SOUTH CAROLINA 1-24-22

SOUTH CAROLINA EDITION

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WAYS MENTORING UP-AND-COMING EMPLOYEES

MAKES YOU A BETTER AGENT FEATURED AGENT

CAROLINE PERKINS CONNECT BEYOND

REAL ESTATE TO ATTRACT FUTURE CLIENTS

THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD:

How to List High When Neighbors are a Nuisance HOW TO SPEED UP

FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER TRANSACTIONS COVER STORY

LARISA ESMAT

SOUTH CAROLINA EDITION

CAROLINE PERKINS

In order to get great results Caroline maintains a robus campaign for her listings. Sh best features of each home, t listing through the MLS and ensure a wide exposure onlin on the marketing that is offe boutique agency she is a part Group. Caroline works hard high level of production, and only growing - she will clos CAROLINE PERKINS in total sales volume this yea to continue offering a “quality luxury the personal attention of an agent.” Ca Caroline takes a hands-on approach when working with for quality over quantity of transactions clients, staying responsive and keeping herself availCONTENTS her and her clients. able as a resource to them every step of the way. She prioritizes building withCONNECT BEYOND 4) THERE GOEStrusting, THE lasting relationships17) In her freeTO time, Caroline loves running clients that often become friendships on. “I ESTATE NEIGHBORHOOD: HOW TOas time goes REAL ATTRACT andCLIENTS has built friendships through her pila like give clients top attention,” Caroline says. FUTURE “I am LISTto HIGH WHEN NEIGHBORS believes in giving back to her communit constantly available for my clients, and I always strive to ARE A NUISANCE a greenery business which donates its s make them feel as if they are my main priority through20) HOW TO Tots each year. For the future of her bu out the transaction and after they have closed.” She truly 14) 4 WAYS MENTORING SPEED hopes UP FIRST-TIME to add an agent to diversify the pro cares about her clients’ well-being, and works hard to UP-AND-COMING HOMEBUYER and maintain her growth while making ensure they are getting the best possible results from EMPLOYEES MAKES TRANSACTIONS happy through her phenomenal service their transaction experience. Caroline’s brand of service YOU A BETTER AGENT can. If you’re looking for a Realtor® in is a hit--she gets over 90% of her business from repeat clients and referrals, and hopes to expand her sphere takes great care of her clients, get in touc even further as her career continues to grow.

Perkins today!

Before getting licensed as a Realtor® 8 years 7 ago, Caroline Perkins worked in digital analyzing for a company that developed websites and other marketing services in Washington, D.C.. She decided that she wanted to promote business in a different way and has found real estate to be a perfect fit. She moved to Charleston, South Carolina, and hasn’t looked back. Caroline’s spent her time in the industry well, building an impressive business in her new city, and establishing ESMAT herself as an elite agent inLARISA the area.

Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440

LARISA ESMAT

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When Caroline first moved to Charleston, she built her mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com brand by leveraging tools from her background in pubNo portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher. Top Agent Magazine licisrelations.

She didn’t know anyone and didn’t haveto ensure the accuracy of published materials, Top published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. networks to start out with in her new city, and was only To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com.

23.Published But with in theher U.S.typical tenacity, she found ways to meet the challenges. She drove around the neighborhoods and learned about price points across the city and offered to host other agents’ open houses so that she would have the Top Agent Magazine essential information for clients when they were looking

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There Goes the Neighborhood:

How to List High When Neighbors are a Nuisance Troublesome neighbors are a relatively common issue that agents come across. You can control the image of your client’s property and you can control your listing presentation, but you can’t always control what’s happening on your client’s street. How do you diffuse difficult neighbors that could lower your bottom line or embarrass you in front of prospective buyers?

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First of all, it takes tact and a gameplan. With that in mind, let’s consider a few ways you can maintain a listing’s viability and competitive edge—even when bothersome neighbors are involved. Here are a few common neighborly scenarios agents encounter and how to diffuse them to your advantage.

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How do you diffuse difficult neighbors that could lower your bottom line or embarrass you in front of prospective buyers? It takes tact and a gameplan.

as a courtesy introduction to the neighborhood.

While it may seem like needless busy work, it can dramatically improve prospective buyers’ perceptions of the area. Plus, you may positively ingratiate yourself with neighbors in the area and demonstrate your above-and-beyond service to your clientele in the process.

