43% of buyers choose their property online, so participating in the digital revolution is no longer optional. There are a number of ways to participate in the e-commerce realty boom. By:

• Collecting and managing clients and properties online as a sole proprietorship.
• Crowdfunding property development.
• Hosting your real estate business online while your realtors work remotely.
• Flipping properties using online resources.
• Hosting auctions online.

The Information Age

Today property records are accessible by buyers and sellers alike in a matter of seconds, and an online real estate agent isn’t a necessary part of acquiring that information anymore. Since data is freely available, realtors can now work harder at translating that information in meaningful ways.

Technological breakthroughs have created a fully integrated selling experience. Every part of the process fits into the next like a puzzle piece, from outbound marketing to administration. Data analytics put incredible power into your hands, letting you see, at a glance, which areas are offering you the best returns, which you’re investing the most time in, and which property types are delivering peak success.

Web Platforms

Managing a business using online portals and the cloud is not only simpler, but more economical as well. No online real estate agent needs to limit themselves to a single geographic area. Virtual tours and online communication make it possible to snag clients shopping outside your zone. This has caused an acceleration in the industry in several ways.

• Teamwork is easy to control when office administrators can feed all assignments into a shared platform.
• Most tasks can be carried out remotely, limiting travel costs.
• All information and clientele are at your fingertips as long as you have a smartphone in reach.
• Comparisons between properties are easily achieved.

Development

If you’re an online real estate agent who previously lacked the funds to develop your own property, the internet has levelled the playing field. Pioneers in the industry are using crowdfunding to make their wildest development dreams a reality. Any realtor willing to put time into their campaigns can participate in commercial real estate markets that were once only accessible by large institutions.

Tools

Mobile applications give you a comprehensive list of properties in any area you enter. The cloud puts your files in reach from your phone. Your new contacts can be fed into an integrated client list the moment you connect with them. If there’s a task for which there is no application, you can develop or commission it yourself. Business management has never been more streamlined.

The Client-Led Realtor

Before clients could educate themselves about everything from financing to available properties from their own living rooms, it was the realtor who was in charge. The internet has changed that power balance. 99% of property buyers begin their search online, and they’re educated enough to play a proactive role in their house hunting. For those who are passionate about real estate, the internet has shifted focus to where it’s most interesting: on the property itself.

Looking for more information about online real estate agents? Contact us today at Premier Commission!

Accessibility

The first step to making good use of your real estate open house sign in sheet is to make it readily available to anyone who is entering the property. By placing it on a counter or table in a very prominent part of the home, and making sure that you greet each customer and direct them toward the sign in sheet, you will have a better chance of collecting their contact information. Even better than a physical sign in sheet is to use one of the popular sign in apps now available on smart phones. This allows users to check in on their phones and share their information in a way that you can later access from anywhere with an internet connection. This is easy and convenient for both parties.

Be Respectful

Now that people have spent nearly a decade being bombarded with all kinds of spam and advertising over the phone and online, many are weary of giving out personal information to someone who is trying to sell a house. By showing visitors that you are going to respect their privacy and their space by not sending them unwanted ads and constant emails. You are more likely to get their information. Give them an option to turn down newsletters ahead of time so that they are only receiving the communications that they really want.

Examine The Data

Contact information is useful not just because it lets you reach potential customers, but also because it helps you identify shared characteristics among those customers. By reviewing the contact information, email addresses and other information that you gather, you will be able to develop a demographic picture of who your customers are and how you should be marketing that house.

Reach Out

Ideally, your open house will attract a ton of traffic, but realistically that house will not be perfect for every person that stops by. This could be because of space, price, or other features that are beyond your control. However, even if that individual is not interested in purchasing the house you are currently showing, their information on your real estate open house sign in sheet indicates that they are interested in buying something. You now have the chance to reach out to them and identify what they are looking for and try to offer them something that better fits their needs.

A successfully implemented real estate open house sign in sheet can provide limitless value for agents. It allows you to tighten up your marketing efforts on the house you are currently selling by providing information about people who are already interested, but it also opens up your customer base to people who are looking for something else instead. You can take advantage of both groups of people by following up with them and getting more information about their exact housing needs.

If you’re looking for a great way to get your hard-earned commission today to boost your open house marketing efforts, get in touch with Premier Commission. Our convenient commission advances for real estate agents will make sure you have the cash you need to hold a successful open house!

