NAR’s Center for REALTOR® Development

We are in a market that is now topsy-turvy. We are part of the major movements in the economy of our country and there are benefits and challenges in the flow of economics and of buying a home. Today, we are going to talk about a group of people who have had some tough times buying in recent years. We’re talking about our active-duty military and our veterans who use VA Loans to purchase a home. Working with VA borrowers right now could be just what your business needs. Jimmy Vercellino is our guest today. He’s going to educate us about these loans and he is going to show us how we can serve our veterans well in the homebuying process. [3:01] Jimmy discusses his background. He served in the military and now helps veterans. [6:51] Jimmy, as a Marine veteran, shares a common language with the veteran and active-duty military homebuyers he serves. If you, a REALTOR®, speak that language, you can better serve that client and there’s instant trust, differentiating you from competitors. [9:41] Getting veterans to learn about the benefits of VA Loans is the most important thing. The military doesn’t teach this. The VA doesn’t advertise it. Mortgage loan originators don’t understand it. [11:22] A veteran can get 100% financing. VA loans today no longer have a cap, as long as the veteran qualifies by income and credit. In addition, there is no PMI (private mortgage insurance). [13:00] A veteran can use more than one VA Guaranteed Loan at a time, as long as they have enough entitlement. These features can help a veteran create wealth through real estate. [20:09] A mortgage originator who dabbles in VA Guaranteed Home Loans hasn’t been properly trained. They don’t understand the nuances of the VA Home Loan Benefit. You want to work with somebody who has an in-depth understanding of VA Home Loan Benefits. [23:15] The only time Jimmy doesn’t recommend a veteran consider a VA Loan is when they’re paying cash. He always wants veterans to have a VA Loan on the table as an option, so they can make an informed buying decision on what’s best. [24:46] Jimmy wants real estate pros to know that just because their client is putting 20% down does not mean they should use a conventional loan. Make sure that your client is getting all the options. [26:28] On Jimmy’s YouTube channel, linked at the end of these show notes, Jimmy interviewed a VA appraiser. A VA appraiser is not an employee of the VA. The appraiser said no appraiser should ever change the home value based on the loan type. [34:24] Va Guaranteed Loans are assumable. There is a lot of confusion that exists in this space. Two things have to happen to get a VA Loan assumed. [40:13] Jimmy’s philosophy on providing value to military homebuyers is to ask them if they know the benefits of a VA Guaranteed Home Loan, listing them one by one. [42:00] If your questions have provided value to the military member or veteran, chances are they will answer yes. [47:35] The way real estate agents get paid is changing. At the same time, under current law, the veteran is not allowed to pay the REALTOR®’s commission. It will take creativity to figure out win-win solutions. [49:12] The Military Relocation Professional (MRP) Certification Course from NAR never expires. Jimmy Vercellino teaches the all-day course. Agents that have attended it felt like they were more equipped to speak the language of active-duty service members. Tweetables: “[The relief of hearing your language in a foreign land] is the same thing that exists for veterans and active-duty service members when they have a REALTOR® who speaks their language; somebody who understands BAH, BAS, COE, DD-214, EAS, all of these types of things.” — Jimmy Vercellino “You don’t want a mortgage originator who dabbles in VA Loans. … They haven’t been properly trained and … we don’t want to subject our buyers or veterans to somebody who doesn’t understand the VA Home Loan Benefit and, could delay your on-time...

Today we are talking about a topic that we all need to pay attention to. Many of us don’t like this part of our business. Our guest, Holly Mabery, is going to break it down to a simple plan for us to follow. What’s the topic? Marketing! Holly brings this huge concept to a manageable part of your business. She is also one of the subject matter experts for NAR’s Marketing Strategy and Lead Generation course. Let’s join Holly for some great information on marketing and a few laughs about this potentially overwhelming topic! [3:38] The most successful agents are the ones who show up with value and substance to their clients. That’s the key to building your business. [4:00] Before selling a house, you have to figure out how to market yourself to get listings, how to market the listings, and then how to re-sell the house each time the buyer goes back to it. Clients will come to you because of how you show up and the consistency with which you show up. [9:17] Holly coaches new agents to know the purchase contract better than anybody in the market. [12:33] Holly discusses three things to help with marketing. [22:02] If you spend a dollar, you should back that up in free ROI tenfold. If you can’t do that, don’t spend that dollar. [24:08] Every time you earn a designation, like the Accredited Buyer Representative, put that certificate on LinkedIn and promote yourself. Every time you do an educational video put it on LinkedIn. [24:55] Your phone is your second biggest tool, after your resume. Start using your phone! [26:54] Do a quarterly e-newsletter with a calendar. Spotlight a specific business. Include one real estate stat. [29:35] Google will let you send out 500 emails daily. Use MLS drip campaigns for targeted marketing. Look for opportunities to help people. [35:01] Don’t be overwhelmed by the number of platforms. Pick one to start and focus on using it for 30 days. [36:36] If you can explain to your buyer or seller the ways they can get out of a contract, that builds trust. [37:57] Ask for reviews. Ask people who loved you to talk about it. Rate My Agent is a great tool to use. [43:47] Your value proposition is to earn the trust of your client and take care of their needs. Identify what job your client is hiring you to do while you treat everybody equally. [53:07] Find your specialty; residential resale or new homes? Find that nuance. Where are you already showing up online? Accentuate that. [55:35] Always be yourself! Be yourself authentically because people want to work with you. They want to refer you. If you’re anything but yourself, that will take more time, energy, and effort and burn you out faster. So always be yourself and show up in that way. Tweetables: “When you start to think of marketing, it’s huge, it's nuanced, and it’s layered. My best advice to everybody out there right now is to take a deep breath; inhale and exhale. It’s going to be fine. You can do it. Find your niche and be authentically yourself.” — Holly Mabery “Show up. One thing at a time. Learn your contract first. Period.” — Holly Mabery “You are the glue that puts the pieces together. [Your client] has all the pieces. You are the glue that pulls it together and helps them understand how it works.” — Holly Mabery Guest Links: Holly Mabery, VP of Operations at eXp Realty eXprealty.com Holly Mabery on LinkedIn Rate My Agent Related Episodes: “Lead Generation Through Relationships with Sean Carpenter” “The Champlain Towers Collapse: What REALTORS® Can Learn” “What Are You Selling? How to Know Your Product and Communicate Your Expertise with Josh Cadillac” NAR Resource Links NAR.realtor/technology Additional Links: Microcourses found at Learning.REALTOR. Use the coupon code PODCAST to obtain 15% off the price of any microcourse! CRD@NAR.REALTOR Crdpodcast.REALTOR Learning.REALTOR — for NAR Online Education Training4RE.com — List of Classroom Courses from NAR and its...

