Relationship & Adaptation Strategies with a Real Estate Agent – Julie Reisner
On this episode of The Closing Table, we sat down with Julie Reisner!
To watch the full episode, check it out on YouTube below. In the meantime, here’s a summary of the conversation…
Here’s what you missed from Julie Reisner…
The conversation began with a fill-in-the-blank icebreaker on what can you sell a home faster, the key to longevity as a realtor, and more. In under a minute, Julie provides a glimpse into her life beyond real estate. A proud mother, she has spent her entire life in the Greater Kalamazoo area, where she has also worked and nurtured her spiritual connections. Her strong bond with family is evident as she resides just a few miles away, cherishing the time spent together in the comfort of her home—an oasis that holds special significance for her.
Julie’s professional domain encompasses the southwest Michigan region, stretching from the greater Kalamazoo area all the way to the picturesque Lake Michigan shoreline and the adjacent border. Her business thrives on personal relationships, allowing her to serve clients wherever their needs arise. Economically, Julie navigates through a mix of favorable and challenging statistics. The area boasts the Kalamazoo Promise, an initiative by a group of philanthropists offering local students a unique opportunity for free college education. This feature drives an influx of residents, creating both a housing boom and a shortage due to the rapid population growth. The presence of Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College adds a collegiate vibe to the locale, making it a vibrant college town.
Drawing from her rich background, Julie highlights the multifaceted nature of real estate, emphasizing two core aspects: relationships and marketing. Over her 12-year tenure, Julie has experienced the industry’s dynamic nature, necessitating constant adaptation and flexibility. Her prior roles, including training and development management in banking, have equipped her with invaluable skills. The training role honed her abilities in procedures, onboarding, and effective communication—skills she applies today as a broker, guiding her team. Julie’s time at a local credit unit, although ending unexpectedly, proved serendipitous. This apparent setback led her to real estate, a field she now passionately believes was her destined path. The experience taught her the value of embracing change, which has become a cornerstone of her approach to serving clients and building her career.
Managing a brokerage presents multifaceted challenges that demand adept navigation. Julie, a relatively new broker, recounts her transition from being an agent to co-founding Next Home One—a branch of the larger Next Home franchise—alongside her friend Rachel. Operating between Kalamazoo and Brighton, they inaugurated their office in June after a year of meticulous groundwork, encompassing franchise establishment, training, and logistical arrangements. Leveraging their pooled resources and the involvement of two onboarded agents, the launch was facilitated.
Reflecting on her early experiences, Julie emphasizes that each transaction unveils learning opportunities. While reframing them as lessons rather than mistakes, she acknowledges the substantial knowledge gap prevalent at the entry point to real estate. The field’s accessibility, which hinges on basic prerequisites, belies the profound complexity of the profession. Julie champions a continuous improvement ethos, underscoring the perpetual need for learning in a domain marked by perpetual evolution.
Looking forward, Julie’s ambitious goal of facilitating 60 people’s homeownership in 2023 is emblematic of her strategic approach. Employing visual aids like a progress tracker, this goal serves as a tangible marker of achievement, reinforcing both her commitment and that of her team. However, her focus transcends mere numbers—ultimately, she and her agents are motivated to foster well-informed property decisions for their clients. This approach underscores the brokerage’s dedication to matching clients with the right homes, ensuring mutually beneficial transactions.
Julie adopts multifaceted methods to gauge success within her team. Besides the visual tracker, she employs a structured spreadsheet tailored for new agents. This tool not only aids in articulating their goals but also quantifies the daily interactions they must initiate to attain these objectives. By rendering goals measurable and breaking them down into achievable tasks, this strategy empowers agents to strategize and monitor their progress systematically. Overall, Julie’s approach melds vision, data-driven insights, and a client-centric ethos, thereby galvanizing her team toward consistent growth and achievement.
Speaking about navigating disagreements with opposing clients’ agents, Julie delves into the intriguing dynamics of the real estate landscape. Drawing on her extensive experience, she acknowledges that differing interpretations and perspectives among agents can often lead to significant disagreements. This complexity is further accentuated by her current role as a broker, where certain disputes may necessitate elevation to a higher level for resolution. Julie emphasizes that the process sometimes entails intense conversations and occasional impasses, requiring a delicate balance between assertiveness and finding common ground.
Transitioning to her strategic outreach initiatives, Julie highlights her “Open Mic” virtual events as a significant brand value addition. These events are designed to educate prospective homebuyers and sellers about the wealth of programs and resources available to them. While measuring the Return on Investment (ROI) for such events might be challenging, Julie recognizes their pivotal role in bolstering her brand. She explains that quantifying the tangible ROI can be intricate, given the multifaceted impact of such engagement initiatives. However, she underscores that she diligently tracks the outcomes of these efforts, noting their success and impact on community engagement.
Julie’s community-oriented approach is integral to her business ethos. Engaging in various community events and initiatives, she not only imparts valuable knowledge but also nurtures a reciprocal relationship with the community. As she invests in her community, she acknowledges the community’s support in return. This symbiotic exchange, while potentially difficult to measure in conventional ROI terms, underscores Julie’s commitment to meaningful engagement and her broader understanding of value creation beyond immediate financial metrics.
Crucially, Julie recognizes the significant role pets play in the lives of first-time homebuyers. She attests that a frequently expressed desire among such buyers is a fenced yard for their pets. This revelation underscores the pivotal connection between homeownership aspirations and creating a nurturing space for pets, children, and families. Julie’s philosophy centers on assisting clients in finding homes that cater to the unique needs of their lifestyles, including their beloved pets.
In the realm of real estate, Julie’s perspective intertwining pets and homeownership shines through. This unique perspective underscores her commitment to cultivating a pet-friendly atmosphere within her brokerage, catering to both clients and agents. Julie reveals that her personal affinity for pets extends to her workplace; often, her dog accompanies her in the office. The calming presence of pets can defuse tense situations, much like they do in homes. This resonance between the comfort provided by pets and a welcoming home environment informs her approach to real estate.
The conversation wraps up with Julie sharing the lessons she’s gleaned from her journey where she unveils her resilience as a key aspect of her character. Founding her brokerage marked an arduous endeavor, encompassing mental, physical, and financial challenges, coupled with self-doubt. Emotionally charged, the process requires unwavering strength to navigate. In recognizing the dual nature of the industry—its positives and pitfalls—Julie underscores the importance of surrounding oneself with a supportive community. This extends beyond professional connections, embracing personal relationships that provide understanding and acceptance.
Echoing her belief in fostering inclusive spaces, Julie underscores the significance of serving others. This philosophy involves nurturing an environment where diverse paths and perspectives intersect. She acknowledges the transformative power of cultivating such spaces, appreciating that everyone’s journey is distinct. This includes guiding clients towards their homeownership aspirations or even offering candid advice if it’s not the right time. Julie’s experiences illuminate the intricate balance of resilience, community, and empathetic service, all of which have molded her approach to both business and life.
Check out Julie Reisner:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1641811040
Facebook Business Page: https://www.facebook.com/JulieSellsKzoo
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