Posts Tagged as real estate agents

Should You Consider Buddy Agent for Agent to Agent Referrals?

Should You Consider Buddy Agent for Agent to Agent Referrals?

In this week’s real estate broker tips, we’ll take a look at Buddy Agent, a newly introduced brokerage-centric platform designed to help today’s successful real estate agent achieve work-life balance. Should you use its real-time data advantages to better build your brokerage’s internal culture?

Houston, We Have a Problem
One of the biggest problems every real estate agency faces is star agents that are just too busy to keep up with their volume of leads, while other agents simply can’t stay busy enough and struggle to earn enough income. This can lead overburdened agents to miss out on important personal life events, from their kid’s big game to countless weekends – and even entire family vacations. It can also lead burgeoning yet struggling agents experiencing common growing pains to leave for presumably greener pastures in their efforts to earn enough income to cover basic expenses.

Buddy Agent to the Rescue
Buddy Agent’s mobile and web app attempts to solve this problem. A self-service system for agents, it requires no additional work from brokers. Rather than letting money walk, the app keeps clients and commissions within the firm. Overbooked agents – or ones simply enjoying time away – can select from a list of favorite fellow agents, quickly locating the right agent, at the right location, and with the right expertise to manage the task at-hand, creating a trusted, on-demand team that works well together. No more burn out. No more disappointing family, friends, and clients with a relentlessly busy schedule.
The app is flexible, featuring iOS, Android, or web-based operation, with a free initial trial and special introductory pricing. Visit http://www.mybuddyagent.com/ to learn more.

It’s always good to have more than one buddy backing you up. Simplify your life with this and other real estate broker tips and tools from Properties Online today.

Hang Up That Phone and Start Connecting Face to Face

Get Off The Phone
Get Off The Phone

Think if you make one more cold-call trying to snag a listing that you’ll lose your mind? Industry lemmings may tell you this is one of the real estate trends for 2016 that you can’t circumnavigate if you want to get results. This fixed mindset murders outside-the-box thinking that motivates agents to find innovative new ways to grow their business.

You mean I have another, less mind-numbing option?
It shouldn’t surprise you to discover there are better ways to generate leads despite this rut the industry seems perpetually stuck in. Most people haven’t had a landline in 15 years. Ditch those phonebooks and dialer services for newer, more effective methods that build relationships and trust in a way cold calling never will.

What can you do today to effectively double your business?

  1. Outsource paperwork – not relationships.
    Drop your phone-ready, smarmy salesperson persona and trade it in for in-person meetings that foster the kind of relationships that create devotees who are wild-and-crazy about you. Clients that brag on your behalf result in buyers that reach out to you and who are determined to work with your team. Reach-out with…

    • Email
      Real ones (from you) – not the canned garbage customers expect. Aim for once-per-week.
    • Blogs
      That solve problems, not merely direct SEO traffic.
    • Video
      Raw footage that solves problems for prospects.
  2. Recycle.
    Re-post the above in-person responses, taking advantage of all social mediums to aid other potential clients, cementing your knowledge-base and brand.
  3. Stop reliving the definition of insanity.
    Instead of disposable, sell-and-drop clients, and over-large teams featuring multitudinous virtual assistants, let-go of vanity metrics (“I have a 20-person team”). Double your business with a team one-quarter the size (and payroll), and heavier in buyer’s agents than VA’s.

Get stuck on the right real estate trends for 2016 – instead of merely following the flock. Differentiate yourself with Properties Online today.

Mentoring Turns Low Performing Real Estate Agents Into Super Stars

Mentoring Can Turn the Tables for Real Estate Agents
Mentoring Can Turn the Tables for Real Estate Agents

Don’t like the real estate industry’s current reputation? Change it! With the right real estate agent management techniques, you can boost agent quality from mediocre to mind-blowing. Identified in the NAR’s “DANGER” Report, action is necessary to prevent the continued decline of the industry’s reputation. How can you help new agents succeed and fight against this widespread issue?

Understand where agents are coming from
The ninety hours and entry exam required for licensure do not equate to a successful agent. Current educational and testing requirements have an abysmally poor reputation when it comes to preparing new agents for the reality of life in the industry. Add to that industry misrepresentation in “reality TV,” and it’s easy to see why many agents are unprepared and unrealistic.

