At Inman Connect Las Vegas, July 30-Aug. 1, 2024, the noise and misinformation will be banished, all your big questions will be answered, and new business opportunities will be revealed. Join us.
We’ve all heard listings are the key to success in this business, but listings are only one side to the transaction. Every successful transaction involves the buyer’s side and in most cases an agent working with the buyer.
There is a significant difference between average buyer’s agents and exceptional buyer’s agents. Here are the differences, and the 11 things great buyer’s agents know before they ever show property.
1.They know the value of a buyer
Great buyer’s agents understand the buyer has more value than just the one transaction. They understand that a happy buyer sends referrals. They also understand a closed buyer transaction creates a marketable event that can lead to other buyer referrals.
The old saying “birds of a feather flock together” absolutely applies to buyers. The great buyer’s agents understand that if they provide world-class service to their current buyer, odds are they will be able to attract or receive referrals for other buyers just like them.
2.They know whether this buyer is working with another agent
One of the biggest mistakes real estate agents make when working with buyers is not knowing whether they are already working with another agent. Most agents have learned this lesson the hard way and found themselves finding the ideal home for a buyer only to realize right before writing an offer that the buyer has a friend in the business that they will be using as their agent.
The great agents ask if the buyers are working with another agent early to save unneeded time, effort and frustration. This question will become even more valuable as we head into a post-NAR settlement era where a buyer’s broker agreement will be required for a buyer to see a home listed in the MLS.
3.They know what the buyers can afford through pre-approval for a mortgage
Another mistake most agents make is not knowing how much the buyers qualify for before showing homes. The best agents understand the pre-approval process is not just to make sure the buyers can buy, but also to make sure the buyers see homes that are in a price range that is doable for them.
Early in my career I made the mistake of assuming a buyer could afford a certain price range only to find out they qualified for homes that were $75,000 less than the ones I showed them. The buyers never could get satisfied with a home in the price range they qualified for after seeing the higher priced ones. This is a mistake I learned from and never repeated.
The best agents don’t show property until their prospective buyers have been pre-approved for a loan.
4.They know what the buyer wants and needs
Great buyer’s agents understand how valuable their time and the buyer’s time is. They ask questions to understand what the motivating factors are for the buyers. They ask them if there is a specific time deadline when they need to be in the home. They ask them where they will be spending most of their time outside their home to uncover if there are amenities, schools or offices they need their home to be near.
By understanding the buyer’s wants and needs, they can provide them with the homes for sale that best fit their desires and make sure their wants/needs are met.
5.They know and can communicate the local market trends
Great buyer’s agents understand and can easily communicate the current local market trends to the prospective buyers in a way that they can understand how they will affect their buying process. This process of educating them on the local trends provides insights that shape the buyer’s expectations.
If there is limited inventory, the great agents provide the buyers with an understanding of how that might affect their need to move quickly and offer above asking price when they find the right home for them in order to win in potential multiple-offer situations.
If the days on market are growing and the average list-to-sale price is moving towards 95 percent, then the agent will educate them on how this might affect their ability to negotiate price in a manner that is reflective of these market trends. Although each home and each negotiation are different, understanding the trends is knowledge that can bring value to the buyer.
6.They know and can communicate specific neighborhood market trends
Occasionally specific neighborhood trends can deviate from the overall local market trends. Great buyer’s agents understand which neighborhoods are demanding a premium and which lend themselves for more aggressive negotiation. This knowledge can pay big dividends for the prospective buyers.
7.They know the history of the homes they are showing
Great agents have a good idea which houses the buyer will be most interested in, prior to showing them, based on their understanding of the buyer’s needs/wants. The next step great agents take is gathering historical information about the homes they are confident the buyer will be interested in.
This includes when the home was built, who the builder was, any renovations that were done and when they were done. They know the details of the last few sales, including sales price and when the homes were sold. They gather property tax information and estimated homeowners’ insurance costs.
Great agents don’t wait for the buyers to ask questions and then gather the answers. They educate themselves on the homes and are ready when and if the questions come.
