Where top luxury agents reveal their best practices PLUS interviews with real estate industry influencers, thought leaders and luxury marketing experts, you’ll come away from each episode with new strategies and tactics to list and sell high-end homes in ANY market. Learn from top agents like Ben Bacal, Gary Gold, Patrick Lilly, Rochelle Maize, Frank Aazami and many more!
Episodes
Thursday Jul 29, 2021
Thursday Jul 29, 2021
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.
Thursday Jul 22, 2021
Thursday Jul 22, 2021
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.
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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Thursday Jul 15, 2021
Thursday Jul 15, 2021
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.
Thursday Jul 08, 2021
Thursday Jul 08, 2021
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.
Become a member of the Real Estate Alliance at https://realestatealliance.
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.
Thursday Jul 01, 2021
Thursday Jul 01, 2021
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.
Thursday Jun 24, 2021
Thursday Jun 24, 2021
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.”
Thursday Jun 17, 2021
Thursday Jun 17, 2021
When I became a licensed real estate agent in the fall of 2000, I wish someone would have shared with me these three words of wisdom. I would say these three are vital to help newer agents differentiate themselves and become consistent top-producing agents. 1. Be likable and be you, 2. Grow your knowledge and your confidence will grow too. 3. Diversify your portfolio of homes you represent.
Thursday Jun 10, 2021
Thursday Jun 10, 2021
Sometimes I'll do some high-level ninja-trick podcasts that dive deep into some really important marketing angles... and capital gains tax is one of those sticking points.
You might be wondering what does a defunct movie rental business and a flouring, $161 million streaming business have to do with capital gains tax, let alone luxury real estate?
It's the analogy, my brilliant guest, Brett Swarts uses to describe the advantage of using a deferred sales trust over a 1031 exchange. He's the CEO of Capital Gains Tax Solutions and an expert in alternative to capital gains tax.
Right now, the luxury market is the hottest it's ever been. However, there are certain properties out there, at certain price points where it's still difficult to sell. It's called a buyer's market.
That's why I have Brett with us today - to talk about a possible solution for your clients. If you're representing a seller this might help to alleviate some potential objections.
As a matter of fact, capital gains tax is one of the top objections.
I want to help you be able to deliver a solution to your clients that's easy to articulate... so that A, you'll win the client over and B, you have this asset that you can sell by providing a different, unique solution.
You can contact Brett on his website at https://
If you're interested in becoming a deferred sales trust expert or get coaching, you can download his free ebook here: https://www.experttaxsecrets.
Brett's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/
Brett's Podcast: https://
“Life’s too short to feel trapped by capital gains tax.” -Brett Swarts
Three Things You’ll Learn in This Episode
✔️ The 1031 Exchange (the Blockbuster way):
The 1031 exchange, (aka Delaware Statutory Trust) is the antiquated, Blockbuster way.
In broad terms, a 1031 exchange is a swap of one business or investment asset (like for like) for another. Although most swaps are taxable as sales, if you come within 1031, you'll either have no tax or limited tax due at the time of the exchange.
Brett states they are the transactional way of doing things and work fine for most people. However, he advises it does not work for: primary homes, businesses, cryptocurrency, or luxury homes.
✔️ The Deferred Sales Trust (the Netflix way):
This is the transformational, polished Netflix way.
A deferred sales trust is a legal contract between an investor and a third-party trust in which the investor’s real property is sold to the trust in exchange for predetermined future payments, (installments) over an agreed-upon period of time.
It provides an alternative to 1031 exchanges for deferring capital gains taxes.
And it can work on both primary and luxury homes, investment property, businesses, and cryptocurrency.
✔️ Privacy is Luxury:
It’s a legitimate concern with high net worth clients.
The whole process is confidential. The trust is under a made-up name that the client chooses.
The trust itself is a single entity, a business trust that only does business with that particular client. They don't co-mingle with anybody else. Everything has to be signed by them for funds to move or be invested.
Brett’s business will have all of the pieces in place to make you and your client feel comfortable as well as anonymous. There have been some celebrities that have gone through this process.
Guest Bio:
Brett is a Deferred Sales Trust expert, capital gains tax deferral expert, investment real estate expert, multifamily broker, and the founder of Capital Gains Tax Solutions – a company helping individuals to defer capital gains tax on the sale of their highly appreciated assets, eliminate the need for a 1031 exchange and deliver a transformational wealth plan so they can create and preserve more wealth.
Friday Jun 04, 2021
Friday Jun 04, 2021
Today’s topic is empathy - or more specifically, having empathy for the stress your buyer and seller clients are going through when trying to sell their home and buy a home.
Make sure that you as an agent are empathetic to your buyers and sellers….it will only make your client's experience better and will help you earn more referrals.
Wednesday Jun 02, 2021
Wednesday Jun 02, 2021
On today’s podcast, Pete Middleton, one of La Jolla’s top brokers, and I have some great tips for differentiating yourself from the competition.
Pete grew up in a real estate family in Brockton, Massachusetts. He moved to the San Diego/La Jolla area in the early 90’s. Since then, he’s received several awards and recognition for his work in real estate.
We had an informative talk about what to do if you're dealing with a buyer’s agent that’s inexperienced. How do you work with a buyer's agent that's not well-versed in comparables, or maybe the agent or their buyer doesn't see the home's value or agree with your comparables.
A powerful strategy that Pete uses is emphasizing "payment" over asking price.
You can text Pete at 858-922-3377 or email him at pete@peteknowsrealestate.com
“Part of negotiating is making your client feel like they’ve won.”
Michael LaFido
Three Things You’ll Learn in This Episode
Terms vs. Price:
Pete’s properties list the terms, rather than the listing price because terms show people what’s attainable. Just like when you go to lease a car. The salesperson will get you off the price of the car and gets you to focus on the monthly payments.
Know How to Break Down Numbers:
This skill can separate you from a lot of luxury agents if you really know your financing and you really know how to break down numbers. And believe it or not, people love breaking down numbers.
Keep it simple, and visual:
Some clients will need it broken down into simple terms. Having visuals is a great way to do it. So, utilize those bullet points, graphs, and pictures. The vast majority of the population are visual learners.
Guest Bio:
Pete’s been working in real estate since the early 90s. After receiving several awards and recognitions, including being the #1 salesperson when he was at RE/MAX associates, he established his own brokerage, Middleton & Associates.
Middleton & Associates made a name for itself by quickly becoming one of the top five La Jolla brokerages since opening in 2010. In 2013, the brokerage completed 188 transactions totaling over $120 million in sales volume.
In 2014, Coldwell Banker acquired the assets of Middleton & Associates and welcomed Middleton’s agents into their brokerage. The merging of these two brokerages had a significant impact on La Jolla’s elite real estate market.
He now leads the Pete Knows Team, a group of handpicked elite eXp agents, all trained to provide excellent service to their clients. The team specializes in areas such as La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Solana Beach, and Del Mar.