WestWords - February 2023

WESTWORDS

I AM WEST USA

DRU OSTER

HOW'S THE MARKET? WITH BOB STEPHENS

MAXIMIZE SHOWINGS WITH THESE TIPS

JANUARY MARKET STATS

WEST USA CARES

5 STEPS FOR CONVERTING INTERNET LEADS TO APPOINTMENTS FEBRUARY CALENDAR

I

AM DRU OSTER

I AM PROFESSIONAL

I AM EXPERIENCED

I AM RESPONSIVE

I AM KNOWLEDGEABLE

I AM PASSIONATE

I AM WEST USA

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

We are so thankful to have worked with Dru. She made us incredibly comfortable and was right by our side during this whole process. She went above and beyond in keeping us informed and making sure we understood every step of the process. We were treated like family! She was full of great tips and helpful suggestions to get our house ready for market and when we finally saw our listing, we were blown away at how beautiful it truly was! Because of the time, thought, and energy she put into our listing, our house went under contract before we even had our open house! The whole process of selling our house and building our new one was completely stress-free. I would happily recommend Dru to anyone looking for a true professional and a genuinely friendly, caring person.

Dru is the consummate real estate professional. I was looking for an investment property in the Phoenix area and she helped me with buying and selling my home. She spent a lot of hours in the process of buying and selling my investment property and was wonderful to work with. I highly recommend Dru whether you are buying an investment property or a primary residence.

It doesn't get any better than Dru. She sold my home and then helped me purchase a new home. There were what felt like a ton of loopholes and contingencies, and she made the process as painless and smooth as possible. I highly recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell a home, she knows her stuff and she knows all the right people to help you along the way.

HOW'S THE MARKET?

Or more appropriately, how's YOUR business. As Clint Fouts exclaimed on today's webinar, you need to ask the question, "What you are trying to accomplish?" This gets the inquiry going in a different direction and Mike agreed, saying that some people he was talking to, explained that they were getting a divorce. Answers may be given that will lead the discussions in many ways to help both the agent and also the potential clients. In my opinion, as I am into my 50th year in real estate business, the market is always good!

As my friend Blanche Evans, from Realty Times wrote in her book, back in 2008, MAKE MONEY IN ANY REAL ESTATE market! Her book is called, “BUBBLES, BOOMS and BUSTS".

Blanche also wrote 2 books for NAR called GUIDE TO HOME SELLING and GUIDE TO HOME BUYING.

So here are some thoughts that will probably keep agents on the right track in their careers is practiced consistently. I will start with a classic that was explained in many meetings by the master himself, CLAY FOUTS! He went into a Circle K store and bought something and met a nice fellow that was working the counter. He laid down his money to pay and also his business card-Clay always made conversation with people. The clerk said, “Ah yes - West USA – I bought my house from you folks about 3 years ago." Clay said, "Great-who was your agent?" Clerk said, “I don't know, and I never heard from him again!"

Think about it -what possibilities existed here for this long-gone agent? Did the clerk have needs now? NO? Then what about his family

or customers he is serving – could he have recommended a wonderful agent and company?

Now then, I have a story of Bob and Mary, that they wrote for me where they recommend that you hand out business cards every day. They do and hand one to a gentleman they were chatting with in Hawaii that was from Chicago. He told them that he has a sister and Mother in Mesa. They also said, if you ever get to Mesa AZ, please stop in for a cup of coffee. EIGHT MONTHS LATER, they got a call from a woman who said, you don't know me, but you met my brother In Hawaii. I want to sell my home; my fiancé wants to sell his home and then we want to buy one together. We are getting married! Then, her brother that they met In Hawaii, came to Mesa to sell their mothers home which Bob and Mary listed and sold.

THEN, the first couple decided to sell their home they bought from Bob and Mary, and upgrade to a different one. Bob and Mary Millard of the Mesa office got a total of 7 transactions from a card they handed out In Hawaii to a fellow from Chicago! Their daily practice and advice to agents is hand out cards every day!

Also, the real pros in this business have been here for years as I have, and practice good habits to keep business flowing no matter what people think about “the market fluctuations.” So remember, what Blanche wrote-MAKE MONEY IN ANY REAL ESTATE Market!

5 STEPS FOR CONVERTING AN INTERNET LEAD TO AN APPOINTMENT

The real estate industry is constantly evolving and more buyers and sellers are looking online to find exactly what they are looking for. It’s crucial for real estate agents to have the knowledge and skills it takes to turn Internet leads into phone calls and then into appointments.

Here are five steps for converting an Internet lead to a call and then to an appointment.

STEP #1: BE PROMPT

The faster you respond to an internet lead, the more likely you are to turn this lead into a phone call where you can discuss exactly what the prospect is looking for. Don’t make your Internet lead play the waiting game Conversion experts say that you should respond to any internet lead within five minutes, even if you are just letting them know that you have received their inquiry and will get in touch with them soon.

STEP #2: FOLLOW UP WITH A TEXT

The key to turning an Internet lead into a phone call is to follow up with a text. This quick and simple form of communication will take mere seconds and will help you establish an instant connection with the lead so that they know you will get in touch with them soon. Texting is one of the most effective forms of communication in the real estate business, especially when working with millennials. With Wise Agent, you can set your CRM to auto text each time a lead comes in —and you can reply easily whether on the phone or computer.

STEP #3: BE PREPARED

Before making the call, you need to do your research and be prepared. Wise Agent also offers lead

they work for, job title, and more! Wise Agent’s lead enhancement will help you turn your partial lead into a full lead, and will be a huge part in turning that lead into a relationship.

