Crye-Leike Insights

Welcome back toCrye-Leike Insights! We are here to share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. This week, Jinx Cole, our Director of Education in Brentwood, TN, share a few of her favorite education tools that Crye-Leike offers!#cryeleikeinsights Crye-Leike College This free multi-week program is offered throughout the year.We encourage our newly licensed associates to attend all classes offered in the program. Crye-Leike College is located in different areas throughout the Crye-Leike footprint. Classes include topics in the following areas. Company Policies & Procedures Top Producer Panels & Tips Marketing Social Media Technology Contract and Listing Documents Commercial & Property Management Fair Housing Financing Agency New Construction Closings Listing Presentations Seller Counseling Overcoming Seller's Objections Negotiating Prospecting and Business Development Managing the Transaction Showing Tips Auctions Training Tools on the Intranet Crye-Leike's Intranet site provides articles, videos, and webinars, that are available to review on your schedule.     Special Programs In-house training programs are offered throughout the year. Offerings always change and topics have included training in technology, short sales, auctions, relocation, prospecting, and other real estate issues.   Learn more about what Crye-Leike has to offer in Real Estate Training HERE.

REAL Trends. Inc., the undisputed leader and trusted source of news, analysis, and information in residential real estate, released the top residential real estate brokerage, team and association/MLS websites in its2018 REAL Trends Website Rankings. REAL Trends ranked residential real estate websites based on their excellence in the following categories: Best Overall,Best Video Strategy,Best Design,Best Property Detail Page,Best Community Page, Best Mobile Experience and Best Association Website. Our team analyzed all aspects of these websites, everything from brand messaging, transitions between desktop to mobile, design, navigation and the user experience, says Brent Driggers, web strategist for REAL Trends. Websites were judged using a list of criteria in five critical areas including mobile experience, use of video, neighborhood & community pages, property detail pages and design. Sites that scored highest in all five areas were named Best Overall. Crye-Leike.com won two distinct awards. The first award was recognition in the Best Overall website category with a ranking in the top 25 sites nationally. The second award was in the the Best Property Detail Page category with a ranking in the top 10. Of note out of all the sites selected in winning categories, crye-leike.com is one of the few developed in-house. "A brokerage's or team's website is often the first interaction a real estate buyer or seller has with the firm. It's important that it be clear, attractive and easy to use," says Steve Murray, president of REAL Trends. "REAL Trends web consultants have spent the last three months reviewing brokerage and team websites to rank them in six critical areas. Real estate brands now have the ability to see the very best residential real estate websites from across the country and compare their websites to these sites. It is a valuable tool to be able to benchmark one's own website efforts with their peers." To view the rankings visithttp://realtrendswebrankings.com. ABOUT REALTRENDS:REAL Trends is a privately-held, Colorado-based publishing, consulting and communications company specializing in the residential brokerage and housing industries.REALTrendsprovides a wide range of advisory services to a clientele of local, regional and national real estate organizations. REALTrends areas of expertise include operational analysis, valuations, merger and acquisition advisory services, technology and digital marketing consulting, consumer and business research and strategic planning. Visit REALTrendsatwww.realtrends.com. ABOUT CRYE-LEIKE: Crye-Leike Real Estate Services (www.crye-leike.com), a full service real estate company for over 40 years, is ranked as the third largest independently-owned real estate firm in the nation and the largest serving Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has more than 3,200 sales associates, 800 employees and 128 company-owned and franchise offices spread across nine states. It generated $6.5 billion in sales volume and 32,583 closed transaction sides corporate wide in 2017 its biggest year ever - and is on track to achieve the companys goal of $6.8 billion in sales volume this year.

Crye-Leike is a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, a global community of real estate companies awarded membership based on rigorous standards for service and performance. This LeadingRE distinction ensures that you can count on a quality real estate experience when working with us and will benefit from our global connections to buyers and high quality real estate professionals around the world.     QUALITY Real estate is an industry with over two million licensees and 100,000 brokerages characterized by wildly inconsistent service delivery and customer experience. Yet membership in Leading Real Estate Companies of the World is awarded only to select, market-leading companies that have demonstrated excellence in service delivery and results. 80% of companies that apply for membership in LeadingRE are turned away. Our claim to quality is backed by this discriminating third-party endorsement.   CONNECTIONS Even though real estate is local, homeowners can transact in multiple locations, and buyers may come from anywhere in the world. We offer you the best of both worlds. We have trusted LeadingRE colleagues in over 55 countries, which means we are able to reach a broader pool of prospective buyers than any other company in our market. And when you purchase property in another location across the country or around the world, you benefit from our connections to high-quality real estate professionals, allowing you to transact with comfort and confidence. LeadingREs community of over 550 vetted real estate firms with 4,000 offices worldwide from Hong Kong and Sydney to London and Buenos Aires means we are both local and global.   INDEPENDENCE Our independent ownership and distinctive local culture are well-aligned with market-specific needs and services. We bring an authentic Main Street perspective to real estate that many of the Big Box franchised brands traded on Wall Street cannot claim. Our services are distinctive, extensive, and tailored to you. And because our brand is rooted in the communities in which our clients live, we possess deep local knowledge that will help you make smarter, better informed real estate decisions. Our local brands and reputations depend on consistently delivering high performance for the clients we serve.

Welcome back toCrye-Leike Insights! Each week, we share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. One of the biggest perks of working for or with Crye-Leike is having access to our very own in-house marketing department. Christie Jones, our Marketing Director in Memphis, TN, is here to tell you all about it in this episode of #cryeleikeinsights!       Our In-House Marketing Services Help Our Agents Stand Out! Crye-Leike is the only local real estate firm with a professional in-house marketing department. We offer all of our agents customized marketing plans. Our agents have access to company-wide client retention programs. We offer multiple neighborhood farming/prospecting tools. Our marketing departments are available to help with personal branding tools: Letterhead, business cards, property feature sheets, property brochures, direct mail postcards (recipe, just listed, holiday, just sold etc.) custom logos... And MUCH MORE!   High Impact Real Estate Marketing Programs are a Foundation to Success in Real Estate. For more information on Crye-Leike Marketing Services, click here.

