Finding real estate leads can be challenging. A house isn’t like a sandwich or a cup of coffee. People rarely shop for property, and when they do, they take their time to be sure they’re happy with the plan they’ve set in motion.
A great real estate agent knows when to swoop in. They find buyers or sellers at the beginning of their journey and help them along the way. The best real estate agents find these people before their competitors. That’s the biggest difference between a top performer and an average agent.
You need to get real estate leads fast and stick with your potential clients throughout the journey. Here’s where to look for leads and how to get them quickly. Time is always of the essence in real estate lead generation.
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Be Everywhere, All The Time
No one is omnipresent, but real estate agents need to come close. Every place where people congregate socially is a platform to find a potential lead. Restaurants, coffee shops, country clubs, and community events in your neighborhood will eventually draw in visitors looking to buy or sell a property. Your job is to recognize them the moment they walk through the door and start networking.
It’s especially important to make yourself known in zip codes where people may be buying or selling luxury properties. Selling less than five high-priced or luxury properties every year generates plenty of income to comfortably live on, and experienced real estate professionals know that. You need to preemptively find these clients and introduce yourself to them, even if they don’t need a realtor just yet.
Have lunch or dinner out several times a week. Attend every important community event you can attend. Philanthropic or charitable events, art gallery events, and local golfing tournaments are great resources to bump elbows with people who can potentially become very lucrative clients.
Build your bonds with these people and work on your reputation throughout the community. You’ll be the name that comes to mind when someone needs a real estate agent they can trust.
Make Lead Generation Your Soundscape
Sometimes, the best strategy is one you’ve never heard of. You may be too busy to constantly research lead generation tips and techniques. You need to give yourself enough time to get some exercise, take a pampering shower, cook nutritious meals, and relax.
Don’t sacrifice the time you need to look and feel your best to frantically scroll through blog posts. (This blog is an exception, of course.)
The Tim & Julie Harris Real Estate Coaching podcast can be the soundscape for your long commute. You have to drive back and forth all the time anyway. Why not make the most of your commute by taking in great advice?
Consider which ideas and strategies would work best for you. If inspiration strikes, make active plans to use them.
Make Friends with Lawyers
Lawyers are constantly dealing with property-related issues, including people who have to sell properties to meet the terms of settlements or divorce requirements. Lawyers like to have a real estate agent to consult with when they’re working these cases.
You can give them an idea about what their clients can realistically expect when buying or selling a property in the near future.
Building a strong relationship with lawyers can help you find referrals. Lawyers will work with divorcees and people facing financial difficulties who have to sell their properties quickly. They’ll also work with potential buyers who need investment properties, commercial properties, or land.
If you have a lawyer’s back, the lawyer will have your back in return. Just make sure you’re doing your part to help them. The best relationships are always symbiotic.
Get Involved Online
Social media networks (Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) are full of groups and communities based around real estate, home improvement, and moving and can be a source of great leads.
Join these groups and start posting. People often come to these groups with questions, and they want their questions accurately answered by someone with firsthand knowledge in the real estate business. Who better than a real estate agent?
Many of these people are actively looking to buy or sell a property, which is the reason why they’re turning to these groups. They’re already interested and motivated. You won’t have to do much to convince them or persuade them to understand the benefits of purchasing or selling a home; they’ve independently reached that conclusion. By becoming an active participant, you’re meeting excellent and free leads where they’re at.
If you can become one of the most helpful members of these groups, there’s a good chance your presence will directly translate to new leads. People will recognize you as an authority with a wide sphere of influence within the industry and come to you directly with their questions. Every conversation you have is an opportunity to convert a curious person into a client.
Capturing Leads: Show Up to Open Houses
Most people look at property prospects without the help of a real estate agent. They technically don’t require one, but they also don’t understand the benefits of having one. They don’t realize that working with an agent will make the purchase of a property easier and that it doesn’t cost them a penny to work with you.
When you attend an open house, you’ll be meeting numerous people actively seeking to purchase a home. It’s like catching fish in a barrel. If they don’t purchase the home they’re currently viewing, no problem. Then, you can offer your services to help them find a home that meets the mark for their needs.
There’s always a chance that the real estate agent hosting the open house won’t be happy to see you for obvious reasons. Your commission for helping the buyer purchase the home will come out of that real estate agent’s commission. It may be frustrating to the agent, but you aren’t doing anything wrong simply by showing up to view the property and introducing yourself to the people viewing it.
