OREGON 10-11-21

OREGON EDITION

HOW TO BUILD A TEAM THAT WILL WIN BIG NO MATTER ITS SIZE

COVER STORY

JULIEANNE McCOY FEATURED AGENT

VENKAT MUTHU

6 Ways to GET YOUR CLIENT TO TRUST YOU

MILLENNIAL BUYERS:

Where They Are & What to Know

OREGON EDITION

9

JULIEANNE McCOY

19

VENKAT MUTHU

CONTENTS 4) 6 WAYS TO GET YOUR CLIENT TO TRUST YOU 6) HOW TO BUILD A TEAM THAT WILL WIN BIG NO MATTER ITS SIZE

15) MILLENNIAL BUYERS: WHERE THEY ARE & WHAT TO KNOW 22) 5 SIMPLE MINDSET SHIFTS THAT WILL HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS

Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher. Top Agent Magazine is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials, Top Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors.

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

Published in the U.S.

2

Top Agent Magazine

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

Top Agent Magazine

3

6 Ways to Get Your Client to Trust You The word “REALTOR®” can leave a sour taste in some people’s mouths. Many of today’s home buyers and sellers grew up during the 2009 recession. They are wary of anything 4

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

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

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

1

Put Testimonials or Case Studies on Your Website

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

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

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

2

Be Responsive and Accessible

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

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

3

Be Honest and Transparent

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

You should always act in their best interest.

Top Agent Magazine

4

Go the Extra Mile

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

5

Put Yourself in Your Client’s Shoes

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

6

Be Consistent

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

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

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

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

Top Agent Magazine ®

5

How to Build a Team That Will Win Big No Matter its Size In the real estate world building a team is a goal almost every agent strives towards achieving. Doing business with a team as opposed to solo has numerous advantages. With more agents handling clients as well as other employees specialized in areas such as marketing and administrative support there to assist you; you can greatly increase your business and sales.

6

So, when creating a team, logic would tell us that the bigger it is, the better, right? Wrong. When it comes to real estate teams, size doesn’t matter so much as the players you bring onto that team to work with you. A team doesn’t have to be big to win big, and here are the secrets to building a team that wins big no matter its size.

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

Hire the Right Team Members

Put Your Team Members in the Right Positions to Win

You’ve probably heard the saying, “you’re only as strong as you’re weakest link.” That idea holds true for any kind of team, including those in real estate. If you have weak members on your team, then it’s not possible to have a strong team. Drawing strong team members to your business is essential.

Finding strong team members is just one part of the equation. As the leader of your team, you now have to assess each member’s strengths and weaknesses and position them appropriately. You want the best player for each role playing that part and catering to their strengths. Choose your team member’s roles wisely, and place each individual in the position where their strengths can shine and they can best contribute to a win for the entire team. Every role is important to the team working smoothly and winning as a whole, so it is important to place each team member in the role most suited to his or her skills.

To better understand what kind of person would make a strong addition to your team, you need to ask yourself what skills and characteristics you want your team members to possess. The strongest members are often ones that share their leader’s values. When you share values with your teammates, you are all running along the same course towards the same goal as one. Your definition of a victory in this case is also your teammates’ definition of it. This helps strengthen even the smallest of numbers because you are all working together toward a common goal.

Another characteristic too look out for in potential team members is a positive attitude. You can teach someone the skills needed in real estate, but you can’t teach someone how to have a positive attitude.

Positive members tend to achieve more due to their optimistic nature, but more importantly, they spread that positive attitude to the rest of the team, which improves every members’ performance.

Top Agent Magazine

Communicating Your Vision to Your Team

Your team members are the key ingredients to ultimate victory, but what recipe do you follow now to lead them to victory? That is what communication is for a winning team; the recipe you will use to

Top Agent Magazine

7

help best utilize each team member and instruct them on how they need to work together to fulfill the recipe that will lead them to be a winning team. Your team members need to know the plan and you must give them the tools to successfully execute it.

It is up to the leader of a team to help your players see your vision and help them understand what a victory looks like. The goal may seem simple and obvious to you, but you must communicate it over and over again to your team members, so they understand it as well as you do. With different personalities coming together to form a unit, you are going to be dealing with numerous challenges such as competing agendas. You will find this on any team. You must keep the goal and at the forefront of your player’s minds in order to encourage them to put aside their own personal desires in order to come together as one cohesive, single-minded unit and push towards the team’s goal.

