In this episode, Michael LaFido welcomes Ken Pozek for an insightful discussion on how to dominate YouTube as a real estate professional. They explore the significance of becoming a local expert through video content and offer actionable advice to elevate your online presence.

Ken, a successful real estate agent who relocated from Michigan to Orlando, emphasizes creating frequent, educational videos about local news and developments without diving into personal political views. His disciplined approach—posting concise, 8-12 minute videos on Tuesdays and long-form videos on Thursdays—showcases his commitment to consistency and quality.

From leveraging Instagram for audience engagement to tapping into resources like Streamyard, Fiverr, and Storyblocks, Ken shares practical tools and tips for real estate agents aiming to enhance their video content. He underscores the importance of compelling thumbnails, advising simplicity and large fonts to attract mobile viewers.

Throughout the conversation, Ken recounts his success stories, including generating millions of views and significant leads through YouTube. He also discusses the psychology behind creating valuable content that caters to the viewer's interests, rather than self-promotion, aligning with the "What's in it for me?" (WiIFM) principle.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced user looking to refine your strategies, Ken Pozek's insights on educational videos, audience engagement, and consistent content creation are invaluable. Tune in to learn how to build trust, attract leads, and establish yourself as an authority in your market through strategic YouTube content.

In this episode, Tiffany LaRose and I have an in-depth conversation about what's working now, from the importance of genuine relationships to breaking into the competitive luxury market, and we share invaluable insights that are sure to elevate your real estate game. Tiffany, the owner of the LaRose Kayla Group in Houston, Texas, impressed me with her approach to luxury sales, emphasizing the power of investing in relationships and authenticity. Her first-ever luxury sale, a $2.5 million property, originated from a lead on Instagram, underscoring the impact of organic, genuine connections. From mastering sleek and elegant marketing, to staying on top of cutting-edge technology, my guest shares some tactics for breaking into the luxury real estate world and thriving within it. If you're an agent with a $0 marketing budget and wondering where your next transaction will come from, Tiffany has some tips for you.

“Don't ever promise anything and then not follow through with it.” – Tiffany LaRose

 

Three Takeaways

- How to get consistent repeat business - How to be proactive rather than reactive with buyers and sellers - How to secure your next transaction with a $0 marketing budget and the art of marketing internationally

Connect with Tiffany LaRose: 

Website: https://thelrkgroup.com/ Connect with Michael LaFido:  YouTube:@MarketingLuxuryGroup TikTok:@LuxurySpecialist Instagram:@LuxuryListingSpecialist Learn more about Michael's book: Website: https://secretsoftopluxuryagents.com/ Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/4a3vbykj

 

The real estate market is really tight right now. There aren’t a lot of luxury homes for sale, so if you have clients who are looking to downsize or move, they might have trouble finding a place they love. That’s where a reverse contingency strategy can help. Listen to learn more. 

Connect with Michael LaFido:  YouTube: @MarketingLuxuryGroup TikTok: @LuxurySpecialist Instagram: @LuxuryListingSpecialist

 

In most real estate markets, there are four primary price points. However, there’s a fifth price point in some markets and that fifth price point is....ultra-luxury. Today I’m discussing all five price points, including what constitutes pricing for an ultra-luxury home. Listen in to learn about all five price points.

 

 

Connect with me: Michael LaFido

Marketing Luxury Group I Luxury Listing Specialist

(888) 930-8510 | michael@marketingluxurygroup.com

LuxuryListingSpecialist.com

Got a burning question? Be sure to join me live on Luxury Fridays. Visit LuxuryFridays.com for more information on when the next one will be. Hope to see you there!

 

Want a luxury shirt? Go to LuxurySpecialistGear.com

 

Starting over again is not a cakewalk. It calls for humility and a lot of self-will in whatever you do. Today I’m joined by the amazing Heidi Joy. She’s a realtor with a fantastic story that we can all learn from.

Heidi has been in the industry for a couple of decades now. In 2018, she split with her partner, and she had to start all over again. Heidi’s rude awakening came when she searched her name on the web, and there was nothing about her. She decided it was time for a rebrand and move to sell luxury.

In this episode, Heidi will share her journey into luxury real estate, and hopefully, we can all get inspired to make the bold moves we’ve wanted to make for a while now, but we lack the courage. Listen and learn.

 

“Everything now has to be done with joy. If it’s not fun, I’m not doing it.” -Heidi Joy

    

Three Things You'll Learn in This Episode

• Confidence is everything in this life: It's the fuel that keeps you going even when you feel like you are not good enough, especially in this business. 
• There is power in asking: We often shy away from reaching out to people just because we feel something is personal or not worth sharing. Heidi believes in the power of asking because it has impacted her life positively. 
• Starting over isn't easy, but it's worth it at the end of the day: There are times when we hit a dead end. The only option for us is to demolish everything and start all over again with a new sense of direction and energy. Once we do that, we find ourselves on the path to greatness. 

Guest Bio: As CEO of her real estate team, Heidi Joy is a dedicated real estate professional, devoted to a full-time career in the Tampa Bay Area since 1998. In addition, she’s had the privilege of educating her real estate peers while earning awards and accolades. 

Connect with Heidi Joy: Website: https://www.htsells.com/ Support Trey Scott at Go Fund Me: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-save-treys-heart-surgery-and-recovery-fund * If you donate 100 dollars or more, you’ll be entered in a chance to win a free, one-on-one coaching session with me. Just put “LUXE” in the note to enter. Connect with Michael LaFido: Marketing Luxury Group I Luxury Listing Specialist (888) 930-8510 michael@marketingluxurygroup.com LuxuryListingSpecialist.com  If you have any questions or need help with a listing, join me live on Luxury Fridays. Visit JoinLuxeGroup.com for more information. Hope to see you there!

 

 

 

In this podcast, we’re going to be talking about reading the contract. When a home is under contract, you don’t want to make the assumption that your clients have read the contract. You need to remind them of what exactly the contract says otherwise they might end up paying more. Listen in to learn more.

 

Connect with me: Michael LaFido

Marketing Luxury Group I Luxury Listing Specialist

(888) 930-8510 | michael@marketingluxurygroup.com

LuxuryListingSpecialist.com

JoinLuxeGroup.com Got a question? Be sure to join me live on Luxury Fridays. Visit LuxuryFridays.com for more information on when the next one will be. Hope to see you there!

Want a luxury shirt? Go to LuxurySpecialistGear.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

How big do you dream?

Do you believe you need tons of experience to make a jump from selling average-priced homes to $7 million mansions?

Meet Ashley Tate. She’s with Thrive Real Estate Group. Ashley and I met in January. She attended our Luxury Designation (LUXE) class that we had out in the Denver market, and we toured a couple of mansions as a part of that class. One of those mansions was her listing.

Ashley has been in the industry for a year and a half. She’s never had a listing above $500,000, and now she's marketing a home for 6.95 million. 

She will be telling us how she got to that point and sharing some nuggets of wisdom that have helped her come this far. 

