WASHINGTON 5-2-22

WASHINGTON EDITION

TIPS ON BREAKING INTO THE LUXURY MARKET FEATURED AGENTS

SARAH HOILAND VIVIAN PETERSON

BY THE NUMBERS: UNDERSTANDING THE TRUE VALUE OF SQUARE FOOTAGE THE DAILY SCHEDULE OF A SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE AGENT

IS BRANDING THE WAY TO TAKE YOUR BUSINESS TO

THE NEXT LEVEL?

COVER STORY

ANNABEL KUPPENS

WASHINGTON EDITION

SARAH HOILAND

7 mer educator pecializes in and buying After followarah got into be the perfect ANNABEL KUPPENS allowed her good use. She e September 4) been

BY THE NUMBERS: oup has UNDERSTANDING mpire THE nearly TRUE VALUE OF 2007.SQUARE Sarah FOOTAGE 14) TIPS he criteria is ON BREAKING INTO THE weeksLUXURY of rig- MARKET e to close six

20 At this point in VIVIA butes 70%-75% With an e andor positr past clients TOR Vi don’t see perfect her asfi son. She industry, gets a the indust traditiona helping others a SARAH HOILAND VIVIAN PETERSON i importantinterest that h early age She wearsschool, her thh started p CONTENTS treats in properties.

From everybod there, she open rant, which became very successf 18) IS BRANDING THE WAY a very good CR decided to close the restaurant and TO TAKE YOUR BUSINESS text, phone calc that she had always TO THEcareer, NEXTone LEVEL? a REALTOR . Today, she service takes detailed n 22) THE DAILY SCHEDULE Seattle from Edmonds all the way OF A SUCCESSFUL and Queenbig Anne.moments.

After growing “Y up REAL ESTATE knows itAGENT better than most and is de get love.

It c clients findto their perfect neighborho the time.” Thro Once she got into the real estate b has a Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 able to raise her access daughter asto a sin mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com ancing work and life obligations. In department tha she sold 12 homes and her busines Around 80% of her clients are over 150then.websites.

Top of the ing to train new agents. Her which speaks to Vivian’s responsive open ndards. The Legacy Group fessionalto gophotography, the extra mile to meet her cl client has aare checklist of what they representation a sampling in sales volume last year I make sure all of their boxes are c to expect. nt considering the average have come are prepared to win,” she says. Wh 16

®

®

No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher. Top Agent 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 responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors.

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

Published in the U.S.

2

Top Agent Magazine

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

Top Agent Magazine

3

By the Numbers:

Understanding the True Value of Square Footage Measuring the square footage of a property may seem like an objective and straightforward task, but you’d be surprised at how many agents and homebuyers misunderstand this pivotal figure.

True square footage provides homebuyers a concrete understanding of their prospective domain, but here’s the problem: the rules to determine a home’s square footage are not always uniform across the board. What’s more, much of 4

a home’s value is determined by its size, so accuracy is certainly important. While many real estate agents have their own systems for determining or confirming a home’s true square footage, it doesn’t hurt to update your practices and become an expert on the subject. After all, you may learn a few techniques that could add value to a listing, or better prepare you in guiding house-hunters on the lookout.

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

1. Do your due diligence Most towns and cities have a local records department where floorplans and blueprints are kept on file. It’s worth noting that these records don’t typically include any subsequent additions or remodels on a property, but they still give archive hunters a legal baseline when outlining a property’s square footage. Oftentimes, a straightforward online search of a city or county’s records office can pull the information necessary, or else agents can poke around in person to uncover informative blueprints at the records office. Either way, access to original blueprints or floorplans is a great tool for determining livable square footage. As a bonus,

Top Agent Magazine

original blueprints and floorplans—especially in historic properties—can be intriguing visual aids for prospective buyers, as well.

2. Know the rules While there aren’t universal standards when it comes to measuring square footage, there are general guidelines that can help determine square footage in an authentic way. Per the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), here are the official recommendations for measuring a home’s real square footage: n

Called “below grade spaces,” basements and sunrooms beyond a home’s typical

Top Agent Magazine ®

5

living quarters do not count toward a home’s true square footage. According to ANSI, even big draws like finished basements don’t count toward a property’s Gross Living Area. Of course, even below grade spaces have their own desirable value and should be outlined as such on listings. n

n

6

Did you know the space inside closets and on stairways counts toward a home’s square footage? Even if these areas are relatively small, they still add to a property’s calculable square footage.

When recording square footage, ANSI actually suggests performing measurements from a property’s exterior—though this method does not account for the

thickness of exterior walls, which could skew square footage numbers. n

Just like below grade spaces, a garage, a pool house, or even a guest house should not be included in a property’s Gross Living Area. The rationale at work here is this: if you must go outside to access additional living areas, then they are beyond the square footage scope of the primary dwelling and should not be included in a home’s Gross Living Area.

