To navigate the real estate market when buying a home, correctly evaluate options and avoid fraud, and find a house or apartment at an affordable price, you need a competent assistant. He is a realtor who provides services to buyers, home sellers, those who want to rent an apartment or warehouse, or exchange their home for real estate in another city.
To those who do not directly interact with people in this profession, it may seem that working with real estate is simple and brings quick money. But, in fact, there are many nuances and complexities in it, just like in other specialties and professions.
First of all, in order to have a good income, a real estate agent constantly needs clients. How can a realtor find clients and successfully conduct transactions, how to remain a sought-after specialist in the market? It is difficult for a newcomer to a real estate agency to gain experience and authority, but experienced specialists have many secrets in their activities.
There are many competitors in this profession; in every city there are a large number of agencies and realtors who prefer to conduct their activities independently. Therefore, it is important to have advantages that can attract the client.
ATTENTION! Over time, authority will work for the agent, good reviews will help to find new customers.
Peculiarities
The functions of a realtor, working in an agency or independently, are varied. This person doesn’t just navigate his clients’ properties, making a profit from the transaction:
- In order to constantly earn money in the profession, an agent must have a large base of clients and real estate for sale. It needs to be constantly replenished. Every day, the agent monitors the appearance of new properties, immediately finds out their features and terms of sale.
- A good specialist should monitor changes in the housing market and changes in legislation. It is important that clients participate only in safe and legal transactions, so the assistance of a realtor should exclude fraud and violations of the law.
- A realtor must be able to evaluate housing based on its technical and operational characteristics. A specialist who values his image and wants to work in this field for a long time and successfully will not advise the customer on an emergency apartment or other housing with a catch.
- For fruitful communication with a client, it is advisable to have at least a little understanding of psychology and to know the city well.
Those who want to become a realtor need to know that they will have to work irregularly, meeting with clients on weekends, late in the evening.
Who pays the commission?
Housing applicants pay a commission . However, the commission can also be paid by the owner who rents out the property.
The procedure for paying remuneration is determined by the market. If the rental of the apartment being rented out is expensive (50,000 – 70,000 rubles), then the owner will pay the commission. Accordingly, if the rental amount is small, the remuneration is paid by the applicant.
The location of the property and its area play a big role.
The commission amount may vary depending on the transaction. For example, if an agency found an apartment on its own, that is, without intermediaries (other agencies), then the amount of the commission will be less. Basically, this amount is equal to 50-60% of the cost of one month of living.
Reference. However, if the apartment is offered not by the owner, but by a partner agency (on behalf of the owner), then another 40-50% will be added to the commission. Thus, the amount will be equal to 100% of the cost of one month of living.
Difficulties
Long working hours can pay off with good profits from sales and purchases, rentals or exchanges. But the difficulty of work lies not only in the lack of normal days off.
With a lot of competition, it is difficult to maintain your image, especially for a novice specialist, to constantly find clients and satisfy their requests regarding the purchase or sale of housing. How do realtors look for buyers and maintain their active activities and gain experience?
Is it profitable to work as a realtor?
This is quite a lucrative job. But it all depends on the skills and ability to sell. Not everyone will succeed. You need quite a lot of self-confidence and the ability to persuade. The responsibility is not particularly great. You can acquire knowledge in the first months and already start earning normal money.
In big cities, realtors earn approximately 500 USD. up to a thousand. Experienced realtors can earn up to 5 thousand USD. It's been a month on apartment sales.
Earnings from rent are usually not that big, but to reach 500 USD. Many people are capable of it per month.
The job is suitable for those who can understand sales and can find clients. The main difficulty of a realtor is finding clients. This is precisely why bait ads are often used in our work. But all this pays off after selling at least 1 apartment per month.
Not everything is so easy, of course, because many people don’t like realtors. They don’t want to pay the commission and they fight about it. People don't understand what to pay for.
Because the service in people’s eyes consists of a couple of calls and showing the apartment. In their opinion, intermediaries do nothing more, although they talk a lot. The risk of not receiving a commission is quite large. But it goes away with experience.
The work of a realtor also compares favorably with others due to its flexible schedule. You can structure your day according to your wishes and call advertisements and show apartments at a time convenient for you.
Database formation
There are several proven methods that have already proven themselves in the work of real estate agents:
- Many real estate office workers begin to look for clients among their friends, relatives, and neighbors. A newcomer to this field can ask friends to spread information about his activities.
- If you think carefully, you can remember a whole list of people you can contact and offer your services in the present or future. It is advisable to have stylish business cards with contact information. And business cards can catch the eye of complete strangers, which will also increase your customer database.
- Finding clients is not so easy; you need to spend time, effort, and sometimes even money. You should set aside more than one hour of time to call all the people with whom you are in some kind of contact. You can write to them by email or on a social network. Each realtor needs to promote his name independently.
- You should talk about your services in competent literary language, talking about assistance in finding housing or a buyer for an apartment.
Even the agency does not advertise its employees; only real efforts produce the necessary results. You shouldn't be too intrusive when presenting your services.
ATTENTION! Friendliness, subtle humor, efficiency - these qualities will make a good name.
Preparation of contract
If the agency has passed our check and the documents are all in order, you can begin concluding an agreement. The agreement has the following requirements :
- The subject of the agreement is the provision of services by the real estate agency.
- List of services provided by the agency (what responsibilities are included, for example showing an apartment, advertising it, etc.).
- The amount of remuneration that the agent receives in case of successful work done.
Attention! The agreement should have a separate clause on how the employee receives remuneration (in any case or only when residents move in).
- The validity period of the contract must be indicated.
- Indication of the details of both parties (personal data of the tenant and the lessor). In this case, the passport details of the employer and his contact phone number are indicated. The agency must indicate the full name of the organization, legal address and telephone number.
