TEXAS 9-21-20

TEXAS EDITION

The Daily Schedule of a

SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE AGENT

FEATURED AGENTS

DEMETRICE BALLENGER ALEXANDRA FINCHER DENNIS GULLION MISSY PHIPPS

GOOGLE ADWORDS:

How to Make Google Do the Work for You

COOPERATION, NOT COMPETITION, CREATES MUTUAL SUCCESS FOR AGENTS

COVER STORY

LARA PAVANELLI

TEXAS EDITION

DEMETRICE BALLENGER ALEXANDRA FINCHER DENNIS GULLION

contributing to and fundraisers and in drives, Alexandra a real Gullion estate was working as an IT nets ideal buyers short order. F e BallengerFor started out as Fincher, a civil beingDennis civil engineers and lenders of all kinds,” 16Dallas and pursuing 19 20the there, 23 7 just a consultant in real distribution across the leading on MISSY working with city to support homeless agent is more than career.

Since but he had always harbored a he says. “And everyone I collaborate estate part-time when he finally decided listing platforms and social and evenofserving as President of themedia ou becoming in 1979, she has helped for real estate.

Afterlicensed spending with “Iisalways held had to my veterans, same standards to make it a full-time career. net interest far and wide. With a truly Dallas Ladies Auxiliary of the Jewish War people buy andbroker, sell homes across the state e shadowing a successful transparency and professionalism.” a love for looking at houses, and my wife has Veterans Post #256.

She is also a memberPhipps of of Texas, well as people from other coundoes interior design,” he explains. In 2001, Beyond the office, Dennis givesasback k, and learning theastrade from career a Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary tries looking to make America he in came to a crossroad.For “It’s a walk and the throughClub. the arts, part metrice realized that he couldtheir start hisbeen expertise unmatched service,his community first profess In her free time, Alexandra loves to main- in the ar by buying their first home. Through of faith service for me, but I’veDemetrice been so blessed.

I his two career interests to focus has developed a terrific repu-larly through his participation from 1994always knew I wanted to be in a business theater scene. addition to acting tain relationships with former Inclients who to her clients, her community, and just acquisition. Inspired, he dove in tation around Houston, with the entirety received her and Alexandra own a business that focused on making directing, serves that as Chairman have become like family to he her,also whether average people with a dream, ned his license. hisand volume coming from either repeatthe Board of Directors forJune 2014, a difference in people’sof lives building a local thea means meeting a new baby or catching up on has built a career that she truly loves and LARA PAVANELLI DEMETRICE DENNIS MISSY PHIPPS full tim clients or ALEXANDRA referrals. ToFINCHER him, though, theGULLION work is itsBeyond relationships.” the office, Dennisfield most enjoys t life over dinner and a beer. that has allowed her to make aBALLENGER difference in thing about spent with his family and loved ones. emetrice is an agent with CitiQuest Properties own reward. “I love seeing my builders and clients people’s lives. has built aWhen reputation aspurchase a broker and quick succe e specializes in new home constructionToday, in Dennis find success. you you’re “Every year, aI home, plan a new Alexandra agent known for his responsiveness, educational As on for the future,chapter,” Dennis intends to was keep named momen s Inner Loop.

There,claims he hasthat fashioned a trust, making work, one ofand the most significant investments in explains.

While connections with previous Alexandra integrity, streak, and hard personal touch.

Serving clients from hiskeeping going her strong as he continues to educate and del and was in the top 3 perc workflow respect aroundarehissome career specialty to inyour life.

IDennis trulyher value the opportunity be a part ofin 2015, office Rockwall, has amassed aAlexandra followingtowants excellent customer service to his clients.

Now, clients, to continue developing her busiof the key characteristics that make 2016 for Keller Williams,” she exw a niche in stand the market. time, that process and ensure thatThis my clients are making ofagent repeatserving and referral that ness. accounts forincludes almost almost two of experience and insight to growing anddecades diversifying hershe clients, out as“My a topgoal, realeach estate the clientele greater grow every year, now leads Th the entirety of his business.

