Daniel Silvestre Garcia, CRS, RE/MAX North, San Antonio, Texas

200 320 Daniel Garcia 29177 fmt1 — Daniel Silvestre Garcia, CRS, uses social media marketing to keep people engaged. San Antonio has a low unemployment rate 3.7 percent. Most sellers move every 57 years, and military families move every 23 years. San Antonio features major attractions, such as the River Walk (pictured here), a network of walkways lined with shops and restaurants that winds along the San Antonio River.

Why did you decide to pursue a CRS Designation?

I started selling in 2006 and once I was established, I looked up the top producers in my market. I thought to myself, Everybodys got 24 hours in a day, how did these people get to be so good? What did they all have in common? I saw that they all had the CRS Designation after their names, so I knew I wanted that same skill set. I had to hit the ground running to get prepared for the application, but luckily my production numbers were strong enough that I was able to get in the next set of classes. I received the Designation in November 2014.

How has having the designation affected the way you do business now?

It has been in the most positive way, a way I could not have expected. Theres a different culture with CRS Designees. When I go to seminars, we share ideas about what works and what doesnt. This ability to share ideas filters out the marketing noise from the people who are trying to sell you this or that. If you ask your peers in different states or even different countries about a problem or a technique, they are happy to share their knowledge.

And as you attend more seminars, you notice a shift in the style of marketing innovations. Tech is the fastest moving target; it gets things done the fastest and everyone always wants to have the latest gadget. But the best top producers the CRSs know that real estate isnt a sales business, its about service. Its about making that phone call to check in with people so they know you care about them.

Do you network with other CRS members or other REALTORS®?

Yes. Somebody may have a better idea about some aspect of the business and may put it in a way you can understand. And sometimes its not necessarily about adding new techniques or marketing models to your business. If youre doing the right things, magnify those things and make them larger. For instance, if you already have good marketing in place within certain areas, just make an additional touch point within your sphere of influence, like sending a postcard to a client to say, I was just in your neighborhood, and I thought Id see how you are doing. You dont want to seem too intrusive, but its just a way to keep your name in front of clients.

What CRS tools have you found helpful?

I use the CRS database crs.com/find-a-crs. There are so many cities represented that in order to focus my searches more effectively, I check in every few weeks with the local board of REALTORS^® to see which cities, counties and states are sending the most buyers to San Antonio. With that information, I can concentrate on contacting CRS members in those areas to get referrals. If those clients are working with a CRS where they are, they are more likely to want a CRS in their target city.

What aspect of your business is the most satisfying?

Seeing a family purchase a home when they are at the beginning of that process of creating a home is truly heart-warming. Their kids are so excited because they might finally be getting their own rooms! Or, some of my clients might say, Were having a birthday party and inviting people to our apartment. But once theyve made a home purchase, they are so happy to be able to invite friends and family into their home.

Daniel Silvestre Garcia has been a CRS since 2014. He can be reached at 210.363.8965 or danielgarcia@remax.net. Visit him at www.sanantonioliving.info.