TEXAS 8-8-22

TEXAS EDITION

HOW TO SPEED UP FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER TRANSACTIONS

The Daily Schedule of a SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE AGENT

FEATURED AGENTS

MAGAN ANDERSON WILL GARRISON JOHN MARTIN JESSICA MERAZ MATT PIERCE

Is Branding the Way to

TAKE YOUR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL? COVER STORY

INA KAIL

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

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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 4

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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INA KAIL Top Agent Magazine

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Originally from Siberia, Top Agent Ina Kail works solo with broker Realty Austin, serving clients in the area that stretches from Georgetown to New Braunfels, Texas.

Texans are an understanding bunch. They realize not everyone was fortunate enough to be born there. But if you get there as soon as you can and become a part of the community, they will make allowances. Austin REALTOR® Ina Kail knows this first hand. “I feel fortunate, how I got accepted in the Texas community,” she says.

Originally from Siberia, Ina got her start in real estate when she moved from Germany, where she lived for 14 years, to Cleveland, Ohio. Her plan was to learn English and go back, but “life turned around” and she ended up staying.

Ina found work as an assistant to an architect where she learned about interior design and working with clients. The seed was planted, but it was not until she purchased and designed her own home that she considered a career in real estate. “All of that kind of inspired me to go into real estate,” she says, and she got her license in 2015. New to the country, Ina built her business from the ground up. “I didn’t have any family or a lot of friends,” she says. “So I 8 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

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had to build my business with networking and being involved in the community. I was trying to get involved where I lived so people know my name and know who I am.”

Ina had built up her business, but life took another turn when her partner asked her to move to Austin. And she said, ‘Why not?’ I Top Agent Magazine

mean, I’ve been moving all my life, it won’t be a big issue for me,” she says, “especially if you don’t have to learn a new language.” Once she arrived in the Lone Star State, Ina relied on her finely honed networking skills to build her new business. “Then the pandemic hit, it was not as easy to get back into networking,” she says. But she made it work, “And here I Copyright Top Agent Magazine 9

“I want to grow, personally and professionally, and I want to help as many people as possible to get into home ownership and to be able to live the American dream. I know it’s possible because I’m living it.” am three years later, and my business is going better than I could imagine.”

about the city they lived in before. People and their stories are very interesting to me.”

Helping others relocate has become something of a specialty for Ina. “I myself moved to the city not long ago, and I like showing them what I’ve already discovered and telling them about things to do, where to eat, what they need to explore, etc.,’ Ina says. “I like to hear from them where they are from, their story, what they liked

Ina aims to exceed her client’s expectations.

Many buyers are from out of town and don’t know the area that stretches from Georgetown to New Braunfels. “It’s kind of easy for me to help them with identifying locations, and try to get them as much information as possible for that location,” she says. “I don’t mind

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driving.” Ina likes to be a resource for her clients. “By nature, I love helping, teaching the things I know, being supportive,” she says. “I love giving advice, and being a positive light in someone’s life. I know it’s not always easy when going through the process of purchasing a home, but I try my best to make it as enjoyable as possible. With my knowledge, my expertise, and my processes in place, I make sure that my Top Agent Magazine

clients get what they want and receive the service they deserve.”

Nearly 80 percent of Ina’s business is from repeat or referral customers. She can focus on her customers, she says, because of support from broker Realty Austin. “I chose Realty Austin because of the company’s culture and its values,” Ina says. “They advocate and service Copyright Top Agent Magazine11

the neighborhoods of Austin and its surrounding areas. We support each other, we share ideas and we give back by helping to improve the communities where we live, work, and play. We always explore new ways to deliver value to our clients.”

The team donates volunteer time and a portion of its commissions to Austin Habitat for Humanity, Foundation Communities, Community First Village, and Austin Children’s Shelter.

For now, Ina works as a solo agent on pace to double the volume she did last year. Ultimately, she would like to build a team to better serve clients. “I really love my job, and I want to be better,” she says. “I want to grow, personally and professionally, and I want to help as many people as possible to get into home ownership and to be able to live the American dream. I know it’s possible because I’m living it.”

