real estate times

Unlock Real Estate Referrals by Enhancing Your Client’s Moving Journey

Jul 24, 2024

Your primary job is over when you all shake hands at the closing table. Sure, you need to update your buyer’s or seller’s info in your CRM so you can keep in touch, but at closing, you drive away feeling good about a job well done.

Your client, on the other hand, has the crummiest task of all looming shortly: moving.

We know many agents who feel their job doesn’t end at closing. Sure, some of them offer the use of a moving truck. But there are other, less expensive, and just as impressive ways to show your client’s real customer service.

Let’s explore some less-pricey services agents have passed on to us. These services will help make you unforgettable and get you more referrals.

Offer to take on the small stuff

If you have an assistant, this one is for you. Offer a concierge service that includes ensuring the utilities at the old home are turned off and turned on at the new home.

Other services you can offer include:

Pet licensing and updating of the address on the microchip.
Canceling services include pool cleaning and maintenance, landscaping, housekeeping, pest control, etc.
Having cable or satellite service transferred to the new home.

Give them peace of mind

Offer to change the locks on the new home and install a smart lock.

This is a task that movers often neglect, and you’re installing your closing gift simultaneously. It’s a two-fer.

Consider a Ring (or other brand) video doorbell camera if it’s in your budget.

The Get More Referrals Series is shown above. To see more, **Click Here.**

Get-acquainted-with-the-neighborhood list

Here is another job for an assistant. Have him or her research your client’s new neighborhood for points of interest and everyday services.

Do some sleuthing on Yelp.com to find the best-rated:

Parks
Restaurants
Drycleaner
Hairstylist
Handyman or handywoman
Landscaper
Pool Service
Doctor
Dentist
Veterinarian

Then, make a list with the company’s website URL, phone number, and address.

Boxes, boxes, boxes

It’s the one thing most people don’t seem to have enough of when they’re moving. If you have the money, consider purchasing moving boxes emblazoned with your branding.

Let clients know before closing that they won’t need to haunt the local grocery store for boxes because you have some for them.

The essentials basket

Create a basket with any combination of the following,

Grubhub, or Uber Eats gift card (so they don’t have to drag out the pots and pans to make dinner)
Trash bags
Toilet paper – you’ll need it eventually, better to grab it sooner than later
Paper towels
Light bulbs
Cleaning products, sponges, and a scrub brush
Bottled water
Snacks
Anything else you can think of that they may need upon arrival in the new home

Hire some help

New homeowners typically find something wrong on their first day in the home, with no furniture present. Whether it’s aesthetic or non-functional, they want it fixed.

Offer your clients an hour or two of handyman or woman service so they can get fixed, which will eventually drive them nuts.

Or, consider offering a professional cleaning the day before your clients move in. The home should be broom swept so there shouldn’t be too much cleaning left.

Customer service after the sale is the most impressive of all. Find a way to help your clients move, and they’ll remember you.

PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct, response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts and engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you. Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here

2. The Free 6-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 6-Month Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

3. The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review

The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review allows you to enter your business goals for the remainder of the year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closings, and so on are needed to reach your goals. – Click Here

4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

5 Ways to Increase Real Estate Listings for a Bustling Summer

May 30, 2024

Yes, there’s still time! Here are six ways to help you stir up more activity in your market before the year-end.

1. Stick to the plan (or create one if you haven’t yet)

A marketing plan does much more than let you know how much money you’ll spend for over a period of time promoting your services. Chief among the additional benefits is that it helps you fill your days with prolific and directed activity.

That forward-thinking stuff you need to create a plan forces you to carefully consider each option, both in terms of its financial impact and effectiveness.

“Big ideas fail without a plan, and your marketing plan is the one thing that will still drive innovation and help you meet sales targets,” according to Mark Ellis, a business writer at Business2Community.com.

If increasing listing activity is your goal, hammer out a marketing plan for the next three months and stick to it.

2. Adhere to a regular prospecting schedule

Whether you door-knock, cold-call, chase after expireds and FSBOs or use another method of prospecting, ensure that it gets done by making it a part of your daily or weekly schedule.

Prioritize the task as well. It’s easy to keep putting it off when there are more interesting tasks to pursue, but it’s not wise. The more leads you steer toward that real estate sales funnel, the more prospects you can convert into new listings.

