RE/MAX real estate
Office Newsletter - Week of November 18th Edition
December
Tech Office One-On-One Hour Training
Calendar Now Available!
NAR’s MLS Technology and Emerging Issues Advisory Board proposed the policy as a way to address the growing use of off-MLS listings. The advisory board concluded that leaving listings outside of the broader marketplace excludes consumers, undermining REALTORS®’ commitment to provide equal opportunity to all. The policy doesn’t prohibit brokers from taking office-exclusive listings; nor does it impede brokers’ ability to meet their clients’ privacy needs.
Following is the full text of MLS Statement 8.0:
Within one (1) business day of marketing a property to the public, the listing broker must submit the listing to the MLS for cooperation with other MLS participants. Public marketing includes, but is not limited to, flyers displayed in windows, yard signs, digital marketing on public facing websites, brokerage website displays (including IDX and VOW), digital communications marketing (email blasts), multi-brokerage listing sharing networks, and applications available to the general public.
MLSs can adopt the policy any time, but they must adopt it no later than May 1, 2020.
Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS® leadership and staff, in addition to the MLS Committee, have had a pulse on MLS Statement 8.0 discussions. GLVR will implement MLS Statement 8.0 and will fully comply with this NAR mandate. With its approval, dialogue at the Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS® will progress and will keep your business models, and how they could be potentially affected, in mind. Rollout information on the local level will be forthcoming.
Matterport Now Available!
While capturing color and depth, our new 3-D virtual tours allow you to explore a property like never before! Matterport spaces are digitally recreated and transformed into a 3-D virtual environment, which gives online buyers a perspective that feels so real, it’s like being there in person. That means anyone can have an open house experience from anywhere. Features include:
- Take Matterport into your next listing presentation with 3D Showcase App for IOS click here for free download
- Can be viewed with Virtual Reality gear.
- Immersive walkthrough technology, open house 24/7
- 3-D interactive experience
- Interactive floor plan/dollhouse views
- Annotate key features with MatterTags
- 360 exterior views (weather and sun permitting)
Focus and execute a great "Act 1" with your buyers
Buyers are a critical part of being a successful real estate agent, but they can be very time consuming and frustrating. At Ninja, we describe working with Buyers as a 3 act play.
The best way to increase your income per hour is to save time working with Buyers. The most critical step that many agents skip is a powerful Act 1. We learned this in the Installation.
There are many many benefits to following our 10 Step Buyer process, but this synopsis might give you some additional clarity and inspiration to get better at your Act 1.
Thought of the week:
A powerful Act 1 with your buyers adds huge value.
Making Your Business Client-Focused Instead of Transaction-Focused
Being transaction-focused is a mistake many rookie agents make.
When starting off in real estate, agents typically have one thing on their minds: the numbers and how they relate to profits. Being too focused on the transactions, however, can hurt your business in the long run. That’s why it’s important to keep your eye on the prize: relationships. By prioritizing service first, you put your client at the top of your list—and, trust me, they notice.
Here’s how you can shift your focus from transactions to best serving your clients.
Keep in touch. Be in constant communication with everyone in your database. It doesn’t matter if they were your client 10 years ago or if they are buying and selling with you now. Remember the mantra “client for life,” because that’s how you’re going to get return business and a lot of referrals.
Get better at listening. Yes, you’re the real estate expert, but that doesn’t mean you should shut out your clients when they’ve got something to say, especially when it has to do with concerns about the market. Understand that your clients may not be fully informed about the real estate process and will have questions for you. Educate them without making them feel like a burden for having to ask.
Be on top of every step. Keep your clients informed along the way. They may not be the hand-holding type, but knowing they are taken care of when it comes to following up on their mortgage, appraisal or inspection will ensure they are comfortable. If your schedule is too hectic to handle the day-to-day management tasks, consider hiring a transaction coordinator so you’re not doing a disservice to your clients.
