Center for REALTOR® Development

Growing awareness among real estate professionals has resulted in a clearer understanding that fair housing in America is still an issue. Bryan Greene is the Director of Fair Housing Policy at NAR, and he joins Monica to discuss the state of fair housing in America. He talks about the history that led us to where we are today, as well as what tools NAR is using to help their agents start making a change and help create a more fair and equitable industry. Bryan worked in government for 29 years before making the transition to NAR. He shares his background, and how his desire to make a difference is what led him to work within the real estate industry. Housing is one of the biggest civil rights issues, but also one of the avenues where the industry can have the biggest impact. Along with some recommended reading, Bryan shares the history around segregation in housing. It started out as a private practice, in the form of covenants, but was adopted as official government policy. These policies created patterns — such as generational wealth — that continue to show up today, even though the laws have changed over time. Bryan was hired in a new position as the Director of Fair Housing Policy at NAR. After reading and viewing footage of agents interacting with clients in Long Island, the disparity was apparent. He talks about his role to respond, accept responsibility, and explain to the public how NAR would address these issues. The two things that stuck out were the need for accountability and a culture change. They are triangulating the issue from all sides: mind, heart, and body. Their acronym is ACT!: accountability, culture change, and training. They are doing more immersive training where agents can practice and react to different simulated situations. One of the best ways to learn in any business is from your peers — one of the initiatives they have is to highlight those agents that are successful and practicing fair and equitable real estate. Moving from education into action is one of the most important ways things can start to change. In addition to these videos and profiling different agents and companies, they are also looking at what effects this issue of segregation has on the economy. There is data that shows if some of the larger metro cities were less segregated, their GDP would be higher. School districts and how agents discuss them with clients are another avenue NAR is exploring as a means to promote fair housing. There's more to consider than just a district's test scores. The many tragic events in 2020 have highlighted the thread of injustice and housing segregation. But 2020 has also been an opportunity for many people to learn, and begin to change. REALTORS® have a responsibility to make things fairer, but other parties like lenders, insurance companies, and other parties can also contribute to the disparities we see. The law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, and religion; while these shouldn't have anything to do with housing, they historically (and even still) have, and they have had an enduring impact. As more awareness has come up around these issues, there are action steps you can start taking today. There are many communities around the country that recognize what has happened in the past and are taking steps to change things now. The real estate industry can engage with some of these same politicians and strategies, especially at the local level, to make things right. Tweetables: "I believe that right now NAR is the most effective place to make a difference on civil rights issues." — Bryan "It immediately thrust me into the role of responding, making sure that we accept responsibility for what we see, and explain to the public and the Hill how we were addressing these issues." — Bryan "If we could make real progress on some of these issues regarding segregation, we could start to turn the corner so that the next time we have something tragic, maybe we won't fare as poorly." — Bryan Guest Links: Nar.realtor/fair-housing/fair-housing-book-recommendations Nar.realtor/fair-housing/fair-housing-podcast-recommendations Realtorparty.realtor/state-local-issues/issues/fair-housing.html Nar.realtor/fair-housing/fair-housing-makes-us-stronger-commemo… Projects.newsday.com/long-island/real-estate-agents-investigation/ Reading: The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America, by Richard Rothstein American Apartheid: Segregation and the Making of the Underclass, by Douglas Massey and Nancy Denton Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism, by James Loewen The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap, by Mehrsa Baradaran 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: Bryan Greene, Director, Fair Housing Policy, at the National Association of REALTORS® Bryan Greene is the Director of Fair Housing Policy at the National Association of REALTORS®. Bryan is responsible for representing NAR on all fair-housing-related federal regulatory and legislative matters to ensure the interests of consumers and the real estate industry interests are protected. He also manages NAR's new 45-member Fair Housing Policy Committee which allows NAR to focus more attention on the public policy issues surrounding fair housing and equal opportunity while better supporting its strategic priority of enhancing housing equality. Before joining NAR, Bryan served for ten years as the highest-ranking career official in HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO), where he oversaw the policy direction and operational management of the 600-person office enforcing the nation's housing anti-discrimination laws. Under Bryan's leadership as FHEO General Deputy Assistant Secretary, HUD pursued large-scale, high-profile cases that addressed systemic discrimination and provided widespread relief. Bryan also managed HUD's Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) and HUD's Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP), which together provided over $70 million to state and local government agencies and nonprofit organizations fighting discrimination in local communities. Bryan held several senior positions at HUD over three decades at the agency, including a stint as the Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Affairs in HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R), where he worked to reduce regulatory barriers to affordable housing. Bryan was the 2007 recipient of the Presidential Rank Award, the highest federal honor bestowed upon federal senior executives for outstanding service. Bryan earned his degree in Government from Harvard University.