3. Nurture those relationships

People who sell customer relationship management software are fond of claiming that a CRM is the “lifeblood” of the real estate agent’s business.

Guess what? They’re right. Building and nurturing relationships is the key to increased commission checks, and to do it right, you need a way to keep track of leads, prospects, clients (both current and past), and just about everyone else you know.

While there are probably a million and one ways to set up a CRM, find a way that makes adding information and finding what you need easy. A way that works for you. Then ensure that you keep it safe, and back it up.

HOT TIP: We offer a free CRM, the Contact Manager, on ProspectsPLUS.com. With the Contact Manager, you can tag entire mailing lists or just one contact within a list, building one highly targeted list for your marketing materials.

In addition, you own your list, so you can export and download your CRM list anytime if you decide to move it. Now schedule time on a daily/weekly basis to reach out to the contacts in this database and nurture these relationships.

The Looking For Listing Scheduled Farm Campaign is shown above.

4. Fine-tune your response time to leads

You can’t turn a lead into a prospect that you’ll convert into a listing if you don’t respond to their initial contact promptly.

The short and sweet of it is that you have five minutes to respond to an incoming lead if you hope to reach the person live and get them into your sales funnel, according to InsideSales.com research.

In fact, the agent who responds within this period is nearly 25 percent more likely to snag the lead. Wait a half-hour? You might as well forget about it and let the agent down the street who responds quicker have the lead.

5. Start farming, via direct mail, if you haven’t already

Farming is a low-cost, effective, and easy way to reach out to many people simultaneously and build relationships over time.

The fact remains that direct mail is one of the most powerful marketing methods available. Mix that with a focus on a specific farm, and you have something powerful working for you.

When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazin

2. The Free 6-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Planner

3. The Free Online Real Estate Business Plan

The Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for the year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closings, and so on are needed to reach your financial goals. – Click Here

4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

Summer Reading Essential: 3 Must-Read Books for Real Estate Agents!

Jul 17, 2023

We hope you’re able to take time this summer to relax and enjoy some downtime with friends and family. Even a solo day by the pool or at the beach would be cool, right?

Summer lounging and books are pretty much inseparable, and we’ve come up with a list of three that are worth checking out.

1. “Objections: The Ultimate Guide for Mastering the Art and Science of Getting Past No” Jeb Blount

Handling objections is one of the more challenging aspects of a real estate agent’s job. Trying to get inside someone else’s head to figure out where the reluctance is coming from seems impossible.

“Objections” by Jeb Blount helps you make it possible. Blount, a seasoned sales expert, provides valuable insights and strategies to help readers navigate through objection busting effectively and close deals successfully.

Each chapter focuses on a specific aspect of objection handling. We like the practical examples and real-life scenarios that make them relatable.

One of the strengths of “Objections” is its emphasis on the mindset and psychology behind objections.

Then, he provides actionable strategies and techniques to handle objections effectively.

The content might be considered repetitive at times, as certain concepts and strategies are reiterated throughout the book.

Overall, “Objections” is a valuable resource for any real estate agent who finds objection-busting challenging and is seeking ways to improve their negotiation skills.

Available at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and AbeBooks.com

2. “Mindset Reset for Real Estate Success: How to Become #1 in Your Market While Enjoying a Balanced Life,” Orly Steinberg

“Mindset Reset for Real Estate Success” by Orly Steinberg is a compelling guide tailored specifically for real estate professionals.

One of the standout features of this book is Steinberg’s emphasis on work-life balance. The author acknowledges the demanding nature of the real estate industry and offers practical strategies to help readers avoid burnout and find harmony between their personal and professional lives.

Additionally, the book offers valuable insights into building and nurturing relationships with clients, which is always important in real estate.

Steinberg’s writing style is engaging and relatable, making it an enjoyable and informative read for both experienced agents and newcomers to the field.

Available at Amazon.com.

3. “The Real Real Estate Agent: Generate More Leads, Clients, and Referrals by Being Yourself, Having More Fun, and Making a Difference” by Aarin Chung

Judging by Amazon reviews, agents are loving this book. “The Real Real Estate Agent” by Aarin Chung focuses on authenticity, enjoyment, and making a positive impact.