Show that you care. On birthdays, purchase or sale anniversaries, or even their wedding anniversaries, show them how much they mean to you by acknowledging and celebrating the milestones. Keep a record of important dates and send handwritten notes or friendly emails, or even drop by with a gift. These little actions make a big difference.
Making your business about the clients is all about focusing on the little details. While they may not seem significant, a service-first strategy will help you achieve those sales goals much more efficiently than focusing solely on the number of transactions you’re closing.
Routine Inventory
“The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.”
Samuel Johnson,
(September 18, 1709 - December 13, 1784), English writer.
We are but a couple of weeks away from the start of 2020, and now is the time when many of us begin reflecting on the year behind us. Did we accomplish what we wanted to accomplish? Where did we excel? Where did we lag behind? An honest look at our successes and our shortcomings can help us set goals for the year ahead and prime the motivational pump for what we hope to do with a fresh calendar.
This type of big-picture thinking is necessary, but it is not where real change happens. If we want to influence the big picture at the end of next year, we need to take a different type of inventory: Our routines and rituals.
What we do out of habit has an outsized influence on our outcomes. Concentrated periodic bursts of enthusiastic effort are no match for the incremental force of routine. The thing about routines is they are mostly invisible. That we do them without much conscious thought is also what enhances their impact on our lives. Good or ill, we follow them with practically zero resistance.
Take an inventory this month of your own routines and rituals. Do so without judgment. Look back on your daily habits and record what you see. Keeping an activity journal for a few days can help shine a light on routines that are usually off center stage. With your list in hand, you can begin to ask yourself one simple question: Does this routine contribute to or detract from my goals?
You might not always know the answer. Some may be obvious, of course, but others may be somewhat ambiguous. We all know regular exercise contributes to the health and mental well-being, but is checking your email before bed stressing you out, or preparing you for tomorrow?
Hopefully, you'll identify which rituals and routines might need a replacement or even something as subtle as an upgrade. For instance, you might be in the habit of swinging by Starbucks for a bucket full of Caramel Brulée Latte, but rather than abandon the ritual altogether, why not downshift to a smaller size or switch to iced coffee? You don't have to operate on an "all or none" basis to make lasting changes.
The macro situation of your life is a result of many micro factors. Finding the rituals and routines to tweak can make all the difference.
Energy Efficiency Tips from Carson Wentz
Eagles Quarterback Carson Wentz shared some of his favorite energy tips with us. These tips are easy to follow and can save you on your energy usage. Most importantly they are Carson approved.
Business Development Manager
NRG NE Realtor Channel
Office: 267-295-5836
https://www.nrghomepower.com/energy-choice/energy-solutions/concierge/
Coverage Basics: Sump Pumps
RE/MAX Celebrates 25 Years of Innovation in Real Estate Education
The need for accessible real estate education led to the industry’s most competitive education platform.
RU’s predecessor, the RE/MAX Satellite Network (RSN) debuted with a bang at the National Association of Realtors convention in November 1994. Throughout the three-day trade show in Anaheim, California, crowds gathered around the RE/MAX booth, mesmerized by what was essentially a TV studio in full production mode. Industry leaders sat down for interviews, a news team spoke to onlookers, and an army of technicians recorded everything on state-of-the-art TV equipment.
It was part business and part spectacle, in true Liniger (and RE/MAX) fashion. There was nothing remotely like it in the industry; the technological disruption raised educational standards and created a massive new competitive advantage for RE/MAX. And it started by literally disrupting the NAR exhibit hall.
“With RSN, RE/MAX made a loud, bold statement that was heard by everyone in the industry: ‘We’re investing in helping agents develop their skills easily and conveniently,” says Amy Somerville, RE/MAX Senior Vice President of Professional Development. “We wanted to lead the industry in professional education and, more importantly, educated professionals. And it happened.
