Educational Real Estate Marketing Videos

In 2023, the average consumer watched 17 hours of online videos per week, an increase from 10.5 hours in 2018. These are the must-have videos for every real estate agent. Why, you ask? It’s simple: everyone dreads making a mistake when conducting a real estate deal. So, grab clients’ attention with a fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) title, and then reassure them with your expert knowledge of your educational content. It’s a win-win! Check out these four excellent examples of educational real estate videos with FOMO titles to get inspired:

1. How to Spot Property Repairs & Issues Before You Buy!

Why this video works: LeAnn’s powerful title is guaranteed to spark a fear of missing out on any potential buyers. Plus, the content is incredibly valuable and full of practical tips that you can implement immediately.

What we love: LeAnn’s relaxed and friendly style makes watching this highly informative video a breeze. And the insights she provides are simply fantastic.

How to recreate this video: Creating this kind of real estate marketing video is super easy. All you need to do is pick your chosen real estate video topics, jot down some bullet points, grab a good ring light and microphone, and get in front of your iPhone or camera. It’s crucial that the audio is crystal clear and your audience can see your face clearly. Adding captions would be the icing on the cake.

2. Common Mistakes to Avoid When Selling a House

Why this video works: Who wants to risk making a costly mistake when selling a home that they’ve invested so much in? Jeb nails the common missteps of inexperienced sellers, offering valuable insights to help others avoid potential pitfalls.

What we love: Jeb’s many years of experience and skill at using personal stories to make his points are inspiring and show how powerful personal expertise is in creating video content. His natural presence on camera proves the value of practice and the unique perspective that personal experience brings to video content. This should encourage you to share your stories and experiences in your videos, making them more relatable and engaging.

How to recreate this video: To create this real estate marketing video, start by picking a topic your audience needs to know about. Then, write a script using bullet points and practice before recording. Use a high-quality microphone for good audio and a ring light directed at your face for clear visibility. Remember to pay attention to your videos’ thumbnails. Jeb effectively uses easily visible text and an attention-grabbing title. A cut-out image with the right expression also works well.

3. Should I Get a Home Warranty? (Peter Lorimer, PLG Estates)

Why this video works: Peter’s energetic and concise approach simplifies home warranties, a complex real estate topic. The video’s less than three-minute duration is a key factor in maintaining audience engagement.

What we love: Peter’s personality and high energy make this highly watchable. Feel free to let your personality shine through when creating your videos. 

How to recreate this video: As of the last update in 2023, 91% of business owners use video as a marketing tool, an all-time high since data was initially collected in 2016. This video, though short, is a result of careful planning. Select a topic, draft a bullet point script, and rehearse before filming. Ensure high-quality audio with a good microphone. Consider adding background music to enhance the video’s energy and a brief intro to set the tone.

4. Dos & Don’ts Before Closing Day on Your Home

Why this video works: First-time homebuyers often dedicate significant time to researching homes and learning about the buying process. However, many still feel apprehensive about the closing process. Niki expertly breaks down the dos and don’ts, providing valuable guidance to help ease the minds of future buyers.

What we love: Niki’s video is a perfect example of real, relatable, and totally unfiltered content. Niki feels like a friend who just happens to drop some incredible advice. This relatability is key to creating engaging content. And speaking of attention-grabbing content, if you’re struggling with crafting compelling titles that create FOMO, we’ve got you covered. Dive into our ultimate guide to real estate copywriting rules that professional writers swear by.

How to recreate this video: Niki shot this awesome video in her car. You can totally make your own, just like it! Grab your phone, speak directly to the camera, and share your expertise. It’s a good idea to plan what you want to say, but feel free to be yourself and let the creativity flow!

Real Estate Listing Walk-through Videos

Did you know that listings with drone photography sell 68% faster than listings without them? Therefore, when creating videos to sell houses, it’s crucial to highlight the property’s most attractive features. Plenty of fantastic house videos are available on the internet. Sharing your videos on platforms like YouTube and Instagram can expand your reach and attract potential buyers, enhancing your professional image. Let’s explore three captivating house videos that can significantly impact your sales.

5. Touring a Breathtaking Penthouse on Billionaires’ Row

Why this video works: This tour of the new development was incredibly professional, yet the agent managed to create a welcoming and fun atmosphere rather than being stiff and pretentious.

What we love: Check out the guy in this video—he’s not a movie star. He’s a real estate agent. He’s totally chill and down-to-earth, perfectly complementing this sleek and luxurious NYC penthouse.

How to recreate this video: Capture stunning footage by hiring a professional videographer to create a cinematic masterpiece. Alternatively, you can showcase your in-home listing using a high-quality camera for your walk-through videos. Make sure to use a tripod to highlight the property’s features in front of the camera.

6. 270 Falling Star Bozeman, MT

Why this video works: Check out this video for an exclusive peek into life at this stunning mountain retreat. Join Julie, the interviewer, as she casually sips a cup of coffee, strolls around the house in her cozy socks, and even starts drawing a relaxing bath. The video is designed to help potential buyers envision themselves living in this beautiful home.

What we love: We absolutely adore this video’s fun and relaxed vibe. Home should be a place of ultimate comfort, and Arison and Julie have truly outdone themselves in cultivating a wonderfully cozy ambiance in this stunning mountain retreat.

How to recreate this video: Creating a professional-looking video may appear complex, but it’s within your reach! Streamline the process by adopting some techniques from the experts. Invite a partner to join you for a casual interview, showcasing the standout features of your property. Just like in the example, capture moments of enjoying your property’s activities. Unleash your creativity while drawing inspiration from this video. And, of course, remember to seek your seller’s permission before you begin filming.

7. Touring an Incredible Model Unit w Ryan Serhant at The Huron

Why this video works: Over the past years, Ryan Serhant has worked hard to create the most distinctive personal brand in the real estate industry. Every content he releases, including this video, showcases his unique personal brand.

What we love: Ryan’s videos testify to his infectious energy and genuine passion for his work. His dynamic personality and captivating smile are not only engaging but also powerful tools for drawing in the audience.

How to recreate this video: Get your real estate photographer’s walk-through and drone footage to create an impressive marketing video for the apartment building. Ask them to capture the grand opening and film you in the listing to improve the walk-through experience. If you’re working with developers, consider interviewing them to share what makes the project unique. This will add a personal and authentic touch to your marketing efforts.

Agent Introduction Videos

Imagine trying your best to reach out to every new lead personally, but life is getting in the way. You may be on the road, in a meeting, catching some shut-eye, or fixing breakfast for your daughter. That’s where a captivating introduction to real estate agent videos comes in. To make your video stand out, consider including testimonials from satisfied clients, adding powerful background music, or having another agent or broker interview you. Get inspired by these four examples that bring all these tips to life.

8. The Kristina Kremidas Team

This video works: Kristina stands out due to her infectious passion for real estate. Her genuine enthusiasm for her work is a unique trait that makes collaborating with her appealing. Who wouldn’t be drawn to someone who truly loves what they do?

What we love: Kristina’s video doesn’t just exude strength and confidence. It radiates it. It captivates viewers with the feeling that she can conquer anything and, in turn, inspires them to believe in their own potential to join her journey.

How to recreate this video: This exceptional video is a testament to the power of professional video production because 73% of homeowners say that they would prefer to list their home with an agent who uses video. It features professionally shot, slow-motion footage of Kristina in various settings, from serene park scenes to bustling New York City streets. The undeniable quality of the video, paired with captivating music and narration, elevates the content to a whole new level.

9. Meet Cherise Wynn

Why this video works: Cherise’s video is a testament to the power of community. She starts by addressing the one thing every buyer wants to know more about—their community—fostering a sense of connection and engagement. 

What we love: Cherise’s genuine love for her city and its residents is palpable. She showcases her connections, and her charisma shines through, inspiring us.

How to recreate this video: The best parts of this video are the personal touches. Cherise takes you through a day in her life—grabbing lunch to go from her favorite spot, getting a jog in, doing yoga in the park, chatting with folks in the neighborhood, and more. This personal touch can inspire and motivate you to showcase your own unique experiences. 

10. A KW Homecoming: Mega Agent Sean Moudry Returns to Leave a Legacy

Why this video works: The interview format creates a relaxed and engaging atmosphere, allowing Sean to share his numerous achievements over his 28-year career without appearing boastful.

What we love: Sean’s true self shines through naturally in this format. This style of agent introduction video emphasizes authenticity and is a powerful tool for connecting with your audience.

How to create this video: Opt for the interview format where your broker or another agent interviews you. This approach is highly effective as it allows for unscripted, conversational answers. You and the interviewer can collaborate beforehand to outline a few key questions, but the real magic happens when you let your answers flow naturally on camera.

11. Meet Brenda DiBari

Why this video works: The professional video editing and soothing music perfectly match the luxury properties Brenda sells. 

What we love: Brenda’s professional video reflects her calming personality. It gives you the sense that things will be smooth and relaxed when you work with her.

How to create this video: Start by collecting tons of your B-roll or hire someone who can provide it. Next, have your videographer take some shots of you in your listings, walking through and sprucing the place. The main piece of this video is the voice-over. You’ll want to work on getting your story down—maybe even with a copywriter—to ensure it’s just right.

Client Testimonial Videos

We all know that anonymously written reviews on platforms like Zillow or Yelp can be taken with a grain of salt. 39% of video marketers have created video testimonials, making this the most popular use case for video marketing in 2024. It’s easy to fake reviews with just a few glowing sentences. To truly stand out and provide genuine social proof, consider recording client testimonial videos whenever you can.

12. Post & Company Real Estate Client Testimonial Video

Why this video works: It not only has great music and an authentic testimonial setup, but it also starts with a powerful display of team branding. This element enhances the video’s appeal and instills a sense of belonging and unity among the viewers. 

What we love: This video is intentionally devoid of an agent. It feels like an objective person (maybe the camera operator) is conducting the interview. This deliberate choice enhances the video’s authenticity, making the past clients’ shared experiences feel more trustworthy. This reassurance is crucial in building confidence and trust among the viewers.

How to create this video: You should already be capturing videos of your clients sharing their positive experiences of working with you on social media. These testimonials showcase your success and make your clients feel valued and appreciated. You just need to splice in some photos and videos of the homes you’ve sold, add some nice music, and boom!—an instant classic. Finish off with your logo screen.

13. The Hawkins—A Testimonial Video | Mandy Saldana, REALTOR

Why this video works: Like the Post video, this video begins with the brokerage branding, incorporates captivating music, and presents the testimonial as a genuine conversation. The clients share their journeys, making the footage significantly more relatable and regal for the viewers. 

What we love: We love this young couple’s story and how they relied on their agent to find the perfect home. They’re sweet, relatable, and genuine, and you can’t help but believe them.

How to recreate this video: It’s as simple as reaching out to one of your past clients and asking if they would be open to sharing their experience in a video testimonial. This video features a young couple narrating their real estate journey, with time-lapse photography adding a unique touch.

14. Trusted Los Angeles Real Estate Agent Finneus Egan | Client Testimonial

Why this video works: In this video, the editor ingeniously weaves in scenes of the agent hugging, embracing, celebrating, and giving a tour of the client’s home, even though only one person is speaking. This creative approach showcases the agent’s personality and exceptional listing marketing skills and underscores their profound impact on their clients’ lives.

What we love: This past client’s story is genuine, heartwarming, and a testament to the agent’s exceptional service. She raves about how she couldn’t have asked for a better realtor, and her words carry the weight of authenticity. The video is short and incredibly well-done, capturing the agent’s caring and attentive nature in a way that resonates with the audience.

How to create this video: Contact a previous client and inquire if they’d be open to sharing their story in front of a camera. Capture footage reflecting the emotional connection between the agent and the client, add background music, and create a compelling video. The great thing is that you can create multiple videos with different clients, each showcasing the unique bond between the agent and the client.

15. Greg Guinto—Real Estate Agent Testimonial

Why this video works: This video is not just a heartwarming story of a couple on the hunt for their dream home but also a testament to the crucial role a real estate agent can play in making dreams a reality. It’s filled with captivating footage of the agent in action, showcasing the personal connection he builds with his clients and stunning pictures of the beautiful homes they visited.

What we love: What sets this video apart from others in this list is the action shots of the agent working with the couple in the testimonial. That footage is pure gold because it shows the agent’s expertise and ability to build trust with his clients. It’s a kick-start to building that crucial ‘know, like, and trust’ factor.

How to recreate this video: This example is actually from the media company that created it. Invest in a great videographer to create a gem like this one. The extra money spent on high-quality videos that showcase your expertise is an investment that can yield significant returns. 

Tips & Tricks for Recording Real Estate Marketing Videos That Get Leads

Explore essential tips and tricks for creating compelling real estate marketing videos. Whether experienced or just starting, these insights will help you engage your audience and generate valuable leads through your video content. Let’s learn how to master the art of recording real estate marketing videos for great results after checking out the best video ideas for realtors.

• Invest in a high-quality microphone and a stabilizer for your phone.
• Break up complicated topics into multiple videos.
• Consumers remember 95% of the information they receive from video, compared to only 10% when reading it. Therefore, ensure that simple graphics and charts are used when possible and that music is added. 
• Have a game plan. Write out your scripts before you start shooting.
• Shoot some practice walk-throughs and schedule your video for a sunny day.
• 84% of video marketers say that video has helped them successfully generate leads. Thus, add a call to action (CTA) or a lead magnet to the description.
• Hire a photographer and videographer to get that professional final product. Also, invest in a professional editor.
• Don’t just recite your agent bio. Talk about your family or personal life.
• Have a friend or fellow agent preview your video before you post it.
• Approach clients for a video testimonial a week or so after closing.
• Consider combining your introduction video with some client testimonials.
• Try to shoot all your testimonials in the same place so you can combine three or four short testimonial videos into one.
• Keep your videos short and sweet (aim for 1–2 minutes max) because 66% of users say they pay the most attention to short-form videos.
• Use an engaging thumbnail image to entice clicks (or use a GIF to encourage clicks). Also, use real estate hashtags.
• Make your videos mobile-friendly and accessible to all viewers.
• Test, measure, and optimize your videos based on engagement metrics.

