TEXAS 8-9-21

TEXAS EDITION

Playing the Real Estate Matchmaker Top Agent Tips and Questions for

CHOOSING YOUR LISTING AGENT

5 Lessons from Silicon Valley to

FEATURED AGENTS

BARBARA ARREDONDO SHEILA EVANS JAKE JOHNSTON JOHN & SHELBY LOVE

Modernize and Monetize Your Business COVER STORY

KIMBERLY OLIVER

TEXAS EDITION

SHEILA EVANS JAKE JOHNSTON JOHN & SHELBY LOVE

BARBARA ARREDONDO

Commerce.

Sheila was the and I pride myself There’s strength in for numbers, Jake as theJohnston saying has embraced awife simple off one of myofclients, on A true people person with a passion months withand no luck.

Sheteam came John in, staged Husband and Shelby experie 20 a photographs, 23 27 7 knows that founders of BNI-Business

by Referral and no better than principle on15 his thewayplace, to did becoming knowledge of the industry, strong nego homes, Barbaragoes, Arredondo has one reached amazing Love arebyaanwinning combination for sucJohn an great heights as an agentEvans. in the Dallas-Fort incredible Georgetown, a business-networking Sheila As one of the charter members realfollowed top-producing estate agent: “If youjob marketing, tion skills, and attention to detail on be cess.

After all, two are better than one, of takin Worth region. She started her career in and get soldwhat it in two weeks! werethat has been a of group blessing to all of The Power of 4 Team with Century21, help enough people they want,Not only my clients.”

2011, after falling in love with real estate we pleased at the speed which we sold especially when it comes toofnavigating the local businesses. and hel the community’s Sheila has worked hard to shape reputayouthe will eventually getthe what want.” in London. “I was working in IT, but I and finalyou price, but she went above rough waters of real estate. th The Power of 4 Team is also dedition of an office known all over the Austin, For sellers, those details includethink prepar needed to find a place to live, so I decided and beyond every step of the way. Helping cated to their program “Closings for Texas area for its unswerving commitment profess to rent a five bedroom flat and sublease the house In tasks whenJake we were out of The proof is in thewith volume.

2021, presenting, and pricing the home, beg the Community,” they agive to customers. real estateisteams have to a close other four bedrooms,” she says.“Most Once she town, improvements Shelby’s mom was a real estate broker, and in which on track $14coordinating million insmall sales ning with professional homemultipl stager w a portion of every commission to a lead.

We Oursher is a cooperative model moved back to the U.S., shedon’t. continued and fix ups, and even helping with some as a solo agent with eXp Realty, prepares the property for the high-defi in 1997, Shelbyserving decided to follow in her and ma IT career, but decided to earn her real estate last minute changes on our move out. I organization of the client’s created around our shared values of ethical clients in Houston’s Northand Harris and andnonprofit tion photos and videos of the home that footsteps get licensed as a full-time get the license in 2005.service “I was to preparing to be can’t recommend her enough, am just choice. our clients and dedicated profesMontgomery counties.

HisI service area uploaded to a customized website for laid off, as the company I worked for laid so grateful found her.A She knows whatlater, she real estate agent. few years ers and sionalism.

We all strive toward the same JAKE JOHNSTON JOHN & SHELBY LOVE KIMBERLY BARBARA SHEILA people off every year, but in OLIVER 2011 I still wasn’t laidspans off, from she isthe doing, andSam will fight forEVANS herTollway clients best interest.”

North Houston listing.

After setting the initial price p convinced When her then-fiancée, John, Sheila to joinenjoys exercising at corpora she’s not working, goals, and worked very well for us.” so I just began working as anit’s agent, and essentially ARREDONDO tohad Lake Conroe and includes Spring, Tomball, Cypress, based on the current market, Jake utilizes a “Com her business.

John had been infavorite the pastime is playtheshe’s gymstaying or reading, but in trans two full-time jobs.” By 2015, she was able to dedicate When Barbara isn’t working, activeworking inand the herSoon” Magnolia, The Woodlands, Conroe, Montgomery marketing strategy, building ad campai ing and with herand family.

She and her husband would putting®, it year alone thea women’s all of her time toThat her work as a be REALTOR community through onlyrelaxing networking group andmildly. hasn’t Last mortgage industry previously, with expe Willis.

An enviable 75Pinstripes. percent of ishis business comes onchildren Facebook and Google to target buyersofsearch called Pearls and She also a member of get hertheir looked back since.

Today she has provides have loved watching play scholastic team closed overa team $100that million in sales, with an that impresexperience he decided to licensed and the from repeat clients or referrals.team Itassociation. only takes“Our looking at homes online, thus driving neighborhood’s homeowners superior service sive and guidance to every client they serve. sports. youngest just graduated, though, so more traffic to the web eighty percent of that business coming from repeat in 2003 and team up with Shelby.

