Top Agent Magazine Cover

NEW JERSEY EDITION
FIVE WAYS
TO INCREASE
YOUR
COMMISSION
REALTORS®
CAN WORK
LESS AND
EARN MORE
– IT’S NOT A
FANTASY
4
TOP
WAYS TO
JUICE UP
YOUR OPEN
HOUSE
STRATEGY
WHY YOU
SHOULD
NEVER SHUN
MILLENNIALS
COVER STORY
IS THIS A
BAD TIME TO
MARKET?
Top Agent Magazine
Orly
Steinberg
1
Executive Publisher
Jessica S. Fisher
Writers
Stacy Brecht
Laurel Davis
Amy Maliga
Orly Steinberg
Tina Rubin
COLDWELL BANKER
Cameron Sullivan
Alisha Thomas
Feature Story
Coordinator
Melissa Giordano
Graphic Design
Len Leake
Accounting
Carol King
Samantha Smith
7
CONTENTS
REALTORS® CAN WORK LESS AND EARN
MORE – IT’S NOT A FANTASY
by Bob Corcoran............................................... 4
WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER
SHUN MILLENNIALS
Phone 888-461-3930
by Bubba Mills................................................ 13
Fax 310-751-7068
“STATED” INCOME COMMERCIAL REAL
ESTATE LOANS ARE BACK—AND BETTER
mag@topagentmagazine.com
www.topagentmagazine.com
No portion of this issue may be reproduced
in any manner whatsoever without prior con­­
sent of the publisher. Top Agent Magazine is
published by Feature Publications GA,
Inc. Although precautions are take 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
by Noah Grayson............................................ 16
TRY VS. DO
by Barry Eisen................................................. 19
FIVE WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR
COMMISSION
by Walter Sanford.......................................... 22
TOP 4 WAYS TO JUICE UP YOUR OPEN
HOUSE STRATEGY
by Rob Flitton................................................. 24
IS THIS A BAD TIME TO MARKET?
by C.J. Hayden................................................ 28
Top Agent Magazine
Get INTERNATIONAL exposure!
Top Agent Magazine
3
REALTORS can work less and
earn more – it’s not a fantasy
®
By Bob Corcoran
Close your eyes and imagine you’re lying on a beach. The waves are waxing
and waning gently in front of you as the calming calls of seagulls crack
above.
Now, let me add something here that’s as alarming as a shark attack to many
REALTORS®: there’s no cell or internet service. If that suddenly makes you
sweaty and anxious, keep reading – this article is especially for you.
4
Top Agent Magazine
If you’re like most REALTORS®
I’ve met, your vacations often look
like this: your family is frolicking
at the pool and on the beach while
you are holed up in your hotel room
on the phone in front of your laptop
tying up loose ends of your latest
deal. I hate to break it to you, but
that’s not a vacation. That’s simply
working where a lot of other people
are vacationing.
So answer these two questions: If
you were to go on a vacation with
no cell or internet service, could
your business still run? And, if you
were to take, say four vacations a
year, would you be able to make
more money than you would without
taking any vacations?
about 60 houses a year. Today he
works four days a week and sells
roughly 700 homes annually.
How’d that happen? First, he gave up
his belief system that it couldn’t be
done. He then committed to making
it a reality. I always say your whole
life changes the day your make a
commitment. It’s true. It’s true in
Andrew’s case and it’s true for all of
my clients.
Here are the key steps to take to put
more money in your bank and more
time on your favorite beach:
1
Examine your belief system.
What do you truly believe is
possible in terms of how much
time you spend working versus the
I’m glad you’re reading this article return on that time? Then commit to
because it has the potential to change challenging any limiting beliefs.
your life and give you the answers to
these questions: yes – to both!
Plan your ideal picture. Look
into the future and get specific
The key to answering the second about what you want your ideal life
question with a yes is to first make to look like.
sure you can answer yes to the first
one.
Get accountable. Sit with your
family and plan your life with
Let me share a quick story about them. This inserts a must – it’s called
one of my clients, Andrew Duncan. accountability. You have to have it to
When I first met him, he was working succeed. You need someone to hold
seven days a week and hadn’t had a you accountable so that you stay on
vacation in five years. He was selling track.
