The property market is heating up for all the right reasons. There are more buyers on the market, the number of properties available for sale is steadily increasing, and there are certainly plenty of opportunities to make money in today’s real estate landscape. Now is the perfect time to really aim for success as a real estate agent.
Despite the growing market, the real estate industry is still among the most competitive today. Setting up your own real estate agency is not difficult, but that also means there are hundreds of other realtors entering the market and becoming your instant competitors. To stay ahead, you need to know how to differentiate your services, and the secrets we are about to discuss in this article are exactly what you need.
Leverage the Internet
You cannot be a good realtor in today’s market without leveraging the internet and digital marketing in particular. Even potential customers and those looking for new properties to buy are turning to the internet to find the information they need. Not establishing a strong online presence as a real estate agent is a big mistake.
While there are many real estate platforms and websites through which you can advertise the properties you want to market, it is still necessary to have your own website. The site acts not only as the portfolio of your work as a realtor, but also as the anchor to all social media and online activities you do.
Since you are marketing houses and you need a good online profile to support your business, the easiest way to go is using platforms like Format.com to your advantage. You can set up an account in minutes, choose one of the best portfolio website templates available, and start uploading photos and other content to your new website to get started.
With a website created, you can direct traffic directly to your portfolio. Aside from displaying the properties you have sold in the past, you can also display properties that are still available for customers to see. Don’t forget to add good photos and descriptions to make every entry in the portfolio even more appealing.
Capture Great Photos
Speaking of adding good photos, photography is a must-have skill if you want to be successful as a real estate agent. Sure, you can hire a professional photographer for a real estate shoot or simply rely on your smartphone camera to take pictures, but nothing beats professional-looking photos of the property.
You’ll be surprised by how much easier it is to get leads when you post high-quality photos with every listing. It is an added service that property owners will appreciate too, which means marketing your agency to them is a lot easier to do. At the same time, you are boosting the value of your online portfolio and increasing your credibility as a realtor.
Real estate photography is easy to master. You don’t always have to bring complex lighting gear or use expensive cameras to capture great photos. Instead, learn how to really maximize natural lighting, how to use the mirrorless DSLR or camera you already have to get great photos, and add some Photoshop skills to your arsenal.
Tell Stories
Here’s another crucial way you can separate yourself from other real estate agents – telling stories. When you sell a property to a young couple, for instance, you are doing so much more than helping with the sale of that property. You are fulfilling the young couple’s dream of owning the house. That’s a story to tell.
At the same time, there are a lot of stories to tell about the property itself. You can tell stories about how the kitchen is warm and perfect for family gatherings, how the living room is designed with the owner’s family in mind, and other details that really let the property shine. These are emotional details that often get overlooked by real estate agents.
As you compile these stories, add them to your website too. Your online portfolio website can feature stories about buyers or sellers – or both – and pictures of that young couple we talked about earlier in front of a new house they just bought. Imagine how compelling that picture will be to other potential buyers looking for the right house to purchase.
Go the Extra Mile
Going the extra mile – such as by offering to take pictures of the property – is always a good idea in this business. As a real estate agent, you want to bank profits for your services. That said, profits should never be the only focus of your work. Instead, be genuine about helping others buy and sell properties in a nice and comfortable way.
The little services you add to your line-up matter. Maintaining a network of contractors and cleaners so that homeowners can ask for your help with repairing and cleaning the property is a good example. The homeowner will still pay for the added services, but they get what they need in a convenient way thanks to you.
Helping buyers move into the house is also a great added service to add. Make sure you work with a moving company that offers quality services and sufficient guarantees; remember that the failure of the movers will reflect badly on your performance as the one recommending that moving company. They are little details, but they do matter in this business.
Don’t Forget Your Business Plan
One common mistake many real estate agents still make is working without a clear business plan in mind. This is true especially among agents who operate alone as a personal entity, mainly from home offices. Just because you have low operational costs, doesn’t mean you don’t need to take the business seriously.
More importantly, a business plan helps you maintain a more sustainable growth as you venture further into the industry. Plan for how you want to grow as a business, the objectives you need to achieve at the end of every term, and a clear budget to guide your day-to-day operations. Go into detail and fine-tune everything as you work towards finding new properties to add to your portfolio.
A business plan is crucial to your career as a real estate agent. The monthly budget, for instance, lets you keep your expenses in check and allows you to measure your profits (and performance) more objectively. At the same time, having objectives to meet will also keep you motivated for longer.
Get Creative
You don’t have to follow every game plan of existing real estate agents and agencies. It may be a competitive market but following existing approaches doesn’t always mean reaching the same level of success. In fact, getting creative is often the better way to go.
Rather than relying heavily on classified sides and real estate directories, you can invest more in your own website and real estate portfolio. It will take some digital marketing efforts to direct traffic to the site, but instruments such as search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, and social media marketing help get the new portfolio off the ground sooner than you think. Besides, you maintain complete control over the portfolio website, which is something you want in this industry.
With these secrets in mind, achieving the success you have always wanted as a real estate agent is no longer an impossible thing to do. You now have the knowledge and insights to get there faster. All you need to do now is get started with implementing the tips and tricks we discussed in this article.
