Luxury Listing Specialist - Dominate High End Listings In Any Market

Blockchain & Crypto in Luxury Real Estate

Recently, I was teaching our Luxury Designation (LUXE) in Denver, and a guest speaker at the event brought up the topic of Cryptocurrency and the blockchain and real estate closings.

In high-end, luxury real estate, you’re more likely to see buyers who want to use Cryptocurrency to buy a home. As a way to differentiate yourself from other agents, I highly recommend that you familiarize yourself with cryptocurrency, the blockchain, NFT’s, fractional ownership, and other forms of digital currency. This is a great way to differentiate yourself from the other agents in your market. Did you know you can offer a home for sale via Crypto and the sellers still get paid in cash? How is that done? The buyers Crypto can be converted by Crypto Escrow company to Fiat (US Dollars here in the states) so the seller can get paid at closing in cash vs Crypto.

As an additional note: Our team is expanding. If you’d like to work with a team that can provide you with more tools, resources, and structure to allow you to consistently attract more high-end and luxury properties, visit www.JoinLuxGroup.com. We have agents in all 50 states and 22 countries worldwide, but we are always looking to grow.

If you have any questions about today’s podcast, or if you’re considering a change in your career to another firm or team that specializes in luxury real estate, please call or email me.

Don’t forget to jump on our “Luxury Fridays” on YouTube each Friday. Check it out by going to www.LuxuryFridays.com and clicking on the “Luxury Friday’s On YouTube” button.

Michael LaFido
Founder & CEO | Luxury Listing Specialist Designation (LUXE)
Michael@MarketingLuxuryGroup.com
LuxurySpecialistGear.com

Building Teams & The Life You Want with Gogo Bethke

The decision to start a real estate team comes down to one question, “Am I going to continue to overwork myself, or am I going to branch out and form a team?” But how do you get started? Time to get excited; Gogo Bethke will be joining me on the show.

Gogo is terrific at building teams and organizations. She also loves supporting agents.

Today, Gogo will share her backstory and nuggets of wisdom on how to build a team. Also, if you have been wondering how people generate organic leads, listen and learn from Gogo. 

Connect with Gogo Bethke:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gogobethke/

Website: https://www.gogosrealestate.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gogosrealestate/

“Managing expectations comes through communication.” - Michael LaFido

Things You'll Learn From This Episode

• Manage your client’s expectations:
  It’s the least you can do if you have a team. Get in touch with them and let them know who’ll be handling them and that they can count on you.
  
  
• Hit personal goals:

  If you want to hit your personal goals, you need to leverage them. You can't keep trading your time for money.

• Communicate effectively:
  When it comes to managing expectations, communication is critical. Learn how to communicate effectively with your teams and your clients.
  
  
• Determine your rates

  You need to know your hourly rate. It will help you determine if a task is worth your time or if you’d rather be doing something else.

Guest Bio:
In November of 2018 Gogo joined eXp Realty and started her organization, #teamgogo. 3 years later, #teamgogo is a big international family, with over 750+ agents from all over the US, Canada, Mexico, and France. 

How to Order Your Photos

How do you determine which order to put a listing’s photos in? Today I’ll talk about photo order for online listings.

Real estate school doesn’t teach you what photos to show or what not to show. Our job as real estate agents is to accentuate the best features of a home and downplay the least favorable. You don’t have to show every bathroom if some are dated. When you’re putting together online marketing pieces, you need to lead with the best photos.

I recently put a home on the market as the third agent for a seller who was frustrated with the previous agents. She had 40 photos and they weren’t making a great first impression. I fixed her listing to lead with the amazing photos and then squeezed the so-so photos in between. You don’t need to include every photo of every bedroom and bathroom if they’re not unique. I like showing the unique features of a home and the best qualities of the location with drone photos and photos in town because you’re selling the lifestyle and the location in addition to the house. I also like to put good photos at the end because sometimes buyers skip to the end while looking.

If you have any questions about today’s podcast, or if you’re considering a change in your career to another firm or team that specializes in luxury real estate, please call or email me.

Don’t forget to jump on our “Luxury Fridays” on YouTube each Friday!

Check it out by going to www.LuxuryFridays.com and clicking on the “Luxury Friday’s On YouTube” button.

 

How This Agent Thrived After 3 Career Changes with Noelle Nielsen

Have you recently transitioned into real estate or perhaps moved to a new area and don't have local connections? If so, this episode will inspire you. 

Noelle Nielsen, aka The Minnesotan, shares her journey. Before pivoting to real estate, Noelle has had careers as a headhunter, wedding photographer, and lawyer. She’s been in real estate for six years and has already opened her own brokerage. She’s also a goat farmer to boot! 

Noelle makes excellent use of video marketing. She incorporates humor, her family, and even goats into her videos. In this episode, she will share what her transition was like, how we met, and give nuggets of wisdom we can all borrow. 

Grab a notebook and pen. Listen and learn.

Connect with Noelle Nielsen:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noellenielsen/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noelletheminnesotan/

“Depending on what your career was before, use that to your benefit.” - Noelle Nielsen

3 Things You'll Learn:

• Start Networking:
  When you are transitioning into real estate, increase your hustle and network as much as possible.
  