Equipment Needed to Shoot Real Estate Videos

When it comes to being creative, using the right tools is crucial. While smartphones can help you start creating videos for real estate, taking your ideas to the next level requires investing in high-quality gear. Consider adding a top-notch DSLR camera and a few videography tools to make your real estate videos stand out. Here are some suggested pieces of video gear that will help you achieve a professional touch:

• Digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera: One of the best starting cameras for real estate professionals is the Canon Rebel T7. It can help you get a crystal-clear video without too many settings to learn on your own. Get the camera on Amazon.
• Wide-angle lens: A wide-angle lens is not just a tool in real estate photography. It’s a necessity. It’s the key to capturing the entire room in your videos, giving your viewers a comprehensive view of the property. Get the wide-angle lens from Amazon.
• Microphone: Whether you plan to talk directly to your camera or create narration, you need a microphone that can prevent distortion. Get a microphone on Amazon.
• Selfie stick, tripod, or gimbal: These are all video stabilizers that help prevent your video from shaking as you walk around. Get this equipment on Amazon.
• Supporting gear: Remote triggers, external flashes, and flash diffusers are key real estate photography tools that will make video creation look more professional with less effort. Check out this equipment on Amazon.

Tips on How to Use Video in Your Real Estate Emails

Want to take your real estate emails to the next level? Here are some real estate agent video ideas that you can incorporate into your email marketing strategy:

• Introductory videos: Record a short, personalized video to welcome new subscribers to your email list and introduce yourself and your brand.
• Listing videos: Embed videos of your latest listings to give your subscribers a more immersive, engaging experience of the property.
• Testimonial videos: Share video testimonials from your happy clients to build social proof and showcase your success stories.
• Educational videos: Create how-to videos or market update videos to provide value to your subscribers and position yourself as a trusted expert.
• Holiday greetings: Record a warm, personal holiday greeting to show your appreciation for your subscribers and spread some cheer.

By leveraging the power of video in your real estate email marketing, you can create a more engaging, effective, and memorable experience for your readers. So, don’t be afraid to hit record and start putting your best face forward in your emails.

FAQs

Where can I post or promote my real estate videos?

Should I use captions or text overlays on my real estate marketing videos?

Is adding CTA to my videos necessary?

Bringing It All Together

Capturing the power of video content is essential for a successful real estate marketing plan. There are countless ways to create compelling real estate marketing videos highlighting your unique style and brand. By embracing these innovative video ideas for real estate agents and strategies, you can kick-start an exciting video marketing campaign to attract more prospective clients.

Do you have any real estate videos you’re particularly proud of? If so, share them here!

The post 15 Best Real Estate Marketing Videos to Generate & Nurture Leads appeared first on The Close.

1. ‘Live Who You Are’ — Corcoran

Why it works: A simple, welcoming slogan like this makes perfect sense for Barbara Corcoran’s Manhattan brokerage, which she built from scratch. It speaks directly to those who want to embrace their Manhattan lifestyle, highlighting the desire for authenticity in one of the world’s most vibrant cities.

Need some help building your own personal brand? Check out our guide on Real Estate Branding: How to Build Your Brand.

2. ‘Ask Elliman’ — Douglas Elliman

Why it works: By inviting questions and requests, this slogan creates a sense of accessibility, positioning Douglas Elliman as a trusted real estate partner. Short and sweet, this tagline from an Elliman advertising campaign sums up the primary value add they offer: expert advice from decades of experience. It also does an excellent job of humanizing a historic luxury brand that might seem unapproachable to some.

3. ‘The Evolution of Luxury Starts Here’ — Aaron Kirman

Why it works: As one of the most successful luxury real estate agents in Beverly Hills, Aaron Kirman is one of the few agents who can make such a bold claim in his slogan. This tagline appeals to wealthy clients seeking unparalleled service and the latest trends in luxury real estate. Of course, you don’t have to sell nine-figure mansions to write a slogan expressing your brand’s mission, vision, and values like Aaron Kirman’s.

4. ‘Everyone Deserves a Dream Home’ — Justin Landis Group

Why it works: Instead of demonstrating his unique selling proposition (USP), Justin Landis expresses his mission as a real estate agent. In other words, he gets up every morning to help people in his community find their dream home. This slogan emphasizes the agency’s mission-driven approach by telling the audience why he does what he does—a far more powerful statement.

5. ‘Integrity, Intelligence, Innovation’ — Coldwell Banker Warburg

Why it works: Playing with alliteration generally either works or doesn’t, and in the case of Coldwell Banker Warburg’s slogan, we think this impactful message works perfectly. It communicates the company’s core values and demonstrates to clients how their agents work. Another reason these words work so well together is they all have the same number of syllables. This creates a rhythm when spoken out loud, which makes the slogan easy to remember.

6. ‘Longevity Is No Accident’ — Nourmand & Associates

Why it works: By highlighting their decades-long presence in the real estate industry, Nourmand and Associates position themselves as experts with a proven track record. This slogan sets them apart from the newer brokerages they compete with. If your brokerage has been selling real estate longer than many new agents have been alive, boasting your history in your slogan is a no-brainer. 

7. ‘The Gold Standard’ — Century 21

Why it works: For a brokerage founded in 1971 and one of the most widely recognized brands globally, a slogan like “The Gold Standard” is iconic. First, it reinforces Century 21’s reputation. Second, it reminds their audience of their gold brand color. The slogan’s simplicity also makes it memorable, leaving a lasting impression on clients and potential customers alike.

8. ‘Client Focused. Results Driven.’ — Dolly Lenz Real Estate

Why it works: Dolly Lenz’s slogan focuses on her team’s passion for closing deals and providing client satisfaction and success. Sure, many million-dollar brokers share this commitment, but Dolly Lenz has been doing it longer and better than all. With a career spanning decades of experience, Dolly Lenz has consistently surpassed expectations and set new standards for excellence—which is why her company’s slogan works. 

9. ‘Service. Knowledge. Results.’ — Fazendin Realtors

Why it works: In just three words, Fazendin Realtors boils down to the unique value they offer buyers and sellers. Finding your USP and integrating it into your slogan could be challenging, but getting it right will make your slogan more persuasive and help you connect with potential clients on a more personal level. This slogan communicates the brokerage’s values effectively.

10. ‘The Power of Deep Roots’ — Town and Country Real Estate Hamptons

Why it works: Let’s face it. Local knowledge is essential for success in any country region, but it’s crucial in places like New York’s Hamptons. With 65-plus years of combined experience, Town and Country Real Estate Hamptons’ slogan emphasizes its heritage and authority in the industry.

11. ‘Realtor Marketing for Homebuilders Made Easy’ — Ben Cabellero

Why it works: When your clients are multi-billion-dollar homebuilders like Toll Brothers, your real estate slogan needs to spell out the benefits you’re providing them. In this case, Ben Cabellero emphasizes what every corporate bigwig wants: simplicity and convenience. Massive companies are almost always bogged down by complexity, so coming right out and offering them an incredibly valuable service is an offer too good to resist.

12. ‘Luxury Real Estate: Redefined’ — Sotheby’s International Realty

Why it works: As one of the planet’s premier luxury brands, Sotheby’s International Realty wisely acknowledged the evolving nature of luxury real estate through its slogan. After all, with home automation and a truly global market, luxury real estate is changing dramatically. Smart companies keep up and adapt, while those unwilling to change perish.

13. ‘Our Passion Is People. What’s Yours?’ — The Boutique Real Estate Group

Why it works: To help his brokerage stand out, Raj focused on branding that is friendly and accessible but still ticks all the boxes for well-heeled homeowners and buyers. This real estate slogan conveys their customer-centric approach and dedication to building meaningful client relationships. It invites the audience to reflect on their passion, fostering connection.

14. ‘Where Entrepreneurs Thrive’ — Keller Williams Realty

Why it works: As one of the top real estate companies in the world, Keller Williams’ slogan communicates to their target audience of business-minded real estate entrepreneurs. It conveys a sense of opportunity, inviting people to grow their businesses and achieve success within KW’s supportive environment.

15. ‘Sell It Like Serhant’ — Ryan Serhant

Why it works: Leave it to New York City real estate wunderkind Ryan Serhant to develop the catchiest of real estate catchphrases. This slogan conveys confidence and a result-driven approach in real estate. Over the last decade, Ryan Serhant has built one of the most recognized real estate brands. If you want to learn more about how to build a brand like Ryan’s, check out our review of his Sell It Like Serhant real estate branding course.

Even More Real Estate Taglines & Slogans

And that’s not all! Here are more real estate slogans from top industry players and other real estate companies for inspiration: 

16. ‘Better Insights, Better Decisions’— Leslie Garfield

17. ‘Modern Vision. Timeless Values’ — Jack Conway

18. ‘Defined by Service & Expertise’ — Long and Foster

19. ‘A Reputation Built on Results’ — Riskin Partners Estate Group

20. ‘For Those Who Seek an Exceptional Life’ — Spears Group

21. ‘Your Gateway to a Richer Life’ — Town and Country Real Estate, The Hamptons

22. ‘Local Knowledge, Global Reach’ — Vail Real Estate

23. ‘Experience, Integrity & Service’ — Ash Rizk

24. ‘Knowledge, Experience, Success’ — Adam Kaufman

25. ‘The Next Move Is Yours’ — Douglas Elliman

26. ‘A Fresh Approach to Real Estate’ — Judy Citron

27. ‘Impeccable Guidance, With a Legacy of Proven Success’ — Neal Ward

28. ‘Representing the Finest Coastal Luxury Real Estate in Newport Beach’ — Tara Shapiro

29. ‘Live Your Life, I’ve Got This’ — Heather McMast

30. ‘You Couldn’t Be in Finer Hands’ — Briggs Freeman

31. ‘Helping Everyone Find Their Place in the World’ — Lila Delman

32. ‘Over 25 Years Matching People & Property in Ojai Valley’ — Patty Waltcher

33. ‘Exceptional Properties, Exceptional Results’ — Gary Depersia

34. ‘Successfully Getting Results for Over 25 Years’ — Hugh Cornish

35. ‘Your Guide to Palm Beach Real Estate’ — Sonja Stevens

36. ‘The Ultimate Concierge Real Estate Experience’ — Tanya Dzhibrailova

37. ‘Successfully Selling Peninsula Homes Since 1977’ — John Shroyer

38. ‘A Realtor Who Knows His Markets’ — Roger Perry Group

39. ‘Proven Results at Every Price Point’ — Team Foster

40. ‘Local Expertise. Global Connections.’ — Neill Bassi

41. ‘A Smart Move!’ — Exit Realty

42. ‘We Are Life Changers’ —Pardee Properties

43. ‘A Home Changes Everything’ — New Story

44. ‘Extraordinary Reach. Extraordinary Results.’ —The Noble Black Team at Douglas Elliman

45. ‘Fulfilling the Dream of Home Since 1906’ — Coldwell Banker

46. ‘Find Your Place’ — Compass

47. ‘The Right Agent Can Lead the Way’ — RE/MAX

48. ‘Expect Better’ — Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate

49. ‘Find Homes First. Tour Homes Fast.’ — Redfin

50. ‘The Providence Real Estate Guy’ — Jim DeRentis

51. ‘Buckhead’s Most Trusted Agent’ — Betsy Akers

52. You Move Us’ – West + Main Homes

53. ‘Love Where You Live’ – Bond New York

54. ‘Simple. Smart. Powerful.’ — Hawaii Life

55. ‘Your Way Home’ — Pilkerton Realty

56. ‘Unrivaled. Unmatched.’ — Kumara Wilcoxon

57. ‘I’ll Sell Your Home Faster & for More Money’ — Bruno Arapovic

58. ‘Highly Ranked for a Reason’ — Ben Lee

59. ‘Local Real Estate | Marketed Internationally’ — Pacific Union

60. ‘Our Client’s Success Is Our Success’ — Team Bedi

61. ‘Knowledge Really Does Matter’ — Diana Perry

62. ‘Perfectly at Home With the Droubi Team’ — The Droubi Team

63. ‘Award-winning Experience in Farms, Ranches & Land’ — Dulling Ranch Sales

64. ‘Find Your Dream Home’ — Carrie Wells

65. ‘Homes That Match’ — RE/MAX

66. ‘Good Ideas’ — Colliers International

67. ‘The Difference’ — The Altman Brothers

68. ‘Follow Your Dream, Home — Beau Blankenship

69. ‘Let Our Family Bring You Home’  — William Raveis 

70. ‘An Unmatched Real Estate Experience’ — Wendy Storch

71. ‘Dream. Search. Live.’ — Gilbert Gallegos

72. ‘Always There for You’ — ERA Real Estate

73. ‘Only With Us’ — Mary Lou Castellanos

74. ‘Elevating Aspen Real Estate’ — Steven Shane

75. ‘Silicon Valley’s Finest Luxury Homes’ — Mcnair Group

76. ‘The Hamptons Luxury Market Leader’ — Tim Davis

77. ‘Move Smartly’ — Cyd Greer

78. ‘A Family Tradition Since 1983’ — Mike Bohnert

79. ‘When Only the Best Will Do’ — Daniel Encell

80. ‘Leading the Industry’ — Stanfield Real Estate Group

81. Work With a Proven Leader!’ — Tracey Allen

82. ‘A Better Way to Buy & Sell Real Estate’ — Julianne Ward

83. ‘Committed to Exceeding Your Needs’ — Steven Cohen

84. ‘Proven Results, Accountability: Find Your Paradise’ — The Karas Group

85. ‘Successfully Getting Results for Over 25 Years’ — Hugh Cornish

86. ‘Honesty, Integrity, Experience’ — Tom Ullrich

87. ‘Your Neighbor, Your Realtor’ — Coco Tan

88. ‘Welcome to Luxury’ — John Paul Prebish

89. ‘The Trusted Name in San Francisco Real Estate’ — Janet Feinberg Shindler

90. ‘A Proven Track Record for Success’ — Leslie Mcelreath

91. ‘An Unwavering Commitment to Excellence in Service’ — Jim Arbeed

92. ‘A Place to Find Your Home’ — Greenwood King

93. ‘Providing Real Estate Solutions for Life’ — JD Callander

How to Write a Real Estate Slogan That Helps Sell Your Brand

Writing effective real estate lines isn’t easy. To help get your creative juices flowing and avoid common writing mistakes, here is my eight-step process for crafting a real estate slogan that can make your phone ring. 

