More times than you know, the referral generated by your sales associate today becomes someone else’s internet lead tomorrow. With over 90 percent of consumers now using the Internet to begin their search, industry experts agree that response time is the single largest factor when serving an Internet consumer.

Real estate firms purchase expensive software systems to ensure quick response, hire staffing to go beyond traditional business hours, and implement high standards of response time within their agent sales force to service the internet consumer.

Broker to broker business traditionally produces higher conversion results than internet business. So, why are we servicing the broker to broker “lead” differently than the internet lead?

Perhaps the business is serviced differently because it is assumed the referring agent has a known and proven relationship with the customer they are referring; that the customer may have some sense of “loyalty” that would cause them to be willing to wait for contact. Though “loyalty” is a charming thought and a throwback to years gone past, there is a serious problem with that assumption. Sometimes your agent is referring the acquaintance from the grocery store, the car repair mechanic, or the nice gentleman they met on the plane. Will the customer (loyal or not) be willing to wait for service rather than getting immediate results requesting assistance on the web?

Referrals between brokers demand the same sense of urgency that we give to our internet leads. The trusted friend, the beloved family member, the loyal customer and the respected client deserve the same expedited delivery of service that you would provide to the customer surfing the web.

Our broker-to-broker coordinators have a tough job in today’s real estate market. There’s tremendous pressure to place these referrals expeditiously.

Sales associates know they are competing with the web. If you want to increase your outgoing referral business, your associates need to know you understand their time pressures and that you have processes in place to handle these leads with the same sense of urgency that you would handle an internet lead.

As LeadingRE affiliates, we must completely understand that the broker-to-broker referrals our sales associates generate today could potentially be someone else’s internet lead tomorrow, unless we treat our broker-to-broker referrals like internet leads, NOW!

 Vicki Hamp, CRP, GMS, Regional Relocation Director, Long & Foster Corporate Real Estate Services

Imagine my surprise when I received a call from Wes Foster late last summer asking me if I was interested in escorting a group of Mandarin speaking agents to mainland China to try to promote our company and markets to the Chinese interested in purchasing in the US! Having never been to China I was somewhat cautious with my response, but have learned never to say no to someone with the vision of Wes Foster. It turned out to be quite an interesting journey, in more ways than one!

The first objective was to find out which of our over 10,000 agents spoke Mandarin, which Wes felt was key to the visit. As it turns out, we had quite a few interested in pursuing the opportunity, and ultimately had four outstanding agents commit to the trip. The next piece was somewhat more challenging, deciding where and what venue made sense for us. As it turned out, one of our agents had attended an international property expo in Beijing in the spring and felt this was worth investigating. Fortunately they also had a fall show taking place in September, so we decided to “jump on board” and quickly get everything in place to move forward as an exhibitor. Having never done an international property expo, there was a great deal of discussion regarding what materials to present and what our booth should display.

After much debate we felt the booth should exemplify the lifestyle choices in our markets, with bright colored photos of key landmarks and housing options. Our collateral materials included new home developments, a company brochure that was translated in Chinese and information on Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^®. We felt it was important to not only showcase our markets, but also to let them know we could help them around the US and in other countries because of our global network.

On a personal side, going to China required securing a China visa (which I didn’t have), packing a red suit and gearing up for that 15 hour flight in coach! I was certainly excited about experiencing this adventure, which would be a first on so many levels.

The expo itself was very worthwhile, although there were certainly “lessons learned.” We tried to stress the MLS system and the REALTOR Code of Ethics, two things that were truly foreign to them. We learned that it might have been better for us to simplify things and not present so many options, which tended to be overwhelming. However, our booth was constantly busy, as there is a tremendous interest from the Chinese in purchasing in the US, in a variety of markets and price ranges. Some were focused on sending their children to college in the US and were looking to purchase for them; some were interested in rental investments and some in luxury housing. It was truly “all across the board.” From everyone we found enthusiasm and an interest in learning more.

Although the days were long and somewhat grueling, we were able to experience some of the things you often read about: a Peking Duck dinner and driving by the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square in the beautiful evening lights. I even made it to the Great Wall of China! From both a personal and business perspective, it was certainly worthwhile.

We are working with many interested parties – not only in this market, but also with others we will be able to refer through the network. There are numerous international expos held annually in China, so you need to do your homework to determine which is best for you. We think this market holds real promise and look forward to seeing where these first efforts lead.

 Pandra W. Richie, SCRP, SGMS, VP, Long & Foster Corporate Real Estate Services

In the time since Hurricane Sandy hit the Northeast, we have witnessed an incredible outpouring of concern from members around the world for those members who were and continue to be affected by the storm.

Many have inquired how they can assist, and others have launched or are involved in grassroots efforts to lend support to those in need.

One member, Fillmore Real Estate in Brooklyn, has organized a Hurricane Sandy relief effort and is taking supplies and food to victims daily, even opening their office to displaced individuals. Those wishing to support this program can learn more here: http://www.fillmorecares.com.

To help connect our members who want to help with those who are aiding relief efforts, we have created a space in our member community, called OUR Cause. Here, members can post requests for assistance with relief efforts, learn ways to help support these initiatives, and see status reports from members and staff in the area.

Of course, the Red Cross is also doing great work in the area, and many are supporting this organization’s admirable work. Donations can be made here.

Our thoughts will remain with all of the people impacted by the storm, and our sincere thanks go to those supporting our friends in need.

Posted by:  Pam O'Connor

If you’ve ever sat in on a marketing or sales class you’ve been told to “sell the benefits, not the features”. When selling a home with green features, rarely does anyone care what the R-factor is, they only want to know that the higher it is, the more money they will save on their electric bill. When trying to sell a specific product, if you give it much thought, it’s an easy habit to adopt. When trying to sell yourself, however, it gets more difficult.

Social media and blogging have become ways to connect with our potential customers like never before. One of the biggest mistakes we see agents doing, however, is using these as straight out ‘product vomit’ streams. They consistently blog, tweet, or share their listings, their communities, and other business topics. They miss the real connection to their circle of influence. While telling your COI what you had for breakfast isn’t any better than sharing your new listings, sharing photos of your cat, dog or horse just might be.

One of the best ways to get people to relate to you is to have a common connection. Consider how your likes, dislikes, hobbies, and general daily activities might help you gain a greater connection to your circle of influence. No one wants to do business with a robot. Very few of your contacts care about how many homes you sold last year. Tell them a story about how you volunteered this weekend at the Diamonds in the Rough equestrian rescue farm and you’ll find that Facebook will blow up with likes and comments.

Telling your story and letting others learn about who you are will create a bond between you and your center of influence. Showcasing your commonalities and building a true connection will help keep you in your COI’s “top of mind” awareness. They are also a lot more likely to pay attention when you do post business information. After all, aren’t you more encouraged to help others that you feel personally connected to?

Melissa Marro is a Realtor for Watson Realty Corp in St Johns County, FL and owner of Staging & Redesign, an online staging training company. A regular keynote speaker at industry events, Marro is known for frank and to-the-point marketing advice for entrepreneurs. To read her blog, visit MelissaMarro.com.

Posted by: Kimberly Ecker

How do you break through the infinite noise in today’s marketplace to become a trusted advisor?

Simple; the most potent marketing weapon you have in your arsenal is actually…YOU…because unlike corporations there is only one of YOU in the entire world.

What we teach in “Magnetic Real Estate” is how to use magnetic marketing strategies to become the person, leader and expert with whom everyone wants to work – the type of person whose phone calls and emails are welcomed and valued instead of detested and deleted.

You can be that person.

I’ve been studying human psychology for years and what might surprise you is the attraction between people isn’t really a choice; it’s a biological response.

By learning how to flip these attraction switches on within ourselves, we automatically begin to attract others.

Two of the most powerful triggers in existence are value and status.

People are genetically programmed to feel attraction towards others who have equal or higher levels of value and status, and you’re no different.

We respond this way because we stand to gain power through an association with that person.

If you can establish a relationship with a person of greater status and value, your value and status automatically increase as well through that association alone.

New doors and opportunity are opened.

New inside knowledge can be gained that is only reserved for people within that circle.

New alliances and partnerships with other powerful people can be formed.

This is why you are at sales meetings regularly, to gain insights from industry leaders.

This is why you idolize the top performers on stage at your company events and crowd around them to listen in on their conversations. This is why you applaud for your company’s CEO when he or she speaks.

These people have something of value to offer you, and by associating with them, you have power to gain.

We have been programmed this way from the very beginning, and if you struggle with finding customers in this industry, now you know why.

How to use this knowledge to increase your success? Join organizations and make affiliations that help you achieve this goal.

Michael Demcho, Vice President/Manager Broker, Watson Realty Corp.

Posted by: Kimberly Ecker

There is a large planned sequestration in January which will cut the United States federal budget, both foreign and domestic. Even if Congress avoids the sequestration, major cuts in most sectors are likely. Cuts in the federal budget mean many things, but for real estate professionals, this could signal an increase in military moves next year. Are you ready to help them move?

An example: Did you know that PCS means Permanent Change of Station, a re-assignment of military personnel which can give them very little notice to relocate? Our Military on the Move members know!LeadingRE’s recently introduced U.S. Military on the Move (MOM) program provides a comprehensive, turn-key training, marketing and affinity program to attract qualified military service personnel. The LeadingRE members who are participating in the MOM program are equipped with not only a new rebate program to help PCS-ing active duty, retired-with-20-years, and wounded warrior military personnel but also a wealth of resources to build these military relationships and provide outstanding service to this important market segment.