Deal provides TransactionDesk, Lone Wolf's paperless transaction management system, to over 3,200 sales associates and 125 branch and franchise offices as an additional benefit. Today, Crye-Leike, the nations third-largest independent real estate firm, announced that they have made a deal with Lone Wolf Technologies (Lone Wolf), the North American leader in residential real estate software, to provide TransactionDesk as an additional benefit to all real estate professionals in their company. TransactionDesk is Lone Wolf's paperless transaction management system, featuring eSignature, electronic forms, and digital document storage. The system integrates with every commercially available multiple listing and property information system used by REALTORS across the United States. These integrations will automatically populate MLS and Public Record data in Purchase and Listing contracts for the local markets served by Crye-Leike agents. Using this system, Crye-Leike agents will be able to write their Purchase and Listing agreements faster than ever before, making a huge difference in their customers real estate experience. "We are deeply committed to providing our sales associates with the best tools so that they can, in turn, provide their customers with unsurpassed service and enhance the customer experience," said Harold Crye, President and CEO of Crye-Leike. "At Crye-Leike, making sure our agents have all the tools they need is a priority for us. The TransactionDesk system we have chosen will be a great catalyst for improving efficiency, allowing us to better serve all of the parties involved in a real estate transaction." Gurtej Sodhi, Crye-Leikes Chief Information and Operations Officer, added, "Being able to manage all of our listings and sales files online will allow us to be significantly more efficient and provide our customers with an even greater level of service." This deal strengthens the nearly 30-year relationship between Crye-Leike and Lone Wolf. Crye-Leike has long trusted Lone Wolfs back office system as their corporate management software. This familiarity played a big role in Crye-Leikes decision to use TransactionDesk as their paperless transaction management system. "From a corporate standpoint, choosing TransactionDesk gives us the added convenience of integrating listing and sale information into our back office systems," Sodhi added. "That will save administrative staff countless hours by eliminating duplicate data entry and the need to integrate with disparate third-party systems. And, the fact that TransactionDesk is already in wide use across our markets really helped confirm that this was the right decision. We look forward to using TransactionDesk, as well as the unmatched integration between our transaction management and back office systems." "Our company has been privileged to serve Crye-Leike for nearly 30 years with our accounting and back office software," said Patrick Arkeveld, CEO of Lone Wolf. "Its great to see Crye-Leike continuing to move their business paperless, and we couldnt be more thrilled to provide them with our digital forms, document and transaction management, and eSignature tools. This system will have a tremendous impact on their massive network of offices, agents, staff members, and consumers." About Crye-Leike -Crye-Leike is a full service real estate company founded in Memphis in 1977. Today it is ranked #3 in the nation and the largest real estate company serving markets in Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, and Mississippi. Crye-Leike has a network of more than 3,200 licensed sales associates, 600 staff members, and over 125 branch and franchise offices located throughout a nine-state region of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Crye-Leike also has a franchise location in Puerto Rico. About Lone Wolf Technologies -Lone Wolf Technologies is the North American leader in residential real estate software, with products in over 10,000 offices and associations across Canada and the U.S. The company offers a suite of technology products, including software for back office, transaction management, front office, and web, as well as professional services and third-party integrations. Each element of this suite helps brokerages and agents operate more efficiently, reduce costs, and increase opportunities for profitability. For further information please contact: Keith Sullivan, Chief Marketing Officer, Crye-Leike, publicrelations@crye-leike.com Steve Mapes, VP of Sales, Lone Wolf Technologies,smapes@lwolf.com

Welcome back toCrye-Leike Insights! Each week, we share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. If you are new to real estate, or are thinking about getting started, check out this advice from Tamara Slamek and Robert Richardson in this episode of #cryeleikeinsights! Get a CRM Database "Find something that you can utilize to keep your client's information, emails, phone numbers, all in one spot!" TIP: Use a web-based CRM in case your computer crashes. Show Up In the office is the most important place a new agent can be! "If agents see you showing up and see that you care, they are going to try to help you because they were a new agent at one time!" Think you've got what it takes to sell real estate? Find out if a career in real estate is right for you. Look at some questions to ask yourself andtake our free personality assessment. Interested in joining the Crye-Leike family? Contact us to discuss your real estate career and how we can help.

Welcome back to Crye-Leike Insights! Each week, we share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. Find out from our Director of Web Technologies, Angie Vandenbergh, how Crye-Leike's VoicePad tool can help you as both a buyer and a seller! List Your Home with a Crye-Leike Agent We're often asked what it takes to sell a home. The short answer is: preparation, pricing, smart, targeted marketing, leveraging our vast network of agents and buyers, showings, savvy negotiation and much more. Crye-Leike agents possess a high degree of expertise in all aspects of representation. Talk to one now. Schedule a Listing Presentation

