Marketing

Top marketing tips for real estate agents

Every real estate agent wants to grow their business and marketing strategies, to play a great role in capturing the attention of their potential clients. Real estate agents are the key in the home buying process. The real estate industries are very competitive. For your company to be among the best, the agents have to be creative and always looking for new ideas to promote their business. Here are some marketing tips that can help your company to the next level.

1.   Use images and videos on social media sharing

It’s ideal to include images and videos in your digital marketing strategies when you are networking. Images and videos increase the customer’s engagement levels with the company. They make it easy for the companies to incorporate their key elements into all of their post.

Videos and picture have grown in popularity due to social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram among others. Videos are fun and easy to connect with your network. The user can live stream longer videos and share clips of the videos in platforms like Instagram. Carry around cameras and tiny computer with the ability to capture high-quality videos and images and sharing will be easier than ever.

2.   Create a virtual tour

Create a unique culture inside your business that you can show. Get also involved in community activities. Create a virtual tour of your business that customers rave about. Break the video into several pieces and follow different agent in a month.

These virtual tours and videos help the company to show case the operations of your business. This will make the people reach out and work with the company. Software makes it possible for the real agents to capture and create their own 3D virtue tours. Make a virtual tour to impress your buyers.

3.   Market yourself on Zillow

Zillow has over 190 million viewers per month. The site provides the opportunity to get your business in the forefront. Zillow makes a list of the set up your own profile which will enable you to share your listing with potential clients and with a larger group of audience. This increases the chances of getting a new buyer.

Majority of the leads starts off on Zillow. Most of the people after starting Zillow never leave. It is an ideal means of marketing your services and products as a buyer’s agent for your success. Research shows that agents who market themselves on Zillow sell many properties per year compared to those who don’t market themselves.

4.   Create Real Estate blog ideas to your site

Build a blog and create content and make the most effective use of SEO. Blogging is becoming popular with the majority of companies. It offers your clients the insight value of your company. When creating the blog major on the best content that will attract potential customers. Put yourself in the situation of a homeowner who is moving to an area and come up with new ideas and content as an agent.

Make if simple for people to go through your main website and your profile pages for people to learn more about you and your business. Create images on your posts to make them more interesting.

5.   Make partnership with local businesses

This is a unique way to encourage your potential buyers to visit your open house which will enable you to set up in different rooms of the house. Use local connections and partner with coffee shops, home décor showrooms, clothing boutiques among other and invite them in your open house to promote listing. This will make the potential buyers to explore each and every room.

Agents

How to Become a Real Estate Agent

So you want to get into Real Estate!

Maybe you are interested in being your own boss and having a flexible schedule, or you’re attracted by the great average salary and satisfaction that comes from helping someone find a new home for their family. Whatever reason you have, Real Estate is a great business and can be relatively easy to get into, but it’s important that you follow the right steps.

  • Save up a nest egg

This is very important because you will mainly be spending the first few months of your real estate career building up a client base and finding your niche, so you want to make sure you have some savings to cover you for a bit.

  • Find out your state’s requirements

Other than being over the age of 18 and a US Citizen, every state has different education requirements and certification courses for becoming a real estate agent. Contact your state’s real estate commission to see what exactly you need to be licensed in your state.

  • Get to know your market

Take stock of what the area you’d like to work in is like. Is it mostly young renters or established families? Is it a neighborhood of timeshares for snowbirds or penthouse apartments? The more you know about the price ranges and types of real estate in your area, the more prepared you’ll be to help your clients.

  • Find a broker

Unless you become a broker yourself, you’ll need to find one to work with. Though you will technically work for yourself, the broker is the umbrella company you will work under. Find one with a good reputation that people trust. That doesn’t necessarily mean go with the famous ones, because you might be happier or find more success working for a local real estate broker. It just depends on what kind of market you want to focus in and whether you personally feel good about working with them.

  • Make friends with someone in the field

When you’re first starting out you will probably have LOTS of questions and unique scenarios that you’ll want advice on. If you can find someone who’s been in real estate for some time to become your mentor, you’ll have someone to go to when you have those questions.

  • Market & Network

No one is going to hire you if they don’t know who you are! At first it will probably seem weird, asking your friends and family if they know anyone who is looking for or selling a house but once it starts bringing in clients, you’ll understand why it’s necessary. Make business cards, print ads and fliers, anything to get your name and face out there.

Being a real estate agent can be a very interesting and gratifying career, so best of luck!

Agents

What do real estate agents do for buyers?

Being a real estate agent is one rewarding career and has lots of benefits. Real estate agents assist home buyers especially the first time homebuyers in finding homes and properties for sale. They usually help people in collecting information about the place and on their soon to be neighbors. They help first time buyers to identify property values and negotiate prices to ensure that deals will push through.