Listen in and learn.

 

“Definitely pick up your phone in this business.”-Ashley Tate

 

Three Things You'll Learn:

• Dream big: Be open to suggestions and/or constructive feedback. Don’t hold yourself back. Always know that you’re capable of anything you set your mind to.

• Refine your network: When it comes to networking, always associate yourself with people who are better than you and have been in the industry longer than you. 

• Leverage video marketing: Never underestimate the power of video marketing. It can be the source of some great feedback and connections. 

 

Guest Bio:  Ashley Tate is a graduate of CU, Boulder. Prior to getting into real estate, she's worked in customer service, retention, team training, internal & external communication, client/vendor relations, and leadership roles.  Connect with Ashley: Email:ashley@thrivedenver.com Phone: 720-236-5762

 

I recently had a showing request for a 6.5 million dollar listing I have, and unfortunately, there were quite a few red flags on the proof of funds.

I contacted the agent to let them know that I’d be verifying the information.

So, let’s talk about pre-qualifying buyers. It’s easy to take people at their word. How do you know if they’re legitimate?

Listen to learn more.

 

Connect with me: Michael LaFido

Marketing Luxury Group I Luxury Listing Specialist

(888) 930-8510 | michael@marketingluxurygroup.com

LuxuryListingSpecialist.com

JoinLuxeGroup.com Got a question? Be sure to join me live on Luxury Fridays. Visit LuxuryFridays.com for more information on when the next one will be.

Chances are, there are luxury agents in your area who have an excellent reputation. You hear about them all the time. They’re the agents people rave about and recommend. They attract leads and referrals, largely due to their reputations. They get hired consistently. 

If you’re not one already, wouldn’t you want to be an agent like that?

It would be best if you listened to these nuggets of wisdom that Brennan Buckley is about to spill. I’ve known Brennan for a little over a year now. He’s the founding partner for Realm Global. He comes with 20 years of experience in real estate. Listen to this episode to learn about the seven nuggets of wisdom to create a consistent luxury experience.

“When you can make a connection with a buyer or a seller at their level, it shows how diligent you’ll be when you market their home and make a connection of their property.” - Brennan Buckley Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Educate yourself: Education is a crucial component of your growth.
• Your peer group makes a huge difference: It would help if you were around peers that will help you get there. The people around you determine how far you will go.
• Join luxury spheres: If you want to join the luxury world, consider joining things like country clubs. That’s where you’ll find your target audience.
• Find a niche: Specialists get wealthy, while generalists get paid.
• Do your homework: Know your area and everything that happens there, and do not forget to do your homework on the people you’ll be working with. It will make you stand out.
• Partnerships: Many clients in the luxury world are wealthy businesspeople, and their main aim is to build relationships and partnerships. Always strive to find a way of becoming a partner to your client.
• Afterward: People say that first impressions last, but according to Brennan, afterward impressions last an eternity and help build relationships.

 

Guest Bio: Brennan Buckley is a Founding Partner of REALM Global, a new real estate collective made up of elite luxury professionals across the country. Before joining REALM, Brennan spent 15 years at Iowa Realty, Iowa’s Largest real estate company, where he served for several years as President. At age 33, he was named to The Des Moines Business Record’s Class of “40 Under Forty” business leaders. 

Connect with Brennan Buckley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brennan-buckley-a890724/ Got a question? Need help with a listing? Then join me live on Luxury Fridays. Visit LuxuryFridays.com for information on the next live session. Hope to see you there!

As an agent, you’re always trying to bring additional value to your database. So when people Google you, find your website, or see your YouTube channel, how can you differentiate yourself from the other agents in your market & position yourself as a leading authority on real estate matters?

In marketing, we use something called “evergreen videos”. They are videos that you can create once and leverage their content over and over again—the information they contain always stays relevant.

The trick to creating evergreen videos is to make them educational, answer commonly asked questions, and address relevant scenarios that can help your clients navigate the real estate process. If you create enough video content like this, the people who Google you will see your videos and immediately think that you know what you’re talking about.

For example, one video that would always stay relevant to your database could be about the different phases that a seller will have to go through once their home goes under contract. In the video, you’d both educate sellers on what to expect and give them tips to help make the process easier and more efficient. 

In this industry, everybody is looking for an easy button to help them succeed, but there is no such button. Success comes from continuing to better yourself and your practices and learning more about your field.

If you have any questions about today’s video, or if you’re considering a change in your career to another firm or team that specializes in luxury real estate, please call or email me. Don’t forget to jump on our “Luxury Fridays” on YouTube each Friday. Check it out by going to www.LuxuryFridays.com and clicking on the “Luxury Friday’s On YouTube” button.

Michael LaFido Founder & CEO | Luxury Listing Specialist Designation (LUXE) Michael@MarketingLuxuryGroup.com LuxurySpecialistGear.com

Click HERE to see where Michael is speaking next or where his next LUXE class will be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A dream is just a dream till it becomes a reality. For the 330 million Americans, it's no longer a dream because they're already living it. In America, it's a blessing to have the opportunity to be who we want to be.

Today I have the privilege of interviewing Eddy Perez. He's the Founder and CEO of EPM based in Atlanta, Georgia, where he oversees overall operations, sales, revenue, marketing, compliance, and technology. As co-founder of EPM, recognized as part of the Inc. 5000,

He has excelled within the mortgage industry, being named one of the nation’s top mortgage bankers, recognized in National Mortgage Professionals Magazine’s “40 Most Influential Mortgage Professionals under 40.”

In this Episode, Eddy and I will be talking about "The American Gift" and how we can embrace it. Listen in and learn.

Connect with Eddy Perez:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eddyperezcmb

Website: https://epm.net/players/eddy-perez/

“Each day is a gift when you’re writing your own book.”-Michael LaFido

Three Things You'll Learn

• When in America: When in America, do as the Americans do. It doesn’t matter where you're from... embrace other cultures.
• Perfection vs. Excellence: Perfection does not exist, but in the process of trying to find it, you’ll find excellence.
• Keep on Moving: Focus on moving forward. You can't live in the past just because moving forward is difficult. 

Guest Bio: Eddy Perez is a seasoned professional with experience holding multiple executive-level positions. Prior to founding Equity Prime Mortgage, in 2008, he operated the top producing office for Global Mortgage, Inc. He's closed over 3000 loans since entering into the mortgage business. 

Recently, I was teaching our Luxury Designation (LUXE) in Denver, and a guest speaker at the event brought up the topic of Cryptocurrency and the blockchain and real estate closings.

In high-end, luxury real estate, you’re more likely to see buyers who want to use Cryptocurrency to buy a home. As a way to differentiate yourself from other agents, I highly recommend that you familiarize yourself with cryptocurrency, the blockchain, NFT’s, fractional ownership, and other forms of digital currency. This is a great way to differentiate yourself from the other agents in your market. Did you know you can offer a home for sale via Crypto and the sellers still get paid in cash? How is that done? The buyers Crypto can be converted by Crypto Escrow company to Fiat (US Dollars here in the states) so the seller can get paid at closing in cash vs Crypto.