Since results Entirely based on referrals and repeat business, it’s Jake’s clear reviews to understand why. As one happy couple generating frenzy of interest. “I’m able to attf I’m not sure what I’m going and to do with that atime now,” clients and referrals. Their office has been a recurring Looking ahead, Barbara has her sights set onhave continuous she is exceeding expectations. then, they have been working together transact explained, “Absolutely best experience we ever approximately 5000 active homebuyers before sheexpansion laughs. of her team. In recipient of Century21’s Centurion and Quality Servicegradual including as a the duo to bring personalized had withgrowth, a Realtor®….

Actually boughtexcellent, a house without property even goes live, which reduces market continut they’ve been finalists for the Platinum the meantime, she’s loving her current path, and wants “I communicate Awards, constantly, and even when there’s nothing to seeing it ourselves because we knew Jake understood and increases the final sale price of the home.” service to members of the community in bers eve for theinfuture of to hernotbusiness, she and her colleagues 50 Team. hasupdated,” received numerous anyone whopersonal is consideringAs a career this field communicate, I Top am always keepingSheila everyone exactly what we were looking for.

He kept us from be afraid.

“Find a mentor, and know that you can still she says. Barbara tends to every detail, whether it’s Dallas-Fort Worth area, and their continued may need to change their name soon; Thesuccess Power of 4 awards as well, including the Five Star Realtorthe Award with power boundaries, but still beimpressive. direct, listening to a client’s every need when and looking for ofnegotiate mistakes.

Went to and batnothing for us in negotiations.

We buyers profitand from Jake’sarefie Team recently became a teamBoth of 5. sellers “We of and course wantJohn for eight years running themaking Best Georgetown Gold has been less than Shelby professional Those are thegrowing keys to success.” a home, or preparing a property to sell. all do won’t business and withopen. anyone negotiating of dollars wonf toelse.” keep our business, as long asskills. we can“Thousands main-real estate, Individual Realtor for “I thewill lastdo three. andare have of the standard pre-listing activities like put a sign in lost atand thefind negotiation table. My ultimate goal i tain the level of service we provide people who When it comes to interacting with clients, John and the yard and post on the MLS, but I also work with an in their careers. They l A is third Realtor®,share that our business in hisproudwork together clients, exceed their expe ethics.isWe’re of what we’vewith donemy over got make her license 2007, when generation she was looking interior designer,Sheila so we can sure eachinproperty Shelby find it immensely important to build lasting relapeople feel when their blood.

Hereal launched his career duringlast theyears, housing and help these andcrisis will be tions celebrating our them team’ssell 10ththeir home for more mo a new “My had sold estate since I looking its best.”for Tying it allcareer. together withmother professional tionships with them through community engagement true,and especially when photographs, paint color guidance, vendor referrals, was very young,and so it was something I already knew anniversary in 2008,that seeing a growth opportunity while soon.” many agents so they will tell their friends families about and consistent communication.

They periodically host Barbara truly offers a concierge experience.

Meanwhile, afford a home in the fi a lot about. I love meeting new have a werepeople. opting And out ofI the business.

From there he worked fantastic experience they had with me.” her buyers are competitive well-informedstreak, and prepared to make client appreciation events and stay in touch with clients so I enjoy negotiating aggressively in several different markets in both Wyoming and Texas, decisions. “It’s all about educating them and holding for my clients. It was the rightranging move for me.” long after the transaction closed, maintaining presence their with free time, John from first-time homebuyers to luxuryisproperWhen not working, Jake isInactive the PTO at their hands through this process,” Barbara explains. ties.

In 2015 he left the Austin office of Keller Williams daughters’ school, working with teacher apprecia in the lives of their constituents regularly throughout the diving and spending t “When people are too busy, they can rest assured that clientsandwould certainly agree. happy we are handling Her everything advocating for them.” to helpOne build and couple’s train a“We team, while honing his own events and sponsoring and and Ellie’s swim tea year. appreciate the connections we make with our Emma Payton Presley.

Th

KIMBERLY OLIVER

CONTENTS

4) PLAYING THE REAL ESTATE MATCHMAKER—FOLLOW THESE 8 DATING RULES TO ENSURE YOU MATCH YOUR CLIENT WITH THE PERFECT HOME FOR THEM

13) CREATIVE MEDITATION FOR THE REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL

18) 5 LESSONS FROM SILICON VALLEY TO MODERNIZE AND MONETIZE YOUR BUSINESS 21) WHAT THE FIRST THING YOU DO AFTER WORK SAYS ABOUT YOU

24) TOP AGENT TIPS AND praise is indicative of the kinds of reviews that her JJ Home Group, QUESTIONS FOR CHOOSING skills.

