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Sandy Tams 2000’s- The Decision that Saved My Career

July 8, 2021 By

By the start of the 2000s, there had been numerous technological advances that changed the landscape of real estate as we knew it. In hearing some of the stories of our #relentless throughout the decades, we’ve seen how from the start of the ‘70s, through the year 1999, real estate transactions had gone from a handshake to wearing gold blazers as a form of marketing, to CENTURY 21 Real Estate becoming the official sponsor of Major League Baseball. We had many firsts in the real state game all while continuing to push the bar and not settling to just be your average real estate company.

Sandy Tams of CENTURY 21 Beggins Enterprises was no rookie to the industry in the 2000s. She had been in real estate for 30 years, specializing in new home sales. It was the year 2006 when Sandy began being approached by agents and managers from other real estate companies, who encouraged her to join them. Sandy considered but she was looking for a certain level of professionalism and didn’t find it with the companies who initially reached out to her. Then, a CENTURY 21 Real Estate agent encouraged her to give their office a try, and Sandy was introduced to the manager. Sandy said that as soon as she walked through the doors of CENTURY 21 Beggins, she was taken back by the level of professionalism she experienced. It was then, that Sandy left new home sales and became a real estate agent.

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It may be safe to say that most agents can recall the housing crash of 2008. Just after Sandy left new home sales and started her new career as a real estate agent, she says the market crash impacted just about every agent she knew.

“It was a tough time. People were still wanting to buy and sell, and agents didn’t know how much the homes would be from the first time we took clients to view them, until the time they closed.

The struggles we all went through to survive. Commissions were cut, because the value of the property was reduced, and we had to be out there every day, finding a new client or customer. It was because I was a CENTURY 21 [real estate] agent, that I got through it. It was the strength of the brand and the name recognition that definitely helped.”

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It may be safe to say that most agents can recall the housing crash of 2008. Just after Sandy left new home sales and started her new career as a real estate agent, she says the market crash impacted just about every agent she knew.

“It was a tough time. People were still wanting to buy and sell, and agents didn’t know how much the homes would be from the first time we took clients to view them, until the time they closed.

The struggles we all went through to survive. Commissions were cut, because the value of the property was reduced, and we had to be out there every day, finding a new client or customer. It was because I was a CENTURY 21 [real estate] agent, that I got through it. It was the strength of the brand and the name recognition that definitely helped.

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Inclusivity and Representation Matter

June 25, 2021 By

In October of 2020, David Walsh and Juan Sanchez set out to launch CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty in Denver, Colorado. They met over 20 years ago, while both in real estate. David and Juan are both passionate about the empowerment of others, with strong beliefs in the importance of representation and inclusivity. Setting their intentions early on, both David and Juan have had their sights on building culture from the ground up.

After only 8 months, David and Juan have attracted over 20 agents from diverse backgrounds. They’ve taken their knowledge and experience to fill what they call gaps in the market for those who are underrepresented. They believe that knowing and understanding their agents, and what they’re trying to do with their businesses, will help them provide more tailored and customized training to fit each of their agent’s individual needs. David and Juan have strong beliefs that it’s very important to affiliate people who represent, look like, sound like, and think like the clients they are serving in the marketplace, across a broad spectrum of life.

“It has been inspiring to see the growth of our new office since October 2020. As a diversity-based, Latin-owned and LGBT-run new business Juan and I felt strongly about our role in the community and the importance of our agent family being as representative of the broad spectrum of clients they serve.”- David Walsh, Co-Owner of CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty

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The grand opening of CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty. Watch a video from David here.

CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty is a 2020 Inclusive Ownership Organization, and when we asked David what that means to him and Juan, he spoke to the bigger picture of how he foresees making an impact outside the four walls of their brand-new office. With a heart for community outreach, the agents of C21 Bear Facts Realty are intentional about reaching out to volunteer and serve others in their market, and to work with other LGBTQ+ and minority-owned businesses to create more representation, and community, as a larger entity.

