HomeSmart https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart Real Estate Made Easy Tue, 27 Mar 2018 20:22:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://espermedia.com/?v=5.2.20 Top 5 Terms To Use When Writing Your Listing Descriptions https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/top-5-terms-use-writing-listing-descriptions/ https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/top-5-terms-use-writing-listing-descriptions/#respond Tue, 27 Mar 2018 19:31:32 +0000 https://wordpress.homesmartdev.com/homesmart/?p=30645   Business Wire recently released a survey published by leading marketing services agency, Lavidge, titled “2018 Southwest Residential Development Marketing Report”. The report highlights the most effective ways to communicate and market to new home buyers of different demographics. The research group surveyed 400 adult consumers with intentions of providing original insights for homebuilders and sellers about specific words or phrases to help market their products effectively. From millennials to those middle-aged and up, how one writes about a listing can make or break their efforts to reach an intended audience. Here are the top 5 terms that were found most favorable by potential homebuyers. 5. Custom The fifth most favorable word of potential homebuyers is custom. While significantly more middle-aged consumers favored this term compared to their millenial and over-55 counterparts, all age groups responded negatively to words such as “manufactured” and “quick”. Additionally, other survey respondents’ comments referred to the desire to avoid a “cookie-cutter” house as well as the desire to stand out from their neighbors. 4. Eco-friendly The trend of favoring Mother Nature in lifestyle decisions has made its way into the homebuying market. In this category, nearly all age ranges included in the survey (younger than 35, between 35-54 and over the age of 55) unanimously agreed that being eco-friendly was a top priority when purchasing a home. As a way to demonstrate attention to environmental concern, residential home builders can follow national guidelines to receive certifications such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), ENERGY STAR® and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), which is a third party inspection property for adherence to the association’s National Green Building Standard (NGBS). In terms of selling, showcase these certifications and use them as leverage to market to the 43% of consumers that favor an eco-friendly home. A respondent said, “We need to start producing environments that are safe not only for people but our planet. Use local supplies and fit the homes/businesses to the local temperate zones. Make use of what is naturally occurring in the area.” 3. Safe The survey highlights the marketing word safe as the third most positive trigger for home buyers. Safe was favored by almost half of the respondents, 46.2% strongly suggesting that many potential homebuyers want to be assured that their families, and themselves, will be safe in their new home. According to the survey, restoring confidence in homebuyers’ safety does wonders when communicating with the intended market. A substantially high response rate was recorded from those 35 years old or younger, suggesting that many young families find safety the most important aspect of a home. The remark, “a safe neighborhood is important to me,” was repeated numerous times throughout the survey with varying context that included the need for safety when raising a family, for single women living alone and for anyone living with children. Additionally, the term was also used in reference to stability of the structure of a home in the case of possible natural disasters. 2. Quality 64% of respondents, the majority being 55 years or older, recorded quality as the second-most important descriptor of a home. This category was also the most influenced by differing income levels among the respondents. Those earning less than $35,000 per year are more likely to sacrifice quality while those who earn $75,000 per year are more likely to demand quality, even if it means sacrificing affordability. The survey showcases this additional demographic to highlight the importance of how both age and levels of income can influence the perceptions and attitudes of homebuyers. Understanding the intended market is vital and it is suggested to take what is most important to the buyer into account when planning your marketing strategies. 1. Affordable The number one word that most positively triggers potential homebuyers is affordable. A respondent in favor of the term stated, “I think everyone wants to hear the word ‘affordable’ when making a huge purchase such as a house. Buying a house is a big decision and puts a lot of pressure on people. When someone says a house is ‘affordable,’ that takes some of the pressure off and makes the decision of buying a house a little easier.” While this may seem an obvious answer, it is still beneficial to know why nearly 73% of consumers choose this marketing term over others. For a new home to be considered affordable, it has to hold its own against the existing market. As stated in the survey, affordability is a relative term and is also highly dependent on location. What is affordable to a consumer in California may not be considered affordable to a homebuyer in the midwest. Moreover, when marketing a potential home, consider the market your consumers are in and what their relative affordability may be. Words really do matter and marketing to homebuyers is no different than any other industry. From custom to quality, affordable to eco-friendly and everything in between, home buyers know what they want and are clear on the vocabulary they prefer. To view the full 2018 Southwest Home Builders Marketing Report, follow the link to download.

The post Top 5 Terms To Use When Writing Your Listing Descriptions appeared first on HomeSmart.

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Business Wire recently released a survey published by leading marketing services agency, Lavidge, titled “2018 Southwest Residential Development Marketing Report”. The report highlights the most effective ways to communicate and market to new home buyers of different demographics. The research group surveyed 400 adult consumers with intentions of providing original insights for homebuilders and sellers about specific words or phrases to help market their products effectively. From millennials to those middle-aged and up, how one writes about a listing can make or break their efforts to reach an intended audience. Here are the top 5 terms that were found most favorable by potential homebuyers.

5. Custom

The fifth most favorable word of potential homebuyers is custom. While significantly more middle-aged consumers favored this term compared to their millenial and over-55 counterparts, all age groups responded negatively to words such as “manufactured” and “quick”. Additionally, other survey respondents’ comments referred to the desire to avoid a “cookie-cutter” house as well as the desire to stand out from their neighbors.

4. Eco-friendly

The trend of favoring Mother Nature in lifestyle decisions has made its way into the homebuying market. In this category, nearly all age ranges included in the survey (younger than 35, between 35-54 and over the age of 55) unanimously agreed that being eco-friendly was a top priority when purchasing a home. As a way to demonstrate attention to environmental concern, residential home builders can follow national guidelines to receive certifications such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), ENERGY STAR® and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), which is a third party inspection property for adherence to the association’s National Green Building Standard (NGBS). In terms of selling, showcase these certifications and use them as leverage to market to the 43% of consumers that favor an eco-friendly home.

A respondent said, “We need to start producing environments that are safe not only for people but our planet. Use local supplies and fit the homes/businesses to the local temperate zones. Make use of what is naturally occurring in the area.”

3. Safe

The survey highlights the marketing word safe as the third most positive trigger for home buyers. Safe was favored by almost half of the respondents, 46.2% strongly suggesting that many potential homebuyers want to be assured that their families, and themselves, will be safe in their new home. According to the survey, restoring confidence in homebuyers’ safety does wonders when communicating with the intended market. A substantially high response rate was recorded from those 35 years old or younger, suggesting that many young families find safety the most important aspect of a home.

The remark, “a safe neighborhood is important to me,” was repeated numerous times throughout the survey with varying context that included the need for safety when raising a family, for single women living alone and for anyone living with children. Additionally, the term was also used in reference to stability of the structure of a home in the case of possible natural disasters.

2. Quality

64% of respondents, the majority being 55 years or older, recorded quality as the second-most important descriptor of a home. This category was also the most influenced by differing income levels among the respondents. Those earning less than $35,000 per year are more likely to sacrifice quality while those who earn $75,000 per year are more likely to demand quality, even if it means sacrificing affordability. The survey showcases this additional demographic to highlight the importance of how both age and levels of income can influence the perceptions and attitudes of homebuyers. Understanding the intended market is vital and it is suggested to take what is most important to the buyer into account when planning your marketing strategies.

1. Affordable

The number one word that most positively triggers potential homebuyers is affordable. A respondent in favor of the term stated, “I think everyone wants to hear the word ‘affordable’ when making a huge purchase such as a house. Buying a house is a big decision and puts a lot of pressure on people. When someone says a house is ‘affordable,’ that takes some of the pressure off and makes the decision of buying a house a little easier.” While this may seem an obvious answer, it is still beneficial to know why nearly 73% of consumers choose this marketing term over others.

For a new home to be considered affordable, it has to hold its own against the existing market. As stated in the survey, affordability is a relative term and is also highly dependent on location. What is affordable to a consumer in California may not be considered affordable to a homebuyer in the midwest. Moreover, when marketing a potential home, consider the market your consumers are in and what their relative affordability may be.

Words really do matter and marketing to homebuyers is no different than any other industry. From custom to quality, affordable to eco-friendly and everything in between, home buyers know what they want and are clear on the vocabulary they prefer.

To view the full 2018 Southwest Home Builders Marketing Report, follow the link to download.

The post Top 5 Terms To Use When Writing Your Listing Descriptions appeared first on HomeSmart.

