On Wednesday, Oct. 12, a team of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices representatives will head across the pond to London to attend the 10th anniversary of the prestigious Luxury Property Show. In attendance will be Wendy Durand, director of global marketing, Denise Doyle, director of global conference and meeting services and Mitch Lewis, managing director of the EMEA region.
By Stephen Ferguson
STOP! PUT DOWN YOUR MOBILE DEVICE AND LISTEN UP!
Have you been up until midnight writing an offer? Skipped an event or child’s baseball game for a client or a deal? Went on a “vacation” and spent the entire time glued to your phone or tablet? Worked your way through a “day off,” texted clients all through a family dinner?
If you’re a hard-working real estate professional, the answer to one (or most) of these questions is probably yes.
Trust me, I’m not picking on you. I’ve been there. We all have. But I’ll also be the first to tell you it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s a long-standing myth that for real estate professionals, we must be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week and must answer every single call, text or email with lightning-fast immediacy.
Here’s a secret: We don’t. And I’m living proof.
I’ve been in real estate more than 15 years and at the start of 2016 made a vow to take my life back and start enjoying the benefits of the solid business I’ve built. How? Here are eight simple ways:
The concept of a starter home may be a non-starter for millennials, at least according to findings from Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ latest Homeowner Sentiment Survey. The study found that besides saving for a down payment, 37% of millennial renters indicated they are interested in buying a house only when they’re ready to afford their dream home, relegating the concept of a “starter home” to virtual non-existence.
This summer, agents, brokers and friends of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Woodmont Realty competed in the Nashville Sports League Boys and Girls Club 2016 Kickball tournament … and won! The triumph, however, wasn’t just a win for the kickball team—called The Comps after it was decided “Comparative Analy-kicks” was too long—but also for the spirit of togetherness central to Woodmont Realty.
By Phillip MacArthur
There are a number of key elements that allow for a successful real estate transaction. One that is often overlooked is hiring the best agent possible who is most qualified and experienced in your specific type of transaction. Some consumers might, for example, hire an agent because he or she is a friend or family member. It’s always great to support those you know in the business but that agent may not be the best one for the job. Here are a few things to think about as you interview an agent to hire:
By Gino Blefari
This week my travels found me in Costa Rica at the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo, a sprawling, tropical retreat overlooking the Gulf of Papagayo that borders the sandy beaches and pristine waters of the Culebra Bay. I was visiting Costa Rica for the Berkshire Elite Circle Conference, which brought together broker/owners from the top 50 companies in the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network for a celebration of their achievements.
By Crescent Seward
It’s no secret Instagram is a wildly popular social media tool for real estate agents, and not only to share gorgeous listing photos but also to generate leads. For years now, agents have gravitated toward visual-friendly Instagram as a powerful mobile platform to market themselves and their businesses. But the world of social media moves faster than you can say “new Snapchat filters” and now, it’s time to mix things up.
By Gino Blefari
This week my travels find me in St. Louis to meet with two fantastic brokerages. First, I visited Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties and members of the company’s leadership team, including Maryann Vitale Alles, president and CEO and Angie Ignatowski, broker/owner/relocation director. Then it was off to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alliance Real Estate to speak with agents and managers, including CEO/Owner Andrea Lawrence, President/Co-Owner Kevin Goffstein and Executive Vice President/Co-Owner Bob Bax. My meeting with Alliance Real Estate was part of a two-day event, the Faster Higher Stronger Conference, which kicked off Wednesday night at the St. Louis Cardinal’s Busch Stadium, for an evening of baseball to benefit the Sunshine Kids. What an incredible experience and it all began with Steven Conner of the Sunshine Kids, who was joined on the field by his family as he threw out the first pitch of the game! Great times for a great cause!
By Gino Blefari
This week my travels found me landing at Logan International Airport in Boston, where I took an Uber to Windham, NH for a meeting with the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Verani Realty team. While in Windham, I delivered a presentation to Verani Realty agents and at lunch, had a chance to lead a two-hour training session for the fantastic leadership team: CEO Margherita Verani, President Giovanni Verani and Debbie Gallant, president of sales.
It was my first-ever trip to New Hampshire, which is the birthplace of current head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, Chip Kelly. Kelly once said one of my favorite quotes about leadership: “Everybody has the same amount of time during the day,” he explained. “You can either spend your time or invest your time.”
Isn’t that the truth?
Thoughts on Leadership 