Buyers and sellers alike name, Dennis Gullion considers what hea enjoys m ke sure thatDallas my buyers purchase a product strong decisions.” meeting people from new places, and even developing region. In addition to marketing homes with focusing on building lasting relatio turn to him for hisCONTENTS trustworthy counsel and proven about his chosen field. “I love working with people, and my sellers make a profit,” he says.

“In bed and breakfast.

“I just love making things happen,” photography, social media, and mail-outs, Alexandra theydifferent, return to her andgetting refer to herkn track record of success. “Our company motto is that says. “Everyso and I like e, your work always comes down the to doing Outside ofpotential his career,sheDemetrice is active in his day is likes to think outside box buyers and sellers throughou “Weand keep provide The REAL in Real Estate,” hesays. says. “I don’t someone oneher on one.

After going through this pro ght for yourbuyers clients.” community.

On top of having served on the Houston with a more memorabletell experience in they theirwant future always Missyfamil exc people what to hear, I tell people what together, they really communicating, become like extended 4) GOOGLE ADWORDS: 17) THE DAILY Chamber of Commerce, he wasinfavorite recently a There’s board Alexandra’s part ofSCHEDULE her nothing job is meeting so manythan work homes. Events have included wine tastings, motivational they need to hear.”

Education is very important this me. more rewarding ting a property, Demetrice offers hisguests. clients aGOOGLE member of with astrong nonprofit organization that worked to“Iparts industry.

I work a the lot first-time homebuyers and with someone toREAL buylike or sell home,isthen selling feel ouraworld team very knowt different from different of the and speakers, and musical Additionally, HOW TO MAKE OF Apeople SUCCESSFUL it’s especially important to educate those that haven’t children a home, then selling their children’s child f resources.connections On top of providing online adverthe homeless and lift them them reach out oftheir poverty.

“WeShe workis hard to make sure we k helping dreams. confident that Alexandra makes with shelter every client allow DO THE WORK FOR YOU ESTATE AGENT gone through this process before.

I want to make sure a home.

Family, making a difference in people’s in touch with our clil d targeted social campaigns, also not helping clients giving back his time, she can or help anyone make theirwe’re dreamalways of owning a home her to media know their dreamsheand makeWhen them he’s happen.

As that I’m available at all times for my clients, no matter and buildingthem, relationships – Forwith me, that isoutsid what spend time markets hisAlexandra listings to says, his extensive network Demetrice, a lifelong learner, cansaying, be found reading or anything a reality, “You can afford you wantthem to “My client becomes my family, and itInis addition what they need or when.” to his years of all about. SO BLESSED!” because of that, they possible.

You have to work hard, you have to know work we’re in lifetime association.” w brokers. aElsewhere, Demetrice gives real his estate practicing hisDennis latest hobby, golf. experience, is make a Five-Star Zillow 13) COOPERATION, NOT 21) 4 REASONS WHY there them.” smart,knowledge and you to have to know that youforcan do it.Missy Thereand is her te n additional reach via billboard signs and Premier Agent who also brings diverse 24/7, and return calls immediately, his role as an agent, his MBA in Accounting, no reason not to have dream come true.”

COMPETITION, CREATES MULTITASKING CAN ACTUALLY Clients agree that I’m Alexandra any project A database. “I make sure that putting provides my Looking tothrough thewith future, Demetrice intends onyour growing is left unanswered. They know th as a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), and as a a mix of professionalism and creativity.