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Three Essentials of Brokerage Management Software https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/three-essentials-brokerage-management-software/ https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/three-essentials-brokerage-management-software/#respond Mon, 26 Mar 2018 22:15:24 +0000 https://wordpress.homesmartdev.com/homesmart/?p=30616     As any successful broker knows, not only do you need the right skills and experience to achieve greatness in your industry, but also, the right tools and technology to aid you in your success. In the real estate business, there is no time to fall behind and the best way to ensure this doesn’t happen is to find the right technology to assist you in all of your broker needs. Stick to these three essentials when looking for the right brokerage management platform that will benefit you and your business: Integrated System of Technology Possibly the greatest tool a franchisor can offer you as their broker is an integrated system of technology. More specifically, a single platform that serves as a broker’s end-to-end system for operational efficiency. The technology needed to simplify broker needs is already in the market and readily available, but the trick for brokers is to find a franchisor that supports you with the most efficient and effective brokerage platform. A centralized technology hub allows you to conveniently and efficiently manage your agent’s paperless transactions which, in turn, can increase agent/broker communication. Successful brokers understand that productivity between themselves and their agents is a key component in maintaining effortless transactions within their brokerages. As a way to help brokers quickly track and manage agent productivity, brokers need a do-all platform that supports a smooth flow of business. Ideally, the system your brokerage offers you is directed from a main office that allows dozens of branch offices to operate efficiently and effectively underneath a central hub with minimal overhead and expense. Transaction Management Your franchisor should understand the intricate steps you take in order to successfully run your business. Within an integrated system of technology, transaction management should be at the forefront. A franchisor that aids in the complicated transactions between buyers/sellers and agents, while providing the resources to directly assist from the beginning of a deal to close, is a necessity to a successful brokerage. Even further, a franchisor should provide a technological platform that allow brokers to see a full view of their agent’s transactions. A cloud-based system such as this can diminish the outdated and convoluted process of working with a myriad loose papers around the office. The possibility of important agent material being lost in translation, or simply just lost, should not be a concern in this technologically driven era. One online system that provides brokers the ability to view all of their agents’ paperwork, progress toward completion and the status of closing on each deal, guarantees timely completion and a streamlined transaction review and storage process. An integrated system should also include the ability to send out alerts for documents that need additional review. This function is vital to ensuring a high level of accountability within your business. Compliance Management Compliance management should be integrated into a brokerage to minimize the financial and legal risk associated with broker tasks, while increasing efficiency of your business. A preferred brokerage management system requires standard documents to be uploaded before further steps of the closing process can be taken. Additionally, the technology should also take into account the possibility of a unique transaction, and for this reason allow flexibility of certain document uploads. Automated messages sent out to you and your agents when documents are missing is a fundamental tool in your business to know exactly what is required and when. A mandatory document upload and automated messaging feature can streamline the regulatory review and reduce risk of your transactions, while simultaneously increasing compliance within your business. This unique approach will enable your brokerage to operate at maximum efficiency while eliminating any redundancies. Managing all of your back-office tasks and accessing resources with a click of a button will enable you to make better decisions for your business. As a broker, you should be able to productively run your entire firm without the complications or fees that many technology systems carry. Find a technology model that scales and grows with your business as you need it to. If you are wondering where to start your search for these broker essentials, look no further than HomeSmart. In 2005, HomeSmart International launched its first proprietary systems, RealSmart Broker and RealSmart Agent. RealSmart Broker caters specifically to brokers and brokerage owners and was created to provide a central online hub from which a brokerage operates. The cloud-based brokerage performance management system focuses on allowing brokers to run their business from one place while minimizing risk. The industry’s most efficient, secure and robust RealSmart Broker cloud-based brokerage performance management software helps manage agent transactions, assess compliance and recruit to broker pipeline. The industry’s most efficient, secure and robust RealSmart Broker cloud-based brokerage performance management software helps manage agent transactions, assess compliance and recruit to broker pipeline. Additional features of RealSmart Broker include education portals, website and marketing resources, recruitment assistance and direct access to broker Customer Relationship Management. HomeSmart proudly boasts the operational efficiency within their technology and RealSmart Broker has successfully supported this claim. If you haven’t already done so, let HomeSmart keep you ahead of the curve with their fully-integrated, company-owned technology. If you’re interested in learning more about our RealSmart Broker software or are interested in owning a HomeSmart franchise, contact Bryan Brooks at 800-383-7051 or email him at bryan.brooks@hsmove.com to schedule a confidential call.

The post Three Essentials of Brokerage Management Software appeared first on HomeSmart.

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As any successful broker knows, not only do you need the right skills and experience to achieve greatness in your industry, but also, the right tools and technology to aid you in your success. In the real estate business, there is no time to fall behind and the best way to ensure this doesn’t happen is to find the right technology to assist you in all of your broker needs.

Stick to these three essentials when looking for the right brokerage management platform that will benefit you and your business:

Integrated System of Technology

Possibly the greatest tool a franchisor can offer you as their broker is an integrated system of technology. More specifically, a single platform that serves as a broker’s end-to-end system for operational efficiency. The technology needed to simplify broker needs is already in the market and readily available, but the trick for brokers is to find a franchisor that supports you with the most efficient and effective brokerage platform. A centralized technology hub allows you to conveniently and efficiently manage your agent’s paperless transactions which, in turn, can increase agent/broker communication. Successful brokers understand that productivity between themselves and their agents is a key component in maintaining effortless transactions within their brokerages. As a way to help brokers quickly track and manage agent productivity, brokers need a do-all platform that supports a smooth flow of business. Ideally, the system your brokerage offers you is directed from a main office that allows dozens of branch offices to operate efficiently and effectively underneath a central hub with minimal overhead and expense.

Transaction Management

Your franchisor should understand the intricate steps you take in order to successfully run your business. Within an integrated system of technology, transaction management should be at the forefront. A franchisor that aids in the complicated transactions between buyers/sellers and agents, while providing the resources to directly assist from the beginning of a deal to close, is a necessity to a successful brokerage. Even further, a franchisor should provide a technological platform that allow brokers to see a full view of their agent’s transactions. A cloud-based system such as this can diminish the outdated and convoluted process of working with a myriad loose papers around the office. The possibility of important agent material being lost in translation, or simply just lost, should not be a concern in this technologically driven era. One online system that provides brokers the ability to view all of their agents’ paperwork, progress toward completion and the status of closing on each deal, guarantees timely completion and a streamlined transaction review and storage process. An integrated system should also include the ability to send out alerts for documents that need additional review. This function is vital to ensuring a high level of accountability within your business.

Compliance Management

Compliance management should be integrated into a brokerage to minimize the financial and legal risk associated with broker tasks, while increasing efficiency of your business. A preferred brokerage management system requires standard documents to be uploaded before further steps of the closing process can be taken. Additionally, the technology should also take into account the possibility of a unique transaction, and for this reason allow flexibility of certain document uploads. Automated messages sent out to you and your agents when documents are missing is a fundamental tool in your business to know exactly what is required and when. A mandatory document upload and automated messaging feature can streamline the regulatory review and reduce risk of your transactions, while simultaneously increasing compliance within your business. This unique approach will enable your brokerage to operate at maximum efficiency while eliminating any redundancies.

Managing all of your back-office tasks and accessing resources with a click of a button will enable you to make better decisions for your business. As a broker, you should be able to productively run your entire firm without the complications or fees that many technology systems carry. Find a technology model that scales and grows with your business as you need it to.

If you are wondering where to start your search for these broker essentials, look no further than HomeSmart. In 2005, HomeSmart International launched its first proprietary systems, RealSmart Broker and RealSmart Agent. RealSmart Broker caters specifically to brokers and brokerage owners and was created to provide a central online hub from which a brokerage operates. The cloud-based brokerage performance management system focuses on allowing brokers to run their business from one place while minimizing risk.

The industry’s most efficient, secure and robust RealSmart Broker cloud-based brokerage performance management software helps manage agent transactions, assess compliance and recruit to broker pipeline.


The industry’s most efficient, secure and robust RealSmart Broker cloud-based brokerage performance management software helps manage agent transactions, assess compliance and recruit to broker pipeline.

Additional features of RealSmart Broker include education portals, website and marketing resources, recruitment assistance and direct access to broker Customer Relationship Management. HomeSmart proudly boasts the operational efficiency within their technology and RealSmart Broker has successfully supported this claim. If you haven’t already done so, let HomeSmart keep you ahead of the curve with their fully-integrated, company-owned technology.

If you’re interested in learning more about our RealSmart Broker software or are interested in owning a HomeSmart franchise, contact Bryan Brooks at 800-383-7051 or email him at bryan.brooks@hsmove.com to schedule a confidential call.

The post Three Essentials of Brokerage Management Software appeared first on HomeSmart.

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New Data Finds Homeowners Struggle When Selling, Despite Hot Market – Part 2 https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/new-data-finds-homeowners-struggle-selling-despite-hot-market-part-2/ https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/new-data-finds-homeowners-struggle-selling-despite-hot-market-part-2/#respond Wed, 21 Mar 2018 21:46:38 +0000 https://wordpress.homesmartdev.com/homesmart/?p=30459   By Sonia Krishnan Fall, 2017. Mention that period to Diana Leath and you will likely hear her exhale, then laugh. Diana remembers fall 2017 as a happy time. She also remembers it as a crazy, stressful time. Which makes sense when she explains. In October, Diana gave birth to a baby girl, Noelle. She also had a two-year-old daughter to care for. Her husband, Adam, happened to be in the throes of building a new hotel for his family business. And that same month, after spending 200 days searching for a bigger home in Raleigh for their growing family, the couple finally stumbled upon The One. Four bedrooms. Three baths. A yard. With a mixture of hope and anxiety, they submitted an offer. Soon after, their agent called. They had beat out the competition. They had won The One. Which was great. But it meant packing up. And selling their house. And doing all the things sellers do to ensure their house will sell quickly. They cleaned and painted and power washed and landscaped. They stewed over minor details – should they decorate the house for Christmas? Or would a big tree make the house look small? (They nixed the tree in favor of a wreath.) They went back and forth on a list price with their agent, listened to her advice on comps, and put it on the market December 7. Then the family of four moved into a hotel and waited for their agent to call. They didn’t wait long. Their 1,500 square foot ranch in Raleigh received two offers above the asking price one day after being on the market.   ‘Sweating it’ in a hot market Herein lies the rub of living in a hot market. If you want to stay in that market, be prepared to downsize – or shell out a lot more cash. Timing is a big driver of anxiety, according to the data in the Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report 2017. More than one third of sellers had difficulty timing the sale of their home with buying a new home. Even in a hot market, selling comes with risks. How long will it take? Is our house priced right? Are we paying too much for a new home? And the most pressing worry: What if something goes wrong? In Diana’s case, she and her husband are paying 67 percent more than what they sold their house for in order to buy their new house. As a couple in their 30s still working toward their peak earning years, that increase hit the outer limits of how far they could stretch. “Trust me, we are sweating it right now,” Diana says. But she remains hopeful that, once the new hotel opens and she goes back to work, the financial strain will ease. Looking back, she says, she was grateful for her agent who handled various complications that arose and helped beautify their home before it went on the market. But she has no intention of going through the turmoil of the selling and moving process anytime soon, she says. “We’re probably going to be here forever.” This article was originally published on the Premier Agent Resource Center on February 16, 2018. See the full story here.