Is the neighbor’s landscaping an eyesore?

Here’s your recourse.

Most towns and cities have established ordinances regarding yard upkeep. If any of the properties adjacent to your listing are wildly overgrown, littered with junk, or otherwise in a state of obvious disrepair—take it up with the city. Rather than get directly involved at first glance, you might loop in city officials whose job it is to monitor clean-up efforts on rundown yards and properties. If this doesn’t work, you may have to take a more hands-on approach.

Start by thinking small and operating from a place of authenticity and neighborly service.

You might explain to the neighboring tenant that you’re listing and offer to mow their lawn Top Agent Magazine

Are there foreclosed or abandoned homes on your client’s block?

Do your homework.

It may take a little research and digging to figure out the banking entity that owns a foreclosed home, but it’s well worth the effort. Banks are typically required to maintain foreclosed homes on at least a basic level. If you’re worried about

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squatters, an unsightly façade, or general disrepair of a neighboring foreclosed property—go to the source. Sometimes banks take their time in hiring a third party to maintain a foreclosed property, but with some proactive prodding on your part, you may be able to speed the process along and resolve eyesores even before prospective buyers come calling. Remember: the squeaky wheel gets the grease. An improved bottom line will be your reward for those few prodding phone calls and emails.

Noisy, nosy, or annoying neighbors?

Don’t be discouraged.

Obnoxious neighbors can really rain on a seller’s parade, especially the kind of neighbor 6

that takes their less-than-stellar behavior to their porch, front yard, or sidewalk. While this sensitive issue may seem daunting, there are a few official channels you can utilize to thwart the issue before getting personally involved. If the neighborhood in question is governed by an HOA, you might take it up with them. If the troublesome neighbor is harassing passersby or taking to the sidewalk—in other words, public space—then you may be able to involve local authorities in worst-case scenarios. Of course, it’s always possible to talk to troublesome neighbors faceto-face, but do so with caution and with safety as the priority. Always reason gently and empathetically, utilizing I... phrasing, instead of accusatory You... phrasing. After all, some neighbors are clueless about their impact on the neighborhood and may adjust their behavior after being called out. If the issue persists and no third-party authority can help, then you may have to disclose the neighbor’s issues to prospective buyers, depending on the disclosure laws in your region. While this may seem like a blow, you can at least rest easy knowing you pursued all the potential avenues for resolution available. Likewise, your client will likely appreciate your thorough efforts to resolve the issue.

While troublesome neighborhoods can bring down an optimistic mood when listing a property, sometimes being real estate is all about being resourceful. With diligence, digging, and a little follow-up, you just may be able to resolve some of the issues plaguing your neighborly plot.

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LARISA ESMAT

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Top Agent Larisa Esmat of Weichert Realtors® Southern Coast assists clients throughout the Grand Strand area.

Throughout her life, Larisa Esmat has been driven to serve others. When she was growing up, her mother set a strong example as a doctor and a pillar of their community; meanwhile, her father and grandmother both served in education.

After studying Business Administration and Marketing in college, she immigrated from the Republic of Moldova to the United States, where she accepted a position with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. While learning the history of her area, she was inspired by the idea of achieving and sharing the American dream, which motivated her to pursue her real estate license. She hasn’t looked back since.

Today, Larisa is an agent with Weichert Realtors® Southern Coast, where she assists clients throughout the Grand Strand area. There, she has combined her compassionate personality with her elite business acumen and penchant for client service to meet the demands of any transaction.

When listing a property, Larisa prefers a comprehensive approach. After helping 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

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her sellers prepare their home for the market and providing a suite of standout photography services, she shares it over a blend of digital and social media campaigns. But from start to finish, she is hands-on with her clients, illuminating the process and supporting them each step of the way.

Elsewhere, Larisa is just as attentive when assisting her buyers, leveraging her elite foundations in business and in-depth understanding Top Agent Magazine

of the local market to uncover the right investment for their best interests. Fluent in Russian, Bulgarian, and English, she upholds a strong standard for communication throughout the transaction, ensuring her clients are making fully informed decisions at all times. “When I work with a client, I go deep,” she says.

“From connecting them with mortgage brokers or attorneys, to answering any questions they may have, I’m in the middle of their transaction the whole time.”