8.They know the value of relationships with other agents
Great buyer’s agents understand the relationships they have with other agents can affect how smooth the transaction will be or how tough it may be. They understand their job is to advocate and negotiate for their buyers, but they also realize their professionalism with and respect toward the other agent can make a difference for their buyers as well.
9.They know how to represent buyers at a high level
Great buyer’s agents know that to represent buyers at the highest level, they must develop their skills. They understand their skill level in presentation, communication and negotiation will have a direct impact on the transaction and the experience the buyers they represent will have in that transaction.
The National Association of Realtors has encouraged agents to develop these skills by offering free access to the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR) designation course through the end of 2024. For more details on the free access provided, check out this page.
10.They understand the value of good communication
An article in Forbesstates the three biggest complaints about real estate agents are that they “lie, are lazy and don’t communicate well.” Based on this article, poor communication is viewed in the same way as lying and laziness. Great agents understand providing good communication is a way to separate themselves from their competition and one of the most common complaints people have of agents.
This should start from the beginning. Sending a text the morning of your first meeting reminding them of the meeting and making sure the time and place still works for them sets the tone for your communication throughout the process.
Emailing, calling or texting the buyers with the agenda for the time you will spend with them provides clarity for what to expect. Consistent communication from the search process all the way through to post-closing follow-up will deepen the trust and relationship you have with your buyers.
By turning what the public views as a negative into a positive, great agents understand that great communication is the path to lifelong clients and referral partners.
11.They understand the value of a lifelong client relationship
The first point in this article was that great agents understand the value of a buyer, and it is only fitting that we close with the fact that great agents understand the value of a lifelong client relationship. The best agents understand that everything begins and ends with the clients.
This business is about them and how you serve them. When you focus on becoming the agent that not only deserves their business but an agent that earns their business for life, your business can’t help but grow.
Buyers need and deserve you to become the best version possible of yourself. Our industry needs great agents to step forward in this time of change and show the value we bring to the process of purchasing a home. This is a pivotal point in our industry and in your career. Now is the time for you to step forward and be the great agent you have the ability to become.
Jimmy Burgess is the CEO for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida in Northwest Florida. Connect with him on Instagram and LinkedIn.
At Inman Connect Las Vegas, July 30-Aug. 1, 2024, the noise and misinformation will be banished, all your big questions will be answered, and new business opportunities will be revealed. Join us.
Most agents don’t need more time. They simply need to use their time more efficiently. The best way to accomplish this is to eliminate the mindless ways we waste time. Here are the seven most common ways I see agents wasting time and how to reallocate that time in a way that leads to substantial business growth.
1.Consuming content instead of creating it
According to Statista, the average person spends two hours and twenty-four minutes every day on social media. That means the average person is spending over one hundred twelve hours each month consuming content on social media. These platforms continue to evolve into one of the most distracting time wasters ever created.
Imagine if you just carved out thirty minutes a day to create content instead of consuming it? What would that do for your business over the next few weeks? How would that turn this inefficiency into a productive activity?
This all starts by thinking about the content your ideal client would love for you to create for them. What are the pain points for your ideal client? What are the most frequently asked questions they have? What do they aspire to do and how can you show them you can help them achieve their goal?
When you focus on creating content more than consuming it, the momentum in your business begins to build.
2.Being busy instead of being productive
There is a significant difference between being busy and being productive. Busy is frantic while productivity is focused. But most agents have filled their days with busyness, giving them a false sense of accomplishment.
A solution to this epidemic is to practice the “Rule of Five” taught by John Maxwell. The principle is based on his example that if you have a tree in your backyard that you wish to cut down, consistency is the best way to ensure the tree comes down. He states that if you pick up an ax each morning, strike the tree five times, then put the ax down and do this every day, sooner or later the tree will fall. This principle applies to our businesses as well.
If you can identify the five activities that have the highest probability of helping your business grow, then prioritize doing them every day, you will achieve the success you are looking for in your business. So, what are those five activities for you? Make a list of them and stay focused on eliminating the inefficient things you do that keep you busy and initiating those high-priority activities daily.
