Relationship Building Opportunity: Divorce Attorney/Divorce Mediator 

An unfortunate selling opportunity comes with divorce. Never will an agent find more motivated sellers then a couple that is splitting up. And while it’s hard to find leads who are divorcing on your own, attorneys and divorce mediators make it easy. By forming a relationship with a local divorce attorney or divorce mediator, agents can reap the benefits of referrals for years to come.

Unsure of how to walk into an attorney or mediator’s office and make a business ally? It is important to ask for a lunch date to learn more about serving this niche segment. After forming a relationship, a simple trick would be to offer a helpful real estate guide specific to divorcing couples. 

Pro Tip: divorce mediators are often unsung heroes with more free time than attorneys. They also spend more time with their clients than attorneys do. It’s best to start with mediators and then move onto the attorney’s office.

Join Local Facebook Groups 

This is probably the easiest way to drum up real estate seller leads. Over the past few months, I have watched the same real estate agent snatch up lead after lead on a local Facebook mom’s group. It’s a great place to hang out online since women make up 70%-80% of all purchasing decisions.

When women in the Facebook group ask for advice about moving or home valuation, the same agent swoops in and picks them up with a DM, every time. It’s so brilliant and simple. Using the group search function allows agents to look for anyone talking about moving, even when they were offline. As long as an agent participates regularly in the group and builds relationships, joining local lifestyle groups is an easy way to get seller leads. It’s a great way to use Facebook to grow your business without spending a dime.

Engage Past Clients Often 

One of the biggest missed opportunities comes from past clients. More than half of real estate sellers use their old agent when they sell again. This number goes up when a strong relationship is maintained. There are plenty of great ways to engage past clients. This includes giving great closing gifts, making sure past clients have current market information, and making sure to add past clients to tailored drip campaigns.

The relationship shouldn’t stop after closing. Every year agents should personally connect with past clients via email or phone.

Pro Tip:  Using email drip campaigns is an easy way to nurture your past clients. Just make sure your messages are personalized. Your emails should contain questions like “How are you enjoying your first holiday in your new home?” Nothing will turn your old clients off quicker than spam or generic messages.

Relationship Building Opportunity: Financial Planners 

The highest percentage (23%) of sellers are empty nesters, age 55-64. And most sellers make between 100-124k a year. Firms like Edward Jones and Fidelity specialize in serving and partnering with this same demographic and are often aware when one of their clients wants to sell. These planners advise their clients on how to handle their assets, including when it’s time to downsize.

Forming a relationship with a financial planner is an excellent way to get referrals, especially as these professionals are involved in the financial decisions of their clients. Asking for an educational lunch or coffee is a great way to learn about the empty nester/downsizing demographic and how advisors counsel their clients during the selling process.

Offering value, like partnering with a financial planner for a home valuation class and sellers’ course is a great way to generate leads. This niche market is full of leads that are methodical and like to think ahead. So, offering market reports and tips for improving their homes to sell for a greater ROI is always welcome.

How to Get Real Estate Seller Leads for Free

Real estate seller leads don’t grow on trees, but some covert more easily than others. Data shows that most real estate seller clients come from referrals and relationships, not from being purchased online. There are plenty of places to find free leads. Clients can come from Facebook, divorce mediators/attorneys, financial planners, past clients, and more. 

The post 6 Places to Find Free Real Estate Seller Leads appeared first on Real Estate Marketing and Property Marketing Blog by Single Property Sites.

What Sellers Want in A Real Estate Agent

According to data collected by the NAR, the top five things sellers want in a real estate agent is help:

1. marketing their home to potential buyers (20%)
2. pricing home competitively (20%)
3. selling the home within a specific time frame (19%)
4. finding a buyer for home (14%)
5. finding ways to fix up home to sell it for more (14%)

Help marketing their home to potential buyers (20%) 

There are two services that sellers want most in a real estate agent. They are marketing a seller’s home and pricing their home for sale. According to the NAR, 20% of sellers most want a real estate agent who will market their home to buyers.

Listing agents who want to get more clients should focus on creating a stellar marketing plan. The best way to do this is by answering the questions home sellers will most often ask. These include:

• What online channels will me home be shared on (Zillow, MLS, Social Media, etc.)?
• How will the real estate agent make my home stand out from the thousands of listings online (Single Property Sites, media used, target ads, etc.)?
• Which forms of media will be used to promote my home (Professional photos, floor plans, virtual tours, etc.)?
• How will my home be promoted locally (open house, sign riders, etc.)?
• How will the real estate agent’s professional network be leveraged to promote my home?

