A house is the stage that one’s life plays out on. Real estate agents don’t sell houses, they sell dreams, happiness, a place to call home.
Being an agent is a tough and demanding job but rewarding nonetheless. If you are new agent, you’re probably excited to start your career as you should be. Below, you’ll find 10 tasks you should turn into habits immediately for a better start to your career.
Put on a happy face
Your appearance, behavior and attitude can make or break it for you, therefore, always remember to greet people with a smile, and be amiable.
Answer all their queries with patience, and do not let your clients see any of the negativity you might be feeling from time to time. Whenever you are meeting your clients, always dress appropriately, and look sharp.
Be honest
It’s true that you have to emphasize the plus-points of a home, but you can’t lie about the negatives such as a need for major repairs or crucial issues like water, electricity, crime rates, etc.
Remember that happy clients are your biggest advertisers, and a bad reputation can go a long way in destroying business.
Research your clients
To ensure a smooth transaction, do a bit of research on your clients and their house. With a better context and a bit of knowledge about their past transactions and history, you can conduct your transaction better and formulate a plan to work with them more efficiently.
For example, if you know that a client has a history of delaying paperwork, you can start the process earlier to make up for any delay that might come in later. This will help you be armed for any kind of curveball.
Pre-qualify prospective buyers
Once you put a house on the market, you might be flooded with prospective buyers, but not everyone is qualified or pre-approved for a loan.
Do a bit of background research on prospective clients to ensure that you don’t waste precious time on dead-end cases and end up losing real leads in the process.
Get to know the house well
It’s important you know your listings like the back of your hand so you can be prepared for any queries you might be faced with. From the architectural to the technical questions, you have to be prepared for everything.
For example, if a prospective buyer wants to install a pool in their backyard, but the land won’t support that, it’s your job to let them know that so your client doesn’t feel cheated.
Learn the neighborhood
To help find clients their ideal homes, you need to be well-acquainted with the neighborhood. Every neighborhood has it’s own advantages, disadvantages and charms, which means that each house is unique.
For example, a retired couple might not want to live in an area largely inhabited by young people who are up late and party loud.
As a real estate agent, it’s your job to know these quirks so that you can find the perfect home for your clients.
Use social media
Building contacts and connection is an important part of real estate agent’s job, and social media will come to your rescue in this case.
With the help of social media, not only can you reach out to a larger number of people, but you can also reach out more effectively. You’ll get to know so much more about your prospective clients as well as about the area, house and neighborhood, which will help you sell more effectively.
Familiarize yourself with state laws
Different states have different kinds of rules and regulations for their residents, and you need to be well-aware of state laws to effectively do your job.
For example, if you are selling apartments in Pensacola, Florida, to people moving from Manhattan, it’s only fair that you let them know the local laws. This will save them trouble in the future and position you as the local expert.
Have all the papers ready
Make sure that all the necessary documents relating to the house are up to date and ready in case a prospective buyer wants to know something. It’s important to stay on top of all legal issues.
This will help you avoid any further embarrassment and harassment due to missing or incomplete documents so that the sale process can move smoothly without any hitches.
Stay in touch
You should be approachable and available to your clients so that they always feel cared for. Moreover, stay in touch with them, and keep them updated on every change as it happens.
When it comes to your prospective buyers, make sure that they are also constantly updated and reminded of all the important dates.
Being a real estate agent is a job with lots of responsibilities. It’s crucial to put the client’s needs first and to work hard to ensure the best deals for them. Your clients’ happiness will be rewarding after all your hard work.
Stephen Marshall is the director at Be Basic CEO in Adamsville, Alabama. Follow him on Twitter or Facebook.
