As the real estate industry becomes more competitive, it's no secret you have to continue enhancing your knowledge and skills to stay ahead. The best tools available to you are knowledge and a solid understanding of national trends. You may already be a seasoned professional in your local market, but to ensure you reach your highest potential, you must have a grasp of the larger picture.
With all the resources floating around the industry, it can be difficult to pick out those that are most useful. Here are ten real estate agent resources to help you increase your clientele and set yourself apart.
The Best Websites for Real Estate Agents
Buying and selling homes is hard work; there is no question about it. If you are looking to get ahead of the competition, you will need access to reliable information to keep you updated on trends in the market. Here, we have gathered three of the best websites for real estate agents looking for a leg up.
Realtor.org
Realtor.org is considered a representative voice for real estate - it’s the complementary membership site for the National Association of Realtors (NAR). There you can find a wealth of information that is relevant for anyone interested in real estate. You can get quick notifications on listings, housing sales and prices, and residential and commercial real estate forecasts from NAR's top economists. The online RealtorMag contains training and ongoing education for consumers and realtors. In addition, the news section summarizes major trends and issues in the market.
Inman News
Inman News is the nation’s leading independent real estate news service. The Inman site offers information-based products and services for real estate professionals and consumers, and it links you to information on Inman’s technology conferences for the real estate industry. You can also find free daily real estate news updates, featured home and newsmaker videos, and a blog where industry leaders sound off on current issues.
RISMedia
RISMedia publishes Real Estate Magazine in print and online. Its professional industry writers and contributors are the experts of real estate. They contribute tons of industry news and techniques to make your business more effective.
One of its main features is the Power Broker Survey, which has been produced for over twenty-five years. Here, the nation's top brokers speak on business and marketplace trends and predict what is to come in the future. It also takes on a master class format, with CEOs and key executives in powerful companies sharing solutions to problems occurring immediately and in the future.
The Best Realtor Resources for Marketing and Communication
The software and technology you incorporate into your business can make a huge difference in the way you engage your clientele. Here are three recommendations geared toward marketing and communication that will help you improve your productivity and impress your clients.
DocuSign
The nature of business transactions is continuing to evolve as the world becomes more and more digital. If you want to be able to close deals online to speed up your process, we recommend using DocuSign.
“Since the acceptance of digital documents, technology has saved real estate agents countless hours driving back and forth for signatures,” says Ronald Humes, REALTOR® and VP of Operations, Southeast Region for Post Modern Marketing.
He adds, “If you do not belong to an association that provides access to this software, make the investment. You will not regret it, nor will your clients!”
Oftentimes, wasted time means wasted money. Productivity software is one of the most worthwhile realtor resources to invest in.
Canva
In this decade, it is almost necessary for agents to use social media as a platform to both market their services and promote their listings. If you want to make a mark on social media websites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., you will need to be creative and make your posts jump out to the average viewer scrolling quickly down their timeline. Canva will ensure that you create posts that are both professional and visually appealing. It offers a variety of design resources, such as templates, stock images, and photo editing.
RealScout
RealScout is the right software for you if you wish to become more quick and effective in your communications with clientele while maximizing the use of your data.
“RealScout is a listing system. It syncs with the RLS, the virtual equivalent of an MLS in NYC, and allows us to enter customer profiles and automate email alerts to them,” says Ari Harkov, licensed associate real estate broker and co-head of the Harkov Lewis Team at Halstead Real Estate. “Although the emails are automated, these features make them feel more personalized, and the format of the emails is clean and appealing."
The Best Hubs and Associations for Real Estate Agents
Regardless of if you are a new realtor or a seasoned professional looking to advance your experience, it is important that you continue your education in the field and connect with other agents from who you can learn. Organizations ranging from trade associations to tech hubs are useful if you want to use new tools and learn from new sources.
The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR)
Becoming a member of The National Association of REALTORS comes with great benefits. They are the largest trade association in the United States and offer services aimed at helping people from all backgrounds and experience levels involved in the industry.
Their annual report--“Home Buyers and Sellers Profile”--is one amongst many resources you can find on their website, filled with information on sales, housing prices, forecasts, and major trends and issues. No matter where you stand with your business, the aim of this organization is to help you stay on top as a well-informed realtor.
Kaplan Real Estate Education
Whether you’re looking to begin your career in real estate or advance it, Kaplan Real Estate Education's excellent selection of courses will help you get started in ongoing your education.
The courses are categorized by state so that you can find a location near you, including the ever-so-important certification course for industry rookies. If you wish to study from home, there are also plenty of online courses to choose from.
Bank of America First-Time Home Buyer Guide
When it comes time to sell a property, you will find that clients really value trust. There are few, if any, better ways to build trust with your clients than to give them reliable knowledge that will help them make informed decisions.
Bank of America’s First-Time Home Buyer Guide is a great place to refer a buyer with little experience. There, this will find home financing calculators, mortgage rates, real estate and housing reports, checklists, interactive learning experiences, and a variety of other resources. As an agent, you might even find some useful information for moving your own properties.
Don't only rely on yourself to gather the tools you need. Real estate agents can use each other as a resource for advancement.
BiggerPockets YouTube Channel
For entertaining and educational videos, look no further than Joshua Dorkin—investor and founder of the BiggerPockets website. He will walk you through everything you need to know about real estate investing. You’ll also get useful advice on buying and selling and even more exclusive tips.
Ultimately, you might want some more guidance from a successful team of real estate agents in your local Georgian market, and we can absolutely help with that. Contact us to learn how to grow your real estate business and move more properties today!