Since marketing skills are the most important thing sellers want in a real estate agent, making a stellar marketing plan should be #1 priority.

Help Price Home Competitively (20%) 

Pricing homes competitively is just as important to sellers (20%) as having a solid marketing plan. Sellers want an agent who will list their home at the right price. But, giving sellers the best listing price possible isn’t good enough. Sellers want a real estate agent who will show them exactly how they decided on the listing price.

In a world of inaccurate Zestimates, real estate agents need to be incredibly honest and open about how comps are acquired and how listing prices are decided on. Sellers love printouts and explanations of detailed comps. 

Real estate agents should view themselves as educators. Home sellers need agents to teach them about the best price for their home and how that price is determined.

Help Selling a Home Within a Specific Time Frame (19%) 

Real estate agents have a great opportunity to help calm a seller’s anxiety and get new clients, by emphasizing a commitment to selling homes within a specific time frame. With job changes, expanding families, and other relocation needs, many sellers become nervous and frustrated when thinking about their time frame needs.

A seller’s fear and frustration are a huge opportunity for real estate agents. Presenting a track record of previous sales, past client testimonials, and emphasizing how the marketing plan and listing price are important to selling quickly are important.

Help Find a Buyer for Home (14%)

Fourteen percent of sellers most want an agent that will help them find a buyer. This need ties directly into a real estate agent’s marketing plan. And, highlighting the real estate agent’s professional network is a must.

The listing agent should also highlight their ability to find the right buyer for a seller’s home. Talking about qualifying buyer leads is important. Not only will the real estate agent find a buyer, but one who is financially secure, is going to make it to closing,  and who is not asking for an outrageous price cut.

Help Find Ways to Fix Up Home to Sell it For More (14%) 

It’s not a surprise that many home sellers want to increase the asking price of their home. And while this can cause headaches for agents, what many sellers actually want is help and guidance fixing up their homes to sell for more.

When presenting a fair listing price and comps, part of the conversation often turns to increase the listing price. No surprises here! But agents should be ready with a list of data-backed home improvement options to increase the sales price. Having the name of a few good contractors on hand is also a great idea.

What Sellers Want in a Real Estate Agent

While many real estate agents focus on their negotiating skills, their brokerage’s reputation, or other strengths, the truth is, we have data on what sellers want in a real estate agent. A strong marketing plan, a competitive listing price, help selling their home quickly, finding a buyer, and advice on home improvements is what sellers actually want most. Above all, agents who focus on these needs and marketing toward those needs will see the highest pay-offs.

The post What Sellers Want in A Real Estate Agent appeared first on Real Estate Marketing and Property Marketing Blog by Single Property Sites.

The internet is full of articles about how real estate photographers can get the most money possible for their services. But little has been reported about how much real estate agents should be paying for listing photography. We know how critical photographs are to helping agents win and selling listings. So, we did the digging, looked at the local markets, and found out the truth about real estate photography pricing.

Why is Real Estate Photography Important?

Sell Homes Faster and for More

Rismedia recently reported: 

Listings with high-quality photos sell 32 percent faster.

Listings with more photos sell faster.  A home with one photo spends an average of 70 days on the market, but a home with 20 photos spends 32 days on the market.

For listings in the $200,000 to $1 million range, those that include high-quality photography in their listings sell for $3,000-$11,000 more.

Impress Sellers and Get More Listings

But most importantly, photos are important to home sellers. According to the NAR, The number one service home sellers look for in a real estate agent, is someone with a great marketing strategy. Photos are a huge piece of that marketing strategy.

Incorporating beautiful and appropriate photographs in marketing materials can really help a listing agent to make their marketing services and expertise tangible to sellers. Showcasing the best photos alongside floorplans, virtual tours, and videos with services like Single Property Sites is one of the best ways agents can show their marketing strengths.

What is Average Real Estate Photography Pricing?

The average price for real estate photography is between $100 and $350.  This price can vary slightly by region and by property size. This price should include 1-3 hours of photography time, at least 25 edited images, a quick turnaround time, and images that don’t require reformatting for the MLS or across social media. Copyright for each photo should fall to the agent for commercial use.