Close to 100 a position whereMUTUAL they know they can sell,” FOR his client base while adding on to the networkDAY and SUCCESS DERAIL YOUR their clients’ lives and do everyth Certified Notary Signing Agent. her clients come from knowledgeability repeats and refer“Every steppercent is drivenoftowards bringing them that has garnered him so many AGENTS rals, which clearly proves how satisfied they arearound by her Houston. Having discovered anease stress. For their buyers, they ai eturn on investment.” accolades After starting his own firm, Gullion Properties in 2005, property possible within their bud services. As one former client shared, accomplished career $5-million that combines his unique back-to get the most the market will a Dennis “Alexandra now producesFincher roughly in annual helped us get first homebackand fromground the his beginning she volume, with company earning $20-million office- offers soundproperties. One way they do this ile, Demetrice utilizes hisour professional and experience, Demetrice was amazing to work with.

She listened to our wants wide.“Gullion Properties is a family and we genuinely and area connections to assist his buyers advice to aspiring agents. “When you start out inthorough To learn more about Dennis Gullioninc marketing strategies, careexpectations. about one another.” properties, and needs and exceeded our From please callads, 972-523-3792, openness and a tireless workfar ethic.

A veritable real estate, castthe aWhen widelisting net. Stretch out and exploreInstagram fliers, and more. “W Dennis and310-734-1440 his team leave no unturned, beginning to the end she lead made the process smooth andstone 310-734-1440 | Fax email are dgullion@gullionproperties.com on shop for beginning new Phone construction, he can his different markets, different opportunities.

But when know going to bring us leads, with documentation for each property headed was there every step of the way to high-end answer any that questions or visitwill gullionproperties.com know work.” whatever professionals they need.

“I’ve got you find niche that makes you special, stick with mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com to market, which imparts a memorable first impression that we had.

With her contractors, expertise and knowledge, I highly ng relationships with architects, it—no matter what.”

No portion issue may be reproduced any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher.

Agent recommend heroftothis anyone looking to buy a in home.”

After theToptransaction, clients lea Copyright Top Agent Maga www.

Magazine is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published about their time together. One rece materials, Agent Magazine cannot be heldthrough responsible or facts supplied by its authors.

To learn about Demetrice Ballenger In addition to Top themore connections she has made herfor opinions expressed Phipps Team were professional For more about Alexandra Fincher, To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. in real estate, Alexandra maintains a or highcall level(713) 585-5626 the entire process emailcareer Demetrice@cqhouston.com please call 972-342-2932 or of selling our h Published in the U.S.

of involvement within the overall community. Helping veterans is her main priority, which she has done through

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another. No matter what time of email alexandrafincher@gmail.com

tions they were there for us. We of buying and selling a hom

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Google AdWords:

How To Make Google Do the Work for You There is no denying that the internet is the first place a buyer begins looking for a new home in this digital age. Knowing how to put the powerful tools available on the internet to work for you can give you a decided advantage when it comes to attracting prospective buyers to your listings, as well as you as an agent. Google is easily one of the major superpowers of the internet, and they have one of the most powerful advertising tools available. Knowing how to utilize Google AdWords in the correct manner can make your internet advertising immensely powerful and possibly your best way to reach prospective buyers.

Google AdWords is also extremely cost-effective. This multifaceted tool gives you much more control over your advertising campaign than other more traditional methods. You can target specific audiences, choose the specific search terms, also known as keywords, that will bring up your ad in someone’s search results, and you can set a budget for each campaign that will dictate it’s reach and how long the campaign will run. Here are some tips for how to put Google AdWords to work for you.

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ent websites. You want to set yourself apart from every other real estate website users are viewing in their search for a house.

MAKE SURE YOUR ADS ARE GOING TO SEND USERS TO A SITE THAT WILL CAPTURE THEIR ATTENTION

You can spend an infinite amount of money on Google advertising campaigns, but if those ads don’t send users to a site that will capture and hold their interest, then you’ve just wasted all that money. Don’t put your cart before the horse. Make sure you are considering exactly where these ads are going to send users. To set up your website for success, at the very least you want to make sure users are greeted by clear call-to-action, such as a message that will encourage them to sign up for your newsletter or subscribe to your blog. You want to set up your website to maximize and capture the leads the ad campaign sends your way.

