2020 Real Estate Agent Checklist
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As it is, the situation in the market is quite unstable and a lot of people are made to work from homes. This, on the other hand, doesn’t mean the situation is horrible in the field of real estate. First of all, people have more time to browse offers and make plans for the future. Sure, the instability of the job market, even in major business hubs like Hong Kong might make them think twice about investing in the property right away; however, they might still look around and consider their financing options. This is why real estate agents need to take this as seriously as possible and prepare accordingly. Here are several tips that real estate agents should use in order to thrive in 2020.
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Continuous self-improvement
The first thing you need to understand is that the real estate market is quite competitive and that you need to constantly self-improve in order to stay on top. Fortunately, there are numerous online courses and online learning materials that you could exploit to your own benefit. For instance, you could download an audiobook and play it on your way to work. What matters is that you’re working on relevant skills, even if the book itself is not tied to the real estate. For instance, seeing as how networking is the most important skill for every real estate agent, you might want to give a go to a classic such as How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
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Learning how to negotiate
Another thing you need to keep in mind is the fact that knowing how to negotiate goes far beyond leaving a good impression on people. You need to be great at the assessment of the situation. First, you need to start by knowing the value of your property and figuring out the budget of the potential buyer. Then, if you’re hoping for a negotiation, you need to figure out where you need to set your starting price. Start a bit higher than necessary, so that you can take the price down a notch. Other than this, being familiar with regional business etiquette can also be quite helpful. In areas like Hong Kong, knowing how to greet your opposite number, how to dress and what kind of business card to print can make all the difference.
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Expand your area of interest
One of the best ways to improve your game is to expand your interest outside of your immediate market. Sure, your real estate dealings may be localized; however, trends in distant cities, states and countries are often going to translate to your area, as well. For this very reason, it is vital that you watch out for as many markets as possible. This often requires you to improve your language skills or embrace new ones. Learning centers like Monkey Tree in Hong Kong, for instance, can help you improve your language skills in order to benefit your career.
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Market research
A great real estate agent always knows how to provide its audience with a unique proposition. In order to do this, they need to possess an in-depth knowledge of the market. Some homes are in areas that are frugal, while others are in safe suburbs great for family and kids. Then again, those who are willing to read the city council’s plan up until years 2035 or 2040 can give people a proposition to buy real estate that is going to skyrocket in price in the future. Keep in mind that this requires vigorous research.
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Gathering a team
You just can’t do it all on your own. Well, at least not on the top-tier level of service. This is why you need to gather a team of experts. You need a skilled home inspector, a great photographer, a website designer and a digital marketer that will allow your audience to see everything that you have in offer. The formation of the first impression starts long before your audience arrives at your website. This is something that you have to keep in mind at all times.
The very last thing you need to understand is the fact that being a real estate agent means being able to adjust, not just to the market but to the particular customer. Personalization of offer is something that you’ll have to figure out on your own but with the above-listed five tools on your side, this shouldn’t be that big of a problem.