For more information about Ina Kail, please visit realtyaustin.com/agents/ina-kail, email inakail@realtyaustin.com or call 737.610.3163 www.

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Matt Kirschling and Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group is proud to congratulate

Ina Kail

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

Matt Kirschling

Branch Manager | NMLS#311893 mkirschling@goldstarfinancial.com Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group NMLS #3446 Cell: (512)676-7288 Fax: (440)299-6564 goldstarfinancial.com/matthewkirschling www.

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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 14

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 Top Agent Magazine

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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MATT PIERCE Known as a destination city in Texas, living in New Braunfels is like being on a permanent vacation. Top real estate agent Matt Pierce feels incredibly lucky to call this region home. “There are rivers, lakes, live music venues, and lots of recreational campsites,” he explains. “It’s a resort town.” In the past decade, the city has seen tremendous growth. Located between Austin and San Antonio, residents enjoy easy access to airports and big city amenities, all while enjoying a small town atmosphere. Matt decided to become an agent after working for a custom home builder and transitioning to land sales. Loving everything about real estate, it made sense for him to help people buy and sell. Today, the vast majority of his business consists of repeats and referrals, as clients appreciate his customer service and guidance.

Matt is able to instantly connect with those he serves, uncovering their needs and understanding them on a deeper level. “I’m a quick relationship builder,” Matt explains. “I become friends with my clients pretty fast, which helps everything go smoothly.” From that point on, he advocates for them and makes their goals his top priority. “Understanding their wants, needs, fears, hopes and dreams is the recipe for success in my eyes.”

When assisting buyers, he takes his time showing them properties that match their list of requirements, never pressuring them to decide. Along the way, he educates them and provides information so they can make informed choices. For his sellers, he provides exceptional marketing, spreading the word far and wide about their listings. He recently partnered with a local marketing firm in Austin that utilizes the latest technology to capture potential buyers’ interest. “We also have one minute text videos that we send to a key group of prospects if we believe the property aligns with their needs,” Matt says.

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As co-founders of Anders Pierce Realty, Matt and his partner Heath Anders have made great strides. They are known for their white glove approach, easing the stress of every transaction and making it an enjoyable experience. One recent client said, “Just closed our 6th transaction with Heath Anders! Heath and Matt Pierce have created a top notch full service realty firm that can handle small to large transactions. They know the marketplace well and will move mountains to help you. Highly recommend these guys!” Another wrote, “Matt Pierce was wonderful. He guided us through the sale of our home and provided excellent information and service. Matt went above and beyond; I highly recommend him.”

Anders Pierce Realty prioritizes the community. They frequently sponsor local school sports teams, and give back to their church. “We also sponsor golf events and help them raise funds through our network,” Matt says. When Matt isn’t working or giving back, he loves spending time with his wife and their adult sons.

In the next few years, Matt plans to expand his business and continue making his clients happy. He loves his path, and can’t picture himself in any other field.

For more about Matt Pierce, please call 830-214-6002 or email matt@anderspierce.com Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine Copyright Top

Alamo Title Company is proud to congratulate

Matt Pierce

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

ALAMO TITLE Phone: 830-627-1130 Web: www.alamotitlesa.com 494 S. Seguin St., New Braunfels, TX 78130 For over 100 years, our leadership and employees have operated with a deep sense of integrity.

This has resulted in a long standing legacy that we are proud to carry forward.

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Is Branding the Way to Take Your Business to the Next Level?

Despite the importance of finding a Realtor® that is the best person to serve their needs, a lot of people only end up interviewing one Realtor® when they’re thinking about buying or selling a home. A lot of times people make that decision based on a referral, but why not do everything you can to be the name they think of when they make the decision to hire a real estate professional outside of referrals? Especially if you’re starting out and haven’t built up any repeat and referral business yet.

