WASHINGTON 4-17-23

WASHINGTON EDITION

FEATURED AGENT

ELISHA JOLMA

INCORPORATING CHARITABLE GIVING IN YOUR REAL ESTATE PRACTICE

TIPS ON BREAKING INTO THE LUXURY MARKET

MILLENNIAL BUYERS: WHERE THEY ARE & WHAT TO KNOW

TURNING YOUR PROFESSION INTO A PASSION

COVER STORY

NICHOLAS VILVANDRÉ

WASHINGTON EDITION

ELISHA JOLMA For the past decade, REALTOR® and 7 brought a broker Elisha Jorma has boutique real estate service to families on the west side of Washington.

With a background of working in the mortgage and financial industries, she went into realty with a robust skill set and a passion for helping people afford and buy their dream homes.

The first woman in her county to open her own real estate firm, Sho’me Real Estate, Elisha is more than an innovator — she’s a strong example for other NICHOLAS VILVANDRE REALTOR®s. As she builds out her office, she is focused on providing a personalized service for every client.

18

as non-profits. She is involved w the Lower Columbia Profession an organization that raises money scholarships for local graduating seni in the Kelso/Longview area. In her sp time, Elisha loves traveling, trying n foods and experiencing new cultur “Traveling really puts things into p spective and humbles you,” she says

Elisha’s office has thorough syste in place to make sure that their l ings receive maximum exposure. T ELISHA JOLMA includes everything from listing p sentations to open houses and onl platforms. As she looks to the future, wants to keep growing her brokera Based in Longview, Elisha enjoys the small-town without losing the bespoke feeling that they curren feel of her community, which is located about forty- provide. Eventually, she plans to have an office minutes north of Portland. “We’re a mill town sur- every county in Washington as well as an even lar rounded by water with many Victorian and Craftsman property management program. “No matter how houses,” she explains. Not only is the setting idyllic, we grow, I’m not in real estate for the money. I but it is a great place to raise a family. While Eli- it to share knowledge, build relationships, and h sha’s business focuses on helping people buy and sell others,” she says. homes, she also has a property management side that is steadily growing.

CONTENTS

4) INCORPORATING CHARITABLE GIVING IN YOUR REAL ESTATE PRACTICE

20) TURNING YOUR PROFESSION INTO A PASSION

WorkingBUYERS: with multiple generations of homebuyers, 14) MILLENNIAL 22) TIPS ON Elisha considers herself a family REALTOR . She WHERE THEYcounts AREaround 95% of her business as coming BREAKING INTO THE from referrals, a testament to the care she brings to every & WHAT TO KNOW LUXURY MARKET ®

transaction. With a deep knowledge of the loan process, she understands how difficult it can be to buy a home and how exciting it is to get approved after months or years of trying. “Everyone deserves to feel safe and financially secure in their home,” she says. “I want to help people live out their dream and have that Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 sense of security.”

Contactt Elisha at 360-562-1313, email ElishaJolma@gmail.com, Elisha is a member of the local Chamber of Comshomerealestate.com or visitTop No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher.

Agent Magazine

mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com merce and supports many community events as well

www.

is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials, Top Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors.

To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com.

Copyright Top Agent Magaz Published in the U.S.

2

Top Agent Magazine

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

Top Agent Magazine

3

Incorporating Charitable Giving in Your Real Estate Practice

As real estate professionals, taking part in the community and serving others is central to a long-lasting practice. After all, agents are in the business of homeownership, building a financial future, and helping their clients begin new and fruitful chapters. With that in 4

mind, how might an agent deliver that spirit of service in a broader sphere?

The truth is, charitable giving offers nothing but upsides. Contributing to a worthy cause is a noble and meaningful endeavor, but it

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

Contributing to a worthy cause is a noble and meaningful endeavor, but it also presents positive byproducts for the giver: tax write-offs, name recognition in the community, and the ability to expand your network.

also presents positive byproducts for the giver: tax write-offs, name recognition in the community, and the ability to expand your network. If charitable giving is an idea you’ve toyed with, or a practice you’ve engaged in only now and again, here are a few ways to make it a foundational element of your business and a win-win for all.

Find causes that speak to you.

