KW Outfront Magazine - 2

CROSSINGOVER TO KW

A PUBLICATION OF KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY, INC. SECOND QUARTER 2011, VOL.8 NO.2

TULSA

MERGER

CREATES

REGIONAL

POWERHOUSE

-PG. 6

K E L L E R W I L L I A M S R E A LT y R A N K S A S TO P P L AC E TO WO R K I N P H I L A D E L P H I A - P G . 2 2

Second Quar ter 2011 • vol. 8 no. 2outfront2 Keller Williams Realty

Second Quar ter 2011 • vol. 8 no. 2Keller Williams Realty outfront 3

This awesome achievement is

entirely yours – entirely a result of

your talent, your tenacity, your belief

in the Keller Williams distinct way of

doing business, your determination to

push limits, to do more, and to become

more.

There is nothing that can be written

or said about Keller Williams Realty

that has more power or more of an

impact within your sphere than you

do. It’s your professionalism and your

success that your clients and colleagues

see. You are the face of KW.

Talent follows talent and the

numbers prove that you are the best

magnet for talent that the real estate

industry has ever known. And that’s

why it thrills us that 25,293 of you had

a stake in a $34.6 million profit share

pool last year, and that we stand to

continue breaking our own records for

profit share in 2011 and beyond.

Last month, a group of us had the

awesome privilege of participating in

a merger celebration as more than 50

agents with the renowned Patterson

Realtors in Tulsa, Okla., joined forces

with our Tulsa Metro market center

– catapulting Keller Williams Realty

to the No. 1 spot in the market. (See

article on page 6.) What impressed us

most about the genuine excitement

for new beginnings was the one-on-

one connections that powered the

event. In Tulsa, as in your market,

the groundwork for growth is being

paved every single day with your

professionalism and positive energy.

Considering this company's amazing

growth trajectory, it sometimes seems

surprising when our clients and our

spheres of influence aren’t aware of

our vast North American reach. It’s

surprising, but it’s actually okay,

because it’s not about us, it’s about you.

At the same time, you have an awesome

opportunity to let your clients know a

little about the company you keep.

During client consultations, and

even social situations, we hope it serves

you well to let it be known that Keller

Williams Realty is now the second-

largest real estate company in the

United States and the third-largest in

North America. If that fact is met with

surprise, explain that it comes as one to

a lot of people, because Keller Williams

Realty doesn’t believe in pouring

millions of dollars into national

advertising campaigns that only serve

the company.

Instead, Keller Williams devotes

its resources to training agents and

equipping them with the knowledge

and skills to serve clients at a high level

– because Keller Williams believes that

clients do business with agents, not the

real estate company.

Often, less is more, and this simple

script is sure to resonate with your

clients, because they’ll recognize it as

true.

DEAR ASSOCIATES,

What a thrill it is to serve as a stakeholder with you as Keller Williams Realty claimed the rank of the second- largest real estate company in the United States, and powers toward its certain destiny to become No. 1.

"clients do

business with agents, not

the real estate company"

Mark Willis, CEO, Keller Williams Realty

Yours in the truth!


table of contentsBOLD MOMENTUM

Rookie hops the BOLD train to the top.

08

MAKING A MARK

Personal branding proves key in the luxury market.

12

TOPS IN TORONTO

Powering a career for the long haul.

20

vol. 8, no. 2 - Second Quarter 2011

INSIDE SCOOP

Attention Philadelphia agents: KW is THE place to be!

22

SHARPENING THE SAW

The word on eEdge: “WOW!”

16

CULTURAL

CONVERGENCE

Meeting of the like- minded in Tulsa creates competitive powerhouse.

06MASTERMINDS

MAY 16-18, 2011

www.events.mapscoaching.com

COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS

LAS VEGAS, NEV.

MAY 16-18, 2011

MAPS Masterminds is more than a networking session or a seminar. It’s an opportunity for the

most successful real estate professionals in North

America and those who want to learn from them to share and brainstorm leading-edge strategies that produce results.

There are some events that are only

for high rollers.

Executive Director of Marketing and Communications: Ellen Marks

Editor: Lisa Wahlgren ([email protected])

Marketing and Communications Specialist: Laura Price

Copy Editor: Jeff Ryder

Associate Art Director: Michael Balistreri

Designer: Caitlin McIntosh

Contributors: Celesta Brown | Jennifer LeClaire | Carla Jo Schaefer

Advertising: Tom Freireich ([email protected])

Job Inquiries: ([email protected])

1221 South Mopac Expressway,Suite 400Austin, Texas 78746(512) 327-3070 phone(512) 328-1433 fax

OutFront is published by Keller Williams Realty, Inc. The entire document of OutFront is copyright© 2011 by Keller Williams Realty, Inc. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the express written permission of the publisher. Editorial or advertising does not constitute advice but is considered informative. Copyright© 2011 Keller Williams Realty, Inc. All rights reserved.

Second Quarter 2011, vol. 8 no. 2OutFront is a publication of Keller Williams Realty, Inc.


Build your business with short sale buyers and sellers!

SHO

RT SALE

MA

ST

ER

Y

Sponsored by:

Considering the stake that our industry has in the recovery of the U.S. real estate market, we need to be more than simply committed to promoting short sales as an alternative to foreclosures. For many top Keller Williams short sale agents, it has become a mission. And judging from the recent response to Keller Williams Realty's, 31-city Short Sale Mastery tour, many of you are interested in becoming a part of it. Short sales represent the dominant segment of the distressed properties market, as well as the most significant growth niche within most U.S. markets. While many agents have already established a lucrative practice within the short sale arena, all experts agree: there is more than enough room for newcomers who have the knowledge and a commitment to making a difference. To that end, the one-day Short Sale Mastery tour is having a phenomenal impact due to the instructors' depth of in-the-trenches expertise, combined with the invaluable insights offered by local market

panelists. Among the most useful aspects of the curriculum for many is a recognition that taking on the entire, end-to-end short sale process can appear daunting – especially at the beginning. As such, we’ve identified several different directions that agents can take that entail distinct expertise and skills. Within market centers and regions, new business partnership are now forming, as agents who excel at identifying and qualifying leads, for instance, focus on that piece and then hand off the administration and negotiation to partners who specialize in that part of the process. Regardless of your current level of involvement with short sales, this tour offers valuable insights and information. If you have not already attended a tour event, be sure to put one of the remaining tour dates on your calendar. Short sales are a business that will be with us for years to come.

(www.millionairesystems.com/ShortSaleMastery) or call 512.306.6236.For the complete list of tour stops and to register, visit:

New opportunities for short sale business

As the sponsor for the Short

Sale Mastery tour, CitiMortgage

representatives are providing tour

attendees with the invaluable

lender's perspective on how to

best navigate and negotiate short

sales. Attendance at the Short Sale

Mastery course will be one of the

ways that Keller Williams associates

can qualify for this opportunity.

Mastering short sales: A long-term opportunity By Roger Higle, Course Writer, Keller Williams University

Phot

os b

y St

eve

Ruar

k

©2011 CitiMortgage, Inc. CitiMortgage, Inc. does business as Citicorp Mortgage in NM. CitiMortgage, Inc. is an equal housing lender. Citi, Arc Design, Citi and Arc Design are registered service marks of Citigroup Inc.


Tulsa Metro welcomes 52 agents from Patterson Realtors into the KW fold

CROSSING OVER TO KW

THE MOMENTUM CONTINUES!