The post New Data Finds Homeowners Struggle When Selling, Despite Hot Market – Part 2 appeared first on HomeSmart.

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By Sonia Krishnan

Fall, 2017. Mention that period to Diana Leath and you will likely hear her exhale, then laugh. Diana remembers fall 2017 as a happy time. She also remembers it as a crazy, stressful time. Which makes sense when she explains.

In October, Diana gave birth to a baby girl, Noelle. She also had a two-year-old daughter to care for. Her husband, Adam, happened to be in the throes of building a new hotel for his family business. And that same month, after spending 200 days searching for a bigger home in Raleigh for their growing family, the couple finally stumbled upon The One.

Four bedrooms. Three baths. A yard. With a mixture of hope and anxiety, they submitted an offer. Soon after, their agent called. They had beat out the competition.

They had won The One.

Which was great. But it meant packing up. And selling their house. And doing all the things sellers do to ensure their house will sell quickly. They cleaned and painted and power washed and landscaped. They stewed over minor details – should they decorate the house for Christmas? Or would a big tree make the house look small? (They nixed the tree in favor of a wreath.)

They went back and forth on a list price with their agent, listened to her advice on comps, and put it on the market December 7. Then the family of four moved into a hotel and waited for their agent to call.

They didn’t wait long. Their 1,500 square foot ranch in Raleigh received two offers above the asking price one day after being on the market.
 

‘Sweating it’ in a hot market

Herein lies the rub of living in a hot market. If you want to stay in that market, be prepared to downsize – or shell out a lot more cash.

Timing is a big driver of anxiety, according to the data in the Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report 2017. More than one third of sellers had difficulty timing the sale of their home with buying a new home.

Even in a hot market, selling comes with risks. How long will it take? Is our house priced right? Are we paying too much for a new home?

And the most pressing worry: What if something goes wrong?

In Diana’s case, she and her husband are paying 67 percent more than what they sold their house for in order to buy their new house. As a couple in their 30s still working toward their peak earning years, that increase hit the outer limits of how far they could stretch.

“Trust me, we are sweating it right now,” Diana says. But she remains hopeful that, once the new hotel opens and she goes back to work, the financial strain will ease.

Looking back, she says, she was grateful for her agent who handled various complications that arose and helped beautify their home before it went on the market.

But she has no intention of going through the turmoil of the selling and moving process anytime soon, she says.

“We’re probably going to be here forever.”

This article was originally published on the Premier Agent Resource Center on February 16, 2018. See the full story here.

The post New Data Finds Homeowners Struggle When Selling, Despite Hot Market – Part 2 appeared first on HomeSmart.

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New Data Finds Homeowners Struggle When Selling, Despite Hot Market – Part 1 https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/new-data-finds-homeowners-struggle-selling-despite-hot-market-part-1/ https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/new-data-finds-homeowners-struggle-selling-despite-hot-market-part-1/#respond Tue, 13 Mar 2018 16:36:26 +0000 https://wordpress.homesmartdev.com/homesmart/?p=30439     By Sonia Krishnan Twelve days before Thanksgiving, Mark and Sue Meaney decided to put their 109-year-old house on the market. They looked at comps of similar-sized homes near their St. Paul neighborhood, agreed on a price with their agent and waited anxiously for their first offer to roll in. Mark and Sue knew their timing wasn’t ideal. The holidays loomed, and the market was slowing; worse, St. Paul was entering its notorious subzero season. The couple felt torn. After one year of searching for a new home, they had found the perfect place a few miles away. It was spacious enough to raise their kids and had a first-floor bedroom and bathroom for Sue’s aging parents. As first-time sellers – Mark and Sue had lived in the house for 20 years – the couple took a leap of faith. They bought the new home, moved in Sue’s parents and dropped nearly $20,000 to spruce up their old house to help it sell quickly. Several weeks later their vacant home remains for sale, its exterior weathering the forces of yet another Minnesota winter. Selling a home: Truth in data Skim any number of news articles on the U.S. housing market and chances are you’ll run across the phrases “low inventory,” “sellers’ market” and “strong demand.” This rings especially true in larger metropolitan areas where stories of bidding wars abound, leaving the impression that sellers in these markets simply list their homes, sit back and receive offers above the asking price. For much of the U.S., however, the data reveals a starker reality. According to new findings from Zillow Group – which used data from the Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report 2017 – selling a home in the U.S. is not only fraught with anxiety, but often culminates in unmet expectations. In fact, close to one third of sellers said they felt unsatisfied with the selling process. Of first-time sellers, nearly 30 percent were unprepared for how long it took to sell their homes and said they wished they would have started the process sooner, according to the analysis. Furthermore, 76 percent of sellers across the U.S. ended up making at least one concession, with lowering the price the most-cited compromise. And 36 percent said they either struggled to sell their homes within their desired price range – or time frame. “This data shows there is a huge opportunity to create a better end-to-end experience for sellers and help them turn over their homes faster,” said Jeremy Wacksman, chief marketing officer at Zillow Group. More information, more stress Much of the stress sellers feel stems from that nail-biting wait to get the right offer. Fueling this collective anxiety is, of course, more access to information. While the internet has greatly democratized the buying and selling process, it has also created a state of seller vigilance. Sellers are more involved than ever in the sale of their homes – and more stressed out. Take Mark, for instance. He’s constantly monitoring how many views his house gets on Zillow and how it ranks compared to other homes coming on the market. Despite working with an agent, Mark is immersed – and stressed. While Zillow’s findings show that 82 percent of sellers valued having an agent guide them through the process, America has entered a new era of how deeply involved homeowners are in selling their most expensive investment, Wacksman said. Stay tuned for Part 2 in the next edition!

The post New Data Finds Homeowners Struggle When Selling, Despite Hot Market – Part 1 appeared first on HomeSmart.

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By Sonia Krishnan

Twelve days before Thanksgiving, Mark and Sue Meaney decided to put their 109-year-old house on the market. They looked at comps of similar-sized homes near their St. Paul neighborhood, agreed on a price with their agent and waited anxiously for their first offer to roll in.

Mark and Sue knew their timing wasn’t ideal. The holidays loomed, and the market was slowing; worse, St. Paul was entering its notorious subzero season.

The couple felt torn. After one year of searching for a new home, they had found the perfect place a few miles away. It was spacious enough to raise their kids and had a first-floor bedroom and bathroom for Sue’s aging parents.

As first-time sellers – Mark and Sue had lived in the house for 20 years – the couple took a leap of faith. They bought the new home, moved in Sue’s parents and dropped nearly $20,000 to spruce up their old house to help it sell quickly.

Several weeks later their vacant home remains for sale, its exterior weathering the forces of yet another Minnesota winter.

Selling a home: Truth in data

Skim any number of news articles on the U.S. housing market and chances are you’ll run across the phrases “low inventory,” “sellers’ market” and “strong demand.”

This rings especially true in larger metropolitan areas where stories of bidding wars abound, leaving the impression that sellers in these markets simply list their homes, sit back and receive offers above the asking price.

For much of the U.S., however, the data reveals a starker reality.

According to new findings from Zillow Group – which used data from the Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report 2017 – selling a home in the U.S. is not only fraught with anxiety, but often culminates in unmet expectations.

In fact, close to one third of sellers said they felt unsatisfied with the selling process. Of first-time sellers, nearly 30 percent were unprepared for how long it took to sell their homes and said they wished they would have started the process sooner, according to the analysis.

Furthermore, 76 percent of sellers across the U.S. ended up making at least one concession, with lowering the price the most-cited compromise. And 36 percent said they either struggled to sell their homes within their desired price range – or time frame.

“This data shows there is a huge opportunity to create a better end-to-end experience for sellers and help them turn over their homes faster,” said Jeremy Wacksman, chief marketing officer at Zillow Group.

More information, more stress

Much of the stress sellers feel stems from that nail-biting wait to get the right offer. Fueling this collective anxiety is, of course, more access to information.

While the internet has greatly democratized the buying and selling process, it has also created a state of seller vigilance. Sellers are more involved than ever in the sale of their homes – and more stressed out.

Take Mark, for instance. He’s constantly monitoring how many views his house gets on Zillow and how it ranks compared to other homes coming on the market.

Despite working with an agent, Mark is immersed – and stressed.

While Zillow’s findings show that 82 percent of sellers valued having an agent guide them through the process, America has entered a new era of how deeply involved homeowners are in selling their most expensive investment, Wacksman said.

Stay tuned for Part 2 in the next edition!

The post New Data Finds Homeowners Struggle When Selling, Despite Hot Market – Part 1 appeared first on HomeSmart.

