Simply an amazing night with our Boutique Family. A soft opening to our new headquarters in Corona Del Mar. What started of as a whim many years ago has truly changed all our lives forever. Thank you. We are truly speechless. www.TheBoutiqueRE.com
What does it take to be a Real Estate Rockstar? Join us as Raj shares his realtor mindset and a glance at his journey to becoming a “boutique-ified” Real Estate Rockstar.
Leadership, passion, strategy, and execution are the keys to success according to Raj Qsar. Raj has started The Boutique Real Estate Group in Orange County, California. It is his vision that effective marketing of residential Real Estate be, by nature, complex. Each listing they receive is assigned a best-in-class sales & marketing campaign, and it then receives industry-leading marketing, advertising, social media, interior design, and graphics/design. Each of these pieces come together to create a customized marketing plan for each client and each property. When you partner best-in-class sales & marketing with a digital Real Estate experience, you have one of the most sophisticated, strategic companies in the Real Estate industry. Join us to learn how Raj Qsar and The Boutique Real Estate Group are turning heads everywhere they go!
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Thanks, and keep rockin!
Hope you can join us for the 2014 xPlode Conference in Anaheim for a jam packed day of real estate, technology and next level marketing! As always, The Xplode Conference will feature the best of the best speakers and educators from all over the USA.
Plus all the top technology products and services from companies like www.Realtor.com, www.Homes.com, RESAAS, RPR, eMerge, IDX Broker, Onjax, The Boutique Real Estate Group and many more!
You’ll get a 2014 update on mobile technologies, websites, contact management, email marketing, video, content marketing and much more!
The venue for this conference is the fabulous Marriott Hotel in Anaheim at 700 W Convention Way Anaheim, CA 92802.
“So in a sense our team has digitaized the real estate experience.” Raj Qsar
Q: As a full service Real Estate Brokerage What makes The Boutique Real Estate Group Different?
A: We had out “ah-ha” moment back in 2008 as technology and social media found Real Estate. We knew there had to be a better way of not only marketing real estate but there also had to be a better way of managing the mountain of paperwork and people involved in a real estate transaction. So in a sense our team has digitized the real estate experience. You will never find our clients running to a fax machine and most likely never even pick up a pen to sign anything. We are a paperless office. Completely mobile and can run an entire real estate transaction from our iPads and phones. Our technology does not require our clients to be tech savvy – it only requires our agents to understand the benefits of technology and to implement that technology with our clients.
Q: Your marketing platform is truly amazing. Can you share with us a little bit of why your team has become globally recognized for your work in Real Estate Marketing?
A: Real Estate marketing has truly evolved over the last 10 years. We have developed a comprehensive strategy which showcases our client’s home through real life video (actual movies), HDR Photography, 360 HD V-Tours (amazing technology), individual property websites for each individual home, staging & interior design, custom graphics & design, and a social media content strategy that reaches people on a global scale. We have had the pleasure of being able to bring all aspects of our marketing completely in-house. What that means is that we have complete control over our designs, feel and strategy when marketing luxury real estate. When surfing the web for real estate, our listings stand out: they have a unique look & feel and buyers recognize our listings as being “boutique-ified.” Every part of the marketing strategy has been touched by our in-house team to unsure absolute perfection.
Q: The Boutique Real Estate Group has a massive social and web-presence. Why have you focused so much on this part of marketing?
A: The world is on the web – advances in technology are changing the way businesses interact with clients. People are on their smartphones, heads down and focused. We know we need to be where our clients are, so we can be at the forefront of their minds. Our clients are on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Linkedin, Pinterest, Twitter and Four Square. However, the Facebook user is different than the Linkedin user, who is totally different than the individual on Instagram. So when thinking about marketing, you will see that our strategy is different depending on the platform and who we are trying to reach.
Q: Why did you choose Corona Del Mar as your new home base for The Boutique Real Estate Group?
A: I am an Orange County Native and growing up, my family & I we always at the beach playing, surfing and just enjoying our time together. As a real estate professional it only makes sense that our marketing platform, our luxury services, and our attention to detail is needed in Coastal Orange County. Corona Del Mar was a natural choice – not only is it centrally located between Newport, Huntington, Laguna, and Dana Point, but it encompasses exactly what we stand for, laid-back luxury.
Contributing Author: Raj Qsar – Principal | Owner The Boutique Real Estate Group
Real Estate + Technology. Not really two words that go hand in hand. Two words that usually do not embrace each other. Two words that scare off the most seasoned real estate professional.
