Are you sick of your listing photos looking unprofessional? Can’t afford to pay for a photographer? Check out these simple real estate photography tips to help make your listings sparkle!
To sign up for classes, give us a call at 239-344-7510 or visit our website, LarsonEd.com.
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Florida real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
Whether you’re a new real estate professional or a broker, you can learn from the brokerage employment process. As a new agent, it helps to know what you can expect from the recruitment and hiring process to better prepare yourself. As a broker, you can improve your recruiting and hiring process to find the best new agents.
In our last post, we started to outline some of the common elements of a good job interview. Let’s continue with that list.
Professional Assets
Take time to explain the job in detail and give the candidate the opportunity to sell himself or herself. Questions might include:
“What do you think are your major assets as an employee?”
“What strengths do others see in you?”
“What are your areas that need development?”
Closing
Conclude the interview with a summary and ask, “Do you have any further questions about the job, our company, or anything else we’ve discussed?” A good candidate will have questions prepared for the interviewer, which will allow the candidate to listen to the interviewer sell themselves to him or her.
Selecting a Candidate
Once the interview process is finished, the next step is choosing who to hire. The right person is the one whose knowledge, skills, abilities, goals, values, and expectations fit the job. The right fit for the organization is the one who is motivated, creative, flexible, and will work well in the company’s culture.
Converting all of this to an employment decision requires a quantifiable assessment according to certain established selection criteria. Criteria related to the job and the organization must be established and become the platform for evaluating and selecting a candidate.
Hiring
The person who hires is also the person who fires. The hiring person should be completely committed to the person who is finally selected. The hiring process generally consists of two steps:
The offer and acceptance
The formal employment paperwork.
Once you have followed through on these job interview guidelines, the company and candidate will have both found the right fit for the job. Follow these hiring guidelines to better prepare for your upcoming real estate job interview, no matter which side of the table you’ll be sitting on.
To sign up for classes, give us a call at 239-344-7510 or visit our website, www.LarsonEd.com.
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Florida real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
A SWOT analysis is an honest inventory of your strengths and weaknesses as an agent and what opportunities and threats exist for you (professionally).
Florida real estate school
Strengths are your personal assets that can propel you to success. For example, one of your strenghts may be that you have a background in lending and finance.
Weaknesses are those personal liabilities that can prevent you from achieving your goals. For example, one of your weaknesses may be that you have little understanding of technology.
This isn’t a job interview; answer your SWOT questions honestly.
Opportunities are environmental factors that are helpful in achieving your objectives. For example, one of your opportunities may be that higher rent prices are causeing renters are looking to purchase real estate as first-time homebuyers.
Threats are environmental factors that are harmful to the achievement of your objectives. For example, one of your threats may be that lenders are not financing your buyers.
Remember:
Strengths and Weaknesses = internal and personal
Opportunities and Threats = external and environmental
Strengths and Opportunities = Helpful
Weaknesses and Threats = Harmful
An honest SWOT analysis can help you better understand where you are as an agent and what you should be doing to improve yourself.
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Florida real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
Whether you’re a new real estate professional or a broker, you can learn from the brokerage employment process. As a new agent, it helps to know what you can expect from the recruitment and hiring process to better prepare yourself. As a broker, you can improve your recruiting and hiring process to find the best new agents.
Generally, the real estate employment process will consist of:
Recruiting
Prescreening
Interviewing
Selecting
Hiring
Recruiting
Any brokerage needs to be able to recruit from a position of strength, which is why company image is so important. Recruiting is the process of assembling a pool of candidates for consideration.
That means the company’s business reputation and its workplace environment play a vital role in attracting the best people in the pool, which gives management good candidates to consider. Recruiting, therefore, can begin internally or externally.
Prescreening
The prescreening process is meant to gather basic information in order to decide whether an applicant meets the position requirements. Prescreening is often done with an application, a resume, a brief face-to-face, and a phone call or videoconference conversation.
Sometimes a candidate will be required to answer a few questions that require written answers. This exercise is useful not only for analyzing the content of the answer, but also for evaluating the candidate’s communication skills.
Interviewing
Candidates who make it through the prescreening process will move forward to a formal interview, the most important information-gathering part of the process. If the brokerage hasn’t found any suitable candidates to interview, then it’s better to go back to the recruiting process rather than waste everybody’s time with an interview with a candidate who doesn’t meet the qualifications.
Best practices for interviews
A good interview will include some common elements that the interviewer will use to find the best candidate.
Introduction
The opening question can be used to put the candidate at ease with an icebreaker. For example, get the conversation going with an easy question such as, “How did you become interested in our company?”
Work Experience
Questions about previous work experience can reveal the candidate’s skills, motivations, initiative, and problem-solving ability. Questions might include:
“What have you done best in previous jobs?”
“How have you handled job-related problems in the past?”
“What are your major work accomplishments?”
