Center for REALTOR® Development

Sustainability is an evolving topic in our culture and in many industries, and real estate is no exception! In this episode, expert Melisa Camp joins Monica to discuss sustainability inside our homes, as well as in the construction of new homes. They talk about new ways to take care of the resources we have, the opportunities in the industry, and how to tend to our health and finances on this journey. Sustainable products are much more accessible and affordable than they have been previously. As we've all spent so much time in our houses during this pandemic, Melisa and her family have looked into ways to make a healthier home. Air quality can be improved by natural ventilation, air filters (MERV 14 or higher or a HEPA filter), and air cleaning (usually a portable device). Many utility companies offer an energy audit, which is a great place to start. Some other easy fixes anyone can do are weather stripping, sealing your ductwork, and foam air sealing. A tankless water heater is another good option to conserve water and energy if that's something you're looking to replace. Plants are another great way to improve your air quality! For listeners with families, there are several ways you can get your children and your family involved in making more sustainable choices. Melisa shares some things that she has done including different school initiatives, contests, and recycling crayons and sneakers. Finding ways to involve the children is a great way to make sustainability part of their lifestyle. Melisa talks about "upcycling" and some of the things she has done recently to minimize waste in her house. In addition to environmental waste, there is also digital waste! Our digital activities take energy and resources, and it's not something we tend to think about on a day-to-day basis. There is a lot happening in the solar industry right now. Solar power is a renewable, clean source of energy. Melisa shares her experience with solar power on a house she built last year; because the tenant doesn't use that much energy, it's actually a net-positive home. If you use solar power that's connected to the grid, your community benefits from any energy you don't use. If you're off-grid, your extra energy goes into a battery to be used at a later time. If you have the capital, Melisa suggests purchasing or financing solar panels, rather than leasing them. One thing to note as an agent when it comes time for the appraisal — make sure you use the green and energy-efficient addendum. The appraisal process is extremely important in getting a good value. As the REALTOR®, you need to be a good communicator, and that starts with contacting the lender so you can get a competent solar appraiser. Whether you're a listing agent or a buyer's agent, take the lockbox off the house so the appraiser has to call you before going out, and you can vet their experience. For listing agents, collect any information about modifications or efficiencies early and often so you can have a more successful transaction for your client. Green housing differs from region to region. For agents in different areas, you should look into what incentives might be available in your market, as well as what energy options are most efficient in your area. Some places are better for solar power, and other places may be better for wind power. The construction industry is helping to eliminate waste and inefficiency. They continue to get more efficient as they are learning, and building codes continue to raise the bar. Melisa talks about what some custom builders do with their waste by donating what they can from old properties, as well as including healthy features, like the sound in a space and natural lighting. It takes building to the next level with a focus on health. Sustainability and climate restoration are what Melisa has devoted her life's work to. All REALTORS® should take NAR's GREEN Designation coursework — it will change the way you do business with your clients. Our future is up to us taking action today, and it starts with small changes and educating ourselves. Tweetables: "That's the biggest advice I would give to anybody, is just start. You don't have to do it all right now, just find some low-hanging fruit." — Melisa Camp "The kids are my why — why do I care about all of this? Because I care about leaving the place better than I found it for the future generations." — Melisa Camp "You have to balance what you need, what you can afford, what's available, and what's your lifestyle." — Monica Guest Links: Thecrayoninitiative.org Gotsneakers.com Pvvalue.com WellCertified.com Additional Links: Crdpodcast.com Onlinelearning.realtor for NAR Online Education Training4RE.com — List of Classroom Courses from NAR and its affiliates crd@nar.realtor Host Information: Monica Neubauer Speaker/Podcaster/REALTOR® Monica@MonicaNeubauer.com MonicaNeubauer.com FranklinTNBlog.com Monica's Facebook Page Facebook.com/Monica.Neubauer Instagram Instagram.com/MonicaNeubauerSpeaks Additional Bio: Melisa Camp has been a REALTOR® for 13 years. Melisa lives in Arizona and has been teaching on green-related topics for 10 years in her company, Elite Education. She is the President of a non-profit she started in 2016, called Sustainable Real Estate Education. Camp has served with NAR in many ways — on the NAR GREEN Resource Council she was awarded the EverGreen Award in 2011 on NAR's Sustainability Group Committee and she has presented at NAR Annual for six years. The Center for REALTOR® Development has some new online education coming up soon that Melisa has been a part of — more to follow on that soon! Melisa's other interests — motherhood, of course, and foremost — are working with the USGBC and helping with the Green Team at her children's school. Melisa has served on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Association of Realtors®. Greenhomesphoenix.com

In the real estate industry, we always need to be aware of leveling up our financial situation. In this episode, Rich Arzaga joins Monica to talk about all things financial wellness. Rich shares information about licensing, credentials, and how financial planners get paid, as well as some things to look out for when choosing a financial planner. They also discuss different investment platforms and insurance options. This episode is packed full of great information for any REALTOR®, whether you already have a financial plan or are just getting started. The title "financial advisor" is a broad term — not everyone you hear about being a financial advisor has the same license or credentials. If you are seeking out a financial planner for your financial situation, make sure you look for someone who is licensed and credentialed. These people are licensed in giving advice or offering different investment options. Rich shares some of the different license numbers, and what goes into being able to earn each license. To find the right financial planner for you, ask the questions about what licenses they have and what that means, as well as what credentials they hold. The CFP® (CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM Practitioner) designation is going to easily set financial planners apart from one another. Financial planners get paid in a few different ways. When you pay a fee for service, the financial planner is creating a plan for you, but not managing the money or offering insurance products. As you get to a higher level of need, many advisors fall off