Recruiting: 2 Tips to Becoming a Better Agent

Where should someone start if they are just entering the real estate business?

I would suggest two things to someone just getting involved.

1. Work on a high-producing team. Learn the best habits from successful agents. Start as a buyer's agent; you can learn the ins and outs of working with clients, taking them to showings and then you can move on to listings. You can also branch out on your own if you choose.

2. Enroll in a coaching program. I invest $1,300 a month to improve my skills. Each week I have a 30 minute one-on-one call with my coach. We go over what I need to do, why I need to and how I can stay on task. Then I have three group calls a week. It's important you find a coach who fits your needs and can help you reach your goals.

What to Expect from 2014

Welcome back to my video blog. The new year is just days away and I wanted to recap what 2013 meant to the real estate market.

During 2013 in the greater Philadelphia area, prices rose by about 4% over the year. Interest rates remained in the mid 4s, but are expected to increase to about 5.3% in 2014. What does that mean for you?

The time to buy is right now. If you wait and interest rates increase to above 5%, you are looking at an additional $161.08 to your monthly payment. That is around an extra $2,000 a year and an extra $60,000 over the lifetime of the loan. Buy now and save yourselves tens of thousands of dollars!

If you are ready to buy or sell, give me a call. Let's get started.

Thanks for watching and have a safe and wonderful holiday!

Recruiting: The Perfect Schedule

Here's a look inside the day of a good agent:

A good agent starts their day off with prospecting, every morning. I get to the office around 7:30 and I make cold calls from 8am-11am. No cellphones, no emails, just calling.

After prospecting, you can respond to your emails and voicemails. Then take a lunch.

After lunch is all your appointments. I'm usually in the office until about 8pm-9pm. After my appointments I either go back to prospecting or I work on  improving my  systems.

How can someone get better at managing their time?

I was awful at managing my schedule until I read the book 'The Ultimate Sales Machine' That book really helped me put everything into perspective. I also embraced Google Calenders.

What is the Zillow Zestimate?

Welcome back to my video blog. I am here at the NAEA Exponential Growth Summit and with me my today is my Zillow representative. He is going to explain the Zillow Zestimate to you and how accurate it is.

Basically it is a computer-generated algorithm that takes into account the actual tax assessment and comps in the area. (The Zestimate is calculated from public and user submitted data) With those numbers we then determine the value of your home.

What’s great about the Zestimate too is that it is ever evolving and becoming more and more accurate. The Zestimate gives a high and low range value. With this information you and I can take a further look at your home and determine which price is best to list your home at.

If you have any questions, please give me call. Together we can find the true value of your home. Thank you for watching.

Recruiting: Training and Self-Improvement

Welcome back to my video blog!

Why are you so passionate about real estate?

I’ve been asked that question before. There are a lot of things I love about real estate, but what most excites me is that the possibilities are endless. My success is all up to how hard I work.

My main goal, even before I got my real estate license, has been to be 30 Under 30; one of the top 30 agents under 30 years of age.


Where did you get all your training?

For the past two years I have been through a whirlwind of training and learned ways to improve my skills. As I said earlier, my success is up to my hard work. That’s why I spend $15,000 a year on self-improvement. I attend every conference and seminar put on by Keller Williams.

I am a part of one of the best coaching teams in the country -Kinder Reese. One of my mentors awhile ago told me, “If you really want to improve, you should spend at least 45 days a year dedicating time to improving yourself.”

Listing During the Holidays

Welcome back to my video blog! The holiday season is upon us! So many people ask whether now is a good time to put their home on the market or if they should wait until after the holiday season.

I have three great reasons why you should list your home.

1.    Buyers are more motivated. If a buyer is taking the time out of the craziness of the holiday cheer, you know they are serious.

2.    Higher demand. Inventory is low right now. That means you have less competition and can get more money. After the first of the year, though, we tend to see an increase in inventory. Don’t wait!

3.    Houses show better. Who doesn’t love seeing a home decorated in holiday lights?  Buyers are emotional, decorations and the idea of making memories can push them into buying your home.

These are three great reasons why now is a great time to list your home. If you have any questions, please give me a call!

Thanks for watching!

How to Generate More Buyer Leads

Welcome back! When it comes to selling a home, it’s all about generating buyer leads.

How do you get more buyers to view your home?

I spend about $1,000-$3,000 every month in marketing: I use www.JustListed.com that exposes the property to anyone looking in the area.

The most important element of buyer generation leads is prospecting. That means getting on the phone and making cold calls to neighborhoods. Tell about the house, the price, the number of bedrooms. Ask if they are interested or if they know anyone else who could be interested.

If you have any questions, give me a call. I’d love to help!

What exactly does a realtor do for a seller?

Welcome back!

Many for sale by owners think they don’t need a real estate agent. A realtor, though, handles a lot of the behind the scenes work. We know how to negotiate to get you the best price and best terms.

We also have a network of different buyers, sellers and agents. When we market your home, we first look at our own buyer-lead generations and see if any of them would be interested in your home.

We also prospect and cold call. These resources aren’t available to those who choose to sell their home on their own.

Give me a call if you are thinking about selling or buying! I can help you! Thanks for watching!

What Sets Me Apart from Other Realtors

Hey, guys. Welcome to my video blog.