Do you want to know about AI, and specifically, ChatGPT? Alex is here to tell you all about it! Alex is a true tech person with a teacher’s heart. He will explain some of the inner workings of Natural Language Programming, which is what ChatGPT is: language. There are layers to this, and more changes are coming; changes that will make using ChatGPT even easier. So, let’s get some tips and some education from Alex Camelio! [2:36] Alex looks for technologies that change the way we do business. For example, the Snapchat and Reels trend of holding your phone upright to watch video was a small, fundamental change to video. [4:31] When Alex sees fundamental changes in people adapting and working differently, that’s when he starts thinking there’s a revolution or a trend that’s sticking around. He sees that with AI. [6:10] In a few months, Alex will be at NAR for two sessions involving AI. He discusses the sessions. [7:49] AI has limitations; it tends to lie or “hallucinate” when it lacks information to draw from! If you don’t give it good instructions and directions, it makes up something. [10:40] Alex Camelio is the CEO of Agent Inner Circle (AIC), agentinnercircle.com, a free community of about 40,000 agents. AIC publishes free content and articles to help agents in marketing and business practices. [11:06] Alex had taught himself to code and has been coding since he was 10 or 11. About 15 years ago, he started a tech company, Barcode Realty, and sold it to Lone Wolf. [13:30] Alex believes that ChatGPT was a publicity stunt by OpenAI. OpenAI has been working on the Large Language Model (LLM) for years. Their mission statement is “Making artificial intelligence available for the world.” [18:25] ChatGPT learns over time. The apparent reason for the release of ChatGPT is to gather as much data as possible. It took off as a consumer product but is meant for the AI side of the world more than the consumer product side. [19:47] Alex shares his thoughts on privacy. We carry an active listening device with us, day and night. If we want to go back to privacy we will need to make major cultural and government steps to protect it. [22:18] OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT has an API behind the scenes. An API allows your website and server to connect to ChatGPT and the data, and use the AI through your website instead of through the platform. [23:18] An enterprise customer of OpenAI GPT has settings that allow them to change the creativity and other components of how the AI responds. [29:25] Alex predicts it will become less complicated to use AI. Alex has been building a tool called ChatGuide that gives access to a lot of these features. [35:18] Alex is setting up bots at ChatGuide that are cold-call teaching bots that pretend to be home sellers. You can chat with it and it will give you objections while you try to make a listing appointment. [39:01] Think about ChatGPT as if you were bringing on an assistant. You would take time to train the assistant on what you want. [45:38] CrystaKnows builds a DiSC profile on someone from social media. It’s a sales tool for agents who want to speak in the personality language of the person they’re talking to. [52:45] Alex thanks Monica for having him on the show. He leaves you with a bit of philosophy. Will AI take your job? [57:33] Don’t get too distracted by all the shiny objects, because they’re sure flying around, now! Your clients and friends are still out there, planning their lives, and you’re the one to help them at the perfect time. So, go talk to some folks and sell some properties! Tweetables: “I always look at technologies that will … change the way we’re doing business in some form. … In the last few years, there were … Snapchat and Instagram Reels. The trend there was vertical video. … Somebody said, ‘We need to hold our phones upright.’” — Alex Camelio “AI can be very good at writing … but it also has some limitations. … If you...

September is Safety Month at the NAR. We have a great episode with Andy Tolbert to help you stay aware and keep yourself safe as you do your job. I am so glad to have Andy Tolbert in this episode with me today. Andy lives in Florida, where she’s a speaker, real estate investor, and safety professional! So, join us for this episode about safety while selling! [1:17] September is NAR Safety Month. The dangers to real estate professionals seem to be increasing — or are we just knowing more about the dangers? [2:17] Andy has been in real estate for 20-plus years. She is a Florida broker associate, a state-permitted instructor, and an instructor and member of the Florida REALTORS faculty. She has trained loan officers and real estate investors and is a self-defense and firearms instructor. [3:29] Andy and her husband have written a book called The Safer Agent. It’s the real estate agent’s guide to make a ton of money and be safer doing it! [4:54] Andy discusses her number one safety rule. [5:37] Andy also teaches REALTOR Safety and body language to law enforcement officers in Florida. [7:08] Andy shares information about why certain people were targeted. Prisoners who have been charged with attacks were asked this question. [9:07] Andy discusses the fight-or-flight physiological response of your body to danger. [13:39] Andy discusses the four levels of awareness. [14:37] Deciding where you need to be on that level of awareness scale involves three things: Where you are, whom you are with, and what you are doing. [17:07] Andy says you need to train yourself not to ignore your gut feeling. [20:58] Andy always tells her classes that she’s using the pronoun “he”, but it could be “she,” a child, an old person, or an animal that is used to get you to drop your guard. [26:33] Andy discusses the steps to take before you show a house. [40:28] How do you keep safe when entering a damaged home, such as from flooding or fire? Make sure it has first been officially inspected and found safe to enter. [44:02] Facebook Marketplace is starting to have scams. [51:21] Andy bought a property in mountain country. She discusses that going to a rural property is a big commitment. [53:04] A lot of people don’t realize how serious a matter REALTOR safety is. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in an average year, more than 50 real estate professionals die on the job for all reasons. [54:16] If you are a broker, Andy stresses that you bring safety standards and training into your office and be serious about it. Don’t just make it a page in your new agent’s manual. [58:39] So, what was your takeaway thought? This may be a great episode to take to your broker to open or continue the safety conversation in your office. [59:14] Please review your personal and office safety policy this month. It is Safety Month, so be thinking of safety this month and all the time! [59:32] At Learning.REALTOR, the Center for REALTOR Development offers a whole webinar series on safety for your benefit and you can use those if you need to develop a new policy. We want you to be safe. Tweetables: “They’ve gone into prison, and they’ve interviewed guys that are in prison for attacking people on the streets and they've said, ‘Why did you pick the person you picked?’ And the answer is, ‘Because they weren't paying attention.’” — Andy Tolbert “I’m never going to blame you for being a victim of something. However, let’s look back at the situation. Was there something you could have done differently that wouldn’t have made you a victim today? Usually, there’s something you could have done differently.” — Andy Tolbert “If you are a broker and you’re listening to this, I want to super-duper stress to bring safety standards into your office. Bring safety training into your office. And be serious about it!” — Andy Tolbert Guest Links: Andy Tolbert on LinkedIn The Safer Agent: The Real Estate Professional's...

In this episode, we are talking about emerging technology. Dan Weisman and Dave Conroy work at NAR and are sharing with us their knowledge about technology in the real estate industry. We’re talking AI — yes, we all love ChatGPT — Chatbots, Fractional real estate, and what they see for the future of cryptocurrency. They have some software suggestions and usage tips for us as well. So, join us for this informative episode! [2:31] Dan Weisman and Dave Conroy are the Directors of Emerging Technology at NAR. [3:51] If agents do not feel they are able to keep up with emerging technologies, Dan encourages them not to feel bad. Even Dave feels on some days it’s like drinking from a firehose and keeping up with emerging technology is his full-time job. [5:05] Proptech is any form of property technology. Dan and Dave also look at the adjacent industries of construction tech, financial tech (fintech), insurance tech, and mortgage tech. [6:59] There is no shortage of data to feed proptech tools to help agents get a better understanding of their market and customers and complete more transactions. [8:49] Dave explains the amount of data over the past 10 years has grown exponentially. Ninety percent of our data was created in the last 10 or so years. [10:59] Some companies are backed by NAR, Second Century Ventures, and Reach. Plunk is one of them. They’ve got an AI-powered valuation model that digs into MLS showing data. [15:09] Dan discusses AI products he and Dave have been researching for years similar to ChatGPT. [16:37] When you log into Amazon, it offers things you might be interested in, whether or not you have been thinking of it. That’s AI based on your habits, predicting your next move. [18:22] ChatGPT feels like having a human-level intelligent personal assistant to answer questions about anything; how to write an email, recipes, and no shortage of help for REALTORS. [21:16] There will still need to be a person involved with the end product to make sure it’s written as you want it, the information is the way you want it to be displayed, and that it’s accurate. [22:32] Monica points out that CRD is teaching classes on applying ChatGPT. [24:53] ChatGPT is powerful but make sure you understand what problems or what areas you’re trying to be better at to increase your revenue, increase your business and provide better service. [25:36] If Dave were recommending to a REALTOR how to incorporate one of these large language models, Bard or ChatGPT, into their workflow, he would suggest they use it as a creative muse. [27:03] Dan discusses image generation. [30:54] Dan and Dave discuss ways to keep in touch and to join their monthly proptech meetups. [33:56] Cryptocurrency has disappointed Dave who was bullish on it early. Make sure the tech you’re looking at isn’t a solution looking for a problem. [38:03] Fractional real estate or fractional ownership of properties isn’t new, but there are new ways to get access to it. [44:45] Global funding for technology is down. What does that mean for the United States agents? [48:48] Automated listings use AI to analyze listing photos to help assist agents in creating listings. [50:32] Some of the changes coming to real estate may require agents to be much more efficient. Agents can improve their efficiency with some of the AI tools discussed in this episode. [57:46] There are lots of basics in our industry that are about people and relationships, and they’re based on that relationship. Technology is a tool to help us, not remove us from our clients’ lives. [58:19] You can follow up with Dan and Dave on LinkedIn to learn more. If you want to expand your tech knowledge, NAR also offers the e-PRO® certification. Tweetables: “You need to also know that it’s still a machine that was trained by someone that’s pulling data from somewhere. … It’s like 90% accurate. There’s still that 10%, which can get you in a lot of trouble sometimes. … Test it out but … verify...

