Luxury Listing Specialist - Dominate High End Listings In Any Market

The Rise of Blockchain & Digital Currency in Real Estate w/Donald Hyun Kiolbassa

Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy with the Corona Virus. Real estate is an industry experiencing significant change, and one of those changes is cryptocurrency in transactions. How does it work and what is the underlying technology that makes it so favorable in business? How should real estate agents be approaching this technology? In this episode, Donald Hyun Kiolbassa, real estate and estate planning attorney with cryptocurrency expertise, shares what the rise of cryptocurrency means for our industry.

Exercise an extremely heightened level of caution before proceeding a deal that involves blockchain. -Donald Hyun Kiolbassa  

 

Takeaways + Tactics: 

• When government monetary regulations started popping up, this created an appetite to circumvent them and this created cryptocurrency.
  
  
• Cryptocurrency is the exchange, blockchain is the underlying tech that makes it hacker proof. 
  
  
• Change your Bitcoin into cash before an exchange. There aren’t enough safeguards and regulations for direct exchanges yet. 
  
  
• Cryptocurrency is the future of real estate, and while we’re not there yet, it’s good for agents to know what it is, and how we can use it.

 

At the start of the show, we talked about a transaction that involved cryptocurrency, and how it led to me meeting Donald. Next, Donald shared some basic information on blockchain, why it’s become popular and the technology behind it. We also talked about whether or not real estate agents and their clients should start doing cryptocurrency transactions. 

 

We also discussed; 

• How government policies created the appetite for cryptocurrency 
• How blockchain can be used to reduce fraudulent transactions 
• The drawbacks of cryptocurrency

 

Guest Bio 

Donald Hyun Kiolbassa is a real estate and estate planning attorney, investor and speaker. Over the past 11 years he has managed thousands of residential real estate transactions, and has extensive experience in corporate structuring and tax implications of residential and commercial real estate transactions. For more information, visit http://www.chicagorealestateatty.com/. 

The Power of Before and After

When it comes to marketing a client’s home, you need to figure out what to do in order to position their home more effectively to a larger pool of buyers. In this week’s post, I discuss the power of certain "before and after" marketing materials that will help you, as an agent, communicate to taste-specific clients about the importance of broadening their home’s appeal, therefore increasing the number of luxury listings in your portfolio. After all, a wider base of buyers could equal more money in your sellers’ pockets.

How to Use Personalized Video Messaging w/Ethan Beute

Video is a great communication tool, and we should be using it to our advantage. With the recent "Shelter In Place" orders in many states along with agents working with clients remotely during this Corona Virus outbreak, video communication is a great way to deliver your message. When should we send potential clients personalized video messages, and what should we include in them? How can video messages help us build stronger relationships with clients?

 

 

Create casual content. When you can get comfortable on camera and be yourself in a natural, unscripted way, it shows a level of confidence that is deeply attractive. -Ethan Beute

 

Takeaways + Tactics  

• By sending a video message a few days before meeting a potential client, we can pre-sell ourselves. Plus, since 90% of our competitors won’t do this, it’s a great way to differentiate ourselves.
   
• Follow up after an appointment with a video message. This video should be used to address any questions our potential client may have had at the appointment.
   
• We should all be using video to rehumanize ourselves. People want to do business with those they know and trust, so using a more casual video is a great way to build relationships with potential clients.
  
• At the start of this episode, we discussed how sending videos prior to an appointment can help pre-sell us to clients, and ensure they remember the appointment. We also discussed that personal videos don’t need to replace the high-budget, scripted videos many luxury agents gravitate towards, but can be an additional communication tool. 

 

We also shared insights on:

• How personal videos can be used to demonstrate confidence
• That informal videos don’t need to tarnish our exclusivity
• Why sending personal videos saves everyone time and prioritizes convenience

 

Guest Bio

Ethan Beute is the Chief Evangelist for BombBomb. Having worked in marketing teams inside local television stations for over a decade, Ethan decided to pursue an MBA. It was after this that he connected with BombBomb- and he hasn’t looked back since. Ethan is passionate about helping people improve their communication, and is focused on assisting people rehumanize their businesses. Alongside Stephen Pacinelli, Ethan is the co-author of Rehumanize Your Business: How Personal Videos Accelerate Sales and Improve Customer Experience.

 

For more information about Ethan and BombBomb, head to

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanbeute

bombbomb.com/book

And you can also email him at ethan@bombbomb.com 

 

To take advantage of a 14-day free trial of BombBomb, head to bombbomb.com/luxury

The Importance of Building Your Brand

Today we’re going to talk about the importance of building your brand, both online and offline. Is your online brand consistent with your offline brand? If not, you’ll lose your competitive advantage over other Realtors.

How to Differentiate Yourself w/Rob Thomson

The real estate industry is full of great agents, so we have to go the extra mile to distinguish ourselves. How can we protect ourselves from competitors attempting to discredit us- and why should we avoid belittling our competition? How can we show potential clients we’re the obvious choice? On this episode, owner of Waterfront Properties and Club Communities, Rob Thomson shares how we can differentiate ourselves from any competition.

