.svg)
.png)
Paige Thompson has been navigating the Atlanta real estate market for over four years. In our recent conversation, we discussed the vibrant community and rich history of Alpharetta, her specialties in relocations and renovations, and the value of building genuine relationships with clients.
She also shared some fantastic insights on her experiences with different CRM systems, and how leveraging CINC has supplemented her SOI and led to more conversations, transactions, and success.
Watch the full video to hear her insights on how to thrive in today’s real estate landscape and why Alpharetta stands out.
Transcript
Paige Bland-Thompson: Yes. I love CINC. I've been doing that for about lead share with Atlanta communities for about a year now. I've closed a couple deals. And this was mainly when I got started, this was just like a side just because they know that I really worked my sphere of influence. But now that the market has really shifted, I am utilizing it a whole lot more and I am starting to have a lot more of those conversations with people.
And I'm starting to, I'm starting to see more people use online. And I think it's simply because everything nowadays is at the palm of our hands, and as agents, we don't have to like it, but we have to utilize it. That's what your business needs right now.
[Intro]
I'm Paige Thompson. I'm with Atlanta Communities based out in Woodstock. I've been in real estate for about 4 and a half years now. I started at Keller Williams. And I joined a top producing team. When I got started they had me call everyone in CINC that was in the pond and trying to nurture them to book appointments with other agents. So I really was able to learn the in and outs on how to do it.
So that was really all I knew about CRMs. I had never used anything else, but it was very easy. And that says a lot, I think, coming from a brand new agent. When I went to Atlanta Communities, they paid for all agents to have kvCore. And when I went in that system, it was like Chinese to me. I did not know what I was looking at. I didn't know how to start a drip campaign. I didn't know how to do anything. So I was taking classes that they offer at my office, getting some CE hours.
And then I got it down now, but I still have to use my brain with that. And I just think that slows down the wheel for me. Because I'm trying to get things done quickly. I'm trying to make calls quickly. I'm trying to enter notes. There's a lot of things I need. Cause I should be blind folded and be able to know this person, what was our last conversation? KvCore just doesn't offer that.
That's when I got asked again to do the lead share with Scott at Atlanta Communities. And that's when I was like, yes, I love CINC. I've been doing that for about, lead share with Atlanta Communities for about a year now. I've closed a couple deals.
And this was mainly when I got started. This was just like a side. Just because they know that I really work my sphere of influence. But now that the market has really shifted, I am utilizing it a whole lot more. And I am starting to have a lot more of those conversations with people.
And I'm starting to, I'm starting to see more people use online. And I think it's simply because everything nowadays is at the palm of our hands. And, as agents, we don't have to like it, but we have to utilize it. That's what your business needs right now.
My sphere of influence is great. And, cause I need their pipelines. I'm relying on them to also support me and refer me out. But that list is only so long and you have to be able to grow your list daily. And I always tell the agents that I mentor, you need to be calling 10 people a day, and you need to be adding 5 people at bare minimum a week into that CRM. And you're going to filter them out. You're going to qualify them. Are these a plus? Are they a, are they B? You need to also, figure out where's your money going? Don't spend time on people that aren't going to spend time on you. It's a waste of your time. And, and when you first talk to somebody on CINC, it's, of course, it's uncomfortable, but if you're not uncomfortable, what are you, then you're not doing anything for yourself.
And if you don't know this person, there's nothing that person can say to you that will criticize you. So it's just, you just gotta be able to have, be that people person. And. Talk a little bit more other than real estate. You're built, you got to build trust through the phone. And the best way to do that is to have them fill you in on their personal life and you share your personal life and share with them why you do what you do.
Are you passionate about it? Or is this just to put food on the table? For me, that's not what it is for me. I'm really building that trust within CINC and really finding out anything and everything about that person. Find out why, don't find out what they're trying to do. Find out why they're trying to do it because that right there, that's your, that's like your cherry on top.
My main why really is my dad built a legacy in Alpharetta. And really built it to what it is now and like the crab apple market and also like a national TV host for the American dream TV, where I'm able to showcase our community, like, why we're the number 1 place to live in the South. And so my dad built Alpharetta for 25 years, and so I really just want to take on his legacy but do it in the residential side versus the commercial side.
And then I'm just very passionate about, I feel like God gave me this gift to just help people and provide an experience for them because you hear all the time about these nightmare real estate transactions. And by the time they get to me, it's okay, now I need to clean this up. I need to, this is not how real estate goes. I just want to tell you, this is supposed to be a smooth process. It's like a wedding. You should be like excited about this and you shouldn't be dreading getting to the closing table.
And I just enjoy to be around people. I'm not transactional. I'm all about relationship building. Because do work word of mouth. I'm just not one of those agents that likes to go on Zillow flex or any of that because I just don't see a big value there. I see more of a value of let's meet for coffee. Let me find out about you. Let's first see if we're going to be a good fit for each other because I'm not going to be a good fit for everybody. And I don't want to be, honest with you. I don't. I want to be able to say, Hey, I don't think I'm going to be a good fit for you, but I can refer you to somebody that will.
Jennifer O'Connell: Talk to me more about, yeah, your specialties, and more about the market Alpharetta, how things are shifting.
Paige Bland-Thompson: First my specialties are relocation because I mainly I act as a almost like a tour guide. Because I know the hidden gems. I know, supporting small local businesses when people relocate here. I think it's really important to let them know because this is what drives the economy. That's one of the reasons why Alpharetta is so unique because you don't really find corporate chains out there unless you go to the Avalon. Which, that's a mall in itself, that's self explanatory. But, when you go to downtown Alpharetta, you're not seeing any of that.
I really specialize in, with relocations. I want them to get here, I want to put them in my car, and I want to physically take them to Alpharetta to show them why Alpharetta has set this bar so high and it's just surpassed everybody in the North Metro area. It's just a ton of history and Alpharetta has done such a good job with just keeping that alive. And that's really important to the the locals there. They want agents selling there that know The benefit of that and that know the story with it. So that's one of the specialties.
And then the other one is I specialize in renovations because I run the renovation company with my husband. So something that we have really focused on is there's a really big need with sellers right now. They may not be able to tap into those funds to make those renovations to sell. So what we have done is saved up some reserves and we're allowing sellers to pay us at the closing table at no additional cost. So that's a big need. We know that it's going to sell. Now if it takes a longer time to sell at that point, we renegotiate some type of convenience fee because six months is a really long time just to be on the market. And that's not factoring in the job. So we give sellers six months, but, we're really relying Our customers are relying on me to come in and say, Hey, this is what buyers are looking for right now, based on what I'm seeing in your home. I think that this needs to be done.
And I always hit, there's the top 3 rooms in a home that sell a home right now. And this is based in. Our market here in North Metro Atlanta. The number one is your kitchen because that is the heart of the home. That is where you're going to be making all your big decisions. That's where you're going to be entertaining. It's where you're going to be feeding the kids. That's just where you're going to spend the majority of your time.
The second one is the master bathroom. And there's something about waking up each morning and walking into your bathroom. That gives you that sense of Zen and comfort. So that is really something people are looking for.
And the 3rd one, a lot of people are shocked about this, but it's actually your outdoor living space in Georgia.
That's something that I really focus on to help people to say, hey whatever your budget is. If your budget is. 30, 000. We don't mind putting that money up front, but let's focus on the needs of the buyer. Because if you're renovating to sell, that's completely different than renovating to enjoy your home. Because at that point, it's no longer about you. It's about that buyer.
It's a breath of fresh air when you have somebody that's in the market every day, looking at homes constantly. I don't just go look at homes with my clients. I'm looking for the future benefit of my upcoming clients, because that's important to see what type of competition is out there.