Social Media

Social media outlets provide a simple way for you to promote your business online, create direct connections to your clients, and share updates with them over time. If you are regularly using your social media pages to promote new listings, you may even entice someone who wasn’t sure if they were ready to move again or not to jump on a great opportunity. By keeping your page up to date and responding to messages in a timely and friendly manner you can publicly show that you are dedicated to clients even after you have closed the deal.

Sincere Thanks

Showing appreciation for your clients goes a long way towards getting them to come back next time they need a realtor. In many cases it is common for agents to send their real estate clients a sincere thank you note, and sometimes even a housewarming gift basket to congratulate them on their new home. Realtors become an intimate part of a person’s life when it comes to planning the future of a family, and clients appreciate that you take the time to thank them for their business.

Reviews

In exchange for a great home buying experience, many of your real estate clients should be willing to provide you with a testimonial of their experience. After you have closed a deal and let them settle into their new home, reach out and ask them for a review. Most new clients will take the time to look online for reviews and choose an agent based on other people’s recommendations. You can gather all of these reviews on your website and social media pages so that both old and new clients can see why you are the best in the business.

Referrals

While you may never know if or when your real estate clients will return, it is always worthwhile to get a list of referrals from them immediately after making a sale. The more you network within their circle, the more likely you are to see them down the road. It is possible that they lose touch with you, but have a friend who is still using your services years later. This web of connections maximizes the chances that you will encounter happy customers over and over again no matter how much time passes.

Studies show that 14% of an agent’s business comes from repeat clients, and 18% of business from referrals. The longer you stay in real estate, the more that number rises until you have a strong client base of happy home owners. Continuing to cultivate those relationships beyond the first deal opens up huge potential for your career long term so it is important to take advantage of social media, online and offline avenues for communication every chance you get.

Need cash flow to market to your network of current clients? Premier Commission’s commission advances can get you the money you need today to get more referrals and grow your business. Apply online now!

1) Location, Location, Location

The “location, location, location” trope doesn’t only apply to property value, but also how you handle your career. If you’re determined to find success in a particular city or neighborhood and are less than fussy about your specialty, assess the demographics in that location. Fortunately, the realty sector makes this effortless for you. The National Association of Realtors publishes state-by-state reports of markets, traffic, and trends. Your location-driven real estate niche needn’t be defined by suburbs. Sometimes realtors choose smaller niches like university or school districts and active adult communities.

2) The Housing Sector

Home sales are a popular real estate niche because of how rewarding this sector is, but markets are often flooded for that reason. Some realtors enjoy travelling or selling online, specializing in historical eras or architecture styles instead of locations. Specialized knowledge of Victorians, brownstones, or luxury property gives you the freedom to learn enough about your sector to make your services more valuable than that offered by others. If you prefer commercial property, you might deal in shopping malls, or schools.

3) Clients

If you’re a people person, you might find your passion and profits in client categories. This lets you work with niche investments, too, so if you enjoy combing through analytics, you might choose to work solely with exclusive sellers. There’s plenty of success to be found in segments like second home buyers, growing families, and young couples.

4) Networking

Network outreach is one of the most frustrating parts of a career in realty, particularly if it’s not a skill you excel at. It takes years to develop a profitable network, so the smartest way to handle it is to dig into an existing network. If you belong to a soccer club, school, or similar community, the people you know there may be one of your most valuable assets. It allows you to develop your real estate niche with ease. Some realtors even specialize in selling to hobbyist groups and the like.

5) Modernize

If you were to reinvent the real estate market for today’s needs, you’d probably move it online. When real estate brokers first emerged, the internet didn’t exist, but today, there are a number of realtors tapping online demographics. If you’re tech-savvy enough to start your own e-commerce brokerage, it might be the ideal niche for you. Considering the sheer number of private sellers cutting out the realtor entirely, it’s critical that the industry disrupt this by offering better digital services.

6) Designations

Few realtors reach the peak of their triumph by resting easy. Your skills and knowledge need to be honed. Every niche can benefit from its own collection of designations and qualifications. Examples of these include:

• Representing buyers (ABR)
• Seniors’ home buying and selling needs (SRES)
• Resorts and second homes (RSPS)
• Negotiation expert (CNE)

If you’re considering developing your own niche and need upfront funds to boost the process, contact us today.