2
3
Top Agent Magazine
5
4
Begin building a team. I’ve come
to realize most REALTORS® are
an independent lot. Those who remain that way seldom if ever reach
top-producer status. Why? Because
they think they’re the only ones
who can do the work. Explore what
a team could do for you. Trust me,
a good team can do a lot! E-mail me
at Article@CorcoranCoaching.com
and I’ll send you a free organization
chart for a real estate team.
5
do exactly that. Again, e-mail me
and I’ll send you a free ideal weekly
schedule.
Let me hear from you. Is your belief system holding you back and
unintentionally limiting your professional life as a REALTOR® or
broker? Are you being held accountable for your business right now? If
not, why not? Please send any comments or questions you have to
Article@CorcoranCoaching.com or
w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / C o r c o r a n
Coaching.
Develop an ideal weekly schedule. In making your dreams
come true it always comes down to
doing the right things every day. An Copyright©, 2015 Bob Corcoran.
ideal weekly schedule will help you All rights reserved.
Bob Corcoran is CEO of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. www.corcorancoaching.
com/programs, 800-957-8353), an international consulting and coaching company that
specializes in performance coaching and the implementation of sound business systems
into Real Estate Companies, Mortgage Companies and Small Businesses. Corcoran
Consulting is headed by Bob Corcoran -- a nationally recognized leader, speaker, author,
coach and consultant. To find out more about Corcoran Consulting & Coaching, call
1-800-957-8353 or visit us at www.CorcoranCoaching.com
6
Top Agent Magazine
Top Agent Magazine
Orly
Steinberg
7
Orly
Steinberg
In an industry that sees new agents
start up and burn out within months,
it’s rare to find someone who
has charted a 30-year career. But
that’s exactly what Top Agent Orly
Steinberg has done. “I have learned
to run my real estate business
professionally and effectively while
retaining a life balance with my
husband and family,” she explains.
C
8 opyright Top Agent Magazine
“If I remain centered and balanced
and focused, I can be a better advocate
for my clients,” she continues. “By
having mastered being balanced and
growing a team who can take a lot
off my plate, I’m always open to
new business coming my way and I
can take better care of others.”
Orly found her way to real estate
Top Agent Magazine
after leaving a job in network
television news to stay home with
her first daughter. “I stayed home for
a year and realized I wasn’t meant
to be a stay-at-home mom,” she
recalls. “I was looking for something
local that was really engaging and
I could make my own. I went to a
real estate seminar and the speaker
was amazing and inspiring. I got
Top Agent Magazine
my license in 1986, got started and
absolutely loved it right away.”
One of the first things she did was
develop a unique way to market
herself. “I took advantage of my
unusual first name and came up with
the tagline ‘Only Orly,’” she explains.
“I have used that on everything ever
since. By branding myself and being
Copyright Top Agent Magazine9
consistent with doing marketing
mailings every single month, I’ve
been able to create name recognition
throughout the area.”
Orly and her team serve Ringwood
and the surrounding communities
with residential real estate services.
“I primarily work with first-time
buyers and move-up buyers who are
Copyright
Top Agent Magazine
10
looking for their 20- to 30-year home
in the area,” she says. “We closed
about 130 transactions in 2015, using the Ritz-Carlton standard of ‘it’s
my pleasure,’ service.”
A self-described “education junkie,”
Orly credits a good deal of her
success to always seeking out new
information to help her run her
Top Agent Magazine
business more effectively. “Early on
I attended every seminar and every
conference; I was like a sponge,”
she says. “I really internalized and
believed that if I followed the steps
they outlined, I would be a success.
That was the difference. When I
came back from a seminar I would
implement two or three ideas and it
really paid off.” Now, things have
Top Agent Magazine
come full circle, and Orly herself is
a sought-after speaker for industry
events. “It’s my way of giving back
to the profession and to other agents,”
she says.
Orly and her team are committed to
staying client-focused throughout
every transaction. “It’s about their
timeframe, their needs, and their
Copyright Top Agent Magazine
11
underlying agenda,” she says. “I’m
here to help clients when they’re
ready. If I stay focused on their needs
and not on myself, the business will
flow in.”
Despite regularly being honored
with industry recognition, Orly finds
nothing more rewarding than dealing directly with her clients. “I have
always been curious about other
people’s lives and how they live
them and the lessons I could glean
from them,” she explains. “This
profession allows me to be a witness
to other people’s lives and learn from
them; I’m grateful for that privilege.”