3. Double-check by doing the dirty work Buyers and sellers have or will make a sizable investment in a property, so isn’t it fair to double-check all the relevant facts and figures

Top Agent Magazine ®

Top Agent Magazine

ANNABEL KUPPENS Top Agent Magazine

7

Top Agent and broker Annabel Kuppens focuses on representing buyers and sellers of residential properties in Seattle and surrounding areas.

With a passion for interior decorating and gardening, REALTOR® and broker Annabel Kuppens began her career in real estate eight years ago. As an agent, she focuses on representing buyers and sellers of residential properties in Seattle and surrounding areas such as Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, Kirkland, Shoreline and South Snohomish County. Whether you’re looking for a new home or a premium large land lots in the north with downtown access, 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Annabel’s expertise and knowledge of the area will guide you. She believes strongly in helping the local community by being a resource to her clients every step of their real estate journey.

When it comes to finding new business, Annabel relies on open houses as well as referrals and repeat clients. Over the years, she has built a strong client base, particularly in her local community, of out-of-state clients Top Agent Magazine

and among foreigners who immigrated to the United States, like herself. Annabel is well travelled, having worked on cruise ships for many years. Her unique skill set includes her ability to understand the needs of people not just moving to a new city, but a new country. In Top Agent Magazine

addition to assisting with the buying and selling of homes, Annabel has a professional and social network that includes everyone from contractors and painters to hairdressers and childcare services. She’s an all-in-one resource for people moving to the Seattle area.

Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

Annabel is focused on making her clients 100% satisfied — that’s what motivates her every day. “Being able to help a client and to see their eyes light up after the conclusion of a successful sale is the best reward.”

Annabel keeps in touch with her client base by phone, text, or email. She also sends out a monthly newsletter, tailored to meet her clients’ interests. Her goal is always to educate, not instruct. “You have to give them real information so that they can make the best decision,” she says. She makes it part of her routine to wish her clients a happy home-iversary and Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

enjoys sending small gifts like magazine subscriptions to show her appreciation.

A large part of Annabel’s life is focused on caring for her son, who is immunocompromised with special needs. She’s an advocate for the special needs community and supports Northwest Child, which is a program Top Agent Magazine

geared to school-aged children with special needs. To keep her support ongoing, Annabel donates a percentage of proceeds from her sales to this organization. She’s working on having her company match her donations to make an even bigger impact. Annabel is also a Top Agent Magazine

strong supporter of the local Seattle Children’s Hospital and the Cerebral Palsy Foundation.

With all the special needs resources she has gathered over the years, she helps other parents navigate the system to find what is best for their kids.

Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

As for the future of her business, Annabel plans to continue to grow and expand her reach. She’s hoping to pursue the managing broker discipline, to increase her knowledge and skill set to bolster her existing business. For now, she’s

focused on making her clients 100% satisfied — that’s what motivates her every day. “Being able to help a client and to see their eyes light up after the conclusion of a successful sale is the best reward.”

To learn more about Annabel Kuppens, call 206-834-5601, visit annabelsellwa.com www.

or email annabelkuppens@cbbain.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

Top Agent Magazine

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

Top Agent Magazine

13

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 14

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.

15

SARAH HOILAND Sarah Hoiland is a former educator turned REALTOR® who specializes in helping clients with listing and buying the home of their dreams. After following some friendly advice, Sarah got into real estate and it proved to be the perfect transition for her because it allowed her to put her graduate skills to good use. She has been on her team since September of 2013 and the Legacy Group has been the #1 team in the Inland Empire nearly every year since opening in 2007. Sarah jokes about how selective the criteria is for her team but after three weeks of rigorous training she was able to close six sales in six weeks.

Sarah currently enjoys helping to train new agents. Her team holds them to high standards. The Legacy Group produced over 160 million in sales volume last year which is a huge achievement considering the average sales price in Spokane is just over $400,000. Being exposed to a large volume of transactions each month has helped Sarah monitor the market for trends and interact with other Top Agents regularly. She serves Eastern Washington State which includes Spokane and its surrounding areas. “Pretty much an hour and a half in every direction, short of Idaho.”

Spokane is currently experiencing a surge as one of the top zip codes in the nation to move to. A true 4 season climate makes the lifestyle very appealing.

Outdoor enthusiasts need not look any further than its abundant lakes and ski resorts. Downtown Spokane’s restaurants provide scenic outdoor views of cascading waterfalls from the river that runs through. “It’s kind of like our own little [Lake] Tahoe up here. We’ve got all of the big city pros and none of the big city cons.”

At this point in her career, Sarah attributes 70%-75% of her business to either past clients or referrals. Her customers don’t see her as a traditional sales person. She gets a genuine thrill out of helping others and, in the end, it is very important that her customers are happy.