A real estate agent should also assist buyers who are looking for a place to live to be aware of the possible problems of living on that particular place. They should also how to check several issues that pertains on the land, homeowners association or insurances. They help to solve issues that will somehow affect the selling price of a home and assist them to make small changes to increase the home’s value.

A real estate agent also helps buyer to identify what type of home they want to have especially first time buyers. First time buyers may not know what they want but they have a gut feel what they want. Real estate agents know what houses will have a better fit to a buyer and what are the reasons why they will buy the house.

One of the most important functions of a real estate agent is to negotiate transactions and help the buyer to settle that transactions. The agent negotiates a good deal for the buyer as well as educating them about its market. Before the buyer purchase the house, the real estate agent usually work with other people who will ensure that all of the documents has been completed and properly filled up. This work might involve working with bank managers, assessors and brokers.

For a first time buyer, they should ask the help of a real estate agent to provide them with information about the sale of the homes, how long that home is in the market and what are the ins and outs of the real estate market. A real estate agent should also bear in mind, though much help is being given to the buyer, it is ultimately the buyer’s decision what house to buy and what price and terms they wish to have. Buyers on the other hand should trust their real estate agent in educating them on the home being offered.

Real estate agents should also be able to work with other professionals. They work with attorneys or other company representatives that will help them in the buying process. Real estate agents are not lawyers so they need to work with these people to ensure smooth transactions and get help in tax advises and other legal issues. Real estate agents can give background information for homes but they are not experts and will suggest to the buyers certain services on other professional as the need arises.

Real estate agent also helps clients who would want to sell the house and help them set its price. The price is usually based on sales of the same house in the area. Real estate agent will also advise the seller on what to prepare for the house to be on display and make the home more appealing for soon to be buyers. The agent should also advise the seller to keep the house clean, do some basic repairs and decorations and painting the walls. The real estate agent will help the seller advertise the home to the public. If someone is interested in buying the house, the real estate agent arranges a tripping to the buyer. They can also have an open house where anyone can come to talk a look at the house for sale and ask questions and information about the home. When an interested buyer wants the house, the real estate agent will then advise the seller whether to accept it and then will process the sale if it was accepted.

A good real estate agent talks the truth to his clients. Buyers would want to hear the truth about the homes they want to buy. If there are odors, clutter and dirt in the house you are selling it is best to tell the truth and suggest ways to help improve it. A good real estate agent should not be afraid to tell the truth and be rewarded for it.

A real estate agent should be prepared to give advice and guidance. He should be prepared to help the seller highlight the positive image of the house and try to help eliminating the bad things about the house. He should be able to name few people to do the cleaning and do the renovations. He should have contacts who have businesses that will help them clean and make the house look good.

A real estate agent should give feedback and follow ups. The buyer needs to see what is being sold. Real estate agent should make it a point to follow up the buyers interested in buying the house. He should also be available whatever time the buyer wants to visit the place. They should know when to keep in touch with clients and give feedbacks particularly on its price and house conditions. An agent should also supply information on competitors’ houses that are in the market. They should do research on other properties to ensure that the houses being sold are priced properly.

A good real estate agent should be able to help clients from choosing up to the purchase of the house. This house is your client’s place to unwind and relax, you should make it a friendly and cozy place for them to enjoy their money’s worth.

Real estate agents should know how to work with people, should have an understanding of how to work with them giving their best to assist clients to arrive at the right decision of which house to buy making them satisfied with the choices they made. With patience, dedication and hard work, a real estate agent will be successful in his chosen career.

Agents, Marketing

Knowing Your clients Lifestyle is Key

With about five millions homes sold every year in the United States alone, you can rest assured there are profits to be made in the real estate industry. From first time buyers to seasoned home owners looking for their dream home, many individuals are turning to real estate agents to help find their ideal home. While there are obviously many buyers, the market for real estate agents is however, saturated and very competitive. So what sets apart top real estate agents from others? The ability to adapt to their audience.Your ability to determine and apply your buyer’s needs to the homes you show and sell, is vital! We are here to discuss exactly how to so.

Know your clients lifestyle

Understanding your client’s current or desired lifestyle is instrumental to understanding which type of home they may enjoy best. This will also help you determine location, amenities, budget, and other factors we will discuss further. For example, when selling to a young and newly married first time buyer, a home featuring plenty of room for growing children may be exactly what they are searching for. Whereas, someone in their 60’s may be searching for a home to comfortably retire in.This individual may prefer a home with fewer stairs and downstairs bedrooms to accommodate their hybrid long-term care needs. If you were to fail to recognize these lifestyle differences you may lose time showing homes that do not accommodate their needs thus, costing you a sale and time. 