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From Independent Brokerage Owner to HomeSmart Franchise Partner: A Q&A with Chuck Poteet https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/qa-with-chuck-poteet/ https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/qa-with-chuck-poteet/#respond Thu, 08 Mar 2018 13:00:13 +0000 https://wordpress.homesmartdev.com/homesmart/?p=30431   Every real estate brokerage franchisor promises the best marketing, tools and tech in the industry, but those promises don’t mean anything unless your brokers and agents are seeing positive results from them. HomeSmart puts value behind their broker and agent support, business systems and proprietary end-to-end technologies and Chuck Poteet, broker/owner of HomeSmart Fine Properties, is proof that these aren’t empty promises.   Chuck owned an independent brokerage for 17 years in Houston, Texas. After a quick interaction with HomeSmart, he made the decision to own a franchise himself and introduce HomeSmart to Houston.   Read the following Q&A with Chuck about the difficulties of owning his own independent brokerage, what encouraged him to make the switch and the benefits he has seen since joining HomeSmart.   Q: How long were you running your individual brokerage?   A: I started my real estate career 34 years ago and began building my brand, Chuck Poteet Properties, 17 years ago.   Q: Why did you decide to start an independent brokerage?   A: Towards the beginning of my career, I spent about 10 years with Remax and just got to the place where I realized I could go out and build my own company and start making more money on my own.   Q: What were the biggest challenges of running an independent brokerage?   A: Being a director on the board [Houston Association of Realtors] I had the opportunity to travel a lot and I was able to talk to and listen to a lot of brokers and hear the problems that they face. Some of the biggest and most common issues I found are agent retention, commission structures and keeping up with the times and the tools that agents need, which can also be expensive for brokers large or small. We are at a huge place in the real estate industry right now because of all of the technology that is available to us. This can be great, but in running your own brokerage, there is definitely a fear of being left behind by the changing industry. This was also a huge factor in my decision to leave my independent brokerage and make the move to HomeSmart.   Q: What was your first interaction with HomeSmart?   A: In 2016 I attended the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) convention in Orlando. Prior to this I had never heard of HomeSmart but I saw this great looking sign, and I don’t know what it was, but the name just caught my attention. I went by and looked at the booth, briefly met with Bryan Brooks (HomeSmart Senior Vice President of Franchise Sales) and then left and that was it. After the convention was over, for some reason, I just couldn’t stop thinking about HomeSmart. It really started to bother me that I couldn’t get this company off my mind and I had only had this one brief connection. I have had my own brand and have been building my name for 17 years and truly had no intention of making any kind of change, yet here I am thinking about HomeSmart.   Q: Did you contact HomeSmart or did they contact you?   A: At the time, I told my wife that I needed to go see HomeSmart and that maybe the company is not what it looks like or sounds like. I thought going to check it out would at least get the thought out of my mind. So in January of 2017, I contacted the headquarters and went out to Scottsdale, Arizona to meet with Bryan Brooks and get a tour. After the presentation, I was so impressed with the model that Matt Widdows had created, the market he captured and the tools that he made available to the agents and franchisees. I then realized, I’ve got a big problem now because I really like this company and have got to decide what I want to do.   Q: What made you make the decision to switch from your independent brokerage to owning a HomeSmart franchise?   A: The hardest part about my decision was that after 17 years of building my brand, I had to lay down my name and pick up a new one. I started with a traditional real estate company and after many years, came to the realization that I’ve got to work smarter. Throughout my career, I’ve been watching all of these other successful real estate brokers build their companies in the Houston area and a lot of them are not there anymore. I figured out that it’s because they didn’t keep up with the times and didn’t keep moving forward or they simply stopped trying to progress. The brokers didn’t provide for their agents in a way that made them feel productive or successful and they didn’t give them the tools that they needed to stay afloat in real estate. So with that in mind, I decided that I needed to make the switch because I know this company, HomeSmart, is going to sweep the country.  Matt created a model that looks and acts like a traditional real estate model but the agents still get 100% commission. Combined with low monthly fees and the tools, technology and support that is offered, HomeSmart is different than any other transaction based company out there. People don’t even know it yet, but this model is going to be the future of real estate and that’s why I’m introducing it to Houston. That’s what inspired and motivated me to make that decision.   Q: What are some differentiators between being an individual brokerage owner and being a HomeSmart franchise owner?   A: It is hard to say because it’s so new for us, but probably one of the biggest differentiators is that I’m not having to create or design any of the tools that my agents need. Through HomeSmart, they are all already there for them. For example, we had an agent recently join and through

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Every real estate brokerage franchisor promises the best marketing, tools and tech in the industry, but those promises don’t mean anything unless your brokers and agents are seeing positive results from them. HomeSmart puts value behind their broker and agent support, business systems and proprietary end-to-end technologies and Chuck Poteet, broker/owner of HomeSmart Fine Properties, is proof that these aren’t empty promises.
 
Chuck owned an independent brokerage for 17 years in Houston, Texas. After a quick interaction with HomeSmart, he made the decision to own a franchise himself and introduce HomeSmart to Houston.
 
Read the following Q&A with Chuck about the difficulties of owning his own independent brokerage, what encouraged him to make the switch and the benefits he has seen since joining HomeSmart.
 
Q: How long were you running your individual brokerage?
 
A: I started my real estate career 34 years ago and began building my brand, Chuck Poteet Properties, 17 years ago.
 
Q: Why did you decide to start an independent brokerage?
 
A: Towards the beginning of my career, I spent about 10 years with Remax and just got to the place where I realized I could go out and build my own company and start making more money on my own.
 
Q: What were the biggest challenges of running an independent brokerage?
 
A: Being a director on the board [Houston Association of Realtors] I had the opportunity to travel a lot and I was able to talk to and listen to a lot of brokers and hear the problems that they face. Some of the biggest and most common issues I found are agent retention, commission structures and keeping up with the times and the tools that agents need, which can also be expensive for brokers large or small. We are at a huge place in the real estate industry right now because of all of the technology that is available to us. This can be great, but in running your own brokerage, there is definitely a fear of being left behind by the changing industry. This was also a huge factor in my decision to leave my independent brokerage and make the move to HomeSmart.
 
Q: What was your first interaction with HomeSmart?
 
A: In 2016 I attended the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) convention in Orlando. Prior to this I had never heard of HomeSmart but I saw this great looking sign, and I don’t know what it was, but the name just caught my attention. I went by and looked at the booth, briefly met with Bryan Brooks (HomeSmart Senior Vice President of Franchise Sales) and then left and that was it. After the convention was over, for some reason, I just couldn’t stop thinking about HomeSmart. It really started to bother me that I couldn’t get this company off my mind and I had only had this one brief connection. I have had my own brand and have been building my name for 17 years and truly had no intention of making any kind of change, yet here I am thinking about HomeSmart.
 
Q: Did you contact HomeSmart or did they contact you?
 
A: At the time, I told my wife that I needed to go see HomeSmart and that maybe the company is not what it looks like or sounds like. I thought going to check it out would at least get the thought out of my mind. So in January of 2017, I contacted the headquarters and went out to Scottsdale, Arizona to meet with Bryan Brooks and get a tour. After the presentation, I was so impressed with the model that Matt Widdows had created, the market he captured and the tools that he made available to the agents and franchisees. I then realized, I’ve got a big problem now because I really like this company and have got to decide what I want to do.
 
Q: What made you make the decision to switch from your independent brokerage to owning a HomeSmart franchise?
 
A: The hardest part about my decision was that after 17 years of building my brand, I had to lay down my name and pick up a new one. I started with a traditional real estate company and after many years, came to the realization that I’ve got to work smarter. Throughout my career, I’ve been watching all of these other successful real estate brokers build their companies in the Houston area and a lot of them are not there anymore. I figured out that it’s because they didn’t keep up with the times and didn’t keep moving forward or they simply stopped trying to progress. The brokers didn’t provide for their agents in a way that made them feel productive or successful and they didn’t give them the tools that they needed to stay afloat in real estate. So with that in mind, I decided that I needed to make the switch because I know this company, HomeSmart, is going to sweep the country.  Matt created a model that looks and acts like a traditional real estate model but the agents still get 100% commission. Combined with low monthly fees and the tools, technology and support that is offered, HomeSmart is different than any other transaction based company out there. People don’t even know it yet, but this model is going to be the future of real estate and that’s why I’m introducing it to Houston. That’s what inspired and motivated me to make that decision.
 
Q: What are some differentiators between being an individual brokerage owner and being a HomeSmart franchise owner?
 
A: It is hard to say because it’s so new for us, but probably one of the biggest differentiators is that I’m not having to create or design any of the tools that my agents need. Through HomeSmart, they are all already there for them. For example, we had an agent recently join and through the RealSmart Agent system his whole agent profile and personal website has been instantly set up, and because of this, he is already ahead of the game. If I were back at my independent company it would have taken me weeks and weeks to get this setup. While we did have an agent website, it was not integrated like what HomeSmart has done with RealSmart Agent and RealSmart Broker. A broker wants to get their agents up and running as soon as possible and the HomeSmart data feed is so powerful that we are able to do this much more efficiently compared to my individual brokerage.
 
Q: When did you open your HomeSmart franchise?
 
