OREGON 3-25-19

OREGON EDITION

The Daily Schedule of a SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE AGENT CONCIERGE CARE: Services that Lure Clients and Transform Your Reputation

COOPERATION, NOT COMPETITION, CREATES MUTUAL SUCCESS FOR AGENTS COVER STORY

FEATURED AGENTS

JESSICA JOHNSTON KAMI PRICE

SHERRI GREGORY

OREGON EDITION Heather Ward & Landmark Home Warranty are proud to congratulate

Kami Price 6

KAMI PRICE

11

SHERRI GREGORY

on being featured for the State of Oregon in Top Agent Magazine!

23

JESSICA JOHNSTON

CONTENTS 4) CONCIERGE SERVICES 17) 1 BILLION-PLUS REASONS Heather WardCARE: | Account Executive HOME WARRANTY THAT LANDMARK LURE CLIENTS AND WHY YOU SHOULD BE ACTIVE (Mobile) 503-444-1151 | (Main) 866-306-2999 ON FACEBOOK TRANSFORM YOUR REPUTATION Heather@LandmarkHW.com LandmarkHW.com

8) COOPERATION, NOT COMPETITION, CREATES MUTUAL SUCCESS FOR AGENTS www.

21) THE DAILY SCHEDULE OF A SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE AGENT

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

Top Agent Magazine

3

Concierge Care: Services that Lure Clients and Transform Your Reputation It’s a no-brainer: customer service is central to success in the real estate industry. While properties may be the product, this industry really revolves around people and the relationships you cultivate along the way. With that in mind, how would you describe the service you provide? If solid service is the baseline, then to set yourself apart you must deliver service that’s exceptional. But, how? Returning calls and displaying a friendly face won’t necessarily separate you from the pack. If you really want to take your customer service to the next level and build a reputation for white-glove, concierge-level courtesy, then keep a few of the following tips in mind as you create a professional style that’s completely bespoke.

4

Make your communications matter For many agents, communication during and after a transaction are perfunctory affairs, with one-sizefits-all newsletters or promotional postcards that feel mass-produced. To really grab the attention of your clientele, you’ll want to build a recognizable brand. To accomplish this, begin by adding value to your regular communications. Clients are likely to bypass your communications if they think your only intent is to sell them something. Focus instead on creating content that’s compelling and dishes out value to your clientele. Just like a favorite blog you revisit again and again for its quality content, con-

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

sider your communications as an extension of your brand and identity. A few popular ideas from which clients can derive value include: local restaurant guides, tax tips for homeowners, reports on home values and the marketplace, or highlighting home décor and landscaping trends. Make your communications readable and useful, and your clients past and present will think twice before skipping past your name.

Showcase the lifestyle Clients remember when you go the extra mile, and that additional effort distinguishes run-of-the-mill agents from high-powered professionals. Whether listing or buying, consider a property’s lifestyle.

First, think about a client’s everyday experience.

Where’s the best breakfast spot nearby? How’s access to public transportation or bike paths? Which outdoor recreational opportunities exist in the area?

Where might your client swing by for coffee?

Neighborhood guides that outline the livability of a home and its area not only boost value and highlight potential, but they also demonstrate your ability to think outside the box and connect on a personal level. After all, a home isn’t just a house; a home is all about the daily experience that unfolds within and beyond those four walls. With that in mind, do your homework and make yourself a local expert.

Your clients will feel they’re in good hands and will better envision their future unfolding, all thanks to your thorough legwork.

Customize your approach to clients As an agent, it’s only natural that you build your own daily routines and practices that keep your business running. While it’s necessary to create positive habitats that streamline your workflow, it’s also important to remain adaptable. For instance, Millennial clients may prefer to chat by text, instant Top Agent Magazine

message, or email, whereas older clientele may prefer face-to-face time or connecting by phone call.

