Luxury Listing Specialist - Dominate High End Listings In Any Market

How to Use Other People's Properties to Expand Your Luxury Business

It can be hard to break into the luxury market if you don’t know what you’re doing. Fortunately, today I’ll be talking about one of the easiest ways that agents can start positioning themselves as go-to luxury experts. The idea is to use other people’s properties to build your business. You’re essentially helping other agents with things like open houses and online marketing, which helps your business gain recognition and grow. Listen to learn more.

Learn More: https://www.luxurylistingspecialist.com/

Event-Based Marketing At Your Luxury Listing

When selling luxury real estate, the biggest challenge is that luxury home buyers rarely have a sense of urgency. Even if they feel the need to upgrade to something bigger or better, they’re often too busy to actively pursue buying a new home. Because of this, it can be challenging to get their attention and even more challenging to get them to come see what you’re selling.

It’s a given that when you’re selling a high-end or unique property, you want to get high-quality traffic. So you need to ask yourself, “What can you do that's different from the competition?”

One effective way to market a home is through event-based marketing. And I’m not talking about having an open house where you having appetizers and giving away prizes.

The overall idea of event-based marketing is that the event is both something with true value - independent of the house or agent... and that it’s fun. In markets where getting rival brokers in to preview a luxury home for their clients is key, these events can provide a true enticement.

That’s why I’m so stoked to have Ali Wise as my guest. She recently had one of these unique high-end events at a property she's marketing for just under 14 million dollars. Tune in to hear what positioned Ali for this exclusive opportunity.

Here’s a link to the property. It’s amazing!  https://www.dawsonridgeestate.com/

To get in touch with Ali, go to https://www.wisepropertygroup.com/

"If you can learn one thing that you can implement or articulate differently from your competition, it gives you a leg up when you're on a listing appointment." -Michael LaFido

Three Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

 

- Fronting Funds to Market A Luxury Home:
When you have a luxury home where you know it will need outside-the-box marketing and a large marketing budget. You can try asking the seller to front you the money to market it with the agreement that you'll deduct the amount invested when the home sells.

- The Power of Personalization:
Personalized video messages are a simple, yet effective way to nurture your leads. It’s a natural human tendency to react and pay more attention when their name is mentioned and personalized videos take advantage of this tendency of consumers. Your conversion rate will skyrocket.

- The Power of Leverage:
When selling a high-end home, be sure to leverage your network. Not just friends and family. For instance, if you have an attorney that you do all your closings with or if you have a lender that you partner with, let them know about your listing. You’ll be surprised at how many of them will pass the word on. You never know what’s going to go viral. 

 

Guest Bio:
With 15+ years of Global Corporate, Commercial, and Residential Real Estate execution, Ali is a highly motivated and results-oriented business professional in the real estate industry. Her career highlights expertise in the life cycle of residential real estate, Global CRE, portfolio strategy, planning and management, site selection and transaction management, project and construction management, financial and scenario analysis as well as complex lease administration. 

Ali personally invests in influencing and developing people, both buyers, and sellers, as well as industry partners such as title and escrow partners, mortgage lenders, appraisers, home inspectors, and contractors.

Specialties: First-time Home Buyers, HOWNW Certified Specialist, AWREP Certified Specialist, Listing Agent, Buyer's Agent, Relocation Specialist, prompt and courteous communication and always keeping the interest of her clients at the top. Confidentiality & Loyalty are of the utmost importance to Ali in assisting her clients through every transaction.

 

 

We’re Doing Live Events Once Again!

We’ve finally had the opportunity to host live events once again, and our most recent gatherings have been absolutely fantastic! We flew in 70 top-producing agents from throughout the country to AXR Winery at Napa, where we conducted a training seminar and viewed some multi-million dollar properties. We received some excellent feedback from those who attended, and we’re excited to do more throughout 2021 and beyond. To learn more about our recent events and how attending one can benefit your business, listen to this podcast. Learn More: https://www.luxurylistingspecialist.c...

What You Need to Know About the Divorce Niche in Real Estate w/Laurel Starks

Divorce is an incredibly emotional experience, but the reality of our society is that it exists. In most cases, the house is often the largest asset and will end up being sold. 

As real estate professionals, we can be on hand to help, but we have to approach it the right way. Divorce sales come with a ton of nuances, and as agents, we need to be aware of them before diving in.

So what’s the best way to handle real estate during a divorce?

In this episode, I interview Laurel Starks, real estate agent and family law expert who is the founder of The Ilumni Institute. Her company trains real estate agents on how to work with divorce attorneys and how to build a divorce real estate business. 

Laurel discusses her work as a court-appointed real estate expert and shares several helpful tips for divorce case listings.

Resources:

To reach Laurel, you may email her at Laurel@ilumniinstitute.com

Website: ilumniinstitute.com/
https://www.getdivorcecertified.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheIlumniInstitute/

 

“Divorce is an atom bomb on a financial situation...even in high-end luxury.

