When it comes to real estate there are a million ways to build a business. This week we focus on the one thing every agent needs to be doing. Real estate agents need to be constantly communicating with the sphere of influence in order to build a healthy business. This means every real estate agent needs to have a clear, concise, and organized contact list.

It is easy to meet new leads. It is easy to think your friends and family will use you. But the real question is will they? With so many contacts coming and going in real estate it is important to have a place to properly organize and store them. Most agents use a CRM software to help them make this task easy and efficient.

Choosing not to organize and obsess over your contacts is a setup for failure. Chasing each and every lead that comes in only to drop them when after closing is not going to build a referral based business. The more you work to be a great communicator and keep in touch with your contacts the more you will see the positive effects. Listen today and put the tips to action.

This week I am kicking it old school and talking about personal brands. When thinking about getting into the real estate business it is easy to be confused that by joining A big brand you will win. The truth is each agent at a brokerage really needs to create their own personal brand. How would you define your brand?

Tune in to learn more about making career forward choices. Choosing a brand that represents your personal brand goals is the best choice when picking a brokerage. If you like being an individual, personal touch, and attention to detail then a boutique brokerage is best for you. Understanding your end goal helps you understand what you need to do to get there.

Remember with all the hype about online that the real world exists. Personal branding is more than just what you display on a well curated social page. A personal brand is who, what, and how people think when they see you. Make sure the real you and your personal brand match so it is a natural transition from friend to client.

With all the new focus on the NAR settlement I think a lot of agents are forgetting what to say on a first showing. In this episode I make it clear the things you need to start saying to create lasting relationships. Rushing right into the professional hat versus the trusted advisor and mentor spot could get you in trouble.

While out your first showing it is important to get to know the person. Using F.O.R.D (Family, Occupation, Recreation, and Dreams) is a good way to learn about someone and build a relationship. These things are great for opening people up. Remember while it is the rules that we get the contract signed no one has told us how to get there. Building relationships gets the contract signed.

When meeting new people it is important to remember that the goal and the way the process will work is set by the client. Learn to rise to their expectations and follow their boundaries. Many agents confuse who is buying the house. They give their own opinions. They change the clients thoughts. They do not ask and then let the client decide their own needs.

Acting normal may seem like a clear solution to meeting with new people but for some people it is not. Strangely enough people tend to change who they normally are when meeting new people which can give off an uneasy vibe. By acting as a friend and normal the client will be more open to helping you understand their goals.

With all this new contract stuff let's stay focused. The name of the game is to become known, liked, and trusted. With the NAR settlement it now made us need to accomplish this faster than ever. Follow these guidelines to get there.

Now that we are past the settlement lots of agents wonder who is going to pay them. There are three different ways a buyer's agent can get paid. The buyer, seller, or cobroker pays a portion or all of the commission. It is important to understand before moving forward how it is going to work.

In this week's episode we cover all the ins and outs of navigating your commissions. Some brokerages have decided to shy away from cooperating compensation. Others have gone with the paperwork and guidance of NAR and have continued to offer cooperating compensation. It truly is a confusing subject.

When it comes to the buyer paying commissions it is important to speak with the lender. Understanding the financial side and what the buyer is capable of paying is crucial to a smooth closing after a successful relationship. Failure to do this can and will lead to big issues. Tune in today and learn more.

In this week's episode we talk all about getting paid in real estate. With The NAR Settlement now in place many buyer's agents are still confused on how they get paid. Each transaction is going to need to be looked at to figure out if there will be a seller's commission directly, cooperating compensation, or the buyer paying directly. That means now more than ever we need to understand the process.

Understand the dos and don'ts makes all the difference. With the buyer paying directly, many agents have asked if it can be wrapped into the loan using the seller's concession. The answer is no, but seller's concession can be used to pay other closing costs and prepaids clearing up cash flow to pay commissions. Speaking with a lender is always a great idea.

As a standard it is always important to work under contract. Before ever showing homes it is important that your client understands the commissions and any amount they could be subject to paying. Negotiating the commissions via the contract to purchase will more than likely be the way the commission is handled most times. Learn to do all this and you are going to be successful as a buyer's agent from here forward.

With the NAR Settlement changes about to roll out a lot of real estate agents are wondering what next? It has some even wondering if buyer's agents will even exist moving forward. In today's episode we explore this whole idea. I give you my insight on the changes and challenges ahead.

I talk about how a savvy buyer is going to understand that a real estate transaction is the most expensive and complex transaction in their life. They will continue to make the educated decision to engage a buyer's agent to protect their interests. I compare this to what has happened over time. It is really interesting to watches these changes ahead.

The idea of a seller offering a reward for someone to bring a buyer has gone on in sales for as long as man has existed. Even after this settlement it will still be adventitious for sellers to continue to offer a reward to a buyer's agent who brings a ready, willing, and able buyer. Selling something for hundreds of thousands if not millions is not easy. This is not something that will easily change. As long as it does not become illegal I think the practice off incentivizing the sale will always favor the seller.

Tune in today and share your thoughts in our Facebook Group.

In this week's episode we talk about how in real estate we rely on our body. It is our number one tool we need to work every day. Spending so much time in your car can lead to tightness and loss of mobility. As a real estate professional it is important to take time to strengthen and stretch your body.

There are lots of risks to our job. Meeting new people all the time means you will be exposed to more germs and the possibility of getting sick. Keeping your body healthy helps you avoid down time in your business and keeps you earning commissions. Sticking to this mindset will make sure you are ready to show up everyday.

Being aware of all this helps you make better decisions. Make sure to take time out of each day to focus on your mind and body. Yoga, Pilates, barre, CrossFit, weight lifting, running, meditation, etc. are all great ways to keep your mind and body ready for real estate. Keeping your body ready keeps you ready to win. Tune in today and find out more.

This week I wanted to focus on getting into real estate as an agent with the NAR settlement going on. With the NAR settlement about to come into effect people are wondering “Is now a bad time to get into real estate?”. The truth is coming into the industry now you will have known no different and can learn to operate in this new environment. This will give a level playing field for everyone and may even prove more challenging for existing agents to learn to pivot their business model.

While no one knows what exactly will happen post settlement there is one thing we know. When spending hundreds or thousands if not millions of dollars people will still want a professional's guidance and help navigating their way SAFELY through the transaction. Find the right people who value your services and look to continue to find ways to add value for them. This will ensure you have a sound business moving forward.

Over the past decade real estate has sorted its way to having a buyers agent and a sellers agent. I believe this may change, the roles may change, the pay may change, and much more but the industry will still exist and be a great career choice. Learn to thrive in this open playing field. This is a brand new opportunity to grab large market share while others are figuring out what to do.

Tune in this week and learn more.