In the Tulsa, Okla., real estate community, Chuck Patterson is more than an icon. He’s an institution – and a beloved institution at that. Recently, after 34 years at the helm of Patterson Realtors, the renowned thought leader realized that it was time to “re-engage, retool and reinvent” his company in order to keep his agents on the cutting edge of an evolving real estate market. What followed was a lot of discussions and due diligence and a final decision to join forces with Susan Beach, team leader, and Sherry Lewis, operating principal, at the Keller Williams Tulsa Metro Market Center. Among his company’s 52 agents, Patterson recalls that the decision was met with nothing short of shock and uncertainty. Ultimately, open minds and open hearts prevailed as the official welcoming ceremony on March 31, 2011, was attended by representatives from all of Keller Williams market centers in Tulsa and surrounding communities, proved to be a genuine exchange of warmth and excitement for new friendships and new beginnings. Recalling the thought processes that led him to Keller Williams, Patterson says, “I’ve survived a lot of ups and downs in the market, and I knew we were in for more changes. Our agents are very experienced and very productive at the local

level, but I realize that to thrive in the future, knowledge of the local market is not going to be enough. From a technology and educational standpoint, it was getting more and more challenging for a small independent to compete. The scope has increased from local to national to international. We don’t have a Keller Williams University, or the kind of technology that Keller Williams offers. I figured there’s a reason why Keller Williams has grown over the past five years and other companies haven’t.” Clearly, however, it was culture that proved to be the most important factor. “Our companies’ basic beliefs are so similar,” Patterson says. Finding the clearly stated values of “God, family and then business” to be a significant draw, Patterson says he loves the fact that “agents were encouraged to direct their beliefs toward the support of the community and the people they worked with. Once I learned what Keller Williams was all about, I said, ‘My God, you’re like one big us.”

GOOD VIBESHaving hoped to connect with the leadership team of Patterson Realtors for a few years, Beach says that once she and Chuck started to get to know each other, their “similar, like-minded value systems” propelled the conversations

By Lisa Wahlgren


"Now that I see all of the training and technology that Keller Williams offers, I

realize that I have just scratched the surface."

forward. “Both of us have an amazing group of people, and we have a high regard for each other. Chuck’s respect and concern for his agents is just awe inspiring.” In return, agents have been intensely loyal to him, Beach says, adding that for a few weeks prior to the merger date, she made a point to meet one-on-one with incoming agents as the first step toward getting to know each other personally and forming new bonds. Just as one of many indications of the depth of feeling among both companies, Lewis, who is also director of the Oklahoma Region, notes that on the day prior to the official merger, agents and the leadership team from Patterson Realtors had their final team meeting and then walked out of their offices holding yellow balloons, which is their company color. As they released them into the air, Keller Williams Tulsa Metro associates in the office across the street, applauded and cheered.

STRONG FOUNDATIONUnderlying the culture and the human connections, the Keller Williams business models played a major role in making the merger possible. Beach explains that the concerns that Patterson and former president Mike Haley may have had about losing their autonomy were largely allayed by the fact

that Keller Williams Realty encourages agents to keep their autonomy and manage their own teams. As Royce Ellington, top-producing agent from the former Patterson Realtors, notes, any apprehension among incoming agents gave way to excitement following the merger celebration and official welcoming ceremony. “Walking across the stage during the ceremony and being welcomed by the leadership team, including Mark Willis, and then being high-fived by a big group of Keller Williams agents as we exited the stage really helped to make us feel welcome. Another neat touch was the willingness on the part of the Keller Williams agents to replace yard signs on our behalf. All it took was one week for everyone to feel extremely comfortable here. That really speaks volumes for Susan and Sherry. The KW culture is really shining through," Ellington says. “I’ve been the top producer for Patterson Realtors for the past five years, and I thought I had a handle on my real estate business,” he adds. “Now that I see all of the training and technology that Keller Williams offers, I realize that I have just scratched the surface. I was hoping to just move my business over, and now I realize that I’m going to improve my business by leaps and bounds.” kw

— Royce Ellington


When Terronald Logan signed on with the Austin Southwest market center as a brand-new agent in November 2009, right after getting his real estate license, he didn’t have a lot of confidence and was reluctant to pick up the phone. So early into 2010, he made a bold investment in himself that not only turned his career around – it changed his life. Logan credits the MAPS BOLD program with catapulting his fledgling career to a level that he could not have imagined. During his first stint in the program, he acquired, among other things, a new mindset, and a $1 million buyer. “That was one of my very first transactions.” Convinced that he still had a lot to master, Logan signed up for BOLD again in the fall, along with “The Language of Sales” Fast Track group coaching course. Logan describes the experience of taking both classes at the same time as “living in a real estate boot camp.” And it paid off quickly. “I had a client whose house I listed, but it didn’t sell. Because of The Language of Sales, I knew exactly what to say to convince him to relist the property with me at a price where it would sell,” Logan says. “That led to a $700,000 sale.”

By Jennifer LeClaire

BOLD AND BOLDER

Rookie gets recipe for success trajectory

“I didn’t think I could afford to invest in myself. It was a big risk. But I knew I was worth it. I had to trust in myself" - Terronald Logan


In 2010, Logan capped in four months, and decided to keep investing in himself. He joined Luxury Homes by Keller Williams in order to benefit from market-specific resources to cultivate high-end clients. He also signed on for “Find the Motivated for Immediate Sales” – another MAPS Fast Track course that that he credits with helping him target his prospecting strategies. What’s next? Logan says he’s excited about taking BOLD for a third time this fall and then enrolling in Mastery Coaching. He expects to end 2011 with $8 million in production, and then to kick off 2012 by capping in one week. “I didn’t think I could afford to invest in myself. It was a big risk. But I knew I was worth it. I had to trust in myself,” Logan says. “The coaching and education I am getting through BOLD, the Fast Track courses, Family Reunion and the Keller Williams culture has been life-changing for me. This is exactly what I needed to flourish, and I feel like I am making a difference.” kw

“I didn’t think I could afford to invest in myself. It was a big risk. But I knew I was worth it. I had to trust in myself" - Terronald Logan Phot

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Bria

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Viral marketing. It’s a buzzword that gets thrown around a lot – and a concept that was addressed at Masterminds in Las Vegas. At its core, viral marketing is using social networks to drive brand awareness. More and more agents are using YouTube to charm new and prospective real estate clients and expand their sphere of influence via online sources. Among the industry members who are adept at the use of social media to establish their expertise: Prudential agent Jeff Quintin, who recently addressed Masterminds attendees. “I launched an educational series called ‘20 Things You Absolutely Must Know to Avoid Foreclosure,’ and created 20 videos and an introduction,” Quintin says. “People have to opt in with their email address to get links to all 20 videos emailed to them. This builds my database.” Every time Quintin starts a new video series, he sends the introductory video to his database. He also posts videos on his blog and his YouTube Channel. The real magic happens when people forward the email to their friends, post the video on their Facebook page, or send a link through Twitter. Quintin has watched videos go from a couple hundred views to a few thousand. Quintin works in the resort market of Ocean City, N.J., where there are a lot of absentee owners, but he says the strategy works in any market. He uses the videos as a way to save time making listing presentations in person, and has

discovered that a series of videos can accomplish the same goal as face-to-face presentations, while allowing him to be more productive. “If a seller’s listing is about to expire, we have eight videos that go out over 18 days to get them to re-list with us. I position myself as the expert in Ocean City, and people come to me for expertise.” The videos are sent to different segments of his database eight to 10 times a month. Analytics software tracks viewership, and YouTube metrics even indicate the point at which people stop viewing. He credits his educational emphasis (as opposed to a sales pitch) to a consistently high level of viewership and a lot of “shares.” A clear indicator of the strategy’s effectiveness: Quintin sells a lot of homes. In 2010, his team closed a total of 164 homes. This year, he expects to close 200. Although he can’t connect all the sales to viral marketing, his gut tells him it’s paying dividends. “The biggest challenge is taking the time to create the videos,” says Quintin, “Sometimes it’s frustrating because you make mistakes and have to do retakes. You have to get skillful. That takes time. But being the one who gives people the education they are looking for makes me the market expert and the one who clients are going to buy from and tell their friends about.”kw

Jeff Quintin


AFFICIONADOVIRAL MARKETING

shares strategies at Masterminds

BOLD Scripts Workshop Learn how to set one appointment per day, and close 75 percent or more of your appointments and walk away with a signed contract – all in a supportive, fun and exciting environment.

