lore fall 2015

LORE 1

Fall 2015 Volume 9 / Issue 3

F IND OUT HOW THESE SAVVY BUS INESSPEOPLE THR IVE DESP I TE MARKET AND PERSONAL CHALLENGES .

BEST OF THE

BESTPLUS:Tech Leader Morgan Carey, Real Estate Webmasters

Marketing Whiz: Tracy Ellis, RE/MAX Edge

Equestrian Expert: Bonnie Williamson, Daniel Gale Sothebys International Realty

Individual AgentSales Volume No. 3 Mauricio Umansky, The Agency

Individual AgentAverage Sales PriceNo. 1 Jay Harris, The Agency

Individual AgentTransaction Sides No. 2 Greg Kurzner, ERA Atlantic Realty

Agent TeamSales Volume No. 1 The DeLeon Team

PUPPY POWER: Coldwell Banker

tugs at the heartstrings with

new marketing campaign.

LORE 3

Fall 2015

Volume 9 / Issue 3

COVER STORY: Committed to Success Success take commitment and passion. These REAL Trends The Thousand top sales associates and teams have both in spades. Theyve built new business models, work ong hours and love what they do.

DEPARTMENTS

Feature: Puppies? Did Someone Say Puppies?In a furry campaign sure to tug on your heartstrings, Coldwell Banker partners with Adopt-a-Pet.com.

Professional Profile: Marketing Whiz With a strong background in sales and marketing, Tracy Ellis of RE/MAX Edge in Weldon Spring, Mo., has marketing products that will knock your socks off.

Tech Leaders: The Real Estate WebmasterAfter a rocky childhood, Morgan Carey, founder of Real Estate Webmasters in British Columbia, Canada, used ambition and ingenuity to overcome those challenges and develop a successful Web company.

Personal Passions: Not Horsing AroundBonnie Williamson, a sales associate with Daniel Gale Sothebys International Realty in Huntington, N.Y., has a passion for horse riding. She says her love of competition gives her life balance.

This issue of LORE magazine was brought to you by RE/MAX International

Publishers NoteThis issues featured real estate professionals know what it means to work hard and play hard. Find out their secrets to success.4

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4 Lives of Real Estate

www.loremagazine.com

Steve Murray

[email protected]

Tracey C. Velt

Editor-in-Chief [email protected]

David Grassnick

Graphic [email protected]

Bryan Warrick

Marketing [email protected]

Doniece Welch

[email protected]

303-741-1000

Lore magazine is published online via Issuu four times a yearin

February, May, August and Novemberby REAL Trends Inc.

7501 Village Square Drive, Ste. 200 Castle Rock, CO 80108

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Free Subscriptions:

or call [email protected]

his is an exciting time of the year for top agents and teams. The

annual REAL Trends rankings of the top performing sales professionals across the country were released in late June. What these people accomplish is nothing short of incredible. Inside this edition of LORE magazine, you will read the stories of four of these agents and teams, sharing not only their career

secrets but also giving you a glimpse into their personal lives.Coldwell Banker has launched a national campaign to involve

its affiliates to save the lives of animals that have been overlooked. You can read about the passion behind this effort and how Coldwell Banker leaders are successfully implementing this campaign on a local level.

Read also about Bonnie Williamson, a long-time, successful real estate agent who is an equestrienne extraordinaire.

Want to be amazed at resiliency? Read about Morgan Carey, founder of Real Estate Webmasters, and his rise from sleeping in a guitar case on the streets to the heights of the real estate technology arena. Carey shares his story of the drive that it took to recover from an early disadvantage in life to become the leader of one of the fastest growing real estate technology firms in North America.

These are interesting people and exciting times. We trust you will enjoy the people of this issue as much we have.

Stephen H. Murray Publisher

Click Here

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LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLESTPU

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This issues featured real estate professionals know what it means to work hard and play hard. Find out their secrets to success.

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COMMITTED TO SUCCESSSUCCESS TAKES COMMITMENT AND

PASSION. These top sales associates

and teams have both in

spades. They have bui l t new

business models , work long

hours and love what they

do. Read about their c l imbs

to the top here.

LORE 7

THE LUXURY WHISPERERNo. 3 Individual Agent by Sales VolumeMauricio Umansky, CEO and co-founderThe AgencyBeverly Hills, Calif.

Early in Mauricio Umanskys real estate career, he sold Kelsey Grammer two different properties. I always represented the opposite side, he said. Finally, on the third property, Umansky was representing the buyer. At that time, I had never dealt with Mr. Grammer directly. But, in this transaction, the buyer decided to pull out at the last minute, he says. Kelsey was very upset. I was on the golf course when he left me a very angry message.

Umansky immediately called the star, who is famous for sitcoms such as Cheers and Frasier, and asked for a face-to-face meeting. I went right to his house and spoke to him. I walked out with the listing and sold it three weeks later. Most agents have a fear of rejection but having that experience with someone so powerful helped me conquer that fear. This was early in my career, and it left an impact on me, says Umansky, who is now used to working with celebrities and powerful people. After all, hes married to Kyle Richards Umansky, star of Bravos Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I was established in business before she started the show, laughs Umansky, who notes that the added exposure has been fun.