Aid in the fight against ignorance
Mentoring and training are key for new agents. Is your real estate agent management team investing in new agent growth – or simply in their brand name? To protect your reputation – and grow your bottom line – additional effort will be necessary to curtail issues and bad habits before they start. This means reviewing every communication before its delivery: Contracts, email, addendums – everything. Agents who want to be successful will appreciate the coaching, and their success will reflect in your brokerage’s success.

Encourage personal responsibility
In addition to taking new agents under your wing, be certain to convince your protégés about the importance of continued education. Stress that as with any endeavor, you only get out what you put in, and their success (or failure) is ultimately in their hands. Encourage them to aspire to quality – the knowledge, professional demeanor, and ethical practices that add up to a respected, and ultimately sought-after and profitable agent.

Real estate agent management techniques coming up short? Reach for new heights with the help of Properties Online today.

Whoops! Don't Let Boo-Boos Sabotage Your Project

Agents Should Share Sex Offender Information with Buyers

Sharing Information About Sex Offenders
Sharing Information About Sex Offenders

What is your policy on sharing sex offender information with clients? According to real estate selling tips from HUD, attorneys, and the National Association of Realtors, buyer’s agents can (and should) legally share information on sex offenders with clients. But how much of this burden falls on you, and how much should you share?

The devil’s in the details
According to NAR and attorney real estate selling tips, its best to provide notice to buyers in the following ways:

  • Sharing actual knowledge you have on area sex offenders.
  • Letting clients know where sex offender information can be found, such as a written notice on the availability of sex offender information in your state, and Megan’s Law.
  • Revealing any pertinent information discovered in the sex offender registry, being certain to cite the registry as the source.

Is the onus on you?
No. The burden is still on the buyer – as long as you’ve shared what you happen to know. You are never obligated to proactively research this information for clients.

What if you’re the listing agent?
Thus far, your responsibility to share this information as a listing agent has not been called into question.

Don’t skirt the issue – know the facts to protect yourself and your client:

  • In most states, you are legally permitted, but not necessarily obligated, to share sex offender information with buyers.
  • In Montana you are required to share knowledge of sex offenders.
  • HUD explicitly states sex offenders are NOT protected under the federal Fair Housing Act.
  • Worried about inaccuracy/defamation? If you cite the sex offender registry as the source, you’re protected. (It’s the registry’s issue – not yours.)

A matter of good business
Even if there’s no liability for failure to disclose, it’s still in the best interest of your reputation to do so,

Part Time / Full Time Agents the Bias is Real

Looking Down On Part Timers
Looking Down On Part Timers

What’s the deal with real estate selling part-time agents getting a bad rap from full-timers? Is it unfounded? While the bias is real, the reality is a bit more sticky and a bit less straight-forward than you might expect.

Is perception reality?
Perceived – and real – drawbacks of part-timers include:

  • Scheduling conflicts.
    Being busy with something else other than addressing clients can put a cramp in your business and reputation, especially if scheduling issues are perceived as being responsible for missed offers.
  • Commitment.
    Because they have other employment/responsibilities, the dedication of part-timers are often seen as less dedicated. Worse, if an agent does a poor job, they’re often assumed to be part-time.
  • A lack of market knowledge.
    An essential ingredient in pricing/paying for homes.

A hidden benefits package
Part-timing may not be all bad, however…

  • Less pressure.
    Clients not in a rush to sell, who prefer time to consider offers, may fare better with a part-timer.

A mixed bag
Like most situations in life, the quality of both full and part-time real estate agents is a mixed bag. You must look at why the part-time agent is in the business, and what they’re bringing to the table….

  • Perhaps they’re starting out their careers.
  • Maybe they like the freedom and perks of being an agent, but need a steady base income due to dependents/financial needs.
  • Perhaps they’re interested in realty solely as a means to building their investment property portfolio.

The takeaway
Whether full or part-time, real estate selling bias should boil down to work ethic. The ability of an agent to get things done – not how many hours logged in the office.

Not feeling the love? Properties Online can help! Contact us and find out more about the tools you need for a rousing realty reputation today.

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