Real Estate Photography Pricing by Region

West: Denver

Hot Shot Pros focuses solely on high-end real estate photography. They offer an array of packages, but the most popular, MLS-specific package is $195 and includes 35+ edited photos, home tour, Youtube video, and interactive floorplan. Springing for a luxury listing package only costs $250.

South: Miami

iUSE Photography is Miami’s premier real estate photography company. They offer a blue sky guarantee on all their photos with tons of a la carte pricing options. Their best is their $249 twilight package which includes 24 photos and 1 twilight photo. The best part is their quick turnaround time with next day delivery.

East Coast: Washington DC

Northern Virginia Real Estate Photography is one of DC’s most trusted real estate photography studios. Their standard package is $300 for 30 edited images and includes a virtual tour. They have multiple awards from Houzz and offer drone services, too.

West Coast: Portland

Tim Sadle Photography has had agents singing his praises for years. Seriously, check him out on Yelp! His photos are stunning and his packages are very well priced. For $135 real estate agents get a full package with 15-35 interior and exterior photos with professional editing. All photos come pre-formatted for the RMLS.

Southwest: Dallas

Capture 2 Sell is an all-in-one listing stop for real estate agents. Capture 2 Sell offers traditional photography, videos, drone photography/video, and Matterport virtual tours. Their drone and standard photography package runs at $260, and additional products like Matterport and videos can be added on.

How to choose a real estate photographer

Choosing a real estate photographer is one of the most important services an agent will choose.

When picking for a real estate photographer, it is important to look for:

Binding Contracts

Many photographers have contracts designed to protect themselves and their clients. Real estate agents should never hire a photographer who does not offer signed contracts. They can skip town with an agent’s payment before delivering any photos.

Golden Hour Photographs

Taking real estate photos during dawn or dusk can set a listing apart from everything else on the market. Agents should look for a photographer who specializes in using natural light and takes “golden hour” photos at dawn or dusk. These photos wow both sellers and buyers alike.

Real Estate Only

Many aspiring photographers will try to brand themselves a jack of all trades by offering engagement photos, family portraits, pet photos, and real estate photography. Even though an agent may be attracted by a lower price point, Realtors should steer clear. Taking listing photos and taking family photos require two different skill sets. It would be like asking a dentist to operate on a hand, simply because they are a doctor.

Delivery Method & Post Production

Real estate agents should also be aware of how their photos will be delivered. Some real estate photographers offer flash drives, some offer disks, while others send the files securely online. For the easiest use, direct download is best. The best real estate photographers also use post-production filters, editing, and touch-ups using programs like Adobe Lightroom.

Real Estate Photography Pricing

Finding a good real estate photographer should cost no more than $100-$350 per listing. Choosing a good photographer is important because photography impresses sellers, sells homes more quickly, and makes an agent’s job easier. Being mindful of contracts, post-production, when a photographer takes their photos, and their area of expertise all play a part in choosing the right real estate photographer.

The post Real Estate Photography Pricing: How Much Should Agents be Paying? appeared first on Real Estate Marketing and Property Marketing Blog by Single Property Sites.

When a real estate agent lands a listing presentation, it should be a guarantee that they will get the listing. The last hoop to jump through is the listing presentation, and it should be super easy. Luckily, the NAR has done all the research on what sellers want most from their real estate agents. The best listing presentation is backed by this data. By focusing on what home sellers want statistically, real estate agents are winning every listing.

#1. Market Home to Potential Buyers

The NAR’s 2018 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers reported that there were two services that home seller’s wanted most of all. 20% of all home sellers wanted a real estate agent who could market their home to potential buyers. This was the most important thing they looked for in an agent.

This (and helping competitively price the home) should be the main focus of the listing appointment. There are many ways that agents can focus on the marketing portion of their presentation. These include:

• Showing research-backed data on how to create the most effective MLS listings (with examples).
• A video testimonial from a satisfied previous seller
• Sharing an example of  Single Property Sites listing websites, that were designed specifically to win listings. They impress buyers with custom URLs, stunning photo, video, virtual tour, and panorama capabilities. And details on listings that the MLS simply doesn’t support.
• Staging, Photography, and Video before and after examples
• Sharing multimedia examples of virtual tours and video
• Explaining online/social media promotional strategy
• Explaining how open houses, sign riders, and other marketing materials will be used

#2. Help Price Home Competitively

Helping price a home competitively is just as important to sellers as a solid marketing plan. 20% of all home sellers said that the most important thing they wanted from a Realtor was help pricing their home competitively. This topic can be a source of headaches for agents due to Zestimates and unrealistic expectations. However real estate agents should not minimize this conversation.