Umansky credits his drive to his paternal grandfather, Abraham Umansky, who immigrated from Russia to Mexico and created an amazing business that still runs strong today. I was raised in Mexico City, and when I go back and people hear my last name, they still tell me stories of when my grandfather helped them. While his grandfather inspired him to give, his father inspired his love of business. He helped me get started in the business, he says.

Winding RoadsAs with many sales associates, Umanskys path to real estate

wasnt direct. First, he was in the fashion industry and sold his company. Then, he was working for another fashion company

I WAS RAISED IN MEXICO CITY, and when I go back and

people hear my

last name, they

st i l l te l l me

stor ies of when

my grandfather

helped them.

Whi le his

grandfather

inspired him to

give, h is father

inspired his love

of business.


when he got fired right before Christmas 1996. My wife and I had little money; we were getting help from her grandfather just to survive. Kyle pushed me to get my real estate license. She even went to school with me, but she never practiced, he says. At the time, they had two children at homea new baby, Alexia, now 18 years old, and Farrah, now 26 years old. I was so down, and Kyle inspired me and got me going, he says.

Umansky immediately made an impact in the real estate world. In fact, when the recent recession (of the early 2000s) hit, he took a tip from his grandfather: When everyone is buying, you sell. When everyone is selling, you buy. While Umansky didnt have the money to buy a lot of real estate back then, he could invest heavily in marketing and sales. I invested in myself at a time when other real estate professionals stopped advertising. I wanted to give the perception that I was doing business when no one else was, he says. It worked. In 2005, he submitted his numbers to REAL Trends The Thousand, as advertised in The Wall Street Journal and was surprised to be listed No. 7. When he realized that he had only six more spots to reach No. 1, he was reinvigorated.

In 2011, Umansky cofounded The Agency with fellow agents Billy Rose and Blair Chang. We wanted to disrupt the real estate world. The methods used were archaic. We felt that collaboration and information sharing was important, he says. So the group developed a business model that encouraged a team approach to sales. We created this environment, thinking that this approach would make better agents and allow them to sell more.

Photograph 2015 by Michelle Thibodeaux, MDesign Photography, www.mdesignphotography.com.

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MY TRUE MOTIVATION IS HELPING THE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR US THRIVE. Its almost a fatherly responsibility toward them. Money

comes as a result of great things. The reward today is

the people. Were a growing brand and company.

I want to leave a legacy. Mauricio Umansky

Its All About BalanceWhile success has been very, very good to Umansky and his family, which, in addition

to wife, Kyle, and daughter, Alexia, includes stepdaughter Farrah Aldjufrie, who is a sales associate at The Agency, and daughters Sophia (15) and Portia (7). I have a large family, I am the CEO of The Agency, and I sell. Balancing all of that is challenging, he says. However, Umansky notes that he is a skilled communicator, which is vital in both his personal and his professional life. I believe in communicating in an honest, upfront way, no embellishments, just the truth, he says. He also believes in giving back to the community through his business and personally. I serve on the boards of several charities including Giveback Homes, One Night for ONE DROP and A Better LA. In addition, The Agency made a full corporate commitment to Giveback Homes. Its not mandatory for our agents; however, we have 100 percent participation, says Umansky.

As with many successful businesspeople, Umansky doesnt prosper on the next dollar. My true motivation is helping the people who work for us thrive, he says. Its almost a fatherly responsibility toward them. Money comes as a result of great things. The reward today is the people. Were a growing brand and company. I want to leave a legacy.


About 13 years ago, in 2002, Greg Kurzner was ready to give up on real estate. I got tired of fighting over whether the refrigerator was staying or going, says the president and broker of ERA Atlantic Realty in Alpharetta, Ga. I always wanted to work more on the corporate side with professionals who were more about numbers than emotions. And, in fact, he had worked as an REO asset manager and in commercial real estate in the early 1990s.

Risky BusinessSo after practicing residential

real estate since 1994, he took a risk. I wrote a script, practiced it and finally cold called the senior vice president for Fannie Mae. She ripped me to shreds, laughs Kurzner. I hung up, and my hands were shaking. I was so disappointed. Like many sales associates, he found it tough to shake off this type of rejection.

To Kurzners amazement, three days later he got a call from someone at Fannie Mae. That person said that Fran (the senior VP) had passed my name along, he says. Needless to say, Kurzner was shocked and thrilled. I made

No. 2 Individual Agent by Transaction SidesGreg Kurzner, CRS, GRI, MBA, president/brokerERA Atlantic RealtyAlpharetta, Ga.

TAKING

CONTROL

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a bold move [to call Fannie Mae], and it paid off. From that point on, Kurzner was handling foreclosures for Fannie Mae.

Bold moves are nothing new to Kurzner, who lives by the motto his father taught him: Work hard, but above all, do things the right and honest way.

My dad, Howard, was a self-made man. He came from poor surroundings and worked hard to become a medical doctor. His two brothers did too, says Kurzner, who, because of his father is inspired to put in more effort than the next guy.

New BusinessNow, Kurzner has a thriving business

working with institutional investment funds, putting properties into his agencys rental portfolios. Not only that, but he says, In the last couple of years, the market was so bad that people havent come back into it. Its easier to have more volume because were not competing with so many people.