8

Give Your Team Members the Tools to Help Them Perform at Their Best The final thing all great leaders do is equip their team members with the proper tools and training needed for them to succeed. You have to show them how they can each come together with their different strengths to work as a team towards one unified goal. This involves more than simple skills training, but also endurance, so they can last as a team and win even those matches that seem unending and impossible.

Think of all the challenges that they could possibly face ahead, and clear their path to victory by giving them the necessary training and tools they will need to get past any obstacle. As the leader, you must be prepared to continually communicate the team’s goal and your vision. Use that vision to motivate your team members throughout the journey towards victory.

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

JULIEANNE McCOY

Top Agent Magazine

9

Top Agent Julieanne McCoy of CENTURY 21 Best Realty, assists clients up and down the Oregon Coast.

A humanitarian at heart, Julieanne McCoy has been serving the public for over twenty years. While her career has taken her everywhere from the Carpenters Union to the world of fine dining, she has always sought an opportunity that balanced her passion for helping others with her own entrepreneurial spirit. Inspired, she decided to delve into real estate. After juggling her career at the time with her real estate coursework, she earned her license and hit the ground running—and the rest is history. Gaining her 10 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

first commercial listing within three months of becoming a Real Estate Broker, she has gone on to be featured in Inman as a ResiMercal Agent.

Today, Julieanne is a Realtor for CENTURY 21 Best Realty, where she assists clients up and down the Oregon Coast. In combining her empathy, attentiveness, and enthusiasm for client service, she has cultivated a handson process to meet the needs of any buyer or seller.

Top Agent Magazine

When listing a property, Julieanne leverages the full suite of resources available through CENTURY 21 Best Realty to ensure an efficient transaction that maximizes each client’s value. After helping them prepare their home Top Agent Magazine

for the market, she shares it to over 140 syndicated websites. In the meantime, she utilizes targeted digital and social media campaigns, as well as print advertisements, to give her sellers an added advantage.

11 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

“In real estate, no two transactions are the same; because of that, I’m always trying to find new methods to improve or better assist my clients.

Above all what matters most is a job well done.”

Elsewhere, Julieanne is just as committed to her buyers, leaning on her acute knowledge of the region and background in public service to help them uncover the right home for their best interests. Moreover, she can connect her clients with an extensive network of lenders, contractors, or home inspectors to make sure they are fully satisfied and thriving in their new homes. Noted for her tireless work ethic, she strives to go above and beyond with every Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

transaction. “I never stop working,” she says.

“After all, in real estate, no two transactions are the same; because of that, I’m always trying to find new methods to improve or better assist my clients. Above all what matters most is a job well done.”

Over the years, Julieanne has earned a fantastic reputation throughout Oregon, as evidenced by her strong rate of repeat clients Top Agent Magazine

and referrals. But as her volume continues its steady growth, she is most fulfilled by the ways in which real estate compliments her compassionate personality. “You are the advocate for your client. I truly enjoy connecting with my buyers and sellers and helping them through the process—whether that means getting to know my clients or educating them on their transaction. For me, building those long term relationships matters most.”

In her time off, Julieanne enjoys running, having the opportunity to coach her nephew’s Top Agent Magazine

soccer, basketball, and baseball teams, and spending time with family. As she describes, “I live in a wonderfully community-oriented town. My family and I enjoy nothing more than getting out and supporting those we care about most.”

But Julieanne also has strong plans for the future of her business. In the months ahead, she looks forward to expanding her client base while mentoring up-and-coming agents in the field, sharing her kind-hearted approach with the next generation of Realtors. Along the way, Copyright Top Agent Magazine 13

though, she offers sound words of encouragement to any aspiring real estate professional: “It’s important to work for a Brokerage that allows you to grow. At the end of the day, this business comes down to perseverance. Keep

moving forward, and don’t be afraid to ask questions while getting started. Most of all, be sure to find a circle of supportive colleagues while building wonderful relationships with each and every client.”

To learn more about Julieanne McCoy, email julieanne.mccoy@c21bestrealty.com, visit century21.com or call (541) 290-7502 www.

