Need More Buyers? Make Your Own! (and get employers to love you for it)

As an agent, one thing I always hear other agents say (including myself at times!) is:  "I need some BUYERS!"

What better way to get buyers than to create them?  "But gee, Dr. Frankenstein, my lab's fresh out of the neccessary parts...what do I do?"

 NAR has a program that has been adopted by several state and local associations, Tucson being one of them.  It is called the "Home From Work" initiative.  By going to employers and offering your expertise to teach homebuying classes and credit education at no charge--as an employee benefit, you can put in a little "sweat equity" to find people willing and able to fulfill the dream of homeownership.

Recently, Tucson Association of REALTORS® offered training to REALTORS®, lenders and interested parties free of charge to help spur the initiative in our area.  The class taught best practices for approaching employers, guidelines for presentation and handouts...even a customizable powerpoint to be able to leave behind. 


Jay McCall & Judy Lowe Taught This Class April 16

To learn more about this program, visit the NAR Webpage concerning it or contact your local association.

 

NAR Homebuyer Video From YouTube 

        Kent Simpson
Kent Simpson REALTOR®, e-Certified®, AHS® (with The Pepper Group™ Diversified Real Estate): Real Estate Agent in Tucson, Pima County, Arizona web counter

 
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31 Comments on Need More Buyers? Make Your Own! (and get employers to love you for it)

I'm curious as to how businesses take this.  I would love to hear from folks who have participated in this program.

04/29/2008 06:34 AM by Tiffany Wilson (Shorewood Realtors)


Kent, sounds like a great idea -- I'd been thinking about doing this for a while.  I'll have to check in to the program that you mentioned.

04/29/2008 06:44 AM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


So far, we've had a couple of the suburbs' town governments take us up on the offer, with mixed results.  One was very successful, and the other not so great.  I'll be writing about this again, once we've had a chance to see some action...and what the results are like.  Thanks Tiffany.

Brian - nothing ventured, nothing gained.  Thanks for stopping by!

04/29/2008 08:02 AM by Kent Simpson REALTOR®, e-Certified®, AHS® (with The Pepper Group™ Diversified Real Estate)


Kent:  I've been thinking about doing this -- as I love to teach and put on seminars.   I think I'll start seeing if I can put some seminars on the fall time.

04/29/2008 08:25 AM by Kathy Torline-Nordstrom KAT, an expert you can trust in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Prudential Professional REALTORS)


I have attempted to offer the same type of thing from a lending point of view and have had some success with it.  It is a great way to find buyers.

04/29/2008 08:37 AM by Don Draughn - Mortgage Professional (Affordable Home Funding, Inc)


Thank you for such an informative post...I am looking in to it right away.

04/29/2008 11:28 AM by Cherimie Crane, ABR, e-PRO (Advanced Real Estate Company)


I hear mixed results from seminars here locally... and I have a slightly different type planned for next month.  This sounds like a good one, too. 

04/29/2008 12:50 PM by Lane Bailey - The REALTOR for Car People (Century 21 Network Realty)


I am a MN loan officer who has done this first hand.  We have trademarked 'Qualified Mortgage Plan' which is a stand alone employee benefits program help to educate employees.

Our approach has been an educational one.

it is viewed as a lunch and learn.  

We bring in lunch and host a 30 min. seminar on such topics: Issues revolving around Credit, Investing w/ in your 401K, identity fraud, lending industry updates.

the trick is to find topics that your target audience wants to learn more about.  We have targeted financial firms: accounting, brokerage, planners.

Please contact me with any thoughts or suggestions.

scott@uptownfinancial.com

04/29/2008 01:41 PM by Scott Teigland (Uptown Financial Corporation)


It may just be me, but I can't connect to the video.  At any rate, this is a great idea. 

04/29/2008 01:45 PM by Joan Whitebook, ABR, e-Pro, CEBA (Buyer's Option Realty Services)


This looks like a great idea to round up some buyers.  thank you for sharing will have to look into it some more.

04/29/2008 02:54 PM by Bronson Barber (Utah Select Realty)


I just emailed my board and my broker to look into this. There are no classes in my area so it needs to be sponsered. Thanks for the info!!

04/29/2008 03:09 PM by Jeannette Neerpat, e-Pro Coral Springs/Parkland Real Estate (London Realty Corp)


I am definitely interested in this program. You are absolutely right. This sounds like a very good way to get buyers. I am going to have to check out GCAAR to find out more about this. Great post.

04/29/2008 04:59 PM by Lanre Folayan "Buy a home in Washington,DC" (EXIT PREMIER REALTY)


What a great idea! It may be a long term commitment, but sounds great!

04/29/2008 05:41 PM by Huntsville, Alabama Real Estate Agent Elizabeth Ramsey Cooper (Remax Huntsville/Madison)


I've never heard of this program but it sounds reasonable. Anyone else actually use it?

04/29/2008 06:22 PM by Alan Robinson (PTE REAL ESTATE GROUP)


What a great idea!  I'll have to see if our local association is participating at our next Education Committee Meeting.

