real living real estate
Be Sure to Join Us for These Upcoming Fall Diversity Events
This fall, Real Living Real Estate will participate in several events, conferences and conventions celebrating diversity in our industry. Join Gino Blefari, Chris Stuart, Teresa Palacios Smith and more team members at these events happening all over the country.
NAHREP CONVENTION, SEPT. 26-29
The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) Convention takes place in San Diego, CA Sept. 26-29, 2019. This national convention is NAHREP’s marquee event, where top-producing real estate professionals, industry experts and corporate executives convene for four days of education, networking and entertainment. Chris Stuart, Vice Chairman of Real Living Real Estate, will serve on a panel with David Acosta, 2019 NAHREP president, to discuss all the exciting new initiatives and brand offerings.
Stop by our booth No. 207 at the EXPO hall where you will get a chance to meet our team, take photos and pick up goodies! If you haven’t registered yet, contact teresasmith@hsfranchise.com for discounted pricing! For registration information, visit nahrep.org/convention/.
NAGLREP CONFERENCE, OCT. 1-3
Join Teresa Palacios Smith at the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals (NAGLREP) Conference, held in Palm Springs, CA Oct. 1-3 at the Riviera Resort & Spa. NAGLREP will unite over 700 LGBT and allied industry leaders for three power-packed days of learning and networking with some of the best masterminds in the country. Come ready to gain insights into what top-producing peers are doing, hear from industry executives who are shaping innovation and learn more about the LGBT culture. Celebrate the Top LGBT+Agent Awards and remember to stop by our booth during the event.
All Real Living Real Estate network members will get $100 off NAGLREP conference registration! Now’s the time to spread the word and get registered. Remember to use the discount code bhhs100 when registering. For more details, visit naglrep.com/2019/.
VAREP NATIONAL CONVENTION, OCT.13-15
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is sponsoring the Veteran’s Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP), which will hold its National Convention in Orlando, FL Oct. 13-15. The convention will educate, develop and empower by equipping you with the necessary tools to serve the military and veteran housing needs. There will be powerful networking, dynamic breakouts and industry leading classes along with a military and veteran expo. Stop by our booth at the convention. Take advantage of our discount when registering by using the code HOMESERVICES.
For registration details, visit varep.net/convention/.
AREAA NATIONAL CONVENTION, OCT. 17-19
The Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) holds its National Convention in Boston, MA, Oct. 17-19 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place. Experience three inspiring days focusing on education, networking and professional development. Learn more about the greater AAPI community, how to connect with them in real estate, and how to make an impact in your local market. Teresa Palacios Smith will be one of the featured panelists at the conference. Please stop by our booth #225 located in the marketplace where you will get a chance to meet our team, take photos and pick up goodies!
For more information and to register, visit web.cvent.com/event/324cd465-f5eb-482d-a7ae-6fad6b27ab3a/summary
A Letter from Leadership: Don't Retire from Real Estate
Roger Federer, the third ranked tennis player in the world, who in pursuit of his record setting 21st Masters Series championship, recently lost an epic and grueling five-hour, five-set tiebreaker in the Wimbledon finals. After the celebrated match, Federer was asked by one reporter … “Are you considering retiring?”
Well, if the third highest ranked and to some the greatest tennis player of all time, encounters as he nears the age of 38 pressure to retire; or at least to consider packing in his tennis racquet, then what should those in Real Estate who are in their 50s and 60s and who are in 50,000th place in productivity rankings be thinking?
Well, you can take it from this 7O-year old grizzled industry veteran and I am sure from your deeply appreciative broker as well, along with your many clients that you should not even think about the possibility of retiring … too soon! Listings expire, but you cannot prematurely afford to! Especially those of you who have enjoyed success for years, and here is why:
According to social scientist Arthur Brooks, there is a phenomenon that he refers to as the “Principle of Psychoprofessional Gravitation.” This, according to Brooks, is how “the agony of professional oblivion is directly related to the height of professional prestige previously achieved and to one’s emotional attachment to that prestige.”