 

Be careful not to compare yourself with other agents- it just sounds like you’re badmouthing the competition. -Rob Thomson

 

Takeaways + Tactics 

• It’s perfectly acceptable if we aren’t involved in the transaction process personally, but we have to tell our clients upfront. Don’t let competitors use this to discredit us. 
  
  
• Don’t belittle competitors. Instead of getting involved in what makes us ‘good’ or ‘bad’, we should be telling potential clients what makes us different. 
  
  
• Instead of telling clients what we offer, invite them to the office to see for themselves- they’ll realize they’re getting more than an agent when they choose to work with us.

 

On this episode, we discussed how to set ourselves apart from our competitors. After discussing the ways competitors try discredit us, we shared how to structure meetings with potential clients that highlight our uniqueness, and gave suggestions for who should attend those meetings. 

We also shared insights on:

• The importance of knowing our numbers
• How to pre-sell clients ahead of signing with us 
• Small tokens of appreciation that will distinguish us as industry leaders
  

Guest Bio

Rob Thomson is the owner of Waterfront Properties and Club Communities. He built the business alongside his mother, and together they established an organization dedicated to helping customers buy and sell luxury real estate on waterfront properties and club communities. Today, Waterfront Properties and Club Communities is the largest purveyor of luxury residences in Palm Beach and Martin Counties. 

 

To find out more about Rob, head to https://www.linkedin.com/in/robthomson

www.waterfront-properties.com 

You can also call him on 561 346 1881

The Importance of a Luxury Division

If you are a brokerage or team leader having a strong luxury division is crucial to attracting more high-end and luxury listings.  What do you need to create, grow, and maintain a strong luxury division? It takes much more than just a different 'for sale' sign or logo.

How to Prepare Clients to Deal with SALT Rates w/Jennifer Ames

State and Local Tax (SALT) has the potential to do serious damage to our economy, so it’s vital that we educate our clients on the matter. As real estate professionals, what should we be aware of in terms of SALT? What should we be telling homeowners? What is the $10,000 cap on deductions, and how could it impact our clients? On this episode, CEO and License Partner of Engel & Völkers Chicago, Jennifer Ames, explains what SALT is, and how we should prepare our clients for it.

 

Everyone needs to be aware that SALT doesn’t only impact the wealthy, it affects everyone. -Jennifer Ames

 

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Homeowners who can afford to leave are moving to states with lower taxes. As real estate professionals, we need to be aware of this. 
  
  
• As agents, we need to know the tax trends across the country, so that we can advise our clients of the pressures they may face as homeowners. 
  
  
• Inform clients of the $10,000 cap on tax deductions. This can have a big impact on homeowners (couples in particular), as that $10,000 applies to entire households, not individuals.
  

The Benefits of Content Marketing

As a real estate agent, you want to establish yourself as a foremost authority in your market and attract consumers toward your business.  One of the top ways to do this is through content marketing. With more and more consumers growing reliant on the internet to obtain their information, content marketing allows you to demonstrate the breadth of your knowledge of real estate online, which will cement you as an authority to consumers in your market.

How to Gain the Trust of High Profile Clients w/Paul Campano

Gaining high profile clients is something all agents, especially luxury agents aspire to do, but when working with these clients, we have to be willing to adjust our strategies. What is the ‘golden rule’ when working with athletes, celebrities and other high net worth individuals? How can we build trust with high profile clients, and is there a way to build stronger personal relationships with them?

On this episode, Vice President at Keller Williams Cambridge, Paul Campano, shares how to gain the trust of high net worth clients.

 

Here’s a lesson for working with athletes: discretion is key. They don’t appreciate name-dropping. -Paul Campano

 

Takeaways + Tactics 

• Most celebrities and professional athletes dislike being ‘name dropped’, so be sure to maintain discretion with these clients. Doing this will go a long way in building trust. 
  
  
• Don’t discount the importance of referrals during locker room talk. Athletes share the details of agents they’ve had great results with, and those they know they can trust.
  
  
• Sharing our passions is a great way of building relationships, so if we happen to be interested in the same things as those in our target market, we should let them know.
  
  

At the start of this episode, we spoke about the importance of using creative techniques to show clients what makes us unique, particularly when approaching high profile individuals. We also discussed that targeting our marketing to a specific demographic is key, and shared ideas on how to do that. 

We also shared insights on:

• How to tailor our marketing to be more effective
• Why our marketing should represent what we do
• That by marketing to everyone, we effectively market to no one

 

Guest Bio

Paul Campano is the Vice President at Keller Williams Realty. Having been licensed for over 16 years, Paul has expertise in unique and high-end properties, and despite selling between 30 and 40 units, he has generated around $20 million in volume. Paul has been featured on Million Dollar Listing NYC. 

 

To find out more about Paul, head to 

Isellyourhome.com 

https://youtu.be/8WvyR5r7Ohc 

 

You can email him at paul@isellyourhome.com

His Instagram handle is @therealpaulcampano

Call him on 617 304 3686

Matched Pairs

Matched pairs is a term you probably haven't heard of. If you’re thinking of selling your home, it’s always wise to consider making improvements and upgrades.  However, you’ve got to know where to spend your money in order to get the highest possible return. Recently, I had a client who spent about $20,000 on leaf guards that were nice but didn’t really add any value to his home.