Suppose you’re sick of working on your boss’s schedule. In that case, if you’re considering making the leap into a real estate career and are looking for a new job, here’s some pleasant news: According to a U.S. News survey, real estate agents enjoy one of the highest satisfaction ratings (in their career) within the United States. The COVID pandemic was believed to have prompted a considerable amount of people to consider a career change to real estate, and many agents have reported that despite a global recession, 2021 is ranked as one of their top years in business.
Of course, when you’re just getting started in a new career, logging lengthy hours and managing multiple projects might be difficult. That said, the flexibility, possibilities to advance, and an environment that is constantly changing offer an advantage over other occupations. Indeed, many realtors do well during their first year (many don’t, get frustrated, and quit before they probably should). According to ZipRecruiter, right around this time last year, the average annual earnings of first-year full-time agents was $93,502. At the very least, it’s worth a shot, right?
Yet, a substantial part of the people who begin to work as real estate agents abandon real estate in the initial five years. This is why we’ve put together real estate agent tips for success so that you can overcome the odds and win the first year of your new job.
Have A Solid Game Plan & Stick To It
According to Ben Franklin, “By failing to plan, you are planning to fail.” This timeless advice can be applied to all endeavors, which includes real estate. Before you dive into the deep end of your new profession, it’s important to do some pre-planning and put a plan to follow. If you’re looking to get ready to be a professional, here is some of the top advice for aspiring real estate agents:
Step 1: Do Your Research
It’s important to learn what the process of licensing is like, what types of technology or tools you might require, in addition to the amount these items could cost. This is also the perfect time to familiarize yourself with the marketplace in which you live so you’re aware of what you can expect when you’ve passed your tests.ย
They may share some insider information or useful information specific to your town or area.
Step 2: Get Your Real Estate License
Check out the requirements for licensing in your state. License requirements differ by state; however, in general, the process of becoming a real estate agent who is licensed involves these steps:
1. Pre-licensing Instruction.ย It is essential to take the entire pre-licensing course at an accredited licensing institution. After you have completed the courses, you’ll receive official transcripts as well as a certificate of the course’s completion.
2. Real Estate Test.ย After you’ve completed your course, you’ll be able to schedule your state license test.
Pro Tip:ย Even if you’ve completed classes, you should schedule a few pre-classes, which typically contain more state-specific details.
3. Get ready to grind!ย Congrats, you’ve passed your state real estate exam. You’re now legally a real estate agent and are able to begin working with an agent.
Step 3: Build Yourself A Toolbox
An experienced agent is aware of the importance of time management. In order to make the most of your time and earn money as a new agent, you’ll need to make use of a variety of tools that will help ease some of the more difficult everyday tasks. For instance, using a CRM (customer relationship management) system such as Hubspot, Monday, or Pipedrive can assist you in keeping on top of your contacts, sending emails, and filtering contacts when needed. AI-driven lead generators may help reduce the burden of sourcing new leads for sales. Some of the top lead generation for realtors include platforms like Zurple, Dialpad, and CINC.
Understand Your Market
Suppose a t-shirt company wants to make a mark in the world of online shopping. In that case, it is necessary to know how their merchandise fits in the current online shopping landscape. Next, they’re going to have to find the right responses to questions such as, “what kind of shopper would be interested in this style of t-shirt,” “what’s the demographic for this style shirt?” and “how can I best target this demographic.” To be successful in any sales-based business, you must know your customers, and as a real estate agent, knowing how local markets work is a crucial factor in understanding your target market, which is also referred to as your customers.
In the beginning, you’ll need to look into the data on the population in your town or area to gain a better understanding of local trends in purchasing patterns and demographics. If, for instance, you’re employed in a city that has a college campus, leasing turnover could be higher during certain seasons. Knowing how local demographics are positioned within the overall picture of the nation is also important. The swine flu epidemic led many to move out of larger cities and, in some cases, significantly altered the demographics of homeowners in smaller cities.
There are numerous tools available that can help you understand real estate market data and keep track of the latest trends. Check out the latest reports and trends to give yourself the best success.
Hone Your Relationship-Building Skills
Being successful as a real estate professional usually boils down to one thing: making quality connections. At its core, it’s all about relationships and building networks. In the beginning, in the field, creating a network is crucial. While technological advancements and the Internet are extremely powerful tools, investing in place facetime is vital. Find every opportunity to join the community. There are many avenues to be involved in this:ย
- Joining a local chapter of agents (masterminds)
- Looking and becoming a member of your local Chamber of Commerce
- Attending neighborhood groups
- Open house and buy-in seminars for buyers
- Volunteering for community events and causes
- Create and/or connect to professional meetups and networking groups as well as general meetups.
As real estate agents, you are your brand’s face, and, more importantly, you carry that image everywhere you travel. Every event is an opportunity to open new avenues for business. Make sure you bring your business cards (or, at the very least, digital business cards) as well, as don’t hesitate to speak up. Be a resource and ensure you pay attention to those who are around you. It doesn’t matter if it’s a buyer, an opportunity to connect with a broker, a home stager, or an inspector; organic growth opportunities are everywhere!
Identify & Define Your Brand
Suppose you’re beginning an entirely new profession or attempting to develop an exciting new pastime. In that case, it’s natural to learn from those who have already paved the way for you. In general, the majority of people can tell when you’re trying to play the role of someone else instead of creating their own. When you’re beginning to build your connections and your online identity, it’s essential to stay true to the person you are. As an agent in the real estate industry, you are your persona, so spend your time defining your unique qualities!
If you’re interested in the environment, consider participating in some green housing initiatives or joining communities that have trash pickup groups. Feel free to utilize your social media platform to talk about issues that are important to you and to participate in activities with a community that promotes these causes. This not only helps bolster your relationship-building skills, but it also lets your audience and potential buyers get to know who you are on a personal level, which is a powerful marketing tool many underestimate.
Continue Learning
To be effective in the field of agent (and in any field), it is essential to have a continuous education mindset is required. It is only possible to stay static for a short time, especially in the market. In order to stay on top of the trends, you’ll have to be open to the changing approaches, technologies, methods of operation, and purchasing trends.
Be proactive and deliberate in your research. Real estate professionals who are successful are those who study blogs and books on real estate, take part in seminars, and increase their understanding of the market. Real estate is interconnected with a variety of other sectors, including economics and finance, to sales and consulting, which means there’s a vast quantity of information available to gain an advantage over your competitors. Be sure to take part in continuing education courses and make use of your network of peers.
Set Up SMS Marketing
When you’re constructing your suite of instruments, you’ll need to make sure you have at least one or two that can help in the area of marketing via text. We’ve already discussed a few tools for lead generation and CRM; however, you’ll also require an SMS service. Text messages are read and opened by 134% more people than emails. It’s an opportunity for you to directly connect without upending whatever the prospective client is doing at that time.
Text marketing platforms for real estate agents is a low-cost text marketing strategy that you can incorporate into your realtor marketing strategies. Here are some of the things that most SMS platforms allows you to quickly and effortlessly cross off your list of tasks:
- Promote MLS listings using HD images and videos of property
- Automatically sends alerts about new listings
- Share open-house invitations
- MLS Listings can be customized using keywords for SMS
- Enhance communication by 1:1 texting
Overall, these tips and insights will be helpful to any agent (and are often utilized by the best in the business). Still, new agents will likely benefit the most. If and when you take any of these strategies and make them your own, we highly recommend that you commit to them and give yourself the time necessary to see the success!