In 2007, he started a property management division. We were forced into it by Fannie Mae after Hurricane Katrina hit. Once we figured it out, we had 1,400 units under management, and its been a good economic feeder for us. It allows us to sell, buy and manage, then sell again. In fact, his property management division is attracting many international investors. Some 300 to 400 owners whose properties we manage are from overseas. Its a wide-open opportunity. We can create a pipeline of potential investors, he notes. We have, over the past 25 years, reinvented our business almost perpetually. Sometimes we venture into things that dont work, and sometimes they work well. I am very good at seeing what is coming before it arrives, he says.

With so much going on, one might wonder how he managed to rank as REAL Trends The Thousand, as advertised in The Wall

BOLD MOVES ARE NOTHING NEW TO KURZNER, WHO LIVES BY THE MOTTO HIS FATHER TAUGHT HIM: WORK HARD, BUT ABOVE ALL, DO THINGS THE RIGHT AND HONEST WAY.

Kurzners three children, Collin (16), Cade (13) and Caroline (10)


Street Journal in the individual category. Thats my biggest challenge, he says. I need to find a balance between selling real estate and running a company. We have grown into a larger organization, and with that come the challenges of managing 40 employees (28 in management roles and the rest in corporate positions). As the self-proclaimed idea man for the brokerage, Kurzner says hes bored by the day-to-day management. Putting a new spin on things or pursuing a new angle or business niche is what drives me, he says. Luckily, says Kurzner, On the transaction side, I have administrative help.

Wedded BlissIt also helps that Kurzner can count on his wife, Debbie, for support. We just

celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary, he says. The couple has three children, Collin (16), Cade (13) and Caroline (10). Collin is a high school wrestler, and Cade is an accomplished tennis player and is ranked in the top 150 in the state of Georgia (14 years and under). My daughter swims year round, so theyre all into sports.

He says his wife is the PTA queen for our childrens schools, and both are involved in their church. However, because of his heavy business load, Kurzner isnt as active in larger community events as he has been in previous years.

Overall, says Kurzner, I am inspired by a lot of people whom I consider similar to me. Maybe they dont have the most God-given talent or skill, but they use what they have. They grind out success by hard work and commitment, and they often achieve great things through sheer will and passion.

I AM INSP IRED BY A LOT OF PEOPLE whom I cons ider s imi lar to me.

Maybe they dont have

the most God-given

ta lent or sk i l l , but they

use what they have.

They gr ind out success

by hard work and

commitment , and they

often achieve great

th ings through sheer wi l l and pass ion .

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In 2011, Jay Harris had just graduated from college and started working at a private equity firm. Unhappy in that career, Harris, now director, estates division at The Agency in Beverly Hills, Calif., heard that relative Mauricio Umansky (featured on page 7) was starting a brokerage. His late uncle was married to my aunt and Ive known Mauricio my whole life. I joined The Agency right when it started and grew my business alongside his, he says.

Big SaleHarris claim to fame is the sale

of The Carolwood Estate, a luxury property listed for a whopping $90 million and sold for $74 million in 2014. It was owned by a family member of mine, he says. That would be Gabriel Brener, chief executive of private investment firm Brener International Group and co-owner of the Houston Dynamo soccer team. The previous owner of the 35,000-square-foot home in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, Calif., was Walt Disney. These kinds of homes arent easy to sell as there arent many people who can spend that kind of money on a home, says Harris. It took two years to sell, and even though it sold for less than the $90 million listing price, says Harris, It still sold for over market value. The new owners, according to Harris, were international buyers who had originally been looking in Orange County.

Down TimeFor Harris, who is 28 years old and single, selling that house helped establish him in the

luxury market. People take me more seriously, and its opened doors, he says. As he

No. 1 Individual Agent Average Sales PriceJay Harris, director, estates divisionThe AgencyBeverly Hills, Calif.

MAKING A NAMEFOR HIMSELFCOV

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TORY

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builds his business, Harris says, hes more than happy to put his hobbies on the back burner. Im a golfer. I still go to the [driving] range a few times a week, he says. And he enjoys keeping up with the world of contemporary art, naming Alex Israel as one of his favorite artists.

Harris is involved with The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and is helping the organization attract a younger demographic to assist with fundraising.

As a Millennial in real estate, Harris is open and eager to make a mark on the industry. He looks to Coach Tom Ferry for inspiration. Hes an amazing speaker, but more than that, I see how driven he was and how he built his business, and that inspired me, he says. In addition, he gains insight and inspiration from Michael

Heyward, a friend who co-founded the social network Whisper, an app that allows users to send and post messages anonymously. Hes been my best friend since childhood, he says.

For the time being, Harris is focused on building a business that doesnt solely rely on family connections, he says. My friends arent buying homes yet, so I am proving myself to developers and investors. I want to be in the business for a long time, so I want to make sure my reputation is impeccable. I learned from Mauricio that you have to be honest. If youre a good person and stick to it, business will come.

MY FRIENDS ARENT BUYING HOMES YET, so I am proving mysel f to

developers and investors .

I want to be in the bus iness

for a long t ime, so I want to

make sure my reputat ion is

impeccable. I learned from

Maur ic io that you have to

be honest. If youre a good

person and stick to it, business

wi l l come. Jay Harr is

Jay Harris (center) rubs elbows with celebrities (from left) Andy Garcia, Joe Pesci, Harris, Oscar De La Hoya and a golf pro.