Crye-Leike Real Estate Services is now ranked as the nation's third largest independently-owned real estate firm, according to the 2018 REAL Trends 500 annual ranking report. Crye-Leike ranked third on their list of Largest Independents with 28,699 closed transactions corporate wide reported in 2017 beating last year's ranking of fifth largest real estate brokerage. Established in 1977 in Memphis, Tennessee by Co-Founders Harold Crye and Dick Leike, the company expanded into Nashville by the early 90s, and continued their expansion to develop into what is now the nation's third-largest independently-owned real estate firm and the largest serving Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. The company has more than 3,200 sales associates and 128 company-owned and franchise offices in a nine state region (Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, and Oklahoma) and Puerto Rico. "We are proud of our network of Crye-Leike sales associates who dedicate their services to help home buyers and sellers in and around their communities," said Crye-Leike Co-Founder Dick Leike. "Their hard-work, time, and commitment have made it possible for over 650,000 families to make the dream of homeownership a reality since we first opened our doors over 40 years ago." Crye-Leike recently celebrated another milestone in the company's history, the company sold $6.5 billion in Real Estate to make 2017 their highest sales performance in the company's over 40 year history. "We anticipated there would be some challenges in real estate for 2017, inventory shortages were an issue and we saw an increase in the number of years people live in their homes before moving," said Crye-Leike CEO and Co-Founder, Harold Crye. "Despite those challenges, our sales associates were able to excel and make it our best year to date." To reach this goal and to stay on top as a real estate leader in the Mid-South, Steve Brown, Crye-Leike's President of Residential Sales, encouraged sales associates to continue their professional and personal growth. "Crye Leike had its best year ever in 2017, exceeding our volume in the boom year of 2007, with $6.5B in sales. Units were a challenge. We just don't have enough inventory and in most of our regions, we do not have volume builders, so the units were essentially flat," said Brown. "Were encouraged that the U.S. tax overhaul will help boost jobs and therefore sales in 2018 and even in to 2019. We are focused on customer service, training, retention, and prospecting. If we do a good job in those areas, the sales will follow." Crye-Leike has credited much of their success to the services and resources provided for all of their sales associates to help meet their client's real estate needs. A full service real estate company, Crye-Leike offers a one stop shopping environment by providing financial services with mortgage lending, title closing, insurance, home services, property management, and national relocation services. Additionally, their website Crye-Leike.com is one of the most heavily visited and professionally managed real estate website in the United States, updating their home listings ever 12 minutes. "The convenience, efficiency, and dependability we provide for consumers will be the driving force to keep our company on track for our 2018 goal," said CEO, Harold Crye. ABOUT CRYE-LEIKE: Crye-Leike Real Estate Services (www.crye-leike.com), a full service real estate company for over 40 years, is ranked as the third largest independently-owned real estate firm in the nation and the largest serving Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has more than 3,200 sales associates, 800 employees and 128 company-owned and franchise offices spread across nine states. It generated $6.5 billion in sales volume and 32,583 closed transaction sides corporate wide (including franchises) in 2017 it's biggest year ever - and is on track to achieve the company's goal of $6.8 billion in sales volume this year.

New Top Producer Meetings Encourage Industry Leaders to Share Tips of Success Memphis, TN: In relation to the familiar saying of "sharing is caring" Crye-Leike Real Estate Services, the nations fifth largest privately-held residential real estate firm and the largest in the Mid-South, is taking the initiative this year to tap into the best minds in real estate with their new "Top Producer Sales Meetings." This sharing initiative is designed to provide Crye-Leikes Top Producers and Teams a platform to share their wealth of knowledge and tips for success to teach and influence other Crye-Leike sales associates so that they may gain further insight to help advance their own real estate careers. Meetings will begin in April and will run through the end of 2018, where selected Crye-Leike leading agents will circulate throughout Crye-Leikes Memphis and North Mississippi office locations. Top Producers will visit each of the 16 locations and hold meetings of 3-10 minute segments each, sharing their best practices and life balance techniques to Crye-Leike sales associate and other invitation only attendees. Each meeting will provide a valuable Q and A at the end of each session. Top producer sales meetings are expected to move forward every year as an opportunity for Crye-Leikes sales associates to take advantage of the wealth of knowledge these industry leaders can provide. "We are very fortunate to have a large number of top producers who are willing to share their best techniques with their peers to "sharpen the saws" of all of our sales force," said Steve Brown, Crye-Leikes President of Residential Sales. "55 of our top individual and team leaders are sharing their best sales and life balance techniques in our branches spread out of the next 3 quarters of 2018. There will be no overlap." Crye Leike College teaches agents new to the business over several months. This series will put practical suggestions in the hands of both new and experienced agents; complimenting our online and live training that goes on year long. "Crye-Leike is a family. When you are family, you help each other grow. The top producer panel is just one more tool that Crye-Leike has to help aid its agents in growth. If it wasn't for all the top producers before me that had open door policies, I would've never made it this far!" said Top Producer of Crye-Leike Memphis-Midtown, Realtor Fara Captain. Crye-Leike has credited much of their success to the services and resources provided for all of their sales associates to help meet their clients real estate needs. A full service real estate company, Crye-Leike offers a one stop shopping environment by providing financial services with mortgage lending, title closing, insurance, home services, property management, and national relocation services. Additionally, their website Crye-Leike.com is one of the most heavily visited and professionally managed real estate websites in the United States, updating their home listings ever 12 minutes. "With so much focus on technology, we felt it would be best to stress the human element in this training exercise. With the average homeowner only buying or selling 5-7 times in a lifetime, its important that we remain focused on customer service and personal development constantly," said Brown. The company has more than 3,200 sales associates and 128 company-owned and franchise offices in a nine state region (Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, and Oklahoma) and Puerto Rico. "We are blessed at Crye-Leike to be among the top agents in the Mid-South. This is such a phenomenal asset that is easy to over look because of how humble so many of our leading agents are in their day to day activities," said Top Producer of Crye-Leike Bartlett, Realtor Laura Gaither. "While continuing to sharpen our saws and to further outclass our competitors, we must prepare for the changing market by sharing innovative ideas and time tested methods. Crye-Leike is doing exactly that by providing education, panels, and networking groups. I am excited that Crye-Leike is constantly finding new ways to show their commitment to help advance our associates growth and brand!" For more information about Crye-Leike Real Estate Services, or for more information on how to become affiliated with Crye-Leike as a licensed sales associate, contact Steve Brown at (901) 355-5477, or by e-mail at stevebrown@crye-leike.com or visit Crye-Leikes website at https://www.crye-leike.com/. ABOUT CRYE-LEIKE: Crye-Leike Real Estate Services (www.crye-leike.com), a full service real estate company for over 40 years, is ranked as the fifth largest independently-owned real estate firm in the nation and the largest serving Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has more than 3,200 sales associates, 800 employees and 128 company-owned and franchise offices spread across nine states. It generated $6.5 billion in sales volume and 32,583 closed transaction sides corporate wide in 2017 its biggest year ever - and is on track to achieve the companys goal of $6.8 billion in sales volume this year.