Donating funds or resources can feel anonymous if you’re divorced from the organization you’re working with. While national and international charitable organizations are certainly effective and worthwhile, you might consider partnering with local chapters of those organizations, or identifying hyper-local organizations that address need in your state, county, town, or even your own neighborhood. The first step to establishing a charitable relationship is to find a cause that you genuinely care about. For many, animal rescue is a tangible cause where resources and volunteership are always welcome. For others, children’s health and advocacy is a calling. Regardless Top Agent Magazine

of your personal passion, participation can be big or small. From sponsoring a local youth sports league to partnering with an area animal shelter for their annual spay-athon event—there are all sorts of ways to make a difference.

Unite your team for the common good.

One way to make charitable giving a staple is to do it in arm and arm with others. Supporting a local cause is a great way to bring your team together in a unifying capacity. Hosting coat drives in winter, blanket drives for local animal shelters, or backpack drives for needy students at the start of the new school year— all are straightforward and highly useful, direct ways to give to your community as a team. It’s also important to set collective goals as a way of keeping people motivated and accountable over time. Offices are productive, but often hectic spaces.

Injecting a collective goal with a positive, tangible result can create an ambiance of goodwill and generosity—both of which are worthwhile attributes to cultivate as

Top Agent Magazine ®

5

the leader of your team. Lastly, consider timely giving as a way of connecting your team to their community. Natural disasters, local fundraising drives, and improvement funds are all direct ways your team can contribute, while they themselves reap the benefit in the community.

Include clients in the process.

You’ve likely heard of charitable donations made in the name of your client as an alternative to the classic closing gift, but there are a few ways you might update this method of giving. For starters, consider including your clients in the selection process. Do they have a special cause that’s close to their hearts? Likewise, you might

6

consider making regular, consistent giving a part of your routine post-closing. Instead of following up with your yearly poinsettia plant or pumpkin, you might find a cause in their neighborhood or township that you can support in their name. It’s wise to choose something apolitical, but a cause that’s hyperlocal to their area demonstrates unique thoughtfulness.

There are plenty of ways in which society as a whole can benefit from charitable causes that build goodwill in the world, support those less fortunate, and bolster a positive future. Incorporating charitable giving in your business model is a generous way to make this mentality a central tenet of your team and a defining characteristic for your clients to remember.

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

NICHOLAS VILVANDRÉ

7

“I sold more multi-family properties in 2015 through 2017 than anyone else in the Northwest Region – I’ve sold over ninety multifamily properties and sold over 325 properties of all types in my career, and I have been ranked the #1 individual agent in my market center.”

Nicholas Vilvandré of Seattle, Washington, combines an unwavering dedication to candor and transparency with a history of business development and deep interpersonal connections to fuel his real estate enterprise. “When I finally came out of my shell, I just decided to be full disclosure Nick and put in the ‘work.’ I wear my emotions on my sleeve and I’m a straight shooter and don’t sugar coat anything – whenever anyone asks me what I do to be successful in real estate, I tell them I just … ‘be me!’”

8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Before entering the world of real estate, Nick enjoyed building a transportation & parking business from the ground up. “I had been working for the Westin Hotel as a bellhop, valet, doorman, and lobby coordinator for about five years,” he recalls, “and I went into the valet parking world. From Silver Cloud Valet to starting Elegant Valet and Transportation, I started selling and working parking & transportation services, special events, wineries, golf courses, restaurants, wedding venues, churches; Top Agent Magazine

every street in the greater Pacific Northwest.”

Relying on his foundation in the world of hospitality, Nick purchased a limousine, party bus, and town car, and he started building his own brand and product. “Eventually my company was purchased by Standard Parking – now SP Plus, a national publicly traded corporation. I Top Agent Magazine

grew to the point where I operated a fleet of twenty-four buses, over sixty employees underneath me, and we started the Amazon account, the Google account, University of Washington Shuttle Account, and many others – we helped them build their various campuses. During that time I got to see some really gorgeous houses, Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

For the past five years (with the exception of 2020), Nick has been the #1 producer, and at the time of writing, he has just closed his third largest transaction to date. so when my contract was up from my sale of the business, they hired five separate supervisors to replace me, and I started thinking about a new life in real estate.”