and you may need to find a different advisor who is certified to handle more advanced planning like taxes, stocks, investment real estate, etc. A more advanced advisor can help to mediate conversations between other professionals that handle specific aspects of financial planning. Beyond financial planning, there is asset management. These advisors get paid either on commission or a fee. In addition to license and area of expertise, some other things Rich recommends when trying to find the right financial advisor is chemistry — you want to be able to build trust and make a connection with them. If you're paying someone, you want to trust that you can follow the advice they give you, much like a trusted REALTOR®! Another thing to consider is the company; some companies are very formulaic. Because everyone's situation is different, it's hard to put people in a formula that is true to their intentions. If you're able to work with an independent advisor, that will give you a better shot at more individualized planning. A frustration for REALTORS® can be that some financial planners don't specialize in investment real estate, and aren't sure how to treat directly-held real estate. Rich became a financial advisor because he was passionate about real estate and now teaches financial planners how to help clients with their real estate questions. If you're looking for someone who can help with real estate, look for an advisor who specializes in cash-flow-based planning. Cash-flow-based planners can integrate directly-held real estate to be part of your financial plan. There are several independent investment opportunities as well. About 17% of the population are self-investors. Rich talks about some of the different platforms available for anyone who wants to dip their toe in the water of investment. Platforms like Robinhood, Schwab, TDAmeritrade, and Fidelity all offer something a little different for whatever level of investment you are at. It's never too early or too late to start investing, and we are fortunate to have many options! Rich shares some new information around health care that has come about from the American Rescue Act. Regarding life insurance, don't be afraid to explore this, especially if you have people depending on you. Term life insurance will do for most and there is more flexibility in companies, but if you are going to do cash value, do your research to make sure the company is strong. Some other insurance options are long-term care and disability insurance. As people get older, one of the biggest risks they face in the balance of their financial life is the need for long-term care and the expense that comes with that. Rich shares some calculations based on the trends for long-term care, the overview of the risk for the family. Disability insurance is quite pricey, but the question for every REALTOR® to ask themselves is if you became disabled today, would you be short in your financial plan or would you be okay? As you are shopping for disability insurance, get as long as your plan requires, or you need; if you can't afford that due to cost, give yourself at least two years to be able to get your situation under control. The NAR's Center for Financial Wellness is a great program and resource for financial literacy for REALTORS®. The nice thing about this resource is that it is industry-specific, not just general financial planning. It's also free! Tweetables: "You may grow out of your partner that you're with if you're growing your net worth and your situation is more complex. You're going to need someone with a little more depth." — Rich "Finding somebody that you can trust is really very important, otherwise people who don't have that chemistry maybe don't take that advice." — Rich "That's how you get the help. Find somebody that's a CFP®, who does financial planning, that uses cash-flow-based technology." — Rich Guest Links: rich@cornerstonewmi.com view my website! Additional Links: Crdpodcast.com Onlinelearning.realtor for NAR Online Education Training4RE.com — List of Classroom Courses from NAR and its affiliates crd@nar.realtor nar.realtor/cffw/live financialwellness.realtor Host Information: Monica Neubauer Speaker/Podcaster/REALTOR® Monica@MonicaNeubauer.com MonicaNeubauer.com FranklinTNBlog.com Monica's Facebook Page Facebook.com/Monica.Neubauer Instagram Instagram.com/MonicaNeubauerSpeaks Additional Bio: Rich Arzaga is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM, a CCIM, an Accredited Investment Fiduciary®, an inactive REALTOR®, and the Founder and CEO of Cornerstone Wealth Management. He is also a long-time Adjunct Professor in the UC Berkeley Personal Financial Planning program. Cornerstone Wealth Management, Inc. LinkedIn "How Real Estate Financial Planning Became Our Niche" Inspired to be Our Clients' Most Valued Asset® Rich Arzaga, CFP®, AIF® CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ PRACTITIONER Accredited Investment Fiduciary® rich@cornerstonewmi.com view my website!

Center for REALTOR® Development 056: Residential Real Estate Disclosures with Bruce Aydt While laws on this topic vary from state to state, good disclosure by the seller helps everyone involved in the real estate transaction. In this episode, guest Bruce Aydt joins Monica to talk all things disclosure. They discuss what should or should not be disclosed when it comes to current property status, past repairs, psychologically stigmatized properties, and work done without permit. This episode is full of risk management information that REALTORS® can use to help their clients. The purpose of disclosure laws is to ensure that the buyer knows everything that the seller knows about the property. It is also a protection to sellers, as long as they are honest in their disclosure, because they will minimize their risk of legal ramifications later. As a seller, if you're wondering whether you should disclose something, then you should probably disclose it. A good general guideline for what to disclose is that if the issue or condition of the property affects the desirability or value of the property, then it is something that needs to be disclosed. The contract from state to state or area to area will help guide sellers. When it comes to past repairs, Bruce's general rule for risk management is to disclose the history of all major repairs, including anything significant in terms of repairs or replacements. If it's not disclosed, this could put the seller in a position where they think something is fixed but it isn't really fixed. When preparing a seller disclosure statement, it is important to disclose in very specific terms. Just like any work done to our cars, try to keep track of any receipts or paperwork for any work done on the property. Monica and Bruce discuss the concept of "should have known" — it exists in some states, but not in others. If the seller has evidence or information that would indicate to a reasonable person that the condition existed, that's the "should have known" standard. What the average person would know is an indication of a problem that should be disclosed. When it comes to prior information that you may have gotten from the previous seller disclosure or something you learned from living in the house, relevant information should be shared. Anything that affects the current property should be shared. Neighbors, real estate agents, flippers, and heirs could all know information about a listing. Whether a seller is exempt will depend upon your state