This one step of refocusing your efforts on productive activities instead of busy activities can change your business forever.
3.Doing tasks instead of delegating
Similar to doing busy activities that are not the highest and best use of your time, many agents spend time doing tasks they should be delegating to others. Roughly speaking, for every $100,000 of annual income you make, that breaks down to an hourly value of $50 per hour. In other words, if you make $150,000 per year, your average hourly value is $75 per hour.
Understanding this, why do you keep stuffing envelopes for mailers, trying to figure out a description for your social media post, or calling to get showing instructions for your appointments? Those are tasks that could be delegated to an assistant or social media specialist who can be paid much less than the $75 an hour of value you have.
Delegate as many lower-cost tasks as possible. Reallocate that time to calling past clients or hot prospects. When you understand your value and do the tasks that are of the highest value for you, your net income and productivity will go up.
4.Perfecting a logo instead of having real estate-related conversations
People do business with people and not with logos. Yes, marketing plays a role in how you are perceived in the marketplace, but the lack of a logo is not the reason your business has slowed down. Your business has slowed down because you are not having enough real estate-related conversations.
Additionally, the number of transactions in most markets has slowed down. In this part of the cycle, you need more conversations than you needed when the market was hot. Based on this information you will need to work harder than before, just to maintain the business you have become accustomed to doing.
During a slowdown, it is human nature to look for ways to give your business a fresh look or to blame your slowdown on something your business doesn’t have. The only thing you really need to increase your business is to have more real estate-related conversations. Focus less on how you want to be perceived and more on the value you bring. In doing so, the business you desire will become a reality.
5.Being reactive instead of being proactive
How many days do you wake up without a plan of action for that day? Do you find yourself waiting on the phone to ring or are you making outbound calls? If you don’t control your schedule, the whirlwind of this business will keep you busy instead of productive.
The solution is to create a to-do list of activities the night before. This list should include your top five activities that we discussed above along with daily objectives you have for yourself. They should be time-sensitive and added to your schedule as appointments. These times should be uninterrupted until the task is completed.
Time is your most valuable asset. The more proactive you are with your schedule, the more predictable your success will be.
6.Focusing on quantity instead of quality on social media posts
Before posting anything on social media, ask yourself if the post is something that brings value to your ideal client. Wishing everyone a Happy 4th of July clutters your ideal client’s feed, and because it will lack engagement, these posts hurt your page more than they help. The algorithm is looking for content creators that post quality posts more than it is looking for people who post quantity.
Engagement and sharing are what drive social media success right now. Although every post or Reel is not going to perform great, by focusing on producing content that leads to engagement and sharing, your social media performance will be enhanced.
7.Spending time with unproductive people
The easiest way to guarantee yourself an unproductive day is to spend it with unproductive people. The people you surround yourself with are who you will become. If you’re the most productive person you spend time with, get a new group.
Are you surrounding yourself with people who are avoiding making phone calls or people who hold each other accountable for being productive?
Are you a part of a mastermind group focused on growing their businesses?
Do you have a coach holding you accountable for the activities you need to do daily to achieve the level of success you desire?
The single most important factor in your success or failure in life is who you choose to spend your time with. Choose wisely.
We all aren’t as efficient as we should or could be, but there is another level for your business. The key is to refine your schedule to make sure you are limiting the time-wasting activities and focusing on the activities that help your business grow.
Jimmy Burgess is the CEO for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida in Northwest Florida. Connect with him on Instagram and LinkedIn.
At Inman Connect Las Vegas, July 30-Aug. 1, 2024, the noise and misinformation will be banished, all your big questions will be answered, and new business opportunities will be revealed. Join us.
Leverage, through apps and technology tools, has never been more readily available for real estate agents. If there is an area of your business that is difficult or you struggle with, odds are there’s an app for that. In this article, I’m going to share fifteen apps every agent should be utilizing right now.