As an additional note: Our team is expanding. If you’d like to work with a team that can provide you with more tools, resources, and structure to allow you to consistently attract more high-end and luxury properties, visit www.JoinLuxGroup.com. We have agents in all 50 states and 22 countries worldwide, but we are always looking to grow.

If you have any questions about today’s podcast, or if you’re considering a change in your career to another firm or team that specializes in luxury real estate, please call or email me. Don’t forget to jump on our “Luxury Fridays” on YouTube each Friday. Check it out by going to www.LuxuryFridays.com and clicking on the “Luxury Friday’s On YouTube” button.

Michael LaFido Founder & CEO | Luxury Listing Specialist Designation (LUXE) Michael@MarketingLuxuryGroup.com LuxurySpecialistGear.com

The decision to start a real estate team comes down to one question, “Am I going to continue to overwork myself, or am I going to branch out and form a team?” But how do you get started? Time to get excited; Gogo Bethke will be joining me on the show.

Gogo is terrific at building teams and organizations. She also loves supporting agents.

Today, Gogo will share her backstory and nuggets of wisdom on how to build a team. Also, if you have been wondering how people generate organic leads, listen and learn from Gogo. 

Connect with Gogo Bethke:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gogobethke/

Website: https://www.gogosrealestate.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gogosrealestate/

“Managing expectations comes through communication.” - Michael LaFido

Things You'll Learn From This Episode

• Manage your client’s expectations: It’s the least you can do if you have a team. Get in touch with them and let them know who’ll be handling them and that they can count on you.
• Hit personal goals:

  If you want to hit your personal goals, you need to leverage them. You can't keep trading your time for money.

• Communicate effectively: When it comes to managing expectations, communication is critical. Learn how to communicate effectively with your teams and your clients.
• Determine your rates

  You need to know your hourly rate. It will help you determine if a task is worth your time or if you’d rather be doing something else.

Guest Bio: In November of 2018 Gogo joined eXp Realty and started her organization, #teamgogo. 3 years later, #teamgogo is a big international family, with over 750+ agents from all over the US, Canada, Mexico, and France. 

Are you familiar with NAHREP? Are you a member? If not, you need to listen to this episode with Jason Rivero. Jason joins me on today’s episode for a thought-provoking discussion on NAHREP (National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals). Jason serves as the Executive Director of NAHREP. Our conversation delves into the benefits of NAHREP membership, the evolving trends in real estate, and the potential impact of legal changes on the industry.

Jason also provides updates on the annual national conference in San Diego this September. These conferences offer invaluable networking opportunities and timely insights into the changing landscape of real estate.

Are you ready to learn? Tune in to this episode.

"Dive into Latino business now or risk being left behind. It's not just smart; it's survival. Ride the wave to success!"

 

Three Things You’ll Learn from This Episode

- Discovering NAHREP: What It Is and What It Does Find out about NAHREP - its purpose, and how it impacts the real estate world.  

- Joining NAHREP: Why Realtors Are Signing Up   Learn why many real estate agents are choosing to join NAHREP and how it can benefit your career.

- Spotting Trends: What's Happening in Real Estate Now   Get insights into the latest trends shaping the real estate market and how they can influence your strategies.

Grab a free downloadable report: https://www.luxurylistingblueprint.com/home  Connect with Michael LaFido:  YouTube: @MarketingLuxuryGroup TikTok: @LuxurySpecialist Instagram: @LuxuryListingSpecialist

How do you determine which order to put a listing’s photos in? Today I’ll talk about photo order for online listings. Real estate school doesn’t teach you what photos to show or what not to show. Our job as real estate agents is to accentuate the best features of a home and downplay the least favorable. You don’t have to show every bathroom if some are dated. When you’re putting together online marketing pieces, you need to lead with the best photos.

I recently put a home on the market as the third agent for a seller who was frustrated with the previous agents. She had 40 photos and they weren’t making a great first impression. I fixed her listing to lead with the amazing photos and then squeezed the so-so photos in between. You don’t need to include every photo of every bedroom and bathroom if they’re not unique. I like showing the unique features of a home and the best qualities of the location with drone photos and photos in town because you’re selling the lifestyle and the location in addition to the house. I also like to put good photos at the end because sometimes buyers skip to the end while looking.

If you have any questions about today’s podcast, or if you’re considering a change in your career to another firm or team that specializes in luxury real estate, please call or email me. Don’t forget to jump on our “Luxury Fridays” on YouTube each Friday! Check it out by going to www.LuxuryFridays.com and clicking on the “Luxury Friday’s On YouTube” button.

 

Have you recently transitioned into real estate or perhaps moved to a new area and don't have local connections? If so, this episode will inspire you. 

Noelle Nielsen, aka The Minnesotan, shares her journey. Before pivoting to real estate, Noelle has had careers as a headhunter, wedding photographer, and lawyer. She’s been in real estate for six years and has already opened her own brokerage. She’s also a goat farmer to boot! 

Noelle makes excellent use of video marketing. She incorporates humor, her family, and even goats into her videos. In this episode, she will share what her transition was like, how we met, and give nuggets of wisdom we can all borrow. 

Grab a notebook and pen. Listen and learn.

Connect with Noelle Nielsen:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noellenielsen/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noelletheminnesotan/

“Depending on what your career was before, use that to your benefit.” - Noelle Nielsen

3 Things You'll Learn:

• Start Networking: When you are transitioning into real estate, increase your hustle and network as much as possible.
• You have transferable skills: Whatever career you are in, you have transferrable skills that you can bring to the real estate field.
• Have confidence: In everything you do, you need to have confidence. You ought to believe in yourself and know what makes you stand out from the rest.

 

Guest Bio: Noelle Nielsen's experience is a unique combination of real estate law and business management. Noelle began her work in the area of real estate in 2007 when she joined the law firm Heley, Duncan and Melander, PLLP (formerly Coleman, Hull & vanVliet, PLLP). At this firm, her practice focused on the areas of real estate, construction law, commercial litigation, title insurance defense, mechanic’s lien, mortgage foreclosure, and general corporate matters. The clients she worked with included lenders, national title insurance underwriters and their agents, developers, subcontractors, and owners in construction litigation, as well as parties to commercial and residential real estate transactions.

Have you represented a buyer in a multiple-offer situation who wanted to write their seller a letter about why they should pick them? We call these love letters, but are they a good idea? Let’s talk about it. 

Buying and selling homes is an emotional process, so it makes sense to try and make an emotional connection with your seller. However, some states are passing laws that make love letters illegal. 

Even if you live in a state where love letters are legal, you might want to think twice before writing one. My wife and I recently bought a home, and like many people in this market, we found ourselves in a multiple-offer situation. One of the other buyers wrote a love letter, but our offer was the best, so the seller went with us. The other buyer felt like they had been discriminated against, and they filed a lawsuit under the Fair Housing Act. If you want to avoid headaches like this, I recommend not writing love letters and not accepting them either. 