property disclosure law. Another aspect of disclosure to consider goes beyond the physical appearance or integrity of the property. Many states have laws about psychologically stigmatized properties — these laws hold real estate agents not liable for the failure to disclose the psychological impact on the property (murder, suicide, or other felonies). While most real estate agents do not have an obligation to disclose these things, there are other factors to consider: determining whether the information is fact or fiction, checking state laws, determining relevance, and discussing disclosure with the seller. Another element of disclosure is any work or additions done on the property without permits. This has been an evolutionary area, and the power of local governments is pretty strong in the enforcement of these laws. Even if your seller disclosure statement doesn't have this on it, it should be disclosed, especially for electrical and plumbing projects. What happens when a buyer does an inspection and doesn't want to purchase the property? Your contractual documents should be your main reference for navigating these conversations, primarily on how much of the disclosure and inspection reports should be included. There can be legal consequences if prior inspection items aren't disclosed. As a real estate agent, you can't give legal advice to your clients, but you can decide if you want to continue forward with a listing. The easiest, most practical risk management rules are two things: disclose any major defects in the property that exist currently, and also disclose the history of any major repairs. Remember if you're asking yourself whether you should disclose something, your answer is probably yes! Tweetables: "The whole purpose is to give the buyer the opportunity to know everything that the seller knows about the property that's of any material nature." — Bruce "When we talk about psychologically impacted properties, what we're talking about is things that don't affect the physical structure of the house." — Bruce "It's better to disclose these events that occurred at some point in the process than to let the neighbors tell the buyer." — Bruce Guest Links: BruceAydt.com Additional Links: Crdpodcast.com Onlinelearning.realtor for NAR Online Education Training4RE.com — List of Classroom Courses from NAR and its affiliates crd@nar.realtor Host Information: Monica Neubauer Speaker/Podcaster/REALTOR® Monica@MonicaNeubauer.com MonicaNeubauer.com FranklinTNBlog.com Monica's Facebook Page Facebook.com/Monica.Neubauer Instagram Instagram.com/MonicaNeubauerSpeaks Additional Bio: Bruce H. Aydt, DSA, ABR®, CRB, GRN, SRS Bruce Aydt is a REALTOR®, attorney, and educator from St. Louis, Missouri. As a second-generation REALTOR®, Bruce grew up in the real estate business and has worked in virtually every aspect of real estate companies. Bruce has been in management as well as in-house legal counsel to companies for over 30 years. Bruce has been involved in REALTOR® Association work throughout his career. He has served in leadership roles as President of both Missouri REALTORS® and the St. Louis REALTORS®. Bruce has been part of the National Association's Enlarged Leadership Team three times, has chaired the NAR Professional Standards Committee, Legal Action Committee, and State Leadership Forum, and received the National Association's Distinguished Service Award. He is a nationally recognized educator on real estate and association leadership issues and is one of the three co-trainers for the NAR Mediation Training Seminar. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri with his wife, Lisa, has two grown children and three fabulous grandchildren. BruceAydt.com

There are so many benefits for real estate agents and REALTOR® members of local associations. Adorna Carroll is on the show to talk about everything that associations have to offer their members. Monica and Adorna share some of the benefits of joining an association, as well as best practices for engaging with your local, state, or national association. There are several values that associations can bring for agents, especially in the real estate industry where there is a three-way partnership between the local, state, and national association. The local association is the first point of contact for many REALTORS®, helping to orient the members and share industry best practices, ethics, etc. The local association also helps members understand what happens at the state and national levels. Another huge benefit of associations is networking! The opportunities are abundant both for you as an agent and for your clients. You have the opportunity to connect with people outside of your market, increase your reach, and work with people who are experts in a discipline other than your own. Networking across disciplines also benefits your communities and the populations you serve. Adorna and Monica talk about some other committees involved in the local, state, or national associations. Many associations have an educational committee, but Adorna views this more as professional and career development; associations should be focusing on getting a variety of people in front of their members who are going to present the best information for growth. Be intentional and pick good courses that are going to further your career. The Ethics and Arbitration option is a big part of the associations and what they're about. There is a code of ethics in the real estate industry that helps to define the boundaries for REALTORS®. Adorna talks about some policies that help to define how agents should conduct themselves. The Government Affairs division is important for advocacy across the industry. The RPAC, or REALTORS® Political Action Committee, is an important vehicle for getting funding, strong lobbyists, and unity in the industry. This committee is on all levels, and forming personal relationships or political contacts is where the work can really get done. Some of the other committees they talk about are the YPN, the Young Professionals Network or Your Professional Network. This was originally created for younger real estate professionals to network and has morphed into a leadership and mentorship program. Most associations also have a finance/budget committee, hopefully with people who have a finance background and good checks and balances in place. There is a shared relationship between association volunteers and association staff. Annual training is key to establishing a productive relationship between both parties. The association staff manages the business and works for the corporation. The volunteers bring creativity and define the horizon line for the association and the members. Adorna's last words for listeners are that getting involved in associations makes the most sense for your business. Not only will you get to know the people you will be working with, but you'll learn so much along the way that it is guaranteed to be a great investment for your business. Tweetables: "Go beyond competency and go for proficiency." — Adorna "If real estate is your career, politics is your business." — Adorna "Getting involved makes good sense for their own personal business. It's an incredible opportunity and an investment in your business." — Adorna Guest Links: Adorna's Website Additional Links: Crdpodcast.com Onlinelearning.realtor for NAR Online Education Training4RE.com — List of Classroom Courses from NAR and its affiliates CRD@nar.realtor Host Information: Monica Neubauer Speaker/Podcaster/REALTOR® Monica@MonicaNeubauer.com MonicaNeubauer.com FranklinTNBlog.com Monica's Facebook Page Facebook.com/Monica.Neubauer Instagram Instagram.com/MonicaNeubauerSpeaks Additional Bio: Adorna O. Carroll, DSA ABR®/M, SRS, CRB, CRETS, RENE, PSA, SFR®, GRI, e-PRO®, C2EX Adorna currently owns and runs three real-estate-related businesses and has had a personal team for over 25 years. As the President of Dynamic Directions, Inc., we are a training and consulting firm that has an extensive faculty of consultants and trainers. Adorna trains REALTORS® all over North America and has authored numerous residential designation and certification courses, the SRS, RENE, several CRB courses, C-RETS, and the new agent training program called The Right Start all part of the REBI — Real Estate Business Institute. In 1997 she completed her term as the State President for the CT REALTORS®, was the 2001 Region 1 VP, an NAR Liaison in 2002, 2003, and 2007, RPAC Trustee in 2004, the 2005 NAR VP & Liaison to Committees, NAR's Chief Political Fundraiser in 2006, a member of the RPAC Hall of Fame, the REBAC Hall of Fame, the 2016 President of the REBI — Real Estate Business Institute and is the 79th recipient of NAR's Distinguished Service Award. Adorna.com

The need for affordable housing exists in communities across the country. This episode's guest, William Baylor, joins Monica to talk about current federal affordable housing initiatives, as well as the personal initiatives he's involved with in his own market of Birmingham. This episode will provide ideas and resources for how agents can help find rental and purchase opportunities in their marketplaces that are affordable for people with a lower median income. Affordable housing has been something that people have been attempting to do since the turn of the century. The industry definition of affordable housing is when you pay 30% or less of your income towards housing costs. In political housing circles, affordable housing refers to housing that uses some sort of public assistance to support families or individuals who lack the means to pay the market rate in an area. Governments at every level must ensure that there are enough subsidy funds available to meet the needs of their community. William talks about some of the things the federal government is doing for affordable housing, including Opportunity Zones and some relaxed criteria by the FHA. Partnerships between different levels of government are vital to ensuring that communities, and the land, are protected. When you start looking at the makeup of a city, the number two contributor to any city's general funds is property tax. The number one contributor is sales tax, which is driven by those property taxes. It is imperative that the government incentivizes builders to develop areas across the country, either through tax credits or reducing regulations around zoning laws. Zoning should meet locally defined community needs; it is at the heart of growth for a city. There are several different HUD counseling programs that help people get ready to become homeowners. For REALTORS® at large, being familiar with these programs will be a great way to help educate your buyers. On the local level, getting people to see the importance of having affordable housing is the first step. In Monica's market, there is a group that oversees renovations and has built smaller, affordable apartments. In William's market, they are working with the county commission to develop a comprehensive affordable housing plan. There are many parties involved in this initiative (including real estate agents), to hopefully create a plan that could be replicated in other areas as well. Having the REALTOR® buy-in is crucial for creating these opportunities in your communities. Affordable housing initiatives include both rental and purchasing opportunities. These go hand in hand, as every time a first-time home buyer closes, it opens the door for someone to have a new rental opportunity or someone on the waiting list to get a first-time buying opportunity. Some cities will set aside income-based housing that may eventually become market value properties. This will vary across different locations depending on which community groups are involved. For real estate agents, if you're helping your buyers purchase in one of these areas, you want to be able to give them this information upfront. The Home Investment Partnership Program includes things like stabilization programs, community development block grants, and neighborhood stabilization programs. Funds from this program give communities the opportunity to create homeowners, especially for those with low to moderate income. William and Monica talk about transitioning out of the eviction moratorium we were in during the times of COVID-19. Some of the things they are doing to help manage this is providing resources to help renters stay inside of their homes, including government-funded rental assistance. Qualified tenants can apply for assistance through programs in their area. William talks about some other groups that help when tenants may be displaced from affordable housing. As REALTORS® and community stakeholders, it's important to take the time to plan and examine the community you live and work in to look for the areas to make improvements. When looking at affordable housing and other community issues, take a step back and work together to create what you want it to be. Working with government affairs directors can help you as a real estate agent increase awareness about products and resources available in your area. Tweetables: "Affordable housing is not just about new construction, but it's a cohesive and harmonious thing where all groups are working together to make it really happen." — William "When people are invested in their community, then they're also committed to spend money in their community and the commercial will build up as the residential strengthens." — Monica "The heart of what we do is REALTOR®-driven. When you see the dedication and hard work that REALTORS® put in every single day to create opportunities of ownership, it strengthens your commitment." — William "We should rely on rental assistance and strengthen rental assistance as much as possible, so we can make sure even the least of these are served and have the opportunity to remain homeowners, or even create new homeowners." — William Guest Links: Nar.realtor/videos/fha-condo-rule-its-impact-on-realtors-and-co… Nar.realtor/washington-report/nar-supports-streamlined-fha-cond… Nar.realtor/newsroom/nar-asks-hud-to-consider-potential-solutio… Birminghamrealtors.com Additional Links: Crdpodcast.com Onlinelearning.realtor for NAR Online Education Training4RE.com — List of Classroom Courses from NAR and its affiliates CRD@nar.realtor Host Information: Monica Neubauer Speaker/Podcaster/REALTOR® Monica@MonicaNeubauer.com MonicaNeubauer.com FranklinTNBlog.com Monica's Facebook Page Facebook.com/Monica.Neubauer Instagram Instagram.com/MonicaNeubauerSpeaks Additional Bio: William Baylor works with REALTORS® and Home Ownership Champions to amplify their voice, vision, and value so they can make a successful impact on the real estate industry, their communities, and the world. With more than a decade of experience in the Government and Non-Profit sector, a passion for making meaningful connections with others, and an insatiable appetite for helping others maximize their potential, Will feels that Home Ownership Advocacy isn't just an occupation but also his vocation. He is a graduate of Auburn University with a Personal Certification in Economic & Community Development. He is the Chairman of the Jefferson County Affordable Housing Taskforce, a coalition of community stakeholders who have joined together to create Affordable Housing in Jefferson County and all of Alabama. Today, in addition to serving on the Jefferson County Affordable Housing Taskforce, William is Vice president of Government, Legislative, and Community Affairs for the Birmingham Association of REALTOR®. He's Staff Liaison of 12 committees at BAR touching all industry matters from strategizing local legislative efforts and activations on behalf of the Association, to Community Development. His days are filled with letter writing, consensus building, and conversations with stakeholders, partners, and leaders across the country, telling our story and fighting for the future of our businesses, industry, and REALTOR® values. Birminghamrealtors.com

