Nancy Braun of Showcase Realty LLC Named One of America’s Top 1,000 Real Estate Professionals by Real Trends, as Advertised in the Wall Street Journal

Nancy Braun from Charlotte, NC had an Impressive 425 Transactions on her Way to Becoming One of Charlotte’s Top Professionals 

(CHARLOTTE, NC, JUNE 24, 2016)—Nancy Braun of Showcase Realty was named one of America’s top real estate professionals by REAL Trends, as advertised in The Wall Street Journal.  She is now a member of the “The Thousand Top Real Estate Professionals,” a prestigious national awards ranking sponsored annually by REAL Trends and advertised in The Wall Street Journal. Braun is now ranked in the top one half of 1 percent of the more than 1.1 million Realtors® nationwide.

The Thousand real estate professionals was announced on June 24, 2016, with four separate categories honoring the top 250 residential agents and agent teams for excellence in:

• Individual Sales Professionals—Sales volume
• Individual Sales Professionals—Transaction sides (in each real estate transaction, there are two sides that can be represented by a real estate agent: a buyer’s and a seller’s.)
  Team Professionals—Sales volume
  Team Professionals—Transaction sides

For the second year, REAL Trends has added two new categories to The Thousand ranking based off of average sales price. This new category is broken down into the top 50 residential agents and agent teams for excellence in:

• Individual Sales Professionals – Average Sales Price
• Team Professionals – Average Sales Price

According to The Thousand, Braun had select one: transaction sides totaling 425, ranking her seventh in the nation.

“The best individual agents and teams—including Braun’s award-winning efforts—were nothing short of phenomenal considering the challenges in today’s complex housing market,” said Steve Murray, founder of REAL Trends, a Denver-based consulting, publishing and communications company and The Trusted Source that complies the yearly, third-party verified list.

“Becoming a member of such an elite group as The Thousand is an incredible accomplishment in any market, but what Braun did during these challenging times is impressive on so many levels,” said Marti Gallardo, vice president of classified advertising for The Wall Street Journal.  “Her efforts topped 99.99 percent of the more than 1.1 million Realtors nationwide.”

I am absolutely thrilled to be named to The Thousand,” said Braun, who serves clients primarily in Charlotte, NC.  “It’s incredibly gratifying to help clients find their dream homes as well as help them sell their properties quickly and for the highest price possible.

The ranking of The Thousand can be found at:  www.thethousandrealestateprofessionals.com

Contact:

Showcase Realty LLC
1430 S. Mint Street, Suite 106
Charlotte, NC 28203
704-997-3794
listing@showcaserealty.net

About The Thousand – This awards program was developed jointly by WSJ. Custom Studios (and is not affiliated with the Editorial Department) and REAL Trends, a leading source of analysis and information for the residential real estate brokerage industry. REAL Trends The Thousand honors America’s elite real estate professionals and their companies and is compiled and analyzed by REAL Trends with a special ad section included in The Wall Street Journal.

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Low Inventory Affecting Real Estate Professionals Rank

The housing market has experienced some recovery, and with that buying and selling real estate has also improved. However, limited inventory as well as online sales are making it difficult for real estate professionals and their pocketbooks.

Adam DeSanctis, Manager of the NAR Economic Issues explains that the increase in house sales working up to 2006 resulted in many people becoming active with broker transactions. The ups and downs of the market were closely mirrored by the number of realtors entering the market, making real estate a second job.

A historic peak of 1.4 million real estate participants occurred that year, with a year end high of 7.3 million home sales.

The trend swerved in 2011, when home sales decreased steadily and yearly sales fell below 4 million. As a result, there was a significant decrease of memberships and the following year saw less than one million for real estate professionals.

After the slow episode, the market slowly recovered. April saw home sales rise six percent from the year before to a rate closer to 5.5 million. Membership increased by almost 17% from 1.2 million in 2012.

Recovered housing market sales are at almost a 10-year high, so it’s no shock that NAR memberships are on the rise again. Since the fall of 2012, memberships for the Charlotte Regional Realtor Association have increased nearly 40% to 8,622; the number of real estate professionals has not reached this level since 2008.

Unfortunately, there is yet another challenge that real estate professionals face with increasing popularity; low inventory.

DeSanctis explained that competition is fierce with so few listings, and that the problem caused the median income to drop 18% from $47,700 in 2012 to $39,200 in 2015.

A Realtor at Helen Adams Realty, Zubin Shroff says CRRA do not have records of realtors’ incomes but that there were more licenses that came in after the economy stabilized. He emphasized his concerns about higher competition among real estate professionals, adding that sellers struggle with low interest rates and tend to sit on their properties.