There are other ways to make your offer stand out in a multiple-offer situation, and I’ll talk about them in future videos. In the meantime, please call or email me with any questions; I’d be happy to help!

If you have any questions about today’s video, or if you’re considering a change in your career to another firm or team that specializes in luxury real estate, please call or email me. Don’t forget to jump on our “Luxury Fridays” on YouTube each Friday. Check it out by going to www.JoinLuxeGroup.com and clicking on the “Luxury Friday’s On YouTube” button.

Michael LaFido Founder & CEO | Luxury Listing Specialist Designation (LUXE) Michael@MarketingLuxuryGroup.com LuxurySpecialistGear.com

I'm sure you can imagine a luxury listing that sells is a huge magnet to attract new clients. But did you know that when marketing a luxury listing - even if it doesn't sell - you will still attract opportunities from that trophy listing?  Yes, it happens, and it's happening in "non-luxury markets". Craig Sachse is a living testimony. Craig had a $5m plus listing that closed in October 2021. Since then, things have changed for him. More opportunities are knocking at his door!

Before getting into real estate, Craig worked in an architectural firm specializing in luxury homes. Looking back, he's proud of how far he's come.

In this episode, Craig will take us through his real estate journey, how he managed to close his trophy listing, his marketing technique, and his plans for the future.  

Listen and learn. Connect with Craig Sachse:

Website: craigsachse.com

Email: CraigASachse@gmail.com

“A sign in the yard is better than a sign in the car.” -Michael LaFido

Three Things You'll Learn:

• Just do it: When you're ready to do something, but people keep discouraging you and telling you otherwise. Don’t listen to them. Just do it and prove them wrong. 
• Communication is vital: In any relationship, communication is the lifeline. It's what keeps the relationship going.
• Marketing a property that has been listed for a long time with no success: If you want to list a property that's been on the market for a long time - you have to look for a way to entice people to it. Consider its unique points and without a doubt, it will find a buyer. 

Guest Bio:

Craig Sachse spent nearly eighteen years in architectural practice before going into real estate. He has built a substantial network of media contacts over his career and has leveraged those connections to feature his listings in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, DuPont Registry of Fine Homes, Mansion Global, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Lehigh Valley Style, and The Morning Call. 

Recently, I received a question from an aspiring agent about the remarks section. As agents, our specialty is people, not writing. However, you still need to know what to say, so today I want to talk to you about the remarks section. 

Personally, I look to Tony Robbins, who said, “Success leaves clues.” In other words, take a look at what someone successful is doing and tweak it to make it your own. You don’t want to reinvent the wheel; just look at similar properties and take notes on what makes their section work. 

You can copy and paste the remarks to a separate document as a reference, but it’s important not to copy someone else’s work word for word. Take a note of their style, then fill in the blanks with the unique features of your home. Remember that you aren’t only selling the property; you’re selling the lifestyle the house represents. 

Don’t spend all your energy on the remarks. If your photos aren’t good, no one will read them. However, if everything else is great, the remarks could be the last push an analytical buyer needs to get in contact with you.  Remember: mold, tweak, and modify; don’t copy.

If you have any questions about today’s podcast, or if you’re considering a change in your career to another firm or team that specializes in luxury real estate, please call or email me. Don’t forget to jump on our “Luxury Fridays” on YouTube each Friday. Check it out by going to www.JoinLuxeGroup.com and clicking on the “Luxury Friday’s On YouTube” button.

Michael LaFido Founder & CEO | Luxury Listing Specialist Designation (LUXE) Michael@MarketingLuxuryGroup.com (888) 930-8510

Did you know that emotional intelligence is considered one of the most valuable skills for real estate agents? In this episode, I have the opportunity of hosting Marques Ogden. We will be having a deep conversation on emotional intelligence and why we need to master it. Marques is a former NFL offensive lineman and built a solid career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Baltimore Ravens, the Buffalo Bills, and the Tennessee Titans. After six years, he hung up the helmet and padding and became a successful entrepreneur. He's also a keynote speaker, executive coach, and best-selling author.  

Marques believes emotional intelligence is about understanding the power of your emotions and the emotions of others. Emotional intelligence is also about the importance of creating rapport before proceeding to business. As real estate agents, we need to be emotionally intelligent to succeed in this field. Our customers need to feel empathy from us and know that we're not just in it for the profit. We have their best interests at heart.

Would you like to up your emotional intelligence skill? Listen to this episode.

 

“Every business relationship starts with a casual conversation.”- Marques Ogden Three Things You’ll Learn

• Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care: When dealing with clients, they need to feel just how much you care for them.
• Meet them where they are: This is essential in helping clients set attainable goals. You can help a client set a plan that will not stress them out in the end.
• Many business connections start from casual conversations: Try to start with a casual conversation to create rapport before talking business as you meet clients. Small talk might appear inconsequential, but it's vital in the real estate industry. 

Guest Bio: Marques Ogden was in the NFL from 2003 to 2007 as an offensive lineman for the Titans, Bills, Ravens and Jaguars. He's currently a keynote speaker, business coach, and corporate consultant.   

Connect with Marques:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarquesOgdenSpeaker/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marquesogden/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Marques_Ogden Grab his Book: https://www.amazon.com/Success-Cycle-Achieving-Goals-Business/dp/1642931748

If you’re working in an appreciating market like our current one, you’ve probably run into issues involving an appraisal gap. How do you handle this issue so that your clients can continue with their transactions? Let’s talk about it:

Let’s take a look at an example. Suppose you and a client look at a home listed at $2 million, but it only appraises for $1.8 million. One way you can handle this is by adding a contingency to the contract where you offer to make up the difference in cash up to a certain amount. So your client can say they’ll pay an appraisal gap in cash up to $200,000 if the property appraises low. 

“The key is to bring the topic up early in a transaction so that there are no surprises.”

You can also create an appraisal contingency the other way. So if this $2 million property appraised higher than its list price, you’ll agree to buy it up to a certain amount. Either of these options is a way you can differentiate yourself from the pack. 

If you have a conversation about the appraisal gap, you can protect your seller or buyer. The key is to bring the topic up early in a transaction so that there are no surprises. You may want to roleplay this conversation to help you nail down this technique. 

If you have any questions about today’s podcast, or if you’re considering a career in luxury real estate, please call or email me. I am always available. Let's connect: Michael LaFido Marketing Luxury Group I Luxury Listing Specialist (888) 930-8510 | michael@marketingluxurygroup.com MarketingLuxuryGroup.com LuxuryListingSpecialist.com LuxuryListingPodcast.com

   

Would you like to double your average sales price in 2022 and quadruple your sales volume versus your best year ever? If so, this episode is for you. Jake Crawford will be joining me on the show to share his real estate journey. 

