Top 7 Mistakes Rookie REALTORS Make
nadbali
December 11, 2021
Every time I speak to someone about my business and career, it always comes up that “they’ve thought about getting into real estate” or know anyone who has. With so many people considering getting into real estate, and getting into real estate – why aren’t there more successful Realtors on the globe? Well, there’s only so much business to go around, so there can only just be so many REALTORS in the world. Personally i think, however, that the inherent nature of the business enterprise, and how different it is from traditional careers, makes it difficult for the average person to successfully make the transition into the Real Estate Business. As a Broker, I see many new agents make their way into my office – for an interview, and sometimes to begin with their careers. New REALTORS bring many great qualities to the table – plenty of energy and ambition – but they also make a lot of common mistakes. Listed below are the 7 top mistakes rookie Real Estate Agents Make.
1) No Business Plan or Business Strategy
So many new agents put almost all their emphasis on which Real Estate Brokerage they will join when their shiny new license will come in the mail. Why? Because most new REALTORS have never been in business for themselves – they’ve only worked as employees. They, mistakenly, believe that getting into the true Estate business is “obtaining a new job.” What they’re missing is that they are about to go into business for themselves. If you’ve ever opened the doors to ANY business, you know that one of the key ingredients can be your business plan. Your business plan can help you define where you’re going, how you’re getting there, and what it’s going to take for you to make your real estate industry a success. Here are the requirements of worthwhile business plan:
A) Goals – What would you like? Make them clear, concise, measurable, and achievable.
B) Services You Provide – you do not desire to be the “jack of most trades & master of none” – choose residential or commercial, buyers/sellers/renters, and what area(s) you would like to specialize in. New residential realtors tend to have the most success with buyers/renters and move ahead to listing homes after they’ve completed several transactions.
C) Market – that are you marketing yourself to?
D) Budget – consider yourself “new real estate agent, inc.” and jot down EVERY expense that you have – gas, groceries, cellular phone, etc… Then write down the brand new expenses you’re dealing with – board dues, increased gas, increased cell usage, marketing (very important), etc…
E) Funding – how will you pay for your allowance w/ no income for the initial (at least) 60 days? With the goals you’ve set on your own, when do you want to break even?
F) Marketing Plan – how will you obtain the word out about your services? The MOST effective way to market yourself would be to your own sphere of influence (people you know). Make sure you do so effectively and systematically.
2) Not Using the Best Possible Closing Team
They say the best businesspeople surround themselves with people who are smarter than themselves. It requires a fairly big team to close a transaction – Buyer’s Agent, Listing Agent, Lender, INSURANCE PROFESSIONAL, Title Officer, Inspector, Appraiser, and sometimes more! As https://neverbroke.club/read-blog/75216_vital-facts-you-should-keep-in-mind-while-selling-a-fire-damaged-house.html , you are in the positioning to refer your client to whoever you choose, and you should be certain that anyone you refer in will undoubtedly be an asset to the transaction, not somebody who provides you more headache. And the closing team you refer in, or “put your name to,” are there to make you shine! If they perform well, you get to participate of the credit because you referred them in to the transaction.
The deadliest duo on the market is the New Real Estate Agent & New LARGE FINANCIAL COMPANY. They get together and decide that, through their combined marketing efforts, they can take over the world! They’re both focusing on the right part of their business – marketing – but they’re doing one another no favors by choosing to give each other business. If you refer in a bad insurance professional, it might cause a minor hiccup in the transaction – you create a simple phone call and a new agent can bind the property in less than an hour. However, because it typically takes at least fourteen days to close a loan, if you use an inexperienced lender, the effect can be disastrous! You might find yourself ready of “begging for a contract extension,” or worse, being denied a contract extension.
A good closing team will typically learn than their role in the transaction. For this reason, you can turn in their mind with questions, and they will step in (quietly) when they visit a potential mistake – because they want to help you, and in return receive more of your business. Using good, experienced players for the closing team will allow you to infinitely in conducting business worthy of MORE business…and on top of that, it’s free!
3) Not Arming Themselves with the Necessary Tools
Getting started as an agent is expensive. In Texas, the license alone can be an investment that will cost between $700 and $900 (not taking into account the amount of time you’ll invest.) However, you’ll come across even more expenses when you go to arm yourself with the necessary tools of the trade. And don’t fool yourself – they are necessary – because your competition are using every tool to help THEM.
A) MLS Access is just about the most expensive necessity you’re going to run into. Joining your local (and state & national, by default) Board of Realtors will help you to pay for MLS access, and in Austin, Texas, will run around $1000. However, don’t skimp of this type. Getting MLS access is one of the most important things you can do. It’s what differentiates us from your average salesman – we don’t sell homes, we present any of the homes that we have available. With MLS Access, you should have 99% of the homes for sale in your area open to present to your clients.
B) Mobile Phone w/ a Beefy Plan – These days, everyone has a cellular phone. But not everyone has a plan that will facilitate the amount of use that Real Estate Agents need. Plan on getting at the very least 2000 minutes per month. You need, and need, to be available to your clients 24/7 – not just nights and weekends.
