WestWords - January 2023

I was so lucky and truly blessed to have had Refujio Payan as my REALTOR ® . She help me so much through out the whole process from beginning to the end. She knew exactly what to do, the steps I needed to take to achieve my goal and become a house owner. Very helpful with questions and doubts that I had, she advised me every time. I will forever be thankful to her for being so kind and patient with me, for not quiting on me lol. She looked out for my best interest and help me get a very good deal. I'm finally becoming a home owner and I know we will still keep in touch because I also gained a sincere friend. I definitely recommend Refugio Payan as your REALTOR ® . Is not an easy process but with people like her is possible. Thank you so much, Refugio! Refugio is definitely your go to local expert REALTOR ® . She helped me sell a property in Arizona while I was living out of state. She is honest, upfront, and always advocates for her client. She always kept me in the loop, walked me through the negotiations, and took time to explain every step of the process. I fully recommend working with Refugio. We want to thank you for all the fantastic work you’ve done for us. Thank

on every step of our home buying and selling journey! We could not have done this without you, and we are so grateful for

assistance, patience and expertise. Thank you again.

BROKER BLOG WITH KYLE FOUTS

BE THE AGENT

Real estate is a people business. It’s about managing personalities as much as it is about managing transactions. Each one of us has different thoughts, motivations, passions, worries, pet peeves, strengths, weaknesses and so on. When talking to a frustrated agent I often find myself saying “that’s the joy of working with humans”, and it’s usually in response to hearing a story about an agent or client acting in a way that the rest of us probably wouldn’t. Having had this conversation so many times got me to thinking about how we could change this dynamic. We’ve all heard the quote that goes something like “Be the change you want to see in the world.” If you want to see more kindness, be more kind to others. If you want to see people be more gracious in the face of adversity, practice grace yourself when confronted with those situations. You get the point. I also feel like we can take this concept and apply it to our business. Instead of “Be The Change”, why don’t we use “Be The Agent”. In our daily work as agents and brokers we’re continuously put into situations where the outcomes can vary dramatically. Often, the deciding factor in these cases is the way the parties choose to communicate with one another. Real estate for many of us is our livelihood, it’s the way we put food on the table for our families, and when aspects of a transaction begin to go sideways, the weight and stress that come with that can play a big role in how we communicate. The way the other side communicates with us also sets a tone for dialogue that often continues throughout the transaction. The reality is that there are countless factors that impact the way we communicate with others, but at the end of the day, we have a choice. We can communicate in any way that we want, provided it remains professional, regardless of the situation or the personalities involved. When I think of the phrase “Be The Agent”, in my mind, it means being the type of agent that you would like to do a cross sale with. Be the agent that communicates with kindness, professionalism, and grace in a potentially difficult situation. Be the agent that begins to bring up

solutions for the issue rather than pointing fingers about the problem. Be the agent that makes a new or less experienced agent feel comfortable within a transaction, not like they’re somehow less because they haven’t been in the business as long. Remember, we all started somewhere, and it may have been many years ago, but at one point you were there as well.

Please understand, it is not my intent to imply that you shouldn’t advocate for your client(s). On the contrary, we have duty to protect and promote their interests. I simply believe that can be accomplished in a cordial and professional manner versus allowing it to become an adversarial situation. I also don’t mean you need to be a push over any time there is conflict. You can be firm in your position (which is really your clients position, right) and still remain professional. There are many agents within the industry that feel as though a real estate transaction is a win or lose proposition. There are agents that will create drama and conflict in an effort to gain some perceived edge. You don’t have to play into that. I know it can be frustrating to be across from someone who behaves that way, and the natural instinct when faced with that type of communication is to give it right back, right? Ask yourself though, does it put your client in a better position in this transaction, does it promote their interests, or does it just make you feel better to give it back? Trust me, I’ve been there. I’ve written full emails of clever snarky comments (if I do say so myself) in response to overly aggressive or pushy or condescending agents. And then I’ve hit the delete button. The exercise of getting it all out was good enough, and sending it wouldn’t have resolved anything. Getting into a war of words never improves the situation. Remember, it’s in these instances that it’s most difficult to keep a level head and also when it is the most beneficial to “Be The Agent”. We get to control our actions, and by choosing to be the agent, my hope is that those actions will wear off on others resulting in positive change. GOOD LUCK!

4 NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR A WINNING CRM

BY WISE AGENT

Make 2023 the best year yet for your business by utilizing your CRM and all of its great features. From carving out time to add new contacts to scheduling a weekly or monthly newsletter, make the most out of your CRM by making these four New Year’s resolutions for a winning CRM in 2023.

#1. MAKE SURE EVERY LEAD IS VALUABLE

Are your current leads valuable? Do they have accurate names, contact information, pictures, etc.? Think about how much more successful your business would be if you had full names, correct contact info, client interests, photos, favorite sports team and links to their social media profiles.

Utilize Wise Agent’s Lead Automation Enhancement feature and the system will automatically pull social information from a prospect’s email. Using this feature will help you gain more valuable information about your leads and help your business take off in the new year.