Looking to the future, Orly has
exciting plans to expand. “I would
like to bring on two more REALTOR® partners who can list and sell,
so we can serve a larger geographic
area, and so I can give myself more
time to travel with my husband and
family.”
To learn more about Orly Steinberg of Coldwell Banker, call 973.945.1070,
email orly@onlyorly.com or visit www.onlyorly.com
Copyright
Top Agent Magazine
12
Top Agent Magazine
By Bob Corcoran
Why you should never
shun Millennials
Top Agent Magazine
You gotta love real estate. You wake up every day and
you’re guaranteed to see something different going
on in this wonderful industry. It’s never boring.
One of the changes we’re seeing as fall nears is rising
home prices – up 4.1 percent the last time I looked.
No big surprise there – inventory levels remain low.
But I also suspect we’ll start seeing rising interest
rates before the year is out.
So with these two trends you have to think about
buyers. How do you find and attract buyers? It’s always
a vital question for REALTORS®, but especially in
these market conditions.
13
A group of buyers you should mine with a heavy pick and big shovel is
millennials – those ages 25 to 34. Oh I know, there are studies that show
millennials aren’t buying homes. Some economists say they’re delaying
homeownership because they’re also delaying marriage and having children.
The good news is that practically everyone, no matter their age, still believes
that homeownership is part of the American dream.
Millennials are smart – and the research bears that out. As a group, they’re
better educated than boomers. And I believe sooner or later they’ll enter
the market. They know the numbers and they know in the long run owning
beats renting.
Plus, the fact remains, NAR and several other groups have said the largest
group of potential first-time homebuyers in the market today are, you guessed
it, millennials.
Zillow Chief Economist Stan Humphries says 42 percent of millennials say
they want to buy a home in the next one to five years, compared with 31
percent of Generation X (35 to 50-years old).
This is why it’s key you keep millennials in your sphere.
So what do you need to know to find and attract millennials? Here are a few
tips you might find helpful:
Know that they have a lot on their plate. They’re just starting to figure out
their careers because the job market was tight when they finished school.
And they’re likely considering marriage or starting a family. Plus, they
probably have some school debt. So go easy on them. A home purchase is
just another big item to them.
Be an educator, not a salesperson. No one likes an aggressive salesperson,
especially millennials. They want useful information that can help them
through the process. That’s it. No pushing. Use infographics and social
media to offer millennials helpful data about the market and the home buying
process and benefits.
14
Top Agent Magazine
Think urgency. Interest rates are projected to go up and we all
know (and millennials, too) higher rates take away buying power.
Millennials don’t like to lose and they’re all about saving.
Have an online presence. The overwhelming majority of millennials start their home searches online. Create a solid online strategy
that begins with a good search engine optimized website with
strong calls to action. Include social media (join popular groups
and forums), blogs, email and online advertising.
Sell neighborhoods and communities, not just homes. A new
NAR survey says millennials prefer walking over driving by a
substantially wider margin than any other generation. And they’re
the most likely age group to use public transportation. They want
short commutes to work, and want to be able to walk to shops and
restaurants. They also like living in attached housing.
Before I let you go, I have free information on generational selling.
Simply visit http://getbobsnotes.com/generationalselling.
Let me hear from you. Are you targeting millennials? How can
you start improving the way you’re marketing to them? Are you
comfortable with them? Do you feel you understand them? If
not, what can you start doing today to be a better REALTOR®
for millennials? Please send any comments or questions you
have to Article@CorcoranCoaching.com or www.facebook.com/
CorcoranCoaching.
Copyright©, 2015 Bob Corcoran. All rights reserved.
Bob Corcoran is CEO of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. www.
corcorancoaching.com/programs, 800-957-8353), an international consulting
and coaching company that specializes in performance coaching and
the implementation of sound business systems into Real Estate Companies,
Mortgage Companies and Small Businesses. Corcoran Consulting is headed
by Bob Corcoran -- a nationally recognized leader, speaker, author, coach
and consultant. To find out more about Corcoran Consulting & Coaching,
call 1-800-957-8353 or visit us at www.CorcoranCoaching.com
Top Agent Magazine
15
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16
Top Agent Magazine
borrower’s repayment
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Top Agent Magazine
Trusting
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loan decisions. In addition, they are
loan decisions. In addition, they are
requiring strong borrower credit
requiring strong borrower credit
scores and verifiable track records of
scores and verifiable track records of
on-time mortgage payment histories.
on-time mortgage payment histories.