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When you want to make your name synonymous with real estate transaction success, you might want to consider branding yourself. Personal branding, long a staple of Corporate America, is also an invaluable tool for those in the real estate industry as well. Understanding branding and being consistent about it, is one way to insure you’ll have a successful and long-lasting business. It’s up to you to make consumers think that their success in real estate is dependent on finding the perfect agent—YOU. Top Agent Magazine

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS BRANDING? Branding is a long term marketing strategy that builds your carefully crafted image over time through consistent repetition. A common misperception about branding is that it’s is the same thing as marketing. While the two go hand and hand in many ways, branding is specifically about creating and reinforcing the perception of not only who you are as a person, but what your business values are, and getting that out to the world in a consistent way Everything from your logo, to your website

to your social media presence, should all line up and reinforce your brand. It’s that repetitiveness that will hammer home the perception you are trying to create. Your brand informs your marketing, while your marketing strengthens your brand. Of course then you have to do is make sure your service lives up to what you’re selling. Getting them in the door is one thing, but you’re in it for lifetime customers and referrals.

Every brand is strengthened when it is built on a foundation of integrity and trust.

CREATING A BRAND Although it might take time and money upfront to get it right, branding is almost guaranteed to pay off in the long run. But branding is more than just having a graphic designer come in and make a logo. Consider branding more of a promise to your clients and potential clients, succinctly stating the value and expertise working with you will afford them. There are clear, tried and true methods to creating your branding. Because you have to go all in on the way you want to brand yourself, it’s important to evaluate fully before you make the leap.

This all starts with an honest assessment of your business and where you want it to go, including how much time and money you’re willing to invest to get there. After that you may want to add focusing on a niche market to your branding. Regardless of whether or Top Agent Magazine

not you have a niche, another important part of branding is coming up with a memorable tagline that sells your brand or niche. All of your graphics, picture and information, should be consistent across all social media platforms, marketing materials, advertising and websites.

If you are interested in branding yourself, there are numerous books on the subject that will give you an in-depth tutorial on the process and the steps you need to take.

But what it basically all comes down to is commitment. Find a brand that is true to you, one that you can commit to performing and then back it up by not only meeting, but exceeding what you promised.

If done right, soon you’ll become an in-demand agent whose name is synonymous with success!

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MAGAN ANDERSON For Texas broker Magan Anderson, keeping it simple and focusing on client satisfaction make up a winning strategy. Magan worked for more than 20 years in the corporate sector before taking the advice of friends who encouraged her to try real estate. After getting her license and starting out part time in 2015, her business quickly took off. Inspired by the more lucrative and flexible work life, Magan decided to leave corporate America to become a full time real estate agent in 2017. She worked for a friend’s brokerage for a few years, then completed her own broker’s license in 2021 and opened Anderson Realty Group later that year. Today, Magan leads a team of 11 agents and she is consistently among the Top Producers in the North DFW market.

Magan and her team serve an area of Texas centered on Jacksboro located northwest of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area and southeast of Witchita Falls including Jack, Parker, Wise and Tarrant Counties. Magan says what she loves most about working in real estate is helping people to find the right home, farm or ranch for them. Communication is key to her success; it’s important to really listen to clients and understand what’s right for them rather than focusing on the price point or making the sale. With repeat or referral clients making up over 90% of her business, it’s clear that her clients are happy.

Keeping that communication going after the sale, Magan sends out cards throughout the year and texts her clients to check-in, see how they’re doing and stay top of mind for future real estate needs. She markets listings through MLS and popular real estate websites but also recommends that her agents have their own Facebook business page and to share everyone’s listings to get the word out and match the right property and buyer. She’s also a believer in hosting open houses and sees it as a good way for newer agents to earn unrepresented clients who might attend an open house.

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Magan and her husband are active in their local community. Magan is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and helps to attract new business to the area as a member of the Economic Development Committee.The couple is also involved in supporting Jacksboro youth sports which their son participates in. Jacksboro was hit earlier in 2022 with a devastating series of tornadoes that destroyed 50 homes and 30 businesses. Magan and her builder husband have been part of community cleanup efforts and are working to develop a new, 13-acre tract with affordable housing to help those who lost their homes.