Power Prospecting Workshop Live coaching with a MAPS Coach as you are prospecting for new leads.

•Usescriptsmoreeffectively•Increaseyourclosingratio•Reduceyourfearofrejection•Setmoreappointments•Generatemoreleadsandsales

To arrange for a MAPS coach to lead a workshop in your market center, contact [email protected] or call 800-822-9360 and ask for BOLD.

Ever wished you were on of those confident people who also had just the right thing to say? Learn how!


RED Day (Renew, Energize, and Donate) is a service initiative dedicated to celebrating Keller Williams Realty's year-round commitment to improving our local communities.

Last year, RED Day participants gave more than 150,000 collective service hours in just one day! This year, on May 12, 2011, the giving promised to be even greater, as more associates

embraced the Keller Williams culture of giving and touching the lives of community members. Here are just a few ways that Keller Williams associates celebrated RED Day.

The Easton (Mass.) market center met with the recipients of their "Day of Service" and made plans to include 100 percent of their market center in RED Day. "We chose a Family Life Center which houses 13 to 14 families on an interim basis, while helping them with child care, mental health issues, support and just being there for them," says Mary Nardone, RED Day repre-sentative. "They have at least five locations in the city of Brockton where they care for families in need. On RED Day they painted a children's reading room, repaired water damage, and cleared an area for a garden and a basketball court.

The Nashville-Murfreesboro market center spent RED Day at Greenhouse Ministries, paint-ing, building a fence, sorting donated clothes, remodeling a break room and building a loft above their storage area. “We were so excited to share our culture and to give back to our community,” says associate, Dee Lewis.

give where you live!

http://www.kw.com/kw/redday.html

The Anchorage market center stepped up as the sole sponsor for a Habitat for Humanity house raising $100,000 and contributing more than 2,500 hours in volunteer time. “Our bro-ker, Butch Jacques was inspired to spearhead this effort and went so far as to say that if we fall short, he and his wife would personally guarantee the rest,” says Jennifer Toomer, team leader. “Our people step up to the plate every time. I am blessed to have that kind of leader-ship in our market center and on our staff! Butch has truly been a leader in this year's RED Day undertaking!” “We want to thank Mo Anderson for true leadership that pushes us to strive harder, reach farther and push ourselves in changing the lives of our agents and our communities,” adds Toomer.

Power Prospecting Workshop Live coaching with a MAPS Coach as you are prospecting for new leads.

•Usescriptsmoreeffectively•Increaseyourclosingratio•Reduceyourfearofrejection•Setmoreappointments•Generatemoreleadsandsales


As a child, Brandy Coffey loved to work puzzles. She’d spend hours sorting and matching the pieces until the picture emerged. Then she’d do it again. So it was very fitting when years later she earned a B.A. degree in psychology at the University of South Florida. She has a passion for helping people to put all of the pieces together. After college, Coffey wanted to move back to Sarasota, a city named by several top publications as a “best place to live and work.” Being close to family also mattered a lot, especially since her mother was facing radiation treatments and surgery. While working a part-time job, Coffey studied for the real estate exam, and it wasn’t long before she realized that the fundamentals of real estate mirrored the fundamentals of psychology. “I just relish the opportunity to put someone in the right home,” Coffey says. “It’s like working a puzzle – matching a client to a lifestyle, which is what a home purchase is.” Lately, the homes she has been matching clients to are on the higher end.

Having gotten her start in real estate back in 2004, right as the market started to shift, Coffey’s career took a definite upswing last year when she stepped away from her own boutique brokerage and joined forces with the Greater Manatee market center and Luxury Homes by Keller Williams. “I’ve already received seven referrals from the Luxury Homes division and my revenues have been increasing steadily over these few months,” she offers. “I can’t imagine where I would be now if I had joined Keller Williams Realty when I started in this business seven years ago.” With designations that include Resort and Second Home Specialist and Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist, Coffey notes that the superior marketing collateral and support she receives as a member of Luxury Homes by Keller Williams is proving to be the clincher in helping her get a foot in the door and seal the deal with high-end homeowners. She’s found out that, the more she digs in to all that Keller Williams Realty has to offer, the more her career moves forward. As a recent devotee of The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, she’s now managing to pull all of the pieces together, implementing

Winning strategies in a complex market

PIECINGTOGETHER



the principles and step-by-step techniques advocated with in the text. A newly hired assistant is providing much-needed leverage – freeing her from administrative tasks and allowing her to spend more time serving her clients. And then there’s the technology component. “Keller Williams is just so far ahead of the game,” she says, adding that eEdge offers a newfound potential to efficiently manage leads and contacts. A new force to be reckoned with in central Florida’s Gulf Coast, Coffey offers a distinctive blend of confidence, creativity and hard work that resonates with high-end clients. “You have to be creative in matching a client to a lifestyle and in how you will market and sell their property. I love what I do so much. I work hard, but it never feels like work.” kw

Jeff Peldon

For an agent of Coffey’s caliber, a brief stint in the limelight can catapult a career to an entirely new level. Recently, her solid reputation brought her to the attention of the producers of HGTV’s hit show, “Bang for Your Buck.” The show features three homeowners in the same city who renovate the same room in each of their homes using the same amount of money. Two experts, a designer and a real estate agent discuss and compare each homeowner’s renovations in detail to determine who got the biggest “bang for their buck.” The designer focuses on trends and styles, while the local agent talks about how the remodel increased the value of the home. Ultimately, the experts determine if the homeowners will be able to recoup their money when they sell the home. Coffey was selected as the agent for an episode of kitchen renovations filmed in Sarasota, and once the producers realized what a natural she was in front of the camera, she was invited back to do a second show. Both shows will air on HGTV this summer.

PRICELESS PUBLICITY

The 4th Annual Keller Williams LuxuryHomes Retreat

The Cosmopolitanof Las Vegas May 14 - 16, 2011

Brandy Coffey (right) during the filming of HGTV's "Bang for Your Buck."

Next issue: Highlights from


Much of what drives our success as real estate agents comes down to perspective. The all-important task of lead generation (three hours a day, every day) is fueled by our ability to add value to the conversation and the relationship. Refrigerator magnets, pens, calendars and any other ways you can think of to keep your name in front of your clients are all fine, but if you are looking to genuinely distinguish yourself and drive your business, you need to focus on sharing expertise and perspective. That’s what our clients need and want from us. During the Vision Speech at Family Reunion in February, I focused a lot on affordability, which in the United States right now is nothing short of amazing. Among those sharing the stage with me was John Furber, our regional director for Canada, who discussed factors affecting the Canadian housing market. While current price trends for the United States and Canada are considerably different, the same principle applies in both cases: clients need perspective and they need to look beneath surface statistics before making informed decisions. Clients in both countries would be well-served if we helped them to shift their focus away from the actual purchase price of the home and toward the big-picture impact of interest rates. U.S. BUYER BONANZALet’s start with the United States, where homes are more affordable, relative to the median income, than they’ve been in a generation. For any number of reasons, buyers are not snatching up properties to the extent that we’d expect them to, but chances are, if they had a better grasp on just how remarkable the current price picture is, their sense of urgency would move up several notches.

