EXIT Realty’s VP Technology Engagement, Annette Anthony, shares her top tips and takeaways from Inman Connect’s recent Las Vegas Conference.
8. Be there! EXIT Realty’s Director of Leadership, Bob McKinnon, always says that if you want to meet real estate agents you need to jump into a puddle of them. Well, it’s not cheap to attend Inman Connect, but here’s what I know for sure: I didn’t hear any of them complaining about the cost to be there; rather, they talked about how excited they were to attend.
7. Reviews and recommendations. You need at least 10 per platform–your Facebook business page, LinkedIn, Realtor.com, Zillow, Yelp–otherwise you are invisible. How does EXIT Realty’s Chad Schwendeman get 344 5-star Zillow reviews? He’s relentless when it comes to following up. What does it say to the consumer when you’ve been in the business for 15 years and you don’t have any?
6. At what point do buyers get deserted? Right after they get the keys! Take advantage of the 1-7-30 method. One day after the buyer moves in, call to congratulate them on the purchase of their new home, and offer them a list of services a new homeowner in that area might need. Seven days later, call again and offer a list of amenities a new owner in that area would appreciate. Every 30 days thereafter, provide updates on what’s happening in their neighborhood, the market, your business, and ways you can serve their referrals.
5. WomanUp! NAR’s 2018 Member Profile says 63% of all REALTORS® are female. WomanUp!—a movement started by the California Association of REALTORS to identify, develop and connect women in the real estate industry—is spreading across the country. Do you have female entrepreneurs in your office who are looking to surround themselves with powerful women to inspire them to lead in their communities? Go to IamWomanUp.com/info to share your story, find or become a mentor, attend an event, apply to be a speaker, apply for a scholarship, or become a sponsor or wave maker. This is open to everyone!
4. Brad Inman, founder of Inman News, was quoted as saying, “We may be uncertain about the future, but the things that we must change are certain.” He explained that the industry is intolerable, mortgage companies need to stop making the process so difficult, and that tearing down the barriers will make it easier to buy and sell homes. Consumers are demanding more transparency. It will be increasingly easier to view homes and less pushing paper is nearing. How should you handle this moment? Associate with people who are smarter than you in the industry. Be passionate. Own the problem and overcome it. Press your lender to knock it off. Remember to keep things moving forward.
3. It’s not you, it’s new! Consumers once again are driving behavior. This time, it’s come full circle. At the beginning it was REALTORS® who controlled the information, the listings, and the buyers. Then came Zillow to provide a rich search experience. Then came Opendoor with offers to buy homes. Then Zillow 2.0 got into the race with Zillow Offers. Then came iBuyer aggregators and back to REALTORS® positioning themselves on the traditional sale of real estate. With new ways to buy and sell, each new thing is provocative towards progress. Humans are being enhanced. You, your clients, your prospects, and all of us have become enhanced. What remains is that consumers need, want, and value a trusted adviser. Our suggestion: be one!
2. The biggest buzzword at #ICLV was the discussion about millions and billions of dollars in venture capital being poured into PropTech or “sustained unprofitability” companies. The numbers don’t lie.
1. Consumers are shaping the future of home affordability. Watch for interesting purchase and trade-up opportunities in areas where homeownership is near-to-impossible to achieve. Watch also for emerging ways to rent-to-own and to build equity with fractional ownership.
There’s still tremendous chatter about the event; follow the hashtag #ICLV to read the buzz. Register now for Inman Connect 2020 coming up in New York in January.
