Westwords November 2023

WESTWORDS NOVEMBER 2023

I AM WEST USA

CHERYL

HOW TO BUDGET FOR UNEXPECTED

WHAT DO

YOU SELL?

OCTOBER MARKET STATS

FROM BOB STEPHENS

HOLIDAY PARTY

WOOD

COMMUNICATION!

MAKE YOUR

REAL ESTATE

BUSINESS

SHINE

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

HOME MAINTENANCE

COSTS

TICKETS ON SALE

NOW!

NOVEMBER

CALENDAR Flagstaff, Arizona

I AM

I AM CHERYL WOOD I AM DEDICATED I AM TRUSTWORTHY I AM CREATIVE I AM KNOWLEDGEABLE I AM FOR-THE-CLIENT I AM WEST USA

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING Cheryl has been a wonder. During peak crisis of the housing boom she was able to help us secure our home. She did facetime to show us our home from across the country, helped us every step of the way during the buying process for a seamless transition. Even 2 years after living in our home she still randomly drops by and brings goody bags for our children. Cheryl is a strong woman of God, loves military and first responder families, and is an overall pleasant person to be around.

She will be our listing agent for sure when we eventually sell our home in a few years.

Cheryl is amazing! She definitely went above and beyond to get our home sold for above what we wanted. I highly recommend Cheryl, couldn't ask for a better REALTOR®!

Who your hire matters and Cheryl is not only an amazing REALTOR® who works hard for you but she leads with her heart! Her attention to detail and the connections she makes with her clients are one of a kind. You may start by hiring her as your agent but you will end up being dear friends in the process.

BROKER BLOG FROM BOB STEPENS WHAT DO YOU SELL?

COMMUNICATION! Most real estate agents believe that they sell houses or real estate! If this is your thinking, then perhaps you need to read this and develop a different thought about what you do. Buyers and Sellers are the principals that you perform certain functions for per the Constitution of the State of Arizona as voted into law effective Nov. 26, 1962 in Arizona.

Therefore, you do not sell houses but you perform the necessary functions for a buyer or seller to achieve their goals or aspirations in the transfer of real property with each other.

Then I believe that COMMUNICATION is your most "valuable asset" and is, What you sell!

There are many forms of communication and the most frequent is by phone and of course, email. As I drive through an Indian reservation on the way to one of our offices, I see that the local people communicate with large bulletin boards located at strategic locations on corners throughout their territory and is probably very effective. During World War 2, the U.S. discovered Navajo Code Talkers who speak a very different language than anyone. They were employed to use their language against the Japanese, who were never able to crack this method of speech. This may very well have won the war for the U.S. COMMUNICATION was and still is probably the most important asset of people!

Now then, please review your communication such as promptness and clarity. Do you answer the phone or always let it go to voice mail? What is your voice mail message and how long does it go on with instructions for a caller? Why not save this step for the caller and answer the phone when it rings? Here is the usual uninspiring message. "I cannot come to the phone right now BUT, your message is VERY important to me. Leave me a detailed message after the beep and I will return your call at my earliest convenience! For faster service just text me. (I fail to see how that is faster!)

REALLY? Well, with 90,000 other real estate agents in AZ. I could probably call one of them that will ANSWER the phone NOW! So there actually is competition for a buyer or a seller. Perhaps you should go with a fresh mode of communication and do it now.

If you can communicate well, you will probably last a very long time in real estate and establish a fantastic income for these COMMUNICATIONS!

QUESTIONS, CONTACT: Managing Broker, Bob Stephens | 602-942-4200

MAKE YOUR REAL ESTATE BUSINESS

SHINE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

BY WISE AGENT Working in the real estate industry during the holiday season typically means a lull in business, but what if you could take advantage of this slow time to generate standout marketing? The holidays don't have to mean a sleepy season. Keep reading for tips on taking advantage of the festive season and capitalizing on the holiday cheer.

SEND A HOLIDAY CARD People want to enjoy their holidays and put their home buying or selling needs aside to spend time with family. Instead of continuing to contact your leads about their real estate projects, take this opportunity to stay visible without talking business and send a holiday card. With our real estate postcard solution, you can design and print a holiday card right from your CRM! Let your clients know you are thinking of them without pressuring them for business.

