Hi all; I have just received my license and I am looking for tips on how to most effectively make first contact with RE Agents. I have no brand or name recognition in my area, so it’s critical for me to make a strong impact with agents. What methods/tools have you had success with?
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Drive around a couple times a year and visit the Real Estate offices. Introduce yourself and leave business cards. They will forget you if you don’t keep showin up, plus there will likely be someone different manning the front desk on different visits. Till they use know you there’s no tellin what they think. Some will try to use you and hound you to lower the price, they’re the control nuts who think they’re in charge of the whole process, and some will sell the client a terrible house and try to blame you. Best practice is to market directly to the home buyer!
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drive and drop off cards/brochures is a good start. You can also offer a to go to their first time home buyer seminars and such to help them educate clients etc… maybe do lunch and learn where you get to speak for 15-30 min (typically you’re on the hook to bring food on these though).
I’m also a beginner and like the suggestions I have read so far. This is great when seasoned pro’s and veterans alike can input their experiences. I hope to read more about this in the coming days.
I think most Real Estate Boards have an Affiliate Membership you may want to look into (annual fee at mine is $275). This may have several advantages. Such as (at my local board of Realtors): I can attend the monthly free luncheons, company info listed on their website, they also have some opportunities if you wish to sponsor some events. Ours also has an annual Affiliates Appreciation Luncheon where we can set up a booth free of charge and meet the agents and hand out info.
Joining as an affiliate also gives us the opportunity to have Supra Access to properties (I think it cost me about $200 initially and then about $14/ month. (Well worth it!)
One other thing I have found is to get some Useful trinkets with your info to hand out, like pens and stuff. One thing that my clients and agents like are these. (and I get a lot of referrals and jobs from my clients because of these flashlights (at least six jobs in the past year where they actually mentioned the flashlights and got my info from it). I buy and pass out about 400 of them a year and they cost a little over a dollar a piece.
I get them from National Pen
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Larry is correct about the trinkets. I forgo the pens, pads, coffee cups etc and hand out the flashlights and small tape measures. Clients and RE agents love them.
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Be really good at your job and find lots of things…your name will spread like wildfire among the agents.
Hi Larry;
Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated!
One question about REB memberships, what is “Supra Access” ?
Thanks,
Steven
I go to open houses every Sunday. All the realtors are happy to see me. (so they say). I give them my card and chat a little. During my time there I give my info to people looking at the house. The realtors have all been ok with this. I have gotten a few jobs this way.
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I have tried all of the above. I am not sure what is best if there pocket is full why would they try a newb
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You’re better & their current guy is busy or on vacation. It takes time, nothing happens over night. Your personality matters (general comment, I don’t know you, but I sure as hell don’t like working with unpleasant individuals, neither do others). It’s a people’s business 
Many don’t take this into account and blame others for not using them 
Steven, Supra access or Supra Key refers to the Realtor/Agent Lock Boxes that hold the keys to the property. This is so you can access the property without having an agent meet you and unlock the property (a phone app). As I understand it, this will/may very from State to State and also your local “board of realtors” will have their own policy on this and who can get Supra access. (in our area it was just Agents and Appraisers. Till we put up a stink because there were a couple of inspectors using unauthorized, Supra keys that were actually that of a relative that just happened to be semi-retired agents. (A big no-no under Supra and Board of Realtor policy and ethics.)
If other inspectors have this access and you do not, you are going to find agents won’t want to use, or recommend you simply because they do not want to take the time and headache to unlock the property for you.
Hey Dominic,
There’s always someone looking for something better whether it be culturally or just because to have more people who may be available. Don’t you think?
Real estate agent first contact
Make sure you wash your hands afterwards.
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Doing the lunch and realtor meeting thing is a complete waste of time and money! I did a few of those when I first started out and it became apparent the top agents don’t bother to attend. The only ones there are others trying to get agents referrals like, lawyers, appraisers and other do nothing hangers on.
The best bet is to make or have a GREAT web presence and market to buyers. Hanging around open houses and giving your card to people looking is a great method, or just sitting outside in your tarted up vehicle for a spell, talk to everyone you know, at the grocery store, gym, local Lions Club, legion any other clubs …….hope you get the picture.
Cheers
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Hi Bob;
Thanks for your feedback! What are some methods that you have had success with in marketing directly to buyers? How are you finding active buyers? Do you run print ads in real estate publications?
hi Steven, Besides my website and facebook, I run an ad in our community monthly magazines. I target my community as well as 4 others adjacent to me. The ad costs $375.00 for 6 months. It has paid for itself many times over.
I also do what Douglas suggested.
Best of Luck!
Any suggestions how to market to the homebuyer? I have been posting in instagram and FB and hashtaging homebuyers ect.
Good luck, as a licensed RE Broker required to complete yearly
ethics “ courses I learned and just a fyi, the National Association of REALTORS allows agents and or their office to receive referral fees from vendors, such as home inspectors, but are required to disclose the fact to their clients. Most states and InterNachi guide lines prohibit home inspectors from paying kick backs, however enforcement seems to be an issue. Report any instances or complaints to your state real estate commission.
In the state of Alaska, if you’re caught violating any of the state inspection ethics laws your license if revoked immediately AND barred from ever getting a business license OF ANY KIND in the state forever. This is a no joke state and I like it. On top of that, we inspectors are required to report any wrong doing and if it’s found out that we know of any wrong doing (know whats going on, aren’t involved but dont report it) we get 1 year suspended license.