#2. STAY ON TOP OF APPOINTMENTS

Wise Agent’s Appointment Calendar will help you systematize, organize and boost your productivity. It will link and share your appointments with your vendors and clients and you can even set up text and email alerts to anyone on your team for every appointment you have scheduled in your planner.

You can even create daily, weekly or monthly to-do lists and monitor your progress. All of these features will help you stay on top of your appointments in the new year.

#3. SEND OUT A WEEKLY OR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

This New Year’s resolution will keep your more

content designed to turn contacts into real estate clients. Schedule it with the calendar tool and the leads will start streaming in. Wise Agent’s newsletter tool is simple and easy to use and will help you stay at the top of your client and prospect’s inboxes.

#4. RESOLVE TO ADD A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF CONTACTS EACH WEEK

Real estate relies on relationships so it is important that you set aside time to add a certain number of contacts each week. The more contacts you have in your CRM, the greater chance you have to turn these contacts into clients. Not only should you be adding a number of contacts each week, but you should also be spending time using this contact information to prospect and set up appointments.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Get to know your CRM and all of its features to really kick-start your business in the new year. Devote the time to sending out a newsletter, cleaning up your CRM contacts, adding new contacts each week and staying on top of all of your appointments. All of these resolutions will help you have an even more successful business in the new year.

Take a closer look at all of the exciting features Wise Agent’s CRM has to offer your business. We are dedicated to helping real estate agents become more efficient by automating their business.

ONEGUARD TRANSITION

BY BREANNA CASTRO

We are simplifying our real estate brand and product portfolio. On January 31, 2023, OneGuard will transition to American Home Shield. OneGuard has already been working closing with American Home Shield for many years, as our parent company FrontDoor owns multiple home warranty companies.

• WHY? It will enable us to provide a better and more consistent experience for you, your clients and our members.

• HOW? It will allow us to create a greater focus in the market and put our full weight and energy behind:

° Creating greater clarity around the value of home warranties and how they work

° Delivering more consistent coverage and experiences

° Providing our members with outstanding value and service

° Leveraging the rich talent and expertise of our combined teams to continue to lead the industry

TODAY AND TOMORROW

We are continuing to make OneGuard® plans available to you through the time of the transition. You can place these on listings/closings and be confident that the plans will be honored and serviced. We remain fully focused on providing outstanding

• We are not pulling back, not “going out of business.”

• We will continue to work hard to earn your business.

COMMITMENT AND NEXT STEPS

• TEAM SUPPORT: We will continue to serve you throughout this transition and beyond.

• TEAM STRENGTH: Our OneGuard and AHS® teams already work closely together. We’re all part of Frontdoor®. We share resources and best practices and are committed to providing great service to all our Frontdoor partners.

• VALUES: One of our core values at Frontdoor is to build trust and be transparent. If you have any questions or hear things from competitors or others that are concerning, etc. — please don’t hesitate to reach out. I would love the opportunity to set the record straight.

• COMMUNICATION: We are working through a number of transition details and will keep you updated along the way. We will provide you and your team with the information and tools to deliver a smooth transition experience. As always, we remain committed to providing outstanding coverage and service to you and your clients.

Bre Castro | 623-500-3825 | breanna.castro@oneguardhw.com Pamela Balin | 602-499-5544 | pamela.balin@oneguardhw.com

GRAPHIC DESIGN DO'S & DON'TS

WITH HAILEY MARTEL

Graphic Design is an artform - and in art, there are no rules, right? WRONG! In the 2.5 years that I have been with West USA, I

1. LOGO USAGE

When using logos, try to refrain from stretching or warping the image. It may be difficult to fit the West USA Realty, Fair Housing, REALTOR®, and MLS logos into your designs without tweaking them a bit, but it is very important that you do your best to place the logo properly. For example, you wouldn't want your headshot to be smooshed and scrunched in a way that doesn't look like you - the same rule applies to logos!

2. COLOR

Choosing colors is very important when it comes to design! Psychologically, colors mean different things. If you are trying to portray a calm and serene vibe through your marketing, try to avoid loud and bright colors. Or if you're a vibrant and excited agent, go ahead and use the bright and loud colors - your clients will know more of the type of agent that you are when you choose your colors wisely. You also want to be careful of how you layer colors. If it hurts your eyes or is difficult to read, choose a different color!

3. LAYOUT & HIERARCHY

Create a hierarchy with the most important information at the top of the page. From there, you can determine what's second most important, then third, fourth, etc. Try not to clutter your page or posts with too much information. The more the viewer has to look at, the less likely they will be to determine what is most important.

4. FONTS

Fonts are my personal favorite element of design! Fonts can be categorized into 2 groups - Header fonts and Paragraph fonts. Header fonts can be more fun and used for short amounts of text, like the title of a page. Paragraph fonts are used for paragraphs or large amounts of text. For example, if I changed the font I am using right now to something like this, it would be very difficult to read!

