training us to crave updates, messages, and push notifications—we even hit refresh when we’ve checked in five minutes prior! This negative habit-building makes it difficult to complete sustained bouts of concentration.

3. Multitasking has negative physical side effects Studies show that those who juggle multiple focus-intensive activities actually show spikes in cortisol, a stress hormone. Likewise, frequent multitaskers display symptoms of sleep deprivation: fatigue, disorientation, and lack of focus. Studies in Europe have recently 62

discovered that those who consistently multitask may actually show decreases in empathy and emotional control. What’s more, a constant sense of anticipation—readying to switch from one task to another, or persistently checking for e-mail updates—can potentially cause a decrease in overall IQ.

4. Multitasking breeds mistakes When our attention is split between tasks, it’s difficult to perceive and retain detail-oriented information. Because of this, mistakes—typos, clerical errors, mislabeled documents, and the like—occur with greater frequency. We’re in such a hurry to complete a portion of a task and switch to the next project that we lose sight of prompts, deadlines, and tying up loose ends. This means multitaskers are far more likely to overlook a glaring error than an individual who is devoting 100% of their attention to the task at hand.

Now that we understand some of the dangers of multitasking, what can we do about it? While our tech-driven day-to-day might make focusing on a singular task a difficult endeavor, it’s the surest way to produce efficient, error-free work—while cutting down on stress, fatigue, and miscommunication.

Try approaching your tasks for the day with a clear-cut schedule, moving one task at a time down your to-do list. This approach can eliminate some of the inefficiency inherent in multitasking and make for your most productive work routine yet.

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KELLY STEYN Kelly Steyn’s interest in real estate began early in life. “From childhood I always wanted to be a Realtor®,” Kelly recalls.

“I loved houses. I loved reading real estate listings in the newspapers, and I knew I wanted to do something involving houses.” After college, Kelly got her start in title insurance before getting her license and selling new construction houses.

“New construction was my stepping stone into real estate, and it was a great way to learn a lot about the industry as a whole,” she says. In 2010, Kelly transitioned to an independent Realtor® and she hasn’t looked back since.

Kelly serves the Philadelphia region, covering Philadelphia, Montgomery, Chester, Delaware, and Bucks counties. Over 60% of her business comes from repeat and referral clients, an impressive feat that speaks to the trust and confidence she inspires. “My clients know that I am hardworking and always looking in their best interest,” Kelly says. “They know I will get it done for them, and that my goal is always their goal. I listen to what their plan is and find out what they want, and then I work hard to make that happen.”

Staying in touch with past clients is important, and Kelly works to maintain those relationships long after closing. She keeps in contact via email, monthly newsletters, and social media. “Social media has been really helpful to keep in touch with clients, keep up with what’s going on in their lives, and stay top of mind,” Kelly says.

When it comes to marketing, Kelly uses a comprehensive approach to ensure maximum exposure for her listings. Through targeted social media ads, as well as organic social media posts and email blasts, Kelly puts her clients’ listings in front of a large audience of potential buyers. The results speak for themselves, and Kelly averages about $12 million per year in volume.

Kelly enjoys staying involved in her community.

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She is active in The Junior League of Philadelphia and has held numerous leadership roles in that organization, in addition to having served on the boards of other community nonprofits. “I love the flexibility of real estate,” Kelly says. “It allows me to get to know people, to have a voice, and to spend time getting involved locally.” When she is not working, Kelly enjoys spending time with her family.

In the future, Kelly says, “I want to continue growing and helping as many people as possible. I am also very focused on trying to educate homeowners on how to make their home efficient and sustainable, and I am a Green Designated Agent through the National Association of Realtors®. I want to grow that side of my business and be a resource for homeowners on what they can do to make their house more sustainable, healthy, and efficient.”

Kelly’s lifelong love of houses and helping people shows in everything she does. “Here in the Philadelphia area we have a lot of historic homes and farmhouses, and I love helping my clients realize the potential of those houses. It’s really rewarding and exciting to help someone find their home.”

To find out more about Kelly Steyn RE License: RS306853, call 484.343.2406 or 610.822.3356 (office), email kelly.steyn@compass.com or visit compass.com/agents/kelly-steyn www.

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LARRY COLE Known for his incredible customer service and integrity, Larry Cole strives to deliver a flawless experience to his buyers and sellers with every single transaction. Always keeping clients at the center of his business, he pays attention to their wants and needs and quickly identifies solutions to make his clients’ real estate dreams a reality. Larry has recently joined forces with Compass, and currently serves buyers and sellers throughout the Los Angeles area.

A Los Angeles native, his knowledge of the market is unparalleled. “I was born here, so I definitely have a clear understanding of the local market. Having lived here as long as I have, I also possess a deep understanding of the history,” he explains. His natural ability to connect with people, and his focus on relationships instead of one-time transactions, has earned Larry many repeat and referral clients. “I’m a pretty personable guy who’s easy to get along with. Most of my clients tend to become my friends.”

