WELCOME 

Happy Wednesday! I am back from the beach, where a few days of rain didn’t impact our parade at all. If there’s anything better than three generations of family gathered all cozy under one roof, watching a storm rage on the ocean over yonder, I’ve yet to discover it.

I’m very excited to mention that I’m up for an Atlanta Agents’ Choice Award through Atlanta Agent magazine in the social media influencer category. And no, I am not upset that I wasn’t put in the best dressed category. I guess my stars aren’t for everyone? Anyway, I am so grateful for the nod, so thank you!

Now that I am back to the office, this week we’re going to talk about how to create long-term success. The formula is just so simple. When you say what you’re going to do and then do it, you build trust. Trust is the cornerstone of our business. I am where I am today because I’ve worked my whole career to build and keep my clients’ faith in me. So let’s get into it!

THE REALITY OF REAL ESTATE

Downward Dog Trends

I am perpetually on the hunt for good news, so I’m pleased to read that mortgage rates are continuing to trend down ahead of inflation reports. A week ago, the 30 year fixed-rate for conforming loans was 7.51%, and as of yesterday, it had come down to 7.45%.

The amount of the change isn’t nearly as important as the perception that the rate is trending in the right direction, especially as we head into the busy buying season. (Of course, we’ll check out what the CPI report says later today to see if this trend keeps trending in the right direction, but let’s keep our fingers crossed!)

If your potential buyers are still on the sidelines, remind them that mortgage rates shouldn’t be the only factor when it comes to buying a home. Can they really put a price on the stability, pride of ownership, and equity-building potential that purchasing a home will give them? Plus there are the soft costs they don’t see—like not having to yank their kids out of a school district mid-year, and being able to settle into a new place over the summer.

Couple that with cooling competition in the market, buying now is a smart move. And you can tell ‘em that Glennda says so.

@glenndabaker

Marry the house, date the rate might sound catchy… but honestly that is going to come back to bite you! #GlenndaBaker #RealEstate #Atlan… See more

STORY TIME WITH GLENNDA

Let’s Talk About Trust, Baby

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be a trusted advisor. That’s because I got the world’s sweetest text from my favorite clients.

Before I get into it, let me say this—if you want to build trust with your clients, the formula is easy. You start off by being your most honest and ethical self. You demonstrate your market knowledge. You communicate clearly and you’re open with them about every potential issue. The flip side of that is that you actively listen to them. You’re patient and you deliver value and you do what you say you’re going to do.

When you do what’s best for your clients, you’ll have made a fan for life.

Now, for the folks who sent me that text, here’s the story. I met them twelve years ago when this couple was just beginning their life together. We originally started looking at homes at the lowest end of the range of what was on the market. When they didn’t like what they saw at that price, they bumped up their budget. When none of those homes felt right to them, they upped their budget again. I ended up finding them their dream home at almost three times what they had originally thought to spend.

To be clear, I was never the one pushing them to go up—it was all them. They knew what they wanted and it was my job to find them that Cinderella fit.

This time around, they were looking to upsize again, only now their budget was in the seven-figure range. Even though they could have paid millions more for a home—literally—the place I thought would be best for them was at the bottom of their budget.

The message I permeate through my whole team is that it is never about the commission—it’s always about what is best for the client. When you’re their advocate, when you’re doing everything in your power to advance their goals, everyone wins.

So even though my clients had a much larger budget, I found the home that fit all their parameters at the bottom of that budget, and then I explained why it was such a wise investment.

And here’s what they had to say about me:

You have been an absolute godsend. There is zero chance we could have done this without you. As I scour the angry mob that is Reddit and I hear about all the hate for agents from buyers and sellers, I just shake my head. The narrative is, “Agents do nothing but open doors on houses and just fill out templates. Anyone can do that.”

Well, I knew damn well twelve years ago when you and I walked into dozens of houses that I had a “real” agent and not whatever the 2012 equivalent of an OnlyFans content creator who was “trying something new.”

[Oh, my stars and stripes, that line made me snort in an unbecoming manner.]

I watched and studied your mannerisms then, keys always on the entry table, looking at ceilings, mind going a millions miles an hour. It was impressive then and still is to me now. And that’s just in the touring houses phase. What you bring in the negotiation phase, the connections you have, the expertise… it’s just amazing.

And instead of steering us to the top of our budget (and earning that commission), you steered us towards the one at the bottom because it feels like a better fit for us and a much better investment for our future. In a business that’s filled with airheads and a-holes, [yes, I snorted again] that’s special. You’re special. And we very much realize it and are unbelievably grateful for you.

Now, I’ll be honest; I’ve made a nice amount of money in my career over the past thirty years.

But nothing I’ve ever brought home feels as good has having earned the trust of these good people.

GLENNDA’S GURU

Meet Mark O’Brien

I am very excited to share my conversation with Mark O’Brien this week! You might know Mark from the Mark O’Brien Team in New York, where he’s not just a broker, but also a builder. This is a man who is not afraid to get his hands dirty, so let’s hear what he has to say!

Thank you, Mark!

GLENNDAISM

Bottom Line

GO HOMES.COM WITH GLENNDA

Who wants a sneak preview of a house I have coming in Brookhaven’s Ashford Park? I am head over heels in love with this sweet ranch and its glorious kitchen. Quartz countertops! Colorful dual islands! Imagine how perfect this would be for entertaining. Of course, the real key to my heart is the walk-in pantry. If you’re local, you’ve got to check this place out because it will not last, I promise you that.