As a real estate attorney, Michael Repka, now CEO and general counsel for DeLeon Realty Inc. in Palo Alto, Calif., saw a lot of things that he would do differently. So, in 2008, he decided to leave the law firm he was with and join DeLeon Realty. Ken and I had similar backgrounds, says Repka. He went through a tragic accident, and I remember hearing about it. I watched a news clip where he was being interviewed from his hospital bed. Ken played tennis and was a really active guy. The reporter asked him how he felt about possibly never walking again. Ken said, I cant focus on what Im not able to do. Im alive, and Ill deal with those challenges as they come. That made an impact on me.

No. 1 Agent Team by Sales VolumeMichael Repka, CEO and general counselKen DeLeon, broker (Read about Ken here.)The DeLeon TeamDeLeon Realty Inc.Palo Alto, Calif.

EVERYONE IS A

SPECIALIST

Michael Repka and Ken DeLeon

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Team Business ModelRepka is part of The DeLeon Team, a group of 39 people that includes 13 sales

associates and 26 specialists such as interior designers, contractors and graphic artists. The Team runs things a little differently than most. For example, if Repka brings in a listing, the interior designer and licensed contractor go in and do a full assessment. They are project coordinators and make sure the property looks great. They may recommend refinishing the floors or repainting, and they take care of getting estimates, overseeing the work and delivering the client payment to the vendor once its done, he says. From there, the listing gets handed off to the marketing team, who takes care of photography, virtual tours and advertising. We segment each listing with key dates, where there is a turnover of responsibility, he says.

Of course, says Repka, that includes controls to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. With each transaction, we want to do that little extra thing to surprise and delight the client. Keeping on schedule is extremely important, and it can be difficult. One thing they do to delight buyers is perform aerial tours for clients. I love to fly, although I dont have the experience to perform the tours, says Repka. As part of the business model, each buyers agent has a territory and is expected to know everything about that territory. Everything is a collaboration, so if a buyer is looking in three territories, the buyer works with three different buyers agents, who are not paid on commission, says Repka.

WITH EACH TRANSACTION, we want to do that little extra thing

to surprise and delight the client.

MIchael Repka


Gaining AcceptanceFor Repka, earning the stamp of approval

from his clients and his team is very import-ant. In fact, he remembers that when he first started in real estate, he had a vision for structuring the company. I built this business model and started the team approach with just a few listings. Eventually, I took over all the listings. At one point, Ken, who is so nice to everyone, saw a 28-page brochure that I did. He shook his head and said, Im glad I didnt have to compete with us when I was an individual Realtor, Repka laughs. I knew I had something good right then.

InternationalNow, DeLeon Realty Inc. is expanding

to China. We started a subsidiary in China. I love to travel, so my wife, Rachel, and I have been traveling to China. [Michael and Rachel met in law school and have been married 15 years.] She was hesitant for me to leave my law firm because she wasnt sure how stable a real estate career would be. Two years ago, she joined DeLeon Realty. That was her stamp of approval, laughs Repka.

While the company is expanding, it is fully dedicated to the local Palo Alto community. We support the local schools. Last year, the team gave a $100,000 donation to the schools, and we participate in and sponsor events such as fun runs for the tkids and high school events, he says. I feel we have an obligation to stay connected to the community.

Repka says hes proud of the team and the collaboration that goes into each deal. In fact, one of Repkas clients told him thank you for delivering a light fixture. I had no idea what she was talking about. She said the light fixture was a family heirloom and that they were worried about it getting damaged in shipping. Our contractor took it upon himself to pick up the light fixture and deliver it to their new home, which was over an hour away. What impressed me the most was that I didnt know. He didnt do it for credit; he did it because he cared. If you do things because you care, clients can feel it.

WE SUPPORT THE LOCAL SCHOOLS. Last year, the team gave a $100,000

donation to the schools, and we participate

in and sponsor events such as fun runs

for the k ids and h igh school events ,

he says . I fee l we have an obl igat ion

to stay connected to the community.

Michael Repka

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BEST OF

THE BESTIndividual AgentSales Volume

1 . Ben Cabal lero, HomesUSA.com Inc . , Addison, Texas

2 . John Burger, Brown Harr is Stevens , New York , N .Y.

3 . Maur ic io Umansky, The Agency, Bever ly Hi l l s , Ca l i f.

4 . Drew Fenton, Hi l ton & Hyland, Bever ly Hi l l s , Ca l i f.

5 . Serena Boardman, Sothebys Internat ional Realty/NRT, New York , N .Y.

Individual AgentTransact ion Sides

1 . Ben Cabal lero, HomesUSA.com Inc . , Addison, Texas

2 . Greg Kurzner, ERA At lant ic Realty, Alpharetta , Ga .

3 . Joe Kadaf, RE/MAX Leading Edge, Dearborn Heights , Mich .

4 . Mary Berry, CENTURY 21 Al l -Pro Realty Inc . , Oklahoma City, Okla .

5 . B i l l Howel l , Hook & Ladder Realty Inc . , Sarasota , F la .

Individual AgentAverage Sales Pr ice

1 . Jay Harr is , The Agency, Bever ly Hi l l s , Ca l i f.

2 . Ef i Luzon, Intero Real Estate Serv ices , Los Altos , Cal i f.

3 . L i ly Lew, Coldwel l Banker Res ident ia l Brokerage, San Francisco, Cal i f.

4 . R ichard Hi l ton , Hi l ton & Hyland, Bever ly Hi l l s , Ca l i f.