A: It has been a little bit of a rocky start because of the damages caused by Hurricane Harvey, but we purchased last May, had our temporary space in October and officially opened our doors in January, 2018. After Harvey we lost everything and as devastating as it was, it was almost like a clean slate that we got to start with at HomeSmart. We have been here for about four months now and it has been awesome! The new office is finally coming together and we are so excited about it. From a recruiting aspect, I have started setting up our training room that we plan to use to give our agents the ability to access the tools and technology that HomeSmart offers. We also just landed a monthly publication add in a REALTOR® magazine that goes out to 36,000 REALTORS® in Houston. So, if someone has never heard of HomeSmart, they will now and that’s the goal, to spread the word of HomeSmart and the great tools that they offer.
 
Q: How many agents do you have right now?
 
A: We currently have about 25 agents, 12 of which we brought over from our other company, and we are quickly building.
 
Q: What kind of success or goals do you project in the future with your HomeSmart franchise?
 
A: While our time with HomeSmart is still early, we are projecting to finish 2018 with 100 agents. Ideally, we want to continue this trend and be able to keep growing 100 agents each year.
 
Q: After 17 years you have built quite the clientele. How did your peers react after your announcement to close your independent brokerage and join HomeSmart?
 
A: I announced on Facebook and received positive and encouraging responses from practically everyone! A lot of people are excited for me and a lot of people don’t quite know what it’s about yet, but I am excited to finally be able to show them.
 
Q: In your opinion, what do you appreciate most about HomeSmart?
 
A: The entire process of how the transition was handled, from the beginning of my journey with HomeSmart to where I’m at with them now. From the time I connected with the company at the NAR convention, it was amazing! I mean, the display itself grabbed my attention. I was really not intending to ever look at buying any other business at all. I was never a possible buyer of a franchise, in fact, it was the furthest thing from my mind. But the marketing that was done captured my attention– I was impressed by the team, everything that they had to offer and every step of the way has been great. Like I said before, it was a bit of a difficult beginning for us after the flood, but it has truly been a blessing to join this company and we are so excited about the days ahead with HomeSmart.
 
If you’re operating a brokerage and are facing the same challenges Chuck did, it may be time to consider making a change. Call Bryan Brooks, HomeSmart senior vice president of franchise sales, at (800)383-7051 or email him at bryan.brooks@hsmove.com for a free consultation.

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How To Increase Agent Productivity https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/increase-agent-productivity/ https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/increase-agent-productivity/#respond Tue, 06 Mar 2018 18:30:25 +0000 https://wordpress.homesmartdev.com/homesmart/?p=30426     Owning your own business is an exciting and fulfilling career choice, however, it is no secret that it can reap equal amounts of stress as it does reward. As a leading broker in the constantly competitive real estate industry, it is vital to ensure that your business is running as smoothly and efficiently as possible to maintain the success that you strive for. Agents are the backbone of any brokerage and productivity is the key component that keeps your agents, and your firm, running effortlessly. As a broker, it is important to the success of your business to create an environment for your agents that fosters productivity and efficiency. This is often easier said than done, nonetheless, in an effort to make it easy, we have compiled a list of fundamental tips to help increase agent productivity:   1. Embrace Technology Change is inevitable and technology is no different. If you haven’t become accustomed to the tech-era that has taken over most industries, real estate included, then it is time to do so. While technology will never replace agents, the agent who learns and utilizes technology will do better than those who do not. HomeSmart International created two systems that are available to its brokers and their agents: RealSmart Broker and RealSmart Agent. The cloud-based RealSmart Broker brokerage performance management software focuses specifically on minimizing the financial and legal risk associated with broker tasks while its counterpart, RealSmart Agent business productivity software, gives agents the ability to manage their transactions more efficiently by including automated alerts and required document uploads. Working as the centralized point of access to all broker and agent-based resources, these systems provide the visibility to see, manage and grow a business in one place. By utilizing the right technologies in your firm, you allow your agents the freedom to focus on their deals which allows you the ability to focus on successfully running your business. Follow the link to learn more about RealSmart Broker/Agent.   2. Provide Necessary Tools While there are a number of resources available to you and your agents, only the right tools will produce real benefits. Update yourself on the newest systems and communicate with your team the benefits that you see in them. Agents want to be successful just as you do and this entails continuously learning and keeping up with resources that can assist them in all areas of their business. Agents are busy, so they look to their brokerage for support and resources. Offer a free comprehensive tool suite that provides support in all areas of their business including marketing help. Tools and technology create leverage, so if used correctly in your business, it will allow you to do more with less.   3. Track Productivity How do you address the mindset of an agent who doesn’t want accountability? When you have people working for your business, you cannot make someone be somewhere they do not want to be or do something they do not want to do. However, you can (and it is important to do so) cut the people loose who are dragging you and your business down, and in turn, support those who want the help. The best way to focus on this issue is to offer agent support and training. Productivity is a byproduct of maintaining strong work ethic and skill throughout your team. Help your agents gain the knowledge and confidence they need to do well by openly supporting them. A concept that is utilized by the HomeSmart franchise is to follow up on agent training by tracking results and communicating the outcome of these results back to the agent. This ensures a clear understanding of what is needed by your agents, by the broker yourself, or even a combination of both.   4. Leverage a Mentorship Program Jennifer Ridenour, a consulting broker and agent development manager at HomeSmart International, spoke with RISMedia about the mentoring program offered within the HomeSmart company. Ridenour explains that the program is meant to focus on individuality amongst their agents by pairing mentors with mentees based on personality and their teaching and learning styles. These characteristics are first measured by beginning the mentorship with a behavioral assessment that is intended to identify individual strengths and weaknesses. At HomeSmart, personal goals are valued and it is understood that, at times, agent and broker goals may differ. When leveraging a mentorship program within your brokerage, this is a valuable statement that should be considered in order to see viable results.   5. Invest in Your Agents In past years, Forbes has published an article focusing on why investing in your people [employees] is beneficial to your business. It is explained that many firms fear investment in their employees due to the possibility of quick turnover rates, “However, just as many people, if not more, leave organizations because they don’t feel valued by their employers,” says Diana O’Brien, Managing Principle of Deloitte University. In terms of investing in your agents, if you are logical in your investment you can produce an efficient and productive team. As a broker, it is your duty to constantly work to make your team feel valued and it is important to explain your business plan and make your agents a part of it. A recurring business concept, according to Forbes, is that people are the biggest asset to an organization and this should be no different in your real estate brokerage.   Improve agent productivity in your workplace by adapting these five tips into your brokerage business model. Your business and your agents will thank you.   To learn more about the HomeSmart business model and why switching to a HomeSmart franchise could be great for your business, visit HomeSmart.com/Franchising or contact Bryan Brooks  at bryan.brooks@hsmove.com.

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Owning your own business is an exciting and fulfilling career choice, however, it is no secret that it can reap equal amounts of stress as it does reward. As a leading broker in the constantly competitive real estate industry, it is vital to ensure that your business is running as smoothly and efficiently as possible to maintain the success that you strive for. Agents are the backbone of any brokerage and productivity is the key component that keeps your agents, and your firm, running effortlessly. As a broker, it is important to the success of your business to create an environment for your agents that fosters productivity and efficiency. This is often easier said than done, nonetheless, in an effort to make it easy, we have compiled a list of fundamental tips to help increase agent productivity:
 
1. Embrace Technology

Change is inevitable and technology is no different. If you haven’t become accustomed to the tech-era that has taken over most industries, real estate included, then it is time to do so. While technology will never replace agents, the agent who learns and utilizes technology will do better than those who do not. HomeSmart International created two systems that are available to its brokers and their agents: RealSmart Broker and RealSmart Agent. The cloud-based RealSmart Broker brokerage performance management software focuses specifically on minimizing the financial and legal risk associated with broker tasks while its counterpart, RealSmart Agent business productivity software, gives agents the ability to manage their transactions more efficiently by including automated alerts and required document uploads. Working as the centralized point of access to all broker and agent-based resources, these systems provide the visibility to see, manage and grow a business in one place. By utilizing the right technologies in your firm, you allow your agents the freedom to focus on their deals which allows you the ability to focus on successfully running your business. Follow the link to learn more about RealSmart Broker/Agent.
 
2. Provide Necessary Tools

While there are a number of resources available to you and your agents, only the right tools will produce real benefits. Update yourself on the newest systems and communicate with your team the benefits that you see in them. Agents want to be successful just as you do and this entails continuously learning and keeping up with resources that can assist them in all areas of their business. Agents are busy, so they look to their brokerage for support and resources. Offer a free comprehensive tool suite that provides support in all areas of their business including marketing help. Tools and technology create leverage, so if used correctly in your business, it will allow you to do more with less.
 
3. Track Productivity

How do you address the mindset of an agent who doesn’t want accountability? When you have people working for your business, you cannot make someone be somewhere they do not want to be or do something they do not want to do. However, you can (and it is important to do so) cut the people loose who are dragging you and your business down, and in turn, support those who want the help. The best way to focus on this issue is to offer agent support and training. Productivity is a byproduct of maintaining strong work ethic and skill throughout your team. Help your agents gain the knowledge and confidence they need to do well by openly supporting them. A concept that is utilized by the HomeSmart franchise is to follow up on agent training by tracking results and communicating the outcome of these results back to the agent. This ensures a clear understanding of what is needed by your agents, by the broker yourself, or even a combination of both.
 
4. Leverage a Mentorship Program

Jennifer Ridenour, a consulting broker and agent development manager at HomeSmart International, spoke with RISMedia about the mentoring program offered within the HomeSmart company. Ridenour explains that the program is meant to focus on individuality amongst their agents by pairing mentors with mentees based on personality and their teaching and learning styles. These characteristics are first measured by beginning the mentorship with a behavioral assessment that is intended to identify individual strengths and weaknesses. At HomeSmart, personal goals are valued and it is understood that, at times, agent and broker goals may differ. When leveraging a mentorship program within your brokerage, this is a valuable statement that should be considered in order to see viable results.
 
