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How Can We Bring More Imagination to the Customer Experience?

April 23, 2021 By

The Relentless podcast is back, and we are bringing down the house with our line-up for season two. Kicking things off with a new host, new featured guests, thought-provoking topics, and one episode already under our belt, what better way to start the conversation on bringing more imagination to the customer experience, than with host, author, and entrepreneur, Kristen Meinzer, and guest and serial entrepreneur, Tina Roth Eisenberg.

It’s safe to say that no manual comes with being a serial entrepreneur however, Tina has managed to successfully and organically launch a diverse portfolio of businesses and has gathered some, let’s say, insightful gems along the way. These gems have been the very crux of Tina’s business growth.

As Founder of Creative Mornings, the world’s largest community and lecture series for creatives, Tina believes that adding an element of surprise and delight can help elevate the customer experience.

This just may be a game-changer.

How Can We Bring More Imagination to the Customer Experience? image 1

Think about the last time you had a memorable experience with a business, as a customer, and it stayed with you. We’re not just talking about good customer service here, but an extra layer of added delight to your experience. Did your experience leave you feeling compelled to share with others, or even return as a repeat customer? Did it make your day? Did it leave you with a smile? Did it set this business apart from the rest?

#WhatIf adding surprise and delight could help your business increase customer loyalty and left your customers with a lasting impression to share with others?

In this episode, Tina shares some creative and meaningful ways she’s been able to playfully elevate her customer’s experience. Let’s just say there’s confetti involved.

You’ll have to listen to the full episode to catch the rest. Listen to 1st episode of season two of The Relentless, and #jointheconversation on bringing more imagination to your customer’s experience.

The post How Can We Bring More Imagination to the Customer Experience? first appeared on Century 21®.

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How Can We Bring More Imagination to the Customer Experience?

April 23, 2021 By

The Relentless podcast is back, and we are bringing down the house with our line-up for season two. Kicking things off with a new host, new featured guests, thought-provoking topics, and one episode already under our belt, what better way to start the conversation on bringing more imagination to the customer experience, than with host, author, and entrepreneur, Kristen Meinzer, and guest and serial entrepreneur, Tina Roth Eisenberg.

It’s safe to say that no manual comes with being a serial entrepreneur however, Tina has managed to successfully and organically launch a diverse portfolio of businesses and has gathered some, let’s say, insightful gems along the way. These gems have been the very crux of Tina’s business growth.

As Founder of Creative Mornings, the world’s largest community and lecture series for creatives, Tina believes that adding an element of surprise and delight can help elevate the customer experience.

This just may be a game-changer.

How Can We Bring More Imagination to the Customer Experience? image 1

Think about the last time you had a memorable experience with a business, as a customer, and it stayed with you. We’re not just talking about good customer service here, but an extra layer of added delight to your experience. Did your experience leave you feeling compelled to share with others, or even return as a repeat customer? Did it make your day? Did it leave you with a smile? Did it set this business apart from the rest?

#WhatIf adding surprise and delight could help your business increase customer loyalty and left your customers with a lasting impression to share with others?

In this episode, Tina shares some creative and meaningful ways she’s been able to playfully elevate her customer’s experience. Let’s just say there’s confetti involved.

You’ll have to listen to the full episode to catch the rest. Listen to 1st episode of season two of The Relentless, and #jointheconversation on bringing more imagination to your customer’s experience.

The post How Can We Bring More Imagination to the Customer Experience? first appeared on Century 21®.

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How to Attract Remote Workers to Your Apartment Community

April 22, 2021 By

Thanks to the pandemic, the number of employees who work from home swelled over the past year. Even though offices are beginning to open, with workers returning to the workplace, surveys show that many plan to telework at least part-time in the future.

Apartment owners and managers need to take notice of this trend. After all, at a time when unemployment remains high, remote workers are employed – and capable of paying their rent. They also represent a large pool of prospective tenants, so targeting them can turn into a competitive advantage.