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“I don’t work in bits and pieces,” Larisa says. “Instead, I see the entire transaction as one cohesive process. Because of this, I can identify obstacles along the way and address them beforehand. And above all, I maintain consistent communication with all parties involved in the buying or selling process.”

Over the years, Larisa has earned a fantastic reputation throughout South Carolina, with the vast majority of their volume coming from repeat clients and referrals. And the key to her success? “I don’t work in bits and pieces,” she says. “Instead, I see the Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

entire transaction as one cohesive process.

Because of this, I can identify obstacles along the way and address them beforehand.

And above all, I maintain consistent communication with all parties involved in the buying or selling process.”

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Outside her career, Larisa is deeply committed to her community. On top of serving on the Board of Directors for her local Bulgarian School and staying active through her church, she is a member of the Presidential Circle at her area Realtors Political Action Committee, where she advocates for home ownership rights via its Educational Committee and Top Agent Magazine

Young Professional Network Committee.

Moreover, after graduating from a local Leadership Program in 2019, she has been selected to be a part of her State Leadership Program for 2021.

As Larisa’s volume maintains its steady growth, she intends on scaling the model of Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

service that has truly set her apart in the region. Her latest passion has been working with investors, builders, and land developers. “I love creating floor plans with architects, choosing home finishes, and seeing our new buyers love what we put together for them,” she says.

In the meantime, Larisa looks forward to the new clients and opportunities that await. “At the end of the day, I want to help as many people as I can. My goal is to contribute not just to my business, but also to the wellbeing of everyone in my community.”

To learn more about Larisa Esmat call 757-508-0778, email Lesmat@southern-coast.com, or visit ourmyrtlebeachrealtor.com www.

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

While mentorship is often pitched as a relationship that solely benefits the mentee, there is actually plenty to be gained from becoming a mentor. After all, personal growth goes hand-in-hand with professional growth, and becoming a mentor asks agents to thought14

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

Teaching lessons to others reinforces your own professional values.

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

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

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

Mentorships allows you to see the big picture.

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

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

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

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

Mentoring young agents makes you a better leader.

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

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

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CAROLINE PERKINS Before getting licensed as a Realtor® 8 years ago, Caroline Perkins worked in digital analyzing for a company that developed websites and other marketing services in Washington, D.C.. She decided that she wanted to promote business in a different way and has found real estate to be a perfect fit. She moved to Charleston, South Carolina, and hasn’t looked back. Caroline’s spent her time in the industry well, building an impressive business in her new city, and establishing herself as an elite agent in the area.

In order to get great results for her sellers, Caroline maintains a robust social media campaign for her listings. She highlights the best features of each home, then pushes each listing through the MLS and social media to ensure a wide exposure online. She also relies on the marketing that is offered through the boutique agency she is a part of, The Cassina Group. Caroline works hard to sustain her high level of production, and her business is only growing - she will close around $24M in total sales volume this year, and is excited to continue offering a “quality luxury experience with the personal attention of an agent.” Caroline’s priority for quality over quantity of transactions is paying off for her and her clients.

Caroline takes a hands-on approach when working with clients, staying responsive and keeping herself available as a resource to them every step of the way. She prioritizes building trusting, lasting relationships with clients that often become friendships as time goes on. “I like to give clients top attention,” Caroline says. “I am constantly available for my clients, and I always strive to make them feel as if they are my main priority throughout the transaction and after they have closed.” She truly cares about her clients’ well-being, and works hard to ensure they are getting the best possible results from their transaction experience. Caroline’s brand of service is a hit--she gets over 90% of her business from repeat clients and referrals, and hopes to expand her sphere even further as her career continues to grow.

In her free time, Caroline loves running and pickle ball and has built friendships through her pilates classes. She believes in giving back to her community, and thus, runs a greenery business which donates its sales to Toys for Tots each year. For the future of her business, Caroline hopes to add an agent to diversify the properties she sells and maintain her growth while making as many clients happy through her phenomenal service as she possibly can. If you’re looking for a Realtor® in Charleston who takes great care of her clients, get in touch with Caroline Perkins today!

