There are some small but essential tips that seasoned property practitioners will pass down to rookie agents. According to estate agent training provider, The Property Academy, these tips may seem negligible. However, many have proved time and time again to be the backbone of success in the business of property sales and rentals.
The main pointers are:
- Know your area
- Put your boards up
- Forward all calls
Know your area
Many agents believe that you will boost sales if you spread your 'territory' over a large area.
However, a survey run by a leading South African estate agency found that agents who knew their neighbourhood well and kept to a relatively small geographical area were the agents who made more sales.
According to the Property Academy, a formal analysis carried out by the agency showed that knowing your area is one of the most critical factors differentiating successful agents from the not so successful.
Sales seem to be dependent on an in-depth knowledge of small niche areas. The combination of knowing your landlords, sellers, buyers, and tenants puts you in the position of being an expert in a neighbourhood. In addition, prospective clients are more inclined to seek out experts, so you are bound to increase your referrals and leads, resulting in more sales.
Put up your boards
With increasing online property marketing services, it could be expected that old fashioned methods such as putting up boards and signage would become a thing of the past. But according to the Property Academy, this is not so.
There’s no doubt that prospective buyers would instead search for new properties from the comfort of their homes than drive around looking for real estate. In addition, sellers prefer to have prospective buyers make appointments to view rather than open their homes to allow strangers to wander in and out.
Even though the property market has been heavily influenced by increased online access, the Property Academy says that conventional marketing methods still seem to be very effective. Having a board up on a property for sale still generates inquiries. This method still brings in enough sales and prospective buyers and are effective marketing tools that should be utilised.
Forward all calls
It’s important to make sure that every call that comes into the office about a listing or a property that is your mandate gets forwarded directly to you.
Well-meaning admin staff may think they are helping you – and the clients – by trying to answer questions. However, it is unlikely that no one else will be able to answer the clients’ questions as well as you can, and they may be put off.
You should also make sure that someone at the office is available to answer calls during office hours. In addition, your cellphone should always be on to receive calls. You almost certainly won’t be able to answer every call, so be sure to have a professional voicemail outgoing notice that invites callers to leave a detailed message. And, it goes without saying that you should make return calls as soon as possible.
Keeping in mind these tips will help you become the best real estate agent you can be. Remember that even though selling is an essential part of the job, good service and quality will get you to the top – and keep you there.