Realtor - May/June 2015

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Multiple
Income
Streams

Bradley Lois, 28, was working on his bachelor’s degree in business and marketing at University of Wisconsin– Parkside when he enrolled in a course in real estate principles. His instructor, who owned a brokerage, convinced Bradley to get his real estate license and work for him. “I thought it would be informational, but I found my passion,” he says. After graduation, Lois transferred his license to Bear Realty of Burlington. The first year was lean. To generate a regular income, he launched a property management company that has grown to

60-plus units. Now sales are robust. “I treat every transaction as an investment transaction,” says Lois, so that clients “make the most sound investment decision they could be making in their situation.”

Bradley Lois

Bear Realty of Burlington Burlington, Wis.

Volume: $9.2 million

Sides: 36

BearRealty.com

People Over
Sales

For Alyssa Hellman, 28, the secret to being an exceptional agent lies in helping clients figure out what kind of home they’ll need in the future—and separating that from what they think they want today. She strives to understand where buyers envision themselves personally and professionally, then finds them a home to fit that picture, because “exposing them to what might work [often] ends up being what does work.” Hellman moved from Washington, D.C., to North Carolina last September to manage Better Homes and Gardens Go Realty’s online lead platform and now directs its in-house education program. The new company’s culture seemed a better fit.

“Investing in your people and your relationships will always be the best way to generate business,” she says.

Alyssa Hellman

Long & Foster Real Estate Washington, D.C.

Volume: $16.8 million

Sides: 22

*Hellman is now director of the Go School at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Go Realty in Cary, N.C.

AlyssaHellman.com

Working
With Choice
Clients

Only t wo-and-a-half years into her real estate career, moving to a strictly referral-based model for acquiring new clients could have been a risky decision for a young practitioner, but it paid o; for Lauren Hasson, 25. “I need to enjoy what I’m doing and work with good people,” she says. “My business model is to work with fewer people but be able to follow through with everything I say I’m going to do.” Data-rich presentations and a commitment to building lifelong connections help Hasson earn clients’ trust. She doesn’t just show houses; she spends time educating her clients.

Those relationships last well beyond the transaction. Hasson makes it a point to see two past clients each week.

“Most of them introduce me as their adopted daughter or granddaughter,” she says.

Lauren Hasson

The Hasson Co., REALTORS® Portland, Ore.

Volume: $16.5 million

Sides: 24

LaurenHasson.Hasson.com

Instilling
Confidence

With a niche in new construction, Whitney Harvey, 29, caters to her clients by doggedly hunting down answers to every question they raise. “I attempt to review all the options available and find the absolute best fit for each family,” says Harvey, who specializes in new, custom, and luxury homes. She loves her market so much that she often finds herself researching property comps and transaction information just for fun. To generate business, Harvey studies the places her past and current clients shop, have children enrolled in school, and run their daily errands; she then advertises in those areas. Harvey seeks to help people feel secure. “The fact that my clients become confident and excited about the buying or selling process instead of anxious and confused is invaluable,” she says.

Whitney Harvey Oak Grove Realty LLC Germantown, Tenn. Volume: $13.6 million OakGroveRealty.com

Commitment
to Sharing

In a tightening Colorado market, Leslie Moen, 29, has capitalized on higher home prices and a shrinking inventory to better serve both her clients and her agents. Over the past year, she has been providing market updates to buyers she worked with from 2009 to 2013 so they can see what their home may be worth today. “Now people can focus on getting their dream home instead of just getting their foot in the door,” she says. The outreach to past clients has resulted in extra leads, which Moen passes along to other agents in the o;ce. “It’s important to me to create a sense of abundance within our o;ce rather than competition,” she says. ”I have found the best way to do that is to share business.”