JANUARY 2023

ALL OFFICES CLOSED NEW YEARS DAY (OBSERVED)

9:00am - 3:00pm @ North PHX O ce

REACT - Day 1

3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Arrowhead O ce Arrowhead Accountability Group

9:00am - 12:00pm / Zoom

FREE REMOTE CE CLASS

High Fiduciary Represntation (3Hrs Fair Housing)

9:00am - 3:00pm @ North PHX O ce REACT - Day 2

9:00am - 3:00pm @ North PHX O ce REACT - Day 3

10:00am - 11:00am @ Arrowhead O ce Arrowhead O ce Meeting

10:00am - 11:00am / Zoom

iFound Agent - Ask the Pro Workshop

10:00am - 11:00am / Zoom

Team Leader Mastermind

5:00pm - 7:00pm @ The Hub Mesa O ce Meeting

9:00am - 10:00am / Webinar

West USA Weekly Webinar

9:00am - 4:00pm / Zoom

ProStart Session 1

10:30am - 12:00pm / Zoom

West USA Agent Orientation

11:00am - 1:00pm @ Mesa O ce

Vision Board Workshop

2:00pm - 2:30pm / Webinar

Don’t Do Dat w/Broker Bob Stephens

ALL OFFICES CLOSED

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY

9:00am - 11:00am @ Chandler O ce

Take Flight

9:00am - 4:00pm / Zoom

ProStart Session 1

10:00am - 11:00am @ Palm Valley CC Goodyear O ce Meeting & House Wars

3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Arrowhead O ce Arrowhead Accountability Group

3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Goodyear O ce Goodyear Accountability Group

9:00am - 11:00am @ Chandler O ce

Take Flight

9:00am - 4:00pm / Zoom ProStart Session 2

11:30am - 1:30pm @ Surprise O ce O ce Potluck

3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Arrowhead O ce Arrowhead Accountability Group

3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Goodyear O ce Goodyear Accountability Group

9:00am - 11:00am @ Goodyear O ce West Side - Take Flight

9:00am - 12:00pm / Zoom

FREE REMOTE CE CLASS

Mastering the AAR Residential Purchase Contract (3Hrs Contract Law)

9:00am - 4:00pm / Zoom ProStart Session 1

10:00am - 11:30am @ Kierland O ce Kierland O ce Meeting 4:30pm - 6:30pm @ TBD Arrowhead Happy Hour

10:00am - 11:00am @ Ahwatukee O ce Ahwatukee O ce Meeting

10:00am - 11:00am / Zoom

iFound Agent - Ask the Pro Workshop

10:00am - 1:00pm @ Surprise O ce Surprise Professional Headshots

10:00am - 11:00am / Zoom

Hot Topics

10:00am - 11:00am / Zoom Coaching Essential Learning 11:30am - 12:30pm / Zoom

Quarterly Coaches Meeting

9:00am - 10:00am / Webinar

West USA Weekly Webinar

2:00pm - 2:30pm / Webinar

Don’t Do Dat w/Broker Bob Stephens

9:00am - 11:00am @ Chandler O ce Take Flight

3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Arrowhead O ce Arrowhead Accountability Group

3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Goodyear O ce Goodyear Accountability Group

9:00am - 11:00am @ Goodyear O ce West Side - Take Flight

9:00am - 12:00pm / Zoom FREE REMOTE CE CLASS

Disclosure and the Law (3Hrs Disclosure Law)

9:00am - 4:00pm / Zoom ProStart Session 2

10:00am - 11:00am @ Chandler O ce Chandler O ce Meeting 4:30pm - 6:30pm @ TBD Surprise Happy Hour

9:00am - 4:00pm / Zoom

ProStart Session 2

10:00am - 11:00am / Zoom iFound Agent - Ask the Pro Workshop

10:00am - 11:00am @ Kierland O ce Reverse Mortgage Seminar

10:00am - 11:00am @ North PHX O ce Reverse Mortgage

10:00am - 11:00am @ Goodyear O ce Property Managers Roundtable

9:00am - 4:00pm / Zoom ProStart Session 2

9:00am - 10:00am / Webinar

West USA Weekly Webinar

2:00pm - 2:30pm / Webinar

Don’t Do Dat w/Broker Bob Stephens

9:00am - 11:00am @ Chandler O ce

Take Flight

3:30pm - 4:00pm @ Arrowhead O ce Arrowhead Accountability Group

3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Goodyear O ce Goodyear Accountability Group

9:00am - 11:00am @ Goodyear O ce West Side - Take Flight 9:00am - 12:00pm / Zoom

FREE REMOTE CE CLASS

Secrets to Unprecedented Growth and Referrals (3Hrs Legal Issues)

10:00am - 11:00am / Zoom Ask a Broker

10:00am - 1:00pm @ Kierland O ce

LIVE CE CLASS

10:00am - 11:00am / Zoom

iFound Agent - Ask the Pro Workshop

10:30am - 11:30am @ North PHX O ce North Phoenix O ce Meeting

10:00am - 11:00am @ Mesa O ce Mesa O ce Meeting

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