Blog : Announcements

NextHome continues Colorado expansion with new office

NextHome continues Colorado expansion with new office

Tyler Scott

Pleasanton, CA — January 24, 2020 — NextHome is proud to announce our newest addition to the franchise, NextHome Elevate, based in Castle Rock, Colorado. The brokerage represents the 13th office location opened in Colorado for the NextHome franchise.

The brokerage is owned by Tyler Scott, who brings 12 years of commercial and residential expertise to the business. Tyler and his team at NextHome Elevate look forward to helping buyers and sellers across Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, Lone Creek, Parker, Centennial, Cherry Creek, and the remainder of the South Denver area. 

Tyler began his real estate career in 2008 with the Staubach Company in Houston, Texas. Tyler’s foundational experiences in real estate as an intern with the football legend’s commercial representation firm gave him unique insights into creating value for commercial clients. 

Tyler soon transitioned his skills to commercial firm Jackson & Cooksey in Dallas, and then continued his career in commercial tenant representation by taking a job with Denver-based Equis (now Cushman & Wakefield).

Soon, Tyler was recruited to a Denver-based company to be their in-house director of real estate. 

“As a broker, licensed agent, and an investment portfolio manager, I have sat on various sides of the table and I understand the needs of different clientele,” Tyler said. “I managed the company’s real estate interests better than any external person could.”

For seven years Tyler worked in-house with organizations managing their real estate portfolios. He also set himself apart by earning two degrees in real estate and finance from Baylor University. 

However, residential real estate sales and investing soon became an enjoyable side job. 

“I had a couple opportunities to invest in residential real estate,” Tyler recalled. “Soon, friends and contacts started asking me to help them buy and sell homes so I started doing that on my own on the side.”

As Tyler became more involved in residential real estate, he saw ways to add value for Denver area buyers and sellers. 

“The more I thought about it, the more opportunity I saw,” Tyler said. “All I’ve done my whole career is to find concrete ways to give value to clients. I learned so much in commercial real estate that I can uniquely apply to residential sales. For example, when you do a commercial lease you are paid for the entire term of that lease. When you work with my brokerage, I want clients to experience a higher level of service during the transaction, but also have someone who is there as a resource for as long as they are in that house.” 

Tyler believes that the real estate relationship should be far more valuable to the client than a one-and-done sales transaction. 

“I wanted to run a brokerage where clients can expect a uniquely higher level of service,” Tyler said. “So often it seems like agents show up, go through the motions, the deal is done and they disappear, and maybe once a month you get a generic, impersonal email from them. I wanted to offer something different, something better.”

So Tyler began researching franchises. 

“I knew that in order to recruit and train agents effectively I needed a rather robust platform,” Tyler said of his search for the perfect franchise opportunity.  “I didn’t feel like reinventing the wheel when something was already out there, but I also didn’t want something that was stale.”

When he stumbled across NextHome, Tyler was impressed by how fresh and cutting-edge the brand seemed.

“I saw a company that shared many of the same ideas and passions that I already resonated with,” Tyler said. “When I reached out, the level of engagement that I got from all levels of NextHome management was something that just doesn’t exist anywhere else – not even close. The more I learned and engaged with the company, well it wasn’t even a question anymore about whether this was the right fit.” 

Today, Tyler is setting NextHome Elevate apart through superior customer service that lasts throughout the transaction and beyond.

When he isn’t building his business, Tyler enjoys spending time in Colorado’s beautiful outdoors. He has been married to his wife Morgan for 10 years and together they are the proud parents of Ava (5) and Duke (3). 

Please join us in congratulating Tyler on the opening of NextHome Elevate in Castle Rock, Colorado!

 

Interested in being a part of the NextHome Real Estate Franchise? Contact VP of Sales Charis Moreno at Charis@NextHome.com.

 

Each office is an independently owned and operated business.

NextHome announces new Ocala office

NextHome announces new Ocala office

Tim Collins

Pleasanton, CA — January 23, 2020 — NextHome is proud to announce our newest addition to the franchise, NextHome Vision Realty, based in Ocala, Florida. The brokerage represents the 65th office location opened in Florida for the NextHome franchise.

The brokerage is owned by Tim Collins, a real estate coach, residential builder and developer, and sales professional. NextHome Vision Realty is also pleased to welcome Paola Alarcon to the office’s leadership team as its marketing and training manager. Paola will also continue to sell real estate alongside Ocala experts Josh Gahr and Olga Cepeda.

The brokerage provides knowledgeable service for farm and land purchases, ranches, luxury homes, senior communities, and all types of residential buyers and sellers. 

