Season 7 Episode #3 Becoming a Client Whisperer: Lessons on Service from a Generational Agent
Introduction
- Joe Galindo a Windermere coach is hosting the Windermere Coaching Minute podcast.
- His guest today is Travis Stewart, an 18-year veteran in the Puget Sound real estate market. Travis has been with Windermere Real Estate for 11 years.
Travis' Background
- After high school, Travis did professional wakeboarding for 2 years then returned home in 2004 to figure out his career path.
- He started working in the appraisal business in 2005 after meeting some contacts through college.
- Travis got experience quickly by shadowing experienced appraisers, learning how to evaluate home values. He toured over 1,800 homes in 7 years as an appraiser trainee and certified appraiser.
- The appraisal work gave him insight into how different factors like school zones, upgrades, condition etc impact property value. It also taught him the difference between cost and value.
- He saw the market shift from hot seller’s market to increased refinancing during the 2008 housing crisis. His role changed from delivering good news about equity to being the bearer of bad news about lower appraisals.
Learning from His Mom
- Travis initially didn't want to work with his mom when starting in real estate sales but saw the value in her focus on relationships and genuine care for clients.
- She treats clients like close friends, not just transactions. This was different than Travis' dad who was in car sales and had customers.
- His mom fulfills the need of the client in front of her in that moment, not worrying about the outcome. Travis learned the power of relationships in real estate from her.
Going Above and Beyond
- Travis shares a story about spending hours digging through bushes to find a buried septic tank lid for clients selling a home. He leveraged his inspection knowledge to save the deal. This exemplifies fulfilling client's needs.
Transaction Types
- There are relational transactions with people you know well vs. transactional deals with less connection. Open houses can lead to great relational clients.
Seeing Homes
- It's very valuable for agents to tour homes to understand pricing, see different neighborhoods, observe layouts and condition. Virtual tours don't replace onsite experience.
Kitchen Remodels
- Travis notes kitchen upgrades don't always increase value equal to their cost. Buyers may not like the finishes or see the same value.
Gifts from Appraising
- His appraisal experience taught Travis about depreciation over time. A remodel done years ago likely lost some value relative to its initial cost.
Working with Family
- After appraising and title work, Travis joined his mom in real estate sales. She needed help expanding her business and exiting in the future.
- He hesitated to work with her at first but now sees the value in focusing on client relationships vs. transactions.
Referral Power
- Travis shares an example of past clients who moved to Texas but still refer Seattle-area friends to him years later. Ongoing communication maintains those referral relationships.
Client Events
- He hosts an annual holiday party with Santa for over 100 clients as a thank you and community builder. People look forward to it each year.
- They also do smaller events like corn mazes and wakeboarding at his home to stay connected.
Ongoing Communication
- Travis stressed the importance of staying in touch with clients year-round through calls, texts, stopping by, etc. This maintains the relationships.
Gifting Strategy
- He is strategic in gifting clients he knows well vs. his entire database. Does personal gifts with handwritten notes.
- Travis has used services like ClientGiant but found generic gifts weren't received as well. He customizes based on the client.
Action Steps
- Reach out to Travis with any questions at his email or website.
- Implement similar strategies of relationships, events, and gifts into your business.
Contact Travis Stewart. https://travisstewartre.com/
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