As a real estate agent in New York City, I got to see just how frustrating it is to work with difficult people like me. Most homebuyers who showed up to my office came armed with well-intentioned but laughably inaccurate articles that promised them “Million Dollar Listing” apartments on “2 Broke Girls” budgets. I must have spent 30% of my time debunking real estate myths and patiently explaining how the market really works.

That’s why Jodie Cordell and I decided to put together this guide on how to educate your—ahem—“unrealistic” buyers or renters quickly and easily. If you do it right, you just might get an evangelist for life.

1. Come Up With Memorable Talking Points & Repeat Them Often

Let’s face it, dealing with difficult homebuyers can be a grind. One way to manage their unrealistic expectations quickly and easily is to come up with a few short, memorable, and ideally emotion-packed talking points and repeat them as often as you can. 

Think about when you first heard a talking point like, “Those who list, last,”—how easily you remembered it and how often you’ve repeated it. The reason a phrase like this has such an immediate and memorable impact on new agents has to do with a concept that neuroscientists call neural plasticity. It’s basically a fancy way of saying there are ideal conditions for learning and retaining a new idea. If you want to educate buyers quickly, then you need to come up with a few talking points that help create ideal conditions for neural plasticity. 

Here’s how: According to Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, urgency and focus are what you need to help someone learn something new. So come up with talking points that create both. That means short, memorable, and emotion-laden talking points, delivered directly and candidly.

After an afternoon with me, my homebuyers probably heard me say this at least 10 times: “Your apartment can be affordable, nice, or in a great neighborhood. Pick two.” Was it cheesy? Yes. Did it help educate my clients quickly? Also yes.

Here’s a significantly less cheesy but equally effective talking point from Alexander Boriskin, an agent in Manhattan and The Hamptons who regularly sells eight-figure listings: “It’s certainly a buyers’ market, but fire sales are very far and few between.”

Here’s another from Manhattan agent Kemdi Anosike: “Compromise is a must. You don’t always get everything on your wish list, and that is OK.”

Here’s one from Jodie: “There is no perfect house. On a scale of one to 10, shoot for an eight.”
Just remember. Urgency + focus = learning. So take an hour or two and see if you can distill your market knowledge into a few short, memorable talking points that will teach difficult homebuyers a lesson quickly.

2. Use Your Lead Magnets to Educate Buyers Before They Call You

Some homebuyers you take on just don’t want to listen. They think because their hairdresser’s friend’s nephew got a two-bedroom in SoHo for under $1 million a month, they can too.

But no matter how off the mark their expectations are, you run the risk of turning them off with your perceived pessimism. And the reality is some buyers will shop around until they find an agent who tells them what they want to hear: “Of course there are 2-bedrooms in SoHo for under $1 million! Let’s meet up on Saturday and we can see some. By the way, how’s your credit?”

Instead of risking these starry-eyed buyers ditching you for someone who promises them rainbows and unicorns, why not generate realistic prospects with lead magnets that also educate them? Putting together a well-written and researched new homebuyer’s guide as a free download on your site will take you all of a weekend. You can even tailor it to specific neighborhoods and price points. Or better yet, target your specific niche to attract your ideal clients.

Then set up a landing page on your website and drive some traffic to it with pay-per-click ads on social media. The prospects you get from lead magnets like this will already have your advice in their heads before they call you.

If you already have a website, check out our guide to landing pages here. If not, you might want to check out Real Geeks. Real Geeks’ property search tool not only gives your leads a smooth search experience but feeds their info directly into your customer relationship manager (CRM) so you can track their interests easily.

3. Show Them, Don’t Tell Them

One of the biggest mistakes new agents make is waiting around the office all day for the “perfect lead” and dumping everyone else into crummy drip campaigns. Is your phone ringing off the hook? Are you so busy that you can’t be bothered to meet someone who might net you six figures or more in commissions over the next few years? Of course not.

Whenever you get a new lead, the first words out of your mouth should be something along the lines of, “What time on Sunday can we go see the listing?” This will not only help you build relationships with top-of-the-funnel leads, but will give you the perfect opportunity to educate them as well.

Come up with three to five listings that roughly fit the homebuyer’s criteria and budget, and one that’s exactly what they want but far out of their budget. Take them on a tour of the places in their budget, which they’re going to hate, then take them to the expensive place but don’t tell them the price until they get excited.

Remember: Urgency and focus are what you need to teach someone something new. It is much, much easier to create these conditions standing in a home and looking at the kitchen than it is in a marketing email.

4. Research Your Market & the Economy, Constantly

Of course, if you’re not spending enough time studying the market and the economy and how they work together, all the snappy talking points in the world won’t help you. Even unrealistic buyers can sniff out agents who are not well-informed. The minute they talk to someone who actually knows what they’re talking about, your buyers will ghost you. And for good reason. Why would anyone want to work with a professional who doesn’t know their trade?

Instead of trying to fake it till you make it, educate yourself. Constantly. There’s simply no excuse for not knowing your market and the local economy inside out. And if you want to work in a luxury market, chances are many of your leads will work in finance and know way more about the market and economy than you do. Why should they even bother talking to you? You’re not bringing anything to the table.

To stay up to date with your market, subscribe to local news sources that cover real estate—ideally sources that only cover real estate. Inman can be a great source of information for the market in general, and if you’re in a big city like New York or Chicago, The Real Deal and Crain’s should be in your inbox every morning. RISMedia is another great real estate news source.

Also, make sure you’re getting the latest data from your real estate association. Our very own Kate Evans breaks down the National Association of Realtors’ housing data every month and offers free infographics and talking points for both homebuyers and sellers. 

Learning about the economy and how it affects your market is just as important. If you didn’t study economics or finance in college, don’t sweat it. MIT Open Courseware offers Ivy League-level lectures on economics online for free.

5. Use a Wish List to Prioritize Needs vs Wants

It’s just good practice to have your buyers create a wish list. Then, sit down with them and discuss the importance of each item on the list. Make your buyers sort these items into what is a want and what is a need. Having this conversation will help when you start looking at homes that are out of their price range. And you can refer back to this list over and over, redirecting them from their idealistic, starry-eyed dreams to the reality of their budget.

Obviously, what happens is that gourmet kitchen they said was a need will eventually become a want. The list will change over time to be more reflective of their current reality. And in these moments, you can remind them that if the house they settle on doesn’t have everything they want, they can save money, build equity, and trade up in a few years. And you’ll be more than happy to help them with that when the time comes.

6. Practice Patience

Honestly, I don’t know why we expect clients to understand what we spend every single day studying and practicing. It’s not their job to know the market or to understand how real estate works. That’s our job. So, first, practice patience with difficult homebuyers. Use all your active listening skills here. And never condescend. That’s the fastest way to lose a buyer. 

Jodie typically likes to use visual aids when she talks to homebuyers. She uses a lot of infographics, especially in her buyer’s presentation. For example, she uses the one above to demonstrate the relationship between location, features, and price. Use visuals to get the point across and teach your buyers about the process of buying a home from beginning to post-closing. 

7. Cover Finances First

Many buyers will come to you after looking at their dream homes online. Which means they haven’t talked to a mortgage broker yet. They’re coming to you with stars in their eyes and a dream in their hearts, but the loan originator can quickly pull them back to reality with a pre-approval letter. Encourage your buyers to get their finances straight first before you start showing them houses. 

You can explain to them the last thing they want is to fall in love with a house they can’t afford. So, once they get that budget set, they’ll be forced to stay within it. You can also direct their attention to not only their approval amount, but how much they will pay per month on their mortgage. Just because they’re approved for a $500,000 mortgage does not mean they want to (or can) make that payment each month. Most often, buyers don’t take into account the other items (property tax, insurance, HOA fees, etc.) that will come along with that monthly payment.

8. Choose Your Allies Carefully

I’m sure we’ve all heard the advice from our elders, “Never pay the asking price for a house!” I don’t know where (or when) this little tidbit came from, but I still hear it from clients, usually right before they try to get me to write up a lowball offer on their dream home, thinking we’ll just negotiate the price. But honestly, even if it was true once upon a time, this is terrible advice for today. Your buyers need to know that they’re working from old data.

Now I’m not suggesting that you insult them by telling them they don’t know what they’re talking about. They may have gotten that information from their dad or a trusted friend. You have to be tactful when you explain that today’s market is far different from the market in which [insert family member who bought their house in 1984] purchased their home. 

Your buyers have probably been inundated with “advice” from friends, family, coworkers, and colleagues on the “best practices” for buying real estate. But the truth is, practically everything outside of “find a good agent” is outdated, untrue, or misleading. 

Take their comments in stride and let them know, in a loving way, that their friends and family don’t do this for a living and their advice is not accurate in today’s market. Encourage them to lean on one family member or friend they trust to seek counsel outside of yours, but tune out the rest of the advice noise.

9. Prepare Them for the Emotional Roller Coaster

One thing your buyers probably haven’t been told is how emotional buying a house is. With all the advice coming in, you might think someone would have mentioned the emotional roller coaster of buying a home, especially for first-time homebuyers. 

The best way to address this is to first give your homebuyers a heads-up. Let them know that buying a home is emotional. Explain to them that their judgment will be clouded by their feelings. 

Next, after you’ve told your buyers they will be tempted to buy based solely on their emotions, lay out your strategy to combat making irrational decisions. Go back to their wish list with their wants and needs lined out. 

Sure, everyone wants to buy that gorgeous house with a pool in the backyard, but was a pool even on your list? It’s definitely not a priority. So, do you really feel comfortable tacking an extra $500 per month on your mortgage payment? 

As the real estate agent, part of your job is to continue to ground your buyers and make sure they’re not sinking themselves. Bring them back to reality whenever you need to. They’re counting on you to do that for them. It’s your responsibility to remind them of the end goal, to help them cross the finish line. Don’t let them get into a situation where they will end up having to sell in two years because their payments are more than they can handle. 

You may feel like the wet blanket, but it’s important for homebuyers to have someone looking out for their best interests. Dreaming is fun. But getting tied to a house you can’t afford is a nightmare.

10. Build a Solid Foundation

Shattering your clients’ homebuying dreams is a tough part of our jobs as agents. One way to make this challenge easier is to start with a solid foundation. When you build a trusting, compassionate relationship with your clients, you’ll have an easier time telling them those truths they may not want to hear. 

Don’t start off dashing their hopes right away. Start by being that comforting, empathetic ear. Listen to their dreams and feel their excitement. Don’t make promises you can’t keep, but let them dream first. Then, gently bring them to a reality that will let them have a piece of that dream. Show them a path that will help them get as much of what they want as possible. Be a knowledgeable, creative problem-solver, sharing their enthusiasm for finding them the right home. 

11. Learn How to Get to Carnegie Hall

If you’re a newer agent, then before you start effectively educating anyone, you’re going to have to learn the meaning behind that old joke about how to get to Carnegie Hall. If you don’t already know, it’s actually very easy: Practice.

The first few times you try to deal with difficult homebuyers, you’re either going to sound a bit unsure, you’re not going to have the right talking points, or you’re not going to be very well educated on your market or the economy. 

Don’t sweat it, though. Even the best agents in the world started out right where you are right now. The big secret is that many of these agents aren’t even very talented or smart. In real estate, hard work and practice will beat out talent any day of the week.

You can start practicing dealing with difficult homebuyers right now by running scenarios with your fellow agents and practicing what to say in different situations. Study your market every day and know your stuff so you’re prepared for any questions thrown at you.

If you want to build the kind of strong relationships that lead to years of referral business, then never stop learning, come up with some talking points that create urgency and focus, and practice, practice, practice.

Over to You

Have a great talking point you use to educate difficult homebuyers? Add it to the comments below or post it in our Facebook Mastermind Group.

The post How to Educate Unrealistic Buyers & Convert More Leads (Quickly) appeared first on The Close.

To make your life a little easier, we have created this guide to single property websites. We’ll share apps that help you build them quickly and easily, tips for website design, and finally, cases for and against using single property websites so you can make the most informed decisions for your business.