Everyone is adapting to the technology they need, in their work and life. We want you to have the best tools that will benefit you and your clients. In this episode, Ali Whitley discusses working with our mature clients. The Seniors Real Estate Specialist® Designation (SRES®) is an amazing class that the Center for REALTOR Development offers. This class discusses things you need to know. We discuss the technicalities of senior living, reverse mortgages, estates, taxes, and more. We also discuss helping our mature clients get established in communities and be connected in the ways that help them best. Thanks for joining us! [2:22] Ali is an educator and loves all things education. She is happy to be the chair of the Emerging Business and Technology Forum for NAR this year. [4:56] A person of the same age could have a very different lifestyle than another person. It depends on your activity and health and your ability to be active. [8:16] Ali talks with clients about their interests. She finds out their activity level and the things they like to do. [9:07] Art museums, libraries, and different types of opportunities in your community may have senior or 50-plus programs. When you get plugged into something, you find more to do. Do pre-work and find links for your clients to find their way. [10:39] If we have things available for someone and we can start to identify it for them, their interests and their ability to meet people is going to “explode,” so they’ll be able to be connected in their communities. [10:59] The Seniors Real Estate Specialist designation covers three generations: Gen X, Boomers, and the Silent Generation. These generations have different characteristics. They are very diverse in technology. [11:59] As real estate professionals, we help clients across any technology abilities, know where they are, and meet them there, encouraging them to use technology in their transactions and their lives. [12:20] Stereotypes are helpful for some conversations but don't ever over-assume things. Ali sees different generations using technology differently. [13:36] Video chats and social media are useful for people to keep that connection and feel that they’re in the know with their community and their family. [15:18] Ali sees older people using video doorbells to keep an eye on who’s coming up on their porch and when they’re getting deliveries and having visitors. They’re using health trackers and video medical appointments. [16:52] When Monica’s parents find something that satisfies a need that they have determined, like their Ring doorbell, they are thrilled to have the technology. But they still don’t want “all of that technology.” [20:15] We need to talk with our clients and learn their communication preferences. [20:40] Our young clients don’t want to talk on the phone but our older clients want to talk on the phone and see us in person. This is a relationship-building business. We need to build the relationship in a way that the client is comfortable. [26:19] There are all sorts of opportunities to use technology to make connections but face-to-face or voice-to-voice are important for people to feel connected. [26:39] Ali is the chair of the Emerging Business and Technology Forum that works with the REACH program. The REACH program comes out of Second Century Ventures, the strategic investment arm of the National Association of REALTORS. [28:08] NAR chooses both REACH commercial and residential companies for technology that may be utilized in homes or businesses. Ali recommends some digital technology clients can use. [32:40] Ali suggests looking at the REACH program and Second Century Ventures to see all the REACH programs and classes. [34:58] The Seniors Real Estate Specialist is one of many excellent offerings and you can find out more at Learning.REALTOR. Tweetables: “A person of the same age could be in a very different lifestyle than another person. It really depends on your activity...

In this bonus episode, we are joined by a member of the NAR staff, Alexia Smokler, a staff executive to NAR’s Fair Housing Policy Committee. That description does not begin to convey all the work that she does on our behalf and on behalf of the clients we serve. She has been key in developing the Bias Override class and Fairhaven.realtor. We are excited to discuss the programs she manages as well as learn what agents are doing in the marketplace, in this bonus episode! [1:40] Monica welcomes and introduces Alexia Smokler, the Director of Fair Housing Policy and Programs for NAR. [2:19] Alexia discusses several of the educational programs she delivers such as Fairhaven, implicit bias training, NAR’s Fair Housing Champion award, and licensure reform efforts under the ACT Initiative, which NAR rolled out after the Newsday investigation in Long Island. [3:52] Monica asks Alexia for definitions of Fair Housing, DEI, and Implicit Bias. [8:18] Alexia discusses the difference between prejudice and discrimination. [8:50] It’s important to distinguish that you can be engaging in discrimination without holding feelings of prejudice. This is discussed in the Implicit Bias course. [13:06] Alexia describes the Bias Override course. The problem with mental shortcuts is when they’re about people and they’re based on stereotypes. [16:57] The Bias Override course brings new terms to your mind. It helps you describe things you have felt and gives a name to it. Monica speaks of the trip she and her daughter took to Japan where there are not a lot of Westerners. [19:02] Alexia ties Monica’s Japan experience to the Bias Override course. She had the experience of being the minority and being the out-group. [20:53] Alexia speaks of studies that show that discrimination shrinks the economy. The wealth they would have generated that would have created more jobs does not get created. [21:56] Morgan Stanley’s study found that lending discrimination had kept five million people out of home ownership nationwide. [25:03] The wealth gap is not just attributable to differences in income. It’s also because of the historical support of White people to become homeowners. [25:48] Alexia tells how the government involved itself in home ownership. They created the FHA which distributed loans according to redlining maps and most of the mortgages went to White people. [26:54] Black GIs were not able to get mortgages from lenders. They didn’t get to buy a house and pass that wealth down. [28:53] Lending discrimination is a big problem and it’s not just against People of Color. It’s also against women and people with disabilities. Loan officers need more Fair Housing training. Monica cites the books The Sum of Us and The Color of Law. [31:30] In a couple of decades, we’ll be a majority-minority country. There will be no one majority group. We need to be ready to serve different kinds of people or we will miss out. [32:56] Fairhaven.realtor is an interactive real estate simulation. You go into a fictional town and your task is to sell four homes in six months. You go through different scenarios where you encounter different kinds of discrimination taken from real Fair Housing cases or members’ FAQs. [43:09] The Fair Housing Champion Award was launched as part of the culture change around Fair Housing to celebrate people who are helping clients overcome historic barriers. Alexia discusses one applicant who stood out. [49:28] Alexia’s final word: What agents do is much more important than a transaction. It’s about the wealth that’s generated from a transaction that will impact generations. [50:37] The minimum that agents can do is to keep the highest standard of compliance with the law and take training and classes. Alexia offers ideas on how to help make it better in your community. [53:04] All NAR certification and designation courses give you skills that help you level up your business so you can serve all your clients and your community...