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BUILD CUSTOMIZED OR CUSTOM-MADE WEBSITES RATHER THAN TEMPLATE WEBSITES It is easy and tempting to use template websites, or to offer your agents template websites if you are a real estate manager or broker. While this offers a cost-effective solution to providing every agent with a website, it does little to set you or your agents apart and capture the attention of users that are used to seeing a wealth of differ-

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MAKE SURE YOU ARE OFFERING VALUE ON YOUR WEBSITE

Don’t simply use your website as a kind of brag sheet. Let users know what makes your particular services valuable to them. Highlight your expertise in a certain location through tools such as blog posts, providing market updates, or giving pertinent information on a unique type of property. This will ensure that your online advertising campaigns are much more successful.

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LOCATION IS EVERYTHING!

Location is everything in real estate, and the same holds true for Google AdWords. You can target specific locations in your ad campaign. While one approach is to focus on the area around your location, a more advanced approach would be to link AdWords campaigns to your Google My Business account. This is a Google service that includes your address in the ad, allowing people to then click on it and see exactly where you are located on a map.

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USE GOOGLE ADWORDS IN YOUR CAMPAIGN TO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS IN GENERAL

Focus an AdWords campaign on expanding your business by incorporating specific zip codes and neighborhoods that will help you establish a presence in an area where you would like to increase your real estate business. Making sure that your ad appears in search results that are related to the real estate in a specific area will help shape the image and brand of your business as well as bring in new leads.

HARNESS THE POWER OF DATA

When you run a Google AdWords campaign Google Analytics captures a wealth of information about your target client demographic.

You can gain real insight into your online visitors, such as when they visit, what they do and look at on your site once they get there, and what search terms they use. You can use all of this information to grow your business. Use Google Analytics to determine which users (location, gender, age) are utilizing specific aspects of your site, such as looking at multiple listings, reading your blog, etc. You can then use this information to target these specific demographics in your AdWord campaigns, Gmail ads, the Google Display Network, and other advertising.

Using the internet to help advertise your business and your listings is one of the smartest moves you can make as an agent in this modern age. However, you don’t want to simply go into the process blind or you’re wasting a lot of potential resources and data that could make all the difference. To reap the benefits of Google AdWords, you must apply an intelligent strategy to using these campaigns.

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LARA PAVANELLI Top Agent Magazine

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Top Agent Lara Pavanelli works with a team of two agents, a part-time assistant, and a referral director, serving the Austin Metropolitan area.

Lara transitioned from being a Mortgage Broker to being a REALTORÂŽ eight years ago when she moved to Austin, Texas. She currently works with a team of two agents, a part-time assistant, and a referral director, serving the Austin Metropolitan area.

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Real estate professionals often hope for repeat and referral clients, and Lara is thrilled that her business runs primarily off of those. She believes it’s her attention to customer service and emphasis on great communication that makes it possible. “We value customer service Top Agent Magazine

and give a 150 percent to all our clients.

We go above and beyond the call of duty, and we’re very good at communication.

We try to make this process the easiest and smoothest for our clients, especially first Top Agent Magazine

time homebuyers who need a lot of education.” And she doesn’t just believe in educating her clients, but also herself. “I have over 700 hours of CE credit and 10 designations. That extra knowledge, and Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

As an immigrant and someone who speaks five languages—Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese and English—Lara strongly believes in community bonds and helping people acclimate to new surroundings. all the extra studying, gives me an edge over everybody else. And when it comes time to educating or helping my clients, I have the knowledge to do that.”

this pandemic, so we’ve been calling and emailing everyone in our database,” she says. And she spends significant time ever day connecting with past clients.

Lara and her team find it important to stay in touch with current and past clients, particularly right now. “We want to make sure everyone is doing okay in

In order to market her listings Lara does a lot of social media promotion, as well as posting to various REALTOR® groups she belongs to, and always hosting open

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houses. Her team is currently on target to reach over $10 million in sales volume this year. However, Lara’s favorite part when it comes to her work is assisting her clients to their next stage of life. “What I enjoy the most about this job is my ability to help people.”