If the agent has created an official social media event page for the open house event, you should be able to see the public profiles of people who are planning to attend. You can reach out to them before the event and explain the ways you can help them and that it couldn’t hurt to have a real estate agent in their corner.
If you use this prior knowledge to pre-arrange a situation where you meet up with an interested party at the open house, it may come across as more professional and less intrusive to the real estate agent. This is the best way to gain access to an open house.
Host an Event
Plan a real estate-oriented event in your community for a great source of leads. Setting up a small get-together for people interested in purchasing property for the first time is a great way to draw in buyer leads like a magnet. People who have never purchased a property will be interested in your insights, and they’d deeply appreciate a rundown of what they can expect.
These events don’t need to be extravagant. You can offer some snacks and coffee and hook your laptop up to a projector. Keep it fun and somewhat informal, and spend more time answering questions than lecturing your attendees. Let them participate. If they feel involved, they’ll be more likely to walk away with meaningful insights.
Build relationships with these people interested in purchasing homes. When they’re ready to start looking at properties, let them know that you’re only a phone call away.
Take their email addresses and add them to your bi-weekly email list. Send out an automated email showing new properties that have become available in the area that you feel they may be interested in.
If you keep yourself present and helpful through real estate marketing tactics, they’ll know that they can count on you to help them find the perfect property. Stay in touch until they’re ready to make their first purchase, but don’t be too pushy. If they feel like you’re nudging them to buy a property before they’re ready, they’ll turn to another agent.
Look for “For Sale By Owner” as Potentia, Seller Leads
Many people attempt to sell their homes themselves to avoid paying commission to a real estate agent. These people don’t often realize they’re in over their heads until it’s too late.
The overwhelming majority of “For sale by owner” properties don’t sell within the property owner’s preferred timeline. Eventually, property owners will feel dejected with their endeavor.
That’s where you come in. Whenever a for sale by owner property springs up, reach out to the owner. You should gently make yourself available to people who have chosen to sell their property independently without insulting them.
The worst thing you can do is begin a relationship by telling them that they have no hope of doing things on their own or they’re incapable. That’s a horrible first impression that will lead you nowhere every single time.
Template for Approaching Those Selling Their Own Homes
Send them words of encouragement and empathy rather than tearing them down. The best way to approach the situation would be using templates similar to this:
“I see you’ve recently listed your property yourself. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor to independently sell your home. Listing a property, showing a property, and finalizing a deal can be tough and very time-consuming. If you find that you’re too busy or if you feel as though the process is moving too slowly for your liking, I’d be happy to discuss ways to speed up the process and increase your chances of success. I’m always here if you need me.”
This plants the seed that the seller should entertain the notion of accepting help without insinuating that they would be unable to sell their property without you. Although it’s true, it’s not what most sellers want to hear. Tell them things that make them feel good.
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Approach Expired Listings with Solutions
An expired listing is always indicative that something didn’t go well. Motivated sellers know there’s a problem, but they may not be quick to recognize exactly what that problem is.
If their last experience with a real estate agent left them feeling jaded and hopeless, generically introducing yourself to the seller won’t do you much good. This is a scenario where rather than acknowledging the problem, you should present them with a solution.
Head to Google and scrutinize expired listings and come up with a list of potential reasons why that listing may not have sold. Was it priced too high? Is it less modernized than similarly priced homes in the area? Can you tell from the street that the roof is shot and desperately needs repair?
Reach out to the owners of these expired listings and give them a brief outline of what you believe they can or should do to improve the likelihood of selling their property. If you’re enthusiastic and confident, you can inspire a renewed sense of optimism in the seller and encourage them to give things a second go.
Use a Proven Lead Generation Strategy
Lead generation systems are market-tested strategies designed to help optimize and automate generating exclusive leads. Harris Real Estate University offers access to over 100 market-tested lead generation systems in our real estate coaching program. You’ll undoubtedly find at least a dozen lead generation systems that will work for you.
With the help of a Harris-certified real estate coach, you can learn to play to your strengths and focus on systems that work with your unique approach to real estate. Your coach will help you with motivation and accountability, encouraging you to maximize productivity and reach your lead generation goals.
Find success with Harris Real Estate University.
Sources:
How to Network with Powerful People | Harvard Business Review
Property Issues | Family Law Self Help Center
For Sale By Owner? The Truth About How Much Homes Sell For Without A Broker | Forbes
