Help-U-Sell® Connect

Top Producers June 2024

“June is the pearl of summer, shining with warmth and joy.” – L.M. Montgomery

We’re going to call “warmth and joy” our twins of summer because our top three spots on the June Top Producers list are ALL ties.

Shining with warmth and joy are two of our topmost Top Producers: Jack Bailey from Help-U-Sell Greensboro in North Carolina and Debra Schmidt of Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate of Steele County in Owatonna, Minnesota. Both place nine sides on the board with Deb’s team raking in an impressive eight sellers.

John Powell, Help-U-Sell SE Rita Ranch Realty

Splitting second place is John Powell at Help-U-Sell The Powell Group in Tucson, Arizona, and Jeff Hedberg of Help-U-Sell Real Masters in Port Huron, Michigan. Both offices have six sides.

Patrick Wood, Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties

Kimberly Zelena, Help-U-Sell Direct Savings Real Estate — Patrick Wood, Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties

Perfectly paired in third place is Patrick Wood of Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties, in Chino Hills, California, and Kimberly Zelena of Help-U-Sell Direct Savings Real Estate in Waynesboro, Virginia. Each office brought five sides for June.

After a single office in fourth place, we continue to fifth and sixth place with two more ties. Read on to see who made it! That was fun.

Office	Seller	Buyer	Total
Help-U-Sell Greensboro	5	4	9
Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate of Steele County Inc.	8	1	9
Help-U-Sell The Powell Group	3	3	6
Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters	2	4	6
Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties	4	1	5
Help-U-Sell Direct Savings Real Estate	5	0	5
Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties	0	4	4
Help-U-Sell Legacy	2	1	3
Help-U-Sell Keystone Realty	3	0	3
Help-U-Sell Alpha Paladins Realty	1	1	2
Help-U-Sell Bakersfield Equity Savers	1	1	2

On the Gross Sales Volume Report, we flip the script from May.

In first place is Patrick Wood of Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties, in Chino Hills, California. Patrick’s team brought in $4.7 million for the month.

Richard Cricchio and the team at Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties in Hawaii clear second place with $3.8 million in June.

Richard Cricchio of Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties

Third place goes to Jack Bailey of Help-U-Sell Greensboro. The North Carolina team ended June with just over $3 million.

Fourth place goes to John Powell at Help-U-Sell The Powell Group in Tucson, Arizona. His office ended June with $2.5 million in sales.

Office	Gross Sales Volume
Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties	$4,721,910
Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties	$3,880,000
Help-U-Sell Greensboro	$3,082,000
Help-U-Sell The Powell Group	$2,555,000
Help-U-Sell Legacy	$1,745,300
Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate of Steele County Inc.	$1,638,700
Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters	$1,527,900
Help-U-Sell Direct Savings Real Estate	$1,157,300
Help-U-Sell Alpha Paladins Realty	$1,045,000
Help-U-Sell Keystone Realty	$823,000
Help-U-Sell Alpha Realty	$678,000
Help-U-Sell Santa Maria	$500,000
Help-U-Sell Front Range	$435,000
Help-U-Sell Reed and Associates	$272,500
Help-U-Sell Bakersfield Equity Savers	$195,500

Top Producers Q2 2024

“Timid salesmen have skinny kids.” – Zig Ziglar

The real estate market can be a glorious thing. Sometimes it is so robust that houses fly off the market faster than rocket pops on a summer afternoon. Other times are a tough test that pits a true professional against people dabbling in real estate on a lark.

The longtime professionals are always planting seeds today for the harvests of good will down the road. There are no “skinny kids” with the seasoned experts who earn well during good times, yet also plan for leaner times. They expect and anticipate that roller coaster ride, because it always repeats eventually. They act accordingly.

So, we find ourselves looking squarely at Q2.

Ever the gardener tending to the seeds and plants, our favorite Top Producer and occupier of the number one spot is Jack Bailey from Help-U-Sell Greensboro in North Carolina. Jack and his team have amassed quite the bounty in Q2 with 40 sides.

A person with a strong track record of steady growth, is Debra Schmidt of Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate of Steele County in Owatonna, Minnesota. Her crew takes second place in our second quarter report with 23 sides.

The busiest realtor in Michigan, Jeff Hedberg of Help-U-Sell Real Masters in Port Huron, is in third spot with 18 coming from his office.

Office	Seller	Buyer	Total
Help-U-Sell Greensboro	24	16	40
Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate of Steele County Inc.	16	7	23
Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters	10	8	18
Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties	12	1	13
Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties	6	6	12
Help-U-Sell Legacy	8	3	11
Help-U-Sell Metropolitan	7	3	10
Help-U-Sell Direct Savings Real Estate	9	1	10
Help-U-Sell The Powell Group	5	4	9
Help-U-Sell Bakersfield Equity Savers	3	3	6
Help-U-Sell Keystone Realty	5	1	6

Over on our Gross Sales Volume Report, we find our usual suspects in the top three spots.