So, what’s so “stated” about these new
So, what’s so “stated” about these new
17
Currently,
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18
Top Agent Magazine
Try vs Do
By Barry Eisen
“Do or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda (1977)
The day is done. It seems you’ve done a million things. Everything went
well. You had loads of energy and you’re stoked. Clients listened to you
and acknowledged the clarity and wisdom of your suggestions. Your kids
paid attention. Even the dog obeyed. Great feelings!
Dawns a new day... You wake up groggy, you become a magnet for clients’
frustrations, you feel invisible, the dog spits up on the thick white rug,
an associate points out a huge stain on your shirt, a selling appointment
cancels and it’s not even 10:00 AM. Know what you are? Normal. Look
around and you will find a lot of normal. Stuff happens to us all. To some,
who seem to attract more stuff than the rest (something to be said about selffulfilling prophecies) the distractions feel overwhelming and continuous.
Some try their best to turn the tide. Trying doesn’t work. Doing does.
Effort is appreciated, but accomplishment creates the lifestyle and is a lot
more satisfying.
Top Agent Magazine
19
We use the word often and teach our kids to try hard. Think of what the
concept of “trying” implies. We are telling ourselves to make the effort.
But how often do we confuse effort and activity with accomplishment? Is
it not our egos protecting ourselves from the perceived agony of failure
by saying...you don’t have to do what it takes, just appreciate the effort.
It’s kinda like the controversy raging on
today about all kids getting trophies for
participating in a competition, even
if they came in last place. Maybe
rewards for the little ones keep
them engaged, but the reality
of life for most adults is
about accomplishing, not
efforting.
Some
try their
best to
turn the tide. One of the surest ways to
become a victim is to try.
Trying doesn’t When
we commit to trying
something and fall short
work. Doing oftoadosuccess,
we can always
claim “ I tried.” Even in failure
does.
we can claim victory as we
achieved what we committed to... I
tried! Be careful of the words you use
as they become converted into action. As in
sports, good effort is appreciated, but the ones who want it more generally
prevail. They call it Scoreboard.
The “doer” is the person who takes the bigger risk of making the extra
effort. Without the risk to continue and create a victory, you create
“normal.” It’s safe but unsatisfying. And worse yet, this settling for the
lazy way out develops into whining, excuse making, low energy, irritability
and much more. Do what’s right, not what’s easy. The best of your intentions won’t create a better relationship, clean up the planet or make you
more money.
20
Top Agent Magazine
7 DO’s to make a difference:
1
2
Leave every part of your day with a positive
accomplishment (even a small one).
In every endeavor, act AS IF you were
already successful and capable. Show
yourself what you CAN DO.
3
Do
what’s
right, not
what’s
easy.
Read or listen to positive books or
recordings at least 30 minutes each day-spend as much time with personal development as
you do growing your business. Look for and apply the lessons that feel right.
4
Write out your to-do list every night before you go to sleep, whether
you feel like it or not and prioritize it. Let it guide you to better
decisions during your day.
5
Create a Value Added mindset that allows you to under promise and
over deliver. That unexpected extra personal touch, that personalized
attention, that piece of humanity, the extra door you knock, the thank you,
please, your welcome can put you over the top. It is usually the little things
that make a difference.
6
Develop strong enough “whys” and the “hows” answer themselves.
Dig deeper than just an amount of money. Money doesn’t motivate.
Figure out what moves you and your focus will become laser-like.
7
Follow through and do it not because you “have to,” but because you
“get to.” Play, have fun, lighten up and shine.
Barry Eisen teaches personal development seminars and coaches Southern
California top producing REALTORS®. “Your business will never grow more
than you do” is the theme; self hypnosis and behavior modification are the
tools for playing a bigger game. barryeisen.com, barryeisen@LA.twcbc.com
Copyright©, 2016 Barry Eisen. All rights reserved.
818-769-4300
Top Agent Magazine
21
Five Ways
To Increase Your
Commission
By Walter Sanford
Sanford Systems has the best systems for making money in real estate.
Sometimes, our clients forget how to stop discounting and to instead raise
their “fee.”
This month, we’ll cover five ideas. Here we go:
1
Raise it.