Carol Williams has been in the real estate business for over 30 years and has picked up a few tips that she would like to share. In this episode of Crye-Leike Insights, Carol shares the three most important things she has learned throughout her career.     1. Treat your real estate career like a business. "It's temping to be enchanted by the freedom that you are offered. " 2. Never quit learning! "Our business is really different from so many becauseeverything changes so often." 3. Know what your value is in the real estate business to buyers and sellers. "Your value to them, is your knowledgeof the transaction."     Think you've got what it takes to sell real estate? Find out if a career in real estate is right for you. Look at some questions to ask yourself andtake our free personality assessment.   Interested in joining the Crye-Leike family? Contact us to discuss your real estate career and how we can help.

Memphis, TN: Crye Leike Real Estate Services, the nations fifth largest privately-held residential real estate firm and the largest in the Mid-South, has been awarded the Website Quality Certification (WQC) from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, a global community of more than 565 high quality independent real estate firms in 65 countries. The certification was presented in recognition of excellence in website design, content and functionality. Crye-Leikes website, www.crye-leike.com, received high marks in a variety of critical areas relating to website performance, including usability, design, content, interactivity, customer service and mobile responsiveness. The evaluation was conducted by Virtual Results, LLC, a real estate internet and social marketing firm selected by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World to review the websites of participating members. The specific measurements for the WQC are updated each year to reflect the most current online marketing strategies, as well as evolving consumer preferences. Companies must be re-certified every two years to maintain the certification. "The 135 companies that earned the WQC this year offer consumers engaging websites with effective design, deep local content and the most current information on homes, not only in their local markets, but also around the world. We are delighted to recognize them for offering a superior online experience for consumers and supporting them further with exceptional customer support," said Leading Real Estate Companies of the World President/CEO Pam OConnor. "Earning recognition among this elite LeadingRE group is a considerable achievement and quite notable," said Harold Crye, CEO & Chairman of Crye Leike Group of Companies. "Our IT Division is to be commended for its commitment to providing innovative technology solutions for our Crye-Leike customers and sales associates." Leading RE Awards Banquet in Las Vegas. From L to R: Julie Martin, VP of Relocation in East TN, Chattanooga and Huntsville, AL, Gurtej Sodhi, Chief Information & Operations Officer, Jan Harbor, President & Director of Relocation Nashville, Harold Crye, CEO of Crye-Leike, Tammy Cheney, VP of Relocation in Arkansas, Cheryl Fortner, VP of Relocation in Memphis and Mississippi, and Judy Stocks, VP of Relocation in Atlanta "Crye-Leike employs a team of full-time staff dedicated to making sure crye-leike.com stays up-to-date, easy to use and one of the top real estate websites in the area. Earning the WQC is just one of many things we do to make sure our customers have a great online experience to support their real estate transaction," said Gurtej Sodhi, Chief Information & Operations Officer. Angie Vandenbergh, Director Web Technologies stated, "With our web site generating over 12,000 visitors per day and 30 million hits per month, you will not find any other local real estate company to come close to Crye-Leikes internet activity. Our most popular online services include searching both active and sold property data, registering for email alerts on properties and the ability to get quick responses on inquiries from customer service." Crye-Leike is the Mid-South representative of LeadingRE (www.LeadingRE.com). With a global membership that spans six continents, LeadingRE connects more than 565 firms and 130,000 sales associates who produce over 1.1 million real estate transactions each year. As a member of LeadingRE, Crye-Leike provides a quality real estate experience, global marketing reach and access to top real estate professionals in virtually any market worldwide. For more information about Crye-Leike Real Estate Services, please visit www.crye-leike.com. ABOUT CRYE-LEIKE: Crye-Leike Real Estate Services (www.crye-leike.com), a full service real estate company for over 40 years, is ranked as the fifth largest independently-owned real estate firm in the nation and the largest serving Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has more than 3,200 sales associates, 800 employees and 128 company-owned and franchise offices spread across nine states. It generated $6.5 billion in sales volume and 32,583 closed transaction sides corporate wide in 2017 its biggest year ever - and is on track to achieve the companys goal of $6.8 billion in sales volume this year.

Welcome back toCrye-Leike Insights! Each week, we share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. This week we got the chance to hear from Lanny Foy, Managing broker of our Quail Hollow Office in Memphis, TN. Lanny shares how he helps teach the agents in his office to improve their careers. Training sessions consist of two topics: Listing & Selling Through training sessions, Lanny answers questions about each of the processes. Where do you get the seller? What do you say to the seller? What do you ask the seller before you ever go out to the house? What do you try to determine in that first conversation? Where do you park? How long do you sit in the car? What do you do while you sit in the car? When you get to the door, what do you have in your hand? What do you say when they open the door? Where do you sit when you are inside? Do you talk or tour the house first? About Lanny Foy, Managing Broker at Quail Hollow- Memphis, TN Lanny Foy has been the Managing Broker at the Quail Hollow Regional Headquarters since 2006. Lanny has been working in real estate since 1971 and has experience in marketing residential, commercial, and agricultural properties through both the auction and traditional procedures.You can visit his website atlandisfoy.crye-leike.com. Check in next week for moreCrye-Leike Insights.