When she’s not working, Magan loves to travel. She and her husband try to take a couple trips together each year; they’re also planning an upcoming Caribbean cruise with their children and parents. Magan says it’s good to see the world beyond Texas! Her future plans include growing her brokerage at a steady but sustainable rate that allows her to still be available to her agents. Magan says her approach to real estate is simple: make the clients’ property your priority and ensure that they love where they live.

For more about Magan call 940-229-0403, email maganandersonrealtor@gmail.com or visit the Anderson Realty Group website at andersonrealtygroup.net http://

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Uncommon Contact:

Connecting with Clientele Through Social Media Social media is one of the newest and most powerful tools in an agent or mortgage professional’s arsenal. With just a few keystrokes, you can stay top-of-mind with buyers, sellers, and borrowers near and far, past and present. The key is knowing how to use these mediums to your advantage, working smarter instead of harder to keep the thread of professional relationships intact. With that in mind, here are a few ways you can maximize the pull and power of social media by shifting just a few of your ideas and practices for the better.

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Not everything has to be about business.

While your relationship with a client or fellow vendor began over the course of business, your relationship going forward doesn’t have to be limited. One of the great things about social media is that’s it’s social. Not every comment, post, or communication has to revolve around your business, its metrics, or turning a sale. In fact, you should do your best to branch out and curate a brand and online identity that’s about who you are and

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the lifestyle you’re authentically interested in living. In that vein, consider interacting with clients in an organically-driven way, encouraging them during life’s milestones, reaching out with a local event, restaurant, or news item that’s relevant to their interests or neighborhood. The goal is to be a persistent presence in their lives without feeling like a talking head. Engage as you would like to be engaged with, as a human being with interests and needs and boundaries. Keep that personal thread in mind and your dynamic will shift from past business contact to present resource.

Expand your medium.

Many Realtors are comfortable on Facebook as an interactive meeting to connect with clients, but there are several other mediums where you can connect with clients both past and present, as well as future. Particularly when courting Millennial clientele, the fastest-growing segment of the buying market, a presence on Instagram and Snapchat are key to finding new faces, demonstrating hot properties, and creating an interactive brand as an agent. Not only does this help when you’re listing a property and seeking potential buyers, but it also serves as a perusable portfolio of your work and real estate prowess. You can also use these mediums to interact with clients on an outlet they might feel most comfortable in. Liking pictures, commenting, streaming Instagram Live home tours and Stories are all ways you can build engagement by simply spreading your social media presence around. Likewise, 22

these photo and video driven mediums are popular for home design ideas, and before and after renovation pictures. When you expand from Facebook into these new platforms, you’ll already have plenty of visual content ready to be transferred and consumed by an expanded audience.

Don’t just react.

Create your own content.

It’s easy enough to post a link to a new listing, or retweet a helpful article on real estate news. Creating your own organic content is a different story, but worth its weight in gold when it comes to luring engagement, ranking higher in search fields, and overall crafting an interactive presence for yourself and your business online—which is where more than 90% of homebuyers and sellers begin their process. Creating your own content can seem risky, or else like no one is listening in a digital world already crowded with information. However, original content is sure to boost personal engagement with your social media pages, guaranteed.

Instead of recycling content, consider posting a video with a Q+A theme for first-time homebuyers, or perhaps posting a live tour of a new listing will perk up your clientele surfing at home.

No matter how you decide to expand your social media presence when it comes to interacting with clients, consistency is key.

Find the ways that work best for you and stick to them, and you’ll watch your audience and business grow in tandem.

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WILL GARRISON For Will Garrison, real estate has always been a family business. Raised in Austin, he had an opportunity to learn the industry from the ground up—first through his grandmother, a prominent REALTOR® in the area, and later through his mother, who launched her own brokerage in the 1990s. After serving in the United States Marine Corps for seven years, he would pursue his own license and delve into property management. From there, he went on to serve at Keller Williams before becoming a top producing agent at Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty, an elite global brand. Over time, though, he decided to return to his roots and take over his family’s brokerage, Austin Lakeside Properties. He hasn’t looked back since.