What Are Single Property Websites?

Single property websites are exactly what they sound like: websites dedicated to one listing and one listing only. They generally include beautiful photography of a listing, video walk-throughs, 3D tours, and anything else that won’t fit on your MLS or on Zillow. They can be a great way to impress homeowners or highlight a unique luxury or historic listing. 

Here are the single property website builders we think are actually worth your time and money.

The 6 Best Single Property Website Providers

Rela

Why we picked Rela: Rela offers gorgeous single property website templates that stand head and shoulder above competitors in this price point. Sure, they cost a bit more than rivals like Listings Unlimited, but we think impressing homeowners and potential buyers with drop-dead gorgeous designs is well worth the slightly higher price point. 

Pricing: $24 per month with options to scale 

Best features:

• Beautifully designed templates
• Easy-to-use site builder
• Customer relationship manager (CRM)
• Integrated Facebooks ads
• Lead forms
• 3D tours 
• Lead routing 
• Videos
• Basic analytics
• Easy connection to Zoom, Facebook Live, and Google Hangouts for virtual open houses

Drawbacks: While we loved the beautiful layouts available on Rela sites, they cost quite a bit more than Listings Unlimited or Cribflyer. If you really want to impress your homeowner or need a pearl in the marketing section of your listing presentation, Rela is a solid choice. Rela also has a lot of bells and whistles—we’re just not sure most agents will actually use them.

Example Rela website: Dax Template

Get Started With Rela

Listings Unlimited

Why we picked Listings Unlimited: Although their templates aren’t quite as nice as Rela’s, Listings Unlimited offers unique tools, such as a video builder, a QR code generator, and a robust social media tool. For starters, they are far more affordable than competitors like Rela. For the price of one Rela site, you can get up to 25 single property sites using Listings Unlimited. If you’re a broker who needs to buy single property sites in bulk for your agents, Listings Unlimited is the clear winner. 

Pricing: $25 per month for up to 25 listings and 89 cents per listing after that 

Best features:

• 25 sites
• Video builder 
• 3D tours 
• Syndication to YouTube
• QR code generator
• Feedback tool
• Social media tool
• Flyer builder
• CRM

Drawbacks: While Listings Unlimited’s templates are fine, let’s just say they won’t win any design awards. The pricing is also a bit high for single agents who just want one or two websites. You pay $25 per month even if you only need one website. 

Example Listings Unlimited website: Listings Unlimited Template

Get Started With Listings Unlimited

Cribflyer

Why we picked Cribflyer: Although they only have three templates to choose from, Cribflyer’s affordable pricing and competent design quality make them an excellent choice for agents on a budget. While Cribflyer’s sites are slightly more expensive in bulk than Listings Unlimited, if you only need one site at a time, Cribflyer is your best bet. A single Cribflyer site will only set you back $10.25 per month. 

Pricing: $9 per site, per month for one site or as little as $1.25 per site, per month for bulk purchasing of multiple sites.

Best features:

• 3D tours
• Printable flyers
• SMS text codes
• Lead routing 
• Pixel tracking 
• Social media tools

Drawbacks: Cribflyer’s sites are not quite as nice-looking as Rela’s and don’t have the bells and whistles Listings Unlimited’s sites have.

Example Cribflyer website: Zen Modern Home

Get Started With Cribflyer

WordPress Single Property Themes on ThemeForest

Why we picked WordPress Themes on ThemeForest: Even though dedicated single property website builders are great, they’re not that cheap. And if you’re already skilled in WordPress, you can basically build sites for free. All you need is some basic WordPress skills to customize your current template, or a few dollars to buy single property templates from sites like ThemeForest. The only catch is that you need a WordPress website to use them. 

If you want to get started building a WordPress site with IDX, check out our in-depth guide: How to Build an IDX Real Estate Website in an Afternoon.

Pricing: $10 per year for URL hosting, approximately $10 to $50 per template (one-time fee)

Best features:

• Affordable one-time cost
• Endless customization options
• No monthly fees
• Attractive templates
• Can integrate with your current WordPress site and CRM

Drawbacks: This DIY option has a steep learning curve. 

Example WordPress Theme website: Spacey Theme

Get Started With ThemeForest

Unbounce

Why we picked Unbounce: Another way to build single property sites is by using a landing page builder like Unbounce. Like the dedicated builders, Unbounce has an easy-to-use editor and you can build sites pretty quickly. Unbounce’s templates are also built for conversion, and even let you A/B test different versions of your site to see which converts better. You can also use Unbounce to build landing pages for Facebook ads, Google ads, or anywhere else you’ll need a landing page.

Pricing: Starting at $74 per month, billed annually

Best features: 

• Lead capture
• Can be part of a larger landing page strategy
• A/B testing

Drawbacks: Since these are not designed as real estate landing pages, creating them may be a bit more labor intensive. Also, it’s a high price if you don’t plan to make other landing pages.

Example Unbounce website: Destination Homes

Get Started With Unbounce

Luxury Presence

Why we picked Luxury Presence: A well-respected real estate website builder, Luxury Presence offers chic, streamlined designs and a user-friendly interface. Single property websites are included in its marketing package and come with the same dedication to aesthetics as their full sites. While definitely one of the more expensive options on our list, if you’re looking for a total leveling-up of your brand, Luxury Presence might just be the right choice for you. 

Pricing: It’s hard to get a set cost for Luxury Presence because the product is so highly customized, but pricing starts around $500 per month for an agent website, which includes 20 single property websites. 

Best Features: 

• Sleek design
• Search engine optimization (SEO)-friendly
• Can fully integrate with your CRM
• Easy-to-use interface for quick edits
• Quickly launch listing sites with existing templates

Drawbacks: Not suitable for agents already happy with their websites; expensive even for agents looking for a new website. 

Luxury Presence Case Study: Cindy Ambuehl 

Get Started With Luxury Presence

Single Property Website Tips & Tricks

When you’re designing a single property website, be sure to remember these expert tips. They’ll help you make the most of your time and money and stand out in a crowd.

Include Content That Isn’t Available Anywhere Else

A great way to get people to visit your single property site is to promise content that isn’t available anywhere else. You can offer extra pictures, videos, floor plans, neighborhood information, or anything else that you are comfortable leaving off Zillow. You could even include a quick introduction to the neighborhood via a community slideshow or video. The content doesn’t necessarily have to be amazing, but it has to sound good enough to get someone to click.

Use Large Photos & Videos That Are Optimized

People don’t want to squint at tiny pictures on their phone any more than they want to parse grainy, low-res images on their desktop. Make sure your pictures are at least 900 pixels wide by 600 pixels tall at 72 DPI. At this resolution, your pictures should look crisp but still load quickly. Remember that a huge percentage of your audience, especially those clicking over from Facebook, will be visiting your site on their phones or tablets. Test to see how your website looks and loads on every screen size you have.

Get Permission From Homeowners to Post Their Address & Photos Online

It’s important to tell your homeowner exactly what information you will include on your single property website. You might be surprised to learn that some people are perfectly comfortable having their address and pictures of their home on Zillow, but might balk at having them on a single property website.

Update the Page Once the Listing Is Sold

If you plan on keeping the site up after the sale as a marketing piece, make sure you get permission from the seller and update the site to say the home is sold. Your MLS won’t be pleased if you leave a listing up without mentioning that the deal is closed and it’s no longer available. To help sweeten the deal, you could include handy links to gas hookup, cable hookup, and other local information and offer it to the sellers as a resource after they move in.

The Case for Single Property Websites: Why They Still Provide Value

After learning all the intricacies involved in creating single property websites, you might wonder if it’s worth investing your time, effort, and money into them. First we’ll look at the pros of this listing marketing approach.

Boomer Homeowners Are Still Impressed by Single Property Websites

There’s No Competition for Clicks on a Single Property Website

Single Property Website Builders Offer Professional-looking Websites for a Very Attractive Price

Single Property Websites Still Look Great in Your Listing Presentation

Why Single Property Websites Might Be a Waste of Time

We want to give you the whole story, not just the version that makes real estate software companies happy. That’s why we’re giving you three good reasons why single property websites might not be the right strategy for your business.

Single Property Websites Only Really Make Sense for Historic or Expensive Listings

You Need to Offer Something of Real Value for Buyers

The Same Traffic Might Convert Better on Your Website

Bringing It All Together

What do you think about single property websites? Do you use them to market listings? Do you think they still make sense? Let us know in the comment section!

The post The 6 Best Single Property Websites (+ Design Tips) appeared first on The Close.

To show you how simple it can be, we put together this checklist of what to do with your open house leads and compiled a list of the best follow-up emails to send after open house in 2024. After the emails, we’ll give you 10 expert tips for writing better emails to boost your open and response rates.

Each visitor to your open house is a potential client. Using these four rules, you’ll be able to categorize them, put them into your customer relationship manager (CRM) and start your lead nurturing process.

• Immediate follow-up: Contact each lead within 24 hours of hosting your open house—if not that same day. This quick response will be your demonstration of the level of attentiveness, commitment, and service you provide to your clients. Try to use a personal touch here. 
• Qualify your leads: Understand that some people are just coming by to take a look at a listing in the neighborhood and have no intention of buying or selling anytime soon. Others might be seeking a listing in that neighborhood, ready to pull the trigger. Knowing which leads are hot and which are not enables you to focus your attention on the ones that matter most. 
• Provide valuable information: Share relevant market info—stats, listings, and other resources—to position yourself as a knowledgeable professional. Think neighborhood guides, market trend reports, or customized property listing presentations. 
• Regular follow-up: To build your relationships, establish a regular schedule for check-ins with your leads. Mix up your follow-ups in terms of emails, phone calls, and personalized mailings. Invite them to a client appreciation event! Keep the conversation going: Building a relationship over time can convert a lead to a client when they’re ready to make a decision.

1. The Coffee Meet Email

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Subject line: Coffee This Week? (on Me)

Hi {name},

Thanks for stopping by my open house this weekend at {open house address}.

As you know, these things can be kind of crazy for agents, so apologies if I didn’t get a chance to chat with you in more detail about your hunt.

To make it up to you, I’d like to invite you over to the Starbucks near my office in {office location} for a cup of coffee (on me) to talk about how your search is going.

I’ve been in the industry for {#} years, so I’m happy to just talk about the market, your expectations, or anything else you’d like to learn more about.

My schedule fills up quickly these days, so click below to reserve a time on my calendar below.

{link to scheduling app}

Best regards,

{Your name and title}

{Your contact info}

2. The Honest Feedback Email

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Subject line: Did You Hate It…?

Hi {name},

So nice meeting you this weekend at my open house at {open house address}.

The reason I’m reaching out is to get some honest feedback for the listing. Did you hate it? Love it? A little bit of both?

As an agent, my duty is to help homeowners (and potential owners) understand their asset. The reason I want to hear your thoughts, no punches pulled, is because I didn’t get to this position without acting on honest feedback!

If you have a few minutes, I’d love to chat with you about your thoughts on {open house address} and your experience home-hunting in {neighborhood} in general.

Click below to schedule a call later this week.

{link to scheduling app}

Best regards,

{Your name and title}

{Your contact info}

3. The Recent Sales Report Email

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Subject line: Just Sold in {Neighborhood}! Curious About Others?

Hi {name},

After your visit to {open house address}, I thought you might be interested in the recent sales in the neighborhood. In the past month, {#} homes were sold for an average closing price of ${#}, including a {description of similar listing} just a few blocks away.

My aim is to provide you with insight into the local market—and at the same time, arm you with valuable information! With that in mind, I’ve attached a detailed neighborhood report with recent listings for your reference.

Best regards,

{Your name and title}

{Your contact info}

4. The Comparable Listings Email

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Subject line: If You Liked {your open house address}, You’ll LOVE These!

Hi {name},

Thanks for stopping by my open house at {open house address} this Sunday. As you can imagine, these things can get hectic, so apologies if we didn’t have the opportunity to talk longer.

I just wanted to drop you a quick line to offer no-strings-attached showings for these {#}-bedroom homes that I think would be perfect for you. Which works better for a showing, Saturday or Sunday?

