5 Habits of Highly Successful Real Estate Agents
If You Want To Be A Top Producer, Then Start Acting Like One!
1. Networking. Consistently network with peers, Sphere of Influence, networking groups and in social settings where they can make new friends aka potential future customers.
2. Technology. Always thinking outside-the-box. They’re not afraid to learn and use new real estate technology to increase sales. They’re an advanced user of their MLS system. They understand the importance of using a lead-generating CRM. They have a custom website to build brand awareness, generate quality leads, increase credibility, help buyers and sellers throughout their buying or selling journey.
3. Communication. Great communicators! They routinely keep in touch with past customers as well as their current sellers and buyers. They call, text, email and stay connected to their Sphere of Influence on a regular basis.
4. Social Media Marketing. They understand and utilize many social media marketing platforms to promote their business. They post and tweet on a regular basis to increase awareness of their business and brand. They regularly review social media analytics and make adjustments as needed. Always keeping a “positive” tone with everything they post, tweet and upload onto social media.
5. Brand. They have established an impressive set of marketing and communication methods that help to distinguish their company from the competition. They know that they themselves, in fact, are their brand. A well-defined and executed brand strategy is in place to affect all aspects of their business.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in blogs on this website are solely those of Marcy Sanders. The information provided on this site is for general informational and educational purposes only.
OrganizeMeForms™ (85) Exclusively Designed Real Estate Forms & Checklists – Providing Real Estate Professionals, their Customers and Teams with a unique collection of detailed forms to keep them on-track with task management. The solution agents have been waiting for! Start using OrganizeMeForms™ today and soon you’ll be on your way to becoming a successful top producer. Click on the button below to order now!
Fabulous Ways To Market Your New Listing
Design a Marketing Plan for Your New Listing
Listing Agents need to “Think Outside the Box” when it comes to marketing listings. You want to get as much exposure for your listings as possible. In addition to the MLS, you need to come up with a game-plan of all the different avenues you plan on marketing your new listing. Have a marketing budget for each new listing. Be creative and a visionary when it comes to your marketing efforts:
MLS. Upload several high quality property photos.
Social Media Marketing. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. Post regularly!
Business Website. Focus on quality content and images. Build your brand.
Print Media. Local Newspapers and Magazines.
Aerial Video & Photography. Drone technology.
Feature Sheets/Flyers, Brochures and Post Cards.
Open House. If you have a luxury lot listing, hold an open house there. Weather permitting, bring a small table, a few chairs, bottled water and your awesome marketing materials.
Broker Open/Realtor Tour. Spend time staging. Get feedback from brokers/agents.
Keep your seller updated in a timely manner on all marketing initiatives you’re doing for their property. The more exposure they see for their property the happier they will be. At the time you list the property, review the comps with the seller and make sure the property is priced correctly. If the listing is overpriced you’ll end up wasting a lot of time and marketing dollars.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in blogs on this website are solely those of Marcy Sanders. The information provided on this site is for general informational and educational purposes only.
OrganizeMeForms™ (85) Exclusively Designed Real Estate Forms & Checklists – Providing Real Estate Professionals, their Customers and Teams with a unique collection of detailed forms to keep them on-track with task management. The solution agents have been waiting for!
3 Secrets Sellers Wish Their Listing Agent Knew
Be Aware of These Secrets Your Sellers Will Never Tell You
1. Open House. Sellers absolutely want you to hold regular open houses at their property. While most agents will whine about doing this, you should be more than willing. It’s an opportunity to meet new clients and showcase your talents as a great listing agent. Bring your fabulous marketing materials and sell yourself.
2. Communication. They want you to be a great communicator. Talk to your sellers on a weekly basis. Give them showing feedback, suggestions on areas to improve upon, information on new/pending/sold comps in their area, etc. Don’t ignore them! If sellers have to keep reminding you to communicate with them, you’re not doing a good job.
3. Testimonials. If you sell their property in a timely manner and they really enjoyed working with you, sellers will reward you with repeat business and referrals for years to come. Word-of-mouth is free advertising for you. If they’re not pleased with your performance, your sellers will bad mouth you to everyone they know.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in blogs on this website are solely those of Marcy Sanders. The information provided on this site is for general informational and educational purposes only.
OrganizeMeForms™ (85) Exclusively Designed Real Estate Forms & Checklists – Providing Real Estate Professionals, their Customers and Teams with a unique collection of detailed forms to keep them on-track with task management. The solution agents have been waiting for!
