When it comes to real estate agents, things may not be as they seem. Many people conjure up images of the stereotypical salesman with the aggressive antics and the polyester suit. Others think that real estate agents (or Realtors®, if the agent belongs to the National Association of Realtors®) talk on mobile phones, drive BMWs, and view properties.
It is true that most agents do use their cell phones (but, doesn’t everyone?). And, it is also true that agents view properties. And, some agents also drive a fancy car like a BMW. But, when a Realtor® is running a business and helping buyers and sellers get into properties, this involves more than just the cell phone, a BMW, and a few home showings.
Active agents that are busy in real estate generally have a whole team behind the scenes. Many agents have full advertising campaigns—send postcards and newsletters, use facebook and twitter for advertising, manage their websites, and use blogs and streaming video to sell homes, and syndicate listings over more than 50 sites on the Internet. Active agents also use newspaper and telephone advertising.
In addition to advertising, agents show properties and take listings. When an agent shows property to prospective buyers, s/he needs to conduct research and perform due diligence prior to scheduling the property showings. This involves contacting the other listing agents representing the homes for sale, scheduling the appointments with occupants, and previewing the properties to assure that they are suitable for buyers.
Often times, since many prospective homebuyers begin their home search on the Internet, these buyers see homes that may not be viable purchases for a variety of reasons. It is the agent’s job and fiduciary obligation to look into all aspects of the prospective home search in order to ascertain whether the transaction will be viable.
Doing this for one client is a piece of cake. But, multiply these tasks by twenty or thirty clients (twenty or thirty listings) and you can see that a qualified, productive Realtor® may need a team behind the scenes.
There are so many components to an active agent’s day that they are likely too numerous to mention. One thing that all active agents will agree about—the days go fast. Also, the pleasure of putting someone in a new home, successfully helping a distressed borrower with a short sale, or getting top dollar for a seller’s home really makes the whole job all worthwhile!
Photo: flickr creative commons by JuanDesant
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