LIGHT IT UP A special way to draw attention to a property during the holidays is to add holiday lights. Adding some tasteful lighting on a neutral theme, such as a snowflake or icicle theme or even basic red and green decor, will catch the eye of potential clients.

Holiday lighting will not only draw attention, but the extra lights can also help better illuminate your property exterior during the darker winter days.

Remember, however, that different clients will celebrate different holidays, so you might not want to add a religious spin to your theme - instead, be an open book. If in doubt, avoid the giant inflatable Santa and skip the extra string of twinkle lights.

If you want extra drive-by traffic, add your lighted decorations to neighbor holiday maps. You'll add

to community spirit while gaining some excellent advertising but don't forget the "For Sale" sign.

CREATE A HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE A holiday gift guide is a fantastic service to customers and businesses alike. Holiday gift guides allow brands to showcase their goods while helping consumers find the right products for their seasonal needs.

These guides are also reminiscent of the old toy catalogs many of us remember from our youths - a demographic that is very active in the housing market right now.

If your real estate agency is putting out its own gift guide, you'll already have some excellent branding, but if not, you can always purchase a spot in another guide, like your local chamber of commerce. The key is to offer a service or information that will be useful to prospective buyers and sellers and, like the best gifts, require nothing in return.

SPREAD THE HOLIDAY CHEER ON SOCIAL MEDIA Now is not the time to take a break from social media.

Keep your posts holly and jolly so your clients know you are around and ready to work! Be authentic, and remember to showcase your personality by sharing holiday favorites or family traditions that your audience can relate to.

There are many different approaches to holiday advertising, so don't let the season pull you away from your leads. Approach this holiday season with a plan so you don't get caught off guard and let important clients and tasks fall through the cracks.

HOW TO BUDGET FOR UNEXPECTED

HOME MAINTENANCE COSTS

BY DEREK RILEY Buying a home is a financial goal that many Americans You may not be able to spare an extra few hundred dollars a spend years working toward. It is a huge accomplishment month to save for home maintenance costs, but that doesn’t to see your hard work pay off with a new home investment. mean you shouldn’t make a column in your monthly budget However, if you are a first-time homebuyer, make sure spreadsheet for home maintenance. Put aside whatever you to do your research to understand the hidden costs of can afford to save— even $20 a week will add up to more homeownership. than $1,000 in a year. Learn some ways to tighten your household budget so that you’ll have the funds to pay for What exactly are the hidden costs after buying a home? potential home maintenance issues without the stress.

In addition to your down payment and closing costs, you may also have to pay for a home inspection, potential 2. KEEP YOUR APPLIANCES AND SYSTEMS IN GOOD SHAPE renovations, furniture, or even just new odds and ends that Staying on top of regular maintenance tasks by getting you didn’t realize you needed until you start to settle in. Most ahead of breakdowns before they happen is another good new homeowners find themselves strapped for cash in the way to minimize repair expenses. An easy way to remember months after a new home purchase—and that’s without even when to perform easily forgotten maintenance tasks is to considering the unexpected expenses of home maintenance. make a seasonal to-do list that includes things like flushing your water heater once a year, changing your A/C filters While it may seem like a lot to handle, don’t worry just yet. regularly, and cleaning your gutters in the spring and fall.

Home maintenance costs are part of owning a home, and Take good care of your home and the systems and they are totally manageable, even for homeowners on a tight appliances that keep it running smoothly, and you’ll have budget. Staying on top of home upkeep costs simply takes fewer repairs and maintenance expenses. some planning and foresight.