After obtaining his license, Nick decided to sign on with Sound Realty Group and launch his real estate career in 2009. “I was doing three or four transactions a year, mostly for family, Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

friends, and former clients or affiliates from the transportation world, when Charles told me he was taking the team over to Keller Williams I decided to join him. I then started taking every ‘Ignite’ course that I could possibly attend, and things really shifted after I attended ‘BOLD.’” With the mortgage industry in upheaval, Nick had to leverage every tool and resource available, and he and Charles pivoted their focus to Top Agent Magazine

investment properties, multifamily and residential properties. “Multi-family can be challenging dealing with tenants and finances. It’s like selling a business, but I ended up helping my clients re-sell those properties for a big profit a few years later. I sold more multi-family properties in 2015 through 2017 than anyone else in the Northwest Region – I’ve sold over ninety multifamily properties and sold over 325 properties of all types in my career, and I have been ranked the #1 individual agent in my market center.

For the past five years (with the exception of Top Agent Magazine

2020), Nick has been the #1 producer, and at the time of writing, he has just closed his third largest transaction to date. “I was able to help a client that is serving the aerospace, manufacturing, and automotive machinists industries by closing on a commercial property that is to be converted into a daycare facility at a sale price of $3,350,000. It took me a month to find the right place, and the president told me afterwards that it was “the most stress-free, drama-free experience I’ve ever had purchasing a property – Nick you did a great job!”

Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

Nick is looking forward to bringing his success and prosperity to his neighborhood of South Park in West Seattle as well as West Hill S Seattle.

“I’ve been here for twenty-two years, and my wife Jenny and I have been able to work with a large local builder - Sapphire Homes NW - to acquire land to develop and build 15 new construction homes around our current home and 3 on West Hill, and that will allow us to be able

to build our dream home we both designed on West Hill / Bryn Mawr in South Seattle. Locally we like to get volunteers together to clean-up the area, or just get out with our dog daughter, Crazy Daisy – we love our ‘W-A-L-K’s’!” He plans to bring his expertise to fruition and he aims to learn everything he can throughout the development experience to better serve his current and future clients.

Contact Nicholas at 206-612-7883, email nicholas@realtynorthwest.com or visit his website: realtynorthwest.com www.

Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

Top Agent Magazine

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

Top Agent Magazine

13

Millennial Buyers: Where They Are & What to Know Homebuyers and sellers come from all walks of life. If you’ve been an agent for long, you’ve likely worked alongside a wide variety of folks—from first-timer homeowners and down-sizers, to second home searchers and those finally hunting for their dream home. While there is hardly a shortage of diversity in the housing market, there 14

is one generation that is making big strides in homeownership these days: Millennials.

Millennials can be loosely defined as those between the ages of twenty-two to thirtyseven. As you can see, this constitutes a wide swathe of the population. If you’re an agent who stands to learn a bit more about

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

a demographic whose influence and homeownership goals are rapidly evolving, tune in below for a few pointers that can help you expand a segment of your clientele in the process.

Where do Millennials prefer to buy?

Many Millennials came of age during or immediately following the Great Recession, and as such, many of them relocated or returned to mid-size cities and smaller communities where the cost of living was most affordable. Of course, there are countless Millennials that call the U.S.’s major cities home—especially those in the

Top Agent Magazine

tech industry. The good news is that you can court Millennial clientele no matter where you service area is located. That said, community amenities are of great importance to this generation. They value public transportation, green space, and entertainment—from coffee shops and topnotch restaurants to farmer’s markets and boutiques. Emphasizing those attributes will be key in selling to Millennials and locating neighborhoods they’re most interested in.

What sort of communication do Millennials prefer?

Most Millennials are digital natives, or close to. That means they grew up learning

Top Agent Magazine ®

15

how to navigate digital spaces, and prefer to communicate through mediums like email, text, and social media. This isn’t to say that Millennials aren’t good communicators, but they’re often on the go, and have learned to research and shop online. To accommodate this, it’s best to build a presence across the most popular listing portals and social media platforms. Although, it’s not enough to establish a site and wait for the calls to come in. Responsiveness is a key factor for Millennials, who expect speedy response times. Make sure you’re checking your inbox frequently, responding accordingly, and engaging with your audience online. This will let Millennials know

16

that you’re savvy, available, and understand the value of their preferred method of communication.

Are Millennials ready to buy?