In 2018 hemade created carrying Heand enjoys with and hisatwife and clients the and everything they do for us, we time like to letthemparties theirJodi, home.

After working with Barbara, buyers and sellers love a Five Star Realtor: “Sheila was wonderful to workgrowth with. mindset as he forward his original continues to family has sponsored several community-build YOUR AGENT To contact Barbara Arredondo, know we’re thinking of LISTING them every so often. John munity engagement as to spread the word work. One said,out of state onthem Weabout wereher working withrecently her from a tight to the ever-changing climate. or events in their neighborhood. pleasereal callestate 214-642-7696 “Barbara was amazing! We went to her frustrated adapt Shelby reach out to clients in their database over the is on timeline and budget and sheafter went above and and beyond wants to build a small team of email barbara@claystapp.com a previous agent had our house listed for months and

Going forward, J the board of Cl around 5 agents w phone and keep themselves available for any questions involved in their kids’ to help us find the right place.

She made us feel very “It’s been a lot of fun building my own brand. I’ve would share his commitment to putting clients comfortable—so much so thatdeveloped we trusteda her opinion to a client might have, and due to their efforts, they get of their business, John very efficient process that takes the stress and leading the real estate community by example Top Agent Magazine enter a contract on a home without being able toall flyofouttheirCopyright business through repeats and referrals from team and, when the ti and see it!” satisfied clients. the business. If you’re Contact Jake Johnston at 281-660-4797 Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 Contact Sheila at 512-876-5216 in the Dallas-Fort Wo or email Jake.Johnston@exprealty.com.

Sheila and her fellow team members are avid supportor email SheilaEvansRealtor@gmail.com With two buyer’s agents, a listing agent, a transaction coorhomes and provide ex mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com Check out his website at jjhomegroup.com ers of their community, serving with the Chamber of www.

dinator, a marketing director, and a wealth of collective

get in touch with John

No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher. Top Agent Copyright Top Agent Magazine 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 responsibleContact for opinionsJohn expressed or facts supplied its authors. and Shelby at by (214) 668-4429 or shelby@ To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com.

You can also visit their website at loverealtygrou Published in the U.S. www.

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Playing the Real Estate Matchmaker –

Follow These 8 Dating Rules to Ensure You Match Your Client with the Perfect Home for Them When you think a bit more about it, the ultimate goal of a real estate agent serving a client is really to match them up with the perfect house for them, almost the way a matchmaker tries to find two people that will fit well together as a couple. When people are looking for a house, they often treat the process as a quest for “the one” house that will fulfill their dreams of living in the house of their dreams. Don’t be fooled. It is always a search for “the one”, at least when it comes to helping a couple or family find a home.

When you look at your client’s search for a home in this manner, then you might begin to notice some pretty obvious similarities 4

between shopping for a home today and online dating. In this day and age most people live a substantial part entire lives online. People socialize with their friends on Facebook, they meet potential friends in forums and online communities, and we now even search for our perfect mate online. Shopping for a home also happens to usually start online. When they begin this search, make no mistake; they are looking for the “one.” These people then turn to you, the REALTOR® to play matchmaker for them. It is your job to wade through the pool of eligible homes (bachelors) and sort through all the ones that are too expensive, too nerdy, not cute enough, not smart enough, etc. until you find the “one.”

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It makes sense then to consult the tried and true practices in matchmaking that help those professionals find the right people for each other, and see if any of them could also apply for matching your clients with their dream home. You’ll find that these 8 dating rules may just show you the secret to matching your clients with the perfect home.

back to the store if you’re not happy with your new home. It’s best to first help your client get prequalified. This is a tangible step that shows they are ready to move on to a new home. You want to make sure they are completely over their love affair with their previous home. You can even ask them for a sign or proof that they’re ready to move on.

Who Is In and Not In Your Client’s League? Know Your Client’s Price Range:

Be Genuine, Not Superficial

When a person is looking for a mate, it is a waste of time for them to even consider those potential mates that are clearly out of their league. These people won’t even stop to give them the time of day.

In the world of real estate the idea is the same. There is no point showing your clients houses that they can’t afford and will simply lust after without having any real chance of purchasing the house. It is your job to keep your client ground in reality, and help them be realistic in terms of price when choosing their next home.

Never Let Your Client’s First Impression of a Home Rule Their Decisions

Make Sure Your Client is Ready to Move On From Their Last Dream Home You’re job is also to make sure that your client is truly ready to move on from their previous home. This is a long term commitment, and they need to be absolutely sure they actually want to buy a new house. You can’t simply take the receipt Top Agent Magazine

When trying to manage the many pitfalls of online dating, on inevitably goes on a date where the other person looks nothing like their picture online. That can be just as big of a problem when looking for a house. When clients show you a particular house they want to visit, ask them to name something about the house that they like other than the aesthetics. This way you can see if they are simply infatuated with the way the house looks in those pictures, or if there is a deeper interest in the home that could become a deeper connection between your client and the house.