Therefore, to both you legendary brokers and iconic community real estate professionals, I respectfully suggest that you take a page out of the world of politics regarding how one’s inevitable declining years can be managed. Regarding my declining years, each week, I am on an accountability call led by Gino Blefari, chairman of Real Living Real Estate. On our calls, we all are asked by Gino, after making our business reports, to announce what we are doing to improve that week.
Not wanting to call unwarranted attention to myself, I, too, mention my diet and exercise, what I don’t mention is that I am really asking myself as a former Boston Celtic draft choice what I will need to do that week to slow my decline. And nobody works harder at managing their decline than our highest-rated presidential candidates. This is not to say that you should seek to emulate them in another way. That is unless you want to become duplicitous, conniving and self-promoting.
Instead I do suggest that you look to emulate the geriatric galaxy of presidential contenders in how they validate how society values experience, resilience, career stability and longevity. Remarkably, our leading presidential contenders from both sides of the proverbial aisle, even if their vision is waning, are of the following eye-popping ages … 77, 75, 73 and 70 according to 70-year-old TV anchor Wolf Blitzer. Clearly our political aspirants, who, like real estate professionals, must rely on brains versus brawn, did not receive or pay attention to the society’s collective email delivered to all of we who are aging!
Accordingly, why would a professional real estate professional who has spent decades developing experiential knowledge, invaluable skills, a considerable real estate retinue and widespread admiration for their resilience and how they have withstood numerous watershed Real Estate changes, retire now at the peak of their real estate powers?
Moreover, what an opportunity to engage in so-called reverse mentoring. That is by accepting technology advice from younger (and based on evolution) more intelligent generations to come. My advice for our much younger agents, is rather than mocking your older counterparts for not being as adaptive regarding emerging technologies as you are, why not offer your more contemporaneous grasp of our digital world to them? They can then reciprocate through providing meaningful career and life lessons.
Given the importance of not only developing spheres of influence, but actually influencing spheres, our industry might not be able to withstand a massive exodus of long tenured agents. This is due to how new business-modeled entrants will at the same time seek to dislodge the relationships that many real estate professionals have built with home sellers. Indeed, if selecting a so-called listing agent now becomes as random as how buyers select an agent when they buy then “industry beware.”
The most effective way for us to generationally move forward, as I stated, would be through the formation of symbiotic relationships. This is where in exchange for tech support from younger agents, aging real estate professionals can turn over or sell their career “ book of business” to a younger agent who was helpful in its sustenance. This transition however, in my view, should only happen when our top and more seasoned agents are ready to retire and on their terms.
This is in contrast to being rushed to retire, based upon society’s pressure to speed up the beginning of the so called “Golden Years.” Doing well in real estate and making a major difference in the lives of those you serve are your Golden Years … Thus, I fervently hope that whether you are a broker, manager or agent that you get to enjoy your real estate Golden Years for years, if not decades to come.
All my best,
Allan Dalton
Carolina Lifestyles Realty Joins Real Living Real Estate Brokerage Network
Real Living Real Estate today announced that Real Living Carolina Lifestyles Realty, a North Carolina-based startup brokerage, has joined the network.
The brokerage, led by local real estate veteran Lori Golden, is well positioned for growth in the bustling Pittsboro market. The region is experiencing a revitalization and construction of a 7,100-acre residential and commercial development, Chatham Park, which is currently underway. Chatham Park is expected to have a total of 22,000 homes, stores and offices and will be developed over the next 12 to 15 years.
“The Pittsboro market is really about to boom as it continues to attract buyers interested in the unique lifestyle the area offers,” said Golden. “I felt it was important to align with a brand that understood this niche demographic well and there was no question that Real Living knows how to sell lifestyles.”
Golden added the technology and systems provided by Real Living will allow current agents to provide an even higher level of support to clients while encouraging new agents to join the firm. With their membership in the network, the brokerage will also benefit from Real Living’s customized resources aimed at helping agents and their clients successfully navigate the home buying and selling process.