The chart below is an updated version of a slide that we showed during the Vision Speech three months ago, and it illustrates the impact of interest rates on affordability. U.S. agents: if you have not already done so, make sure you get a copy of this chart in front of your clients.* As you can see, the cost of a loaf of bread and a gallon of gas has more than tripled since 1989, and car prices have nearly doubled. While the median price of a new home has increased by 70 percent, that’s not the most relevant statistic. Mortgage interest rates, which stood at 10 percent back in 1989, averaged 4.84 percent during the second week of April 2011. The impact of rock-bottom interest rates is that the monthly mortgage payment on a median-priced home has hardly changed in more than a decade. Unless a buyer is paying cash, the monthly payment tends to be far more relevant than the home’s actual purchase price. So for buyers who are waiting for home prices to hit the floor, it’s important to point out that the possibility of a slight drop in the price of a home will have very little impact on the monthly payment, while even a slight rise in interest rates (a far more likely scenario) will have a significant impact. Timing the market to a T is never possible, and in the

Pricing PerspectivesYour job:

make sure your clients get it!

By Gary Keller, co-founder and chairman, Keller Williams Realty

HOME PRICE VS. PAYMENT - UNITED STATES

1989 2010 2011 YTD

Bread

Gas/gal.

New CarMedian Existing

Home Price

Mortgage Rate

Monthly Payment

$0.67 $2.49 $2.49

$0.97 $2.73 $3.87

$15,350 $28,400 $28,400

$94,000 $173,000 $156,100

10% 4.69% 4.91%

$825 $896 $829

Source: KW Research


HOME PRICE VS. PAYMENT - CANADA

1989 2010 2011 YTD

Bread

Milk

Gas/liter

Avg. Home Price

Mortgage Rate

Monthly Payment

$0.67 $2.22 $2.66

$0.59 $2.25 $2.32

$0.49 $1.01 $1.33

$141,985 $339,030 $371,286

13.35% 5.61% 5.34%

$1,554 $1,831 $1,941

Source: KW Research

current market, staying on the sidelines is more likely to result in a missed opportunity than a small savings. Those are the facts, but buyer reluctance in the current market can outweigh compelling facts. U.S. buyers are skittish about the housing market, and our job is to explain to them that market skittishness is actually a good reason to buy now – because it is. General uncertainty about the housing market and a reluctance to take action only contributes to the number of deals and negotiating power available to astute buyers. U.S. buyers who are waiting for the real estate market to “recover” are in fact waiting for a reduction in inventory, fewer foreclosed properties on banks’ books, rising home prices and sellers who don’t need to be as motivated. That scenario will be welcome news for sellers, banks and the U.S. economy as a whole, but not for buyers. Now is the time for U.S. buyers to act and for you to offer the perspective that helps them to understand why.

CANADIAN CONSIDERATIONSAs I mentioned earlier, average home prices in Canada are trending upwards but as is always the case, those of us who are willing to dig beneath surface statistics are far better positioned to help our clients to understand the big picture and to take action. Before we look at housing affordability in Canada, though, I’d urge all Canadian associates to make sure that your clients also understand the opportunities that rock-bottom U.S. interest rates and real estate prices – particularly in the sunshine states – represent to them as well. In doing so, you stand to power a new stream of referral income. As the chart below indicates, the average home price in Canada has increased by 160 percent since 1990, while shooting up 9.5 percent since last year. For some buyers, this trend might contribute to a sense of urgency to buy before housing prices shoot up any further. Others could take one look at current prices and be convinced that they have been priced out of the market. This is where your perspective proves critical. First, remind your buyers that all real estate is local. The recent run-up in average real estate prices reflects above-normal sales activity in the priciest markets, so make sure that your clients are

looking at local price trends within their specific price range. At the same time, remind your clients that the monthly mortgage payment, not the actual purchase price, tends to be the relevant number. Whereas the average home price has increased by 160 percent since 1990, mortgage interest rates have decreased by 60 percent. As a result, over the past decade, the average mortgage payment has increased by less than 25 percent – a statistic that is likely to shift the perspectives of many Canadians on the feasibility of buying a home in the current market.

*For copies of the PowerPoint presentation from this year's Vision Speech, go to (www.agentmountain.com).

ONWARD …


SAVING TIME AND SELLING MOREAs Darne Ridgley, associate with the Chattanooga Downtown market center, sees it, what he learned in BOLD applies directly to eEdge: “Success is simple, just not easy. “I’m responsible for eEdge training in my market center and we are one of the most positive market centers

in the region about the potential for this new capability.” As far as the myTransactions portion: “Oh my gosh! I worked three deals this week and I have not had to leave my office once to get a signature. Earlier this week, I sat down with probably the least tech- savvy agent in our market center, and we worked through how to send an attachment via myTransactions.

She got it, and it saved her a 45-minute trip. We’re very happy with the whole DotLoop portion and clients love it because it makes us appear to be on the leading edge." "myTransactions is the income-maintaining part of eEdge. What’s really going to make a difference to our business is the income-generating portion. I’m loving the lead capture capabilities. My buyer’s rep has put two deals under contract since we got on eEdge." Ridgley has figured out how to funnel buyer leads into his eEdge account via Craigslist – a strategy that’s resulting in two to four leads every day.

FUSING FUNCTIONS INTO ONE SYSTEMAs a member of the Keller Williams Associate Technology Council (ATC), Ron Armstrong, associate with the Asheville (N.C.) market center, participated in the ATC masterminds event that gave birth to eEdge. “We originally conceived of eEdge as ‘Your Business in a Box,’” Armstrong points out. And even though that

terminology lacks the high-tech edge that characterizes what the system is all about, it very much describes the comprehensive, contract-to-close advantage of eEdge. “Every agent within Keller Williams now has some place to start,” Armstrong emphasizes, adding that the system can be “as simple or as sophisticated as you need it to be.” As far as the cost: “$15 is nothing for putting a forms and electronic-signature capability in place. On top

of that, we have access to an optimized Website that’s bringing in leads, as well as a framework for managing and marketing to our contacts. eEdge is going to continue growing with the input of agents,” Armstrong says. “Technology is changing at the speed of light, so this thing is never going to be static.”

SIMPLIFYING AND STREAMLININGFor Shari Gross, associate with the Destin (Fla.) market center, the most powerful aspect of eEdge is the ability to get clients and her sphere set up on marketing campaigns

that run automatically. “The first thing I did was get my past clients set up on a 33-Touch campaign, and then I edited the content to send another version out to affiliates and other members of my sphere. I love that people can search the MLS from my site, and that all my leads are being funneled into one place. It’s also great that my assistant likes it, because that means she’s going to use it!”

Associates weigh in on eEdgePOWERING NEW POSSIBILITIES


• Therealizationthatthecombinedattendance at the national conventions of our major competitors was less than the attendance at our one event

• Repeatedcitationsbythefiremarshalfor exceeding the capacity of a room during a breakout session!

