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Congratulations to our newest Agent of the Month, Wendy Tam!

As a successful San Francisco realtor and mother of 5, is there anything Wendy Tam can’t do? Oh, and did we mention her impeccable design sense? She is able to transform homes into works of art. Any client would be lucky to have her in their corner and we’re fortunate to have her as part of the W Real Estate family. Wendy shared with us what she believes has attributed to her success the most and the tools she uses to juggle her personal and professional life. All this, and more, below. 

To what do you attribute your success?
I would attribute my success to setting goals that are in line with things that I love doing and then keeping a positive mental attitude, especially when faced with challenges. This helps me to wake up every morning feeling excited to take the forward steps – whether large or small that are necessary to reach those goals.

What was the last book/audiobook you read/listened to?
The Great Gatsby

What software/tech tools can you not live without?
Google Suite – all-in-one for my emails, word processing, spreadsheet, calendar, storage – and best of all: not having to remember if I pressed the save button!

Do you believe it is possible to have a successful career while having a fulfilling personal life? Does this balance exist?
Yes, I believe that it is possible to be successful and enjoy family life. We juggle sales, development and having 5 kids. Actually I find that being in real estate actually allows me the freedom to schedule my time around my family’s activities allowing me to be at school functions and not behind a 9-5 desk. So I am very thankful for that! Having a good routine that everyone in the family is on board with really helps when we have to schedule for showings, open houses and appointments.

What is a unique aspect of the San Francisco Residential Real Estate market?
One unique aspect in San Francisco is that our homes are very different from one to another, even when they are on the same block. Most of our homes were not built tract homes so being across the street can make all the difference with regards to having a drop-dead view or no views at all. We have a constant demand from buyers for the newest and more innovative homes so newly renovated homes can set record prices with no comps available.

What is the most underrated/overlooked part of your business? (i.e. thank you cards, social media, etc)
The amount of time spent to find a good deal for buyers in San Francisco.

What are the main things that you should look at when investing/purchasing a new property?
Buying the best location that your budget allows and property that may still have more potential to grow into or build.

What is a quote that inspires you?
“Your past does not equal your future.”

If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out in real estate, what would it be?
Go out and see as many properties as possible on tour, it provides great education on the current market and you will also make great business contacts through meeting other agents.

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Congratulations to our newest Agent of the Month, Drew Nicoll!

Drew Nicoll is the Team Leader of the highly-successful Nicoll-Pallini Group. Drew’s unwavering determination to accomplish his client’s real estate goals is truly something to be admired. He pushes the envelope in his business and continues to surpass even the most unattainable goals he sets for himself. 

We value Drew’s insight on business strategy and market conditions and we think you will find it beneficial as well. Continue on to read Drew’s opinion on work/life balance and his advice to agents just starting out in the industry. 

To what do you attribute your success?
Utilizing proven systems to achieve desired results, being willing to work at a level most people don’t want to or are not willing to work at, learning from my mentors in real estate and being willing to break real estate norms to provide clients with a higher level of service and value.

What was the last book/audiobook you read/listened to?
The 5 am Club

What software/tech tools can you not live without?
Google Business Apps, My iPhone Max, Slack.

Do you believe it is possible to have a successful career while having a fulfilling personal life? Does this balance exist?
Absolutely, this is my goal; however, it does not just happen, you have to build your business to work that way. You have to write down your business goals and the plan to get there. You have to surround yourself with the right people. You have to leverage people, systems and technology to help you be in multiple places at the same time and multiply your efforts. You have to be willing to work like nobody wants to for a few years so you can live the rest of your life like everyone wishes they could. Also, you have to be willing to take calculated risks and make less money upfront to make more down the road, essentially invest in yourself!

What is a unique aspect of the Mendocino County Residential Real Estate market?
The variety of different property types we deal with varies greatly from single-family homes to large ranches and cannabis properties. Also, the amount of people moving from the bay area to Mendocino county is a very interesting observation that I have made as to what the future for property values will look like here in our county.

What is the most underrated/overlooked part of your business?
The most overlooked part of my business is the conversations I have with leads and the questions I ask to determine timing and motivation and then the offers that I make to clients over the phone in order to propel them to come and meet with me.

What are the main things that you should look at when investing/purchasing a new property?
Location, condition, how long you are wanting or going to own it and/or live there and the overall purpose or goal of the home financially. You get hurt in Real Estate investing when you have to sell. If you don’t have to sell you can ride out any market until the correction you’re looking for takes place. So the property would need to cash flow enough to be able to at least pay for itself and not make you go broke if you have it not rent for a period of time.

What is a quote that inspires you?
“Success is never owned, it is rented and the rent is due every day.”

If you had one piece of advice to give someone just starting out in real estate, what would it be?
Don’t do what everyone else is doing; find what your strengths are in the business and focus on making those a priority. Use systems. Write out a plan for success and execute it every day. If you don’t have a direction, then you will just drift and you may not like what you bump into.

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In our new Agent of the Month series, we will be highlighting one W Real Estate agent with outstanding sales performance and work ethic. 

Our first agent to be recognized is J. Belmont. He has been a full-time realtor in Sonoma County for over a decade where he is consistently ranked as one of the area’s top agents. In this business, it’s easy to get lost among the many talented agents but J. has a way of rising to the top.

Read on to learn J.’s keys to success and words he lives by.

To what do you attribute your success?
Common sense and always thinking of the client’s needs and goals first. 

What was the last book/audiobook you read/listened to?
Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek.

What software/tech tools can you not live without?
My phone.

Do you believe it is possible to have a successful career while having a fulfilling personal life? Does this balance exist?
It is hard… I haven’t found the answer yet. 

What is a unique aspect of the Sonoma County Residential Real Estate market?
Geographical setting and demographics.

What is the most underrated/overlooked part of your business?
Public advertising.

What are the main things that you should look at when investing/purchasing a new property?
Location. Location. Location.

What is a quote that inspires you?
“Never give up, always move forward.” 

If you had one piece of advice to give someone just starting out in real estate, what would it be?
Patience, don’t be greedy, think about others, and create a good reputation among your colleagues.