Your client’s lifestyle can also provide insights into their overall style. Someone who works from home may prefer a space with a home office and someone who works in interior design may be more focused on more modern finishes. Additionally, it is always important to discuss budget in order to determine which home would best meet their desired price point. Chances are even if a home meets all of their desired criteria, if the price point is way above their budget this home will not be the home for them. Understanding your client’s needs and overall lifestyle will be key to finding and selling homes faster and more effectively to each client. A better understanding will also improve each client’s overall client experience when working with you over other agents. 

Agents, Marketing

4 great tips for selling luxury real estate

The art of selling luxury real estate is undoubtedly in a class of its own. Unlike typical real estate, luxury real estate needs some smart push to get through with – as far as sales are concerned.

  1. Impressions are everything

Just like with every other real estate, luxury real estate has a lot to do with first impressions. You want that potential buyer to be thrilled by that first photo of your property that they see. This means that you need to stage your home in such a way as to turn on buyers. Put considerable effort into this stage of the real estate selling process.

2. Be patient

No matter how bright or dull the market looks like, you’ll want to hold your horns and be patient with the entire process. Some sellers mess up by rushing the process. You don’t want to ignore those pesky details that might influence the meaning of your real estate pricing. The point is that you don’t want to cause tension with agents, or put of buyers by being hasty. Follow the leads of your agent(s), and be sure to think deep throughout the process.

3. Work with your agent

If you have a real estate agent, you’ll want to put your heads together and work as a team. The agent knows some hard truths, and possesses essential skills, on selling real estate. They will help you mitigate the relationships with the buyer and take care of those technical tidbits on your behalf. This way, you won’t be losing your sanity trying to grasp what goes in real estate. 

4. Consider adding in some incentives

If you have something that can sweeten the deal for you, you might want to make sure that you include it. Maybe you got some hand-picked works of art, or some antique furniture. These things can greatly add to the worth of luxury real estate.

Agents

How to make it in the real estate business

A real estate agent requires having expert online and offline marketing skills to emerge as the best from the others. The real estate agents have ups and downs. But it’s a great field to start and grow your own business since there will always be people looking to buy and sell properties.

To grow in any business you need to have a targeted approach to finding people at networking events. Connect with people who can help you the most when you are in social events; people who you can share with advice or help each other with finances. When you master the targeted approach, you will get a lot of profit from networking if you commit to your purpose. Below are some tips to keep in mind as you take your real estate business.

Develop a Business Plan

 A business plan is one of the most important things on your long-term success. Set the right financial goals for your business. The instructions that you set in your business plan will help you to focus on the ideal practices and help you start your business without spending a lot of money. Don’t let your clients to keep your clients keep your away from budgeting task and organizations of the business.

Give your business plan some real thoughts and stick to it. Put more attention to the things that distinguish you from the other real agents in your area. Get your personal and business identities come together for you to make a great profit.

Have a website

Research shows that majority of the buyers make their first step in home research through online. Every real agent needs a website to attract and engage online chats with their clients. Despite how much you do your marketing, website presence is also important. A SEO- website that enables you to reach to IDX listing and leads to your CRM is an ideal base for a very successful real estate business. This does not cost a lot of money to start.

As a real estate agent, after putting these assets in place, start moving towards a constant and continuous social media strategy and blogging to create more leads.

Get good time management

The wish of every person is to have more time and energy for the things that really light them up. It’s important to put time management into your business plan which most real agents who set to build their business don’t put into plan. This makes them to have to roll up their sleeves and they end up revolving around the team members.

The ability to have time management for both your team and yourself is a key to motivation. This makes the agent not to leave in the process of the business. Manage time properly as a real agent so that you can have time for both your business and family.

Obtain a real estate license

The first step in your real estate business is to get a real estate license. Confirm with your local real estate bureau to understand the requirements in terms of qualification, cost of getting the license, and timeline among other things since they differ from one state to another.

After obtaining your license, you can rent real estate, broker, or regally sell I the state. However, most of the states recommend you to work with brokerage for the first two or three years as an agent.

Get a brokerage

A brokerage is an agency where real estate agents work. The state will require you to take a test so that you can become a qualified real estate agent. This will take a couple of months so that you can qualify to sell properties in service of large companies or as an independent real estate agent.

After passing the broker’s exams, you can also start your own agency and collect commission from the agents that work for you. When selecting a brokerage, take into consideration the mentorships, commission structure, and the culture of the company. Choose a culture that people will be excited to learn from.