When your client first sees a house they have already been lusting after in their mind, they’re often so excited to finally be looking at it, especially if it does in fact look as good as it did in the pictures.

Make sure to encourage them to take some time before making such a big com-

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mitment, and don’t let their excitement push them into making a rash decision. It is your job to keep them grounded in reality. Push for your clients to do an inspection to make sure the house isn’t hiding any dark secrets. Sometimes the most charming facade can hide tons of slime and deadly mold.

Follow Your Heart (or Gut) People often laugh at and ridicule the idea of love at first sight, but when it comes to homes, the phenomenon can certainly happen. Your client may just find their perfect dream home at the very first place you take them. If you have a client that does insist this is the case, then you don’t want to try and rationalize with them or talk them out of their decision. You do, however, want to make sure you are watching out for their interest and make sure your clients take all the necessary precautions before they jump in headfirst.

See What Other People See in The Home – Do They See What Your Client Sees?

Have you come to the conclusion that your clients are being blinded by all of the twinkling windows and crystal clear water glistening in the backyard pool, and can’t see that the house they’ve fallen in love with is really just a dirty animal (maybe a pig) dressed up in nice clothes and lipstick. Ask your client if they would be willing to look at the house again with 6

their close friends, family, and anyone else they trust for a second opinion there to see it with them. If the house really is a dud, they’ll be able to see past any personal bias your client might have to the truth. They will be able to help your client see through the shining facade

Celebrate the Happy Union!

When a couple gets married they tend to throw a big party and celebrate their union. The same goes for the closing.

Your clients have just essentially married the house of their dreams, and now it’s time to rejoice. Congratulate them on their new union. Show your support for their new homeowner status by going to their housewarming party.

Help Your Clients Maintain Their Dream Home & Ensure a Lifetime of Happiness You can’t just disappear after the transaction is finished. Become their realtor for life by showing your clients how to maintain their dream home. Act as their resource for other professionals they may need to maintain the house such as handymen, plumbers, electricians, etc. Show them how to keep up with home maintenance so they don’t ignore problems that surface and end up with a much larger issue than they started with. Help them make sure their dream home lasts so they can live happily ever after in their home for a lifetime.

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KIMBERLY OLIVER Top Agent Magazine

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Top Agent Kimberly Oliver and team serves clients throughout the greater Fort Worth area of Texas.

For as far back as Kimberly Oliver can remember, she’s wanted to be in real estate.

“When I was little, I would play Monopoly so I could get properties,” she says. Around sixteen years ago she decided to take the leap into this field and hasn’t looked back since. Today she has a team which 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

includes herself as the listing agent, one buyer’s agent, and a transaction team that handles the closings. Serving the greater Fort Worth area of Texas, Kimberly goes above and beyond to get her clients towards their goals, which results in a growing repeat/referral business.

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“I think it’s important to build relationships,” Kimberly says. “It’s not just about the transaction. So that is my goal, I love it when people call me after five years Top Agent Magazine

and say they are ready to sell or buy.”

Throughout the transaction, Kimberly guides each client step-by-step, answering questions and alleviating stress. For Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

“I think it’s important to build relationships,” Kimberly says. “It’s not just about the transaction. So that is my goal, I love it when people call me after five years and say they are ready to sell or buy.” her buyers, she listens carefully to their needs and doesn’t stop her search until their dream property is found. When it’s time to negotiate, she makes sure they are getting the best deal possible.

Meanwhile, she advertises her seller’s properties through various platforms. “I do a lot of social media, where I have a huge following, and I’ll also do a lot of Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

videos,” Kimberly says. “In the current market, listings will often sell within a week no matter the price range.”

After the transaction, buyers and sellers leave glowing reviews about their time together. One recently said, “Kimberly is very knowledgeable about the Fort Worth area. She’s very pleasant to be with, yet Top Agent Magazine

was assertive on our behalf. We will continue to do local real estate business with Kimberly in the future!” Another wrote, “Kimberly has the insight and Top Agent Magazine

connections to ensure success. She found and negotiated with three different buyers and stayed with it until the end. I would highly recommend her and her team.”

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When Kimberly isn’t working, she’s staying active in the community. “I love to do the Peach Festival every year, we have a Wine Walk, and I’m also interviewing local businesses to see how COVID affected them.” During any free time, she’s hanging out with her family, including her grandson, traveling, or boating.

Looking ahead, her sights are set on growth. “I don’t think I’ll expand my team, but I would love to help more people. I still want to be able to maintain one-on-one attention for my clients.” She loves every second of her work, and can’t see herself anywhere else. “It warms my heart to work with families.”

