Powering Up for the Second Half: Tips From the Field
For real estate professionals across the nation, 2020 has been a mixed bag. The first quarter was severely impacted by a pandemic that altered life as we knew it. During the second quarter, business picked back up as pent-up demand, low inventory and rock-bottom interest rates fueled a competitive buyer’s market.
It’s a spirited market expected to continue into 2021, providing a rare opportunity for agents to distinguish themselves as trusted and knowledgeable advisors.
“Buyers realize this is a perfect storm environment for buying your first home, moving up, or investing in a second or vacation home,” said career agent Chris Perry, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Arlington, W. Va. “What some sellers don’t yet realize is that with demand high and inventory tight, it’s also an optimal time to sell.”
That’s one message agents are broadcasting going into the year’s second half - and they are finding creative ways to do it.
“I got a half-price deal on wine by the case from a local winery,” said Northern California agent Jennifer Branchini, Better Homes and Gardens Reliance Partners in Pleasanton. “Because of the coronavirus, I planned to drop a bottle of wine on the porches of past clients just to let them know I was thinking of them. I called each one ahead of time to let them know, so I could be sure the wine got into their hands. But in most cases, the door was opened when I arrived, and people were eager to talk to me.”
Masked and socially distanced, those porch-based conversations are resulting in increased business from buyers and sellers who had many questions and valued Branchini’s personal service.
“It’s an exciting time to be in real estate,” noted Leianne Messina Kyle, associate broker, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s Real Estate. “Social networking venues are growing exponentially, agents have more ways than ever to connect and promote, and there’s a ready audience of buyers and sellers eager to know what’s happening in their local market. Agents who are willing to put in the work should have more business in the coming months than they can handle.”
Barbara Pronin is an award-winning writer based in Orange County, Calif. A former news editor with more than 30 years of experience in journalism and corporate communications, she has specialized in real estate topics for over a decade.
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