Flaunting fire safety was hardly our intention, and when we realized that interest in the eEdge breakouts exceeded our expectations, we quickly scheduled duplicate sessions. Our experience following the launch of eEdge made one point clear: we have entered into an exciting new chapter for Keller Williams Realty and for the entire real estate industry. What an enormous leap forward into the future you have challenged us with, and what an extraordinary opportunity it’s been for all of us. With any new challenge, new leaders emerge, and

that has certainly been the case during this transition phase. To those of you who have dug in, downloaded eEdge 101, attended classes, taught classes or even stepped up as your market center’s eEdge ambassadors, thank you for your leadership, your energy and your example. A technological undertaking of this magnitude requires patience – as well as perspective. As he’s done so many times before, Shaun Rawls has risen to the occasion with his characteristic clarity and perspective. Here’s an excerpt of what Shaun wrote a few weeks ago to members of the Rawls Group in Atlanta, Ga.:

“The launch of eEdge and the promise of what eEdge is certain to become is a gift of pioneering proportions. For $.50 a day, you and I will have a complete set of technology tools never before seen in the real estate industry – $15 per month

for technology that no one else in the industry has. When completely rolled out, the technology will likely save you as much money in gas as you spend on this product. I’m really proud of this company for having the courage to tackle this initiative. And I’m really proud of all of you who have looked for, found and embraced the benefits of something incredible and new for your business.”

Thankyou,Shaun!Wecouldn’tagreemore! Yours in embracing the benefits of something incredible and new for your business!

Dear Team,

There are many ways every year that we

gauge the success of Family Reunion.

In 2011, we added two new ones:

Mary TennantPresident and COOKeller Williams Realty

Did you know that within eEdge, you can easily set up distinct marketing campaigns for select groups within your data base? Suppose you want to specifically target your high school alumni – or members of the Chamber of Commerce, or the Junior League, or your LinkedIn contacts – here’s all you need to do: From the eEdge dashboard, click on “myContacts/Add a New Contact.” Click on “Manage Group” in the top right, enter the name of the group and click SAVE.

You’ll be directed to the “Contacts” page where you’ll need to click on the “Import/Export” link in the far right corner. From there, you’ll be guided through an easy, three-step import process, and can manually add additional contacts to this group moving forward. To stay on top of all great ideas for optimizing eEdge in your business, go to http://mykw.kw.com/eedge and click on “Live Training” to sign up for upcoming Webinars and to access archived training – on topics such as how to set up groups!

FROM CARy SyLvESTER, ExECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY


A year ago, David Neault was skeptical about KW Commercial. A successful commercial broker at Coldwell Banker Commercial, Neault wasn’t interested in switching allegiances – but he didn’t mind receiving referrals that agents at the Rancho Cucamonga market center in California’s Inland Empire Region sent his way. “I thought I might get one or two referrals from the residential agents,” says Neault, who launched his career in 1986. “But the referrals started coming in steadily, and I was surprised at the enthusiasm of Keller Williams agents. I started to think more and more about taking Dave Skolnick, associate with the Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) market center, up on his suggestion to launch a division of KW Commercial in the Rancho Cucamonga office.” Further discussions led to an offer to launch a regional KW Commercial office that would serve a wider base of residential market centers. In July 2010, Neault officially signed on as the KW Commercial director at the Norco-Ontario market center. “I was at a crossroads in my career,” Neault explains. “I took a look at where my leads were coming from, and KW Commercial’s business model was a good fit for me.” With a career that spans sales and acquisitions of commercial real estate and land, as well as leasing and development of office

and industrial projects, Neault saw the potential in KW Commercial, and is now actively involved in growing the division. In Neault’s experience, the larger, entrenched firms tend to shower recruits with the promise of lots of referrals that don’t pan out. “The truth is,” he says, “only a small percentage of top agents at large firms are getting significant referrals." With the KW Commercial model’s cap and the team-oriented culture, he explains, referrals from residential agents tend to f low naturally. “Commercial agents are trained in a hypercompetitive, dog-eat-dog scenario that wears you down over time,” Neault says. “KW Commercial has a different culture – one that’s focused on helping less experienced agents to grow in their careers, while boosting the referral base of more experienced agents." Neault is a prime example. He recently received a referral from a Keller Williams residential agent at the Rancho Cucamonga market center. The client wanted to purchase a motel in the region. The $3.85 million deal that Neault closed resulted in a $17,000 referral fee. “That deal was larger than any referred to me during my nine years with Coldwell Banker Commercial,” Neault says, and he credits regional and market center leadership

Synergistic alliances boost sales

COMMERCIAL KINGPIN

REFERRAL GOLDS T R I K E S

D a v i d N e a u l t



Phot

os b

y Ro

n M

urra

y

for encouraging commercial agents to attend sales meetings and work closely with residential agents to create a level of cooperation and synergy that is unmatched in the market. A member of the Commercial Leadership Council, Neault is on the front lines of helping to shape the future of KW Commercial in the Inland Empire Region. He’s involved in developing Regional Commercial Masterminds events, as well as local training, property exchange forums, small group masterminding and networking. “We’ve also embarked on developing national and international practice groups,” Neault says. “These groups will bring expertise from a national perspective to help on larger transactions, while serving to elevate KW Commercial’s profile in the market.” Neault is excited about the future of KW Commercial. From a personal standpoint, he’s committed to helping advance it in the region and build a committee that can establish standards of practice that are considered the best in the industry. “I want to be part of the growth,” Neault says. “I want to build an office in the Inland Empire that is well-respected and can compete on every level. I look forward to KW Commercial being the commercial real estate company of choice.” kw

The truth is only a

small percentage of

top agents at large

firms are getting

significant referrals.

But with the KW

Commercial model’s cap

and the team-oriented

culture, referrals from

residential agents tend

to flow naturally.

-David neault

D a v i d N e a u l t


4 FRASER’S top

BE IN THE MOMENT. Don’t think ahead to your next interaction. Truly listen to what your client is saying or you may miss something very important.

Always remember that buying a home is the most IMPORTANT PURCHASE OF YOUR CLIENTS’ LIVES and can be very emotional.Success strategies from

one of Toronto’s finest

1 2

Phot

o by

Mar

k Bl

inch


At the top of his game in Toronto, Kester Fraser came to a life-changing realization last year: his future was with Keller Williams Realty. So he left RE/MAX to join forces with the Toronto-Beach/Riverdale market center – after 21 years in the business. Joining him were his wife, Kimberly Doyle-Fraser, and sister, Lynn Fraser-Polifemi, who were both new to real estate. Why Keller Williams and why now? “It was just the right time.” Fraser says. “It wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. I had been thinking about it for quite awhile, and had been discussing the possibility with Canadian Directors Diane Mitchell and John Furber since 2007.” Mitchell and Furber had worked with Fraser at his former company and “they believed that Keller Williams Realty would be an excellent match for me, and would open up new opportunities,” Fraser explains. His decision was also influenced by the fact that his wife and sister had recently left the corporate world to become real estate agents. Both of them came from the financial services industry and a structured corporate environment. They were looking for a company that would allow them the flexibility to realize their own vision and function as a team, but at the same time, provide tools and resources to foster growth. “It was perfect timing for us to step back and evaluate which company would better help us achieve our long-term goals,” Fraser says. In choosing Keller Williams, Fraser notes that, ultimately, it

was the culture that proved most appealing. “Keller Williams has a great tradition of presenting proven business practices and providing an environment where agents openly discuss and share strategies. It is a transparent operation with an agent-centric business model that focuses on cutting-edge, systems-based training,” Fraser observes. He adds, “The company offers an organized array of superior business systems that are easily accessible to all of their agents. As a result, anyone from a rookie agent to a seasoned veteran can plug in and use established business systems that can substantially shrink the timelines in which their dreams are realized.” While Keller Williams Realty has much to offer Fraser and his team, he clearly brings a lot to the table too. “I have seen ups and downs in the market, and have been able to adapt to changing times. I know the Toronto market and have built a solid client base, having worked with builders, mortgage companies and individuals.” Over the years, he explains that he has been able to sharpen his focus on long-term relationships, rather than a mindset of moving from one transaction to the next. “The real estate business is truly a relationship business. When interacting with clients, I don’t see it as a single transaction, but more as long-lasting relationship.” Now that he and his team have hitched their star to Keller Williams Realty, the Toronto-Beach/Riverdale market center is looking forward to a long-lasting relationship as well. kw

By Carla Jo Schaefer

STAY IN TOUCH WITH YOUR PAST CLIENTS. Having your past clients work with you time and time again is great! What’s even better is when they endorse, promote and refer you to their sphere of influence.

GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO SERVE clients. Most good agents seem capable of delivering 90 percent, but it is the final 10 percent that sets you apart and develops long-term relationships.

3 4

CONVERGING FACTORS REVEALKW AS THE BEST CHOICE

Mid-course correction


THE CITy OFKELLER(Ly) LOVEKeller Williams Realty ranks as top place to work in Philadelphia

Late last year, Workplace Dynamics set out to survey 76,000 employees of 163 companies in the Greater Philadelphia area. Included in the survey footprint were 22 Keller Williams market centers and 2,122 agents and staff. Workplace Dynamics sent an email questionnaire to all the agents in those market centers with a kw.com email address and a paperquestionnairewasmailedtothosewithoutone.Thesurvey, which had 25 detailed questions, covered categories such as satisfaction, direction, career, work conditions, leadership and compensation. Respondents rated the company by responding to statements about key workplace issues. In March of this year, the Philadelphia Inquirer published the results: Keller Williams Realty emerged as the highest-ranked large company in Philadelphia, trouncing other big names such as Campbell’s Soup, Pricewaterhouse Coopers andTheVanguardGroup. “We don’t know the exact score in all the categories, but we are told that we blew other companies out of the water!” says Mike McCarthy, regional director for the Greater Pennsylvania Region. Keller Williams Realty scored unusually high marks in all

sixcategoriesofworkplacestrengths.“Thisconfirmswhatwealready knew: Keller Williams is an awesome company that deserves recognition throughout the real estate industry and the entire business world,” McCarthy enthusiastically reports. “We have great leadership in this company and they mean what they say: Keller Williams is a company that puts its agentsfirst.”Thesurveyresultsshowthattheagentsandemployees believe the company is doing just that. Ed Fordyce, team leader of the Exton (Pa.) market center – the market center that was featured in an Inquirer story about the award – adds, “It's all about the agents. We are here to develop individuals to be the best that they can be with no ceiling. Both an agent brand-new to the business and a seasoned agent has the opportunity to grow into a leadership position if they choose to or grow their real estate team to great heights.” McCarthy chimes in. “Locally, we offer affordable training and we encourage agents to bring a recruit to training for free.” He says that there’s no for-profit training. All the money goes back into the market center and into special events for the agents. “We are constantly working to make sure their costs are kept to the bare minimum.”

By Celesta Brown

A great workplace is one that inspires its employees and provides them with a great work environment,

according to Workplace Dynamics, a company that partners with leading publishers across the country

to produce regional “Top Workplaces” lists. Their research shows that workers want to do work that

matters, to give back, and “to be a part of something meaningful.”


All the positive energy is attracting top talent in the area. People can’t help but be drawn to what Fordyce calls a nonstop “environment and culture of support, education and vision that is not found in other companies or industries.” Philadelphia’s agents and market centers are busy putting the Top Workplace recognition and logo to work.Theywillbeusingthelogoonemailsignatures,business cards, Web pages and in marketing materials and collateral. Reprints of the list showing Keller Williams in the coveted No. 1 spot will be included in listing packages and recruiting material, and a full-page ad thanking the agents for making the award happen is running in the Top Workplace section of the Inquirer, which has a readership of more than 2 million. “Receiving this award also validates to potential home buyers and sellers that our agents are happy and confident and are great to do business with,” says McCarthy. “Helping them leverage the Top Workplace recognition is another way we can help them grow their businesses, which is everything we are about. We just love our agents and want to see them succeed.” kw


KW Market Navigator: Vision and Opportunities 2011 encompasses Gary Keller’s vision for the real estate market, including a DVD of his Vision Speech from Family Reunion 2011 and KW Research’s market-leading studies.

A powerful resource to: • Sharpen your expertise• Enhance your presentations• Build your profit share tree

Put the Market Navigator 2011 to work for you right now!

PERSPECTIVE ON THE

BIG PICTURE!

Special pricing for KW associates!

To place your order, go to

http://www.millionairesystems.com

and click on KW Market Navigator


By Anthony Azar, President, Strategic Business Alliances, Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

Variations on the same question are frequently asked of home buyers and sellers, and the answer is consistently, “yes.” Clients want us to be connected and to make the home-buying process as convenient as possible for them through trusted relationships with mortgage, title, home warranty, insurance and closing/escrow companies (Strategic Alliances). In fact, from the consumers’ point of view, the concept of “one-stop shopping” became increasingly attractive as obtaining financing and closing on a home became increasingly challenging.

That was the impetus behind the creation of Keller Williams Realty’s Strategic Business Alliances division last year, and it’s the focus that has driven every new relationship that

we’ve established. While many real estate brokerages have jumped on joint venture opportunities and marketing service agreements as a means to boost their bottom lines, we believe that mindset is the most important piece of successful vendor relationships. The most productive alliances result from an integrated, holistic view of the real estate transaction and the entire client relationship. To that end, our focus is twofold:• WieldKellerWilliamsRealty’s

influence and leverage as the second- largest real estate company in the United States to identify best-in-class providers and negotiate tailored, and in some cases exclusive, benefits for our associates’ clients, our associates themselves, and our market centers.

• Developthesystemsandmodelsthatmarket centers can use in order to optimize their individual strategic alliance relationships.

Solid strategic alliances promise a wide range of benefits for Keller Williams associates, market center leadership and the clients we serve. Our overriding caveat moving forward: consult with a RESPA attorney. RESPA is a vague and complicated statute, and the alliances that are formed at the market center level are subject to different regulatory interpretations at the federal, state and local level.

Alliance Building

Tapping the kind of connections that

strengthen your value proposition

The most productive

alliances result

from an integrated,

holistic view of

the real estate

transaction and

the entire client

relationship.

Keller Williams Strategic Business Alliances Division iN ACTiON! A new opportunity from CitiMortgage.

As part of our relationship with

CitiMortgage, Keller Williams

associates have a unique opportunity

to help thousands of homeowners on

the verge of foreclosure.

CitiMortgage has launched a

marketing campaign to delinquent

mortgage holders who do not qualify

to stay in their houses, encouraging

them to consider a short sale as a

solution to their mortgage hardship.

Select Keller Williams associates

will now have the opportunity to be

positioned with these homeowners as

a resource for listing and completing

their short sale.

To learn more, go to

(http://apps.kw.com/shortsale),

and be sure to update your Keller

Williams White Pages profile to reflect

your correct designations and contact

information.


TOPPRODUCING TEAMS*

* BASED ON TRANSMITTALS RECEIVED FOR THE FIRST QUARTER (JAN. THROUGH MARCH) 2011. CLOSED TRANSACTIONS IDENTIFIED WITH THE SPECIFIC TEAM.