Our story goes a little something like this: We love tech. We love real estate. So why not marry the two? Why not have a “forever relationship” with these two words? Why not incorporate technology into every aspect of the real estate experience? Our clients do not need to be tech savvy to use these products, but our agents need to understand how this technology is a benefit.
We have embraced every aspect of technology at The Boutique Real Estate Group here in Orange County, California, and we feel we have successfully digitized the real estate experience for our clientele. Most of our clients are finding us online. Most of our clients are seeing our listings online. So, it only makes sense that we need technology for real estate to survive. If our clients have instant access to data on their mobile devices, so should our agents. Everyone is head down and focused on their phones and tablets. Everyone is in the moment, and we are now able to step into that moment and grab his or her attention.
You won’t find our clients running to a fax machine to fax something to us. We don’t ask our clients to print, fill out, scan, and then save and email anything to us. It’s not how we roll. We sign digitally with DocuSign. Got mobile? No problem. Got a tablet? No problem. DocuSign allows our clients to sign on the go with ease from any device they carry.
Furthermore, our in-transaction platform of choice is Cartavi, which seamlessly has integrated the DocuSign platform for electronic signatures. Our agents have their own personal Transaction Concierge (TC) who is trained on DocuSign and Cartavi. It only makes sense to be able to store our clients’ documents digitally, have access to them on our mobile devices, and then share the documents with all parties involved in the transaction. Our agents and TCs not only communicate digitally via DocuSign and Caravi, but we are able to manage the most complicated of transactions with these two platforms. No more emailing huge files between escrow, lenders, title, buyers, sellers, and agents. We share our files through Cartavi.
Several members of our team are heading to Inman Real Estate Connect NYC this week. This gathering is tech real estate heaven! If you’re looking for the best and the brightest in our industry, then Connect is where you should be.
Have a question for Raj and team? Contact them here: http//www.TheBoutiqueRE.com | @RajQsar | @TheBoutiqueRE
Every month FreeAgent by AdWerx brings you advice from top-performing agents and real estate technology experts in “From the Trenches.” Here atAdWerx, we believe that to be the best, you have to learn from the best. While doing your own research can be helpful, getting tips straight-from-the source can offer new perspectives and give you a taste of each real estate maven’s personality.
This month in From the Trenches, we’ll hear from Raj Qsar, Principal and Owner ofThe Boutique Real Estate Group, in California. His company serves as one of the most dominant real estate teams in the Orange County real estate market, serving north, central, south and coastal Orange County. It’s easy to see why they come out on top. While agents with The Boutique Real Estate Group excel with their personal branding, the marketing of each listing the firm represents is impeccable. According to theboutiquere.com, “Every real estate listing is assigned a best-in-class sales & marketing campaign, and receives the support of industry leading marketing, advertising, social media, video, staging & interior design, graphics & design, all of whom work together to develop a strategic and tactical marketing plan customized to each client and each property.”
Raj is no stranger to the value of technology and social media. Aside from employing modern marketing in every aspect of his business, he has also spoken professionally on using these strategies in real estate. Raj was recently named one of the Top 100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders for 2013 by Inman News. This annual list recognizes those who embody leadership, ingenuity, strength, conviction, power, persistence, perseverance and progress. Raj is also a contributor at Inman News covering the topics of creative video for real estate, social media and networking. The Boutique Real Estate Group was just selected in 2013 as a Next Generation Brokerage by Better Homes & Garden Real Estate and 1000 Watt Consulting. These NextGen brokerage projects represent a new breed of real estate brokerages growing across the country. These firms empower agents and clients by providing the most up-to-date and flexible technology. They build meaningful brands, and attract and engage new customers.
1. How did you get your start as a real estate agent?
It’s a funny story. When I initially began selling real estate, I just wanted to sell one to two homes a year and keep my real estate career relatively small. After having my license for just three days, I was absolutely hooked. I was in escrow with a client and it was just the beginning. The social media and technology aspects of my business came later, but I’ve been addicted to the real estate industry since day one.
2. You’re very active on Pinterest. What advice can you give to agents about using Pinterest for real estate?
Pinterest is great, but I advise people to not be a “real estate agent” on Pinterest. Showcase your community and lifestyle.
Raj keeps a personal Pinterest page focused on his personal brand aside from the Pinterest page of The Boutique Real Estate Group. Both feature a variety of content with some overlap. Topics they post about include aspects of the Orange County lifestyle, including homes, pools, luxury items, famous residents, beaches, cars and style. The company page also features a board dedicated to their video tours.
