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You’ve taken the big step and you’ve passed your test. Now you’ve got your real estate license hanging on the wall of a very prestigious real estate firm. However, you’re probably wondering what to do next. A lot of large firms offer company training and support, however, there are some real estate agencies that do not offer a lot of in-house training. New real estate agents may feel like they’re all alone and they’re not sure exactly where to get started. The key to your success in real estate is several things: organization, marketing, ability to follow through, organization, and motivation, along with perseverance.

In order to be successful in almost anything, you must first be organized. Real estate is a field in which organization is essential. There are several things you should do before you get started.

 

Buy a day planner to carry with you at all times. You may find your schedule changes a lot during the day and you need to make sure your appointments are written down immediately and it’s best to write them in pencil, as you may find yourself canceling appointments and changing times quite frequently. It’s critical to write down every appointment as there is nothing worse than double booking yourself. 

Keep an extra notebook on hand for your notes. You may find yourself driving around in the middle of the day and passing a For Sale By Owner sign. Write down the address and telephone number to follow up with later on that day. If you’re sitting in the office and you hear another agent say a great line while talking to a client, write it down. This notebook will be your lifeline in real estate and once it’s full, keep it for referral.

Use another notebook for your voice mail. Some agents carry this small notebook in their purses or pockets so when you are on the road and call in for voice mail, you’ll have something to write on and this way, all your voice mail messages are in the same place.

Manila file folders are essential in order to keep organized. Keeping a separate file for each individual client, whether a buyer or seller, is a must. Attach some blank note paper to the inside of the file where you can keep your notes regarding each conversation you have with the client.

Keep all of your files in one place, for example, in your filing cabinet in your office. However, make sure you have a separate file where you keep all of your client’s contact information in case you need to speak to them. Some agents carry all of there active files with them in a briefcase. However, when you get really busy, you may find that the case becomes too heavy.

 

Marketing yourself as an agent is one the most important thing you can do. Unless you’ve lived in the area all of your life, you may not have a lot of contacts. However, the first thing you should do is make a list of all the people you know. Include friends, family, and previous work associates, as well as acquaintances such as the receptionist at your doctor’s office. If you don’t have their addresses, it’s no problem. When you have your list of names, you want to decide what type of mailing you wish to do. Would you rather send out postcards announcing your entry into real estate (these can be cheaper) or perhaps a simple letter? Whichever way you choose, make sure that your name stands out and you ask them to call you if they know of anybody that is interested in buying or selling real estate. For the people that you don’t know their addresses, you can either call them or stop in to see them with your card and announcement. Just smile and tell them that you wanted to make sure they were one of the first ones to know you’ve entered into real estate. They’ll be more than happy for you. 

Once you’ve covered all of the people you know, you want to advertise yourself to people that don’t know you. See if the agency you are working for is interested in a small write-up in the newspaper. If not, place an advertisement of your services in your local paper.

Set up a mailing list to the town or city in which you would like to market yourself. You can get a list of property owners from the town office. Keep in mind that while some of the addresses may be incorrect, most of them are the correct mailing address. Once you have your mailing list, send out either a postcard or letter announcing your arrival in real estate and offer to do a free market analysis on their property. You’d be surprised how many responses you may receive.

Another very important issue in your real estate career is follow-up. If someone calls you, make sure you call them back as soon as possible. Most agents check their voice mails every two hours and return phone calls within that time period. There is nothing worse than waiting for a phone call and if clients have to wait for you, they may go looking elsewhere. If you do a market analysis for someone, add their address to your mailing list and make sure you follow up with them a week after the market analysis is sent to them. If you still don’t hear from them, send out another letter to them two weeks later. From all of these letters, they will know that you are motivated and dedicated to serving them.

In order to stay motivated, you need to look at the big picture. Realize that your first few years in real estate may be tough. The key is to hang in there and follow-up with any contacts you’ve made. Don’t be afraid to ask people you know if they know anyone who is thinking of buying and selling and make sure you do a good job of keeping in touch with people. Real estate is a people business. They want someone who is motivated and willing to do what it takes to get the job done. If you can get your name out there, stay organized, and motivated, you’ll have a successful career in no time at all.

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