For more information about Kimberly Oliver, please call 817-247-0123 or email kimberlyteam@kw.com

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Creative Meditation

for the Real Estate Professional The real estate world can be an industry of intense emotional and psychological pressure. Deadlines, meetings, employee needs, client needs and a hundred other items on which one needs to focus on a daily basis can create an environment that is not only not conducive to mental well-being, but can be outright detrimental.

Learning to quiet the mind has been the focus of meditation for millennia. While those not familiar with the concept of meditation may instinctively think of yoga mats, incense, and chanting when the word “meditation” arises, there are in fact, many forms of meditation that can integrate quite Top Agent Magazine

easily into the daily hustle & bustle world of the busy real estate agent.

First, think about when you are alone each day. Here are some possible times to practice mediation during the work day: • When driving to the office in the morning • When driving to a showing or to meet a client • Before your open house begins • After the open house • Driving home in the evening 13

Repeating a mantra can be very calming, particularly when you are trying to rid yourself of negative, self-defeating thoughts.

These are just five examples of times when you can take advantage of meditation techniques to quiet your mind and, by extension, increase productivity. A calm mind is a more thoughtful, better tuned instrument.

Here are some examples of meditations you can try.

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For when you’re driving, download and listen to any number of audio Guided Meditations available on the internet. YouTube has a generous selection of these, many of which are geared towards success in business.

2 Repeating a mantra can be very calm-

ing, particularly when you are trying to rid yourself of negative, self-defeating thoughts. It doesn’t matter what words you choose, as long as you feel good about your choice. “I am a success” or “I will approach all of my clients with love today” are two examples. Whatever works for you and gets you into the desired mindset.

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3 Something as simple as listening to pleasant music in your car can be considered meditation, provided it brings you to a place of comfort as opposed to one of spiritual discordance.

4 The most important thing, however, is to take time to find gratitude in everything you do. Count your blessings, be grateful the exciting career in real estate you have built for yourself.

Once you’ve mastered some of these techniques at quieting your mind, you can attempt to find some that work even better for you. Walking, plain silence, or even exercise can have meditative qualities and benefits if practiced on a regular basis.

When you’re truly feeling calm, your clients can sense this. And with this comes the feeling that you can be relied upon to stay focused and calm in any unforeseen circumstances. And in the world of real estate, that’s a highly prized commodity.

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BARBARA ARREDONDO A true people person with a passion for homes, Barbara Arredondo has reached great heights as an agent in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. She started her career in 2011, after falling in love with real estate in London. “I was working in IT, but I needed to find a place to live, so I decided to rent a five bedroom flat and sublease the other four bedrooms,” she says. Once she moved back to the U.S., she continued her IT career, but decided to earn her real estate license in 2005. “I was preparing to be laid off, as the company I worked for laid people off every year, but in 2011 I still wasn’t laid off, so I just began working as an agent, and essentially had two full-time jobs.” By 2015, she was able to dedicate all of her time to her work as a REALTOR®, and hasn’t looked back since. Today she has a team that provides superior service and guidance to every client they serve.

Entirely based on referrals and repeat business, it’s clear she is exceeding expectations.

“I communicate constantly, even when there’s nothing to communicate, I am always keeping everyone updated,” she says. Barbara tends to every detail, whether it’s listening to a client’s every need when looking for a home, or preparing a property to sell. “I will do all of the standard pre-listing activities like put a sign in the yard and post on the MLS, but I also work with an interior designer, so we can make sure each property is looking its best.” Tying it all together with professional photographs, paint color guidance, and vendor referrals, Barbara truly offers a concierge experience. Meanwhile, her buyers are well-informed and prepared to make decisions. “It’s all about educating them and holding their hands through this process,” Barbara explains.

“When people are too busy, they can rest assured that we are handling everything and advocating for them.”

After working with Barbara, buyers and sellers love to spread the word about her work. One recently said, “Barbara was amazing! We went to her frustrated after a previous agent had our house listed for months and Top Agent Magazine

months with no luck. She came in, staged the place, did amazing photographs, followed by an incredible job marketing, and sold it in two weeks! Not only were we pleased at the speed which we sold and the final price, but she went above and beyond every step of the way. Helping with house tasks when we were out of town, coordinating small improvements and fix ups, and even helping with some last minute changes on our move out. I can’t recommend her enough, and am just so grateful I found her. She knows what she is doing, and will fight for her clients best interest.”

When Barbara isn’t working, she’s staying active in the community through a women’s only networking group called Pearls and Pinstripes. She is also a member of her neighborhood’s homeowners association.

Looking ahead, Barbara has her sights set on continuous growth, including the gradual expansion of her team. In the meantime, she’s loving her current path, and wants anyone who is considering a career in this field to not be afraid. “Find a mentor, and know that you can still negotiate with power and boundaries, but still be direct, professional and open. Those are the keys to success.”