Adapting your communication style is as simple as a brief discussion: ask your client how they prefer to communicate and adapt accordingly. While it may seem like a small matter, it provides clients with a sense of comfort and control. Again, the key here is communication. Talk with your clients about their preferred methodology. Maybe they prefer a marathon house-hunting trek on a weekend day, or perhaps they rather sift through listings online before making in-person visits to a narrowed list. It’s okay to encourage clients or fill them in on industry norms, but it’s important to create an experience that’s tailored to their style and personality.

Authentically seek feedback While it may feel uncomfortable, asking for feedback during and at the end of a transaction can dramatically improve your working style and professional blind-spots. It can also help you adapt your working style to better suit your respective clients.

Of course, it’s important to be open-minded and to quash the need to be defensive. Not all feedback will be useful, but you can incorporate the parts that are. This not only grows your skillset, but it also demonstrates to clients that you are open to constructive criticism and sincerely prioritize a job well done over personal praise. As a bonus, positive feedback can be parlayed into client testimonials, which are incredibly useful tools to boost your business on the whole.

It’s no secret that real estate is a busy, self-determined business. While your client care may feel all accounted for, there is always room to grow. Professionals at the top of their field know this and never stop building out their repertoire. If you want to take your business to the next level and create an imprint that’s synonymous with concierge care, then keep these ideas in mind as you build your relationships and your brand.

Top Agent Magazine ®

5

KAMI PRICE Top Agent Kami Price – of Premiere Property Group in Portland, Oregon – is a consummate professional who has been helping her clients achieve their real estate goals since 2004. With a focus on exceptional service and a commitment to keeping her clients educated about every step of the transaction process, Kami is currently ranked among the top one percent of all buyer’s agents in the Portland market.

Unlike many other agents who claim they dreamed about being in the real estate industry long before actually working in the field, Kami’s entrée into the business was a little more happenstance. “I was working in the insurance field,” she recalls, “and the company I was at was bought out by a bigger company and they eliminated my position, along with everyone else in the entire marketing department.” Kami’s unemployed status did not last long, however. “I met a top producing real estate agent at the gym who needed some help for the summer,” she says. “And I’ve been in real estate ever since.” That fortuitous encounter was not only providential to Kami, who found rapid success, but also to the legions of satisfied clients she’s worked with over the years.

As Lead Buyer’s Agent of the Portland Buyer’s Team, Kami currently oversees an equally dedicated team of four, all of whom share her honest, client-first business ethos. The team structure suits Kami, and is one of the major factors in her continuing and ever-growing success story. “We sort of divide and conquer as a business,” she explains. “Instead of being one agent wearing all the hats, we each have roles which allow us to hone in on and focus on what we are good at. I have a team of showing agents whose sole purpose is to help a client find a home. My team is always on the search, and taking clients to see properties on their time, not ours.

Once they find the home that they want, I do all of the negotiating.

Another benefit is that someone is always available if our clients need anything.”

Kami, who holds a Master’s degree in Management and Organizational Leadership and is also passionate about education, is committed to ensuring that her clients are fully informed during the often-convoluted transaction process. “I teach at Portland Community College,” says Kami, “so I approach my clients from more of

a consultant standpoint than a sales viewpoint. We meet with all of our clients at the beginning to go through the process from start to finish so they have an idea of what to expect, and to set those expectations accurately, because I’ve found that a lot of people have no idea what they’re getting into when they’re buying or selling a home. I educate them about everything.” Kami also strives to continue educating herself, and she has earned an impressive roster of designations: Graduate Realtor Institution (GRI), Master Certified Negotiation Expert, NAR Green Designation, Certification for Foreclosures and Short Sales, Strategic Pricing Specialist and Accredited Buyer’s Representative, all of which demonstrate her dedication to providing her clients with the best advocacy possible.

Expert marketing of their listings has played a significant role in the success of the Portland Buyers Team. No expense is spared to ensure that each property is shown in its best light, and is seen by as many potential buyers as possible. Professional photography is utilized exclusively, as is expert staging when necessary. Quick sales for top dollar are the norm.