Here are three things you can do to attract the work-from-home cohort:

  • Provide the tools teleworkers need. High-speed internet service and reliable cell phone reception are a must. The 2020 NMHC/Kingsley Apartment Resident Preferences Report found that 92% of tenants want high-speed internet access, while 91% said the community amenity they most desire is reliable cell phone reception. Tenants are even willing to pay higher rent for high-speed internet — $35.05 per month more, the survey found.
  • Tweak your marketing plan. Help the prospect envision working in your space. Stage model units (live or virtually) to include work spaces in bedrooms, or create zoom-worthy spaces on balconies or rooftops.
  • Don’t focus only on attracting new tenants; meet the needs of existing ones. Happy tenants are more likely to renew their leases, saving you the cost of turnover. They also can be a source of referrals. Convert business centers from open spaces to individual offices, and add programming designed to meet the needs of remote workers, such as a poolside yoga class to relieve stress or an online time-management workshop. People are craving human interaction these days, and programming can enhance a sense of community.
The post How to Attract Remote Workers to Your Apartment Community first appeared on Century 21®.

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How to Attract Remote Workers to Your Apartment Community

April 22, 2021 By

Thanks to the pandemic, the number of employees who work from home swelled over the past year. Even though offices are beginning to open, with workers returning to the workplace, surveys show that many plan to telework at least part-time in the future.

Apartment owners and managers need to take notice of this trend. After all, at a time when unemployment remains high, remote workers are employed – and capable of paying their rent. They also represent a large pool of prospective tenants, so targeting them can turn into a competitive advantage.

Here are three things you can do to attract the work-from-home cohort:

  • Provide the tools teleworkers need. High-speed internet service and reliable cell phone reception are a must. The 2020 NMHC/Kingsley Apartment Resident Preferences Report found that 92% of tenants want high-speed internet access, while 91% said the community amenity they most desire is reliable cell phone reception. Tenants are even willing to pay higher rent for high-speed internet — $35.05 per month more, the survey found.
  • Tweak your marketing plan. Help the prospect envision working in your space. Stage model units (live or virtually) to include work spaces in bedrooms, or create zoom-worthy spaces on balconies or rooftops.
  • Don’t focus only on attracting new tenants; meet the needs of existing ones. Happy tenants are more likely to renew their leases, saving you the cost of turnover. They also can be a source of referrals. Convert business centers from open spaces to individual offices, and add programming designed to meet the needs of remote workers, such as a poolside yoga class to relieve stress or an online time-management workshop. People are craving human interaction these days, and programming can enhance a sense of community.
The post How to Attract Remote Workers to Your Apartment Community first appeared on Century 21®.

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Considering a fixer-upper? What you need to know

April 16, 2021 By

Fixer-uppers are tempting prospects. Such properties let you buy into a desirable neighborhood at far below typical market value. That’s because you’re not buying a typical house.

With fixer-uppers, you must think carefully. Ask yourself: Will this house be worth the work I put in? To find your answer, follow these three steps.

1. Add up the costs: First, consider everything that needs to be done in the home. Always assume more work rather than less. Add up all costs for materials and labor. If you plan on doing some of the work yourself, factor in your own labor costs as well.

Hiring a home inspector helps a lot during this step. Their expertise can ensure you’re not missing any costs hidden behind the walls or under the roof.

2. Calculate the final value: Regardless of whether you plan to sell the house or live in it, you need to estimate what the finished value will be. Search for comparable listings, or “comps,” that have sold in the area to get a rough idea of what to expect. A Realtor can easily run a search on your behalf.

3. Find the difference: Finally, subtract the total estimated costs from the estimated final value. Subtract an extra 5-10% for unforeseen issues. The number you get should be the absolute upper limit of what you offer. Anything more, and a great deal can easily turn into a money pit.

If that final number looks good to you, then that fixer-upper may be just what you’ve been looking for. Time to secure a renovation loan!

The post Considering a fixer-upper? What you need to know first appeared on Century 21®.

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Considering a fixer-upper? What you need to know

April 16, 2021 By

Fixer-uppers are tempting prospects. Such properties let you buy into a desirable neighborhood at far below typical market value. That’s because you’re not buying a typical house.

With fixer-uppers, you must think carefully. Ask yourself: Will this house be worth the work I put in? To find your answer, follow these three steps.

1. Add up the costs: First, consider everything that needs to be done in the home. Always assume more work rather than less. Add up all costs for materials and labor. If you plan on doing some of the work yourself, factor in your own labor costs as well.

Hiring a home inspector helps a lot during this step. Their expertise can ensure you’re not missing any costs hidden behind the walls or under the roof.

2. Calculate the final value: Regardless of whether you plan to sell the house or live in it, you need to estimate what the finished value will be. Search for comparable listings, or “comps,” that have sold in the area to get a rough idea of what to expect. A Realtor can easily run a search on your behalf.