3. In a hot real estate market like this, it’s tempting to spend too much time working in the business instead of on building the business. How much time should an agent spend on marketing themselves versus marketing listings?
The fact is, busy agents need help. None of us can do this alone, and you shouldn’t try to do it all on your own. At The Boutique Real Estate Group, we believe the team approach is best, because there are just too many hats to wear right now for an agent. You really have to dedicate time to both. Remember to “walk before you can run,” and don’t get too ahead of yourself. Build your team block by block. Building and nurturing a quality team takes time! And always hire the best.
If you are an agent, find a team that you respect and admire. Demonstrate your skills, and ask to join. If you are lucky enough to become a part of the team, work hard and contribute. Soak it all up and enjoy the ride!
4. As an agent, you value social media and technology. What are some specific examples of ways they have helped you communicate with clients and increase productivity?
Social is just an amplifier. If you are a rockstar agent, social will just amplify all of the great things you are doing. You have to be doing well in your business for social media to add value to your brand. Also, my tagline is, “If you are not in my newsfeed, you do not exist!” It’s not enough to just have a social presence. You have to be engaged with users and clients if you want to get noticed.
Twitter really is a cocktail party. It is a great tool for agents, but remember, you are in and out in 140 characters. Make every post short and simple, and talk to people! If you talk to people they will talk back!
5. What trends are you seeing in real estate right now in terms of technology and social media?
We are a 99.9 percent paperless office. All of our agents sign a contract that they will have an iPhone and iPad at the start of employment. We also have a technology standard – we call it the #tbreg tech standard – which all agents must master. This is the new normal.
Many agents struggle to adopt the technology we have now, and I’m not sure why they put this on the back burner. For our team, it’s all we talk about. We ask ourselves, “How can we create a REAL estate experience that our clients will enjoy?” We want the entire experience to be as easy and painless as possible. Today, utilizing technology is an integral part of that experience with clients.
If you are a great agent, you will get referrals. It’s that easy. Put your clients first in all you do and the technology and referrals will follow.
One way The Boutique Real Estate Group goes the extra mile for their clients is by producing creative listing videos. Watch the story unfold in this video for 9741 Janice Circle, with gorgeous shots of the home in an entertaining and beautiful presentation. The Boutique Real Estate Group is at the forefront of video for real estate, and one of their videos was awarded a spot in the Top 20 Real Estate Videos in the USA in 2013. Watch the video here.
6. Is there anything else you’d like to share with FreeAgent readers?
I have truly made some wonderful friends over the years via social. It has been a wonderful ride and has been a true blessing. Turning online relationships into meaningful real life friendships has been one of the greatest joys for me. There are so many great people in this world and in our industry who are trying to raise the bar in all we do. If you take the time to talk to them, they will talk back.
Find Raj Qsar on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, and be on the lookout for the opening of The Boutique Real Estate Group’s second luxury office in Corona Del Mar, California in January 2014.
Vancouver, British Columbia CANADA, Nov 26, 2013 (Filing Services Canada via COMTEX) — RESAAS Services Inc. (RSS – CNQ), The Real Estate Social Network(tm), is excited to announce that The Boutique Real Estate Group (http://www.theboutiquere.com/) will be joining the RESAAS (http://www.resaas.com/)platform.
Why are we so excited? Simply put, The Boutique Real Estate Group is at the forefront of the real estate industry. Just look at their depth of engagement and interaction across all social platforms. Every listing of theirs is assigned a world-class sales & marketing campaign team, receiving the support of industry leaders in social media, internet marketing and print advertisement. For example, take a look at the listing video (http://rebla.st/9t6bf3a) for 49 Golden Eagle, Irvine, California in the exclusive triple-gated neighbourhood of Shady Canyon. The Boutique’s marketing campaigns include an aggressive mix of print advertisement & Boutique branding, social media integration, search engine optimization, HDR Photography (see below), 360? HD V-Tours, full responsive custom built property websites and full-colour custom property brochures, as well as top placement of the world’s largest search engines and real estate websites.
Raj Qsar, Owner of The Boutique Real Estate Group, has a dream and is on a mission. He has used his more than 18 years of sales, marketing and leadership experience to turn the brokerage into one of the most dominant teams in the Orange County Real Estate market, bringing the key components of his brokerage entirely “in-house” – including back-end SEO and technology, graphics and design, staging and interior design, as well as social media, listing and transaction concierges for each of their agents.