“Our agent count has grown rather quickly and we have professionals who can serve clients in English, Spanish, German, Czech, Russian, and even Southern Drawl. We have affiliated amazing gay and straight agents in roughly equal numbers and created a collaborative and supportive office environment that values and respects everyone, regardless of their background and lifestyle.” – David Walsh, Co-Owner of CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty

Juan is the networker, out of the two, and by David’s own account, Juan has never met a committee he didn’t like. Juan is a part of NAHREP and belongs to the Gay Alliance of Real Estate, and he’s intentional about building those meaningful connections with various organizations to further their efforts of LGBTQ+ representation in real estate.

David and Juan hold to their authenticity and decided on a more tactical approach to building their team. What’s their secret? When we asked David and Juan, their answer was simple. David says, “We decided to take more of a grassroots approach. It’s about building and helping others grow their LGBTQ+ businesses. We are allies with the LGBTQ+ community and other less-represented markets. The companies we partner with, the photographer all the way down to the closing gifts our agents provide to their clients are other LGBTQ+ businesses. This is an effort to cross-market and build partnerships for broader SEO efforts.”

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Juan, having previously owned a brokerage, shared that since affiliating with CENTURY 21 Real Estate, he’s felt more empowered and supported, by the brand, to help other agents recognize their potential. Juan shared that being a part of C21 has given him an additional value proposition when connecting with agents who, he feels, are the right fit for their office. Leveraging the brand power of CENTURY 21 Real Estate, Juan feels, the tools provided help bring out and empower who they are.

“Real Estate is a very personal business; you make your business your own. If you’re not really being your true self, how can you succeed in your business?” – Juan Sanchez, Co-Owner of CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty

David believes that as the country looks different, lives different, and talks different, that it’s important to be capable of helping others achieve the dream of homeownership.

“Less than a year into our fledgling business and partnership with Century 21 [Real Estate], we have already made a difference to a wide swath of the Denver real estate market, learned a lot, and had a great time doing it. This is exactly why Juan and I started this endeavor and this is just the beginning! We can’t wait to grow into what comes next for our team and our business.”– David Walsh, Co-Owner of CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty

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Christian Siriano Brings High Fashion Home with New Furniture Line

June 23, 2021 By

Christian Siriano, star of Project Runway and a mainstay in the fashion world, is known for crafting textural and whimsical red carpet gowns for countless celebrities. Now, he’s translated his aesthetic into a modernist line of furniture for the home.  The new nine-piece collection available on 1stdibs.com feels playful and fun — much like his dresses. Simple geometric shapes, combined with a muted palette of white, beige and grey, play off subtle textures like wood and soft bouclé fabric.

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Virtual Real Estate: The Next Big Boom

June 23, 2021 By

When the digital artwork “Everydays: The First 5000 Days” by American artist Beeple sold at Christie’s for $69 million earlier this year, it was clear that a major revolution was afoot. That revolution is the rise of virtual assets, or NFTs, which have their ownership status and authenticity verified by blockchain — much like a deed.

It’s not just virtual artwork that is exploding, but also virtual real estate in the form of virtual plots of land or virtual buildings. Crypto-investors say that the real explosion will happen when people are able to experience these NFTs as they were intended — i.e. move around on your plot of virtual land or architect-designed virtual home and have an immersive experience in this ‘metaverse.’

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Converting Hotels to Housing

June 17, 2021 By

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has released new research on the conversion of hotels and motels into housing. While the study was spurred by a 37% drop in hotel occupancy rates driven by the pandemic, the findings have broader implications. Hotel conversions provide a means to simultaneously create renewed profitability and help address the national housing shortage.