The short supply of homes to sell can also be explained by a region’s population increase. There is a bulk of homes being bought by institutional investors who are renting them out; a cycle that sticks because of how hard it is to find desirable homes available on the market.

A historic low of housing inventory in the local area of Charlotte offers only a 3-month supply of homes for sale in the month of May. According to the CRRA, this is a decrease from 4.4 months earlier. A 6-month supply would be considered balanced, where neither party (buyer or seller) has the advantage. At the national level, a 4.7-month supply was available in April according to the NAR’s latest info, which was considered low compared to 5.3 months last year.

DeSanctis on a positive note explains that as builders expand to new-home production the market should improve. More of those looking to move usually do a trade for a newly-built home thus freeing their old property.

NAR further explained that with more real estate professionals coming in and less inventory to sell, there has been a significant decline of sales caused by inexperienced professionals. In their member profile this year about 20% of members had only a year or less of experience, in comparison to last year when only 11% had the same level. NAR is seconded by Daren Blomquist, President of RealtyTrac, who describes new realtors as “bandwagoners” who only “do a few deals”. In comparison to a professional realtor having monthly sales, these bandwagoners only do a few deals a year while the market is hot.

DeSanctis added that new realtors haven’t built a strong client base, which may be why they only sell few homes at lower prices. The result is lower commissions that pull down the median income of NAR’s membership income range.

Blomquist explained that the expansion of the internet may also be cause for lower earnings. The online company Ten-X is expanding its Auction.com platform to cater to traditional buyers as well as investors looking for distressed properties.

The push towards technology-driven home selling has removed the need for realtors. Blomquist also explains that institutional investors who bought foreclosed properties in bulk are eager to pass down their properties to smaller investors who want properties in neighborhoods ready for redevelopment.

He added that these investors compete to find properties that are not even on the market yet, and that seasoned real estate professionals also has to compete with companies like “We Buy Ugly Houses” who will buy homes in distress for cash.

Owner and Broker in Charge of Showcase Realty in Charlotte, NC area Nancy Braun stresses that a “very complex and litigious environment” is forcing staff to handle more information and issues concerning things like pests, radon, septic and HOA concerns. Braun also makes the point of the increased expenses for marketing as technology continues to improve.

Braun added that there are higher expectations from consumers, who expect their homes to be seen on a national level. Not only that, but both independent and large companies are looking for compensation for their small contributions to any sales, such as giving referrals and leads. “Many other parties expect a piece of the pie,” she explains.

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Nancy Braun Sells 33% Faster than the Average Real Estate Professionals – But How?

Nancy Braun is the driving force behind Showcase Realty, a team of highly-respected and innovative real estate professionals representing the Charlotte, NC area. Nancy is an awarded realtor who frequently offers her forward thinking and expertise for names like the Wall Street Journal, DSNews and Charlotte’s Business Journal.

Here Nancy gives us a look into her passion for the real estate industry and how she’s built Charlotte’s #1 Real Estate Broker Agency.

What is your secret to success?

Innovation: I adapt and change ahead of many. I research and follow the economic forecasters and change our focus and marketing based on the changes in the industry and economy. I welcome change and learning.

Dedication and working hard: I love what I do and it shows with the hours and investment I have put into my business.

Care: I truly care about my clients and want to surpass their expectations; I pride myself on giving them stellar service and representation.

Team: I hire the best and brightest real estate professionals and it shows in our final product and service; they make me look great.

Tell me about your day-to-day working habits? 

Professional & personal philosophies? What is your guiding mantra?

Professional Service, Personally Delivered. Being consistent and providing genuinely caring and timely service superior to our competition. I like helping my team grow and develop their skills. We have developed a cooperative team approach with job sharing and a full sense of ownership in each of their roles.

We are supportive and contributing members of society, committed to our community and devoting significant time towards the Boys and Girls Clubs of Charlotte to service the kids that need us most.

How do you use technology to improve your business and help your clients?

When I opened Showcase Realty, LLC in 2008, I felt that my industry hadn’t fully embraced technology and believed that if I made that my top priority and got ahead of all others I could stand above my competition. I love what we can do with technology. I attend many industry conferences and a member of many mastermind groups and implement the best technology throughout our company. Our marketing of our properties is extensive and exceeds our competitors due to our utilization of technology.

Do you work alone or have a support team? How does that work?

I have a fantastic team of the very brightest and best. I could never have serviced my clients as well and as effective alone. It takes a village to produce the ultimate results. The industry has become way too complex to service your client without a team of experts to manage each segment of your transaction. Our marketing of properties for our sellers is Killer and this is because we have a team focused on blasting the property for sale to reach local and international buyers. As a result, our homes sell 33% faster than the average agent!