In this episode, we are joined by Mandy Neat who is going to discuss commonalities in homebuying trends with Generation Y (Millennials) and Generation Z. With significant cultural changes happening at increasingly fast speeds, we see notable differences in these generations. While we never want to generalize, there are some markers with these generations that can help us understand our clients better. In this episode, we learn more about these generations and how we can manage their expectations with preparation and communication. We want to help you be able to help them! [5:20] Mandy discusses the different generations. She brings up a conversation with a Gen Z about what he would want in a house. [7:33] Gen Y is the next largest home-buying group after Baby Boomers. [11:06] Mandy sees that people are not going right to college from high school. They see housing as an asset. Some are buying investment properties. [15:46] Younger Millennials are becoming first-time home buyers. They are trying to pay off their student debt, while Gen Z is avoiding going into student debt. [18:55] COVID-19 changed house-buying habits. At the beginning of COVID-19, Younger Millennials and Gen Z-ers jumped into the market without fear. [21:48] Gen Y and Gen Z want everything to be easy to understand. Home buying is potentially complicated and may take time. Mandy discusses the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) as a resource. [27:55] Younger people go to an app on their phone to get information. Real estate professionals need to get in front of technology trends. [30:11] Mandy talks about DPA (Down Payment Assistance) which can help clients buy a house. She also discusses knowing your Confirming Loan Limit. [34:44] Mandy shares that a lot of Gen Z-ers are using family gifts. There are All-In-One Loans where the home buyer can set up a GoFundMe account to be applied toward a down payment. Lenders are coming out with products to help young borrowers. [37:11] TikTok and YouTube make everything look so easy when it comes to home updates. People are opening their minds as to what is possible. [41:12] Mandy is seeing more people buying homes with spaces to work from home and have a social life at home. There is a lot of openness in floor plans. [44:19] Millennials care more about walkable city living rather than their apartment. Gen Z-ers are buying out of the city in more affordable growing areas. [47:35] Mandy comments on what she observed recently in Wichita, Kansas, with a community full of Gen Z-ers, built around diversity. [51:56] Mandy hopes that all generations will allow Gen Z and the younger Millennials to get in the conversation of infrastructures, jobs and how to make a difference. [52:40] If you enjoyed this episode, there are classes you can take to enhance your knowledge: ABR® (Accredited Buyer’s Representation), and the Buyers by Generation: Success in Every Segment course. Tweetables: “It’s just how their brains are wired. They have so much information. At 18, there’s no reason not to go out and purchase, instead of paying all this tuition money, and build your legacy for your wealth in the future. It’s an amazing generation.” — Mandy Neat “We need good loan officers. We need to empower the mortgage industry to take time with people … and show them the numbers … and … professionals in the real estate community that are willing to … go over it with them to make sure all their questions are answered.” — Mandy Neat “You can obtain a Down Payment Assistance Program and offset your down payment. Try to negotiate closing costs with the seller. You can come in with a minimal amount and own a half-a-million-dollar asset. What other country can you do that in?” — Mandy Neat “Gen Z and Millennials have this great thing where lenders are coming out with products to help them collect money to buy a house.” — Mandy Neat Guest Links: Mandy Neat, REALTOR® Deputy Commissioner, Arizona Department...

Our guest for this episode is a long-time REALTOR, trainer, and world traveler. Do you have a dream to travel somewhere? Is there a place that you already love in the world? For example, have you been to Cabo San Lucas eight times? Wouldn’t it be great if you could be a connector with buyers and sellers with agents in Mexico? In the Caribbean? In Europe? In Asia? You can do that with your favorite areas in the U.S. and the world! In this podcast, Ginni Field talks about selling real estate and expanding your business in new ways. We also talk about international buyers and sellers in the United States with a focus on the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation. Join us on this podcast and expand your vision beyond your local area. [6:10] Monica asks the audience to stick with this episode to hear the interesting stories Ginni and Monica will share with consideration for the huge and growing influx of international immigrants, residents, and investors. [7:53] Ginni discusses what she learned from experiences in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, and Germany. [11:56] When traveling the world, you have the opportunity to visit small towns and explore their history. Find people in your community from these areas and connect with them. You may be able to help them buy a home. [14:14] In most of the world, business is based so much on relationships. In America, relationships are huge and you need that network, but overseas, relationships are crucial. [15:18] In the Americas, the process of buying a home is a family affair. If they don’t know you, they’re not doing anything with you. When they know you and begin to trust you, business happens. [17:36] Where Ginni was teaching, there were good universities and schools everywhere, providing a place to build your business. [18:08] Find your niche and get connected to it. Be a part of those market areas and people. What businesses bring people into your market area, that hire people from other countries? [18:34] Foreign resident buyers may become citizens and still may be very connected to their foreign community. [21:42] When Ginni talks to people with work visas, they tell her they want to stay when their visa is over. Parents of foreign students in universities also will buy a home for their student in the U.S. with the hope of the student staying and the parents moving there because they own a home. [22:44] The Open Doors fact sheet says foreign students spend over $5 billion. Ginni gives estimates for several California universities. Do outreach at universities. [24:05] Look at the industries in your local community and where folks are coming from. Then begin to do outreach. Go where they are and network with them. [24:31] Refugee groups that settle in an area don’t have the money to buy a house at the time, but as they become established, they work and build businesses, and become qualified to buy houses. [26:00] Ginni tells of a man who immigrated to the U.S. with next to nothing, wanting to build his life. Now, he is a millionaire, owning multiple buildings and worked hard to get there. [27:21] CIPS talks a lot about non-resident foreign buyers. These are investors buying houses more as investments than as homes. California attracts more than $1 billion in foreign direct investments from Japan, the UK, France, Canada, and Germany. [30:07] The fluctuation of exchange rates plays an important role in these investments. Fluctuations can cause a buyer to cancel. [32:14] The CIPS designation course teaches about the global market. If you’re not paying attention to global opportunities, you’re leaving profitable business on the table. [35:55] The world is more connected now than it ever was. Inflation is happening around the world. Pay attention to the world economy or you will miss out on tremendous opportunities. [36:33] There are investors for commercial properties, condo communities marketed internationally, college students,...

