M&A – IT’S ALL ABOUT THE AGENTS

December 20, 2022 By C21 Communications

Andrew Hauck learned everything he knows about real estate from his mom. As the broker/co-owner of CENTURY 21 Signature Realty in Saginaw, Michigan, Andrew started selling real estate with her when he was just 21 years old and still in college.

Today, his brokerage boasts 10 offices serving Saginaw, Midland, Bay and Genesee Counties in Central Michigan near Lake Huron’s Saginaw Bay and based on transaction volume, CENTURY 21® franchise affiliate in Michigan in 2021.

Destined to Close Deals

The son of CENTURY 21 affiliated agent Jan Hauck, Andrew grew up watching his mom show houses, take calls and negotiate deals. You couldn’t miss what his mom did for a living – bulky MLS books stacked in the closets, For Sale signs leaned against the wall, and everyone knew there was no talking or horsing around when she was on the phone. Yet despite the 70 hours she dedicated to her business each week, she was always at his games and school events and was there to pick him up from school every day

Fast forward to college, Andrew studied business with plans of going into management consulting. About half-way through, he realized that a real estate business could be more lucrative and rewarding, so he decided to follow in his mom’s footsteps. Between finance and macroeconomics classes, Andrew earned his real estate license and started gaining real-world experience, learning the importance of providing exceptional experiences to his clients. By the time he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics, he’d already helped clients purchase and sell several properties.

After a few years, Andrew went back and earned an MBA to shore up his credentials. “There weren’t many 25-year-old agents who already owned their own house and had five years of experience, so that helped with my credibility. It was even more valuable when I became a broker-owner.”

The CENTURY 21 Brand Can Open Doors

He’s been a loyal CENTURY 21 affiliated agent from the start. His mother started the brokerage as an affiliate of Century 21 Real Estate LLC in 2005 with two partners, Ken Kujawa and Dr. Sam Shaheen. In early 2019, Andrew purchased his mother’s stake in the brokerage and took over operations while she returned to sales.

As a new broker/owner, his mom cautioned him to never underestimate the importance of empathy, camaraderie and a building agents can call home. He knew that to be successful in real estate, you had to play an active role in the community. So, at a time when many brokerages were cutting costs and closing offices, Andrew made his offices a cultural cornerstone.

“We operate in smaller markets, where it’s so important to be visible and active in the community. For us, it’s just part of our culture. Our offices are involved in local events, from pet adoptions and fundraisers to parades. We look for opportunities where we can really get involved, not just slap our logo on a program.”

He says the national name recognition of the CENTURY 21 brand has given the brokerage a huge advantage, especially in Michigan where the brand has had a presence since its founding in the ‘70s. “The CENTURY 21 brand is the most recognized and respected name in real estate*, so we never have to explain who we are. We can focus on our value proposition, which makes everything so much easier.”

Not a ‘status quo’ kind of guy, Andrew is relentless in looking for what’s next, what else the brokerage can do to differentiate itself and take it to the next level. That’s another reason why he appreciates the CENTURY 21 brand. “They’ve always been very proactive in helping brokers achieve their business goals and willing to evolve. As a broker, that’s how I approach my own business, so that’s always been a great value to me.”

Mom’s Greatest Lesson

While Andrew is the first to say he learned everything he knows about real estate from his mom, he says the most important thing he learned from her was professionalism. “From the minute she became an agent, she was nothing but professional. I’ve seen too many treat it like a hobby or just a side gig, but to her, it’s always been a serious commitment to deliver extraordinary experiences.”

This professionalism is one of the biggest challenges Andrew sees brokers facing today. “When you only focus on money – how many deals you’re making and for how much – you lose sight of what’s most important, and that’s helping people. Real estate is about improving the lives of agents and helping communities. Professionalism means providing mentoring, oversight and accountability. If you don’t, things can get sloppy, mistakes are made and deals fall through.”

Andrew says that’s why his brokerage is selective in the agents they choose to affiliate, seeking professionals who want to learn and serve their community.