Click below to schedule an appointment.

Best regards,

{Your name and title}

{Your contact info}

P.S.: If you’re not interested in these listings, I’d love to take you out for a cup of coffee sometime this week to try to narrow down what you’re looking for.

5. The Open House Opinion Email

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Subject line: I Need Your Opinion…

Hi {Contact name},

Thanks for stopping by my open house this weekend at {open house address}.

Really quick, what did you think of the open house? I try to make my open houses fun and informative experiences for all my guests, but because we get so busy, I don’t always have enough time to hear from every guest.

I would love to get your feedback, warts and all. If something went wrong, that would help me get it right next time.

We can also chat about the market if you’d like. I have {#} years of experience in {your farm area}, so I can talk about this market for days. I’m an open book!

What’s a good day to chat?

Best regards,

{Your name and title}

{Your contact info}

6. The Off-market Listings Invitation Email

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Subject line: Your Private Invite: Get the Best Listings BEFORE They Hit the Market!

Hi {name},

Thanks for stopping by my open house at {open house address} this Sunday. As you can imagine, these things can get hectic, so apologies if we didn’t have the opportunity to talk longer.

If you’re still interested in homes in {neighborhood} like {open house address}, I’d love to invite you to my private off-market listings alert emails.

Here’s how it works: Once a week, I send you the latest and greatest listings the minute they hit the market (or before). If you want to see one, you can schedule an appointment right from the email. Simple!

The only catch is that these emails would be more helpful if I know what you’re looking for. When would be a good time to set up a quick call so I can tailor this list to your needs?

Best regards,

{Your name and title}

{Your contact info}

7. The Market Analysis Report Email

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Subject line: Exclusive Insight: The Latest Market Trends in {Neighborhood}!

Hi {name},

It was a pleasure to have you at the open house {day of week}. Since you seem to be someone who’s interested in {neighborhood}, I wanted to share a market analysis report with you. This covers the current trends, recent sales data, and predictions for the upcoming weeks and months in {neighborhood}.

Understanding these trends is important to making an informed decision, especially in our current market! The analysis is attached—please let me know if you have any specific questions. I’m just a phone call or quick email away.

All the best,

{Your name and title}

{Your contact info}

8. The Personal Connection Follow-up Email

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Subject line: I Have to Ask You…

Hi {name},

So nice chatting with you about dogs at my open house at {open house address} this Sunday.

If you or any of your dog-loving friends are looking for some no-nonsense real estate advice, would you be willing to come to my weekly Real Estate Q&A Session at {name of the local establishment}?

The place actually allows dogs, so feel free to bring {dog’s name} along.

Even if you’re busy on Sunday, let’s keep in touch on LinkedIn. I don’t share any listings there, but I occasionally write articles about real estate that might come in handy someday.

Best regards,

{Your name and title}

{Your contact info}

9. The Hot Lead Email

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Subject line: This Weekend

Hi {name},

This is {your name} from the open house at {open house address} this {day of week}. I didn’t get your phone number, so I thought I would reach out here instead.

Just a quick heads-up, we have several pending offers on {the open house address} and wanted to give you the inside track since you loved the {feature} so much.

Call me to talk. I can also set up some showings for other places: {your cell phone number}

Talk soon,

{Your name and title}

{Your contact info}

10. The Buyer’s Seminar Email

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Subject line: Save the Date!

Hi {name},

This is {your name} from the open house at {open house address} this {day of week}.

I just wanted to reach out to invite you to my new buyer’s seminar I am hosting at {local bar} next {day of week} at {time}. I will be covering the many ways that buying in {your farm area} has changed this year. I also invited a mortgage broker for the Q&A session.

Feel free to call me on my cell if you have any questions before the seminar: {your cell phone number}. If not, I hope to see you on Wednesday!

Best regards,

{Your name and title}

{Your contact info}

11. The Community Update Email

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Subject line: What’s New in {Open House Neighborhood}? Check Out the Latest!

Hi {name},

I hope you’re doing well—it was a pleasure to meet you at the open house {day of week}. As we all know, a house isn’t a home without a community! And this neighborhood isn’t just about beautiful homes like the one you visited at {open house address}. It’s about a sense of community and belonging.

With this in mind, I wanted to provide you with a quick update on the developments in {neighborhood}. Recently, we’ve seen several new businesses open, including {list businesses}, and there are upcoming events like {list events} that are bringing a great vibe to the community!

If you’re considering making {neighborhood} your new home and want to know more about life here, reach out to me.

If not, let’s still keep in touch! Reply “yes” and I’ll share market updates and fun events directly to your email.

Best regards,

{Your name and title}

{Your contact info}

12. The Buyer’s Seminar Email

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Subject line: Save the Date!

Hi {contact name},

This is {your name} from the open house at {listing address} this {day of week}.

I just wanted to reach out to invite you to my new buyer’s seminar I am hosting at {local bar} next {day of week} at {time}. I will be covering the many ways that buying in {your farm area} has changed this year. I also invited a mortgage broker for the Q&A session.

Feel free to call me on my cell if you have any questions before the seminar: {your cell phone number}. If not, I hope to see you on Wednesday!

Best regards,

{Your name and title}

{Your contact info}

13. The Price Drop Email

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Subject: Price Change for {Open House Address}

Hi {name},

I just wanted to quickly follow up with you about {open house address}. The seller needs to move to {state} quickly and to help her sell her home faster, which is why we’ve decided to lower the price from {previous asking} to {new asking}.

As you may know if you’ve been looking for a few months, this moves this gorgeous {#}-bedroom, {#}-bathroom home with {unique selling feature} from a good deal to an AMAZING deal. This home in this condition will not last at this price.

If you’d like to come take another look or submit an offer, you can text me anytime: {your phone number}.

Best regards,

{Your name and title}

{Your contact info}

10 Tips for Boosting Open & Response Rates for Open House Follow-up Emails

Now that you have some templates to work with for your open house emails, here are 10 tips for customizing them and improving your engagement.

1. Keep Your Follow-up Emails Short & Sweet

One common mistake I see agents make with open house follow-up emails is writing long, detailed messages chock-full of information. When I point this out, they always say the same thing: “But I want to give them as much information as possible!”

While this may be a noble gesture, it’s the kiss of death in the email marketing world for a straightforward reason. People are busy. Very few will have the time to open, let alone read, your 800-word email. Instead, try to stick to 100 to 200 words. This length is ideal because it only takes your lead a minute or two to read and act upon your message.

2. Personalize Your Follow-up 

It may take more time than sending a mass thank-you email, but if you had a great conversation with an open house visitor or know that you had a hot lead come by who expressed a lot of interest, drop them a personal email that references your conversation. Try to reference something they may have mentioned about an event coming up, or what their plans were that weekend. 

Personalized follow-up helps your leads feel valued and heard. They won’t feel like they’re talking to a salesy real estate agent, but forging a relationship beyond the commission. Showing you care is much more powerful in relationship building than a simple mass email. 

3. Avoid Asking Questions That Can Be Answered With a Simple ‘No’

This is an old negotiating trick. All you need to do is replace any yes-or-no questions with more open-ended ones.

Here’s a quick example: Instead of asking your lead if they have time to meet this weekend, ask them which day works better to meet, Saturday or Sunday.

The only caveat here is that you need to be careful not to come across as aggressive or forceful. Both can turn off prospective clients, buyers especially.

4. Always Include a Call to Action

When it comes to real estate marketing, one of the biggest mistakes I see Realtors make time and time again is forgetting to include a call to action (CTA). Open house follow-up emails are no different. If you don’t include a short, snappy, and actionable line asking your leads to take action, you’re leaving money on the table.

Even something small like “Visit my website” provides your leads a place to go after reading your email. This underlines why personal branding and a robust online presence is important. 

5. Avoid Spammy Words in Your Subject Line

Although Google doesn’t release the exact criteria that can land your emails into someone’s “promotional” folder—or heaven forbid, their spam folder—there are a few best practices you can follow to make sure.

The first and most crucial step is to avoid using spammy words in the subject line or even the body of your emails. Words and phrases like “free,” “limited time offer,” and “call now” can trip Google’s spam filters and ensure your message never gets read.

6. Follow Up Your Email With a Phone Call

If you’re not already doing it, you should make an effort to always reinforce your open house thank-you emails with a quick, personal phone call. Trevor James, coach and staff writer with The Close, explains how to pull this off:

“Even if they don’t answer, it’s a chance to connect with your potential client. A personal touch goes a long way. But be armed with the info on the open house listing and make sure you’re prepared to answer any questions they might have. This is another way to showcase your knowledge and preparation skills.”

7. Try to Move the Conversation Past the Open House

This one is a bit trickier but worthwhile trying to master. While the open house gives you the excuse to email them in the first place, it’s often not a very interesting topic of conversation.

Instead, try to steer the conversation toward something else in your first email. If you’re looking for a hint, during your open house make a point to learn something about each guest: their favorite season, their name, and a favorite topic of conversation—this will empower you to personalize your outreach, leading to a much better chance at converting your leads. 

Learning some basic objection handlers will help once you transition your conversation to the phone.

8. Use a Scheduling App Like Calendly

A scheduling app like Calendly can help improve the response rate on your emails dramatically because it makes it easy to set an appointment with you. Instead of going back and forth with their calendar app open, all they need to do is click on a button and choose a time. You can also integrate Calendly times to meet right into your email. 

9. Think Outside the Box by Using Video

I’ve already made the point that you should be adding value to your follow-up emails—not just saying, “Thanks for coming by!” With that value-add in mind, why not deliver your message to your clients in a special way? You can use YouTube to record your message or utilize software like BombBomb to embed your video right in your email. Some agents even use video texts for those hot leads. In real estate, it’s about relationships and branding. This is a great opportunity for you to showcase these skills for potential clients. 

Your video can provide info on recent listings, list out two or three important market stats, or invite your open house visitors to an upcoming event. Make an impact with your clients and they’ll remember you when they’re ready to buy or sell a home. 

10. Maintain Your Motivation

Open houses are great for generating leads, but you’re bound to have several visitors who are “just looking” and have no interest in engaging in a real estate transaction anytime soon. That’s all right—it’s part of sales, and we just brush it off! The name of the game is follow-up. After all, 71% of buyers interviewed only one real estate agent during their home search. If you’ve connected with them, that should be you!

And open house leads are much better than leads just browsing homes online. Certain agents and brokerages report open house conversion rates of 5 to 7%. If you’re hosting two open houses per month, you can expect to see at least one client walk through those doors. It’s hard work, but stick with it!

Over to You

Have a great open house follow-up email template you think deserves to be in this article? Let us know in the comment section.

If you’re looking for more open house advice, check out our 29 Open House Ideas That Will Actually Get You Leads and our free open house sign-in sheets. Or take a peek at our top picks for open house apps to make your open house more effective and get more leads!

The post The 13 Best Open House Follow-up Email Templates (+ Writing Tips) appeared first on The Close.

65 Real Estate Infographics to Inspire

This collection of favorite infographics is all about inspiration. But if you want to jump right in and create your own, check out our Canva templates, which are ready for your customizations and perfect for sharing with clients and leads in email, on your blog, or across your social media.

23 Infographics for Buyers

11 Infographics for Sellers

25 Infographics for Prospects & Leads

6 Infographics for Industry Pros

Why You Should be Using Real Estate Infographics

If your email is a book and your video content is a movie, infographics are comic books. They’re handy instructions with useful diagrams: easy to follow and remember, and useful enough to save for later.

• A colorful, well-executed real estate infographic can explain and simplify many of the complex steps of the homebuying or selling process.
• They grab a reader’s attention and convey lots of information in a compact way.
• Sharing helpful infographics positions you as a subject matter expert (especially if you use graphics customized for your market).
• Infographics provide ways to help build your brand and potentially even go viral.
• They are surprisingly easy to create (we have a great out-of-the-box template) and are easy to post on social media or include in an email drip campaign.

How to Create Real Estate Infographics Quickly & Easily

While these real estate infographics are pretty amazing inspiration, it’s time to create your own.