Sellers want their agent to be transparent when pricing a home. Agents should be prepared to give home sellers detailed comp material. Sellers should know where the comps came from, what homes of their model have historically sold for in their neighborhood, and be given detailed analytics on the current market.

Above all, Realtors should focus on educating and empowering sellers. This is an opportunity for agents to position themselves as industry leads and to show sellers what a realistic price point is. The best listing presentation teaches a seller about the best price for their home.

#3. Help Sell in a Specific Timeframe

Selling in a specific timeframe is the third most service to sellers. 19% of home sellers say this is the number one thing they look for in a real estate agent. It is a perfect segway from the pricepoint conversation because as we all know, pricing a home is very important to selling quickly.

Marketing a home and choosing an appropriate price should inform the selling timeframe. Agents should:

• Share timeframe data from past sales
• Share timeframe data on the current market
• Highlight their marketing plan, again
• Discuss how properly pricing home can impact the timeframe
• Highlight their network group

#4. Help Find a Buyer

14% of sellers feel that help finding a buyer is the most important service agents offer. Many home sellers are unaware of the professional network that most agents have developed. Agents should demonstrate how a professional network of Realtors can help find a buyer. Open houses and the marketing plan should also be touched on again.

Historically, home sellers want to know a real estate agents track record looks like. By sharing how and when past homebuyers found previous listings, trust is built.

#5. Help Seller Fix Home to Sell it for More

14% of home sellers think the most important thing a real estate agent can do for them is helping them fix up their home to get a better price. Sharing staging ideas while doing a walk-through is an easy way to show off your services.

But, before offering up a ton of unsolicited ideas on home improvements, agents should be sure to ask the seller if they are looking to make any changes or if they want to sell as-is. This will guide the conversation. Presenting data-backed research on the biggest ROI improvements is the best idea.

The Best Listing Presentation Backed by Research

The best listing presentation is the one that is backed by research. The NAR has done the research and we know exactly what home sellers want most in a real estate agent. Real estate agents can win every listing by helping home sellers market their home, price their home competitively, find a buyer, and fix their home to sell for more. Agents that are transparent, offer data and their own sales history, and present a strong marketing plan will win every listing.

The post The Best Listing Presentation Backed By Research appeared first on Real Estate Marketing and Property Marketing Blog by Single Property Sites.

Worse than Goldfish

It all boils down to science. Scientists in Canada have found that most humans now have a shorter attention span than a goldfish. Thanks to smartphones and tablets, we can typically only pay attention for 8 seconds or less!

This has been a nightmare for marketers trying to get consumers attention. But they are slowly finding that video is king. The stats don’t lie. Forbes reported that “By 2019, global consumer Internet video traffic will account for 80% of all consumer Internet traffic.” And, “After watching a video, 64% of users are more likely to buy a product online.” That is insane.

This is because video holds our short attention spans in a way that tradition print and photographs cannot. Hubspot reported, “55% of people play close attention when consuming video – more than all other types of content”

Seller Clients

The #1 thing that sellers want from an agent is the ability to market their home. This is why having a killer marketing plan before walking into a listing appointment is critical. It is the top priority for sellers. Statistics show that the best way to market online is through video engagement. Knowing this information and presenting it to soon-to-be clients is key to more conversions. Renderforest recently reported:

• Marketers who use video content get 66% more qualified leads per year.

• 70% of marketing professionals report video converts better than any other mediums.

• Video posts on Facebook have 135% greater organic reach than photo posts.

• The users spend 88% more time on a website with video.

By sharing this knowledge with sellers and then acting on it, agents can position themselves as marketing experts and get more clients.

Brand Awareness and SEO

Video is also a useful way to bump website SEO and increase brand visibility. One of the ways that Google ranks websites is by how helpful or useful it decides a website is. Part of this decision hinges on dwell time. Dwell time is the amount of time a person spends interacting with content. The longer people spend watching video and interacting with the site, the higher Google will rank it. A video is actually 53x more likely to get ranked on page 1 of Google, organically.

As far as brand awareness goes, video reigns because of its sharability. In fact, “Video posts on Facebook have 135% greater organic reach than photo posts.” And, “Social video produces 1200% more shares than text and images combined.” For growing future business, videos are going to be a vital source for the next 5-10 years.