5 Tips to get Rookies on the Fast Track
Success Tips for Real Estate Rookies
Mentor. Find an experienced real estate agent, partner or team that can teach and mentor you. Also, talk to top producers in your office and let them share with you what they’ve learned on their road to success.
Farm Area. Determine what specific areas and neighborhoods you’re going to focus your marketing efforts on. Learn all you can about real estate in those areas and become the real estate expert. Prospective buyers and sellers want to work with agents who are knowledgeable about real estate and specific neighborhoods they’re selling or buying in.
Networking. Network and create your “Sphere of Influence.” This is a group of people who you will be actively marketing your business to. Start with your family, friends and acquaintances. Be a social butterfly and meet new people through hobbies, activities, volunteering. Build long lasting relationships that will in turn provide referrals and repeat business for years to come.
Open House. Ask top producers, in your office, if you can host open houses at their listings. The reality is an open house will rarely attract a buyer for that specific property, but it’s a great opportunity for you to meet prospective buyers and sellers. Have bottled water and food available. Prospects will stay longer and talk to you if there’s food.
Marketing. Spend the money and have an awesome website created. Also set up a Facebook business page, Instagram and Twitter. You need to market and sell YOU and your abilities as an agent. Why would I choose you, a brand new agent, to list my property? What qualities do you possess that make you stand out among all other agents? How are you going to market my property? Determine specific points on why buyers and sellers would hire you, a rookie, over every other agent. At this stage, you might not have any listings to market and sell, but you are selling yourself!
–>Listen, learn and put 200% effort into your new career. Spend time mastering your MLS system. You’re not going to become a top producer overnight. It will take time to establish yourself in real estate and to acquire listings.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in blogs on this website are solely those of Marcy Sanders. The information provided on this site is for general informational and educational purposes only.
OrganizeMeForms™ (85) Exclusively Designed Real Estate Forms & Checklists – Providing Real Estate Professionals, their Customers and Teams with a unique collection of detailed forms to keep them on-track with task management. The solution agents have been waiting for!
6 Must Do Things Before Your Listing Presentation
Following are 6 Things Agents Should Do Prior to a Listing Appointment
- CMA. Create an impressive CMA report with several comps to show the sellers comparable properties (sold, pending, active) in their neighborhood over the last 6 months.
- Comps. Drive by the most recent comps so you see what they look like on the exterior and where they’re located in proximity to the sellers property. How are these properties different or similar to the sellers property? Take notes!
- List Price. Based on comps, know what you will advise the sellers is the best list price for a fast sale.
- Marketing. Gather samples of recent marketing that you’ve done for your listings. Have these available to show the sellers. Also, prepare a document of where you advertise and market your business and listings i.e. your website, social media channels etc.
- Signage & Lockbox. Bring a “For Sale” sign and lockbox with you just in case the sellers hire you on-the-spot to list their property.
- OrganizeMeForms™. If the sellers hire you, have them sign a listing agreement and use the Listing Checklist to keep all listing steps organized. Give the sellers the “Sellers Homework” form to complete. Use these detailed forms and checklists to help organize all of your listing activities.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in blogs on this website are solely those of Marcy Sanders. The information provided on this site is for general informational and educational purposes only.
OrganizeMeForms™ (85) Exclusively Designed Real Estate Forms & Checklists – Providing Real Estate Professionals, their Customers and Teams with a unique collection of detailed forms to keep them on-track with task management. The solution agents have been waiting for!
6 Secret Tips for Selling a Luxury Property
6 Insightful Points for Agents Selling a Property in a Luxury Home Market
1. List Price. Based on comps you need to make sure the property is priced well. The last thing you want is to have an overpriced listing that you’re spending a ton of money marketing and you’re not attracting any serious buyers. You’ll end up frustrating your sellers and yourself with little showing activity. Some agents want as many listings as possible and will let the sellers determine the list price knowing full well that it’s overpriced and will lose momentum by being in the MLS for several months. That’s a “Lose-Lose” situation. You need to discuss the comps with your sellers and advise them on what the list price needs to be in order to sell their luxury home in a reasonable amount of time for that market.
2. Property Photos. Hire a professional photographer to take amazing photos of the property. You’re going to be placing the photos in high end marketing materials so you want the very best quality photos possible. Without a doubt, outstanding photos will attract prospective buyers for your luxury listing.