Here is our quick rundown for creating eye-catching infographics that you can brand as your own in about 20 minutes. You’ll need:

• A good topic. What common questions do you get that would make a compelling infographic? Think about what pain points your buyer and seller leads have and create something to help them. Outline the big ideas you want to share and the background information you think your audience needs to know.
• A free account or subscription―around $10 per month―to an online design service like Canva. A subscription allows you to access more templates, images, fonts, and more. It’s a small price to pay for professional-looking infographics.

In terms of software, I think Canva is the easiest to use and has the best design options, but there are plenty of other companies that offer templates you can customize.

Keep images and colors bright and eye-catching. You want your audience to read your infographic, but also save it and send it on to their friends. Remember to keep your text small but still legible for those using smaller monitors and phones.

Once you have a design you’re happy with that is in keeping with your branding (font, colors, etc.), add your logo and contact information to the bottom and export your infographic as a PNG file.

Remember to save a copy in Canva or whatever application you use so you can edit and update it later if your information changes.

Expert Tips for Making Great Infographics

While it’s relatively easy to use the applications you need to make real estate infographics, making an infographic that will go viral and capture the world’s attention isn’t. Here are a few tips to make sure your designs not only look great but actually do their job.

1. Don’t Crowd Too Much Text in a Small Space

One of the biggest mistakes people make when creating infographics is to jam tons of information into too small an area. Unless you think your audience will have magnifying glasses handy, don’t use too much text.

2. Learn the Basics of Color Theory

Some colors just look terrible with other colors, so take the time to learn about complementary colors and the basics of color theory before you start designing.

3. Use Illustrations Instead of Photos

Illustrations generally work better than photos. First, because photos are often rectangular and hard to place, and second, because illustrations are easier to “read” at a glance.

4. Understand Sizing for Social Media Posts

Infographics will shrink to fit your social media feed, which means they may not be legible when downsized, especially on mobile phones. There’s not much you can do about it, so just try to make them look sharp from a distance so people will want to click to make them bigger.

5. Make Sure They Flow

The best real estate infographics explain complex processes in a simple, visual way. Step-by-step instructions, for example, flow from one to the next and work well as infographics.

Infographic Templates for The Close Readers

Get started right now with our customizable Canva templates:

List With Me
Five Keys to Property Investment Success
Mortgage Pre-Approval Checklist
Staging Advice
Information on Your Brokerage 

Where to Find More Real Estate Infographics

Maybe you don’t have time to make your own infographics. Here are a few sources that offer impactful real estate infographics to share. Remember, don’t put your logo on them—they are copyrighted content.

• NAR.realtor
• Keeping Current Matters
• Florida Realtors
• California Association of Realtors

Where to Share Your Infographics for Maximum Impact

Ready to share the infographics you’ve created on your own? Here are a few places to share them where you’ll get maximum engagement.

Social Media

Pinterest may not be your primary social network, but it is a massive social media site and “visual discovery engine” with more than 480 million active monthly users (and counting!). It’s also 100% visual, so your infographics will be shared like hotcakes. Even better, Pinterest has a search function, which means other users will find your infographics if you add the right description and title.

Your infographics will also do well on Facebook and Instagram, but don’t forget LinkedIn, especially for infographics that would speak to your professional network.

Your Email List

Include infographics in your emails, and to increase your open rates, signal to your recipient list what they’re getting if they open your email. For example, if you want to share info about closing costs, a good email subject line would be: 15 Things Every Buyer Needs to Know About Closing Costs (Infographic).

Your Blog

Using bold, colorful real estate infographics in your posts will greatly increase the chance your audience will read them. Even better, it gives them an excuse to download a useful tool from your website that also has your URL and branding on it. Now, instead of being in the back of their mind, your branding will be in their download folder.

Bringing It All Together

If you have questions about real estate infographics, we have answers. So, go ahead and ask us in the comment section below.

The post 65 Real Estate Infographics + How to Make Your Own & Go Viral appeared first on The Close.

That’s why we decided to put together this guide with 117 real estate keywords that buyers and sellers commonly search for. Perhaps more importantly, we’ll show you tools to find more keywords and show you how to customize and use these keywords in your blog posts and YouTube videos.

What Are Real Estate Keywords?

Real estate keywords are words or short phrases that Google and other search engines use to categorize content. Generally speaking, the real estate keywords used in an article will represent the main subject of a blog post or webpage. 

Over the last few years, Google’s algorithm has gotten smarter. Much smarter. Today Google uses advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver hyper-specific answers to the questions people search for. Increasingly, those answers are targeted to the searcher’s geographic location. This is why tailoring your keywords to specific local audiences is crucial. 

Before you dive in, you should understand that keywords are only one element of an effective search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. If you’re brand-new to SEO, check out our in-depth guide here:

The Best Real Estate Keywords

Here is our list of the best real estate keywords. You can use these keywords to plan which articles to write for your blog. Always remember that your main goal here is to educate your reader first and show up on Google second. In fact, if your article is spammy or overstuffed with keywords, it won’t rank on Google for long. 

We included both short-tail keywords (single words and phrases) and long-tail keywords (short sentences and questions) in this list. Generally speaking, long-tail keywords will have a smaller audience searching for them, but their specificity makes them more relevant. Most of the SEO content you create should use long-tail keywords, which are generally more critical than short-tail keywords.

Keywords for Your Farm Area

It is much easier to get your content to rank for local real estate keywords since there is much less competition. For example, tens of thousands of people might search for “closing costs,” but only a few hundred might search for “closing costs in Phoenix.” So whenever you are planning an article or video, make sure you come up with local long-tail keywords to answer questions for a specific audience in a specific location. 

For example, let’s say the keyword is “how to buy a home.” In order to tailor this to your geographic area, you might change it to “how to buy a home in Charlotte.” Or you can make it even more specific, if there’s search volume, and focus on a neighborhood.

How to Find Your Own Real Estate Keywords

As noted above, while our list of real estate keywords is a great starting point for your content, you will likely need to pinpoint more specific keywords to reach buyers and sellers in your farm area. In order to make your life easier, here are three ways to determine important keywords for your content.

1. Use SEO Tools to Find More Keywords

The best and most accurate way to find new keywords is to use dedicated SEO tools. These tools analyze millions of search engine results pages (SERP) to estimate important data like how many people search for a keyword per month (also called search volume), and crucially, how hard it is to rank for that keyword (difficulty). They also help analyze your competitors’ websites to see which keywords they’re ranking for. Here are three of our favorite SEO tools:

Ahrefs

Moz

Semrush

2. Hire a Freelance Keyword Researcher on Fiverr

3. Research SERPs for Your Keywords

How to Use Keywords to Generate Traffic & Leads

There are two basic steps to using keywords effectively to generate traffic and leads. First, you need to tailor your real estate keywords to target local buyers and sellers. After all, ranking number one for “luxury homes” won’t be as helpful for your business if you can’t target people actually buying luxury homes in your farm area.

Second, you need to write blog posts or create videos that provide the best answer to the questions local buyers and sellers are searching for on Google. Here’s a quick breakdown of this process: 

Determine Search Intent

Once you have a list of local long-tail keywords, the next step is to figure out which questions your local buyers and sellers want answered when they search Google for them. This is known as search intent and should be the driving force behind all content you create in order to rank on Google. 

Think of it like Jeopardy: If your keyword is “homebuying tips for Phoenix,” the question being asked is pretty straightforward: “What do I need to know about buying a home in Phoenix?” However, if your keyword is something like “closing costs in Phoenix,” your local buyers and sellers will likely have more than one question. 

• How much are closing costs in Phoenix? 
• Who pays closing costs in Phoenix?
• How can I save money on closing costs in Phoenix? 

Write Blog Posts or Create Videos to Answer Questions Local Buyers & Sellers Are Asking

OK, now that you have a list of local long-tail keywords and understand the search intent, it’s time to provide answers that can rank. There are three key places you want to add keywords to your blog posts. In order of importance, they are the title, the meta description, and the main headings of your article. Try to use the keywords naturally in all three places. 

Write a Snappy Title

Your title should include your keyword (ideally as close to the beginning as possible), and should be written in a natural style that will make people want to click on your article. Here are some title ideas to target “closing costs in Phoenix”:

• Closing Costs in Phoenix: Myths vs Facts
• Closing Costs in Phoenix: The Ultimate Guide
• What Every New Buyer Needs to Know About Closing Costs in Phoenix

Remember that, generally speaking, it’s a bad idea to write more than one article targeting the same keyword. 

Write an Introduction That Draws People In

Your introduction has two purposes: to make people curious about your article or video and explain what they will get by consuming it. Using real estate keywords in your introduction is crucial. Just make sure you do so in a natural way. Here is an example of an introduction for an article about closing costs in Phoenix:

copy to clipboard

One of the most common questions I get asked by new buyers is how much closing costs will add to the price they pay for a home in Phoenix. There are a lot of myths out there about closing costs. That’s why in this article, I will explain how closing costs…

Create an Outline for Your Content & Start Writing

When you have search intent figured out, writing your content is easy. All you need to do is create an outline for your article or video and use the questions people want answered as your primary headings and subheadings. If you’re making a video, use the questions as chapters.

Don’t worry about using keywords in your content. If you are focusing on answering buyers’ and sellers’ questions, they will come up naturally as you write.

copy to clipboard

How much are closing costs in Phoenix?

• Loan origination fees
• Credit report fees
• Appraisal and home inspection fees

Who pays closing costs in Phoenix?
How can I save money on closing costs in Phoenix?

Be sure to link to your new blog post from older blog posts. Tying your posts together can help you rank better as it helps Google “read” and categorize the content on your site. 

Finally, if you want to rank on Google long term, you need to update your blog posts at least once a year. Go back and change the date, add relevant new information or news, and try to make your article more readable and useful for your readers.

Create a Great ‘About Me’ Page

Since you want your articles to signal EEAT (experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness) to Google, you should always include references to these factors in your articles. At a minimum, your author bio or YouTube “about” page should have your credentials, including designations, and your experiences.

Use Keywords in YouTube Videos 

For YouTube videos, you can use the same basic formula when you write your video’s title, description, and tags. You can also use keywords in your video’s channel. Click on Channel and find your settings where you’ll have the option to add keywords. You can also put keywords in your chapters, but only if they are relevant to what you are talking about. Don’t forget to use these same keywords when promoting your video. 

If you need more ideas for blogs or want some expert writing tips, check out our guide to real estate blog ideas below:

Bringing It All Together

Have any additional tips or questions related to researching and using real estate keywords? Let us know in the comment section.

The post The 117 Best Real Estate Keywords (+ How to Use Them & Find More) appeared first on The Close.

Fast forward to 2023, where the landscape of real estate Instagram (IG) has completely changed for the better. Agents have embraced authenticity and found countless ways to promote their real estate business through entertaining, educational content—without being too salesy. 

If you want to grow your own account, you need to learn from agents who are already racking up followers, likes, and leads. To help, I put together this list of the best real estate Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration and strategies to grow your following.

1. Taya DiCarlo @tayadicarlo

Taya DiCarlo is a Compass agent in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. If I had to recommend one profile for new agents to draw inspiration from, this would be it. Her feed is a perfect variety of real estate posts, market updates, humor, education, hobbies, and family life.

Her content is both professional and relatable as she showcases her wins, losses, and charismatic personality. My favorite part about her real estate Instagram is her weekly series called “Taya’s 2 Cents.” In it, she educates her followers on everything from real estate definitions to the aspects of a deal.

Key Takeaways for Realtors

• Create a weekly show like “Taya’s 2 Cents.” It will help you stay consistent and give you something to regularly send to your database.
• Don’t just share your wins. Watching a real estate robot pump out nothing but success stories isn’t very relatable.

2. Gila Goodman @agentgila

Gila Goodman has some of the best house tour content in the real estate game. I particularly like her voice-overs and her simple verbal hooks, such as, “This is what you can get in Lake Las Vegas.” All agents can replicate this formula in their own markets with a hook like, “Here’s what you can get for $2 million in {your area}.” 