Hats off to these LeadingRE MOM participants and the bases they serve:

Alfa Realty --- Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base

Amelia Bullock Realtors --- Camp Mabry

Beverly-Hanks & Associates --- Asheville VA Medical Center

Carolina One Real Estate --- Charleston Air Force Base and Naval Weapons Station Charleston

Cloud Real Estate --- Fort Hood

Cora Bett Thomas --- Hunter Army Airfield

Counts Real Estate Group --- Naval Support Facility Panama City and Tyndall Air Force Base

Crowne Realty --- Bloomington-Normal

Crye-Leike, Realtors --- Red Stone Arsenal, Little Rock Air Force Base, and Ft. Campbell

Fickling & Co. --- Robins Air Force Base

Florida Executive Realty --- Macdill Air Force Base

GARDNER, REALTORS --- Keesler AFB, NAS JRB New Orleans, Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport, and NSA New Orleans

Jack Conway & Co. --- Cape Cod Air Force Station , Cape Cod Coast Guard Air Station, Hanscom Air Force Base, and Natick Soldier Systems Command

J.P. Weigand & Sons, Inc. --- McConnell Air Force Base

JB Goodwin --- Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, and Randolph Air Force Base

Joyner Fine Properties --- Fort Lee

Kahala Associates --- Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay Camp H.M. Smith, Schofield Barracks Fort Shafter, and Tripler Army Medical Center

Kappel & Kappel --- Travis Air Force Base

Long & Foster --- Aberdeen Proving Ground, Andrews Air Force Base, Camp Pendleton, Commander Naval Surface Force US Atlantic Fleet, Commander Navy Region Mid Atlantic, Fort AP Hill, Fort Belvoir, Fort Detrick, Fort Eustis Joint Base Langley Eustis, Fort Lee, Fort Meade, Fort Myer Joint Base Myer Henderson Hall, Joint Base Anacostia Bolling, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek Fort Story, Joint Air Force Base Langley Eustis, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, NASA Langley Research Center, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth

Long Realty Company --- Davis Monthan AFB, Fort Huachuca, Luke AFB

Residential Properties Ltd. --- Naval Station Newport

Roberts Brothers, a Dauphin Realty Partner --- Coast Guard Sector Mobile, USCG Aviation Training Center Mobile

Roy Wheeler Realty --- Defense Intelligence Agency Joint Use Intelligence Analysis Facility, National Ground Intelligence Center, US Army JAG Legal Center and School

Rusinak Real Estate Inc. --- Cheyenne Mountain Air Station, Fort Carson, Peterson AFB, Schriever AFB, US Air Force Academy

Russell & Jeffcoat Real Estate --- Fort Jackson, McEntire Joint National Guard Base, Shaw AFB

Strano & Associates --- Charles Melvin Price Support Center, Scott AFB

Townsend Real Estate --- Fort Bragg

Wardley Real Estate --- Creech Air Force Base, Nellis AFB

Watson Realty Corp. --- Jacksonville NAS, Mayport Naval Station, Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay

Weichert Realtors, Yates & Associates --- Macdill AFB

William E. Wood and Associates, Inc. --- Commander Naval Surface Force US Atlantic Fleet, Fort Eustis Joint Base Langley Eustis, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek Fort Story, Langley AFB Joint Base Langley Eustis, NAS Oceana Dam Neck Annex, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, NSA Northwest Annex Virginia, USCG Air Station Elizabeth City, USCG Hampton Roads, USCG Training Center Yorktown

Windermere Real Estate - Nevada --- Nellis AFB

If you aren’t yet participating, we need all LeadingRE members in areas with major military installations, so please contact us for more information at .

Posted by:  Pam O'Connor

We hear reports in the media of so many real estate brokers across the country voicing concerns over the recent decrease of home inventory.

As the real estate market begins to stabilize, inventory is beginning to go down and that naturally leaves buyers with less of a selection. As we know from basic economics, as supply decreases, prices increase. This increase in demand for existing homes also creates the delicate situation of sellers and their REALTORS^® handling multiple offers.

As prices go up, many homeowners who want to move to another home now have more options. They may no longer have to face selling their home as a short sale or worry about having to bring funds to closing. We should be cheering; the free market system is working.

I recommend that you increase your contacts to buyers, sellers, previous customers and friends and share the great dynamics of the changing real estate market. You might be surprised of how many customers will want you to help them with their real estate needs and desires.

William A. Watson, Jr., CEO/Founder, Watson Realty Corp.

Posted by: Kimberly Ecker

Previously, we reviewed the Housing Incentives Act which provided a variety of tax concessions for buyers and sellers of new and existing residential property. So, what is Puerto Rico doing to stimulate business investment? The Energy Reform Act, enacted in 2012, will provide rebates of 50% to 60% on installation costs of renewable generation equipment at the residential, small business, commercial and industrial levels. The tourism industry, one of the main economic drivers of Puerto Rico’s economy also receives special tax concessions for both new and existing (not in use for three or more years or where substantial renovations have taken place) tourism businesses as a result of the 2010 Tourism Development Act. These include a 100% tax exemption on municipal construction excise tax, imported goods, municipal licenses and 90% exemption on income tax and are valid for 10 years from the date of opening.

Have any of these incentives had the desired result? The 139-room St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort opened in Rio Grande in November 2010 and the 130-room Ritz-Carlton Reserve of Puerto Rico in Dorado is scheduled to open in 2012. Beyond that there are three additional hotels in the active pipeline, according to the Department of Economic Development and Commerce. As a result of these proactive tax incentives, Puerto Rico will be the only region in the Caribbean with a new hotel supply as the economy recovers—an upturn that has and will be led largely by tourism, according to Jose Perez-Riera, secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce. Of course, this leads to jobs and increased consumer spending. With the housing incentives already in place (see part one in this series), home purchases will most likely be a priority purchase.

Has Puerto Rico created a template by which the continental United States can format similar tax incentives to fuel economic growth? Based on Puerto Rico’s success in two short years, tourist regions within the continental U.S. should definitely take notice.

Jana Coleman, SCRP, SGMS Vice President, Business Solutions – North America | Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^®

Posted by: Kimberly Ecker

In an effort to boost the economy, Puerto Rico embarked on an aggressive multi-faceted strategy in January 2012. Tax incentives are being offered to both individuals and corporations on multiple levels.

At the individual level, the Housing Incentives Act, which has been extended to December 31, 2012, seeks to promote the purchase of residential property and other real estate. Buyers of new construction are exempt from property tax for five years, do not pay registration or notary fees on the mortgage deed and receive a 100% capital gain exemption at time of sale. Buyers of existing property receive a 50% discount on registration and notary fees and a 50% reduction in capital gains at time of sale. Sellers of existing property receive a 100% capital gain exemption and do not pay registration fees on the mortgage cancellation. Lastly, income earned from the rental of eligible residential property will be 100% from Puerto Rico income taxes. This proactive approach is sure to reverse the outbound trend Puerto Rico experienced between 2000 and 2010.

Can areas in the continental United States most affected by the housing downturn pattern similar incentives to increase real estate investment? Would it boost the housing industry, one of the leading drivers of our economic recovery? Only time will tell; however, suffice it to say that Puerto Rico is being strongly proactive in many ways to reverse their trend. Very soon, I believe, Puerto Rico will once again thrive and serve as a role model in making things happen rather than waiting for them to happen.

Jana Coleman, SCRP, SGMS Vice President, Business Solutions – North America | Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^®

Posted by: Kimberly Ecker

With all the changes in the real estate world, some basics never change, and increasingly sellers fall into one of two categories: The Haves and The Have-Nots.

The “Haves” are those individuals that take care of the investment made in their homes by regularly doing routine maintenance like changing air filters, painting inside and out, maintaining the landscaping and keeping clutter to a minimum. The “Haves” periodically invest in improvements to their homes by upgrading flooring, installing matching kitchen appliances and replacing toilets and vanities.

The “Have-Nots” assume that the day they move in, their home is the last cash investment they are going to make in that property. They never paint, they let carpeting get stained and wear out, they let bushes and trees grow out of control. They let their pets have the run of the house. They keep anything and everything in closets, the garage and in corners of every room. If The “Have-Nots” must replace something, they buy the absolute cheapest replacement product they can find.

What happens to these two groups of people when they sell their home is pretty predictable. The “Haves” have the show house of the neighborhood. The owners do little touches to make their home totally ready to be sold: plant fresh flowers, ensuring everything is working properly, clearing counters. Realtors love to put it on their list of houses to preview to buyers. It is the example of the way to do things.

The “Have-Nots” beg and plead that their home is almost as nice as The “Have” home and in turn expect to list it for sale at the same price. They get offended when you recommend they remove much of the clutter in the home to a storage facility to better show off the features of the house. They refuse to paint the walls of the rooms that have years of kids fingerprints and of course, they clean the carpet with the rental unit from the local convenience store.

The final result is that The “Haves” end up selling their homes at the top of market prices, typically in a shorter amount of time and increasingly with multiple offers to consider. More often than not, The “Haves” get most, if not all, of their investment back out of their home when it sells.

The “Have-Nots” home languishes on the market. They get some showings with polite feedback from the showing agents: “It was not the right floor plan;” “Still thinking about it;” “Looking in another neighborhood.” The “Have-Nots” are reluctant to reduce their price. They don’t understand why their sales associate is not doing his or her job. Those that reduce their price eventually sell, but at a level well below the average for the community.

Our recent results confirm this. The “Haves” – two homes where the owners spent time and money to upgrade fixtures, keep paint (inside and out) fresh and removed clutter were each able to get their homes under contract in less than two weeks at or near list price. Each had multiple offers. They both closed in a short time and moved on to enjoy the newest chapter in their lives.

The “Have-Not” – a home where the owner actually did a little work to put the home on the market, but didn’t like the feedback that consistently stated that appliances were outdated, the home smelled from their pets and the family room furniture in the dining room didn’t make sense. They would not/could not entertain price reductions. They even ordered an appraisal to get an independent valuation of the market price then disagreed with the much lower valuation when it came back. In the end, they pulled their home off the market when no one wanted to see it anymore.

The moral of this story is much like the tagline from a commercial years ago: “You can pay me now or you can pay me later.” In this market those that have made the investment are now reaping the rewards.

Let’s keep encouraging our customers to be “Haves.” They are much more fun to sell than “Have-Nots.”

Murray Beard, Realtor, Watson Realty Corp

Posted by: Kimberly Ecker

No real estate agency can exist without a motivated and dependable sales force on the ground, connecting with the community and providing timely customer service. But where can you find superstar agents right out of the gate? Someone who is comfortably affable with strangers, while always keeping decorum and a professional manner in mind and delivering highly competent services? How about former military personnel?

It’s no surprise that veterans are disciplined, hard-working, and accustomed to deadlines. But they can also be a great asset in connecting to the military community in your area, a source of leads as many military personnel move frequently. So how can you attract veterans to your agency?