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, posted a few months ago that the engagement of your Posts or Reels is more important than your follower count. But how do you create engagement that cues the algorithm to push your content out to more and new people? This is where Manychat can help.
Manychat is a chatbot app that allows you to automate responses, increasing the comments, DMs, and ultimately the engagement of your posts in a way that expands the reach of your Instagram or Facebook profile. Have you ever seen a post where the person says, comment (or whatever word they choose) in the comments below, and we will send you (whatever they will send)? That’s Manychat. Here is how it works.
Manychat allows you to set up a simple process where if someone comments your preset “trigger word” for a specific post then it will start a chain of actions that prime your engagement for that post. This is the example of this green screen video I did two weeks ago that led to over 50,000 views, over 650 comments, and over 550 likes for an Instagram Reel when I only have a little over 8,300 followers on Instagram.
I started the process by talking about the potential for a post-presidential surge that real estate agents could see in the coming year. I also said in the video and in the description of the Reel that anyone who typed “David Childers” in the comments would get a copy of the slides Keeping Current Matters provided, the video interview with David Childers, and a copy of the article I wrote for Inman.
I then utilized Manychat to automate a reply to anyone who commented “David Childers” with “I just sent it to your DM!” This means I now have two comments, which are great for engagement. I then had Manychat automate a DM to the commenter the details on how they can receive the information. If you add a request for the person to let you know that they received it, then you now will have a two-way DM communication that feeds the algorithm engagement details as well.
Utilize Manychat for information prospective buyers or sellers want. Make sure you follow your local MLS rules, but here are a few examples you might utilize:
For a list of “off-market” listings that can’t be found on the MLS, comment “Secret Listings” in the comments below, and I’ll send them your way
I’ve got a listing I am working on in a very desirable neighborhood in [Your City] with four bedrooms and a fenced backyard. If you’d like to know about it as soon as I get the listing agreement signed, comment “New Listing” in the comments, and I will send the details to you as soon as the listing agreement is signed.
If you’d like to receive my weekly deal of the week email with the hottest properties available in [Your City], comment “Deal of the Week” in the comments, and I’ll DM you the details.
You can check out the Instagram Reel I mentioned above if you would like to see how I did it exactly.
Homebot provides a monthly email to homeowners with a detailed breakdown of the value of their home, along with amazing details and insights that are delivered with your personal branding. Homebot provides one of the most detailed breakdowns I’ve seen for an electronic valuation. It also provides insights on the equity the homeowner has, refinance options, cash-out equity line options, and even a rental analysis for the homeowner to review if they are considering renting their home out and buying another home.
This is a great tool to utilize for your past buyers, prospective future listings, and anyone in your sphere of influence who owns a home. If you’re looking for a way to provide consistent value to homeowners, Hombot is an app you will definitely want to check out.
We all have subscriptions or monthly things we pay toward that we’ve forgotten about or that we know we should cancel. The problem is identifying what they are and actually taking the time to cancel them. This is where the Rocket Money app comes in handy.
They identify and show you all your recurring subscriptions in one place, and their concierge will cancel any unwanted subscriptions for you so you don’t have to. This is a great way for every agent to gain control over unwanted or unneeded expenses.
BombBomb is an app that helps personalize your email communication by embedding video messages in emails. I’ve utilized this to give weekly video listing updates to sellers and video updates on the closing process for buyers and sellers, and I’ve utilized the screen record portion to provide unsolicited CMAS.
Safety first is a rule all agents should live by. TruthFinder provides a criminal background check on prospective clients ensuring an agent has a good understanding of who they may be meeting with prior to their first showing appointment.
It provides phone numbers and possible email addresses that can be helpful when circle prospecting. The social media profiles and educational history give you an opportunity to find common connection points with the prospect as well.
SendOutCards is a great way to automate your gratitude and take your client appreciation efforts to another level. They have a handwriting sample form that once you send it in with your signature, they create a personalized font and signature for any cards you send.
The card customization is easy, and the ability to schedule future communications along with a selected gift item from their catalog makes past client follow-up easy to schedule and automate.
