Above, from left, Elias Astuto, Riezl Baker, Keith Robinson and Maureen Sullivan
In the wake of the National Association of REALTORS®’ decision to settle commission lawsuits, the real estate industry is bracing for a new reality. Rather than clinging to how things were before, we asked some of our 2024 Real Estate Newsmakers the following question to learn how they’re planning and adjusting for the future:
“With rule changes set to take place this July, what are you doing to ensure your business continues to grow and thrive?”
Here’s what they had to say:
Influencers
Elias Astuto
Director of Sales & Coaching
Fast Real Estate brokered by eXp Realty
“Our preliminary plans are educating and informing our agent population. We’re hosting a series of in-person masterminds in our market titled ‘What’s Next for Buyer’s Agents’ and ‘What’s Next for Listing Agents.’ We want to help the agent population realize the positive impacts these changes have on our industry, while making the consumer the center of their marketing. As ‘trusted advisors,’ we need to be loud and address fears and concerns with our databases. Consumers are forming their own narrative, so we have an obligation to share the reality and be a lighthouse for consumers.”
Influencers
Riezl Baker
Co-Founding Principal/REALTOR®
Luxury Lake Oconee Real Estate Group
“I plan to continue my unwavering focus on elevating innovation and excellent service that I provide to my clients. I firmly believe it is this dedication and commitment that will uphold my value as a REALTOR®. In a market where real estate transactions represent the largest financial investments for many individuals, the need for expertise and guidance is more crucial than ever. Looking ahead, my plan is simple yet profound: Continue doing what has made me successful for the past 23 years, which is my steadfast commitment to innovation and service excellence, ensuring my clients receive nothing but the best.”
Influencers
Maureen Sullivan
Sales Specialist
Team AFA at William Raveis
“I educate my clients and potential clients to understand the laws as well as the benefits of working with an agent and the services I offer. I show continued confidence in my negotiation skills, which are paramount to a successful transaction, and demonstrate this to my clients who continue to work with me as their representative. I leverage the latest tools and technology to streamline processes, enhance marketing efforts and provide added value to my clients. I also stay up to date on industry trends, market dynamics and legal regulations so that I remain at the forefront of my industry and can provide clients with the most relevant and up-to-date information.”
Futurists
Keith Robinson
Chief Strategy Officer
NextHome, Inc.
“Every agent should have a three-pronged approach to adjusting to these new potential changes: 1) read and learn your buyer representation agreement if you’re in a state that doesn’t already require one. All will in the future, so be prepared; 2) level up your buyer consultation. Your buyer consultation of tomorrow should look like your listing presentation of today, where you show value and provide clarity into how you are different; and 3) increase your negotiation skills. Not only will you be negotiating for the buyer commission in the future, you’ll also have another layer of negotiation in your offer writing process.”
Visit https://www.rismedia.com/2024-newsmakers to learn more about this year’s Newsmakers.
Thank you to our 2024 Real Estate Newsmakers Sponsors:
Newsmakers Gold Sponsor
Real Estate Webmasters
Newsmakers Bronze Sponsors
American Home Shield
CoreLogic
FBS Data
Forbes Global Properties
HouseAmp
Realtors Property Resource