Larry enjoys the challenge of helping his clients sell their property for top dollar, which is why he places a lot of focus on his digital marketing strategy. “The MLS is crucial, as it feeds to so many other real estate websites. The online reach is very powerful. If you’re not online, and all you’re doing is putting up signs and sending postcards, you’re probably not going to get your seller the top price. Digital media is the way to go, so you have to be on top of your email marketing campaigns and have a strong online footprint.”

Despite the challenges of holding open houses during the pandemic, Larry has been working tirelessly to help his clients find the right home. “To be honest, getting to be in the physical home is my favorite part of the job. No home is ever perfect, not even the 64

brand-new ones. That’s why I really like going in with clients and addressing what they like and what needs to be changed. Every neighborhood is unique, and for me it’s crucial to figure out what my clients enjoy, and what they absolutely can’t stand, and go from there. It allows me to process and plan and gets us one step closer to finding them the perfect home.”

Outside of work, Larry is deeply involved in the AA community. He’s also a member of the local Country Club where he enjoys playing golf. “I love to travel and play golf. My perfect vacation day consists of golf in the morning, pool in the afternoon, and a beach sunset dinner.”

Larry’s advice for agents who are just starting out in real estate, is to keep clients at the center of their business. “The business is simple, but it’s not easy.

You have to be able to tailor every deal to the client’s needs and wants. When I first sit with a client, my goal is to find out more about them, and make the transaction center around their needs, not mine.”

To learn more about Larry Cole email larrycole4@gmail.com, or call (310) 497–2660 Copyright Top Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine

Thinking of Listing?

Nine Ways to Get Ready The less time a home spends on the market, the more likely it is to sell at or above list price. That’s why our Top Agents recommend getting a property ready for marketing well before listing. Anyone who is even just starting to think about listing will benefit from some basic upkeep and pre-staging work. Even if you decide now is not the time to list, you’ll enjoy these simple improvements around the home.

With the right local resources, most pre-listing preparations take less than a week and will make the formal staging process simpler for all involved.

Ask Top Agents in your area for referrals of local pros to hire. Once you’ve selected your Top Agent, keep yourself open to his or her opinion on other TLC to help decrease your home’s market time.

1. Inspection: The last thing a seller or buyer wants is a surprise at

inspection. That’s why a complete inspection before listing is so valuable.

Many necessary fixes, such as minor roof or appliance repairs, can be discovered and repaired in less than a week. If inspection uncovers a major issue, any Top Agent will tell you that this knowledge is power; disclosing and expecting to take responsibility will increase buyers’ trust without affecting market time.

2. De-Clutter: Take a little time to pack away surplus furniture items and

extra knick-knacks, papers, books or occasional-use items throughout your house. Remember this may require boxing away video game supplies or packing up comfy throw pillows and blankets. Move these items temporarily into closets, the garage or attic with the assumption of possibly renting a storage unit just before listing.

3. Paint: Whole-house painting is likely not necessary, but consider touching

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such as bathrooms, the office, family room and indoor recreation spaces.

Also consider a little varnish on the front door or banister.

4. Artwork and Decor: Take a neutral look at your décor. Better yet, ask a

Top Agent to do so. Buyers should be able to picture themselves living in your home. While your Top Agent may not advise you to appear generic, you’ll likely need to thin out any shrine-like displays to family, hobbies or cultural interests.

5. Deep-Clean Housekeeping: After you’ve de-cluttered and touched up

the paint, request a deep cleaning from your housekeeping service and weekly cleanings thereafter. Make sure they pay attention to details like dusting or vacuuming window treatments and lampshades or wiping smudges off door jams and baseboard moldings.

6. Carpets and Rugs: Bring in the pros, but don’t just clean the carpets.

Because the cleaners will be moving furniture anyway, ask them stretch and tighten any buckled areas of carpeting. Doing so now saves the trouble of having to credit your buyer for this following final walk-through. Also consider removing small area rugs to let the beauty of your hardwood floors shine.

7. Look at the Loo: Buyers may not notice a brand-new toilet seat, but they

will turn up their noses at the one with the broken hinges. Freshly replaced toilet seats, faucets or doorknobs in heavily trafficked bathrooms can go a long way in first impressions.

8. “Mow & Blow”: Consider buyers as guests you want to feel welcome

as they ascend the front walk. If you don’t already have one, hire a weekly gardening service to keep up with the mowing, weeding, pruning and basic maintenance outside so you can focus on other things.

9. Staging: Once you’ve selected a staging professional for the finishing

touches, ask them and your Top Agent for final recommendations on day-today upkeep, storage options and what-to-do (or what not to do) while your house is on the market.

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ROBIN I. SMITH There aren’t many real estate agents who know Las Vegas better than Robin I. Smith.

With over three decades representing clients up and down the valley, she’s seen the city grow from 330,000 people in the late seventies to its current population of over 2. 3 million. Many of those people relied on her knowledge of the area to help them find their home.