Focusing on Agents, First

Despite serving relatively small communities across Central Michigan, CENTURY 21 Signature Realty has earned a spot on the Real Trends 500 list every year since 2018, which ranks the top brokerages nationwide. It’s also the only Real Trends 500 company in the Great Lakes Bay region, a fact Andrew attributes in part to his mergers and acquisitions strategy – the brokerage has completed three in as many years with another in the works.

“The CENTURY 21 brand is an enormous help during the search and discovery phase by assisting with local market conditions, verifying brokerage and agent data, and even setting up meetings with potential M&A targets. It also provides resources, assistance and personnel to ensure the acquisition is a success.”

When considering other brokerages for mergers and acquisitions, Andrew says it’s very important to only consider companies that share your values and culture. CENTURY 21 Signature Realty has an “agents first” approach.

“We’re here to work for the agents, not the other way around. We offer constant support, celebrate their successes, and hold high standards and morals. It’s about sharing and caring. It’s about trusting each other and working as a team. If a potential M&A doesn’t share these values, I’ll walk away. It’s not worth diluting our culture.”

Andrew says most brokers struggle with something – it might be mentoring agents, marketing, name recognition or a lack of tools. When speaking with a potential acquisition, Andrew’s team digs to identify what’s missing and how CENTURY 21 Signature Realty could make a difference on day one.

“A lot of broker-owners are wearing too many hats. They cut the checks, input data, deal with difficult closings, handle marketing. But you can’t do it all well. That’s why we’ve built a strong support team, so our leaders can focus on providing agent learning and coaching opportunities.”

Just as important as sealing the deal on an acquisition is on-boarding the agents, teaching them about all the new tools and programs they can access through the CENTURY 21 brand, and bringing them into the culture. That’s an area where Andrew says he and his partners really excel. New agents start out with a 30-day mentoring program to learn the ropes, and both new and experienced agents are enrolled in CENTURY 21 University® courses to expand their skills and learn about all the available resources.

So, four years after he took the helm, what does mom think about his real estate business?

“I think she’s very proud. She sees how hard I work and how much goes into it. But I also think she misses her real estate partner, since she’s still out there listing and selling but I’m more focused on the operations side of things now. We were a great team!”

*2021 Ad Tracking Study. The survey results are based on 1,200 online interviews with a national random sample of adults (ages 18+) who are equal decision makers in real estate transactions and active in the real estate market (bought or sold a home within the past two years or, plan to purchase or sell a home within the next two years). Brand awareness question based on a sample of 1,200 respondents. Results are significant at a 90% confidence level, with a margin of error of +/-2.4%. Recognition question based on consumers aware of brand in question. Results are significant at a 90% confidence level, with a margin of error of +/- 2.4%. The study was conducted by Kantar Group Limited (formerly Millward Brown), a leading global market research organization, from November 9-27, 2021.

©2022 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. All rights reserved. CENTURY 21®, the CENTURY 21 Logo and C21® are trademarks of Century 21 Real Estate LLC. The CENTURY 21® System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. This is not intended, and shall not be deemed to constitute, an offer to sell a franchise. Franchise offerings made only by a Franchise Disclosure Document. THESE FRANCHISES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE FRANCHISE INVESTMENT LAW OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. SUCH REGISTRATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE APPROVAL, RECOMMENDATION OR ENDORSEMENT BY THE COMMISSIONER OF CORPORATIONS NOR A FINDING BY THE COMMISSIONER THAT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN IS TRUE, COMPLETE AND NOT MISLEADING. This advertisement is not an offering. An offering can only be made by a prospectus filed first with the Department of Law of the State of New York. Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law. The Minnesota registration number for this franchise system is #F186. Century 21 Real Estate LLC, 175 Park Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940.

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Century 21® 2022-07-20 21:33:00

July 20, 2022 By C21 Communications

Does fear hold you back? Whether it’s a fear of failure, fear of rejection or fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth (Google it, arachibutyrophobia is a real thing), fear can stop you from living your best life.

As The Relentless podcast fast approaches its one millionth download, we’re getting ready to launch Season 3, which will to focus on the notion of moving fearlessly. In a world filled with noise and distractions, we’ll look at how today’s most interesting entrepreneurs move fearlessly past obstacles and the assumptions that hold others back. We’ll talk with the people who transform what scares them into something that inspires as we explore how to build confidence, take risks and tackle the hard problems.