It’s a common misconception that Millennials are uninterested in the rite of passage of purchasing a home. While Millennials maybe waiting a bit longer than their parents did to buy a home, there are good reasons to explain this phenomenon. For starters, Millennials entered the job market during the downturn, which means they are more conservative when making big purchases, and have to play catch-up to reach a sound

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

financial position. Likewise, student loan debt has proved a major financial inhabitation for Millennials. Instead of socking away a few hundred a month to save for a home, they’re forking over that cash to pay down their educational loans. How does a Realtor compete with this reality? For starters, a bit of understanding goes a long way. Work with your mortgage partners to find financing possibilities that cater to this younger demographic. Recognize that Millennials—like most buyers—have some trepidations when buying a home.

Also consider fielding Millennial clientele with the long view in mind. You might be Top Agent Magazine

courting them for months or more until they’re ready to take the plunge, but they’re also famous for their reviews. When a job is done well, Millennials shout it from the rooftops—or at least share it a dozen time from their phone.

As time passes, Millennials will continue to dominate the marketplace when it comes to buying and selling homes. A little self-education on this powerful demographic can go a long way. If you know your clients and your audience, you’ll be in a far better position to serve their interests and make a customer for life.

Top Agent Magazine ®

17

ELISHA JOLMA For the past decade, REALTOR® and broker Elisha Jorma has brought a boutique real estate service to families on the west side of Washington.

With a background of working in the mortgage and financial industries, she went into realty with a robust skill set and a passion for helping people afford and buy their dream homes.

The first woman in her county to open her own real estate firm, Sho’me Real Estate, Elisha is more than an innovator — she’s a strong example for other REALTOR®s. As she builds out her office, she is focused on providing a personalized service for every client.

Based in Longview, Elisha enjoys the small-town feel of her community, which is located about fortyminutes north of Portland. “We’re a mill town surrounded by water with many Victorian and Craftsman houses,” she explains. Not only is the setting idyllic, but it is a great place to raise a family. While Elisha’s business focuses on helping people buy and sell homes, she also has a property management side that is steadily growing.

Working with multiple generations of homebuyers, Elisha considers herself a family REALTOR®. She counts around 95% of her business as coming from referrals, a testament to the care she brings to every transaction. With a deep knowledge of the loan process, she understands how difficult it can be to buy a home and how exciting it is to get approved after months or years of trying. “Everyone deserves to feel safe and financially secure in their home,” she says. “I want to help people live out their dream and have that sense of security.”

Elisha is a member of the local Chamber of Commerce and supports many community events as well 18

as non-profits. She is involved with the Lower Columbia Professionals, an organization that raises money for scholarships for local graduating seniors in the Kelso/Longview area. In her spare time, Elisha loves traveling, trying new foods and experiencing new cultures.

“Traveling really puts things into perspective and humbles you,” she says.

Elisha’s office has thorough systems in place to make sure that their listings receive maximum exposure. This includes everything from listing presentations to open houses and online platforms. As she looks to the future, she wants to keep growing her brokerage without losing the bespoke feeling that they currently provide. Eventually, she plans to have an office in every county in Washington as well as an even larger property management program. “No matter how big we grow, I’m not in real estate for the money. I do it to share knowledge, build relationships, and help others,” she says.

Contactt Elisha at 360-562-1313, email ElishaJolma@gmail.com, or visit shomerealestate.com www.

Copyright Top Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

Top Agent Magazine

19

Turning Your Profession into a Passion The old adage goes that if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.

On the other hand, it’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day worries and responsibilities of your career, even if you generally enjoy what you do. While there’s no guaranteeing that every day on the job will be a picnic, there are a few steps you can take to vastly improve your morale and transform your profession into a passion.

After all, cultivating a passion for what you do will not only add to your quality 20

of life, but will likely make you more successful in the long run.

BUILD YOUR BASE OF KNOWLEDGE Knowledge builds confidence, and confidence breeds success. A sure way to light a fire in your heart for your daily work is to challenge yourself to learn more and expand your understanding of your field. By doing so, you equip yourself for success, create challenges, and find the most inter-

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

esting features of your work—especially those that most appeal to your interests and talents. Try reading the top five books on the topic of your industry, or subscribe to a podcast where thriving professionals offer their two cents. Either way, learning more about your industry is bound to reveal a source of inspiration worth pursuing.

THINK ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE

and excelling in your field, you may find that others’ approaches inspire your own.

Likewise, what you learn from other successful, passionate people in your field can help you shape your own office and work life, in turn creating more opportunities for you to fall in love with what you do, all over again.