Notice how she’s always at the beginning of every video, which helps with retention because people want to see you and not just the property. It makes it more visually appealing and adds a personal touch. I also love the idea of doing voice-overs after you film. This puts less pressure on you to nail it in a traditional real estate tour video, where you awkwardly have to detail every aspect of the property. 

Key Takeaways for Realtors

• Voice-overs are a very popular content style that more Realtors should implement in their property tours.
• Some of the best hooks in the game are, “Here’s what you can get…” Try it in your market.

The Close Recommends

If you want to build a successful Instagram following of your own, it starts with sharing content your audience will actually enjoy. Coffee & Contracts provides exclusive content for agents to customize, brand, and share on social media (including materials developed by The Broke Agent himself). As a special thank you to Close readers, use promo code THECLOSE for $15 off your first month.

Check Out Coffee & Contracts

3. Jason Cassity @jason_cassity

Jason Cassity is a team leader with Real in San Diego. What I like about Jason’s Instagram is that it doesn’t annoy me. He posts with a purpose and focuses on quality over quantity. For example, during the height of the pandemic, he filmed videos that promoted restaurants and small businesses and provided COVID resources for his followers. He also did a cool IG Live series where he interviewed other agents, organizers, and marketing experts and later published them in full to Instagram.

He comes across as a genuine, approachable community leader who isn’t constantly trying to jam real estate down everyone’s throat. Almost all of his Instagram content is educational or helpful to people in San Diego. His best videos are when he does listicle breakdowns about San Diego restaurants. Here’s an example:

Tactically, this video is really smart because he tagged the restaurants for shares and exposure and gets a great conversation going in the comments as his audience voices its opinions. 

Key Takeaways for Realtors

• Film listicles, meaning videos with numeric lists. They make people watch the entire video and often create great debates in the comments.
• Food videos always crush: Highlighting your favorite coffee shops, breweries, and sushi restaurants is a great way to promote local businesses and keep people watching. 

4. Krys Benyamein @krysbenyamein

In a world oversaturated with content in a never-ending fight to capture attention, the first two seconds of a video must hook you in and stop you from scrolling. Nobody has better hooks than Krys Benyamein. This guy will pop under bathroom stalls, jump on the screen, or just use his clever repertoire of verbal scroll-stoppers to make sure that you watch his content—and also watch it all the way through.

He’s funny, informative, inspirational, and does a great job of mixing in content for his market and for other agents, building a large referral network and database. Take particular notice of how he films his green-screen videos and try to replicate it in your own market!

Key Takeaways for Realtors

• Without a powerful hook, nobody will watch. The first two to three seconds are crucial for the performance of your video.
• When using a green screen, make sure to have constant movement to keep people’s attention. Don’t just sit there with the same static background: Jump around to different parts and highlight the sections that you’re speaking about while you’re speaking about them.

5. Kyle Toomey @kyle_toomey

Kyle Toomey knows that our attention span is nonexistent. So, he found a clever way to make sure we watch every second of his videos. (BTW, video retention is the number one metric you should be focused on. More than likes, comments, shares, or saves.) 

Kyle gives what he calls “Gen Z” house tours, where he athletically speeds through his listings while hilariously showing the features of the house. He knows that movement = attention in today’s content space. That’s why he also does educational videos in a full-out sprint (see above).

Key Takeaways for Realtors

• Speed and quick-cuts are great ways to keep people’s attention throughout your videos. Your number one goal with Reels should be retention, and Kyle’s “Gen Z” style of filming with constant movement is definitely something to emulate.

6. Matt Lionetti @matt.lionetti

Matt Lionetti is a top producer with The Agency in Toronto. He also happens to be my arch nemesis and my co-host on the Over Ask Podcast. So, this pick is slightly self-serving.

But, as much as I hate to admit it, Matt produces the funniest and most accurate real estate videos on Instagram. His first posts were skits of frustrating, yet all-too-relatable phone conversations with clients and other agents. He really started to gain traction after his infamous “Freddie Mercury” parody, and has now reached legend status among his agent peers.  

His edgy car rants almost always go viral and his content has continued to evolve as his focus shifts to giving his listings as much exposure as possible. Matt understands that humor is the ultimate attention-grabbing hook, and his unique ways to work laughs into his listing videos remain unparalleled. 

Key Takeaway for Realtors

• It’s not always the highly produced videos that get the most traction. The authenticity of filming in the car is relatable to everyone, especially other Realtors. 

7. Aken Moose Musa @yourfriendlyneighborhoodmoose

Aken Musa, aka “Moose,” is a Connecticut agent with one of the best personalities on Instagram. He takes the happiest closing pics with his clients that I’ve ever seen. It’s actually kind of annoying because I’m cynical and jealous that he has clients and successful transactions. Even still, it’s hard not to smile at his posts.

Moose posts a wide variety of content on Instagram that includes home improvement tips, wacky marketing promos, rap parodies, and memes. He’s also recently made multiple appearances on HGTV’s “House Hunters.” He looks to me like a fun guy to have 10 closing drinks with, and I imagine his followers and clients feel the same.

Key Takeaways for Realtors

• Variety is very important to growing an Instagram following and keeping people’s attention. Always be switching up the style of post: feed, carousel, still image, Reels, etc.
• The more you smile, the more likely people are to follow you and work with you.

8. Dan O’Neil @danoneil

Dan O’Neil built the number one team on Long Island all while maintaining a perfectly trimmed beard and neckline. He caught my attention when he posted a hilarious real estate parody of the Netflix show “You.” He seems to outdo himself with every video, as he can be seen falling off jet skis, riding horses, and smashing fax machines with a bat.

Next, I’m assuming Dan is going to tightrope walk the Grand Canyon with nothing but a just listed sign for balance. Recently, Dan’s content has shifted from strictly comedy to opening his new office in Sarasota, building his team, business planning, and more serious content about who he is as a person. His Instagram stories are pure chaos, but he does a fantastic job at posting about his life as if it were his own personal reality show. And as a result, his audience is always invested in his shenanigans and adventures. 

Key Takeaways for Realtors

• If you’re trying to grow a team page, make sure you collab with all the agents on the team to grow all the accounts together.
• Find other ways to show you’re closing business than the just solds and just listeds. Dan O Neil’s fun bell-ringing technique on his team page is a great way to showcase victories without posting a boring, generic graphic.

9. Marie Lee @movemetotennessee

Every agent should be optimizing their Instagram profile to get as many follows and leads as possible. If there is one profile setup I recommend copying, it is Marie Lee from Tennessee. 

First off, the “movemeto____” IG handle is iconic. Just like Katie Day’s @movemetotx, it immediately tells people what you do in a fun and clever way that can be branded across all platforms. Also, her username—“Marie Lee ⌂ Nashville Realtor”—is specific and searchable (important because your handle and username are the only things searchable on IG profiles). 

She also includes a great call to action in her profile with her link called “Freebies and Consults.” This leads to her linktree with options for a consultation, newsletter sign-up, and a lead magnet for a free buyer’s guide. That last one is a great setup to book appointments with prospects and get them into your database with an enticing downloadable. 

Her highlight section, overall aesthetic, and IG layout are also something I would copy. She has cover photos for her Reels (making her content more rewatchable than the average profile) and has pinned posts showing exactly who she is and what she does. Oh, I forgot to mention her actual content is also fantastic. 

Key Takeaways for Realtors

• Make sure your profile is optimized to convert followers and leads.
• Have a strong call to action in your bio that goes to a lead magnet, an appointment scheduler, or a linktree that includes all of the above.

10. Derrick Gregory @derrickswflrealtor

Derrick Gregory is a Florida Realtor whose Instagram strategy has been to go heavy on high-quality comedy videos. He does parodies, Reels, memes, and character-driven skits, and recently collaborated on one of the most viral videos of the year, “If Brokerages Were People.” 

When you go to his feed, you will immediately notice a consistent aesthetic, eye-catching thumbnails, and hyper-relevant content. It seems like he’s got a video for every holiday or pop culture event that takes place. I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes a video for Flag Day. 

Another thing I like about Derrick is that he has the guts to go live on Instagram. Even if he’s just playing the ukulele to seven viewers, he understands that going live pushes his name and content to the top of people’s feeds. The goal of a real estate agent is to stay top of mind, and Derrick Gregory is always at the top of your feed. He should make a shirt that says, “Top of your mind and top of your feed.” Actually, no, he shouldn’t.

Key Takeaways for Realtors

• Trendjack as much as possible: Creating content around relevant holidays and pop culture events will give your content an enormous boost in engagement. 
• Try to maintain your own aesthetic on Instagram. Consistent color schemes and posting styles help condition your audience to recognize your real estate brand.

11. Kim Santana @buffalorealestatelady

Kim Santana is a Buffalo real estate agent—and I know this because her Instagram handle says so. Kim has a “unique” Instagram approach where she actually memes herself and puts captions above her own pictures and poses. She must have read my e-book.

My favorite part about her Instagram profile is her Story strategy. She does funny rants in her car and consistently engages with her followers via polls and questionnaires. If you follow her, you will also get the pleasure of occasionally seeing her cute and fluffy doodle, Louie.

Key Takeaways for Realtors

• If you are going the meme route, use yourself as the meme (in your feed) instead of a trending photo. It makes it more personal and will perform better since your audience already recognizes you in the content.

12. Byron Lazine @byronlazine

Byron Lazine is a real estate renaissance man as well as my partner and cofounder of our media company, BAM. He runs the number one team in Connecticut, hosts three podcasts (including a live show called the “Hot Sheet” every weekday at 9:30 Eastern Time), and runs the business operations of BAM. 

Byron’s Instagram content is unique in the real estate space because of his podcast clips and unique, seasoned takes on industry news. He’s become a go-to voice and commentator, breaking down market nuances, current events, unfiltered opinions about useless trade organizations, brokerage gossip, and more. Nobody produces more podcasts and content than Byron.

The more you watch Byron’s content, the more you learn about what’s going on in the real estate industry. He’s a great example of how you can spin your local real estate market’s news into your own shows and mini-media company.

Key Takeaways for Realtors

• Use the news as much as possible in your content. The most powerful form of trendjacking is using local news in green screens, blogs, and YouTube videos. 
• Use news headlines as your video titles since they are already trending.

13. Dan Lee @dan_lee_plum

Dan Lee is an Australian agent with Plum Property. His Instagram is full of high-production, fast-paced, comedic listing and marketing videos that look like they were shot in Hollywood. One of my favorites is a seven-step series called “The Road to Tosser,” where he plays the character of an insufferable real estate asshole, similar to the ones I mentioned in the intro. It’s basically a “what not to do” guide for real estate agents, and he nails every single one of them. The series is legitimately laugh-out-loud funny.

One other takeaway I have from his content is that Dan starts nearly every video off with a quick-hitting joke. He understands that the first three seconds are critical to keep the audience engaged and watching.

Key Takeaways for Realtors

• Having a series like “Road to Tosser” is a great way to get people invested in your content and account.

14. Eric Simon @thebrokeagent

Editor’s note: I was given the rather unpleasant task of editing Eric’s “article” and wanted to point a few things out. First, he handed in his first draft on crumpled up Burger King napkins he found under the seat of his car. Second, Eric is way too modest for someone who runs a bona fide real estate comedy empire. As any agent on the platform knows, @thebrokeagent is the funniest real estate Instagram account around. So if you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years and don’t know about his profile, do yourself a favor and follow him right now as well as his media company, @nowbam. 

Key Takeaways for Realtors

• Consistency is everything. I didn’t grow this account from a viral post or re-share, I grew it by posting every single day on my feed and Story no matter what. It’s all about getting points on the board and setting up digital real estate signs in everyone’s head.

15. Shane Burgman @shaneburgman

Shane might have the highest-quality videos in real estate Instagram. The audio and visual experience watching a Shane Burgman video is so different from watching normal real estate content. You can tell how much effort he puts into each video. Also, he’s extremely versatile. He posts clips from his podcasts, agent-to-agent tips, hyperlocal content for his clients, and trendjacks more than I do. I checked in on him midway through October and he’d already posted like, five Halloween videos. His content is always cutting-edge, funny, and relevant. 