Social media is a huge part of real estate, especially in today's climate. Social media is the modern method of communication, and also allows small businesses and individuals to have a broad impact. Katie Lance is an industry social media expert and has been focusing on how to help REALTORS® make the most of their business through social media. In today's episode, Katie and Monica talk about content optimization, some of the heavier aspects of social media, and how we can be intentional with the time we spend on social media. One of the biggest new developments in social media is Instagram Reels. These are short videos up to 30 seconds — since they are quick and fast-paced, they are usually playful. In a business context, it allows business owners or entrepreneurs to present information in a more creative way. Reels are versatile because you can share them in your feed, or repurpose them for other platforms. Every platform is a little different, and providing the context on other platforms is important when using the same content. Another feature of Instagram is Instagram TV, which allows you to share longer videos in your feed. The preview options allow you to build some excitement around the full video content. With a longer video, you can also put a teaser at the beginning to keep people engaged until the end. You can also upload longer videos to YouTube — really make the most of the content you've created by sharing it multiple times! There are heavy aspects to social media, and as it has grown, we've become a product of social media. Katie shares a few tips on how to manage your social media with this information. Check your privacy settings at least a couple of times a year, to make sure they are the way you want them. Also, be careful what you're clicking on and what you're sharing. Katie also talks about being intentional when you go on social media — maybe set yourself a timer, or make sure there is a purpose for why you're on. Katie and Monica talk about how to handle politics and other hot topics in the industry. If you are going to share things on these topics, make sure you're authentic to your own views but also respectful. Don't try to be all things to all people — you may end up seeming a little vanilla. Also, remember aspects of privacy; instead of engaging publicly, you can also engage privately on social media through DMs. This is a great way to learn people's stories and build relationships. LinkedIn is a great place to get your feet wet with more professional social media. When people search for you, it's one of the first things that come up. Make sure you keep it updated and keep it specific as well. It's an easy platform to connect professionally, and also has a blog feature. With the other platforms, there are also elements of control so you can share relevant contact information without having to share everything. Katie's final thoughts: Social media is rented ground. Think about what assets you can create that can go with you wherever you go, even if social media changes. If you put a video on Facebook live, download the video so you can share it elsewhere later. Your content should also be more than just your listings. The goal is to engage people by keeping them curious and having some fun. Be intentional with your time and strategy on social media, and start today! Tweetables: "Reach is one thing, but engagement — I have hundreds of comments on Reels. For anyone who feels a little stuck with Instagram, and you're trying to grow your following and engagement, I definitely would encourage you to play around with it." — Katie "We should plan that way even if we don't want everything publicly visible. We should know that if we put it out there, it could come back to you." — Monica "The thing that a lot of agents do wrong is that they try to be all things for all people." — Katie Guest Links: The Website: KatieLance.com The Podcast: Katielance.com/category/podcast The Videos: Katielance.com/category/getsocialsmart-show Instagram: @KatieLance 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: Katie is the CEO and Co-Founder of Katie Lance Consulting. Katie is a nationally known keynote speaker at conferences and events. For the past 10 years, Katie has been working with real estate agents and brokers to help them get smarter about how to use social media to grow their business. Her specialty is in helping real estate agents and brokers achieve big results using social media without spending a ton of time! She is also the author of the best-selling book, #GetSocialSmart and the founder of the #GetSocialSmart Academy. Katie has been named one of the most 100 influential people in real estate by Inman News and is a frequent contributor to The Huffington Post. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two beautiful boys.

Today's episode is about lead generation and getting new business. Our guest, Sean Carpenter, shares his definition of relationships, and several different ways you can generate leads using "RELATIONSHIPS" as an acrostic. REALTORS® are always trying to generate new business, and the best way for agents to do that is through consistency, value, and RELATIONSHIPS. Relationships are the key to the real estate business. Most agents spend more of their time on business support when they should be focusing on business development. Building and maintaining relationships is a great way to encourage business development activities. R: Return Calls, Relocation Returning calls in a professional and timely manner is one of the easiest things a REALTOR® can do to build relationships. Having a system in place for checking your calls and voicemails can keep you in control of your phone. Getting to know other agents or brokers around the country can help future incoming business. Regional and national networking is a critical way to grow your business. E: Eager Learner, Email, Expired It's never too late to learn something new — explore new sources of information so you have more conversation topics and can see things from different perspectives. When it comes to email, you want to make sure you're sharing quality messages — make sure it has a specific subject line, and because most people consume email on their phone, you want to make sure it's to the point. Sean's biggest tip for expired listings is to ask the homeowner if they still want to sell. This is a great jumping-off point to determine how to move forward. To avoid competition, reach out on expired listings that are older, rather than the more recent listings. L: Loyalty Cards, Look Around You, Listen vs. Talk As REALTORS® , we are trying to earn loyalty from our clients. You can create a loyalty card as part of your customer loyalty program, by partnering with businesses in your area for incentives. Look around you, metaphorically and physically, for clues and signals for people making a move in the near future. This can help with potential clients. Looking around your community lets you create with intention and changing perspective. Sometimes listening instead of talking can allow you to find out what problems, opportunities, and