Lona Murphy – Help-U-Sell® Connect

February Top Producers 2022

With the chill of February still lingering around many of our Help-U-Sell locations, our Top Producers are staying warm by keeping busy helping people buy and sell homes.

Case in point, the number one spot for the second month of 2022 goes to Jeff Hedberg of Help-U-Sell Real Masters of Port Huron, Michigan. With nine total sides, he eked out first place by one! Jeff and his team made a year-long habit of appearing in the top five spots during 2021.

In second place we have a tie between two other perpetual Eagles vying for the brass ring: Richard Cricchio of Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties of Oahu, and Jack Bailey and his team at Help-U-Sell Greensboro in North Carolina. Both fine offices are two very busy teams with 8 sides each.

Third place brings yet one more tie with six sides a piece between Kim Zelena and her team at Help-U-Sell Direct Savings Real Estate in Waynesboro, Virginia, and Mario Ferrante of Help-U-Sell Metropolitan in Woodhaven, Michigan.

Kimberly Zelena, Help-U-Sell Direct Savings Real Estate

At the risk of sounding silly, fourth place is also a tie. We are not making this up! Lona Lassen Murphy of Help-U-Sell Select Real Estate in Eugene, Oregon, and Mike Bowling of Help-U-Sell Mike Bowling in Yuma, Arizona, both finished February with five sides.

We won’t spoil the surprise for fifth place.

Office	Seller	Buyer	Total
Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters	5	4	9
Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties	7	1	8
Help-U-Sell Greensboro	4	4	8
Help-U-Sell Direct Savings Real Estate	5	1	6
Help-U-Sell Metropolitan	4	2	6
Help-U-Sell Select Real Estate	5	0	5
Help-U-Sell Mike Bowling	5	0	5
Help-U-Sell South Santa Clara County	2	2	4
Help-U-Sell The Smart Choice	2	2	4
Help-U-Sell Bakersfield Equity Savers	3	1	4
Help-U-Sell Keystone Realty	3	1	4

Guess what? It’s the second month of the year and Richard Cricchio of Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties, in Oahu, starts the streak with his second month at the top of our Gross Sales Volume Report. $6.6 million for the shortest month of the year is pretty great!

Adalberto “Tito” Gonzalez of Help-U-Sell South Santa Clara County in Morgan Hill, California pops in to make a statement in second place with $4.4 million for February.

In third place is Patrick Wood of Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties in Chino Hills, California. His team made $2.4 million in sales. Patrick’s team is always creating sales in California.

It’s fun to point out fourth place when the difference is only $32,950. Jack Bailey’s team at Help-U-Sell Greensboro in North Carolina didn’t miss the mark for third by much!

Thanks for joining us! See you soon!

Office	Gross Sales Volume
Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties	$6,624,900
Help-U-Sell South Santa Clara County	$4,475,000
Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties	$2,405,700
Help-U-Sell Greensboro	$2,372,750
Help-U-Sell Select Real Estate	$1,982,100
Help-U-Sell Direct Savings Real Estate	$1,437,300
Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters	$1,295,400
Help-U-Sell Mike Bowling	$1,235,000
Help-U-Sell Wright	$1,153,000
Help-U-Sell The Smart Choice	$1,103,800
Help-U-Sell Bakersfield Equity Savers	$1,033,000
Help-U-Sell Treasure Coast	$1,024,000

February Top Producers 2021

February went by quickly didn’t it? Seems like life is speeding up a bit as more folks get vaccinated against the covid-19 virus. Ultimately with a little patience and graciousness, we’re walking into the new chapter of life more hopeful than we did at this time last year. That’s good! Our Top Producers are still grappling with a shortage of properties to list and sell, but the upside is: houses continue to sell blazing fast. By continuing to make earnest efforts, our best continue to work hard and show up here.

Case in point: Jack Bailey Help-U-Sell Greensboro in North Carolina. His team’s efforts nabbed the top spot with 16 total sides, with 10 of those coming from sellers. In a short month like February, four a week is great in our book.

Mario Ferrante of Help-U-Sell Metropolitan in Woodhaven, Michigan, takes second place with eight total sides. Life has such balance, both the sellers and buyers were perfectly equal.

Third place is a 3-way tie between Richard Cricchio of Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties in Hawaii, Patrick Wood of Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties in Chino Hills, California, and Jeff Hedberg with Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters in Port Huron, Michigan. All three of these gentlemen and their teams are regular faces in our top producers list, and each have closed February with seven sides for the month.

Fourth place is a tie between Mike Bowling at Help-U-Sell Mike Bowling in Yuma, Arizona, and Lona Lassen Murphy at Help-U-Sell Select Real Estate in Eugene, Oregon, both with 5 sides each.

Of course, fifth place is tied up with four ties too. No complaints! We march towards March!