Tim and his team of highly-trained agents are looking forward to serving clients across Ocala, Summerfield, Dunnellon, and cities south of the Gainesville, Florida area.  

Located just 30 minutes south of Gainesville, Ocala is known for its stunning ranch land and its surrounding farms are famous for their thoroughbred horses. Tim was attracted to the area after a long career in real estate development and entrepreneurship. 

He began his real estate career in 2003 in Columbus, Ohio where he was born and raised. At that time, Tim was interested in commercial real estate and began taking classes. His thirst for knowledge prompted him to contact the area’s leaders in the industry for insights and advice. After reaching out to a top-producing friend in residential real estate, Tim was recruited to help launch her new franchised brokerage and team. 

Tim spent the next three years selling residential real estate in Columbus. Then, he moved to South Carolina where he was the developer and residential builder of a 170 homesites community in the Myrtle Beach area. 

In the following years, Tim’s career flourished. Notable achievements include working as a Sales and Marketing Representative for the developer of The Villages in Florida. Currently, Tim is completing the construction, sales, and marketing of 60 homes at the Cottages at Pryse Farms in Farragut, Tennessee. 

However, Tim really began to hit his stride as a real estate coach. In 2016 he had the opportunity to train 45 real estate professionals for a nationally franchised brokerage in Ocala. 

“I did it for fun,” Tim recalled. “I really liked helping people who were willing to do the work – agents who had this desire and a big ‘why’ for what they were pursuing. It was incredibly gratifying watching them grow, sharing my knowledge, and watching people change their lives.”

That real estate training course and coaching program introduced Tim to Paola, Josh, and Olga. Together, the group recognized that they had a drive and camaraderie that would build a successful business. 

“We wanted to find a way to work together and we came around to a conversation about how we can do things on our own,” Tim recalled. “We wanted to increase our level of service and give agents at our office a little more control over the day-to-day. We were also interested in creating a great workplace culture.” 

Tim began the process of building his own independent brokerage from the ground up, but then he saw an article in Realtor Magazine about NextHome and his business trajectory shifted. 

“I started reading and thought ‘My goodness, this is what we are trying to create!’,” Tim said. “I wanted to run a real estate business that was more concerned with the quality of service over quantity of agents. NextHome also embraced the mindset that the customer experience is paramount. I picked up the phone and called Charis Moreno (NextHome VP of Sales), and the rest was history.”

Today, Tim is setting NextHome Vision Realty apart through superior agent training and a focus on customer service. 

“With NextHome Vision you are going to get extremely well-trained and experienced agents who act with a client-first mentality,” Tim said. “Our agents are also proactive, giving homebuyers and sellers the knowledge and foresight to avoid common pitfalls. We will acknowledge and take care of any hiccups before they become an issue, giving clients a Grade-A experience.” 

Please join us in congratulating Tim and his entire team on the opening of NextHome Vision Realty in Ocala, Florida!

 

Interested in being a part of the NextHome Real Estate Franchise? Contact VP of Sales Charis Moreno at Charis@NextHome.com.

 

Each office is an independently owned and operated business.

Make Video Email One Of Your Top Sales Automation Tools in 2020

Make Video Email One Of Your Top Sales Automation Tools in 2020

In sales, time is of the essence in order to meet quotas. But it can also take a lot of time for your sales team to build relationships with prospects to close these deals. While there are plenty of helpful sales automation tools out there to speed up the process, there’s one that helps them get face-to-face with potential customers quicker, and more efficiently – and that’s video email.

Because as nice as it would be to meet in person with prospects to really make that connection, there’s just not enough hours in the day to do that. Video, however, allows your team members to do this in a scalable and personal way.

While we understand why incorporating new technology like video into your sales process might seem like a time-consuming undertaking, it truly isn’t. Because instead of struggling to set in-person meetings or getting people to listen to what your sales professionals have to say on the phone, your team is getting their message across in an authentic way via prerecorded video emails. And they’re accomplishing this without ever having to leave the office, dedicating hours to cold calling, or spending time drafting intricate text-only emails that can get lost in translation.

Video is quicker (and more effective) throughout the sales process. And you can create endless evergreen (pre-recorded videos that can be sent to multiple recipients) content that is still personal to connect with prospects in meaningful ways. We’ve listed four times that video will help save your team time below and why you should make it one of your top sales automation tools in 2020:

1 Cold Lead Outreach

It’s hard enough to get email opens, let alone replies, when people are swarmed with prospecting emails daily. In order to be successful with cold lead outreach, your team members need to set themselves apart from the competition.