Photos are a must-have when it comes to marketing a home for a listing. In this episode, photographer and real estate agent Brian Copeland shares his thoughts on the importance of great photos for your listings. Brian and Monica discuss the equipment and software that real estate agents can use to get the best photos (and the best price) for their listings. In the climate of the pandemic, virtual showings have become more important than ever. Real estate agents have to become "digital professionals" — capturing the full scope of the property with your virtual deliverables. Houses selling sight-unseen have also become increasingly more common, and a large part of that is due to the level of care agents and photographers put into getting the photos just right. Brian brings some elements of the music industry to his photography approach. As REALTORS® you are Artist & Repertoire directors of homes, overseeing and managing your brand as a whole. It is important to bring a standard to aerials, 3D photos, and stills — you never know what future business you may get (or not get) because of the photos you've presented on your listings. For real estate agents who may not have it in their budgets yet, make sure you learn how to take attractive photos on your phone or with the equipment you do have. Brian and Monica talk about some of the best photography equipment, software, and education resources. You can make almost any equipment work for you; it really comes down to process and using your eye to get the best shots. Some of the equipment that Brian uses are a Canon 6D, as well as a Canon glass, and several different lenses. Nikon and Sony also make quality equipment if you're looking for a camera, but the cameras on iPhones are much better nowadays and can be a viable option. When it comes to software, Photoshop is a great option, and there are other lighting and editing software and apps out there. Lightroom is the standard. For education, one of the best resources is Kelby One. There is also great content available for free on YouTube. If you go the route of hiring a professional, make sure you understand the copyright laws. The person who actually takes the photos owns the copyright to the photos. As real estate agents, it's great to have a conversation up front about copyright, so you both understand the usage of the photos. If you find that your photos have been used, always approach the other agent with professionalism. Houses will sell more when they look better. Decently staged and professionally photographed could bring your seller the anticipatory price, rather than the comp price. To get the best price, it's also important to pay attention to the quality of the full package: 3D, aerial photography, and video. Brian talks about some of the best equipment and software for capturing 3D images and how you can upload them to listing sites, and gives advice for using a drone to capture aerial shots. When it comes to the video for the listing, DJI Products are great to help stabilize your current equipment. Video has SEO strategy for real estate agents, as well as a way to market the property. Most of the MLS have guidelines about what part of your brand can be in the video, so make sure you understand what can be included. As a tip, record an intro and outro that can be used for all of your videos. Brian and Monica talk about some different approaches to video — a walkthrough versus more of a teaser to the house. If you are doing a walkthrough or a virtual tour at request, you have to be quite thorough since the buyer may not lay eyes on the house themselves. This is a great opportunity to establish a sense of trust with your clients as you are candid about the property. Photography is an art form that takes years to perfect. As REALTORS® you want to deliver the best quality product — if that means hiring a professional, do so! If that's not in your budget, make sure you take the time to educate yourself on how to get the best shots, what equipment you can afford, and best practices so your portfolio can stand out! It takes time to learn and you will get better. Tweetables: "Give them that extra level of supplemental digital leadership, and give them the risk; sight-unseen happens all the time and you just have to make sure you're being a great digital supplemental resource." — Brian "It's all a matter of how you use it. You can use any camera with the right lens, the right glass, to your benefit — given that you have a good eye." — Brian "Communication fixes a lot. Kind, professional, nonaccusatory communication helps a lot." — Brian "When you build up that social trust, that digital trust, with your client, they will continue to come back and they're going to tell their friends." — Brian Guest Links: Kelbyone.com Immoviewer.com Theta360.com Dji.com Doorbellnashville.com Additional Links: Crdpodcast.com Onlinelearning.realtor for NAR Online Education Training4RE.com — List of Classroom Courses from NAR and its affiliates CRD@nar.realtor Host Information: Monica Neubauer Speaker/Podcaster/REALTOR® Monica@MonicaNeubauer.com MonicaNeubauer.com FranklinTNBlog.com Monica's Facebook Page Facebook.com/Monica.Neubauer Instagram Instagram.com/MonicaNeubauerSpeaks Additional Bio: Brian Copeland (M.S., B.A., CRS, GRI, CIPS, e-PRO®, ABR®, Broker) prides himself on one-on-one buyer and seller service. Brian was the 2011 Nashville REALTOR® of the Year. He has been one of the most sought-after real estate speakers in America, emceeing and keynoting some of the largest conferences in the profession. He served as the 2017 President of Tennessee REALTORS®, 2019 Vice President of the National Association of REALTORS®, and advocates for property rights at the local, state, and national association levels. He's been named as one of the 100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders in America as well as one of the Top 200 Power Social Influencers. After years of volunteering, speaking, traveling, team management, brokerage management, and sales, Brian recreated his entire sales business in 2019 to focus on being a solo agent. Brian knows with an ever-changing marketplace, sellers and buyers must have one point of contact and full concierge service. He is a graduate of Carson-Newman University and holds a master's from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Brian and his spouse, Greg, make their home on a Nashville farm with their two children Micah and Esther.

