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Introducing Our Innovative Agent Coaching Program
We are so thrilled to launch our brand-new comprehensive solution for agent coaching, continuing education, and production goals tracking! As of April 1, agents and brokers will be able to use the new system to quickly and easily discuss their business strategy, use actual sales data to track their goals, and learn at their own pace via an extensive content library of resources created by our own Managing Brokers, Leadership, and Marketing Team.
Not only will Coldwell Banker Elite agents have easy access to resources that help them strategize and work toward achieving their production goals, but our Managing Brokers are also able to check in on all of their agents’ progress at a glance and suggest solutions for overcoming roadblocks.
President and CEO, Kevin Breen, is optimistic that both agents and brokers will benefit from the improved ability to communicate and track goals with their managing brokers. “We can’t wait for agents to begin using this comprehensive coaching program and putting the lessons learned during one-on-one agent development into action to increase their production.”
Executive Vice President Matthew Rathbun says, “Coldwell Banker Elite has always prioritized agent and broker collaboration and emphasized consistent mentorship for all experience levels. Our new coaching program is a massive benefit for any agent looking for more personalized coaching, advice, and accountability for achieving their goals.”
In today’s hectic market conditions, we know agents are busier than ever and we’re so pleased to be able to offer our agents an easy way to receive one-on-one personalized attention and coaching on their own schedule. Want to know more about the benefits of joining Coldwell Banker Elite? Click here to learn all about how we provide game-changing agent support and education!
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column] [/et_pb_row] [/et_pb_section]Congratulations to our 2021 Award Winners!
2020 was a tough year for everyone, but especially so for small businesses that rely on face-to-face interaction and in-person showings! Despite all the challenges that 2020 threw at our agents, they rose to the occasion and worked even harder. Whether that meant digging deep into their continuing education, becoming Home Safe Certified, or connecting with their clients in creative (virtual) ways, our agents went above and beyond to continue delivering the best possible service during these trying times. We always look forward to celebrating and honoring those agents who have put a tremendous amount of time and effort into their business, as well as those who have gone above and beyond for the good of the company and their community.
This year we were delighted to hear from Coldwell Banker’s COO, Liz Gehringer, as she congratulated and encouraged our agents! She said, “Congratulations on a truly outstanding 2020! Who would’ve thought? You’ve just done an absolutely amazing job and 2021 only continues with this incredible optimism. I am so impressed by everything that you’re doing and it’s because you conduct yourselves the way that you do. You’re not just incredible professionals and experts, but you approach your business with such deep care.”
After some hilarious skits by our Executive Team, an AMAZING performance by local Fredericksburg musician Michael Huntley, and heartfelt words from our brokers, our agents were fired up to receive their awards! Congratulations again to the award winners and to all of our wonderful agents and staff! We are immensely proud of your commitment to excellence, integrity, and ingenuity! Without further ado, here’s the list of all the winners!
