The Key: Navigating Uncertain Markets as an Agent
“The Key” is Blakemore Real Estate’s agent-focused blog series in which educational tips, best practices, and expert insights are shared to help Realtors® excel in their careers.
The recent pandemic has left many industries in a state of continuous change, causing professionals worldwide to adapt and inherit new best practices. The real estate industry is no exception. If you are an agent in this day and age, you have probably already embraced virtual showings, transitioned in and out of working from home, and found new ways to connect with clients. We’re right there with you.
In the spirit of banding together as agents and stepping into the new normal with grace, we have identified three best practices for maintaining great client relationships and growing your business and professionalism as a Realtor® in times of uncertainty.
Inform, Don’t Inflate
Remember that your clients, like you, have experienced a lot of change this year from canceled plans to shifts in lifestyle and beyond. Here are a few ways to address your client’s concerns productively and helpfully without adding to their stresses:
Conduct check-in calls to learn about your clients’ stressors and plans for the future so you can organically lead them in the right direction.
Lean on market data and projections to tackle fears head-on rather than leading with your opinion. When you let the facts do the talking, you’ll be viewed as a trusted source rather than a great salesperson, which is a fundamental piece of a long-lasting relationship.
Share relevant and recent experiences you have had with past successful transactions. Sometimes clients need to know they are not alone in wanting to continue their real estate journey during a tough time.
BRE Best Practice:
Guide your clients to knowledgable resources for their own personal investigation so they feel informed and not just talked at with market stats.
Connect, Don’t Coerce
If you are a new agent on a quest for building great relationships, now is your chance to build a solid foundation for years to come. If you are an experienced agent, now is your time to set yourself apart by providing genuine care and support to your clients as they navigate tough life changes and decisions.
Accept that your clients’ timelines for buying and selling may have recently changed. Instead of trying to push a transaction forward, listen to the challenges they are facing and connect them with the right solutions—even if that calls for a change in plans altogether. Here are a few guiding principles to maintain in all client interactions:
Lead with empathy, follow with efficiency.
Listen to your client’s needs first, make recommendations second.
Treat trust as your core asset. When clients trust you and your process, your business (and your referrals) will grow.
BRE Best Practice:
Acknowledge the depth of your relationship with your clients so you can comfortably check in with how their whole soul is doing — not just the transaction.
Adapt, Don’t Avoid
Learning new real estate practices can be challenging. Meeting the needs of your clients in a rapidly-changing industry can be difficult. However, to stay agile and continue developing as a real estate professional, you need to be willing to charge forward and commit to growth. Your willingness to creatively solve problems and maintain a positive outlook in times of uncertainty will only reinforce your ability to lead clients through their most important financial decisions.
Our best advice for investing in yourself is to seek out opportunities for mentorship and continued education in the industry. We believe success breeds success, so the more you invest in yourself, the better off your clients will be, too.
BRE Best Practice:
Devour every bit of trustworthy market information you can from other Realtors® experiences, national trends, local stats, and what your broker brings to your team meetings.
If you are a buyer, seller, or investor looking for an agent of this caliber, call us!
If you are an agent committed to growth and relationships-first real estate, join us!