Education
Questions about education can reveal the candidate’s level of accomplishment, professional interests, and potential for growth and development. Questions might include:
“What have you learned related to your desired career in real estate?”
“What made you choose to work in real estate?”
“How do you feel about getting additional education?”
“What do you want to learn next?”
Check back next time for part 2!
To sign up for classes, give us a call at 239-344-7510 or visit our website, www.LarsonEd.com.
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Florida real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
Remember: LarsonEd is not only your Florida real estate school, but also your insurance school of choice!
To sign up for insurance classes, give us a call at 239-344-7510 or visit our website, www.LarsonEd.com/insurance.
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Florida real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
You may think that leadership is fixed and finite–a boss tells people below them what to do, and those people do it. However, as your personal skills change so too will your leadership needs. Likewise, as your team grows and improves, your leadership skills will become more valuable.
A one-size-fits-all approach to leadership may be hurting your real estate business. Here are 4 leadership styles you need to know as a real estate professional and when to use them.
Directive
Use this leadership style when people are highly committed but not necessarily competent with the given task.
When the task is difficult, and the people performing it are inexperienced or have low commitment, then it’s necessary to give instructions as to how the job should be done. This style of leadership puts a strong emphasis on the task, as well as a low emphasis on the people performing it.
Coaching
When people have some competence relative to the task, but are low on commitment.
When the task is difficult, but the people have some skill they need direction and supervision because of their relative inexperience. They also need support and recognition to build their confidence and involvement in decision-making to restore their commitment (which may have declined because of frustration on the team).
Supporting
Use this leadership style when people are highly committed but have varied competence.
When you have a situation that requires a supporting leadership style the individual’s skill-set has improved, but they still require support to sustain motivation to bolster their confidence. As a leader, you can start to take a backseat, giving acknowledgement and praise when necessary.
Delegating
Use this leadership style when people are both competent and committed.
People who are competent and committed will be able and willing to work on a given project by themselves with little supervision or support. Occasional monitoring allows you, as a leader, to stay informed and ensure that team members have the necessary resources. But, for the most part, this team will be better when left alone.
The better you understand your team, the more likely you’ll be able to use the most effective form of leadership. Utilize these 4 types of leadership to better lead your team in the future.
To sign up for classes, including brokers post-licensing courses, give us a call at 239-344-7510 or visit our website, www.LarsonEd.com.
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Florida real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
The real estate market is dominated by distressed properties. Real estate professionals are competing with short sales and REOs. The best strategy is to price the property right when it’s listed. If the market demands change, then it’s time to lower the price. Here are some things to consider if one of your listings isn’t moving:
You’re drawing few lookers
What are the sales statistics? Why aren’t buyers looking at your home? The answers to these questions may tell you why your listing isn’t attracting potential buyers.
You’re drawing lots of lookers but have no offers
Something is wrong if good buyers are buying other properties. An overly high price may be discouraging buyers from making an offer.
Your home’s been on the market longer than similar homes
How long is it taking similar homes to sell? It may be time to price the home UNDER the market.
You have a deadline
It’s a race against time. The price is not determined by how much money you need or when you need to sell, it’s determined by the market.
You can’t make upgrades
If comparable homes in better condition are selling, buyers are paying less for a home that doesn’t show as well as others. If the money isn’t there for fix-up, then the price must drop.
Sometimes your hands are just tied
The competition has changed
Take a look at recent sales and current listings. You’re competing against the properties priced to sell, not the properties that are priced to sit.
Keep these 6 points in mind when trying to consider whether or not to lower your client’s selling price.
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Florida real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
You’ve got a listing presentation scheduled with a potential client. Fantastic. Now think of your upcoming presentation as a job interview: you are trying to convince your potential client that you can sell their home faster, for more money, and with more care than any other agent. Therefore, your first impression should let your potential clients know that you are trustworthy, knowledgable, and prepared. Because if you don’t they may be inclined to go with another agent.
Think you can go into this or any other presentation and wing it? Failing to plan is another way of planning to fail. The true difference between rookie agents and the superstars is a preparedness. Your listing presentation is won or lost, in large part, before you even meet with the potential client. Follow these tips to better serve your potential clients’ needs.
How often do you get a personal, hand-written note from people anymore? It’s rare, but it feels great when you receive one. It shows that somebody cares about you enough to take the time to write something specifically for you.
After every listing presentation, send your potential client a handwritten letter and perhaps a small, thoughtful gift to show them what kind of personal attention they’ll receive as your client.
Also, be sure to get their email to add them to your email newsletter list (if they are interested).
5. Be ready for common questions
No, you can’t know exactly how your presentation and conversation with your potential clients will go, but there are some questions that will come up time and time again as you do more and more listing presentations. It behooves you to come prepared with some answers to those questions.
For example, they might ask: “What do you think of our property?”
Be sure to project your enthusiasm for their home—remember, this is their castle. Highlight some of the key positive features while gently sliding into a few things that could stand to be fixed.
Or they might ask: “What are your credentials?”