Coldwell Banker International Sterling Society
Delaney Bailey, Londie Blesi, Lisa Blow, Vera Boujaoude, Drew Fristoe, Lynne Harris, Heather Holder, Jacquelyn Johnston, Linda Light, Robin Marine, Danna Middleton, Christina Zorich
Coldwell Banker International Diamond Society
Kevin Breen, Jennifer Caison, Amanda Elrod, Bethany Kelley, Greg Lantier, Heather O’Neill, Tom Smith, Deborah Warford
Coldwell Banker International Diamond Society Team
The Love-Smith Team & the Edmisten-Buck Team
Coldwell Banker International President’s Circle
Doreen Boggs, Teresa Davis, Heather Ferris, Lori Gomez, Stephanie Hiner, Benita Kay, Sarah Keddie, Anna Lee, Eric Nelson
Coldwell Banker International President’s Elite
Charlotte Rouse
Coldwell Banker International President’s Elite Team
The Give Back Team
Coldwell Banker Elite Top Sales Agents
#1 Charlotte Rouse, #2 Stephanie Hiner #3 Sarah Keddie
Coldwell Banker Elite Top Sales Teams
#1 The Give Back Team, #2 The Love Smith Team, #3 The Edmisten-Buck Team
Coldwell Banker Elite Commercial Awards
Bronze Circle of Distinction: Donny Self, Jonathan Gardner, and Brian Cunningham
Top Commercial Sales: Jonathan Gardner
Top Relocation Awards
Best Overall Conversion: Vera Boujaoude, Highest Overall Service Evaluation Scores: Greg Lantier
Coldwell Banker Elite Above & Beyond Awards
Bethany Kelley, The G. Brown Team, Peggy Thwing, Kathy Danielson, Benita Kay, Abby Fitzsimmons, Suzanne Godin, Heather Holder, Eric Nelson, Melissa Stewart
Coldwell Banker Elite Manager of the Year
Robin Marine–Fredericksburg Office
Coldwell Banker Elite Rising Star
Laura Hart — Spotsylvania Office
Coldwell Banker Employee of the Year
Jamie Batten, Finance Department
Coldwell Banker Elite True Blue (5 Years with Coldwell Banker Elite)
Eric Nelson, Alison Rabak, Jennifer Smith, Kim Johnson, Dale Breer, James McLeod, Poppy Merrell, William Berens, Pauline Dunbar-Berens, Oana Mills, Deb Ellis, Cassie Trawick, Tom Smith, Mike Curry, Deona Wright, Carla Criscuolo, Mandy Maddox, Gina Rodriquez, Christina Zorich, AJ Lall
Emerald Club
Stephanie Hiner, Ben Keddie, Charlotte Rouse, Heather Ferris, Melissa Stewart, Sarah Keddie, Teresa Davis, Eric Nelson, Donny Self, Relda Schick, Anna Lee, Jonathan Gardner, Brian Cunningham, Bethany Kelley, Greg Lantier, Lori Gomez, Benita Kay, Give Back Team, Love Smith Team, Edmisten-Buck Team
“The 2020 year-end awards are especially meaningful after such an unprecedented year – these champions embraced change amid many challenges,” said M. Ryan Gorman, president, and chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. “This group of Coldwell Banker affiliated agents, brokers, and managers embodied our culture of excellence, integrity, awesomeness, and ingenuity and truly stepped up as trusted advisors both to their clients as well as their respective communities. I am deeply appreciative of the work they accomplished.”
Why You Need a CRM to Grow Your Business in 2021
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It’s 2021 and like everyone else in the world, you are ready for a fresh start. Your New Year’s resolutions and huge goals are set for the year! You are fired up!! The goals are going to give you something to strive towards throughout the year. For most people, this excitement lasts for a few weeks or maybe a couple of months and then wears off. The missing ingredient that agents leave out is a way to keep themselves organized and motivated. The best tool for this is a CRM!
What is a CRM?
You may be asking yourself, what is a CRM and why should I use it? CRM stands for customer relationship management and in its most basic form is simply a tool that helps you organize your clients. It is typically where you would store your sphere of influence (SOI) and add your new leads as they come in. A good CRM should surface these contacts to remind you to stay in touch with them. This “stay in touch” idea is something that sounds so simple, but in reality, is probably the number one reason why agents miss out on business. Most real estate agents don’t do a great job of reaching out to their contacts. On the other hand, the very best agents do a great job of staying in touch. A survey from REAL Trends showed that 95% of top producing agents use a CRM system in their business.
Automation
Have you ever found out that a friend or past client just sold their house and used another agent? This burns every time and almost every agent has experienced it at one time or another. I have talked to other agents about this and a common reason is that their friend or past client just didn’t know if they were still in business anymore because they hadn’t heard from them. It’s understandable, life gets busy and we just forget! This is where the CRM comes into save the day (and your paycheck). It will be a new tool that you should log-in to everyday, just like your email. A good CRM will tell you what tasks you need to complete, who you should reach out to and what you talked to them about last time.