Office	Buyer	Seller	Total Sides
Help-U-Sell Greensboro	6	10	16
Help-U-Sell Metropolitan	4	4	8
Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties	2	5	7
Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties	1	6	7
Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters	2	5	7
Help-U-Sell Mike Bowling	2	3	5
Help-U-Sell Select Real Estate		5	5
Help-U-Sell Direct Homes	1	3	4
Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate	1	3	4
Help-U-Sell Keystone Realty		4	4
Help-U-Sell Peoples Real Estate	3	1	4

On to our Gross Sales Volume report, once again we find Patrick Wood at Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties taking the top spot with $5.8 million in sales for the month of February. What else can we say? Patrick is always crushing this metric.

Naturally, the primary competitor and often alternate first place Top Producer is of course Richard Cricchio of Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties in Hawaii. Richard’s team completed the month with $5.2 million in sales.

Our number one gentleman from the Sides Report, Jack Bailey, of Help-U-Sell Greensboro in North Carolina, secures third place with the help of his trusty team and a total sales volume of $3.4 million dollars.

Thank you to everyone for continuing to shine and do what it is that you do best.

Office	Gross Sales Volume
Help-U-Sell Prestige Properties	$5,865,000
Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties	$5,234,500
Help-U-Sell Greensboro	$3,415,800
Help-U-Sell Select Real Estate	$2,058,980
Help-U-Sell Alpha Paladins Realty	$1,730,000
Help-U-Sell Wright	$1,721,000
Help-U-Sell Central Properties	$1,457,500
Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters	$1,242,799
Help-U-Sell Vantage Realty	$1,230,000
Help-U-Sell Metropolitan	$1,178,900

October 2020 Top Producers

October is always a month of transitions. The last few sparks of summer roar through the early weeks of the month, while the spikes of winter lurk closely behind, with the gorgeous leaves of change gracefully marking middle. One thing stayed consistent throughout: our Help-U-Sell Broker/Owners blazed a trail and continued to demonstrate that 2020 wasn’t going to stop them from selling and buying homes for all of our valued clients.

Coming in first for the first time this year: one of our men in Michigan! Jeff Hedberg of Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters in Port Huron and his team closed 18 sides in October alone. Our guess is he makes the top ten for 2020, too!

In second place is Debra Schmidt. Her team at Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate of Steele County closed with 15 houses being bought and sold in a single month – all in Owatonna, MN. This works out to 4.1 sides a week. Very well done.

Our other man in Michigan secures third place. Mario Ferrante of Help-U-Sell Metropolitan in Woodhaven, MI, stakes out 14 sides with his team. Since Mario is a near-constant top producer, we’d love to have him be a future broker profile subject.

In seventh through eleventh place, a sea of ties all with seven total. That seems lucky!

Office	Buyer	Seller	Total
Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters	3	15	18
Help-U-Sell Heritage Real Estate	6	9	15
Help-U-Sell Metropolitan	2	12	14
Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties	3	9	12
Help-U-Sell Detwiler Realty	6	5	11
Help-U-Sell Greensboro	4	6	10
Help-U-Sell Bakersfield Equity Savers	3	4	7
Edmond/OKC	1	6	7
Help-U-Sell Legacy	4	3	7
Help-U-Sell Options Unlimited	2	5	7
Help-U-Sell Select Real Estate	4	3	7

The Gross Sales Volume report shows a staggering $7 million in sales for Richard Criccio of Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties. The top spot here is often where we can find him and his team, and October just re-confirms what we know about the Honolulu market: always hot!

Having shown up first on our sides report, it makes sense to see Jeff Hedberg of Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters in Port Huron on the GSV report. $3.5 million in sales divided by 18 sides works out to an average $196,000 per side. In other words: crushing it.

Third place was won by a margin of just $31,960! Lona Murphy at Help-U-Sell Select Real Estate in Eugene, OR has been showing us that small office model works just fine. She is the very definition of a mover and a shaker and is a showstopper.

For the first time, the Gross Sales Volume report goes “up to eleven” (for you Spinal Tap fans). It seemed pertinent to include every office that nailed down over $2 million in sales for October alone.

Keep on shining through the holiday season. Your determination continues to be an inspiration.

Office	Gross Sales Volume
Help-U-Sell Honolulu Properties	$ 7,900,000
Help-U-Sell Real Estate Masters	$ 3,531,200
Help-U-Sell Select Real Estate	$ 2,456,750
Help-U-Sell Detwiler Realty	$ 2,424,790
Help-U-Sell South Santa Clara County	$ 2,413,900
Heritage Real Estate	$ 2,199,100
Help-U-Sell Legacy	$ 2,114,099
Help-U-Sell Greensboro	$ 2,087,400
Help-U-Sell Wright	$ 2,086,000
Help-U-Sell Golden Homes	$ 2,070,500
Help-U-Sell Grein Group	$ 2,018,000

Not Business as Usual, But Open for Business

With the “sheltering in place” and quarantine orders extended until the end of April, one thing we still know is: lots of people still need to sell and buy homes. With an eye towards social distancing, the real estate industry, and Help-U-Sell Real Estate “Experts Next Door” in particular, have changed business practices to adjust to current safety procedures and protocols.