When Caroline first moved to Charleston, she built her brand by leveraging tools from her background in public relations. She didn’t know anyone and didn’t have networks to start out with in her new city, and was only 23. But with her typical tenacity, she found ways to meet the challenges. She drove around the neighborhoods and learned about price points across the city and offered to host other agents’ open houses so that she would have the essential information for clients when they were looking to buy. And her skill at negotiating makes her a successful agent for clients buying a home. “I do everything in my power to ensure my clients find success in their transaction,” Caroline says.”But I will also tell them no, if a property isn’t a good fit, and they value the trust they can put in me because of that.”

You can contact Caroline Perkins at (843) 991-1997 or caroline@thecassinagroup.com.

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CONNECT BEYOND

REAL ESTATE

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

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

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

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

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Talk About Your Philanthropic Activities

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

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

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

Your Local Community

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

Use Your Creativity to Connect

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

Share Your Hobbies

Are you an adrenalin junkie who has bungee jumped from some of the tallest bridges in the world? Are you a foodie that grows your own organic vegetables and fruit? Do you have a 18

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

Divulge Interesting Experiences

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

What and Who Inspires You

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

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

that will draw in a broad range of followers.

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

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How to Speed Up First-Time Homebuyer Transactions Working with first-time homebuyers can be among the most rewarding real estate transactions an agent can embark upon.

Not only are you helping guide newcomers into the housing market, but you’re also witness to the excitement and triumphs along the way, including handing over those keys for the first time. While 20

helping first-time homebuyers navigate the transactional process can be a reminder of real estate’s benevolent power, it can also come with its own bumps and bruises.

So, what’s the best way to streamline the homebuying process for first-timers, while maintaining the magic and keeping your sanity along the way?

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While helping first-time homebuyers navigate the transactional process can be a reminder of real estate’s benevolent power, it can also come with its own bumps and bruises.

Set expectations upfront and often.

It’s no secret that communication is a cornerstone of a successful real estate practice and client relationship. Amidst a transaction as complex as buying (or selling) a home, it’s important that no wires get crossed, no questions go unanswered, and no information gets lost in translation. To accomplish this, create communication parameters with your clients up front. Inquire about the communication medium they’re most comfortable with—a text, a call, an email, etc.

Then, tailor your outreach accordingly.

Also, consider setting a weekly time to check in, even if no official progress has been made. This helps clients and agents touch base, float questions and concerns, and get ahead of any problems or developments. Another helpful tool is to draft a transaction timeline for your client that outlines the major milestones along the way, what sort of information will need to be gathered, what steps taken, and what outcomes are possible. This might seem like exhaustive work, but in the era of digital research, clients will come to their own conclusions and biases Top Agent Magazine

whether you like it or not. To stay on the same page and timeline, be the foremost resource for your client, and don’t leave their questions up to chance.

Know your first-time homebuyer programs and perks.

There are a variety of national, state, regional, and local grants and programs that aid first-time homebuyers as they pay their down payment, shop for home or mortgage insurance, and otherwise deal with the financial implications of becoming a homeowner. Sometimes these programs are neighborhood-specific in certain cities, with incentives to buy in up and coming areas. In some cases, there are grants that support underrepresented minority communities breaking into homebuying, and these can go a long way in making the burden of a down payment and associated fees doable. In other words, do your research.

The right program or grant could make the difference in nabbing a dream starter home for your client, while setting them up for future financial success.

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Get pre-approved for a mortgage—and shop around for the best rate.

Not all mortgage rates are made equal. As an agent, you likely have good relationships with area lenders that you trust, but it’s still important to complete your due diligence when helping first-time homebuyers find the rate that suits their longterm housing goals. Also remember that first-time homebuyers are new to this process, and while real estate transactions are complex in their own right, the borrowing and lending processes can be alienating in their complexity. As an agent, it’s your job to play intermediary and teacher, ensuring your clients know their options, are prepared to make an educated decision, and

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feel confident that they’ve chosen correctly. Talk with your preferred mortgage partners to best outline options for your clients’ understanding, laying out a framework that’s informative, projected into the future, and allows them to feel empowered by knowledge.

All in all, working with first-time homebuyers can be an exciting and joyous occasion, as long as you’re adequately prepared for some hand-holding and instruction along the way. Aside from the enthusiasm of successful first-timers at the closing table, you’ll also enjoy the lasting benefit of strong referrals to their friends and family, many of whom will be shopping with you for their own first dream homes.

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Laughs!

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