Once a Super Realtor . . .

Always a Super Realtor

Before making Mpls - St. Paul Magazine's Super Realtor list, I'd never really paid much attention.

However, now that I'm a repeat pick, it does seem like there are a lot of, well, "us" out there. That's despite the fact that supposedly less than 2% of Minnesota's Realtors are chosen annually.

The explanation?

It turns out that the Super Realtor decal that Realtors can put on their marketing materials -- for a fee, of course -- contains an embedded calendar date. A very small, embedded calendar date.

I was made aware of that recently by another "Super Realtor" whose current business cards contain the decal . . . from 2005. I had to look at the card three times, squinting closely, before I could (just barely) make out the "2005."

I promised I wouldn't divulge his identity.

Super! . . . Again

"Drum Roll Please . . . ."

No, there's no Oscars or Emmies for Realtors. The closest there is (so far) is the Mpls-St. Paul Magazine's annual "Super Realtors" list.

So it's nice to be selected again. Realtors just got notified by letter; the list is published in the fall, and is supposed to identify the top 3% or so of Twin Cities Realtors.

I've written previously about the list ("Many Are Text-Messaged, Few Are Chosen"), so won't repeat myself here.

The only thing that I can add, one year later, is that repeat selections are not influenced by whether or not you pay Mpls - St. Paul Magazine to "leverage" the award (by buying an expanded profile in the print magazine, licensing the award logo's, etc.).

Either that, or they're not keeping very good track, because I didn't pony up . . .

"Just Don't Call it Formica"

2009 Home Features: What's Hot (and not)

One of the perks (duties?) of being a 2008 "Super Real Estate Agent" -- jointly chosen by Mpls. St. Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business -- is getting mid-year surveys asking for your input on coming trends. The feedback from all the 2008 Super Realtors will appear in the June issues of those two publications.

As long as I'm taking the time to provide answers, I thought I might as well "scoop" my own blog readers.

Hot:

--Functional, economic Kitchens; laminate countertops (DON'T call it formica . . because it's not. In fact, modern laminates are much more durable and aesthetic than their '50's counterparts.)
--Gardens, especially vegetable gardens
--In-home entertainment (spurred by recessionary "cocooning")
--"Practical" upgrades (low E windows that cut your utility bills)
--Economic "cosmetics": new paint, carpeting (Home Depot is busier than you'd expect right now)

Not:

--"Luxe" Kitchens with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances
--"Bells and Whistles" of all kinds (too expensive; plus, not where people's heads are at)

Holding their own:

--Druthers for open floor plans. No, McMansions aren't coming back, but Gen X, Y, & Z'ers(?) seem to have an enduring preference for a combined Kitchen/Living Area. Call it "Great Room 2.0."
--Oversized garages. You can never have enough storage space. If the SUV doesn't fill it up, your other stuff will.

I haven't seen it yet, but I'm sure that we will have plenty of examples of "recession chic" before long.

Mpls - St. Paul Magazine "Super Agents"

Many are Text-Messaged . . Few are Chosen

I always thought an unwritten rule of criticizing the SAT's -- (way) back in high school -- was that to be credible, you had to have scored well. If you did poorly and were critical . . . it was just sour grapes.

Well, in that vein . . . here's my take on the upcoming Mpls. - St. Paul Magazine's list of 2008 "Super Real Estate Agents" (I'm on it).

For the uninitiated, the Magazine compiles an annual list of the top Twin Cities realtors, awarding its "Super Realtor" designation to just 4%, or about 750 realtors. The list is announced in the Fall.

From all appearances, the editors take the selection process seriously -- and so do the realtors on the list. The selections are based on surveys of Mpls. - St. Paul subscribers, recent home buyers, etc.; and are cross- checked against the MN Dept. of Commerce Web site for complaints against said realtors. The nomination process is anonymous (to whomever nominated me . .. thanks for taking the time!!).

Realtors who make the cut receive a package with a letter of congratulations, various marketing materials, and a pitch to "leverage" the award by by licensing the Magazine's award logo, buying space on their Web site, etc. (also called "up-selling"). It's all professionally done, and to be honest, I've seen worse business propositions.

For me, though, I decided the "deluxe package" wasn't worth it, at least this year. After looking at the site featuring this year's "Super Realtors" (all 760 of them), I just don't see the average consumer wanting to screen such a big pool of similar-looking (it pains me to say) real estate agents. Even searching by sub-categories, such as "Company" or "City of Focus," still produces dozens of names. Ultimately, you're just another name -- and, if you pay for it, face -- in the realtor crowd.

My strategy is to stand out. I do that through this blog, regular correspondence and contact with past clients, and providing superior service to current ones.

P.S.: if somehow you don't see my name in the upcoming 2008 list, someone at the Magazine saw this post and didn't like it. If that should happen . . I'll tell you what I really think.