Two years ago, I created a real estate team here in Wyomissing. During this time our team has worked hard to create lead generations, to understand the trends in the market and to serve every one of our clients the best way we can.

My father, who is the owner of the brokerage, passed down his passion for real estate to me. The first year I completed 20 transactions for a total of $3.1milion in sales. This current year I am closing in on 65 transactions of around $12million in sales.

We take your real estate needs seriously. If you have any question about the market, interest rates, the value of your home or anything else, please email or give me a call. I’d love to help!

Thanks for watching!

Mistakes Other Agents Make

What are some of the biggest mistakes that you see other agents making when it comes to listing a sale?

Pictures! More than 50 percent of buyers start their search online. That’s why having photos that make your home look spacious, clean and modern are so important.  You need to hire a professional photographer to showcase your home.

Another mistake that agents often make is pricing too high. Buyers in today’s market are educated; they want the value of the home to match the price. Some agents will tell a seller whatever they want to hear when it comes to price just so they can win over the listing.

Thanks for watching my video blog. If you have any questions about how to get your home ready for the market, please give me a call!

What Key Performance Indicators Should an Agent Track?

What Key Performance Indicators Should an Agent Track?

A good agent should track the number of leads coming in, the number of leads contacted, your expenses (will you be showing a profit), how many contact you’ve called as well as your buyer’s agents called, then cross reference that with how appointments have been made.

What are your goal statistics?

 I care about my net profit at the end of the month and making sure at the end of the year I will be hitting $12 million.  I don’t stress over the number of contacts we’ve reached; if we are under, we will make up for it next week. It really comes down to converting leads.

How many contacts do you make per week?

I make about 100 contacts a week.

How many appointments do you set per month?

I sell my business mostly sellers, so I have about 10 or more sellers per month.

How Do You Pick the Right Real Estate Agent?

All real estate agents are not created equal. They may have access to the same systems, the same information and market data, similar industry tools used across the board and universal access to government agencies that house important data that may be relevant in helping you sell your home. So what sets apart the successful ones from the bad apples? It is how they use the things that are at their disposal – that is what makes all the difference.

Now, unless you are completely well versed in the process of home selling and real estate, chances are you may not know all the ins and outs of these tools. So how can you measure the success rate of potential agents you may or may not want to work with? The answer lies in three important metrics that you can easily employ to help you make that decision.

Does The Agent Have a Proven Track Record?

Anyone can tell you they are good. They can even show you a few case studies that support their statement. But the best way to tell whether the performance is up to par is to measure how they do and have done during the good times and the bad. These days, in light of our challenged market of the past several years, it is the perfect time to assess the track record of agents you may be considering. Do they have sales that average one every few months? Is this metric standard for all their years as an agent or reflective of the more recent hard times?

What Is The Agent’s Marketing Strategy?

In real estate, the marketing has traditionally not been as aggressive as other areas of investment. Lately, however, there has been an increase in more aggressive techniques that more often than not lead to success for several reasons. Agents typically adopt passive marketing measures – industry standards – such as MLS listings, conducting open houses, using the Internet for localized promotion as well as word of mouth. However, the newer brand of marketing is active marketing. This entails a “reach out and grab prospects” approach and while it may seem pushy, the results are worth it. The difference between an agent opting for both styles versus just the one, traditional method, can be as significant as landing you a better offer in quicker time with a bigger selling price. The presence of an additional offer on the table raises the stakes, making all these things possible and far more probable than if there was just one offer on the table.

What Does The List of References Look Like?

Of course you will be provided a list of references while shopping for a new agent. And of course the people on that list will have good things to say about the Realtor. But consider this: what agent will give you a list of people that don’t have something nice to say? A good way to approach what could be a gaping hole in this area is to ignore the list provided to you and instead, request a list with names of people the real estate agent is either currently working with or with whom he or she has recently closed a sale. Then, ask the key questions to help guide you whether this is the right agent for you: Are they timely? Is the agent accessible? Do they deliver on the promises they make? What were the results of each case?

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At the end of the day, the goal is that you sell your property and sell it well. Selling it well can translate to a higher price, more efficiently managed procedures, smoother and streamlined process, and an overall quicker turn around time. By following the suggestions in this article, you will be able to discern the best agent in your area to handle your specific needs. Half the battle of selling your home is in choosing the right agent to help you achieve your goal.

What's Happening in Our Marketplace?

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If you read up on real estate, you probably already know that real estate is very much a local phenomenon. Depending on which part of the country you are focusing on there may be large pockets of buyer-controlled areas or like much of the nation, a strong seller’s market.

In our area, we are slowly starting to pick up with more activity on the horizon moving forward. Buyers are still able to lock on historic low interest rates but with inventory levels at anywhere from about 5 to 8 months, we still have a fair amount of inventory on hand.

For sellers these days, there are some opportunities for those that price their home right. This does not mean to price it lower than everyone else in the area – it just translates to accurately pricing according to fair market value. An added bonus, well-priced homes in our area are selling faster.  A great way to ensure accurate pricing is to have an appraisal done. Not only will it corroborate your price but also it will act as a negotiation tactic.

For a detailed look at your specific neighborhood, I invite you to contact us today!