“I’ve watched the valley get built,” Robin explains. “I spent thirteen years of my career representing new construction, which meant that I had to cover the entire Las Vegas Basin. People are actually amazed when they learn how much territory we represent.”

Upon getting her license in 1989, Robin worked in general real estate for two years, but wanted to switch to new home construction because she felt that she needed to know how homes were built in order to best serve her clients. Her second year volume of $7.7 million impressed American West Homes enough for them to make an exception to their policy of only hiring agents with new construction experience. A year and a half later she was hired away by the Pulte Group when they came to Las Vegas, impressing again with her knowledge of the city’s real estate numbers.

Robin worked with Pulte for over 10 years before returning to general real estate so she would have more time to spend with her teenage daughter. The next 15 years were something of a rollercoaster. With the help of her twin brother Robert, she rebuilt her individual business, and weathered the housing crash by getting into short sales. Her brother joined her again in 2012 and soon afterwards they built a team with Keller Williams. The twins remain strong to this day. They now have a team of twelve licensed agents, including support staff.

The deep knowledge of the industry she’s accumulated means there’s no problem Robin hasn’t already anticipated and established a system for addressing. She’s Top Agent Magazine

built strong relationships with a network of professionals she trusts, including lenders, contractors, stagers, and movers. “We affectionately call them ‘Robin’s Peeps,’ she laughs. “One of my favorite things about this job is the feeling I get when we solve a problem for someone, whether that’s overcoming an obstacle to them buying or selling their home, or finding them a place to stay while their new home is being completed.”

Robin’s marketing strategy begins with staging the home for the professional photos that will be shown with the listing information on a diverse range of platforms. They advertise homes on the social media sites, real estate magazines, and other major media portals such as The Wall Street Journal, as well as through postcard mailings in the home’s neighborhood, door knocking, and reaching out to other agents. She also stays in touch with clients long after the closing. Along with calls or texts to touch base with people, she sends out monthly video newsletters and—barring interruptions due to the pandemic—hosts 5-6 client events a year.

Going forward, her aim is to continue helping as many people as she can, offering the same exceptional service for which she’s come to be known. “It’s not just about selling homes. It’s about getting to know people, and meeting all of their needs.”

Contact Robin at 702-460-5080 or email Robin@SmithTeamLasVegas.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 67

SCOTT LEMON Scott Lemon got into real estate because he wanted to offer people a higher quality service than he had experienced with multiple agents in the past. It wasn’t hard for him to identify the first principle of his business. “It’s about the client’s goals, not the agents’,” Scott explains. “Our passion is for helping people. We take the time to listen, to discover what they need.

We’re not just trying to close a deal.”

That ethic has guided The Atlanta Market Experts to an incredible 86 percent repeat client and referral rate as they have served clients in the Greater Atlanta area with Keller Williams. The team has closed close to 600 transactions in the last 15 years. Scott closed 33 transactions last year and is on a similar pace for 2021. It’s no secret what keeps their clients coming back. “We understand the market very well, and we’re constantly assessing new numbers and data so that we can adapt quickly to any changes. That knowledge and flexibility is what allows us to get our clients the best price and terms.”

Scott utilizes a comprehensive marketing strategy for his listings. In addition to both of Georgia’s Multiple Listing Services, he also targets over 150 websites, uploading professional photos and virtual tours of his homes that allow even remote buyers to appreciate the properties’ best features. He also boosts the listings on various social media platforms. It isn’t hard to find buyers these days, but Scott is quick to point out why we shouldn’t trust just any agent to help us sell our home.

“Right now, we have a market that no one has ever seen before, with historic low inventory, historic low interest rates, and many buyers. But clients should think long term when they’re hiring a Realtor. Get the agent to explain how they’ll handle the current market, and what they see unfolding next. How will they adapt?”

On top of all the work he does on behalf of his clients, Scott is active in his community as well, supporting 68

various local charities. He is also contemplating a nonprofit organization to help families of children with Neuroblastoma, a condition from which his own granddaughter suffered for several years. Most of his free time goes to family, although he does have a hobby. “I throw steeltipped darts in multiple dart leagues, and I’m always trying to recruit new competition (willingly or not),” he laughs.

As for the future of his business, Scott is in the process of growing both his team and his volume, and he recently rolled out a rebranding campaign that saw The Robin Lemon Team become The Atlanta Market Experts. The aim is to bring a hyper-focus on numbers while ensuring that his clients are always positioned to profit, no matter the market or what changes may be around the corner.

“This is typically the largest transaction most people will go through, and it can also be the most stressful because there are so many moving parts in the process. I find it very fulfilling to be able to educate our clients, remove that stress, and help them successfully reach their goal.”

Photo by Tony Westerfield

If you are looking to buy or sell a home in the Atlanta area, let Scott and his team help you make the biggest financial decision of your life the best one. Contact him at 770-826-4290 or email scott@atlantamarketexperts.com.

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