Since we started this podcast three years ago, we’ve packaged together more than 13 hours of content and spoken with over 30 guests — a diverse mix of successful entrepreneurs and effective salespeople who look at sales differently. In this special episode, we’re rounding up some of the best advice guests have shared over the past two seasons.

Bounce Back and Learn from Failures

Every entrepreneur experiences failure and rejection — it’s unavoidable. What you do with that failure will leave a lasting impact, whether positive or negative. Do you learn a valuable lesson, strategize how you’d approach the situation differently next time and bounce back even stronger? Or do you allow it to create fear that holds you back?

Actor and comedian Adam Ferrara is no stranger to rejection. Yet through countless auditions that ended in failure, he’s taken away a few important lessons that have helped him grow personally and professionally. He knows that even if you don’t get the part, the contract, the listing, you can learn from every failure or rejection and use it to hone your skills and grow.

Build Empathy

In business, being able to read the room and understand what others are feeling is a vital skill. When a deal is heading south, customers are on the fence or a valued employee is about to bolt, what happens next just may depend on your ability to pick up on their emotions and understand why they’re feeling that way.

We explored empathy in two episodes. Famed author, serial entrepreneur and public speaker, Gary Vaynerchuk discussed how everything starts with listening to people. Every interaction — from passing conversations to negotiating major deals — is impacted by how other people feel about you and how you interpret and respond to their emotions.

By understanding the situation, reading the room and anticipating peoples’ needs, you can be proactive and address any issues instead of being forced into reaction mode. Michael Atwood, the broker and co-owner of CENTURY 21 Atwood Realty in Minnesota, explained how empathy impacts the customer experience. Because when we’re invested in our clients, participate with them and get excited about their journey, they feel appreciated and supported.

Learn Digital Body Language

Body language often says way more about our feelings and intentions than the words we speak. It’s human nature — when we’re engaged in a conversation and trust the person we’re speaking with, we naturally smile, uncross our arms and make eye contact. But in an increasingly digital and remote world, we’ve lost the opportunity to use these nonverbal cues to connect with people.

So, does body language have a digital equivalent?

Erica Dhawan, communication expert and author of Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance, examined how to take real-world emotional body language and translate it for the digital world.

Create Joy and Delight

Every entrepreneur knows that customer satisfaction is paramount to a successful business. But what if you could elevate that satisfaction to a whole new level? Creating joy and delight is all about surpassing expectations and delivering such a positive experience that customers will remember it, tell their friends and come back for more.

Tina Roth Eisenberg, a Swiss designer and serial entrepreneur who founded Tattly, which offers fake tattoos designed by real artists, gave tips on how to add surprise and delight to your products and services.

Coming Soon: Season 3

These are just a few important takeaways from some of our inspiring guests. As we gear up for the launch of Season 3, we invite you to listen to this special episode for highlights of Seasons 1 and 2.

The Relentless is the podcast that looks at sales differently, created in partnership with Century 21 Real Estate LLC and Slate Studios — is a Webby honoree for best branded podcast and is ranked among the top 1% of all podcasts. Visit The Relentless website to join the conversation, and subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher or TuneIn.

© 2022 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. All rights reserved. CENTURY 21®, the CENTURY 21 Logo and C21® are registered service marks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC. Century 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated.

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Defying Mediocrity is Game Changing

June 3, 2022 By C21 Communications

21 Years with the CENTURY 21® brand

When Jamie Skeen boldly purchased his town’s largest brokerage after fewer than two years as an agent and just two years out of college, some thought he was crazy. But this game-changing move kicked off an illustrious professional path as the broker/owner of CENTURY 21 Legacy in Northeast Tennessee.

In his (quite fittingly) 21^st year with the CENTURY 21® brand, it’s no surprise that Jamie has been named to the 2022 RealTrends Game Changers list. Honoring those who have dramatically grown their brokerage in the past five years – a time when the real estate industry was shuttered by a global pandemic and the virtual halting of the economy – Jamie significantly grew his brokerage.