Key Takeaways for Realtors

• Having great lighting and audio in your videos is highly appreciated by the audience. Spending the extra few bucks on a good mic and ring light, as well as the right background, can take your content to the next level.

5 Steps to Grow Your Real Estate Instagram Account in 2023

Hey all, Emile here. Since Eric is busy running his new site, BAM Media, I wanted to quickly jump in and offer something you’ve all been asking for: Actionable advice for how to actually grow your real estate Instagram account in 2023. Here are the five steps that most successful accounts used to grow their following. I also included links to deep-dive articles to learn more. 

1. Create Your Instagram Bio

If you want to actually get leads from Instagram, you need to make sure your bio sells your personal brand. Trust me, leads will check out your bio before even thinking about reaching out. 

If you need some bio inspiration, check out Jodie Cordell’s excellent guide below. She goes over 20 example bios, and even better, explains why they work.

2. Use Our Marketing Calendar to Plan Your Posts  

If you want to get more likes, comments, and followers on Instagram, you need to post consistently. That means planning out your posts each month so you’re not scrambling for ideas at the last second. 

To help you get started, we put together a full year’s worth of social media marketing ideas here:

3. Sign Up for a Social Media Marketing Service

Instead of reinventing the wheel every time they post, smart agents use templates from social media marketing services like Coffee & Contracts, LabCoat Agents Marketing Center, and Agent Crate. 

If you want to focus on short-form video, Coffee & Contracts even includes scripts for Reels that you can practice and post without writing your own. Check out the various marketing company reviews from The Close below to learn more.

4. Learn How to Make Short-form Videos      

Since quick-hit video sites like TikTok launched, Instagram has been slowly losing market share. To compete, they tweaked their algorithm to favor video in a big way. If you want your content to actually show up in your follower’s feeds, you need to learn the art of short-form video. 

5. Engage With Popular Local Accounts & Influencers 

After short-form video, the next thing the Instagram algorithm looks for is engagement. Since it will be hard to get your followers to engage with your content before you have real momentum, you can cheat a bit and engage with popular local accounts and influencers. So like their posts, leave comments, and try to add value or humor to local accounts to get your profile noticed. 

If you want to more tips for how to build engagement on your own account, check out Eric’s guide here:

Over to You

There are many more agents who are crushing it on real estate Instagram, but I had to stop somewhere. Overall, it’s been awesome to see so many agents embrace their personalities and utilize humor as a tool for Instagram growth and marketing. 

Who are your favorite agents on Instagram? Let me know who I should follow next in the comment section.

The post 15 Must-follow Real Estate Instagram Accounts (+ 5 Growth Hacks) appeared first on The Close.

1. Vacation Rental Investors

Many first-time homebuyers are on the sidelines, strapped by the current interest rates coupled with historically high home prices. So, if your focus has been on first-time homebuyers, it might be time to pivot to a niche that’s less affected by the current market. Thankfully, short-term rentals (STRs) are still lucrative, even in the current economy. 

It’s true that escalating home prices, along with increased regulations and fees, have slowed the STR boom of 2021. But, as you can see from the infographic above, that leveling out will turn down the crazy and keep a lot of people who shouldn’t invest out of the pool, making it easier for serious investors to buy properties smartly.

And your expertise around your market’s permits, demand, and fees for STRs and vacation rentals will set you apart from other agents. You can become the one investors turn to for accurate market updates and listings. 

How to Start Working Rental Property Investors

First, make sure to familiarize yourself with your market’s regulations and restrictions for vacation rentals. There are usually different rules for long-term vs short-term rentals, so get to know your community’s permit requirements along with the amount of any fees.

You also should enroll in a few continuing education classes through your association that deal with short-term and long-term rentals, investors, and even try dipping your toes into some commercial real estate classes. If vacation rentals aren’t your thing, you can also consider other types of real estate investing. Gain as much knowledge as you can around real estate as a business.

You’re bound to have a community group that stays in touch on Facebook—or even in person—that you can join. Bigger Pockets is a good place to start looking if you’re not sure where to start in your market. But if you search Google for real estate investment groups in your area, you’re bound to turn up a few more options. Once you join a group, get involved in discussions, offering your real estate expertise. Become the knowledgeable agent in the room that people come to with their questions. 

Get a head-start by learning the BRRR (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) method for investors by downloading this e-book from Kiavi. You’ll be the agent everyone turns to when you learn the ins and outs, pitfalls, tips, and financing secrets of successful real estate investors.

2. Rentals

This summer, median home prices increased nearly 2% from one year ago to $406,700. And with mortgage rates currently sitting around 8%, this puts homeownership on ice for many. That leaves more people flocking to rentals. The rise of “digital nomads” as a lifestyle also means more people are looking for housing options that allow them to travel around the country and the world. This means working rentals can become a lucrative niche for agents in 2024.

When I was an agent in New York City, I made $1,500 to $3,000 per closed rental transaction. Agents who worked high-end exclusive rental listings sometimes collected five-figure commission checks from one closed rental deal. While results like these might not be common in all rental markets (it’s New York City, after all), it proves that rentals can be very lucrative for real estate agents. 

There are two ways to do this in smaller markets: 

1. Increase volume

2. Get exclusive rental contracts with developers

How to Start Working Rentals

If you’re working in a market that focuses on high-end luxury rentals, you can join a brokerage that focuses on rentals to tap into that market. If you’re not, get licensed in property management if your state requires it and start pitching builders and developers.

With the market cooling in many areas, homeowners may need to temper their expectations. But if they’re needing to leave the area (say in the case of a military permanent change of station move or new job), you might offer to manage their home as a rental. You’ll be helping your clients start or build a rental portfolio while you also expand your experience and skill set. 

One of the easiest ways to stand out in the crowded property management market is to sharpen your digital marketing skills. Create a website where you can showcase rental properties and drive traffic from your marketing efforts, then offer to build one for free for a local developer.

If you want to work the sales side, start educating your sphere on real estate investing with an eye toward renting. You can get started with these deep-dive articles on real estate investing from Sean Moudry:

3. Military Movers

Speaking of permanent change of station (PCS) moves, one group who will move no matter what the economy is doing is the active-duty military members. They don’t pay for their move, and they have to go when they get PCS orders from military officials. So, you can always count on members of the military moving every few years. 

Most military members will get orders in the spring for a summer move. So, summers are typically busy with PCSers. But there’s also a secondary PCS season that many overlook: end-of-year moves. It’s not as busy as the summer, but there is a substantial number of military folks who get orders to pack up during December. 

The best part of military movers is they typically use their Veterans Affairs benefits, which allows them to get a mortgage with zero down payment. That makes buying a home in their new duty station easier since they won’t have to come up with a substantial amount of cash to buy. Military movers also make a great niche for you because when their tour is up and they have to PCS again, usually within a few years, they will most likely reach back out to you to either sell their home or help them set up the home as a rental property. 

How to Start Working Military Movers

If you live near a military base, this niche will work for you. Start by learning about the military community and familiarize yourself with their lingo. There are a lot of acronyms military members throw around, and you want to sound like you know what you’re talking about. 

You can also become an MRP, or military relocation professional. It’s a designation that will take about a day to acquire. Once you learn the language and get that MRP, join the military base groups on Facebook (particularly the spouses’ groups) and get to know your local military community. 

You can also create social media content educating those moving to your area. Remember, these folks PCSing to your market know practically nothing about it. You can share information about different communities, what it’s like to live in your city, steps for the homebuying process, how to use VA benefits on real estate, and so much more. 

If you really want to dive deeper into the steps involved in the military movers niche, check out this in-depth article from Kinga Mills:

4. Probate Sales

When a homeowner dies, a property typically has to go through some type of probate court before it can be conveyed to a surviving family member or person named in a will. Often, a home is left to a spouse or adult children, who then need to sell the home and share the proceeds from the sale. 

These are the people who need your help. Adult children, in particular, will need a professional to help them get the home on the market, especially if they don’t live in the same area as the home. And if you can help them sell the property quickly, getting them through a tough time in their lives, they will be forever grateful.

How to Start Working Probate Sales

Getting into probate can be a little tougher than some other niches listed here, but it’s not as difficult as you might think. The first step is to familiarize yourself with the probate process. You can check your local association to see if they offer courses to understand probate. 

After you’ve learned more, you might consider reaching out to probate attorneys and pitching your services to them. It never hurts to establish yourself in your community, make connections, and build relationships. Even if one of the attorneys is working with another agent right now, they may end up with more work than the one (or two) agents can handle. 

If you really want to up your probate real estate game, you might consider checking out predictive analytics software that can actually find them for you before anyone else has a chance. Catalyze AI utilizes event-driven data to send you listing leads. You can be the first agent to reach out and get a jump on the competition.

5. Vacation Homes

Vacation communities—like The Hamptons in New York, or the beach houses of Clearwater, Florida—will continue to be an excellent niche for agents. Many of these communities saw the largest influx of new buyers in 2020. But even in the current sluggish market, the vacation home market will continue to draw those who can afford this lifestyle.

How to Start Working Vacation Communities

If you work near a vacation community and have the listings in your MLS, start marketing them to potential buyers using an IDX website. The idea is to curate listings from a vacation destination to a page on your website using IDX widgets, then drive paid and organic traffic to that page. If you don’t already have an IDX website, use this as an excuse to finally build one. You can learn how here: How to Build an IDX Real Estate Website: The Ultimate Guide.

In your marketing, promote the lifestyle more than the listings. Remember, this niche is all about the idea of getting away from the hustle of everyday life. They want to see the dream. For inspiration, check out Michele Bellisari. She’s a pro at promoting the Boca Raton lifestyle in her social media marketing.

6. Luxury Real Estate

No matter what the market does, the wealthiest will always use real estate to build more wealth into their portfolio. So if you live near a luxury area, like New York or Los Angeles, chances are inventory is ridiculously tight, and many homes may be selling above asking price. But luxury isn’t confined to only the biggest cities. You can find luxury in many areas, including the mountains and the beaches. 

How to Start Working Luxury Real Estate

Finding luxury buyers to work within this market is relatively easy. You can advertise on Facebook or Google, network, or just join a luxury team. You’ll want to give your branding and marketing materials a bit of a polish before you start, though. A strong brand is far more important for agents transitioning to luxury.

For listings, the road is rougher but possible. If you’re serious about transitioning to luxury listings, check out Sean Moudry’s excellent article below. Sean has been in real estate for 29 years as a broker, coach, speaker, author, and consultant, and he has a wealth of experiences to share.

7. FSBOs

Some agents shy away from working for sale by owner (FSBO) listings because they believe iBuyers are snatching up all the inventory. But not so fast! We’ve seen Redfin, Zillow Offers, and a handful of other iBuyer models fold or pull back the reins on home purchases. 

So, FSBOs are still in play and can be a plentiful source of listing leads for any resilient agent. It makes sense when you think about it. The market is cooling, and homeowners still haven’t learned how to sell houses. So, while investors may still be a factor, learning to pitch FSBOs can put agents ahead of the game. 

How Agents Can Start Working FSBO

Of course, pitching FSBOs is not easy. In fact, it will take practice to get good at turning an FSBO into a listing. The housing market of 2021 left many homeowners thinking that selling houses is simple. As agents, it’s our responsibility to show our value, manage expectations, and prove that agents are worth the commission. The trick is to establish a relationship with them before the reality of selling their home finally sinks in. 

You can start by learning and practicing FSBO scripts. Chris Linsell broke down his seven favorite FSBO scripts here and explained why they work so well: The 9 Best FSBO Scripts (+ Why They Work).

If you’re ready to jump feet-first into the FSBO world, you should consider looking into REDX. They curate expired and FSBO listings daily, delivering accurate data so you can reach out to sellers before the competition. Don’t waste time on inaccurate phone numbers or get into hot water over the Do Not Call list. REDX scrubs its data to make sure you’re only getting the freshest info. Keep track of your contacts inside the REDX CRM so you can nurture and convert your leads easily.