What’s more, Raj has traveled the country to educate and consult other brokerages, brokers and real estate professionals on the value of technology and social media as a local and national speaker. In 2013 he was named as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders by Inman News. Also in 2013, The Boutique Real Estate Group was named as a Next Generation Brokerage by Better Homes & Gardens and 1000 Watt Consulting.(http://nextgenbrokerage.com/) Finally, The Boutique Real Estate Group won an award for the Top 20 Real Estate Videos in the U.S.A.
Now he’s joined RESAAS – The Real Estate Social Network(tm), along with his entire team at The Boutique Real Estate Group.
“The real estate industry needs to think outside of the box and we need to stop thinking like real estate agents,” said Raj Qsar, “which is why I am always on the search for new ways to improve my team’s ability to sustain their elite service through technology and social media. RESAAS is an exciting opportunity for us to do just that. It will significantly improve internal communication, boost each agent’s personal marketability and further increase the exposure for our listings.”
Each agent at The Boutique Real Estate Group will receive his or her own corporate branded agent page on RESAAS, and will be connected together into an exclusive group to communicate and stay connected with every other member of their team. In addition, The Boutique Real Estate Group will have its own corporate branded page in order to easily broadcast relevant information and market their company’s content.
To view the image “Raj-Listing-Photo.jpg” please click on the following link:
http://corporate.resaas.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Raj-Listing-Photo.jpg
“We are very excited to welcome The Boutique Real Estate Group to RESAAS,” said Nadia Suttle, Account Executive at RESAAS. “They are a prime example of how to lead the real estate industry by providing modern, effective and quality service for their clients and their listings. With them now onboard, it lends massive credence to RESAAS – The Real Estate Social Network(tm) as a powerful tool for real estate professionals everywhere.”
About RESAAS SERVICES INC.
RESAAS – The Real Estate Social Network(tm), is designed specifically for the real estate professional to connect and communicate in real-time. Known as real estate broadcasts, RESAAS’ powerful reblasts(r) engine automatically generates all of your real estate workflow into valuable social content that is instantly pushed out to the RESAAS platform and other social networks. Visit www.resaas.com.
On Behalf of RESAAS
Danielle Sissons
VP Communications
RESAAS Services Inc.
Telephone: (604)558-2929; Email: danielle.sissons@resaas.com
Investor Relations
RESAAS Services Inc.
Telephone: (705) 888-2756; Email: scott.young@resaas.com
The CNSX has not reviewed, nor approved or disapproved the content of this press release.
Forward-Looking Information:
This press release and the company’s website referenced herein may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the company’s technology platform. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by RESAAS’ management, including future plans for the design and development of the company’s technology platform. Although RESAAS believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because RESAAS can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. RESAAS disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.
To view this press release as a PDF, please click on the following link:
http://www.usetdas.com/pr/resaas11262013.pdf
Source: RESAAS Services Inc. (cnsx:RSS) http://www.resaas.com
Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com
You always hear about how technology can solve this problem or that problem, or help you do something better or more efficiently. While it might seem like there are endless possibilities – sometimes knowing how to leverage technology or “use it” can be more of a challenge than finding the right solutions.
Meet Jeremy Lehman – he really “gets it.”
Jeremy is a technology enthusiast turned real estate agent in Orange County, California who is always on the go. I gave Jeremy a call the other day as he was in-between a quick stop at the Apple store and picking up his kids from school. “I would say that I am on my mobile devices ninety plus percent of the time,” Jeremy told me.
Having his phone on him 15 hours a day is not uncommon for Jeremy. “I am rarely on a computer and it’s not that my mobile devices have completely replaced my computer because it is necessary, but it’s because I am on the go so much it makes sense to use my mobile devices to get things done rather than waiting until I get back home or wherever,” Jeremy said, adding with a chuckle “I spend almost no time in the office, almost to the dismay of my team.”
Jeremy is a Realtor and CTO of The Boutique Real Estate Group in Orange County, California.
However, just because Jeremy’s not in the office doesn’t mean he isn’t working, in fact he sees it as just the opposite. “I don’t believe that someone who’s always in the office is doing incredibly well, because the reality is business gets done everywhere but the office these days,” Jeremy said. He still prefers doing business “belly to belly” with his clients because after all real estate is a service-based business. Being mobile allows him to be more efficient with his time and proactive with his clients. “If I am driving my car and I get a call from my assistant, client or another agent who needs a specific document for a deal, I need to be able to access any document from the road at any given time,” Jeremy said. He added that it doesn’t matter if he is on vacation or on the golf course – he never has to tell a client he is too busy doing personal things to get back to them. “I don’t think those sort of answers are acceptable these days,” Jeremy said, adding it’s okay if he’s using his time for personal reasons because he can still get the job done and is not delaying transactions.