This one should be easy for you. Let them know if you are an accredited Realtor. Give them a rundown of your recent sales history and some average sales prices for different property types. If you are a full-time agent, mention that—it will give you more credibility than a part-time agent. If you are a part-time agent, be honest about it, but be sure to spin it into a positive by pointing out how your sales record is all the more impressive because of your part-time capacity.
6. Get the seller, not just the listing
Dale Carnegie said: “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”
Now, you don’t have to be friends with your clients, but employing the same quality listening skills that would get you a friend can help you better serve them. What is their body language saying about how they feel? What kind of questions are they asking? Paying attention to these forms of communication can help you gauge your client’s interest in your presentation.
Follow these tips to better improve your listing presentations. To sign up for classes, including real estate post-licensing, visit our website, www.LarsonEd.com, or give us a call at 239-344-7510.
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Naples real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
You’ve got a listing presentation scheduled with a potential client. Fantastic. Now think of your upcoming presentation as a job interview: you are trying to convince your potential client that you can sell their home faster, for more money, and with more care than any other agent. Therefore, your first impression should let your potential clients know that you are trustworthy, knowledgable, and prepared. Because if you don’t they may be inclined to go with another agent.
Think you can go into this or any other presentation and wing it? Failing to plan is another way of planning to fail. The true difference between rookie agents and the superstars is a preparedness. Your listing presentation is won or lost, in large part, before you even meet with the potential client. Follow these tips to better serve your potential clients’ needs.
1. Research
Yes, of course you should look up tax records for details on the property and look at similar listings in the area. But don’t overlook the value of looking up your potential clients on social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn. Get a sense of where they’ve been and where they’re going in their careers and lives by looking at job and personal information publicly available on their social media profiles.
If you think looking up your potential clients online is creepy, then consider this: What do you think people do every time they consider using your services? That’s right, they type your name into Google. This is interpersonal research in the 21st century.
2. Prepare materials
Your potential clients will want to hold hard copies of documents in their hands at a listing presentation—having tangible evidence of your work adds to your credibility as well as the credibility of the information you are presenting.
Prepare a CMA and have a full-color market analysis on hand, along with some of your personal marketing materials. Also, consider bringing along some of your photographer’s work as a sample, but remember: only do this if you get nice glossy photo paper. It’s better to present an electronic version of an image than a poorly printed hard copy.
3. Competition is your friend
What would you think of a doctor who discouraged you from getting a second opinion? They might come off as insecure and, perhaps worse, it’ll mean they’re more concerned with their own image rather than your well-being. This is how you make a potential client feel when you discourage them from interviewing multiple agents. Encourage your potential clients to talk to your competition—this displays confidence in every way.
And, if you have prepared like you should, you will stand out from your competition anyway.
Most importantly, do not speak ill of your competition or put undue pressure on your potential clients. Inform them, be honest, and speak with confidence and you will already be ahead of the game.
Follow these tips to better improve your listing presentations. To sign up for classes, including real estate post-licensing, visit our website, www.LarsonEd.com, or give us a call at 239-344-7510.
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Naples real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
Earlier this week, Gulfshore Business Magazine awarded their fourth annual Best of Business awards at the brand new Southwest Florida Performing Arts Center. Awards ranged from Best Architect to Best Private Country Club. In the Best Family-Owned Business category, who else but Larson Educational Services came out on top.
Votes were tallied during the months of April and May and, according to LarsonEd founder Brad Larson, the school came out on top “becuase of the support of our current and past students.”
Owners Brad and Dave with the award.
But Larson wants people to know that although this was a Family-Owned Business award, that doesn’t mean this was a Larson-only achievement. “This award goes out to everyone in the company,” says Brad, “not just those with the last name Larson.”
Brad also wants Larson customers and employees to know that he feels like they are all part of the Larson family. “To our intructors, customer experience team, and vendors, I want to say congratulations, because you are LarsonEd,” the owner says.
The LarsonEd team thinks people are drawn to their business not ony for their unique instruction and course materials, but also because they have such intimate knowledge of their products and care for the customer experience. “We feel the same emotions as our students in regards to their success in achieving their goals,” says Larson. “We feel the jubilation and triumph when someone passes a test, and we also feel the disappointment when things do not go according to plan.”
But, like a family, LarsonEd is willing and able to provide the support necessary to get students to the next step. “And we’ll do it with a smile on our face because we know that we can make a difference in someone’s life.”
To sign up for classes, including our brand new health insurance pre-licensing courses, visit our website, www.LarsonEd.com, or give us a call at 239-344-7510.
About Larson Educational Services:
Utilizing 30 years of real estate training and professional education experience, Naples real estate school Larson Educational Services is the premier provider of Florida real estate licensing, exam preparation, post-licensing, CAM licensing, mortgage loan originator licensing, and continuing education in Southwest Florida. Classes are available in Fort Myers, Naples, Sarasota, and online.
Naples Real Estate School 