Jake is a Realtor with extensive market knowledge and unmatched devotion to clients. With over $100 million in sales, he continuously ranks in the country's top 5% of producing real estate agents. He works tirelessly on behalf of his clients and always offers candid advice.

He believes that to serve a client best, you need to step into their shoes to understand their needs. Also, he believes in creating relationships with his clients away from work.

In this episode, Jake will share his real estate journey, how we met, and how he got into the luxury market. Are you ready to learn? Listen in to this episode.

Connect with Jake Crawford: 

Website: https://www.topcomphomes.com/ 

Cellphone: 480-766-2973

"Why wait years to get good at something if you can go do it right away? That's why I invested in your luxury coaching" -Jake Crawford

 

Three Things You'll Learn:

• Be coachable: Having a coachable spirit helps you learn from experienced people in your area of interest. Also, it helps you avoid mistakes that others have made.
• Have empathy: Always put yourself in your client's shoes to help you to understand their needs and how best you can offer them an excellent service.
• Don’t delay: If you want to become great at anything, do it right away. Don't wait for years to start doing it. You might regret not doing it sooner.

 

Guest Bio:  Jake Crawford has been in real estate since 2013 in Scottsdale, Arizona. He's got $100 million in sales, and he continuously ranks in the Top 1% of producing real estate agents in the country. 

 

What are experts saying about 2022? 2021 was an amazing year, so will things continue to be hot next year?  

Before we get started, I want to mention something that will definitely change in 2022: the return of live events! I plan on hosting more of these throughout 2022, including one in Colorado in January. If you want more information, please visit www.luxurydesignation.com. 

As for 2022’s market, most experts agree that things will continue to be hot; however, it may cool down from 2021’s rapid pace. There’s one big reason why this is the case: inflation. 

Tons of money was pumped into the economy during the peak of the pandemic, and this has caused inflation to increase. I had people tell me their turkey cost twice as much this Thanksgiving! Everything seems to be getting more expensive, and interest rates may rise as a result. Rates will likely still be low, but not as low as we’ve seen recently. 

So will 2022 be a bad year for real estate? No; in fact, it will be one of the best years ever. Just don’t expect the crazy market we saw in 2021. If you have any questions about today’s topic, please call me at 888-930-8510 or email me at Michael@MarketingLuxuryGroup.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

 

Do you have an interest in the international market, but you have no idea how to spread your wings? This episode is for you! My guest and I will be talking about conquering the international market.

Today, I have Peter Kempf joining me on the show. He’s noted by Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate, and he’s been directly involved with the sale and marketing of million-dollar-plus properties in thirty-one states, and twenty-two countries in his career.

Having been the Director of International Real Estate for Christie’s, Vice President, and Midwest Regional Manager for Sotheby’s International Realty, Mr. Kempf is considered one of the leading authorities in international real estate. He’s a frequent guest speaker at global real estate conferences.

Listen and learn.

 

Connect with Peter Kempf:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/peter-kempf-international-re/

Website: http://kempfintl.com/

“When you want to grow your presence internationally, and you want to get in front of both more buyers and agents internationally, you need to put yourself out there in various ways.” – Michael LaFido

Things You’ll Learn from This Episode

• Building a relationship with brokers in other countries: It would help if you introduce yourself to brokers you are eyeing. You can have listings online and in print. Also, go to conferences these people are present, build up your network, get involved in social media, and become friends with brokers in other countries. 
• Use Social Media:  Social media offers an excellent platform to market yourself to your target audience and connect with them.
• Co-marketing and co-listing a property outside the US:  In whatever country you want to expand to, find licensed agents for that market and reach out to them.

 

Guest Bio: Peter Kempf has unmatched experience and expertise in the luxury segment of the luxury Private Residence Club (PRC) industry worldwide. Having served as Vice President and Midwest Regional Director for Sotheby's International Real Estate, Director of International Real Estate for Christie's Great Estates, and CEO-Europe for DCP International, Peter is one of the most experienced individuals in the luxury international real estate market. 

 

 

Dive into the world of unique and memorable closing gifts! We're unveiling the luxurious Lamborghini wine set, a gift that elevates the standard of client appreciation. From crystal glasses to sparkling gold wine, see how we made a client's closing unforgettable. Listen to hear more. 

Now that we’re approaching the end of 2021, some of your clients might be pondering the question of when to list their home for sale, during the winter which is typically the slower season, or wait until the spring. Maybe their home is on the market for sale currently, so do they keep it on the market for sale now or take it off the market and relist their home for sale in the spring? I’m offering my thoughts today to help you resolve that question with them.

One philosophy I subscribe to is that “you can’t sell a home if buyers don’t know it’s on the market for sale”. In today’s economy, people are buying and selling homes during the traditionally slower months to buy and sell a home. My recommendation to agents and sellers today is you should put a home on the market for sale in December, January, or February as opposed to waiting until May or June. If your client’s home is already on the market, I’d advise them to keep the home on the market. As Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” You also miss 100% of the interested buyers who are looking right now to buy a home if you wait until April, May, or June to list the house for sale.

There are some great resources out there to help homes shine during this time of year. My good friends at boxbrownie.com can do some great things to help enhance the home’s photos during the winter when the exterior might not photograph as well. When selling during the slower time, you might have fewer showings in these “off-season” months, but the quality of showings will be better. 

If you have any questions for me about helping your sellers, best luxury marketing practices, or anything else related to real estate, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. In the meantime, don’t forget to check out our upcoming live events and join our weekly “Luxury Friday's” free training. I look forward to hearing from you.

*We just launched a new weekly series titled “Luxury Friday’s”.  Check it out by going to www.JoinLuxeGroup.com and clicking on the “Luxury Friday’s” button.

Michael LaFido Founder & CEO | Luxury Listing Specialist Designation (LUXE) Michael@MarketingLuxuryGroup.com LuxurySpecialistGear.com

The luxury property market is quickly gaining popularity, and more people in real estate are shifting their focus to this niche. Today, school's in session with Alex Lange, teaching us how to crack the luxury market.

Alex is the CEO of Forbes Global Properties. At his core, he is a technologist and has firsthand learnings from three exits, four acquisitions, and countless integrations and international expansions.

He helps people identify and then maximize hidden opportunities, untapped assets, overlooked possibilities, product velocity, and under-performing activities to outperform their competitors.

So, if you are looking to venture into the luxury market, it would be best to listen to this episode.

Connect with Alex Lange:

Email: alexlange@forbesglobalproperties.com

Website: forbesglobalproperties.com

"People want authenticity. They don't want fake. They want you, and if they don't want you, that's okay. Be yourself such that you can look yourself in the mirror and know that you gave it your best shot. " -Michael LaFido

 

Three Things You'll Learn from this Episode:

• The rise of the luxury property market: Due to the pandemic, the luxury market increased since people wanted to live in homes with a designated office space. People want to live in places where they can comfortably hold their online meetings and still call it home.
• Dealing with a discreet property: When dealing with a discreet property, there are creative things that you can do to protect the owner.
• Attracting more opportunities: We are living in an era where things are visual. You need to make sure your content is visible. It will make it easier for people to like you and trust you, resulting in more opportunities. Guest Bio: 

  Alex Lange has over two decades of experience in real estate and technology. Before Forbes Global Properties, he was the CEO of UpstreamRE, a national real estate data platform, which grew to include more than 250 brokerage firms. He was instrumental in deploying Market Leader’s enterprise model, leading to its acquisition by Trulia, and led Roost.com from inception to public launch in six months, where he won the coveted Inman Most Innovative New Technology award was later acquired by Vertical Response.