TAKE RISKS

CONNECT WITH LIKE-MINDED PROFESSIONALS

One of the biggest hindrances of professional passion is falling into a rut. Routines are familiar and everyday responsibilities vie for our energy. But the next time you tackle a task the way that you always have, take a moment and try to refresh your perspective—is there a more clever or efficient way you could approach this project?

Even better: why not take the plunge and do the things you’ve always been meaning to—throw that client appreciation event you’ve put off planning, take the continuing education course you keep forgetting to register for, even try a creative activity that pushes you out of your comfort zone.

There’s no better way to inject some passion into your life than by going outside your bubble and taking a risk.

Have you ever chatted with someone who was overflowing with energy for what they do? That sort of passion tends to be infectious—often causing us to beg our own questions about professional engagement.

By participating in local organizations or networking with those who are active

Passion comes from all directions—from your own interior journey and from the world around you. To transform your profession into a passion worth having, invest in yourself and venture into the vast world around you. You’ll surely reap the rewards.

Sometimes reinvigorating your passion for your work is about looking outward, rather than inward. Gain some perspective and consider who your work helps in the long run. As a real estate professional—whether you work as an agent, broker, in mortgages, home inspections, or otherwise—your work positively impacts someone else’s home-sweet-home. You make a difference. While it may seem like just another day at the office, taking a moment to visualize exactly who you are helping in the world at large is a great way to add some motivational fire to your daily tasks.

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

21

Tips on Breaking Into the Luxury Market So, you’ve been doing residential real estate for a while and you’re looking to up your game. A lot of people consider going into the luxury market at that point. Or, maybe you started in the business always intending to specialize in luxury properties and were just learning the ropes before you tackled one of the industry’s most lucrative specialties.

No matter the reason, the luxury market is a whole new ballgame and you don’t want to go into it unprepared. First impressions are everything in this business, especially when you’re dealing with wealthy clients and investors. Here are few things to consider if you’re thinking of going from starter homes to estates.

LEARN HOW THE LUXURY MARKET AND CLIENTELE ARE DIFFERENT As experienced as you might be in traditional real estate, the luxury market is almost like starting at ground zero. Everything from the buyers, to the sellers, and obviously, the properties themselves, will take a new approach.

One of the key ways it is different is that the feeling of exclusivity truly matters. You will be doing more targeted marketing through high-end networking groups as wealthier clients tend to be more comfortable when 22

you come recommended by people they trust to have the highest standards. There are no mass-marketed open houses. It’s all about private showings. Although professional, one-on-one service is key in this business no matter what the price point, wealthier buyers are accustomed to concierge-style service, and the way to stand out from the rest is to provide service that goes above and beyond what even they expect.

Top Agent Magazine

LOOK THE PART If you’re thinking of going the luxury route, creating high-end branding and marketing yourself properly is of the utmost importance.

That includes your own personal look. You and your business will need a total makeover, or at least a major upgrade. It might even be time to buy that new car you’ve always wanted. It is also key that all of your marketing materials are high end. So start gathering a stable of highly-trained professionals,

photographers, and stagers as every aspect of the service network you’ll be providing complements the brand that you’re selling.

It’s well worth the time to get all of this nailed down and seamless before you even think of entering the luxury market. Another good investment? You want to have an indepth knowledge of all the latest real estate technologies and innovations. Don’t just look the part, actually be on the cutting edge.

SELL THE LIFESTYLE Yes, you’re selling a home, but you’re also selling a lifestyle, which in luxury is almost more important. When someone is spending millions of dollars on a home, they want to see the fabulous life they will be living in their new digs. Really highlight amazing party spaces, unique one of kind features,

and amenities. As with anything of value, things that make a property rare, will automatically make it more appealing to people who can afford the best. It also helps people connect more emotionally with a home, giving it even more value than if you just try and sell it as a good investment.

NETWORKING, NETWORKING, NETWORKING Networking is an important aspect of this business at every level, but it a vital tool in the luxury market. Most of your referrals and targeted marketing will be done through luxury agent exclusive networking groups. In addition to that, it is even more important in this segment of the business to be actively

Top Agent Magazine

involved in your community through volunteering and supporting local charitable events. You will not only build a stellar reputation, but you’ll also be giving back to the community you represent, and ultimately, integrity is what it’s all about in this business.

23

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

24

Top Agent Magazine