- Responsibility of both parties in case of failure to fulfill obligations and violation of the terms of the agreement.
- Nuances when terminating an agreement and guarantee.
MISTAKES MISTAKES BY LANDLORDS WHEN RENTING AN APARTMENT
Help from professionals
There is a category of people who, due to their work, constantly have information about who is getting married, who needs new housing due to the birth of a child, who has moved to the city and needs a permanent home.
Such “useful contacts” can be used profitably in the work of a real estate agent. Who will always replenish the client base with new and up-to-date information?
- Employees of housing offices, management companies, and various utility companies often communicate with residents of apartment buildings. And they may know about upcoming plans to purchase an apartment. If you leave them agent business cards or simply maintain constant contact with them, you can receive the latest and most verified data.
- It is not surprising that those who participate in organizing and holding family celebrations may also have the necessary information. For example, the host at a wedding may hear that a young couple will be looking for a house or apartment for themselves.
- But funeral agency workers will tell you about the possible sale of a home at a particular address. They serve bereaved families and may have important information.
Such information that “informants” will provide will significantly help increase the number of clients. And it wouldn’t hurt to be grateful for your help.
Work on sites
A good realtor will not sit in the agency all the time, waiting for a lucky break. Now there are enough ways to contact any real estate office, any of its employees. There are telephones, email, social networks, website services.
To recruit clients, you need to work in the city, study supply and demand, specific apartments for sale. And it’s worth conducting your search for service customers with the help of residents of various microdistricts.
Near every house you can find elderly people relaxing on a bench, young mothers walking with their children. You can contact them, introduce yourself, tell them about your work and ask for help and advice. Perhaps they will talk about apartments for sale or simply take business cards to distribute to friends.
IMPORTANT! It is necessary for strangers to trust the realtor, so you should have an identification card with you.
Is it good to work as a realtor?
This is quite an interesting area of activity. You can earn a lot here, but there are some difficulties. Nobody loves you, everyone is trying to get around you and some often have to deceive you. Constant calls, displays and replication of advertisements. The work is quite nerve-wracking.
But all this is covered by the large commissions that can be earned. We believe that the real estate market will become more civilized.
Documents will be checked by lawyers, and intermediaries will finally start selling and providing quality services, rather than forcing people to pay a commission. Clients themselves should want to contact a realtor as a highly qualified specialist in their field.
Where can I advertise?
Advertising moves both goods and services. And she is an important ally for the real estate agent if he wants to operate successfully and profitably in his place. A competent specialist looks for clients and presents his services at the same time. You can develop a variety of types of advertising, using them for your own purposes:
- It is important to present yourself favorably at all kinds of social events.
- Despite the constant expansion of the Internet, print publications also remain popular platforms for advertising. You can advertise your services in both real estate newspapers and the regular advertising press. Older people will read an advertisement in a newspaper faster than on a website page.
- The advertising industry offers many printed products for information about services. Various leaflets, prospectuses, business cards - you can order such sources of information for yourself at least at the beginning of your career.
- Real estate agencies and private realtors actively use advertisements for the sale or purchase of an apartment, posted on notice boards at entrances. All residents see them, the phone is easily disconnected, so the advertisements are always effective and bring good results.\
Various meetings, exhibitions, and receptions are constantly organized in every city. They provide a place for profitable clients for realtors who sell or buy expensive real estate, including commercial real estate. And the agent’s income also depends on the price of the object. Therefore, you should not miss this chance to find a customer.
You need to be attentive to other advertisements for sale or purchase. Often they are given by the property owners themselves if they do not want to work with an agency or do not know how to find a good realtor.
You should explain to them the benefits of cooperation with you, and, if possible, inform them about existing applicants for the purchase of housing . The conversation should be calm, friendly, and inspiring trust. It is worth presenting data about yourself and your experience.
Even if the apartment owner wanted to look for a buyer on his own, the presence of a ready-made buyer will persuade him to cooperate with a real estate agent.
ads
The most effective method of disseminating information seems simple at first glance, but this matter also has its own nuances. Ads can only be posted in designated areas.
Many cities have adopted regulations prohibiting the posting of advertisements, including those for the sale of real estate, on house doors, walls, trees, poles and other surfaces. Violation of this rule can result in a hefty fine.
If the city administration cares about its cleanliness and order, special notice boards are placed throughout the locality, and they are posted at each entrance:
- Such an advertisement should be concise, understandable, and contain specific information. A few words and a phone number are enough.
- If we are talking about a specific apartment, you need to indicate the number of rooms, location in the city, and several other information. You can also specify the price.
- Announcements can be typed on a computer or done by hand. Handwritten texts about selling or buying are of interest to those who want to deal directly with the home owner.
- You need to tape off areas methodically, not missing courtyards and houses, because realtors don’t know where potential clients live. The text should be at such a height that anyone can read it without effort.
- You can post advertisements yourself or with the help of a specially hired person. But he must be responsible, decent, and fully fulfill his duties. His work is paid and must produce results. You can negotiate this with someone you know who you can trust.
Internet resources and cooperation with developers
You should definitely take advantage of the possibilities of the Internet. It is not necessary for the agency to have its own website; it is enough for it to include information about itself on a common resource for city agencies.
On the pages of special services you can present your advertisements for sale or purchase; it is advisable to accompany them with photographs of objects and useful information about them.
ATTENTION! Real estate agencies can enter into agreements with developers, offering their services in finding buyers for new apartments. This is beneficial, since there is great interest in new buildings, and you can work on many objects at once.
There are many ways to find clients; experienced agents use each of them to their advantage, without missing out on any opportunities. If at the beginning of work you have to spend a lot of time and effort filling the database, then more time can be devoted to specific transactions.