CENTURY 21 Legacy is nestled in the Appalachian Mountains of Northeast Tennessee, boasting 10 offices that stretch from Athens, just north of Chattanooga through Maryville to Knoxville, the tourist meccas of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Townsend, and up to Greeneville, Johnson City and Kingsport, just south of the Virginia border. A Greeneville native, Jamie is passionate about the local communities and the picturesque mountains, which he explores on his two American Quarter horses.

Starting with just 24 agents in 2003, CENTURY 21 Legacy has skyrocketed to 330 agents. Last year, CENTURY 21 Legacy was the #1 CENTURY 21 company in Tennessee in units, and the #8 CENTURY 21 company in units in the US.

Defying Mediocrity is Game Changing image 1

Best Thing That’s Ever Happened to My Business

After acquiring the former CENTURY 21 Billy Williams & Associates, Jamie continued to sell real estate personally while managing his growing brokerage. Just five years into business, the subprime mortgage crisis hit, forcing him to quickly change his priorities. He found the most crucial need was coaching nervous agents on how to handle the challenging market and recession. But in crisis, he found a new purpose. He quit personal production and began devoting all his time to running the brokerage and providing the services, coaching, tools and training agents needed to handle the challenging market and recession. Ensuring agents had the ability to be relentless and succeed became his top priority.

“It was a tough time, but it was probably the best thing that’s ever happened to my business. I realized I couldn’t continue to run a company that size and continue to sell. You get to the point where you ask yourself: am I going to work in my business or on my business? It was a big change in mindset, but I knew I couldn’t do it all and do it well.”

Jamie’s experience has taught him that each market has its own unique set of circumstances. In 2008, inventory was high and sellers were desperate, but there were few buyers. Today, buyers are plentiful but exhausted by the low inventory, and competition for listings is fierce. Despite the two markets being almost complete opposites, the impact on agents can be quite similar.

“Regardless of how the market is performing, agents want the same things — support, services, more leads, better training and a beneficial split.”

That’s when working with the CENTURY 21 brand, the most recognized name in real estate and the most respected brand in the industry* is invaluable. Jamie shows agents how the C21® brand offers quality leads, industry-leading tools that help agents work more efficiently, as well as valuable support and coaching, which agents can use to significantly impact their success. In the end, Jamie knows these resources can position an agent to relentlessly manage any market.

One Big Family

After 21 years with the CENTURY 21 brand – considerable longevity for any broker, but especially one who joined so early in his professional – Jamie says it’s had a tremendous impact on his business.

“It’s like one big family. From the brand team to the brokers, they care and are always willing to help. From day one, I’ve had great learning opportunities and the support to help me succeed as I grew in my profession. I can still call the brand team or other C21 affiliated brokers, and they’re always available to offer advice and answer questions. The C21 brand has given me what I need, and the collaboration has helped me so much.”

Jamie particularly values the sharing culture, especially among the broker/owners. From the start, he focused on building relationships with larger C21 affiliated brokers to ask questions and hear their perspectives on challenges and opportunities. It’s something he continues today, and he also readily passes on what he’s learned to other brokers who are starting out.

Creating a Legacy

Throughout his professional growth, Jamie’s business philosophy has been simple – do the right thing.

“When you focus on doing the right thing for your agents to succeed, consumers will achieve their homeownership dreams. By running a business based on solid ethics, you usually win in the end.”

It’s clear that giving back is baked into the brokerage’s DNA. Jamie created a ”Leaving a Legacy” fund, which enables agents to contribute part of their commissions as a charitable donation, and Jamie matches a portion. At the end of the year, part of the fund is donated to Easterseals by the brokerage — the CENTURY 21 brand has supported Easterseals since 1979. Then each office gets to choose a local community charity to donate the rest of the funds raised, so they make a local impact.

Through this program, CENTURY 21 Legacy is the #1 contributing CENTURY 21 company in Tennessee for Easterseals and has donated more than $200,000 dollars to Easterseals and local charities since 2017.

With CENTURY 21 Legacy’s focus on giving back, you might assume the name CENTURY 21 Legacy was chosen because Jamie wanted to create a legacy of charitable giving. But it was actually inspired by the previous owner.