In this episode of Crye-Leike Insights we ask agents and managers their favorite thing about working with Crye-Leike. Their answers all had one thing in common.... IT'S THE PEOPLE! "It's got such synergy, such excitement. Between all of the technology that they have to offer us and all of the experienced agents that help you get through the problems and share their experience; you can't ask for anything more!" -Joyce Friedman, Crye-LeikeBrentwood "I love the Crye-Leike people. They are the best people I think I have every worked with in my life. I've been at Crye-Leike for 22 years... I would not trade this experience for anything in the world. They offer the best of everything!"-Vicki Blackwell,Managing Broker of Crye-LeikeOlive Branch "My favorite thing about working for Crye-Leike is the people! I work with wonderful professionals and I meet wonderful people who want to buy or sell in Florida. Those are the best things ever! -Suzanne Sweatt,Crye*Leike Coastal Realty "The family atmosphere. Our office is really close, and I love that. I know I can go to my manager at anytime and for anything."-Michelle Sparks, Crye-LeikeGainesville, GA "It's the people! It really is. You just don't do this for 37 years and not build great relationships and memories. And all of those memories are based on personal relationships. And Harold and Dick... they're the DNA. They're what put it all together!"-Steve Brown,President Residential Services And not only are our people great.... but we also have the best name in the business! "I love working for Crye-Leike because I love the word "Crye-Leike!" Nobody can pronounce the darn thing!" -John Paulsen,Crye*Leike Coastal Realty

This week on Crye-Leike Insights we turn the camera towards our customers. Listen to some of our past clients share their experiences working with Crye-Leike. Integrity "After we met our agent, we felt comfortable going with Crye-Leike because it was such a reputable brand." Today, Crye-Leike is the nation's 5th largest real estate company and the largest serving markets in Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, and across the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has a network of more than 3,200+ licensed sales associates, 600+ staff members and over 120+ branch and franchise offices. Responsiveness "Our agent would send us listings whenever they came available. They were new houses that weren't on these websites, that we were able to take a look at before they were on the market." We respond quickly to customer needs. Passion to be Better "We are a full service company. People don't have to go to different places to get the kind of service that they are looking for... We're a one-stop shop, and that's exactly what consumers want and expect." To find a Crye-Leike agent near you, visitcrye-leike.com/real-estate-agents!

In our new video series Crye-Leike Insights, we will share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family.Jason Murphy, Administrative Manager in Middle Tennessee, is featured in this week's episode. Jason shares a few tips and what he believes to be the biggest benefits for agents working with Crye-Leike. Interpersonal Communication During the Transaction Communicate with the client Slow down and explain things to your client Outside of the Transaction Always talk about Real Estate In-House Tools Trends Marketing will reach out to your clients for 7 years e-Cards Opportunity every month to send to your client base Moxi CRM used by Crye-Leike Social Media Mix up what you post on all of your platforms Promote your Buyside page   About Jason Murphy, Administrative Manager in Middle Tennessee Jason Murphy is a Principal Broker with administrative oversight of 16 sales offices in the Middle-TN region. Jason specializes in manager and sales associate training, commercial and residential development project management, and sales. You can visit his website atjasonmurphy.crye-leike.com/ or follow him on LinkedIn atwww.linkedin.com/in/jason-murphy-a35b194/ Check in next week for moreCrye-Leike Insights.

Imagine it's Friday afternoon, and you're sitting at a red light for what feels like an eternity. You look to your right and notice the flashy advertisement from a local real estate agent plastered all over the bus stop bench. You might think to yourself, "I could do that", or, "I wouldn't mind working on a job like that". You have the charisma and the outgoing personality, and the appeal of being your own boss with your own schedule is becoming more and more attractive as the 5pm traffic jam has your blood pressure boiling. But what does it take to be a real estate agent? Where do you even start, and with so many agents out there, how do you stand out in such a competitive field? Leslie Murray, Broker and Recruiter for Crye-Leike Real Estate Services, the nation's 3rd largest, privately owned, independent real estate firm, answers a series of questions about becoming a realtor and what she looks for in a potential recruit. What would be the initial steps for someone who is interested in real estate? Answer:If the person is serious about this career move, then their first step should be attending either an online or physical pre-license course. We often recommend Success Real Estate School. Once this is complete, taking a state and national real estate test will be required. Keep in mind most states will also require a background check. Once you have completed and passed the tests, then it's time to affiliate yourself with a broker. You want to take time to research local real estate firms. Once you narrow down the firms you are interested in, give them a call and request an interview with the managing broker. How would one prepare for the interview? Answer:Bring all of your school information with you, such as certificates of tests and courses passed. Make sure to dress the part! I cannot stress this enough. You want to dress professionally so no jeans or casual attire. It helps to know about the company before you walk in the interview. You should have an idea of the company's background and philosophies. You will definitely impress the managing broker this way. Remember, you don't necessarily need a background in sales to become a great real estate agent. Sales can be taught, but most recruiters and managing brokers are looking for someone who is a hard-worker, driven, motivated, ethical and eager to learn. Alright, let's say the interview went great. You're now affiliated with the real estate firm and ready to sell! Then, what? Answer:Once your license is active and you are ready to sell, you need to think about marketing. How are you going to market yourself? Not every firm or group offers resources for marketing your business, therefore, make sure you are prepared to invest in your own marketing. You will need business cards with a professional photo of yourself, name badge and strips for the "for sale" signs that have your name and cell phone number. Take advantage of social media, as this is the quickest and easiest way to get your name out there. Create a business profile for LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you're not comfortable with social media then it's time to start. This will be an important part of your business. Any last bit of advice you would give to someone interested in real estate? Answer:Stay active. This means get involved in your community by volunteering or joining a local networking group. There is a saying in the real estate community that when clients trust you, they will most likely use you. Most importantly, if this is something you really have an interest in, don't give up! Remember that your hard work WILL pay off. Are you interested in a career in real estate? With all the great advice from a real estate professional are you still interested? If the answer is yes, then take these steps to make your dream a reality. If you would like more information about becoming a real estate agent check outhttps://www.crye-leike.com/corporate/associate_new.   ABOUT CRYE-LEIKE: Crye-Leike Real Estate Services (www.crye-leike.com), a full service real estate company for over 40 years, is ranked as the third largest independently-owned real estate firm in the nation and the largest serving Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has more than 3,200 sales associates, 800 employees and 139 company-owned and franchise offices spread across nine states. It generated $6.5 billion in sales volume and 30,550 closed transaction sides corporate wide in 2018 - its biggest year ever - and is on track to achieve the company's goal of $6.8 billion in sales volume this year.

