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3 Ways to Stay Organized with Todoist
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As a busy real estate agent, you are constantly juggling a bunch of different things at once. You are dealing with multiple buyers, sellers, and contracts at various stages and just trying to keep everything straight and organized. It can definitely be overwhelming! You really need to have a to-do list tool that will keep you on track to make sure that you don’t miss any of your daily tasks. There are tons of different to-do list apps out there including Google Keep, Apple Reminders and many more. Today we are going to focus on 3 ways to stay organized using Todoist. One huge benefit about Todoist versus some its competitors is that it is compatible across all of the major platforms (Android, Apple/Mac, and Windows).
1. Keep track of all your tasks by getting them out of your head!
Todoist in its most basic form is a really awesome to-do list that is simple to use. With everything you have going on in a normal day, it is really hard to remember everything that you have to do. The most important is to get all of your tasks out of your head and into a list. You will feel so much more relaxed and confident about getting things done once you have them written out in a trusted place. Todoist has been around since 2007 and is used by major corporations like Amazon, Disney, and Facebook. So, you can rest assured that your data is safe.
It is very easy to add tasks to your list. All you have to do is click on the plus sign in the top right of the screen on a Chrome browser (or desktop app) or the bottom right on the mobile app. This will bring up a Quick Add Task window where you can input your task. You can also schedule a due date and time by tapping where is says Schedule. An awesome feature is that you can also schedule by using natural language, for example “Call back Mr. Jones to discuss the appraisal tomorrow at 9:30am”. It will automatically detect the day and time and add it to your task.
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2. Categorize all of your tasks by projects
Now that you have moved all of your tasks out of your head and into a list, you may be feeling overwhelmed with the amount of tasks you have to complete! It is going to help you to sort out all of your tasks into categories. Luckily, Todoist allows you to sort your tasks into what they call “Projects”. I recommend you create projects like Real Estate and Personal. You could create a separate project for each of your active listings or current contracts. You get five current projects with the Free version of Todoist (up to 80 if you archive old projects). See the example below of what a project looks like for a current listing. This ensures that you won’t miss any of the small tasks in a transaction. Quick tip – you can save your listing task list in a document somewhere and then just copy and paste in all of your tasks when you have a new listing. You can even share your projects with your clients so that they can see everything that goes into selling their home or even have them check off the things they need to do.
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3. Visualize your projects with board view
Board view is a newer feature from Todoist, and it is awesome at allowing you to visualize your project. A lot times tasks aren’t simple and may be “in progress” for a while. The board view helps to understand exactly where you are at in a particular project and what still needs to be completed. You can always switch back and forth between list view (traditional) and board view even after you start a project. You can drag and drop the tasks in between sections very easily as seen below
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Here is a tutorial from Todoist showing exactly how to use their board view:
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In summary, with as much as you have going on, you really need to have a digital to-do list with you at all times. I feel that Todoist provides you with exactly what you need to be efficient and not miss those small tasks that are crucial to wowing your clients in the end. I hope these 3 tips help you to be more organized on a daily basis. Reach out to me with any time management or to-do list tips and tricks!
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5 Website Features Real Estate Agents MUST Have
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It is no secret that a website is one of the most important parts of a business. It has truly replaced the storefront for many businesses, and it is the first place that most clients go to learn about a real estate agent. If you still do not have your own website or you just want to make sure you are on the right track. Here are five must-have features for your real estate website:
1. Testimonials
I’m starting out with testimonials because I think it is the most important part of your website. A testimonial or review is simply a previous client’s opinion of the service that you provide. It is just the modern version of word-of-mouth marketing. An agent can go on and on about how awesome they are and why you should use them to sell your home. When a potential client reads a review from someone who has used your service, it is much more believable!