BoxBrownie offers professional photo editing, virtual staging, floor plan redraws, and renderings at unbeatable prices. Looking for an image enhancement, to change a photo from daylighting to dusk lighting, item removal from a cluttered room photo, or a 360-degree tour of a room? BoxBrownie is the tool for this and so much more.
Open Home Pro is the best open house software we’ve utilized. It provides the ability to have open house visitors sign in electronically with questions like: Are you working with an agent or do you have a house to sell?
At the end of the open house, you can set up automated emails thanking the visitors for stopping by the open house. It will also segment your hot prospects by giving you a list of visitors who are not working with agents and also the visitors who have a house to sell.
CapCut is a free video editor app with stock video assets and practical AI tools that give you the ability to edit videos like never before. Features like background remover, AI color correction, and speech-to-text formatting make CapCut a go-to video editor app for agents.
As agents, we hate to not answer a call or text that comes through because it might be a hot prospect trying to reach an agent immediately. The problem is how many spam calls and texts we all receive. RoboKiller is the solution.
Their website boasts that they block 99 percent of all spam calls and texts. This frees you up to answer calls without the concern of it being another call or text that wastes your time.
Repurpose.io allows you to automate content distribution across all platforms with a single click, eliminating the need to manually share on each platform separately. It provides you with the ability to easily set up a template-based scheduler that allows you to publish on multiple platforms when and how you prefer.
Captions is another online video editor that has specific additional features that help agents create engaging video content at a never-before-seen level. The background noise remover cleans up audio for a professional sound with one click. The AI Eye Contact feature can shift eyes looking aware from the camera to direct eye contact, increasing connection with any video viewers.
The Video Translator feature gives agents the ability to convert their videos into another language in just a few seconds. The automatic captions, easy-to-use video editor, and video trimmer feature are just a few of the features that set Captions apart from other video editor options.
Tracking your business mileage can lead to large tax savings, but keeping up with the mileage and filing the proper reports has always been a hassle. MileIQ solves this problem by tracking your drives and giving you the ability to easily classify the drive as personal by swiping left or business mileage by swiping right. The app then provides tax-compliant mileage reports with a simple tap.
Grammarly was originally a great tool to make sure any communication you were sending out or publishing had proper grammar. It still does that, but now it offers so much more. The AI writing partner feature now has the ability to help you with that email for which you can’t find the right words. Grammarly was a great product before, but its value has been dramatically increased with the AI integrations.
I mean, come on, how could ChatGPT not be on this list? It is transforming the efficiency and effectiveness of agents in a way that is hard to remember. Lean into ChatGPT and you will see improvements in your business.
As technology continues to advance and new apps are being released each day it is hard to notice every app that can help agents. If you have apps that you utilize that I missed, share them in the comments below so that we can all benefit.
Jimmy Burgess is the CEO for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida in Northwest Florida. Connect with him on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Keeping Current Matters’ David Childers and Jimmy Burgess crunch the numbers and lay out the reasons real estate agents and brokers could see a post-presidential election sales surge in 2025.
At Inman Connect Las Vegas, July 30-Aug. 1, 2024, the noise and misinformation will be banished, all your big questions will be answered, and new business opportunities will be revealed. Join us.
Wondering how the second half of a typical election year affects the real estate market? In this article David Childers, CEO of Keeping Current Matters, shares encouraging, historical information on what we’ve seen in the past in regard to the number of transactions, home values and mortgage rates.
Mark Twain once said, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” An understanding of the typical patterns for markets during election years empowers you to provide your clients with the best information possible to help them make the best decisions for themselves. David Childers and I started the conversation with him sharing how many agents simply don’t give advice based on a fear of not providing “perfect” advice.
“No one can ever provide perfect advice. What you want to do is to give someone the best advice possible based on the information you have available at that moment. The best analogy of this is the way doctors do this with their patients. There is no way a doctor can give you perfect advice.