5 . John Burger, Brown Harr is Stevens , New York , N .Y.

Agent TeamSales Volume

1 . The DeLeon Team, DeLeon Realty Inc . , Pa lo Alto, Cal i f.

2 . Wi l l iams & Wi l l iams, Hi l ton & Hyland, Bever ly Hi l l s , Ca l i f.

3 . The J i l l s, Coldwel l Banker Res ident ia l Real Estate/NRT, Miami Beach, F la .

4 . The Cre ig Northrop Team, Long & Foster Real Estate Inc . , C larksv i l le , Md.

5 . Bob Lucido Team, Kel ler Wi l l iams Realty, E l l icott City, Md.

Agent TeamTransact ion Sides

1 . Rhonda Duffy, Duffy Realty of At lanta , Alpharetta , Ga .

2 . John Murray, Key Realty, Rockford , I l l .

3 . Ryan ONei l l & The Minnesota Real Estate Team, RE/MAX Advantage Plus ,

B loomington, Minn .

4 . Joe Rothchi ld Realty, Kel ler Wi l l iams S ignature Realty, Katy, Texas

5 . The Mark Spain Team, Kel ler Wi l l iams Realty North At lanta , Alpharetta , Ga .

Agent TeamAverage Sales Pr ice

1 . Kemp Team, The Corcoran Group Real Estate/NRT, New York , N .Y.

2 . The S ingerVenekamp Team, Brown Harr is Stevens , New York , N .Y.

3 . Wi l l iams & Wi l l iams, Hi l ton & Hyland, Bever ly Hi l l s , Ca l i f.

4 . Mary and Brent Gul l ixson, Ala in P ine l Realtors, Menlo Park , Cal i f.

5 . Jan Hashey Team, Douglas E l l iman Real Estate, New York , N .Y.


PUPPIES? DID SOMEONE

SAY PUPPIES?In a furry campaign sure to tug on your

heartstr ings , Coldwel l Banker

partners with Adopt-a-Pet .com.

FEAT

URE

MY DOG, BUDDY IS A RESCUE DOG, says Michaela J. Kreiser, marketing coordinator for Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in San Diego, Calif. He was abandoned as a puppy and had been abused and neglected. Now, he is an integral part of my family, and I couldnt imagine my life without him.

LORE 21

Mans Best FriendAs every dog lover knows, theres nothing quite like coming

home after a long day, opening the door and being greeted by mans best friend. Dogs and homes go together like peas and

carrots. Piggybacking on that concept, Coldwell Banker launched its Homes for Dogs Project in February 2015 with a national commercial that ran on ABC during the 87th Academy Awards. The 30-second ad spot featured real rescue dogs, such as Max, who was adopted in 2014 after being spotted on Adopt-a-Pet.com.

To help more dogs like Max find a forever home, the Coldwell Banker brand simultaneously announced its first-ever Homes for Dogs Project. By teaming up with Adopt-a-Pet.com, the largest nonprofit pet adoption website in North America, the campaign aims to find homes for 20,000 dogs in 2015.


Rescuing those dogs and finding them good homes goes hand in hand with helping people find good homes as well. By using our resources and our visibility as a major real estate brand, we are able to provide local rescue groups, which have partnered with Adopt-A-Pet, a whole new level of exposure and access to potential homes for these rescued dogs, says Kreiser.

Lets face it; its pretty easy to get excited about a marketing campaign centered around dogs, says Rainier de Ocampo, strategic director of marketing (southwest region) for Coldwell Banker in Beverly Hills, Calif. We knew it would resonate with our agents, says de Ocampo, whose offices have been holding adoption days and working with local shelters and vets to get the message out into the community.

Loving HomesOur network has gone crazy with it, says David Siroty, vice president, North American

communications for Coldwell Banker in Madison, N.J. They clearly recognized the power of pet adoption in the local communities.

Gina Gullquist agrees. The associate broker of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Scottsdale, Ariz. immediately met with her sales team to brainstorm ways they could work with the animal rescue located in the building across the street from their office. The team developed a partnership where they would advertise dogs that needed to be

RESCUING THOSE DOGS AND F INDING THEM GOOD HOMES goes hand in hand with

he lp ing people f ind

good homes as wel l .

FEAT

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adopted along with new listings. One flier featured a terrier that was up for adoption. I told one of my clients about the terrier, and she adopted it the next day! says Gullquist, who has two dogs that have brought much love and joy into her life. Its inspired me to work at the shelter. I meet so many clients who moved from another state and couldnt bring their dog. If I see a dog that fits a family, I will email them.

Strength of CommunityBy partnering with Adopt-a-Pet, says Kreiser, were giving a platform for local rescue

groups and shelters, such as the San Diego Humane Society, to showcase their adoptable dogs. Because our Realtors have such extensive networks, we are able to direct our connections to Adopt-a-Pet to help the dogs in our community find the forever homes they deserve and to help our clients find loving companions. To us, real estate is about more than collecting commissions; its about building relationships and building communities.

To date, Coldwell Banker offices have facilitated some 3,000 dog adoptions. In addition, offices have held fundraisers to collect blankets and supplies to give to local animal shelters. On August 1-2, Coldwell Banker offices in communities across the United States, along with shelters and rescue groups in the Adopt-a-Pet.com network, will join forces for one of the largest adoption events of the year.