They can do this faster by creating pre-recorded cold lead outreach response videos tailored to their buyer personas. Because, let’s face it, a clever subject line and text alone doesn’t cut it anymore. To really keep recipients engaged, something in your team’s emails has to catch their attention and draw them in.

By bringing a face to the forefront of your messaging with video, it differentiates your salespeople from the rest of the pack. And it’s more effective because it’s harder to ignore a real human in your inbox who is willing to take the time to get to know you and send you a personal message.

So, instead of your team spending the bulk of their time attempting to craft the perfect cold prospecting email, have them record everything they were going to say in a simple video – adding that personal touch that helps prospects really connect with what they have to say.

What to include:

  • A personal touch
  • An acknowledgement of the recipient’s pain points, or obstacles getting in the way of their success.
  • An explanation of how your product or service will help them overcome these hurdles.
  • The benefits they’ll see from using your product or service.
  • A call-to-action.

In the video below, Jonathan, one of our account executives, conducts a cold outreach effort with prospects in which he showcases his knowledge of a common pain point in their industry (in this case, cold outreach email engagement challenges), and how video will help them see results.

 

He uses the screen recorder video email feature to immediately present how the product will work for the recipients’ companies and showcase its ease of use. So, he’s not just explaining what BombBomb does, he’s showing them how it works in real time for their businesses.

2 Automated Lead Response

It’s no secret that sales teams need to act fast in responding to a lead. In fact, the Harvard Business Review indicates that in a study involving 29 B2C and 13 B2B businesses in the U.S., those that responded to prospective clients within an hour of their inquiry were almost “seven times as likely to qualify the lead as those that tried to contact the customer even an hour later – and more than 60 times as likely as companies that waited 24 hours or longer.”

What makes video email such a great, time-saving sales automation tool is that you can record evergreen lead response videos in a short amount of time, and set them up to send as soon as people request more information.

All it takes is setting aside a little bit of time to record evergreen introductory videos. Once that’s done, your team will have video content that can be used as a means of response for every inquiry. Instead of having to respond to each lead personally with a typed out email, the automated video email does the work for them – while still coming across as genuine.

What to include:

  • An intriguing animated preview that grabs the attention of recipients – whether that be a cool background with family photos or posters of your interests, or the movement of you walking around in your neighborhood. The whole point is to get your leads to press play.
  • An introduction of who you are, what your company does and what it offers that other companies don’t.
  • Address next steps to come in the process.
  • A call-to-action, which in this case can be a request for questions, or a meeting to discuss things further.

The following clip is a video that mortgage broker and loan officer Chris’ leads receive when they submit a request to learn more via Zillow or Trulia about his mortgage services…

 

All it took was a few minutes of his time to create a video lead response that will not only give prospects the immediate response they’re looking for, but also address them in an authentic way that builds trust and makes them want to work with him.

An important thing to note is that if you and your team want to reach out to leads with a more personalized approach, we encourage sending one-to-one videos. It’s still faster than typing out each individual lead response email, and showcases who you are as a  person. And recipients will appreciate this because they want to know who they will be working with in order to open up and trust the salesperson they are interacting with.

3 Appointment Setting and Reminders

Appointment setting can be time consuming without the right sales automation tools. But in order to sell more, appointments need to be on the books quickly to stay top-of-mind and have the conversations needed to close deals. Video email helps you accomplish this.

Record a simple evergreen appointment setting video to send to prospects when they request a demo. This puts your team in front of prospects via video at the click of a button. It shows them that they are valued as future clients, so they are more inclined to set and keep that appointment. Video allows you to set more appointments faster and easier.

Just as important is sending out those appointment reminders to ensure prospects show up to their appointments. And you can set up automated video reminders to send out to potential clients as their time slots approach. Again, these are videos that only take up a small portion of your time to record, and can be reused again and again to encourage people to show up for your demos.

Sending individual videos tailored to recipients is a good strategy that saves time by not having to type out individual appointment emails

What to include:

  • An engaging animated preview. Give recipients a glimpse of your friendly personality in this preview that will intrigue them to play your video message
  • A background of your relationship with the recipient
  • An explanation of why you’re reaching out, and why they would benefit from a demo
  • A call-to-action to schedule a meeting, or a reminder to join the scheduled meeting
In the example below, Mandy, one of our BombBomb Customer Success associates, touches on all of these points in a friendly and relatable way to ensure she secures coaching appointments with clients she hasn’t heard back from…

4 Automated Process Updates

Customers like to be kept in the loop along the sales process. And using video as one of your team’s sales automation tools saves them time, while still keeping clients informed and happy along the way to finalizing the sale.