In our new video series Crye-Leike Insights, we will share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. Dick Leike, Crye-Leike Co-Founder and President, is featured in this week's episode. Dick shares his reasons for getting into the real estate business. Dick Leike on Starting a Career in Real Estate "My theory was, that if I got into real estate sales, I'd be the only one that I could blame for my earnings..." Dick's Reasons for his Career in Real Estate You are paidcommensurate with your efforts You can make profit, not money You can do things your own way You are a true entrepreneur About Dick Leike,Co-Founder and President of Crye-Leike Dick Leike started Crye-Leike with his partner, Harold Crye, in 1977. Since then, their company has become the 5 largest privately owned real estate company in the US. You can visit his website athttp://dickleike.crye-leike.com/ or follow him on LinkedIn athttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dick-leike-9703b424/ Check in next week for moreCrye-Leike Insights.

In our new video series Crye-Leike Insights, we will share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. Steve Brown, President Residential Services, kicks off our first episode. In this episode Steve shares some helpful tips for real estate agents about prospecting.   Steve Brown on Prospecting "What I've always said about prospecting is that it is the only thing that is more important than actually listing or selling real estate..." Top Tips for Real Estate Agents on Prospecting Implement F.O.R.D. (Family, Occupation, Recreation, and Dreams) questions into your prospecting calls and meetings Set goals of 5 handwritten notes and 5 phone calls a day for prospecting Send "Just Sold" cards Utilize a great CRM (Like MOXI!) About Steve Brown, President Residential Sales Steve Brown is responsible for overseeing and managing real estate sales as well as assisting managers and branch offices with core services in all regions of Crye-Leike which covers nine states and a sales team of over 3,000 sales associates. He has served the company in various management capacities over the past 36 years. You can visit his website athttp://stevebrown.crye-leike.com or follow him on LinkedIn athttps://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-brown-268a6739 Check in next week for Crye-Leike Insights with Dick Leike.

Watch as the co-founders of Crye-Leike, Harold Crye and Dick Leike, share secrets of their success and stories along the way. Part of a 40th Anniversary series. #3 in a 3 part series of interviews.  

Watch as the co-founders of Crye-Leike, Harold Crye and Dick Leike, share secrets of their success and stories along the way. Part of a 40th Anniversary series. #2 in a 3 part series of interviews.      

Watch as the co-founders of Crye-Leike, Harold Crye and Dick Leike, share secrets of their success and stories along the way. Part of a 40th Anniversary series. #1 in a 3 part series of interviews.      

Memphis, Tenn. (July 19, 2016) - Crye-Leike Real Estate Services, the nation's sixth largest residential real estate brokerage firm, has partnered with Buyside, a leading software provider of real estate buyer data and analytics, to help its sales associates become more efficient in connecting qualified buyers and sellers. Recently signing a multi-year agreement with Buyside, Crye-Leike will soon be able to deliver a new consumer tool providing valuable insights into the property valuation of homes based on market statistics and demand trends. Buyside Founder Charles Williams understands that consumers are naturally curious about home valuations and are actively seeking out resources to help educate themselves. "We're helping Crye-Leike deliver greater value to their customers by providing useful information at the most appropriate time during the critical journey of buying and selling a home," said its chief executive officer. "Most real estate tools and websites tilt towards home searches and buyer tools," said Steve Brown, president of Crye-Leike Residential Sales. "Buyside's valuation tool uses cutting edge technology to provide sellers tools to help determine the market value of their properties and identify active buyer traffic in their neighborhoods. This application can help sellers determine when and if they should market their properties." In addition to providing insights into home valuations, Buyside's software will also allow homeowners to sign up to receive updates on the value of their homes and recent sales in their area as well as receive updates on buyers' interests in similar homes. The reports are based on a combination of Multiple Listing Service (MLS) data, real-time buyer activity, showings by price range, public record information and recent sales. "Our Buyside reports target consumers thinking of listing their home," said Williams. "Most importantly, we emphasize that only real estate agents can know the true value of a home." "With an award-winning web site that generates over 12,000 visitors per day and 30 million hits per month, Crye-Leike is always looking for ways to provide additional benefits and technology solutions for our customers and sales associates," said Gurtej Sodhi, chief information & strategy officer and corporate executive vice president of Crye-Leike. Buyside's application will allow Crye-Leike to focus on an underserved segment of our website traffic. We feel Buyside's product is a true game changer for both Crye-Leike and our customers." Buyside (www.getbuyside.com), a Philadelphia-based software firm that understands business intel and algorithms, assists real estate brokerages in turning their buyer data into seller leads, new listings and more internal sides by delivering a predictive analytics solution. Memphis-based Crye-Leike Real Estate Services (www.crye-leike.com), a full-service real estate company for 39 years, is the nation's fourth largest privately-held residential brokerage firm. It has a network of more than 3,000 sales associates in 85 company-owned offices and 29 franchise offices located through a nine-state region in Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky, Florida, Oklahoma, Alabama and Missouri. Its web site, Crye-Leike.com, is a Website Quality Certified (WQC) award winner by LeadingRE, recognized for being among the best in setting the standard of web site excellence in design, technology and service.    

