New Year’s Resolutions Every Boston Real Estate Agent Should Make: Part Two

Welcome back to Part Two in our New Year’s Resolutions blogs tailored exclusively for Boston real estate agents. As we step into the next chapter, let’s contemplate the profound impact an influx of leads and listings could have on your career. Consider the possibilities that come with top-notch training and a state-of-the-art technology stack, elevating your skills and financial success.

In the competitive realm of Boston real estate, trust in your environment is paramount. Teamwork is a foundation, but what if there’s more? What if a comprehensive real estate platform is designed to foster teamwork and provide unwavering support? Join us as we explore resolutions crafted to guide every agent toward unprecedented success. Part Two delves deeper into strategies that will shape your path to prosperity. And if you’re ready to seize these opportunities, take a look at our real estate careers page. We’re excited about the possibility of meeting and working with you on this journey to success!

AVOID HORRIBLE CO-BROKES WITH OTHER OFFICES

You will find that you will make far more money over time if you source your deals. Having to lose half your money to another office always hurts. Imagine however if you had a giant bullhorn that could get your listings out there to the widest audience in the shortest time possible. In 2024, it is going to be more important than ever that you work with a real estate ecosystem that is built to help you sell and rent all your properties directly. Some brokerages will offer you a high commission split but since you are forced to co-broke most of your deals your take-home pay is far lower than you thought. You’re going to want to check our real estate platform where everything is optimized at your fingertips so that you can be in control of your destiny.

EXPAND YOUR MARKETING EFFORTS TO NEW AREAS OF THE CITY.

Although some cities are defined by their skylines, Boston is distinguished by its neighborhoods. There are 23 separate regions, and each has 84 sub-districts within them. That means you have many areas to market your services in. However, most Boston real estate agents tend to stick to only a few neighborhoods at best. They believe that specializing in one or two areas makes them an expert within those confines. While this may be a good tip for new agents to follow, it can be limiting for veteran agents. Once you begin to know an area, expand your marketing efforts to surrounding towns/neighborhoods! It will allow you to grow as an agent, notice larger market trends within Boston, and increase your sales.

Each year, you might want to step back and look at the overall Greater Boston real estate market. Figure out which areas are having the greatest upswing. It would be prudent to invest some time in this new area. Having data that can show you which areas are receiving the highest search volume can also send you in the right direction. There is an old saying in fishing, “fish where the fish are.” All things being equal, you want to cast in areas that can bring you the most bountiful harvest. One thing that is forever common in Greater Boston is the fact that neighborhoods come and go in their overall popularity. You will also want to look for areas that are on the upswing and delivering more new and renovated properties to the marketplace.

Make sure you learn about the neighborhoods where you plan to market.

Each neighborhood has its own story. Read as much local information about an area as you possibly can. Learning the history of an area helps when you are with a customer on the way to see a property. By knowing the history of a neighborhood, you will be ahead of many other agents that don’t seem as educated or as interested as you. Studying available Boston Pads rental data is extremely helpful when breaking into a new neighborhood’s rental market. Offices powered by Boston Pads have access to even more detailed real estate data, allowing agents to become experts in no time.

DRESS PROFESSIONALLY EVERY DAY.

Successful Boston real estate agents dress professionally every day. There are several reasons why you should dress professionally. First, it helps you make a good impression. That’s important in a sales related job- clients need to trust you with little information about you. Dressing professionally every day will also improve your self- image by allowing you to feel confident. Let’s be honest, when you dress well, you just feel better, and it makes you more confident. Confidence has a lot to do with closing transactions. People trust other people more when they take the time to dress professionally. It shows respect to the individual that you are working with.

Of course, “professional dress” can differ every day. If you don’t have meetings that day and have a day of calling ahead, business casual is perfectly acceptable. If you need to dress to impress, a suit or other formal attire is always the right move.

TAKE AN UPDATED, PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOT.

Your picture is often the first impression that potential real estate clients have of you. Although appearance isn’t the only thing that matters, it is important and the first thing anyone will notice. Boston real estate agents who make a lot of sales nearly always present a professional yet friendly image. Your headshot, and other pictures of yourself, should also be used on your social media accounts. That means they are available across various internet platforms. Needless to say, you want to always make a good impression. The rule of thumb is to update your headshot every two years. It keeps your picture current and provides an opportunity to freshen up your look. It doesn’t hurt to take a picture with prime Boston real estate in the background either!

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES.

Technology is pushing the bounds of what Boston real estate agents can ultimately achieve. That means tech savvy people have a tremendous advantage in this industry. Utilizing new technologies will save you time. Gaining buckets of time to close is essentially saving money while you set yourself up to make much more. Seek offices that are specifically geared for the best local technologies that will give you time advantages.