Buyers

How to find the best location to buy a house

Find out the future development of the neighborhood before relocating. Do some research about the city and choose the one that best matches your needs. Here are some tips to help you choose the right neighborhood when buying a home;

Local Business and Shopping

Visit the communities local chambers for information about the businesses taking place in the area and there representatives. Drive to the nearby stores and malls to find out what is happening. Check whether they are vacant or thriving with business. These local businesses are a great indication how the neighborhood state is. Contact the business people around and ask them there opinion on working in the community.

Taxes

You can access the information on tax rates of different community on public. Browse the community’s website or call the local municipality to obtain the information you require. Best real estate agent should tell the current tax rates of the area. Tax rate vary in different communities. Check the tax pattern over the past several years it can help you predict the future.

Schools

The schools are important thing to consider when buying a home. Whether you have children or not schools have an impact on future sale or the development of the community.

You can ask the real estate agent to provide you with the information about the schools; you can call the district school main office and find out more about the schools. Most communities offer information on the website, you can directly take the information from there. The best and right information comes directly from the district. You can also get great information within a specific community of interest from Greatschools.org. 

Public Transportation

It is important to check the public transport when selecting a neighborhood. Visit the area during the peak hours. Make a drive around during morning rush hour. This will give you the daily average time to commute. Are the buses, rail lines, and buses within a convenient place? Homes with easy accessibility to transport have high prices than those without. Homes with high-frequency public are fared better than those without.

Consider your monthly budget

In the long run, your monthly expenses will determine whether you can afford the neighborhood. Property tax rates vary in different neighborhoods; they can be high in certain communities that that can cause a significant add in your monthly payments. Take a look at the past few years and check the change in the tax rates. Compare the tax rates with different neighborhoods; this will help you choose the place that you can budget for. Do some research on homeowners association fees. The fee can also affect the affordability of the neighborhood.

Watch out for red flags

When investing in a neighborhood, explore different areas that can affect the value the value of your house in the future when you decide to sell. Visit the neighborhood and see whether there is any construction taking place and might affect you. The construction can affect the future sale of your house positively or affect you day-to-day activities. If it is a new highway, you may consider dealing with increased traffic and construction noise. Check if the properties within the area are rapidly decreasing. Are there a good number of abandoned houses? These issues are not a good indicator; the neighborhood might be having low returns. A professional local real estate agent can help you with the information.

Recreation Activities

Make sure the recreational activities within the neighborhood fit your lifestyle. Check for nearby pools for kids and adults. If you love cycling, check for bike paths in the area. Look for a neighborhood that supports your leisure activities as much as possible. Check whether there are people walking on the sidewalks, sitting on their porches, walking there dogs, or children waling to school. This is a sign that the neighborhood is a great and safe community.

Crime rate

Check with the municipal police department website for previous history on crime rate in the neighborhood. Research for more information in the local newspaper. It is important to choose the right neighborhood when buying a home. The internet is also a good source for crime information. You can also check the police departments. They have information about specific neighborhoods, community policing, and crime prevention.

Homes sell quickly

Consult with a real estate agent, and compare the market analysis. Homes that sell out fast indicate signs of a good neighborhood with high demands. The agents will help you know how quick the homes are selling. A growing population, limited homes for sale, and employers moving to the neighborhood are good indication of a good neighborhood.

Great city services

Check whether the streets are well-maintained and paved, is the trash picked? Visit during the evening hours check whether the street lights are working and in a good condition. Are there vacant homes with cracked windows an overgrown weed? Look at the sidewalks and see if they are cracked.

Presence of Churches

Churches, mosques, and synagogues are a good sign of community strength, unity, and evidence that the people within are connected and invested.

Future Development

The future development of a community is very important. Research whether there are any discussions about expansion of schools, construction of new libraries, new community center, or malls between the municipality and the estate’s agents. Any information regarding future development is a positive impact on the resale of your home in the future.

Walkability

Look for walking paths, sidewalks, or a busy road with good crosswalks; Walkability in the area that you want to live matters. Sidewalks provide a safer passage for the pedestrians. It matter when you need to walk your dog or kids to school, to the park or a nearby friend’s house within the neighborhood. Having a place that you can get to by foot can be a big benefit when picking a neighborhood if walkability is your life style. Parks, stores, trails, or public service should be within a walkable distance.

The Neighbors Themselves

When buying a home find out are your neighbors. Living in a lousy neighborhood can cause you problems when it comes to time to sell. Real estate agents can help you know whether or not there is a problem that can case resale problem. A friendly neighborhood will create a healthy environment for you to live in. You can check with the local depart police if the surrounding properties had have disturbance that may disturb you.

Nightlife

Check whether the neighborhood offers easy access to night life. Majority of the people love to experience city’s nightlife and wants a neighborhood with the life style. The neighborhood should have easy access to the bar which is safe without driving. Most of the buyers see it as an attraction.