COLDWELL BANKER OFF ICES have fac i l i tated some 3 ,000 dog

adopt ions . In addit ion , of f ices have held

fundra isers to col lect b lankets and

suppl ies to g ive to local an imal shelters .

Tracy EllisRE/MAX EdgeWeldon Spring, Mo.

With a strong background in sales and marketing, this

sales associate has marketing products that will knock

your socks off.

In 1996, Tracy Ellis was a mom deter-mined not to send her children to daycare. I worked for other real estate profess-ionals doing their marketing and making cold calls, says Ellis, who is married to Rick and mom to four boys, Brett (25), Austin (19), Zack (13) and Drake (11).

Ellis, now a top-producing sales associate with RE/MAX Edge in Weldon Spring and Chesterfield, Mo., was doing more than a few cold calls. In fact, working from her home for a top RE/MAX agent, she would

page through the Haines Directory, a huge marketing database, and

obtain 10 to 15 listing appoint-ments each week. Business was so good that the agent

wouldnt even follow through with half of the leads,

says Ellis. I thought I should be doing this for myself instead of for someone else.

So in 2000, she did just that.

MARKETING WHIZ

P R O F E S S I O N A L P R O F I L E

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Tracy EllisRE/MAX EdgeWeldon Spring, Mo.

In my first month, I had three closings from cold calling FSBOs, she said. I was making great money without a lot of time away from my kids.

A Booming BusinessIn 2000, husband Rick also earned his license. Although he had a great career with an

IT company, we realized that if he were to enter real estate full time, I could push to the next level, she says. Rick finally quit his IT job in December 2014 and joined my real estate team.

Like most working moms, Ellis felt the pressure that role entails. Balancing work and family is never easy. I felt like a failure a lot of days, but at the same time, I wanted to teach my boys the importance of a strong work ethic. That meant including them in the business, doing things such as putting up signs, handing out fliers and more.

Say My NameWhen it comes to marketing, says Ellis, I think one of my clients said it best when he

interviewed me along with more than 10 other real estate professionals for his listing. He told me that if an agent isnt marketing him- or herself, how could that person market his home? The truth is that Ellis is a marketing idea machine. I love marketing, and Im thinking of new ideas daily. My poor husband! He knows when I get that look in my eye, the next big idea is coming, she laughs.


I KNEW I HAD TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT to get the word

out about my

l ist ings . I started

doing a weekly

radio show with

my current broker,

and wed d iscuss

our l i st ings and

what was

happening in the

rea l estate market .

Tracy El l is

A Radio Star Is BornWhile marketing was always a priority for Ellis, it became

even more important during the market downturn of the mid 2000s. I knew I had to do something different to get the word out about my listings. I started doing a weekly radio show with my current broker, and wed discuss our listings and what was happening in the real estate market, she says. After a couple of years, she and Rick moved the show to a local talk station.

The show features local experts who discuss homebuying strategies, and Ellis talks about her listings. She allows charities to promote fundraising events on the show, as well. I also try to keep the show personal. My husband frequently co-hosts, she says. Because of the personal nature of the show, Ellis has been surprised at the number of calls that come from people reaching out for help. Ive had women in abusive situations who call me asking for help. They say that they can tell I care, says Ellis. And I do care. I will help anyone who calls.

Print Is Not DeadAlthough radio has been a great marketing outlet, Ellis says,

I realized that not everyone listens to talk radio and that, therefore, I needed more print marketing. When you are selling a $2 million dollar property, the owners arent going to be content with an ad in the paper every once in a while.

So Ellis did what any other marketing mastermind would do: in 2013, she started

her own luxury property magazine. It sounded like a great idea at the time,

laughs Ellis, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Producing a magazine is a huge time commitment. I sell real estate during the day, and

when Im in magazine mode, I usually work on it until 3 a.m. It takes

me about a month to complete each issue. Despite the commitment, Ellis says its well worth it. Since

launching, she hired a writer to help me tell the perfect


LORE 27

story, she says. Rick and a photographer, Karl Lund, take photos for her listings and the magazine. The magazine is a hit, and shes gone from twice a year to quarterly publication. The magazines are distributed to local businesses. Ellis also pays to have magazine racks in local grocery stores.

In addition to highlighting her listings, she also features stories about charities and our newest addition, where we will recognize a teacher, veteran or first responder, she says. The magazines reach goes far beyond the Missouri borders, according to Ellis. Its allowed me to network with top-producing real estate professionals all over the world, including Madison Hildebrand, Bravos Million Dollar Listing star. We featured his Malibu home in the last issue. Ive also partner-ed with a style magazine in St. Louis, called Gazelle & Gazelle West. Im the real estate contributor for their magazine, and theyre contributing their expert style advice in mine.

The Missing LinkNow that Ellis could check off radio

marketing and a magazine, she decided to explore television. A local homebuilder asked me about being in a TV show, she says. Ellis collaborated on the project. We shot four different episodes to appear over three months on the local ABC affiliate, Sunday mornings, she says. The show features a local custom homebuilder who explains the different stages of building a home. A representative of a local mortgage company explains the different types of loans available. Some of my clients listings are featured on the show, and I interview past clients, she says.

Three of Ellis boys, Drake (11), Austin (19), and Zack (13) hanging out with Million Dollar Listing star Madison Hildebrand (in tan sweater.)