“Real Living Carolina Lifestyles Realty truly epitomizes the lifestyles mantra and is a natural fit to market the comfort and convenience of Pittsboro and the surrounding communities,” said Allan Dalton, chief operating officer of Real Living Real Estate. “The team has exceptional talent and there is no question they will do a phenomenal job succeeding in this key market.”
CEO of HSF Affiliates Gino Blefari welcomed the Carolina Lifestyles Realty to the network. “Lori and the Carolina Lifestyles Realty team are outstanding additions to the Real Living network and we’re thrilled to support them in their entrepreneurial endeavors.”
Real Living Carolina Lifestyles Realty will commemorate its transition with a grand opening celebration Oct. 3 at 11 a.m. at its new office located at 697 Hillsboro St. Ste. 103 in Pittsboro. Cindy Perry, mayor for the city of Pittsboro, will attend the event as will representatives from the Chatham Chamber of Commerce.
For more information about Real Living Carolina Lifestyles Realty visit www.rlcarolinalifestyles.com.
Going Above the Call of Duty: How One Agent Worked to Turn Around an Entire Town
The road to a career in real estate was quite unconventional for Milt Thomas, agent with Real Living Capital City. After stints as an English teacher in Japan, a bartender and a filmmaker, Thomas found himself in the small mill town of Porterdale, GA, roughly 35 miles east of Atlanta along the banks of the Yellow River.
It was there the 2017 Atlanta REALTORS® Top Producer discovered his passion for the preservation of the historic mill homes – houses built between 1910 and 1920 as homes for the worker families of the mills – as well as a knack for selling real estate.
Porterdale was once a thriving mill town named after the local mill owner, Oliver S. Porter. The mill was the county’s main employer, operated the area’s only fully staffed hospital, provided recreation programs for the mill workers and their families, and built homes, schools and churches within the town limits. The mills closed in the 1970s and the town fell into disarray after much of the population left for jobs elsewhere.
After discovering the village about four years ago, Thomas became interested in renovating one of the small mill homes and purchased a property of his own.
Thomas, along with the Porterdale’s mayor, economic development director and other civic leaders worked together to bring awareness to area’s affordable housing. Thomas joined the historical preservation group and held events showcasing what could be done to renovate the mill homes.
“After 20 years of living in Atlanta, I moved to Porterdale because of the neighborly feel, the river, the peace and quiet,” said Thomas. “I never imagined I would be helping to restore a town to its historic integrity but I feel really passionate about the preservation of these homes and the opportunity restoration could mean for the community.”
To promote Porterdale’s historic richness, Thomas created the site porterdaleusa.com. The site is a resource for homebuyers looking for information on homes for sale, various loan programs, schools and arts programs and nearby entertainment and tourism.
When Thomas first started selling homes in 2014, properties sold for an average $27,000. Today, the current market value of many mill homes is more than $100,000.
Rusty Willis, broker/owner of Real Living Capital City, described Thomas’ efforts as going beyond the call of duty to really elevate the reputation of network professionals and the areas they serve. “He’s helping the town restore itself to former glory,” said Willis. “It’s not just real estate, it’s the whole community.”
Real Living Greater Montana Presents Benefit for Bikers Against Bullies
Team members from Missoula, MT-based Real Living Greater Montana banded together for a charity event that raised more than $13,000 for Bikers Against Bullies. The national non-profit empowers school-aged children with anti-bullying social skills through assembly appearances and role-playing exercises.
In February, the team produced the Winterfest-Rock for the Kids! featuring live musical performances by Jared Blake from The Voice and Jared Weeks from Saving Abel.
The event was held at the DoubleTree hotel in Missoula, which donated the cost of the room for the fundraiser. The team sold individual tickets to the event and raised more than $4,000 in sponsorships. The event also included a silent auction and a giveaway to raise additional funds.
To get a front-row view of the fun, watch this video from the event!