They get a divorce and it can sink their finances quickly.” -Laurel Starks

 

Three Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Stay neutral:
  It’s okay to be empathetic towards divorcing clients, but NEVER take sides. Neutrality is the key to a smooth transaction. By having a sense of detachment, you can build trust with both parties and make the experience easier for everyone involved.
  
  
• Do your research:
  As soon as you’re done with the initial conversation that the client’s getting a divorce, you need to do your research and background. For example, If there’s a court order, be sure to get a copy of it. Check the title. The time to find out about an IRS lien is not in escrow, it’s from day one.
  
  
• Why training is vital:
  Family law is filled with experts, from attorneys to psychologists, and it should extend to real estate professionals. Take the time to get educated, and join training programs like The Ilumni Institute. 
  
  

Guest Bio:
Laurel Starks is a recognized court-appointed expert and trained neutral party in family law cases involving real estate matters. Her focus on divorce-related real estate has led to over $200 million in sales volume throughout Southern California and she is often regarded by her peers as the pioneer of the divorce real estate niche.

She is a national speaker on topics on real estate in family law. Attorneys, judges, and other legal professionals have come to rely on Laurel’s knowledge, judgment, integrity, as well as her ability to explain complex real estate matters to those affected by them. Laurel is the author of The House Matters in Divorce and Divorcing The House, and she has been recognized by Inman News as both an Inman Innovator and an Inman Influencer. 

Sell Fast with Event-Based Marketing

When we’re talking about the $1 million and above price point properties in the Chicagoland market, you have to remember that this area is a buyer’s market.

At these high price points, your agent needs to be aggressive and be able to think outside the box. This is where the power of event-based marketing comes into play.

Using event-based marketing can be an amazing way to showcase a property and expose it to even more potential buyers. To hear more about event-based marketing and our recent showcase, listen to our podcast. 

150 Episodes Strong: A Look Back At My Favorite Episodes & Takeaways

This week brings a major milestone for the Luxury Listing Specialist - we’ve published 150 episodes. Can you believe it? Thank you, everyone, for tuning in and sharing with your friends!

It was a year ago when we launched our 100th episode. And what a year it’s been. The pandemic brought about many changes in housing and lifestyle needs. The luxury real estate market is still hot. The average home sale price has gone up across the country. Even houses that languished on the market for months are selling.

So to mark the occasion, rather than looking back at all 150 episodes, I’m just going to focus on episodes 101 to 150. My favorite episodes, takeaways, and how-tos the industry experts have offered real estate agents over the past year.

 

“In this industry, it’s easy to get dragged down...whether it’s from the competition, a difficult client, or just life in general. We need to continue to build each other up and build ourselves up.” -Michael Lafido

 

                                            Three Things You’ll Learn

- Environment begets mindset:
Environments shape mindsets. The people we interact with - at home, at work, and in other organizations influence mindsets. Approach difficult tasks first... “Eat the frog” - it’s an old military saying that means do the difficult stuff first. 

- The importance of getting involved:
If you are not part of any associations, I highly recommend getting involved with one. Not only from a networking standpoint, but also from a referral standpoint. 

- The importance of empathy:
Buying or selling a home is stressful. Moving is stressful. Be empathetic to your buyers and sellers. It will make your client’s experience better and will help you earn more referrals. 

 

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Rate/review the show. Please consider rating or leaving a review on whatever service you use to listen to it on (iTunes, Stitcher, etc.). It’s the best way to help others discover the show. 

Give feedback. As always, I welcome suggestions for future topics or guests.

 

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Migration Patterns

What do migration patterns have to do with luxury real estate? When you know that a large number of people are moving to a specific city or state from your market, you’re in a much better position to offer value to them by recommending a LUXE agent with a proven track record. Listen to learn more. 

Addressing LGBTQ Discrimination in Housing w/Ryan Weyandt

The LGBTQ community has immense buying power in the housing market, and it’s going unused. Why? In short, it’s because of discrimination. Housing discrimination within the LGBTQ community has been and continues to be a serious issue.

On today's episode, Ryan Weyandt, the CEO of the LGBTQ Real Estate Alliance, is my guest. Ryan’s an essential voice in the discussion of fair housing for the LGBTQ community. Listen in to Ryan's insights as he discusses what the future holds for the Alliance.

📢  In September, The Alliance will be hosting an event in Las Vegas - The Premier LGBTQ+ Real Estate & Housing Industry Conference. Details and registration can be found here: https://realestatealliance.org/annual-convention/

Contact Ryan directly at ryan@realestatealliance.org

 

Other Resources: 
To learn more, go to https://realestatealliance.org/education/

Become a member of the Real Estate Alliance at https://realestatealliance.org/

If you decide to become a member, use the promo code luxe21 at checkout to get $50.00 off your membership. 🎁

 

“Education is important. Many people are unaware of how much purchasing power the LGBTQ community holds.”  -Michael LaFido

 

Three Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

 

• Get involved

  Getting involved can benefit you in many ways - from networking to volunteering to joining professional organizations or causes. Regardless of your objective, becoming involved will help you in developing meaningful relationships from which you will learn and grow your business.