Below: Not content with a radio show and a magazine, Ellis joined forces with a local homebuilder to shoot a television series.


Exhausted yet? Not Ellis. I work all the time, so it doesnt leave a lot of time for hobbies. Having a radio show is pretty enter-taining and being able to pick what I want to put in my magazine is a lot of fun, she says. Im blessed to have a supportive hus-band Ive been with since I was 15 years old.

For the time being, Ellis is content with her marketing projects; however, the wheels continue to turn. Something new is sure to be just around the bend.

MY MOST INTEREST ING TRANSACTIONI listed a $1.5 million home in a gated community on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River, says

Ellis. The property was behind a gate, making it difficult for people to view it.I decided to plan an event, offering tours of the home to the public. Rick and I sold tickets for $50

apiece. All the money was donated to the Missouri Military Memorial Foundation. I had no idea what an undertaking this would be. For starters, cars couldnt drive behind the gate out

of respect to other homeowners. So we asked Enterprise Rent-A-Car to donate passenger vans to shuttle guests to the mansion. Next, I needed drivers. I was able to get people to donate their time. I also arranged for a nearby lot to allow the guests to park there. Anheuser-Busch and Glazers Distributors of Missouri donated all of the alcohol. I had a company come in with different types of wine. Restaurants donated food. I had live entertainment, and we raised almost $2,000 for the Foundation.

We didnt sell the home that night, but I did get it sold. That buyer listed his house with me as well.


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T E C H N O L O G Y L E A D E R S

Morgan Carey

CEO, Founder

Real Estate

Webmasters

After a rocky childhood, Morgan Carey used ambition

and ingenuity to overcome those challenges and

develop a successful Web company.

Morgan Careys early memories in Canada revolve around cold nights sleeping snuggled under blankets in his mothers guitar case while she played on the streets for change to feed her family. I grew up in a family of five children with a legally blind mother and no father, says Carey, now the founder of Real Estate Webmasters, a Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada-based company that specializes in search engine optimization (SEO), Internet Data Exchange (IDX) and custom real estate websites.

No Home to Call His OwnBy the time he was 8 years old, Carey

was taken from his mother, who was in an abusive relationship, and placed in foster care. Unfortunately, abuse of all kinds was common in my family, he says. At the ripe age of 11, Carey left foster care to live with his older sister, who was about 17 years old at the time. I was a forgotten child in the system.

FROM MUSIC AND MAYHEM

TO SUCCESS AND STABILITY

LORE 31

Morgan Carey

CEO, Founder

Real Estate

Webmasters

I was in a temporary loop, staying only three to six months with each family until I was permanently placed. There were never any permanent homes available. I was sick of being bounced around, so I left to live with my oldest sister.

Carey was able to pay his own way because he was receiving $500 a month in orphan benefits from the Canadian pension plan. It used to go to my mom, then to my foster parents. When I moved in with my sister, it came directly to me, he says. I also stayed with friends where I could, he says. School always fell by the wayside. In fact, at age 13, he says, I was kicked out of school in the eighth grade for one year.

Rising AboveDuring that time (which turned into 2.5 years out of school), he followed his

mothers musical path and played at cafs and on the streets. I always wanted that connection with her and the music, he says.

In fact, it was while playing a gig with his mother at a local caf that he got a call that changed his life. I left the stage to take a phone call from my then-girlfriend. She told me she was pregnant. I was 15 years old when he (son David, now 20 years old) was born in April 1995, he says. Knowing that he didnt want his child to experience what he had as a child, he vowed to finish school, go to university and grow up, he says. My early years taught me that I could never truly rely on anyone but myself. They showed me the kind of world that I never wanted my children to have to experience, says Carey, who also has a daughter, Ariyah (age 8). Carey is very involved with the lives of both of his children.

A Passion for SuccessCarey enrolled in an alternative program and finished two grades in six months.

I spent all day, every day at school, he says. Then, he worked at a car wash until he


was 17 years old. I knew I needed to go to regular school, so I enrolled in grade 12, taking advanced courses, started university and graduated with a liberal studies degree. I first thought I wanted to be a scientist because I had an affinity for math and biology, but it wasnt my personality. I liked liberal studies because you engaged in passionate discussions. It wasnt teachers versus students. You talked passionately about what interested you. He also spent some time studying in Florence, Italy. Ironically, Carey was never interested in technology. I never even owned my first computer until I was almost 20, he laughs. But he was interested in sales. I took the real estate licensing course but never hung my license and wondered if I could sell. So I decided to take on the toughest sales job in the world, selling long distance services for MCI WorldCom, says Carey, who became known as the guy you never hung up on.

His success attracted the attention of an Internet company. I was 21 years old, and they wanted me to help them figure out the Internet. Thats when I learned about Internet marketing. In fact, he learned that he was quite good at it. In that position, I [helped the company create] an SEO company, which made [the Internet company I worked for] tons of money. They wouldnt give me a raise, so I walked out and started my own company, says Carey. During that time, he worked with a few real estate clients and was doing well in the real estate/technology space. He says he spent a lot of time working with unreliable third-party vendors and decided to bring those services in house so that he could maintain quality control and deliver at the highest level. There was nothing out there that delivered the truly custom experience that I was used to providing for other industries, he says. He realized that there was a need for custom real estate websites.