Step 1: Find Your Why: Write Your Mission, Vision & Values Statement

Before brainstorming ideas, it can be helpful to determine your mission, vision, and values. This will help you narrow down your unique value proposition and find an element that resonates with buyers and sellers in your farm area. Need help crafting your mission, vision, and values statement? Here are some examples:

Step 2: Demonstrate Your Unique Value Proposition as a Realtor

Your slogan should be more than a few nice-sounding words you can put on your website. It needs to show potential clients and customers why they should hire you instead of one of your city’s hundreds of other agents. What makes your brand stand out from your competitors? Whether it’s your unique approach to customer service, out-of-the-ordinary marketing ideas, or expertise in a specific niche, your slogan should communicate why clients choose you as their real estate partner in buying or selling.

Step 3: Start Brainstorming & Writing Real Estate Slogans

Now you need to take all your research from your niche and ideas from our generator below and start writing your real estate slogan. Fair warning: It is harder than it sounds. Try working on writing your slogan in chunks. If you write for an hour on Tuesday, put everything away and don’t look at it again until next Tuesday. Fresh eyes will give you a new perspective and help you find the diamonds in the rough.

Step 4: Ensure Your Slogan Is Short, Easy to Understand & Memorable

• Short: Is your slogan short enough to be a real estate hashtag? The first goal of writing a killer slogan is to be short. Why? Simple. Shorter sentences are much easier for people to remember than long sentences. While this might seem obvious, many agents cram as much information as possible into their slogans, which almost always leads to long and sometimes confusing sentences.
• Easy to understand: If you want your slogan to be effective, people need to understand what it says about your personal brand without having to think about it. The meaning behind your slogan might seem obvious to you, but your audience is not inside your head. To find out if your slogan is easy to understand, send it to a friend or coworker and ask them to tell you what they think it means. If they struggle to explain it—or worse, get it wrong—keep working on it until they get it right.
• Memorable: Even if you devise a short and easy-to-understand slogan demonstrating your value proposition, it won’t help you sell your personal brand if people forget it.

Step 5: Listen to How Your Slogan Sounds

After you’ve written a few slogans, try saying them out loud. Do the words have a pleasant rhythm? One way to instantly add rhythm to your slogan is to try to sum up your value proposition into just three words. Here are a few examples:

Alliteration—repeating the same letter or sound at the beginning of each word of a sentence—is an excellent way to make your slogan easier to remember. You might also try playing with repeating the same word. Here are a few slogans that use alliteration:

Lastly, consider your slogan’s acronym, as this can make your brand stand out. Avoid using acronyms with unintended meanings or negative connotations that can harm your reputation. Take this FART bus, for example. Not only does it sound funny, but it also creates an unintended association that detracts from the brand’s credibility. Remember, a well-thought-out slogan and acronym combo can leave a lasting impression.

Step 6: Your Slogan Should Resonate With Buyers & Sellers in Your Neighborhood

Your slogan must connect meaningfully with your potential clients and customers. Test your slogan with a sample audience to gauge their reactions. If they don’t instantly understand what it means or doesn’t reflect their values, choose another slogan.

Step 7: Consider Legalities

Before finalizing your slogan, here are some legal aspects you should consider:

• Ensure that your slogan doesn’t violate others’ intellectual property rights. Do not incorporate any element that belongs to others without proper authorization.
• See that your slogan is culturally sensitive and contains no offensive language that could damage your brand’s reputation.
• It’s important to note that only distinctive and highly creative slogans can be trademarked. Therefore, ensure that no other company in the same industry has taken your slogan. Check the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Electronic Search System to check that your slogan isn’t registered.
• Verify that you can use the slogan in all your marketing materials. If your employees created it, they should be appropriately credited and compensated.

Step 8: Finalize Your Slogan

Almost there! Based on feedback and legal considerations, make the necessary changes to finalize the wording of your slogan. Your company’s slogan should align with your brand identity and resonate with your audience. Then, you may start incorporating your slogan into your marketing materials, including your social media accounts, website, business cards, and real estate signs. Use your slogan consistently across all your marketing channels to boost brand recognition.

The Close’s Custom Real Estate Slogan Generator

You asked, and we delivered. Click below to access our real estate slogan generator, which allows you to create dozens of unique, hyperlocal real estate slogans with one click. Simply input your farm area and the year you launched your business, and our generator will deliver slogans that match your brand. If you don’t like what you see, click the button again to generate more slogans.

FAQs: Real Estate Slogans

What is the best slogan for real estate?

What are some good real estate quotes?

What are some catchy slogans?

Bringing It All Together

Real estate slogans are more than just your elevator pitch—they’re your elevator door pitch. When you have one second to convey your message, you must make those few words count. What are you going to say? What message do you want to send? We hope this guide helped you find out. Still stuck on your slogan? Let us know in the comments, and we’ll try to help!

The post 93 Best Real Estate Slogans & Taglines appeared first on The Close.

What Is Experiential Marketing in Real Estate?

The definition of experiential marketing is pretty straightforward: It’s a unique, memorable in-person or virtual event designed to build brand awareness and loyalty and then promoted across marketing channels. Sometimes called engagement or participation marketing, it’s all about bringing your clients and community along with you. 

The Benefits of Experiential Marketing

Experiential real estate marketing allows agents to connect with their target audience in a non-salesy way. The benefits of a well-executed experiential marketing campaign are clear: 

• A campaign brings not only brand awareness but also brand affinity. You’re creating a whole feeling around who you are as an agent. 
• Experiential marketing establishes affinity and loyalty to your brand.
• It provides a tremendous opportunity to create content that agents can utilize across marketing channels. 
• Campaigns are an excellent way to generate leads. 
• It gives agents a chance to connect with would-be clients and understand their needs and concerns.
• It offers a better understanding of a targeted demographic, which is valuable in broader marketing efforts. 
• Experiential marketing dovetails nicely with showcasing properties and hosting community events. 
• Harnessing technology like artificial intelligence and virtual reality can be a powerful experiential marketing tool that can be helpful in other facets of your business.

How to Execute an Experiential Marketing Campaign

Establishing an experiential marketing campaign for real estate is the same as any other marketing campaign. You must take the proper steps to ensure it’s worth your time, effort, and expense.

Experiential Marketing & Social Media

Synergizing your in-person experience online through social media will make your marketing campaign skyrocket. Consider this advice from our in-house marketing and social media expert Kaydi Rainey:

Social Media Tips:

• Select your channels appropriately—is your event full of beautiful scenes and people? You’ll want to use Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, which are more visual. A more cutting-edge event might be a better fit for X (Twitter, formerly), 
• We love seeing behind-the-scenes content as you prepare for your event—it makes your audience feel like they are a part of your journey.
• Use hashtags that will connect your relevant content to a new audience. 
• Use quotes from speeches during your event and repurpose them as simple content for a story or reel.
• Video content is a must for most experiential real estate marketing events—even if you use short clips and string them together, it’s sure to make an impact. 
• Like, comment, and share on social media; engage with your audience as it helps build community. 

Experiential Real Estate Marketing Examples 

Example 1: Partner With a Luxury Brand—Bringing Scotland to the Upper West Side

A team at Douglas Elliman hosted an event with The Macallan, a renowned Scottish distillery, at a luxury property in the Upper West Side. To make this an unforgettable experience, they transformed one of the mansion’s sitting rooms into a recreation of the Easter Elchies House on the Macallan estate in Speyside, Scotland. The catered event offered a virtual reality tour of the Scottish distillery, a social media-friendly backdrop, and, of course, whiskey tastings. 

This excellent experiential marketing event accomplished three things: 

• The event implicitly implies that the property is “luxury” by equating it with a luxury beverage brand. 
• The brokerage brand appeared synonymous with good taste and good times.
• It was shared widely on social media, extending the reach of the actual in-person event and making the guests virtual ambassadors for Douglas Elliman, The Macallan, and the property.

When promoting a luxury property, you want to ensure the world recognizes your luxury brand. One of our top picks for website builders does just that. Luxury Presence creates stylish, lead gen-optimized sites and the marketing collateral to support them. When establishing and maintaining a luxury brand, there’s no better option than Luxury Presence. 

Example 2: The Intimate Supper Club—Calling All Influencers

When brainstorming experiential marketing, ensuring the event matches the location is crucial. Take, for example, the Social Influencer Supper Club, hosted by Halstead agents Katie Thurber and Sean McPeak. Their listing was more of a family home than a decadent party palace, which made a smaller, intimate event a natural fit. Interestingly, they skipped the broker invites and included social media influencers from real estate, wellness, fitness, and food. By doing so, their curated guest list exposed their brand to a much wider world of luxury influencers. 

Their supper club event accomplished three major goals:

• It exposed the property (and their brand) to potentially 5,000,000 unique followers on social media.
• While a small event, it strategically leveraged the guest list for a substantial return on investment (ROI).
• It created a sense of exclusivity, perfect for a luxury real estate brand.

Example 3: The Steinway Suite—Playing for Their Supper

Like the Macallan event, many of the best real estate experiential events are cross-over promotions. The idea is that both brands will benefit from the exposure and the proximity to another valued brand. Compass Development decided to help bring their model units to life with the help of Steinway Pianos. Eager to get their high-end instruments in front of homebuyers, Steinway offered one of their top-of-the-line Spirio player pianos (and a concert pianist to play it) at the property’s launch party—a classic win-win. 

Much like the other examples, this campaign started with a partnership and ended at the closing table:

• It gave both the developer and Steinway a chance to show off.
• It left the guests with a sense of connection between high-end, classic brands.
• The guests wouldn’t easily forget what was essentially a private concert.

Example 4: A Los Angeles First—An Open House for the Dogs

Creativity and not a huge budget make the best experiential marketing. Beverly Hills Realtors and the Aaron Kirman Group hosted a pet-themed open house at a local animal shelter that helped spread the word about needy pets. As guests mingled with pets up for adoption, it was easy for them to envision their life in the property for sale. 

While this event lacked some of the over-the-topness of the other events, it did accomplish these things: 

• Linked the brokerage/group’s brand with altruism in the guests’ minds.
• Provided benefits to the community.
• Created a memorable experience while staying budget-conscious. 

Example 5: Holiday Tour of Homes—Brings the Cheer

Kiawah River Homes hosted a holiday tour with plenty to drink, food from local celebrity chefs, and sparkling music. Guests were inundated with holiday cheer as they visited the many different houses and perhaps the desire to buy a new home. The event was experiential (not just a typical open house) because it took everything to the next level, including sights, sounds, tastes, and smells. Every time the holidays roll around, those who went on the tour of homes remember the warm, fuzzy, festive feelings from the Kiawah River. 

The event was successful because it:

• Utilized all senses (see holiday decor, smell and taste wonderful food, and hear festive tunes).
• Leveraged local chefs, helping to build their local bona fide status with the community.
• Offered guests a chance to visualize themselves in a new home already decorated, tapping into our collective desire for happy, warm, memorable holidays. 
• It was expensive, but their marketing is cohesive and top-notch, so it contributed to brand affinity and loyalty. 

If you’re planning a home tour and need help promoting your event, take a look at Coffee & Contracts. It offers hundreds of ready-to-edit social media templates, especially holiday-themed ones, perfect for promoting experiential real estate marketing.

Example 6: Augmented Reality—A Portal to Another World

While this was an extreme example of how someone can use augmented reality (AR) in experiential marketing, I couldn’t help but include it as a harbinger of what might come. I love how this marketing stunt seems to transport people into this apartment, and they are wowed. While using AR in everyday events might still be a way off, it’s fascinating to think of how artificial intelligence (AI) and AR can skyrocket experiential marketing, especially in real estate.

This type of experience works for these reasons:

• It’s unexpected and bends our understanding of reality in a way that is certainly memorable.
• It conveys innovation and forward thinking.
• Potential buyers are not just impressed by the marketing but have a chance actually to experience the apartment.

Experiential Marketing FAQs

What do you mean by experiential marketing?

What are examples of experiential products?

What is an example of experiential relationship marketing?

Bringing It All Together 

At the end of the day, experiential marketing is straightforward, and I bet you’re already doing it. Agents have always been good at creating memorable in-person (or virtual) experiences that wow. In today’s world, leveraging social media makes your marketing efforts even more impactful. It’s a strategy that takes a little imagination and creativity, but the return on investment can be truly exceptional.

The post The Agent’s Guide to Experiential Real Estate Marketing appeared first on The Close.

Inspired by Barbie’s call to dream big and break barriers, I’ll share some of my favorite takeaways from a handful of influential ladies in the real estate space today who are not just selling homes—they’re redefining the industry’s landscape. Hopefully, it will inspire you to carve your path to success the way they did.

The Power of Representation for Female Real Estate Agents

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 62% of all Realtors in the United States are women. That’s a significant number, and it has increased over the past few decades. You might think representation would be a priority with so many women in real estate. But the truth is, female real estate agents face a male-dominated landscape, and women’s leadership is still not as prevalent as it could or should be.

During the conference, I sat down for a proper interview with Sarah Friar, CEO of NextDoor. It was my first time meeting her, but she was warm and welcoming, chatting with me like an old high school friend. When I asked her about her company, she was passionate and had a wealth of information to share, mostly about how NextDoor is all about community and how real estate agents contribute.

But when I asked her about her role in portraying women in leadership, she lit up like a firefly at dusk. She first said, “You can’t be what you can’t see, and so my goal in life is to show women everywhere that women can lead.” That’s a powerful message. Seeing women in leadership is vital for those aspiring to step into leadership roles. As women, the more we carve our paths to success and redefine what success is, the more responsibility we have to those following us to share the possibilities.

“You can’t be what you can’t see, and so my goal in life is to show women everywhere that women can lead.”