Have your team create pre-recorded videos that encompass every step in the sales process to send to your prospects, so they know exactly what to expect. So, instead of them emailing clients continuously with updates, they can just send out a video email with the content they’ve already created.

And the recipients of your team’s updates will be more at ease knowing that there’s another human there for them to answer their questions and keep them updated. This is something plain text can’t do.

What to include:

  • An explanation of where they are in the sales process
  • Information on what comes next
  • Action items that need to be completed for successful completion
  • An expression of gratitude for their time and business

The clip below is a video that real estate agent Sascha sends to his clients when they are under contract for a home. He congratulates them on their milestone in the home buying journey, tells them what is to come, informs them of things they need to do and why they need to do them, and showcases genuine excitement for his customers…

 

Use BombBomb to adopt video email as a top sales automation tool.

If you’re ready to start saving your team time by using video as one of your top sales automation tools in 2020, BombBomb is just what you need to get started.

You can easily integrate video in the sales tools your team members are already using, like Outreach, as well as within their Gmail and Outlook email accounts.

In fact, BombBomb is making it even faster and easier to integrate video email into your sales process with our new Salesforce integration. It allows your sales team to increase productivity, build trust faster, and differentiate themselves with video directly within Salesforce.

Request a demo today, and see the difference it makes for you and your sales team!

For more helpful tips from our partners at BombBomb, check out their blog!

Top-selling Indiana agent opens NextHome brokerage

Top-selling Indiana agent opens NextHome brokerage

Austin Rich

Pleasanton, CA — January 22nd, 2020 — NextHome is thrilled to announce the newest addition to the franchise, NextHome Elite Real Estate, based in Muncie, IN. The brokerage represents the fifth office location opened in Indiana for the NextHome franchise.

The brokerage will serve clients throughout Muncie, Selma, Eaton, Dunkirk, Farmland, Parker City, Middletown, Daleville, Yorktown, Gaston, and the remainder of Delaware County. NextHome Elite Real Estate agents are also happy to help clients in nearby towns in surrounding Grant, Madison, Marion, and Randolph counties. 

The brokerage is owned by the husband and wife team Austin and Tera Rich. As the broker of record, Austin brings six years of outstanding real estate success to the new venture. 

Austin has been selling real estate professionally since 2014, however, he first delved into the industry through rental properties while studying at Ivy Tech Community College. 

After finishing school, Austin joined a nationally franchised brokerage and devoted his time and attention to becoming the best real estate agent he could be. Soon after obtaining his license in 2014, he rocketed to the top of his industry as one of Indiana’s premier real estate professionals. 

During his first year selling, Austin became the top individual producer in his brokerage and one of the top-producing agents in the entire state of Indiana. He has consistently averaged around $6.5 million in annual sales since that first year – once topping $7.7 million in a market where the average starter home price hovers around $75,000. 

Austin’s self-starter attitude has helped him sell about one home per week in a market where the average sales rate is closer to one home per month. 

“I enjoy being modern and fresh,” Austin said of his approach to real estate. “It is really a great thing to be able to find an agent who is constantly staying up-to-date and pushing the envelope with the latest technology and tools. Sellers and buyers know that I won’t leave any rock unturned when I am marketing their property or searching for their perfect home.”

As Austin continued to build his reputation for successful sales around Delaware County, his eventual goal was always to open his own brokerage. He just needed to find the perfect franchise fit. 

“I wanted a company that could meet certain criteria and standards for me,” Austin said. “My goal was to have the backing of a franchise that has the same philosophy, ethics, morals, and background that I have.”

Austin was also searching for a franchise that embraced his inclinations toward being on the cutting edge. 

“When I started my research it seemed like I had hundreds of possibilities,” Austin said. “Then I started reaching out to other agencies that had embraced NextHome and my decision became crystal clear.”

For Austin, the decision to join the NextHome family was because of the company’s blend of the personal and professional, as well as its blend of cutting-edge technology and old fashioned values. 

“NextHome is on the front lines of real estate innovation and already has a system in place that would take workload and stress off of me,” Austin said. “It was also really impressed that I could pick up the phone and reach one of the top five executives at the company. That is incredibly unique.”

Today, Austin is offering NextHome Elite Real Estate clients the unparalleled support and marketing that comes with the NextHome brand. 

“From day one our agents will have top-tier support from office systems that are already in place, as well as access to superior technology and marketing. In addition, the back-end support from NextHome is unmatched by any other franchise. Agents can be more successful here than any other place they go,” said Austin.

Outside of selling real estate, Austin enjoys spending time with Tera and their three children. Lauren (13) plays volleyball and travels across the country with her club team. Baylee (10) runs cross country and is a gymnast. Cameron (7) enjoys playing basketball and golfing with his dad. 

