Though the basic principles of buying and selling homes havent changed much over the years, the world itself is constantly evolving. As real estate agents, if we arent staying up-to-date on the latest trends and technology, well never be able to grow our business to its maximum potential. If we dont work to stay aware of changes to industry standards and regulations, we could find ourselves out of business completely.
A combination of ongoing self-education and a commitment to training can make a huge difference for those committed to running a successful business.
Online Resources for Real Estate Agents The first and easiest step to staying up-to-date on current trends is to find a trusted real estate news source and subscribe to their e-newsletter. Then, of course, you have to actually read it. Both Inman News and RISMedia provide agent-specific content from marketing tips to industry updates, and Housing Wire is a great resource for the latest news on the housing market.
For more in-depth content, the National Association of REALTORS releases a Home Buyers and Sellers profile each year, highlighting the trends of what clients expect from agents, what people are seeking in-home features, how consumers find a REALTOR, and more at Realty.org.
The Value of In-Person Training The next step in really committing to investing in your real estate practice is through in-person training. Though more experienced agents may think they can no longer benefit from continuing education, a recent Inman study shows otherwise. According to their research, 31.5 percent of experienced agents are inefficient at managing transactions. Just under 15 percent of agents were ineffective at running a real estate business, and almost 14 percent of experienced agents had room to go when managing clients.
Having a solid business plan can help more seasoned agents focus their time and efforts to better grow their business, and the proper training can help get you there.
At Benchmark Realty, we have a dedicated training director with an established program of ten classesincluding both business and real estate topicsoffered on a monthly basis to work with our agents busy schedules. Additionally, our director is constantly developing new programs and classes based on industry trends and requests from our agents.
If youre looking to make a stronger commitment to continuing education, you may be a fit for the Benchmark Team.
Connect