Joyce Rey was a luxury real estate agent to the stars in Beverly Hills before any television network had even begun to dream up the idea of putting such a thing into a show — and she hasn’t slowed down at all. Now leading her own team and doing her best to pass on her knowledge to as many agents as possible, Rey remains one of the top-producing agents in Beverly Hills, and she’s still known for her impeccable service and ability to get a deal done.
Rey will be speaking about how the housing market will work in 2019 as part of a panel discussion at Inman Connect New York, January 29 through February 2 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square, and she answered some of our questions about how her session can help agents at all levels and what she’ll be working on next year.
Tell us a little more about your session. How will it address how the industry can embrace the shifting market?
No one knows for sure how it’s going to work; we do know it’s a shifting situation from a seller to a buyer’s market. I think the first thing that I told my team in the spring was to focus on buyers.
Traditionally, experienced agents tend to work on listings, and listings do guarantee a commission for the most part, but when it becomes a buyer’s market, those listings become more difficult to sell. The importance of representing buyers is magnified, so obtaining buyers, networking to get buyers, holding open houses, whatever you can do to get more buyers is important.
What do you think are the biggest opportunities to focus on in the real estate industry right now?
Financing, and maybe even owner-financing where possible to help make a deal look more attractive. A house is only going to sell when it is well-priced and much more attractive than everything else.
To stay competitive, agents, brokers and companies need to execute quickly. What do you feel are key areas where quick execution can vastly improve the customer experience?
Just responding to their questions and phone calls is the No. 1 thing. And how consumers rank agents is by how quickly you respond to your clients. That need to execute quickly continues throughout the transaction, and it gives your client the feeling that they’re important. When you deal in expensive properties especially, everyone thinks they’re the most important.
What are your hopes for the next 12 months, and what will you be working on?
I will be working on my No. 1 priority, locating buyers for my listings. That’s always my top priority. And expanding my buyer base, supporting my team members — those are my priorities for the new year.
Dig deeper into [article topic] and discover the opportunities in a changing market at Inman Connect New York, January 29 – February 1. Jumpstart 2019 with tactical takeaways, unlimited networking and thought-provoking speakers. Learn more.
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