When she’s not working, Kami’s greatest passion is spending time with her family, which includes her two adopted children who are the absolute light of her life. Kami’s drive for success is solely to provide the best life possible for her kids. In her spare time she has also given back to the community as a cheerleading coach for the Portland public school system and the Police Activities League of Greater Portland, and is currently providing coaching at Pacific University in Forest Grove. Additionally, she ardently supports charities that benefit children in need.

Kami’s plans for the future of her business are fairly straightforward: to increase the number of clients she helps each year, and to build her team by hiring agents who have the same honesty and integrity as everyone currently working with her. First and foremost, however, is her continued commitment to providing each and every customer with the very best customer service available in the Pacific Northwest, and to ensuring that they enter each transaction thoroughly educated on the process.

“There is no better feeling than helping someone achieve their goal of finding the house of their dreams,” says Kami.

For more about Kami Price, call 503-789-6125 or email kami@portlandbuyersteam.com 6

Copyright Top Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine

Heather Ward & Landmark Home Warranty are proud to congratulate

Kami Price

on being featured for the State of Oregon in Top Agent Magazine!

Heather Ward | Account Executive LANDMARK HOME WARRANTY (Mobile) 503-444-1151 | (Main) 866-306-2999 Heather@LandmarkHW.com LandmarkHW.com www.

Top Agent Magazine

7

Cooperation, Not Competition, Creates

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

8

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

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Top Agent Magazine ®

9

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

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

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

10

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

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

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

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

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

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

SHERRI GREGORY Top Agent Magazine

11

SHERRI GREGORY Top Agent Sherri Gregory – Lead of Keller Williams Realty’s Gregory Home Team in Sweet Home, Oregon – is a self-professed workaholic. “Fortunately,” she laughs, “I love what I do, so it never really feels like work.” As one of the top producing agents in The Beaver State’s Willamette Valley, Sherri has a more than two-decade track record of excellence in customer service.

With a solid focus on her clients’ best interests, she has more than earned her reputation as a trusted real estate advocate who consistently achieves impressive results.

12 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Sherri began her journey in real estate in 1997, when her job working at the local power company came to an end. “I took a couple of different tests, that kind that are supposed to tell you what kind of job you’d be good at,” she recalls, “and ‘real estate agent’ came up twice. So I decided to go to school and get my license, and I haven’t looked back since.” Currently overseeing an equally-dedicated team of fifteen support personnel and agents, Sherri can currently boast of a business that is based 74% upon repeat and referral clients, perhaps the surest Top Agent Magazine

indicator of success in the highly-competitive real estate industry.

“We just really focus on our clients,” says Sherri, when asked to account for the loyalty she and her team inspire. “We want to Top Agent Magazine

give them the very best care we can, and be the most skilled. I love people, and I’m a firm believer in the idea of homeownership.

I like knowing that we’re helping our clients with their future, by increasing their net worth significantly. I’m able to make such a 13 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

big difference in their lives, and I find that incredibly rewarding.”

One major factor in Sherri’s phenomenal success story is that she truly appreciates her clients, and works hard to convey that, even long after the transaction has closed. “We reach out to our past clients at least thirty-five times each year,” says Sherri. “We hold cliCopyright Top Agent Magazine 14

ent appreciation events at least twice a year, and we give them turkeys and pies at Thanksgiving, among other things. We want to make sure that they stay our clients for life.”

That appreciation is more than reciprocated, as is made evident by the hundreds of glowing testimonials she has received, including this one from Zillow.com, on which site she Top Agent Magazine

is Premier Agent: “Sherri did an outstanding job and was so helpful throughout the process. Every time we had to make a big, important decision she would meet with us in person, explain and answer any questions we may have had, and we really valued and appreciated that. She represented us really well in the process, negotiated well for us, and it was a pleasure to work with her and her team. We highly recommend the Gregory Top Agent Magazine

Home Team if you are thinking of selling or buying a home. Thank you Sherri!”