The Hassle: Time and Money

All the stats look great and it easy to see that video is one of the best ways to market real estate. But…it takes a lot of time and/or money to make videos.

I remember sitting in one of my final college courses on video marketing and actually crying. I had never cried in school before, but Final Cut Pro drove me to do it. It took hours upon hours to even make a thirty-second spot that still was nowhere near complete when class started. I hadn’t slept in 48 hours, just trying to figure out audio layers. Plus, the software wasn’t cheap either.

For Realtors who are like me and don’t want to hassle with the learning curve and time commitment of video producing, there is always to option to hire someone else to produce videos. The problem there is the cost. Real estate listing videos can cost anywhere between $1000-$2500 to outsource. That is a chunk of commission.

So is there a way to use real estate listing videos and forgo spending an arm and a leg…or giving up hours of sleep?

Alternative Solutions

Fortunately, there are some easy ways to harness the marketing magic of video without breaking the bank or forgoing sleep:

Automatic Listing Videos

We would be remiss if we didn’t let you know that every time a Single Property Site is created, a free listing video is automagically uploaded to YouTube. The videos pull photos and details about the listing to create a slick listing video. Agents don’t need to do a thing. Here is a recent real estate listing video from a Colorado listing.

DIY Quick Editing: Splice & Quik

If an agent has listing photos or video footage on their phone, they can use Splice (ios) or Quik (android). Both of these apps were created by the GoPro brand. And unlike very complicated programs like Final Cut Pro, they were designed with small business owners and creators in mind. These apps allow agents to edit videos quickly and painlessly on their phones. If an agent is interested in compiling their own real estate listing videos, these are the best apps to use.

Video Stabilizers

For real estate agents wanting to use their smartphone to shoot listing videos, testimonials, or social media clips, stabilizers can make videos look 1000x better. A video stabilizer automatically makes videos look smooth and crisp by taking out any shaky camera effects the phone might pick up. Emulsio (ios) and Deshake (Android) are two great options.

Real Estate Listing Videos

Video is king. There is no way around it. This year 80% of all web traffic will come from video. It is the most effective way to engage leads and impress clients. But real estate agents don’t need to break the bank to harness the power of video. Options like automatically generated videos with all-in-one marketing solutions, easy phone apps for editing, and tools that make a professional looking video are all great workarounds to listing videos that cost thousands.

The post Are Real Estate Listing Videos Really Worth it? appeared first on Real Estate Marketing and Property Marketing Blog by Single Property Sites.

Looking at the data, there are definitely ways to connect with Millenial clients that will make real estate agents stand out. Millennials crave relationships, experiences, and instant gratification, and Realtors can use this to their advantage. According to the NAR Millenials made up 36% of all home buyers and 20% of all sellers in 2018. That number continues to rise year-over-year. Investing in this client segment is definitely worth it. These creative real estate marketing tips are sure to win Millenials over.

Offer Value: Content Marketing

Millennials spend most of their time connecting online. This generation uses the internet more often than any previous generation. Mostly, because they grew up with it. But straight ads featuring Realtor information rarely makes an impact with Millenials. In fact, Forbes recently reported that “Millennials are less likely to be persuaded by traditional advertising.”

Millennials hate being interrupted with ads on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Youtube, or any other online hub. Instead, they preferred being offered content that educates, entertains, and enriches their lives. This is what turns them into loyal followers and clients.

Real Estate Content

So what kind of appropriate real estate content can reach Millenials? Here are some winning ideas:

• Moving checklists
• Neighborhood or subdivision guides
• “Best of” lists like the best bars, coffee houses, restaurants, etc. in your area.
• Market information/reports (articles like “Is this summer the best time to sell your house?”)
• Stunning, Instagram-worthy listing photos
• Articles that help sellers/buyers choose the best type of property to fit their lifestyle

It is also important to note that content marketing takes consistency. Agents won’t find their email blowing up from one piece of content. It is an ongoing strategy that builds a client base over time. Being consistent with content that educates, entertains, and enriches is key.

Create Experiences

One of the best real estate marketing tips to reach Millenials is to use experiential marketing. This type of marketing focuses on engaging leads by creating a memorable experience that sticks with them and impacts their purchasing/listing decision.

