All Forum Posts by: David Hunter

The best advice I can give you is to find a team to join so you can learn the business, and get paid while learning.  RE has an extremely high turn-over rate, so you're best getting started on the right foot.  If you like both offices then maybe ask the top agents in both offices about working for them.

If you really don't want to be on a team, then whichever office you decide to work with, ask the top agents if they could refer you to any leads.  They may have lower priced buyers they don't want to work with or renters.  This will get your feet wet.

As Frank mentioned above, the office with the most listing is definitely good for you to have opportunities to do open houses and hopefully pick up some buyers and, you never know, a seller.

Great to hear, Robert!  Rock those cards!

 I know this post is a year old but maybe it'll help you or others...   Yes, we are using good old fashioned direct mail.  We mail postcards to our sphere and mail oversized postcard via the USPS's Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM).  We send out postcards announcing new listings and SOLD listings, while offering a copy of our Home Seller's Guide (This is our Lead Generation Magnet).

And that's the thing that helps get better returns... offering something of value to potential homesellers to get them to raise their hand (re: Home Seller's Guide).

We also use postcards when we have buyers (especially out-of-towners) looking for specific homes in specific neighborhoods, but aren't finding ones they like.  With these postcards we are ALWAYS specific with what the buyers are looking for, mention the neighborhood they're looking in, and the days they'll be in town looking.

Looks like you're only doing "online" marketing and some door knocking.  How about sending out postcards via the USPS Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) offering your seller's guides?

So, what you could do is... go find some properties your office has listed and ask the agents if you could hold them open on a Sunday.  Then, ask them if you can include the open house on a postcard that you're going to send out.  So now you're advertising the Open House (even though it's not your listing) and you get to include your seller's guide as a Lead Generation Magnet.

Try it!

I second The Millionaire Real Estate Agent.

Also, don't have her worry too much about the classes.  Basically, everything she learns in the classroom she'll soon forget once she actually gets into the business.  Sure, there's some things from the class you need to know, but the most... nope.

I'd already recommend reading books outside of real estate.  Read some business/marketing books.  Check out Dan Kennedy's No B.S. Direct Marketing book.  Read Ray Kroc's Grinding It Out.

Sounds like the first time I got into the business back in 2005... My first day at the office the broker said, "here's your desk and phone, good luck."  hahaha

With that, never-EVER count on anyone to get you leads except for yourself.  Start marketing.  Find areas to farm and send postcards via the USPS's Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM).  Make phone calls if you're not afraid to pick up the phone.  Do open houses.  Advertise online.  And... not sure how well this will work since you're in such a small office but... ask the other agents in your office that are doing good business if you could get any leads from them.  They may have buyers/sellers/renters that they just don't want to work with or aren't in the price ranges they want to work with.

Definitely pros and cons to getting your RE license if you want to invest, but I'd say why not use the time you'd invest in getting your RE license and look for investor friendly agents who already have the knowledge and are willing to help you out. 

Cold-calling works, but you have to know how to do it and be consistent with it.  I've never been a good cold-caller, but we have someone who does make calls for us and gets us the leads we want.  One of the questions I always here them say is... "So why do you think your house didn't sell?"  And then let them talk away.

Other ways to get leads... As mentioned above, Open Houses if you know how to work them (again, I stunk at it).  Direct Mail via postcards through the USPS Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) works wonders (Yay, something I'm good at).  But if you send direct mail, be sure to offer something of value to the home owners like...  a Home Seller's Guide!  They will get potential sellers to raise their hands.

Facebook hasn't really done anything for us, but Zillow has (Though I'm not a fan of Zillow).  You have to spend a pretty penny for a zip code.  At first we got a ton of garbage leads, but then we just kept calling our rep telling him he needs to send us better leads and so he does (So there's a tip... Keep badgering your Zillow rep).

Best of luck to you!

Hey Jim,

Hmmm... Tips on studying for the test.  I'd say just study the books and read-read-read.  I actually failed both the state and national tests my first go around and then a couple weeks later re-took the tests and passed with flying colors (I just did a little more studying).

Tips for success... I always suggest to new comers to get a job as a licensed assistant to a top agent in your area.  This way you get to learn the business and make some money while doing it.

Guaranteed pay because I worked for a top agent.  Hourly plus commission, so guaranteed!   :-)