In this episode we welcome Matt Difanis and Robert Morris. April is Fair Housing Month, as people know, and we gratefully, as an organization, are getting more education and more awareness on the need for us to be more systemic, and more attentive, in order to provide excellent care to all who come to us. Matt Difanis and Robert Morris have been instrumental at the national level with course materials, ethics reconsiderations, and other conversations that are helping us pay more attention. They teachboth the At Home with Diversity course and Bias Override. They are grateful to be sharing these classes and this information with our members. In this episode, they share their stories on what has led them to be so committed to getting the message of Fair Housing out to others. Matt: [1:40] Let me start by saying none of this was on my radar up until just a few years ago. [2:00] I had the privilege of serving as the 2018 President of the Illinois REALTORS® and that meant I was on the leadership teams starting in 2016. And 2017, the year I was President-Elect, Illinois, like a lot of other associations, including NAR, was prepping for 50-year Fair Housing Act retrospectives and commemorative activities. [2:20] As Illinois prepared, I got my first bit of exposure to the absolutely awful history of our industry’s involvement in housing discrimination [2:59] So, I went from unaware to aware, not just of our history of housing discrimination but also the hangover effect that still exists. [5:09] And so when you look at people who make it through to leadershp, it’s important to recognize, they’ve had to be the minority of the minority who were willing to just go find a battering ram and just find a way to break through it. [5:28] And then, I had the opportunity after my time on the Illinois REALTORS® leadership team, I had the opportunity to serve as the 2020 President of the NAR Pro Standards Committee. [5:46] We were doing things virtually. And George Floyd was murdered on viral video, and the country was on fire, and we had a proliferation of hate speech. [6:04] Because of numerous requests made to them, President Vince Malta kicked over a request to my committee to look and see if there was a possible code of ethics solution. [6:57] You don’t get to be a REALTOR® and engage in bigoted hate speech anywhere. [7:17] That led to the opportunity to do speaking and training. So, it’s a genuine passion of mine. Robert: [9:23] “Now mine’s a little bit different. As you guys know, I consider myself, maybe it’s just my opinion, a Southern Gentleman, and I have been reared in the South my entire life. And so, as an American who happens to be Black, living in the South, it has always been an adventure. [10:28] So, my walk has been that way the whole time. I’ve gotten into this particular arena because I want to change hearts and minds. [10:59] And the other part is the fear factor that has always been associated with things that are different, things that people don’t necessarily understand. [11:16] And so, my philosophy is that I meet people where they are because everybody’s at a different stage, they’ve been exposed to different things, and depending on the culture that they’ve been reared in, depending on the influences that they’ve had. [11:38] One of the things I talk about is how culture affects us and that if we were reared in a culture by people that trusted us or by people we trusted and we loved, and they taught us things, based on their point of reference. [12:21] So I’d ask the question, “Why do you feel the way you feel about me if I have never done anything to you?” [13:06] So how are you going to respond now, based on what that is? So I think that discovery is important. [13:26] And my mission — and like Matt, I have been blessed to be exposed to tens of hundreds of people, to share thoughts with them. [12:53] So, in that walk that I’ve had, now for probably 20 years — that has been the mission, that I...

Dr. Jessica Lautz is the Deputy Chief Economist and Vice President of Research at the National Association of REALTORS. In this episode, she is going to share national data with us from NAR and discuss what she sees coming in the future. All of our crystal balls may be broken, but there are definitely patterns that can be seen. The core of Jessica’s research focuses on analyzing trends for both NAR members and housing consumers. Through the management of surveys, focus groups, and data analysis, she presents new and innovative ways to showcase results. Let’s see what she will teach us in this episode! [2:46] Jessica thinks we’re in a moment of transition when existing home sales data show 12 months of decline but the decline seems to be getting smaller. [4:24] Our current sales numbers are lower than in 2019, before the pandemic. They are more in line with 2014 sales numbers. [6:51] The typical homeowner has been in their home for 10 years and has $210,000 in home equity. [7:14] In some scenarios, not only investors but a large share of primary residence repeat buyers are paying all cash for a home, because of the housing equity they have. [9:34] Home mortgage interest rates had gone down for several weeks continually before going back up to 6.3% from 6.1%. [10:53] Jessica says to pay attention to what happens after the Fed meets. NAR tracks interest rates and puts out a statement every Thursday on social media. [12:30] Jessica explains the indirect effect that the Fed raising interest rates may have on mortgage loan interest rates. [13:41] Jessica hopes that existing home sales in spring will be stronger than it was in the previous two months. She is starting to see early signs of it. [15:52] Jessica breaks down corporate investors. We know that they’re present in the market, but has their share of the market gone up? [16:41] The investors of 2022 pushed first-time homebuyers out of the market. [18:18] In March of 2022 there were five-and-a-half offers for every home that was listed. [19:02] Jessica discusses credit card debt, student loan debt, and daycare costs. How are first-time homebuyers going to save a down payment when they use their credit card to buy eggs and milk? [22:01] Jessica believes that awareness of low-down-payment programs in communities is low. Putting that information out there for potential buyers is incredibly important. [25:15] Jessica discusses the aging population and the housing market. In the next three years, every Baby Boomer will be over the age of 60. [26:36] Retirees are looking for newer homes with bells and whistles where they can age in place. [33:54] Jessica shares a few of her favorite data points. [37:31] Jessica also shares that a lot of first-time homebuyers are trying to get out of their parents’ homes and move into home ownership. [38:08] Jessica shares her links for NAR Research at NAR.realtor. You can also subscribe and share infographic posts from NAR Research on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Tweetables: “We released our existing home sales data and it showed a continual decline — 12 months of decline — but it seems like the decline is getting smaller. … [It] is not necessarily a normal spring market; … interest rates are still high, but a more normal spring market.” — Jessica “Buyers are coming back. They understand now that rates are higher but they may actually have an opportunity in the market, especially first-time homebuyers.” — Jessica “It’s also your long-term future. It’s also the long-term savings and the gains that you have in home ownership that you don’t have as a renter.” — Jessica “Only 26% of the market was first-time homebuyers last year. In a healthy market, it would be 40%. So we really lost first-time homebuyers last year.” — Jessica Guest Links: Dr. Jessica Lautz NAR.realtor Research section NAR Research on Facebook NAR Research on Instagram NAR Research on Twitter Email...

With interest rates rising, we are seeing changes in the mortgage industry. Not all lenders, though, are created equal. They have various levels of education and experience, just as real estate agents do. They need to be the expert in the loan department for our clients. Like so many areas of our work, we need to have some knowledge of the process to help our clients, and be on top of the process. In this episode, our guest, Debra Killian, has been in the mortgage business for over 25 years. She has financial, banking, accounting, and business experience. She has also been a contributor for the Home Finance Resource Certification Course. In this episode we are going to discuss loans, lenders, money laundering and so much more! [3:41] This episode will touch on the importance of having an understanding of all the major loan types, and the best ways that we can work with lenders to improve the experience for our clients. [4:32] Deb explains that there are so many misconceptions about how the mortgage lending business works. There are differences between banks, credit unions, mortgage bankers, and mortgage brokers. Most real estate agents don’t see the big differences between these lenders. [5:16] The first big difference is the licensing and education requirements. [8:07] There is a fine line between representing your client with questions and asking too many questions of the lender. The missing piece is understanding why the lender is doing what they are doing. There are so many moving parts. [14:19] Just as agents need to have a formal consultation with their clients, so do lenders, to get to know them and share all the information. Filling out the application online is not the way to do it. Deb says technology has really hurt the process in a lot of ways. [15:13] Deb discusses 10 questions every originator must ask their customer before starting an application. [16:24] The originator needs to set the expectations with the customer and also with the REALTOR from the standpoint that there is a high level of trust between the agent and the originator. [19:06] Deb explains lender turn times, and how they affect the contract date. How many delays will there be from missing documents? Deb tells how the inspections and appraisal fit into the timing. [22:02] Deb’s advice to REALTORS: Don’t write the contract until you’ve got the agent and the lender on the phone to set the contingency date and closing date and lock the loan. [25:03] Deb discusses conforming and non-conforming loans. [32:27] Deb discusses pre-approval and pre-qualification letters. [34:07] Contingency dates may vary by location. Deb explains how a mortgage contingency date can protect the seller. [42:13] Deb talks about fee sheets. They are specific to all service providers involved, such as the title company and the attorney. [47:25] Deb shares statistics. Over the last five years, according to a December 2022 report, over $2.3 billion has been laundered through U.S. real estate. [49:00] Most crimes involve money laundering because they don’t want to pay tax on the money and they’re trying to hide it. [52:50] A real estate agent cannot advise someone how to convert cash into usable funds. If a client asks, direct them to a financial professional, their bank, title company, or an attorney. [54:39] If you’re required to comply with anti-money laundering, you must take annual education. [55:40] Money might be laundered if it is in large amounts of cash. Deb explains beneficial ownership. [1:01:42] Deb gives some history of anti-money laundering legislation. [1:02:56] Deb’s final word: “If you can develop good, strong relationships with the lenders that you work with, individual originators (not the company reputations), … Let them do their job, you do your job. We need to stay in our lanes but we need to be communicating about what’s going on in those lanes. Tweetables: “There are a lot of lost opportunities when we run into problems because...