  A former 82nd Airborne paratrooper, Eagle Scout, and Harvard Business School alumnus, Mr. Lange is an accomplished author, speaker, and sought-after thought leader.

 

 

 

 

 

When agents are talking to their potential seller clients, they say things like, “When we list your house,” or “I’m going to list your house.” However, I want you to think completely differently, including your language. Don’t think like a real estate agent - think like a marketer.  So replace “list” and “listing” with “market” and “marketing” You are no longer listing homes, you market them  There is a calculated difference.

See, listing agents often throw homes on the MLS and wait for them to sell via another agent. They’re not proactive; they’re reactive. A marketing agent is proactive and thinks outside the box. When a listing isn’t selling, they’ll do whatever they can to figure out why and remedy the situation, whether that’s reaching out to other colleagues or trying to get feedback. A SWOT analysis (strength, weakness, opportunity, threats) from an experienced and successful marketing agent, can help you discern what is and isn’t working about your approach.

If you have any questions about how to be more proactive as a real estate professional, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you continue to raise the bar in real estate.

We just launched a new weekly series titled “Luxury Friday’s” on Clubhouse.  Check it out by going to www.JoinLuxeGroup.com and clicking on the “Luxury Friday’s On Clubhouse” button.

Michael LaFido Founder & CEO | Luxury Listing Specialist Designation (LUXE) Michael@MarketingLuxuryGroup.com LuxurySpecialistGear.com

Did you know that you can take your business from where you are today to attracting multi-million listings - even if you never sold a million-dollar listing?

It is possible. 

Our guest today, Jennifer Williams of Coldwell Banker, tells us how she has grown her business to attract a 5 million listing.

I met Jennifer in December of 2019. Jennifer and I were at the same brokerage here in the Chicagoland area at the time. We still collaborate often even though we are at different brokerages now....we don’t have a scarcity mindset. I consider her not only a former LUXE Designation graduate, but a friend as well. She is one of my best students and an implementer. When she took my course, Jennifer had $50 in her pocket. Today, her business has grown 4x and continues to flourish. 

In this episode, Jennifer will share her journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur.

Listen to this episode and learn.

Connect with Jennifer:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferwilliamsbroker/

Phone number: 708-710-9266

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferwilliamsbroker/

“Your biggest competition is yourself.”  -Jennifer Williams

 

Three Things You’ll Learn From This Episode:

 

Confidence leads to success:

If you want to succeed in business, you need to be confident. Have the confidence that your business will grow and do everything in your power to increase the confidence.

Garbage in, garbage___?:

It would be best if you were extremely careful with the information you are consuming because unfortunately, garbage in, garbage stays.

Nevermind the naysayers:

The world is filled with naysayers. So, it will help if you surround yourself with supportive people.  If you hang out with 9 top producers, you are bound to be the 10th!

 

Guest Bio: Jennifer Williams Broker is an award-winning agent with Coldwell Banker Gold Coast. She is a proud member of the National Association of Realtors, The Chicago Association of Realtors, Mainstreet Association of Realtors, RPAC, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury, The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, and Certified LUXE Luxury Listing Specialist (LUXE).

Nobel Peace Prize winner Daniel Kahneman once said, “People would rather do business with someone they like and trust rather than someone they don’t, even if the likable person is offering a lower-quality product at a higher price.”

This is true of a lot of different areas, and real estate is no exception. That’s why agents need to go out of their way to make themselves likable - being likable is just as, if not more, important than having a top-quality product to offer.

To come off as likable to your clients, do your research before your meeting and always think about what you’re going to say next. Be approachable and authentic; people can spot fakers from a mile away, and it can be off-putting. The goal isn’t to be a perfect agent - no one is - so admit when you’re wrong, and always strive to do better.

If you ask a typical real estate agent what their go-to social media channel for lead generation is, they’ll probably tell you Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. YouTube doesn’t even make the list.

Did you know that YouTube can generate hundreds of new leads for your business?

We'll be talking about everything YouTube, from creating a YouTube channel to optimizing the videos. Joining me on the show today is Karin Carr. She is a real estate agent, coach, and YouTube guru. 

Her real estate journey began when they moved from Atlanta to Savannah, GA. Today, Karin uses YouTube for close to 100% of her leads. She will share how she uses her channel and some tips that we all can borrow.  Listen to this episode and learn.

Connect with Karin Carr:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC91OljSfJf5lumYpKezR9-A

Website: https://karincarr.com/

YouTube for Agents Course: https://www.youtubeforagentscourse.com/

 

 “The power of video is that it builds trust... your conversion will skyrocket when people trust you.” -Michael LaFido

Three Things You’ll Learn From This Episode:-

- The importance of doing videos: Videos are essential tools when it comes to building trust. Through videos, people feel like they know you even when they have never met you and want to do business with you.  - Figuring out topics: If you have a YouTube channel and have no idea what videos to make, all you need to do is look at your target audience to see what they need. Google is an excellent place to find ideas. Just type in the keywords, and it will populate the rest.

- Increasing your views: YouTube is huge on SEO. To boost your views, make sure you have great titles, keywords in place, and videos above minutes long.

 

Guest Bio:

Karin Carr is a Realtor® with Real Broker LLC and the owner of the Georgia Coast Homes team. She is a Certified Military Residential Specialist, 2011 President of the Women’s Council of Realtors for her local chapter, and has been featured on Time.com and Fox News. 

Karin started her YouTube channel in 2014 but didn't really take it seriously until 2017. It soon took off and she found her groove helping people relocate to Savannah. She began expanding her team and now has agents ready to assist you throughout GA and now in SC as well! Karin spends most of her time these days teaching agents around the world to use video to assist buyers and sellers who are looking for help. 

 

 

 

Today I want to discuss a topic that you should all be familiar with: making videos! Video will get you a better ROI² than other investments. When I say better ROI² I am specifically talking about both return on investment (which is what most people think of when they hear ROI), but also a better return on impression. I’ve seen a lot of personal success from my videos and from the videos my coaching clients have made, so I want to share some tips with you today on how to grow your brand with them. One of the key elements of creating videos is not to give up and be consistently creating and posting videos to both social media platforms (Facebook, YouTube, etc) and your website. Creating a strong video presence takes time, but it is well worth it. If you want to hear more tips, listen to the podcast. 