“Billy Williams was someone I really looked up to. He was one of the first brokers in Tennessee to start a franchise, the president of the Tennessee Association of REALTORS® and was always just the most professional, progressive guy. I saw he was leaving a legacy in our community, the real estate industry and within the CENTURY 21 network, and I wanted to continue that legacy.”

It must be working, because Billy’s son, Mark Williams, remains affiliated with CENTURY 21 Legacy and is a top-producing and CENTURY 21 Hall of Fame agent. “He’s just as solid as his dad, too.”

Jamie has a message to any brokers considering becoming a CENTURY 21 franchisee: “This is probably the number one move you can make for your business. The level of support is incredible, and the tools and systems will make a significant difference.”

Would he ever consider leaving the C21 family? Jamie admits that during one renewal, he did shop around with other brands, and he’s glad that he did.

“It was an important business decision, so I wanted to make sure that I was making the right choice. And what I found just reinforced that I was in the right place. There was no comparison, so I ran back and renewed. I didn’t really realize how far ahead the C21 brand was, until I looked!”

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

April 6, 2021 By C21 Communications

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 1^st, 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 50^th anniversary, we will be sharing even more stories of our #relentless, who have been boots-on-the-ground, throughout the decades. #OurBrandofRelentless

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

April 6, 2021 By C21 Communications

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.”

“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?”

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.

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Attention to Every Detail

January 26, 2021 By C21 Communications

If you ask Relentless Agent Award Winner, Laura Ennis of CENTURY 21 AllPoints Realty in Enfield, CT, what makes her stand out from the crowd, she’ll tell you without hesitation, it’s all about the details. Known as, Laura “Overly-Involved” Ennis, Laura firmly believes in getting involved in every detail of the transaction to help transform her client’s process into an unforgettable experience.

I don’t think you’re successful by yourself. You have to have a team.
Laura Ennis

Part of what helps Laura give 121% to her clients and her community is that throughout her 25-year career, she’s managed to build key relationships. These relationships have given her the ability to become a top-tier problem solver in almost any situation, ensuring those that work with her, don’t have a thing to worry about during the home buying or selling process.

I can always fix every problem because I can call on somebody who will help me. Between my attorneys, my inspectors, contractors, plumbers, and electricians… I go the extra mile.
Laura Ennis

There’s no doubt that Laura is passionate about serving her clients and her drive to continue elevating her service is undeniable. There is an additional key area where Laura also places her emphasis on and that’s communication. Laura believes that to be successful in this business, your communication skills must be top-notch. Making it a point to answer her phone every time a client calls, Laura also works overtime to ensure she can provide just the response her clients need to ease their minds and give them accurate information to answer their questions.

A firm believer in giving back in every way, Laura spends a great deal of her time volunteering in her community, as a member of the local Elks Club, to help raise awareness for Autism. She’s also very passionate about serving local veterans and seniors during the holiday season. Laura also helps to support Kyle’s Krusade, which is a local charity that provides support for families of those being treated at the Hartford Children’s Hospital Oncology Ward.

Laura truly leaves no stone unturned and makes each little detail her priority. In business, there can be an emphasis placed on the larger things but as we’ve seen with Laura, her quarter of a century career has been spent focusing and becoming involved in each seemingly small detail that leads up to an extraordinary home buying or selling experience.

Note: This material may contain suggestions and best practices that you may use at your discretion. The views, information, or opinions expressed in any user-generated content are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Century 21 Real Estate LLC.

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Crushing Your Sales Plateau

January 25, 2021 By C21 Communications

To be honest, like many others in this business I was never good at goal setting, but I am changing that. While I help clients and customers reach desired outcomes, I’ve experienced a plateau before and have been at the same amount of sales for many years. With encouragement from those around me, it was time to leverage goal setting and begin the process of having more conversations, selling myself to more people, with greater frequency, in order to get my sales to a higher level.