How to Choose the Right One
The first step is figuring out which CRM is right for your business. You will quickly find out that there are hundreds of different CRMs and many real estate specific ones. Most brokerages have a corporate CRM for their agents to use at no additional cost. This is a huge benefit and I recommend checking to see what is offered with your company. I have tried several different CRMs and I highly recommend that you check out the Cloze Real Estate CRM, which focuses on turning your sphere of influence into opportunities.
Integrating All of Your Digital Tools
The main benefit of Cloze is that it integrates with all the tools you already use in your business and brings them all together. I have used other CRMs that allow you text, but you must use a different number than your cell. Every time you send an email it will come from a new email address and so on. This is all very confusing for your clients and yourself. Cloze links with all major cell phone providers, Android and Apple to track your phone calls and text messages without needing a new phone number. It connects to your Google or Microsoft accounts (and others) to bring in your contacts, email and calendar.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https://coldwellbankerelite.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Cloze-App-connections-scaled.jpg” title_text=”Cloze App connections” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.8.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-81px||||false|false”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.8.0″ _module_preset=”default”]This eliminates double entry and saves you a ton of time. Essentially all you have to do is link your accounts and Cloze brings all the information together providing you with a complete history for each client and your entire sphere of influence.
Focusing on the Right People
Once you have everything linked it will automatically surface your most important people based on who you contact the most. Your contacts are sorted in order of importance in the first column labeled “All”.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https://coldwellbankerelite.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Cloze-People-Screenshot.jpg” title_text=”Cloze People Screenshot” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.8.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-2px||||false|false”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.8.0″ _module_preset=”default”]Then you are able to choose if those individuals are your clients and you can then organize them into categories. Based on the categories you choose; you begin getting reminders of when you should reach out to them to stay in touch. There are templates are tons of other features, but it really does the most important thing well. Keeping you in touch with your clients and sphere of influence to grow your business.
Reach out to me with any questions or comments about CRMs. I look forward to hearing from you!
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”https://coldwellbankerelite.com/contact-coldwell-banker-elite/” button_text=”Have a Question?” button_alignment=”center” _builder_version=”4.8.0″ background_layout=”dark” z_index_tablet=”500″ button_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” button_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” button_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px”][/et_pb_button][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”4.6.1″ _module_preset=”default”][/et_pb_divider][et_pb_team_member name=”Jay Parrish” position=”Digital Marketing Manager” image_url=”https://coldwellbankerelite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Jay-Parrish1.png” db_email_addr=”jparrish@cbeva.com” _builder_version=”4.6.1″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii_image=”on|20px|20px|20px|20px” global_module=”49136″ saved_tabs=”all”]
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Recent Posts:
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_blog fullwidth=”off” include_categories=”67,84,105″ show_more=”on” show_author=”off” show_categories=”off” show_pagination=”off” module_class=”ds-thumbnail-blog” _builder_version=”4.4.8″ body_font_size=”12″ body_line_height=”1.6em” meta_line_height=”2.8em” width=”100%” max_width=”100%” module_alignment=”center” pagination_font_size_tablet=”51″ pagination_line_height_tablet=”2″ border_width_all=”0px” border_radii_image=”off|38px|38px||” border_width_bottom_image=”3px” border_color_bottom_image=”#012169″ box_shadow_style_image=”preset3″ use_border_color=”off”] [/et_pb_blog][et_pb_post_nav in_same_term=”on” taxonomy_name=”agent education” _builder_version=”4.6.1″ _module_preset=”default”][/et_pb_post_nav][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_button button_url=”mailto:careers@coldwellbankerelite.com” button_text=”Talk to one of our local managers” button_alignment=”center” _builder_version=”4.6.1″ background_layout=”dark” z_index_tablet=”500″ button_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” button_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” button_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px”][/et_pb_button][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
3 Ways to Stay Organized with Todoist
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As a busy real estate agent, you are constantly juggling a bunch of different things at once. You are dealing with multiple buyers, sellers, and contracts at various stages and just trying to keep everything straight and organized. It can definitely be overwhelming! You really need to have a to-do list tool that will keep you on track to make sure that you don’t miss any of your daily tasks. There are tons of different to-do list apps out there including Google Keep, Apple Reminders and many more. Today we are going to focus on 3 ways to stay organized using Todoist. One huge benefit about Todoist versus some its competitors is that it is compatible across all of the major platforms (Android, Apple/Mac, and Windows).