As an immigrant and someone who speaks five languages—Italian, French, Spanish, Top Agent Magazine

Portuguese and English—Lara strongly believes in community bonds and helping people acclimate to new surroundings, which is why she’s the ambassador for an international community in Austin and has the Certified International Property Specialist designation. “I like to welcome people to this community and help connect them to others.” She’s also on the Austin Board of REALTORS® and Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

volunteers for Habitat of Humanity and the Central Texas food bank.

Going forward Lara wants to go up in production and continue serving clients to the best of her ability. She’s also focused on fostering great team spirit within her team

members. “Cooperation and trying to help each other out are key elements to success as a team. If we’re all on the same page and working towards the common goal of making our clients happy, they’re going to want to come back and continue doing business with us.”

For more about Lara Pavanelli, call (512) 909–5807 email larapavanelli.realtor@gmail.com, or visit compass.com/agents/lara-pavanelli www.

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Cooperation, Not Competition, Creates

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

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

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

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

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

Risë’s position on cooperation inspires more reasons for nurturing relationships with other agents. Over the decades, many agents change brokerages several times. Who knows if that agent across the table will one day work at the 14

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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DEMETRICE BALLENGER Demetrice Ballenger started out as a civil engineer, but he had always harbored a passion for real estate. After spending some time shadowing a successful broker, Ron Peek, and learning the trade from afar, Demetrice realized that he could combine his two career interests to focus on land acquisition. Inspired, he dove in and attained his license.

Today, Demetrice is an agent with CitiQuest Properties where he specializes in new home construction in Houston’s Inner Loop. There, he has fashioned a boutique workflow around his career specialty to carve out a niche in the market. “My goal, each time, is to make sure that my buyers purchase a product they love and my sellers make a profit,” he says. “In real estate, your work always comes down to doing what’s right for your clients.”

When listing a property, Demetrice offers his clients a variety of resources. On top of providing online advertising and targeted social media campaigns, he also directly markets his listings to his extensive network of fellow brokers. Elsewhere, Demetrice gives his clients an additional reach via billboard signs and the CMA database. “I make sure that I’m putting my clients in a position where they know they can sell,” he says. “Every step is driven towards bringing them the best return on investment.”

Meanwhile, Demetrice utilizes his professional background and area connections to assist his buyers through openness and a tireless work ethic. A veritable one-person shop for new construction, he can lead his clients to whatever professionals they need. “I’ve got outstanding relationships with architects, contractors,

civil engineers and lenders of all kinds,” he says. “And everyone I collaborate with is held to my same standards of transparency and professionalism.”

For his expertise and unmatched service, Demetrice has developed a terrific reputation around Houston, with the entirety of his volume coming from either repeat clients or referrals. To him, though, the work is its own reward. “I love seeing my builders and clients find success. When you purchase a home, you’re making one of the most significant investments in your life. I truly value the opportunity to be a part of that process and ensure that my clients are making strong decisions.”

Outside of his career, Demetrice is active in his community. On top of having served on the Houston Chamber of Commerce, he was recently a board member of a nonprofit organization that worked to shelter the homeless and lift them out of poverty.

When he’s not helping clients or giving back his time, Demetrice, a lifelong learner, can be found reading or practicing his latest hobby, golf.

Looking to the future, Demetrice intends on growing his client base while adding on to the network and knowledgeability that has garnered him so many accolades around Houston. Having discovered an accomplished career that combines his unique background and experience, Demetrice offers sound advice to aspiring agents. “When you start out in real estate, cast a wide net. Stretch out and explore different markets, different opportunities. But when you find that niche that makes you special, stick with it—no matter what.”

