Staying current and flexible are two important points for successful real estate companies to hit. In the following interview, David Squier, a Corporate Broker with Realty ONE Group in Las Vegas, Nev., gives insight on the success of his company.
Region served: Las Vegas Valley
Years in real estate: 26
Number of offices: 4
Number of agents: 315
Favorite part of your job: Coaching, mentoring and training agents.
Best advice for new agents: Be coachable. Create good habits from the beginning and pay attention to the basic fundamentals, including your database, farming and social media.
Describe the current consumer-confidence climate in your area.
Consumer confidence has improved dramatically since the downturn. Not only has our market stabilized, it’s experienced a nice growth spurt over the last few years, which has helped with the level of confidence among buyers and sellers. One of the biggest draws today is the affordability index. Prices and interest rates are low, providing opportunities for investors, first-time buyers and anybody else interested in getting off the sidelines.
What are your best strategies when it comes to coaching, mentoring and training agents?
We have a very solid training platform for our agents that is complemented through coaching and mentoring. My role as a coach and mentor is to help my agents take the information they get through the various forms of training we provide and put it to practical use so that the foundation is set for their business to grow. More often than not, agents are left on their own when it comes to figuring out how to incorporate the things they learn into their daily routine, something I liken to having the pieces of a puzzle and not knowing where to start. My job is to help them start with the border and work their way in.
How does your company make its agents’ jobs easier?
We offer several new tools, the first being a personalized app that agents can use to connect with potential clients and work with them through the buying or selling process. Our agents also use the Videolicious app to produce their own videos, and we’re in the process of launching an app called Curb Call, a cutting-edge technology that will connect buyers with agents and allow them to arrange showings on demand. We also provide phenomenal Web exposure for our agents by featuring their listings on top real estate websites throughout the world. All of these things are at no cost to the agent!
What is one of the challenges your market faces and what are you doing to overcome it?
For several months in a row, our inventory numbers have been flat. Overcoming this is about educating clients regarding the challenges—and benefits—of the market, which is done by communicating through email, direct mail, personal calls, video and social media.
How does your company stay current and flexible?
By staying in touch with technology and current trends. We listen to what our agents say and take that feedback to heart in order to provide what they need for continued growth. We are truly an agent-driven company, so it’s crucial that we stay plugged in to their needs. In the end, if our agents are successful, the company will continue to grow, and we can continue to provide more for our agents.