1. Keep track of all your tasks by getting them out of your head!
Todoist in its most basic form is a really awesome to-do list that is simple to use. With everything you have going on in a normal day, it is really hard to remember everything that you have to do. The most important is to get all of your tasks out of your head and into a list. You will feel so much more relaxed and confident about getting things done once you have them written out in a trusted place. Todoist has been around since 2007 and is used by major corporations like Amazon, Disney, and Facebook. So, you can rest assured that your data is safe.
It is very easy to add tasks to your list. All you have to do is click on the plus sign in the top right of the screen on a Chrome browser (or desktop app) or the bottom right on the mobile app. This will bring up a Quick Add Task window where you can input your task. You can also schedule a due date and time by tapping where is says Schedule. An awesome feature is that you can also schedule by using natural language, for example “Call back Mr. Jones to discuss the appraisal tomorrow at 9:30am”. It will automatically detect the day and time and add it to your task.
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2. Categorize all of your tasks by projects
Now that you have moved all of your tasks out of your head and into a list, you may be feeling overwhelmed with the amount of tasks you have to complete! It is going to help you to sort out all of your tasks into categories. Luckily, Todoist allows you to sort your tasks into what they call “Projects”. I recommend you create projects like Real Estate and Personal. You could create a separate project for each of your active listings or current contracts. You get five current projects with the Free version of Todoist (up to 80 if you archive old projects). See the example below of what a project looks like for a current listing. This ensures that you won’t miss any of the small tasks in a transaction. Quick tip – you can save your listing task list in a document somewhere and then just copy and paste in all of your tasks when you have a new listing. You can even share your projects with your clients so that they can see everything that goes into selling their home or even have them check off the things they need to do.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https://coldwellbankerelite.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/project-example.png” title_text=”project example” _builder_version=”4.6.6″ _module_preset=”default”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.6″ _module_preset=”default”]
3. Visualize your projects with board view
Board view is a newer feature from Todoist, and it is awesome at allowing you to visualize your project. A lot times tasks aren’t simple and may be “in progress” for a while. The board view helps to understand exactly where you are at in a particular project and what still needs to be completed. You can always switch back and forth between list view (traditional) and board view even after you start a project. You can drag and drop the tasks in between sections very easily as seen below
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Here is a tutorial from Todoist showing exactly how to use their board view:
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In summary, with as much as you have going on, you really need to have a digital to-do list with you at all times. I feel that Todoist provides you with exactly what you need to be efficient and not miss those small tasks that are crucial to wowing your clients in the end. I hope these 3 tips help you to be more organized on a daily basis. Reach out to me with any time management or to-do list tips and tricks!
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Recent Posts:
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[/et_pb_blog][et_pb_post_nav in_same_term=”on” taxonomy_name=”agent education” _builder_version=”4.6.1″ _module_preset=”default”][/et_pb_post_nav][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_button button_url=”mailto:careers@coldwellbankerelite.com” button_text=”Talk to one of our local managers” button_alignment=”center” _builder_version=”4.6.1″ background_layout=”dark” z_index_tablet=”500″ button_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” button_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” button_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px”][/et_pb_button][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
Coldwell Banker Elite Unveils Updated Global Luxury Look
Today, Coldwell Banker Elite debuts the sleek modern update to our prestigious Global Luxury program branding, in alignment with the Coldwell Banker® network’s “Project North Star” visual transformation. Coldwell Banker Elite is deploying all new yard signs, agent and listing marketing materials, and more as part of the full network-wide rebrand which will continue into 2021.