8. Empty Nesters & Downsizers

Today’s millennial homebuyers face tight inventory, rising home prices, rising rents, and high student debt that are all converging to keep them out of the real estate market. So it’s no surprise that the largest shares of homebuyers in 2022 were the 55 to 64 and the 65 to 74 age groups, together accounting for 42% of all buyers, according to the National Association of Realtors’ Profile of Buyers and Sellers report.

Looking at the data, it’s no wonder that the 55-plus age group is the biggest homebuying segment. They typically have equity in their existing home to make a move work. 

Most of these prospects are moving to be closer to family or to downsize. But don’t forget to target those who are looking to make lifestyle moves—think golf, pickleball, and boating. If you live near a 55-plus planned development, like the now infamous retirement community The Villages of Florida, you might want to consider them in your marketing strategy.

How Agents Can Start Working Empty Nesters & Downsizers

Start off by brushing up on the communities near you that target this demographic. Find out the features and benefits of each one so you can rattle off information in a conversation easily. Next, you might consider a print campaign in some of the older neighborhoods in your community. Target homeowners who have lived in their homes for more than 10 years. Your campaign should feature the benefits of moving to a community with a fun lifestyle for its members.

You might also consider getting a Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) designation to learn the ins and outs of meeting the needs of this fast-growing niche. Sean Moudry explains the designation at length in this article: The SRES Designation: Is It Worth It for Residential Agents?

Over to You

Know of an underrated real estate niche you think is poised to become more lucrative this year? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The post 8 Red-hot Real Estate Niches That Can Double Your GCI appeared first on The Close.

That’s why we decided to update this guide to real estate negotiation. We worked with The Close’s resident real estate coach Trevor James, Ryan Serhant, and top agents from across the country to add their best negotiation strategies for 2023. Since we know you’re busy, we only included actionable tips you can start using today. Let’s dive in.

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Visit Wise Agent

Here’s coach Kevin Ward with a quick story to highlight this crucial point:

FAQs: Mastering Real Estate Negotiation for Agents

What persuasion techniques can help agents during negotiations?

How should agents handle multiple offer scenarios?

How can agents project confidence in negotiations?

How can agents better understand the other side?

How can agents handle price objections effectively?

How can new agents keep their excitement in check when negotiating?

What are some common pitfalls that agents should avoid in negotiations?

Over to You

Have a great negotiation strategy we didn’t cover here? Add your thoughts to the comments below.

The post 19 Clever Real Estate Negotiation Strategies From the Pros appeared first on The Close.

Today, leads expect their questions to be answered instantly, and real estate chatbots help you do exactly that. We’re here to demystify chatbots, show you how to use them to boost your business, and reveal which chatbots offer the best combination of pricing and features. Not exactly sure what chatbots are? Let’s start with that! 

What Is a Real Estate Chatbot?

How Much Do Real Estate Chatbots Cost?

How Chatbots Can Help You Close More Real Estate Deals

The Best Real Estate Chatbots of 2023

While there are a ton of chatbot options these days, here are our picks for the best for real estate pros:

Freshchat’s Freddy

Pros

• Customizable
• Responsive chat
• Chat campaigns
• Free version

Cons

• Lack of integrations
• Steep learning curve
• Lack of customer service

The Close Score

4.7

Value:

5.0

Features:

5.0

Integrations:

4.0

Customization:

5.0

Ease of Use:

4.5

out
of

5

Pricing: 

Free – $79 per agent, per month

Freshchat’s Best Features for Agents:

Freshchat lets you interact with your leads using Freddy, an artificial intelligence bot. You can set your chatbot to start chatting with leads based on their website activity. For example, a lead clicking over to a listing page might trigger a chatbot to offer to set up a showing. They also offer chat campaigns, and even let you engage with your leads on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram DMs.

Freshchat’s Drawbacks:

While Freshchat is an affordable option, especially since the free version allows up to ten users, even the upgraded versions (which include sessions, better customer service access, and deeper analytics) lack some of the more sophisticated features as others on our list. The biggest drawback is that Freshchat does not directly integrate with popular real estate CRMs like CINC or LionDesk the way Structurely does.

Tidio

Pros

• Free Version
• Customizable
• Ready-made Templates
• Analytics & Reporting
• Easy to Use

Cons

• Integrations Aren’t Seamless

The Close Score

4.8

Value:

5.0

Features:

3.9

Integrations:

5.0

Customization:

5.0

Ease of Use:

5.0

out
of

5

Pricing

Tidio offers a free version (three users, 50 livechat conversations) and several packages that vary based on the number of users and number of livechat conversations. The most expensive is $29 per month. 

Tidio’s Best Features:

This is a chatbot at its most customizable—so much so that it looks like a natural extension of your branded site and social media. The out-of-the-box templates are helpful for real estate leads (even though Tidio is not specifically designed for the real estate industry) and it’s easy to create your own. I also like the thoughtful analytics and reporting, which make it easy to see what’s working and what’s not. Tidio is easily one of the top options on our list and a strong alternative to Freshchat. 

Tidio’s Drawbacks

Some agents might get tripped up by some of the integrations, but since the customer service is something Tidio prioritizes, they should be able to help troubleshoot.

Structurely

Pros

• Real estate-specific templates
• Lead qualification
• Bot, plus email and text nurturing
• Strong CRM integrations
• Hand-off from bot to person mid-conversation

Cons

• Expensive
• Learning curve

The Close Score

4.6

Value:

3.0

Features:

5.0

Integrations:

5.0

Customization:

5.0

Ease of Use:

5.0

out
of

5

Pricing 

$499 to $1,499 per month, depending on the number of conversations

Structurely’s Best Features for Agents:

Structurely offers an AI chatbot that operates like an inside sales agent to qualify and even nurture leads via text messaging. But it doesn’t stop there. Structurely’s AI assistant also qualifies and nurtures leads via email. If you’re worried that there’s a bot sending out emails and texts that are hard to track, don’t. Structurely seamlessly integrates with popular CRMs like CINC, LionDesk, Follow Up Boss, and Real Geeks so you can monitor and log conversations with your leads right from your CRM.

Structurely’s Drawbacks:

Although Structurely offers agents some pretty high-tech features, they are priced accordingly. Many agents spend less for their entire IDX website than what Structurely charges. For a high-end product without the high-end price tag, consider Tidio.

Customers.ai

Pros

• Free version
• Strong social media engagement
• Customizable
• Deep analytics on site visitors

Cons

• Lack of focus during rebrand
• Customer service is lacking

The Close Score

4.5

Value:

5.0

Features:

3.3

Integrations:

4.3

Customization:

5.0

Ease of Use:

5.0

out
of

5

Pricing

There is a free option, a starter package for $199 per month and the pro package, which is $499 per month. Pricing depends on the number of website visitors and conversations. 

Customers.ai’s Best Features

Agents who interact with their leads on social media are going to really appreciate Customers.ai’s seamless integrations. You’re even able to automate your DMs on Facebook and Instagram. Bonus points to Customers.ai for the deep analytic reporting on website visitors so that you get to know your audience and tailor your content better. 

Customers.ai’s Drawbacks

Previously MobileMonkey, Customers.ai’s new ownership and brand is talking a big, bold, very vague AI game. I’m going to keep an eye on it to make sure that a rebrand isn’t a sign of potential messiness or lack of vision in the future. I’m also hoping to see better native integrations and higher levels of customer service. MobileMonkey had a kind of cult following so we’ll see if Customers.ai can keep loyal customers happy.

Tars

Pros

• Template library
• Instant response rates
• Innovative technology
• Integrations with CRMs

Cons

• Opaque pricing
• Learning curve
• Lacks social media integrations

The Close Score

4.4

Value:

3.0

Features:

5.0

Integrations:

4.5

Customization:

5.0

Ease of Use:

4.5

out
of

5

Pricing

I know pricing starts at $99 per month, but that’s about it. Would love to see more transparency here. 

Tars’ Best Features

Tars serves multiple industries and has developed more than 1,000 templates for customers to deploy. It understands speed to lead and promises the fastest responses of any chatbot provider on the list. As a major chatbot player, they are up to date on the most innovative AI technology and are swift to adopt new and better strategies. Throw in that the integrations are pretty good, especially with CRMs, and Tars is an excellent real estate chatbot choice. 

Tars’ Drawbacks

Tars has limited social media integrations, so if that is where you’re engaging with most of your leads, this probably isn’t the best option. Consider Customers.ai or Tidio instead. I’d also say that the lack of transparency around pricing is frustrating. Finally, starting at $99 per month puts this tool out of reach for a lot of new agents. 

Collect.Chat

Pros

• Free version
• Easy to use
• Affordable
• Good mobile experience
• Excellent calendar integrations

Cons

• Not fully-featured
• Lacks some social media integrations
• Lacks customization

The Close Score

4.5

Value:

5.0

Features:

3.1

Integrations:

4.8

Customization:

4.5

Ease of Use:

4.5

out
of

5

Pricing

Collect.Chat has a free version and several packages with the most expensive being $99 per month. Pricing is based on the features and number of responses. 

Collect.Chat’s Best Features

Collect.Chat is the ideal starter chatbot for real estate agents. It’s easy to use, has a drag-and-drop builder, and makes it easy for leads to book appointments and schedule showings. Plus the mobile experience is really top notch. This is as close to ready to go out of the box as you can get. If you’re not ready for some of the turbo-charged chatbot providers on this list but still want to try a quality product, this is the one for you. 

Collect.Chat’s Drawbacks

This is not as full-featured or robust as Freshchat, Tidio, Tars, or Structurely, and it lacks the social media integrations of Customers.ai. It’s also pretty limited in terms of customization at the free level. But all in all, if I was new to chatbots but didn’t want to waste my time (or my leads’ time), I’d give Collect.Chat a go.

RealtyChatbot

Pros

• Real estate specific
• Strong facebook integrations
• Easy to use
• Strong CRM integration

Cons

• No free option
• Expensive setup
• Limited technology innovation

The Close Score

3.8

Value:

3.5

Features:

3.5

Integrations:

3.5

Customization:

3.5

Ease of Use:

5.0

out
of

5

Pricing

If you’re paying once a year, RealtyChatbot will run you $119 a month with a $195 setup fee. Otherwise it’s $149 per month with a $995 setup fee.

RealtyChatbot’s Best Features for Agents

The company’s AI chatbot can modify its responses based on how your lead answers questions. In addition, it offers agents the ability to sync their real estate chatbot to their Facebook page. This feature makes RealtyChatbot a great option for agents who interact with leads from their Facebook page or through Facebook Messenger. It’s also the only chatbot on this list that was designed specifically for the real estate industry. 

RealtyChatbot’s Drawbacks

Like Structurely and Tars, RealtyChatbot is priced a bit out of reach for many newer agents. And while it’s an effective chatbot that many agents like and use, it doesn’t have the robust AI features of a Tidio, Structurely, or Freshchat bot. We’ll be watching to see if it can continue to innovate in an ever-changing AI field.

Methodology for Finding the Best Real Estate Chatbots

When evaluating the many real estate chatbots on the market, we took into account the following:

• Value
• Package options and pricing
• Real estate-specific features
• Templates and scripts
• Mobile app
• Language capabilities
• Branding
• Analytics
• Integrations
• Customization
• Ease of use
• Customer support

Read more about our methodology here.

Bringing It All Together

What do you think about using real estate chatbots? Love them? Hate them? Any tips for chatbot use or have a favorite provider? Let us know in the comment section!

The post The 7 Best Real Estate Chatbots (Pricing, Pros & Cons) appeared first on The Close.

I bet you’re wondering how to make LinkedIn work for you. We’ll show you how, with a little time, a lot of consistency, and a clear objective, it’s the ideal social media platform to generate leads, maintain your lead pipeline, establish yourself as the expert, and expand your sphere of influence (SOI). 