  
• You have transferable skills:
  Whatever career you are in, you have transferrable skills that you can bring to the real estate field.
  
  
• Have confidence:
  In everything you do, you need to have confidence. You ought to believe in yourself and know what makes you stand out from the rest.

 

Guest Bio:
Noelle Nielsen's experience is a unique combination of real estate law and business management. Noelle began her work in the area of real estate in 2007 when she joined the law firm Heley, Duncan and Melander, PLLP (formerly Coleman, Hull & vanVliet, PLLP). At this firm, her practice focused on the areas of real estate, construction law, commercial litigation, title insurance defense, mechanic’s lien, mortgage foreclosure, and general corporate matters. The clients she worked with included lenders, national title insurance underwriters and their agents, developers, subcontractors, and owners in construction litigation, as well as parties to commercial and residential real estate transactions.

Why Love Letters are a Huge Risk

Have you represented a buyer in a multiple-offer situation who wanted to write their seller a letter about why they should pick them? We call these love letters, but are they a good idea? Let’s talk about it. 

Buying and selling homes is an emotional process, so it makes sense to try and make an emotional connection with your seller. However, some states are passing laws that make love letters illegal. 

Even if you live in a state where love letters are legal, you might want to think twice before writing one. My wife and I recently bought a home, and like many people in this market, we found ourselves in a multiple-offer situation. One of the other buyers wrote a love letter, but our offer was the best, so the seller went with us. The other buyer felt like they had been discriminated against, and they filed a lawsuit under the Fair Housing Act. If you want to avoid headaches like this, I recommend not writing love letters and not accepting them either. 

There are other ways to make your offer stand out in a multiple-offer situation, and I’ll talk about them in future videos. In the meantime, please call or email me with any questions; I’d be happy to help!

If you have any questions about today’s video, or if you’re considering a change in your career to another firm or team that specializes in luxury real estate, please call or email me. Don’t forget to jump on our “Luxury Fridays” on YouTube each Friday. Check it out by going to www.JoinLuxeGroup.com and clicking on the “Luxury Friday’s On YouTube” button.

Michael LaFido
Founder & CEO | Luxury Listing Specialist Designation (LUXE)
Michael@MarketingLuxuryGroup.com
LuxurySpecialistGear.com

Opportunities That Come After Landing a Trophy Listing with Craig Sachse

I'm sure you can imagine a luxury listing that sells is a huge magnet to attract new clients.

But did you know that when marketing a luxury listing - even if it doesn't sell - you will still attract opportunities from that trophy listing? 

Yes, it happens, and it's happening in "non-luxury markets". Craig Sachse is a living testimony.

Craig had a $5m plus listing that closed in October 2021. Since then, things have changed for him. More opportunities are knocking at his door!

Before getting into real estate, Craig worked in an architectural firm specializing in luxury homes. Looking back, he's proud of how far he's come.

In this episode, Craig will take us through his real estate journey, how he managed to close his trophy listing, his marketing technique, and his plans for the future.  

Listen and learn.

Connect with Craig Sachse:

Website: craigsachse.com

Email: CraigASachse@gmail.com

“A sign in the yard is better than a sign in the car.” -Michael LaFido

Three Things You'll Learn:

• Just do it:
  When you're ready to do something, but people keep discouraging you and telling you otherwise. Don’t listen to them. Just do it and prove them wrong. 
  
  
• Communication is vital:
  In any relationship, communication is the lifeline. It's what keeps the relationship going.
  
  
• Marketing a property that has been listed for a long time with no success:
  If you want to list a property that's been on the market for a long time - you have to look for a way to entice people to it. Consider its unique points and without a doubt, it will find a buyer. 
  
  

Guest Bio:

Craig Sachse spent nearly eighteen years in architectural practice before going into real estate. He has built a substantial network of media contacts over his career and has leveraged those connections to feature his listings in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, DuPont Registry of Fine Homes, Mansion Global, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Lehigh Valley Style, and The Morning Call. 

How to Write Your Remarks

Recently, I received a question from an aspiring agent about the remarks section. As agents, our specialty is people, not writing. However, you still need to know what to say, so today I want to talk to you about the remarks section. 

Personally, I look to Tony Robbins, who said, “Success leaves clues.” In other words, take a look at what someone successful is doing and tweak it to make it your own. You don’t want to reinvent the wheel; just look at similar properties and take notes on what makes their section work. 

You can copy and paste the remarks to a separate document as a reference, but it’s important not to copy someone else’s work word for word. Take a note of their style, then fill in the blanks with the unique features of your home. Remember that you aren’t only selling the property; you’re selling the lifestyle the house represents. 

Don’t spend all your energy on the remarks. If your photos aren’t good, no one will read them. However, if everything else is great, the remarks could be the last push an analytical buyer needs to get in contact with you. 
Remember: mold, tweak, and modify; don’t copy.

If you have any questions about today’s podcast, or if you’re considering a change in your career to another firm or team that specializes in luxury real estate, please call or email me.