To learn more about Demetrice Ballenger email Demetrice@cqhouston.com or call (713) 585-5626 16

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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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ALEXANDRA FINCHER For Alexandra Fincher, being a real estate agent is more than just a career. Since becoming licensed in 1979, she has helped people buy and sell homes across the state of Texas, as well as people from other countries looking to make their start in America by buying their first home. Through service to her clients, her community, and just average people with a dream, Alexandra has built a career that she truly loves and that has allowed her to make a difference in people’s lives.

Alexandra claims that integrity, trust, hard work, and respect are some of the key characteristics that make her stand out as a top real estate agent serving the greater Dallas region. In addition to marketing homes with photography, social media, and mail-outs, Alexandra likes to think outside the box and provide potential buyers with a more memorable experience in their future homes. Events have included wine tastings, motivational speakers, and musical guests. Additionally, the strong connections Alexandra makes with every client allow her to know their dreams and make them happen. As Alexandra says, “My client becomes my family, and it is a lifetime association.”

Clients agree that Alexandra provides any project with a mix of professionalism and creativity. Close to 100 percent of her clients come from repeats and referrals, which clearly proves how satisfied they are by her services. As one former client shared, “Alexandra Fincher helped us get our first home and from the beginning she was amazing to work with. She listened to our wants and needs and far exceeded our expectations. From the beginning to the end she made the process smooth and was there every step of the way to answer any questions that we had. With her expertise and knowledge, I highly recommend her to anyone looking to buy a home.”

In addition to the connections she has made through her career in real estate, Alexandra maintains a high level of involvement within the overall community. Helping veterans is her main priority, which she has done through Top Agent Magazine

contributing to fundraisers and drives, working with the city to support homeless veterans, and even serving as President of the Dallas Ladies Auxiliary of the Jewish War Veterans Post #256. She is also a member of the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club.

In her free time, Alexandra loves to maintain relationships with former clients who have become like family to her, whether that means meeting a new baby or catching up on life over dinner and a beer.

“Every year, I plan on a new chapter,” Alexandra explains. While keeping her connections with previous clients, Alexandra wants to continue developing her business. This includes growing and diversifying her clients, meeting people from new places, and even developing a bed and breakfast. “I just love making things happen,” she says.

Alexandra’s favorite part of her job is meeting so many different people from different parts of the world and helping them reach their dreams. She is confident that she can help anyone make their dream of owning a home a reality, saying, “You can afford anything you want to make possible. You have to work hard, you have to work smart, and you have to know that you can do it. There is no reason not to have your dream come true.”

For more about Alexandra Fincher, please call 972-342-2932 or email alexandrafincher@gmail.com 19 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

DENNIS GULLION Dennis Gullion was working as an IT consultant in Dallas and pursuing real estate part-time when he finally decided to make it a full-time career. “I always had a love for looking at houses, and my wife does interior design,” he explains. In 2001, he came to a crossroad. “It’s been a walk of faith for me, but I’ve been so blessed. I always knew I wanted to be in a business and own a business that focused on making a difference in people’s lives and building relationships.”

Today, Dennis has built a reputation as a broker and agent known for his responsiveness, educational streak, and personal touch. Serving clients from his office in Rockwall, Dennis has amassed a following of repeat and referral clientele that accounts for almost the entirety of his business. Buyers and sellers alike turn to him for his trustworthy counsel and proven track record of success. “Our company motto is that “We keep The REAL in Real Estate,” he says. “I don’t tell people what they want to hear, I tell people what they need to hear.” Education is very important in this industry. I work a lot with first-time homebuyers and it’s especially important to educate those that haven’t gone through this process before. I want to make sure that I’m available at all times for my clients, no matter what they need or when.” In addition to his years of real estate experience, Dennis is a Five-Star Zillow Premier Agent who also brings diverse knowledge to his role as an agent, through his MBA in Accounting, as a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), and as a Certified Notary Signing Agent.