Have you had a buyer client recently lose out in a multiple offer situation? Is inventory still low? Are you familiar with the term appraisal gap? Do you have an idea what it is or how to apply it? This episode is for you if you want to learn more about finding potential sellers in a low inventory market & the appraisal gap. My guest, Regan Maki, and I will be digging deep into these topics.

Regan is a coaching client of mine, a top agent, and team leader of a $95m+ team in Atlanta, Georgia with Compass. Regan's been in real estate for 21 years now. Over the years, her knowledge and wisdom have expanded, and she has loads of information to share with us.

When the Covid pandemic started, Regan thought that business would come to a halt. Little did she know that things were about to get better. Regan confesses that 2020 ended up being one of their best years in business.

In this episode, we’ll talk about how Regan and her team managed it through the pandemic, how she is diversifying into luxury homes, and how to handle finding off-market sellers as well as appraisal gaps. Listen and learn.

 

Connect with Regan Maki: 

Cellphone: 404-304-6452

Website: https://reganmaki.com/

Email: reganmaki@gmail.com

“As a buyer, in today’s market, you are having to get so creative, and tight on all the contingencies that you’re putting in an offer.”  -Regan Maki

Three Things You’ll Learn from this Episode

- There is always room for learning: Despite being in the industry for 21 years, Regan believes that you can never have too many tools in your toolbox. She has enrolled in my coaching program, which will help her get even better at selling luxury homes.   

- The Appraisal Gap: When there is a listed property with multiple offers, you can apply an appraisal gap to get the property. An appraisal gap is a difference between the fair market value determined by the appraiser and the amount you agreed to pay for the home.

- Dealing with low inventory: When dealing with a low inventory period, you can always ask a buyer how much they are willing to spend on a property. Then reach out to people in the area with the offer to see who is ready to sell.

 

Guest Bio: 

Regan has been a licensed Realtor in Georgia for over 20 years. She has also played a role on the Zillow Agent Advisory Board since 2017. The Regan Maki Team has been listed in the Wall Street Journal RealTrends as the #6 Team in Georgia, #1 Zillow recommended Realtor in North Atlanta, and RealTrends top 500 teams Nationwide. 

 

 

 

 

Today I want to discuss a topic that you should all be familiar with: making videos! I’ve seen a lot of personal success from my videos, so I want to share some tips with you today on how to grow your brand with them. One of the key elements of creating videos is not to give up. Creating a strong video presence takes time, but it is well worth it. If you want to hear more tips, listen to this. 

Are you active on social media? What are your top three social media channels?

We are living in an era where social media is no longer optional, but mandatory. As a business, if you are not on social media, you could be missing some opportunities. Today, we’ll be talking about everything social media.

I have the privilege of hosting the amazing Tessabella Jelten. She is a social media expert, and she will give nuggets of wisdom that we can all apply to bring our A-game to our social platforms. Tessabella is the brain behind Lead Flow Agent. Her business provides real estate marketing solutions.  Connect with Tessa Bella:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tessaabellaa/

Website: https://leadflowagent.com/home/

 

“Lead with a giving hand, be a giver. Be aware there are going to be takers in this

world. There will be people that never reciprocate.”- Michael LaFido

Three Things You’ll Learn From This Episode

• Have a content plan: A content plan comes in handy in ensuring you have great content going up on your social media pages all the time.
• Your content needs to be engaging:

  We know content is king, and engagement is the queen. Without engagement, the content is nothing.

• The people you surround yourself with make a world of difference: Iron sharpens iron. If you surround yourself with people who are excelling, you too will excel.

Guest Bio: Tessabella Jelten is the founder of Lead Flow Agent, a done-for-you social media management platform and agency. Her company has worked with some of the largest and most well-known real estate firms in the world. She is dominating the marketing world and leading agents to exponential growth.

 

In this episode, I chat with Heidi Bolyard, residential architect and creator of "Sold by Design," offering real estate agents practical tips on leveraging architecture trends for client value. Explore three key steps for agents to enhance client visualization, emphasizing quality questions, understanding goals, and creating a property vision. Heidi delves into current architectural trends, including energy-efficient homes, tech integration, and the balance of open and private spaces. Discover color trends such as white walls and dark gray exteriors, while timeless elements like stone and brick endure. Heidi also introduces the Realtor Think Tank Summit, a free event covering mindset, business growth, marketing, and insights from home stagers and inspectors.

 

“The quality of the questions you ask is the quality of the answers that you'll receive.” - Heidi Bolyard

Three Things You'll Learn:

• Enhancing client experiences with visualization:  Discover how improving visual techniques can significantly enhance your clients' experiences.
• Navigating modern architectural trends: Explore the latest architectural styles and learn how savvy professionals can make the most of these trends.
• Using color and design in real estate:  Understand the connection between real estate success and staying updated on color and design trends.

  Resources Mentioned in the Episode: 

  How to Win Friends and Influence People- Dale Carnegie

  Connect with Heidi Bolyard:

  Sold by Design

  The Realtor Think Tank

Connect with Michael LaFido:  YouTube: @MarketingLuxuryGroup TikTok: @LuxurySpecialist Instagram: @LuxuryListingSpecialist

 

 

Typos and grammatical errors look unprofessional. I always get an analysis on my listings by fresh eyes. Your second sight should be someone you trust. There’s no shame in having someone else double-check your listing before it goes live, especially if they make it better.  Making those small changes to a listing can differentiate it from the competition and help it “stand out.” Listen to learn more about double-checking your listings. 

Do you recruit top performers? If one common thread binds real estate industry executives together, it’s all about attracting and retaining quality sales employees - which is crucial for continuing growth and success. On today’s show, our guest is Judy LaDeur, a real estate recruiting coach. Judy and her organization are dedicated to training the best brokers, managers, recruiters, agents, and team leaders. For more than 30 years, Judy’s teaching and coaching to many clients led to positive outcomes that further distinguished her from the rest. She is dedicated to your success and will work tirelessly to assist you in establishing, accomplishing, and exceeding your objectives. Learn more about Judy at: https://judyladeur.com/

 

 “There is a lot of churn in this business. Due diligence is the best anecdote for ‘Shiny Object Syndrome’. ”  -Michael LaFido

 

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode

 

- Asking the right questions: Whether you’re an agent, team leader, or broker, it is wise to invest heavily in developing your capability in asking the “right” questions. It will serve as a foundation and tool to everything that points to what you need to achieve your endeavors.

- The best tip for retaining the right talent: When your agent’s success is tied to your tools, products, and services, you are less likely to lose them.

- Building strong relationships: The stronger your relationship with an agent or seller before meeting with them, the better. Better because they trusted you or through educating them, you are already halfway to success when you walk through the door. And if they believe you can do the job, it’s just a matter of meeting whatever their needs are.

 

Guest Bio: Judy LaDeur has been a successful Real Estate Agent, coach, business owner, and entrepreneur. She's worked with thousands of brokers and recruiters throughout the world, helping them dramatically increase their market position, as well as their team of agents.  She has also been a keynote speaker at many state and national conferences. Judy has often appeared on TV, radio, and in various publications as an expert in recruiting real estate agents. 