Coldwell Banker’s new visual identity gives us the opportunity to retell our brand story, solidify our mission statement, and recommit to our core values. In today’s mobile, social, and digital marketing environment, Global Luxury needed a sophisticated look and feel that matched the upscale properties in which affluent consumers live, work, and play.
Coldwell Banker Global Luxury conducted a global quantitative survey of three potential logos in the top four countries for the program: Spain, France, Italy, and the United States. With that feedback, Global Luxury then conducted formal focus groups comprised of group interviews, anonymous surveys, and one-on-one sessions with Luxury Brand Ambassadors across 10 countries, as well as with top agents and brokers from across the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury network.
QUOTES
“Coldwell Banker Elite is excited to be an integral part of this journey. We look forward to showcasing the new, innovative visuals of the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury program; this rebrand will be eye-catching in the greater Fredericksburg area market and we appreciate the opportunity to help guide the brand to success for the years to come.”
– Kevin Breen, President and CEO of Coldwell Banker Elite
“Research shows consumers closely associate the Coldwell Banker name with luxury real estate – after all, the Coldwell Banker brand sold more $1M+ homes in 2019 than any other national real estate brand. The Coldwell Banker Global Luxury name aligns the power and recognition of the Coldwell Banker brand with legacy in luxury to truly showcase the program for what it is: a leader in delivering excellence, performance and refinement. And with this rebrand, we proudly continue our service with some of the best-affiliated agents in the world.”
– Craig Hogan, vice president of Luxury at Coldwell Banker Real Estate
Virtual Homes for Dogs Month Breaks Adoption Records!
Talk about silver linings! We are BEYOND excited to share the results of our first Virtual Homes for Dogs Month! Under normal circumstances, our agents have an in-person volunteer event and several donation drop-offs at local shelters. Needless to say, we were extremely disappointed when Covid forced us to cancel our in-person events but we rose to the challenge and adapted our Homes for Dogs Weekend into a whole MONTH of virtual dog adoption promotion! Since we weren’t limited by time or distance, we were able to partner with even more local shelters than normal, raise awareness about their community support programs, and promote more adoptable dogs on social media.
The final tallies are in and we are SO proud to say that 282 dogs were adopted during our Virtual Homes for Dogs Month! This blows our previous Homes for Dogs event records out of the water! We are so happy for all of the dogs and families that have found their new BFFs during this challenging time!
Now that Homes for Dogs Month is over, we wanted to highlight ways that the community can continue to support our local shelters! Even if you can’t adopt right now, there are so many ways that we can give back to improve the lives of animals! Click on your local shelter’s link to see how you can sign up to volunteer, donate money or supplies, or share adoptable animals!
Here’s How You Can Help!
Fredericksburg SPCA
Fredericksburg SPCA: You can donate directly via their website, drop off anything on this list at the shelter, or buy something off their Amazon wishlist which will be shipped straight to the shelter!
Current Needs: “Right now we are DESPERATELY in need of foster homes for adult animals – especially going into holiday season! It’s so easy to sign up and we supply the food, medical and other supplies you may need – we just need people to open their hearts and homes temporarily to them for a place to crash! There’s no minimum or maximum time anyone can foster – we are very flexible! Sign up at www.Fredspca.org/adopt” -Siobhan Young, SPCA of Fredericksburg’s Marketing & Communications Manager
Stafford County Animal Shelter
Stafford County Animal Shelter: You can drop off or mail monetary donations to the shelter building or buy something off their Amazon wishlist!