Copyright Top Agent Magazine 14

Top Agent Magazine

Millennial Buyers: Where They Are & What to Know Homebuyers and sellers come from all walks of life. If you’ve been an agent for long, you’ve likely worked alongside a wide variety of folks—from first-timer homeowners and down-sizers, to second home searchers and those finally hunting for their dream home. While there is hardly a shortage of diversity in the housing market, there Top Agent Magazine

is one generation that is making big strides in homeownership these days: Millennials.

Millennials can be loosely defined as those between the ages of twenty-two to thirtyseven. As you can see, this constitutes a wide swathe of the population. If you’re an agent who stands to learn a bit more about

Top Agent Magazine ®

15

a demographic whose influence and homeownership goals are rapidly evolving, tune in below for a few pointers that can help you expand a segment of your clientele in the process.

Where do Millennials prefer to buy?

Many Millennials came of age during or immediately following the Great Recession, and as such, many of them relocated or returned to mid-size cities and smaller communities where the cost of living was most affordable. Of course, there are countless Millennials that call the U.S.’s major cities home—especially those in the

16

tech industry. The good news is that you can court Millennial clientele no matter where you service area is located. That said, community amenities are of great importance to this generation. They value public transportation, green space, and entertainment—from coffee shops and topnotch restaurants to farmer’s markets and boutiques. Emphasizing those attributes will be key in selling to Millennials and locating neighborhoods they’re most interested in.

What sort of communication do Millennials prefer?

Most Millennials are digital natives, or close to. That means they grew up learning

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

how to navigate digital spaces, and prefer to communicate through mediums like email, text, and social media. This isn’t to say that Millennials aren’t good communicators, but they’re often on the go, and have learned to research and shop online. To accommodate this, it’s best to build a presence across the most popular listing portals and social media platforms. Although, it’s not enough to establish a site and wait for the calls to come in. Responsiveness is a key factor for Millennials, who expect speedy response times. Make sure you’re checking your inbox frequently, responding accordingly, and engaging with your audience online. This will let Millennials know

Top Agent Magazine

that you’re savvy, available, and understand the value of their preferred method of communication.

Are Millennials ready to buy?

It’s a common misconception that Millennials are uninterested in the rite of passage of purchasing a home. While Millennials maybe waiting a bit longer than their parents did to buy a home, there are good reasons to explain this phenomenon. For starters, Millennials entered the job market during the downturn, which means they are more conservative when making big purchases, and have to play catch-up to reach a sound

Top Agent Magazine ®

17

financial position. Likewise, student loan debt has proved a major financial inhabitation for Millennials. Instead of socking away a few hundred a month to save for a home, they’re forking over that cash to pay down their educational loans. How does a Realtor compete with this reality? For starters, a bit of understanding goes a long way. Work with your mortgage partners to find financing possibilities that cater to this younger demographic. Recognize that Millennials—like most buyers—have some trepidations when buying a home.

Also consider fielding Millennial clientele with the long view in mind. You might be 18

courting them for months or more until they’re ready to take the plunge, but they’re also famous for their reviews. When a job is done well, Millennials shout it from the rooftops—or at least share it a dozen time from their phone.

As time passes, Millennials will continue to dominate the marketplace when it comes to buying and selling homes. A little self-education on this powerful demographic can go a long way. If you know your clients and your audience, you’ll be in a far better position to serve their interests and make a customer for life.

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

VENKAT MUTHU Top Agent Magazine

19

VENKAT MUTHU

Intelligent and driven, Venkat Muthu has established himself as a top agent in the Portland metropolitan area. He entered the field after working as an engineer in the software industry for 20+ years. “I wanted to do something different, and I always had an interest in homes, so I thought why not get my license,” Venkat explains.

Since 2018, he’s been working part-time as a REALTOR®, and has loved every second of it. Passionate about his community, Venkat’s career is intertwined with local events and fundraisers. He started a weekly celebrity hosted Spotlight Event during the COVID-19 lockdown, which locals could participate in on YouTube and Facebook.

“Everyone was so happy, and it was a mega success,” he says. It’s his strong presence in the region and truly caring demeanor that has helped him achieve great heights.