To simplify the importance let’s think about the last time you were looking for a new place to eat. You probably received a recommendation from a friend. I want you to think about what you did next. If you are like most people, you went to Google and searched the name of the restaurant and read the reviews. We know that people trust the opinions of others for something as simple as a restaurant. So it makes sense that when someone is looking for an agent to help them with one of the most expensive purchases or sales of their life that they will want to see what other people think of you.
So, you may be asking, “How do I get testimonials?” I recommend that within a week or two of your client’s closing you send them a message asking them for a review of their experience with you. I would give them instructions on exactly how to leave you a review on Google, Facebook, Zillow or anywhere else you want people to find you. Here is a link to a sample testimonial email. Every time you get a testimonial make sure that you post it on your website!
2. Contact me form and multiple CTAs throughout the site
One of the best tips I ever received (over a 10 years ago) on my first website was to add a contact form. I had spent hours getting all of our services, photos and reviews on the site. The major part I didn’t think about was making it easy for people to get in touch with the company. In your case, you want to make it super easy for your new potential clients to reach out to you via a simple form. You can use Google Forms or most website builders have built-in forms. It is important to make sure that the form sends you a notification to an email address that you check often. You also want to make sure that you keep the form short and to the point (name, number, email, and reason). If you are asking for their complete life story, they most likely will not fill out the form.
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You also want to add calls-to-action (CTA) throughout your website that lead clients to your Contact page. As clients are browsing all of your content, you want to catch their attention and direct to where you want them to go typically through the use of a button. I suggest using buttons that say something like “Schedule an Appointment” or “Schedule a Consultation”. In addition to these CTAs, make sure you have a “Contact” button in your top menu. This is the location most people will look when they are ready to reach out to you.
3. Video bio
I know, I know, most of you already want to skip over this section. You have heard it repeatedly, but a video bio is a must in 2020. Video doesn’t have to be perfect anymore. You don’t have the excuse of not having the right equipment, because most of us have an awesome video camera in our pocket. Today’s cell phones all have excellent cameras built-in. You are ready to shoot your bio video when you pair your cell phone with a tri-pod and an inexpensive lapel mic like this one from Purple Panda (audio is extremely important!).
People can really connect to a video versus reading your bio because they get to see and hear you. You immediately become more relatable! The biggest thing is to just practice over and over again, and you will get better. Don’t worry about making a mistake because you can always delete any mistakes you make! I look forward to seeing your first video soon!
4. Blog with hyper-local content
As a real estate agent, you are the local expert. A blog is one of the easiest ways to convey that you are an expert. There are millions of blogs out there and it can be tough to compete with the ones that are already established. This is why I recommend keeping your your blog hyper-local to the areas that you serve. I know here in Fredericksburg, VA that there are very few agents that are talking about their community.
So, you agree you should have a blog, but you have no idea what to write about. You are not alone, and this is probably the reason why most people never start a blog. I want you to think about things you already enjoy doing and how you can make them relate to real estate or your local community. My most successful blog was called “Why I Love Fredericksburg” and I just wrote about some things my family and I love to do and included some photos. Some other ideas might be to interview local businesses, review recent events or restaurants you have been to, Top 5 lists and so on. People love reading about where they live and the more they read from you, the quicker you will look like the local expert!
5. Responsive design
In 2020, just about every single person looking to buy or sell a home has a cell phone and we want to make sure they can view your website clearly on the go. Responsive design means that your website adjusts to different screen sizes between your laptop, tablet, and phone automatically. Most modern site builders like Square Space or WordPress will automatically apply responsive design. Whenever you make changes to your site you will want to open up a browser on your phone to make sure that everything is clear on a smaller screen.
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Top 3 Benefits of a Career in Real Estate
I believe the top three benefits this business offers is financial independence, the freedom to manage your own time and most importantly, the ability to service and assist clients and customers to obtain one of the biggest assets of their lifetime: their home!