3. Find the difference: Finally, subtract the total estimated costs from the estimated final value. Subtract an extra 5-10% for unforeseen issues. The number you get should be the absolute upper limit of what you offer. Anything more, and a great deal can easily turn into a money pit.

If that final number looks good to you, then that fixer-upper may be just what you’ve been looking for. Time to secure a renovation loan!

The post Considering a fixer-upper? What you need to know first appeared on Century 21®.

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Rocco Morrella III 1970’s- “I was born into C21”

April 6, 2021 By

Ask Rocco Morrella III of CENTURY 21 Hallmark in San Jose how long he’s been with CENTURY 21, and his response just may stop you in your tracks.

“I was born into CENTURY 21.”

Following in the footsteps of his father, Rocco learned the ropes from the best of the best, in the humble beginnings of CENTURY 21 Real Estate in the early ‘70s, as CENTURY 1 was the 1st, in real estate, to franchise. Officially joining the ranks in 1972, Rocco can remember the exact conversation with his dad, the day he learned their next move was to become CENTURY 21 real estate agents. They were one of nine offices started in Santa Clara County California.

“We are going to be a part of CENTURY 21.” Rocco Morella Jr. casually mentioned to his son.

“Do we have to buy anything?” Rocco III asked.

“No. We need cards but I am going to buy them for you.” Rocco Jr. continued. “Why are we doing this? It can be worth something.” His dad assured him.

Though Rocco didn’t fully understand everything that day, he trusted his dad and believes it was on that day that changed everything for him.

“It’s been better than what I could’ve ever expected in my life,” Rocco said, as he took us down memory lane to a much simpler time.

We asked Rocco, “what’s one thing you remember about running your business during the ’70s?”

“Paperwork! Papers everywhere!” Rocco said, with a hint of excitement in his voice. “Bookkeeping was huge, and if we were off by 2 cents, our secretary would spend hours looking for it. We had to keep track of everything!”

Back then, reputation was everything. “There was no way you would do a deal with someone if they didn’t have a good reputation. Many transactions were a handshake.” Rocco recalls how important it was to the business to be viewed as reputable and trustworthy.

Rocco Morrella III 1970’s- “I was born into C21” image 1

“Our contracts were only one page when I started, and when it went to two pages, I thought the business was going to hell,” he said as he chuckled about how much of a shift it was to his business when the buyer and seller contracts were updated.

Though much has changed since then, some things have remained the same.

“They were brilliant,” Rocco recalls, as he shared with us how much the CENTURY 21 brand was a disrupter to the real estate industry with print and television advertising.

Rocco Morrella III 1970’s- “I was born into C21” image 2
TV Commercial, 1978

“We were in commercials, print ads, and radio ads, and when people would find out you were with CENTURY 21, they’d say, ‘you’re with that company that uses kids in advertising!’ It was some of the best advertising I’d ever seen. It was impressive. Very, very impressive.”

Having the opportunity to hear Rocco recount the early days of real estate, paints a much different picture than what most think of real estate today. There were no computers, no smartphones, and social media was non-existent. Agents like Rocco were there to experience a time where the backbone of your business was your reputation. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we will be sharing even more stories of our #relentless, who have been boots-on-the-ground, throughout the decades. #OurBrandofRelentless

The post Rocco Morrella III 1970’s- “I was born into C21” first appeared on Century 21®.

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Rocco Morrella III 1970’s- “I was born into C21”

April 6, 2021 By

Ask Rocco Morrella III of CENTURY 21 Hallmark in San Jose how long he’s been with CENTURY 21, and his response just may stop you in your tracks.

“I was born into CENTURY 21.”

Following in the footsteps of his father, Rocco learned the ropes from the best of the best, in the humble beginnings of CENTURY 21 Real Estate in the early ‘70s, as CENTURY 1 was the 1st, in real estate, to franchise. Officially joining the ranks in 1972, Rocco can remember the exact conversation with his dad, the day he learned their next move was to become CENTURY 21 real estate agents. They were one of nine offices started in Santa Clara County California.

“We are going to be a part of CENTURY 21.” Rocco Morella Jr. casually mentioned to his son.

“Do we have to buy anything?” Rocco III asked.

“No. We need cards but I am going to buy them for you.” Rocco Jr. continued. “Why are we doing this? It can be worth something.” His dad assured him.