3. Home Inspection. Advise the sellers to have a home inspection done (not necessary if it’s being sold “as-is”). This is especially important if the property is older. By doing so, you and the sellers will know what items need repaired and each can be resolved (with qualified referrals you give the sellers) in a timely manner soon after you’ve listed their luxury property.
4. Marketing Materials. You should have a current survey, aerial photos, property photos, virtual tour and feature sheets. Advertise their property in high end magazines and publications. Having outstanding marketing materials will help sell the property and show the sellers why you’re the most qualified agent to showcase their luxury home to prospective buyers.
5. High-Tech Systems. Make sure you take the time with the sellers to learn how all the high-tech systems function (take good notes!). When you’re showing the property or holding an open house you need to fully understand: interior and exterior lighting system, security system, hurricane shutters, audio system, pool/spa controls etc. This is especially important if the home is vacant and not owner occupied. You will be responsible for properly staging this luxury home so it shows like a rock star. Knowing how to operate all the high-tech systems interior/exterior of your luxury home listing is imperative.
6. Communication. Communicate regularly with your sellers. Great consistent communication with all sellers is important, but sellers in a luxury home market are typically very successful, detail oriented, Type A personalities. You MUST be highly organized (using OrganizeMeForms™ will help get you there) and communicate frequently with your sellers on showing activity, showing feedback, open house feedback, marketing initiatives etc. Sellers expect their agent to be a great communicator. If you succeed in the communication department you’ll be rewarded with their referrals and repeat business for years to come. That’s your goal!!
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in blogs on this website are solely those of Marcy Sanders. The information provided on this site is for general informational and educational purposes only.
OrganizeMeForms™ (85) Exclusively Designed Real Estate Forms & Checklists – Providing Real Estate Professionals, their Customers and Teams with a unique collection of detailed forms to keep them on-track with task management. The solution agents have been waiting for!
5 Things To Do Before Buying A Home
Get Your Ducks-In-A-Row Before Purchasing A Home
- Credit Score. Check your credit score. I recommend Credit Karma. It’s free! https://www.creditkarma.com/ Does your credit score need improvement? If so, take steps to increase your credit score so that you can take advantage of the best mortgage rate offered.
- Pre-Approved. Now is the time to be pre-approved by a lender for a mortgage. Get the lender to give you a loan commitment letter. That way you’ll know exactly how much you can borrow for a mortgage before you choose a real estate agent and start looking at property.
- Available Funds. Determine what funds you have available for: earnest money deposit, down payment and closing costs. Earnest money is a deposit made to a seller showing the buyer’s good faith in a transaction. Assuming that all goes well and your offer is accepted by the seller, the earnest money will go toward the down payment and closing costs. The down payment will be a percentage of the purchase price. Closing costs are expenses over and above the price of the property in a real estate transaction. Costs incurred include loan origination fees, discount points, appraisal fees, title searches, title insurance, surveys, taxes, deed-recording fees and credit report charges.
- Search Criteria. If you have a partner, outline in writing your wants, needs and must-haves together for a property. Decide specifically what you’re looking for and the location.
- Sell Then Buy. If you already own a property, considering selling it “before” looking for another one. Having a contingency in the sales agreement for the new property that you have to sell and close on your current property is problematic. Most sellers won’t agree to that contingency.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in blogs on this website are solely those of Marcy Sanders. The information provided on this site is for general informational and educational purposes only.
OrganizeMeForms™ (85) Exclusively Designed Real Estate Forms & Checklists – Providing Real Estate Professionals, their Customers and Teams with a unique collection of detailed forms to keep them on-track with task management. The solution agents have been waiting for!
Top 5 Things That Should Never Be In MLS Photos
Following Are Things That Should Never Ever Be In Your Listing Photos
- Pets
- Children
- Vehicles
- Toilet Seats Up
- Clutter
Great MLS photos will undoubtedly help sell your listing. Take your time, or hire a professional photographer, to take outstanding property photos. For listings up north, make sure you update your MLS photos if the listing has been on the market for a while as season’s change.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in blogs on this website are solely those of Marcy Sanders. The information provided on this site is for general informational and educational purposes only.
OrganizeMeForms™ (85) Exclusively Designed Real Estate Forms & Checklists – Providing Real Estate Professionals, their Customers and Teams with a unique collection of detailed forms to keep them on-track with task management. The solution agents have been waiting for! Start using OrganizeMeForms™ today and soon you’ll be on your way to becoming a successful top producer.
