So you’re a new real estate agent in the San Diego area, the ink barely dried on your real estate license, and you’re not sure where to begin. There a few tried and true ways that you can grow your client base to make the living that you dreamed of in real estate. There’s not an easy “one size fits all” solution to this question, but with the right amount of smart (and hard) work, you can grow your client base and be on your way to success in no time.
Work with What (and Who) You Know
You have a life outside of the real-estate world, and chances are that you had other careers before this one as well. Lean on that personal insight to get started, and don’t be afraid to walk some familiar paths. Maybe it’s an old co-worker who mentions they’ve been thinking about selling a rental property. It could be a friend talking about how their parents are looking to downsize their empty nest. Perhaps it’s a family member looking to make room for a new child. You can’t make a living your whole career exclusively among your social circle, but it can be a jumping off point - or one half of a deal that comes to you from somewhere else. The first step in building a client base is growing your sphere of influence, and you can start with the one that you already have.
Think Modern
The real-estate world today is different than it was twenty or even ten years ago. It may be harder today to strike up an organic door-to-door conversation than it was in years past, but the good news is that the capacity to reach people where they are hasn’t vanished, it’s merely migrated to different platforms. Think about how social networks are built and maintained in the modern world and how technology has influenced how people socialize and do business.
Seek people out on social media venues and develop an online presence. Be flexible with your working hours as well, as people may be more willing or able to talk real-estate with you outside of their regular working hours. Don’t neglect real-world networking opportunities either. Be aware that you’ll need to put yourself out there in a few different ways to meet and connect with people and find the leads that you’re seeking.
Think Like a Business
Beyond your interactions with others as a person, you’ll need to think about how you present the face of your business. You’ll need to develop a marketing strategy that goes beyond “face-to-face,” and be attentive to online review services. A large number of good reviews on an online review service can go far to legitimize your business and can even bump you higher in search engine results. All of these things will be important when you’re looking at how to attract new or walk-in clients.
Join a Realtor Referral Program
There is another significant step you can take to build your network of clients in the San Diego area. Raintree Property Management, a San Diego area property management company offers a Realtor Referral Program. This program allows you to refer clients who are real-estate investors to a property management company who explains what services they provide. If your client signs a contract with Raintree Property Management, you get paid a commission!
How Does This Help You?
You’re probably wondering how this helps you as a realtor who is looking to grow your network of clients. After all, this sounds like you’d be forfeiting clients to another business. The good news is that Raintree is not in the real estate business at all. They are focused on providing property management services to real-estate investors when they own their properties. When those investors decide it’s time to buy or sell, Raintree will refer them back to you. You can focus on what you do best, which is to help your clients buy and sell real-estate.
Should you decide to join up as a referral partner, Raintree Property Management will offer you a contract that outlines their responsibilities to you as a referral partner so that you can keep your peace of mind. Signing up as a referral partner with Raintree will also loop you in with an entire network of people who can help you to strengthen the client relationships that you have and direct you to new ones.
So, What do You Need to Do?
If you've decided you’re interested in partnering with Raintree Property Management and you want to explore how you can provide better service to your clients and find new ones, then don’t delay! Join the Realtor Referral Program now! It’s as easy as sending a referral online and getting in touch with Raintree Property Management about everything they can do for you.