Ask yourself important questions. Are they syndicating your data to the widest number of locations on the internet with the least amount of effort? Are they organizing your leads for you so you can focus on closing? Is the company that you work for bringing in new landlords and new listings through their online portals? Does the company you work for have the broadest reach to cover more areas? What if your familiar area becomes slow for a few weeks or months? Do you have access to technology that can quickly make you look like a market leader in a new area? The best real estate companies will always deliver local applications that fit the needs of your target areas. What compelling technologies are they providing that will make you stand out from all the other average real estate companies? Does the company you work for get listings that other companies can’t get because of their tech street cred?

Time is money.

The top real estate companies should also have great off the shelf national technologies as well. For example, there are applications that allow you to have contracts signed electronically with digital signatures. Just think about how much time that will save you each week. Instead of planning hourlong meetings to sign paper contracts, you could use that time to make extra phone calls instead. If you are looking to make the switch from your real estate company to another one, now is the time to make a list of essential techs for you that will allow you to prosper.

WRITE MORE BLOGS.

Blog articles are a great marketing tool that successful Boston real estate agents use to obtain more business. First, they increase your Internet visibility- and as discussed, this is a key aspect of success. When you publish high quality articles on the blog section of your website you’ll be seen online. The more the merrier in this regard. Second, you’re also providing a value-added service to your clients. The blog articles are providing your target audience with free knowledge and advice about real estate related topics. Clients are also looking for data driven results to validate their real estate decisions. Try to find companies that can provide you with copious amounts of real time data – that can make you look a lot smarter in the shortest period of time possible.

Boston real estate blogging also help potential clients know more about you and your expertise. If they have to choose between an agent they can’t find any information about, or an agent with a professional headshot that shares their real estate knowledge and establishes themselves as an expert- who do you think they’ll choose? Ask yourself the question, if you were going to a new city, who would you choose? It’s been proven that people trust real estate agents more when they have data and content to back their positions. Perhaps it’s time you sat in your chair and get your fingers flying on relevant Boston real estate topics.

CREATE A MORNING ROUTINE.

A morning routine helps people set the tone for the entire day. It provides you with the opportunity to control your schedule instead of having your schedule control you. As you begin each day, a morning routine will give you better focus on what’s in front of you. It will help you prioritize your time and increase productivity. That’s why so many successful CEOs, entrepreneurs, and Boston real estate agents create an early morning routine. They key word here is “early”. If you’re waking up at 10 AM, while technically the morning, you’re losing valuable time that could’ve been spent working. You must ask yourself: if you are showing up late, could it be possible that another agent is showing up early and getting the jump on you?

An early morning routine can be fun! Find a sales podcast you enjoy and listed to it while you drink coffee, have breakfast, and/ or work out. Audiobooks are great options too, as they can keep you engaged while teaching you something new. If you are a real estate agent with a long commute to Boston, getting in early can avoid traffic. It can also give you a chance to listen to audio books on prospecting and closing techniques. Nearly all the best real estate agents in America share a common thread of having solid morning routines. You may want to surround yourself with top producers as it has been said that “success leaves clues.”

DON’T GET CHARGED FOR TRAINING BY THE COMPANY THAT HIRED YOU.

Be leery of companies that want to charge you for their real estate training/courses before you work at their office. No matter how hard they try to sell you that their training is unique or special – it’s not. Moreover, there is something that is fundamentally wrong with a company that wants you to shell out thousands of dollars on their training and make commission money from you. That, on its surface, sure sounds like double dipping to many in the real estate industry. You should also be skeptical of multi-level marketing real estate schemes. That is, when they say if you recruit enough people for their organization, then you will make big bucks. It might be a great idea to find a company where teamwork, sharing of great ideas, and success is celebrated as a company culture.

Be aware of real estate companies that tell you that working virtually at home is the way to go.

Chances are they have scant to nonexistent resources or ask you get involved in some virtual multi-level marketing scheme where they keep asking you to spend more time recruiting for them than helping you. Working alone from home limits your ability to exchange information and knowledge with fellow agents. It also doesn’t help your image with clients, if you were to tell them your office is an apartment on the fifth floor. Investors and high net worth individuals expect to see a well-functioning office with lots of real estate agents staying busy. Working at a virtual office also hurts numerous agents because no self-respecting landlord or property manager would ever provide their keys to agents that don’t have a secure office location with the proper security features.

By embracing these resolutions, you’re not only setting the stage for significant business growth but also paving the way for a transformative journey in your professional life. Our New Year’s resolution remains steadfast– to offer you an abundance of listings, leads, and opportunities with landlords, placing the tools for maximizing your earnings efficiently at your fingertips.

If you’ve been considering joining the Boston Pads team, now is the perfect moment to explore the possibilities. Visit our real estate careers page, as we eagerly look forward to the opportunity of meeting and collaborating with you on your path to success!