1. Start by Building Your Profile

No matter how a potential client finds you—whether it’s through your website, Instagram account, or by word of mouth—chances are they’re also going to check out your LinkedIn profile. Your profile should have one main goal: to show the world that you know what you’re doing. 

Start the process by taking stock of your profile. We all know that it’s your online resume, so take this opportunity to brag about and differentiate yourself. Conduct a quick audit and check the following:

• Is your photo current and in line with our headshot recommendations?
• Is all of your professional experience relevant and accurate?
• Does your background image have something to do with real estate?
• Use the headline wisely. You’re not just a Realtor; you’re Charleston’s Top Luxury Real Estate Agent.
• Have a catchy slogan? Put it here. Don’t have one? Create one here!
• Gather endorsements and recommendations—at least three, ideally five.
• Add all awards, accomplishments, accreditations, designations, and specialties.
• Show you’re multidimensional: Add volunteer work, hobbies, and organizational memberships

LinkedIn’s own data shows that member profiles that showcase volunteer experience see as many as six times more views than those that don’t. If you volunteer at the animal shelter, are a champion badminton player, or just really into pickleball, include it! 

Here are a few profile examples that show off designations, hobbies, and accomplishments. Each profile really stands out and highlights what makes that agent special. I especially like the use of images that signal a specific location or make you want to buy a beautiful home.

2. Make Connections to Generate Leads

If you’re like most agents, your connections are mostly … other agents. It’s important to have relationships with fellow real estate pros, but when it comes to LinkedIn lead generation, you need to expand your network. 

Networking thoughtfully is a crucial part of your lead generation activity. Spend some time establishing connections with people you know, and then start looking for new and valuable relationships. Connecting to community influencers is key to LinkedIn lead generation—nonprofit board members, local thought leaders, C-suite executives, and other movers and shakers who will open doors for you. 

By design, LinkedIn does an excellent job of recommending new contacts for you—it can use data about who you’re connected with and who is visiting your profile to suggest new links. Don’t “request bomb” people, though. Spend some time every couple of days strategically reaching out.

Be Strategic About Networking for Lead Generation

Sure you want to connect with people, but LinkedIn is a vast and populous place. Who should you target for successful lead generation? 

Connect With Agents in Other Cities & Create a Referral Network

Focus on agents in other cities, near and far, who can pass along referrals. It’s important to connect with those who are in a similar real estate niche (luxury agents in New York would want to refer to a luxury agent in Los Angeles, for example). But you need to also connect to agents who differ from your specialty so that you’re ready to step in and be the expert when other agents are not. 

Be in the Know When New Businesses Come to Your City 

LinkedIn allows you to filter news and information by geographic area so you can keep your finger on the pulse of local business news. This is a great way to get a heads-up if a big corporation or company is moving to town. Investigate where their employees might be moving from and start an ad campaign to target that area, sending connection requests based on that geographic area. Not only is that helpful for (probably very stressed) families making a big move, but it also keeps your pipeline full. 

LinkedIn Networking Etiquette 

If you want to connect to someone but you don’t know them, make sure to introduce yourself. Best practices dictate sending a personal message with your request to connect.

If you want to really show some respect or stand out, opt to send an InMail (essentially email that has a better response rate than a connection request), available with LinkedIn Premium. If you’re curious about Premium, check out the discussion below.

3. Join Relevant Groups to Market Effectively 

Groups are an innovative way to get to know different segments of your target market and their pain points. Joining and being active in groups allows you to finely craft your value proposition so that you’re addressing the needs of your target audience. 

Joining a diverse range of groups might seem like a distraction, but it will not only grow your network and generate leads, it will help you market more effectively to those leads. Consider what kinds of groups might be interesting and helpful for your niche. A group that unites professionals in finance or senior care could be a good fit. Or maybe people who love dogs, jogging, or startups. Whatever your niche, chances are there’s a LinkedIn group for it.

Let’s say you join a group of dog lovers in your area. Now you can start to network, participate in conversations, and understand what makes the dog-owning community in your town tick. Are people looking for properties with fenced-in backyards? Apartments near dog parks? Are young couples looking for puppies (which is a classic first step before homeownership)? Guess who’s right there to help them! Their fellow dog-lover (who’s also a real estate agent). I will caution you to be authentic in your networking, though. No one likes someone who only pretends to like dogs.

4. Engage Meaningfully With Your Network

As with almost every social media platform, engagement only works if it’s a two-way street. Your success with LinkedIn depends on your ability to give back to your community. Sharing and liking posts isn’t enough.

The good news is that LinkedIn sets you up for success. It alerts you when connections have professional news, milestones, and anniversaries so you can reach out and congratulate them. Celebrating their accomplishments goes a long way to showing exactly what kind of professional you are.

You can also give back by taking a few minutes to write recommendations. The whole I’ll-write-you-one-you-write-me-one only gets you so far. Think what it would mean to your connections to see your kind words out of the blue!

Remember, though, you really want to be authentic. Nothing is worse than fake attempts at thoughtfulness—people can sense that a mile away. 

5.  Like & Share Relevant Content Thoughtfully

Because LinkedIn is unapologetically a professional platform, you get to write, post, share, like, recommend, and network unabashedly and not annoy your friends who just want cute puppy content. 

When leads look at your profile, they want to see that you’re the person others depend on for helpful, relevant, compelling content in your area of expertise. Ideally, you’re the one crafting the content, but I’ll get to that in a minute. For now, as you’re building your presence on LinkedIn, focus on reposting and sharing articles and videos that will interest and inform your audience. 

Be judicious and selective in what you repost, and make sure that it’s high-quality content. What you decide to share is an extension of your brand, so make sure it’s from a source you trust and respect. Set a goal to repost regularly and be sure to engage with other relevant posts.

Remember, almost everyone has some degree of interest in real estate, especially in today’s market. I bet you can find posts to share about real estate and adjacent topics that will appeal to just about any audience, not just your fellow agents.

Share stats about your market’s real estate activity—available from your local board of Realtors—including average home prices, current inventory, and average days on market. How to stage a home for a quick sale, how to compete in a market flush with cash buyers, what to do when interest rates are expected to rise—these are all great topics to repost, share, and discuss with your LinkedIn audience. 

6. Create Content Around Trending Topics

Sharing and posting is a good start, but if you create your own article content, you will truly reap the LinkedIn rewards. Note that you can always link to your existing blog on LinkedIn, but the algorithm will give priority to content created on (and for) its site. So if you want content to have a better chance of being shared, liked, and commented on, create it right on the platform.  

As you might imagine, the vast majority of people on LinkedIn never post anything, which means that if you regularly post content and use hashtags, people are much more likely to see and engage with your content.

This is especially true because users have to manually turn off notifications (and most people aren’t taking the time to do that), so your posts are getting seen by hundreds, maybe even thousands of users who didn’t even know they were interested in what you’re writing about. 

Write What You Know

What’s your real estate specialty? What sets you apart from your competition? That’s what you should start focusing on in your posts. They can be short—you can even simply ask a question or conduct a poll. Just make sure your posts are reflecting your brand and expertise.

Write About What’s Trending

LinkedIn clearly lays out what’s trending, liked, and shared in the LinkedIn News feed. Pick a topic and relate it to what you know: real estate. 

Take a look at this LinkedIn News Feed. While at first nothing looks real estate-related, you could easily tie some of these topics to real estate and craft a post that’s timely and relevant to your audience.

In a screenshot from this week, there is plenty for agents to write about. That second trending topic, “US Recession Seems Less Likely,” is perfect for agents! Who doesn’t want to shine some hope on our stagnant housing market? Then there’s another topic, “Home Sales Nearing 2008 Levels,” that offers a great opportunity to show expertise. Or just have some fun, bond with your fellow Swifties, and weigh in on the Taylor Swift film, which is also a hot topic. 

Write (or Create) Something Fun

Often, posts with the greatest interaction are speaking to a specific audience and identifying a pain point—which can be really effectively done with humor. I love this example from our own Kaydi Rainey that talks directly to fellow agents (though anyone can be in on the joke).

In the end, all of this work is in pursuit of your goal to convey your expertise and generate leads who see and appreciate your industry authority.

7. Upgrade to LinkedIn Premium 

One of the most frustrating things about LinkedIn is that it tells you how many people viewed your profile, but not always who viewed your profile. If users are searching LinkedIn in private mode, you may receive a cryptic notification like “A CEO viewed your profile.” 

Clearly, a LinkedIn member who checks out your profile might be an excellent lead. Knowing who they are makes it possible to follow up and turn that warm lead into a hot one. That’s where LinkedIn Premium comes in. It lets you see who has viewed your profile in the past 90 days, but still lets you browse in private mode. Here’s how former agent Gill Chowdhury scored a $3 million dollar deal from LinkedIn:

InMail Messages

The only way you can message someone who is not in your network is by signing up for LinkedIn Premium and using their InMail platform. 

LinkedIn promises that InMail is 2.6 times more effective than cold emails or calls, but it’s not cheap. I’d recommend starting with the Business plan, which is $45 per month (with a free one-month trial). This gives you 15 InMails a month. If you really ramp up your lead generation, consider the Sales Navigator package ($80 per month), which includes custom lead and account lists, advanced lead searching, and lead recommendation. 

LinkedIn Premium also includes unlimited people searches, competitor data, industry news, analytics, and more. It could be a really powerful addition to your marketing strategy, but only if you’re really going to put your time into LinkedIn. Otherwise, it’s probably not worth the investment.

8. Buy Ads & Sponsored Posts

Of course, if you’re pressed for time or don’t want to learn yet another social media platform, LinkedIn also offers a ton of paid promotion options that you can use for lead generation. You can build audiences and create sponsored content, messaging ads, or text ads for LinkedIn lead generation, site visits, or what LinkedIn was designed for—recruiting agents.

Just be aware that since LinkedIn is a business-to-business (B2B) channel, advertising here is not cheap. But if you want to try your hand at it, here’s a quick rundown of what they offer:

Boosted Content

LinkedIn Messaging Ads

Text Ads

Grow your database with a steady stream of affordable, exclusive real estate leads from social media ads. Social Connect from Top Producer is designed to get you a high volume of leads and move them through your pipeline until they’re ready to buy and sell real estate. Connect with an average of 30 consumers interested in real estate in your local market for just $300 per month!

How Social Connect works:

• Digital advertising experts create and run social media ad campaigns on your behalf
• You get exclusive leads from your desired local area
• All leads are automatically nurtured via text and email on your behalf until they’re ready to connect, saving you time and effort

Visit Top Producer

9. Use Hashtags to Reach Your Audience

Why hashtags? Hashtags are essential to getting your content seen by relevant audiences. As with any social media platform, hashtags help a relevant audience see what you’re writing and sharing. Check out the helpful use of hashtags in this posts below.

10. Promote a New Listing via LinkedIn Circle Prospecting 

As I’ve mentioned, one of the aspects that makes LinkedIn such a lead-generating power tool is that you can search by geographic area. The first step with a new listing is to locate nearby companies. You can then target your connection requests to people who work in those companies. Throw in a beautiful video of your new listing and send it out to employees of those local companies who might be looking for a shorter commute. Add a brief introduction, and wait for the replies of interested buyers. 

11. Be Consistent for Optimal LinkedIn Lead Generation 

LinkedIn gives you all of the tools you’ll need to be successful in expanding your audience, establishing your authority and brand, and networking strategically. Leads find you (or you find them) because you are the present, professional, and engaged real estate expert. But, none of this happens without consistency.

Devote 20 minutes a day to:

• Connect with former and existing clients, friends, and colleagues
• Strategize who you want to target
• Share, like, and engage with relevant content
• Join and engage in groups
• Offer congratulations to someone celebrating a professional milestone or success
• Write a recommendation
• Write a post on a trending topic
• Create video content (start with your elevator pitch introduction)

Bringing It All Together

Are you a real estate agent who uses LinkedIn to generate leads? We would love to hear your social media tips or questions in the comment section below.

The post 11 Ways Smart Real Estate Agents Are Using LinkedIn to Get Better Leads appeared first on The Close.