Four CBE Agents Elected to 2019 FAAR Leadership
We’d like to congratulate all FOUR of our agents elected to the Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors Leadership Team, including Drew Fristoe as 2019 FAAR President! We’re so proud of all of you and looking forward to celebrating with everyone at the Installation Ceremony on December 6th at the UMW University Center. Get to know the new Leadership Team here!
Drew Fristoe, President
Raised in Fredericksburg, VA, Drew graduated from the University of Mary Washington in 2006 with a B.S. in Business Administration. A first-generation real estate professional who was licensed in 2008, Fristoe is active in his state and local association as well as the National Association of REALTORS®.
Drew chaired the NAR YPN committee Advisory Committee in 2018 and is also the co-founder of the Fredericksburg Area Association YPN, which Drew chaired in 2012, and the co-founder of the Virginia Association of REALTORS® YPN. He has served on the Virginia Association of REALTORS® Information Management Committee. In addition to chairing the Fredericksburg REALTORS® Foundation in 2011 and 2012, Fristoe has also worked on the Federal Political Coordinating Team for 1st District Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) since 2009.
Arlene Mason, President-Elect
“It gives me great pride and satisfaction to be associated with such a wonderful group of professional REALTORS®” says Arlene. She feels that she has gained so much personally by networking and serving with other dedicated, caring and giving individuals. She says that “the return on the investment of your time will far exceed your expectations.”
A licensed REALTOR® since 2004, Arlene received her associate broker’s license in 2014. Since 2004, she has been involved with various FAAR committees and then decided to take the next step to serve on the Board in 2013. She has served on FAAR’s Board of Directors for the past 5 years, Treasurer for 2 years, and Vice President for the past 2 years. She is also a proud graduate of the Virginia Leadership Academy Class of 2013.
Arlene would like to offer a challenge to her FAAR friends . . . “Become involved – it will open doors for you, and both you and your business will prosper.” She will be honored to serve as President-Elect in 2019 and looks forward to getting know more of her colleagues.
Carol Sondrini, Director
Carol Sondrini is an energetic, positive, team-player who is very involved as a mentor in the Massaponax office and in FAAR. She is a member of the FAAR Education Committee and an elected Governor on the Realtor’s Foundation because she believes deeply in helping others. She serves as the Kitchen Coordinator for Love Thy Neighbor in King George.
She is excited to use her position on the FAAR Board to contribute to the vision moving forward in order to positively impact the members and the community. She hopes to help bring a larger awareness of FAAR to our area.
Deb Ellis, Director
Deb Ellis has been in our local market since 2004. Deb is active in the community from co-founding the Owen Lea Foundation to volunteering hours of service to local non-profits. She is passionate about education and bringing higher standards to the industry, as a member of the FAAR Education Committee and an instructor.
As the VP of Residential Services, she coaches, supports and mentors agents and brokers leading them to success. She desires to see
the same in all agents and by joining the board, she can have a positive impact. Exceptional service has been her ethos in the industry.
We are also incredibly thankful for Clay Murray and Ben Keddie’s service at FAAR as 2018 Directors and look forward to honoring them on Thursday! We are so lucky to have such a large presence in the Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors!
How To Sell Your House Fast
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1. Clean It Up
There’s no beating around the bush, the house needs to be clean. If you’re not sure if your house is passably clean, get a friend to give you an honest opinion or just hire a cleaning service. Ideally, decluttering and deep cleaning should happen BEFORE listing photos are taken. Don’t make potential buyers have to imagine what the house might look like tidied up–get rid of clutter both inside and outside the house and put some elbow grease into making the place sparkle! Cabinets and drawers should be wiped down, any scuffs removed from the walls and kitchen appliances polished. Shampooing your carpets or mopping the floors can make a big difference!
2. Consider Staging
3. Professional Listing Photos
4. Make It Available
5. Price It Right
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5 Things To Do Before You Buy A Home
So you’re finally ready to buy your own home, congrats! It’s a big decision that can really impact your life and your finances. Here are our top five things to do before you take the leap to make sure you’re completely prepared!