To contact Barbara Arredondo, please call 214-642-7696 or email barbara@claystapp.com 15 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

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5 Lessons from Silicon Valley to Modernize and Monetize Your Business Silicon Valley may be the region for disruptors, tech entrepreneurs, and futurists, but even the most forward-thinking, abstract companies are still businesses that have to keep tabs on their bottom line. There’s much to learn from America’s fastest-growing sector, and even if Silicon 18

Valley seems like a world unto its own, there are key lessons prime for adaption in your own endeavors. Below, consider a few ways to translate the trends and teachings of Silicon Valley for your own business, and reap the rewards in the process.

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1. Diversify your value Real estate is a business built on relationships, but your relationships will go stale if the only thing you communicate is you interest in making a sale. In order to sustain relationships for the long term, you’ve got to remain valuable to your clients beyond the transaction. Serve as a local resource, not just a salesperson or real estate expert. Ensure your marketing materials, social media presence, and communications offer useful, relevant, and original content your clients will benefit from. What’s more, vary your communications so that every time you reach out it’s not just about new business or a referral.

2. Company culture matters Silicon Valley tech giants always emphasize the importance of company culture—not just as a way of drawing and retaining talent, but also as a way to appeal to clientele. What are your company’s values? What do you stand for? How you’re positioned in the marketplace is becoming just as important as what you do and how well you do it. Your company culture is part of your branding, and your brand should feel clear and composed to clients eyeing your services.

3.Think big picture More and more, clients want to have an experience, not just a transaction. When it comes to buying a home, this means they care more about a property’s bedroom and bathroom count. As an agent, consider showcasing properties in terms of lifestyle. What neighborhood amenities are nearby? What opportunities are there for community involvement? How does public Top Agent Magazine

transportation stack up in the area? Before making the purchase of a lifetime, clients want to envision a complete lifestyle.

4. Leverage multiple platforms By now, you probably recognize that social media is not afterthought. Your social media presence should fit your brand and voice, interact across platforms, and actively engage with your audience. In other words, if you want to reap the benefits of social media, it’s not enough to post a few times a month and walk away. Active engagement means responding to comments, interacting with your followers’ profiles, and posting original content beyond a sales pitch.

Likewise, you’ll want to be active across multiple social media platforms and ensure that your profiles are interconnected. That way, you’ll be working from a unified voice and brand.

5. Reputations rule the roost Never underestimate the power of word-ofmouth marketing and testimonials. If you haven’t asked for feedback from past clients, and you aren’t sharing positive testimonials and reviews—you’re missing out on one of the most powerful tools at an agent’s disposal. You can pitch the virtues of your working style all day long, but those courting your business want to hear about positive experiences from the client’s perspective.

If you want to take your business to the next level and maximize the twenty-first century values of a company on the rise, look to the lessons of Silicon Valley to get your start. There are always opportunities to innovate, and doing so will help you break from your routine and stand apart from the pack.

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SHEILA EVANS There’s strength in numbers, as the saying goes, and no one knows that better than Sheila Evans. As one of the charter members of The Power of 4 Team with Century21, Sheila has worked hard to shape the reputation of an office known all over the Austin, Texas area for its unswerving commitment to customers. “Most real estate teams have a lead. We don’t. Ours is a cooperative model created around our shared values of ethical service to our clients and dedicated professionalism. We all strive toward the same goals, and it’s worked very well for us.”

That would be putting it mildly. Last year alone the team closed over $100 million in sales, with an impressive eighty percent of that business coming from repeat clients and referrals. Their office has been a recurring recipient of Century21’s Centurion and Quality Service Awards, and they’ve been finalists for the Platinum Top 50 Team. Sheila has received numerous personal awards as well, including the Five Star Realtor Award for eight years running and the Best of Georgetown Gold Individual Realtor for the last three.

Sheila got her license in 2007, when she was looking for a new career. “My mother had sold real estate since I was very young, so it was something that I already knew a lot about. I love meeting new people. And I have a competitive streak, so I enjoy negotiating aggressively for my clients. It was the right move for me.”

Commerce. Sheila was one of the founders of BNI-Business by Referral Georgetown, a business-networking group that has been a blessing to all of the community’s local businesses.

The Power of 4 Team is also dedicated to their program “Closings for the Community,” in which they give a portion of every commission to a nonprofit organization of the client’s choice.

When she’s not working, Sheila enjoys exercising at the gym or reading, but her favorite pastime is playing and relaxing with her family. She and her husband have loved watching their children play scholastic team sports. “Our youngest just graduated, though, so I’m not sure what I’m going to do with that time now,” she laughs.

As for the future of her business, she and her colleagues may need to change their name soon; The Power of 4 Team recently became a team of 5. “We of course want to keep growing our business, as long as we can maintain the level of service we provide and find people who share our ethics. We’re proud of what we’ve done over these last years, and will be celebrating our team’s 10th anniversary soon.”