5. Invest in Your Agents

In past years, Forbes has published an article focusing on why investing in your people [employees] is beneficial to your business. It is explained that many firms fear investment in their employees due to the possibility of quick turnover rates, “However, just as many people, if not more, leave organizations because they don’t feel valued by their employers,” says Diana O’Brien, Managing Principle of Deloitte University. In terms of investing in your agents, if you are logical in your investment you can produce an efficient and productive team. As a broker, it is your duty to constantly work to make your team feel valued and it is important to explain your business plan and make your agents a part of it. A recurring business concept, according to Forbes, is that people are the biggest asset to an organization and this should be no different in your real estate brokerage.
 
Improve agent productivity in your workplace by adapting these five tips into your brokerage business model. Your business and your agents will thank you.
 
To learn more about the HomeSmart business model and why switching to a HomeSmart franchise could be great for your business, visit HomeSmart.com/Franchising or contact Bryan Brooks  at bryan.brooks@hsmove.com.

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Tech That Sets Us Apart – Behind the Scenes at HomeSmart International https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/tech-sets-us-apart-behind-scenes-homesmart-international/ https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/tech-sets-us-apart-behind-scenes-homesmart-international/#respond Fri, 02 Mar 2018 18:39:55 +0000 https://wordpress.homesmartdev.com/homesmart/?p=30422     A common theme that has seemed to surface about the home buying process is that it is long, complicated and, most often times, difficult for both the consumer and the agent. HomeSmart International however, has turned this recurring expectation of real estate into nothing more than an outdated misconception.   How? You may ask. As a general explanation, HomeSmart prides itself on using their proprietary technology to aid their brokers, agents, and respectively, their clients in the home buying/selling/renting experience. But what exactly is our technology and what makes it better, I mean different, than the others?   The foundation of the HomeSmart business model is built on an ecosystem of proprietary technology that streamlines the homebuying process from listing to closing. There exists no third party vendors or outside systems within HomeSmart, allowing less redundancies and complications for the end user. Founder and CEO, Matt Widdows, created the company to run on end-to-end technology, providing centralized services to all brokers and agents. This strategy to real estate, in turn, allows for consistency throughout all HomeSmart locations nationwide. Simply put, HomeSmart technology offers a paperless platform for all parties involved in the home buying process at no additional fee to the broker or the consumer.   To further explain, HomeSmart provides two systems that are readily available to both agents and brokers that no other real estate company can maintain. Named RealSmart Agent and RealSmart Broker, these systems have been created and implemented by HomeSmart International to ensure productivity and efficiency throughout their business management.   RealSmart Agent is an integrated tool for business development, transaction management and agent resources. The inclusive features and user friendly interface gives agents the ability to manage their transactions more efficiently by including automated alerts and required document uploads.  As the centralized point of access to all agent-based resources, RealSmart Agent provides the visibility needed to see, manage and grow a business in one place. Essentially, RealSmart Agent is a virtual real estate office available to you at the click of a button.   RealSmart Broker implements brokerage tasks through paperless transactions and broker/agent communications in one end-to-end system. The key driver of RealSmart Broker is compliance management, focusing specifically on minimizing the financial and legal risk associated with broker tasks. HomeSmart proudly boasts of the operational efficiency within their technology and RealSmart Agent/Broker have successfully supported this claim.   At HomeSmart, the focus is on taking advantage of the benefits that technology offers and being able to successfully incorporate this technology into their business model. HomeSmart Chief Operating Officer, Wendy Forsythe, adds, “Technology supports the systems you operate your business with. Without the systems, even the best technology is not effective. At HomeSmart, we focus on combining the business systems and the technology.”   While conventional brokerages tend to stick to tradition, HomeSmart thrives on revolutionizing the real estate industry to provide an integrated system of excellent service at the hands of the latest technology.   Furthermore, and with all smugness aside, HomeSmart International values not only the customers that their agents bring in, but also the agents and brokers themselves. Your time and your sanity is valuable. HomeSmart was built to recognize this amongst all its brokers, agents and consumers and does so by continuously striving to simplify their experience. With 24/7 broker and agent support, the franchisor allows brokers to focus on running their business and agents to focus on their deals and personalized experiences with clients rather than juggling all parts of the, all too often, complicated home buying process.   If you’re interested in requesting more information about HomeSmart or are ready to become a HomeSmart agent, apply today! Or, contact Bryan Brooks at bryan.brooks@hsmove.com for franchising information.

The post Tech That Sets Us Apart – Behind the Scenes at HomeSmart International appeared first on HomeSmart.

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A common theme that has seemed to surface about the home buying process is that it is long, complicated and, most often times, difficult for both the consumer and the agent. HomeSmart International however, has turned this recurring expectation of real estate into nothing more than an outdated misconception.
 
How? You may ask. As a general explanation, HomeSmart prides itself on using their proprietary technology to aid their brokers, agents, and respectively, their clients in the home buying/selling/renting experience. But what exactly is our technology and what makes it better, I mean different, than the others?
 
The foundation of the HomeSmart business model is built on an ecosystem of proprietary technology that streamlines the homebuying process from listing to closing. There exists no third party vendors or outside systems within HomeSmart, allowing less redundancies and complications for the end user. Founder and CEO, Matt Widdows, created the company to run on end-to-end technology, providing centralized services to all brokers and agents. This strategy to real estate, in turn, allows for consistency throughout all HomeSmart locations nationwide. Simply put, HomeSmart technology offers a paperless platform for all parties involved in the home buying process at no additional fee to the broker or the consumer.
 
To further explain, HomeSmart provides two systems that are readily available to both agents and brokers that no other real estate company can maintain. Named RealSmart Agent and RealSmart Broker, these systems have been created and implemented by HomeSmart International to ensure productivity and efficiency throughout their business management.
 
RealSmart Agent is an integrated tool for business development, transaction management and agent resources. The inclusive features and user friendly interface gives agents the ability to manage their transactions more efficiently by including automated alerts and required document uploads.  As the centralized point of access to all agent-based resources, RealSmart Agent provides the visibility needed to see, manage and grow a business in one place. Essentially, RealSmart Agent is a virtual real estate office available to you at the click of a button.
 
RealSmart Broker implements brokerage tasks through paperless transactions and broker/agent communications in one end-to-end system. The key driver of RealSmart Broker is compliance management, focusing specifically on minimizing the financial and legal risk associated with broker tasks. HomeSmart proudly boasts of the operational efficiency within their technology and RealSmart Agent/Broker have successfully supported this claim.
 
At HomeSmart, the focus is on taking advantage of the benefits that technology offers and being able to successfully incorporate this technology into their business model. HomeSmart Chief Operating Officer, Wendy Forsythe, adds, “Technology supports the systems you operate your business with. Without the systems, even the best technology is not effective. At HomeSmart, we focus on combining the business systems and the technology.”
 
While conventional brokerages tend to stick to tradition, HomeSmart thrives on revolutionizing the real estate industry to provide an integrated system of excellent service at the hands of the latest technology.
 
Furthermore, and with all smugness aside, HomeSmart International values not only the customers that their agents bring in, but also the agents and brokers themselves. Your time and your sanity is valuable. HomeSmart was built to recognize this amongst all its brokers, agents and consumers and does so by continuously striving to simplify their experience. With 24/7 broker and agent support, the franchisor allows brokers to focus on running their business and agents to focus on their deals and personalized experiences with clients rather than juggling all parts of the, all too often, complicated home buying process.
 
If you’re interested in requesting more information about HomeSmart or are ready to become a HomeSmart agent, apply today! Or, contact Bryan Brooks at bryan.brooks@hsmove.com for franchising information.