Before the listing appointment, fill out all paperwork with the new rate and
make it business as usual. Scared? Well, make a great listing presentation.
Don’t leave until you get the objection. Learn how to overcome the objection.
If you have to, drop it back down to your old retail rate but only after much
hesitation.
2
Email new listings.
Send new listings to your database immediately, hours before it hits the
MLS. This is a two-fer: #1 - Keep your database informed with secret, prelisting information that they are reluctant to spam and in the email tell them
to forward this hot info to their sphere. #2 - You make more double ends
with new people.
3
Institute a cancellation fee.
Many agents allow sellers to cancel listings with a guarantee stating
22
Top Agent Magazine
they can cancel if they are not happy with the process. If you offer this
guarantee, you will always be worried about offending sellers who are serial
cement heads with a bent toward overpricing. You won’t try hard enough to
get the price reduction, thinking they are going to cancel the listing.
On the other hand, sometimes sellers have a legitimate reason for needing
to cancel, and, as upsetting as that is, you can’t sell a property that the seller
does not want sold. Offer them an out and you get paid for your time, while
working with a chance to get the listing back. “I offer an ‘any reason to
cancel’ clause. It is $1000 in the first month and goes up an additional $500
a month after that. (Adjust for your price range.) It is fully refundable should
you ever re-list the property with me and I am successful in contributing to
its close.”
4
Gain limited partnership as commission.
I carried many of my commissions due from builders as a limited
partnership interest in their next project, rather than giving them discounts.
5
Skip the discounts.
Instead of discounts, carry your commission as part of any seller carry
back. It is better than taking a beating on the amount.
I coach top agents on a limited basis. If you are interested in coaching or a
speaking engagement, please call our office at 800.792.5837. Be sure to ask
about the half-off sale on our already discounted internet prices for training
systems.
Don’t re-invent the wheel. Use 30 years of real estate wisdom and experience
to your benefit!
Copyright©, 2016 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Walter Sanford has been designing and implementing real estate systems for 30 years.
One of the most successful REALTORS® and now wealthy from his systems,
Sanford teaches his systems and strategies through his products, seminars, and
personal coaching producing the best results in the industry. Do what works,
do what is proven. Hire Walter Sanford. Call our office at 800.792.5837, email
walter@waltersanford.com, or chat with us online at www.waltersanford.com.
Top Agent Magazine
23
Top 4 Ways to Juice Up Your
Open House Strategy
by Rob Flitton
I go to open houses, but not just
because of my profession or interest
in architecture and interior design. I
go to open houses to see how
effective real estate agents are at
selling. It has been rather eyeopening because there is very little
selling going on—the average open
house strategy needs work.
1.Build a Dynamic
Open House Booklet
After they leave, open house visitors
will discard a one-page for-sale info
sheet naming a home’s features. But
they will keep, and possibly use, a 6
or 8 page booklet loaded with
interesting items that directly solve
problems for them.
Perhaps “selling” is considered an
outdated skill, or that it feels socially
awkward for agents to be regarded as
a salesperson. But if you’re a real
estate agent, you are a salesperson. At
most of the open houses I go, I see
money floating out the door every
time a visitor leaves because of the
agent’s inability or refusal to sell.
It will require some strategic
thought to nail the content and
design, but perhaps include: (i)
descriptives about the benefits of
buying the property you’re showing,
and not just data, (ii) compelling
reasons why they should consider
working with you along with a web
link to search for listings on your
website, (iii) a web link telling them
how to get a prompt, written
estimate on the value of their home,
or to find out what other homes in
their neighborhood sold for, (iv)
possible discounts on real estate
related services—maybe a reduction
in fees from your preferred lender,
or a reduced home inspection price,
(v) possible discounts on non real
estate related items.
An open house is a lucrative
opportunity to find buyer or seller
clients –selling the listing itself may
also be the goal, but an agent should
not pass up this chance.
There are 4 distinct strategies an
agent can immediately employ to
juice up their open houses and get
awesome leads.
24
Top Agent Magazine
IfIfyou
youcombine
combine this
this dynamic
dynamic booklet
booklet
with
with properly
properly trained
trained closing
closing language,
guage, asas touched
touched upon
upon below,
below, it is
something
something the
the average
average person
person will
either
eitherkeep
keepand
and use
use or
or pass
pass along
along to
someone
someonethey
theyknow.
know.A
A well
well designed
designed
bookletcan
canbring
bringyou
youaalot
lotof
of business.
business.
booklet
interesting
data—and they
theyare
arevoid
voidofofinteresting
data—and
or problem-solving
problem-solvinginformation.
information.
