WestWords - April 2024

WESTWORDS

APRIL 2024

I AM WEST USA

MARIA NOLLE & DYLAN NOLLE

ARE YOU AN "ACCIDENTAL" PROPERTY MANAGER? FROM BROKER SUE FLUCKE

DISCOVER THE BENEFITS OF REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE FROM WISE AGENT

HOW TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR REFRIGERATOR FROM AMERICAN HOME SHIELD

MARCH 2024 MARKET STATS

MONTHLY GIVE BACK FROM WEST USA CARES

APRIL CALENDAR

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING... MARIA NOLLE & DYLAN NOLLE

Dylan and Maria sold our home and helped us find a new home in Ahwatukee. Dylan is extremely knowledgeable and thorough. He is also a Juris Doctor which definitely shines through in his professional communications and documents he prepares. Maria is extremely outgoing and personable and goes the extra mile during showings. We had a newborn at home and Dylan and Maria worked with us to ensure everything ran smoothly with the moves. The experience was very personal and felt that Dylan and Maria saw us as people rather than just clients. I would recommend Dylan and Maria to friends and family without hesitation!

We had the privilege of working with Dylan and Maria. They were very patient and accommodated our crazy schedule. Both are very knowledgeable and helped us navigate the process which can easily become overwhelming. Thank goodness for that. When we felt like maybe there wasn’t a house for us, Dylan and Maria encouraged us and were very diligent in helping our dream come true. We found a house and have been making it our home since August. Thank you! What a great team! I recommend Dylan and Maria 100%.

Dylan and Maria did a phenomenal job on selling my Uncle's House. My Uncle had recently passed away and we were up against some time restraints to sell his house as quickly as possible. Dylan and Maria made the whole process seamless and uncomplicated. They sold the house within three days of coming out to view it. We'll be recommending them to everyone we know!

BROKER BLOG FROM

SUE FLUCKE

ARE YOU AN “ACCIDENTAL” PROPERTY MANAGER?

Most agents tiptoe around property management or outright say “not for me” when asked. However, you easily inadvertently get into that role without realizing it because you are just being nice & a helpful agent. Ask yourself, are you doing any of the following?

1. Running credit/background applications OR even emailing (BAD as no secure) those applications rather than having the applicant send direct or apply online to owner/landlord.

2. Completing the Assessor’s rental registration form for the owner/landlord rather than sending them the form to complete.

3. Listing yourself as the Statutory Agent for the owner/landlord.

4. Writing the leases without an employment agreement vs. writing up the lease and sending to owner/landlord.

5. Giving walk-through form and/or completing the walk-through with the tenant when owner (or owner’s representative management company) is responsible.

6. Collecting money from tenants for rent and/ or deposits & fees.

7. Doing an inspection of the property for the tenant.

8. The tenant is contacting you for repairs and/ or maintenance requests and you are either handling or offering to contact the owner after move-in.

9. You are handling HOA complaints.

10. You are depositing monies for the owner in their bank account.

11. You are handling lease renewal without employment agreement.

12. Offering to help tenants find a new place because they are being evicted or want to buy a house.

13. Doing a move-out inspection with the tenant because you helped them find another place.

14. Fighting owner for the refund of deposits for the tenant (after all you helped them clean the place after finding new home.)

15. Receiving (or not) compensation from the owner for any of the above activities.

If you have been doing any of the above, you probably are an accidental property manager. This list is not all that property managers do in their role. We have an amazing property management division with training for you. You can either do it the right way, refer it to a trained property manager or continue down the slippery slope of “oops – hope I don’t get into trouble!” and risk complaint(s) from ADRE or an Article 11 Code of Ethics Complaint.