Chung encourages readers to embrace their unique qualities, passions, and strengths rather than conforming to a generic mold of what a real estate agent should be.

Chung also explores the importance of having fun in the real estate business. The author believes that enjoying the process and finding joy in the work can have a significant impact on success.

The book also provides practical guidance on the basics: generating leads, acquiring clients, and maximizing referrals.

What we like best about the book is that Chung also addresses the importance of making a positive difference in the community. By giving back and being socially responsible, agents can create a meaningful legacy and enhance their reputation.

“The Real Real Estate Agent” is written in a conversational and relatable style, making it an enjoyable read for real estate professionals at all stages of their careers.

Readers who are already well-versed in personal branding and leveraging social media may find the book’s insights and strategies too basic or familiar. Available at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and BooksAMillion.com.

The Real Estate Times Series is shown above. To see more, click here.

PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts and engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you. Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here

2. The Free 6-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

3. The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review

The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review allows you to enter your business goals for the remainder of the year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals. – Click Here

4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

What Various Experts Say to Expect From this Quarter’s Real Estate Market

Jan 30, 2023

Some call the current housing market a “correction,” while others describe it as “in transition.” The truth is, none of us know for sure what’s coming.

We know today’s real estate market is nothing like what we’ve become accustomed to. If you’re the adventurous type, this is an exciting time.

To help you weather the current market, let’s unpack the various forecasts floating around online and try to make some sense of them.

Concessions, concessions everywhere

When was the last time you saw an offer to purchase replete with buyer concessions? It’s pretty much unknown to new agents who’ve joined the industry in the past couple of years. Today, however, rate buydown requests, money for repairs, help with closing costs, etc., are making a comeback, according to research by Redfin.

“Home sellers gave concessions to buyers in 41.9% of home sales in the fourth quarter … That’s up from just over 30% in both the previous quarter and the fourth quarter of 2021,” claim Lily Katz and Taylor Marr at Redfin.com.

In 2022, San Diego saw concessions included in 73% of home sales, while 62.9% of Phoenix contracts contained concessions.

The Real Estate Times Campaign is shown above. To see more, Click HERE.

Will rates quit their upward trajectory?

Experts are all over the place on this one. Greg McBride, Bankrate’s chief financial analyst, says that rates for a 30-year mortgage will sit at 5.25% by the end of 2023.

Between now and then, our survey of various experts shows:

“Fannie Mae sees the average rate of a 30-year fixed getting to 6.8% in 2023,” claims Kevin Graham at Rocket Mortgage.
Freddie Mac is predicting the 30-year rate will be 6.4%.
Bob Broeksmit, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s president, projects a 5.2% 30-year rate by the end of this year. (HousingWire.com)

As you can see, the experts are all over the map when it comes to predicting future mortgage rates. To get a better feel for what to expect in the spring real estate market, the pros with Motley Fool urge us to keep an eye on the March Fed meeting (March 21 and 22, 2023).

Will there be buyers?

The ShowingTime Showing Index®, at the time of this writing, reports that home showings fell by more than 30% nationwide. This drop is due, in large part, to the typical winter slowdown, so it’s not as scary as it appears on the surface.

According to a survey at NBC.com, more than half of homebuyer respondents say that the economy is causing them to reconsider buying a home. The good news is that nearly 1/3 of respondents replied that they are still considering buying.

If the Fed plays nice, we may just have a decent spring real estate market. Keep in touch with your sphere and farm, and you’ll be way ahead of the game.

PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here

2. The Free 12-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals. – Click Here

5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

How to Calm Your Clients’ Concerns About the Market and Maintain Their Confidence

Apr 28, 2022

According to economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal, they think there’s a 28% chance of a recession within the next year. This figure, by the way, is up from last year’s prediction of a 13% chance of a recession.

If you don’t think that your clients and potential clients are worried about a coming recession, did you know:

In a recent CNBC poll, “81% [of U.S. adults] say they are concerned the U.S. will face a recession in 2022.”

So, what will you say to your clients and potential clients when they express hesitancy to jump into the real estate market because they’ve read there’s a recession coming?

Here are some pointers to keep their confidence high.

Real Estate Times Series is shown above. See more, Click Here.