This episode discusses important ways of working with buyers, including understanding what buyers want, expressing the value that REALTORS® bring to the table, and how to get compensated in a changing environment. We take a closer look at how REALTORS® can improve their systems with buyers. How do we best serve our buyers, and what does that look like moving forward? Lynn Madison is an ongoing contributor and instructor for the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation. She will be sharing her wisdom in this month’s episode! [4:05] Agents have told Lynn that what they have learned in the ABR® class assisted them in doing a better job for their clients. [4:36] ABR® has been updated to show how to make a buyer’s offer stronger in a multiple-offer situation. [7:01] Your value proposition is what you do, why you do it, and how that is important to the buyer. [9:17] Too many agents think their job is done when the contract is signed. The ABR® class talks about the Code of Ethics, the Rules, and Multiple Offers. [10:09] Lynn tells buyers when the contract is signed that her role on their team is the quarterback. She explains team dynamics. [12:22] ABR® covers working with first time home buyers and discusses the Buyer Representation Agreement. [18:31] A significant portion of the ABR® course talks about the Buyer Counseling Session. [26:34] NAR statistics show that home buyers are staying in their houses for eight to ten years when they used to stay in a house for five to six years. The world has changed in 10 years. [29:01] Why would you show houses to a buyer you have not had a counseling session with and has not been pre-approved by a lender? [32:18] Lynn shares from her 15 years of experience as an expert witness in real estate suits against REALTORS®. [35:09] Agents want to take care of their buyers, but you also need to take care of yourself. The risk management side of this is so important. [39:33] Lynn wants you to know one word: Safety. Even in daylight, be careful. Check out Episode “074: REALTOR® Safety Tips with Tracey Hawkins,” linked below. [40:45] Lynn gives advice about Contract Consultations. It is our responsibility to explain the contract to our clients. [56:11] You will never get compensation if it is not spelled out at the beginning of your representation of a buyer in a Buyer’s Representation Agreement. This is a major paradigm shift in the way we’ve been doing things. [59:25] Lynn explains that without the buyer broker offer of compensation, sellers would be getting lower offers. [1:03:49] Buyers and agents are having conversations on Facebook that are a mess! Your buyers and sellers are going onto the internet and getting their information about houses. Lynn discusses what you can do. [1:07:21] Lynn’s final word is Education! You need to take your designation programs and keep yourself educated. Be better today than you were yesterday. That’s how you grow. Tweetables: “One of the great things about being involved with ABR® as long as I have been here is I’ve watched it grow along with some of the agents who have taken it, and taken it more than once, by the way. … We change the ABR® class as the business changes.” — Lynn “We need to know how to write a contract that has a reasonable chance of being the chosen one, as I call it. If we’re going to end up in a multiple-offer, we cannot just keep throwing money at it because, after a while, the buyer doesn’t qualify anymore; the property isn’t going to appraise.” — Lynn “We’ve got to find ways to make our buyers’ offers stronger; more appealing to the sellers, and we’ve got that! We did a change to ABR® to put in there how to make the buyer’s offer stronger in a multiple-offer situation.” — Lynn “I don’t know why you would want to go out and show houses to a buyer you have not had a counseling session with and you have not had pre-approved by a lender.” — Lynn Guest...

When you talk to some serial entrepreneurs you need to put on your seatbelt! Lots of us, as REALTORS®, have that entrepreneurial bent, starting and running our own businesses. Imran Poladi started young selling real estate. He served as Vice President of NextHome Real Estate since the launch of the company in 2014 until July 2022. He has mentored brokerage owners and as a speaker, he’s taught thousands of agents concepts of business, real estate, and living life. In this episode, we are talking about business planning. But we’re also talking about living life the way you want to live it. Though Imran loves business, he also likes taking control of his life and changing it up sometimes. He lives in California. You can read his full story at ImranPoladi.com. [4:11] Business planning comes around every year. Imran shares his take on this topic. [6:41] Some people start their business planning at the end of December. Imran says you need to know what your budget looks like in the fall. [9:22] Every year, you rebuild your business. Do you want to grow your business? Do you want to maintain your business? What are the elements you consider when you’re planning your business? [9:53] Imran works backward. He operates off a “need” goal and a “want” goal. [15:14] Imran cites the Five Love Languages, by Gary Chapman. Imran teaches a version of this in his speeches around the country. He speaks of the Five Love Languages of Real Estate. [21:18] Every individual has personal motivations. It doesn’t help you to ask someone else what you should be motivated by. You already know what your motivations are. [23:05] Start your blueprint by understanding what you’re not willing to do. [27:58] When you try something, you learn from what happens when you try it. You’ll learn new communication skills. You’re going to learn something with everything you try. [31:11] Imran shares the 30-30-40 rule. [37:36] Before making a big change, talk to the people that it affects. Are you setting the foundation that when the change happens, you’re prepared for it? [39:32] Make sure that ultimately the change ends up making you happy in what you’re doing. [43:56] If you look at your beginning business and try to imitate someone’s established business, it can set you back in your career. [55:07] Where can you go to get a one-to-four or one-to-three return on your lead generation spending? [57:40] The key is finding how you get to your top 100 connections. Imran cites the book 1,000 True Fans. [59:26] People can’t get to know you if you’re hiding who you really are. Live according to your core principles so people know what to expect of you. [1:04:20] Imran says, if you want to do really well in business, you have to connect with people who have the same drive as you, the same enthusiasm as you, and the same willingness to learn as you. [1:07:58] If you want to hear more suggestions or direction for business planning, we have Episodes 8, 9 and 63. You can find them at CRDpodcast.com. Tweetables: “Let’s line up your business planning in two formats: ‘need’ goal, ‘want’ goal. And then let’s go for the ‘need’ goal first so that way you create the foundation.” — Imran “It’s always important for us to figure out who is our customer, who are we helping, and where do we get the joy in helping them?” — Imran “When you start with figuring out what it is that’s the ‘no,’ it creates the blocks … for the ‘yeses.’ … What is your ‘no’? If you know what your ‘noes’ are, then you can configure your ‘yeses’ to them.” — Imran “If you’re strategic about it, everything works.” — Imran “The question then becomes why are you standing in front of that machine [of online lead generation] putting a dollar in and getting 75 cents out? And keep doing it? That’s how you have to look at your business.” — Imran Guest Links: Imran Poladi ImranPoladi.com The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts, by Gary Chapman Tommy Choi 1000...

When you talk to some serial entrepreneurs you need to put on your seatbelt! Lots of us, as REALTORS®, have that entrepreneurial bent, starting and running our own businesses. Imran Poladi started young selling real estate. He served as Vice President of NextHome Real Estate since the launch of the company in 2014 until July 2022. He has mentored brokerage owners and as a speaker, he’s taught thousands of agents concepts of business, real estate, and living life. In this episode, we are...