Together, the family enjoys traveling, golfing, and exploring the Smoky Mountains. 

Please join us in congratulating Austin and Tera on the opening of NextHome Elite Real Estate in Muncie, Indiana!

Interested in being a part of the NextHome Real Estate Franchise? Contact VP of Sales Charis Moreno at Charis@NextHome.com.

 

Each office is an independently owned and operated business.

NextHome announces new Stafford, VA office

NextHome announces new Stafford, VA office

Michael & Chris Asmus

Pleasanton, CA — January 21, 2020 — NextHome is proud to announce our newest addition to the franchise, NextHome Mission, based in Stafford, Virginia. The brokerage represents the eighth office location opened in Virginia for the NextHome franchise.

Located just 30 miles south of Washington, D.C., the office is owned by Michael and Chris Asmus. Under their leadership, its agents will serve residential buyers and sellers – with a specific passion for serving the area’s military families. NextHome Mission is ready to help clients across northern and central Virginia, with a focus on the counties of Stafford, Prince William, Spotsylvania, and the city of Fredericksburg. 

Steeped in rich American history, Stafford and the surrounding area is home to many of the nation’s elite institutions. The Marine Corps Base Quantico, Fort Belvoir, The FBI Academy, and the Joint Military Criminal Investigation Command all operate in the area.   

Michael’s career began in the military, giving the Asmus family a unique understanding of the challenges that come with military relocations. However, after 20 years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps followed by 13 years as a technology executive, he decided to refocus his skills in an industry that allowed him more time with his family. Real estate was the perfect fit and in 2016, he got his agent’s license. 

Michael’s introduction to real estate started with flipping homes across the Stafford area. Soon, his career began to grow organically as friends and acquaintances sought his expertise. 

“Friends started asking me to help them buy and sell their properties,” Michael recalled. “It really was just because they were friends and they trusted me.”

That trust helped Michael build a thriving career with a small independent firm as his reputation for excellence spread.

It wasn’t long before Chris found her own passion for real estate. As Michael’s sales volume continued to increase, Chris started helping him handle the workload. 

“I was enjoying working with the clients so much, especially the first-time homebuyers,” Chris said.

She obtained her own real estate license in 2018.

“I’ve been in careers supporting people as a part of the service sector my whole life,” Chris said. “From helping my dad in his dental office as a kid, working in marketing and online retail, to helping people navigate home-buying – all of my careers have been in customer service. All those experiences came together to make real estate the perfect fit for me. Michael and I decided that it made sense for us to both do this together.”

Since the couple started working together, they have found gratifying success. In 2019, they closed 45 transactions and achieved $14 million in sales volume in an area where home prices hover in the $311,000 range.  

Not long after Chris obtained her license, the couple started considering ways to reinvest in their own career growth. 

“We wanted to take our business to the next level and grow something that was truly our own,” Michael said.

As they started researching options, Michael knew that branding and customer service were his top priorities. Michael also has a master’s degree in Information Technology Management, making him an expert on the benefits top-tier technology can bring a business. 

“I sought out franchises that already had the tools and standards I wanted in a brokerage,” Michael said. “From my previous careers, I have a strong understanding of the importance of client service and good technology. I was seeking a franchise that believed those were the pillars of success.”

NextHome had all thing things Michael and Chris were looking for, and more. 

“I recognized that the branding that NextHome promoted was really strong,” Michael said. “Much of my career with the Marines was spent with the Recruiting Command. With that background, I appreciate brand standards being held to the highest level. We want to make sure that people know that we carry the NextHome brand seriously.”

Today, Michael and Chris are using NextHome’s suite of tools and unique branding to bring fresh options to Stafford-area buyers and sellers. 

“We place the majority of our emphasis on our clients and leveraging great technology to serve their needs,” Michael said. “We wanted to open a brokerage that was different. Where agents can focus on delivering exceptional service to the clients, and technology is leveraged in a way that unifies agents and helps them collaborate.”

Although Michael and Chris enjoy working together in real estate, they also are passionate about health, fitness, and enjoying the great outdoors. When they aren’t working with their clients and building their business, they enjoy spending time with their kids, traveling, working out, kayaking, hiking, and supporting local and national organizations like Canine Companions for Independence.

Michael and Chris have been married for 31 years and are the proud parents of two children: Kristin who is a senior engineer for Tumblr, and John who is enrolled as a pre-dental student at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg.

Please join us in congratulating Michael and Chris on the opening of NextHome Mission in Stafford, Virginia!

 

Interested in being a part of the NextHome Real Estate Franchise? Contact VP of Sales Charis Moreno at Charis@NextHome.com.