Can’t fault the housing market this time

Economists state that it won’t be a faltering housing market that causes the possible 2022 or 2023 recession. Instead, if it happens, they expect it to be triggered by the Fed’s efforts to curb it.

Those efforts to get prices under control come with a risk: “… the central bank will do too much, sinking the economy in the process,” according to Matt Egan at CNN.com.

Economists point to the differences between the market in 2008 and today. Think back to the Great Recession. That housing bubble, economists agree, was caused by the easy access to mortgages.

Today’s market is influenced by supply and demand and, “… this time around, household finances are stronger and home values remain at historic highs,” claims Alcynna Lloyd at BusinessInsider.com.

So, how does this knowledge calm your clients’ nerves?

According to experts, there will be no housing bubble to explode in their faces. Therefore, remind them that anyone with a heartbeat could get a mortgage prior to the Great Recession. Today, lending rules are much more stringent, leading to far more qualified buyers looking for homes.

Finally, not all recessions are like the recession of 2008 and a recession doesn’t automatically equal a housing crisis.

Homeowners have nothing to worry about

If a recession comes to pass, homeowners should ride it out quite well.

They’re also sitting on a ton of equity right now – equity that isn’t likely to dissipate during the forecasted recession.

Huh?

During the five recessions prior to the 2008 recession, home prices actually increased.

Overall, the jobs market is so strong right now that a recession is unlikely to impact home prices and, thus, values.

If we listen to the experts, your clients have nothing to worry about when it comes to the real estate market. Don’t let them buy into the media hype and you’ll keep them in the market.

PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine, with rich, full-color content, and a sharp, professional esthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts, combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and, it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here

2. The Free 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks all of these boxes, but it is a business building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

6. The Take a Listing Today Podcast

Watch the ProspectsPLUS!, Take a Listing Today Podcast for actionable content to help you get more listings. – Click Here

What a New Agent Can Do to WOW Potential Clients & Generate Listings

Mar 1, 2022

The old saying about how people do business with people they know, like, and trust gets thrown around a lot in the real estate industry. What you don’t hear very often is how to get total strangers to know, like, and trust you; especially enough to become your client.

There are many ways to do that, of course. But of the three, I think it’s safe to say that the trust issue is not only the most important to real estate consumers but more challenging for agents to build.

Being new to the real estate business doesn’t help. Not when your competition is boasting 30 years in the business and endless successful sales.

Photo Introduction postcards are shown above. See more, click HERE

Building trust isn’t easy, but it is doable. Let’s take a look at what a new agent can do to wow potential clients.

**You do have your own real estate website?**

Your own business website provides a place for consumers to get to know you and your business. Not taking the free ride on your broker’s website, also lends an air of professionalism.

Did you know, 56% of consumers surveyed by weebly.com stated that they lack trust in businesses that don’t have websites.

Your website, if done right, is full of ways to help people get to know you. The content, also if done right, can help them to like you and trust you.

Keep away from sales spiels with your blog content and do vary between real estate, homeowner, and hyper-local topics.

Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through and show the human side of what can be fairly complex subjects.

The About Me page is the place to laser focus on helping visitors get to know you and your business philosophy.

Have you any positions in your background that transfer well to the real estate industry? Any from the following is worth a mention:

Marketing
Advertising
Negotiating
Teaching
Videography/photography

Get to work on social media

Your time is valuable, especially now at the beginning of your real estate business. It’s time to whittle down the social media choices to one.

The Real Estate Times Series is shown above. See more, click HERE

Facebook is a good place to start. Get your business page set up and start cross-posting your blog posts and other pertinent and interesting information to Facebook.

Whatever you do, don’t fill your feed with marketing and salesy stuff. Here are some ideas about what to post:

Local housing market statisics & news
Restaurant reviews
Best places in [your town] to buy [whatever]
Interesting real estate poll or survey results
Local news
Funny memes
Contests

This is just a handful of topic ideas.

The key to gaining engagement with your followers, at least in the beginning, is hyper-local content. Avoid political or religious topics. And don’t forget to engage with others on your feed, and theirs.

Overall, just be your super-stunning, personable self.

PLUS: When you have time…below are some free tools to help support your success.

1. The Free 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan