To Be Heard: How To Create Your Dream Job

In 2017, many corporations tout “open door policies” and a lack of “executive titles” to establish the culture of the office workplace. The new modern office curriculum includes a level of transparency and openness to new ideas unlike previous workplaces in history.

If you work in such an environment, congratulations, you are very lucky.  To be led by true visionaries is an exceptional, sometime fleeting moment in any person’s career.

I have never forgotten the feeling of “being heard” by Dan Gilbert the first week of my career with the Cleveland Cavaliers.  In previous careers and offices, I had always had what I believed to be “good ideas”, but they were squashed with red tape, budget minders and process followers before they were even presented.

Dan Gilbert, legendary owner of The Cleveland Cavaliers, founder of Quicken Loans, was different.  For those who have had the opportunity to learn his business “ISM’s”, it is clear to see how he envisions a “from the bottom” approach to running his family of companies.

After leaving the Cavaliers Organization in 2012, I was afraid that I may never find another team to work with that shared the same approach.  I took several steps back and decided to reenter the world of property management, a previous career, from the very bottom.  

In June 2015 I landed with Redwood Living, a young apartment management company that is thriving and growing at a tremendous rate nationwide.  As a leasing professional, I was tasked with showing model apartments and closing leases in the Columbus, OH region.  I was thrilled with the position and loved helping people find new homes.   

And then the idea struck….

Sometime in July 2015, just one month into my new career, I had an idea for how to approach a new national corporation that was moving to a location nearby.  In my mind, it made all the sense in the world to proactively approach this business and offer them an incentive to drive their new employee base towards Redwood Living when they transferred to the area. I brought this opportunity to the attention of Kris Conwill, COO of Redwood Living Inc. when I met him briefly later that month.

For the second time in my career history, someone heard me. That’s right…me. The person in perhaps the lowest rung of the totem pole of the entire organization… I was heard. And the rest, as they say, is history.  

Much is said of great leaders, and we all have our favorites.  Mine are both historical and those living in my everyday life.  As Dan Gilbert states in his “ISM’s in Action” book, “Being a leader doesn’t give you the right for perks, it gives you the right to motivate others”.

My ability to identify a gap in Redwood Livings current business plan and change it has been successful, in most part, for the simple fact that Kris Conwill heard me, believed in me, and made others listen.  He gave me the opportunity to follow my instinct and thus carve a new career for myself.

The ideas that will bring your organization to the next level may already be out there in the minds of your current team.  Put down the spreadsheets, close your laptop and use your ears.  Give audience to anyone on your team, even briefly, and LISTEN to what they have to say.  Be open to new ideas. Reward passion and allow it to be followed.

My career thus far with Redwood Living has blossomed into a new level of job satisfaction, challenge and balance that I have never known to be possible.  I am grateful for the past leadership that has brought me to this place, and forever thankful to the Redwood Living Leadership Team for hearing me.

 

*Written by Amy Litten, Leasing-Professional-Turned-Corporate-Outreach-Specialist for Redwood Living

6 Questions For A Realtor: How Do I Sell My Home?

I had a conversation with Mark Baughman of The Marks of Excellence Team with Re-Max Traditions about his tips for selling homes. He told me what works (spend your money spiffing up your kitchen and bathroom, people love those!) and what doesn't (Turn off HGTV. They make projects look deceptively simple, which could leave you with a half-completed project to explain to buyers come listing time.) Here are his thoughts on how his team has been putting homes under contract in less than 20 days:

Some mistakes home owners make when they're looking to sell are 
..."pricing their home too high and not making repairs recommended by their realtors."
The first two weeks a home is on the market are very important. This is the period where the most buyers flock to a home. If the house is deemed as over-priced during these initial inquiries, this high-traffic period of opportunity may be lost. If too much additional times passes, you may have to fight the uphill battle of buyers wondering what is wrong with the house that it has been on the market for so long.

In addition, repairs make a difference, so listen to your realtor's recommendations on what you need to do to ready your property for listing.  Mark says "Realtors aren't doing this because we like to make you spend money. We know what makes a house sell."

How do I price my home?
"Contact a realtor to do a market analysis. They should walk through your entire property to get a sense of your home," Mark says. After this, Mark says that they won't dispense any advice until they leave to look at comparables, which are other homes recently on the market with similar features.

What steps should I take to prepare my home to be listed?
"Call a realtor; they'll give you tips and light maintenance you should complete to increase the desirability of your home." After that, they should set up a professional photo shoot to put the polish on your new listing.

So what are some common repairs a realtor may suggest?
Mark recommends keeping an eye out for cosmetic issues such as peeling paint and other light maintenance. For specifics, a professional realtor should visit your home and supply you with a list of specific items to address.
Mark also advises checking out the age of big ticket items such as your roof, furnace, and hot water heater. If any of these are aging, it will come up in an inspection later on in the process, and it is best to be aware of these issues sooner rather than later.

The best time to sell a home is
..."April-August. The kids are in school, and most people don't want to uproot in the middle of a school year."

How long should I expect my house to be on the market?
"The average time in Northeast Ohio is currently 91 days. For a home that is priced right and in good shape, our team is selling homes in the 15-20 day time frame."

I hope the information shared has been helpful, but nothing can replace a one-on-one consultation with a qualified realtor. Mark recommends finding a full-time Trulia and Zillow Premiere Agent to complete a thorough analysis of your home and walk you through the legalities and nuances of the current market in your area. Mark also advises you to make sure that your real estate professional is experienced in selling homes in your area and uses professional photography. Happy home-selling!

Spotlight on Jill Silloway

I've always believed that you can get a great feel for a company by getting to know the leadership. After joining Redwood over a year ago in our Marketing Department, Redwood's rapid growth signaled all the possibilities that lay ahead; what better way to get the gist of an organization's future than to have a sit-down with a member of the team leading us today?