Today, Will is the Broker and Owner of Austin Lakeside Properties, where he assists clients throughout Lake Travis, West Lake, Bee Cave, and surrounding areas of Austin. With his team well-versed in everything from luxury real estate to first time buyers, waterfront properties, and even vacation rentals, he possesses the insight, integrity, and outgoing personality to meet the needs of any transaction.

When listing a property, Will equips his clients with a comprehensive strategy. Starting out, he helps them fully prepare their home to sell, leveraging resources like JP Morales Real Estate Photography to ensure each property shines in all its marketing materials. From there, he shares his listings via a highly targeted blend of digital and social media campaigns, also utilizing proven tools like drone imaging and standout web design services to give each seller an added advantage.

Elsewhere, Will is just as attentive when assisting his buyers, drawing from his lifelong knowledge of the region to uncover the right investment for their best interests. In fact, he keeps in touch well after the closing, providing his clients with contractor referrals and making sure they are satisfied in their new homes. But most of all, he loves welcoming newcomers into his thriving Lake Travis community, whether they are relaxing on the water, shopping at the Hill Country

Galleria in Bee Cave, or enjoying some of the finest golf courses in all of Central Texas.

Over the years, Will has earned a fantastic reputation throughout Texas, with the near-entirety of his volume coming from repeat clients and referrals. Having been nominated for the Austin Business Journal’s Platinum Top-50 awards in 2016, 2017, and 2018, he remains focused on the lasting standards that continue to set him apart. “Clients want to work with someone embedded in our community,” he says. “Because I’m from here, I can help them find the best neighborhoods, schools, or properties based on their needs.”

Through this thoughtful approach to real estate, Will has been able to leave a genuine impact on his hometown. Recently, for example, he drew from his foundations as a waterfront expert to help a client secure a $10 million legacy estate over Lake Travis, a transaction that not only exceeded their expectations, but also cemented a lasting friendship for years to come. “I’m always available to my clients when they need me,” Will says. “Whether that means troubleshooting their transaction or simply answering the phone, they know they can come to me for help.”

Outside of real estate, Will is dedicated to his lakeside community. Beyond contributing to local schools and churches, he also coaches his son’s baseball team with the Lake Travis Youth Association. When he’s not with clients or giving back, he can be found golfing with friends or spending quality time at home with his wife and two children.

Will has a strong vision for the future of his business. In the months ahead, he intends on scaling up his team alongside experienced agents from within his community. But as he expands his vision of boutique service across the lakefront, he looks forward to all the new connections that await.

“We’ve always attributed our success to treating each client like they’re our only client,” he says. “More than anything, I approach them as if they were members of my own family, making sure they’re truly happy by the time we reach the closing table.”

For more about Will Garrison, email will@austinlakeside.com, visit austinlakeside.com or call 512-289-4079. www.

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JOHN MARTIN By its own admission, Austin is a weird city. It is both a hub for the tech industry and an outdoor paradise. Home to the Texas legislature and South by Southwest.

Austin is the type of city that people move to. REALTOR® John Martin understands.

He would move there too, if he didn’t have the good luck of being born there. “Growing up here, being an Austin native, that’s a huge thing to me, I’m very proud of that,” he says. “ So many people move here from other places. (I) feel like I’m somewhat of a unicorn.”

His connection to his hometown has been at the core of his business since he began 12 years ago. The biology major had considered becoming a football coach or a firefighter when his grandmother, whom he calls an “O.G. REALTOR® out of the Dallas area”, suggested real estate. “(My grandmother) just always peppered it in my head that that would be something I’d be good at,” he says. “And I love interacting with people, so I decided to get my license.” He began as an apartment locator, quickly excelled and then moved on to selling properties. “I’m glad I had that path because I think I respect the hustle a lot more, now that I’m 12 years into it.”

Respect goes both ways. John and his partner Justin Rourke at Ascension Realty Group operate their business almost exclusively on repeat clients and referrals. The two have been friends since middle school, he says, and their roots in the community make for a strong base. “It’s definitely helped our path to growth.