Current Needs: “We’ve run out of our favorite way of giving medication to our animals in need! Pill pouches are a safe and delicious way of giving pills to the dogs that require it. It’s also less stressful for the animal especially when they already don’t feel well. You can find these special treats at your local Petsmart, Petco, Walmart, or Amazon! We thank you kindly in advance 
” They’re also in need of cat litter!
Prince William County Animal Shelter
Prince William County Animal Shelter: You can drop off anything on this list at the shelter but they’d also appreciate donations of gift cards to pet supply stores!
Current Needs: The Amazon Wishlist is kept updated with the shelter’s current needs!
Spotsylvania Animal Shelter
Spotsylvania Animal Shelter: You’re always welcome to drop off supplies donations at the shelter and spread the word about adoptable animals!
Current Needs: They’re running low on cat food right now and in-person donations are always appreciated!
Orange County Animal Shelter
Orange County Animal Shelter: You can donate to the Orange County Humane Society or drop off pet food and supplies at the shelter building!
Squishy Face Crew
Squishy Face Crew: They have an Amazon wishlist or you can donate directly via their website!
Current Needs: “Did you know that blankets and towels are among the most needed items in animal rescue (after puppy and kitten food, which we are also in desperate need of)??? We often have to throw away blankets and towels after they have been used with animals being treated for highly contagious illnesses. If you are able to pick up a couple (or more!) of these, and maybe a bag or couple of cans of puppy/kitten food, and drop them off at 9904 Shadow Ridge Ct, we would be so grateful!”
Sharing Our Dog Adoption Stories
Coldwell Banker Elite agents love to support our Homes for Dogs Project every year because many of them have experienced the life-changing (for them AND the dog!) magic of dog adoption personally! Here are some of our agents’ adoption stories–with cute pictures, of course!
5 Things To Do To Get Your House Ready For Showings
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Guest Blog by Cat Dobson
Getting your home ready to sell can be a stressful and overwhelming experience. After first choosing the right real estate agent to represent you and market your home well, these 5 tips can get your house ready in no time!
Declutter & Donate
First up, declutter! This is above and beyond the best thing you can do to get your home ready to sell. If you think you might want to list your home within the next year, start by going through one space a week and donating or selling things you don’t need or use. Even if you’re short on time and need to move suddenly, decluttering needs to be a priority! Consider storing oversized or excess pieces of furniture to help spaces feel roomier. File and store all papers, as well as clear the outside of the fridge of anything on it. Additionally, make sure your kitchen counters are clear and all small appliances are put away.
Stay Neutral
In order to have your home appeal to the largest amount of prospective buyers, it’s important to neutralize your decor and interiors. While this can be hard for some sellers to do, it can help to think of the home as no longer yours as soon as it hits the market. It’s there waiting for its next owner! Neutralize any shocking paint colors that may be off-putting to buyers (your son’s room that is bright orange, or your living room accent wall that’s deep red), and take down any overly personal bold artwork. While it’s not necessary to replace every single small family photo, make sure large scale portraits are taken down. From a security standpoint, don’t leave up any family photos or items that could release personal information (for example, job certifications, or photos of your children in their school or sports uniforms).
Check Out Your Curb Appeal
Thirdly, make sure your curb appeal is up to par! The outside of your home is the first thing buyers see, and often they may skip entering your home altogether if the exterior is lacking. Invest in some fresh mulch to draw attention to outside flower beds, and brighten your entrance with some potted flowers. Make sure your front door is fresh with no peeling paint, and that the door handle is well attached and secure.
Along those lines, make sure all the quick fixes around your house are completed! Any burnt out lightbulbs need to be replaced, all interior door knobs secured, and trim and wall paint touched up. Often buyers who find low-level maintenance hasn’t been completed are left wondering if there are more serious things wrong with the home. As a seller, you always want to make sure your home is presented as fresh and well-maintained as possible. It can sometimes be easy to overlook little things such as scuffed walls when you live day in and out in a home – to get fresh eyes on what you might need to touch up, invite a close friend over to critically examine your home.
