It’s no surprise that the real estate industry can be incredibly competitive. As of April 2021, there were twice as many active real estate agents as there were available listings. With so many real estate professionals saturating the market in cities and towns across the United States, many agents wonder how they can make themselves more competitive.
It’s an understandable impulse. Luckily, with a little work, you can rise to the top and become your community’s go-to real estate expert and agent. To help you achieve your goals, this article will break down five habits successful real estate agents should include in their daily schedules.
#1 Build a Schedule
Procrastination is the ultimate enemy. Do you find yourself feeling burned out and run down? Do you struggle to create a work-life balance? Do you rush to complete all of your tasks before the end of the workday comes around?
What you need is a schedule to keep you accountable and build an unshakeable work-life balance. Ultimately, you know yourself best. You know what you need to complete each day personally and professionally. Now is the time to grab the planner or calendar and write it all down to hold yourself accountable. With a daily schedule, you can prioritize working towards your goals. Even better, you’ll never leave a client hanging again if you have a block of time set aside to take care of client communication.
Elina Golovko is a real estate broker with Douglas Elliman in Brooklyn. Elina and her team have won multiple accolades for their great work. Here’s Elina’s morning routine:
- 6:00-7:00 AM – Elina wakes up at 6:00 AM and spends the next hour consulting with all of her clients abroad.
- 8:00-9:00 AM – Elina begins her morning routine around 8:00 AM, taking a shower. As she enjoys her coffee, she goes over relevant business news as well as any business updates.
- 9:00-10:00 AM – Elina then checks her email and completes all necessary follow-ups between 9:00 and 10:00 AM.
- 10:00-10:30 AM – Elina leaves her home at 10:00 AM to go to all of her appointments and showings for the day.
- 10:30 AM – Elina takes a call with her team to discuss their clients and deals as she drives.
Considering her awards and success, this routine certainly works for Elina; however, it’s not for everyone. Know yourself, and what will help you succeed. For example, if you’re not a morning person and don’t have overseas clients, then you likely won’t need to wake up so early. Instead, you might complete your tasks in the evening after your appointments and showings.
#2 Educate Yourself
You may have noticed with Elina’s schedule that she catches up with the latest news in the industry as she drinks her coffee. Education is also top of mind for real estate agent Casey Van Iten, of CONLON/Christie’s in Hinsdale, Illinois. Through available educational offerings, Van Iten was able to successfully transition from her work in marketing to the real estate industry. She tells Chicago Agent Magazine:
“Educate yourself as much as you can about the industry and the process [...] Never think you know everything.”
Each state has annual continuing education requirements, but you can look for additional opportunities outside of these requirements to help yourself become more competitive in the industry. While in most states a college degree is not necessary to become a real estate agent, completing some college-level coursework either online or through a community college could help you further develop your skill base. Consider courses such as:
- Accounting
- Business Administration
- Communications
- Marketing
#3 Utilize Social Media
First, here are some stunning statistics from a 2019 study by the National Association of Realtors for you to ponder:
- 99% of millennials begin looking for homes online.
- 90% of baby boomers begin looking for homes online.
- 77% of Realtors use social media platforms for their real estate business.
- 47% of real estate businesses point to social media as a driver of the highest quality leads in comparison to other marketing and sales channels.
Those numbers make a pretty clear statement: social media is a tool you must have in your real estate agent toolbelt.
Scheduling some time to give your professional social media profiles some attention each day can pay off big. If you’re new to the ecosystem of social media, don’t worry. There are plenty of successful agents willing to share their advice.
Yawar Charlie of Aaron Kirman Group at Compass recommends that agents prioritize both authenticity and variety. That means sharing things like:
- Personal stories
- Real estate photos
- Real estate advice
- Behind-the-scenes videos
Find a balance between each type of content you post and always integrate your authentic self. Of course, don’t spread yourself too thin. There are many social media platforms but focus on the ones where the majority of your clients are, such as hyperlocal, community-based platforms.
#4 Be Active in Your Local Community
At the end of the day, your customer base is your community. That means for you to succeed, your community needs to succeed too. A successful real estate agent’s daily schedule should involve some level of community participation and networking.