excitement the people in your community are facing. Listening will help you relate! A: Attitude, Ask, and Appointments One of the most important ways to get more business is by bringing a good attitude to everything you do. Your attitude influences everyone around you. Ask and appointments go hand and hand. As an agent, take opportunities to focus on appointments. You won't sell anything if you don't have an appointment, and you can't have an appointment unless you talk to people. Set at least three appointments a week. T: Thank You Notes, Target, Twitter Write handwritten notes! The gesture of a handwritten thank you note is immeasurable. This meaningful act is a great way to show appreciation for past clients. Know who your target audience is, and make sure what you're doing throughout the day is working towards getting business in those avenues. Finally, Twitter is a great social media platform to listen, engage, share, and support. I: Instagram Instagram is another great social media platform to engage. Have a presence on Instagram, by looking and sharing. Leaving comments on stories and posts will drive traffic to your account as well. Commenting purposefully is huge for earning awareness. O: Open Houses, On Purpose During this time of COVID-19, following safety practices and precautions is very important. But you should still have them, whether in person or virtually. Open houses are a great way to create relationships — not only with buyers but also with potential sellers as well. Be in control of your schedule so that you are operating your business on purpose — everything should be done with intention. N: Nametags This is maybe the second-most important aspect after attitude. When you see someone you know from a previous relationship, or out in public wearing a nametag, use their name! Using people's names is a small way to express gratitude and make them feel valued. S: Sales Meetings, Schools Sales meetings are one of the most important ways you can stay informed, as well as a way to find potential buyers. Being active in a child or grandchild's school is another way to gain top-of-mind awareness. H: Have Fun, Happy Hour, 4H Club Build relationships, solve problems, and have fun. No matter what you're doing, find a way to make it fun. Having a happy hour with friends or clients is a great way to support your local businesses (and grow your own) and develop relationships. Sean shares the way he puts seeds in the ground to grow and maintain your network. This includes handwritten notes, hot sheets, happy birthdays, and high fives. This is an easy way to touch at least 25 people in a short amount of time. I: Ice Cream Social An ice cream social, or a similar idea, is a good way to show your appreciation and gratitude for people in your community — teachers, firefighters, etc. This is marketing for you, and a way to support local businesses. Put good energy out, and the business will come back to you. P: Preparation, (Past) Clients If you want to get good business, you have to be prepared. Keep your database clean and organized, so your sphere of influence is prepared. Make sure you are still touching your past clients on a regular basis. You can decide what schedule is right, but you never know when past clients will become your future clients. S: Schedule a Time, Serious Make sure you schedule a time to do your lead generation, client appreciation, etc. If it's not in your schedule, it's probably not going to get done. And finally, be serious about your business, but don't take yourself too seriously. Everything you do could turn into an opportunity if you take advantage of listening and acting on it. There are tons of takeaways here — which ones can you apply to your lead generation today? Tweetables: "Relationships are the key to our business. We all think that the house is what we focus on, and that's just the widget we use in our business. It's about the people that live in those houses and the relationships we have with those people." — Sean "When you bring a good attitude, other people feed off that. You either lighten up a room because of the attitude you bring, or you lighten up a room when you leave." — Sean "Your name is the one thing in this world, that even if you lost everything tomorrow, you still have your name." — Sean Guest Links: Twitter @seancarp Carpscorner.net Facebook.com/seanmcarpenter 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: Originally licensed as a REALTOR® in 1998, Sean Carpenter is the former Agent Development Director for the Ohio NRT companies. He jumped back into a sales role with Coldwell Banker, serving buyers and sellers throughout Central Ohio. He founded Sean Speaks in 2018 to expand his speaking, consulting, and facilitation opportunities. His most popular sessions focus on creating memorable customer experiences and maximizing social and digital media, as well as business planning, leadership, and sales. Formerly recognized by Inman News as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Leaders in Real Estate, Sean was named as one of the "Top 20 Most Influential People in Social Media for the real estate industry" by The Swanepoel Trends Report for the third year in a row. Sean recently received the Joseph McKinnon Award from the Columbus REALTORS® as their 2017 Instructor of the Year. Sean's mission is to "teach with passion and enthusiasm instilling confidence and excitement in his students," and he lives by his philosophy — build relationships, solve problems, and have fun.

Today's episode is all about what goes on behind the mortgage curtain. REALTORS® work closely with lenders and need to know how to ask better questions of the experts. Our guest, Michael "Smit" Smith, shares advice on how to choose more qualified lenders and what questions you can ask to work better with lenders. It is important for REALTORS® to have some knowledge of the lending process, so they can communicate effectively with the lender. This communication is a two-way street, with the lender communicating just as much with the agent. The REALTOR® has a lawful obligation to their client, so they should be leading the conversation and guiding the deal. There are important aspects of both roles, so communication and partnership are key so everyone is on the same page throughout the transaction. The contract is really in control of the transaction, and the date of closing should guide the lender and their processes, as well as the REALTOR® and their processes. As a listing agent, you should make contact with any lenders prior to meeting with their clients to consider any offers. Smit talks about the policies of many banks, and how they handle the process of underwriting. Some banks have private mortgage lending, but the majority of banks require that a property is identified before underwriting. One of the most important questions a REALTOR® should ask any lending company is whether they qualify a borrower separate from their property, or whether their underwriting process only begins when everything is in with the property. Making a call to a lender is incredibly important in establishing a relationship. Especially in this time of COVID-19, talking on the phone is really the most genial and personable way to get to know someone you will be working with throughout the transaction. Michael has a list of questions that REALTORS® should have in their arsenal in order to vet lenders to make sure that they've done their homework. He talks about what things you can ask your clients to provide, and things that are off-limits. Questions from Michael "Smit" Smith for the lenders: 1. How pre-approved are they? 2. Have you talked with or met "our" clients? 3. What paperwork have you received? 4. Have you verified funds needed to close the transaction? 5. Can you provide evidence of funds? 6. Has the client made an application? 7. Have you run it through an Automated Underwriting System — AUS? Desktop Underwriter — DU — (Fannie Mae) or Loan Processor — LP — (Freddie Mac)? 8. Are there any outstanding conditions not met? 9. Have you pulled a tri-merge credit report? 10. What is your appraisal delivery time? 11. Can you close in 30 days? 12. How long have you been in lending? 13. Will you make a pre-emptive call to the listing agent? There are three main lending groups that most residential agents work with: the bank, mortgage lender companies, and mortgage brokers. Each group has their own underwriting processes. Mortgage brokers provide options for the borrowers, but if they don't have delegated underwriting they turn the package over to a lender. For agents, put together your own list of five to 10 questions that you ask any lender to get to know their process. If you understand what it is, you can better work in partnership with them for the benefit of your client. REALTORS® can also do a few things to help the lenders. Having open lines of communication is absolutely key. You can also check in with them to see if there is any documentation you can get from the client to make sure the lender has everything they need. In the case that there's an addendum, make sure you get in contact with the lender and provide it if needed. Make sure you also keep an email record of your communication. Michael talks about some of the reasons contracts might be extended. It all comes back to communication and relationship. The lender should be communicating with agents at least once a week with progress on the deal. The agents should also be reaching out to the lender, so everyone is holding each other accountable. With the final words, Smit shares the most important questions to ask. The main question you want to ask is how pre-approved is the client, or ask whether an underwriter has seen the file. You can also use their NMLS number to get an idea of their experience. With the questions you ask up from, you as the REALTOR® can set the tone for the whole deal. Tweetables: "You need to make sure that right upfront, you are setting up a stage with that lender that we need effective, continuous, contiguous communication throughout the entire process." — Michael "Smit" Smith "A lender can make or break a deal." — Michael "Smit" Smith "Real estate should be open and notorious. There shouldn't be any hidden agenda; it's a contract." — Michael "Smit" Smith "We need to be an advocate for our client. Once you stop being an advocate for your client, you just failed your client, and you failed the transaction, and you failed yourself." — Michael "Smit" Smith Guest Links: SmitsRealEstate.com 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: Michael "Smit" Smith Michael Smith, a.k.a. "Smit" has been working in the residential real estate industry for over 20 years. Smit's trifecta expertise combines his experience as a real estate broker, owner, and mortgage lender and his degrees in economics and law bring a well-rounded approach to his teaching. Smit's NAR designation courses have been taught throughout the Pacific Northwest. His passion for real estate, finance, and teaching has led him to create and launch several custom courses as well, addressing current trends such as Survival Skills in a Changing Market (COVID-19), What you should Know about STR (Short Term Rentals), and Real Estate Finance for REALTORS®. Smit's classroom is an energetic experience as he drives towards a high level of participation by students. You will enjoy his style of teaching, where "Smit Happens" quite often and with memorable results. He works in Kirkland, WA with Windermere Real Estate and can be found at SmitsRealEstate.com

REALTORS® are being targeted more and more over the past ten years. With September being REALTOR® Safety Month, Donny Allen joins Monica on the show today to talk about safety on the job —best practices to keep yourself and your clients safe. Monica and Donny discuss effective ways to help REALTORS® live in confidence, not in fear. Donny grew up on large farms and ranches and had to learn to defend himself from the different animals and also gained a heightened mindset of awareness. When he got started in real estate, he found he had a passion for teaching REALTOR® safety. When you think about safety, it's not just physical safety; it's our reputation's safety and financial safety. Situational awareness is key to the real estate business now more than ever. Some vulnerable situations are meeting clients at unfamiliar properties, sitting in an open house alone, and even issues like cybersecurity. Donny shares safety tips for meeting strangers or new clients. If you don't know the client, try to meet them at the office first, rather than meeting them at the property. If you're able, take someone to go along with you. Also, be conscious of what time you are meeting new clients, and arrive early to get a lay of the property. Monica talks about the protocol she uses for herself when meeting clients. It is important to have some sort of consistent system or policy so all potential clients are treated fairly. If you run an office or a brokerage, it is important to have an office policy as well. There also needs to be training around agent safety so everyone is aware and follows the same policy. Donny and Monica talk about the public reaction to some of these safety precautions. For the majority, these safety measures are met with positive response because it protects not only the REALTOR® but also the client. In any situation, it's important to approach your decision based on your training and experience. Donny shares some statistics on the self-defense weapons REALTORS® carry. If you don't think you can use a weapon for defense, don't carry it. Regardless of what philosophy you adopt in your own business, make sure you have a plan for getting out of potentially dangerous situations, and practice that plan so you can execute it should you ever need to. Donny shares some of the statistics on how many agents have experienced safety concerns, whether a physical attack or cyber attack. Thirty-three percent of all REALTORS® have felt uncomfortable in a situation. Monica shares her own experience with this. There are some safety apps you can download to your phone to help keep you safe. It will come down to what is best for you, but some apps Donny recommends are