Commercial members surveyed

A survey was sent to 75,000 commercial members of the NAR between February and March of 2021. 168 reported being engaged in the sale, leasing, development, property management or appraisal of converted hotels/motels between 2018 and 2020. Of the reported conversions:

  • 79% were for housing.
  • 12% were for homeless shelters, either temporary or permanent.
  • 6% were for healthcare or quarantine facilities.
  • 3% were for retail, industrial, ranch land or other development.

Success stories

The report ends with five case studies detailing acquisition, zoning, renovations and expected final property values. For those interested in engaging in hotel/motel conversions, they’ll find an excellent road map in this report.

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How Can We Innovate to Put Customers First?

June 16, 2021 By

Would you be willing to walk away from your current role, on the heels of a bet?

That’s exactly what serial entrepreneur Chieh Huang, Co-Founder of Boxed.com, did and it’s landed him in not one but two successful business ventures. When host, Kristen Meinzer spoke with Chieh about his career, he shared his not-so linear path of how he’s launched disrupter companies in extremely competitive markets.

Chieh and his friends left their day jobs (with benefits, we might add!) to launch a video game studio on a bet that mobile games would be the next big thing. Armed with his 2G cell phone at the time, Chieh knew that smart phone technology would continue to scale and he and his friends had a hunch that the demand for smart phone gaming would naturally scale alongside it.

Their hunch more than proved to be accurate, as their newly launched business venture gained momentum and was later acquired by a larger gaming company in the market. This was only the beginning for Chieh and his friends.

What was next, you ask? Yes, you guessed it. There would be yet another bet that would lead to launching a business.

This time, however, it wouldn’t be in the category of gaming. Leveraging the hypothesis of their first launch, Chieh and his friends saw another opportunity to meet a demand for consumers by leveraging smart device technology.

In another highly competitive market, they saw a gap to fill that would give consumers access to essential everyday products, in bulk, at lower prices, with just a few clicks from their phones. You may be asking, do consumers really need another online store where they can purchase toilet paper, in bulk? The answer to this question, is without a doubt, yes. Yes, we do.

Chieh and his co-founders found a way to stand out in the crowd by leveraging AI technology, and the power of datasets, to create a seamless and convenient user experience. If that’s not enough, they elevate the customer experience in adding hints of personalization into each order. He also shared how they’ve built a company culture, within Boxed.com, that’s increased employee retention by carrying the “putting others 1st” model into their relationships with their employees.

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In this episode, Chieh shares how you can enter a saturated market, find a niche, and defy mediocre customer experiences, within the walls of your company and beyond. Listen to this full episode of season 2 of The Relentless, and #jointheconversation on how you can innovate to put customers first.

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When wouldn’t you go with the highest offer?

June 11, 2021 By

It can be hard to imagine — choosing an offer that is $1,000, $5,000 or $10,000 less than the highest bidder. However, it actually happens all the time, and for good cause.

Here are four reasons why you might choose a lower offer when selling your home:

1) Cash offers are more reliable than loan-contingent ones, especially because there are no lenders involved. If your priority is to close fast, accepting a lower all-cash offer is a good strategy.

2) If the highest offer is full of contingencies, a lower offer might be worth the peace of mind. If a prospective buyer waives inspection, financing and appraisal then you know the odds of them backing out are slim.

3) A well-qualified buyer who starts low may ultimately get you the most money. Find out what you can about a buyer’s motivations and qualifications. If their offer starts low but they express a strong interest in your home and they have a great pre-approval letter, counteroffering may ultimately net you the most money. Your real estate agent can help you weigh each buyer’s potential.

4) Finally, finding an offer that fits your timetable can be worth a lot. For example, consider a situation where you need extra time before your new housing is ready. Choosing an offer that lets you stay as long as you need could save you money on temporary storage and rent.

The right offer usually comes down to more than just top dollar. By considering price, financing, contingencies and motive, you can be certain you’re choosing the offer that’s best for you.