Now, Carey prides himself on finding people better than I am to help me. We have a great team, although he admits that choosing to take on the custom website model was a risk. I was nave for choosing that model. I had no thought about profitability or business acumen. I just wanted to be proud of what I built. He says his success is based on his core

values and his Always Be Awesome (ABA) philosophy. Its not about the product being awesome. Our team members have the opportunity to be awesome all the time.

Finding NirvanaWhat started with five people in Careys basement

has grown to just under 200 employees in five offices in two countries (Canada and the United States). Our growth has been a constant average of 40 percent year after year for the past six years, he says. In 2014, Carey was on Dragons Den, Canadas version of the hit television show Shark Tank, where he scored the largest legitimate ask in reality TV history, $2 million for 4 percent of his company, for a 50 million valuation. Carey got the money (albeit for a 5 percent share), with franchise specialist Jim Treliving and merchant banker Michael Wekerle splitting the deal, according to an article on CanadianBusiness.com. However, Carey did not take the money. Careys marketing includes endorsements from celebrities such as ABCs Shark Tank Barbara Corcoran and Fredrik Eklund of Bravos Million Dollar Listing New York. In fact, says Carey, Barbara Corcoran was already a client of mine when Dragons Den aired. I approached her and pitched her that she would be a better partner (than the Dragons Den investors) for both strategic and alignment reasons. She agreed, and we immediately partnered on our first web product, called The Barbara.

T E C H N O L O G Y L E A D E R S

MY PERSONAL GOAL i s to become the k ind

of man I want

my daughter

to marry.

Morgan Carey

LORE 33

Its clear that Carey isnt resting on his laurels. He has big goals and plans for Real Estate Webmasters. The goal for my company is a sim- ple one, a billion dollar valuation, he says. Not because Im looking to sell (hes not), but because goals are important. I wanted to set one that, if I achieved it, would finally allow me to step back, take a breath and realize I had done something that very few people have, he says.

While building his businesses (there are more; see sidebar at right) forces him to put his love of music on the back burner, Carey still finds time to invest in personal development. I love to learn, he says. He and his long-time girlfriend Carly love to take care of their 8-acre farm and spend quality time with the kids. Laughs Carey, Im an entrepreneur, so, unless building businesses and making money is considered a hobby, I have no hobbies. He still maintains a relationship with his mother and older son.

For Carey, the story of his life is the traditional rags to riches story about a man rising above his life circumstances to do great things. My early years showed me the kind of world that I never wanted my children to have to experience. I vowed to never let them have to go through or see what I did, and to this day, that still drives me.

CAREYS CREAT IONS

Morgan Carey is the charismatic passion behind numerous endeavors, including Real Estate Webmasters, and REWSters restaurant, as well as a residential/commercial property company, called Carey Real Estate Holdings. Careys net worth is an estimated $70 million, making him one of the most successful people in Canadas Web technology industry.

At press time, Carey was a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.


Bonnie Williamson

Sales Associate

Daniel Gale Sothebys

International Realty

Bonnie Williamsons passion for horse riding

and her love of competition give her life balance.

In the 1970s, Bonnie Williamsons parents gave her riding lessons as a wedding anniversary present. Within six months, I bought my first horse and started riding, says the sales associate with Daniel Gale Sothebys International Realty in Huntington, N.Y. Now, riding is a family affair, as daughter, Jessica (38), has been riding with mom since she was 5 years old. Bonnie also has two sons, John (40) and Peter (32).

Soon after taking her first lessons, Williamson, who started her real estate career in 1980, started competing in equitation (the practice of horsemanship where the rider is judged on his or her ability to ride correctly) and eventing (an equestrian event where a single horse-and-rider combination competes against other combinations across the three disciplines of dressage, cross-country and show jumping). We didnt get into the high end. It was becoming popular when we were doing it in the early 1990s. The horse and I would jump wagons with hay bales, solid natural fences and stacks of logs. I now realize how dangerous it really

Not Horsing Around

P E R S O N A L P A S S I O N S

LORE 35

Bonnie Williamson

Sales Associate

Daniel Gale Sothebys


is, she laughs. I loved the challenge, and I was younger and crazy then. It was a lot of fun. My husband, John, daughter, Jessica, and I would trailer all over the Northeast, she says. The two boys didnt compete.

Christopher Reeve was in one of the competitions I was in, she says. The highlight of her career was going down to Wellington, Florida (host city to the Winter Equestrian Festival and more than 40 weeks of equestrian competitions per year) and competing on the Wellington Winter Circuit. I went there for three or four years. I had this wonderful gray mare that I trusted. To compete on that level was thrilling, she says. Williamson hasnt competed in about eight months; however, riding is still in her blood. Riding is my sanctuary. Im in a high-pressure business, and riding is a wonderful way to escape, she says.

DOBRO POZHALOVAT! After graduating

from the University

of Michigan,

Bonnie Williamson,

now a sales associate

with Daniel Gale

Sothebys


in Huntington, N.Y.,

wanted adventure.

She found it as a

flight attendant for

Pan Am. Pan Am

was looking for

Russian-speaking

flight attendants for

its inaugural flight

to Moscow, says

Williamson, who

majored in language.

I did the Russian

announcements.

The flight was

filled with VIPs,

ambassadors and

journalists.

LORE 36

lore fall 2015

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