Strengthen your credit score
Don’t know your credit score? If you’re thinking about buying a home in the near future—it’s time to find out! Try CreditKarma or any of the free credit reports to see what you may need to work on or if you’re in good shape! The better your credit score, the less you’ll need to pay for your home loan. The quickest way to improve your score is to pay down any credit card balances! You’ll also want to avoid applying for credit, for example, opening a new credit card or getting a car loan, until after you’ve closed on your new home!
Figure out what you can afford
Now’s the time to face the facts and be realistic. What’s your actual budget for purchasing a home? Conventional wisdom says that home expenses should only take up around 30-33% of your income each year. What will your monthly mortgage payment be, including interest, mortgage insurance and any HOA fees? An easy way to figure out what you can afford is by using Zillow’s Mortgage Calculator—easily adjust your purchase price vs down payment and see how it can affect your monthly payment. You’ll also want to set aside an emergency fund for unexpected repairs—especially during your first year! Once you’ve figured out what price range you can comfortably afford, stick to only looking at homes in that range.
Research different neighborhoods
You know your desired price range and what kind of home you’re looking for—now ’s the time to do your homework! Different areas and neighborhoods have their own character, benefits and drawbacks—consult your Realtor, websites like Niche, Crimemapping and Yelp, and if possible, drive through any neighborhoods you’re seriously considering at various times of day to really get a feel for them.
Save up
Keep in mind that the down payment is only one part of the costs you’ll need to pay upfront. Once you cough up that 10% down payment, you’ll still need to pay for any closing costs, necessary inspections, repairs or maintenance costs, the first few months of mortgage and insurance payments, and any moving costs. Closing costs can run anywhere from 2-5% of the asking price while typical home inspections are around $350-500. That’s on top of your down payment! With all that in mind, is your dream home still within your housing budget of 30-33% of your yearly income?
Connect with a lender
An experienced loan officer can be a huge help during your preparation period! They’ll help you figure out what loan product will be best for you and what you can do to improve your credit. Your CBE agent can recommend plenty of awesome loan officers and once you’ve got your pre-approval letter, you’re ready to tour homes and make an offer!
Buying a home (whether it’s your first or not!) is an exciting experience and can be immensely rewarding! All of us at CBE wish you the best of luck finding your dream home–don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help along the way!
Top 5 Best Apps and Sites for Moving
1. ThredUp/ Letgo
Moving, while stressful, is actually one of the best times to evaluate your wardrobe and all your possessions—if you’re dreading moving it to your new home, it’s probably time to let it go. ThredUp and Letgo are both awesome for paring down your closet and letting your old unwanted items have a new life. Not only will you have less stuff to move, you’ll be able to make some cash!
2. Unpakt
Schedule and organize your movers all online with Unpakt! If ever a moving website could be fun to use, this one would be! They help you figure out how many boxes you’ll need based on what kind of items you have and the size of your home and then let you compare moving companies’ prices! You can book them online for your move and the price is guaranteed—not an estimate—which is great for budgeting ahead of time!
3. Sortly
Sortly is an awesome way to keep track of everything you own! Snap a picture of each of your belongings (or maybe just the ones most important to you!) and categorize them by room, box or any way you want. You can create searchable notes and tags to help you find things quickly and even mark boxes with QR labels to see what’s inside without digging through it! After your move, Sortly can be helpful when you’re figuring out how much you need to insure your home for—if you add the value of each of your items, it’ll total them up for you!
4. MagicPlan
Let’s face it, once all your contingencies are satisfied, there’s not a whole lot for you to do besides pack until closing day. Use that hurrry-up-and-wait time to sketch out where your furniture will go, what decor should go where and what will make your new house flow as best as possible. Bonus: now you know exactly where certain boxes (and the super heavy furniture!) should go and you can label them for the movers so you’re not having to rearrange on the day of!