She wears her heart on her sleeve and treats everybody like family. Utilizing a very good CRM; she reaches out via text, phone call, Christmas cards and takes detailed notes to remember life’s big moments. “You’ve got to send love to get love. It can’t be all business all the time.” Through her agency, Sarah has access to an incredible marketing department that can share listings to over 150 websites. Top of the line services like professional photography, open houses and exclusive representation are a sampling of what her customers have come to expect.

What Sarah likes most about real estate is being able to help people through such a pivotal experience. “It’s so rewarding to me at the end of the year to look back at how many people’s dreams came true.” Within her community Sarah has run her own food drive with the help of 25 other volunteers. She also sponsors local families during Christmas and is on the Board of Directors for a local non profit that helps foster children in Washington. She hopes to draw up legislation that will create panic buttons that connect at-risk children directly with Social Workers. When not working, Sarah enjoys traveling to sunny locations.

She also can be found with her family outdoors, boating, swimming or hiking mountains. For now, Sarah’s goals include continuing her education, educating other agents and remaining a top producer.

To learn more about Sarah Hoiland, email Sarahhoiland.legacy@gmail.com, call (509) 638-9879 or visit thelegacygroupnetwork.com/agent/Sarah_Hoiland/8339 www.

16

Copyright Top Agent Magazine Top Agent Magazine

Laughs!

Top Agent Magazine

17

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

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

18

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

19

VIVIAN PETERSON With an entrepreneurial spirit and positive outlook, REALTOR® Vivian Peterson is a perfect fit in the real estate industry, though her path into the industry was anything but traditional. While she had an interest in real estate at an early age, she attended art school, then got married and started personally investing in properties. From there, she opened her own restaurant, which became very successful. Eventually, she decided to close the restaurant and move on to a new career, one that she had always considered — being a REALTOR®. Today, she services the west side of Seattle from Edmonds all the way south to Magnolia and Queen Anne. After growing up in this area, Vivian knows it better than most and is devoted to helping her clients find their perfect neighborhood and home.

Once she got into the real estate business, Vivian was able to raise her daughter as a single mom while balancing work and life obligations. In her very first year, she sold 12 homes and her business has doubled since then. Around 80% of her clients are repeat and referrals, which speaks to Vivian’s responsiveness and willingness to go the extra mile to meet her client’s goals. “Every client has a checklist of what they want in a home and I make sure all of their boxes are checked and that we are prepared to win,” she says. While Vivian typically works as a solo agent, she occasionally partners with Brian Alfi of the Alfi Real Estate Team on selling highend properties. “We work really well together to help our clients sell their homes for a lot more,” Vivian says.

When it comes to marketing, Vivian adds her own personal touches to her company’s outreach. She believes in the power of snail-mail, and recently sent out over 1000 just-listed postcards. Of course, to keep up with

the modern buyer’s appetite for online information, Vivian also uses Facebook, Instagram, and her own website to post listings.

Giving back is extremely important to Vivian and she’s very involved in her community. Last year, she sponsored a pumpkin patch and in the past, she supported a turkey run as well as helped her office in organizing a big holiday event with live reindeer, pictures with Santa pictures and food trucks. At that event, they decorated four trees and donated them to families in need.

She recently partnered with Music for Life to collect donations of musical instruments. They received 24 instruments to donate to children in the local high school who wanted to take lessons but couldn’t afford an instrument. In addition, a portion of Vivian’s real estate sales goes to the Windermere Foundation, which supports low-income and homeless families.

In her downtime, Vivian loves to take her Bernese Mountain puppy to the park. She still enjoys painting and, of course, cooking. She’s supportive of local restaurants and counts quite a few owned by family and friends as her favorites. In particular, Vivian recommends Fire & The Feast in Edmonds, which is owned by her friend Evan Voltsis. In Magnolia, she loves the Peruvian restaurant Pink Salt as well as Niko’s Gyros, which is her family friend’s restaurant.

As for the future of her business, Vivian hopes that she’ll be able to expand and potentially bring her daughter into the fold as she focuses more on luxury listings.

No matter where her real estate journey leads her, it’s clear that Vivian is constantly learning and growing.

“Working in real estate is incredible because you get to meet new people all the time and work with different personalities in different scenarios and different homes.

It’s this diversity of day-to-day activities that keeps me going as well as the opportunity to help people.”

To learn more about Vivian Peterson, call 206-818-8020, email vpeterson@windermere.com or visit vivianpeterson.com ww.

20

Copyright Top Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine

Laughs!

Graham Harrop Graham Harrop Cartoons Cartoons

Putting the power of humour to work for you!

Putting the power of humour to work for you! grahamharrop.com

grahamharrop.com Top Agent Magazine

21

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.

22

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

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

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.

Top Agent Magazine

.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.

Top Agent Magazine

23

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

24

Top Agent Magazine