Remain Relevant During a Crisis

If not now, when?  If not when, how?  On March 15^th the State of Illinois was told we will need to “Shelter in place” or “Stay at Home” to prevent the spread of Covid 19.  As real estate professionals or entrepreneurs, staying at home is almost unheard for in our industry.  We are always in our cars, at events and inside of homes to make a living.  Being told we need to “Stay at Home” was a life changing event for our industry.  Although many states have deemed “Real Estate” to be an essential industry, the way we work has been changed.  We’ve all had to re-discover how to work with buyers and sellers.  The rules were changed and face to face meetings were altered.  We are now asked to:

1. Show homes virtually if possible
2. Create virtual tours for our listing’s and make them available online or show homes via FaceTime, Imo, Zoom, Skype, google hangout, WhatsApp or other face to face live video tools.
3. If you must physically show a home — keep your distance from one another.
4. Only allow inspectors in the home during an inspection.
5. Wear a mask and gloves when pre-viewing homes
6. Provide new steps for our sellers when preparing a home for a showing. On the Brightside, I bet homes have never been cleaner.
7. Only the attorney and buyer are allowed at the closing table.
8. We cannot show properties that have tenants as occupants.
9. and not limited to the above

Listen to the entire podcast with Marki and Carrie on spotify

With many of these changes agents are forced to make necessary changes to remain relevant or continue to sell homes in the next few months and years to come.  If you haven’t invested in an e-signature tool, do it today.  NAR is offering a discount for docusign through the end of April.  To Remain Relevant, consider the following:

1. Create virtually guided tours – Work with sellers before listing a home via a virtual tool, like zoom, whereby, skype, Facetime or Imo. Create virtual tours for your home and add them to social media, showingtime and or Youtube!
2. Learning something new – Take this time to invest in learning something new or something you’ve been wanting to learn. NAR.REALTOR is offering a few certification courses for members at no cost and a discount to apply for the certification (April 2020) If you aren’t learning something new you will be replaced!
3. Master the agency forms – There is no reason an agent shouldn’t be able to explain agency and how we get paid. Take this time to incorporate the agency conversation with your future buyers. Why are we working without agency agreements? Stop it!
4. Buyers must be fully underwritten – Stop window shopping– Why are we still taking out buyers that aren’t fully underwritten? This is an opportunity to work with serious buyers. Buyers that are underwritten are more likely to win a multiple offer scenario. Everyone can remain healthy and safe by being well prepared before pre-viewing homes.
5. Learn & use social media and technology – Now is the time to master social media & technology. Pick one social media tool and start using it daily, engage with your network, and build an online brand. Not proficient in e-signatures, take a class and work faster and smarter
6. Download a scanning app – If you can print out the document you can download it and email it! If you can print out the document, you can scan it and email it. Use tools like CamScanner, Genius Scan, or Scanner. Pick one and start using it today!
7. Review your finances – What are you paying for and not using? It’s time to look at your business and personal finances. What are your monthly subscriptions? What are you paying for and not using? Manage your money better today! Take a financial inventory and save money!
8. Become a data expert – we’ve heard the tips, list to live! If you want to be hired as a listing agent, you must know how to read and explain market trends. CMA’s and real estate data. Those that know how to explain data, will be hired.

Take a moment and think about how you can remain relevant during the “Stay at Home Order”.  How can you adjust your business and provide value to your clients and future clients?  What out of the box thinking can you add to your business?  Don’t get stuck, keep working building and learning.  Success is choice, so get up, get dressed and go to work!

Watch the broadcast recently streamed to our Facebook Group.  Join Marki and I in the Facebook Group.  Click here

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CjFbIn9Hqk]