As a luxury specialist, I’ve learned a lot about what it takes to successfully sell a difficult or unique property for top dollar in the shortest amount of time. To achieve that for your clients, it's been my experience that you need to adhere to the three p’s: positioning, process, and price. Today I’ll talk about how each of these is critical to successfully selling these types of homes. 

On today’s show, I’m going to talk about the journey of a recent significant $7,500,000 home that I put under contract. This home was famous for being the backdrop for FOX's hit series "Empire" for 6 seasons, it was Lucious Lyon’s home (aka The Lyon’s Den) on the tv show. This journey started in 2013 when the home first went on the market for just under 16 million. After 8 years on the market - 6 with me - it came under contact within a few weeks of me producing this recording. There's an old adage in real estate: You want to be the firstborn, the second wife, and the third listing agent.” Any truth? Well, in this case, I was the third agent for this amazing home. I want to share with you how I landed the listing, and how I was able to retain this listing and client for 6 years, to how we put it under contract. I also have some great, behind-the-scenes stories from when the house was on the market that you’ll get a kick out of. Make sure you check out the "Lifestyle" video I created for this home HERE     “When it comes to social media, you never know when somebody knows somebody. Just because they’re not liking or commenting on your post doesn’t mean they’re not paying attention.” - Michael LaFido

                                      Three Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

- Grow and stay engaged in your social media network:Why would you want to enlarge your Facebook/LinkedIn/Instagram social circle? You just don't know where your client or prospect might come from. It might be a friend of a friend that you went to high school with or someone you sat next to at a seminar a year ago. - Communication is the path to retention:Honest, open, ongoing communication is key to getting and retaining a client. You’re always putting their best interest first and understanding their personality.

- Be consistent with selling: A home will get sold if you’re consistent. When marketing, leave no stone unturned. Do a little bit of everything, but be systematized in the way you do it. None of it will work all the time, but all of it works the majority of the time.

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

When selling luxury real estate, the biggest challenge is that luxury home buyers rarely have a sense of urgency. Even if they feel the need to upgrade to something bigger or better, they’re often too busy to actively pursue buying a new home. Because of this, it can be challenging to get their attention and even more challenging to get them to come see what you’re selling. It’s a given that when you’re selling a high-end or unique property, you want to get high-quality traffic. So you need to ask yourself, “What can you do that's different from the competition?” One effective way to market a home is through event-based marketing. And I’m not talking about having an open house where you having appetizers and giving away prizes. The overall idea of event-based marketing is that the event is both something with true value - independent of the house or agent... and that it’s fun. In markets where getting rival brokers in to preview a luxury home for their clients is key, these events can provide a true enticement. That’s why I’m so stoked to have Ali Wise as my guest. She recently had one of these unique high-end events at a property she's marketing for just under 14 million dollars. Tune in to hear what positioned Ali for this exclusive opportunity. Here’s a link to the property. It’s amazing!  https://www.dawsonridgeestate.com/

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

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

Three Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

 

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

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

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

 

Guest Bio: With 15+ years of Global Corporate, Commercial, and Residential Real Estate execution, Ali is a highly motivated and results-oriented business professional in the real estate industry. Her career highlights expertise in the life cycle of residential real estate, Global CRE, portfolio strategy, planning and management, site selection and transaction management, project and construction management, financial and scenario analysis as well as complex lease administration.  Ali personally invests in influencing and developing people, both buyers, and sellers, as well as industry partners such as title and escrow partners, mortgage lenders, appraisers, home inspectors, and contractors. Specialties: First-time Home Buyers, HOWNW Certified Specialist, AWREP Certified Specialist, Listing Agent, Buyer's Agent, Relocation Specialist, prompt and courteous communication and always keeping the interest of her clients at the top. Confidentiality & Loyalty are of the utmost importance to Ali in assisting her clients through every transaction.

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Resources:

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

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

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheIlumniInstitute/

 

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

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

 

Three Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

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

Guest Bio: Laurel Starks is a recognized court-appointed expert and trained neutral party in family law cases involving real estate matters. Her focus on divorce-related real estate has led to over $200 million in sales volume throughout Southern California and she is often regarded by her peers as the pioneer of the divorce real estate niche. She is a national speaker on topics on real estate in family law. Attorneys, judges, and other legal professionals have come to rely on Laurel’s knowledge, judgment, integrity, as well as her ability to explain complex real estate matters to those affected by them. Laurel is the author of The House Matters in Divorce and Divorcing The House, and she has been recognized by Inman News as both an Inman Innovator and an Inman Influencer. 

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

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

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

This week brings a major milestone for the Luxury Listing Specialist - we’ve published 150 episodes. Can you believe it? Thank you, everyone, for tuning in and sharing with your friends! It was a year ago when we launched our 100th episode. And what a year it’s been. The pandemic brought about many changes in housing and lifestyle needs. The luxury real estate market is still hot. The average home sale price has gone up across the country. Even houses that languished on the market for months are selling. So to mark the occasion, rather than looking back at all 150 episodes, I’m just going to focus on episodes 101 to 150. My favorite episodes, takeaways, and how-tos the industry experts have offered real estate agents over the past year.

 

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

 

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

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

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

 

Are you enjoying the show and getting value from it? If so, please: Rate/review the show. Please consider rating or leaving a review on whatever service you use to listen to it on (iTunes, Stitcher, etc.). It’s the best way to help others discover the show. 

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

 

Subscribe. By subscribing to this podcast, you’ll automatically receive the latest episodes downloaded to your computer or portable device. Never miss an episode. 

 

 

Connect with Michael LaFido:  YouTube: @MarketingLuxuryGroup TikTok: @LuxurySpecialist Instagram: @LuxuryListingSpecialist

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

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

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

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

Contact Ryan directly at ryan@realestatealliance.org

 

Other Resources:  To learn more, go to https://realestatealliance.org/education/ Become a member of the Real Estate Alliance at https://realestatealliance.org/

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

 

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

 

Three Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

 

• Get involved

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

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

Guest Bio:

Ryan Weyandt has been the CEO of the LGBTQ Real Estate Alliance since September 2020. He has spent the last 10 years in the mortgage industry most recently as a Mortgage Loan Officer at Bank after serving six years at Wells Fargo. Before his lending career, Ryan has held a variety of senior roles with firms in operations and event management. He has served on the Minnesota Realtors Diversity and Inclusion Committee and previously led the NAGLREP Foundation, along with being a past-President of the organization’s Minneapolis chapter. 

 

For this week’s message, I’d like to discuss the power of little fixes, the small things you can do as an agent to make your sellers’ listings stand out. If you’re going on a listing appointment with a seller and they have some deferred maintenance, you’ll want to roll up your sleeves and tackle some of those issues yourself. Today I’ll share a few stories of how I’ve done this for my clients, including a small but useful tip about how you can hide imperfections on hardwood floors and wood vanities. To learn more, have a listen.