Although we are in a multiple-offer market, the appraisal process remains a challenge for real estate agents across the country. In this episode, Candy Cooke joins Monica to discuss some of the best ways to work with appraisers to make more deals. In a fast-moving market, everyone involved in the transaction is a team. It is crucial for REALTORS® and appraisers to work together to get people in homes. Candy has a list of items that she provides to the appraiser. You can still talk to the appraiser until the appraisal is turned in. In her "appraisal packet," she includes a copy of the contract, either the survey or property details that define the bounds, the list of anything that has been done to the house, and any information about comps that would be helpful for the appraiser. The more you can provide upfront, the less they will have to ask about. When providing comps, the best thing you can do is find other properties that would appeal to the same buyer. It is best to give your packet of information to the appraiser before they go to the property. If you are able, you also want to provide other offers if you're in a multiple-offer situation. The best way to get the packet to the appraisers is to make the appointment with the appraiser and the listing agent. You want to make an appointment and make sure the exchange will be secure. You could also send the report over via email. In that case, you don't need to meet them at the property. It is incredibly important to keep the line of communication open with the appraiser! This will improve the working relationship for everyone involved. When working with appraisers from out of the area, real estate agents should ask if they normally work in that area; there is a standard of competency that should make it easier to work across state lines. There are other certifications (green/clean houses, etc) that appraisers should be transparent about their competency in before entering into a transaction. As a REALTOR®, if you are not comfortable with the appraiser, Candy advises going back to the lender or loan officer with your concerns. If needed, you can then escalate to a compliance officer and note that the consumer will suffer. Ultimately, the appraiser is hired by the lender to make sure there is enough equity in a house to sustain a loan. They want to ensure that the lender will get their money back. Once the appraisal report is delivered and the deal is closed, the appraiser can no longer be in communication with the agent. Candy explains what happens in a situation where the appraisal comes in below the contract price. The people who actually use the system, their appraisals are usually successful. In every transaction there are three jobs working concurrently: the listing agent is trying to get the highest price for their seller, the buyer's agent is trying to get the best price for their buyer, and the appraiser is there to help the lender make a financial decision. It is part of the listing agent's responsibility to get any pertinent information to the appraiser, especially if the appraisal came in below the contract price. Candy shares her experience with appraising properties with basements, as well as rural properties. For the rural properties, she creates her own "land grid" that compares different land properties in the area. For unique properties, there is a recommendation on how far back in time and distance to get comps, but since that is just a recommendation and not a requirement Candy encourages agents to do a little bit of both to get a well-rounded grid. A helpful tool for any agent is the NAR's RPR, or Realtors Property Resource®. All your CMA's should be done in RPR! Candy's final word for listeners is to remember that although everyone has a different job, everyone is working together to make sure everyone is happy and deals are able to get done. This episode is full of tips and resources to improve relationships with appraisers. How can you apply these in your own practice? Tweetables: "You don't go after the value, you go after the data." — Candy "We all have different jobs, but if we all work together and we cooperate we can make it work. We're not out there to knock you guys down." — Candy Guest Links: Candy has a private Facebook that you can join. Here is the link. Facebook.com/groups/cookedre Here is a link to the list of items to give to the appraiser before the appraisal. Monicaneubauer.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Cooke-Appraiser-Ch… ANSI Square Footage Guide. http://www.monicaneubauer.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ANSI-Square-Footag… Additional Links: www.crdpodcast.com www.onlinelearning.realtor for NAR Online Education www.training4RE.com — List of Classroom Courses from NAR and its affiliates CRD@nar.realtor Host Information: Monica Neubauer Speaker/Podcaster/REALTOR® Monica@MonicaNeubauer.com MonicaNeubauer.com FranklinTNBlog.com Monica's Facebook Page Facebook.com/Monica.Neubauer Instagram Instagram.com/MonicaNeubauerSpeaks Additional Bio: Candace Cooke has been involved in the real estate industry for 37 years. She is licensed in Texas as a real estate broker, certified general appraiser, and instructor. Candy is active in the Texas REALTORS® and serves on several committees at the local, state, and national level of REALTOR® organizations. She is currently President of the Real Estate Business Institute, an affiliate of NAR and serves as Secretary on the Texas Real Estate Commission Education Standards Advisory Committee. Education is her passion. She was recently awarded 2020 Texas REALTORS® Educator of the Year. Candy is one of the Senior Instructors for the Texas REALTORS® and currently teaches several "Train the Trainer" classes. As a member of the Texas REALTORS® Professional Standards committee, Candy strongly believes REALTORS® need to always "do the right thing" which is strongly promoted in her classes. Candy was a member of the first class for NAR's Masters of Real Estate (MRE) program and then went back and did it again. She believes you can never stop learning in this business. Candy's enthusiasm for any subject she teaches is contagious. Her classes routinely book to capacity and she uses Zoom to teach so her interaction is far-reaching. She actively broadcasts classes live in order to serve more students across the state. She lives in Central Texas with her husband Mike and enjoys canning and knitting when she's not teaching.

In an active seller's market, there's a huge advantage for real estate agents who utilize multiple offer strategies. There are inventory issues in many of the markets in our country right now, which can be difficult for buyers, sellers, and agents alike. In today's episode, Dale Chumbley shares several best practices for real estate agents to help your buyers or sellers win in a multiple-offer market. If a property is priced properly, it's going to be competitive. As an agent, the best thing you can do is educate your client and let them know what to expect in the given market and how you're going to help them through the process. It can also be helpful to have data to show the buyer, but don't go back more than three months, especially in a changing market! Monica and Dale talk about some of the ramifications of overpricing; if you really want to drive competition, you may even want to price slightly down. Dale talks about what elements make an enticing offer. One of the biggest things he does is call the listing agent to figure out exactly what the seller's pain point is and what would help. Establishing this good relationship with the listing agent creates a better stress level for everybody. If you can give a seller a month rent-back free, you can improve the net to the seller without having to see the appraisal come higher. Having strong offers where you can improve the net to the seller is important, especially in these multiple-offer deals. Dale talks about the low appraisal addendum in his market, and how it can give the seller peace of mind. A clean offer is a strong offer. Completely fill out the purchase and sale agreement, and establish respect in the transaction. Having all forms filled out sets a good standard for moving forward. There are also some other best practices, such as not asking for repairs upfront, and an easy way to make comparables with closely related properties. In all of these situations, a call to the listing agent made all the difference. As