I asked Jeremy what sort of mobile tools he uses while on the go and he said he uses an iPhone, iPad and a stable of core apps that included Cartavi and DocuSign. He also said his group, The Boutique Real Estate Group, uses mobile forms that are tablet compatible and that he uses DocuSign Ink as a signing solution for his iPhone and PDF Expert for his iPad. He said PDF Expert allows him to write on the contract through his iPad to add additional terminology. He also uses MLS Touch, which allows him to access MLS listing at all times. Jeremy’s suite of mobile solutions is pretty impressive and allows him to do everything on the go, which is what I meant when I said “he really gets it!”
Jeremy does not just use technology to stay on the road though; he also uses it to get more business. He maintains a significant web presence and uses social media to market his offerings. “I think it is important that we have profiles on any place that a client is going, so if clients are going to Zillow then you need a presence on Zillow, if they are going to Realtor.com – then you need a presence there.”
Jeremy said most of the people in his group also have personal websites and are very searchable. His personal website is http://about.me/jeremylehman and came up immediately when I searched his name on Google.
Jeremy also said he is doing mostly listings now even though his business used to be more 50/50 buyers and sellers. “We are in an extreme sellers market,” Jeremy said. He also added that shifting business models’ is difficult but he has used the internet to establish himself and develop a steady stream of listings. “I guess it is marketing the whole negotiating dynamic, using technology, but also offering a high personal level of customer service,” Jeremy said. I asked Jeremy how he got into real estate and he said was actually working with a title company but a Senate bill would have gotten rid of the services that he offered so in 2007 he decided to get his real estate license and become an agent, and as he puts it, “I always sort of ‘got’ real estate.”
Jeremy is also very involved in leadership and serves on the Board of Directors at the Pacific West Association of Realtors and the California Association of Realtors. He is also a technology trainer and mentor, and occasionally does real estate technology workshops for Apple. He will tell you though, for as savvy as he is with technology, “I’m not nearly as technical as people think I am. I just sort of understand technology and how to use it.” Even though Jeremy has figured out how to use leverage technology to his advantage, he still prides himself on providing “likable” customer service, fast response times and doing a very professional job.
If you are thinking about listing a property in Orange County, just look-up ‘Jeremy Lehman’ and you’ll find him at his Personal Website, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Trulia,YourSoCalAgent, Instagram… the list goes on and on. He is not hard to find, trust me.
By Jeremy Lehman
The Boutique Real Estate Group
When you think of real estate, the last thing that comes to your mind is probably technology. Technology has come a long way in the past few years, but unfortunately, the real estate industry tends to lag behind the curve. Sometimes decades behind; have you seen our MLS?
Today, our team employs an industry leading approach to improving response time, customer service, client convenience, and business management using mobile technology and cloud based applications. We work closely with vendors to help tweak their products or even create new ones that can help our team and clients enjoy a painless process of signing documents, accessing property information, communication, scheduling activities, sharing documents, and more. Our team is on the cutting edge of using technology in real estate. Every member of our team is equipped with an iPhone, iPad, Laptop, and mobile internet connection, allowing us to work from anywhere at any time.
Our listings receive a best in class marketing campaign with HDR photography, HD video, HD V-Tours, professional graphics & design, staging & interior design individual property websites, and even floor plans; creating maximum exposure and ultimately a maximum price. We use social media, blogs, and the most visited real estate websites to promote our listings, open houses, and interact with potential buyers. We’ve also created online groups of the top agents throughout Southern California to share listings with the agents that actually do business. Our use of video has received national accolades & recognition, but better yet, gives potential buyers the #1 thing they’re looking for. Listings with videos tend to sell for more money and faster than listings without. Our open house events are almost always packed with potential buyers and curious neighbors. To take advantage of the opportunity, we use an iPad application to track the visitors, follow up with property information, and notify them of any future price changes. We’ve also been able to assemble a big list of interested buyers for the neighborhoods we service.
Our clients can expect a quick response, the convenience of signing contracts via your mobile phone/tablet or computer (some transactions require “wet” signatures), maximum exposure for your property resulting in a maximum price, regular updates and communication and market updates. We know technology does not replace service, skills, and knowledge, we just use to better serve you. Our agents are all proven industry experts as well.