Chief Financial Officer Jill Silloway joined the Redwood team in September 2014 after developing a close relationship with the company through her background in banking. As a member of Redwood's Executive team, she shared her thoughts with me on leadership and success in a corporate environment:

We started off discussing the most valuable thing Jill has learned from being a part of the Redwood team, at which point Jill told me that "Our core values make us a better business." Focusing on the theme of collaboration, which is reflected in several of the core values, Jill addresses the importance of teamwork. For reference, Redwood's core values are:

• Do one thing really well
• Be entrepreneurial
• Serve those you lead
• Deliver more than expected
• Communicate openly & honestly
• Instill family & team spirit
• Demonstrate integrity & authenticity
• Be nice & have fun 

When it comes to Redwood's second and third core values, the question of leadership and how best to contribute in a leadership position is a frequent concern of any professional. Jill's response to the best way to become a leader is to "Take on the functions of the next position without waiting for a promotion; establish stretch goals. Stretch your comfort zone.", which makes a lot of sense: what better way to grow than to challenge yourself?

Recognizing that stretching is not always comfortable, Jill explains that "Flexibility is a big word to me. Hopefully you're surrounded with flexible people. Focus on the end goal and make sure you agree on that goal. Communication is key."

Lastly, some sound advice on serving those you lead: "Make sure that you coach your team. It's rewarding to see a person's skill set improve. When it does, I win, too!"

Do any of Redwood's core values speak to you? Let us know in the comments!

*Written by Sharae Richmond, Digital Marketing Associate for Redwood Living

Living The Redwood Lifestyle

I’ve lived in more apartments than I care to count. Each of the places I’ve lived have varied wildly and it’s always the little things that make living in one place significantly better than another.

Stairs

Before moving into my Redwood apartment, I was living in a small 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom third floor walk-up in a very old building. The building did have an elevator, which was the size of a phone booth (if you can remember those) and it was routinely out of order. I’m an active person and I don’t mind taking the stairs…but there’s a difference between being okay with taking the stairs and having to carry everything in your life up the stairs…every single day.

I love the fact that my spacious 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment has no stairs! And, my 11 year old beagle appreciates that too. So do my friends who have children – it’s amazing how clumsy kids are…not having stairs removes one enormous tripping hazard. Plus, grocery shopping is never ever a chore.

Garage – Attached

I’ve had garage parking and covered parking, even assigned parking spots. Every one of those came with an additional fee (for the privilege of having my car covered?) and more than a few steps to my actual apartment. Having an attached garage has completely changed my life! I know, I’m being dramatic. There are other significantly more important things in my world, other than this attached garage, but I can’t think of any of them right now – it just gives me life! If I forget my purse in the car…two steps and I’m back in my apartment. And don’t get me started on the snow situation – best
thing ever!

Responsive Maintenance

A few months ago, I came home to my lovely Redwood apartment and reached into a completely warm refrigerator. My first thought was to panic about the food and how long the fridge had been out, but I looked up and saw the emergency maintenance sticker. I gave them a call and there was a new fridge in my apartment within the hour – within the hour! I barely had enough time to get all the stuff out of the fridge before the new one was at my door. Every issues I’ve ever had since living at Redwood has been addressed within hours, not days, hours. I can tell you from experience, that is absolutely atypical.

Simple, Classic Finishes

Although I love art deco design and other architectural styles, they are so specific that it can be difficult to decorate around. One of the best things about Redwood is that the finishes are beautifully simple. The colors and molding are neutral and make decorating a complete breeze – it’s a blank canvas, for me to show my style. I love that. I’ve never been this excited about putting my decorating touches on my home. I’m really able to make it feel like a home, instead of just some place I live.

Overall, I simply appreciate the little things that are different here at Redwood. The amount of space, the fact that it’s really a community, the location (which is ideal for me), and the care and maintenance that the management company puts into the property. It’s been two years and I still feel great about my decision to live the Redwood lifestyle. 

*Written by Lindsay S., Redwood resident.

Giving Thanks Is Great; Gratitude In Action Is Better

Giving someone “thanks” comes in all shapes, sizes, contexts, and, yes, degrees of sincerity. Hopefully you know by now, Redwood Residents, that February is our annual Resident Appreciation Month. We began this last year and plan to continue it every February for as long as Redwood builds and manages apartment home communities. We’re proud of what we do, but know beyond any doubt something very obvious (but super important): without residents, we are nothing but a bunch of empty buildings (with private attached garages). But what else are we—and who are you to us?

This month, so far, we’ve had a couple of “breakfast on the go” events, handed out some useful cold weather items, and offered all of our residents the chance to win a cruise. We’re glad to be doing these things and without budget constraints we would do even more. But I daresay that the individual items and activities are not the only way to look at what we’re doing, and perhaps not the most important way in the long run.

A cruise, pair of texting gloves, and bagels & juice are all things that come and go relatively quickly. Hopefully they are good memories and offer a positive contribution to your overall sense of satisfaction with being a Redwood resident. 

Another way to look at what we’re doing is seeing it as Gratitude in Action. Anyone can say thanks, anyone can hand out stuff, and anyone with the budget can offer cruises as prizes. What we believe we are offering in addition to all of that is a demonstration of sincere gratitude.

Gratitude is a deeper engagement than “thanks” because Gratitude in Action recognizes you as a person, not just a Redwood Resident. So hopefully when we look you in the eye, smile, and offer you a token of thanks it feels deeper than doing something because it’s the time to do it.

We appreciate all our residents year-round, and we hope our actions express our gratitude. 

*Written by Luke Frazier, Director of Marketing at Redwood.