Did you know that real estate is one of the best hedges against inflation? Even though inflation is starting to come under control, it’s still a big issue for most Americans. One of the biggest impacts on the average American is rent costs. Rent has been flat for a bit, but it’s starting to rise again. In June 2024, rents went up by 3.5%, the highest increase in about a year.

This is a great opportunity to talk to renters in your community about how they can get ahead of rising rental prices by buying a home.

Here's the message:

"Hey guys, you might not have heard, but rent prices have gone up 3.5%, the highest in over a year. Because of that, you might want to start considering buying a home. Yes, interest rates are a little higher than we'd like them to be, but when you buy a home, as long as you can make that payment, it stays stable for the next 30 years. The only things that might increase are your taxes and interest, but your core payment remains the same.

Imagine...

Whether you're a top producer doing $30, $40, $50 million in business, or someone struggling with just a handful of sales a year, we've all faced this. And we'll face it again in the future. It's called the downward spiral.

Think of it like getting a cold in the industry that affects your performance. It's inevitable, and what we do about it makes the biggest difference.

First, you'll notice an attitude shift. Something influences your attitude, making you less effective. Maybe you've been beaten up by a listing or a sale, and you're feeling down.

Next, your work habits shift. You might go home earlier, let priorities slide, and change your work habits. Then, your commitment wanes. You'll start putting things off without a sense of urgency.

As a result, your performance suffers, and your results decline. This can create a vicious cycle, leading agents to spiral out of the business.

I don't want that to happen to you. So, what can you do?

Recognize the downward spiral and take...

Joe Brady is a US-based Commercial Real Estate expert with extensive experience in retail and office real estate. As the former CEO-Americas of The Instant Group and former head of real estate for Walgreens, Brady understands the intricacies of accelerating technology driving changing consumer behavior which ultimately impacts real estate.  During his career Joe has managed a 150 million square feet portfolio with an annual budget exceeding $4 billion. Watch, listen, and learn as we explore the intersection of accelerating technology, changing consumer behavior and the impact on commercial real estate.

Special Agent turned Real Estate Agent Ali Garced is about to rock your world. Ali became a Top 2% REALTOR her first year being a full time agent. How did she do it? As a 10 year military veteran she focused herself on growing a real estate business from scratch by doing something almost no REALTORS do – which is to completely focus on referrals and relocation. Watch, listen, and learn as Ali lays out a completely new and unique way to grow your real estate business.

June was Homeownership Month. And as a REALTOR, your job is to emphasize the value of homeownership. It's the product you sell, and you need to let people know that being a homeowner has significant financial advantages.

Here's the first one:

The average homeowner has 40 times the net worth of the average renter.

Why?

The number one reason is that every time you make your monthly mortgage payment, a portion goes towards principal reduction. It's like a forced savings account, building up over time. When you sell the property, you benefit from this accumulation.

Additionally, you have appreciation. Every year, the home's value increases, sometimes more, sometimes less, but over a 30-year mortgage, the property value generally rises.

On top of that, homeowners receive substantial tax benefits that renters don't.

These are three key reasons why someone should consider becoming a homeowner today.

Your job is to provide people with a path to homeownership. The biggest resistance point...

Interesting new data shows that 63% of home buyers who purchased a home after the pandemic believe their home will be impacted by climate change at some level. Realtor.com found that statistically, 44.8% of homes actually will be affected.

Regardless of the numbers, it's clear that climate change is on the minds of our clients.

What matters is that your clients believe it, and insurance companies believe it too. Insurance rates have skyrocketed over the last few years due to environmental impacts like floods, hurricanes, and fires. These natural disasters cause insurers to take losses, leading them to ramp up their rates in anticipation of more such events.

As REALTORS, you can serve your clients by addressing this issue. Say to them:

“You probably have seen your insurance rates going up. Part of the reason for that is environmental impacts across the country. I've got a great insurance agent who can shop your rate and find the best deal for you. Also, if you want, I can give...

It's hard to believe, but sellers are greedy. We all are, right? When we sell our homes, we want the maximum amount we can get.

The problem is that many agents will "buy" a listing, especially in this desperate market. We're finding listings, but many agents are hanging on by their fingernails, willing to do anything to get a listing. That's not how we do business. We need a script that addresses the greedy seller.

Here's a script I'll call the "100% Script." If I'm sitting across the table, I can say…

“You know what? Many people don't realize this, but statistically, in our market, only about 60% of the time do listing agents sell the listing the first time. They list it, put it on the market, do the marketing, but then the home doesn't get an offer or the right offer, and you have to list it with another REALTOR. I don't want to do that with you. I don't want to waste your time or effort. I want to give you a different experience because my goal is to sell 100% of the...

Hey guys, price drops have hit an 18-month high. Here are three stats you need to know:

1. In May, 6.4% of home sellers dropped their home prices. In the last week of May, home prices actually came down by $3,000.
2. This is the first time home prices have declined in the last six months.
3. Homes are also staying on the market longer, now averaging 46 days. We are seeing more stagnation with listings.

When analyzing the market, we consider supply versus demand. We still have very low supply, but demand is decreasing due to high interest rates and record-high home prices. This combination makes affordability tough for many home buyers.

When discussing this with sellers, it's important to explain that a market can have pricing power or pricing pressure. For years, sellers had pricing power due to low supply and high demand. Now, with demand dropping, pricing pressure is entering the market.

The best time for a price adjustment might be surprising—it's at the listing appointment. At...

What is a success portfolio for a real estate professional?

Well, if you've ever gone to a photographer, architect, or even a wedding planner, you'll often see a book of their work—a portfolio. This showcases what they've done for other clients in the past.

Think about yourself. We often have listing presentations and now even buyer presentations, but do we have a portfolio of past performance?

This portfolio can be the pre-listing kit you've always dreamed of or the pre-buy meeting kit that will really motivate and inspire people to want to work with you.

So what would you put into this success portfolio? Of course, you'll include the properties you've sold and testimonials from other clients. You can also add marketing examples to show what you've done to market properties on social media, with flyers, with postcards, and even in a digital presentation, including video.There's a lot you could include in this presentation to make it really come alive and pop.

Now, imagine you...

Join this conversation with team leader Stephanie Peck as she outlines how she grew from being a solo agent working primarily by referral to a team leader running a seven-figure business. From her first hire to her current business model, Stephanie breaks down the steps she has taken to ensure she maintains a healthy work life balance while providing raving fan level service to her clients. Learn her unique prospectives on marketing, client acquisition, and how she uses social media to stay highly visible with her sphere of influence.