Thorough, savvy marketing strategies and careful, hands-on preparation of Sherri’s properties prior to listing ensure that each home is shown in its very best light, and seen by as many potential buyers as possible.

“We spend a lot of money on marketing,” she says, “and there’s a complete process Copyright Top Agent Magazine 15

that we use, including professional photography and staging, social media, and even post card mailers, just to make sure we’re hitting the broadest range of buyers possible.”

When she’s not working, Sherri enjoys nothing more than spending time with her family, which includes two children and one grandchild. She is also a passionate philanthropist, and gives back in a variety of ways to her community, both personally and through her company.

Sherri’s plans for the future include continuing to support and groom her team members for success, and to expand her business in order to help even more people achieve their real estate goals. Above all, however, is her long-time, continuing commitment: to provide the unparalleled customer service that has become her calling card. “Even after all these years,” says Sherri, “I still have a passion for this business.”

For more information about Sherri Gregory, please call 541-409-2106 or email Sherri@GregoryHomeTeam.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 16

Top Agent Magazine

1 Billion-Plus Reasons Why You Should Be Active on Facebook

By Bubba Mills

The number is staggering and potentially career ending for REALTORS® who ignore it: 1,440,000,000. That’s the total number of monthly active users on the social medium Facebook.

That number alone is reason enough to use it regularly in your real estate business. But Facebook can also help turn you into the expert in your community. Just by sharing knowledge and relevant events about the community you can become the go-to source for all things local – a perfect way to capture the attention of prospective buyers.

Plus, Facebook advertising also gives you tons of targeting layers like age, location, recent life events and interests. Plus, it constantly adds new targeting filters and functions that help you reach even more niche prospects who closely meet your customer criteria. Talk about pinpointing a target audience.

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

17

Another Facebook real estate ad tool is Website Custom Audiences that lets you create Facebook ads that target users who have visited your website.

And several apps specifically for Facebook have emerged. Consider these: • Heyo.com: Helps you host contests, showcase promotions and high-

light special offers.

• Woobox.com: Let’s you easily create quizzes and other fun tools for engaging content.

• Pagemodo.com: Helps you make your Facebook business page both sleek and stylish and tabs allow for easy lead capture.

But the latest offering is just as cool. It’s called Facebook Live and it lets you stream live video on the internet. I recently wrote about Periscope, another live video streaming app, but when you use Facebook Live you’re automatically featured at the top of Facebook users’ news feed. What’s more, statistics show that live video is viewed more than recorded video.

How can REALTORS® use Facebook Live?

Open Houses: Broadcast a walk-through of a new listing

and highlight all the great features.

Webinars: Host live webinars targeted to buyers and sellers. They can sub-

mit questions just like a real-life seminar.

Real Estate Talk Show: Offer the latest news in the industry plus share lo-

cal events and your newest listings. In short, become the Lester Holt or Diane Sawyer of real estate in your town with your own “TV” show!

Facebook offers these tips for using Facebook Live: Promote: Tease upcoming Facebook Live broadcasts for more viewers.

Plan better: Take time to plan what you want to do in the video, whether

it’s a few key talking points or to have a few questions ready ahead of time in a Q&A, in case incoming comments slow down.

18

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

Invest in some equipment: A shaky live stream turns off viewers so con-

sider a tripod or other stabilizing tools, especially if you’re taking viewers on a tour of an open house. And check the shot before going live.

Get the lighting right: If you’re indoors be sure you have plenty of good

lighting and avoid a lot of light directly behind you because it’ll wash you out.

Sound good: A common mistake for beginners is overlooking sound.

Consider an external microphone to make sure your viewers can actually hear you.