Create a system to track and measure your efforts. The first thing I did was create a spreadsheet to manage and hold myself accountable for the number of conversations and touchpoints necessary to overcome the plateau. It’s keeping track of phone calls, community events, talking to people at local stores, and geotargeting a new neighborhood to become the local market expert for that area.
Use your results to determine what technique works best for you. There are many sales techniques and many ways to generate business but, what I have found that works for me, is to first build a personal relationship, and then sell myself and my unique value proposition. I want clients to hire me because they want to, whether it takes one conversation, two conversations, five conversations, or meeting in person a few times. I think it makes the relationship smoother and stronger, and it makes the goal of getting them the outcomes they desire a lot more effective.
Apply your technique and engage your sphere. Ultimately, it’s important for agents to find their own rhythm. Every person has something they’re good at, and they’re going to attract certain people and certain personalities. For me, most of my conversations are in real estate settings, like open houses or industry-related events. When I analyze and look at where my business is coming from, most of it is coming from the sphere that I built and manage. Not only that, I’m reaching them with weekly personalized emails, many times with video, about their local market. Obviously, we want to engage them, but the information must be relevant. Don’t bore them with the same old stuff. It’s difficult to find topics that people are or should be, interested in.

Selling yourself as the local market expert to your sphere can be key. This can help you build the relationships your business needs to grow. In real estate, there will always be change, so staying ahead of it by knowing your market can be the value proposition you’re looking for. For me, it’s what helped me to get over my sales plateau to grow my business and take it to the next level.

^{Note: This material may contain suggestions and best practices that you may use at your discretion. The views, information, or opinions expressed in any user-generated content are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Century 21 Real Estate LLC.}

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The Pandemic Can’t Stop Military Home-Buyers – 5 Reasons VA Loan Usage is Surging

September 17, 2020 By C21 Communications

It comes as no surprise that the rise in COVID-19 cases rocked the housing market in more ways than one. Military homebuyers are facing new challenges in their search for a dream home. Yet, VA loan usage has surged in 2020 and is likely to hit record highs dating back to when the program started in 1944.

The VA loan has always been an attractive and beneficial mortgage option for many military borrowers, but there are a few reasons it is increasing in popularity during the pandemic.

They are safeguarded against foreclosures. One of the most important VA loan benefits during COVID-19 is the protection against foreclosures. Many mortgage lenders have foreclosure avoidance teams to ensure that veterans can keep their homes in times of financial instability, making this an attractive option for homebuyers financially impacted by COVID-19.
Mortgage rates hitting historic lows. Veterans and active-duty homebuyers are taking advantage of lower monthly mortgage payments and the VA loan’s competitive interest rates.
No down payment means more cash. Unlike many other mortgage options, one of the most significant benefits of the VA loan is the ability to purchase a home with $0 down. With financial hardships hitting many families, taking advantage of the no down payment provides more money in the bank and peace-of-mind for military members.
No PMI or monthly mortgage insurance. Unlike other mortgage options, VA loans don’t require either of these recurring, monthly charges. Military homebuyers can expect to save a couple of hundred dollars a month without these fees.
Limits on closing costs. This is to ensure that homeownership is affordable. While other mortgage options tack on fees during the closing, the VA adds another incentive by limiting what the buyer is required to pay.

Regardless of the circumstances, the VA loan is a powerful mortgage option that military homebuyers choose time and time again. Military homebuyers won’t be stopped by these uncertain times, and the VA loan is their key to purchasing the home of their dreams.

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What you need to know about refinancing your home

September 9, 2020 By C21 Communications

With mortgage rates at historic lows, it’s not surprising so many people are looking to refinance their home. Is such a move right for you? Here are a few things you need to know.

Several refinancing options

Many homeowners seek to refinance to lower their monthly home mortgage payment. However, you can also pursue refinancing to change the duration of your loan, cash out the equity of your home, remove your mortgage insurance requirement or change the structure of your loan.

Risks remain

While refinancing is a popular option today, there are still risks. Many mortgages include a clause that assesses penalties if you pay down your mortgage with a line of home equity credit. You may also incur fees in the beginning hiring the proper professionals to manage the refinancing process.

Stay with what you know

Most lenders will want you to have been in your home at least one year before attempting to refinance. It’s also better to try and refinance with your original lender as this can remove fees and time associated with title searches and property appraisals. It also offers you a better chance at the most favorable rates.

