How to Get Listings as a Real Estate Agent

Whether there are insufficient seller leads or low inventory levels, getting listings as a real estate agent is a big challenge of the job. Fortunately, there are actionable steps that can change your career. If you’ve ever felt stuck when generating more listings, having the right strategy will get you back on track.

Let’s explore how you can get listings as a real estate agent.

7 Ways to Get Listings as a Real Estate Agent

1. Talk to Your Network 

Your first or next listing might be closer to home than you think.

Call your family, friends, and acquaintances. Attend open houses not just to potentially land buyers, but also to possibly get listings in the area. Take every opportunity to meet people, build rapport and relationships, and find out what their real estate needs are. From there, tell them about what you can do for them in real estate.

Getting listings as a real estate agent takes a lot of hard work, patience, and time. Even if they don’t need your services right now, they may use your help down the line or refer you to someone they know.

Connections are your lifeline in this business, and you’ll see it’s all worth it once referrals and listings come pouring in.

2. Demonstrate Your Industry Knowledge and Experience 

One of the best ways to get listings as a real estate agent is to show that you’re knowledgeable and experienced in the market. This will help you gain credibility and establish your position as an industry expert.

While emails, phone/video calls, and text messages are quicker, it’s always a good idea to go out in the field and meet people in person. This will help solidify your connection and rapport with leads and clients and build a higher level of trust.

Similarly, show your attention to detail and care when communicating with clients and contractors. When you do this genuinely and authentically, they appreciate the top-quality effort you put into building a relationship. And when they trust you, it’s more likely that they’ll continue working with you or refer you to their network.

3. Master Cold Calling and Door-Knocking

While these may be the toughest ways to get listings as a real estate agent, they can also be effective — if you consistently work at it.

If you’re new to cold calling, it helps to prepare a script or notes of key points to cover. If possible, call earlier in the workday. Property owners or landlords tend to accommodate the first or second agents who call them. Once you’ve connected with them, set a face-to-face appointment, so you can begin establishing real connections with them.

Similarly, door knocking requires a lot of courage and persistence. Be sure you observe best practices, including doing your due diligence, preparing a powerful script, and focusing on offering them value. It also helps to keep conversations short and positive.

Bonus tip: Create a spreadsheet to track your progress. This will help you follow up with those cold calls and door-knocks and turn them into closed deals.

4. Join a Real Estate Team Or Work with a Mentor 

Another effective strategy you can try to get listings is to join a real estate team that can help ensure you have these contacts as soon as you’re ready.

When you join a team, you get access to more leads and clients. Many strong teams have a steady flow of referrals and a successful lead generation system. As such, you get the opportunity to network and meet more people, increasing your chances of sourcing listings. Plus, people are more likely to rely on you, knowing that you are backed by a solid team.

Also, it’s beneficial to work with a mentor. This person should be able to guide you through the ins and outs of the industry, including getting listings as a real estate agent. They can help you know where and how to approach people and how to prepare for listing appointments.

5. Promote Yourself, Your Business, and Your Listings 

To get listings as a real estate agent, you need to learn how to self-promote. You need to let people know who you are, what you do, and what you can offer them. 

Some marketing tactics to do this include:

• Creating and sharing valuable content online.
• Investing in email marketing like newsletters.
• Posting relevant industry news and updates on social media platforms.
• Sharing reviews and testimonials.
• Traditional advertising like letters, local newspapers, postcards, and out-of-home spots.

6. Nurture Your Relationships 

We can’t emphasize this enough: To succeed in getting listings as a real estate agent, you’ll need to focus on building and nurturing good relationships.

Take note that good relationships don’t end once the transaction has been completed. That’s why it’s best to keep in touch with old leads and clients. Those who closed may have other real estate needs or know anyone who may require your services. On the other hand, those who aren’t ready now may be ready in a few years. Either way, it’ll pay off if they have you as their top-of-mind agent.

Similarly, consider connecting with local businesses in the community you’re targeting. This can be people working in the bookstores, cafés, restaurants, salons, city council, or developers. Word-of-mouth news runs fast, so they may be able to help you out if they know anyone on the hunt for a home.

7. Invest on Yourself 

When getting listings as a real estate agent, It’s beneficial to focus on your values and your “why,” so you’ll find the right sellers to service and work with. Educate yourself about the market and industry. Attend conferences and seminars, networking events, online courses, and local meet-ups. Work with local professionals who can guide you on the ins and outs of the area.

It’s also important to note that sourcing listings are an investment in and by itself. Advertising yourself may take time to see the results, but creating and building your brand will pay off dividends if you keep going.

Finally, pay close attention to what worked and what can be improved. You can even create case studies demonstrating how you can effectively handle issues in your succeeding transactions. Be the most knowledgeable agent around, and never stop evolving as a professional.

Getting listings as a real estate agent, especially if you’re new to the industry, can sound daunting and intimidating. While there’s no magic formula to successfully source and get listings, strategy will take you far.

Follow these pro tips, stay resilient, focus on good relationships, and always act with integrity. And soon, you’ll be well on your way to getting more listings as a real estate agent thriving in the industry.

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