Christine Hansen and I had such a great conversation that came out for our December episode, that we decided to continue it for you for a Bonus Episode! And at this point, we got to know each other a little bit better and you can hear us just talking so excitedly; we are so happy to be talking about this holiday topic, hospitality! We’re having a conversation about, what does that look like? Hosting people with less stress. And being a good guest for the holidays, and beyond! Christine also gives us some great ideas for transferring these principles into your real estate business. We also talk about ways to have fun that are simple and intentional! Just as a recap, Christine Hansen is the Broker-Owner of Century 21 Hansen Realty in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She’s been an agent for many years and she’s been very active in association leadership at the local, state, and national levels, recently on the leadership team for NAR. Christine is passionate about well-being in the lives of REALTORS®! I am thrilled to bring you this Bonus Episode with Christine Hansen. [3:01] To Christine, hospitality means you invite people to your home, or you’re invited to someone’s home. Christine and Monica talk about how to be a good host (and have an easy time hosting). [4:37] As a guest, if you’re invited to bring something, find out what will work within the venue. If you bring something that doesn’t go with the dinner, it’s a gift. [5:53] If you are anxious about hosting dinner in your home, you can order and bring things in. [7:25] We put way too much on ourselves when it’s really about friends getting together for laughs, to break bread, and create some amazing memories. [8:44] For years, Monica and her husband would serve everybody pizza that they made and a salad. Or they prepared a taco bar. It comes down to your comfort in serving a simple meal so you can have companionship. [9:52] Think about a theme. It makes it fun and it creates an expectation for the evening. [10:34] When you’re a guest, if you say you’re coming, don’t cancel at the last minute. Your commitments matter. [11:20] Now after the pandemic, we’re getting busy again. Monica stresses the importance of being with people and being present and the importance of community. [11:49] Monica has heard people say they don’t want to plan something because no one will commit. Choose what you want to do and what’s important to you, and do it. [12:36] There are so many things dividing people. When you can build community, by getting together, laughing, eating, and playing games together, it means so much. [16:14] When REALTORS® are with buyers and sellers, you are kind of hosting them. One of the things you can do to be the best host is to not overwhelm buyers and sellers with too many choices or decisions. Christine did a role-play with two of her agents. [17:23] Christine asked each agent in the roleplay how they felt. [26:34] Have confidence in yourself as a REALTOR® to let your clients know that you have the right to some time off. Don’t spend hours of your vacation working on deals. Make it normal. Tell your customers, “I will be out of town this week and my co-worker, Susy, will be overseeing everything.” [28:51] This is setting expectations. When we set good expectations and don’t surprise people, it goes well. Don’t “sneak” out of town and be unreachable to your customers without letting them know. [30:03] Christine used to hold massive parties. She loved looking around and seeing the house filled with joy and people talking with holiday cheer and spirit. That warmed her heart. Now, she holds smaller casual game nights. She sees people laughing and talking and she says, this is what life is about. [33:15] Christine’s final word: “I wish everyone so much joy. Make each day count. Again, it’s “the present,” which means the gift. Each and every one of you is unique and you deserve to have the most amazing life. Tweetables: “As a host, … come up with...

As a REALTOR®, there’s always more we can be doing in our job. When we aren’t actively selling, we’re working on marketing, getting new business, or planning our systems for improving our work with our clients. We will never be completely finished with our work; our to-do list. We are entering into a holiday season with a different, changing market after some challenging times. The change just continues to swirl around us, doesn’t it? Are you taking care of yourself? It’s a serious question that you should pause and consider. If you are not being intentional with your relationships, your stress level, and your plans to manage your business (instead of your business managing you), then I encourage you to have a listen to my conversation with Christine Hansen about taking care of yourself and managing your life better. Christine Hansen, a REALTOR® for more than 30 years, has been active in local, state, and national association leadership for many years. In 2018, she was the REALTOR® of the Year. Christine is also a life coach and a trained mediator. Let’s hear how she has figured out some ways to take care of yourself in real estate! [6:10] Christine explains what wellness is. Wellness is about priorities and making sure that the first thing you prioritize is yourself. [7:06] Christine explains why wellness has become a hot topic. [9:44] Christine has always felt she wanted to help people to be the best version of who they are. Wellness is a journey, not a destination. [11:44] Because you are on a path, you may take some missteps. You can always evaluate if the path is right for you and make new choices to correct your path. It’s believing in yourself and trusting that you are complete as you are. [12:56] A lot of our choices are based on pleasing others. We say yes to things because we don’t want to let people down. We have to choose to prioritize ourselves. [15:12] Christine explains the effect of guilt and how it leads to self-sabotage. You take away things that could be victories for yourself and you add heartbreak. [16:56] It takes being intentional. Christine says to give yourself “intention time” every morning. Christine welcomes in the day by saying she is healthy, whole, and complete. Then she looks at the intention of her day. [18:28] Instead of labeling yourself a workaholic, say you get pleasure from doing things that you love. You are passionate about the things you get to do each day. Have a pre-set answer for when people ask you to do something. [21:39] If you want to do volunteer work, but the timing is off, answer with confidence, “Not now.” Don't allow yourself to be spread too thin, it will lead to feelings of guilt and letting yourself and your family down. [25:01] Christine asked a leader in a leadership training course, “When do you get to be able to just breathe and be happy with where you are?” [26:33] Christine has noticed that REALTORS® living in the present, that are “taking stride,” are better connectors. They’re giving people an experience. Clients want to be around agents that are at peace, not hectic agents. [27:26] You need to do a self-check and make whatever shifts are necessary for you to live your best version of yourself. [27:53] Instead of thinking you “should” do something, consider that you could do something, or could choose not to do it. It gives you more focus and power. [29:41] Don’t tell yourself that tomorrow you will do something if you already know you won’t do it. Be careful with what you say to yourself. Own what you say. [33:11] Go back and think of things you were told or that you believe and ask, “Is this still true to me, today?” If not, reframe it to what is true to you. Reframe how you see yourself. [37:10] Let your feelings be the compass to direct you to make healthy choices. Disconnect. [43:29] The holiday season is rushed and busy, and then we crash into the winter months of January and February, that are often not busy for real estate agents....

Today, Antoine Dupont and I get practical with YouTube marketing and a few video tips, as well. Antoine teaches what he does. Learn how to create videos that create value and produce leads with people who already trust you because of your video presence. It’s a great conversation. Antoine Dupont is a keynote speaker and marketing consultant and strategist specializing in digital marketing. He’s an in-demand consultant for discovering the strategies that work. Let’s hear those strategies that will work and consider why we aren’t doing them already. [6:28] Antoine talks about the three things you should be doing to promote yourself and to stand out in this content-saturated world. [6:52] Antoine has traveled three times around the earth this year alone. He spends a lot of time on planes. He pays attention to what people are doing on their phones. [8:05] Inside the airport, people are watching videos because they have Wi-Fi. On the plane, they often play video games, without Wi-Fi. If we are on our phones consuming content, so are our clients. Videos work and they will generate leads. The purpose of video for agents is pure lead generation. [9:11] Creating video is the best way for an agent to get organic attention on themselves. If an agent cannot afford to pay for high SEO, being on YouTube is totally within the agent’s control and it can trump all the rest of the ways that you get organic attention. [11:28] Antoine’s strategy is thinking about what it is that people want, like, and need. [12:14] Antoine does a lot of research to answer those three questions. [13:41] Antoine says to make notes of what you see in the first ten results. [15:56] Another great tool for real estate agents is answerthepublic.com. [18:40] Agents sometimes make a mistake with video, trying to leverage YouTube as a lead generator. Your first objective should be to provide value. [19:37] People are looking for tips, hacks, and secrets on how to find the best home for themselves, and how to know if this home is better than that home. Answer those questions. [20:08] Antoine generates so many leads through his channel that come to him, without him selling anything. [21:02] Antoine shares what his approach would be if he suddenly decided to become a real estate agent in Nashville, Tennessee without knowing anything about Nashville. [21:50] Antoine would start creating content, starting with, “One of the issues that people have with buying homes here is X, Y, and Z. [22:19] Over time, with Antoine doing video, after video, after video, people are going to say this guy knows his stuff, this guy’s an expert. [22:54] Monica elaborates on Antoine’s comments about building a business in a new area. [24:11] The reasons many agents don’t follow these steps are that they are too busy, they don’t know how, or they don’t like the way they look or sound. [27:38] Even well-loved speakers can be uneasy about how they look and sound. Keep pushing forward anyway and create video content. [29:26] Monica shares how she created a six-video series this week for her daughter on the steps to buying a home and converting it to an Airbnb or a rental property. [30:30] Going onto all the platforms is not ideal for most agents. You can be mediocre on every platform or you can be an expert on one platform. Each platform requires separate expertise. Choose the platform that you’re most comfortable with. [31:52] Each platform requires its own expertise. Antoine explains why he doesn’t do Instagram. He recommends that real estate agents pick YouTube, and become experts at it. [34:00] Monica and Antoine discuss video creation. [39:15] The thumbnail is the picture people will see when they scroll by your video on their phone or desktop. It is the image people click to watch your video. [41:38] For YouTube, make a thumbnail that will make the people in your audience want to click on your video. Go to a freelancer to make amazing thumbnails for your...