Name City, State GCI Units

1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950

Seybert TeamThe Kendra Todd GroupJoe Rothchild RealtyBen Kinney\Home 4 Investment TeamHarper Sells HousesRushforth TeamMcCarty TeamMarnie BennettCharlotte Thomas Team Tricia Fox GroupThe Heller Real Estate GroupThe Tello TeamJennifer Young TeamMercury Alliance ColoradoThe Jesse Herfel GroupD & S TeamThe Brett Tanner TeamRhodes TeamThe Marshall GroupThe Hardy TeamThe Sue Adler TeamCarol Royse Lifestyle TeamWestOne Properties LLCThe Capalbo GroupKevin Blain TeamKenny Klaus TeamBizzy BlondesLegacy Asset ManagementPhilbeck and AssociatesBrenkus TeamThe Kink TeamBig City PropertiesChristine & Walter DelgadoCesi Pagano TeamTeam MichaelHome Resource GroupThe Norberg GroupEng-GarciaKirby Properties, Inc.The Got Real Estate TeamCore Group LAThe Monaghan GroupThe Stephen Cooley TeamThe Ida Terbet TeamThe Jan Richey TeamBocage TeamThe Elias TeamMcCormick TeamThe Rugolo TeamTeam Dettman

Henderson, Nev.Seattle, Wash.Katy, TexasBellingham, Wash.Puyallup, Wash.Ottawa, OntarioMarco Island, Fla.Ottawa, OntarioRiverton, UtahChicago, Ill.San Diego, Calif.Pembroke Pines, Fla. Chantilly, Va.Broomfield, Colo.Mesa, Ariz.Miami Beach, Fla.Phoenix, Ariz.Dallas, TexasSalt Lake City, UtahPrescott, Ariz.Summit, N.J.Tempe, Ariz.Portland, Ore.Manassas, Va.Visalia, Calif.Mesa, Ariz.Marina del Rey, Calif.San Antonio, TexasOrlando, Fla.Henderson, Nev.The Woodlands, TexasKaty, TexasTampa, Fla.Mission Viejo, Calif.Rancho Mirage, Calif.Cedar Park, Calif.La Mesa, Calif.Washington, D.C.Reno, Nev.Fort Collins, Colo.Los Angeles, Calif.Glendale, Ariz.Fort Mill, S.C.Raleigh, N.C.Frisco, TexasFremont, Calif.Temecula, Calif.Palo Alto, Calif.Scottsdale, Ariz.La Quinta, Calif.

$598,753.08 $597,410.90 $539,065.71 $538,775.95 $447,683.94 $443,275.17 $441,351.67 $415,116.35 $409,819.09 $401,018.63 $400,569.38 $397,963.43 $386,532.07 $378,511.80 $377,318.81 $374,865.50 $369,917.25 $367,479.77 $364,538.09 $364,034.44 $363,213.25 $356,487.72 $355,251.13 $344,586.88 $340,895.81 $332,646.43 $330,591.86 $321,751.54 $317,866.29 $315,782.35 $311,172.54 $310,705.59 $293,693.44 $290,841.51 $287,989.37 $286,129.62 $284,144.84 $281,386.23 $278,086.33 $269,166.86 $267,349.08 $265,260.75 $263,355.55 $262,898.87 $261,389.50 $257,698.25 $256,838.50 $254,277.19 $252,373.43 $247,080.00

22177114126955627428936321305965155131266079108201134638989520941319118991223054591925926213134512817381868019

50


**AGENTS WITH THE MOST GROWTH AT THE FIRST LEVEL OF THEIR PROFIT SHARE TREE. FIRST QUARTER (JAN. THROUGH MARCH) 2011

RosevilleBonita SpringsAustin Southwest

The WoodlandsHollywood HillsGreater PortlandGrand Rapids EastAustin NorthwestHeritageToronto-Beach/RiverdaleHouston KatyBedford-ManchesterCharlotte - South ParkBucks County South Bayside, Queens

$145,640.20 $115,035.61 $105,900.23 $89,273.16 $84,449.24 $79,830.33 $79,364.97 $77,995.88 $75,398.07 $72,704.76 $70,227.12 $67,256.94 $64,272.51 $59,874.39 $58,737.03

123

456789

101112131415

Market Center

Wayne HallJim MurphyMary Tennant

Judith HopkinsRick DerganDottie Bowep Karol CooleyMary TennantMark Willisp Diane MitchellGayle HuffmanAlan RiceEd Arringtonp Paul AllenLouis Cardenas

OP Ancillary andTax-Adjusted Profit

p Patrick W. Woodsp Joe Harrisp Diane Johnsonp Melanie Kennemannp Diane Flickerp Gary Reavisp Katie ManchesterJon JacksonGene FrederickCraig Owenp Dan CorcoranFred Wrightp Mark Mulcahyp Amy HawkeDebra BreenAllison Gambone

TL

Chris ApsleyNiki ZenczakSherie Pfister

Christopher WebsterCarmen GuevaraSharon KimballLynne HeinzLinda TimmermanAnna ReiswigJeannette SeguinEcho GuoDebi LevineStar WaddellDawn MyersGeorge Herrera

MCA

Jose FlemingDulce HarrisLinda AveryShawn KelseyFranci MorrioneTracy JennerjohnBarbara TattersallSondra ParkerRandy CooneyKathleen Rita Kelly

Florida-NorthTexas-SouthSoutheastGreater - HeartlandGreater - PennsylvaniaNorth CentralNew EnglandOhio ValleySouthwestGreater - Pennsylvania

3219171411108876

Southwest OrlandoSignatureAtlanta - Perimeter EastSt. Charles, Mo.Blue BellElm GroveBedford-ManchesterCincinnati-Hyde Park/MariemontScottsdale - SouthwestMedia

Name Region Market Center Agents Sponsored

123456789

10TOP

STA

KEH

OLD

ERS*

*10

TOP

MO

NEY

MA

KER

S***

15

***CALCULATED BASED ON ANCILLARY AND TAX-ADJUSTED PROFIT. FIRST QUARTER (JAN. THROUGH MARCH) 2011

RosevilleAtlanta - Sandy SpringsBonita SpringsGreater PortlandAustin Southwest

Hollywood HillsSummitArlingtonHeritageBallantyne AreaGrand Rapids EastCharlotte - South ParkSan Antonio IH-10Toronto-Beach/RiverdaleBedford-Manchester

$105,026.30 $84,355.56 $82,779.34 $81,130.94 $74,363.80 $70,087.34 $68,412.42 $68,308.04 $63,668.07 $63,636.71 $63,428.91 $61,872.51 $60,058.64 $59,506.84 $58,783.86

12345

6789

101112131415

Market Center

Wayne HallShaun RawlsJim MurphyDottie BoweMary Tennant

Rick DerganCara MoxleyBeverly WellsMark WillisBrenda Bensonp Karol CooleyEd ArringtonMark Willisp Diane Mitchellp Alan Rice

OP KW Owner Profit

p Patrick W. Woodsp Steve Koutp Joe Harrisp Katie Manchesterp Diane Johnsonp Melanie Kennemannp Gary Reavisp Debbie MeckbachSmokey GarrettCraig Owenp Ann YountzJon JacksonAmy HawkeWendi Harrelsonp Dan Corcoranp Mark Mulcahy

TL

Chris ApsleyKenneth GardnerNiki ZenczakSharon KimballSherie Pfister

Carmen GuevaraJoanne MorgenrothHolly SerbenAnna ReiswigLynn DavisLynne HeinzStar WaddellBruce MaysJeannette SeguinDebi Levine