Highlight the Best Features
Lastly, make sure you show off the best features of your home! Look around your home and decide what are the selling points (you can ask your real estate agent for help if you need) and make sure you’re showcasing them. Buyers will miss out on seeing your amazing transom windows if they’re crowded and full of knick-knacks. Consider picking up small throw rugs and runners to make sure your floors are the star and removing curtains or blinds if you have a spectacular private backyard view. Above all, remember that the buyers are looking to buy your home, not your things! Showcase the great things about your house, and make sure your personal things don’t detract from them seeing and loving your home.
These fixes are often easy and mostly free. They can make a big difference in getting your home market-ready and under contract faster. It may be more work on the front end, but the potential for a faster sale and an easier less stressful move can be worth it!
cdobson@cbeva.com | 703-582-8509 | Massaponax Office
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5 Website Features Real Estate Agents MUST Have
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It is no secret that a website is one of the most important parts of a business. It has truly replaced the storefront for many businesses, and it is the first place that most clients go to learn about a real estate agent. If you still do not have your own website or you just want to make sure you are on the right track. Here are five must-have features for your real estate website:
1. Testimonials
I’m starting out with testimonials because I think it is the most important part of your website. A testimonial or review is simply a previous client’s opinion of the service that you provide. It is just the modern version of word-of-mouth marketing. An agent can go on and on about how awesome they are and why you should use them to sell your home. When a potential client reads a review from someone who has used your service, it is much more believable!
To simplify the importance let’s think about the last time you were looking for a new place to eat. You probably received a recommendation from a friend. I want you to think about what you did next. If you are like most people, you went to Google and searched the name of the restaurant and read the reviews. We know that people trust the opinions of others for something as simple as a restaurant. So it makes sense that when someone is looking for an agent to help them with one of the most expensive purchases or sales of their life that they will want to see what other people think of you.
So, you may be asking, “How do I get testimonials?” I recommend that within a week or two of your client’s closing you send them a message asking them for a review of their experience with you. I would give them instructions on exactly how to leave you a review on Google, Facebook, Zillow or anywhere else you want people to find you. Here is a link to a sample testimonial email. Every time you get a testimonial make sure that you post it on your website!
2. Contact me form and multiple CTAs throughout the site
One of the best tips I ever received (over a 10 years ago) on my first website was to add a contact form. I had spent hours getting all of our services, photos and reviews on the site. The major part I didn’t think about was making it easy for people to get in touch with the company. In your case, you want to make it super easy for your new potential clients to reach out to you via a simple form. You can use Google Forms or most website builders have built-in forms. It is important to make sure that the form sends you a notification to an email address that you check often. You also want to make sure that you keep the form short and to the point (name, number, email, and reason). If you are asking for their complete life story, they most likely will not fill out the form.
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You also want to add calls-to-action (CTA) throughout your website that lead clients to your Contact page. As clients are browsing all of your content, you want to catch their attention and direct to where you want them to go typically through the use of a button. I suggest using buttons that say something like “Schedule an Appointment” or “Schedule a Consultation”. In addition to these CTAs, make sure you have a “Contact” button in your top menu. This is the location most people will look when they are ready to reach out to you.
3. Video bio
I know, I know, most of you already want to skip over this section. You have heard it repeatedly, but a video bio is a must in 2020. Video doesn’t have to be perfect anymore. You don’t have the excuse of not having the right equipment, because most of us have an awesome video camera in our pocket. Today’s cell phones all have excellent cameras built-in. You are ready to shoot your bio video when you pair your cell phone with a tri-pod and an inexpensive lapel mic like this one from Purple Panda (audio is extremely important!).
People can really connect to a video versus reading your bio because they get to see and hear you. You immediately become more relatable! The biggest thing is to just practice over and over again, and you will get better. Don’t worry about making a mistake because you can always delete any mistakes you make! I look forward to seeing your first video soon!