Though Rocco didn’t fully understand everything that day, he trusted his dad and believes it was on that day that changed everything for him.

“It’s been better than what I could’ve ever expected in my life,” Rocco said, as he took us down memory lane to a much simpler time.

We asked Rocco, “what’s one thing you remember about running your business during the ’70s?”

“Paperwork! Papers everywhere!” Rocco said, with a hint of excitement in his voice. “Bookkeeping was huge, and if we were off by 2 cents, our secretary would spend hours looking for it. We had to keep track of everything!”

Back then, reputation was everything. “There was no way you would do a deal with someone if they didn’t have a good reputation. Many transactions were a handshake.” Rocco recalls how important it was to the business to be viewed as reputable and trustworthy.

Rocco Morrella III 1970’s- “I was born into C21” image 1

“Our contracts were only one page when I started, and when it went to two pages, I thought the business was going to hell,” he said as he chuckled about how much of a shift it was to his business when the buyer and seller contracts were updated.

Though much has changed since then, some things have remained the same.

“They were brilliant,” Rocco recalls, as he shared with us how much the CENTURY 21 brand was a disrupter to the real estate industry with print and television advertising.

Rocco Morrella III 1970’s- “I was born into C21” image 2
TV Commercial, 1978

“We were in commercials, print ads, and radio ads, and when people would find out you were with CENTURY 21, they’d say, ‘you’re with that company that uses kids in advertising!’ It was some of the best advertising I’d ever seen. It was impressive. Very, very impressive.”

Having the opportunity to hear Rocco recount the early days of real estate, paints a much different picture than what most think of real estate today. There were no computers, no smartphones, and social media was non-existent. Agents like Rocco were there to experience a time where the backbone of your business was your reputation. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we will be sharing even more stories of our #relentless, who have been boots-on-the-ground, throughout the decades. #OurBrandofRelentless

The post Rocco Morrella III 1970’s- “I was born into C21” first appeared on Century 21®.

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Kitchen Trends for 2021

March 24, 2021 By

Homeowners have been focused on making their kitchens work better for them as they spend more time at home, according to Houzz’s “2021 U.S. Kitchen Trends Study.” Here are three key ways the kitchen space is changing this year. 

  1. A focus on storage – Of the one-third of homeowners who opted for partial cabinet upgrades, more than a quarter added at least some cabinets to their newly renovated kitchen, nearly four times as many as the previous year. The percentage of homeowners adding or upgrading a pantry space also increased, with nearly half the surveyed homeowners upgrading pantry cabinets and one in eight adding a walk-in pantry, both gains from the previous year. There was also a greater focus on adding built-in specialty organizers, drawers or trays.
  1. Closing up open layouts— In 2020, people quickly recognized the disadvantages of having a lack of walls as multiple members tried to hold concurrent video meetings. The number of renovating homeowners opening their kitchen to other interior spaces has dropped dramatically since 2019. However, the open concept is not necessarily going away completely, says Houzz. Even just adding simple partitions or sliding doors between the kitchen and other spaces can often do the trick.
  1. Touchless tech – The pandemic has made many of us hyper-aware of the surfaces we touch. In response, there has been growing popularity for appliances with wireless controls; it grew by five percentage points since last year.
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The Economic Impact of Commercial Real Estate

March 18, 2021 By

New commercial real estate development, and the ongoing operations of existing CRE buildings in the United States, had a vital impact on the U.S. economy in 2020, supporting 8 million jobs and contributing $1.01 trillion to U.S. GDP, according to a study released last month by the NAIOP Research Foundation.

The study broke out several key measures by sector – and demonstrate the impact of the pandemic:

  • Office construction expenditures totaled $38.8 billion in 2020, down 28.5% from 2019.
  • Retail construction totaled $11.7 billion in 2020, down 29.5% YOY. This was the fifth straight year of decline.
  • Warehouse construction outlays decreased slightly in 2020, down just 0.3% YOY.
  • Industrial (manufacturing) construction spending was hard hit, declining 29.5%.

The top five states in 2020, by development impact, were Texas, New York, Florida, California and Illinois.

This year, job growth is expected to improve, and GDP growth will make up some of what it lost in 2020. And NAIOP remains optimistic. “Many factors point to a commercial real estate rebound in 2021,” said Thomas J. Bisacquino, president and CEO. “We believe that while the pandemic has accelerated trends already progressing in real estate, we have a bright future.”

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