Digital evolution
To feed the RSN system, RE/MAX World Headquarters in Denver built its own TV studio and partnered with the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the Council of Residential Specialists (CRS), the Real Estate Buyer’s Agency Council (REBAC) and others to deliver education directly to television screens in RE/MAX offices. Gone were the days (and expense) of taking time away from business – driving across town or across the state to a cramped hotel ballroom – to take a class and earn a designation. Brokerages built huge collections of recorded RSN content available to their agents any time. Agents often gathered to take a class together or watch live RSN coverage of a special event.
In 2005, as the world became more digital, RSN evolved into RE/MAX University and the platform moved from TV to the internet. The floodgates of 24-7 content, available online and from almost anywhere, were open.
The transition was seamless, and RU quickly built on the foundation RSN had laid. Today, RU boasts over 70 designations, certifications and courses and more than 1,000 online educational videos. It offers exclusive rates and partnerships with coaching programs, libraries of Affiliate videos, Momentum – a mission-based system for brokers to transform their operations and help their agents increase achievement – and much more.
“The real estate industry is constantly changing, and if agents aren’t constantly looking to be innovative in the space, they know they’ll be left in the dust,” says Somerville.
Just like the learning-based agents it empowers, Somerville says, “RE/MAX and RU are always innovating, creating new content and looking at what’s next.”
As far as what’s around the corner for this education powerhouse, Somerville points to activating the global reach of the RE/MAX network. From creating content in multiple languages, to holding live trainings in some of the 110-plus countries and territories RE/MAX is present in, Somerville says RU is as devoted as ever to bringing real estate education to everyone.
“I really think that through education, we can bring the world together,” Somerville says. “Anything we do next, it will be building on the strength of our 25 years, and continuing to empower anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit, no matter where they are or what stage of their career, they’re in.”
As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of RE/MAX University (RU), take a walk down Memory Lane! This article first appeared in the January/February 1995 edition of the RE/MAX Times newspaper showcasing the 1994 launch of RE/MAX Satellite Network (RSN), RU’s predecessor.
6 Fun Ways to Stand Out With Your Clients During the Holidays
Ah, the holidays. Just the mention of it brings up a lot of different emotions and triggers—relaxation, frenetic to-do lists, family togetherness, shopping among crowds, year-end “Let’s wrap this up” energy.
It’s a busy time, but also a perfect time to reconnect with clients old and new, relive the year’s memories, get reinvigorated for the year ahead…a fresh start. Personally, it’s one of my favorite times of the year. I spend a lot of time reflecting on what went right and wrong, what I could do differently in the next year, revisit old goals and set new ones—and, the kids come home from school. No time of year could be better.
It’s also the perfect opportunity for you and your team to connect professionally with past clients and current ones. Yes, everyone else is doing it and maybe you don’t want to be like “everyone”—you’d rather honor your client list at other times of the year. I get that, too, but there’s something about the spirit of giving at this time of year that naturally carries over for great client connecting.
I’ve put together a short list of ideas, from easy to maybe a bit more effort. All are proven, all appreciated. Pick one, put an action list against it this week, and get ready for some great end-of-the-year cheer.
1. Charitable Contribution
This is the simplest idea of all, which benefits not only you, but also the community. Pick up to four charities (I suggest one in each of four categories: children, the arts, pets, homelessness). Send a simple email to your client base (you can also do this in a holiday card, but email is quicker and more economical) inviting them to pick one of the four charities, and, in turn, you’ll make a donation in their name to that charity for the holidays. On my team, we’ve done this using an email blast with an easy Google form embedded for our clients to check off their preferred charity. If your list isn’t large, you can also simply do this by asking your clients to send a quick reply to your email.
One caveat: When choosing your charities, call them ahead of time to make sure that they will be able to send a personal letter to each of your clients stating that a donation was made in their name (this is a bonus touch—the clients will typically receive a letter in January saying that your real estate team made the donation in their honor). How much to donate? That’s up to you, but can be as small as $5 per person.