Benefits Benefits

DISCOVER THE OF REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

WITH WISE AGENT

Real estate agents juggle a multitude of tasks daily. From managing leads to closing deals, every step requires meticulous attention. This is where transaction management software fills the gap! It acts as a personal assistant that never sleeps, streamlining tasks and ensuring no detail falls through the cracks.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BENEFITS OF USING TRANSACTION SOFTWARE:

EFFICIENT DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT & COMPLIANCE TRACKING

It takes the hassle out of document management and compliance tracking, making sure all your i's are dotted and t's crossed.

CENTRALIZED ACTIVITY HUB

It keeps you on top of things by providing a central hub for all transaction-related activities.

TIME-SAVING AUTOMATION

Most importantly, it automates repetitive tasks so that you can focus on what truly matters—nurturing relationships and closing more deals!

These points illustrate how vital transaction software can be for real estate agents. But it’s also worth looking at how the same technology can make the transaction easier and less stressful for your clients.

Transparent Client Communication with Transaction Portals

Communication is critical in any relationship, including real estate transactions. One of real estate clients' complaints is that their agent doesn’t communicate enough. Going through the home buying or selling process can be stressful for clients, and they may want to lean on you more than you can support them. This is where a client-facing Transaction Portal can help you.

A Transaction Portal is created from an active real estate transaction checklist in your CRM and is accessible to everyone involved in that transaction. This portal shows an itemized list of what is complete in that real estate transaction and what still needs to happen.

When your real estate clients need an update on the progress, instead of calling you, they can simply log in with their login credentials, access the current status of their transaction, and see the progress you have made.

These portals are easy to create, completely customizable, and don’t require any software download. Build them directly in your account and create templates to build future portals

even quicker. Include branding from your CRM, or create new branding for your portal!

Transaction Portals even allow you to set permissions so you can decide what items from your real estate transaction are visible to your visitors. You can include important contact information, critical dates for the transaction, and transaction notes that you have saved in your account. You will also be able to upload documents to the portal that everyone can access and easily download.

If you are collaborating with other West USA agents for the transaction, you can send them a join code so they can add their checklist to the Portal.

Utilizing Transaction Portals will ease your clients' stress by giving them information right when they need it. It will also keep everyone in the loop so your clients can rest assured that their transaction is progressing.

HOW TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR REFRIGERATOR REFRIGERATOR

Is your refrigerator running? That age-old joke can only have one answer: “I hope so!” A working refrigerator is the key to a functioning household. When your refrigerator stops running, it’s a disruption to your everyday life that can be extremely difficult and expensive to correct if you don’t have a home warranty from American Home Shield. So how can you keep your refrigerator running? This article will give you the tips and tricks you need to extend the life of your refrigerator.

1 GIVE IT A GOOD CLEANING

Maintaining cleanliness inside and outside your refrigerator enhances its performance and longevity. Regularly wiping the interior prevents messes and odors, while defrosting the freezer avoids ice buildup that can harm the fridge's functioning. Keeping the door gasket clean is also essential, as dirt can prevent a proper seal, leading to cold air loss and increased workload for the fridge.

3 DON’T OVER- OR UNDER-WORK IT

To maintain optimal refrigerator efficiency, ensure proper airflow by avoiding overfilling or leaving it empty, as both can stress the air compressor and shorten its lifespan. Cool hot food to room temperature before refrigerating to prevent overworking the compressor. A moderately filled fridge helps maintain ideal temperature, reducing compressor strain and avoiding costly replacements. If issues arise, an AHS home warranty can offer financial protection and peace of mind.

5 TROUBLESHOOTING ISSUES

When something seems to be wrong with an appliance as essential as a refrigerator, most people’s first instinct is to call a repair person. While that is sometimes necessary, there are some refrigerator repairs that homeowners can tackle and fix themselves. If your refrigerator stops working completely, first ensure that the electricity and the power connection to the appliance are intact and working effectively. If that is not the issue, you should next check the cold setting to see if it is still correctly set. If you check both and still find yourself searching “refrigerator not working,” you may need to call a repair person to examine your refrigerator.