Some states have already had real estate deemed as an essential business, which provides some leeway as we strive to continue to serve our clients. Creativity in overcoming obstacles and problem solving is the theme of the day. Naturally, technology plays an enormous part. Whether working virtually, or with key staff rotating in the actual office, we are committed to continuing work for you in every way we safely can.

“We are doing real estate in a different way. This is still a perfect opportunity to create new connections and reaffirm old ones. We are calling our previous clients to check in on them, and see if they need anything, especially if they are unable to leave home. We are recording our listing presentations and buyer consultations to have them handy to email to our current leads.” – John Powell, Broker and Chief Development Officer, Help-U-Sell Real Estate Headquarters

“I’ve remodeled my business entirely. I’ve been doing listing presentations via GoToMeeting, and either going to the property to sign listing agreements or conducting it via DocuSign. I have had transactions where I do not see the seller until settlement time. Sometimes I have not seen them in person at all.” – Walt Hippuaf, Broker/Owner, Help-U-Sell Peoples Real Estate, Philadelphia, PA

“One of our agents walked through the house live with the client using GoogleDuo. She recorded a video, uploaded it to where the house is listed for other potential buyers to view it. Closings are limited to ten people or fewer – only the people who absolutely have to be there.” – Kimberly Zelena, Owner, Help-U-Sell Direct Savings Real Estate, Waynesboro, VA

“We moved up closings as quickly as possible for two of our elderly clients. We had the escrow officer go out and sign a client yesterday, and a mobile notary visited another client to get the job done. I’m doing as much as I can on my own. For example, my new phone takes great wide angle photos and video. I’m filming my listings, and post regularly on social media.” – Lona Lassen Murphy, Broker/Owner, Help-U-Sell Oregon, Eugene, OR

“Two of my recent clients, sisters buying condos in the same building, closed yesterday. One could not be in state at all. The tours, the inspection, and the final walk through were all done virtually. During the inspections, I was there, live on FaceTime so she was able to ask questions. The closings were done via email and with e-signatures. Electronic and mobile notaries were approved in Florida this year and that helps a lot.” – Chantell Stevens, Broker/Owner, Help-U-Sell Gulf Coast, Sarasota, FL

“We invested in the cameras to do high quality photos and virtual tours. The majority of people now view home listings on their phone, so we wanted to ensure they have the best viewing experience we can provide from where they are.” – John Metcalf, Broker/Owner, Help-U-Sell Inland Valley, Lake Elsinor, CA

“We are moving closing dates up to help clients close faster. Showing houses is still possible with the CBS (call before showing) code, and assigning a special window to view the home. No one else is allowed in during that time. Both safety and security are increased.” – Yasumi Davis, Broker/Owner, Help-U-Sell Golden Homes, Martinez, CA

“The market here is almost business as normal. Yesterday there were 22 new listings and 11 active contracts. Buyers and sellers who feel like they need to go are allowing showings, but no open houses, of course. It feels like a rainy day open house: you know there won’t be much traffic, but what you do get will be serious. I am telling sellers who haven’t listed yet to get everything ready in advance, so when the restrictions are lifted they will be ready for the burst of opportunity that is bound to happen.” – David Bartels, Broker/Owner, Help-U-Sell Full Service Realty, Westlake Village, CA

“Homes that are vacant are a gold mine, but when they are not, we’ve found virtual tours have been the most helpful.” – Kurt Steffien, Broker/Owner, Help-U-Sell Coast and Valley, Santa Ana, CA

“I have been able to work via text and email. In one case I drove to escrow to drop off signed documents that had to have a wet signature. I wore an N95 mask, gloves, and used hand sanitizer.” – Raul Novales, Broker/Owner, Help-U-Sell Wisdom Realty, Ontario, CA

To find the Help-U-Sell office closest to serving your area, use our office locator tool. https://www.helpusell.com/OfficeLocator.html

Help-U-Sell Success Summit 2012

We’re just back from the 2012 Help-U-Sell Success Summit, and the REALTORS Conference & Expo leading up to it. By all accounts, both were a great success! We loved seeing our brokers from all over the country. Several of them (Kim and Mike Zelena, Leigh Anne Losh, Kyna Baehr, and Walt Hippauf) drove hundreds of miles to be with us in Orlando.

Thank you to everyone who spent time at our expo booth. Your testimonials to prospective franchisees are more powerful than just about anything we can say to them or show them. A special thank-you to Dan Desmond, who made the trek from storm-damaged New Jersey to help out at the Expo and to attend the Summit.

We hope all who attended the Success Summit got some great takeaways. The hands-on approach and interactive discussions about OMS and website requests and your fee structures taught us, too. We also talked about partnering with a wonderful charity that gives food to the hungry and about adding a potential vendor to our program. As we get closer to finalizing those partnerships, we will keep you informed.

Those of you who couldn’t make it this year, please mark your calendars and start saving now for the 2013 events in San Francisco. The NAR dates are Nov. 8-11, and we will have our Success Summit immediately following. We’ll provide more information in the months to come.

Meanwhile, enjoy a few photos from the Expo and the Success Summit.