CentraLock, SupraBox. Many smartphones also have an emergency SOS feature. A battery-operated noisemaker that you keep on your person can also be very effective. While these apps and devices are valuable, don't put all of your comfort in an app. Make sure you have some sort of backup. Donny's parting thought for agents is to have a plan and practice different scenarios. Take a self-defense class, and always be willing to ask for help or take a buddy. The most important thing is to trust your instincts and increase your situational awareness. Tweetables: "I believe that with good planning, people are aware and prepared and they don't need to live in fear." — Monica "That's exactly what I want to point out. I want to bring your awareness to not only what you're doing, but what they're [the client] doing as well." — Donny "We've talked a lot about weapons, but I would always say getting away from the situation is best." — Donny Guest Links: Donny's Website Nar.realtor/safety Nar.realtor/safety/56-safety-tips-for-realtors 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: Donny Allen ABR®, CIPS, CL, CLHMS, CRB, CRS, GRI, MGRI, MRE, PMN, SRS, AHWD, e-PRO®, PSA, SFR® Donny Allen is a Broker/Owner and Agent with Keller Williams Realty of Southwest Missouri located in Joplin, MO. Donny began his real estate career as a salesperson with Century 21 Associated Ltd in 1996. Donny holds the ABR®, CIPS, CL, CLHMS, CRB, CRS, GRI, MGRI, MRE, PMN, and SRS designations in addition to the AHWD, e-PRO®, PSA, and SFR® certifications. He has been teaching, training, mentoring, and coaching agents for more than 24 years. Donny is a graduate of the 2006 Missouri REALTORS® Leadership Academy and the 2017 NAR Leadership Academy and he was inducted into the NAR RPAC Hall of Fame in 2017 and the REBAC Hall of Fame in 2019. Donny is a hard-working REALTOR® who lives to help and serve at a high level in his chosen profession. What you may not know… is that Donny has a passion to serve and protect his REALTOR® family and others by educating and training them in the areas of safety and security. Donny is an approved NAR Safety Instructor. The Center for Specialized REALTOR® Education allows approved instructors to present Real Estate Safety Matters, a course designed to educate and expand upon some key safety concerns, tips, and best practices. DonnyAllen.com

Today's environment has provided opportunities for REALTORS® to help their communities grow. One of these ways is to create your own media source as a mouthpiece in your community, which is exactly what our guest has done. Aaron Masliansky joins Monica on the show today to talk about the podcast he created, and the impact it's had on him both personally and professionally. In these uncertain and unprecedented times, we need some new solutions for marketing opportunities and ways to connect with our clients and followers. Aaron invests with his community through his podcast that highlights the many different people in his area and shares their stories. He talks about what hurdles he overcame to actually get started on the podcast, and how the focus of the podcast evolved over time. Aaron talks about the impact of his podcast. Not only is he garnering more attention for himself and attracting guests to be on his show, but he's also been able to do interviews with very notable people in and around his community. As he learns from his guests, there is a change within as well as a change in others. Aaron uses the skills he's learned from real estate to help guide his conversation in interviews with his guests. Just letting people speak is important; you learn through the conversation and the more you practice, the more you can hone your technique. Don't let your uncertainty keep you from moving forward — you've got nothing to lose! There are many outlets to explore, depending on what you're interested in and what you're good at. It's not necessarily the medium that matters, but what makes you feel comfortable and what resonates with you. There isn't one right way to create content for your followers or your community. The podcast medium does allow for more in-depth conversation than some other mediums. Aaron and Monica talk about how you can reach success through the podcast medium. While success is different for everyone, Aaron's success comes from being to shine a light on the guests who come on his show, and make a positive change in their lives. Aaron and Monica talk about the impact the podcast has had on Aaron's real estate business. One of the best ways to get business is to be well-connected in your area, and not just in the real estate business! Continue to show up in person and in ways people can see you. Monica and Aaron talk about finding a platform that works for you. Whether you're introverted or extroverted, like photography or prefer writing, there is a platform for you to create and have your voice heard. The most important thing is keeping it authentic for yourself. The possibility of burnout is real and likely, especially if your content is in addition to a full-time job or other obligations. Aaron talks about the way he has streamlined his podcast production, as well as other tips and tricks he has for preventing burnout. If you want to do something like this, make sure you give it some time. Don't worry if it's not perfect right away. It may take time to get the results you want. Have some fun while you figure it out! Aaron's final word for listeners is to go to what you enjoy and be passionate about whatever you do. You never know what doors you might open for yourself or others. Tweetables: "It doesn't matter the medium. I don't think the medium matters, it's how you feel comfortable." — Aaron "Because I have this platform, I have given someone this opportunity to have the light shined upon them." — Aaron "One of the best ways for REALTORS® to get business is to go about their life in the community they live in." — Monica Guest Links: Skevanston.com Links to the Podcasting Handouts on Monica's website: funtentionalliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Getting-Started-wi… funtentionalliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Getting-Started-wi… 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 Episode with Mor Zucker Host Information: Monica Neubauer Speaker/Podcaster/REALTOR® Monica@MonicaNeubauer.com FuntentionalLiving.com FranklinTNBlog.com Monica's Facebook Page Facebook.com/FranklinMonica Additional Bio: Aaron Masliansky lives with his family in Skevanston, which is an area of Skokie that has an Evanston mailing address and school districts. Residents have dubbed the area Skevanston because of the mix of both towns. Aaron is a REALTOR® at Dream Town Realty in Evanston and is connected with his local and global community. He is a Young Professional Ambassador with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. a fellow with the UNA Chicago Engage an Embassy Fellowship, on the Global Real Estate Council at the Chicago Association of REALTORS® and on the Young Professional Committee with Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center.

