Real Estate Leads 101 - Are You Copping Out of Following Up

Working with a lead generation company has given me interesting insight into both real estate leads and agents. I dealt with both ends: the consumer and the agents themselves, and my job was to make them both happy. Yeah right. Easier said than done.

The consumer side is easy - real estate leads want a home value, they want information on the market, they want a real estate agent and we get them that. The real estate agents? Well that's another story - they pretty much wanted everything under the sun when it comes to real estate leads. They wanted to be handed people ready to list their homes with them asap, with no work involved on the agent's part. They want listings, not real estate leads.

Well, if I could provide that consistently, all the time, I'd either have a multi-million dollar company, or I'd be doing real estate full time myself. Get this through your heads agents: there is no magic service out there that will hand you listings for a low fee. Instead, these services provide you with real estate leads and it is YOUR job to turn them into clients. Got that? Real estate leads + you = clients!

YOU went to the classes, YOU studied up on sales and marketing techniques and YOU printed up all kinds of trinkets with your name and logo on them for your real estate leads. Ergo, YOU must convince your real estate leads to work with you. And if you're not converting them, maybe you need to take a look at your own methods, rather than immediately blame the source of the real estate leads.

By now, I've probably heard every excuse under the sun as to why online real estate leads are bad or bogus. And that's all it is, an excuse, a cop out to make you feel better about not being able to turn your real estate leads into listings. That being said, here are the top 5 cop-outs I've heard over the years about following up with real estate leads and my responses to them.

1. I'm a new agent and no one wants to use a new agent.

Well, how do they know you're a new agent? Did you announce it the second you spoke with your real estate leads? You don't need to tell all your real estate leads that you're new. If they ask, tell them, and be honest, but don't just volunteer the information. And how to you know "no one" wants to use a new agent - sounds like a gross generalization to me. You won't know until you get out there and try - convince your real estate leads that to be new means you're cutting edge, the best thing out there right now, show them what an expert you've become, even if you're new to the business. Just TRY to convert them. Assuming from the start your real estate leads won't want to use you because you're new doesn't even give you a chance.

Real Estate Leads 101:A System For Success

When dealing with real estate leads and converting leads to clients, there are three important questions to ask yourself:

1. How are you getting real estate leads?

2. How are you following up with your real estate leads?

3. Are you usinf a system for effective follow up?

How to Get Real Estate Leads

For questions 2 and 3 to even be an issue, you first have to figure out a way to GET real estate leads. You can't follow up with something you don't have! There are several traditional ways for real estate agents to collect real estate leads in their pipeline. One way is the direct marketing approach - basically you send out a whole lot of newsletters, fliers, and postcards with your contact information to homes in the neighborhood you're farming for real estate leads. If you start getting calls and emails, you've started building your own pipeline.

A second way of getting real estate leads is to network and ask past clients for referrals. As a real estate agent, you should always be talking to be people in the outside world, letting them know what you do, handing off business cards. Whether you're at a sports event, a dinner party or you're child's school play, there are plenty of opportunities to build real estate leads. Never be afraid to call on old clients for referrals either - if you did your job right,t hey should be more than happy to send friends and family your way.

A third way to get real estate leads is through internet marketing. In this case, I mean building your own website with contact pages as well as subscribing to some kind of online lead generation service. By doing both, you can both harness your own real estate leads and also get plenty of leads from an outside source.

Common Real Estate Programs Available

Are you interested in learning more about the real estate market? If you are, you may want to think about taking a real estate program or class. Real estate programs are available in classroom-like settings, as well as online. What is nice about real estate programs is that they are designed for a wide variety of different individuals; individuals with different goals. A few of the most common real estate programs available are touched on below.

One of the most common types of program available are for those who are interested in becoming real estate agents. If you are looking for a career change, you may be interested in becoming a real estate agent. Real estate agents help homeowners sell their homes and they also help prospective home buyers find and buy the homes of their dreams. Most real estate programs, which have a focus on becoming a real estate agent, also test and certify their students. If you are looking to become a real estate agent, a real estate program, particularly one that has a focus on making a living as a real estate agent, may be perfect for you.