You can take charge of your home maintenance costs with 3. CONSIDER GETTING A HOME WARRANTY a three-pronged plan that includes saving for unexpected Of course, no matter how diligently you care for your costs, keeping your home (and its appliances and systems) in home, its systems and appliances will eventually fail and good shape, and getting a home warranty. require repair or even replacement. For ultimate budget projection, consider purchasing a home warranty, which can 1. SAVE FOR UNEXPECTED COSTS help you defray the out-of-pocket costs of those inevitable You never know when some vital component of your home, breakdowns—saving your finances and peace of mind. such as your water heater or refrigerator, will fail. It could American Home Shield provides complete home warranty happen after years of diligently saving or the day after coverage for parts of your key home systems and appliances closing on your home. that you rely on every day. If something breaks down, just The go-to rule of thumb when creating your yearly home submit a service request, pay your Service Fee (which is maintenance budget is to set aside one to two percent the fee you pay for the Pro to come out to your home), and of your home’s cost each year to cover repairs to or we will send out a qualified Pro to repair the appliance or replacements of home systems and appliances. So, if you system—and if it can’t be repaired, we’ll replace it, subject to purchased your home for $450,000, you should set aside the limitations and exclusions of your contract. $4,500 to $9,000 a year, or $375 to $750 a month, to build Each of our plans helps protect your budget from up a cushion for any unexpected costs. unexpected expenses related to the covered parts of your The reality is that many Americans don’t have an extra hardworking household items. By budgeting for home couple hundred bucks to set aside each month. About 56 warranty coverage, the hidden costs of homeownership percent of Americans don’t have enough in their savings become things we can help you manage. And if your budget accounts to cover an unexpected $1,000 expense. Typical ever changes, you can change your plan. yearly repair or maintenance expenses can easily be two or three times that amount, if not more.

Derek Riley, Market Manager Cell: 480-286-1996 • Email: derek.riley@ahs.com

TODD MENARD'S

REAL ESTATE

MARKET STATS OCTOBER 2023

NEW HOME INVENTORY VS.

ARMLS RESALE

MY

H S I W Y HOLIDA

to the s e m o c t when i t u o n; it’s u g f n i s e s h i t m missing fear of t u a o b e reate a v c a t h s d u n j a “I t , o e . It’s n elebrat ty c r a , p t c y e a n nts.” d n e o g c a holi o & t s e r worke o e chanc h c t y g m n i s h s mi ries wit o m e m g lastin even F.

-St

Holiday Party 2023

Partnered with West USA Cares Annual Casino Night

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2

SHERATON PHOENIX DOWNTOWN

4:30PM - 10:00PM

340 N. 3RD ST, PHOENIX, AZ 85004

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! WESTUSARSVP.COM OR TEXT WESTUSA2023 TO 76278

HOTEL ROOMS AVAILABLE! GO TO: bit.ly/3Ow9W3G

OR SCAN THE QR CODE TO RESERVE A ROOM

M O N DAY

T U E S DAY

02

9:00am - 10:00am / Webinar West USA Weekly Podcast 10:30am - 21:00pm / Zoom West USA Agent Orientation

06

W E D N E S DAY

03

10:00am - 11:00am @ Scottsdale Office Mastermind Meeting with Great American Title 1:00pm - 3:00pm @ Surprise Office Exit Strategy & Succession Plan

F R I DAY

01

02

10:00am - 12:00pm @ Chandler Office Crowdfunding 101: How to Invest in Real Estate with the Power of the Crowd

9:00am - 12:00pm @ Chandler Office FREE LIVE CE CLASS - Advanced Contract Writing - MHCA Mobile & MFG Home Purchase Contract (3Hrs Contract Law) 9:00am - 12:00pm @ Surprise Office LIVE CE CLASS - New Home Construction (3Hrs Contract Law) 10:00am - 11:00am / Zoom iFound Agent - Ask the Pro Workshop 10:00am - 12:00pm @ Scottsdale Office Building Your Buyer & Seller Pipelines in Today’s Market 10:00am - 12:30pm @ Arrowhead Office Arrowhead Business Planning 2024 2:00pm - 3:30pm @ Arrowhead Office Arrowhead 2nd Annual Autumn Bake Off

9:00am - 12:00pm / Zoom FREE REMOTE CE CLASS Advanced Contract Writing (3Hrs Contract Law)

07

08

09

9:00am - 12:00pm / Zoom REACT - Day 3

10:00am - 12:00am @ Surprise Office Surprise Office Meeting - Last One of the Year!

