Wednesday, December 11, 2013

2013 Year In Review for Keller Williams

2013 Year In Review for Keller Williams

2013 has been a fascinating and exciting year for Keller Williams associates. From management change ups to global expansion, here are some of the stories that commanded a lot of discussion and will continue to factor in the year, and years ahead.

Keller Williams Worldwide Welcomes William E. Soteroff as Vice President

Keller Williams announced in October that the company has hired Bill Soteroff to serve as vice president of its global division. Soteroff is one of the preeminent figures in international real estate franchise sales, having previously served as COO of RE/MAX Europe and executive vice president of RE/MAX, LLC, where he achieved record growth, delivered innovative training and helped create a worldwide listing service. “We are thrilled to welcome Bill to our growing family,” Keller Williams Worldwide President Chris Heller said. “He is one of the most knowledgeable, respected international business leaders and we look forward to tapping his passion for improving people’s lives as we share our value proposition throughout the world.” Mr. Soteroff joined the rapidly expanding team on October 21st, 2013. Keller Williams agents and associates look forward to seeing the positive impact he will have on the company’s future.

Keller Williams Global Expansion

Just 18 months after announcing the start of Keller Williams Realty’s global launch and the signing of the company’s first franchise outside of North America, KW Worldwide President Chris Heller, announced Keller Williams Realty’s expansion into the United Kingdom. Quickly following, Keller Williams Realty is continuing its international expansion by launching a new region serving Austria, Germany and Switzerland. “Despite their sophistication, the German, Swiss and Austrian real estate markets all lack companies with a clear commitment to professional services and their associates,” said Rauert Peters, the master franchisee who is leading the new venture. In September 2013, it was announced that The Vietnam Region has opened its regional office and its first market center in Ho Chi Minh City. Indonesia will soon be celebrating the grand opening of two market centers and in Southern Africa, there are now 10 Keller Williams Realty market centers and more than 150 associates. According to Keller Williams Realty CEO Mark Willis, the company plans to become the worldwide leader in agent count, transactions, and volume.

Keller Williams Associate Brenda Nunes Receives National 2013 EverGreen Award

Throughout the country sustainable building design and green building practices are fast becoming accepted, and in certain cases mandatory. Agents who understand this major industry shift have equipped themselves with the right education, are developing green networks, and are actively promoting their green services. A handful of outstanding NAR Green Designees were selected by an independent panel to receive the Green REsource Council's EverGreen Awards.

Brenda Nunes, associate with the Keller Williams Kirkland market center, was been selected from this distinguished pool of candidates to receive the national 2013 EverGreen Award from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS’® (NAR’s) Green REsource Council. Only five recipients were selected to win the EverGreen Awards this year. The recipients were selected for the EverGreen Award by an independent panel of green industry professionals. Nunes was nominated for this annual award based on her commitments to the green industry, as well as her work within the community.

Keller Williams Realty Tops National List of Best Places to Work

Ever wonder why Keller Williams agents are always so positive? Providing a healthy working environment is not only beneficial for the workers, but also increases the efficiency and productivity of the company as a whole. Keller Williams proved again this year that they are one of the top companies in America. As the only real estate company to make the list, they took the #9 spot on a list of 150 businesses. WorkplaceDynamics conducted the annual survey in partnership with 30 leading regional newspapers, reaching 1.7 million employees nationwide. The survey found that employees want to work at companies with high levels of organizational health – those that set a clear direction for their future, execute well, and bring real meaning to work. In addition to the National Top 150 list, Keller Williams offices in Cleveland and Minneapolis ranked as the No. 1 workplaces in their respective regions. Keller Williams offices in Austin, Boston, Hartford, and Tampa also finished among the Top 10.

Congratulations Keller Williams Realty: We are #1!

With a net gain of 12,000 associates in the past year, Keller Williams Realty is now the largest real estate franchise in North America. After coming in at the #2 spot for the last two years. Throughout the course of the year, Keller Williams has had some impressive accomplishments:

Year over year, units are up 8 percent, closed volume is up 17 percent and gross commission income is up 18 percent.
Ninety-five percent of the company’s offices are profitable year to date – a figure that far outpaces the standard for franchise businesses.
In the past 12 months, the company has distributed $58 million in profit share to associates, a 33 percent increase over the previous year.

Overall, 2013 has been a year of continued growth and success for Keller Williams. As the company continues to grow and expand, both locally and globally, Keller Williams associates can be sure that 2014 will bring many new and exciting challenges.

Join Keller Williams TODAY!!!

Monday, December 9, 2013

Keller Williams Agents Utilize Virtual Assistants to Maximize Productivity

Keller Williams agents have always been ahead of the game when it comes to technology and will be the first to tell you how essential it is in their business. However, real estate agents are in business to sell property, not to be sitting behind a desk downloading a newly found, can’t live without, plugin for your Wordpress blog. From maintaining websites, social media profiles and pages, marketing listings, and keeping appointments with buyers and sellers, it can be a struggle to get it all accomplished. Today, more than ever, real estate professionals are relying on virtual assistants to provide them with a solid skill set and knowledge to support them in building and growing their real estate business. This can include technical prowess, creative talent and in-depth knowledge of the ins and outs of running a successful real estate business.

What exactly is a virtual assistant? The first thing that comes to most minds when they hear “virtual assistant” is delegating tasks to a Siri-like application. However, virtual assistants are not automated programs, but real life human beings. A Virtual Assistant (VA) is an independent contractor providing you with administrative, creative and technical support through the use of internet, phone, fax, and other types of communication. You also have several options when adding a virtual assistant to your team: An assistant an be hired for one project — such as to help with a transaction or even something as simple as ordering a closing gift — or you can hire a VA for a specified number of hours per week or month.

Another benefit to hiring a virtual assistant is saving on cost. Hiring a young assistant or a temp will run you at least $10 an hour whereas virtual assistants come out to about $3 per hour. Going the virtual route also saves agents from wasting too much time and money on training transient temps. Hiring a virtual assistant will also save you on overhead costs as they work from a remote location and do not require a provided workspace or office equipment. In addition to overhead costs, having a virtual assistant saves on employee taxes. No FICA tax, workers compensation insurance or federal and state unemployment tax to pay. As an independent contractor, there is no requirement to pay a virtual assistant health, vacation or holiday benefits.

Keller Williams agents utilize Virtual Assistants

You might be wondering, “How can a VA work for me?” Here are some sample tasks that are frequently delegated to real estate virtual assistants:

Manage and optimize your Listing Coordination/Marketing on all your online sites, making sure to maximize features like number of photos, Open Home announcements and virtual tours
Assist with seller reports, market reports and market data
Assist in content creation ideas and research for your blog and social media marketing sites
Execute the posting and management of your content on your sites
Monitor and edit your profiles and pages on social media sites
Assist in Transaction Management; keeping your inspections, appointments and documents organized for you
Design, manage and maintain your website and/or blog
Create, manage and maintain your email marketing, email lists, and subscribers
Design and create your offline marketing collateral like postcards, flyers and brochures
Manage the vendors and various accounts to streamline costs, renewals, and shop for the best service professionals
Arrange travel and conference attendance, and assist in debriefing you of all the new ideas you would like to implement.

If you are struggling with how to make yourself more productive and effectively use all the new tech tools, you may want to consider partnering with a virtual assistant and outsource some of the time-consuming tasks that prevent you from working on the most profitable areas of your business. At Keller Williams, agents pride themselves on being tech-savvy. But being a tech-savvy agent doesn’t mean that you still have to go it alone – far from it. Real estate Virtual Assistants bridge the gap between you and your ever-increasing online presence and social media needs. You will, however, still have to get your own latte.

Join Keller Williams TODAY!!!

is real estate agent a good career in 2014

Keller Williams Buckhead is looking to hire and train a select group of motivated Realtors. If you are looking to build a career in real estate, or looking to take your existing career to the next level, there is no better place to start that than the #1 Real Estate Brokerage in the country.

Start a New Career during the Hottest Real Estate markets

At KW You Can:
- Make a six-figure income
- Have a flexible schedule
- Work in an energetic, team atmosphere
- Work independently, with no bosses or mandatory meetings
- Find the best free training and support (no previous experience is necessary)

In Order to Join Our Team, You Must:
- Be willing and able to obtain a real estate license
- Have a desire to work independently and have control over your professional growth
- Have a strong work ethic and desire to be successful
- Have excellent communication skills and ability to network to build your business

As a Real Estate Agent, You Will Be:
- Networking and prospecting, using KW's proven systems and models
- Showing properties and working with home buyers
- Marketing properties and working with home sellers
- Negotiating contracts

Start your exciting real estate career TODAY!!!

Provided courtesy of Anthony McCullough
Keller Williams Realty of Buckhead
Hire a positive and proactive agent to help you find your next home!Call or text 4049139206 for information on Buyer's Representation Services
(NO COST TO HOME BUYERS)
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Get a FREE report on YOUR HOME's Value at www.Anthony-Sells.com/sell
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is a real estate job good

Start a New Career during the Hottest Real Estate markets

Keller Williams Buckhead is looking to hire and train a select group of motivated Realtors. If you are looking to build a career in real estate, or looking to take your existing career to the next level, there is no better place to start that than the #1 Real Estate Brokerage in the country.