Sarah Friar, CEO, NextDoor

With its diverse portrayal of Barbie’s capabilities and adventures, the “Barbie” movie serves as a metaphor for the real estate industry’s evolving landscape, where women are increasingly taking center stage, breaking barriers, and shaping the future.

Barbie Changed the Perspective

The Barbie doll came from a place of women’s independence. Created by businesswoman Ruth Handler in 1959, Barbie was one of the first dolls produced for girls that represented the adult woman. It was the first time young girls could look at a doll and imagine being something other than a mother. It opened a whole world of possibilities for generations.

The movie “Barbie” put that ideology on display and pointed a finger at the patriarchal systems that have hindered women’s progress, including in the real estate industry. It ingeniously flipped the script and introduced us to Barbieland, a mythological matriarchal society where Barbies run the world. That opening scene showed what life could be to women of all ages—a world full of possibilities.

Demonstrating the numerous possibilities for women is what Sue Yannaccone, president and CEO at Anywhere Brands, emphasized at Inman Connect when she said, “Diverse voices in our industry need to be heard in a way that’s never existed before.” Like the “Barbie” movie, these women celebrate diversity and representation of all women, regardless of their ethnicity, religion, background, age, or orientation. Today, women can aspire to be anything they want. It’s a more colorful world than ever.

“Diverse voices in our industry need to be heard in a way that’s never existed before.”

Sue Yannaccone, President and CEO at Anywhere Brands

But it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. I overheard a conversation between a female real estate agent and several men. She talked about how women in real estate have been gaslit throughout generations, made to feel inferior, and stifled in their personal and professional growth. I overheard her say, “I would just like men to acknowledge they’ve been gaslighting us,” and I felt that statement to my core. I don’t think that will come to pass, but the important thing is that women have now learned to recognize that this struggle is real.

Takeaway From the ‘Barbie’ Movie

In the scene where Barbie and Ken enter the real world, Barbie is suddenly exposed to life as a woman with catcalling, rude behavior, and objectivity. She wavers, and her confidence visibly shaken. This scene solidifies that women have learned that this behavior is not OK. Female real estate agents have seen a lot, working long hours and meeting strangers at all hours of the day, and many have had to deal with some negative behavior. Today, a woman realtor recognizes when a man treats them inappropriately.

Overcome Challenges With Courage 

I love the way Tami Bonnell of EXIT Realty views challenges. She acknowledged that we still live in a male-dominated world but said, “Challenges are opportunities. Fear is a feeling, not a fact.” That’s a sentiment mirrored in Barbie’s adventures. Both narratives champion the idea that you can be afraid, but don’t let the fear keep you from moving forward. We felt defeated when we saw Barbie in the Mattel CEO’s office, about to be strapped into a box. But when her eyes lit up and she realized the men were about to imprison her, she found the strength to break free and escape. And everyone cheered.

“Fear is a feeling, not a fact.”

Tami Bonnell, EXIT Realty

According to the National Association of Realtors’ 2023 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 19% of recent homebuyers were single females. We’ve come a long way since women first earned the ability to open their own checking account (without a man’s signature) in 1974. It’s definitely a different world from the one my grandmother grew up in. Women stand up, make decisions, and take over the driver’s seat. It’s refreshing to see so many women in powerful positions acting as beacons for the younger generation (Taylor Swift comes to mind in the current cultural environment).

Fear is a powerful emotion, and you will encounter it frequently. But you can harness that power and use it to step into action. Don’t let doubt or anxiety keep you from reaching your full potential personally or professionally. In other words, take the sage words Vanessa Bergmark of Red Oak Realty spoke at Inman Connect. “I’m not fearless,” she said. “I’m courageous because I did it in spite of the fear.”

Barbie vs Real Life: The Journey to Leadership

Liz Gehringer, president and CEO of Anywhere Franchise Brands, shared her story of transitioning from a corporate lawyer with Anywhere to a leadership role in the company. Her story hit several relatable nerves—she had been a corporate lawyer for several years, but she got to a point where she had a hard time finding the energy to keep doing the job. She felt burnt out. 

When she sat down with Ryan Schneider, CEO of Anywhere Real Estate, he said to her, “Let’s explore!” Her story and the support she found within her company leadership is a triumphant journey of self-discovery similar to Barbie’s. I can’t help but think of the final scene of “Barbie” where she finally goes to the gynecologist alone. It’s an inherently female rite of passage. 

Bergmark went on to share her secret weapon for success—discipline. “We actually have more time than we think,” she explained. “There’s freedom in the discipline.” She also pointed out that a solid support system is essential. “I never went at it alone. I always had a lot of supportive women who were a phone call, a coffee date, or a dinner away.” Kevelyn Guzman of Coldwell Banker Warburg stated it best when she said, “Surround yourself with people who believe in you and want to see you grow.”

“I never went at it alone. I always had a lot of supportive women who were a phone call, a coffee date, or a dinner away.”

Vanessa Bergmark, Red Oak Realty

In “Barbie,” all of the Barbies banded together to take back Barbieland from the Kens, who had turned it into a patriarchal realm. When the Barbies worked together, they defeated the Kens and reclaimed their home. That’s a powerful message to all women everywhere. For too long, women have torn down other women, like stray cats fighting in the street. When we stand together and uplift each other, there’s no glass ceiling we can’t smash through.

But more importantly, you have to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. Sherry Chris of Anywhere Brands echoed Bergmark’s and Guzman’s sentiments. “You have to seize the moment” when it presents itself. If you hesitate, you’ll miss out on the opportunity. Tami Bonnell also believes that your environment is essential to your success. “People grow in an environment they trust.” 

When Barbie enters the real world, she has a take-charge attitude until she meets with the patriarchal Mattel board of directors and its CEO. She quickly realizes that this world isn’t like her own and has to think fast and make adjustments before she’s literally put back into a box. She finds allies in Gloria and her daughter to find her way home.

“It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful and so smart, and it kills me that you don’t think you’re good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we’re always doing it wrong.”

America Ferrera as Gloria in the Barbie Movie

In reality, women can’t escape to a fantasy world where women rule. (Wouldn’t that be something?) But the women blazing trails and redefining the game are creating their own version of reality. 

Building Confidence & Embodying Empowerment

One thing women do with a certain ease is show empathy. And that ability makes building relationships central to success. I loved Kevelyn Guzman of Coldwell Banker Warburg’s story of how she found her voice at an early age but still had to learn to use it when she first started professionally. “It’s about confidence. Even agents with big personalities don’t always have confidence,” she explained. “Finding my voice in a big family taught me a lot.” Finding your voice and learning to elevate it is essential in finding your path.

Gloria had trouble finding her voice in “Barbie.” She lamented being a solo voice in a male-dominated company culture that kept her stifled in her career and her personal life. When she teamed up with the Barbies, she discovered a strength she didn’t even realize was in her. Building confidence isn’t easy, but when you find your tribe of supporters, they can help you reach your potential.

Emily Paquette, CEO of Inman, discussed the importance of confidence and let everyone know she doesn’t have it all figured out. “I still have imposter syndrome,” she said. “As women, we question ourselves a lot more than our male counterparts do. But nobody has it all figured out.” I’m sure that sentiment was reassuring for many women in the room. Most of us feel the pain of doubt often. It’s in our genetic makeup.

“As women, we question ourselves a lot more than our male counterparts do. But nobody has it all figured out.”

Emily Paquette, CEO of Inman

But that doesn’t stop these pioneering women from forging ahead and pushing past their doubts. “If we’re not taking those risks and putting ourselves out there, we’re really missing out,” Paquette said. We don’t have to build our empires alone, though. “I built my whole career on relationships,” Paquette pointed out. 

As I heard these women share their stories and the lessons they learned along the way, I couldn’t help but think that “Barbie” shined a spotlight on this whole narrative where community and support networks are crucial to overcoming imposter syndrome and achieving success. If we stand together and continue to support each other, we can all rise together.

The Role of Allies: Incorporating Ken

Incorporating Ken brings me to another critical element of women’s success in a male-dominated society: allies. I have seen both sides of men—the side that tries to keep women subservient and the side that supports and lifts the women in their lives. Other men, like Ryan Schneider, want to encourage strong, intelligent women to find their path forward. He’s not, contrary to beliefs, an anomaly. Many others are on our side. It’s essential to seek out these allies and enlist them in getting us a seat at the table. The strong ones are more than happy to offer their hand in support.

Taking Risks & Embracing Your Strengths

“Barbie” taught us to take risks and focus on our strengths. Ginger Wilcox of BH&G Real Estate touched on that theme as well. “I have taken a lot of risks. Fear of failure keeps people from reaching their full potential. The biggest failure is not taking risks and not moving forward.” And I wholeheartedly agree with that. Sometimes, you just have to leap without knowing where you’ll land. “You’ve got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down,” as the writer Ray Bradbury told us.

“Fear of failure keeps people from reaching their full potential. The biggest failure is not taking risks and not moving forward.”

Ginger Wilcox, BH&G Real Estate

It was what Guzman shared at the end of the session that left the most significant impact on me. She emphasized the importance of moving forward despite the fear of failure, a lesson Barbie often imparts through her myriad adventures. “I focus on my strengths, and I let others focus on their strengths because I’ll never be him (Fred Warburg),” she said. “And that’s OK.” 

The Barbie Movement in Real Estate

The parallels between the “Barbie” movie and the narratives shared at Inman Connect NY are compelling. The movie began a shift that has penetrated our culture and opened our collective eyes and minds. The movie and the stories these incredible real estate women shared are about empowerment, challenging the status quo, the importance of representation, and support networks. With its diverse portrayal of Barbie’s capabilities and adventures, the “Barbie” movie serves as a metaphor for the real estate industry’s evolving landscape, where the ladies in real estate are increasingly taking center stage, breaking barriers, and shaping the future.

The “What Moves Her” session and Sarah Friar’s insights remind us that the journey to empowerment and leadership is both a personal and collective endeavor. Like Barbie, women in real estate are redefining what it means to be leaders, mentors, and innovators, proving that with courage, community, and a willingness to challenge the norms, anything is possible.

Reflecting on the stories and insights shared at Inman Connect NY, it’s clear that the Barbie movement is more than just a cultural phenomenon—it reflects the ongoing journey toward empowerment and equality in the real estate industry and beyond. By embracing the lessons of courage, resilience, and community, we can all contribute to breaking barriers and creating a more inclusive and empowering future for everyone.

In the words of Sue Yannaccone, “Use your voice! Even when the issues are bigger than you.” It’s a call to action for all of us to speak up, listen, and lead with courage. The Barbie movement is in full swing, and it’s up to us to keep the momentum going.

Your Take

How are you showing up to those women in real estate looking up to you? What barriers have you broken in your real estate career? How has a real estate agent woman mentor impacted your journey? I’d love to hear your inspiring stories—how you’ve overcome challenges, chased big dreams, and supported others with your community spirit. Share your stories in the comments.

The post Women in Real Estate Breaking Barriers: The Barbie Movement in Action at Inman NYC appeared first on The Close.

For the past 10-plus years, I’ve coached agents on how to attract and retain high-net-worth clients and the truth is, breaking into the world of luxury real estate is surprisingly simple. It does take some creativity, hard work, and tenacity, but mostly, you need a real passion for all things luxury. In this article, I’ll teach you how to become a luxury real estate agent using my 15 favorite tried-and-tested methods—and you can start today!

Download Our Checklist for Breaking Into the Luxury Market

First Things First: Understanding Today’s Luxury Real Estate Market

What Is Luxury Real Estate?

What Is the Luxury Real Estate Market Like Right Now?

Getting Started: What You Need

So you’re ready to tackle luxury real estate. You should know that it’s a different type of animal. To start, you’ll need to be knowledgeable about the luxury market and have a strong personal brand. And while you might want a few years of experience under your belt, it’s not an absolute requirement. 

Above all else, what really matters is your commitment to becoming a luxury real estate agent. Those who excel in the high-end market provide service, consistency, and excellence. You’ll need to be passionate, creative, dedicated, and authentic every single day. And you can start right now with my proven tips below!

1. Adopt a Fancy Hobby

The best way to meet high-net-worth clients is by doing something you already enjoy. This can be as easy as joining a local antique car group, attending a few fine art shows, sipping your way through wine tastings, or finding a local polo club.

While you might not be in a position to buy your own polo pony, there are many ways to be an enthusiast. No 1955 Jaguar D-Type? No problem. Educate yourself on antique cars and attend meetups and car shows to show off your knowledge. Then, if you are attending a vintage car race, you can bring a list of luxury properties in your area that feature large garages or outbuildings that would be perfect for a vintage car collector.

But—and I cannot stress this enough—start with a hobby you actually enjoy or at least find interesting. No one likes a poser.

2. Make Luxury Part of Your Personal Brand

A key step to breaking into the luxury market is to make sure all your marketing materials—including your business cards, website, advertising, and social media—are cohesive and sophisticated. 

Attract the attention of high-end homebuyers by showing them the best of the luxury lifestyle in your farm area. Marketing the luxury lifestyle is easier than ever before with social media as the perfect place to “fake it until you make it.” It won’t cost you a lot of money to feature and discuss high-end restaurants, gallery openings, or golf tournaments on your social media accounts. 

If you want to take your website marketing and branding to the next level, we recommend Agent Image. Trust the experts at Agent Image to create a stunning, performance-driven IDX website. Agent Image uses state-of-the-art digital marketing services including search engine optimization (SEO), social media management, and pay-per-click ads to help you stand out. Click the button below for 20% off.

3. Get Involved With Charities & Causes

It’s no secret that affluent people often support causes, attend charity events and auctions, volunteer, and fundraise. Target an issue that means something to you and get involved. Organize a toy drive, chair an event, join a board, or start donating a portion or your commission to a specific cause. 

Relationships and opportunities will develop naturally when your dedication to the cause shines through. From there, you can build a network that will lead to new opportunities.

This is another strategy that requires authenticity and sincerity. Don’t fake a love of rescue dogs if you don’t like animals—people will see right through you.