After starting his own firm, Gullion Properties in 2005, Dennis now produces roughly $5-million in annual volume, with his company earning $20-million officewide.“Gullion Properties is a family and we genuinely care about one another.” When listing properties, Dennis and his team leave no stone unturned, beginning with high-end documentation for each property headed to market, which imparts a memorable first impression 20

and nets ideal buyers in short order. From there, distribution across the leading online listing platforms and social media outlets net interest far and wide.

Beyond the office, Dennis gives back to his community through the arts, particularly through his participation in the area’s theater scene. In addition to acting and directing, he also serves as Chairman on the Board of Directors for a local theatre.

Beyond the office, Dennis most enjoys time spent with his family and loved ones.

As for the future, Dennis intends to keep momentum going strong as he continues to educate and deliver excellent customer service to his clients. Now, with almost two decades of experience and insight to his name, Dennis Gullion considers what he enjoys most about his chosen field. “I love working with people,” he says. “Every day is different, and I like getting to know someone one on one. After going through this process together, they really become like extended family to me. There’s nothing more rewarding than working with someone to buy or sell a home, then selling their children a home, then selling their children’s children a home. Family, making a difference in people’s lives and building relationships – For me, that is what it is all about. SO BLESSED!”

To learn more about Dennis Gullion please call 972-523-3792, email dgullion@gullionproperties.com, or visit gullionproperties.com 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 Top Agent Magazine

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 22

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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MISSY PHIPPS With a truly caring spirit, Missy Phipps has flourished in her career as a real estate agent. Her first profession was in nursing from 1994-2014, but when she received her real estate license in June 2014, she jumped into this field full time. She loves everything about this path and found quick success from the start. “I was named Rookie of the Year in 2015, and was in the top 3 percent of solo agents in 2016 for Keller Williams,” she explains. Continuing to grow every year, she now leads The Missy Phipps Team, focusing on building lasting relationships with her clients so they return to her and refer her to others. By guiding her buyers and sellers throughout the transaction and always communicating, Missy exceeds expectations.

“I feel like our team is very knowledgeable,” she says.

“We work hard to make sure we know the market, and we’re always in touch with our clients. We get to know them, spend time with them outside of work, and I think because of that, they know we’re in this together and are there for them.” Missy and her team answer the phone 24/7, and return calls immediately, ensuring no question is left unanswered. They know this is a pivotal time in their clients’ lives and do everything in their power to ease stress. For their buyers, they aim to get them the best property possible within their budget, while they strive to get the most the market will allow for their sellers properties. One way they do this is by implementing thorough marketing strategies, including Facebook and Instagram ads, fliers, and more. “We focus on things we know are going to bring us leads, only doing what we know will work.”

After the transaction, clients leave glowing reviews about their time together. One recently said, “The Missy Phipps Team were professional yet friendly through the entire process of selling our house and purchasing another. No matter what time of day, if we had questions they were there for us. We had been through the process of buying and selling a home many times before Top Agent Magazine

but this experience was by far the best ever. Now that our house is sold we know we can call Missy anytime with questions or just to chat. We have made a friend for life and will use her team again and recommend them to everyone we know.” Another wrote, “Missy and her team were amazing! Being in the industry, I am aware of all of the little details that they had to handle and the way they handled them all so efficiently made the entire transaction go smooth. Received a full price offer within two weeks and the buyers were on time which made my move very easy. Would highly recommend using Missy Phipps and her team at Keller Williams!”

When Missy isn’t working, she’s staying active in the community. She’s the co-founder and president of a charity called Ally’s Wish, which grants wishes to terminally ill moms. “We have granted about 150 wishes so far, and have 150 moms on our waiting list right now.”

During any free time, Missy is hanging out with her four kids, family, and friends.

Looking ahead, Missy has her sights set on continuing to grow and maintaining her reputation as a respected local agent.

“If I could give anyone a piece of advice, it would be to find something you love doing, because then it doesn’t feel like work anymore. With real estate, I wake up excited every morning, I love it so much.”

For more about Missy Phipps call 469-261-8990 or email missyphipps@kw.com 23 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

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