I would head to either the beach forever or to a farm…so maybe a farm by the beach. That way I could surf, look for shells, raise bees and chickens, and have miles and miles of herbs and flowers. Oh, and a never ending stack of books! I rely on MLS and Facebook. The customers that I can find some common ground with and are able to build a relationship with. After a while, you get a sense of who you can truly help and who truly wants your help. I typically follow up the same day with a thank you email, and then again the week after an open house. I get an idea pretty quickly of who is serious and who is just kicking tires. I see it as an opportunity to get in front of potential customers. Holding open houses is also an opportunity to achieve greater name recognition. Getting folks to sign in, and also tracking contact information. It’s funny: now I hand visitors an iPad and it’s no problem, but before when I had a sign-in sheet laid out they would find every excuse in the book not to fill it in! I was lucky my office offered this as a solution. Since I already subscribe to Contactually, which is integrated with Spacio, it was a no-brainer to embrace Spacio as well. The ease of immediate and accurate follow up. If I set up the open house correctly in the system from the get-go, it’s all done for me. I have to say the best feature is that this works on my iPad when I’m offline, which is hugely valuable for me. Oh, also the scoring! I know instantly who is really viable and telling the truth with their info, which is so helpful for follow up. I think Facebook is a game changer because you can get in front of loads of potential clients for little money, plus the connection between Spacio and Contactually leaves little room for error. I love good design, which doesn’t have to be expensive (contrary to popular belief). There’s a huge difference in the new construction builders and it goes way beyond the finishes. I also love being a house detective and understanding the bones and the systems, which in my opinion is where the value is -- it isn’t in the granite and stainless steel appliances. I love helping clients envision what a space could look like. I’ve found this background most useful when helping sellers of older or historic homes demonstrate the value of their property. Far too often, buyers are afraid of older homes. Debunking the myths of these properties is fun, and getting other agents and buyers to see the value is extremely rewarding. The Green Guild is designed to offer resources and support for small businesses, historic building owners, artisans and the skilled traditional crafts. Well designed “stuff” from tchotchkes to furniture, utilitarian objects of the everyday to the buildings we work and live in – it’s all fair game. I love old things, patina and age; I love color, things that are handmade. There is such a rich culture of decorative arts, objects and furniture that were being thrown away in favor of newer copies. By combining my passion for these things and my background in architectural design, the Green Guild was born! I have three tips: Be personable and interested in customers who are visiting the open house. Know your property and know the neighborhood. Be ready to offer more than what is available in the listing information; it’s a good way to engage customers when they ask. I love helping clients, whether it’s prepping to sell and finding their next home or moving onto their next adventure in a different area. I love learning about what they love, who they are and what they need.