 

Each office is an independently owned and operated business.

NextHome CEO Named a RISMedia 2020 Real Estate Newsmaker

NextHome CEO Named a RISMedia 2020 Real Estate Newsmaker

Pleasanton, CA — January 20, 2020 — NextHome’s Chief Executive Officer James Dwiggins has been selected as a RISMedia 2020 Real Estate Newsmaker—a dynamic group of key influencers making headlines as a result of their newsworthy contributions to the real estate industry, and their efforts to positively affect the consumers and communities they serve.

RISMedia, the leader in U.S. real estate news and information services, announced its 300-plus, 2020 Real Estate Newsmakers on Jan. 8, in both an online directory on RISMedia.com and in the January issue of its flagship publication, Real Estate magazine. 

RISMedia’s 2020 Real Estate Newsmakers were nominated in 2019 by RISMedia readers and editors and are showcased in the following categories: Influencers, Trailblazers, Futurists, Achievers, Crusaders, Inspirations, Luminaries, and Trendsetters.

James was recognized in the Trailblazer category, a fitting title as NextHome continues to grow exponentially. The five-year-old franchise was created with a vision to make a change in the real estate industry. The NextHome difference lies in our consumer-centric branding, innovative technology, and continuous member support. 

“In RISMedia’s Real Estate Newsmakers, you’ll find an inspirational overview of more than 300 industry leaders who are making a difference in the real estate and homeownership sectors, and whose actions have a far-reaching and profound impact on the real estate industry, from nationwide to their own local communities,” said John Featherston, CEO and publisher of RISMedia. “You’ll meet the thought leaders and the icons. The heroes and the champions of a better way. The ones who are breaking the mold and the ones who are leading the industry forward.”

Under the leadership of CEO James Dwiggins, NextHome, Inc. was named the No. 4 franchise in the country by Franchise Business Review in 2019, which also ranked the California-based organization as a Top Services Franchise and a Top Franchise for Women. NextHome was also ranked No. 95 on Entrepreneur magazine’s 2020 Franchise 500 list for its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power. The franchise’s ranking placed NextHome fifth in the real estate category.

“NextHome’s accomplishments are a testament to the hard work of our team to deliver a consumer-centric brand and an innovative technology platform that resonates with agents and brokers,” said Dwiggins. “More than that, it speaks to the level of professionalism of our members who are truly the absolute best in the business. We couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments, helping NextHome grow at such a tremendous rate.”

To see RISMedia’s 2020 Real Estate Newsmakers and read about their achievements, visit the Newsmakers Gallery. 

 

Interested in being a part of the NextHome Real Estate Franchise? Contact VP of Sales Charis Moreno at Charis@NextHome.com.

 

Each office is an independently owned and operated business.

NextHome Cornerstone Realty acquires White Sands office

NextHome Cornerstone Realty acquires White Sands office

Dana & Eric Topel

Pleasanton, CA — January 17, 2020 — NextHome is pleased to announce the expansion of NextHome Cornerstone Realty. The new Destin, Florida-based office will be led by Eric and Dana Topel. The Topels acquired ownership of the former NextHome White Sands location in Destin, keeping the NextHome brand strong in the beautiful community. 

The new Destin office is already staffed with three top-tier agents who know the area inside out. These agents will focus their skills on the community’s needs, specifically working with natives and transplants as well as serving Destin’s luxury real estate market. 

In addition, the Topels and their award-winning real estate agents will continue their passion of helping those in the military with their unique relocation needs.

The Destin office builds on the success of Eric and Dana’s original Niceville, Florida brokerage. Since its opening in the spring of 2017, NextHome Cornerstone Realty in Niceville has grown from seven agents to 15. In addition, the brokerage sold more than $40 million in sales volume in 2019 alone. In 2019, Dana was honored to be the recipient of the REALTOR® of the Year Award for Niceville.

“Our incredible agents and clients are the real reason we had such success in Niceville,” Dana said. “We want to give back to the people who trust us with one of their greatest investments.”

NextHome Cornerstone Realty is deeply embedded in the Niceville community. In addition to being involved with the Niceville Chamber of Commerce, they serve on the board of directors, hold leadership positions with the local REALTOR® association, participate in Niceville’s annual Christmas parade, sponsor golf tournaments and little leagues, and participate in many 5K races and fundraisers across the area. 

“We care about our agents and their families and this community, and that’s our WHY for the business model we created,” Eric said. “We work together but we also do life together. We are your neighbors and we want to build a sense of community through the way we operate our business.”