Nashville, Tenn. (March 9, 2016) Crye-Leike, REALTORS, the nation's fourth largest privately-held residential real estate firm, was named the winner of the 2015 Most Effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Strategy Award for outstanding website marketing of its Crye-Leike.com web site. This coveted SEO award was presented by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World (LeadingRE), a global community of more than 500 high-quality independent real estate firms. Crye-Leike.com was recognized for its website marketing strategy in making it easy for consumers to find its website, with competitive positioning on popular search engines, unique content focusing on key markets, effective incorporation of social media and other tactics. This win marks the fourth time Crye-Leike has achieved this distinction, including years 2014, 2011 and 2010. Additionally, LeadingRE presented Crye-Leike the Website Quality Certification (WQC) Award for being among the best in setting the standard of website excellence in design, technology and service. Among Leading RE's 136 certified sites, Crye-Leike.com was one of eight websites chosen in 2016 for this award of excellence. Crye-Leike has annually maintained its website quality certification since 2009 when LeadingRE established this certification program to recognize and encourage superior websites among its 500+ member firms. The awards were presented at the network's annual awards gala in Miami Beach, Fla. which attracted nearly 2,500 real estate professionals from 25 countries. Chief Executive Officer Harold Crye and Chief Information & Strategy Officer Gurtej Sodhi accepted the awards on behalf of the company's Information Technology Division. Winners were selected by a panel of independent judges who conducted a thorough comparison of 500-plus real estate companies globally in the LeadingRE network, rating and ranking these websites against a long list of performance metrics. Every 12 minutes, the Information Technology Division of Crye-leike updates over 400,000 property listings on Crye-Leike.com to ensure the most accurate information, noted Sodhi. Crye-Leike.com pulls its real estate data from numerous member Multiple Listing Service agencies in nine states where Crye-Leike has a market presence. "With our web site generating over 12,000 visitors per day and 30 million hits per month, you will not find any other local real estate company to come close to Crye-Leikes internet activity," said Sodhi who is a two-time award recipient of the Nashville Business Journal's 2014 & 2015 Chief Information Officer Award in its Large Private Companies (501+ employees) category. "Earning recognition among this elite LeadingRE group is a considerable achievement and quite notable," said Crye-Leike Founder Crye who is treasurer of the board of directors of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. "Our IT Division is to be commended for its commitment to providing innovative technology solutions for our Crye-Leike customers and sales associates." Crye-Leike (crye-leike.com), a full service real estate company for 39 years, is ranked the nation's sixth largest residential real estate brokerage firm among the nations top 500 and is the largest real estate company in Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. It has a network of over 3,000 sales associates and 115 branch and franchise offices located in a nine-state region. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., Crye-Leike attained sales of $5.7 billion and 31,400 closed transaction sides corporate wide in 2015. Leading Real Estate Companies of the World (LeadingRE) is the home of the worlds market-leading independent residential brokerages in over 50 countries, with over 500 firms and 120,000 associates producing over 1 million transactions valued at $321 billion annually.      

Memphis, TN.- Crye-Leike, REALTOR's Chief Information & Strategy Officer, Gurtej Sodhi, was honored recently by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World? (LeadingRE) with their Presidential Award and Most Effective SEO Strategy Award.   The awards were presented at the LeadingRE's annual Conference Week from February 9-13 at Wynn Las Vegas. The event gathered more than 2,000 top real estate professionals from over 20 countries.   The President's Award, a top individual honor, is part of LeadingRE's service recognition program, which formally acknowledges contributions such as committee involvement, presentations at network conferences and service on various advisory councils and boards.   "I am honored to be presented this prestigious award that recognizes all the input I have had the opportunity to provide over the last four years to the network and its 500+ global members," said Sodhi.   As the Founding Chairman of the Technology Advisory Council at LeadingRE, Sodhi hopes to help drive industry initiatives in the future.   "I commend and congratulate Gurtej on his leadership and his commitment to moving the Real Estate industry forward as a whole," said Harold Crye, Crye-Leike founder and CEO.   "It is a true honor to recognize dedicated professionals like Gurtej," said LeadingRE President/CEO Pam O'Connor. "This award reflects an exceptional level of real estate expertise and professionalism, as well as an exemplary commitment to our global network."   Sodhi and Crye-Leike's technology team received the award for Most Effective SEO Strategy for its website www.crye-leike.com. The site was recognized for having a strategy that makes it easy for consumers to find the website with competitive positioning on popular search engines, unique content focusing on key markets, as well as effective incorporation of social media and other tactics.   "Receiving this award for the third time confirms Crye-Leike's website as a leader in providing the highest exposure for our listings while serving our customers and sales associates in the most effective manner possible," said Sodhi.   Sodhi was also a presenting speaker at LeadingRE's MarTech event, held during the Conference Week, which provided advanced sessions addressing the ways technology and marketing play a critical role in the success of today's real estate firms.   Crye-Leike REALTORS is the South's representative for Leading Real Estate Companies of the World?, a global network of more than 500 top real estate firms in more than 50 countries producing over one million annual home sale transactions. LeadingRE provides its affiliates with an extensive range of brokerage services including lead generation, cross-market referrals, branding support, luxury marketing, online exposure, technology systems, and industry-leading professional development.   Crye-Leike is a full service real estate company that was founded in 1977 by Harold Crye and Dick Leike. Today, Crye-Leike is ranked as the 5th largest real estate firm in the nation and the #1 real estate company in the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has a network of more than 3,000 licensed Realtors and 112 offices located throughout a nine-state region in Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Oklahoma. More information about Crye-Leike can be found at www.crye-leike.com.  

