Many realtors are likely viewing the Covid-19 virus as a hindrance to their business and career. It's a natural reaction. Normal as we know it has halted, and it's likely that even when we're back to business as usual, it won't really be business as usual.
During this challenging time, the general public probably won't hear from the vast majority of real estate agents in their area, but – on the other hand – this is a good time for those with a little drive and ingenuity to market themselves in a unique way, a way that will help potential clients remember your name when things return to the new normal.
Indeed, you can tastefully market your services and even continue to promote any listings you have while still showing your caring and
We all know the pandemic really isn’t over yet. Scientists and medical professionals tell us it could come back in surges or simply stick around for a while.
But as much of the country tries to return to some semblance of normal, agents are starting to think about the best way to show their new or existing listings, paying close consideration to keep all parties safe and healthy.
Whether you’re working with the potential buyers for your listing or whether they are someone else’s clients, you should have some guidelines in place that can be shared with them before, during, and after the showings. These will need to be okayed by and shared with your sellers, too, as well as all agents that wish to show the house.
If you’re a realtor – whether you’ve been one for decades or are just getting your career started – you’re no doubt viewing the reopening of the country and the restart of business with some excitement and a good deal of trepidation. More than ever, more people are out of work, more than half the country is working from home, and the stock market has seen its worst days in recent history. That all combines to mean lots of worry for real estate brokers and agents.
Though it may soon change, right now, agents in most states can’t show houses. The sales offices for new construction are closed. And with the risk of contracting Covid-19, there won’t be any on-site appraisals happening or inspections completed. Everything is pretty much at a standstill.
Did you know there are more than 2 million active real estate agents in the United States? It sounds like a large number, right? But statistics show that nearly 65 percent of Americans own their home and might be selling it at any time in the near future and/or buying a new one, so that means there’s plenty of business to go around!
So, if you’re thinking of becoming a real estate agent, there’s room for you in the market. However, it’s important to recognize that becoming an agent isn’t like taking on a regular 9-5 job. It’s basically an opportunity to own your own business, which means that you’ll likely be working way past 5 pm, and probably on weekends, too!
A career in real estate is for those who are ambitious, eager to learn, and intent
Real estate agents throughout the world are no doubt in panic mode. After all, how do you sell homes when everyone is stuck inside? And if you can’t work with buyers and sellers, how are you going to produce a paycheck? Will you be able to pay your mortgage? Buy groceries? Send your kids to college?
You’ve probably been thinking all those things and worse. It’s natural, of course, to have thoughts like this at this scary time. No one knows how the coronavirus pandemic will play out, and when things will be back to normal. And the chances are that just about everyone else in a commission-based business or who’s been furloughed or laid-off is going through the same vicious cycle of horrible thoughts.
If you’re fairly new to the world of the real estate agent, you’ve probably noted that marketing a property is easier than ever, thanks to technology. If you’ve been around for a while but aren’t tech-savvy, maybe you’re still grasping the intricacies of the technological world and stumbling through social media platforms, recognizing that technology is the name of the game but feeling a little behind in the race.
But, as far as marketing your services goes, no matter how old you are or how experienced you might be, you still need to generate, attract, and win leads so that your business is a successful one. And, certainly, with today’s booming technology, you can do that better than ever before. But how do you use technology in your marketing
While in many markets, young real estate agents seem to be the exception rather than the norm, there are still many young folks – straight out of college or high school – that are determined to make their mark in the business. Some of these individuals grew up with parents that are/were agents, while others simply have a love for houses and the real estate business in general.
The young agent certainly faces a lot of challenges. The first, of course, is simply their age. Do clients take a 22-year-old seriously? Will they doubt the young person’s ability to lead them in the right direction, or will they simply pass them by in favor of a more seasoned agent?
It’s a tough world for a young agent, but age does not need to be a stumbling block…as
Yup, we all get them. The difficult client. Why, we wonder, did they wind up with me? Why wasn’t someone else on the up desk when they called? Why did I prospect them at that party? How am I ever going to get through this process with them?
Whether they’re buyers or sellers, demanding clients can make our lives…well…difficult! However, it’s essential to know that you can conquer the tough client if you can recognize what it is that motivates them and, then, decide how to handle them.
Difficult buyers and sellers come in a variety of shapes and sizes but are most often identified by the following traits:
The one who knows everything – This client knows EVERYTHING there is to know about real estate sales and purchases. As a matter of
Do you love your career as a real estate agent? Do you exude telltale agent traits? Is it easy for others to figure out that you adore houses – old and new - and that you love selling them?
If you're not a "secret" agent but advertise your love for the business on your sleeve, so to speak, chances are it's easy for others to figure out what you do for a living. And chances are your life has changed since you entered the world of real estate.
Just for fun, we've compiled this list of traits that seem to go along with life as a realtor. So, here it goes.
You know you're a realtor when…
You can't get enough of HGTV – Face it. You're hooked! Whether it's watching those good-looking twin brothers sell and rehab homes in Canada, house
If you’ve got a career in real estate, you’ve got a website. At least you should! Indeed, it is the rare business these days that is successful without a website.
But many realtors and other business owners (and, remember, you ARE a business owner) don’t spend the time it takes to keep their website fun and interesting. True, most realtors do spend time building their initial site, but then it seems to fall by the proverbial wayside, with realtors only logging on when they want to add a picture and description of a new listing.
But what the other kinds of things you can do to refresh your site? What should you post? And will those items/ideas bring you more traffic?