And if the live option makes you a little nervous, you can also stream pre-recorded videos. Hey, that has worked like a charm for TV for decades. Some businesses promote their web series to “air” on Facebook Live at a certain time like TV shows. After they are streamed, Facebook Live videos function as normal Facebook videos. Some business owners believe videos may perform better if they begin as live ones.

NowThis, a news company that publishes entirely on social platforms, experimented by streaming a 38-minute compilation of its favorite viral videos via Facebook Live. The stream received over 20,000 views and over 500 comments, according to Facebook’s counters.

Yes, all the new-fangled internet tools, apps and options for REALTORS® can be a bit overwhelming. Just take it one step at a time and you’ll slowly be right there in the business-winning mix. E-mail me today at Article@CorcoranCoaching.com and I’ll send you more free information about how technology can help your real estate business.

Copyright©, Bubba Mills. All rights reserved.

Bubba Mills is the CEO of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. (www.corcorancoaching.com/programs, 800-957-8353), an international Real Estate, Mortgage, and Small Business coaching company committed to helping clients balance success in business, while building value in life. Bubba Mills is a nationally recognized inspirational and education speaker, coach and mentor to the top real estate agents and mortgage companies. To find out more about Corcoran Consulting & Coaching, call 1-800-957-8353 or visit us at www.CorcoranCoaching.com.

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

19

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

20

Top Agent Magazine

The Daily Schedule

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

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

Top Agent Magazine

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

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

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

Top Agent Magazine

21

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1.5 hours – Spend this time prospecting and appointment setting.

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

22

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

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

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

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

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

JESSICA JOHNSTON How did Jessica Johnston become one of the most trusted names in Eugene, Oregon real estate?

Jessica started her career as in real estate in Portland in 1996, when she was just a couple of years out of college. After working as an agent in Portland for seven years, she moved to Eugene in 2003.

Fifteen years later, she now has a thriving business serving Eugene and Springfield, as well as outlying areas such as Cottage Grove, Creswell, Veneta, and Junction City.

An impressive 75% of Jessica’s business comes from repeat and referral clients with the remaining 25% of her clients coming from people she meets at her well-attended open houses who are impressed with her knowledge and warmth. What keeps her clients coming back and eager to refer Jessica to their friends and family? “I really try to go the extra mile for my clients and do more than what is expected,” she says.

“That’s what people really remember.” Jessica thinks of the close of a transaction as the start of a long-term relationship with her clients. “I want to be top of mind when they hear of a friend who needs to buy or sell. I think that’s what makes the difference.”

When it comes to marketing listings, Jessica has a strong, proven marketing plan that allows her to quickly sell even properties that have been previously listed by other agents. First, Jessica helps the owner to prepare their home so that it’s completely ready to hit the market.

She advises clients on minor needed improvements, and hires professional stagers and photographers to ensure the listing looks its best. When the property is ready to go and “looking like a million bucks,” Jessica creates a property brochure and shares it with residents of nearby neighborhoods. She also conducts a thorough marketing campaign on social media and spreads the word to other top agents in her area. The result is often a quick sale at a very competitive price. She often carries between Top Agent Magazine

six and thirteen listings with an average sale price of $460,000, and an average of 30 days on the market.

What’s Jessica’s favorite part of her job? “I love the fact that I get to know my clients—buyers and sellers— particularly if they are new to the area. I love that I get to be creative and that every day is different. It’s great to make a difference in someone’s purchase of a home and be a part of that journey with them.” To give back to the community, Jessica is involved in her children’s school and is a past member of the Junior League of Eugene. For each completed transaction, she donates to the Children’s Miracle Network. In her free time, she loves to spend time with husband and children, skiing and supporting the University of Oregon Ducks sports teams. For the future, Jessica plans to continue serving her clients with dedication and a passion for helping them reach their goals.

Contact Jessica Johnston by email at jessicajohnston@integrityagents.com or by phone at (541) 913-6541 Copyright Top Agent Magazine 23

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

24

Top Agent Magazine