2.Work The
The Neighborhood
Neighborhood
2.Work
days prior
priorto
toyour
youropen
openhouse,
house,
A few days
find the
the names
names and
and addresses
addresses(from
(from
tax records—or
records—orelsewhere)
elsewhere)of,
of,say,
say,20
20
homes in
in each
each direction
direction from
from the
the
Pre-internet, both
both open
open houses
houses for open house.
Pre-internet,
house.
resalelistings,
listings,and
andmodel
model homes
homes for
resale
newconstruction,
construction,relied
relied on
on strategic
strategic For the
the cost
cost of
of postage
postage and
and some
some
new
collateralmaterials
materials (handouts).
(handouts). Vis- sweat-equity,
sweat-equity, mail
mailaapostcard
postcardtotothese
these
collateral
ostensibly looking
looking at
at sev
sev-- 80
itorswere
wereostensibly
80 homeowners
homeowners inviting
invitingthem
themtotothe
the
itors
eralcompetitors
competitorsatatthe
the same
same time,
time, so
so open
eral
open house
house and
and offering
offering something
something
collateral
materials
had
to
have
the
unique
and
compelling—perhaps
collateral materials had to have the unique and compelling—perhaps aa
power toto bring
bring them
them back
back to
to your
your drawing
giveawayfor
forthose
thosewill
willing
ing
power
drawing or
orgiveaway
site—a great
great call
call to
to action,
action, eyeeye- to
to provide
provide their
their opinion
opinionon
onthe
theasking
asking
site—a
catchingcolor,
color, identification
identification of
of the
the price
price of
of the
the home
home(and
(andthe
theentry
entrycard,
card,
catching
of
course,
will
net
you
their
email
benefits
of
buying
your
product.
of course, will net you their email
benefits of buying your product.
address
address and
and phone
phone number).
number). People
People
are
generally
nosy
and
like
to
Yet
at
open
houses
today,
I
primarily
Yet at open houses today, I primarily are generally nosy and like to bebe
see bland information sheets dis- validated, so asking for their opinion
see bland information sheets dis- validated, so asking for their opinion
cussing features—the listing price, on something happening in their own
on something ishap
pening
in their own
cussing
features—the
price, neighborhood
very
appealing.
the square
footage, andlisting
the standard
the square footage, and the standard neighborhood is very appealing.
Top Agent Magazine
25
And, it is best to mail them again
right after the open house to talk
about what happened.
“From our Saturday open house, we
discovered 3 qualified and eager
buyers that are now looking for a
home in this neighborhood—if you
would like to know what your home
is worth for these buyers to consider,
please give me a call.”
dynamic booklet and say: “Please
enjoy our open house, and am hoping
you’ll do me a favor. This booklet is
loaded with great information about,
and if you become interested at some
point in buying or selling, would you
please call and give me the
opportunity to earn your business? Or
if you happen to know someone now
who is looking now, would you
kindly pass this booklet onto them?”
Also, adding on door-knocking or If they reply with a “don’t know” type
flyer-hanging to your mailings boosts of answer this usually means they are
your neighborhood equity even more. indeed looking but are just not ready
yet to reveal this to you, so you will
3.Close and Qualify
need to work to make a connection.
Engage every single visitor in closing Good consultative sales connections
dialogue, because every single visitor are made when you can make them
feel you’re not pushy and are able to
is there for a reason.
directly resolve their problem.
While smiling, with shoulders erect,
and maintaining suitable distance, A “yes” type of response is great, but
look them in the eye and offer your you should take the qualifying step of
handshake while stating your full asking them if they’re working with
another agent. If they are, the dyname and company—and then ask:
namic booklet comes in handy again:
“Are you out looking to buy a home “If for any reason your agent is
today?”
unavailable to show you homes, I can
be reached at the phone number in
There are 4 categories of answers, this booklet. Plus, it contains fantastic
and any answer they provide is an resources for searching online and a
opportunity to get to the marrow of discount on financing.”
what they need. There are “nos”,
“don’t knows,” “yeses,” and “other.” If you can’t get a sandwich, get a bite.