“What they do is they sit you down. They say here’s what we see. Here’s what we know, and here is what I am going to prescribe based on this information. Then they will say come back in 30-45 days, and they are going to say, here’s what we see now and based on these changes. This is what we will prescribe now, and it may be different. They are professionals just like we are, and our job is to simply provide our recommendations based on the information we have available at this moment.
“That’s what we are going to do with the information we have on how the markets typically perform in these election years and the year to follow,” Childers said.
How are transaction numbers affected during a presidential election year and the year following?
We then move into the question of how the number of transactions are typically affected by election years. Childers said, “The election cycle does not have a dramatic effect on the overall number of transactions we see until October and November. At that point we see some people thinking I might want to see what’s going to happen and then make my decision on buying or selling.”
Childers shared the chart below that shows the typical seasonal drop in transactions for October and November of 9.8 percent during non-presidential election years. It also shows the 15 percent typical drop in transactions for the same two months during presidential election years. Based on this information, you can see an adjustment in the number of transactions for those two months, but it is not as dramatic as many people think.
“The key is to understand that those transactions don’t go away; they are simply delayed. The real estate business acts much more like an Apple store than a McDonald’s restaurant.
“Think of it this way: If a snowstorm hits the Northeast and people can’t leave their homes, McDonald’s can’t make up for those lost meals sold once the snowstorm passes,” Childers said. “But someone who intended to buy an iPad once the storm passes, they will still go buy that iPad. It is the same with real estate. If someone intends to buy but they decide to hold off, they will eventually buy, and those transactions are not lost but rather delayed.
“That brings us to the historical data on the number of sales in the year after an election year. Home sales went up the year following an election in nine of the last 11 times (see chart below). This makes sense when we realize that although we typically see a slight slowdown in transaction numbers in the fourth quarter of election years, we usually see them show up in the form of year-over-year increases the year following the election year.”
How are home prices affected the year after presidential election years?
Childers then shared the details in regard to pricing: “In 10 of the last 11 years following an election year, new home prices went up year-over-year [see chart below]. The one exception was 2008 and, as we all know, there was a lot going on in the real estate market during that year. This is the data both buyers and sellers need to help them make the most informed decision possible for them and their families.”
What happens to mortgage rates during presidential election years?
One of the biggest questions agents have in the current market environment is interest rates. When asked about how presidential elections affect interest rates, Childers said, “From July to November, interest rates have gone down eight of the last 11 presidential election years. We can jokingly say that gets a few people fired up with how politics might play a part in influencing lower mortgage rates.
“I don’t personally think that is as big of a factor as many believe, but hey, if rates typically come down, we’ll take it. I would anticipate this is what we will see this year with mortgage rates coming down marginally.”
Affordability is affected by 3 main factors
Childers concluded our conversation by saying, “We are sitting at a 40-year low for home affordability. In order to see a change in this trend, there are three main factors that affect the affordability of buying a home, and the key is to recognize the trends in these three factors.
“The first factor is wages. Wages are currently climbing at a faster pace than they have been, and that bodes well for affordability. The second factor is the price of homes. Home prices are not rising at the same pace as they have been. The third factor is mortgage rates. Based on the historical data we’ve discussed, we typically see rates come down in the coming months during election years.
“All three of these main factors that affect affordability are moving in a positive direction, or they are anticipated to move in that positive direction in the near future,” Childers said. “Over time we should see improvements in affordability, and that bodes well for the market in the coming years.
“There is so much noise in the market right now with the National Association of Realtors’ settlement and all the things that are happening in real estate. I would argue there has not been a better time to be the educator in your local market than right now. The agents that are active, that are out there educating their local market, will reap the benefits.”
Jimmy Burgess is the CEO for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida in Northwest Florida. Connect with him on Instagram and LinkedIn.
As a real estate agent, you should be creating video for your business. If you’re looking for video content ideas, this is the article for you.
Not only does this article provide 24 unique titles and styles, but it also includes real-world examples of these videos that are actually working in today’s market to provide results and inspire your creativity.
An Instagram green screen is an Instagram Reel or Story where the background of the video is replaced by a photo or video with the speaker appearing in front of the substituted background.