4. Sweat the Small Stuff

In a property worth millions of dollars, every detail is important. You need to be ready to point out the luxury finishes, from the big obvious indoor basketball court to the tiniest cutting-edge audio speaker. You need to know about the Italian quarry where Calacatta marble is found, which high-end French range is en vogue, and how a property’s eco-friendly green roof is not just cool—it cools.  

If, for example, you work in a market with lots of expensive historic homes, you need to have the proper vocabulary: know a cornice from a corbel and the difference between balusters and the balustrade. And be familiar with easements and zoning boards that may get a say in future renovations and restorations. 

On the water? Know your boat lifts and dock permits. In the mountains of Colorado, what are the fire risks, and where are the best ski lodges and stocked trout streams? If someone is going to pay a premium for high-end property features, you need to become the luxury agent who knows what they are and why (or if) they’re worth it. 

Again, social media is key to showing off your expertise. If posting to social media doesn’t come naturally, you can get thousands of real estate social media templates from Coffee & Contracts. Sign up to get new Facebook and Instagram posts designed for real estate agents for every day of the month, plus lots of bonus material to keep your social accounts fresh and engaging.

You can get started for $54 per month, which includes access to all content plus membership to the private Facebook mastermind group. As a special thank you to our readers at The Close, use promo code THECLOSE for $15 off your first month.

Visit Coffee & Contracts

5. Consider Breaking Into Luxury Leasing

Even in the luxury market, the life of a real estate agent is ruled by the ebbs and flows of those commission checks. That’s why breaking into high-end leasing can help you diversify your income stream and your network. Even though these are rentals, the value of the lease can make the financial incentive comparable to a small property in your area. 

Working in luxury leasing also lets you bump elbows with affluent clients and owners. You’ll learn about the luxury market and its clientele. These connections can be valuable in long-term client relationships and generating referrals. For example, helping a high-net-worth individual find a rental for six months in a new city when they get established will foster that relationship for both when they’re ready to settle down and buy and for referrals down the line. 

Along with establishing your network and knowledge of the luxury market, you can use luxury leasing as a stepping stone to advance into selling luxury properties. Ingratiating yourself into the culture and context of the high-end market enables you to brand yourself as a luxury agent. When clients see success in this niche, it builds your brand in a way that only experience can. Shift your mindset into positioning yourself as the luxury market expert in order to pave the way for more opportunities in the future. 

6. Solve a Problem Specific to the Wealthy

If you want to make the leap from real estate agent to luxury real estate agent, you must offer more profound knowledge and broader expertise. Here is a list of common concerns for high-net-worth individuals, which often dovetail perfectly with your real estate services.

• Real estate investing
• Legal tax avoidance mechanisms and tax consequences of property purchases
• Asset appraisal, privacy, protection, and preservation
• Insurance
• Zoning and land use
• Development
• Non-traditional banking jumbo loans
• Common property and prenuptials

Think of one (and only one) problem that a luxury client may have that you can solve. You can then position yourself as the one person in your market who solves this problem for affluent clients. Reflect on your career and experiences and ask yourself the following questions:

• What experiences, skills, and knowledge are valuable to a luxury client?
• Which luxury clients would benefit from my skills and experience?

Then, write a positioning statement to use on all your marketing. For example:

“I help high-income individuals create, acquire, and manage a diverse property portfolio.”

If you need help ensuring your online reputation reflects your specific expertise, consider Birdeye. Grow your visibility, increase your rate of review collections, and enhance your clients’ experience all from one platform. With Birdeye, your testimonials will help you shine online, increasing your chances of becoming the go-to luxury agent with your specific talents.

Grow Your Online Reputation With Birdeye

7. Teach a Relevant Course 

Once you know which specific problem you are uniquely qualified to solve, get out there and start educating your prospective clients. High-net-worth individuals may desire a deeper knowledge of real estate investing, 1031 exchanges, recent zoning changes, second home purchases, or development opportunities—and you can be the one to teach them.

Position yourself as the real estate educator and local authority by creating a 30- to 45-minute presentation or workshop. Ideally, you want to share all the ways that they can solve the problem without telling them exactly how to do it. End with a simple call to action: If they would like more information, they will need to schedule a meeting with you.

Focus on educating without getting anything in return. Even if you don’t set any meetings at first, you will eventually become a trusted authority on your chosen subject, leading to opportunities in the future.

Don’t forget to bring snacks! Offering cookies, coffee, or even wine and cheese can go a long way toward breaking the ice.

8. Master the Art of Networking & Self-marketing

In luxury real estate, your network is your net worth. Being actively engaged in the community (and business events) is crucial to building your professional sphere. Regularly attend Rotary Club meetings and perhaps join a high-end athletic club. Explore your area to see if there’s a chamber of commerce that aligns well with your real estate niche. 

Don’t forget to include private lenders and wealth managers in your network. After all, they’re often already working with high-net-worth individuals. This way, you can gain insights into the luxury market—and perhaps even referrals. Invite them to an upcoming client appreciation event to help them build their base as well. Make sure you’re building mutually beneficial relationships so you’re the go-to real estate agent for their clients. 

Remember that effective networking isn’t just about attending events, though. It’s about following up, engaging with your community, and showing genuine interest in their activities. Find ways to provide value and help them commemorate milestones in their lives like anniversaries, birthdays, and important events—a small gesture goes a long way. Strengthening these relationships can pave the way for long-term opportunities. It won’t happen overnight.

9. Level Up With Designations

If you want to become a respected luxury real estate agent, you need proof that you have the knowledge, skills, and experience to handle such an expensive asset. There are several designations and certifications explicitly designed for agents in the luxury real estate market.

• Luxury Homes Certification
• Coldwell Banker Global Luxury Certification
• Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist
• Accredited Luxury Home Specialist

While these won’t provide you with a luxury client as soon as you complete the course, they will provide you with a solid foundation to attract those luxury clients. Again, in luxury real estate, it’s all about networking. Clients in this space tend to value personal referrals and convey trust through connections. 

These programs often come with mastermind groups on Facebook and private referral networks. You’ll also be able to discuss market insights in depth with other agents. This continuous learning and exchange of ideas can help get your brain thinking about client acquisition. Plus, hearing success stories from how other agents broke into the market can keep your resolve going while trying to do the same yourself.

10. Understand & Adapt to High-end Client Communication

In the world of luxury real estate, speaking the language of your clients goes beyond just knowing what to say. It’s about understanding their needs, preferences, and expectations. High-net-worth individuals often have specific ways of communicating and conducting business. If you get emails or texts with just short, one-word responses, don’t take it as rude or curt. Your clients are most likely very busy people and every second counts. So it’s important for you to be able to adapt to your clients (and not the other way around!).  

With luxury real estate comes an increased potential for global clients, meaning your understanding of cultural differences is key. This means being aware of and respecting different norms, customs, and communication styles. For example, understanding the importance of formal titles and when to shake hands: Many cultures around the world shake hands when beginning and ending a conversation. Notice and study these subtleties so they don’t catch you off guard. 

While many real estate pros recommend customizing your communication methods for each client, this is a must if you want to make it in the luxury market. Some might prefer a weekly detailed email update, while others might opt for a quick text or phone call with their assistant. Pay attention to these preferences to show respect for your client’s time—and how they conduct business. 

But the most important aspect of adapting to speaking their language is listening. Understand their desires, motivations, and concerns by listening carefully to what your clients are saying. Pick up those breadcrumbs throughout the conversation to help you tailor your advice and communication and build a stronger relationship with your client.

11. Hitch Your Wagon to a Star via Co-listings

You can gain serious skills and connections by helping other luxury agents with their marketing, events, and open houses. When you can show your well-to-do peers that you are hungry, they will be more likely to take a chance on you as a referral partner when they’re too busy to give their high-end clients the attention they often demand. 

Don’t be too proud to co-list, either. If someone is too busy to take on a luxury listing, offer to jump in and do the grunt work. Half of the commission of a luxury listing is well worth it. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from a more experienced agent. It’s not just about sharing the workload—you’ll be able to gain insights into the nuances of luxury deals, from client interactions to closing the deal. 

Plus, being associated with a high-end listing will instantly build your credibility and reputation in the luxury real estate community. You’ll now be able to associate your brand with a high-end property—use this to your advantage to boost your luxury profile.

12. Mine Expired Luxury Listings & FSBOs

Luxury homes can take two to three times longer to sell than the average home because fewer people can afford them. Plus, many are custom designed and have unique features, making them more difficult to price correctly the first time. Some luxury listings can sit on the market for years and change listing agents multiple times before they sell. 

Luxury for sale by owner (FSBO) sellers can also find it difficult to attract “real” homebuyers for their premium-priced homes. This means that there is opportunity for savvy agents to prospect for both expired luxury listings and FSBOs. When I coach agents on how to get listings by prospecting expired luxury listings and FSBOs, I encourage them to present themselves as ambitious (yet professional) luxury real estate agents who offer the ultimate solution to a client’s problem. Listen to their issues and above all, be prepared to talk data. After all, there’s a reason that the first agent didn’t work out (or why they’ve decided not to list with an agent!).

13. Claim New Construction as Your Own

Hustling to become the representative for a new residential construction project is one of the fastest ways to establish yourself in the luxury market. If a developer has one project and likes the work you’ve done to sell it, chances are they’ll have another one … and then another one. 

Once again, networking is key here. Take any opportunity you can to get in front of developers and show off your skills. It might even be possible to consult on projects before they ever begin. After all, you’re the real estate expert and have plenty of knowledge about what the market will bear. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship that can grow and develop over time.

14. Dress for Success

Or should we say, dress to impress? In luxury real estate, appearances matter. Observe how your clients act and dress and aim to mirror their style—while keeping different cultural norms and expectations in mind. It’s not just about imitation; it’s about showing respect and understanding to your clients. 

However, don’t go overboard. It’s essential you stay true to yourself and your personal brand. Your clients choose you for your authenticity and expertise, so while it’s important to present yourself well, don’t spend all of your next commission check on a new wardrobe or wear clothes you don’t feel comfortable in. 

When you dress appropriately, it shows respect for your clients but also reflects your professionalism. Remember, we may be dealing with global clientele here. Whether the situation is a high-stakes negotiation or you’re showing a listing, your attire should be chosen thoughtfully and intentionally to ensure you leave a positive, lasting impression.

15. Adopt a Service Mindset

High-net-worth individuals are used to a certain level of service. Promptly responding to emails and texts and answering the phone is just the beginning. Exceptional service is all about making the client feel like they are your first—and most important—priority. 

We’re not talking about splashing out on fancy gifts or splurging on expensive meals. Showing clients you care is often about the smallest details. Remembering birthdays, anniversaries, and children’s names (and their hobbies or favorite sports teams) can go a long way. A simple handwritten note can speak volumes about the kind of agent you are. 

Too busy at the polo fields or charity auctions for handwritten notes? A service like Handwrytten crafts personalized messages and uses proprietary technology to recreate your handwriting to send a note that looks just like the real thing.

Bringing It All Together 

Becoming a luxury real estate agent sounds daunting, but in the end, it’s pretty simple. Connect with your passion. Be genuine in your pursuit of relationships and networks. Create a plan to meet affluent people who share the same excitement for luxury real estate properties that you have. Brand yourself appropriately, work hard, and provide a professional, unparalleled client experience. Take these steps and you’re already on your way to becoming a luxury real estate agent. 

Remember that, in today’s world, luxury is not strictly about price—it’s about the uniqueness of an experience and elite level of service. Do you have a way to break into luxury that we didn’t mention here? Let us know in the comment section!

Download Our Checklist

The post How to Become a Luxury Real Estate Agent in 2024 appeared first on The Close.

Establishing a solid foundation for your brokerage is not just a recommendation—it’s the key to ensuring long-term sustainability. By understanding these nine potential mistakes on the brokerage management side, you can position yourself as a trusted broker and ensure the growth and viability of your new business. 

1. Lack of Proper Market Research  

Do you understand your target market and how are you going to reach them? What is the demand for your services? Who is your competition? 

If you open a brokerage, these are all questions you need to answer in order to reach your target demographic and succeed. A great reputation as a Realtor doesn’t necessarily translate to a successful brokerage, especially in the beginning. I quickly learned that most people won’t hang their hat on a maybe!  

How to Avoid This Mistake 

Understanding your target market is the first step to success. Dive into thorough market research to identify your audience, assess demand, and comprehend your competition. Being a top producer in your area is an asset, but translating that into a successful brokerage requires a clear strategy tailored to your target demographic.  

When I opened my brokerage, I drove through town and did a thorough evaluation of my competition. At the time, there was nowhere that aligned with the way I wanted to do business. In essence, I created my own solution, and that allowed me to be different and stand out.

2. Poor Business Planning & Financial Management                                   

I don’t doubt that you understand that starting a brokerage takes a significant financial investment. But many new broker-owners still manage to underestimate how long it will take to start bringing in consistent income. It is crucial to have a contingency plan for slower-than-expected startup or even a market shift that could prolong your projected trajectory.  

How to Avoid This Mistake 

Secure your future. Never let yourself forget that launching a brokerage requires a significant financial investment, and success might not happen overnight. Develop a comprehensive business plan that not only factors in financial investments but also considers the time it takes to start generating consistent income. After you create your ideal business plan, create a secondary contingency plan that takes into account slow starts or market shifts.

3. Inadequate Legal Compliance 

No one needs a lawyer until they need a lawyer! Legal issues may seem distant, but having a legal partner who understands them on your side is crucial. Also, as a broker-owner, you’re taking on a lot more liability than you ever did as an agent.

A lawyer is your best business friend—mine literally is my best friend! My lawyer is also a real estate broker, and as both a lawyer and practitioner of real estate, we together were able to successfully navigate many difficult scenarios.

How to Avoid This Mistake 

Not all lawyers are created equal, so do your research and find a good partner in a real estate attorney to help you navigate legal issues as they arise—and they will. I suggest finding a lawyer who is also a practitioner of real estate and someone who understands your market along with your local boards and how they operate.

4. Failing to Expand Your Leadership & Management Skills   

Most broker-owners are the highest selling agents in their areas. But being a top producer is often a whole different skill set than running a real estate brokerage. If you are looking to truly grow the brokerage, you will likely need to step out of the top producer role and into a full-time broker management role. Be watching for when that shift starts to come. 