LeadingRE member Iowa Realty, Iowa’s largest real estate brokerage firm, has started a program called Veterans to Realtors® which may inspire you! They are making it easy for veterans to become Realtors for them. These new Realtors will bring with them an intimate knowledge of military needs and concerns, which can be a great asset to your growth in that market. You can see Iowa Realty’s program at their site: http://www.iowarealty.com/vets/#first

If a military recruitment program is right for you, then you are likely located in a target demographic area for military moves. LeadingRE members who fit that description should definitely consider participating in our new U.S. Military on the Move program. For more information, email us at militaryonmove@LeadingRE.com.

Posted By: Pam O’Connor

LeadingRE is kicking off the upcoming autumn season with a series of events, including the Fall Workshop series, that began this week in Chicago. Upcoming workshops will be held in Providence September 5-6, Denver September 13-14 and Atlanta October 9-10. Luxury Portfolio International™ workshops take place just prior to the LeadingRE events, occurring in Providence September 4-5, Denver September 12-13 and Atlanta October 8-9.

In Chicago and Providence, attendees will hear from Tom Lane, partner and consultant at The Center for International Leadership, who speaks on removing the “invisible barriers” to success. Debbie Maier, performance consultant with The End Result, will address the Denver and Atlanta events, discussing what motivates people to want to make positive changes.

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® and Luxury Portfolio International™ will also host the International Symposium in Lisbon, Portugal October 22-24, which focuses on global real estate issues and inspires member integration, while strengthening cross-border referrals and marketing opportunities. Attendees will hear from keynote speakers including Richard Rawlings, UK Estate Agency Trainer of the Year 2012, who will discuss innovative marketing strategies; Matthew Ferrara, Matthew Ferrara & Company, will share insights on the global marketplace, and Steve Murray, editor of REAL Trends, who will share the latest industry trends.

On the horizon, the network will host its 2013 Conference Week February 24-28 at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas – featuring the first-ever Performance SUMMIT for sales associates, the Luxury Portfolio SUMMIT for sales associates affiliated with Luxury Portfolio International™, the Sales Manager SUMMIT, the MarTech Event for marketing and technology professionals, and the Annual Conference for brokers, managers.

Posted by:Kimberly Ecker

As I heard on a Kellogg^® commercial recently, “Gold medals aren't won overnight; they begin with a single step and then another.” Very soon, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® will be requesting nominations for a variety of brokerage awards. Members will have the chance to win a LeadingRE ‘gold medal’ by being recognized for outstanding achievement in one or more of the following brokerage categories:

Customer Service – Transaction of the Year: This award honors the Network brokerage and agent who delivered a “wow” client experience, setting the bar for exemplary customer service and serving as a role model for others who are focused on developing customers for life.

Customer Service – Referral of the Year: This award recognizes the agent working in conjunction with their relocation team to deliver exceptional customer service to both the client(s) and the referring/ receiving relocation team for a LeadingRE referral to/from another member.

Sales Production Awards: This series of awards honors brokerages for superior sales volume and unit production for a full year calendar year (2012). In order to be eligible, members need to have completed and returned the market share survey which was distributed in March.

Most Innovative Brokerage Award: This award honors one brokerage that has demonstrated innovation through either a pervasive company re-invention or a major initiative that is new and different or that applies new strategies to an existing challenge.

Leadership Award: This award recognizes the principal broker who has demonstrated unusual leadership qualities. Qualifications may include resume accomplishments, honors and credentials, but should also give at least one example of how the individual dealt with a particular challenge and inspired others to follow him/her related to the company’s business, the community or philanthropic effort.

Rainmaker Lead Generation Award: This award is presented to the member company with the most diversified and accomplished business development department, focused on company generated business from all sources to its associates as opposed to traditional relocation business exclusively.

So, what is your first step? First of all, decide which categories in which your company has excelled in 2012. Did you have an agent that went ‘above and beyond’ with a client this year, either in a referral or non-referral closed transaction? Or, did the leader respond to a community challenge, rally the volunteers and meet or exceed the community needs? Did your company reach greater performance or profitability as a result of new process or technology? Were additional services provided which resulted in increased business for your associates?

After determining which award to pursue, the next step is to create a strategic plan to gather and present the information substantiating the nomination. Collect data about that special transaction in which your associate well exceeded the customer’s expectations. Document a new technology, policy or procedure implemented that resulted in overcoming an internal challenge. Be sure to detail the resulting success. Compile a current and comprehensive life-long resume of the principal broker and itemize company or community challenges in which the principal broker took a lead role to overcome successfully. Detail the process. Document new products or services which provided additional business opportunities for your company and associates.

Lastly, be prepared to provide comprehensive information supporting your nomination to LeadingRE upon receipt of nomination requests in September. And, if selected you will be taking home that LeadingRE gold medal in February 2013!

Posted by: Jana Coleman , SCRP, SGMS Vice President, Business Solutions

Kudos to Robin Sheakley and her team at Sibcy Cline Relocation in Cincinnati for their new site http://www.movingforlove.com/. Robin is acting on the strategy some have talked about - pursuing niche markets with very customized, user-focused marketing and "micro-sites". In this case, they are appealing to individuals who have a passion that is driving them to relocate somewhere - a personal relationship, a love of the mountains, being closer to grandkids, or whatever their “love” is - and offering them white-glove relocation services similar to what corporate transferees receive. Hitting the consumer's "hot button," whether you're trying to reach single women thinking of buying a home or - in this case - those driven to move for some kind of love, making it about THEM is a great way to build relationships and customer loyalty.

Special interest blogging, Pinterest, HGTV, houzz.com – there are lots of examples of trying to target consumers with specific interests, but we haven’t seen a lot of separate real estate websites that are structuring customized service offerings around those consumers, and what a great way this is to become their “Realtor of choice”.

What about thinking out of the box to see how you could adapt the services you already offer to certain market segments by just adding some additional related services:

• Single women – information on contractors, safety tips, places to meet people

• Do-it-yourselfers – local discounts you negotiate with home contracting and hardware stores, an archive where you collect tips from clients who have rehabbed house

• Latinos – not only doing a separate site in Spanish, but including testimonials from past Latino clients, profiles of your Spanish-speaking agents, calendar of activities and events geared to that particular (Cuban American, Mexican, etc.) group

We always stress over the difficulty of differentiating one brokerage from another. Initiatives like the one Robin has developed really position you as a ‘friend of the community’ – regardless of what that community is. What better way to engage new potential clients and build a reputation for making it about THEM?

Posted by:  Pam O'Connor

(as printed in the Vancouver Business Journal)

Real estate is bound to change immensely by the year 2030; it's changing daily! Every brokerage, every agent and every client is going to have to change how they approach each transaction to keep up with new markets, new technology and new spaces for work. We decided to look at three areas in particular as indicative of where we as realtors are going.

The future of brick and mortar

Twenty years ago, Realtors were the only dealers in information about buying or selling a home. An enormous MLS book would sit in real estate offices, and clients would come in to see the only complete collection of listings in their areas. Things look different today, and they'll continue to evolve. Clients can get more of their information online, including finding their future home.

In 2030, mobility and technology will be the most important things for an agent to have in their working environment. Realtors will need to do some office-based work, and a great deal of work away from the office, and their physical work space needs to reflect that. There will be demand for an evolution of space, catered to the needs of clients and agents alike. Local businesses like the Hasson Company will maintain forward-thinking office spaces as the base for personal connectivity with our client base. Using our space on Northwest 23rd in Portland as a model, our brick and mortar spaces in the future will change the way we work. The identity of an office is linked indelibly to its location, and the key in building for 2030 will be providing for an ever-expanding online presence while staying rooted in our neighborhoods.

Co-Existing With Technology

The advent of newer technologies as 2030 approaches is inevitable, and Realtors dedicated to staying relevant will make it work for them, instead of struggling to keep up. A greater online presence will be even more critical to an office's success than it is now, including tools for agents to conduct individual business. Companies will implement more extensive training, one on one, to better equip all members of their team with resources to work with a generation of new buyers who have grown up tech-savvy.

We also see real estate transactions growing more and more complex moving into the future; more parties involved, more choreography needed by the agents to make sure everything goes smoothly, start to finish.

The Market in 2030

We're seeing it already in the Portland-Vancouver market, and will see it more and more in the future: a commitment to hyper-local, neighborhood-based transactions. What that means for us as Realtors is an increased need for street-level expertise. We'll need to know about walkability of neighborhoods, local businesses, nearby schools, etc. for every house we sell. Houses will likely have more amenities, more sustainable building incorporated into their construction, and will be highly flexible, efficient spaces to live and work. Each structure will be unique, and our job will be to treat each one as such. This means more individualized work for us, but will result in a quality-based business model that trumps any online experience clients will find.

Stephen Studley
VP of marketing and business development
Hasson Company Realtors 

Five days remain to nominate the most progressive real estate technologies/companies for the 2012 Innovator Award.

The Innovator Awards recognize technologies/companies in the following categories: Most Innovative Brokerage or Franchise, Most Innovative Real Estate Website or Web Service, Most Innovative MLS or Real Estate Trade Association, Most Innovative Real Estate Startup, Most Innovative Mobile App, and Most Innovative Real Estate Social Site or Social Service or Blog.

You have until Sunday, July 1 to nominate your firm or your favorite innovation.

Posted by:  Kimberly Ecker

We often hear stories about our members doing exceptional things – whether for the community at large or a specific family they are assisting. We thought we would share some of these stories, which illustrate the kind of service that brings customers back again and again and makes these professionals so integral to the communities they serve. We begin by highlighting Houston member Martha Turner of Martha Turner Properties and her efforts with the National Night Out.

Martha Turner, president and CEO of Martha Turner Properties and community activist, had a goal to market Houston as a safe place to live. To help achieve this, Martha Turner Properties began sponsoring National Night Out (NNO), a community campaign designed to heighten crime prevention awareness. By partnering with the Memorial Villages Police Department and Martha Turner Properties sales associates through an ad campaign, direct mail outreach, and other media vehicles that targeted homes throughout the community, Martha Turner Properties helped double last year’s NNO attendance of community members at the 2011 event. Martha Turner Properties’ sponsorship gave the local police, fire, SWAT and DEA members the necessary resources they needed to reach out to citizens and communicate important safety messages in person.

“It is the relationships we have built within the business community, such as the one we have with Martha Turner Properties, that allow us to provide the level of service to the citizens in our community we might not otherwise be able to provide,” said Memorial Villages Chief of Police Gary Brye.

In addition, Martha Turner Properties distributed free child fingerprint kits (“Safe Child ID/DNA Packages”) to all NNO attendees. The “Safe Child” kits serve as “real-life” tools that parents view as a true value and continue to be in great demand.

