Instagram for Business: Eight Tips to Make Your Photos Last More Than an Instant

By Ellen Hill

The best advice I ever got was from a top-producing agent at my company. On my first day in the office, I strolled in, iPad in hand, ready to learn the real estate secret handshake and the office WiFi password. But instead of rattling off business apps I might use or online marketing systems to try, he sat me down in the biggest conference room at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties in Marietta, GA and simply spoke to me, one real estate professional to another. “Always remember that people want to work with people they like,” he said. “Business is just that simple.”

I quickly learned that he was right. Scripts and high-gloss brochures are great but at the end of the day, people want to work with people they like.

And that’s where Instagram comes in. Through photos and videos, the platform allows me to express exactly who I am so prospective clients can decide if they like me beyond my great listings, market data or awards. Because the platform is so popular, I’m able to reach a high volume of people in a short amount of time while being authentic and true to myself. It’s an easy way to win friends and influence listings, I promise.

But if you haven’t quite mastered being Instagram-authentic, here are eight tips to help:

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DEVELOPING SALES SKILLS – PART 2

In the second of a three-part video series, Paul Campanaro, agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Arizona Properties, Nevada Properties and California Properties explains what good role play looks like and how it can help improve your communication skills and enhance your business. Watch Paul’s video and stay tuned for part three, coming soon!

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Real Estate: A College Student’s Investment in the Future

By Phillip MacArthur

Are you a current college student looking for an opportunity to build your own business, gain more experience, and earn more money than you ever could by working a typical part-time job? Do you want to start paying your student loan debt while you are still in school? If so, you should forget about working at the university dining hall or a local restaurant near campus and start thinking about getting your real estate license!

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Apex of Luxury: An Oasis in Hawai’i

Featuring the elite listings of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

This gorgeous property in Lahaina, HI boasts its own private sand beach with ocean access, ideal for sun lounging, kayaking and paddle boarding on the Pacific. The home is located on the North End of Front Street, within walking distance to shopping and fine dining. Features include oversized Indonesian Merbau termite-proof wood floors and Indonesian Palimanan stone throughout the interior and exterior. The kitchen is spacious with stainless steel appliances and polished Panthera marble. A true Lahaina gem!

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Thursday Thoughts on Leadership: An Uber Idea

By Gino Blefari

This week my travels first found me in Burbank, CA for the transition of Century 21 Crest Real Estate, now operating as Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Crest Real Estate. This fine brokerage has 25 proud years serving Burbank, La Crescenta and Sunland and is on a mission to grow. At their transition event, you could practically feel the excitement in the air; everyone on that team is ready to go forward as a member of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices family.

After Burbank, I was on my way to Dallas to get ready for the 2016 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Sales Convention. (Be sure to follow the brand on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat for the latest updates from the #REvdUp2016 event.) I took my usual Uber to the airport in California and once in Dallas, was planning to call an Uber again to take me to the Omni Hotel. I must confess I’m no stranger to the app-based taxi service, which I find convenient and always reliable in getting me where I need to go. I’m also intrigued by Uber’s steadfastness in the face of certain speed bumps on their road to success. So far, long-standing regulations and legal obstacles haven’t stopped the company from finding rapid and expansive growth.

So, here I am in Dallas, about to call my Uber when I notice a new option on the screen: “UberPITCH,” it reads. Immediately, I’m intrigued.

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5 Questions for Peter Turtzo, SVP of International Operations

Peter Turtzo is the Senior Vice President of International Operations for HSF Affiliates LLC, responsible for establishing strategy and process for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ growth into international markets and later, for the affiliation of brokerages abroad. He comes to HSF Affiliates with a wealth of experience not only in international real estate franchising but also in the real estate industry as a third-generation broker.

Previously, Turtzo worked for 16 years in various leadership roles at Realogy Holding Corp. In 2005, he was appointed vice president of Global Operations at Sotheby’s International Realty and for the next eight years developed that brand in 43 countries and territories. He served the last two years as vice president of Global Operations at Coldwell Banker.

Recently, we sat down with the SVP of International Operations and asked him five questions about the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brand and what its footprint might look like abroad.

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Thursday Thoughts on Leadership: Win the Earnhardt Way

By Gino Blefari

This week my travels find me in Indianapolis to meet with the talented team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Indiana Realty. Spending time with the agents and managers at Indiana Realty, including co-founders Kevin Kirkpatrick and John Dick, as well as Chief Operating Officer Craig West, was an incredibly rewarding experience, and all attendees were in warm spirits despite the cold weather and impeding snow.

While driving to the Indiana Realty event, I had the opportunity to catch glimpses of the Indianapolis skyline from my car window and it’s difficult to be in that city without thinking of its most iconic event—the Indianapolis 500. The race is especially front and center this year, as the Indy 500 is set to hold its 100th running May 29.

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Apex of Luxury: A Modern Masterpiece in Laguna Beach

Featuring the elite listings of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

This privately gated expansive modern masterpiece in Laguna Beach, CA was built with every element of elegance, including an infinity pool and spa, a commercial grade elevator, a private beach area, a sand-front cabana and grassy lawn rarely available in oceanfront living today.

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I Shop for Houses Online: Doesn’t Everyone these Days?

By Jake Breen

It’s become a bit of a battle. You want a new home, you surf the web well in advance of actually moving (consumer surveys report you start 17 months in advance of buying) and you believe that you are becoming a real estate expert if you search long enough and hard enough. After all, can’t you find everything you need to know about a house, the neighborhood, the community by “googling”? Well, not exactly. Let’s examine why:

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Thoughts on Leadership: A Message for Presidents Day

[image courtesy of biography.com]

By Gino Blefari

“I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we too will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.” – President John F. Kennedy

This week my travels found me in Dallas to rehearse for the upcoming Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices 2016 Sales Convention. (By the way, read more about that event here.) Because our hotel was only a few blocks away, while on a break from rehearsal I had the chance to make a quick visit to Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas, a landmark of American history and the site where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated November 22, 1963.

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