Another common type of real estate program available are those that are designed for home buyers. Buying a home can sometimes be a long, complicated, and frustrating task. Many first time home buyers are unsure as to what they should be looking for in a new home. If you are one of those individuals, you may want to think about taking a real estate program that aims to educate students on what to look for in a new home.

There are also real estate programs that are designed for those who are looking to sell their own homes. Many home sellers turn to real estate agents for assistance, but not all do. If you would like to sell your own home, that is fine, but you need to know what you are doing. A real estate program that aims to educate homeowners on how to sell their own homes often offer tips on marketing, as well as information on how to deal with prospective buyers.

Another type of real estate program available is for those who are interested in making a living a real estate investor. Real estate investors are those who buy real estate properties and then either rent them out or resell them to make a profit. Although real estate investing is a great way to make money, it can be a tricky business. That is why real estate programs, with a focus on real estate investing, have increased in popularity. Real estate programs, with a focus on investing, often teach students how to make money as real estate investors by outlining some techniques that work, as well as ones that don't work.

As outlined above, there are a number of different real estate programs that you can take; programs that can fit your needs. In short, whether you are looking for a real estate program that will teach you how to properly buy a home, properly sell a home, make a living as a real estate agent, or make a living as a real estate investor, there should be a real estate program out there that is perfect for you.

Real Estate Auctions - The New Land Rush

On a sunny afternoon in Florida, an energetic crowd gathers on the lawn of a high end luxury estate. A loud and eager banter between an auctioneer, a group of bidders and bidder assistants fills the air. For several minutes the auctioneer asks for the next highest bid and the bidders respond. Suddenly the bidders grow silent. The high bidder holds his breath in anticipation of winning the auction. The auctioneer calls for one more bid. In a loud clear voice which rolls over the audience he says, "Fair warning, last chance" the auctioneer pauses, "SOLD!" And in less than 10 minutes another multimillion dollar estate has changed owners.

Successful real estate auctions like the one above are happening all over North America and the Caribbean. Recently real estate auctions have been on the rise, the increase in popularity is partly driven by growing inventories and fading buyer confidence. Properties that were selling in weeks using traditional methods are now languishing on the market unable to attract buyers even as seller's lower prices. Many say the real estate boom is over but savvy buyers and sellers are profiting from real estate auctions.

Real Estate Auctions Work in Up or Down Markets.

Regardless of trends or market cycles, real estate auctions provide an open and transparent process for buyers and sellers. Properly conducted real estate auctions attract ready and willing buyers and motivate them to act now.

The auction method removes the "wait and see" attitude which serves to further depress real estate values. Buyers are always concerned about overpaying. Buyers gain confidence with their purchases at real estate auctions because they can see what others are willing to pay.

When market demand is high and inventories low, real estate auctions can deliver selling prices well above what a willing seller would have accepted in a negotiated private treaty sale. In good selling climates many property owners using traditional real estate methods; negotiating with one buyer at a time, leave thousands of dollars of equity on the table. During up markets real estate auctions are the best way to establish top market price.

Evaluating Your Real Estate for Auction

Not every property or seller for that matter makes a good candidate for auction. First of all sellers must be ready to sell now and for the current market value. Also a real estate auction will not fix problems caused by a downturn in market value of your property, if you owe more than a willing buyer will pay, be prepared to come to closing with your check book.

Properties that do well in real estate auctions have a high uniqueness factor. Ask your self, "What makes my property different from most others?" Maybe you own a resort property or high end luxury home, commercial properties and land do very well at auction. Real estate auctions thrive on uniqueness. If your property is like everyone else's, the best thing you can do is offer the most competitive price.

Most importantly sellers must be reasonable about setting a minimum bid. A seller must look at the lowest, most current comps and price below that to generate the interest and urgency necessary for a successful real estate auction. Once the auction begins and qualified bidders start competing against one another you can watch the selling price increase.