Her clients would certainly agree. One happy couple’s praise is indicative of the kinds of reviews that made her a Five Star Realtor: “Sheila was wonderful to work with.

We were working with her from out of state on a tight timeline and budget and she went above and beyond to help us find the right place. She made us feel very comfortable—so much so that we trusted her opinion to enter a contract on a home without being able to fly out and see it!”

Sheila and her fellow team members are avid supporters of their community, serving with the Chamber of 20

Contact Sheila at 512-876-5216 or email SheilaEvansRealtor@gmail.com Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine Copyright Top

What the First Thing You Do After Work Says About You We all have our routines. From that morning cup of coffee to a jog at the gym, it’s common to establish touchstones for our daily lives.

But have you ever considered what these habits tell us about ourselves? Our actions reveal much about our motivations and emotional life, so taking a second look at your first move at the end of the day can be telling.

With that in mind, see how you fare when it comes to post-workday habits...

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Break a Sweat After a long day of work, is your first instinct to strap on your sneakers and take off on a run? Do you stop off at the local yoga studio for an extended stretch? Maybe you head to the weight room to pump some iron. Whatever your exercise pick, if you’re inclined to sweat it out at the end of a long day, you’re likely a routine-oriented profes-

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sional who internalizes work-related stress. Of course, you’ve chosen a healthy release for all that pent-up tension, and you’ve discovered the power of endorphins. Once work hours are over, not everyone finds the motivation to stay active. This means you’re driven by routine, conscious of your emotional and physical health, and prefer to leave your cares at the gym, rather than bring them into your home oasis. However, it’s important to give your body a rest now and again, as recuperation time is not only beneficial for physical health, but can help prevent burnout for the long haul.

Flexibility is a skill, and one just as important to cultivate as rigid commitment. If you find yourself out of sorts if you miss just one day of working out, you might want to pay some attention to your routines and motivations, and rebalance your commitments and fitness routine accordingly.

Round-the-Clock Hustle If you’re the type to bring work home with you, you aren’t alone. While your motivation to work nonstop is admirable, it’s also important to make the mental transition from workplace to home, establishing the time to hustle and the time to relax. Just like those that hit the gym without fail after a long day, sometimes you’ll need to practice saying no. If your work life is indistinguishable from your personal life, it’ll be hard to catch a break and recharge.

This means burnout, frayed nerves, and missed details will soon be on the horizon. Of course, round-the-clock hustle is a strength, too. You’re passionate about your work, care deeply about doing things right, and failure is not an option.

Just make sure that you establish some foundational boundaries so that you maintain an 22

appropriate, healthy balance between your time at work and your time at home with the loved ones and hobbies you cherish. If making way for downtime isn’t easy, try penciling it in the way you would a work engagement. Dinner with a friend, a date night with a significant other, or a solo movie fest can be readily added to your calendar, and thus built in to your regimented schedule.

Turn to Food If your first instinct after work is to eat, it can say a few different things about your routine.

Perhaps you’ve been so on-the-go all the day that you haven’t had time for lunch. In this case, you might need to regiment your schedule with more purpose aimed towards downtime and self-care; food is fuel, after all. If you head home and gorge after an average day, you may be turning to food as a way to relieve stress.

In this case, you may need to reassess some of your post-work habits and find a healthier balance and outlet for your tension. Taking a walk, grabbing fresh ingredients for dinner, hitting the gym, or decompressing by catching up with a friend or a good book—all are healthier, more balanced ways of executing the transition from the office to the home. Pay attention to your consumption post-work. Determine how hungry or satiated you really are before making a grab for the nearest sustenance.

People decompress in all different ways after getting home from the office, but always remember that routines are telling. Don’t take your daily actions and impulses for granted. Examine the root behind your well-worn practices, and you may detect nuances at play beneath the surface that can you help you recalibrate for the better.

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JAKE JOHNSTON Jake Johnston has embraced a simple principle on his way to becoming a top-producing real estate agent: “If you help enough people get what they want, you will eventually get what you want.”

The proof is in the volume. In 2021, Jake is on track to close $14 million in sales as a solo agent with eXp Realty, serving clients in Houston’s North Harris and Montgomery counties. His service area spans from the North Sam Houston Tollway to Lake Conroe and includes Spring, Tomball, Cypress, Magnolia, The Woodlands, Conroe, Montgomery and Willis. An enviable 75 percent of his business comes from repeat clients or referrals. It only takes looking at Jake’s reviews to understand why. As one happy couple explained, “Absolutely best experience we have ever had with a Realtor®…. Actually bought a house without seeing it ourselves because we knew Jake understood exactly what we were looking for. He kept us from making mistakes. Went to bat for us in negotiations. We won’t do business with anyone else.”