How to Avoid This Mistake 

Recognize the point at which you need to step into a full-time management role to truly grow your brokerage. For me, that point was about 3.5 years in, where I didn’t need my sales to support the brokerage functions. It is often a hard shift to make for yourself financially, so make sure you are ready to make that leap.

But before you make the leap, ensure you have what it takes. Transitioning with grace from being a top-producing agent to a broker-owner requires a shift in skills. Learning to balance leadership and management is key to fostering a thriving, collaborative environment.

The Close Recommends

When you’re ready to start hiring at your brokerage, check out ZipRecruiter. It’s the number one rated job search app on both Apple and Android devices, which means you’ll cast the widest net possible for new talent.

Visit ZipRecruiter

5. Not Mastering the Intricacies of Real Estate Contracts 

I know it seems like common sense, but alas, I run into brokers all the time who do not have a real understanding of the contracts underpinning their business. The majority of questions you will field from agents will be contract-related and it is important to be able to advise them correctly to avoid legal complications.

How to Avoid This Mistake 

I love contracts! As a continuing education instructor, my favorite class to teach is our three-hour contract class. I pride myself on the fact that seasoned agents walk away from my class with a new understanding of contracts that they didn’t have before. Let’s take it a step further: Get yourself certified as an instructor so you can keep your agents educated and keep yourself in front of your agents providing value. 

6. Failing to Prioritize Networking & Relationship Building   

Relationships—whether we’re talking clients, fellow brokers, or other professionals in the field—are the backbone of the real estate industry. For me, building trust with fellow brokers was something of utmost importance as I built my brokerage. It paved the way for my agents to have successful transactions. Upholding a high level of professionalism and integrity will build your reputation and foster trust with clients and colleagues.

How to Avoid This Mistake 

You will feel pulled in so many directions in the beginning. But if there’s one thing I attribute to my success, it’s jumping into anything I could to get involved in, community-wise. Follow your passions and do what you can to give back, and it will come back to your brokerage tenfold.

7. Not Devoting Enough Resources to Marketing & Branding 

Remember—branding isn’t just your brand colors and logos, but much more. It is the essence of your values and philosophies and how you do business. Your branding should tell a story about you!

How to Avoid This Mistake 

Develop a robust online presence through a professional website and social media platforms. Invest in marketing strategies to showcase your listings effectively and build that online resume for the future of your business.

The Close Recommends

In examining the best real estate lead generation companies available to agents in teams, we found CINC’s custom, hyperlocal advertising strategy, advanced customer relationship manager, and artificial intelligence nurturing tools work together to live up to its lofty promise of better leads for your agents.

Check Out CINC

8. Neglecting Technology

Embracing technology is vital for real estate agents. They are drawn to technology that will help them do their jobs better and more efficiently and edge out their competitors. You can look at this as part of agent recruiting and retention.  

How to Avoid This Mistake 

You must be prepared with tools, brokerage software, and online platforms. And you may have to look to other teams and companies to see what you’re missing. As I transitioned out of brokerage ownership and took my team to a large brokerage, I realized that—while I had indeed invested in good tools and we were thriving—there was much we were missing. Now that my team has these new tools, I see that we have an even bigger edge today thanks to the great technology they have access to.

9. Failing to Adapt to Market Changes 

Real estate is dynamic and ever-changing. Markets fluctuate and challenges arise, but adaptability is your greatest asset. Develop resilience to navigate uncertainties and bounce back from setbacks. We are all feeling this a bit in our current market! 

How to Avoid This Mistake 

No one can predict the future. But you can be proactive about remaining relevant in your market and to your agents, ensuring your brokerage remains a dynamic force in the ever-evolving real estate landscape. Another element that can help you here is adopting the mindset of a lifelong learner. Stay updated with the latest trends, technologies, and legal changes through continuous education.

Cheers to You

Congrats on setting the stage for a successful, optimistic journey in the competitive world of real estate brokerage. Here’s to your thriving brokerage and a future filled with growth and success!

The post 9 Common Mistakes New Broker-Owners Make (+ How to Avoid Them) appeared first on The Close.

There are so many great real estate door hanger ideas out there you can use to reach prospects and stay top of mind in your market. I scoured the internet to find creative real estate door hangers to inspire you. Some examples are Canva templates you can customize, and some are predesigned you simply order as is. But they’re all fabulous!

21 Fun Real Estate Door Hanger Ideas to Inspire You

1. Join Our Open House

These adorable hangers will surely stir up some visitors for your open house marketing. Hang these on all the neighbors’ doors, and you’re sure to impress. If you’ve never shopped Zazzle for your printables, you need to get over there and check them out!

2. Homeseller Checklist

I love the use of both sides of this Canva template door hanger. And a seller checklist is always appreciated. Stand out in your neighborhood with these elegant marketing powerhouses.

3. Also Your Neighbor

These adorable hangers, in the shape of a house, can be customized in your chosen color. I love how they have a spot for your business card too.

4. Just Sold Your Neighbor’s House

These elegant door hangers will announce your expertise. Just sold door hangers are a great way to let your neighbors or your farm know that you know the neighborhood.

5. I’m Not Just an Agent

What can I say? I’m a sucker for house-shaped door hangers. And these are simply adorable! They’re the perfect way to introduce yourself to your neighbors, don’t you think?

6. Just Listed

Look how adorable these door hangers are. This is a Canva template that you can customize to fit your style, but who wouldn’t love it as it is? I’m obviously a big fan of utilizing both sides of the door hanger, and this one does a great job.

7. You’re Invited

There are so many creative designers out there creating amazing things for real estate agents. Here is another beautiful Canva template that you can customize with your picture, colors, and more. Use these templates for your next open house.

8. I’m Your Neighbor

I love how the word “neighbor” stands out on this particular hanger. This one gets 5-star reviews from agents who have ordered them and used them in their neighborhoods. Adorable.

9. What Does a House Wear?

This one made me giggle, and I’m sure it will make your prospects giggle too. Who doesn’t love a good dad joke? Grab some of these to use any time you need to add a little boost to your marketing efforts.

10. Hey Neighbor

Here are some more printed door hangers to canvas your neighborhood that will make you stand out from other agents. Pair this with a magnetic business card and you’ll be present in your neighborhood for months. When they need a cup of sugar, they’ll know where to go.

11. I Have Buyers

Ready to stir up some listings? Check out these house-shaped door hangers announcing you have interested buyers! They’re simple, eye-catching, and direct. If any homeowners have thought about moving, your message will certainly stand out.

12. Should You Keep Renting?

Ready to start converting renters into buyers? These smart door hangers are perfect for hitting up an apartment complex. You could even organize a first-time homebuyer seminar and add an invitation to these two-sided customizable templates.

13. Ready to Move?

These gorgeous templates are fully customizable and simply stunning. I personally love the jewel-toned inspo from these examples. What a great way to hit your farming area and your neighborhood to drum up some business. You’ll look like the rock star agent you are.

14. The Holidays in Your Dream Home

The holiday season is upon us. Why not snag some of these adorable door hangers and canvas your neighborhood and farm areas? They’re colorful, playful, and get to the point. These will certainly plant the seeds and help you reap the harvest in the coming months.

15. What Is Your Home Worth?

The thing I love about these door hangers is the QR code. You can easily create a QR code for your listing inside Canva while customizing this template. Imagine tracking the response rate to these door hangers. After all, when you remove obstacles—like having to pick up the phone and call you—your prospects are more likely to engage with your content. 

16. Fall in Love

Ah, fall! The cooler weather, the pumpkin spice, and the natural slowdown of the real estate season make autumn the perfect time to fill your pipeline with new prospects. It’s a great time to canvas your neighborhood with a gentle reminder that a new home is always a good idea. I love how this door hanger breaks down reasons to sell your home in the fall.

17. Buying or Selling Your Home?

These smart door hangers get right to the point with style. Use these door hangers to expand your farm area to neighborhoods you don’t actually live in. Ready to grow your listings? This is a classy door hanger to do just that.

18. Home for the Holidays

What can I say? I’m in love with the adorable, house-shaped cardstock door hangers from MarketDwellings. And these holiday ones are just too precious. I love the colorful font, the fun wintery scene, and the message on the back. Order these and have them delivered to your home before December so you have plenty of time to spread the holiday cheer.

19. Fireside Chat

Can these be any cuter? There’s no place like home for the holidays, indeed. These door hangers look like Christmas cards, and your neighbors are sure to fall in love with them. You can choose your color cardstock, so if red isn’t your brand, choose ice blue, green, white, or your own favorite hue.

20. Happy Holidays

These door hangers are a simple and elegant addition to your real estate marketing. And that’s what makes them awesome. The object is to stand out and be seen in your market over and over again. The more your prospects see your face, the more likely they are to remember you when the time comes to hire a real estate agent. These Canva templates are easy to customize so you can create stunning hangers that represent your personality.

21. Dear Renting, Let’s Break Up

And lastly, check out these wonderful door hangers from MarketDwellings targeting renters. You’re sure to make a lasting impression with these fun yet educational points to help renters become buyers. Who could throw these away?  

Your Take on Real Estate Door Hanger Ideas

Door hangers are a tried-and-true method for reaching your neighbors and farm for a small investment with a high return. You can stay in front of the people you want to work with, and all it takes is a bit of sweat. 

Etsy and Canva have made creating amazing door hangers, among other marketing materials, super easy and fun. And now Canva even offers printing services so you can order directly from inside the site. So, you don’t have any excuses for not doing some canvasing with some of these amazing door hangers. 

And for new agents just starting out, canvassing neighborhoods you prefer to work in, including your own neighborhood, is the perfect way to announce to the world that you’re open for business.

The post 21 Fun Real Estate Door Hanger Ideas to Inspire You appeared first on The Close.

But I didn’t stop there. I want to spread the feeling of the season, so I created some fully customizable door hanger templates and real estate Christmas cards in Canva for you to use in your joy-filled marketing cheer.

Download Your Holiday Canva Card Templates

17 Christmas Real Estate Ideas to Get More Clients

1. Hand Out Turkeys, Hams, or Pies

These are great gifts for past clients. For every home you closed this year, purchase a ham or turkey and hand-deliver it to each client. Dress it up with a nice Christmas card, and don’t forget to schedule some extra time to chit-chat when you deliver these gifts because your people will definitely want to visit for a bit when you show up with this gift. 

With inflation pushing grocery prices through the roof, this year is an especially great time to arrive with a ham or turkey. Your gift—providing the central part of a special family dinner—will seem especially thoughtful.

If dessert is more your thing, try delivering pies to your people instead. But don’t skimp and have it delivered—the secret to this gift is the personal delivery. You’ll instantly shoot to the top of everyone’s minds through the rest of the year when they see your smiling face in their doorway.

2. Holiday Tour of Homes

Put together a small tour of homes—decorated for the season—that you can hold open for a tour. This is particularly lovely when you do it in the early evening when the Christmas lights are on. It’s practically magical. You don’t need a lot of homes for this (around three works well), and you can hold each home open just like you would for a broker tour or caravan. Start in one of the homes and have everyone go together from house to house. Or you can even have a different agent set up in each house and have folks pop by as they wish. 

Serve some hors d’oeuvres and mulled wine to keep everyone warm and happy. Print out a brochure featuring all the homes on the tour. This works well with an open house as well. But a small tour of homes from the same brokerage pushes that credibility factor through the chimney.

Promote your tour on all your social media channels easily with Agent Crate. They offer hundreds of stunning, easy-to-edit templates for everything from door hangers to social media posts to email templates.

3. Adopt a Family for Christmas

The holidays are a great time to help those less fortunate. Work with a local church organization, The Salvation Army, or a veterans’ organization to support a family in need. Ask your sphere to help contribute with toys, non-perishable foods, or funds. 

Promote your adopt-a-family drive through all channels—social media, postcards to your farm and past clients, phone calls, and even door-knocking. You can do a lot of good in your community while making connections. 

A cool way to promote your drive is to create a website or page that shares information, provides a list of what’s needed most, gives directions on how to connect with you, and includes a lead capture feature that allows you to continue reaching out to them after the event concludes. Canva now has single-use landing pages and website templates available that would work well for this.

4. Sponsor a Toy Drive

Similar to adopting a family, you can reach out to your entire community with a toy drive, asking for gift donations for families and children in need. You can work with a church organization, Toys for Tots, or local women’s shelter.

Promote your toy drive to your community through social media, postcards, door hangers, and reaching out to your sphere. You can even go on local radio, television shows, or podcasts to talk about your toy drive. Show up to your monthly chamber of commerce meeting and let everyone in your community know about it.

5. Send Recipe Postcards

I love sending out postcards to my farm sharing something useful, like a fun seasonal recipe. That way, it’s less likely to end up in the circular file. I found these postcards on Zazzle with one of my favorite recipes already printed on them. 

You’ll find preprinted recipes for desserts, side dishes, and additional cocktail options that are sure to fit your personality across a multitude of design and printing sites. Look for something that fits who you are and share it with your farm, past clients, and even some favorite vendors in your community.

If you need some additional inspo for holiday postcards, or for any time of the year, we’ve got you! Check out this article I wrote on the top 23 lead generating postcard templates to get your creative juices flowing.

6. Send Out Christmas Cards to Past Clients

It’s a shame that so few people still send out Christmas cards. But think of how much you’ll stand out when your handwritten Christmas cards arrive. Spend a little time writing a few each day instead of trying to do them all at once and it’ll feel much easier. And when your people receive your beautiful card with your handwritten thoughts inside, you’ll make a major impression that will last well into the new year.

7. Host a Holiday Party With Vendors

This one takes a little planning but it’s well worth the effort. Organize a Christmas party for a couple hundred people. You should make this a team or brokerage event where all agents invite their past and current clients, favorite vendors, sphere, and family members. 

Get sponsors for the event to cover the costs of the venue, food, cocktails, and plenty of prizes to give away. Send out invitations and include the sponsors’ logos. In this relaxed and fun atmosphere, you don’t have to be a pushy salesperson. Just have conversations with as many people as you can and enjoy the merriment.