Our favorite Eagle in Chino Hills, California, is in first place. Patrick Wood of Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties, and his busy bunch rock the top spot with $15.6 million for the second quarter.

Second place takes us back to island time. Richard Cricchio and the ohana at Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties in Hawaii made Q2 sing with $14.4 million.

Third place goes to Jack Bailey and the team at Help-U-Sell Greensboro in North Carolina. The second quarter his group posted $12.4 million on the board.

Thanks for all you do today!

Office	Gross Sales Volume
Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties	$15,684,798
Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties	$14,420,000
Help-U-Sell Greensboro	$12,469,000
Help-U-Sell Legacy	$5,654,600
Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate of Steele County Inc.	$4,444,265
Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters	$4,428,422
Help-U-Sell The Powell Group	$3,829,500
Help-U-Sell Alpha Paladins Realty	$3,275,000
Help-U-Sell Metropolitan	$2,459,600
Help-U-Sell Direct Savings Real Estate	$2,297,200
Help-U-Sell Bakersfield Equity Savers	$2,289,000

Top Producers May 2024

“The world’s favorite season is spring. All things seem possible in May.” – Edwin Way Teale

The caveat of saying all things seem possible, is that all things ARE possible. Which, of course, embraces good and bad. Just like every day life, in every possible nuance, profession and industry. The month of May continued being a bit weird: The National Association of Realtors continues to grapple with the settling of commission lawsuits. Interest rates crept up a bit. Housing prices were steady in places, while dropping in others. Home builders decided if they were pushing ahead or scaling back. A lot of uncertainty colored everyday information and made a lot of folks hesitant to make a move to sell or buy.

As with every trend, something speaks to it, and something speaks against it. Despite the uncertainty, our Experts Next Door are showing up, adjusting to every new obstacle they face and doing the work necessary to get a listing and make a sale.

At the top of the trend in North Carolina, Jack Bailey and company at Help-U-Sell Greensboro. The top spot is retained with 16 total sides for May, with a worthwhile 11 coming from sellers.

Debra Schmidt, Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate of Steele County Inc

Second place is a two way tie between Debra Schmidt of Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate of Steele County in Owatonna, Minnesota, and Jeff Hedberg of Help-U-Sell Real Masters in Port Huron, Michigan. Both offices bring seven sides for May.

Richard Cricchio, Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties

In third place, another tie just one side behind: Richard Cricchio of Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties in Hawaii, and Mario Ferrante from Help-U-Sell Metropolitan in Woodhaven, Michigan. Both put six per office on the board.

Office	Seller	Buyer	Total
Help-U-Sell Greensboro	11	5	16
Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate of Steele County Inc.	4	3	7
Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters	5	2	7
Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties	4	2	6
Help-U-Sell Metropolitan	4	2	6
Help-U-Sell Legacy	3	1	4
Help-U-Sell Alpha Paladins Realty	1	1	2
Help-U-Sell Bakersfield Equity Savers	1	1	2
Help-U-Sell Sims Realty	2	0	2
Help-U-Sell Integrity Real Estate	1	1	2
Help-U-Sell Winn 4 U Realty	2	0	2
Help-U-Sell Sunrise	1	1	2

On the Gross Sales Volume Report, it’s a familiar faces punctuated by surprising ones, which we like!

In the top spot, Richard Cricchio and the crew at Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties in Hawaii. The very merry month of May was just over $8.9 million.

In second place, we’re back to Jack (Bailey that is) and his team at Help-U-Sell Greensboro in North Carolina. They closed May with $5.3 million.

Third place goes to Melissa Chan at Help-U-Sell Alpha Paladins Realty in Santa Clara. Her office brought $2.2 million for the fifth month.

Office	Gross Sales Volume
Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties	$8,915,000
Help-U-Sell Greensboro	$5,386,500
Help-U-Sell Alpha Paladins Realty	$2,230,000
Help-U-Sell Legacy	$1,709,000
Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate of Steele County Inc.	$1,255,665
Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters	$1,133,122
Help-U-Sell Metropolitan	$1,101,300
Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties	$1,050,000
Help-U-Sell Bakersfield Equity Savers	$925,000

The NAR Settlement and You

As you are aware, there has been a flurry of commission related lawsuits over the last couple of years. The resulting settlement proposal now in place will mean big changes in the way we negotiate commissions and how we disseminate that information.

The following is a summary of the specific changes that will go into effect on August 17. As much of the onus for practical implementation and enforcement of the new requirements falls on Multiple Listing Services, we recommend that you pay particular attention to any communication from your Board or MLS about how to function in this new business environment.