A third generation Realtor®, that business is in his blood. He launched his career during the housing crisis in 2008, seeing a growth opportunity while many agents were opting out of the business. From there he worked in several different markets in both Wyoming and Texas, ranging from first-time homebuyers to luxury properties. In 2015 he left the Austin office of Keller Williams to help build and train a team, while honing his own skills. In 2018 he created the JJ Home Group, carrying forward his original growth mindset as he continues to adapt to the ever-changing real estate climate.

“It’s been a lot of fun building my own brand. I’ve developed a very efficient process that takes the stress

off of my clients, and I pride myself on my knowledge of the industry, strong negotiation skills, and attention to detail on behalf of my clients.”

For sellers, those details include preparing, presenting, and pricing the home, beginning with a professional home stager who prepares the property for the high-definition photos and videos of the home that are uploaded to a customized website for the listing. After setting the initial price point based on the current market, Jake utilizes a “Coming Soon” marketing strategy, building ad campaigns on Facebook and Google to target buyers searching homes online, thus driving more traffic to the website and generating a frenzy of interest. “I’m able to attract approximately 5000 active homebuyers before the property even goes live, which reduces market time and increases the final sale price of the home.”

Both sellers and buyers profit from Jake’s fierce negotiating skills. “Thousands of dollars are won or lost at the negotiation table. My ultimate goal is to work together with my clients, exceed their expectations and help them sell their home for more money so they will tell their friends and families about the fantastic experience they had with me.”

When not working, Jake is active with the PTO at his daughters’ school, working with teacher appreciation events and sponsoring Emma and Ellie’s swim teams.

He enjoys time with them and his wife Jodi, and the family has sponsored several community-building events in their neighborhood. Going forward, Jake wants to build a small team of around 5 agents who would share his commitment to putting clients first and leading the real estate community by example.

Contact Jake Johnston at 281-660-4797 or email Jake.Johnston@exprealty.com.

Check out his website at jjhomegroup.com www.

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

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

During your meetings, expect any Top Agent to ask you several questions, but also consider discussing the following: 24

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Will you please describe your sales experience and local network?

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

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

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

How will you market the property? Each

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now, let’s list!

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Top Agent Magazine

JOHN & SHELBY LOVE Husband and wife team John and Shelby Love are a winning combination for success. After all, two are better than one, especially when it comes to navigating the rough waters of real estate.

Shelby’s mom was a real estate broker, and in 1997, Shelby decided to follow in her footsteps and get licensed as a full-time real estate agent. A few years later, she convinced her then-fiancée, John, to join her business. John had been working in the mortgage industry previously, and with that experience he decided to get licensed in 2003 and team up with Shelby. Since then, they have been working together as a duo to bring excellent, personalized service to members of the community in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and their continued success has been nothing less than impressive.

When it comes to interacting with clients, John and Shelby find it immensely important to build lasting relationships with them through community engagement and consistent communication. They periodically host client appreciation events and stay in touch with clients long after the transaction is closed, maintaining presence in the lives of their constituents regularly throughout the year. “We appreciate the connections we make with our clients and everything they do for us, and we like to let them know we’re thinking of them every so often. John and Shelby reach out to clients in their database over the phone and keep themselves available for any questions a client might have, and due to their efforts, they get all of their business through repeats and referrals from satisfied clients.

With two buyer’s agents, a listing agent, a transaction coordinator, a marketing director, and a wealth of collective

experience contained within the team, John and Shelby are more than capable of taking care of all of their clients’ needs and helping them achieve what they don’t think they can. They market listings using professional photography through their multiple websites online, open houses, and mailed postcards, and work hard to get the best prices possible for both buyers and sellers. John and Shelby both have corporate backgrounds through working in transportation and have decades worth of experience in real estate between them, and they use all of this to get consistent results for clients. They closed nearly 100 transactions last year, and look forward to continuing pushing their production numbers even further in the future.

John and Shelby are passionate and enthusiastic about real estate, and have found a lot of joy and fulfillment in their careers. They love the excitement and happiness people feel when their dream of home ownership comes true, especially when they never thought they could afford a home in the first place.

In their free time, John and Shelby enjoy traveling, scuba diving and spending time with their teenage daughters Payton and Presley. They are very social and host many parties at their home. Both John and Shelby stress community engagement as a pillar of their success – Shelby is on the board of Cloud 9 Charities, and are heavily involved in their kids’ local high schools. For the future of their business, John and Shelby hope to solidify their team and, when the time comes, get their children into the business. If you’re looking for a team of two agents in the Dallas-Fort Worth area who are passionate about homes and provide exceptional service to their clients, get in touch with John and Shelby Love today!

Contact John and Shelby at (214) 668-4429 or shelby@loverealtyrgrp.com.

You can also visit their website at loverealtygroupdfw.com www.

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