a real estate agent, make sure you are creating these positive relationships! Bringing the lender into the fold can also be beneficial. Love letters and escalation clauses are more risky and controversial pieces of the closing process. As a listing agent, it's important to explain to the seller the consequences and liability of accepting love letters. These are falling out of best practice — it's more important to know if they are qualified or not. An escalation clause is a document that states how much the buyer is willing to pay over the list price or highest other offer, up to a certain point. For both love letters and escalation clauses, many sellers are putting it in the listing whether they want to accept either. It is more encouraged to put your best offer forward, and as a real estate agent, you want to be able to present your buyer a signable offer. Monica and Dale talk about finding some "off-market" or hidden properties that aren't in the multiple offer market. As an agent, it's important to keep an eye out on these listings or even neighborhood apps to get a feel for what might be out there. Vendor partners can also be incredibly helpful in getting clients. For a listing agent, communication with the seller for their timeline and needs is the most important thing to establish. Pricing will be different depending on when they need to be out, their expectations, etc. It is important to set expectations and explain the value of pricing their home properly. Dale's final word for buyers is: be patient — trust your real estate agent, be patient in the process even though it can be challenging. When it comes to pricing, it's important to provide perspective for your clients. In the long run, sometimes the win isn't getting the best deal, it's getting the home that you want. Tweetables: "Really the main thing is educating them [the buyer], knowing your market, knowing your numbers, knowing your statistics, and knowing the value of pricing your homes." — Dale "Just because it's a crazy market, buyers do not buy just any house." — Monica "It's not just the price, but it's also the strength of the offer." — Dale "People think that high money and fast closing is the win. Sometimes fast closing isn't the win. Sometimes slowing it down and being accommodating to what the seller needs is far more powerful." — Dale Guest Links: Clarkcountyrealestateguide.com Real Living — The Real Estate Group Additional Links: Crdpodcast.com Online learning.REALTOR for NAR Online Education Training4RE.com — List of Classroom Courses from NAR and its affiliates CRD@REALTORS.org Host Information: Monica Neubauer Speaker/Podcaster/REALTOR® Monica@MonicaNeubauer.com MonicaNeubauer.com FranklinTNBlog.com Monica's Facebook Page Facebook.com/FranklinMonica Additional Bio: Dale Chumbley Dale Chumbley is a second-generation REALTOR® in Vancouver, Washington who has been selling real estate since 1994. He also spent eight years working in the Clark County Department of Assessment & GIS in the Land Records Department. This experience gives Dale a knowledge and expertise that no other REALTOR® in Clark County, WA has. He was named by Inman News one of the 100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders in the country for 2010. He is the founder of 365 Things To Do In Vancouver, WA on Facebook. In 2014 Dale served as his local Association's President and was named REALTOR® of the Year. Dale was named one of The Top 20 Social Influencers of Residential Real Estate 2016 by Swanepoel Power 200 nationally. In 2016 he served as VP of Membership for Washington REALTORS®. In 2018 Dale was Chair of the National Consumer Communications Committee. Dale served as President of Washington REALTORS® in 2019. He is currently a National Director for the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and Chair of Member Communications Committee for NAR. Dale is recognized nationally for his mix of traditional real estate and technologically cutting-edge marketing. In his spare time, Dale dabbles as a DJ, enjoys photography, musical theatre, and sharing his city with anyone who will pay attention. Dale has been seen on the stage at industry events such as Inman Connect New York and San Francisco, Inman Agent Reboots, REBarCamps across the country, a variety of events in Vancouver, BC and Toronto, Hawaii Association of REALTORS® Annual Conference, WA Association of REALTORS® Leadership Conference, NAR MidYear and Annual Conference, REALTOR® Party Training, CRS Sellabration, Florida YPN, RETSO, BuzzRE, BuzzRE Orange County, and Non-industry events such as #140Conf and Back Fence PDX.

This episode is all about cybersecurity and protecting your information. Juanita McDowell joins Monica to share her effective and easy-to-implement tips to keep your data safe. They talk about what cybersecurity is, what we really need to protect, and best practices for several different platforms that agents use regularly in their business. Some agents will collect the same information as an online lender, with full disclosure to their client, so there is someone else they trust with this information. By law, personal information has to be protected. When it comes to sensitive information, the "biggies" are social security numbers and date of birth — especially birth year. As an agent, if you feel like you need to collect this information, it is your responsibility to destroy it when it's no longer needed (shred) and protect it upfront (encrypt before making any digital copies). There are certain things you should never put online if you can avoid it; if a hacker or bot gets your information for one site, it is likely they can apply that information to other sites that may be more sensitive. When it comes to passwords, it's no longer just a strong password — 2-step verification is key! When creating your password, incorporate lowercase, uppercase, symbols, and numbers. Once you have a strong password, a 2-step verification is an extra layer of security when you sign in from an IP address it doesn't recognize. If passwords are a challenge for you, use a password locker like LastPass or One Password. You can also create a "master" password and add a memory jogger that is unique to each site you use your password for. We store so much information on our computers and phones, it's important to safeguard those devices with passwords as well. Make sure those types of devices are virus protected as well. Juanita shares some best practices for using Dropbox, including what you should not post to Dropbox, features within Dropbox that you can use, and doing health checkups to see what all is accessing your DB account. With all the different systems we engage with every day, it's incredibly important to know what they do and what's the best use for them. Spend some time and take inventory of what applications and systems you are using, and do some security check-ups to make sure your apps are up-to-date. With subscription-based platforms, the user is the one that needs to tighten them up and make sure they are secure. If you use Google, Juanita's homework assignment is to go to myaccounts.google.com and do a security checkup of your account. Although it's convenient, it's not the best idea to store passwords in your browser. A password locker would be better. All of your devices need a backup system! You need to make sure that your files are being backed up to a reputable cloud, and you want to double-check the security settings. Be very careful about what sensitive information you store in your CRMs. Do your due diligence in picking a CRM provider. The number one thing when it comes to email is to SLOW DOWN. Don't open attachments or click on links from people you don't know, and take a second look from people you do know. You can hover over a link or an email address to make sure it looks legitimate. The other thing about email is to make sure you are checking and responding on a secure network. A VPN is a virtual private network, and it creates a secure tunnel for any of your computer traffic when you're in a public setting. Anything that is posted on social media could be read by anyone or everyone. Even if you delete a post, someone could have already saved or shared this with someone else. There are privacy settings on many social media platforms that can help you recover your data if it's compromised. You should also set up 2-step verification for your social media accounts. If you