*We all know the home-buying process has changed in recent years with the advent of social media and technological advances — how have buyers changed the way they function?

How have real estate professionals roles changed, as well?

Over time our roles have evolved. I advise buyers that my main role is no longer to find your home (as you have access to the internet and MLS as I do) but to help you get the home. The process is full of challenges. It seems easy but each transaction brings its own issues. I have sold over 5,000 homes but every new transaction has a new set of challenges that need to be massaged and worked so we ultimately meet at the closing table. As an attorney and student of the Wharton Executive training on Negotiations, I bring a wealth of knowledge and experience on how to bring the most for my client without killing the deal.

What advice do you offer consumers on getting what they want?

Engage the services of a broker with lots of transactional experience. Each transaction I have had results in more knowledge that I can pass on to the next client. Brokers typically get paid the same if they have had no experience vs had 20 years of experience. This is a flaw in our system but as a buyer or seller seek out a seasoned agent.

How important is building and managing a positive/productive relationship between client and real estate agent? How do you foster that relationship?

This is everything. You and your client must be in sync. The client must know you are working in their best interest and being proactive and paying attention to the detail. The client today should be your client for life and your referral base for your future clients.

Please tell us what you’re seeing in regard to pricing trends? Are prices higher or lower overall than previous years/cycles? Why or why not? 

Primarily due to low inventory, the Charlotte market has seen a return to pre-recession prices. The recovery is strong in our market. We have also seen a drop in investor/cash purchases making room for the owner occupant to acquire properties at closer to Market Rate. The strongest price point is under $400,000. First time homeowners are experiencing multiple offers and having to bid on 5 or 6 homes before being the prevailing bidder. Luxury market has not experienced the same recovery.

What kinds of products are moving the most? Who’s buying/selling?

What’s causing the market to be so hot?

Where are we at in the traditional real estate cycle? Or is this cycle unlike any other? Why or why not?

How would you describe the state of the residential real estate market?

Pull out your crystal ball and make your best educated guess at what should consumers expect in the coming year and beyond?

The internet will continue to challenge and affect the way real estate is bought and sold. On line sales and auctions and on line analytics and property postings are changing the role of the real estate broker. It is not eliminating the role but shifting our focus to provide our clients with knowledge, marketing while looking out for their best interests. We research and advise on  septic, mold, radon, structural, and other critical condition issues. We negotiate repair issues, ensure the survey and title are clean. Verify the HOA is solvent and compliant with Fannie guidelines. The issues we address and contend with are not obvious to the buyer and seller and not the “fun” part of the transaction, but rather the critical elements of a real estate transaction.

Are average home prices up/down/stable? Will that cycle likely continue or falter? Why Are you having trouble selling your home?

At Showcase Realty, our team of dedicated real estate professionals would love to help you sell your home for the price you want! Feel free to call us at 704.997.3794 to find out what we can do for you or send us a message here!

A client of ours was struggling to find a buyer when listed with other agents, read on how They Tried to Sell Their Home for 2.6 Years With NO Luck and know more of what kind of service we can do for you!

Are you hoping to sell your home fast and in a less amount of hassle? You need Showcase Realty’s help! Your home will sell in 120 days or I will pay you $2500! Details Here! 

13 Reasons You Should Not Sell Without A Real Estate Professional’s Help

If you’re considering selling your home without a real estate professional, you may be doing this to try and save some money in your budget. While some people choose to sell on their own, the number of people doing this is in decline. According to survey by the National Association of REALTORS^®(NAR), approximately 8% of home sellers list on their own resulting in a record-low numbers.

Why is selling on your own a bad idea? Read on:

1. Your emotions will affect the process
Home selling is a very emotional experience, and this is one of the biggest reasons homeowners should hire a real estate agent. It is possible that buyers will present low offers, disagree with your style or see less value. Will you be able to remain professional throughout, regardless of their opinions? Real estate agents are very helpful for these types of situations.

2. Bias Opinion of the Home
Your home may look comfortable and well-decorated to you, but a home that looks lived-in is not what a buyer is looking for. Aside from cleaning the house, you should also get rid of clutter and de-personalize that home as well. A real estate professional will have a helpful outside eye that can give you tips on what to keep and what to put away.

3. Lack of attention to problems in the home
Not only should you home look good, but it should smell good as well. After living in your home for so long you may not notice unpleasant smells that you’re accustomed to, but you will certainly need to take care of these problems. A buyer does not want to smell pets, molds or musty smells (which could point them to water damage). Have an agent help you confront these problems and have the, cleared to make your house look and smell good.