9:00am - 12:00pm / Zoom FREE LIVE CE CLASS - Advanced Contract Writing - MHCA Mobile & MFG Home Purchase Contract (3Hrs Contract Law)

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

3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Arrowhead Office Arrowhead Accountability Group

9:00am - 3:00pm / Zoom REACT - Day 2

10:30am - 11:30am @ Ahwatukee Office Ahwatukee Office Meeting

13

10:00am - 11:00am @ Chandler Office East Valley - Property Manager Meet-Up

T H U R S DAY

9:00am - 12:00pm / Zoom FREE REMOTE CE CLASS - High Fiduciary Representation (3Hrs Fair Housing)

9:00am - 3:00pm / Zoom REACT - Day 1

3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Goodyear Office Goodyear Accountability Group

9:00am - 10:00am / Webinar West USA Weekly Podcast

NOVEMBER 2023

10:00am - 11:30am @ Scottsdale Office Scottsdale Office Meeting

14

15 9:00am - 10:00am / Zoom Team Leader Mastermind 9:00am - 12:00pm @ Mesa Office FREE REMOTE CE CLASS: Disclosure and the Law (3Hrs Disclosure Law) 10:00am - 11:00am @ Chandler Office Chandler Office Meeting 11:30am - 12:30pm @ Scottsdale Office Scottsdale Thanksgiving Potluck 1:30pm - 3:00pm @ Scottsdale Office Business Planning & Marketing Plan Workshop 1:30pm - 4:00pm @ Surprise Office Vision Board Workshop 4:30pm - 6:30pm @ State 48 Brewery Surprise Happy Hour - Last One of the Year!

20

21 3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Arrowhead Office Arrowhead Accountability Group

2:00pm - 2:30pm / Webinar Don’t Do Dat w/Broker Bob Stephens

3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Goodyear Office Goodyear Accountability Group

27

28

9:00am - 10:00am / Webinar West USA Weekly Podcast

9:00am - 4:00pm / Zoom ProStart Session 1 - 3 Days

9:00am - 4:00pm / Zoom ProStart Session 1 - 3 Days

3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Arrowhead Office Arrowhead Accountability Group

2:00pm - 2:30pm / Webinar Don’t Do Dat w/Broker Bob Stephens

3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Goodyear Office Goodyear Accountability Group

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

10

16

23

29

9:00am - 4:00pm / Zoom ProStart Session 1 - 3 Days 10:30am - 11:30am @ Mesa Office Mesa Office Meeting (NEW LOCATION!)

17

5:00pm - 7:00pm @ Fat Willy’s Chandler Happy Hour

ALL OFFICES CLOSED THANKSGIVING

9:00am - 12:00pm @ Mesa Office FREE REMOTE CE CLASS: Master the AAR Listing Contract (3Hrs Contract Law)

5:00pm - 7:00pm @ The Hub Mesa Happy Hour

10:00am - 1:00pm @ Scottsdale Office LIVE CE CLASS - Managing Divorce Real Estate Transactions (3Hrs Legal Issues)

22

SPONSORS

10:00am - 11:00am / Zoom Coaching Essential Learning

11:00am - 12:30pm @Scottsdale Office Lunch & Learn CE CLASS - Running Comps Like an Appraiser (1Hr General Credits)

11:30am - 1:00pm @ Scottsdale Office Deed Fraud Presentation for Commerical Agents

9:00am - 12:00pm @ Scottsdale Office LIVE CE CLASS: Duties to Clients and Customers (3Hrs Commissioner Standards) 10:00am - 11:30am - Goodyear Office Goodyear Office Meeting 1:00pm - 4:00pm @ Chandler Office LIVE CE CLASS: The Code of Ethics (3Hrs Commissioner Standards) 3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Arrowhead Office Arrowhead Accountability Group 3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Goodyear Office Goodyear Accountability Group

9:00am - 10:00am / Webinar West USA Weekly Podcast

03

ALL OFFICES CLOSED DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING

30 10:00am - 11:00am / Zoom iFound Agent - Ask the Pro Workshop

24