October is part of National Hispanic Heritage Month! Gonzalo and I are excited today to have this conversation that needs to be discussed, but not everybody knows how to talk about it. On this podcast, we talk about a lot of things real-estate-centric and I‘m so excited about what has come out in the last few years of having conversations about different people groups in America. Today we’re going to talk with Gonzalo about the group that we refer to as Latinx. There are different terms and we’ll dig into what they mean with Gonzalo. [1:04] Monica presents the topic. [6:04] Gonzalo explains neither Hispanic nor Latino is a race. It is a culture and ethnicity, not a race. [7:02] Hispanic is a term used by the government. Hispanic is somebody who descends from a country or culture where Spanish is the main language. [8:53] What matters is how the person identifies, as Latinx, or Hispanic. People often identify as Latinx. People talk about Latin culture, not Hispanic culture. [10:31] It is important never to label somebody else; let them label themselves. [11:05] Latinx is new. The intention of Latinx is to make it non-gender-specific. [16:23] National origin can be a tricky topic for Hispanics. It is a point of pride. Never assume where somebody is from. [20:12] Also, national origin is a protected class, so be very careful asking people where they are from. [22:11] Highlight things that you have in common instead of things you don’t have in common. Always consider how the receiver of the question would feel about the question. “Tell me more” is a neutral question. [26:21] Whether a person is first-generation or has been here for generations makes a difference to them. It’s important not to make assumptions about people based on their appearance. [28:28] A mistake real estate agents make is asking the client if they would like an agent who speaks Spanish. That is the customer’s choice to request, not the agent’s choice. [32:00] An agent who is having communication issues with a customer should look for a remedy. [33:15] The most important part is understanding the customer’s needs. Language isn’t the top priority. The decision-making should be similar to any other customer call. Gonzalo explains a non-discriminatory approach. [35:16] There have been conversations going on about race in the United States for several years. Race is an unspoken important element in our culture and our lives. [41:17] In most Latin American countries, home ownership is not as accessible as it is here in the States. [42:44] Many people come to the States and don’t realize the opportunities they have for homeownership. Education about opportunities is important. In the U.S., you have to borrow money first before you qualify for a mortgage, which will take education in the Latinx communities. [44:12] Gonzalo talks of high-context and low-context cultures. In the U.S., we tend to be very transactional, especially around real estate transactions. In Latin culture, people like to be friends and want to feel connected. [45:35] Communication is important. In conversation, they don’t go into business right away. Friendly small talk comes first. A Latinx customer may feel mistreated by a U.S. agent’s directness. [48:22] We are all humans and we all care about our customers. Be sure that you show that care. [50:48] Gonzalo has made greater connections with his customers. He feels he had become more sensitive to the customer’s cultural needs. [51:32] Throughout Gonzalo’s career, he has had customers around the world. He likes going and meeting customers in other countries and it’s such a good experience. [53:54] Multi-generational housing is common in Latin culture. It has to do with access to homeownership. [58:29] It is important to remember the diversity of the Latinx community. There are different cultures in each country. [1:00:50] Monica invites you to expand and start getting to know your Latinx neighbors. [1:02:01] Gonzalo...

Did you know that September is Safety Month at NAR? This month, we are talking with Tracey Hawkins about being intentional regarding safety in the general course of business. REALTORS® can be at risk when meeting strangers at empty houses, or meeting sellers at their houses alone. It is key to be prepared and use proactive solutions. Even though the likelihood of something happening may be small, the fact is the risk does exist. Our guest will inform you of these risks and will share some information that may surprise you, including stories of crimes against agents. You may not realize who the majority of the victims are. In this episode, you will find out and will learn so much more. This episode shares crucial information to keep you safe on the job. Disclaimer: Some topics discussed in this episode may not be suitable for children. [2:23] Monica introduces Tracey Hawkins and shares her biography. [3:20] Monica welcomes Tracey to The Center for Realtor® Development Podcast to talk about safety and security. [4:17] Tracey says that we’re more aware of incidents with REALTORS® thanks to social media and more reporting. Incidents have always happened and continue to happen. Tracey talks about these crimes on social media. There are many forums where real estate agents talk about these crimes, so we’re just more aware of them. [5:18] The most important part of Tracey’s message is “Let’s prevent these crimes,” using lessons learned. Tracey talked at the 2021 NAR Conference about lessons learned. She looks at the crimes against real estate agents, and without blaming the victim, let's learn from what happened in those crimes and let’s pledge to do better. [5:53] In the last two-and-a-half years, there has been a focus on male agents being victimized and the question is, why? In 2017 for REALTOR® Magazine, Tracey wrote an article about crimes against male agents. It was the most-read article of the year. She rewrote the article for RIS Media. In the last while, in almost every crime against REALTORS®, a male agent has been the target. [6:43] Most recently, a male agent was murdered by his 85-year-old client. The agent had only communicated with the client online. It seems the client had bought the home after only seeing it virtually. After he closed on the house and moved in, he decided he didn’t want it and wanted to “return” it. When the agent met the client at the home, the client shot and killed him and then shot and killed himself. [7:55] Tracey talked to an agent who knew the situation. The agent’s opinion is that the solution is that no one should be able to close on a house without seeing it in real life. But in the pandemic, that was not realistic. Many homes have been sold virtually without any problems. This was a case of a disturbed person. We can prepare but we can’t prevent everything. [9:30] Tracey shares a story from California. A brother and sister had inherited a property. The sister wanted to sell it but the brother didn’t. Two real estate agents and a home inspector met them both at the property. The brother pulled out a gun and shot the two agents and the home inspector. The agents were wounded and the home inspector died. [9:57] Tracey has always recommended agents follow the CITO (Come Into The Office) protocol for the first meeting. Failing that, the first meeting should be virtual, on Facetime, or similar. The pandemic made agents more apt to use virtual meetings. During the virtual meeting, you can gauge the disposition of the client, such as if there is a conflict between the sellers. [11:06] Tracey suggests being more productive during a virtual meeting. Share your screen and show a few properties virtually. You can rule out properties without driving to them. [12:34] The stories Tracey shared were not random strangers showing up. They were a client and potential clients. This opens up awareness beyond what we have been taught. Tracey has talked to thousands of agents and is active on...