Martha Turner Properties’ efforts to help keep children safe extend beyond NNO into an ongoing campaign that was developed in partnership with Memorial Villages Police Department’s Officer O.G. Miller, the policeman who interfaces with students at the area schools. Because he is well-respected by the children, Officer Miller’s name and face are now on safety tip cards that Martha Turner Properties mails to homes throughout the community.

We salute the entire Martha Turner Properties team for making a real difference in their community.

Posted by:  Kimberly Ecker

As we slowly emerge from this recession many Americans are looking for ways to help jump-start the economy by contributing to and hopefully accelerating, the rebound process. After such a difficult, emotional and turbulent time, people have been scarred by unprecedented loss. Perhaps more important, they have been scarred by their loss of control and are now actively seeking ways to gain both losses back. Thankfully for a network made up of locally owned, independently branded companies, one way we are seeing this societal momentum is through consumer preference towards local business.

For example, witness the trend at farmers markets, grocery stores and restaurants around the country towards the latest buzz word, “locally-sourced”. Today, many menus proudly proclaim that produce or meat is from a local provider, reinforcing patrons’ desire to give back to their community and to support a local business. In fact, it is not uncommon to pay a premium for something that comes from a local provider. Yet patrons are happy to pay more since “locally-sourced” represents freshness, quality and the good feeling that comes from knowing they are supporting their local economy.

Or take, for example, the progressive city of Austin, Texas, where they have taken the trend towards locally sourced a step further with the city’s own Go Local card which anyone (even visitors) can purchase (for a few dollars) and use to obtain discounts at local businesses. This is evidence of truly “inspired consumerism”. The locally minded consumer can infuse dollars into the Austin economy, support local business, and even get a discount while also getting the good feeling that comes from knowing they are giving back and supporting their own micro-economy.

What more evidence? Well, you’ve heard of Flash Mobs, no? What about its latest iteration “Cash Mobs”? This is when people gather to help a selected local business by descending on said business as a mob, infusing the business owner with a small cash boost from at least a $20 purchase from each participant. Participants win because they know they are doing a good thing by supporting a local business and their economy, while the business gets a small cash windfall. It’s a win, win.

Even Google has jumped on board by revising their search algorithm to lead users to local brands and businesses by defaulting to your location and giving you separate, local results. No longer do consumers need to rely on TV advertising or national brands to find a brand they are comfortable with. Now Google will steer them to the local, high-performing product or service provider, naturally.

And so – it’s easy with commodity products – when there’s choice, choose local. But what about the mass majority of the fuel for our economy, the service providers? Does the same principle apply? In fact it does. By selecting a local service provider – a hair salon, a tax preparer, a real estate agent – consumers are selecting a more individualized, market-specific service that is more about their needs than a one-size-fits-all mass approach. And, by selecting a local service provider, like with products, they ensure their dollars are going to local businesses and are ultimately being re-invested in that local community. Their dollars are not going to a large, mega franchise whose business may not even be the business in hand. Point in fact, their business is selling franchises.

Ultimately, it’s a good time to be a locally rooted, independent company, especially a real estate broker, because consumers prefer what you represent. Local knowledge and roots. Commitment to the community. Customized service. The stronger we are, the stronger our communities become. And of course, as a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® you provide the best of both worlds because you are a local business with global connections. In fact, you have more global connections then any of your franchise competitors because collectively LeadingRE has more listings and sales, more agents, more market share, and is number one in more markets in the U.S. then any of those folks in the franchise sales business.

It’s great news, but the story needs to be told. So be sure you are sharing your locally-focused values and your global connections with your clients. Help them to make informed, educated decisions by arming them with the facts.

The result will benefit us all.

Note: Special thanks to Hank Perry and Mary Ellen Mancino-Dudum at Empire Realty Associates in Danville, CA in for their contributions to this piece.

Posted by:  Stephanie Pfeffer

This post is being composed after a fantastic conference call this morning/afternoon with my panel for the upcoming Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® conference entitled: Business Is Going Global; Are You Maximizing International Referral Opportunities? At 11:00 on Sunday, March 25e, I am delighted to be moderating a fabulous panel of Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell’s Sherrie Porter (U.S.), WETAG Consulting’s Peter Rabitz (Switzerland) and LeadingRE’s Chris Dietz (UK/Germany).

Now you can see why I used “morning/afternoon” to define the timing of the conference call.

I’ve had the pleasure over the past several years to explore the “international” topic through presentations and posts. A consistent theme throughout is the express interest in showcasing why “global” matters in real estate. My intro will again tackle this topic, but if you don’t know today that global matters, then you likely won’t be in the room to hear it.

Global does matter, but it matters to a varying degree based upon the real estate market. In some markets it’s very important and in others, not at all.

To help discover how important it may be to your market, I’ve created a brief and completely unscientific quiz. Answer the following six questions and record the correct number of points for each response.

Sharon E. Michnay, CRP, GMS 
Executive Director
Corporate Business Development
Halstead Property

Roger Atchinson, senior vice president of sales and marketing for RELO Direct^®, shares his insight on the new reality in the home buying process as it relates to relocation with realestatepro.com. In the article, Atchinson provides an up-to-date analysis and stresses key elements that weigh into relocating – including shifts in how the consumer sector approaches the real estate market, the current realities of the home buying dynamic, the continued importance of location and the greater need for professional assistance. Atchinson describes how all areas point to a “resurgence in relocation activity as the economy shows signs of rebounding.” See recommendations for homebuyers and view the full article here.

Posted by: Kimberly Ecker

Dictionary.com's ‘2011 Word of the Year’ was tergiversate: to change repeatedly one's attitude or opinions with respect to a cause, subject, etc.; to equivocate. Here is some background on why this word caught their attention this year.

Politicians are criticized when they “flip flop,” and people who change their minds repeatedly are often perceived as being weak or easily manipulated. But in these times, when circumstances change from week to week, flexibility may be a sign of an agile, ever-thinking mindset. As more facts become known, or experience shows that something that seemed to be a good idea might not have worked well in actual practice, don’t be afraid to change course rather than remaining married to a particular strategy or philosophy.

This doesn’t mean you don’t have a strong “moral compass” that serves as a guidepost for decision-making. That is foundational for everything we do and determines what we consider right or wrong, what we base loyalty upon, what we consider to be priorities in our lives, and what we stand for.

But sometimes, it’s possible to confuse those basics with a viewpoint or ideology that may need to be re-visited given current circumstances. In other words, being open-minded without compromising heartfelt principles is often a real asset.

So my New Year’s resolution – along with the usual ones you can probably guess – is not to be afraid to tergiversate! Join me in doing that, and maybe we can not only mix things up a bit and have some fun, but also find some new solutions that could make a real difference in 2012. Happy New Year!

Posted by:  Pam O'Connor

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® had a great showing on the Inman 100 report, an annual ranking of the Most Influential Real Estate Leaders.

Nearly 30% of the people in the category of Brokerages, Franchisors, Brokerage Organizations are affiliated with the network:

• Matt Beall, Principal broker, CEO, Hawaii Life Real Estate Brokers
• Helen Hanna Casey, President, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services
• Harold E. Crye, President, co-founder, Crye-Leike Realtors
• Jeffrey S. Detwiler, President and chief operating officer, The Long & Foster Companies
• Joseph A. Horning, President, Shorewest Realtors
• Paul Hulme, President, founder, CEO, Alain Pinel Realtors
• Robert Moline, President, chief operating officer, HomeServices of America Inc.
• Pam O’Connor, President and CEO, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World
• Ronald J. Peltier, Chairman and CEO, HomeServices of America Inc.
• Jim Weichert, Founder and President, Weichert, Realtors

Also making the list is member Eric Bryn, Vice President, digital innovation at Baird & Warner, in the Digital Innovation category and a number of LeadingRE Solutions Group Partners.

Congratulations to these brokers and partners and to our own President/CEO Pam O’Connor for illustrating the strength of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^®.

Click here to view the complete list. 

Posted by: Kimberly Ecker

While I was traveling very recently, I had some situations that reminded me going the extra mile does make a difference. In today’s hustle bustle world of life and business, so many of us look at how we can accomplish a task the fastest so that we can complete our to do lists. In the long run are we stopping to smell the roses? Are we actually having a positive impact on someone else?

Dealing with car rental companies for many of us is just an ordinary procedure. Last week, I was at the Detroit airport - Enterprise car rental company. When I arrived the registration desk staff verified that the driver carried my bag (he actually insisted, nicely, that he help me), reviewed their hours of operation and what how to contact them if I needed them after hours, was offered a map, presented me with water etc. which is much more than had ever happened with any of my other rental experiences. To my surprise when I returned the car, the manager greeted me by opening my door and asking how my travels were. Well, there was a slight challenge with the car that I mentioned to him for the sole purpose of helping the next customer of this car. Again, to my surprise, he bent over backwards to secure I had a great experience and was leaving smiling. Now, to top that, I received a call from the Detroit Enterprise staff to see how my experience went (he knew nothing of the discussion I had when returning the car) and was there something else they could do for me to make my experience the best to secure the return of my business. Come to find out, all of these interactions are just part of their normal business procedures in Detroit which to me was going the extra mile with their customers. Are we doing that with our real estate business? Do we do the most complete follow-up from first meeting to last with hopefully a closed transaction? Do we hope to do this and then shelve the discussion because we get busy or other items end up on our plates?

Another experience just occurred Saturday. My husband and I take one day in December each year to enjoy Boston. Now, I have had a shrimp allergy for the past 6+ years and always tell the waitperson if I am ordering any fish dishes. When we were ordering, the waitperson asked about allergies and even though I was not ordering any fish items, he took extra note about my situation. On this occasion, the manager of the restaurant actually delivered our meals and completely explained how the food was prepared for both of our dishes, making sure I knew not to eat any of my husband's french fries (darn!) as they could have been cooked in oil that had had shrimp in it. Please note, at time we were there the restaurant was full. Well, this was a first for me. Actually taking extra steps and in numerous actions to make sure we had the best meal and experience. From the greeting, to the initial interaction with our wait staff, to the personal attention from the manager, all the way to our leaving the restaurant was above and beyond. Please note this did not mean the cost factor was higher than any other similar restaurant!