Don’t forget to jump on our “Luxury Fridays” on YouTube each Friday. Check it out by going to www.JoinLuxeGroup.com and clicking on the “Luxury Friday’s On YouTube” button.

Michael LaFido
Founder & CEO | Luxury Listing Specialist Designation (LUXE)
Michael@MarketingLuxuryGroup.com
(888) 930-8510

Mastering Emotional Intelligence with Marques Ogden

Did you know that emotional intelligence is considered one of the most valuable skills for real estate agents? In this episode, I have the opportunity of hosting Marques Ogden. We will be having a deep conversation on emotional intelligence and why we need to master it.

Marques is a former NFL offensive lineman and built a solid career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Baltimore Ravens, the Buffalo Bills, and the Tennessee Titans. After six years, he hung up the helmet and padding and became a successful entrepreneur. He's also a keynote speaker, executive coach, and best-selling author.  

Marques believes emotional intelligence is about understanding the power of your emotions and the emotions of others. Emotional intelligence is also about the importance of creating rapport before proceeding to business.

As real estate agents, we need to be emotionally intelligent to succeed in this field. Our customers need to feel empathy from us and know that we're not just in it for the profit. We have their best interests at heart.

Would you like to up your emotional intelligence skill? Listen to this episode.

 

“Every business relationship starts with a casual conversation.”- Marques Ogden




Three Things You’ll Learn

• Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care:
  When dealing with clients, they need to feel just how much you care for them.
  
  
• Meet them where they are:
  This is essential in helping clients set attainable goals. You can help a client set a plan that will not stress them out in the end.
  
  
• Many business connections start from casual conversations:
  Try to start with a casual conversation to create rapport before talking business as you meet clients. Small talk might appear inconsequential, but it's vital in the real estate industry. 
  
  

Guest Bio:
Marques Ogden was in the NFL from 2003 to 2007 as an offensive lineman for the Titans, Bills, Ravens and Jaguars. He's currently a keynote speaker, business coach, and corporate consultant. 
 

Connect with Marques:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarquesOgdenSpeaker/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marquesogden/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Marques_Ogden

Grab his Book: https://www.amazon.com/Success-Cycle-Achieving-Goals-Business/dp/1642931748

How to Use Appraisal Contingencies

If you’re working in an appreciating market like our current one, you’ve probably run into issues involving an appraisal gap. How do you handle this issue so that your clients can continue with their transactions? Let’s talk about it:

Let’s take a look at an example. Suppose you and a client look at a home listed at $2 million, but it only appraises for $1.8 million. One way you can handle this is by adding a contingency to the contract where you offer to make up the difference in cash up to a certain amount. So your client can say they’ll pay an appraisal gap in cash up to $200,000 if the property appraises low. 

“The key is to bring the topic up early in a transaction so that there are no surprises.”

You can also create an appraisal contingency the other way. So if this $2 million property appraised higher than its list price, you’ll agree to buy it up to a certain amount. Either of these options is a way you can differentiate yourself from the pack. 

If you have a conversation about the appraisal gap, you can protect your seller or buyer. The key is to bring the topic up early in a transaction so that there are no surprises. You may want to roleplay this conversation to help you nail down this technique. 

If you have any questions about today’s podcast, or if you’re considering a career in luxury real estate, please call or email me. I am always available.

Let's connect:
Michael LaFido Marketing Luxury Group I Luxury Listing Specialist (888) 930-8510 | michael@marketingluxurygroup.com MarketingLuxuryGroup.com LuxuryListingSpecialist.com LuxuryListingPodcast.com

 

 

Double Your Average Sales Price and Quadruple Your Sales Volume with Jake Crawford

Would you like to double your average sales price in 2022 and quadruple your sales volume versus your best year ever? If so, this episode is for you. Jake Crawford will be joining me on the show to share his real estate journey. 

Jake is a Realtor with extensive market knowledge and unmatched devotion to clients. With over $100 million in sales, he continuously ranks in the country's top 5% of producing real estate agents. He works tirelessly on behalf of his clients and always offers candid advice.

He believes that to serve a client best, you need to step into their shoes to understand their needs. Also, he believes in creating relationships with his clients away from work.

In this episode, Jake will share his real estate journey, how we met, and how he got into the luxury market. Are you ready to learn? Listen in to this episode.

Connect with Jake Crawford: 

Website: https://www.topcomphomes.com/ 

Cellphone: 480-766-2973

"Why wait years to get good at something if you can go do it right away? That's why I invested in your luxury coaching" -Jake Crawford

 

Three Things You'll Learn:

• Be coachable:
  Having a coachable spirit helps you learn from experienced people in your area of interest. Also, it helps you avoid mistakes that others have made.
  
  
• Have empathy:
  Always put yourself in your client's shoes to help you to understand their needs and how best you can offer them an excellent service.
  
  
• Don’t delay:
  If you want to become great at anything, do it right away. Don't wait for years to start doing it. You might regret not doing it sooner.

 

Guest Bio: 
Jake Crawford has been in real estate since 2013 in Scottsdale, Arizona. He's got $100 million in sales, and he continuously ranks in the Top 1% of producing real estate agents in the country.