• Generational wealth & LGBTQ rights
  The African-American community was the first minority community to achieve generational wealth. Unfortunately, the LGBTQ community has not been granted the same set of rights that some of the ethnic and national minority communities have. So they’re still fighting just for the right to be able to buy and sell property without discrimination.
• Support the Equality Act
  The Equality Act has not received a vote in the Senate. A phone call to your senators would make all the difference to get this piece of legislation into law, which would provide equal rights protection to those in the LGBTQ community.
  

Guest Bio:

Ryan Weyandt has been the CEO of the LGBTQ Real Estate Alliance since September 2020. He has spent the last 10 years in the mortgage industry most recently as a Mortgage Loan Officer at Bank after serving six years at Wells Fargo.

Before his lending career, Ryan has held a variety of senior roles with firms in operations and event management. He has served on the Minnesota Realtors Diversity and Inclusion Committee and previously led the NAGLREP Foundation, along with being a past-President of the organization’s Minneapolis chapter. 

 

The Power of Little Fixes

For this week’s message, I’d like to discuss the power of little fixes, the small things you can do as an agent to make your sellers’ listings stand out.

If you’re going on a listing appointment with a seller and they have some deferred maintenance, you’ll want to roll up your sleeves and tackle some of those issues yourself.

Today I’ll share a few stories of how I’ve done this for my clients, including a small but useful tip about how you can hide imperfections on hardwood floors and wood vanities. To learn more, have a listen. 

The Leigh Steinberg Interview - Real Estate and Sports Agents: Two of a Kind

As you know I'm always looking to bring on guests that fill voids, or perhaps on a topic we haven't covered before. And today's guest is no different. I'm very excited to have Leigh Steinberg with us.

Leigh’s a sports super agent who’s represented NFL players, from Troy Aikman to Howie Long, to Patrick Mahomes. He was the real-life inspiration behind the movie, “Jerry Maguire” starring Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding Jr. (“Show me the money!”)

You may think there are a thousand differences between a sports agent and a real estate agent, but the surprising truth is - they’re not that different at heart. Theoretically, they might require different skill sets, however, if you listen carefully to Leigh’s recommendations, they are the “secrets” to a successful real estate career. Hope you enjoy this one.

You can contact Leigh through his website at steinbergsports.com or if you’re interested in his Sports Business Certificate program (no experience necessary).

    “Put the client's best interests before yours. It’s the key to earning referrals.” -Michael LaFido

 

Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode

 

•  Leigh on breaking into working with professional athletes:
  Start on the college campuses because you have good connections there. Coaches will sometimes need to move. Second, you can cold call people. People who work in sports love to talk. Third, try going to the franchises themselves, speaking to someone in community relations. Befriend both agents and financial planners because they can also make referrals.
  
  
•  Be a good listener:
  Steinberg has found that a good luxury real estate agent is not about having top-notch negotiating skills or persuasion strategies. Athletes (as well as traditional clients) need a Realtor with good listening skills. A Realtor that’s able to prioritize and understand what they truly need. A Realtor that knows how to make it simple for them. 
  
  
  
• Develop your network and brand:
  Make sure that every single person you know is aware that you’re a luxury real estate agent. Get on all the social networks and reach out to as many people as you can.  Relationships matter.  Demonstrate your expertise. For example, write an article on the problems athletes have given their uncertainty of future in home purchases. Don't fear rejection - you only need one opening.

 

Guest Bio:
Leigh Steinberg, premier sports agent, entrepreneur, best-selling author, and CEO of Leigh Steinberg Sports and Entertainment Holdings is best known for his work building athletes into stand-alone brands. He is often credited as the real-life inspiration for the Oscar-winning film Jerry Maguire. Leigh has represented many of the most successful athletes and coaches in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, boxing, and golf, including the number one overall pick in the NFL draft for an unprecedented eight times in conjunction with 64 total first-round picks. With an unrivaled history of record-setting contracts, Leigh has secured over $4 billion for his 300+ pro athlete clients and directed more than $800 million to various charities around the world.

Over the course of his career, Leigh has been featured on numerous national television programs, including 60 Minutes, Larry King Live, The Today Show, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and many more. He has been profiled in a host of magazines, including Business Week, Sports Illustrated, ESPN the Magazine, People, Forbes, Playboy, GQ, and FHM. Leigh has been rated the #6 Most Powerful Person in the NFL according to “Football Digest” and the #16 Most Powerful Person in Sports according to “Sporting News.”