The real estate industry has been slammed, but Keller Williams has endured times like this before. "Keller Williams was founded 26 years ago during one of the toughest markets on record - when interest rates were higher than 18 percent," says CEO Mark Willis. "So our business model prepares us for fluctuating economic situations."
The key, Willis says, is understanding that the consumer does business with the agent and not with the company: "We can only grow if our agents do."
With that in mind, Keller Williams has survived the downturn by focusing on supporting and educating its agents. Throughout 2009, agents had free online training, regional seminars on using technology and social media as sales tools and a tour of North America by the company's co-founder, Gary Keller. Keller also laid out the tactics in his new book, Shift: How Top Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times. The most important tactic for Keller Williams franchisees, according to Willis, is "leading with revenue" - that is , spending only money that the business has generated. It seems to have worked. The company saw a cumulative 86 percent increase in franchise owner profits for 2009, and while the National Association of Realtors' membership decreased by 7 percent, Keller Williams' agent count grew to more than 76,000.
By Tracy Stapp, Entrepreneur Magazine, May 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Chicago's Signature Buildings: Living in a Landmark
Downtown Chicago condos have a certain cache, especially those in Chicago's tallest residential buildings. When you can refer to your building with one simple word and people know exactly where you live, you know you've reached a level of downtown Chicago living that is truly luxurious. Living in Chicago's tallest residential buildings also gives you access to the best locations, neighborhoods and amenities in the city.
Aqua
In the Lakeshore East community on the New East Side of Chicago, you'll find a new building with a design that will stop you in your tracks. This is Aqua-- Chicago's newest skyscraper that you can't miss with its wave-inspired architecture. Sitting at the confluence of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, Aqua has incredible views of both bodies of water and the city skyline, and its location offers immediate access to the downtown Loop, Michigan Avenue shopping and Streeterville nightlife.
The condos of Aqua reside on floors 53 through 81, and each condo's beautiful views are enhanced by the uniquely shaped balconies, which are made to give each condo two or three different views of city. Additionally, Aqua's unique design is environmentally friendly-- the undulating balconies are easy for birds to see, preventing collisions. Additionally, the balconies provide shading from the sunlight, preventing heat gain during the summer and reducing cooling costs. Meanwhile, the concrete that is the main construction material of the building is a good conductor of heat and will radiate heat in the winter, keeping the building warm. This and other green features, like bamboo flooring and a green roof, make the Aqua lifestyle luxurious and green.
Plus, for a rare experience in urban living, you'll find a six-acre park with water features, a children's park, a dog park, running and biking paths and more than 120 varieties of plant life. The Lakeshore East Park has been named "Best New Park" and "Best Open Space" in Chicago-- so why not make it your front yard by living at Aqua? Along with cutting-edge amenities like media rooms, business centers, a health and fitness center, indoor basketball court and an 80,000-square-foot outdoor terrace, the Aqua lifestyle is characterized by luxury indoors and out.
The Trump Tower
Trump real estate specializes in an exclusive lifestyle! For starters, the Trump brand is synonymous with luxury. Within the building, there are 486 private residences, which also is home to a hotel and multiple restaurants and bars. Condominium owners in the building have all the amenities of the hotel, without having to check out! A 24-hour white glove door man, spa and concierge service are just the tip of the iceberg at Trump.
In addition to being near all the best of downtown Chicago dining, Trump-dwellers also have excellent dining options within their building. Sixteen-- a restaurant on, of course, the sixteenth floor of the building-- is the Tower's signature restaurant. It offers exceptional views of Lake Michigan, the Chicago River and the Wrigley Clock Tower along with eclectic New American cuisine. There's also The Terrace at Trump, an outdoor dining deck with the same beautiful views, boutique wines and handcrafted cocktails. Residents also have a built in nightlife hot spot in the sophisticated lounge, Rebar. Cocktails, bar food and sushi await.
Trump also has a variety of optional amenities to suit the most demanding resident: dry cleaning and laundry valet service, housekeeping, in-home dining and catering and designated parking.
The John Hancock Tower
Our final tower is the oldest and most recognizable as a Chicago landmark. While it hosts offices and its tourist attraction, the Hancock Observatory, there are also residences in Chicago's famous tower. Right on Michigan Avenue, there isn't a place in Chicago that is more central than the Hancock. Living at the hub of urban activity, you have immediate access to all of areas of Chicago through public transit.
Like the Trump Tower, Hancock residence owners live near great cuisine options, but also have access to great restaurants in their own building. The Signature Room on the 95th floor of the building is a formal dining experience with the best 360-degree views of Chicago imaginable. Its sister, The Signature Lounge, offers the same great views from the 96th floor and a loungey atmosphere for drinking cocktails and eating lighter fare. And the new Cafe Espression, where you can drink "coffee in the clouds," is the highest Lavazza cafe in the world, serving the kind of coffee most drunk in Italy.
Living in downtown Chicago condos in a recognizable landmark like the Aqua, Trump Tower or the John Hancock Tower might seem like a dream, but with the buyer's market still going strong, it might be more achievable than you have ever imagined! Get in touch with a Gold Coast real estate expert to start your landmark lifestyle.
Aqua
In the Lakeshore East community on the New East Side of Chicago, you'll find a new building with a design that will stop you in your tracks. This is Aqua-- Chicago's newest skyscraper that you can't miss with its wave-inspired architecture. Sitting at the confluence of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, Aqua has incredible views of both bodies of water and the city skyline, and its location offers immediate access to the downtown Loop, Michigan Avenue shopping and Streeterville nightlife.