These videos are performing above average as of the writing of this article. The algorithm appears to prioritize these types of videos right now due to increased views on most pages.
If you aren’t sure how to produce one of these videos, do a YouTube search of “How to create an Instagram green screen video” to give you all the details needed to record your first one. If you are looking for some inspiration on utilizing these videos for lead capture with “coming soon” listing maps, check out the example below.
This is an example of utilizing green screen videos to attract leads for listings that are about to come to market by Earl Endrich in Newark, Delaware.
2.Moving to (your city) in 2024? Everything you need to know
This title is SEO optimized for people who are considering moving to your city. The key is to highlight topics about your city a prospective buyer is interested in, like the schools, local economics, the weather, amenities, and, of course, the housing market.
Very few agents do video content better than Brad McCallum out of Calgary, Canada, and this is a great example of one of these videos produced at the highest level.
3.Developing neighborhood overviews
Highlighting new developments allows you to be the first person or one of the first people to highlight a neighborhood. This is an effective way to rank high on organic search for a neighborhood and position yourself as the expert for that neighborhood. These videos may not set records for the number of views they bring, but the quality of those views is as valuable as any views I’ve seen.
Examples of this are the videos Noah Escobar produces along 30A in Northwest Florida. Don’t let the limited number of views on this neighborhood overview example deter you. He generated over $5 million in sales volume directly from this video before it had 1,000 views. Check it out here.
Dan Parker, out of San Diego, California, also provides a great model for how to properly format one of these videos in the following example.
4.What you need to know before moving to (your city or area)
This is a title for a video that ranks extremely high on organic search for the city it mentions. It also creates a curiosity for someone considering moving to a specific area to click on this video. This is an example of this type of video from Lindsey Hammond who services West Georgia and Eastern Alabama.
5.Listing videos
Listing videos are a cornerstone marketing tool for selling a listing. They also act as an advertisement for future listings as prospective sellers see the quality of the marketing you do for your listings. Brad MacCallum, mentioned in a previous section as well, out of Calgary, Canada built his business on YouTube listing videos. This is an example of one of his listing videos.
If you’re looking for an example of an Instagram Reel highlighting a listing teaser video it doesn’t get much better than this one by Andrew Undem out of the Baltimore Metro area.
6.Tour a [$ price] home in [your city]
These videos generate viewers and are a great way to gain additional views by creating a title that sparks curiosity for potential viewers.
This is an example of a short-form type of video by Tyler Hassman in Calgary, Canada.
7.Deal of the week
One of the best ways to breed trust is through consistency. Highlighting a deal of the week lends itself to consistency, and it provides prospective buyers with a different home to consider each week.
These videos shouldn’t be overproduced. The key is to find your own authenticity in these videos to increase your connection with prospective buyers.
Jay Johnson has generated an increased social following by serving up his “Friday Find” on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn every Friday along 30A in Northwest Florida. Check out an example here.
8.Local builders interview
Builders rarely have video content that highlights the homes they build or information about their business. This is an opportunity for you to grow builder relationships in a unique way and produce content that prospective buyers love.
This is a great example of a builder interview that you can use as a model from Noah Escobar, mentioned earlier as well, serving the 30A market in Northwest Florida.
9.Highlighting a local business
Your video content shouldn’t always be about real estate. Videos that highlight local businesses are a wonderful way to help local businesses gain exposure, and they give you the ability to diversify your content.
Instead of tagging the local business, invite them to collaborate on the post. This allows them to accept your invitation as a collaborator and, with one click, have your video show up on their page. This expands the reach of your video and provides them with free video content about their business.
To see an excellent example of an Instagram Reel highlighting a local business, check out this one from Marie Boatsman in the Portland, Oregon Metro area.
Briggette and Jay Modglin in Denver, Colorado provide an example of a new business highlight Instagram Reel they shot with an iPhone. This example is easily duplicated.
10. Freebie lead magnets
Lead magnets are information prospects want that you can provide in exchange for their email address. These could be market reports, articles or a list of service providers. If you’re looking for an example of this type of video utilizing green screen video, check out this one from Paige Steckling in Utah.