8. Holiday Door Hangers

You can easily take a few afternoons and hit up your farm area with some festive door hangers. They act like real estate Christmas cards and remind everyone that you’re the real estate professional who knows their neighborhood. Not to mention how much you can save on postage.

And I’ve made this one easy for you. I created some stunning Christmas door hangers that you can customize in Canva. You can find them in the download above. But act fast to ensure you have enough time to print them before the season ends.

9. Throw Your Buyers a Holiday Housewarming & Invite New Neighbors

Just sold a house? Throw your buyers a housewarming party! Create some festive door hanger invitations that you can take to the neighbors. Tell them they have a new neighbor and you’re throwing a housewarming party. Be sure to include the date and time to attend. 

Make sure your buyers feel comfortable with the idea first, of course. You might need to give them a week or so to get in the house before the housewarming party so they can organize and unpack. Once you’ve nailed down the date, gather the food, drinks, and anything else you need to make this party successful.

Do some door-knocking a day or two before to reinforce the invitation. Take a few extra door hangers along with you just in case anyone says they didn’t get their invite. Let everyone in the neighborhood know about the party. 

When it’s time for the event, have everyone sign a guest list so your clients can remember all the new neighbors they met and you can follow up with each of them with a nice thank-you card. During the party, have a lot of conversations with the guests.

10. Host a Christmas Market With Local Vendors

When I lived in Germany, I always looked forward to the vendor markets around Christmas time. Every year, so many gifted, crafty people created beautiful things. There was plenty of great food, ornaments, art, and household items that made great gifts. 

You can start a tradition in your community by organizing an annual Christmas market. Invite vendors to participate in this event where they sign up (for a small fee, if necessary) to reserve a spot with a table to sell their wares. You might be able to find local vendors on Facebook Marketplace that would like to participate in a live event. 

Make sure you have your own booth or table at the event. You can couple other marketing ideas, like your adopt-a-family or toy drive, and some fun giveaways at your booth. But don’t forget to have a stack of business cards to hand out to people after you have all those conversations at your event.

11. Host a Charity Fundraising Event

Here’s another idea you can use at a vendor event like the Christmas market—sell baked goods as a fundraiser for a charity. Have your agents bake some muffins, cookies, cake, candies, or anything festive. Get some gorgeous packaging to make these baked goods look extra beautiful and print up some cards that introduce the charity you’re raising money for. 

Be sure to promote your fundraiser to all your marketing channels, letting your people know the cause or charity you’re raising money for. Pairing this event with a vendor market or even your holiday tour of homes will give you a talking point to start a conversation with just about anyone.

12. Host a Christmas Meal for Charity

This could be a really fun way to make a positive impact on your community. You can do this by working with a local restaurant (for a nominal fee) or by having other people prepare dishes. The way it works is you promote a holiday feast and invite everyone in your community to join for a free holiday meal. Serve by the plate or make it buffet-style—that’s completely up to you. The food is free to everyone with a suggested donation to the charity you’re raising money for. 

It’s a lovely way to promote community, enjoy a wonderful holiday meal, make connections to people in your area, and raise money for a charity you support. You can follow up with an announcement of how much money you raised.

13. Join a Christmas Parade

If your town organizes an annual holiday parade, make sure not to miss it. You don’t have to put together a float. You can prepare some marketing materials, like your real estate Christmas cards, and hand them out while walking in the parade. It’s an easy way to get out in front of people, smile, and spread goodwill in your community.

14. Send a Slydial Christmas Voice Message

A great way to put an instant smile on anyone’s face is to leave them a Christmas voicemail message. And you can pair this marketing strategy with any of the previously mentioned methods. You can use it to promote your other marketing events. Invite people to the holiday party you’re hosting or encourage them to donate to your toy drive. Don’t forget to wish them joy this holiday season.

Slydial allows you to record one message and send it out to your entire list simultaneously. So, not only does it spread Christmas cheer, but it also saves you tons of time.

15. BombBomb Video Christmas Message

Take your Christmas wishes up a notch with a video message instead. Use a service like BombBomb to send a prerecorded video out to your entire network all at once. A video takes your holiday message to the next level, making your message personal, warm, and extra special. Be sure to let your people know about your other events in your video.

16. Cookie Exchange Party With Clients & Past Clients

Who doesn’t love a good cookie exchange party? You get to meet up with friends and walk away with tons of different cookies you didn’t have to bake yourself. Invite your friends, family, past clients, and even your vendors, and have everyone bring at least a dozen cookies. 

Each person will empty their cookies onto platters you’ll have laid out. Then, they will turn around and fill their container with an assortment of one dozen cookies chosen from all the varieties available. While everyone is clambering over the crazy cookie selection, you’ll have plenty of face time to make those connections, start conversations, and remind everyone that you’re the neighborhood real estate pro.

17. Create a Holiday Display Guide for Your Community

This is a needed guide every year. People love to see Christmas light displays but may not know how to find the best ones. Showing that you know where they all are is a subtle cue that you’re the neighborhood expert. 

You can put together a Christmas display guide and send it out to your network. Email it to your existing database. Then post it in your social media channels as a free download (don’t forget to ask for their email address so you can send it to them). You can add those people to your database and keep in touch with them throughout the year.

Your Take 

We at The Close love the holiday season and the many opportunities to connect with new people and reconnect with those we haven’t seen in a while. We all get busy throughout the year, and it’s a challenge to stay in touch with everyone. The holidays give us a chance to slow down, laugh, and enjoy this special time of the year.

I hope these Christmas real estate marketing ideas encourage and inspire you to look for ways to get out into your community, be seen, start authentic conversations, and see where they take you. Get excited for the coming year and all that awaits you. Real estate is nothing if not an adventure, and I’m excited to see what 2024 brings. 

Do you want to share a fabulous Christmas real estate marketing idea? I would love to hear your creative strategies. Add some joy to the comments below.

The post 17 Christmas Real Estate Marketing Ideas to Get More Clients (+ Templates) appeared first on The Close.

We scoured the internet to snag some of the best real estate testimonial examples out there. We put them all together in one place and added some tips to help you up your real estate testimonial game.

So what makes a good real estate testimonial? Keep TABS on your testimonials by asking your past clients to be thorough, authentic, and specific. For more details on how to do this, skip down to our best practices for YouTube, short-form video, and written testimonials.

Let’s dive into our list of the best examples of video real estate testimonials on the internet, plus some tips to fire up your video marketing.

Video Real Estate Testimonials

The eyeballs are all watching videos, and you need to be where those eyeballs are. Most of us consume videos every day on different platforms covering different topics. So your marketing efforts will go much further with video. For example, TikTok users are on the app for an average of 1.5 hours every single day. 

That’s great news for you because creating videos can be even easier than getting someone to write out a review on Google. Videos are the most effortless way to generate real estate testimonial examples that make you look like a rock star. 

Coffee & Contracts offers a vast library of social media templates, including video, that you can use in posting your testimonials through social media.

YouTube Real Estate Testimonial Examples

YouTube is the OG of video marketing. And you can still drive business with your real estate testimonials there. Many of the real estate testimonial examples on YouTube are polished, long-form, story-style videos that really take the extra time to flesh out the unique selling proposition of the agent. Done well, these videos will attract your ideal clients to you in droves.

1. April Dean

I love the way April Dean, with BHGRE Haven Properties, put together a montage of several happy clients in one promo video. She explains how she likes to work with her clients, what she offers, and the why behind what she does. 

Then she lets her clients share their experiences on video, explaining how April helped them find what they were looking for, marketed their home well, and guided them through the process—as well as what a lovely person she is to work with. This video is a great real estate testimonial example that’s perfectly crafted for a website.

2. Mandy Saldana

Mandy Saldana of LEAGUE Real Estate took a much different approach in her testimonial video. She focused her less-than-90-second video on one couple she worked with. It’s a sweet video of two newlyweds explaining how Mandy “really took the time to understand what we were looking for in a home.”

3. Zach McDonald

Zach McDonald, of the McDonald Real Estate Group, took a similar approach in this real estate testimonial example with his clients. The video is just under three minutes long, and his clients explain the way Zach helped them find their dream home during a tough market. The video has more than 5,300 views, so you know it’s made a difference in Zach’s business.

4. Monica Perez

The thing I love about this testimonial for Monica Perez of The Monica Perez Team is it tells the whole story of Em and Charlie with quick video snapshots of them looking through homes to find just the right one. It’s a video diary of their home search. And it all fits neatly within a minute-and-a-half. Em and Charlie do a fantastic job of selling Monica’s services for her.

Best Practices for YouTube Testimonial Videos

Using YouTube videos for your real estate testimonials is a great way to get in front of your potential future clients. After all, YouTube is the world’s largest search engine after Google. But in order to get the most out of your efforts, you need to adhere to a few best practices.

• Make sure your potential clients can find you. Include your location in your title (or at least the description) and tag your location in your video. People tend to type “real estate agent in {city name}” when they search.
• Keep it short. Today, shorter videos get more views and are more likely to be watched to the end if they’re under three minutes.
• Get your clients’ honest responses. Let your clients know ahead of time that you’ll be doing a video and you would like their review of your services. Give them a couple of questions to think about leading up to the day you plan to shoot the video.
• Edit your video to keep the timing and visual interest high. Cut out any downtime or pauses. Keep the story moving. Multiple cuts will add dynamism to your video. Use background music to set the tone.
• Always include a call to action in the description. Include your contact information, your location, hashtags, and a direct phone number viewers can use to reach out to you for their real estate needs. Make sure they have a way to contact you!
• If you really want to up your game, give your future clients a downloadable lead magnet that will help you capture their contact information. Create your download in Canva and post the link in the video description for potential clients to use. You can use a tool like Linktree to host the link to your lead magnet.
• Remember that done is better than perfect. When all else fails, just grab your phone and get a candid response from your clients on closing day and post it on social. You can always add key elements like location and a call to action later when you get it up on YouTube.

Short-form Vertical Video Testimonial Examples

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably noticed the rise of vertical videos, aka “short-form videos.” TikTok has 150 million monthly active users in the U.S. and it’s growing in popularity as an online search engine. Ignoring the app and writing it off as a Gen Z pastime is detrimental to your business. 

The great thing about vertical video is it’s practically effortless to do. It’s easy to create a super-short video and post it in the app, which undoubtedly contributes to its skyrocketing popularity. Admittedly, I love to scroll through TikTok videos and can easily lose an hour watching them. 

Close behind TikTok are Instagram Reels, which are similar enough that you can repurpose videos across both platforms. There are a ton of real estate agents using these vertical video platforms to boost their business. And some are nailing the vertical video testimonials—let’s check out some examples.

5. Zeb Freeman

This is one of the sweetest buyer stories ever. When you see the pure joy on this beautiful client’s face as she’s holding up the key to her new home, you just can’t help but feel that joy with her. Zeb Freeman of PalmerHouse tells the story with short video shots of his client touring the “40 to 50 homes” it took before she found the right one. It’s a joyful story of accomplishment shot in only two minutes.

6. Rose Gachette

Going back to “done is better than perfect,” this video is a great example of the idea that you don’t have to have a highly polished, edited video to get your testimonial out there and let it start working for you. Rose Gachette of La Rosa Realty had her buyer do a quick video at the closing table, which is the easiest way to get your testimonials. 

She starts the video by explaining who she is and introduces her buyer. Her client then talks about what it was like working with Rose. And, of course, it’s awesome. Raw, unscripted reviews of your service come across as genuine and unsolicited, making it that much more trustworthy in the eyes of your future clients

7. Everette Forrest

I love how this couple talked about how their agent became like a friend. “You really can’t compare him to anybody else.” Everette Forrest from eXp Realty in Atlanta was a referral from this client’s friend, which gives Everette the maximum benefit of two referrals in one.

8. Nancy Hargrove

Don’t you just love it when you get those super-high-energy clients who create referral videos for you? I’m sure Nancy Hargrove of Coldwell Banker is grateful for this short testimonial video from her clients. They’ve worked with other agents, but love Nancy and are already looking forward to future projects with her. Win-win!

9. Terry Carter

Of course, if you’re not comfortable with making TikTok videos yet, you can always break in through Instagram Reels. Terry Carter of The Terry Carter Team is doing an excellent job of getting his testimonials on the ‘Gram.

10. Mark Kozik & Curtis Russell

If you have any doubts about the effectiveness of vertical videos on social media platforms, look no further than this example from Mark Kozik and Curtis Russell of Great Homes ATL. It currently has 3,835 views. That’s a lot of visibility for a real estate business. These guys use the description smartly, including their tagline and a big call to action along with hashtags to get found easily. 

Other elements we love include the fun editing, pinned testimonial, and closing day videos at the top of their profile. If you’re looking for a template on how to do social media right, these guys have 101,000 followers—we’d say they’ve cracked the code!

11. Teikesha Hubert

Teikesha Hubert of Hubert & Co. Real Estate knows how to keep her clients’ emotions in check. As her clients share, she “helped me to calm down and just trust the process.” Those are magic words for anyone feeling anxious about their first-time homebuying experience. And Teikesha used plenty of hashtags in her video description to help her reach more than 700 views so far.

12. Mariam Mechael

Mariam Mechael of Realty Executives Dillon knows how to maximize a sale. This video is so well done it looks pro. She’s used all the tools to show off her client’s new home, their testimonial on her amazing service, and how she exceeded their expectations. If you check out her description, she’s also done something above and beyond—given people who find her video a mini-test to see if they’re ready to jump on the homebuying roller coaster ride.

She’s using this real estate testimonial video to prequalify anyone who might contact her for real estate advice. And those questions are designed to put people in the right mindset to say “yes!”

Also, Mariam is using a link in her bio to drive potential buyers and sellers to her website and other social proof examples separate from Instagram. So smart.

