In the following interview, Danae Aballi, a REALTOR® with Douglas Elliman Real Estate in Newport Beach, Calif., discusses business-building, the local market, marketing, and more.
Region Served: Orange County, Calif.
Years in Real Estate: 14
Number of Offices: 22 in California
Number of Agents: Douglas Elliman has 7,000 agents nationwide. My personal team here in Newport Beach is me, three agents, a marketing director and a listing coordinator.
No. 3 in sales volume in RISMedia’s 2018 Power Broker Report
What is the first thing you do when you get to the office?
I time-block two hours of calling for business. It’s not time for current escrows or listings, but rather, for generating new business only. Activities that I focus on include lead follow-up, calling my database, cold calling, etc.
How about the last thing you do before leaving for the day?
I look at the schedule for the following day and call one past client to end the day.
What sets your company apart from the competition?
Our average price point across the company is $1.1 million, so our marketing, our executive team and our leadership are all based around serving at the highest level.
What is your preferred method for communicating with clients?
While phone calls are always best, email and text are good for asking quick questions. That being said, most real estate conversations are exactly that—a conversation. They’re fluid, and the best way to communicate is over the phone.
Please describe some of the current trends you’re experiencing in your local market, and how you and your team are adapting to meet them.
We’re beginning to see the market gently shift, in addition to buyers being willing to purchase when it’s a fair deal, and when the home is well-maintained. Our team is helping now more than ever to prepare the home for sale so that when its launched on the market, sellers have the best foot forward from the beginning.
You utilize Homes & Land as part of an integrated marketing strategy that includes print publications. How does this benefit you?
Perception. So many agents have gone digital only, and that can be a mistake. I certainly use the tech tools that are available today, but we cannot forget about the foundations. Online, you might be one of 200-300 ads a consumer scrolls through. In the magazine, you’re one of 50 top agents, so you stand out.
For more information, please visit www.homesandland.com/benefits.
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