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Inclusivity and Representation Matter

June 10, 2021 By

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CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty celebrated their grand opening in June of 2021, marking a full 8 months after Broker/Owner Juan Sanchez made the decision to affiliate with the Brand. The timing of launching a new business in the height of a global pandemic might make many wince, but for Juan – the affiliation with the C21 Brand came at the exact right time. 

We recently sat down with the leadership team at C21 Bear Facts Realty: Juan, a self-described “real estate baby” (his Aunt was the first Latina real estate broker in the state of Colorado), and David Walsh, Broker and Education Director. Their tenured real estate experience is only matched by the passion and energy they exude in support of their vision.  Over the course of our conversation, one thing became very clear: Juan and David are on a mission.

Promises made, promises kept: The C21 Bear Facts Realty Philosophy

C21 Bear Facts Realty was inspired to elevate the agent experience as the result of a disconnect they observed in the industry – agents would get promises from brokerages to incentivize them to join their companies, and ultimately these companies were not able to deliver. Juan saw a way to defy these expected results and “fill that hole.” The opportunity was simple: be agent-first. From that insight came their goal: to build a team that truly understands their agents and provide what agents need for success. This requires addressing two key questions, “what motivates this agent to achieve their goals?” and “how can C21 Bear Facts Realty curate coaching and training opportunities to fit the individual agents’ needs?”

This agent-first mentality expands beyond what they’re able to provide to make an agent a success, it’s also about aligning with the right agents who support what they’re trying to build. Juan is passionate about affiliating people who sound like, look like and think like the clients they’re serving. For the Denver market, many cultures are represented – the 2010 Census reported 68.9% White, 31.8% Hispanic or Latino Origin, 10.2% Black or African American, 3.4% Asian, 1.4% American Indian or Native Alaskan, 0.1% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, and 4.1% two or more races. In addition, making it to many “best places to live” lists over the past decade, the Denver area is also very inclusive in their support of the LGBTQ community.

“It has been inspiring to see the growth of our new office since October 2020. As a diversity-based, Latin-owned and LGBT-run new business Juan and I felt strongly about our role in the community and the importance of our agent family being as representative of the broad spectrum of clients they serve.”

David Walsh, CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty

Leap of faith: Supporting Community

Juan and David are both very active in their communities and truly serve as complements to each other. David takes more of an unstructured approach to community involvement, often fostering great relationships from the places and events he engages locally. Juan on the other hand is more structured in his efforts and has lent his time and support to organizations that include NAHREP, LGBTQ Real Estate Alliance, American GI Forum, League of United Latin American Citizens, Hispanic League and the Imperial Court Board of Directors…just to name a few. Regardless of their path to giving back, the COVID-19 pandemic found the perfect opportunity for them to align with the community in a different way. Using their platform, they sought out other LGBTQ and minority owned businesses to support. As Juan states, “Many LGBTQ companies were in the weeds trying to survive hard times. We took a leap of faith that when helping others, it will come back to you.” This grassroots approach to building up their community has resulted in approximately 12 different partnerships they leverage for everything from real estate photography to closing gifts. As this wasn’t something they could accomplish in person due to COVID, SEO and social media became a key part of their strategy in keeping a pulse on the community, outreach, and even recruiting. Through these efforts they have created a space of empowerment, pride and inclusion that extends beyond their affiliates. Juan recounts the story of a photographer they partner with who recently came out and shared with him a sense of happiness that he can “just be himself” when he enters their office, stating that he’s been closeted for so long, coming out personally and professionally has made the entire experience easier.

Culture Call: Show up as your authentic self

The word of the day is intentionality. For David, that’s what he believes separates the say-ers from the do-ers. His advice to any local business, “be intentional about looking at what’s going on outside in the bigger world, not just your office.” For C21 Bear Facts Realty, intentionality takes on a couple of different meanings in support of their agents:

  • Being intentional with removing limitations from agents to make it comfortable to do business with who they most identify
  • Being intentional in the way they recruit, who they choose to work with and understand the impact of the changing demographics and habits of consumers
  • Being intentional about how the leadership team supports their agents – whether that’s on the personal front as a counselor or coach, or on the professional front in providing new pockets of business for the agents to experience.