Some memorable examples of experiential marketing include Red Bull’s Stratos events where adrenaline junkies launch themselves insanely high into the air. Or when cosmetic companies like Kylie Cosmetic’s founder, Kylie Jenner visited beauty YouTubers to get her makeup done during tutorials. Another great example came when Refinery29 offered up its 29Rooms funhouse for visitors to explore.

Real Estate Experiences

Again, these are well and good for big brands, but how do they apply to real estate? There are easy ways for Realtors to create experiences or micro-experiences for Millenials. The good news is, most of them are free!

• Host a Facebook Live seller’s class
• Create Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook Live videos of listing tours
• Go live at an open house
• Do a Facebook Live real estate Q & A
• Feature videos or live feed of favorite local bars, coffee shops, parks, and local attractions
• Create virtual tours of listings and share them to social media feeds
• Host a real-life seller/buyers educational event at the office. Blast it out on apps like Local and NextDoor.
• Have an office open house with pizza and refreshments. Blast it out on apps like Local and NextDoor.

Experiences for Past Clients

Past clients are the number one source of leads f0r agents. Referrals make up 41% of all real estate clients. So making sure past clients stay connected should be a top marketing focus. Creating a yearly event that past clients attend, whether it be at a restaurant or local picnic is a great idea. Other micro-experiences like sending custom video messages on client’s birthday are a great idea.

Retargeting and Lead Capture

Retargeting is a creative way to get leads to make a decision. This happens when someone visits a web page. Ads and content from that website then follow the individual around the internet.

It happened to me the other day. I saw some makeup content on Instagram that I liked and clicked through to the site. Now I am getting ads from that company on Facebook, in my inbox, when I visit other blogs, and on Instagram. I plan on purchasing an eyeliner from them later this month. They got me.

Retargeting can be used for real estate, too. By capture the information of leads visiting an agent’s website, Realtors can then have targeted content follow the lead over to social media and through Google.

Social Media Focus

As the old saying goes, “you gotta go where the fishes are.” Millennials tend to hang out on social media… like a lot…5.4 hours a day to be exact. With that much time spent on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, and LinkedIn, it’s easy to see why it might be the best way to engage this generation. While Facebook is beginning to lose Millenials engagement (not to mention Gen Z), Instagram and Snapchat have seen steady growth with younger generations. Using social media to boost content is a great use of a marketing budget.

Instant Gratification

Another defining trait for Millenials is their desire for instant gratification. And who can blame them? Technology has rewired their brains to be better at multitasking. There are downsides to this, too. Scientists now believe that younger generations have an attention span shorter than a goldfish. This need for instant gratification has had marketing managers on their toes for the past 15 years.

This is evident is online activity, too. The more click-throughs or backlinks people need to click to get what they want, the less likely they are to buy into a product or brand. Putting all online content like virtual tours, listing photos, videos, floor plans, open house, Realtor contact info etc. in one place is the best bet. Also, creating hubs like neighborhood landing pages that offer information in one, central hub is a good idea, too.

Real Estate Marketing Tips

Marketing approaches need to change based on what generation real estate agents want to reach. Millennials continue to grow as a real estate consumer population year-over-year. By focusing on content marketing, creating experiences, retargeting, social media, and instant gratification, agents can attract Millenial sellers and buyers.

The post Creative Real Estate Marketing Tips for Millennial Clients appeared first on Real Estate Marketing and Property Marketing Blog by Single Property Sites.

The 3 Most Valuable Ingredients

The NAR’s Real Estate in A Digital Age Report interviewed home buyers to find out which web features are most valuable to buyers. The three top digital features included:

• Photos (87%)
• Detailed Information About Properties (85%)
• Floor Plans (52%)

Photo Secrets

By now, every listing agent knows that having a professional photographer is key. For a good laugh, check out these agents who didn’t and ended up with listing photo fails.

But many agents don’t realize how they can get the most out of their photographer. To get Instagram or frame-worthy photos, agents should be sure to ask for:

• a sunset or sunrise photo session
• post-production filters or presets
• wide-angle lenses

Asking for these small tweaks are the secret sauce for over-the-top listing photos.

Description Secrets

Listing descriptions are the cornerstone of any great listing. It is where prospective buyers turn to learn about their potential, new home. But not all descriptions are created equally. To see the worst of the worst, check out the Broke Agent’s description bombs.

There are some tried and true methods to create strong descriptions, though. These include:

Highlighting neighborhood/community features:

This type of information helps buyers picture what their new life might look like and is often not available anywhere else on the internet.