11. Copy your most viral videos
One of the best ways to create video content that performs well is to provide your audience with more of the types of videos they watch. Check your Instagram grid, and look for your most popular Reels or your most-viewed YouTube videos.
Identify the topics, style, and format of these popular reels and videos. Simply do more reels and videos on that topic, in that style and in that format.
12. Community overview videos
If you’re looking to take your farming efforts to another level, a community overview is an effective way to do so. These videos do well in organic search on YouTube, and they provide another way for you to set yourself apart from your competition as the local expert for a specific neighborhood.
If you’re looking for an example of one of these community overview videos, check this one out from Kyler Ferris highlighting the Woodlands, Texas community.
13. The pros and cons of living in (your city)
This is another SEO-optimized YouTube video title that will generate views.
This is an example of a pros versus cons video by Bru Krebs in the Atlanta Metro area of Georgia.
14. Wondering what ($ price) will get you in (your city)?
These videos, mostly done on social media, perform really well.
This is an example of this type of video from Caroline and Chip Wasson out of Destin, Florida.
The Speicher Group out of D.C., Delaware, Maryland and Virginia provides another example of this type of video here.
15. The most popular neighborhoods in (your city)
People who are considering moving to an area will likely search for “the most popular neighborhoods in (the city they are considering moving to).”
Monica Church, out of Seattle, Washington, provides an outstanding example of this type of video here.
Kimberly Lahodny provides another example of this type of video for Augusta, Georgia.
16. My favorite things about living in (your city)
This is another YouTube video title that is a likely searched term by people considering moving to your city. This video provides another way to capture leads via YouTube early in their buying process.
For an example of these videos check out this one by Cameron Geesaman out of Indianapolis, Indiana.
17. Moving from X to [your city]
Identifying a feeder market from which a number of people are moving into your area and creating a very specific video title can yield highly targeted results.
David Goodman in Nashville, Tennessee, provides an example of one of these videos here.
18. Living in X versus [your city]
Another highly searched term that provides targeted views.
This is an example video by Levi Lascsak, one of the best agents to look to for inspiration when building a video-driven business. It shows the differences between Frisco, Texas, and Plano, Texas.
19. Should I sell my house now? Stories from others who had the same question
This is a targeted video for homeowners considering selling. Christian Walsh, from Southern California, provides an example of this type of video here.
20. The most expensive neighborhoods in (your city)
If you’re targeting luxury buyers in your area, this is the video you should make.
A perfect example of this type of video is this one from Nelson Gonzalez out of Miami Beach, Florida.
21. A blooper video
People do business with people they like. By sharing your video bloopers, you become more approachable and more likable. This is an example of a blooper reel from One Team at William Raveis Real Estate in Connecticut.
22. Highlights of a client appreciation event
Client appreciation events are one of the best ways to generate referrals and repeat customers. Documenting these events is a creative way to show the fun side of your business.
Here’s an example video of Heidi Harris out of Raleigh, North Carolina, documenting her annual girls’ night out party.
23. What does it cost to live in (your city)
Cost of living is a common question for prospective buyers. This is an example video that breaks down the cost of purchasing a home in a Los Angeles, California, suburb by Krys Benyamein.
24. Unsolicited video CMA
An unsolicited CMA is a valuation analysis of a home’s value that is provided to a homeowner without them first requesting it.
This is done by recording your screen and walking a homeowner through the valuation analysis utilizing Google Earth to capture their attention, MLS comps, and an estimated seller net sheet that goes over the common closing costs a seller might expect in your area.
This strategy generated over $11 million in new listings for me. To see an article that explains the step-by-step process for executing this strategy in full click here.
Video is the best way to build a brand, connect with your ideal client and generate quality leads. Get inspired. Get creative. And get to work creating the video content your ideal clients wants and needs.
Jimmy Burgess is the CEO for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida in Northwest Florida. Connect with him on Instagram and LinkedIn.