MCA

TOP

MO

NEY

MA

KER

S***

*

15

****CALCULATED BASED ON KW OWNER PROFIT. FIRST QUARTER (JAN. THROUGH MARCH) 2011

p Enrolled in MAPS Mastery Coaching


Risk Management

On Jan. 31, 2011, the Mortgage Assistance Relief Services (MARS) final rule went into effect. The rule is primarily focused on companies that offer loan modifications to consumers; however, the rule also impacts real estate licensees who represent clients involved in a short sale transaction. This rule was designed to protect consumers from unscrupulous people who have set out to take advantage of consumers in distressed sale situations and requires three disclosures at various stages of the short sale process. A disclosure is required if a real estate licensee is advertising as a short sale specialist or expert. This disclosure is required for advertising in any media, including print, social, video, audio, signage, billboard – any media. Another disclosure is required to the consumer before mortgage assistance services begin – as soon as an agent becomes aware of the need for a short sale transaction and before a listing agent begins to assist a seller working with the seller's lender for a short sale. A third disclosure is required at the time the licensee presents the client with the lender's short sale approval letter. All disclosures have specific language required; font size is also dictated in the rule. Among the points that must be disclosed to consumers: real estate licensees are not associated with the government or the

lender, no upfront fees can be charged, the consumer does not have to use your services, we have to be honest in our dealings with the consumer, and consumers should not stop paying their mortgage. If you are referring business to a "short sale expert," ensure that they are fully aware of the MARS ruling and the specific new disclosure requirements. Referral arrangements may cause liability for non disclosure to pass also to the referring licensee. Last but certainly not least in the rule, there are record-keeping and other compliance requirements. The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) continues to work with the Federal Trade Commission to have our industry exempt from the disclosure requirement; however, at this writing, these rules still apply to our industry. If you are offering short sale services, download the rule and read it. You can find the rule on the Federal Trade Commission's Website (http://www.ftc.gov): 16 CFR Part 322 Mortgage Assistance Relief Services; Final Rule. You might also want to check with your state trade association. Some states have created forms for their members' use, and certainly NAR has tools available. As always, consult your attorney for advice in this matter. kw

Avis Wukasch is team leader of the Round Rock (Texas) market center. Having recently been ranked among the 100 Most Influential Women in Real Estate,

Avis currently serves as a commissioner for the Texas Real Estate Commission and is the immediate past chairman of the board for the Texas Association

of REALTORS®. On the forefront of regulatory issues affecting real estate professionals in Texas, Wukasch is certified to teach continuing education and pre-

licensure classes on agency, marketing, law and contracts.

IS CIRCLING yOUIf you perform short sale services, make sure you are briefed on the recent ruling’s disclosure requirements

By Avis Wukasch

MARS


An avid rock climber, Marius Wells was forced to stop scaling mountains when his foot became sorely infected. Having battled diabetes since age 7, the disease finally led to ulcers on his left foot that ultimately led to the amputation of his leg below the knee. “Marius was unemployed for a while,” says Melissa Wells, Marius’ wife and the MCA of the Brevard (N.C.) market center. On top of mounting medical bills, the couple faced costly renovations to make the home livable for an amputee. The Brevard market center banded together to help, says John Prescott, operating principal. In addition to pitching in with daily errands and hospital visits, they raised more than $1,000. Knowing that a lot more would be needed in the way of financial help, Prescott suggested that Wells seek additional help from KW Cares. “We’re all well aware of KW Cares because our market center has a goal of raising at least $3,000 a year for the fund,” says Prescott, who serves on the KW Cares board. “This is exactly why KW Cares exists, so I encouraged Melissa to apply for a grant.” Soon after submitting her application, the KW Cares grant arrived. FINANCIAL LIFELINEWells was overwhelmed with gratitude. In addition to helping to cover the prostheses and medical supplies, Wells says she isn’t sure how the family could have

been able to pay for the needed home renovations without the support of KW Cares. “You never think it’s going to happen to you. Marius didn’t seem like he had any problems, so the amputation was a shock,” Prescott says. “It was a real blessing from a cultural stand point to see all of the agents pull together and provide meals for the family, help with childcare, and do anything they could to help the family out. It’s pulled us together as a company even more. Now everybody is giving more than they’ve ever given before because KW Cares helped one of our own.”

ROCK ON!Marius has fully recovered. So much so that he returned to rock climbing at a church event last fall. It was his first time getting back on a mountain, and the first time trying to hike the mountain with his prosthesis. Melissa wasn’t sure how her husband would fare, and certainly had no idea he would become a hero that day. “We had two ropes going side by side and a 6-year-old boy went straight to the top and panicked,” Melissa says. “When he looked down, he was scared to death. Marius climbed up and brought the boy down the rocks safely. It was awesome to watch.” kw

Market center rallies behind family in needBy Jennifer LeClaire

KW CARES GETS AMPUTEE BACK ON HIS FEET


From the high-energy introduction of eEdge, to our record-breaking cha-cha slide at the Red Bash, to the insightful general session speakers, to the business-building breakouts, to the networking and forging of new friendships, to the moments of profound inspiration – the opportunities to know more and to become more were all around us.Since I believe with all my heart that getting to serve on your market center’s Associate Leadership Council (ALC) is the greatest honor in this company, it was a great thrill to gather together our ALC members from all over North America for the ALC Town Hall meeting. As we responded to so many great questions from ALC members, we felt ourselves privileged to be in the company of such a strong commitment to leadership and growth. So many of you are living up to the dream that Gary Keller had for the ALC, back in the very early days of Keller Williams Realty. He envisioned a passionate group of leaders who understood that their No.1 responsibility was to model the achievement of their own goals – people brimming with life, energy, a strong desire to lift others up, and a fire in their belly to get their fair share of the gift of profit share. On some level, every moment of

Family Reunion is a celebration of the culture of our company, and what a joy it was during the Cultural Summit to sharpen our focus on the people who most notably demonstrated the many ways that the culture of Keller Williams is being brought to life. This year, our army of Cultural Ambassadors grew by 58, signaling

an increasingly powerful current of positive energy and a commitment to all that is good. Nancy Dennison was among the many who presented a very moving example of the impact that the ALC and the culture of the La Mesa/East County market center had on her life. When she joined two and a half years ago, she says that she felt so welcomed, appreciated and surrounded by positive energy that she wanted to be a part of it and contribute. She started teaching CAMP 4:4:3 and Lead Generation 36:12:3, and she attended every Mega Camp and Family Reunion. She

says that the exposure to the culture continued to increase her enthusiasm, and when she heard that the 2010 KW Cares Road Show with Rhett Butler and Billy McLaughlin was coming to the Southern California Region, she decided to get involved – and did she ever! That one event raised more than $36,000 for KW Cares! In Nancy’s words: “When Billy McLaughlin walked out on the stage, looked out at the theater and said, ‘God bless Nancy Dennison,’ I thought, ‘He already did when He brought me to Keller Williams Realty.’” My dear Keller Williams family, we are a company that has been blessed so richly and has accomplished so much on so many levels. As we were reminded during the Inspirational Brunch on the final day of this year’s Family Reunion, the Keller Williams culture is simply who we are. It’s the small, everyday acts of kindness and courage that define us and reveal even greater possibilities.

Yours in bringing the Keller Williams culture into your hearts, your market centers and the world.

Mo Anderson, Vice Chairman, Keller Williams Realty

My dear Keller Williams family,

Family Reunion is a beautiful reflection of

who we are as a company, and that’s why I

love it so much. Never was that more true

than this year in Anaheim, Calif.

"... every moment

of Family Reunion

is a celebration of

the culture of our

company ..."

KW Outfront Magazine - 2

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