Nashville, TN., - Crye-Leike, REALTORS website has once again been voted as the best of the best.   Crye-Leike.com recently won two awards from the organization Leading Real Estate Companies Of The World at their annual 2014 meeting held in Las Vegas.   Crye-Leike's website beat 500 other real estate companies from around the globe to win the 'Most Effective SEO Strategy Award' and the 'LeadingRE.com #1 Overall Website Traffic Leader Award.'   The 'Most Effective SEO Strategy Award' is an honor Crye-Leike's website has received from LeadingRE in the past. The company's website was recognized with this award for having a strategy that makes it easy for consumers to find the website, with competitive positioning on popular search engines, unique content focusing on key markets, effective incorporation of social media and other tactics.   Crye-Leike's website received the 'LeadingRE.com #1 Overall Website Traffic Leader Award' for being the brokerage that generated the most traffic from their website to the other affiliates belonging to the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World network. Crye-Leike.com also won this award for offering the most real estate website visitors the opportunity to search for properties in other parts of the country and the world.   "It's very rewarding for Crye-Leike's website to be the recipient of these two prestigious awards," said Crye-Leike's CIO & Corporate Executive Vice President Gurtej Sodhi. "This is an affirmation of the expertise of our IT staff as well as their dedication to provide the best consumer experience for all the hundreds of thousands of visitors that come to the Crye-Leike website on a regular basis for all their real estate needs."   In past years, Crye-Leike.com has received numerous other awards from LeadingRE for its demonstrated excellence in website design and content, functionality and usability, human interactivity, customer service and search engine optimization.   "Crye-Leike has demonstrated that it provides vital online resources to home buyers and sellers and it is definitely a company that's raised the bar for best practices in real estate website design and internet communications," said LeadingRE President & CEO Pam O'Connor. "Winning a Leading Real Estate Companies of the World website award reflects a company's commitment to the growing importance of online and mobile marketing in the real estate industry."   O'Connor adds, "With over 90% of people using the Internet in their home search, it's essential for any successful real estate firm to have an engaging, informative and easy-to-use website."   Crye-Leike rolled out an upgraded version of its award winning website in 2012 in order to provide its customers with more helpful features, information and local market updates on the zip codes Crye-Leike serves.   "With Crye-Leike winning these website awards, that is just one additional reason our customers can feel confident they're working with a knowledgeable, tech-savvy company of Realtors," said Crye-Leike Cofounder & CEO Harold Crye. "Offering unsurpassed service to our clients has been Crye-Leike's mission since opening in 1977, and one way we do that is by offering our customers and agents cutting-edge services and technology tools like the powerful website we've built."  

BRENTWOOD, TN., - As more consumers take their web access with them ?on the go', Crye-Leike, Realtors is taking notice. The nation's 6th largest real estate firm recently unveiled its new mobile app available for free download.   "As always, Crye-Leike is constantly striving to provide its sales associates with the best technology and tools to service their customers' needs while enabling the customers to collect as much information as possible in a proactive manner," said Gurtej Sodhi, Crye-Leike CIO & Corporate Executive Vice President. "With this in mind, Crye-Leike's IT division has built a powerful mobile app and has released it for availability on the Android, iPhone and iPad platforms."   Sodhi adds, "We developed Crye-Leike's new mobile app with the customer in mind who's driving around and needs access to property information right then and there on their mobile device and of course quickly. It's a great way to view photos of a home, while you're sitting in the driveway."   Crye-Leike's in-house Information Technology division developed the app to meet the growing consumer demands for easy and fast access to real estate information from their smartphone. Crye-Leike's app store offerings for Apple and Android cover 95% of their mobile visitors' device preferences.   "The main benefit of the app is that it shows you properties for sale based on your current location using your phone's GPS," said Angie Vandenbergh, Crye-Leike Web Manager. "Our mobile app allows for more spontaneity when searching for a home. If you are in a neighborhood you like and want to know what's for sale nearby, the app will tell you. If you are out and about on a Sunday and want to know if there are any open houses around, the app will tell you."   The features that Crye-Leike's customers have always loved from Crye-Leike.com are now accessible anywhere you go and even more relevant. Anyone can drive through neighborhoods they love and Crye-Leike's mobile app will help them easily find what is for sale nearby and will also show buyers open houses happening around surrounding streets.   With the free app, people can search and find information such as a local office, agent, open houses, nearby listings, property pictures and more and have all of the important details that help prospective buyers find exactly what their looking for including that perfect place to call home. Anyone can choose and download the app appropriately formatted for their phone at http://www.crye-leike.com/main/mobileapp.php   "Buyers in the current real estate market have many choices and come to expect great pictures and information to help them make the best decision," said Harold Crye, Co-Founder and CEO of Crye-Leike. "We're excited to offer buyers and sellers this new mobile app along with many other great technologies that offer our customers just what they need as fast as possible. The more technology advances the easier it is for buyers to find exactly what they're looking for, saving time and money."   Crye-Leike is continuously working on new projects to assist its sales associates and help them offer better service to their clients. In addition to this amazing new mobile app, Crye-Leike's innovative technology work recently won two prestigious awards from Leading Real Estate Companies Of The World, a global network of 600 premier real estate firms. Crye-Leike.com was honored with the "Best Website Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Strategy" Award beating various other highly regarded real estate companies from around the globe who had also been nominated in the category. For the second year in a row, Crye-Leike.com also earned LeadingRE's Website Quality Certification.   For more information or to download Crye-Leike's mobile app visit: http://www.crye-leike.com/main/mobileapp.php   More About Crye-Leike, REALTORS Harold Crye and Dick Leike established Crye-Leike, REALTORS in 1977. Today, Crye-Leike?, the nation's 6th largest real estate company, has a network of more than 3,200 licensed sales associates based out of 113 corporate and franchise offices located through-out the nine-state southern region of Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana and Oklahoma.   Crye-Leike is a full-service real estate company offering buyers and sellers services in: residential and commercial sales, mortgage, title, insurance, business brokerage and investments, property management, development and construction, builder resources, REO bank-owned properties, relocation, auctions, and home services. In 2010, Crye-Leike attained a sales volume of $3.85 billion with 24,260 homes sold. More information is available at http://www.crye-leike.com