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Brokerage Reorganization: Death of the Office Manager https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/brokerage-reorganization-death-office-manager/ https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/brokerage-reorganization-death-office-manager/#respond Fri, 23 Feb 2018 23:43:03 +0000 https://wordpress.homesmartdev.com/homesmart/?p=30410   The organizational structure of a residential real estate office has changed drastically over the years. You used to walk into a brokerage to find an office manager who has a broad enough background to be able to support agents in all areas of the business. It is now more difficult to find someone to fulfill that role and subsequently, less likely.   HomeSmart Chief Operating Officer Wendy Forsythe, discusses organizational management and the deconstruction of the one-size-fits-all office manager in an article with RISMedia.     By: Wendy Forsythe   The classic organizational structure of a real estate brokerage company has positioned the real estate office manager as the linchpin of the organization. This individual is the master of all things related to running the office and has the day-to-day responsibility of juggling all the balls in the air. They are the one-size-fits-all T-shirt of the real estate industry—but do they represent the future?   Profile of a One-Size-Fits-All Office Manager   The career path to becoming an office manager typically starts with real estate sales. An individual enters the industry as a salesperson, does well, shows some promise and is offered the opportunity to manage an office. In other cases, an individual moves into this role when they advance from being a successful salesperson to opening their own brokerage.   Problems With the One-Size-Fits-All Office Manager Role   The evolution of the industry—with technology, different business models, growing popularity of teams and a more sophisticated consumer—has added the one-size-fits-all office manager to the endangered species list. Finding one person who has a broad enough skillset to provide leadership and guidance to agents across all the varied areas of the business has become more and more difficult.   Adding to the complexities of finding this person is then retaining them. An individual with the skillset varied and advanced enough to do a good job in the role of one-size-fits-all office manager is typically worth more than a company can afford to compensate them. This makes demand high and competition to retain this individual fierce.   Organizational Management Enters Real Estate   Organizational management is a well-adopted business method of analyzing, planning and leading a company’s resources with the goal of achieving its objectives. The process allows leaders to build a path to success by breaking up the company into sections, so they can gain a clear understanding of each department’s goals and how to implement them most effectively in order to get each one aligned to accomplish those goals.   When applied to real estate, what was once a singular office manager role in most offices can now be broken into several roles with multiple personnel. When organization management strategies are applied to the role of the one-size-fits-all office manager, the common outcome is to create the three functional areas:   Compliance – Deal Doctoring and Broker Duties Production – Training, Mentoring and Coaching Growth – Recruiting and Retention   Deconstructing the Office Manager in Small Brokerages   In single-office companies, typically the owner of the brokerage is also the one-size-fits-all office manager. In this type of business model, the deconstruction of the office manager happens by delegating all or parts of the job description to other people who will support the broker/owner.   The broker/owner looks to their current roster of agents for people with a passion for and strengths in the key areas of compliance, training or recruiting. These people typically continue to sell and supplement their incomes with the additional responsibilities.   It is often challenging for small brokerages to make the numbers work to allow for compensation of multiple people as part of a management team. If that can be solved, this offers a lot of flexibility to the broker/owner and additional support to the agents in the company.   Deconstructing the Office Manager in Large Brokerages   In large brokerages, the organizational chart for team management, along with the revenue necessary to support a management team, is often an easier part of the equation to solve.   A recruiter, trainer, broker support and their teams can support multiple offices across a wide geography. The owner or owners then become responsible for leading this team and fostering culture, providing strategic direction, oversight and accountability to results. This allows the owner or owners to continue to drive the entrepreneurial spirit of the organization without getting bogged down in the day-to-day operations.   Historically, multiple-office companies have been known to find themselves vulnerable to the one-size-fits-all office manager. Because the agents have a relationship with that person, if he or she leaves, there is a real risk that producing agents will follow them to their new company, thus leaving the current owner feeling like they are being held hostage to the office manager.   When the office manager role is deconstructed, this risk is more limited. A member of the management team may leave, but the agents have relationships with several people. So, while they may have held affection for the leaving employee, they are less likely to feel like they need to change brokerages along with them. They still have the support and familiarity of the other management team members.   Taking a Page out of Sports   A professional athlete doesn’t just have one coach; they have a coaching team that supports them in performing at their highest level. Professional REALTORS® are required to have a diverse skillset, and be constantly motivated, focused and driven. The brokerage reorganization and growing demise of the one-size-fits-all office manager is a trend directly connected to the changing market and the fast-paced changing real estate industry.   For years, there has been a consistent call to action to raise the level of professionalism in the real estate industry. Brokerage owners have been called upon to take the lead in this charge by being more stringent on whom they hire and holding their agents more accountable. The adoption of organizational management could be the answer to finally moving the needle

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The organizational structure of a residential real estate office has changed drastically over the years. You used to walk into a brokerage to find an office manager who has a broad enough background to be able to support agents in all areas of the business. It is now more difficult to find someone to fulfill that role and subsequently, less likely.
 
HomeSmart Chief Operating Officer Wendy Forsythe, discusses organizational management and the deconstruction of the one-size-fits-all office manager in an article with RISMedia.
 

 
By: Wendy Forsythe
 
The classic organizational structure of a real estate brokerage company has positioned the real estate office manager as the linchpin of the organization. This individual is the master of all things related to running the office and has the day-to-day responsibility of juggling all the balls in the air. They are the one-size-fits-all T-shirt of the real estate industry—but do they represent the future?
 
Profile of a One-Size-Fits-All Office Manager
 
The career path to becoming an office manager typically starts with real estate sales. An individual enters the industry as a salesperson, does well, shows some promise and is offered the opportunity to manage an office. In other cases, an individual moves into this role when they advance from being a successful salesperson to opening their own brokerage.
 
Problems With the One-Size-Fits-All Office Manager Role
 
The evolution of the industry—with technology, different business models, growing popularity of teams and a more sophisticated consumer—has added the one-size-fits-all office manager to the endangered species list. Finding one person who has a broad enough skillset to provide leadership and guidance to agents across all the varied areas of the business has become more and more difficult.
 
Adding to the complexities of finding this person is then retaining them. An individual with the skillset varied and advanced enough to do a good job in the role of one-size-fits-all office manager is typically worth more than a company can afford to compensate them. This makes demand high and competition to retain this individual fierce.
 
Organizational Management Enters Real Estate
 
Organizational management is a well-adopted business method of analyzing, planning and leading a company’s resources with the goal of achieving its objectives. The process allows leaders to build a path to success by breaking up the company into sections, so they can gain a clear understanding of each department’s goals and how to implement them most effectively in order to get each one aligned to accomplish those goals.
 
When applied to real estate, what was once a singular office manager role in most offices can now be broken into several roles with multiple personnel. When organization management strategies are applied to the role of the one-size-fits-all office manager, the common outcome is to create the three functional areas:
 

  1. Compliance – Deal Doctoring and Broker Duties
  2. Production – Training, Mentoring and Coaching
  3. Growth – Recruiting and Retention

 
Deconstructing the Office Manager in Small Brokerages
 
In single-office companies, typically the owner of the brokerage is also the one-size-fits-all office manager. In this type of business model, the deconstruction of the office manager happens by delegating all or parts of the job description to other people who will support the broker/owner.
 
The broker/owner looks to their current roster of agents for people with a passion for and strengths in the key areas of compliance, training or recruiting. These people typically continue to sell and supplement their incomes with the additional responsibilities.
 
It is often challenging for small brokerages to make the numbers work to allow for compensation of multiple people as part of a management team. If that can be solved, this offers a lot of flexibility to the broker/owner and additional support to the agents in the company.
 
Deconstructing the Office Manager in Large Brokerages
 
In large brokerages, the organizational chart for team management, along with the revenue necessary to support a management team, is often an easier part of the equation to solve.
 
A recruiter, trainer, broker support and their teams can support multiple offices across a wide geography. The owner or owners then become responsible for leading this team and fostering culture, providing strategic direction, oversight and accountability to results. This allows the owner or owners to continue to drive the entrepreneurial spirit of the organization without getting bogged down in the day-to-day operations.
 
Historically, multiple-office companies have been known to find themselves vulnerable to the one-size-fits-all office manager. Because the agents have a relationship with that person, if he or she leaves, there is a real risk that producing agents will follow them to their new company, thus leaving the current owner feeling like they are being held hostage to the office manager.
 
When the office manager role is deconstructed, this risk is more limited. A member of the management team may leave, but the agents have relationships with several people. So, while they may have held affection for the leaving employee, they are less likely to feel like they need to change brokerages along with them. They still have the support and familiarity of the other management team members.
 
Taking a Page out of Sports
 
A professional athlete doesn’t just have one coach; they have a coaching team that supports them in performing at their highest level. Professional REALTORS® are required to have a diverse skillset, and be constantly motivated, focused and driven. The brokerage reorganization and growing demise of the one-size-fits-all office manager is a trend directly connected to the changing market and the fast-paced changing real estate industry.
 
For years, there has been a consistent call to action to raise the level of professionalism in the real estate industry. Brokerage owners have been called upon to take the lead in this charge by being more stringent on whom they hire and holding their agents more accountable. The adoption of organizational management could be the answer to finally moving the needle in the advancement of the general quality of the real estate professional.
 
Wendy Forsythe has leveraged her passion for real estate, operations and branding to help build successful real estate networks in both Canada and the United States. She is currently the chief operating officer at HomeSmart International. HomeSmart combines a transaction fee business system with high service and robust technology. To learn more visit HomeSmart.com/join. You can reach Wendy directly at Wendy.Forsythe@HomeSmart.com.