Best Practices for Vertical Testimonial Videos 

Using vertical videos for your real estate testimonials is the way of today, not the future. Getting started on vertical videos is much easier than you might think. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• You can easily and quickly create videos on the fly directly inside the platform, whether you’re publishing on TikTok or Instagram Reels. You can then share the video to the other platform so you don’t have to duplicate your efforts.
• Keep it short. Vertical videos are meant to be consumed quickly and easily. Best practices dictate you keep them under three minutes.
• Video editing can quickly eat up a lot of your time. Make it easy on yourself: Use some outside video tools like CapCut, InShot, or Canva to create your videos and then upload them to social media platforms.
• Always shoot vertical videos in portrait orientation. Landscape mode doesn’t do as well on TikTok or Reels.
• Add a call to action in the description. Include your contact information, your location, hashtags, and direct call number to reach out to you for real estate needs.
• Again, done is better than perfect. I can’t stress this enough. Don’t think—just do. Your first few videos will probably be terrible. But you will get better with every video you upload. And even your worst video will likely get you results if you follow best practices.

Written Real Estate Testimonial Examples

So what do you do when you have a client who isn’t comfortable doing a video testimonial? You can still work it into your social media. Ask your clients for a written testimonial through an email or a Google form. Then turn it into a sleek video like Scott Goshorn from the Luxury Estates Team did.

13. Scott Goshorn

Scott created this gorgeous short video—with a logo embedded in the corner—that shows off the text from one of his testimonials. Using the captioning feature to display the words one at a time forces viewers to read the words as they appear. Scott’s already gotten 833 likes on this short video testimonial. Not bad at all!

If you’re looking for more examples to help you whip these real estate testimonials up, then you’ll love the gorgeous templates you’ll get from Coffee & Contracts. They’re already perfectly designed yet fully customizable inside Canva, so you can easily put your stamp on them and post them across all your platforms with just a few clicks.

14. Sean Housel

Sean Housel from Summit Sotheby’s International Realty shows how easy it is to share written testimonials on TikTok. With some lovely music and a little animation, I’m sure this post didn’t take much effort for Sean, but he has a couple of these on his TikTok wall, each with 200-plus views. Pretty straightforward.

Best Practices for Written Real Estate Testimonials (TABS)

Be Thorough

If your client leaves you a one-sentence review, that’s going to be pretty tough to turn into a full-fledged post or video. You can’t just use, “Greta was a great Realtor.” Well—you can, but it won’t really bring the views and new business you want. When you ask for a testimonial, prompt your clients to get them thinking. Try questions like, “What did I do well?” and “Why would you want to work with me again?”

Be Authentic

People work with those they know, like, and trust. To build that into testimonials, give your viewers and clients those details that really help paint a picture of who you are. To get them thinking, try a fun question like, “What surprised you about me?” Or, prompt your clients to think about your authentic self by asking questions like, “What was your favorite part of working together?” After all, your clients chose you for a reason—let that shine through in your testimonials.

Be Specific

If you’re showcasing a testimonial, there’s a reason. Don’t be vague about it. Prompt your clients to mention their specific experience or situation. Make sure you emphasize the why. Perhaps they were an anxious first-time buyer, but you helped them by being responsive and knowledgeable. Or maybe the bank ordered a last-minute termite inspection days before the closing and you got an expert in there at 6 a.m. on a Tuesday.   

Your Take on Real Estate Testimonials

We truly hope these real estate testimonial examples and best practices will spur your creativity and help you up your referral business. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start shooting those testimonial videos!

The post 14 Real Estate Testimonial Examples to Inspire Your Referral Marketing appeared first on The Close.

1. Vacation Rental Investors

Many first-time homebuyers are on the sidelines, strapped by the current interest rates coupled with historically high home prices. So, if your focus has been on first-time homebuyers, it might be time to pivot to a niche that’s less affected by the current market. Thankfully, short-term rentals (STRs) are still lucrative, even in the current economy. 

It’s true that escalating home prices, along with increased regulations and fees, have slowed the STR boom of 2021. But, as you can see from the infographic above, that leveling out will turn down the crazy and keep a lot of people who shouldn’t invest out of the pool, making it easier for serious investors to buy properties smartly.

And your expertise around your market’s permits, demand, and fees for STRs and vacation rentals will set you apart from other agents. You can become the one investors turn to for accurate market updates and listings. 

How to Start Working Rental Property Investors

First, make sure to familiarize yourself with your market’s regulations and restrictions for vacation rentals. There are usually different rules for long-term vs short-term rentals, so get to know your community’s permit requirements along with the amount of any fees.

You also should enroll in a few continuing education classes through your association that deal with short-term and long-term rentals, investors, and even try dipping your toes into some commercial real estate classes. If vacation rentals aren’t your thing, you can also consider other types of real estate investing. Gain as much knowledge as you can around real estate as a business.

You’re bound to have a community group that stays in touch on Facebook—or even in person—that you can join. Bigger Pockets is a good place to start looking if you’re not sure where to start in your market. But if you search Google for real estate investment groups in your area, you’re bound to turn up a few more options. Once you join a group, get involved in discussions, offering your real estate expertise. Become the knowledgeable agent in the room that people come to with their questions. 

Get a head-start by learning the BRRR (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) method for investors by downloading this e-book from Kiavi. You’ll be the agent everyone turns to when you learn the ins and outs, pitfalls, tips, and financing secrets of successful real estate investors.

2. Rentals

This summer, median home prices increased nearly 2% from one year ago to $406,700. And with mortgage rates currently sitting around 8%, this puts homeownership on ice for many. That leaves more people flocking to rentals. The rise of “digital nomads” as a lifestyle also means more people are looking for housing options that allow them to travel around the country and the world. This means working rentals can become a lucrative niche for agents in 2024.

When I was an agent in New York City, I made $1,500 to $3,000 per closed rental transaction. Agents who worked high-end exclusive rental listings sometimes collected five-figure commission checks from one closed rental deal. While results like these might not be common in all rental markets (it’s New York City, after all), it proves that rentals can be very lucrative for real estate agents. 

There are two ways to do this in smaller markets: 

1. Increase volume

2. Get exclusive rental contracts with developers

How to Start Working Rentals

If you’re working in a market that focuses on high-end luxury rentals, you can join a brokerage that focuses on rentals to tap into that market. If you’re not, get licensed in property management if your state requires it and start pitching builders and developers.

With the market cooling in many areas, homeowners may need to temper their expectations. But if they’re needing to leave the area (say in the case of a military permanent change of station move or new job), you might offer to manage their home as a rental. You’ll be helping your clients start or build a rental portfolio while you also expand your experience and skill set. 

One of the easiest ways to stand out in the crowded property management market is to sharpen your digital marketing skills. Create a website where you can showcase rental properties and drive traffic from your marketing efforts, then offer to build one for free for a local developer.

If you want to work the sales side, start educating your sphere on real estate investing with an eye toward renting. You can get started with these deep-dive articles on real estate investing from Sean Moudry:

3. Military Movers

Speaking of permanent change of station (PCS) moves, one group who will move no matter what the economy is doing is the active-duty military members. They don’t pay for their move, and they have to go when they get PCS orders from military officials. So, you can always count on members of the military moving every few years. 

Most military members will get orders in the spring for a summer move. So, summers are typically busy with PCSers. But there’s also a secondary PCS season that many overlook: end-of-year moves. It’s not as busy as the summer, but there is a substantial number of military folks who get orders to pack up during December. 

The best part of military movers is they typically use their Veterans Affairs benefits, which allows them to get a mortgage with zero down payment. That makes buying a home in their new duty station easier since they won’t have to come up with a substantial amount of cash to buy. Military movers also make a great niche for you because when their tour is up and they have to PCS again, usually within a few years, they will most likely reach back out to you to either sell their home or help them set up the home as a rental property. 

How to Start Working Military Movers

If you live near a military base, this niche will work for you. Start by learning about the military community and familiarize yourself with their lingo. There are a lot of acronyms military members throw around, and you want to sound like you know what you’re talking about. 

You can also become an MRP, or military relocation professional. It’s a designation that will take about a day to acquire. Once you learn the language and get that MRP, join the military base groups on Facebook (particularly the spouses’ groups) and get to know your local military community. 

You can also create social media content educating those moving to your area. Remember, these folks PCSing to your market know practically nothing about it. You can share information about different communities, what it’s like to live in your city, steps for the homebuying process, how to use VA benefits on real estate, and so much more. 

If you really want to dive deeper into the steps involved in the military movers niche, check out this in-depth article from Kinga Mills:

4. Probate Sales

When a homeowner dies, a property typically has to go through some type of probate court before it can be conveyed to a surviving family member or person named in a will. Often, a home is left to a spouse or adult children, who then need to sell the home and share the proceeds from the sale. 

These are the people who need your help. Adult children, in particular, will need a professional to help them get the home on the market, especially if they don’t live in the same area as the home. And if you can help them sell the property quickly, getting them through a tough time in their lives, they will be forever grateful.

How to Start Working Probate Sales

Getting into probate can be a little tougher than some other niches listed here, but it’s not as difficult as you might think. The first step is to familiarize yourself with the probate process. You can check your local association to see if they offer courses to understand probate. 

After you’ve learned more, you might consider reaching out to probate attorneys and pitching your services to them. It never hurts to establish yourself in your community, make connections, and build relationships. Even if one of the attorneys is working with another agent right now, they may end up with more work than the one (or two) agents can handle. 

If you really want to up your probate real estate game, you might consider checking out predictive analytics software that can actually find them for you before anyone else has a chance. Catalyze AI utilizes event-driven data to send you listing leads. You can be the first agent to reach out and get a jump on the competition.

5. Vacation Homes

Vacation communities—like The Hamptons in New York, or the beach houses of Clearwater, Florida—will continue to be an excellent niche for agents. Many of these communities saw the largest influx of new buyers in 2020. But even in the current sluggish market, the vacation home market will continue to draw those who can afford this lifestyle.

How to Start Working Vacation Communities

If you work near a vacation community and have the listings in your MLS, start marketing them to potential buyers using an IDX website. The idea is to curate listings from a vacation destination to a page on your website using IDX widgets, then drive paid and organic traffic to that page. If you don’t already have an IDX website, use this as an excuse to finally build one. You can learn how here: How to Build an IDX Real Estate Website: The Ultimate Guide.

In your marketing, promote the lifestyle more than the listings. Remember, this niche is all about the idea of getting away from the hustle of everyday life. They want to see the dream. For inspiration, check out Michele Bellisari. She’s a pro at promoting the Boca Raton lifestyle in her social media marketing.

6. Luxury Real Estate

No matter what the market does, the wealthiest will always use real estate to build more wealth into their portfolio. So if you live near a luxury area, like New York or Los Angeles, chances are inventory is ridiculously tight, and many homes may be selling above asking price. But luxury isn’t confined to only the biggest cities. You can find luxury in many areas, including the mountains and the beaches. 

How to Start Working Luxury Real Estate

Finding luxury buyers to work within this market is relatively easy. You can advertise on Facebook or Google, network, or just join a luxury team. You’ll want to give your branding and marketing materials a bit of a polish before you start, though. A strong brand is far more important for agents transitioning to luxury.

For listings, the road is rougher but possible. If you’re serious about transitioning to luxury listings, check out Sean Moudry’s excellent article below. Sean has been in real estate for 29 years as a broker, coach, speaker, author, and consultant, and he has a wealth of experiences to share.

7. FSBOs

Some agents shy away from working for sale by owner (FSBO) listings because they believe iBuyers are snatching up all the inventory. But not so fast! We’ve seen Redfin, Zillow Offers, and a handful of other iBuyer models fold or pull back the reins on home purchases. 

So, FSBOs are still in play and can be a plentiful source of listing leads for any resilient agent. It makes sense when you think about it. The market is cooling, and homeowners still haven’t learned how to sell houses. So, while investors may still be a factor, learning to pitch FSBOs can put agents ahead of the game. 

How Agents Can Start Working FSBO

Of course, pitching FSBOs is not easy. In fact, it will take practice to get good at turning an FSBO into a listing. The housing market of 2021 left many homeowners thinking that selling houses is simple. As agents, it’s our responsibility to show our value, manage expectations, and prove that agents are worth the commission. The trick is to establish a relationship with them before the reality of selling their home finally sinks in. 

You can start by learning and practicing FSBO scripts. Chris Linsell broke down his seven favorite FSBO scripts here and explained why they work so well: The 9 Best FSBO Scripts (+ Why They Work).

If you’re ready to jump feet-first into the FSBO world, you should consider looking into REDX. They curate expired and FSBO listings daily, delivering accurate data so you can reach out to sellers before the competition. Don’t waste time on inaccurate phone numbers or get into hot water over the Do Not Call list. REDX scrubs its data to make sure you’re only getting the freshest info. Keep track of your contacts inside the REDX CRM so you can nurture and convert your leads easily.

8. Empty Nesters & Downsizers

Today’s millennial homebuyers face tight inventory, rising home prices, rising rents, and high student debt that are all converging to keep them out of the real estate market. So it’s no surprise that the largest shares of homebuyers in 2022 were the 55 to 64 and the 65 to 74 age groups, together accounting for 42% of all buyers, according to the National Association of Realtors’ Profile of Buyers and Sellers report.

Looking at the data, it’s no wonder that the 55-plus age group is the biggest homebuying segment. They typically have equity in their existing home to make a move work. 

Most of these prospects are moving to be closer to family or to downsize. But don’t forget to target those who are looking to make lifestyle moves—think golf, pickleball, and boating. If you live near a 55-plus planned development, like the now infamous retirement community The Villages of Florida, you might want to consider them in your marketing strategy.

How Agents Can Start Working Empty Nesters & Downsizers

Start off by brushing up on the communities near you that target this demographic. Find out the features and benefits of each one so you can rattle off information in a conversation easily. Next, you might consider a print campaign in some of the older neighborhoods in your community. Target homeowners who have lived in their homes for more than 10 years. Your campaign should feature the benefits of moving to a community with a fun lifestyle for its members.

You might also consider getting a Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) designation to learn the ins and outs of meeting the needs of this fast-growing niche. Sean Moudry explains the designation at length in this article: The SRES Designation: Is It Worth It for Residential Agents?

Over to You

Know of an underrated real estate niche you think is poised to become more lucrative this year? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The post 8 Red-hot Real Estate Niches That Can Double Your GCI in 2024 appeared first on The Close.