In Nashville, Tennessee, Realtor Sophie Mason pledged to give a portion of her commissions to the Nashville Humane Association. Mason’s contribution stood out to first-time homebuyers Emily and Joseph Jared who adopted their cat from the very same shelter. They saw Mason’s posts on social media and hired her as their Realtor, ultimately purchasing a home with her help.
Mason chose the Nashville Humane Association because she adopted her own dog from them. She then used her website, business cards, and social media to publicize her community contributions. Mason sets an amazing example for real estate agents to follow because she found a cause that was authentic and special to her.
As you look for ways to be more active in your community, consider what’s important to you and what you’re already involved in.
#5 Set Goals
Your fifth and final habit to build into your daily life as a real estate agent is goal setting. Mark Ferguson is a real estate investor, agent, and broker who writes extensively about success in the real estate industry. Early on in his career, Ferguson did not set goals for himself; however, once he started, he was able to increase the number of houses he sold from 15 to 20 to over 100 in just three years. As you set goals for yourself, you should know there are three interconnected types of goals:
- Outcome Goals
- Performance Goals
- Process Goals
#1 Outcome Goals
Outcome goals are measurable. You can identify them because they involve a number such as “grow my social media followers by 20%” or “increase my revenue by 5%.” To stay focused and see the most success, you should only create between one and three outcome goals every three months. Over this time period, keep the goals firm rather than changing them constantly. Real estate professionals usually set outcome goals in three categories:
- Brand enhancement
- Profits and revenue
- Sales and growth
#2 Performance Goals
While outcome goals aren’t necessarily in your control, performance goals are, which is why they are the building blocks to completing your outcome goals. Examples include “increase my number of sales calls per week by 10%” or “increase my social media posts by 5%.”
Unlike outcome goals, it’s best to focus on one performance goal at a time. You can give each goal your full attention for a set amount of time (two weeks is recommended). To choose your performance goals, consider what you can change to achieve your outcome goals.
#3 Process Goals
Just as performance goals are the foundation of outcome goals, process goals are the building blocks for performance goals. These process goals are straightforward tasks that help you to finish your performance goals. For example, if your performance goal is to increase your social media content, then a process goal might be to set aside an hour each morning to create this content.
Connect With Your Community Today Through Nextdoor
It is absolutely possible for you to make yourself a more competitive and successful real estate agent. In fact, it’s necessary for the current market. Your daily schedule is the first place to start. Incorporate the above five habits:
- Build a schedule
- Educate yourself
- Utilize social media
- Be active in your local community
- Set goals
If you’re looking to better utilize social media and be more active in your local community, look no further than Nextdoor. As a hyperlocal community platform, your neighbors are already on Nextdoor, looking for their next home or asking for advice from other real estate professionals.
Become your neighborhood’s go-to agent by connecting with them directly through free Business Posts and updates or Neighborhood Sponsorships. Updating your Nextdoor Business Page and keeping up with community posts can be the next step in your new, successful daily routine.
Sources:
CNBC. ‘This is not the time for amateurs,’ says real estate agent in a fiercely competitive housing market.https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/05/competitive-housing-market-squeezing-real-estate-brokers.html
The Close. The Morning Routines of 12 Rock Star Agents [+ 8 Tips to Start Your Day Better]. https://theclose.com/morning-routine-real-estate-agents/
Chicago Agent Magazine. From rookie to real estate success story: how new agents get ahead. https://chicagoagentmagazine.com/2016/06/13/rookie-real-estate-success-story-new-agents-get-ahead/
National Association of REALTORS®. Continuing Education Requirements. https://www.nar.realtor/education/continuing-education-requirements
Indeed. How To Become a Realtor in 8 Steps. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-become-a-Realtor
Sprout Social. How to effectively use social media for real estate. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-for-real-estate/
The Close. 23 Real Estate Social Media Marketing Tips From Top Agents. https://theclose.com/real-estate-social-media-marketing/
Tennessean. Realtors give back to community by supporting charitable causes. https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/homes/2017/10/26/realtors-give-back-community-supporting-charitable-causes/785257001/
Bigger Pockets. Why Making Big Goals Will Make You More Successful. https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/2013-11-17-big-goals-more-successful
Realtor.com. 5 step goal setting process for real estate professionals. https://www.realtor.com/marketing/resources/goal-setting-for-real-estate-pros/
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