20

“Most of my clients are repeats and referrals,” Venkat says. “It’s my service that keeps them coming back.” Always there for his buyers and sellers, Venkat never misses a call even if it’s after business hours. “During the rare times I can’t answer, I immediately call them back. I put their needs first.” For his buyers, he listens to their needs carefully, only wanting what is

Copyright Top Agent Magazine

best for them. Offering guidance and support throughout the transaction, he helps them make educated decisions. When it’s time to submit an offer, he ensures they’re competitive while also adhering to their budgets. Meanwhile, his sellers receive top dollar for their listings with Venkat advertising to various platforms.

“I place all properties on my Facebook page, where thousands of people follow me, and I’ll also put them on Redfin, Zillow and send them out to existing clients.” Closing around 150 transactions each year, Venkat is undoubtedly doing everything right.

Much of Venkat’s business is based on word-of-mouth marketing, with past clients telling everyone about their experience. One recently said, “I will say with certainty - If you are trying to buy or sell a house, you can’t find a better agent than Venkat. I sold 1 house and bought another with Venkat’s help in 2020. Throughout this journey, all communication, transactions and responsiveness was exceptional.

All my (and my wife’s) questions got answered quite promptly. Most importantly, he is always available to answer your questions or show you houses and does not get frustrated with changing buyer/seller requirements.”

Growing a team is in Venkat’s future, as he is hoping to bring on like-minded people who prioritize the client experience.

He has found his true passion in life, and will work tirelessly to achieve his goals.

“I love that my work allows me to meet new people, and that I am able to make the process of buying or selling easy and enjoyable.”

Top Agent Magazine

For more about Venkat Muthu, call 971-330-1856, visit pdxa1.com or email venkat@pdxa1.com www.

Copyright Top Agent Magazine 21

5 Simple Mindset Shifts That Will Help You Achieve Your Goals

Everyone knows that a positive attitude is one of the key steps to achieving success. It’s very easy to let negativity bring you down and oftentimes, people end up quitting at the first set back. Even if you don’t think of yourself as a negative person, you’re probably doing numerous things you don’t even realize are holding you back.

Recognizing these negative mindsets, and then implementing simple mindset shifts, are sure to help you not only create a more positive outlook, but a more successful outcome to whatever goal you’re trying to achieve.

22

1

Turn jealousy into admiration

It’s very easy to look at someone who has what you want, and feel envious, which quickly turns into criticism and excuses about why you weren’t able to get what they seemed to get with ease. This is something successful people never do. Instead, they recognize that the only thing keeping them from success is themselves.

If you want what someone else has, you should look to them as a role model. What

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

are they doing that you aren’t? There’s probably more to their story than you’re giving them credit for. Someone else’s success doesn’t hinder your ability to do the same, but constantly having a ‘life’s not fair’ attitude definitely will.

2

Tackle the things you dread doing first

We all procrastinate to some extent. Usually it’s things we don’t want to do. But when you put something like that off, it creates a serious cloud over your whole day.

Experts recommend getting those things out of the way first. Not only do get it crossed off your list, but you will feel energized by your accomplishments and tackle the day with even more force.

3

Don’t make decisions based on emotion

Reaching goals, especially long term ones, can have a lot of ups and downs. The key to achieving them is to stay level-headed during setbacks, really focusing on your plan and how the setback fits into your long term vision.

If you have a solid plan in place, you could be destroying months of hard work with one rash emotional decision, that is probably coming from a place of panic.

When you’re feeling emotional...wait.

It really is that simple. Wait it out until Top Agent Magazine

you’re back in a rational state of mind and take it from there.

4

Learn to love feedback

It’s very easy to be thrown off by negative feedback or constructive criticism. No one likes it. But when it comes to achieving your goals, you need to be able to hear it, assess it and then make an unemotional decision about what it means to you and your success.

In fact the business world’s most successful leaders are there because they not only take in that feedback, they actually constantly ask for it. Fresh perspectives on what you’re doing are always valuable. When you’re in the thick of it, it can be hard to see what needs improvement. Asking a trusted peer or advisor can be instrumental in keeping the momentum on reaching your goal going.

5

Replace a fixed mindset with a growth mindset

You might be wondering what the difference between the two are. A fixed mindset thinks that growing intelligence or skills is impossible, while a growth mindset thinks those things can be developed.

People with a growth mindset are more likely to expand beyond their comfort zone, since they really believe almost anything is possible with hard work. And if it isn’t?

They’re willing to give it a try. Being willing to try and fail, is a key element to reaching even the most lofty goals.

Top Agent Magazine

23

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

24

Top Agent Magazine