have an account you aren't using anymore, just take it down. One of the best tips for working with virtual assistants is to create a separate login and password just for them, so they have access to the systems but not your password. Once they are done, change the password so there is no longer access tied to it. It is also important to ensure they have a secure network and their own computer. When it comes to home security, make sure you change the default password for your router. Trust your gut when it comes to home security and investigate when things seem off. Juanita's best practices: stay off free wifi networks unless you have a VPN, create strong passwords, make sure you backup your data. Keep your apps up to date, and know where all of your data is. For agents, put together a data security policy so you know exactly what to do if you are hacked. Tweetables: "First of all I would challenge people, don't get it if you don't need it." — Monica "One of the problems that we have is that we're thinking of the hackers as an individual. Today, our hackers are no longer individuals. They have the sophisticated software that can run bots all over the place." — Juanita "I always tell my agents anything you type on your computer and you send out into the world, you need to know that it could be read by anybody and everybody in the world." — Monica Guest Links: Juanitamcdowell.com Youtube.com/channel/UCWp3Yrya05q7xbhD8wVccFw Last Pass 1Password Avira Malwarebytes Avast Boxcryptor Carbonite iDrive Private Internet Access VPN Additional Links: www.crdpodcast.com Online learning.REALTOR for NAR Online Education Training4RE.com — List of Classroom Courses from NAR and its affiliates CRD@REALTORS.org Host Information: Monica Neubauer Speaker/Podcaster/REALTOR® Monica@MonicaNeubauer.com FuntentionalLiving.com FranklinTNBlog.com Monica's Facebook Page Facebook.com/FranklinMonica Additional Bio: Juanita McDowell Juanita is an international speaker and educator. Every year, her training firm delivers over 200 seminars to entrepreneurs, corporate employees, and associations across the globe. A former Engineer and Global Sales Executive, she speaks on topics such as Technology, Sales, and Marketing. Businesses and associations that have hired Juanita include AT&T, LG, the CDC, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Her expertise has been published in Fast Company magazine and the Investor's Business Daily. Juanita is a YouTube Partner with over 2.5 million views on her videos. She's also a member of the National Speakers Association and she volunteers as a Technology Partner for Habitat for Humanity. www.JuanitaMcDowell.com

NAR has a new opportunity for you, our members! NAR has partnered with Columbia College for a higher education opportunity in real estate. NAR Academy at Columbia College seeks to facilitate excellent college and certificate programs for agents, brokers, and other industry professionals. In today's episode, Marc and Raj talk about the courses offered through NAR Academy as well as some of the many benefits of pursuing this education. Marc was part of NAR's initial efforts for a degree-granting, accredited institution called REALTOR® University. This program recently graduated their last student, but they saw that there was a greater need for a larger offering at the Bachelor's and Associate's level, rather than just at the Master's level. The partnership they found in Raj and Columbia College is exactly what they were looking for. They've created NAR Academy, with the goal of filling the gap when it comes to real estate by offering a larger variety of college certificates and degree programs. The course offerings cover the business of real estate and the different areas that are crucial to real estate (marketing, finance, etc). They offer five real estate-specific programs: Real Estate Leadership certificate, Digital Marketing for Real Estate certificate, Real Estate Negotiation certificate, as well as two degree programs: an Associate's in Real Estate Management, and Master's of Business Administration (MBA) with an emphasis in Real Estate Management. These programs are a great start for people who want to get a College education, or for those that want to finish a degree, and also provides the best of both worlds in terms of accredited College education and NAR benefits. One of the great things about NAR Academy is that it is flexible with people's schedules, and also accept transfer credits for anyone who has previous higher education. The online courses are taken in eight-week sessions, and students can choose the pace at which they want to complete the programs. The certificates are "stackable" — if you take the certificate courses, you could apply those credits to the Associate's degree. If you are pursuing the Master's, you take the same courses as other MBA students, and then you can take emphasis-area courses in real estate. As a member of NAR, you also get a $100 scholarship per class. NAR Academy helps people get to the next level of their career, and also builds relationships for life. Columbia College offers several distinct benefits for anyone interested in this higher education — remote learning, accreditation, and the partnership with NAR. The partnership is really to benefit the members — what they are doing is the highest and best use of educational time and dollars. What would you do if you could pursue further education in your real estate business? Tweetables: "The goal here with NAR Academy at Columbia College is to offer a larger gamut of college credit-bearing certificates and degree programs. We want to have programming available to REALTORS® that would benefit them in different areas." — Raj Sachdev "This can provide a distinct competitive advantage to members. Students can be exposed to new ideas as well as emerging issues and trends, and really have that conceptual and theoretical backing to the real-world practice that's so important." — Raj Sachdev "For our members, it's an opportunity to network and expand your client base. Not only are you gaining education, but you might be gaining access to a referral and client base you didn't have before." — Marc Gould Guest Links: Nar.realtor/nar-academy Ccis.edu/NAR Additional Links: Crdpodcast.com Online learning.REALTOR for NAR Online Education Training4RE.com — List of Classroom Courses from NAR and its affiliates CRD@REALTORS.org Host Information: Monica Neubauer Speaker/Podcaster/REALTOR® Monica@MonicaNeubauer.com FuntentionalLiving.com FranklinTNBlog.com Monica's Facebook Page Facebook.com/FranklinMonica Additional Bio: Marc Gould is Senior Vice President of Member Development for the National Association of REALTORS®, overseeing a wide range of leadership and professional development programs for REALTORS®. Since joining NAR in 2006, Marc has launched both the Commitment to Excellence Program and Center For Financial Wellness. He fostered the growth of the Center for Specialized REALTOR® Education, NAR's wholly-owned training and credentials subsidiary, in both membership and course offerings. He oversaw the creation, acquisition, and integration of multiple NAR credentials including the Senior Real Estate Specialist and Green designations. Marc was also instrumental in the creation of REALTOR® University, an accredited distance learning program that offers a master's degree in real estate, and serves as its Dean of Student Services. Marc earned his MBA from Loyola University Chicago and his BA in political science from the University of Michigan. He achieved the rank of major as an officer in the United States Army, serving in positions as varied as platoon leader in an infantry battalion to command staff at the brigade level. Marc and his wife Amy live in Chicago with their son. Dr. Raj Sachdev Dean and Assistant Professor Robert W. Plaster School of Business Columbia College Dr. Sachdev holds several degrees and certifications including a degree from Oxford University. A specialist in the areas of business, law, and technology, he was formerly a visiting researcher at UC Berkeley and is published in different disciplines. He has taught over 50 courses at various academic institutions including some as an instructor at Stanford University. Dr. Sachdev speaks internationally at various prominent institutions and industry conferences including having given a TEDx talk. He has been awarded for his teaching excellence and is a licensed lawyer.