The results speak for themselves; C21 Bear Facts Realty has recruited 22 agents since joining the brand and they attribute this to their own abilities to show up as their authentic selves and to encourage and support others in their office to do the same. David put is best in saying, “If we’re going to claim to be diverse – we need to look, sound and think that way.”

Doing it my way: Why C21

Juan and David put out a bold mission. They intend to be the flagship diversity franchise office in the west for Century 21 Real Estate. They believe so passionately in what they stand for, and when engaging with the C21 Brand, learned what that support can really look like to achieve these goals. C21 Bear Facts Realty is part of the Inclusive Ownership Program, an effort from the C21 Brand to support and empower brokerages owned by a minority-classified leader that chooses to affiliate with the brand.

With a lifetime of experience in the real estate space and all the highs and lows of the markets they’ve pushed through, Juan and David did not need help with their chosen expertise or direction, but they did seek a strong brand that could support their efforts. They both experienced Aha! moments so far on the journey of affiliation with C21. For David, the C21 Brand alignment has been a freeing experience. After years of affiliating with major competitors and having to abide by specific types of messaging or work within a culture he did not feel fit, he is now given the space to craft his own messaging for recruiting and building community. As for Juan – after being an independent Broker for 14 years, he enjoys the fact that they don’t have to recreate the wheel with training. With the C21 Brand’s renowned educational content in place, Juan believes this has opened his time to concentrate on the individual agents to help them grow.

We can make the local decisions that are right for our marketplace, but we have the infrastructure there sitting behind us to allow our agents to do what they need. Gives us credibility we wouldn’t otherwise have.

Juan Sanchez, CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty

Their decision to partner with the C21 Brand ultimately boiled down to an aligned mindset and the ability to leverage that name recognition in their local market, all while being given the support to be true to themselves and their business and accomplish the goals they look to attain.

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These days when this team kicks off their day, the mentality they take is “what can be done?” vs. “what has to be done?” A slight shift in mentality with major impact. And a lot can be done from their perspective. The way people live in this post-COVID world is fundamentally changing what work and home mean. In addition, the transition to more inclusion across the country is a force to be reckoned with. Juan and David believe that these national shifts in mindset are here to stay, and for their part – they intend to do what they can to make waves in support of those transitions in their local market by empowering their agents and making the dream of home ownership a reality for everyone.  What’s more relentless than that?

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“Mastering the Art of the Thoughtful Gesture”

May 19, 2021 By

In episode 2 of season 2 of The Relentless, host, author, and entrepreneur, Kristen Meinzer spoke with an entrepreneur who’s got an insight into how to make customers feel happy, supported, and valued.

Launched in 2015, Papier, which by the way, is French for paper, has been taking the stationery category by storm in more ways than one. Founded by Taymoor Atighetchi, Papier has set out to defy what’s been previously done all while creating a unique and personalized user experience for their customers.

What really makes Papier unique is its mass appeal in the digital era. In a time where you’d think hand-written notes were a thing of the past, Papier has shown that there is still a “magic that happens when you receive a handwritten note,” Taymoor says. The resurgence of cards and handwritten notes isn’t a trend, Taymoor shared, but a “revolution in analog means of communication.”

Analog is the antidote for digital overdose, Taymoor believes, which is why Papier has also become wildly successful among Gen Z and millennials.

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Taymoor has successfully scaled Papier and leverage online marketing and social media, what we all know as the digital space, to essentially sell an offline activity. (which is quite extraordinary) Taymoor goes on to explain how he’s been able to marry the two worlds together while providing a meaningful and seamless experience for his customers.

We won’t spill the tea here, so you’ll have to listen to the full episode to hear just how he was able to master the art of the thoughtful gesture to grow his brand. Don’t forget to #jointheconversation.

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