4. Your décor is outdated
Having an outdated home may not only slow your selling success but bring it to a halt altogether. Even the smallest updates in the kitchen and bathroom can make a huge change, so consider investing a small amount in these rooms and have your agent help you to point out possible upgrades to consider.

Listing without any updates just to save a few dollars may really hurt your home sale in the end.

5. You have a view of the busy freeway
Does your home get a lot of unwanted noise from the nearby freeway? An eyesore like a busy freeway or train track may be deal breakers for buyers, but a real estate agent may think of ways to solve the situation that you never thought of. They may use smart pricing strategies, design ideas or focus attention to other areas that will help you sell faster.

6. You do not have a large network
This is one of the biggest benefits of having a realtor; they will have a much larger network that allows them to reach more buyers and potential visitors who might want to see the home. Having these connections is extremely important; if you need contractors, painters or other professionals to help with the home before a sale, and agent can certainly help with that as well.

7. Your dream selling price is too high
You may have to lower your asking price by $20K, and then lower it by another $10K before its close enough to its actual value. This is another emotional issue for home sellers; while you may think the home is worth much more, market value is market value. A real estate professional will give you an honest valuation of your home and they will have a much easier time sticking to that value.

8. You see your home differently than buyers
You might think your home is charming and rustic, but buyers may see it as small and outdated. A realtor will have an eye for this and be able to help you update the possible issues.

9. You don’t know what moves to make
What if you get an offer that’s $30,000 below your asking price? Would you know how to proceed? What if you ask for a higher price and the buyer goes with another home? A realtor can help you make smart decisions and deal with potential buyers effectively.

10. You might not negotiate very well
This is where a real estate professional comes in handy, since this is a part of their job every single day. Homeowner’s may not consider that they will have to negotiate with potential buyers, and that buyers may make demands that they’re not ready to meet. An agent will take care of all of these problems and more- and it will be well worth the commission you pay.

11. Your yard is a mess

The first thing potential buyers will see of your home is the front exterior, and this curb appeal will help get your home sold quickly. A realtor will help you with simple, cost-friendly changes to update the exterior look to bring in more viewers instead of scaring them away.

12. The Seller
As a home seller, YOU are the main reason your home will be sold. Your decisions and approach to selling will determine whether you get potential buyers and whether you sell your home successfully. If you pester buyers during their viewings, you may turn them off to go somewhere else.

To ensure you make good decisions that result in a sell, rely on your agent to take care of buyers and to inform them of all of the details in the home. If you are pestering buyers during the viewings, they may not want to deal with you during the rest of the process.

13. The Money
The NAR reported that homes that were sold by the owner made less money overall. In the year 2015, FSBO (For Sale by Owner) homes had a median selling price of $210,000, and went as low as $151,900 if the buyer knew the seller. In comparison, homes sold by agents had a median selling price of $249,000, which is $40,000 higher for a typical home sale.

Home selling can be a very exciting experience, but it can also be overwhelming if you don’t know what you’re doing! At Showcase Realty, we’re happy to extend our experience in real estate to help you find success in your home selling journey. Contact us here!

Want to get started now? Ensure your price is accurate. Questions? Call us today today speak with one of our qualified real estate professionals at 704.997.3794.

Are you hoping to sell your home fast and in a less amount of hassle? You need Showcase Realty’s help!Your home will sell in 120 days or I will pay you $2500! Details Here!

Real Estate Professionals Believe Housing Recovery To Take Another Three To Five Years

In a quarterly survey conducted by Zillow, the findings revealed that out of more than 100 real estate professionals and expert, 40 percent believe that the housing recovery is still three to five years away based on the present trends in home prices and homebuyer activities.

However, about one third of the panelists were hopeful as they predict the housing market will normalize in one to two years while one out of five claim that the market is already stable or will within the next few months.

In another recent study conducted by Zillow, from one quarter in 2000, the number of adults living with at least one roommate has increased to one third in 2012.

Although these numbers mean potential new formations in the next few years, they remain stuck because of a slow growth in their wages and jobs.

Aside from these, Zillow also claims that demographic issues play a role in the current housing market. Millennials are delaying any form of major life commitments like marriage, parenthood and ownership while a lot of Americans nearing the retirement age are choosing to live in their homes longer, which significantly affects the housing recovery.

“We’ve reached a point in the recovery where the only real cure-all is time,” said Dr. Stan Humphries, Zillow’s Chief Economist. “[T]he landscape is slowly changing, as incomes begin to grow, negative equity fades and new households start to form. These shifts won’t occur overnight, but they are happening. Patience will be a virtue over the next few years as we wait for these traditional fundamentals to more fully take hold in the market.”