[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoqSrI7mEow[/youtube]
Esther reveals some of her top agent secrets in an interview with Orlando Montiel on the MIAMI REAL ESTATE SHOW.
The Real Estate Industry can be a tricky business – everyone wonders, what does it take to be at the top? What’s the perfect formula? What exactly makes a successful agent?
Esther mentions that the mistake many realtors make is that they don’t establish a focus on a specific area, but rather, they dabble in various different areas. Knowing your market well, she says, is the key to being successful.
They know their neighborhoods intimately: The phrase “neighborhood expert” gets bandied about quite a bit but when it comes to top agents, they are walking, talking encyclopedias of neighborhood lore. Ask a question about a street and they know what’s on the market, what sold recently, and the overall status of the neighborhood. Tell the agent what you like in a neighborhood and suggestions on places to look will come tumbling out. Looking to sell? The agent knows what is on the market, what just sold, and what you can get for your money. The truth is, every agent has their style. Some are extroverts, some are more laidback. Some are fun and flamboyant, some are cool, calm, and collected. Esther emphasizes that the most important quality to obtain, amongst any, is knowledge of your market.
“Focus, focus, focus! Start small, concentrate on one building, then two buildings, then one block, then two blocks,” she says. “If you are getting started understand that there is a whole market of 300k houses that you could make a lot of money on.”
They return calls and emails at lightning speed: These are the people that get a lead and don’t let it go. They immediately make contact and they follow up. They answer any questions and are happy to stay on the phone with nervous clients. They are the warriors of email, text, and phone and they keep that rhythm right up through the whole transaction. Their clients feel like they are very important to the agent. They also switch their communication style to match the client. If the client prefers text, they text, if the client wants a phone call, they call. They mirror the client’s communication style so the client feels more comfortable.
They nurture past client relationships: You work so hard hard to build relationship with clients, but how do you keep in touch after the sale? Employ unique ways to stay in touch post-closing, like signing your clients up for a city-specific magazine so they will think of you when it is delivered every month; or help them turn their house into a home with a gift certificate to a local nursery. Fox says asking for referral business after completing the transaction is a vital part of achieving success. Thank everyone who refers you business, by taking them out to dinner, or sending a hand written note with a Starbucks card.
Overall, the key to success in Real Estate is to first establish a focus market, become extremely knowledgable about that market, and dominate that specific area before expanding to others. It’s also extremely important to keep up communication with your clients – time is of the essence. Finally, maintaining good relationships with past clients & following up with them later on is essential to your reputation. Word of mouth is the fastest way to get a lead – so don’t forget the small details when it comes to dealing with your clients.