Plus, for a rare experience in urban living, you'll find a six-acre park with water features, a children's park, a dog park, running and biking paths and more than 120 varieties of plant life. The Lakeshore East Park has been named "Best New Park" and "Best Open Space" in Chicago-- so why not make it your front yard by living at Aqua? Along with cutting-edge amenities like media rooms, business centers, a health and fitness center, indoor basketball court and an 80,000-square-foot outdoor terrace, the Aqua lifestyle is characterized by luxury indoors and out.
The Trump Tower
Trump real estate specializes in an exclusive lifestyle! For starters, the Trump brand is synonymous with luxury. Within the building, there are 486 private residences, which also is home to a hotel and multiple restaurants and bars. Condominium owners in the building have all the amenities of the hotel, without having to check out! A 24-hour white glove door man, spa and concierge service are just the tip of the iceberg at Trump.
Trump also has a variety of optional amenities to suit the most demanding resident: dry cleaning and laundry valet service, housekeeping, in-home dining and catering and designated parking.
The John Hancock Tower
Our final tower is the oldest and most recognizable as a Chicago landmark. While it hosts offices and its tourist attraction, the Hancock Observatory, there are also residences in Chicago's famous tower. Right on Michigan Avenue, there isn't a place in Chicago that is more central than the Hancock. Living at the hub of urban activity, you have immediate access to all of areas of Chicago through public transit.
Living in downtown Chicago condos in a recognizable landmark like the Aqua, Trump Tower or the John Hancock Tower might seem like a dream, but with the buyer's market still going strong, it might be more achievable than you have ever imagined! Get in touch with a Gold Coast real estate expert to start your landmark lifestyle.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Selling A Second Lifesytle
By Clare Pierson, Chicago Agent Magazine
While some agents are concentrating on finding buyers in general, others are focusing on a special niche that could bring in more business, and at a higher price point: second homes. Focusing on selling second homes might take a little more effort, education and hustle, but in the end it can pay off – and be fun in the process. We spoke with a number of Realtors who work with second-home buyers in Chicagoland to find out how to be successful in this specialized field.
When the term “second home” or “vacation home” is mentioned, what comes to mind? Perhaps images of a lake house complete with its own boat dock or a chalet perched on the side of a ski hill. While both of these ring true, another concept that might not immediately come to mind is a high-rise condo on Michigan Avenue — yet Jean Hagerty, a Resort and Second-Home Property Specialist (RSPS)-licensed agent and luxury home specialist with Keller Williams, sells homes in the Loop and Gold Coast areas to second-home buyers on a regular basis. Seeing Chicago or another urban metropolis as a viable second-home market is a fairly newer concept, but it is indeed a growing niche and it makes sense.
Certainly Chicago’s Broadway-caliber theaters, expansive lakefront and nationally recognized dining scene help this concept along. “I love our city and what it has to offer, so for me to tout how great it is to live downtown is easy and exciting,” says Hagerty. “There is always something new going on here.”
According to Hagerty, a broad range of buyers look to buy second homes in downtown Chicago – a family with a large home in the suburbs might want a downtown getaway, or a parent will buy a child going to college a city condo with the expectation they will use it after their budding student graduates. Additionally, entrepreneurs and retired people with flexible schedules like to split their time between Chicago and someplace warm.
“Buying in Chicago is a little more deliberate,” she says. “We attract people with season tickets to ball games, the opera, the symphony. They are foodies, sports fans and cultural devotees. In other words, people who spend their time here are doing a variety of things. Some have business here frequently, some have family. The Chicago second-home buyers intend to split their time between here and somewhere else. So, it is easier to justify than a home you would use only during one time of the year.”
Read the full article here.
While some agents are concentrating on finding buyers in general, others are focusing on a special niche that could bring in more business, and at a higher price point: second homes. Focusing on selling second homes might take a little more effort, education and hustle, but in the end it can pay off – and be fun in the process. We spoke with a number of Realtors who work with second-home buyers in Chicagoland to find out how to be successful in this specialized field.
When the term “second home” or “vacation home” is mentioned, what comes to mind? Perhaps images of a lake house complete with its own boat dock or a chalet perched on the side of a ski hill. While both of these ring true, another concept that might not immediately come to mind is a high-rise condo on Michigan Avenue — yet Jean Hagerty, a Resort and Second-Home Property Specialist (RSPS)-licensed agent and luxury home specialist with Keller Williams, sells homes in the Loop and Gold Coast areas to second-home buyers on a regular basis. Seeing Chicago or another urban metropolis as a viable second-home market is a fairly newer concept, but it is indeed a growing niche and it makes sense.
Certainly Chicago’s Broadway-caliber theaters, expansive lakefront and nationally recognized dining scene help this concept along. “I love our city and what it has to offer, so for me to tout how great it is to live downtown is easy and exciting,” says Hagerty. “There is always something new going on here.”
According to Hagerty, a broad range of buyers look to buy second homes in downtown Chicago – a family with a large home in the suburbs might want a downtown getaway, or a parent will buy a child going to college a city condo with the expectation they will use it after their budding student graduates. Additionally, entrepreneurs and retired people with flexible schedules like to split their time between Chicago and someplace warm.
“Buying in Chicago is a little more deliberate,” she says. “We attract people with season tickets to ball games, the opera, the symphony. They are foodies, sports fans and cultural devotees. In other words, people who spend their time here are doing a variety of things. Some have business here frequently, some have family. The Chicago second-home buyers intend to split their time between here and somewhere else. So, it is easier to justify than a home you would use only during one time of the year.”
Read the full article here.
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