078: Hospitality Tips for the Holidays and Beyond with Christine Hansen

Center for REALTOR® Development

Christine Hansen and I had such a great conversation that came out for our December episode, that we decided to continue it for you for a Bonus Episode! And at this point, we got to know each other a little bit better and you can hear us just talking so excitedly; we are so happy to be talking about this holiday topic, hospitality! We’re having a conversation about, what does that look like? Hosting people with less stress. And being a good guest for the holidays, and beyond! Christine also gives us some great ideas for transferring these principles into your real estate business. We also talk about ways to have fun that are simple and intentional!

Just as a recap, Christine Hansen is the Broker-Owner of Century 21 Hansen Realty in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She’s been an agent for many years and she’s been very active in association leadership at the local, state, and national levels, recently on the leadership team for NAR. Christine is passionate about well-being in the lives of REALTORS®! I am thrilled to bring you this Bonus Episode with Christine Hansen.

[3:01] To Christine, hospitality means you invite people to your home, or you’re invited to someone’s home. Christine and Monica talk about how to be a good host (and have an easy time hosting).

[4:37] As a guest, if you’re invited to bring something, find out what will work within the venue. If you bring something that doesn’t go with the dinner, it’s a gift.

[5:53] If you are anxious about hosting dinner in your home, you can order and bring things in.

[7:25] We put way too much on ourselves when it’s really about friends getting together for laughs, to break bread, and create some amazing memories.

[8:44] For years, Monica and her husband would serve everybody pizza that they made and a salad. Or they prepared a taco bar. It comes down to your comfort in serving a simple meal so you can have companionship.

[9:52] Think about a theme. It makes it fun and it creates an expectation for the evening.

[10:34] When you’re a guest, if you say you’re coming, don’t cancel at the last minute. Your commitments matter.

[11:20] Now after the pandemic, we’re getting busy again. Monica stresses the importance of being with people and being present and the importance of community.

[11:49] Monica has heard people say they don’t want to plan something because no one will commit. Choose what you want to do and what’s important to you, and do it.

[12:36] There are so many things dividing people. When you can build community, by getting together, laughing, eating, and playing games together, it means so much.

[16:14] When REALTORS® are with buyers and sellers, you are kind of hosting them. One of the things you can do to be the best host is to not overwhelm buyers and sellers with too many choices or decisions. Christine did a role-play with two of her agents.

[17:23] Christine asked each agent in the roleplay how they felt.

[26:34] Have confidence in yourself as a REALTOR® to let your clients know that you have the right to some time off. Don’t spend hours of your vacation working on deals. Make it normal. Tell your customers, “I will be out of town this week and my co-worker, Susy, will be overseeing everything.”

[28:51] This is setting expectations. When we set good expectations and don’t surprise people, it goes well. Don’t “sneak” out of town and be unreachable to your customers without letting them know.

[30:03] Christine used to hold massive parties. She loved looking around and seeing the house filled with joy and people talking with holiday cheer and spirit. That warmed her heart. Now, she holds smaller casual game nights. She sees people laughing and talking and she says, this is what life is about.

[33:15] Christine’s final word: “I wish everyone so much joy. Make each day count. Again, it’s “the present,” which means the gift. Each and every one of you is unique and you deserve to have the most amazing life.

Tweetables:

“As a host, … come up with some things that are easy for your guests to bring because they don’t want to walk in the door empty-handed. And as a guest, if you’re invited and they do ask you to bring something, … find out what’s going to work within the venue.” — Christine

“If these are your friends and you’re welcoming them into your home, they’re going to love being in your space just the way it is.” — Christine

“We put way too much on ourselves when it’s really about friends getting together for laughs, to break some bread, and create some amazing memories. So, be you and there’s nothing wrong with ordering in from a restaurant and then plating it.” — Christine

“I cannot be in the kitchen cooking and having people there. I’m not a big cook. I need my concentration!” — Christine

“Every single time I’ve ever felt like, ‘Oh, man, I’m tired, I wish I hadn’t said yes,’ and I’d go, I’ve had the best time! … Remember that our life is made up of nice little times of memories and experiences, all lumped together. You want to be able to have those.” — Christine

“We project people’s opinions on us more than we have to.” — Christine

“What are you doing [by telling your client that you’re going on vacation]? Setting expectations. And when we set good expectations and don’t surprise people, it goes well.” — Monica

“At times [in a party], I just make myself pause and I look around the table and I see people laughing or talking and I’m like, ‘This is what life is about!’” — Christine

Guest Links:

Christine Hansen

You Can Heal Your Life, Study course by Louise Hay

Ron Phipps, 2011 NAR President

Stand Up For Your Life, by Cheryl Richardson

Dare To Lead podcast, by Brené Brown

You Can Heal Your Life, by Louise Hay

Episode 8 with Mark Given

Episode 9

Episode 36 with Keith Davis

Episode 63 with Brent Lancaster

Episode 46 with Sean Carpenter

Additional Links:

Micro courses found at Learning.REALTOR. Use the coupon code PODCAST to obtain 15% off the price of any online class!

Crdpodcast.com

Learning.REALTOR for NAR Online Education

Training4RE.com — List of Classroom Courses from NAR and its affiliates

[e-mail]

Host Information:

Monica Neubauer

Speaker/Podcaster/REALTOR®

[e-mail]

MonicaNeubauer.com

FranklinTNBlog.com

Monica’s Facebook Page

Facebook.com/Monica.Neubauer

Instagram

Instagram.com/MonicaNeubauerSpeaks

Christine Hansen Bio:A REALTOR® for more than 30 years, Christine has been active in local, state, and national association leadership for many years. In 2018, she was the REALTOR® of the Year for what was, at the time, REALTORS® of the Palm Beaches and Greater Fort Lauderdale Association. 2018 Florida REALTORS® President. 2019 Florida REALTORS® — REALTOR® of the Year. 2019 NAR REALTOR® Party Director. 2020 NAR Vice President of Advocacy. 2021‒2022 on the NAR Executive Committee. She has been a NAR Director almost continuously since 2006. She has held numerous committee and task force posts with the REALTORS® of the Palm Beaches and Greater Fort Lauderdale Association, which is now Broward, Palm Beaches, and St. Lucie REALTORS®. She is the Broker-Owner of Century 21 Hansen Realty in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a full-service 80-practitioner-strong real estate company. Her mother, Anita Hansen, was a REALTOR® and founded the Hansen company. Her daughter and son-in-law are also REALTORS® in Florida. She comes from the family business! Christine is a life coach and a trained mediator. She is also active in charitable activities, locally and nationwide.

Licensed in 1987, obtaining Brokers license in 1989

2007 President of Great Fort Lauderdale REALTORS®

2009 NAR leadership team

2017 NAR Liaison of Member Communications

2018 Florida Realtor President

2019 Florida REALTORS® — REALTOR® of the Year

2019 NAR REALTOR® Party Director

2020 NAR Vice President of Advocacy

2021‒2022 NAR Executive Committee

Designations & Certifications: CRB/CIPS/GRI/AHWD

Licensed since 2007 to teach You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay

Broker/Owner Century 21 Hansen Realty which was established in 1977

2nd tier Hall of Fame RPAC 2021

WCR Member since 2003

Christine Hansen

Broker-Owner

Century 21 Hansen Realty

3010 E. Commercial Blvd.

Ft. Lauderdale, Fl 33308

Est. 1977

954-817-4881 call/text