Locate a Qualified Real Estate Auctioneer

Start by checking with the National Auctioneers Association, the best real estate auctioneers belong to this organization. These real estate auctioneers are well trained and adhere to a standard of practice and a code of ethics. Many attend the annual International Auctioneers Conference where the latest techniques and innovations in the real estate auction industry are presented.

Find out if the company you are interviewing is a full time real estate auction firm. Many real estate agents are getting auction licenses yet have no experience with the auction method of marketing. Conducting a successful real estate auction is nothing like (private treaty) traditional real estate sales. Go with a real estate auction pro.

You're probably better of with an auction house that specializes in real estate auctions. There are many qualified auctioneers who have generations of experience selling personal property; furniture, dishes, lawn equipment and the occasional rare painting. Selling real estate at auction is a complex matter that should only be attempted by full time experienced real estate auction professionals.

Commissions and fees may vary, sellers must pay all marketing expenses up front and buyers typically pay 10% of the sales price to the auctioneer of which a share goes to participating real estate agents.

Money-making investments in the real estate market?

The real estate market is one where a profitable investment is always to be found; somewhere amidst the foreclosure lists or lying dormant on a real estate agent's desk. This guide aims to give you the background necessary to allow you to find profitable investment real estate.

The first key to profiting from real estate is to find a highly motivated and urgent seller. The idea is that to negotiate a lower price on a piece of real estate requires the seller to want to sell their house quickly or desperately. If you are talking to an unmotivated seller on the telephone then it will soon be very clear that you are not going to get a discounted price on this real estate. If the seller is unmotivated then you will be unable to negotiate a lucrative deal.

One counterintuitive aspect of real estate investment is that you normally make a profit when you buy real estate and not when you sell it. This means that, while there is often little you can do to increase the value of real estate; sellers are human and are often willing to negotiate their price. Saving money while buying real estate is the key to selling homes for a profit in the real estate market.

With that in mind, your first step is to develop a list of real estate properties that you are considering investing in. You are going to need to view around ten pieces of real estate before you careful choose which one will be your chosen investment.

One useful technique for sourcing profitable real estate properties is to interview real estate agents; the people that profit from real estate on a daily basis. Interviewing a real estate agent and finding out if they own any investment real estate they would be very useful. Remember, they will be more than willing to be interviewed because you are offering them your regular custom.

Real estate agents understand the market "inside out" and can be an excellent source of investment properties with low prices because others have not seen or understood the potential of them. After you create a good relationship with some local real estate agents you will typically receive a phone call every time they notice a good property reach their desk. Remember, they receive a lot in return for this relationship because the more real estate that they sell the more commission that they earn.

Another very useful method for sourcing great real estate deals is the use of foreclosure lists. All you have to do is to search Google for "foreclosure lists" in your local area. Typically, you will have to pay a subscription fee to access this but it is definitely worth the cost.

In order to profit from foreclosure lists easily and quickly, follow these steps:

* Firstly, buy the daily foreclosure list for your area and flip through the pages. 

* Select the only the real estate that has been on the list for less than thirty days. 

* Highlight the real estate that is within your budget. 

* Look particularly for real estate that is located in nice surroundings or desirable neighborhoods and only select properties that are within fifty miles from where you live. 

* Using the internet, access the local tax records and obtain the tax value of this particular piece of real estate. 

* Also, search for the real estate in question on meritrealty.org. This website is also designed to give clues as to the value of real estate.

Once you have picked a few potential properties then ask your real estate agent to take you for a viewing. If you are happy with this real estate then hire a real estate property surveyor to make sure that the house is structurally sound. This step is necessary to ensure the value of your investment.

After this point you will be in a position to make an offer on this real estate and to attempt to "buy low" in order to "sell high".

Admittedly, finding a profitable piece of real estate is usually the result of a small amount of hard work. However, this article has put you at a great advantage in the real estate market. Also, the rewards of finding valuable real estate speak for themselves. Buying an under priced piece of real estate can mean profits of tens of thousands of dollars.