In addition to its community involvement, NextHome Cornerstone Realty will continue to provide the same client-centric sales services for residential, luxury, commercial, second homes, multi-family, investment properties, REO/foreclosure, and first-time homebuyer opportunities.

NextHome Cornerstone Realty will continue to provide superior service to Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, Shalimar, Valparaiso, and the remainder of Walton and Okaloosa counties.

Dana is the broker in charge for both offices while Eric is the brokerage’s sales manager and works with the office’s property management division. Both Dana and Eric continue to actively sell real estate. 

Dana and Eric have been married for 25 years and are the proud parents of Heath (21) and Jaxon (17).

Please join us in congratulating Eric and Dana on the expansion of NextHome Cornerstone Realty and the opening of their new Destin-based office!

 

Interested in being a part of the NextHome Real Estate Franchise? Contact VP of Sales Charis Moreno at Charis@NextHome.com.

 

Each office is an independently owned and operated business.

NextHome Executives Recognized on 2020 SP200 and Watchlist

NextHome Executives Recognized on 2020 SP200 and Watchlist

Pleasanton, CA — January 16, 2020 — Chief Executive Officer James Dwiggins and Chief Operating Officer Tei Baishiki of NextHome were recently recognized by T3 Sixty as prominent leaders in the residential real estate brokerage industry for 2020, making the list of most powerful leaders and the Watchlist.

T3 Sixty, the leading management consultancy and research company dedicated to the residential real estate brokerage industry, annually publishes Swanepoel Power 200 (SP200) which definitively ranks real estate leaders and executives across the U.S. The rankings are intended to shed light on the leaders of the industry and do not reflect company rankings. In addition to this list, T3 Sixty also names individuals who are recognized as the industry’s up-and-coming leaders on the 2020 Watchlist.

James and Tei have worked alongside one another since 1999. In May of 2014, the two founded NextHome, Inc. with a vision to make a change in the real estate industry. The NextHome difference lies in our consumer-centric branding, innovative technology, and continuous member support. 

As the NextHome franchise continues to grow, so does James’s ranking on the SP200. He was ranked at No. 158 in 2017, No. 105 in 2018, and No. 72 in 2019. This year, James was ranked No. 54 as he continually embraces the changes the industry faces to best position the NextHome franchise and its members for success. He also shares his knowledge and perspective at numerous conferences and events throughout the country. 

“Since day one, NextHome has been dedicated to maintaining a high-set bar of marketing, technology, and customer service standards,” said James. “However, our success lies with our members who have embraced the NextHome uniqueness, and want to make a difference in the lives of those looking to find their next home. Recognitions like these are not possible without our members.” 

Tei’s addition to this year’s Watchlist reaffirms his place among the innovators, dealmakers, and movers-and-shakers who made a noteworthy impact in our industry over the past year. The recognition identifies the dedication Tei maintains as he’s responsible for overseeing corporate operations as well as the creation and implementation of new technologies that give NextHome the edge to stay ahead of the competition.  

“When James and I started NextHome, we never imagined our vision would grow to where we are today,” said Tei. “It all comes back to the people – our hard-working corporate team, our amazing members in the field, and the vendors we hand-select to support them.”

We would like to extend a huge thank you to all NextHome members across the country for making recognitions like this possible. Our company leaders are making a difference in the real estate industry thanks to your ongoing support. 

 

Interested in being a part of the NextHome Real Estate Franchise? Contact VP of Sales Charis Moreno at Charis@NextHome.com.

 

Each office is an independently owned and operated business.

NextHome announces new office in Louisiana

NextHome announces new office in Louisiana

Tonya Veazey & Brandi Phillips

Pleasanton, CA — January 16, 2020 — NextHome is proud to announce our newest addition to the franchise, NextHome Solutions, based in Prairieville, Louisiana. The brokerage represents the 8th office location opened in Louisiana for the NextHome franchise.

The brokerage is owned by Louisiana-natives Brandi Phillips and Tonya Veazey. The duo brings more than 31 combined years of real estate experience to the new office. 

Although based in Prairieville, the office will serve home buyers and sellers across East and West Baton Rouge Parishes, Ascension, Livingston, and Iberville Parishes.

Brandi began her real estate career in 2003. She sold properties with a local Coldwell Banker branch that eventually became Realty Executives. She also spent a year at RE/MAX and most recently with a local independent company.

Brandi and Tonya met in 2004 at the brokerage and quickly became partners. Their team’s sales set records in their area. The pair began delving into land sales for development, and they found phenomenal success. In 2007, Tonya and Brandi closed the highest per-acre sale in Ascension Parish history making them the top producing team in their brokerage’s region.