To piggyback these experiences, there was a blog posted yesterday that asked about your experience when you call a company. From the first interaction to the last, are we going the extra mile to make sure we are delivering the most positive, memorable experience? What do we have in place to secure our customer/client will return to us?

Posted by:  Pam Chute

Tune in to HGTV December 8 at 6:30 p.m. (EST) to see one of our network’s very own, Julie Lane with Janet McAfee Real Estate, on the series My First Place. The episode is titled "Waiting in Vain for a House" and will follow a set of first-time St. Louis homebuyers as Julies assists them with the process of purchasing a new home. The episode brings to reality the challenges first-time buyers face in today's market and reveals how an agent’s expertise can make the world of a difference.

Since joining Janet McAfee Real Estate just four short years ago, Julie Lane has quickly become a top agent, a consummate professional and now, ambassador for the St. Louis real estate community on HGTV. You will find Julie on the short list of the Central Corridor's most successful real estate professionals.

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® continuously brings publicity opportunities to its members including through HGTV and its home-listing site FrontDoor.com. 

To view more on Janet McAfee Real Estate, click here.

Posted by: Kimberly Ecker

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® members and partners had a strong showing on the Inman 100 list, which recognizes those whose voices and actions have the power to change the industry.

Chris Meyers, Houlihan Lawrence; Harold Crye, Crye-Leike, Inc.; J. Lennox Scott, John L. Scott Real Estate; Jeffrey S. Detwiler, Long & Foster Companies; Jim Weichert, Weichert, Realtors; John Paul Horning, Shorewest Realtors; Martha Turner, Martha Turner Properties; Matthew Dollinger, @properties; Merle L. Whitehead, RealtyUSA.com; Michael Montsko, Weichert Realtors; Michael Saunders, Michael Saunders & Company; P. Wesley Foster, Long & Foster; Pam O'Connor, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^®; Pat Riley, Allen Tate Realtors; Paul Boomsma, Luxury Portfolio International™ / Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^®; Rob Sibcy, Sibcy Cline Realtors; Ron R. Roe, Russell & Jeffcoat Real Estate; Ronald J. Peltier, HomeServices of America, Inc.; Stephen Baird, Baird & Warner Real Estate; William "Bill" Watson, Jr., Watson Realty Corp.; and William Raveis, William Raveis Real Estate. LeadingRE Institute 2.0 Faculty Matthew Ferrara, Matthew Ferrara Learning Network, and Steve Harney, Keeping Current Matters, were also named.

Now is your chance to vote for the leader you believe has had the most significant impact on the industry this past year. through the "People's Choice" Most Influential Real Estate Leader award. This honor is based on a popular vote of Inman News readers and will be announced during the Real Estate Connect conference in New York City January 11-13, 2012.

To view the complete list of readers' nominations and cast your vote (by the December 1 deadline), click here.

Posted by: Kimberly Ecker

Looking for an interesting way to improve time spent on your website, while providing useful information to home buyers? Take the lead from Kahala Associates, which has incorporated a “Walk Score” on its website for every home for sale in Oahu.

In their weekly Tuesday morning show segment, “Beyond Homes,” Kahala Associates’ Chuck Garrett and Tammy Mori describe how the “Walk Score” conveys how easy it is to walk to areas of interest from a given home.

Walk Score is an online application that measures walkable neighborhoods. Walk Scores range from 0-100 for any address—the higher the score, the better the walkability. A score of 90-100 is a walker’s paradise, where daily errands do not require a car. 70-89 indicates a very walkable area where most errands can be accomplished on foot. The mid-range from 50-69 is somewhat walkable; some amenities are within walking distance. The lower ranges of 25-49 are car dependent—only a few amenities are within walking distance. Finally, 0-24 is definitely car dependent—almost all errands require a car.

For example, homes located in older, established areas that were originally developed around shopping, restaurants and businesses have a higher walking score. The same may be true of Oahu’s re-developed urban core where new developments offer easier access to goods and services. Lower Walk Scores are typically seen in suburban or rural areas.

To learn more about walkability, visit walkscore.com.

To view the full morning segment, click here.

Posted by: Chuck Garrett and Tammy Mori

Future luxury property by Luxury Portfolio International™ 

The sun was shining down on Tuscany on September 8 as a group of ten of us paid a visit to Castello di Casole, a fractional ownership luxury property offered through Luxury Portfolio International™ member Joshua & Co. in Aspen. I previously had the pleasure of meeting Amy and Gary Feldman with Joshua & Co. at the Luxury Portfolio International™ meeting in Chicago, and when I heard about this Timbers Resort property, I knew I had to see it for myself.

The local Tuscany representative, Jennifer Young, was a delightful tour guide and led our group through three existing homes as well as a luxury boutique hotel under construction. Sitting on 4,500 acres, Castello di Casole presented a unique opportunity to the discriminating buyer, and I felt as if I were in the Tuscan countryside, not part of a development. Yet, the community still provides all the amenities someone could hope for, and I anticipate that when the 41-suite hotel opens in April 2012, there could be nothing lacking from a homeowner’s perspective. Our guide informed us there would be a total of only 28 Casali farmhouses on the 4,500 acres, with an additional small group of two and three bedroom hotel villas.

In addition to the extensive tour Jennifer provided, we were the guests of a private luncheon done exclusively for us. Castello di Casole really rolled out the “red carpet,” and after the experience I would highly recommend taking the time to send any clients there who are traveling to Tuscany.

Not only was I able to share this wonderful opportunity with the friends traveling with me to Tuscany, but I was also able to register one referral following my return. In this respect, the trip was a great investment of time and allowed me to share the fabulous development with others, along with the value of being an exclusive member of Luxury Portfolio International™ and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^®.

Posted by: Pandra Richie, Long & Foster

In their weekly Tuesday morning show segment, “Beyond Homes,” Kahala Associates’ Chuck Garrett and Tammy Mori list some of the latest mobile apps for homebuyers and sellers involving home improvement projects, investment analysis and loan payment calculation:

• Benjamin Moore^® “Color Capture” tool and Color Snap^® by Sherwin-Williams: These apps allow you to snap a photo of a wall color you love on your iPhone or BlackBerry and then produces a matching color code, along with complimentary color suggestions.
• Wikihood: This tool enables you to discover specific details about most any neighborhood in the world, providing information on people, culture, businesses, points of interest, and overall geography.
• 99₵ Real Estate Calc App-(Loan Qualification Calculator): This mortgage calculator, loan qualifier, and down payment calculator offers the capability to email yourself detailed reports.
• Walk Score^®: This program provides amenities within walking distance from your current location.
• Property Evaluator: The most powerful real estate investment analysis software (according to Inman News), this app for iPads allows you to enter minor details about the property to view major performance projections compared to other properties; you can email with friends via pdf.
• Kurio app: Launched by the Honolulu Board of Directors, this tool allows you to search for nearby listings for sale from any web-enabled mobile device.

To view the full segment, click here.

Posted by: Chuck Garrett and Tammy Mori

Inman News is now accepting nominations for this year’s Inman 100 List, which features the top 100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders. Get your nominations in by Tuesday, November 1, 2011 to recognize those leaders who have demonstrated leadership, innovation, ingenuity, power and persistence in the success of the home buying and selling business.

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® had a great showing on Inman’s 2010 Most Influential Leaders List in the brokerage category, with 9 of the 24 honorees affiliated with the network. Making the prestigious list were:

• Stephen W. Baird, President, CEO, Baird & Warner
• Mary Frances Burleson, President and CEO, Ebby Halliday Realtors
• Harold E. Crye, Co-founder and president, Crye-Leike Realtors
• P. Wesley ‘Wes’ Foster Jr., Founder, Chairman and CEO, The Long & Foster Companies
• Howard W. ‘Hoddy’ Hanna, III, Chairman and CEO, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services
• Paul Hulme, President, Founder and CEO; Alain Pinel Realtors
• Pam O’Connor, President and CEO, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World
• Ronald J. Peltier, Chairman and CEO, HomeServices of America Inc..
• Jim Weichert, Founder and President, Weichert, Realtors

Nominations are reviewed by Inman News' editorial staff and company managers, and an internal review team will consider these and other influential individuals that fit the criteria before making a final selection. Now is your chance to honor those who have inspired you to become an expert in real estate!

View the online Nomination form here.

Posted by:  Kimberly Ecker

This very important principle must be understood. It basically deals with the fact that clients must be given a reason to contact you. This then begs the question: What do clients want? In addressing this challenge you must ask yourself the following questions:

1. What are my client’s motivations?
2. What is most important to my client?
3. What does my client want to buy or sell?

The key to finding out what clients want: ASK THEM, then listen hard!
Finding out what your clients want is easier than you think; just simply ask them when you have them on the phone when you prescreen them.

Not understanding your clients’ needs is definitely the biggest mistake that most business people make, especially in real estate.

For example, we make assumptions why someone is selling. We might automatically assume they want to move up, or perhaps are in pre-foreclosure.

People have many different reasons to need the services of a professional real estate agent based on their personal situation. Given this, it is important to speak to each prospective client differently, addressing his or her specific questions, concerns and needs.

The key here is to ensure you go deep enough into their thinking to understand their true motivation. If someone wants to downsize from a home to a condo, that’s great, but that’s not all the information you need. Ask…what got you thinking about doing that? Question each answer until you get to answer 5, 6 or 7. That’s when you really start to understand their motivation and when you know how you can best serve them.

Posted by: Michael Demcho

Vice President / Managing Broker

Watson Realty Corp.

I actually got involved in Amway years and years ago when I had a very bad week as a Realtor^®. Three customers had tanked on me in one week, and I’d been working with all of them for months. Amway was presented as an alternative to real estate, and I bit.

While Amway did not end up making me the money I had imagined, it did teach me a lot about how to look at my business and my life. At that time, Amway recommended a path to success that included three things: ‘books, tapes, and functions’.

Here is what they meant. Books – they recommended a book each month. That book was something like a Napoleon Hill or a Dale Carnegie or an Og Mandino; books that had something to offer that would make you a better person.

Next, was tapes. At that time (pre-CD days) you were supposed to subscribe to the tape-of-the-week. Each tape was made by someone more experienced in the business and listening to them provided training for becoming better at your (Amway) job.

Finally, functions. There were weekly meetings, monthly meetings and great big out of town meetings. They were educational, but their real purpose was to put you in touch with positive people who were moving on in their lives.

While I only stuck with Amway for a few years, I carried the philosophy into my real estate career. To this day I continue to read books that will help me understand myself and others and help me be a better person.

