Sven Andersen, CRS, RE/MAX Leading Edge, Winchester, Mass.

What is the difference between being a REALTOR^® and a CRS?

The Designation elevates your practice because you have the opportunity to meet and learn from the best CRSs in the business. Networking enabled me to ask for insights into best practices so we don’t have to recreate the wheel. In my opinion, being a CRS Designee elevates the level of professionalism in my business practices. Both personally and professionally, I have grown because of my CRS Designation.

What aspect of being a CRS has been most helpful to your business?

I would say that sharing marketing ideas with other CRS members has been the most helpful. We’ve formed a small marketing group to float ideas. It is a real advantage to be able to bounce ideas off people who aren’t in your market — people who are happy to share because you’re not competing directly against them. We also have a group that gets together at Sell-a-bration^®. We review which databases are most helpful, and are worth the money. Sell-a-bration® has been a great way to reconnect with other successful CRS members across the country.

What part of the buying process interests you the most?

I really love the entire process, but I have to say that I look forward to that “light bulb” moment when clients get that look on their faces — that this is the home they want, this is where they want to spend the next phase of their lives.

I understand that you spoke at the recent Sell-a-bration^®. What did you talk about?

The do’s and don’ts of having a real estate team; what to do to keep your team focused, and who you should hire and why. I covered the best of what I’ve learned over the years it took me to grow my own team.

How do you approach marketing your business now?

When I first started, I didn’t really toot my own horn. My business grew slowly and steadily and I built up my client and referral base. Now I shout it from the rooftops that I am working for you. I spend as much time as possible working with each client. For most people, buying a home is the largest financial investment they’ll ever make, so I want them to know that I am there for them. To me, they are not just my clients, they are part of my life, my circle — they are “my tribe.” And they do a great job of telling their friends, family and co-workers that if they are thinking about buying or selling, they need to call me first.

It sounds as if you’re speaking from experience.

I’ve made some mistakes in the past, but now I think we have a great team in place. For example, we now have an operations manager on board who manages three full-time REALTORS® and their buyers, and who also acts as a closing coordinator. He manages the entire process alongside our buyers’ agents through closing and beyond. We also have a listing coordinator to manage the listings and make sure all the pre-listing details are in order. My listing coordinator/assistant helps me in our day-to-day activities and has been instrumental in helping me grow our team. Together we continue to keep our clients happy. In this business, it’s rare to find someone who likes to do everything; the key to success is finding the right people to do the parts of the business they’re best at and continue to challenge them while giving them the tools to meet and exceed their goals.

What about the real estate business gets you fired up?

I love the competitive spirit of this business — competing for listings, the process of negotiating offers and helping my buyers’ agents. We are currently building a buyer’s package to help our team capture more buyers and to have a streamlined process for conversion.

We have also put a system in place to measure ROI with our new operations manager. We look at all the metrics for each process to see if it’s working. When we conduct our periodic review, we alter anything that is not worthwhile. We spend so much money in this business, you have to make sure you’re keeping an eye on everything. For me, the biggest help has been the book The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, by Gary Keller. It is the best book around. I look at it as the ultimate guide to leverage our business.

When you are looking to add to your team, what kind of person are you looking for? Is it someone who has a great track record in real estate or someone with a key skill set?

I’m generally looking for someone with the right skill set. Our operations manager has all the right skills: He’s detail-oriented and knows schedules, but he was working in a law firm and wasn’t being challenged — he did not work in real estate at all. He stays on top of everything. I can’t be everything to everybody — you lose focus when you do that. That’s my motto for my team. We are prosperous because we are experts in our marketplace and in building our business.

What is your market like?

We are eight miles outside of Boston. The caliber of clients we deal with — professors, doctors, attorneys, financial professionals — crave a level of service they can’t get elsewhere. We treat them well — we’ll pick them up at the airport if they’re coming in from out of town, and we make sure they have a meal.

We educate our clients to make good business decisions — we don’t “sell” to them. When you help clients with one of their largest investments (typically real estate), it is very rewarding and they truly appreciate you. That’s when they refer their friends and family.

Sven Andersen, CRS, achieved his CRS Designation in 2008. He can be reached at 617.571.5358, or visit him at www.theandersenteam.com.