Knowing which type of words to avoid and which to use:

Zillow gathered the data and put together a list of words sure to help or hurt listings. Top words to avoid include “nice,” “potential”, “investment”, “cosmetic,”and “fixer.” These words scream “crappy house” to potential buyers.

If applicable, words that buyers respond positively to include “captivating,” “impeccable,” “stainless,” “granite,” and, “landscaped.”

Word count:

When it comes to writing listing descriptions, more is more. Home buyers are looking to gather as much information as they can about a home online before they contact an agent to see it. Most listing descriptions average 60 words, which is less than an average paragraph. No one would make a major purchasing decision based on less than a paragraph of information.

Taking the time to describe a listing, its features, and community in detail are key to hooking buyers. To bulk up the word count, agents should focus on creating a picture of what it would be like to live at that home. And, they should maximize the home’s best features.

Floor Plans

Floor plans for older properties can be difficult to come by, but they are vital to home buyers. Agents don’t have time to learn CAD software. But, free lightweight software like Home Sweet 3D is perfect for mocking up floorplans. It is quick and free and allows any agent with room dimensions to instantly mock up a floorplan for any listing.

Because online homebuyers value floor plans so much, it worth utilizing this free software.

Interactive features

After building a strong listing foundation with the 3 most valuable ingredients (photos, detailed descriptions, and floor plans), agents should add a dash of creativity.

Looking back at the NAR’s Real Estate in the Digital Age Report, 76% of all home buyers found the home they ultimately purchased online. Additionally, 73% of all buyers used mobile devices or tablets to search for homes. The internet is the #1 place home buyers are shopping for homes.

While the internet has changed the way people shop for homes, it has also created opportunities for buyers to creatively experience homes before stepping foot inside. Interactive features including video and virtual tours are the best features to invest in.

Video

Inman reported that 85% of home sellers want to work with an agent who uses video. That statistic is staggering. But roughly only 10-15% percent of agents are using video as a marketing strategy! That is insane. Most agents don’t use video for two reasons:

1. They don’t know how to create them
2. They don’t want to pay for them

But it is a huge marketing opportunity to miss out on, especially for listing agents. Videos should be a part of any real estate listing marketing plan.

Video Secret: There are services out there that populate listing automatically. This includes Single Property Sites. SPS automatically builds and populates free listing videos for agents when they create their listing websites. Agents can check out a live example, here.

Virtual Tours

Virtual or video tours are becoming a hot marketing tool, too. Jason Fox reported that listings with virtual tours got 87% more views than those that did not. After a strong foundation of photos, a killer description, and a floor plan have been laid. Virtual tours are a powerful tool for moving inventory more quickly. Realtors can check out a review of the best virtual tour software, here.

Virtual Tour Secret: Most agents avoid virtual tours because of the investment and low amount of views. But virtual tours move inventory faster and attracted serious buyers. Check out Inman’s report on why virtual tours are actually creating a good ROI for agents.

Secret Real Estate Listing Marketing Plan

The secret to a successful real estate listing marketing plan includes the 3 most important ingredients: professional photos, detailed descriptions, and floor plans. Adding more creative elements like video and virtual tours can lead to a greater ROI and are often not as difficult to produce as some agents think.

And, for agents looking to bring all their ingredients into one dish, Single Property Sites are a great way to show off every virtual tour, video, photos, floor plans, and detailed descriptions on one, high-quality real estate website.

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From a brutal memoir of a new agent to some solid business classics, we are exploring the best books for real estate agents in 2019. These books were written to help real estate agents get ahead, laugh, and learn something new. While not every entry on this list written specifically by an agent, they are guaranteed to encourage real estate professionals and help grow their businesses.

REAL by Dave Crumby

This book is for real estate agents who want to stop working 12-14 hour days and reclaim their personal lives. Through contributions by real estate influencers like Trulia’s Pete Flint, Zillow’s Spencer Rascoff, and Crumby himself, REAL removes common misconceptions about what it takes to be successful.

The real-life stories of the authors inspire agents to adjust their own businesses. They each reveal their own peaks, valleys, and how they overcame indusrty challenges. By reading these stories, agents will find hidden opportunities within their own businesses.

7L: The Seven Levels of Communication: Go From Relationships to Referrals by Michael J. Maher

This book is all about relationships – the foundation of any real estate business. Maher chronicles the story of Rick Masters, an agent who is inspired by a mortgage broker who runs her own business entirely on referrals.