STEP #4: GAIN TRUST

The most important thing you need to earn on the phone call with the lead is the prospect’s trust. You need to establish that you can be a resource for your prospect and that you can help them accomplish their goals with either buying or selling.

You need to present them with information that will show them that you are the right agent to help them in their buying or selling process. Present your prospect with facts, figures and even client testimonials if possible to gain their trust.

STEP #5: SET A TIME TO MEET

Don’t let the conversation finish without establishing a time to meet with the lead in person. After you have done your research and gained their trust, you should feel comfortable setting up a face-to-face meeting with the prospect in order to further discuss what they are looking for in buying or selling their home.

Use the information you learned on the phone call to put together a list of homes and neighborhoods your lead may be interested in or put together resources that will help guide them in selling their home.

Wise Agent CRM makes it easier than ever to keep track of useful information from your phone call with our call log feature. From there, you can utilize our marketing tools to send out the key information from the phone call.

MAXIMIZE SHOWINGS WITH THESE TIPS

Home showings require a lot of time and effort from agents, sellers, and buyers. Sellers have to prepare and maintain the property to look its best, agents spend time arranging appointments and conducting tours, and buyers may look at multiple properties over weeks and even months before making a single offer. Make your showings count with these helpful tips:

• Give the sellers as much notice as possible. Having the home in sparkling condition shows the property in its best light and is advantageous for everyone.

• If you’re the listing agent, arrive early to unlock doors, adjust thermostats, turn on lights, and open window treatments. If you’re the buyers’ agent, make every effort to be on time for the appointment. If your clients are arriving separately, make sure they have detailed directions to the home and preferably have reviewed the online listing beforehand.

• Before the tour starts, give potential buyers a brief overview of the home and point out unique features, history, improvements, or amenities. If they aren’t familiar with the neighborhood, offer a summary of the area as well.

• Anticipate questions and have utility history, the approximate age of systems and appliances, property tax estimates, roof condition, and any other information that might interest buyers. If you don’t have answers to questions that are asked, make it a priority to follow up promptly after the showing with the requested information.

• Give potential buyers time to look around the house and talk privately.

• Have printed materials with property and neighborhood details that potential buyers and

• Report to sellers about how the showing went, and follow up with the buyers’ agent for any feedback you can pass along to the sellers.

• Include an American Home Shield® home warranty with Sellers Coverage Option*on every listing. With protection for the same items in the ShieldEssential Plan, sellers enjoy American Home Shield coverage for up to six months while the home is on the market. The warranty transfers to the buyers at closing, when payment is made.

American Home Shield also offers Livable and Forgivable Coverage that includes things often not covered by other warranty plans, such as:

• Older items, no matter their age

• Undetectable pre-existing conditions

• Items without maintenance records

• Breakdowns caused by lack of maintenance

• Malfunctions due to sediment, rust, or corrosion

• Removal of old, defective items

• Duplicates of the same item, like that extra fridge

Be sure to promote the home warranty in marketing materials and ensure potential buyers are aware of this valuable coverage. American Home Shield protection can help boost buyer confidence and may help mitigate objections about the condition or age of systems and appliances as well as potential home inspection issues. For more information, visit ahs.com or contact your American Home Market Manager.

TODD MENARD’S REAL ESTATE MARKET STATS JANUARY 2023

WEST USA CARES ANNUAL

Heart Fundraiser

ACCEPTING DONATIONS FROM FEBRUARY 1 - 28

West USA Cares is spreading love during our Annual Awareness Month. Please join us by making a donation on your A100 at closing or making a donation in your local branch to receive a heart on the wall. Our goal is to fill each office with so much love, it covers each office in hearts.

Donations go directly to benefit the Monthly Giveback program to help organizations in our communities and our Emergency Needs Resource Fund to help our own agents in time of need.

Share the love this February!

$10

$1

$20

9:00am - 10:00am / Webinar

West USA Weekly Webinar

9:00am - 4:00pm / Zoom

ProStart Session 1 (3 Days)

10:30am - 12:00pm / Zoom

West USA Agent Orientation

2:00pm - 2:30pm / Webinar

Don’t Do Dat w/Broker Bob Stephens

FEBRUARY 2023

9:00am - 12:00pm @ Chandler O ce

FREE LIVE CE CLASS

To Be Paid or Not To Be Paid, That is the Question (3Hrs Contract Law)

O

10:00am - 11:00am / Zoom Team Leader Mastermind

10:00am - 11:30am @ Arrowhead O ce Arrowhead O ce Meeting

10:00am - 12:00pm @ North PHX O ce

Risky Business

10:00am - 11:00am / Zoom

Coaching Essential Learning

9:00am - 11:00am @ Chandler O ce Take Flight 3:30pm - 4:00pm @ Arrowhead O ce

Arrowhead Accountability Group

3:30pm - 4:30pm @ Goodyear O ce

Goodyear Accountability Group

SPONSORS

9:00am - 4:00pm / Zoom

ProStart Session 2 (4 Days)

10:00am - 11:00am @ Kierland O ce

Homebot Workshop

10:00am - 11:00am @ Goodear O ce

Property Managers Roundtable

10:00am - 11:30am @ Chandler O ce

Wealth Building Class

5:00pm - 7:00pm @ BKD’s Chandler Happy Hour 10:00am - 11:00am @ Mesa O ce Mesa O ce Meeting