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Finding The Right System One Month After Inman Connect https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/right-system-one-month-inman-connect/ https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/right-system-one-month-inman-connect/#respond Tue, 20 Feb 2018 22:45:28 +0000 https://wordpress.homesmartdev.com/homesmart/?p=30380     By Matt Hensler   Cold air continues to linger in New York City nearly a month after conference attendees at the 2018 Inman Connect Conference packed up and headed back to their brokerages and clients.For many in the industry, the status quo has set in and they’re back to business as usual, but for others, the conversations and insights introduced at Inman are now driving them to achieve next-level success in their real estate businesses.   One such conversation occurred with HomeSmart’s very own Wendy Forsythe when she joined the crew on The Boom Real Estate Podcast. If you’re like Wendy, passionate about the Real Estate industry, then you’ll want to hear what she had to say. While the entire episode is worth the listen, key excerpts below are sure to keep you thinking about what changes you need to be making to get your real estate business on track in 2018.     [3:33] How the on demand consumer is changing real estate.   We’re all living in an on-demand culture. Whether ordering an Uber or on Amazon, we’re seemingly unwilling to wait to for anything. The ‘I want it now’ way of thinking has arrived in real estate full force.   While the industry used to debate about how quickly agents should follow up with online leads, we’re now focused on how quickly a homeowner can sell their home. iBuyers have certainly gotten some mindshare this past year. For those consumers opting for that approach to home sales, time has proven to be more valuable than money. Still, those models don’t displace the value millions of homeowners still get from working with real estate agents. They do create the need for agents to educate themselves on this new industry normal, and in turn, educate their sellers about their options.   [7:33] Dissecting Technology Disruption In Real Estate   Tech disruption is a BIG topic facing everyone in the industry. While technology continues to be front-and-center every day, true disruption is actually found in the business processes and systems required for the technology to work.   Without the right systems, technology is simply a distraction. The podcast discussion pointed to CRM as an example. Without systems in place to build relationships with leads, or to promptly answer online inquiries, even the best CRM doesn’t do anything to help your business.   Instead of technology, agents, teams and brokers need to be focused on the systems the technology supports. Adding technology strategically and intentionality to those systems will result in business that thrives.   [11:13] The Agent-Broker Partnership   At the end of the day, agent entrepreneurs get into the business to be in business for themselves. Traditional 70/30 or 80/20 broker splits don’t give agents the control they should have over their own business decisions. Agents deserve more of a voice in how their commission revenue gets spent. When they don’t, it leads to friction in the agent-broker relationship.   As an industry, more respect needs to be given to agents as independent business owners. They need to be free to invest in tools they need to manage their business and to be leaders in their own business. Unless brokerage companies view the relationship with their agents as a business partnership, business success won’t reach its full potential.   At HomeSmart, nearly two decades of attention has been spent on developing the brokerage business systems that enable agents to thrive within their own businesses. Those systems are driven by proprietary technologies like RealSmart Broker and RealSmart Agent which boost agent productivity and brokerage performance.   Best of all, the transaction fee-based model allows agents the freedom to act as CEOs for their own small business while surrounded with the support, tools and resources of an enterprise.

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By Matt Hensler
 
Cold air continues to linger in New York City nearly a month after conference attendees at the 2018 Inman Connect Conference packed up and headed back to their brokerages and clients.For many in the industry, the status quo has set in and they’re back to business as usual, but for others, the conversations and insights introduced at Inman are now driving them to achieve next-level success in their real estate businesses.
 
One such conversation occurred with HomeSmart’s very own Wendy Forsythe when she joined the crew on The Boom Real Estate Podcast. If you’re like Wendy, passionate about the Real Estate industry, then you’ll want to hear what she had to say. While the entire episode is worth the listen, key excerpts below are sure to keep you thinking about what changes you need to be making to get your real estate business on track in 2018.
 

 
[3:33] How the on demand consumer is changing real estate.
 
We’re all living in an on-demand culture. Whether ordering an Uber or on Amazon, we’re seemingly unwilling to wait to for anything. The ‘I want it now’ way of thinking has arrived in real estate full force.
 
While the industry used to debate about how quickly agents should follow up with online leads, we’re now focused on how quickly a homeowner can sell their home. iBuyers have certainly gotten some mindshare this past year. For those consumers opting for that approach to home sales, time has proven to be more valuable than money. Still, those models don’t displace the value millions of homeowners still get from working with real estate agents. They do create the need for agents to educate themselves on this new industry normal, and in turn, educate their sellers about their options.
 
[7:33] Dissecting Technology Disruption In Real Estate
 
Tech disruption is a BIG topic facing everyone in the industry. While technology continues to be front-and-center every day, true disruption is actually found in the business processes and systems required for the technology to work.
 
Without the right systems, technology is simply a distraction. The podcast discussion pointed to CRM as an example. Without systems in place to build relationships with leads, or to promptly answer online inquiries, even the best CRM doesn’t do anything to help your business.
 
Instead of technology, agents, teams and brokers need to be focused on the systems the technology supports. Adding technology strategically and intentionality to those systems will result in business that thrives.
 
[11:13] The Agent-Broker Partnership
 
At the end of the day, agent entrepreneurs get into the business to be in business for themselves. Traditional 70/30 or 80/20 broker splits don’t give agents the control they should have over their own business decisions. Agents deserve more of a voice in how their commission revenue gets spent. When they don’t, it leads to friction in the agent-broker relationship.
 
As an industry, more respect needs to be given to agents as independent business owners. They need to be free to invest in tools they need to manage their business and to be leaders in their own business. Unless brokerage companies view the relationship with their agents as a business partnership, business success won’t reach its full potential.
 
At HomeSmart, nearly two decades of attention has been spent on developing the brokerage business systems that enable agents to thrive within their own businesses. Those systems are driven by proprietary technologies like RealSmart Broker and RealSmart Agent which boost agent productivity and brokerage performance.
 
Best of all, the transaction fee-based model allows agents the freedom to act as CEOs for their own small business while surrounded with the support, tools and resources of an enterprise.

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Why You Can’t Help Falling in Love with a Career in Real Estate https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/cant-help-falling-love-career-real-estate/ https://wordpress.homesmart.com/homesmart/cant-help-falling-love-career-real-estate/#respond Wed, 14 Feb 2018 21:24:37 +0000 https://wordpress.homesmartdev.com/homesmart/?p=30370     All too often people have a less than ideal relationship with their career. Just as all relationships have the potential to lose their spark, your job is no different. Whether you are feeling stuck, unsatisfied or all of the above, being unhappy in your (career) relationship is no way to a happy life. If you have heard of the great benefits of a profession in real estate but are too nervous to take the leap, then this article is for you. Here are a few reasons leaving your lackluster job and entering an exciting new industry may be the best relationship advice you’ve ever gotten.   The real estate market is constantly changing and while, yes, it is highly indicative of the current economy, it is also an industry that will truly never fade away. Starting a career in real estate is a great way to launch your own business and foster the independence in your career that you have always wanted.   You get to be your own boss. Possibly one of the most well-known benefits of this industry, real estate agents set their own schedule, personally build their clientele, and even devise their own marketing tactics, according to WorkItDaily. Additionally, this means that your time is yours. Once relationships develop and positive rapport with your clientele is built, vacation time will no longer be a luxury you only dreamt of. As an independent contractor, you control when and how much you want to work.   There is no cap on the growth of your business. Being your own boss ensures that you can expand your business as much, or as little, as you would like. A great benefit to entering the real estate market is that your hard work truly pays off. The more time and energy you put into your business, the more you will to get out of it.   With that being said, there are many people that take advantage of this aspect and decide to further their career by building a brokerage and sponsoring agents, however there are others that enjoy the simplicity of working as a realtor part-time. Whether you decide on the former or the latter route is completely up to you, an offer most other industries cannot compete with.   Earning potential is exponential. At HomeSmart, our agents are offered 100% commission. Not only is this a successful program, but it also fosters incentive that is hard to pass up. Hard work is met with rewards, and in this career field, you are not restricted by an hourly or even salary wage. You are the sole determinant for how much you make in this industry and there is nothing stopping you from meeting your financial goals.   Client success will yield future rewards. According to the 2010 National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 87% of sellers say they are likely to use the same agent again or would recommend that agent to others. A major benefit to this business is that it reaps proper return on investment by creating future business from positive experiences with customers.   Real estate is exciting! In an industry that is always changing, it is nearly impossible to remain stagnant (which, luckily for you, means little room for boredom). Keeping up with evolving housing markets and constantly meeting with different personality types, creates an exciting work environment, one that is almost never the same as yesterday.   Learn more about the benefits HomeSmart offers its agents.

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All too often people have a less than ideal relationship with their career. Just as all relationships have the potential to lose their spark, your job is no different. Whether you are feeling stuck, unsatisfied or all of the above, being unhappy in your (career) relationship is no way to a happy life. If you have heard of the great benefits of a profession in real estate but are too nervous to take the leap, then this article is for you. Here are a few reasons leaving your lackluster job and entering an exciting new industry may be the best relationship advice you’ve ever gotten.
 
The real estate market is constantly changing and while, yes, it is highly indicative of the current economy, it is also an industry that will truly never fade away. Starting a career in real estate is a great way to launch your own business and foster the independence in your career that you have always wanted.
 
You get to be your own boss. Possibly one of the most well-known benefits of this industry, real estate agents set their own schedule, personally build their clientele, and even devise their own marketing tactics, according to WorkItDaily. Additionally, this means that your time is yours. Once relationships develop and positive rapport with your clientele is built, vacation time will no longer be a luxury you only dreamt of. As an independent contractor, you control when and how much you want to work.
 
There is no cap on the growth of your business. Being your own boss ensures that you can expand your business as much, or as little, as you would like. A great benefit to entering the real estate market is that your hard work truly pays off. The more time and energy you put into your business, the more you will to get out of it.
 
With that being said, there are many people that take advantage of this aspect and decide to further their career by building a brokerage and sponsoring agents, however there are others that enjoy the simplicity of working as a realtor part-time. Whether you decide on the former or the latter route is completely up to you, an offer most other industries cannot compete with.
 
Earning potential is exponential. At HomeSmart, our agents are offered 100% commission. Not only is this a successful program, but it also fosters incentive that is hard to pass up. Hard work is met with rewards, and in this career field, you are not restricted by an hourly or even salary wage. You are the sole determinant for how much you make in this industry and there is nothing stopping you from meeting your financial goals.
 
Client success will yield future rewards. According to the 2010 National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 87% of sellers say they are likely to use the same agent again or would recommend that agent to others. A major benefit to this business is that it reaps proper return on investment by creating future business from positive experiences with customers.
 
Real estate is exciting! In an industry that is always changing, it is nearly impossible to remain stagnant (which, luckily for you, means little room for boredom). Keeping up with evolving housing markets and constantly meeting with different personality types, creates an exciting work environment, one that is almost never the same as yesterday.
 
Learn more about the benefits HomeSmart offers its agents.

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