If they are definitive about looking,
If they reply with a “no” variety of and don’t have an agent, then they are
answer, then you can hand them your available for you to work with and
26
Top Agent Magazine
here again you need the right type of
closing and qualifying dialogue.
The goal here is to evoke from them
their home-buying goals so that you
can match and narrow down to a
single opportunity. It’s a mistake to
present multiple listings to a buyer
at once. Ask broad questions and
then narrowing questions followed
up by “if-then” questions.
Example: “What types of functions do
you want in your new home, or
activities near your neighborhood?”
Followed by something like, “is the
number or size of bedrooms important
to you?” Followed by, “so if I can
show you the kind of home we just
described, are you ready to go see it
and possibly make an offer?”
4.Have Interactive
Tech Tools Onsite
It is the worst feeling to engage
someone as a potential client at an
open house and then have no tools
available to solve their problem—
don’t assume they aren’t going to
want to do business right away.
If you’re engaging a potential buyer,
you better be able to instantly gratify
their desire to see viable homes
online so internet access and an easily
view-able screen are necessary. They
may ask you to go see other homes
in-person, so you need to have a coagent available to either show them
those homes, or spell you off as host
while you do. You may be asked to
write up an offer for them so you will
need the tools and ability to create
and e-sign documents.
Naturally, any objections or “nos” you
receive in this process are just fan- When a potential listing client is in
tastic opportunities to learn about their front of you, you need to be able to
needs and earn a connected trust.
show them recent comparable sales
and may even be asked to list their
The “other” thing they might tell you home and will need the tools and
is that they’re not a buyer at all, but a ability to create and e-sign documents
potential seller. Potential sellers often for taking that listing.
go to open houses to find out how
their home stacks up, but are you It happens sometimes—but it never
aware what the number one reason happens if you’re not ready.
they attend open houses is?
Potential sellers go to open houses to Rob Flitton is a Seattle Real Estate Mardirectly or indirectly interview you, a keting specialist helping independent
agents to increase their income. Email Rob
potential listing agent. And they hire robflitton@gmail.com
at any time or call/
confident, prepared professionals.
text him at 206-612-2314.
Top Agent Magazine
27
IsThis a Bad Time to Market?
IsThis
IsThis
IsThisaaaBad
Bad
BadTime
Time
Timeto
to
toMarket?
Market?
Market?
by C.J. Hayden
by
by
by
C.J.
C.J.
C.J.
Hayden
Hayden
Hayden
Economic indicators are predicting a keep your marketing up when the
recession.
Consumer
and
business
overall
business
climate
is
down.
Economic
Economic
Economic
indicators
indicators
indicators
are
are
are
predicting
predicting
predicting
a a akeep
keep
keepyour
your
your
marketing
marketing
marketing
upupup
when
when
whenthe
the
the
spending
is down;
unemployment
is up. overall
recession.
recession.
recession.
Consumer
Consumer
Consumer
and
and
andbusiness
business
business
overall
overall
business
business
business
climate
climate
climate
isisdown.
isdown.
down.
The
holiday
season
is almost upon
us,
spending
spending
spending
isisdown;
isdown;
down;
unemployment
unemployment
unemployment
isisup.
isup.
up. 1. Turn up the volume. When people are
traditionally
aseason
slow
forupon
inde
pen
- 1.1.
distracted
by
badWhen
news,
economic
The
The
The
holiday
holiday
holiday
season
season
istime
isalmost
isalmost
almost
upon
upon
us,
us,
us,
Turn
1.Turn
Turn
upupup
the
the
the
volume.
volume.
volume.
When
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It’s
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ofeasier
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ininin
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Here
are
are
are
six
six
six
suggestions
suggestions
suggestions
for
for
for
how
how
how
tototodoor
28
Top Agent Magazine
Become
Become
Becomeaaanecessity.
necessity.
necessity.
InInIn
a aslow
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repeat
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business
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panies
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For
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Copyright©
Copyright©
2014,
2014,
2014,
C.J.
C.J.
C.J.
Hayden.
Hayden.
Hayden.
AllAll
rights
All
rights
rights
reserved.
reserved.
reserved.
staff
staff
staffseminar
seminar
seminarinstead
instead
insteadofofofconsulting/
consulting/
consulting/Copyright©
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