04/29/2008 06:29 PM by Chris Ann Cleland (Long & Foster)


This is a great idea. When I managed an office some of our agents tried to get some traction this way through employee groups. They didn't have much success, but a packaged program like this may make a difference. Thanks

04/29/2008 06:36 PM by Geoff Scowcroft (Coldwell Banker)


Kent.... thanks for sharing this.  This is another great networking idea. It's almost like going to a college or a community college and asking to teach a class on home buying. The school usually likes this and will give you the classroom free of charge.  Thanks for the idea....

jeff belonger

04/29/2008 09:19 PM by Jeff Belonger -- The FHA Expert.com -- New Jersey mortgage -- FHA mortgages (Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc)


Wow - my BlackBerry was beeping all day long with your comments!  I am excited about this program and hope to implement it when I slow down a bit, as it is a serious commitment.  Thanks to all of you who read this and also to those who commented.

Kathy - I'm thinking about the same time frame for myself.

Don, Scott, Lane - Can you share with us some of how you approached different businesses and a little about your programs?

Joan - I have had difficulties with video when switching from HTML to WYSIWYG.  Think it is fixed now.

Cherimie, Emily, Bronson, Jeanette, Lanre, Chris Ann - good luck and let us know how it goes!

Elizabeth - thanks for the enthusiasm!

Alan - I know of at least 2 who were at the training with me who have been waiting for this class to get rolling.  One of them has me customizing her PowerPoint for her in my spare (?) time.

Geoff - good luck...let us know how it works for you.

Jeff - now you've given ME a new idea on how to approach this--thanks right back at ya!

 

04/29/2008 09:20 PM by Kent Simpson REALTOR®, e-Certified®, AHS® (with The Pepper Group™ Diversified Real Estate)


Great idea!!  I think this would work with any organization that needs a guest speaker also!  I am definitely going to look into this and team up with a mortgage broker and a title company.  Thanks again for the idea.  Good Luck.

04/29/2008 09:25 PM by Diane Lombardino (Bluffs Real Estate)


Great Idea!  I know that some mortgage brokers in our area do this and enlist their core group of realtors to assist.  Of course, these realtors have a constant stream of "new blood"!  There never seems to be room for any more of us in the group, so I like the idea of starting a new group!

04/29/2008 11:07 PM by Cami Pinsak (Keller Williams Realty)


Great idea Kent. I have done seminars in the past and had poor results. It was my fault and I know I would do a better job of it know. I will be trying it again.

04/29/2008 11:29 PM by Portland Oregon Real Estate >> Wayne B. Pruner, GRI (Oregon First)


Diane & Cami - thank you.  Good luck in your endeavors.

Wayne - glad to hear you're plugging along--don't be too hard on yourself though, we all have poor results sometimes, the trick is to change the method, not the message!

04/29/2008 11:47 PM by Kent Simpson REALTOR®, e-Certified®, AHS® (with The Pepper Group™ Diversified Real Estate)


The original Live Blogging! Nice work Kent - congrats on getting featured and highlighting this program.

04/29/2008 11:53 PM by Jason Todd, Real Agent Blogs ( ~ Marketing, Branding & Blogging ~)


Great idea!  I've tried the 1st time home buyer seminars, but it can be a challenge to muster up a crowd.  This is an innovative solution to that dilemma... 

04/30/2008 12:28 AM by Joe Hayden - Louisville, KY Homes for Sale (S.G. Priest Realtors)


Kent- this sounds like a very cool program... I'll check it out. Congrats on the gold star!

04/30/2008 12:33 AM by Chuck Willman, Arizona Realtor®, ABR, TRC (Gentry Realty & Investments)


Wow that sounds like a very interesting idea.  What a way to go get them.

04/30/2008 12:42 AM by Ryan Vivo, Realtor Solano County Gateway Realty (Gateway Realty)


Kent,

You rock, my friend!  Congratulations on the feature!

Mike in Tucson

04/30/2008 05:55 AM by Mike Jones (Tucson Mortgage Company, LLC)


Jason, Joe, Chuck, Ryan & Mike - thanks for the kind words...and for stopping by!

04/30/2008 09:06 AM by Kent Simpson REALTOR®, e-Certified®, AHS® (with The Pepper Group™ Diversified Real Estate)


Kent...Curious have you tried this program?  If you did how did it go?  Definitely interesting and worth a try...every good idea is worth a try!  Thanks!

C. Lange

05/01/2008 10:10 PM by Michael Lange, e-Pro, GRI and Cheron Lange (John Hall and Associates)


Hi Michael & Cheron - I took the class and am on the committee sponsoring the program--currently part of a team presenting the program through one of the local bedroom communities.  Seeing results takes a while.  After I slow down a bit, will be putting together my own team to approach businesses directly.  This is a program I heartily believe in. Thanks for asking!

05/01/2008 10:14 PM by Kent Simpson REALTOR®, e-Certified®, AHS® (with The Pepper Group™ Diversified Real Estate)


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Real Estate Agent: Kent Simpson REALTOR®, e-Certified®, AHS® (with The Pepper Group™ Diversified Real Estate)
Kent Simpson REALTOR®, e-Certified®, AHS®
Tucson, AZ
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