And of course, educating them on this whole commission structure when I'm asked, that plays into the whole competition situation. Because buyers are having to pay a lot of money. It is what it is.
Jennifer O'Connell: How have those conversations shifted in recent months with this settlement?
Paige Bland-Thompson: Here's my take on that is the seller has never paid the buyer's agent. And I'm very stern on that. Because when you sign that listing agreement, all you're saying in that agreement is I'm willing to pay my agent who I'm hiring x amount. And my agent is agreeing to split that or whatever that structure is with the buyer's agent for bringing the buyer. Otherwise, I'm going to have to do not only my job as a listing agent that I'm going to have to do anyways to represent you. Now I'm going to have to do more than 250 tasks on the buy side. And run that risk in my crossing the line here.
I don't I don't do dual agency. I'm very against it. At some shape or form. Somebody's going to get the unfair trade. They just are and it's impossible. You just can't be able to do that.
So that's how I'm saying it and just sticking to the facts. And I think a lot of this lawsuit is really on fault of the agents, because they're not educating their client.
Jennifer O'Connell: We talk to a lot of other agents about out of town buyers and how online leads honestly helps and is an advantage for them. If people are searching out of town for Alpharetta, I'm wondering what your experience is with that. And with CINC specifically on that front.
Paige Bland-Thompson: Yeah, with CINC specifically touching Alpharetta, because I think people are just, because Alpharetta is in Forbes. It's being very highly talked about, so I think it's becoming more popular. I've had quite a few recently, I'd say, but coming from CINC that are interested in Alpharetta, and I guess the main thing is educating them on Alpharetta. It's luxury. It's convenient. It's all it's all about community there. And that's why it's so important to get them in the car, get them here. And you got to let them in on why These areas are the top areas to live in and really utilizing utilizing CINC the best. If that's doing a relocation ebook to send people, and making it easy for people to find out things about the area they're interested in, I think, is the important. And I've been using been using CINC to do that.
Jennifer O'Connell: You said, I think you've closed a couple at least on CINC. I'm curious what that lead story was.
Paige Bland-Thompson: So I had one lead that came in and she was a widowed woman and her husband left her absolutely nothing. And it was a very sad situation. And we got in contact. We went to go see a couple houses. She'd been under contract on 1 house, but then backed out. We got our earnest money back and everything, but she ended up closing. August will be 2 years. And in a cute little town home in Canton, and she absolutely loves it, and we're actually making renovations so she could sell it so she can get something bigger.
But she had been trying for five years to buy a home and the agents she was getting in touch with, I think were from Zillow or something like that, but we knew immediately that we were a good fit for each other and it was, a very successful story. I truly love. Her so much, and I actually just met with her weeks ago. We always we stay in contact with each other. And she calls me her daughter.
Everything is a, every conversation is an opportunity. It's up to you as the agent of where you want to where you want to take that opportunity. You want to jump on it? Or do you want to hand it over to somebody else? Because if you don't take it, somebody else is. Because we're sharks in the water. I know that I am like, if somebody's not acting quickly, I am.
If somebody wanted to find you online or reach out to you tell us how they would get in contact with you.
A couple of things with, if you can just go to Paigebthompson.com, and it was going to take you to my, it's called link book. And this is a new system that Atlanta Communities has introduced me to. And it's basically, you can find out anything and everything about me there. It's got all my social handles there. I have my YouTube channel linked in there. You can see all the TV episodes that I've done. And ultimately it's just a place that you can go to literally find out anything about me and what it's like working with me and stuff like that. And then Also, if you are on Instagram, you can, I have literally everything is on my channel. I have a a bio link that you can click, and I that's how I do like freebies and I hand out things for people.
And I also am going to like local restaurants, local places. specifically in the not the Atlanta area, but in Alpharetta area. And I'm just showing people, these are the local businesses I love to support and come check it out and stuff like that. That's going to be on my Instagram at Paigesellsgeorgia. But my, first recommendation would be just to go to Paigebthompson.com.