Specific changes include:

Eliminate and prohibit any requirement of offers of compensation in the MLS between listing brokers or sellers to buyer brokers or other buyer representatives. Essentially, the buyer agent compensation fields will disappear from MLS input forms and data. The prohibition also applies to any ‘workaround’ for non-MLS property databases, including Internet aggregators like Zillow. To discover if compensation is being offered by the listing broker or seller to buyer brokers, a call will have to be made.
Reinforce that MLS participants must not filter or restrict MLS listings presented to clients by level of compensation.
Require compensation disclosures to sellers, prospective sellers, and buyers.
Require MLS participants working with a buyer to enter into a written agreement with the buyer prior to touring a home. This requirement is particularly challenging because a written agreement must be in place before showing the first home to a buyer. Again, seek clarification and implementation strategies from your Board or MLS, but it would seem that some kind of one-time-showing agreement would have to be executed for each home until a full buyer consultation and buyer broker agreement is signed.

It is possible, after an adjustment period, the changes will mean that sellers will compensate their listing agents and buyers will compensate their own agents. It will mean that we will have to earn the right to represent buyers by making a clear case for the value we bring to a transaction(the Buyer Consultation), and the reasonableness of our compensation proposal.

Bear in mind the agreement does not prohibit a seller from offering compensation to a buyer’s agent. It just prohibits the publication or advertisement of that information. However, we are already seeing savvy sellers balking at the high commissions that have been offered to buyers’ agents in the past. Fortunately, Help-U-Sell brokers have been operating for almost 50 years on a reasonable set fee basis, so the changes will probably be less painful for us than some of our competitors.

To learn more, come to Power Hour tomorrow, June 12 at 9am Pacific Time, Noon Eastern. Open the Zoom App OR go to www.zoom.us, click ‘Join a Meeting’ and enter Meeting ID: 963 5169 9809 Passcode: HUS123

April Top Producers 2024

“No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. April is a promise that May is bound to keep, and we know it.” – Hal Borland

Outside of “April showers bring May flowers”, it also tends to be the last gasp of winter. So when winter elements are still in play, when things spring back to life exactly is a mystery.

The real estate industry has no doubt been beset by some interesting hiccups and anomalies, with interest rates and concerns about inflation leaving many would-be buyers still on the sidelines. As such, housing market activity for April declined by 1.9% from March 2024. Similarly, existing home sales also declined by 1.9% compared to April 2023. Yet the median sale price went up 5.7% from a year ago. Across the country, unsold listings increased by 9.0% from last month, and it’s taking four more days to sell. Yet demand still currently outpaces inventory. Strange times!

In short, April was a bit tough. But the outlook gets a little brighter every day. Builders continue to create more homes. Innovators are revamping commercial properties into affordable living spaces, and of course, tiny homes remain popular.

Sides are blossoming in North Carolina, rain or shine. Jack Bailey and company at Help-U-Sell Greensboro are still number one. With 15 sides for the month, they make their own rain.

Sprouting into second place, Patrick Wood of Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties, in Chino Hills, California. Patrick’s team had seven seller sides for April!

Third place thrives with Jeff Hedberg of Help-U-Sell Real Masters in Port Huron, Michigan, and Kimberly Zelena of Help-U-Sell Direct Savings Real Estate in Waynesboro, Virginia. Each office brought five sides.

Fourth place is flourishing with Danny Kettle of Help-U-Sell Legacy in Layton, Utah, and Debra Schmidt of Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate of Steele County in Owatonna, Minnesota. Both end the fourth month with four sides.

Office	Seller	Buyer	Total
Help-U-Sell Greensboro	8	7	15
Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties	7	0	7
Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters	3	2	5
Help-U-Sell Direct Savings Real Estate	4	1	5
Help-U-Sell Legacy	3	1	4
Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate of Steele County Inc.	2	2	4
Help-U-Sell 951 Realty	1	1	2
Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties	2	0	2
Help-U-Sell Bakersfield Equity Savers	1	1	2
Help-U-Sell The Powell Group	1	1	2
Help-U-Sell Edmond/OKC	1	1	2
Help-U-Sell San Antonio Hill Country	2	0	2
Help-U-Sell Keystone Realty	1	1	2

On the Gross Sales Volume Report, we flip the script for first and second place.

Patrick Wood of Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties (Chino Hills,California), springs into first place with $9.9 million for April.

Which means we find Jack Bailey of Help-U-Sell Greensboro in second place, tending tenaciously to create a $4 million month.

Danny Kettle of Help-U-Sell Legacy, cultivated $2.2 million for the month. Utah continues to growing.

Thank you to April for the rain. We always look forward to the flowers.

Office	Gross Sales Volume
Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties	$9,912,888
Help-U-Sell Greensboro	$4,000,500
Help-U-Sell Legacy	$2,200,300
Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters	$1,767,400
Help-U-Sell 951 Realty	$1,650,000
Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties	$1,625,000
Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate of Steele County Inc.	$1,230,000
Help-U-Sell Bakersfield Equity Savers	$1,168,500
Help-U-Sell The Powell Group	$1,166,500
Help-U-Sell Direct Savings Real Estate	$1,139,900