Today's episode is all about the data! Our guest, Jessica Lautz, is the VP of Demographics and Behavioral Insights at NAR, where she focuses on different trends in the industry and how this directly affects different housing markets. In today's episode, they discuss the transforming market due to COVID-19 and trends that the data is reflecting. They also discuss the impacts of this data for the coming months, and what the next few months look like for agents across the nation. It's important to know about and understand data as a REALTOR®. Understanding the nuances of the data helps you track changes in preferences and demographics, as well as other aspects that can help you plan for the coming months. The data can also help you see the bigger picture around trends you may be noticing in your own market. Monica talks about how she has applied surveys and data in two of her own listings. Jessica talks about some of the trends that we are seeing during this time of COVID-19. One of the big trends is getting houses move-in ready so that when sellers are ready to put their houses on the market they will be ready for the buyers. They also talk about the contrast of downsizing — in size and money — while some people are looking for larger spaces to accommodate work and school from home. REALTORS® can access this data and research on social media and on the NAR website: nar.realtor/research-and-statistics. Jessica talks about the process of gathering their data, and some of the data sources they use, including their members and information from government sources. They extract the things that are important for consumers to understand. This content is great for agents to share with their clients in their regular communication. Jessica talks about some of the results of COVID-19 that will impact the next six to eight months, or maybe even longer. Two of the biggest things cropping up are more office space, but also more outdoor space for recreation or gardening. There is also an increase in multi-generational housing; they also talk about the potential for a baby boom and pet adoption. Monica and Jessica discuss how these trends affect different demographics of home buyers. Jessica and Monica talk about the specific demographic of younger and older Millennials, and how Wi-Fi and working from home has been a big shift in where they are buying, and when they are buying. They also talk about what trends they are seeing in older generations, in terms of their debt, retirement, and multi-generational housing. The data shows that there is a strong recovery for the economy right now. Monica and Jessica talk about the importance of affordability in this market, and the inventory shortage. Interest rates are low right now so some buyers are able to enter the market. As agents, if you dig into your markets and go beyond the MLS, you might find the inventory to help your clients. It's important to have patience right now in this transforming market. COVID-19 is changing so much about real estate, and buyers are receptive and eager for the personal relationship with their REALTOR®. One of the recent things Jessica has looked into is how legalizing marijuana has affected the commercial sector and residential real estate. There is an increased demand for storefronts and warehouses in the commercial sector, but Jessica talks about some of the complications it is causing for the residential areas. Looking at the laws in states where it's legal and connecting with agents in that state can be helpful to apply to your market. One final tool they highlight is NAR's Right Tools, Right Now program. This program features new resources and discounted classes to support real estate professionals during the COVID-19 era. Using these resources can provide the information you need to work with new consumers who are out there and ready to buy. Tweetables: "When we close a data set, it's like a box of chocolates — you don't know what you're gonna get until you really start diving into it. You start seeing what people's opinions are and how they're changing." — Jessica "Without understanding what's going on in local markets, we can't grab that data." — Jessica "Go look for the inventory. I think sometimes it's out there, and if you can get it in advance, you're doing everyone a service. Plan for the long-term rather than live in the urgency of the day-to-day MLS." — Monica Guest Links: Instagram: @narresearch Twitter: @NAR_Research Facebook: NAR Research Nar.realtor/right-tools-right-now 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: Dr. Jessica Lautz is Vice President of Demographics and Behavioral Insights at the National Association of REALTORS®. The core of her research focuses on analyzing trends for both NAR members and housing consumers. Through the management of surveys, focus groups, and data analysis, she presents new and innovative ways to showcase results. Jessica received her Doctorate of Real Estate from Nottingham Trent University in the UK. She has a Master's Degree in Public Policy from American University and undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Law and Justice from Central Washington University. She has four cats and enjoys yoga and wine.

In this episode, Monica and her guest discuss another area of real estate that is adapting during this time of pandemic: the closing process. Many of the recent topics have focused on how to navigate the environment we're in with social distancing. The online and mobile methods of closing that Marvin talks about today are ready to be put into the mainstream process. Be on the lookout for them and add them to your tool belt! The closing situation has been shifting for a while, but COVID-19 has forced some changes in terms of where, when, and how closings are happening. Traditionally there have been two primary ways of closing: table closings and escrow closings. Over the past few years, it has gradually moved online. This allows agents, buyers, and sellers to review documents before it's time to sign them. Marvin shares the history of online closings; when it first started, there were only about three or four companies doing these transactions. RON (remote online notarization) transactions authenticate the identity of the buyer or seller and the notary. Because of the nuance of lender documents, hybrid transactions have been popular to accommodate signatures and other specifics. Many lenders have their own RON platforms. With this global pandemic, people were forced to make changes in a short amount of time. The definition of "in-person" had to change so that things like notarization could be done on video instead of face-to-face. Another method is a PRON transaction (paper remote online notarization), which is like a mail-away closing, where they receive and sign the papers on video and send them back to the lender. Marvin shares some different specifics of how these scenarios could play out, especially if the parties are in two different states or one party isn't technically savvy. While some of the technical aspects of closing transactions are worked out online, the elements of support and celebration are missing when their REALTOR® can't be there. Most of the remote platforms allow multiple people to be on, so the agent could "be" there remotely. The convenience of these different transactions (RON, PRON, RIN) will likely carry forward even after emergency orders are lifted. The title/escrow industry is different all over the country, based on the local practice. RON and PRON have to adapt to the different laws of each state. As an agent, it is good to know what these laws are and what is available for an online closing. These efforts have come from many different organizations to get new options in motion: NAR, MISMO, and ALTA. This trifecta working together helped to make sure processes were standardized, and all different perspectives and needs were considered and met. Everything is in place, and it's time to start adopting some of these methods. There is also still the option to have your paper closing. Marvin shares a quick explanation of title insurance, and why it's good for clients. It primarily protects homeowners against financial loss, so they get what they pay for. It protects against the unknown. There are many things that are brought together by the title company, and it ends up being a very valuable service. As an agent, check with your escrow or title professional to see what options are available to help your