I’m a listing agent. I specialize in working with homeowners who need to sell their homes. I started out working with both home buyers and sellers, but my talents and interest pointed me in the direction of specializing as a listing agent.
One thing I love about my work is that no two days are the same. But, I can give you a rundown on what I do on an average day.
Generating New Business
The most important part of my job as a listing agent is generating new business. I really enjoy finding new clients who need my help. I use several marketing tactics to find new clients, including those described below.
· I stay in touch with my sphere of influence. Using automated tools makes this task much easier than it was when everything was on paper. I have a Customer Relationship Manager (CRM) that keeps track of everyone in my sphere, including past clients, friends, family, prospects, and active clients. I use the CRM to send out emails to stay top of mind with my sphere. The CRM also reminds me of when I need to call a contact or follow up on a specific issue.
· I maintain a website directed at homeowners. I use my website as the hub of my marketing activities. I write blog articles that are of interest to homeowners in general, and to homeowners who want to learn more about selling a house. With strategic calls to action, I can generate a number of leads from my website each month. Once a homeowner has made contact, I use the CRM to nurture that relationship and turn the contact into a client.
· I send direct mail to my farm area. I selected a specific geographic area where I know everything there is to know about the neighborhoods, homes, and market trends. I use direct response marketing in my direct mail pieces. I send the recipient to my website to download eBooks or market updates that homeowners are interested in. Again, those leads go into my CRM for nurturing.
· I’m active on social media. My social media pages are great places to get in touch with homeowners in my farm area. I maintain pages for my business, and I create groups for the neighborhoods I sell in. I always promote blog posts that appear on my website on my social media pages. I also make it a point to respond to anyone who comments on one of my social media posts and try to be as helpful as I can, whether that person will become a client or not.
Selling Homes
Selling my clients’ homes takes another big junk of my time. I don’t just throw a yard sign in the lawn and hope the house sells itself. There’s a lot to do to get a home sold in a reasonable timeframe at the highest price the market will bear. I keep in close contact with my clients throughout the process. Here are just some of the things I may do during an average day as a listing agent.
· Work with homeowners to develop a strategy. I meet with homeowners to tour their home and tell them how I can help them. I need to identify the type of buyer who would be interested in their home, identify the things they’ll need to do to sell the home for a great price, and explain how working with me is their best alternative. This is the listing presentation, and I’ve worked hard to develop one that helps owners understand why they should work with me as opposed to anyone else.
· Prep the home to sell. If the homeowner wants top dollar for their home, I will help them by coordinating the efforts of other professionals to get their home in perfect shape. Most of the time, a home needs things like painting, removing wallpaper, and fixing squeaky doors. In some cases, a home needs more extensive work such as replacing kitchen counters, pruning bushes that block sunlight, and staging the home.
· Complete initial marketing tasks. After signing a listing agreement with a homeowner, I need to get a few things going. I write a compelling description of their home that targets at the perfect buyer and add their listing to the MLS. I arrange for the installation of a yard sign, create and print home flyers, and do all the administrative things associated with selling. I may even create, print, and mail “just listed” postcards.
· Monitor progress. I make sure to publish the listing on every real estate listing site I can find. And, I monitor the activity on those websites. I also keep track of showings that other agents conduct and obtain feedback from them. The sales price is typically set based on a Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) and I monitor sales in the area to make sure that price is right.
Negotiating Offers
The best time of my day is when I receive an offer from a potential buyer on one of my listings. It means that all the marketing dollars and hard work I put in to sell my client’s home is paying off. Every offer requires careful review to help me make the best recommendation to my client on how to respond.
I evaluate the financial soundness of the buyer, review the offer to see if there are any contingencies, and take a look at the offer price and terms. I can then contact my client and review the offer with them, along with my recommendations.
At this point, my listing agent negotiation skills are critical. If I’m lucky, the offer matches my client’s expectations. If not, I will negotiate with the buyer’s agent to see if we can come to an agreement that satisfies both the buyer and seller.
Once both parties have accepted an offer, I’ll monitor the steps leading up to the close to make sure everything runs smoothly. Many other professionals are responsible for different steps in the process, including home inspectors, mortgage lenders, appraisers, and title companies. I’ll also attend the closing with my clients to support them if any issues come up at the closing table. You’d think that with all the preparation, there would be no issues, but it can happen.
Managing Administrative Tasks
Any business requires overall administration to keep the business running smoothly. I create a marketing plan each year and update it throughout the year. Other administrative tasks include:
· keeping track of business expenses
· creating marketing materials such as flyers, newsletters, and listing presentations
· maintaining a CRM and a calendar
I also keep track of the market statistics in my farm area. I review the MLS regularly to identify the homes that have sold and new homes coming on the market. I’ll often go to agent open houses to keep an eye on the competition for my clients’ listings.
While it’s not a daily task, I attend continuing education courses to maintain my real estate license and to expand my knowledge so I can do an even better job of helping my clients.
If you’re thinking of selling your home, LemonBrew can help. Just tell them a bit about your home, and they’ll match you to a local real estate agent. LemonBrew also has Title and Escrow services to make your transaction go smoothly.