2 CLEAN THE CONDENSER COILS

Cleaning the condenser coils is crucial for refrigerator maintenance, ideally once a year, to keep it running efficiently by removing dirt, dust, and pet dander. Homes with pets or specific refrigerator models might need two to three cleanings annually. For fridges with black coils on the back, vacuuming them as often as you clean the condenser coils can greatly extend your fridge’s lifespan. Many people overlook this maintenance, yet it significantly impacts efficiency and durability.

4 PLACEMENT MAKES A DIFFERENCE

External factors, such as placing your refrigerator near heat sources like a gas stove or air vent, can strain and potentially damage its air compressor by causing it to overwork. Similarly, clutter around or on top of the fridge can obstruct hot air expulsion, further stressing the compressor. Positioning your refrigerator correctly and keeping the area around it clear enhances compressor longevity and food cooling efficiency.

6 STAY COOL WITH AHS WARRANTY PLAN

Refrigerator maintenance and home repairs don’t last forever. Sometimes your food spoils even when you clean your coils. Sometimes your ice isn’t so nice. And sometimes, we all lose our cool. When your fridge is on the fritz, an American Home Shield home warranty can keep things chill. Refrigerators and 22 other home systems and appliances may be covered by AHS home warranty plans, meaning you can keep your cool while keeping your food cool. Check out plans and learn how home warranties can turn down the temp on any maintenance concerns. Remember, if your refrigerator is running, you’d better go catch it.

If you have any home warranty needs or questions, please feel free to contact me!

480-286-1996

•

derek.riley@ahs.com

TODD MENARD'S MARKET STATS

MARCH 2024 MARKET STATISTICS

MONTHLY GIVE BACK PROGRAM

JANUARY – DECEMBER

2023

WEST USA CARES

MISSION STATEMENT

To provide West USA Realty licensees a meaningful & impactful platform for embracing their humanitarian spirit and passions through giving and helping both individuals and communities in need.

WHAT IS THE MONTHLY GIVE BACK PROGRAM?

This program contributes to our mission to support our agents and their passion to give back to their communities. Agents can apply for their local charity of passion to be nominated to receive a monetary donation. Each month, one of those local charities is selected for the donation. Amazing partnerships have been established between many charities throughout our communities.

MONTHLY GIVE BACK

JANUARY

Maggie's Place

FEBRUARY

East Valley Service Club

MARCH

3E Snacks

APRIL RISE

MAY

West USA Cares

JUNE ALS

FROM THE DIRECTOR

JULY Lily's Pad

AUGUST

Maverick's Community Foundation

SEPTEMBER Hanging on to Hope

OCTOBER

ARIS Foundation

NOVEMBER

Homeless Engagement Lift Partnership

DECEMBER

The Mesa House

“Culture is not designed but rather brought to life by those that believe. Even when the world around us has changed, our West USA family has found the most impactful ways to giveback and get involved that show support to our communities. This is a culture to be proud of.”

Carrie Lynn Mason - Executive Director

9:00am - 10:00am / Webinar

West USA Weekly Podcast

9:00am - 4:00pm / Zoom

ProStart - Session 1 (3 Days)

10:00am - 11:30am @ Scottsdale O ce

Mastermind Meeting with Great American Title

10:00am

1:00pm

9:00am - 10:00am / Webinar

West USA Weekly Podcast 9:00am - 4:00pm / Zoom ProStart - Session 2 (4 Days)

10:00am - 11:00am @ Chandler O ce

East Valley PM Meet Up

12:00pm - 1:00pm @ North PHX O ce

Don’t Freak Out! Navigating NAR News in Lending

9:00am - 10:00am / Webinar

West USA Weekly Podcast

9:00am - 12:00pm @ Mesa O ce

LIVE CE CLASS: Master the AAR Listing Contracts (3Hrs Contract Law)

9:00am - 3:00pm / Zoom REACT

9:00am

9:00am

10:00am -

APRIL 2024

-

2 (4 Days)