Amazing Photo Taking Tips For Listing Agents
Tips for Taking Fabulous Listing Photos
1. Declutter: Ask the seller to declutter and have the property neat and orderly inside/outside prior to taking photos. Have the sellers remove everything from the kitchen countertops.
2. Staging: Fluff the pillows, place a bowl of fruit on the dining room table etc. Use your imagination and make each room, and exterior seating areas, look inviting!
3. Lighting: Turn on all lights in each room prior to taking photos e.g. ceiling light, table lamps etc.
4. Photo Taking Method: Stand in the corners of each room when taking photos.
5. Exterior Lighting: Take exterior photos on a bright sunny day.
6. Lawn/Landscaping: Make sure to have the seller mow the grass prior to taking photos. Additionally, potted or planted brightly colored flowers will add to the property’s curb appeal.
7. Nighttime Photos: In a luxury market you’ll want to take several exterior photos of the property at night. Make sure all lights are turned on inside and outside of the home prior to taking photos.
8. Distractions: Leave pets, children, homeowners and vehicles out of the photos. Too distracting!
9. Camera vs. Cell: You don’t need an expensive camera to take amazing photos. You can take outstanding photos with your cell phone. Practice makes perfect!! Use a photo editing application on your computer to crop and edit each photo.
10. Number of Photos: Take several photos of the interior and exterior of the property. More is always better!! If you don’t know how many photos can be uploaded for your listing in the MLS, check with your association or MLS vendor.
The reality is that not everyone is a photographer. If you don’t take great photos then hire a photographer who will (marketing dollars well spent). Undoubtedly, beautiful property photos will help sell your listing.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in blogs on this website are solely those of Marcy Sanders. The information provided on this site is for general informational and educational purposes only.
OrganizeMeForms™ (85) Exclusively Designed Real Estate Forms & Checklists – Providing Real Estate Professionals, their Customers and Teams with a unique collection of detailed forms to keep them on-track with task management. The solution agents have been waiting for!
Top 5 FAQs Agents Have About Social Media Marketing
Key Questions That Agents Have About Social Media
1. What do I post or tweet? Use graphics and great content. Blog regularly on your website about real estate and share to your social media channels. The topic of what you post 
and tweet about should be real estate and always maintain a positive tone. Some believe that cross promoting your social media channels is useful, while others feel it’s a waste of time. You can try cross promoting and determine if the juice is worth the squeeze. You’ll need to think and plan what type of posts would be best suited for each of your social media channels.
2. How frequently should I post and tweet? Post to Facebook and Instagram once a day. Tweet 5-6 times a day. Other channels such as LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+ — post periodically. Some of your platforms can be linked together like “Facebook and Twitter.” If you post/tweet on one of those platforms, your post/tweet will publish to the other. I wouldn’t suggest doing this 100% of the time. You want your posts and tweets to be unique and not identical on all channels.
3. Do I need an app to manage my social network channels? If you have more than a few channels that you’re posting and tweeting to, it would be advantageous. Check with
your peers and poll them to find out which scheduling app they use and love. Some apps are free while others charge a minimal monthly fee.
4. Should I advertise my listings on social media? You can certainly post and advertise some of your listings on Facebook and Instagram. The more exposure, the better! I would advise against posting other agent’s listings. It gives the impression that the listings are yours and you don’t want to offend the listing agent.
5. Should I have an outline for what I’m posting? Yes, you should. As an example, I put together a posting schedule for my business Facebook page to help keep me organized: Monday – Sales, Tuesday – Real Estate News, Wednesday – One of my blog posts, Thursday – Inspirational Quote, Friday – Real Estate Joke, Weekend – Optional-Something on the personal side to let people get to know the real me. On Facebook, I promote Instagram once a month and Twitter periodically. *Embrace a soft sales approach on social media. Do not post or tweet daily pushing sales.
The most important tip I can give agents about social media marketing is don’t create social media accounts, post once or twice and then abandon them. You have to nurture and maintain your social media channels, just like a beautiful garden. It takes creativity and effort on a regular basis. If you want a great presence on social media, make the commitment and stay the course.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in blogs on this website are solely those of Marcy Sanders. The information provided on this site is for general informational and educational purposes only.
OrganizeMeForms™ (85) Exclusively Designed Real Estate Forms & Checklists – Providing Real Estate Professionals, their Customers and Teams with a unique collection of detailed forms to keep them on-track with task management. The solution agents have been waiting for!
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