Connect with us on:

Join Keller Williams TODAY!!!

is a real estate career a good choice atlanta

Start a New Career during the Hottest Real Estate markets

Keller Williams Buckhead is looking to hire and train a select group of motivated Realtors. If you are looking to build a career in real estate, or looking to take your existing career to the next level, there is no better place to start that than the #1 Real Estate Brokerage in the country.

Connect with us on:

Join Keller Williams TODAY!!!

Planning a Closet Kennesaw GA 30144

Adding Closet Space – What to Consider Before You Start

When you have more items to store than closet space, something's got to give. Building and installing a closet is a fairly low-cost solution that the average adult is capable of doing. In a weekend's time, with a little planning and knowledge, you can transform an unused area into the most useful spot in the room.

Planning a Closet

If you're going to build a closet, you might as well build it right. It's too late, after it's built, to wish you had done something different. Taking time to plan any home improvement project will prevent regrets later.

If you want to skip the DIY process and hire a professional to build your closet, these planning tips will still help you determine exactly what will work for your space and budget.

How will you use the closet? A closet full of linens can be narrow and shallow and still work well, while a walk-in closet for clothes needs to be much deeper. Consider what you want to store and how much space it requires.

How would you like to equip it? Decide whether you want clothes rods, shelves, organizers, drawers, or any special features such as cedar plank walls or wiring for an overhead light.

Where will you build it? Perhaps you have the perfect nook, such as an awkward spot between two walls. Maybe you have a large room that can spare the area you want to use. Either way, armed with a tape measure, map out the closet dimensions exactly where you wish to build the closet. Adjust as needed, adding or taking away closet space to fit the area. Also consider clearance for nearby doors, windows, or traffic movement. If it's awkward to open the closet door, the space won't be as useful and you won't be satisfied.

What is your budget? Take a realistic look at what you can afford to spend, and price the tools and supplies you need as well as any labor cost required. If you want wiring in the closet, you'll probably need to hire a professional. Get estimates for what you need and add about 10 percent extra for a little "wiggle room." It's always better to come in under your budget than above.

Don't forget the cost of a closet door! Decide where you want your door, how big you want it to be, and purchase it before you start. This will make wall construction simpler as you can measure the pre-hung door and build the doorway to fit.

Will you use organizer systems? It's especially important to consider organizers before you build so you don't end up with a closet that won't hold the organizer you purchased. If you're a more advanced DIYer, consider designing and building your own organizer systems. Even beginners can build a simple organizer system that will be functional and much less expensive than most off-the-shelf closet organizers.

Before you begin your closet project, it might be useful to browse the Internet for closet ideas. Never be afraid to try something new. With basic DIY skills, you can generally install any shelf, paneling, or other detail once you have the bare bones of the closet framing complete.

Find Homes for Sale in Kennesaw GA

Visit my website to search for homes in Kennesaw or to be notified when Kennesaw homes come on the market.

To find out what you home is worth in the current market CLICK HERE or call 404-913-9206.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Home Prices in Marietta GA for December 2013

Real estate market data for Marietta, GA provided by Anthony McCullough of Keller Williams Realty of Buckhead.

Marietta Home Prices

We have seen 3 months of strong listing prices on home prices in Marietta and don’t expect things to slow down anytime soon. If you are considering buying a home you can still find deals on a house in Marietta but having a good real estate agent who understands the market is a must. Don’t wait on the sidelines for too long, many of our listings are starting to sell within a few days of hitting the market. As you can see from the graph below, listings are not selling exactly for asking price. To make sure you don't overpay for your home, you'll want to have an agent that does a thorough market analysis of the Marietta home on which you are making an offer.

If you are interested in how much current inventory is on the market in Marietta you can find that information by clicking on the link. High inventory will suggest that homes are sitting on the market for longer. Currently in this area of Marietta (30068), homes have a median time of 70 days on the market before they sell, with currently 280 homes listed. This would suggest that buyers are in a great position to make an aggresive offer on a home. Sellers should make sure to price their home near the market value if they expect to get an offer from one of those interested buyers. Low inventory in Marietta has multiple offers coming in on homes similar to what we saw back in 2007. I wouldn't expect home prices to run up quite as fast as they did back then as banks have gotten a lot stricter on lending guidelines and are no longer giving a loan to anyone with a pulse. But low inventory is one indicator that prices should continue to rise.

Marietta Real Estate Report Summary

The median list price in December for single family homes in Marietta is $399,420. The list prices decreased by 0.03% from the previous month.

The price per square foot for listings in this area is $118.

The median sale price in October for single family homes was $416,530. The sale prices are showing an increase from the previous month of November.

Find Homes for Sale in Marietta GA

Visit my website to search for homes in Marietta or to be notified when Marietta homes come on the market.

To find out what you home is worth in the current market Click HERE or call 404-913-9206.

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