4. Blog with hyper-local content
As a real estate agent, you are the local expert. A blog is one of the easiest ways to convey that you are an expert. There are millions of blogs out there and it can be tough to compete with the ones that are already established. This is why I recommend keeping your your blog hyper-local to the areas that you serve. I know here in Fredericksburg, VA that there are very few agents that are talking about their community.
So, you agree you should have a blog, but you have no idea what to write about. You are not alone, and this is probably the reason why most people never start a blog. I want you to think about things you already enjoy doing and how you can make them relate to real estate or your local community. My most successful blog was called “Why I Love Fredericksburg” and I just wrote about some things my family and I love to do and included some photos. Some other ideas might be to interview local businesses, review recent events or restaurants you have been to, Top 5 lists and so on. People love reading about where they live and the more they read from you, the quicker you will look like the local expert!
5. Responsive design
In 2020, just about every single person looking to buy or sell a home has a cell phone and we want to make sure they can view your website clearly on the go. Responsive design means that your website adjusts to different screen sizes between your laptop, tablet, and phone automatically. Most modern site builders like Square Space or WordPress will automatically apply responsive design. Whenever you make changes to your site you will want to open up a browser on your phone to make sure that everything is clear on a smaller screen.
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Recent Posts:
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3 Tips for Sellers from a Home Safe™ Certified Agent
Guest Blog by Terin Merriman
Hi Friends!
So this is our lives in the midst of a global pandemic, huh? As we’re adjusting to this “new world” we find ourselves in, it’s important to keep life as normal as we can. While times are challenging and many of us are still searching for our footing, the world doesn’t stop! Thus during such strange times, you may find that it’s time to sell your home and begin your family’s next chapter.
Now more than ever it’s important to choose a Realtor and/or Company that can produce results as well as keep your family safe during a national health crisis. How can you do that? Funny you ask, I have an answer for that. Did you know that Coldwell Banker Elite is the first in our region to roll out a certification for agents that provides specific tools & training to keep YOU and your HOME safe?
So let’s talk selling your home & keeping your Home Safe™. Ah. See what I did there? Such a clever gal. Here’s my 3 Tips for Listing Your Home During Covid-19:
All Things Virtual
With Home Safe™ practices implemented you can limit in-person contact & potential exposure to germs by doing virtual meetings, offering virtual tours, virtual open houses, and electronically signing documents. Essentially, you never have to see anyone face to face again. Talk about dreams coming true! Have I won you over yet?
Follow CDC Guidelines
Real Estate in Virginia has been deemed an essential business and there are suggested guidelines to follow for both agents & clients. Since we can’t always guarantee that others follow the rules set forth, another way to further protect your home and family is to ask that your Realtor ensure showings are only permitted to those with proof of pre-qualification. This will eliminate any unnecessary traffic through your home.
Implement the Covid-19 Addendum
Fun Fact: There a variety of addendums and contract language that Home Safe™ certified agents have access to that will help protect you. Included in those clauses and addendum is language that we can negotiate to reduce your risk should you have a problem buying or selling a home related to COVID-19. We also have language that we will negotiate into the contract that can be used to compel everyone involved in the transaction to abide by CDC best practices and open up opportunities to negotiate certain aspects of the contract that wouldn’t normally be a consideration without the proper language negotiated between the parties.
Undoubtedly things have changed in what is a typical day for most. We have altered our routines and our lives. One thing that isn’t changing is real estate. We’ve seen an influx in home sales and purchases since the start of COVID and the housing market is projected to strengthen even more. With all-time-low interest rates and a seller’s market now is a prime time to sell with very little to no downside. Don’t let the coronavirus scares keep you from your home sale dreams.
Thank y’all for spending a little time with me & reading this blog!
If you’d like more information on Home Safe™ you can visit coldwellbankerelite.com/homesafe or head over to my blog at www.terinuprealestate.com.
We’re always happy to chat and answer questions.
By Terin Merriman, Realtor