clients during these changing times. The more you know, the more power you have to help your buyers and sellers. Tweetables: "It's really come all the way from having to go somewhere, to now the transaction is sort of coming to you as the buyer, seller, or REALTOR®." — Marvin "That's kind of the trifecta. When you look at MBA, NAR, and ALTA, that's a lot of people really coming together to make it all work." — Marvin "We can keep doing the paper in-house closing as we want to, but we know that this option is available for the client who needs or wants, and we'll jump in when we need to." — Monica Guest Links: Blog.stewart.com/stewart/author/mstone/ Linkedin.com/in/marvstone/ 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: Marvin Stone Senior Vice President, Business Integration / Innovation Council Leader Acting as a strategic business partner focused on industry outreach to real estate, mortgage, and title agencies. Leading Stewart's Innovation Council that is focused on discovering and leveraging technology solutions for strategic business outcomes. Actively involved in ALTA efforts to advance the industry, including the Best Practices Task Force, ALTA Registry Design Group, ALTA Fintech Workgroup, Closing Insight Advisory Board, Signing Professionals Workgroup, MISMO Fee Naming Group, MISMO eClosing workgroup and more. A frequent speaker at real estate, mortgage, and title events, having spoken at ALTA, National Settlement Services, state MBA events, and REALTOR® strategic planning events. I actively discuss and follow numerous innovation topics on Twitter with thought leaders from around the world on topics such as innovation, mortgage technology, real estate/proptech, Fintech, automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and more — Follow me on Twitter at Twitter.com/MarvinStone for daily updates. Prior to joining Stewart, he served as chief information officer for a large, West Coast title agency, as well as holding customer-serving technology positions with other national underwriters. Previous to entering the title industry, Marvin was in a management role for a national mortgage lender. In this episode, Monica and her guest discuss another area of real estate that is adapting during this time of pandemic: the closing process. Many of the recent topics have focused on how to navigate the environment we're in with social distancing. The online and mobile methods of closing that Marvin talks about today are ready to be put into the mainstream process. Be on the lookout for them and add them to your tool belt!

Even though financial experts don't agree on where we're headed economically, there are still principles that can help you improve your financial situation in any market. Today's guest, Ryan Bokros, joins Monica to talk about some of these practical principles that you can start applying today. They cover expenses, savings, lending, the current market climate, and what you can do now to make sure you come out of this time successful. One of the most important basic financial rules is to treat your business finances like you would your personal finances. Keep a separate checking account and a savings account, and a credit card specific to a purpose. For agents, as you start to get in touch with your expenses, go through all of your monthly fees and really identify where your money is going, and how often you are utilizing the products of those charges. If it's not an essential part of your business, start looking here first for places to gain control. You can prioritize products or software by things that provide a benefit — making you money, or helping you stay more connected. Ryan and Monica discuss some of the kinds of marketing and different apps people might be using where you could save money, especially during this slower time. If you can't correlate a cost per lead to close, this would be a good place to cut costs. You also need to watch out for annual subscriptions; you can look through your credit card bills to help track these things. Savings is an interesting discussion; a big part of savings comes back to lifestyle and how that correlates to the income that you have. Prospecting income in real estate is different because you don't necessarily have a paycheck every two weeks. Ryan talks about a quarterly savings structure, and using more of a chunking method instead of giving a percentage of a check, for example. It is wise to keep at least a few months of cash in an emergency fund that you can access when/if needed. This will be especially important as things start to turn in the coming months. As you cut your expenses, don't forget to save! Today's lending environment is very fluid, even from day to day. When giving your clients information, keep it broad. Give them enough information that they will come to you when they are ready or have questions. If you don't have one person that you would trust to do your own mortgage, then you're behind on being able to provide the best advice to your clients. A trusted relationship with your own lender is crucial to be able to share the best information to your clients. Ryan and Monica talk about how the big banks can help predict trends that may trickle down to smaller, local bank lenders. Keep your finger on the pulse for yourself, and also build those trusted relationships so you can supply information to your clients. Ryan and Monica briefly touch on our current situation with the forbearance issue and deferrals. All of the banks are going to handle these differently when it comes time for people to pay these back. They talk about the likelihood of an inventory struggle coming out of this, and what consequences may follow. As agents, we don't have to understand all of this, but we do have to understand that there is change happening that we may not fully understand yet, but that will affect us and our clients. We may need to step back and focus on advising, rather than buying or selling. This will be the difference between agents who come out successful from this time and those who don't. When it comes to the financial part of your business, be a learner. Be discretionary with your spending, and also intentional about your learning and where you're getting your information. Keeping people informed can help keep anxiety low, and help clients make good decisions. As an agent or a client, make sure you are always looking at real numbers. Spend some time looking at your finances, and make sure you are set up for success. Tweetables: "For many of us that are in real estate, the chasm between our business expenses and our personal expenses is really close." — Ryan "Having that emergency fund is huge for a self-employed person because quite frankly, it helps you sleep better.' — Monica "The people who came out of that with successful businesses were the people who took a step back during that time and said 'What can I do to effectively make sure that I'm the best person for the consumer right now.'" — Ryan Guest Links: Ryanbokros.com Financial wellness.realtor Mint 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: Ryan Bokros has been serving Houstonians in many aspects of the real estate industry for over 14 years. He is a practicing REALTOR® and the Director of Market Development for JP and Associates, REALTORS®. He has been recognized by the Houston Association of REALTORS® as a Top 20 Under 40 Rising Star in Real Estate. Ryan attributes much of his success to being an early adopter of technology while maintaining face-to-face relationships. He holds a belief that technology should enhance the consumer experience, not take away from it. Ryan has developed and executed in-brokerage training programs geared toward engaging the next generation of real estate professionals to understand service through technology. Using his experience as a practicing agent, Ryan has been able to give back to the industry by helping other agents be better at serving their clients. As a respected speaker and educator, Ryan has traveled North America teaching agents how to be more productive with technology tools and streamline their processes to become more efficient. Ryan also proudly serves on many levels of the National Association of REALTORS® and the Texas Association of REALTORS®. In 2019 he served as Chair of the NAR Residential Economic Issues and Trends Forum as well as a member of the Research Committee. He also led the Texas Association of REALTORS® MLS & Technology Committee as Chair for 2019.