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CENTURY 21 Photography Tips Tutorial

November 28, 2017 By Casey Danton

As an agent, it’s vital that you make a big splash with your listing. In most cases, great photography is your only chance of enticing prospective buyers into coming by to take a look. First impressions are everything. Follow these tips to showcase your listing in the best possible light.

Step One: Use a Tripod

Whether you’re using a smartphone to take your pictures or a nice digital camera, a tripod makes the picture taking a lot easier. An uneven or blurry photo will immediately turn off potential customers, so it’s essential to get this step right. Low light is also one of the main reasons tripods are important. Why? To cut down on blurry pictures. Tripods make taking a steady and stable shot possible. If you’re taking a panoramic photo, a tripod allows you to pan seamlessly through a room. This is a great tip for capturing wide rooms, entranceways, and exterior shots. And yes, you can use a tripod with a smartphone if that’s your camera of choice.

Step Two: Take Advantage of Natural Light

Any photographer will tell you that nothing’s better than natural light. Flashes can saturate an image, and they don’t always illuminate what you want to showcase. Try to take your pictures on a sunny day, and take advantage of the early mornings and afternoons. This varies depending on which direction the house is facing and where the room you’re shooting is. But be mindful of bright light and use it to your advantage. Don’t forget to open those curtains to allow natural light into the frame.

Step Three: Adjust Camera Settings

If you’re using a digital camera, there are many settings to choose from. The different options at your disposal can seem endless, but it’s important to try and follow a few fundamentals as you get started until you become comfortable.

In the beginning, follow these simple steps:

Set your camera to manual. Default settings can only get you so far.
Select the lowest ISO setting. ISO measures the sensitivity of the image sensor. The lower the number, the less sensitive the sensor is to light. A lower ISO will capture more detail, which is ideal when you’re trying to bring a listing to life.
Adjust shutter speed for good exposure. A slower shutter speed allows more light into the camera sensor. Use this setting for low-light photos. A faster shutter speed helps freeze motion. Use this setting if you’re trying to capture movement.
Adjust aperture to allow a low amount of light to reach the image sensor. Aperture controls the amount of light entering the camera.

If you’re using a smartphone, test out its various modes in different conditions like direct sun and low light. Android phones and iPhones are both well-equipped with features, from fast processors to high resolution displays. When using a smartphone, select a high resolution. The higher the resolution is, the better quality image you’ll get. This is perfect for showcasing key features inside a home.

Step Four: Adjust shot to highlight features

Every home has unique features, so show them off! Keep in mind that this is an advertisement for the home you’re trying to sell. Try to exclude obstructions and unsightly dumpsters, trash cans, or electrical wires.

When photographing inside, remember that interior rooms almost always look better if they’re being shot from the doorway looking into the room. If you want to make a room look big, use a wide-angle lens. Exterior shots benefit from shooting at low angles. This technique allows viewers to see the depth and scale of the listing.

Step Five: Edit your photos

Always take more photos than you think you’ll need. The more images you have to work with, the easier the editing process will be. Smartphones and most digital cameras have editing functions built right into them.

There are two basic principles to editing photos—adjusting color and light. No matter which tool you’re using to take your pictures, follow these steps for best results:

Color:

Temperature: affects the yellow and blues of a photo. If you want a warmer photo, add yellows. If you are creating a cooler photo, add blues. Ideally you’ll end up with a balanced photo.
Tint: adjusts greens and magentas. Making these adjustments will alter the tone of the photo as well.

Light:

Exposure: evenly distributes brightness throughout the photo.
Brightness: adjusts midtones in the photo.
Highlights and shadows: if the photo is overexposed or underexposed, use this feature to even out the detail in the photo. For example if an area is very bright, you can lower the lights to bring out detail in the highlights of a photo. Shadows will only alter dark parts of the photo.
Contrast: makes shadows darker and highlights brighter. Contrast adjusts the separation between the darkest and brightest areas of the image.

Feel free to go a step further and use editing software for more dynamic edits. In the end, remember to be selective and only post what best represents your listing. Let your pictures do the talking. After all, we live in a scrolling world, so make sure your listing doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.

Watch the CENTURY 21 Photography Tips tutorial below to see these tips in action.

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