2. Spur-of-the-Moment Food or Coat Drive
If you need a reason for your sales team to reach out to current and past clients during busy November and December, have them stage a last-minute coat drive. It’s a great reason to make a call, gives you a chance to connect with clients firsthand when they drop off their old coats, and you give back to the community at the same time. Better yet (but a bit more effort), send the team out on a planned day to pick up coats, food or clothing from everyone’s front porches—value-added for your clients and an opportunity to see them for a minute or two in their own homes.
3. Offer Holiday Decorating Services
Team up with your favorite staging company to offer holiday decorating. The stager is probably not as busy this time of year and would love to bring in some year-end business. Offer your clients a discount on the holiday decorating as a way to say thank you for their business with you this year. It’s the perfect gift for this year’s homebuyers or an even better way to connect with those buyers from 3-6 years ago who may be thinking about their next move. Along the same line, a discount coupon to a local tree lot is another great giveaway that you can send in the mail or via email.
4. Host a Breakfast With Santa
This idea is tons of fun and a great way for your whole team to get involved, though notably with a bit more effort. Plan ahead for this event—you’ll need a good “Santa,” a photographer (could be you), some snacks, a location with a photo backdrop and invitations (email is fine, too). Add one more layer and invite vendors who sell gift-y things to host a table at the event. They’ll be happy to pay $25-$35 to participate (covering your costs) in order to get in front of your client base. Your agents can spend a morning connecting with clients, talking real estate for the year ahead.
5. Holiday Survival Kit Pop-By
Your team may have less closings to manage in December, so it’s a great time to do an unexpected “holiday survival kit” drop-by to your client base. A quick search on Pinterest brings up many simple ideas for crafty teams. I love the “In case of emergency, pop cork” burlap wine bags available on Etsy. Add a Christmas tag with a photo of your team and you are set for a great year-end reminder of your business.
6. Christmas Photo Ornaments
Walgreens, Shutterfly, Snapfish and many other photo craft online retailers offer photo ornaments that are simple, fun to create and inexpensive. This is a great way to remember your first-time homebuyers or past buyers with a photo of their new home and the year it came into their lives.
Don’t forget to showcase your plan on social media. There are many ways to bring attention to the great work you’re doing for your clients and community while wishing everyone a happy holiday season on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Ann Vlot
Lauren Nyemscek
Vanessa Riviera
Joel Diaz
11/1/2019
Years with RE/MAX real estate: 14
Donna Freda-Hertzog
11/1/2019
Years with RE/MAX real estate: 25
Years in Real Estate: 35
Ann McGeary
11/1/2019
Years with RE/MAX real estate: 10
Years in Real Estate: 18
Anne Geis
Years with RE/MAX real estate: 10
Years in Real Estate: 10
Danielle Wakely
Years with RE/MAX real estate: 10
Years in Real Estate: 12
Cathy Wilkins Taylor
Years with RE/MAX real estate: 1
Years in Real Estate: 5
Suzanne Robertson
Years with RE/MAX real estate: 6
Years in Real Estate: 41
Chris Topping
Years with RE/MAX real estate: 14
Years in Real Estate: 17
Jon Miller
Years with RE/MAX real estate: 21
Years in Real Estate: 26
Kalyn Kratzer,
Years with RE/MAX real estate: 2
Years in Real Estate: 2
Tara Leonard
Years with RE/MAX real estate: 13
Years in Real Estate: 13
David Coleman
Years with RE/MAX real estate: 17
Years in Real Estate: 17
Maggie Schaffer
Years with RE/MAX real estate: 19
Years in Real Estate: 19
Howard Schaeffer
Years with RE/MAX real estate: 5
Years in Real Estate: 16
Marcy Staiman
Years with RE/MAX real estate: 13
Years in Real Estate: 14
RE/MAX real estate
Let us know about your open house TODAY!
Email: joel@LehighValleyHomes.com
Website: www.LehighValleyHome.com
Location: 3120 Hamilton Boulevard, Allentown, PA, United States
Phone: 610-770-9000
Facebook: Facebook.com/LehighValleyHome
Twitter: @jdiaz01