I always had a broad sphere of influence within a good group of people. And that’s a huge reason why I’ve excelled in my careers by keeping up those relationships. I always say it’s never about one transaction, it’s about the relationships. This is a relationship business.” Business is good. The team averages around $40 million in sales a year and is on pace to beat that in 2022. In addition, John and Justin are partners in a property management company, Tower Property Man24

agement, which watches over and leases more than 525 properties around the city.

As a natural people-person, John is his own best marketing tool. “I’m very social, so I have a pretty good grasp on how to keep up with people and stay in their lives,” he says.

In addition to birthday and anniversary calls, John and his team host quarterly events that range from casino night to photos with Santa. “We do a ton of stuff throughout the year that my team spearheads. It keeps us in front of people,” he says. “And on top of that, most of my clients are truly my friends. I talk to them on a daily basis.”

John understands the importance of a healthy worklife balance and makes sure to spend time with his 4-year-old daughter sharing his favorite pastime.

“I love food. I like to eat. I love football,” he says.

“Sundays during football season are probably my favorite thing on the planet.”

Looking ahead, John sees big things – his two companies feeding each other. “Sky’s the limit. With more property management business comes more sales business and vice versa,” he says. “I think they’re parallel goals to take over the state and go from there.”

To learn more about John Martin, visit ascensionaustin.com or email john@ascensionaustin.com www.

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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.

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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

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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.

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.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.

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JESSICA MERAZ When Jessica Meraz entered the real estate industry, she immediately felt at home. She was in lending prior to becoming an agent, and knew going to the other side would be fun and exciting. After earning her license, she hit the ground running. “Once I started, I realized this was my passion,” she explains.

Today she’s been in the business for a decade, and has recently started a team.

Serving west Texas, most of her clients find her via word of mouth. By guiding buyers and sellers through the transaction, she ensures their needs are met and that they are happy. This has allowed her to flourish as an agent, solidifying her reputation as someone who truly cares about the people she serves.

“I treat each and every one of my clients as if they were a family member,” she explains. “I always have my clients’ best interests in mind, whether they’re a buyer or a seller.” Jessica gets to know them on a personal level, discovering what they’re looking for and how they prefer to communicate. Along the way, she makes sure they know what to expect, and never leaves a question unanswered. For her sellers, she practices the same diligence, going above and beyond to spread the word about their properties. She utilizes social media to capture buyer interest, which has proven to be immensely successful. “I have established many business relationships through these platforms,” she explains. “It’s an incredible tool.” Averaging around $12 million in production volume every year, there’s no doubt she is doing everything right.

Buyers and sellers are continually impressed by Jessica’s ability to remove stress from their journey.

One recently said, “After my dad’s passing, I inherited

property that left us with a mess. So many legal matters were still pending and needed to be handled in order to sell (to cover expenses he left behind) I had no clue where to even begin. Here we are after almost 4 months from his goodbye.. I know this journey wasn’t easy, but we couldn’t have done it without Jessica by our side! She took us under her wing and guided us step by step. Jessica, thank you for your hard work, patience, and diligence along the way, and most of all, thank you for being so caring and professional!”

Jessica likes to give back to the community by sponsoring local youth sports and events. She’s also active in the local Board of REALTORS®. When she’s not giving back or working, she’s spending time with her children, traveling, attending football games or relaxing on the beach.

Jessica’s future looks bright, as she plans to recruit more agents to her team. She looks forward to having her own building and office, and becoming one of the top groups in the region. As a single parent, she admits it wasn’t easy building her business, but with sacrifice, perseverance, hardwork and dedication, she’s managed to climb the ladder of success. “I owe that to my late father, who taught me everything is possible as long as I set my mind to it,” she explains.

As she continues expanding her reach, she grows increasingly grateful for her clients. “I just want to thank all my clients from the bottom of my heart for their business and referrals. I appreciate each and every single one of them.”

For more information about Jessica Meraz, please call 432-349-8182 or email jessicamerazrealtor@gmail.com Top Agent Magazine

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