In 2013, Tonya decided to broaden her horizons by joining a local RE/MAX office. However, the pair knew they worked well with each other and began researching ways to build their business together again. 

“Brandi and I work very well together,” Tonya said. “She embodies honesty, integrity, and hard work. I knew that I could absolutely trust her.”

That’s when Brandi came across an article in REALTOR Magazine featuring NextHome. 

“I took a screenshot, sent it to Tonya and said ‘I want to work here!’,” Brandi recalled. 

After a lot of research, consideration, and prayer, Brandi and Tonya knew that opening a NextHome brokerage was the best opportunity for them. 

“All of the technology NextHome offers is what I had been looking for,” Brandi said. “The colors are going to stand out as we market properties, and the branding and signage with the cute little dog, I think everyone is going to want one of these in their yard!”

Tonya was more cautious about jumping into a franchise partnership. However, she became excited by the tools NextHome provided for her clients’ benefit in terms of helping them stay on top of important dates that relate to their home purchase and the marketing of their homes when it is time to sell. 

“I love the energy and vigor everyone at NextHome possesses,” said Tonya. “The staff is young, relatively speaking, but very accomplished with impressive experience and I am invigorated by the energy they exude. NextHome understands today’s buyers which will translate into excellent service for our sellers as well as for our buyers. 

Today, Brandi and Tonya are setting their brokerage apart in many ways.

“Both as an agent and as a client, I think it is essential to work with a brokerage that is trustworthy,” Brandi said. “I am a very straight-forward person and it is something my clients appreciate about me. I think it is better to be radically honest rather than be inaccurate in order to get business. To me, people are far more important than the transaction.”

When they aren’t providing superior real estate service, Brandi and Tonya are active in the Prairieville community. 

Tonya is active in her church, Fellowship Church on Highway 73 in Prairieville. Independently, and as part of Fellowship’s Geaux Team, she has worked to help clean out and rebuild homes after the Great Flood of 2016. She volunteered with the Tim Tebow Foundation, A Night To Shine that celebrates people with special needs, and is also a part of REALTORS® In Action – a group of real estate professionals who help spruce up homes for people in need. 

Tonya has been married to her husband John for 34 years and together the couple enjoys spending time with their son John Gideon, daughter Kharis and her husband Jordan, and four grandchildren. They share their home and care for her 91-year-old mother as well.  

Brandi has spent six years volunteering at The Church in St. Amant. She is the proud mother of Brynn and has been married to her husband Jeremy for 10 years. Together, they enjoy spending time at their hunting and fishing camps as they bask in Louisiana’s great outdoors. 

Please join us in congratulating Brandi and Tonya on the opening of NextHome Solutions in Prairieville, Louisiana!

 

Interested in being a part of the NextHome Real Estate Franchise? Contact VP of Sales Charis Moreno at Charis@NextHome.com.

 

Each office is an independently owned and operated business.

Inventorying Your Possessions

Inventorying Your Possessions

It’s great to have insurance against damage and loss, but if you can’t show proof of your possessions, it may result in a protracted settlement process with your insurance company.1

Four Tips for Creating an Inventory. Creating an inventory may take a bit of upfront work, but it can pay future benefits in smoothing the claims settlement process with your insurer as well as increase the potential of receiving the maximum payment possible.

Tip #1 – Make a Video of Your Possessions. A visual record of your possessions is the best proof of ownership. When videoing your home contents, make sure you are methodical and thorough in going through all your rooms and storage spaces. Speak while you are taping to describe each item; include any relevant information (e.g., “this is a signed first edition of “Moby Dick.”).

Tip #2 – Document Value of Your Items. Scan or video receipts of the items in your home. Indicate the make and model where appropriate. If you have artwork or antiques, consider creating a record of any appraisal you may have received on your collectibles.

Tip #3 – Secure Your Inventory. An inventory doesn’t help much if you keep it in the house and your home burns to the ground. If your video is digital (highly recommended), consider storing the file in a “cloud” account rather than on your computer, or alternately, on a USB stick stored in a safety deposit box.

Tip #4 – Keep Your Inventory Updated. Failure to regularly update your inventory may mean unintentionally leaving off expensive new purchases.

Get started by asking your insurance agent if they have an inventory checklist, which may help you remember to include items that you might otherwise overlook.

Aprilyn Chavez-Geissler can be reached at aprilyng@gatewayig.com or 858-428-3929. Visit our website at www.gatewayig.com/nexthome and submit a quote request so we can be your trusted insurance professionals!

This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note – investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment.
Citations.
1 – thebalance.com/making-a-home-inventory-list-for-insurance-4166000 [3/3/19]