Minimize bad experience and improve client relationships with these simple guidelines:

• Pick your battles.
  Pre-screening real estate clients to determine compatibility with what you have to offer (and the personality traits you can handle) can head off difficult clients at the pass. Think of pre-screening as a job interview: Are the clients on time? Presentable? Courteous? How’s the chemistry? What are their needs? This can help uncover issues and prevent misconceptions and misunderstandings before they arise in your professional relationship with clients, helping them understand what you need from them in order to produce a mutually beneficial, successful outcome.
• Put yourself in their shoes.
  You can’t always pick your real estate clients, but you can try to understand them by putting yourself in their shoes rather than trying to convince them to see things your way. Try communicating your position through their perspective instead to better determine how you can help.
• Air it out.
  Simply listening to difficult real estate clients can work wonders in a variety of situations. In the case of concerns, let clients talk until they finish, without interrupting, to show them concerns are valid and you care. Reassure them you understand the situation, then get back to work. In the case of unreasonable desires, listening can also help you understand the true root of the issue. For instance deciphering if “a lot of space” means a large home, large property, or simply an open floor plan. Addressing the emotional nature of the home buying or selling process with this venting technique can work wonders!
• Educate
  Sometimes in difficult client situations, you simply have to build your relationship with clients through education on how buyer/agent interactions should work. In some cases, clients are not truly difficult, simply ignorant of the industry and the process. Having this knowledge sets the groundwork for changes in behavior necessary for a successful relationship – whether they stay with you or seek out another real estate professional.
• Stand your ground.
  When all else fails, don’t be afraid to remind clients why they hired you as their real estate professional: Your skills and experience, and your track record of success. Stand calmly but firmly behind your methods and decisions, and be willing to recommend difficult clients find another agent.

Nightmare real estate clients have you in a difficult financial spot? Premier Commission can help with a commission advance. Contact us today!

Be upfront about everything

You will have to deliver both good news and bad news to clients. Both should be delivered in the same fashion: direct and thorough. This is because people want to know the facts; sugar coating things won’t lessen the blow. It will simply serve to agitate and confuse people. This, in turn, diminishes your relationship with a client. Instead, develop a reputation as a “straight shooter” who gets news to clients immediately.

Don’t assume that they know what you do

People don’t like it when they don’t understand something. Even worse, they could start disliking you if they feel as though you’re intentionally talking over their heads. A such, it is critical that you learn how to break down terminology, facts and anything else that is exclusive to the real estate industry into basic layman’s terms. The better you can do this, the more comfortable your clients will feel working with you.

Understand that real estate is not “just business” for many people

When you are trying to broker a home buying or selling deal, you will be working with someone’s current or future home. This is a very personal experience for that client, because they have developed or will develop a very intimate connection with that piece of property. Also keep in mind that real estate deals are often brokered under emotional circumstances (estate stales after a death in the family, sales/deed transfers after a divorce, etc.) You need to be prepared for this, and possibly go beyond the facts and figures of the deal to properly accommodate your client’s unique needs.

Show your clients that the wheels are always turning in your head

If you have a good idea, shoot it to your client. This is an outstanding way to not only show that you are always coming up with better ways to do business, but also that you kept them in mind. This could be anything ranging from thinking of new ways to stage a home to alternative ways to find that dream home.

Listen more than you talk

You are the real estate expert. Your clients are coming to you for that expertise. These facts, however, do not give you a license to tell a client about everything that they need to do before you even understand all of his or her needs. Enhance your client relationship and your ability to do your job by carefully listening to what your client has to say about what they want and how they would like to achieve those goals. This “listen and respond” approach gives you an opportunity to look like an even bigger expert, because you can now make every solution that you offer tailor made for your client.

Be flexible

When thinking of how to build relationships with clients, it is critical to remember that it’s not about what you want. It’s all about them. As such, you may have to give up on a specific approach if a client simply doesn’t like it, no matter how much business sense it makes. Being overly pushy will cause a client to feel uncomfortable working with you.

What are your client relationships like?

You should be constantly nurturing client relationships to enhance your success in the real estate business. To learn more about how to build relationships with clients in real estate, stay tuned to our blog.