I continue to take advantage of opportunities to learn more about real estate and stay on top of the business and become better at what I do.

Finally, I learned that it was better to be around positive people than negative ones. Those friends who are always complaining about life and how unfair things are, yet do nothing to change their lives for the better – I don’t hang with them any more. I prefer to be with people who get up each day and believe they can make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others.

So while Amway didn’t make me rich in the sense I had expected, it actually made me richer in a far greater way. I know that I have become a better person and Realtor^® because of it.

Posted by: Crissie Cudd, Manager, Watson Realty, Southside Office

As a new REALTOR^®, I don't have much advice for people in the business, but here's why I got in.

I just love the idea of running my own show, being the boss, taking it to the streets, putting the pedal to the metal. Enough clichés already, but I am serious about the idea of free enterprise, the lifeblood of The American Dream. We all better get serious about it, or we could be facing an American Nightmare!

As Realtors we are free - to plan, organize, prospect, follow up, inform, educate, and help people. As our business gradually builds, we can legitimately call it an enterprise. How great is it that we are free to build a business of our own, a business based on working hard and helping others? It's not complicated, but it is very important.

It is easy to get frustrated by people who would rather get than to give. The economy is tough, and we need growth to bring jobs back and renew prosperity. The political situation now is clogged by red-blooded Americans who stand with their hands out waiting for help. Guess what? Most of us need to go out there and help others before we can begin to get anything for ourselves. When we see this clearly, we can appreciate the way things really work and start to put ourselves in the position to grow, build, and create our own slice of the free enterprise pie.

Proud to be a REALTOR^® in America.

Posted by: Liz Reiman, Watson Realty Corp.

After many requests (actually “pleas” may be the more appropriate term) to agents and managers for help with transferees who want to look for rental homes when they arrive in our region, it occurred to me I need to connect the world our agents are living in with the world inside a relocation department. Distressed sales make up 30% to 45% of our agents’ transactions. Agents speak daily with sellers who are about to face foreclosure, need to do a short sale, or are under water and cannot move. They understand the stress in the market, but do they relate that to the calls from our relocation department to ask for assistance with another renter. We all miss the days when a corporate client would send us a number of buyers and an occasional renter. Those days have past – at least for now.

If 30 to 45% of sellers are in distressed situations, then it only makes sense that a corresponding percentage of relocation properties are distressed. Transferees who have just experienced a foreclosure cannot buy in the new location. Transferees who just completed a short sale cannot buy in the new location. Transferees who have been told they are underwater are most likely going to rent the old house and not buy in the new location. Yes, agents, 30 to 45% of relocation business to our area is now from rental clients. Add to that the stress about the unemployment numbers and talk of new layoffs in various industries (example Bank of America and the Post Office), and transferees arrive at their new location concerned about having a job next year. Given that, the percentage of renters is now pushing 50%.

BUT, there is good news. Statistics show that once a person/family has owned a home, they want to own a home again. A recent poll by the New York Times/CBS News showed that 55% of Americans think owning a home is part of the American Dream. 63% think it is important for the federal government to continue the home mortgage interest deduction. Put these statistics in the perspective of historical home ownership running around 60%, and the dream is still alive. These transferees will buy again.

In any market, a smart agent will help a transferee looking for a rental. A basic of real estate 101 is to develop a sphere of influence. It is to build a real estate family who sends the agent business, either for themselves or as a referral. Successful agents live on referred business. Add to this the fact that the best way to build a relationship is face-to-face. Given an opportunity to meet someone new, deliver a needed service to them, impress them with expertise and professionalism, how can an agent turn this down? This new contact is a strong addition to any agent’s real estate family. This new contact has seen this agent in action. It makes asking for a referral a pretty sure bet. And they will buy again someday.

Thank goodness we still have agents in our company who do remember real estate 101 and are there to help us develop rental service to our clients.

Author: Carolyne Hotze, CRP, GMS

Regional Director, Southern Virginia Region

Long & Foster Corporate Real Estate Services

804-320-2561 direct 800-446-6009 toll free

A Cogent Case for What Makes a Successful Leader

You are the CEO of your real estate business. That being said, I thought you’d be interested in what The Economist magazine listed as key qualities of successful leaders:

• A sound ethical compass (a requirement of our REALTOR^® Code of Ethics)
• The ability to make unpleasant decisions (always put your clients’ interests above your own)
• Clarity and focus (show discipline in your work habits…prospect daily…get the job done)
• Ambition (you set goals that stretch you a bit)
• Effective communication skills (your clients understand what’s going on at all times)
• The ability to judge people (figure out how best to work with co-brokers and clients)
• A knack for developing talent (hired a new agent or an assistant lately?)
• Emotional self-confidence (get over the setbacks you’ll inevitably face in this business)
• Adaptability (who moved your cheese today?)
• Charm (you have oodles of it!)

How do your leadership skills stack up against this list? After all…you’re the leader of your business.

Author: Tom Gongaware, CRB^®, e-PRO^®, GRI, ABRM

General Sales Manager – Triangle Region

Allen Tate, REALTORS^®

Well, just when you think that you’d seen it all, “Wait… there’s more!” You may have read recently that Polk County, Florida, has a record high of over 800 Adverse Possession claims on real estate currently pending with the County Appraisers Office and Florida Statutes 95.16 and 95.18 outline the details of how to go about it. Why such a rise in claims? Well, it seems that certain individuals have decided to take advantage of abandoned and foreclosed homes by going into the County Appraisers Office and paying back taxes with the idea that if the original owner does not object over the next seven years, the property will convey to the ‘possessor’… adversely. And, by the way, many of these possessors are not just satisfied with ultimately obtaining the property for relatively little. They also are renting out the properties to unsuspecting tenants who think that they are renting from a legitimate owner/landlord!

All 50 states currently have Adverse Possession laws on the books that date back to Renaissance England where large tracts of land would often go unattended for long periods of time. It was a method that was put into place to restore the integrity of the land and ultimately, reward the possessor for their ‘public service’. That said, today’s adverse possessor seems to be motivated by greed and preys on the misfortune of others for personal gain. It’s not that easy to get adverse possessors out of the properties that they are occupying. The process is very lengthy and requires the Sheriff’s Department to obtain copies of the Adverse Possession Registration and then actually go out to the property to interview the occupant. If the occupant is a tenant, the Sherriff will inform them that they are paying rent to someone that doesn’t own the property and that they do not have to continue doing so. Next, the Sheriff has to locate and interview the individual who actually abandoned the property and inform them that their property is being occupied by an unauthorized tenant who may cause damage to the property, and that they, the abandoner, will ultimately be responsible. Hopefully, given that information, the abandoner will sign a trespassing warning which will be served on the occupant/tenant who will then be ordered to move or be arrested.

Given the dramatic increases in the number of Adverse Possession filings throughout the state, it’s hard to imagine that the local Sheriff’s Department will be able to keep up with the process required to evict these unlawful detainers. Those who practice this scheme say that it’s a way of providing housing to those less fortunate and cleaning up our neighborhoods, but at the end of the day it’s really a devious and deceptive practice by some who are clearly taking advantage of the misfortune of others… for personal gain.

Author:Ken Bennett,
Regional Vice President,
Watson Realty Corp.

Clients Don’t Want To Be Sold

The harder you pursue in your attempts to be a salesperson, the faster your potential clients will run from you.

A great real estate agent will establish value, build loyalty and lifetime clients.

Consider that most real estate agents think of themselves as salespeople instead of educators, counselors or service providers. They’re marketers, too. As soon as your client feels you’re a salesperson, he/she will instantly view you as easily replaceable and lose interest in dealing with you. This is the fastest way to lose your value to any client; especially someone you’re trying to help.

Do Something Different… Market “Outside the Box”

Most agents try to advertise homes with classified ads that say the same old thing: “3/2 Colonial in desirable part of town” or “Move-in charmer!” You know what? Do something different.

Run an ad that says something like: “Tired of real estate agents hounding you? Search the MLS like a pro and learn the home buying process.”

Change it up. It’s absolute madness if you have the same marketing message as everyone else. Separate yourself from all the stereotypical agents, and bring business in the door. If your ad looks, feels and smells like advertising, it’s likely that your best potential clients will never see it. Because the average person is exposed to thousands of ads and messages every single week, they have become immune to advertising. So while big, flashy adverting is done by most marketers, they all make the same old tired promises of service, quality and integrity. Often, their advertising is haphazard, with no tracking to determine what is effective.

Prospects do not want to be sold; they want to seek counsel with a credible, trusted professional. Do your best to truly help people overcome their challenges and difficult situations. That is actually what I believe is my duty, and my greatest source of inspiration to get started each day is knowing that if I didn’t get there first, the customer will work with someone else who will deliver a lower quality of service. I will always remember some of the bad decisions I made over the years, and how much my mentor guided me to correct those mistakes. Today, it gives me great satisfaction to share my experience and knowledge with others who are newer to the business.

Establishing The Right Frame Of Mind

Realize that you are unique and have the ability to add tremendous value to your clients and help them fulfill their dreams. Develop a single-minded focus on that, and when you do, success will come your way.

Posted by:  Michael Demcho
Vice President/Manager Broker,
Watson Realty Corp.

Following a conversation with UV Professor Ed Burton on what the raising of the debt ceiling would mean to interest rates and the real estate market, Roy Wheeler Realty Company CEO, Michael Guthrie, who also hosts “Real Estate Matters” every Saturday on WINA Radio, speaks with station host on the matter.

Jay: We’ve been looking at the debt ceiling from different angles and I think one industry we all look to when we try to gage the barometer of the economy is the real estate industry. Is this a relief to your industry?

Michael: This particular act, as far as raising the debt ceiling, it really didn’t do anything other than raise the debt ceiling. No promise for tax revenue, no promise for dealing with the entitlements, we just raised the debt ceiling. Going back to the personal; it’s like all of us. If you have a credit card and you can’t pay it, that baby just keeps on going up because you pay the minimum payment and you’re not even paying the interest on it.

The point being is confidence. You’ve got these companies that have had some success in the last few months and real estate has picked up a little bit in the last 2 or 3 months so you’ve had a little bit of optimism and you have a little bit of the momentum going, and yet you don’t really want to pull the trigger on some new opportunity because you don’t know what’s going to happen in the next 3 or 4 months because you don’t have the confidence. That’s a lot of what prevents people from buying homes.

People may be ok and they may be secure in their jobs and they’re thinking, but what happens “if”…and that’s what hasn’t been answered yet. And so if we can build some trust; if people can see some positive things happening and see they’re really dealing with the issues to start paying down the debt, then you start getting the trust, then you start getting the confidence and people say ok and are ready to step out and do something.

Jay: Do you feel like real estate is the most critical to your industry about this confidence you’ve been talking about..more so than cars, more so than other types of other things because of how large a purchase a home is?

Michael: People know when they buy a car and they drive it off the lot, it’s not worth what they pay for it. But in real estate, you buy something, you hang on to it and ultimately, you have an investment. It appreciates, you pay down on your mortgage, and ultimately you have equity that you sell the house and do something or else or buy another house.

Well right now, a lot of people don’t feel that way. We’ve been hit bad enough that we’re down to 2006 prices, so that anybody who bought a house in 2007-10, there’s a very good chance that they can’t sell their house for what they paid for it.

If you’re a first-time buyer, one of the things I tell folks is find out what that house can rent for and don’t buy the house and have a monthly payment that’s more than what you can rent it for so that if you do get moved in a couple years, and its not the right time to sell you can rent it and have somebody else paying your mortgage until the market improves or you come back to enjoy that house on football and basketball weekends and whenever you want to come back during the summertime.

Visit this link to hear the full interview.

Posted by: Kimberly Ecker

In the olden days potential buyers relied on Realtors^® because we were the only ones who had knowledge of what properties were for sale. Now customers believe that with the Internet they can find the homes themselves. Some agents perpetuate the problem by telling customers to go online, pick out the homes they want to see, and let them know when they do so the agent can make appointments.

Recently one of my agents got a call from a customer to look at properties. When asked if the customer was working with an agent, the customer replied, “Not really. I looked at several homes with a Realtor^® but they didn’t do anything. I picked everything out myself and they just showed them to me.”

Surveys show that the most important service a buyer wants from a Realtor^® is to find them a home. When Realtors^® abdicate that responsibility they become, in the buyer’s mind, a door-opener. They don’t yet realize that the Realtor’s skill and training is really called into play for writing and negotiating a good contract and following up on inspections and deadlines all the way to closing.

Realtors^® need to spend time educating buyers on the process and explaining how buyers can use the Internet to SUPPLEMENT what the agent is doing, but not replace it. Our agents need to help buyers understand how their skills will be put to use through the mortgage and inspection issues as well, and the unforeseen things that always come up prior to closing. Realtors^® all have “listing presentations” but most don’t have “buyer presentations”. Those are just as important if we truly want to help them develop buyer loyalty.

Years ago it was prophesied that agents would become obsolete when customers had access to the Internet. Yet we know that in this day and age Realtors^® are more necessary than ever to help buyers through this complex market. We will only become obsolete when we fail to demonstrate that skill to the buyers.

Check out our website.

Posted by:  Crissie Cudd, Manager, Watson Realty, Southside Office

Roy Wheeler Realty Company CEO, Michael Guthrie, who also hosts “Real Estate Matters” every Saturday on WINA Radio sat down with the station’s news director Coy Barefoot to discuss how integrating social media into business strategies helps to build rapport, gain credibility, and ultimately show people that you care.

Coy: With social networking, this is not just something the kids are doing, it’s something businesses are doing and you have really gotten a hold of it and taken advantage of it and been a real leader in the community to show other people that it isn’t just something you do for fun, it’s about good business and networking…give me an idea of how you think all this social networking has impacted how businesses operates in Charlottesville?

Michael: Classic example: Why I’m here right now.

Coy: You sent me a message on Twitter.

Michael: Yes, we were tweeting back and forth about stuff and you said why don’t you come on the show?

Coy: It was on Facebook actually.

Michael: Yes, if we hadn’t been having that conversation, I would have been on your show at some point because I come on from time to time, but it wouldn’t have been today….and that leads me into what I want to share and that is what people need to understand about social media.

I look at it as just a conversation: …. think about the coolest Christmas party that you always want to be invited to because 1.) it’s a really cool Christmas party and 2.) all the people that are going to be there are people that maybe you don’t get to rub shoulders with the rest of the year. They’re all in the same room and you’re talking and then you hear a conversation over here and you want to get in that conversation so you move respectfully and politely out of this conversation and over to here. That’s what I see social media as…social media is just the beginning of conversations and if you’re not there, you aren’t in the conversation and things are going to be happening and going along and by the time you find out about it; it’s too late…somebody else has moved in and taken advantage of that particular situation.

Social media is not the “be all, end all”. It is engaging in conversation. You begin to build rapport with people; you begin in the business role. If I friend somebody or somebody friends me, we begin to have a conversation, so I’m building a rapport with that person. They begin to see what I’m posting, whether it be on my own site, or whether it be on my “Real Estate Matters” Facebook page, or Roy Wheeler’s Facebook page, I begin to gain credibility with them. They think this guy has some idea of what’s going on so they track and see what I’m doing and then the back end of it is once I’ve built the rapport, gained the credibility, how do I show them I care? You do that by birthdays, or you see somebody passed away and you’re right there saying, “hey, I’m so sorry”. But here’s the key from my standpoint: In one of those situations, you come out of the Facebook and you pick up a pen and write that person a note, “Hey I’m so sorry to hear your grandmother died”

Coy: It really does make a difference

Michael: It does. I was on a call today and we were talking about these types of things and the guy said, “In business, we hear all the time about ‘return of investment’, he termed social media as ‘return of engagement’. And the whole point is that as you engage into this social media, what kind of return is your business getting? I can tell you for a fact that since I’ve decided to engage in social media, so that I can lead my agents into this type of marketing, what the agents are experiencing as far as building that rapport, gaining credibility, and showing people that they care and then doing business with them is significant.

Visit this link to hear the full interview.

Posted by:  Kimberly Ecker

LeadingRE is looking forward to the upcoming Fall Workshop series where we’ll be delving into the latest trends, economic impact of the credit downgrade, new LeadingRE announcements and lots more.

We’ll hear from keynote speakers Mike Staver in Providence on September 7 and Costa Mesa on September 22 and Brian Parsley in Chicago on August 23 and Atlanta on October 4.   Mike is Institute 2.0 Chief Learning Officer for LeadingRE, and since he’s just returning from a 2,000-mile Harley open road junket, he should be full of new stories! Likewise, Brian, who is our Institute 2.0 content partner and CEO of WeSkill, never fails to engage his audiences.

In addition, the opening session will feature network leaders offering their insights on the latest industry issues, and we’re fortunate to have participation from Harold Crye, Crye-Leike®, Nashville, TN; Dan Parmer, Harry Norman Realtors, Atlanta, GA; Carol Bulman, Jack Conway Realtors, Boston, MA; Sally Lapides, Residential Properties, Providence, John Turpin, Turpin Real Estate, Far Hills, NJ; Bud Clark, Willis Allen Real Estate, La Jolla, CA; Charles Moore, McGuire Real Estate, San Francisco, CA; John DeSouza, Cressy & Everett, South Bend, IN; Jose Perez, PCMS Consulting, Atlanta, GA; and Steve Hudson, The Hudson Company, Winnetka, IL.

And we’ll also dive into other topics ranging from REOs and short sales to property management, business planning and broker brainstorming forums. Information about the four workshops, which are open to all LeadingRE members, is available here.

Hope to see you there!

Posted by:  Pam O'Connor

THREE days to cast your vote for the 2011 People's Choice Innovator Award, which closes Friday, July 22!

Selected LeadingRE members and partners are being honored by Inman as nominees for the People's Choice Innovator Award, one of nine categories that will be featured in the annual Inman News Innovator Awards. The winners will be based on popular vote and are set to be announced during the Real Estate Connect conference in San Francisco, which runs from July 27-29, 2011.

The People's Choice award is intended to recognize a standout real estate-related technology. Last year's winner was the DocuSign ESIGNControl app. This year, member nominees include Baird and Warner, Barrett & Co, Crye-Leike, Edina, First Team, Howard Hanna, Intero, Laffey Fine Homes, Long & Foster, Nothnagle, William Raveis, Windermere. Partner nominees include CoreLogic, KeepingCurrentMatters.com, KWKLY, Obeo, Onboard Informatics, Roost and .

We are so pleased and proud to have such a great showing on the list this year…Congrats to all those nominated!

Please support your fellow members and partners by getting your votes in now!

Click here to read more and vote

Posted by: Kimberly Ecker

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® was once again recognized by a widely recognized, third-party survey known as the “The Top 500 REAL Trends” report for being the highest-producing network in terms of total sales for 2010.

The 97 LeadingRE affiliate firms on the Top 500 list produced 551,832 sales “sides” in 2010 totaling sales volume of $142.4 billion, over 30 percent more transactions than the closest competitor, Coldwell-Banker, with 415,540 units and 60 firms on the list.

The power of local branding was further emphasized with #1 market share rankings for the nation’s top 96 markets. In that portion of the study, LeadingRE members ranked first in the market in 40% of the cities, compared to 24% and 11% for the next two networks.

LeadingRE’s entire network of over 550 affiliates produced collective 2010 sales units of 800,000 and volume of $225 billion.

Posted by:  Kimberly Ecker

Selecting delivery options for training agents is not as simple as it used to be.

Classroom training is an opportunity to get face to face, get a glimpse of the level of commitment in the room and stimulate lively, educational exchanges. The down side is that it is costly, not necessarily convenient for attendees and it’s easy to get side tracked by an overzealous student.

Live webinars involve people in real time, accessing information at the same time while not having to travel. Depending on the size of the group, you can engage in active conversation and idea sharing. The down side is that it’s difficult to gauge the attention level of the learner. Also, people who are more familiar with the traditional classroom method may not be comfortable asking questions, so their learning experience may be diminished.

On-demand training offers asynchronous learning that does not require the trainer and learner to participate at the same time. These are self-paced courses, done online with greater flexibility and the opportunity for the learner to repeat challenging material as needed. This is great for those people too embarrassed to raise their hand in class and ask for the instructor to repeat something (that would be me).

Realtors are busy entrepreneurs out there building their business. Do we stick them in a classroom for 5 hours teaching them? Since webinars have a maximum attention span of 45 minutes to an hour, do we tie up numerous days to fit in all the different training or do we take the time to create scripts and presentations that we post and then track?

The strategy of a learning organization is to target the issues that are important to the company and then make sure the solutions implemented deliver the intended results. After evaluating our agents’ experience following different training methods, on-demand seems to make them smile.

I applaud LeadingRE for providing online, on-demand course content through LeadingRE Institute. The courses they now offer (and those to come), augment what we do as a company and adds even further value to our LeadingRE affiliation.

Posted by: 

Devon Hill, CRP, CPLP, Relocation Training Director, Long and Foster Corporate Real Estate Services

Too often, the real estate stories that illustrate the ‘beyond the call’ efforts of top practitioners don’t get told. We’d like to share some of these with you in this series highlighting the service that brings customers back again and again.

When a natural disaster caused desperate times to call for desperate measures, Judith Haslam of Harcourt’s International LTD, Christchurch, New Zealand and 1st Runner Up of the 2011 LeadingRE Customer Experience: Referral of the Year Award, went to courageous lengths to aide clients. Judith not only handled a variety of country-specific counseling and orientation details for her American client referred by Cutler Real Estate, but also went above and beyond when an earthquake struck just a week prior to closing. She arranged for further inspections before the clients even reached her by phone, and provided this family of five tremendous peace of mind during a challenging international relocation.

Prior to this, however, as noted in a client email: “The homes she had lined up for us were spot on. She took us to lunch that first day and continued to narrow down our needs. She listened to us carefully and intuitively and went to work for us with vigor and enthusiasm.” The clients’ satisfaction was also measured by Judith’s efforts to make sure they were aware of the differences abroad, “Judith and the mortgage broker she arranged for us walked us cautiously through the home buying process since we were new to the laws, procedures and processes for purchasing in New Zealand. We found a great house one afternoon and she had us in that house and making an offer within 48 hours.”

Posted by:  Kimberly Ecker

Too often, the real estate stories that illustrate the ‘beyond the call’ efforts of top practitioners don’t get told. We’d like to share some of these with you in this series highlighting the service that brings customers back again and again.

Sandi Salisbury with Allen Tate Company brought the phrase “make yourself at home” to a whole new level, and was recognized as the second runner up for the LeadingRE Customer Experience Transaction of the Year Award at the this year’s 2011 conference, when she opened her lot and her home to her clients’ parents, allowing them to park their RV on her property for several weeks while they searched for a vacation home. Without making previous arrangements, The Hartzlers (client’s parents and RV owners) went so far as to take Sandi’s dogs out, cook loaves of homemade bread and brownies in Sandi’s oven, and even request her internet password during their stay in Sandi’s backyard.

With patience and diligence, Sandi was able to put the Hartzlers in connection with Allen Tate Realtor Cindy Ransone who found them a home well suited for their family’s needs. During inspection negotiations, it was quite convenient for Sandi to knock on the door of the RV to get any initials or signatures needed. At first it was a little strange, but it became pretty normal after the first three days. When they finally departed Sandi’s yard, the Hartzlers left behind words of gratitude, several loaves of Margaret’s homemade bread and a basket of peaches from Georgia they picked up en route back to Charlotte. Both agents and clients came away with a funny story of how personal the real estate transaction can become.

Posted by:  Kimberly Ecker

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® has taken a stand opposing NAR's policy allowing franchisors (Realogy brands, Prudential, etc,) to post IDX listings on their national websites for all of the markets where they have affiliates and have the permission of those franchisees. LeadingRE is requesting that this policy - approved last November - be rescinded for several reasons, the main one being that those franchisors are not cooperating members of the MLS systems and are therefore not bound by the same obligations concerning those listings, nor do they have the same rights as other brokers within the MLS systems. The more that listings move out of the control of local brokerages, the more liable listing brokers become concerning the protection of that data

In addition, there are restraint of trade issues around the fact that certain national networks are being given a competitive advantage. LeadingRE, along with HomeServices of America and Realty Alliance, will be voicing these concerns to the NAR Multiple Listing Issues and Policies Committee on May 12 during the NAR mid-year convention in Washington. This move – and other policy proposals coming before NAR involving distribution of IDX listing data to social media outlets and mobile devices, underscore the growing concerns about listing syndication and the increasing erosion of control of listing data by brokers, despite the fact that they own that data. We believe it is important to take a stand to begin reversing this trend. 

This matter has been covered by Inman News and the larger issues around syndication are addressed quite aptly by two recent industry white papers from The WAV Group and Clareity Consulting.

Have an opinion? Let us hear from you on this important topic!

Posted by:  Pam O'Connor

Too often, the real estate stories that illustrate the ‘beyond the call’ efforts of top practitioners don’t get told. We’d like to share some of these with you in this series highlighting the service that brings customers back again and again.

Coming in as the first runner up at the 2011 Annual LeadingRE Conference for the Real Estate Transaction of the Year Award are the well-deserving real-estate agents out of Manhattan’s Halstead Property, LLC.

The agency gives true meaning to the eight million stories in the Naked City, as their associates – in four separate New York real estate transactions – managed to navigate a perfect storm of supremely convoluted circumstances and obstacles to ultimately close transactions that would have floundered if handled by anyone else.

Halstead’s agents took measures as drastic as hunting down a home-owner at a golf course whose property had been taken off the market, and, armed with a digital camera, requesting a one-time access for a one viewing, one customer deal. Another agent worked around the clock for a divorcee couple, standing in at court hearings for them and coordinating requested showings around visits by the children, making sure to clear each and every showing in advance. Halstead’s agents even went as far as to compile bilingual information for a board application. Collectively, Halstead’s team ensured all areas were covered to bring a necessary level of professionalism to each and every step of the process.

These multiple transactions were all protracted situations in which the agents had to be tenacious and follow-up focused over months if not years in order to bring these sales to successful conclusions. This kind of dedication is typical of the best in the business and doesn’t get nearly the attention it deserves.

Posted by:  Kimberly Ecker

Too often, the real estate stories that illustrate the ‘beyond the call’ efforts of top practitioners don’t get told. We’d like to share some of these with you in this series highlighting the service that brings customers back again and again.

Lending his philanthropic hand to help a client in need, Frank Flynn of Stark Company Realtors, was recently acknowledged at the 2011 Annual LeadingRE Conference where he received the Real Estate Transaction of the Year Award for his commendable client services.

This one-of-a-kind agent whose client, John, had already quit his job, liquidated his pension and refinanced his father’s home in order to provide round the clock care for his 92-year old dad, recognized an opportunity to help. When his father passed away, leaving the family home to him, John was unable to even pay the utilities.

In seeing his client’s selfless efforts, Frank decided to pay it forward and reached into his own pocket to help John cover utilities, remediate a mold issue, cover property insurance, and negotiate with mortgage lenders and other creditors to avoid foreclosure and postpone debt payment upon closing. Not only did Frank sell John’s home, but he continued to work with John, driving him around the city to find an apartment rental he could afford. The client was so grateful that he presented the agent with a plaque, “for caring, concern, and dedication to his client.”

Posted by:  Kimberly Ecker

There is a lot of talk during the lingering real estate recession about reducing brick and mortar. Overhead costs have been a huge challenge for many brokerages during this market downturn. But as so often happens, the pendulum swings from one extreme to the other. Yes, we all know there is no financial prudence in having beautiful 10,000 square-foot offices with few agents working in them, given how technology has made us all so much more mobile. That said, though, I’m not sure the answer is creating purely virtual companies with no physical office presence at all.

This topic generated some conversation in posts following an Inman story on LeadingRE.

Our argument is that credibility (to the consumer) and culture (within the brokerage) do rely to some extent on an office presence. Companies are learning how to balance space costs with the need for a “home” where agents can interact and energize one another and where the company can convey its message and mission by action as well as email. This may be a business of independent contractors, but the best companies who survive and thrive over time are about more than just a group of people who happen to hang their licenses under a particular broker. The trick in today’s environment is to create places that are less about ego and more about a base of operations that allows the company’s culture to take root and blossom.

Posted by:  Pam O'Connor

One of my favorite books, “Guns, Germs and Steel, The Fates of Human Societies” by Jared Diamond brilliantly examines how those items and more formed our world today. While far too complex to do justice here, I will attempt to summarize a sliver of information – one that has been in my thoughts since I learned about OUR WORLD™, LeadingRE’s brilliant new community platform being rolled out to members in the coming months.

In Chapter 11 “Necessities Mother”, Mr. Diamond discusses the development and spread of technology. (Technology as in the wheel, not Google-powered Android PDAs) Mr. Diamond credits our adoption of a sedentary lifestyle with a huge jump in accelerating development.

“All other things being equal, technology develops fastest in large productive regions with large human populations, many potential inventors, and many competing societies.”

In today’s global world where societies are not defined solely based upon geography or government, I would propose that we could define additional distinct societies for ourselves as our individual companies and our collective network. In both, we have specialists from luxury to first-time homebuyer, from management to sales and from customer service to IT/Marketing. We are also varied by the specific needs of our communities, local customs and laws, as well as company size and cultures. Most importantly, we have traditionally diffused technology/knowledge very successfully to the benefit of our companies and our network.

I use the term “traditional” to describe both the history of successful sharing and the manner in which we have executed that sharing up to this point. OUR WORLD™ is the technology through which we will have the ability to diffuse information more quickly, effectively and securely.

OUR WORLD™ is a significant point of differentiation for the LeadingRE membership that has the potential to give the network and every participating member a real, definable and eventually an income-verifiable competitive advantage. While the vision and the capability are in place, success also requires commitment and participation. The forum comes from LeadingRE; the conversation must come from us as individual members.

This technology is game-changing not in the fact that it exists, but in how we implement and exercise it. I encourage every member to finally discard the “referral only” perception of LeadingRE and include all department heads in the implementation discussion. It should be considered in 2011 business plans for the company and each division. How is corporate headquarters disseminating information to managers and agents? What one-way communications would benefit from becoming two-way conversations? What “communities” already exist within your company that could improve and grow online? How does your Relocation or Corporate Services department keep their trained agent team informed in between training session?

Look at your company – what it does, how it does it or what it can’t do, but would like to. Take a moment to post a comment and share in this “traditional” way one idea for how you think you could use this business-side-of-social technology.

Posted by: Sharon E. Michnay, CRP, GMS, WRS, Executive Director, Corporate Business Development, Halstead Property. Sharon is a member and former chairperson of the LeadingRE Advisory Council.