5. Updater
One of our favorite sites EVER! Updater makes transferring your mail, utilities and subscriptions to your new address a snap! Your CBE agent will put in your old and new addresses and voila! You’ll get a link to easily transfer over all of your mail and make sure your utilities are in order before the big day! A couple clicks and you’re done! Why isn’t everything this easy?
Moving soon and need an awesome checklist to make sure you’ve remembered everything? Check out our Ultimate Moving Checklist and download the room-by-room guide!
Home of the Week: 328 Storck Rd
Desperately need to escape to the rolling hills of Tuscany and unwind with some vino? For $1,443,411, you could own the next best thing! Retreat to your very own magnificent Italianate villa on 30 stunning acres, nestled in the beautiful Hartwood area just off Warrenton Road. Guests will revel in the sheer opulence of this home, from the moment they pull up to the four car garage and enter the grand foyer with a graceful iron-wrought spiral staircase.
Snuggle up for a quiet night in in front of one of the home’s four fireplaces or throw a lavish party in the full finished basement with coffered ceilings, complete with custom wet bar and movie theater. The home sprawls out over 11,000 square feet, so there’s enough room for all your family and friends and there’s 4 bedroom suites if they end up staying the night!
Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper Italian villa if it didn’t have an amazing gourmet kitchen! Where else are you going to whip up a mouthwatering osso bucco or spaghetti alla puttanesca? High-end appliances grace this gorgeous kitchen and there’s a custom wine closet for the true connoisseur! 
A home this luxe wouldn’t be complete without a gorgeous custom pool, five-person hot tub and immaculate stable! Four padded stalls with separate wash room, feed room and tack room for your convenience and fenced paddocks outside the stalls for easy turnout! For the equine family members that like to roam, there are ten acres of fenced-in pasture! 
And for the cherry on top, the master suite! Achieve true relaxation in the jet spa and steam shower, and then retire to your massive master bedroom. If you can imagine yourself living in this exquisite home, please contact Charlotte Rouse or any of our wonderful agents for a tour! 
Home of the Week: 1302 Eastover Parkway
The gentle splash of a kayak paddling by, birds chirping happily among the lush landscaping… 1302 Eastover Parkway is a luxurious escape from the everyday. With a dock right on Keaton’s Lake, an extra large patio for al fresco entertaining and panoramic views of the water, the beauty of nature gets to take center stage.
After you watch the sun sink behind the horizon from the Jacuzzi, it’s time to retire to the 5,200 square feet of luxurious finishings inside. Brazilian cherry hardwoods run throughout the home, leading to the stunning gourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops.
The faint sound of a lively trumpet solo floats throughout the home via the built-in stereo system. Your guests can gather around the welcoming kitchen island or settle in for a more formal evening under the Swarovski crystal chandelier in the dining room.
You’ve finished a lovely meal with friends, the boat is moored for the night–wind down for the night in the main level master suite with a gorgeous tray ceiling. For extra privacy, there are Ethan Allen window treatments throughout the home.
If this sounds like your perfect day, contact Penny Ostlund for more information. 1302 Eastover Parkway is listed for $674,900 and is located in the wonderful Lake of the Woods community!
Home of the Week: 306 Caroline Street
Always wanted to own a piece of history? Nestled behind a brick wall, the Thornley House was built in 1851 and survived the Civil War. The Federal-style residence (with a splash of Italianate!) has 167 years of stories to tell, but with all updated bathrooms and a completely remodeled kitchen!
With three levels of beautifully preserved and updated history right in the heart of Downtown Fredericksburg, you’re just a half block away from the train station, restaurants and shops. Escape the summer heat in the private in-ground pool or just enjoy the secret garden in the backyard.
The attached in-law apartment and off-street parking are perfect for out-of-town visitors! 306 Caroline is listed for $999, 500 by Robin Marine. If you’d like more information about this truly historic property, please contact Robin or any of our Coldwell Banker Elite agents!