In today's dynamic world, the methods and means of communication are shifting, especially for REALTORS®. Maintaining relationships is a key part of the real estate business. Kim Cameron is the special guest on the show today to share some of her systems for staying in touch with past clients and friends. She and Monica talk about the importance of what they are doing now, and how some of these practices may carry forward even once we are out of this time. Kim talks about her mindset when she is checking in with her clients. When you approach the relationship from service rather than sales, it helps to establish long-term relationships when they need help with real estate. Having these routine conversations keeps both you and your clients energized, and you can check in on things not related to real estate. This may also help you find businesses or organizations that may need some support during this time. What we do today is going to affect our business down the road. Kim talks about what preparations she is making as she plans for the remainder of the year. REALTORS® are able to work remotely pretty easily, but they now are empowering their clients to be able to participate in real estate virtually. Kim talks about using FaceTime and a photographer to be able to list properties with very minimal contact or exposure. She also has been hosting virtual happy hours that offer an open forum for clients to ask real estate questions. One of the most important things Monica has found during this time is constant contact, especially when working through challenging situations. It's important to communicate what you know with your clients, and invite a cooperative approach to keep each other informed. As you connect with and continue to help your clients, it's also important to find a way to celebrate wins with your clients and find ways to adapt during this time. Kim and Monica talk about some "drive-up" closings and other ways they are able to tweak their arrangements to still provide that personal connection. Kim shares some of the systems she uses to communicate with her team and her clients. One of these is the "Weekly 35" which outlines 35 different ways of communication each week, including hand-written notes, phone calls, and compliments. She also talks about how they have adapted this during our time of social distancing. She also talks about some of the ways they strategically maintain relationships with the top 50 or so clients in their database. Monica has a 4-3-2-1 system that she focuses on. Monica and Kim talk about the potential shifts and changes we might see coming out of COVID-19, specifically a slower market. Real estate is local, so it will vary from market to market, but will likely be slower overall. Kim shares her tips for keeping up with her clients during a longer process. The number one thing is to organize your finances. If you can get your business financially lean, you will be more profitable. Focus on the more economical ways to contact your clients, such as phone calls vs. newsletters. Share the actual data that you can with your clients about your specific market. Kim shares some of the ways she works on price reductions with her clients to adjust to the market. Regular and intentional communication is what will help you and your clients get through this difficult time. You can cater your content to the needs of your clients, and also remain empathetic towards their situation. As a REALTOR® you may have to have some hard conversations, but do it from a place of caring. To wrap up, Kim shares some of her final thoughts on moving into a new normal. They've shifted to try to prevent clients from going out to see properties, to save time, and practice safe social distancing. Changing how we communicate with clients about showings may also change the approach for house hunting. As you are communicating with your clients, now and as we move out of this time, listen between the lines for what your client really needs. Tweetables: "The big part of the motivation is just showing you care. Those little calls go such a long way. Right now, since we don't have as much face-to-face time with people, those calls are deeper and more meaningful." — Kim "I thought it would feel impersonal, but what I'm finding is it's not because we're actually having more face-to-face time with the client that we have in the past." — Kim "Worst-case scenario, you are showing someone that they are thought of and cared about and you feel glad to connect as well. If that's the worst-case scenario, it's all up from there." — Monica Guest Links: Realtystlouis.com Facebook.com/KimCameronGroup/ 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: Kim is an undiagnosed real estate addict; she lives and breathes real estate from her core since 1997. Kim hails from St. Louis and offers a background in building, rehabbing, property management, and mortgage lending. She built her successful real estate team in 2005 with her husband/business partner Sid and has never looked back. Kim is also a high energy speaker, trainer, and top producing REALTOR®. As an RPAC Major Investor, Kim is committed to advocacy, protecting property rights, and homeownership. She serves the RRC Board of Directors with past service as a Region 6 & Region 8 Vice President, Missouri RRC President, Finance Committee, and Masterminds. Kim serves on the Missouri REALTORS® Executive Committee, RPAC Chair for St. Louis REALTORS® and is the Recipient of 2019 Elizabeth J. Mendenhall E3 Award from Missouri REALTORS® for Energy, Empowerment and Experience.