Instead of promoting himself, Maher is inspired to back away from real estate marketing and focus on relationships. Throughout the story, Rick goes from someone who was focused on himself and his image, to someone who is generous and focused on helping those him around. As he does this, his business naturally grows.

This feel-good book is about growing your heart as much as it is about growing your real estate business.

Realtor Confessions: Life as a First Year Agent by Jake Simmons

This book is a must-read for any freshman agent in the real estate industry. Jake Simmons chronicles his first year as a real estate agent, learning from the school of hard knocks.

Simmons sets out to follow some of the most popular “get rich in three, easy steps” programs out there. He tries out several expensive coaches and seminars to see if they actually pay off. His results are laid out in an easy-to-read format, and this honest real estate agent processes what it really takes to be a successful agent.

Shift by Gary Keller

The subtitle of this book is How Top Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times. With higher inventory and interest rates on the horizon, this book is perfect.

Keller encourages agents to shift along with the market. Written in 2008, Keller was looking into a market crisis when he wrote his text. There is a reason that Keller’s book has a 4.5 star rating on Amazon. Instead of standing back to watch when the market crumbles, Keller encourages real estate agents to look between the rubble to find advantages that other agents miss.

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Though not a real estate book per se, it still ranks as one of the best books for real estate agents because of its timeless truths. Everything Carnegie discusses in this classic text still rings true, today. It is all about relationships, which is the basis of any real estate business.

Some of the topics Carnegie addresses in the book include how to handle people in difficult situations, how to get leads to warm up to you, and the steps to win people over through persuasion.

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Again, this is not a book written by a real estate professional. However, like Carnegie, Napoleon Hill provides timeless advice that transforms real estate agents’ mindsets. His goal is to transform negative beliefs into ones that draw success and sales.

The stories in Think and Grow Rich are truly inspiring. After sharing examples of success, Hill instructs readers on how they can motivate themselves into the same, winning mindsets. It is a perfect pick for someone feeling worried about what the future holds.

The Miracle Morning for Real Estate Agents by Hal Elrod, Michael J. Maher, and others

The Miracle Morning for Real Estate Agents is a must for agents. Elrod, along with other prominent agents, inspires readers to the rise to the next level of personal and professional success. It is a targeted spin-off of Elrod’s best seller, The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM).

Readers peek into the lives of Rick Masters and his wife Michelle (the same Rick Masters from 7L: The Seven Levels of Communication: Go From Relationships to Referrals). Through this example, the authors show how a mixture of positive thinking and skepticism can help transform an average real estate business into an amazing, seven-figure powerhouse (all before 8 am).

The Politically Incorrect Real Estate Agent Handbook: A Serious How-to Manual with a Sense of Humor by Peter F Porcelli Jr.

Agents that need a laugh should pick up this book. Porcelli Jr. injects humor into business with this great read.

The author doesn’t take himself too seriously and easily uses humor to demonstrate how to be successful in real estate. His brief chapters have plenty of laughs and insights that have readers regularly returning to them. In addition, Porcelli Jr. leads by example. When agents see how the author adds humor into business, agents are inspired to lighten up and do the same with their own clients and leads.

The Book of YES: The Ultimate Real Estate Conversation Guide by Kevin Ward

The founder of YESMasters Real Estate Success Training, Ward has trained thousands of agents to become sales powerhouses. And he has done this all using simple scripts.

In his book, Ward now reveals these scripts. In addition, he walks readers through the creation of their own tailored scripts to build client lists and generate additional sales. Overall, The Book of YES is one of the best books for agents struggling with lead conversion.

6 Steps to 7 Figures by Pat Hiban

Hiban is not an author by trade, he’s an agent who accumulated invaluable knowledge about the market over the last two decades. In other words, he has been through numerous real estate peaks and valleys and lived to tell the tale.

Through the book’s 7-Figure Game Plan, Hiban assists agents to increase their sales while reducing their amount of work hours. Hiban’s plan helps readers to get their personal lives back and feel financially secure at the same time.

The Best Books for Real Estate Agents

Some of the titles on this list are making their debut this year while others have been inspiring professionals for decades. But each entry is sure to encourage and help agents. Whether it is through practical advice, time management techniques, or examples of what not to do, these books are designed to help real estate agents transform their lives.

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