Often sales professionals set their sales process on cruise, enjoying the pace and settling into a comfortable process that may work ‘well-enough.’ In Erik Therwanger’s book Dynamic Sales Combustion, he warns against this, instead challenging us to “focus on the deliberate acceleration needed for success.”

PRESENTING

“Every buyer is different. Not every style will work with everyone.” (Therwanger, 2018)

Do you treat each perspective buyer/seller the same as the last? Is the ‘presentation’ of your process and services almost identical each time you make it? Each buyer and seller have different goals, concerns, fears, motivations. It’s your job as real estate professionals to truly get to know your clients, so you can be sure to meet those needs and desires.

“Your presentation is an opportunity to communicate your belief level in what you offer and demonstrate your personal commitment to your client.” (Therwanger, 2018)

Nothing could ring truer for real estate agents. Without a physical ‘product’ to offer, you are presenting yourself as the product—so how much do you believe in yourself and to what ends will you go to in order to serve your clients? These are the questions your presentation needs to answer.

SET-UP

When a homeowner or buyer decides to go with you as their agent, what comes next? Do you have a process in place to meet their needs, to keep their trust and establish rapport? Or is this the step when you set the cruise, certain you have a sale already? According to Therwanger, three steps are essential in setting up your client: guidance, processing their order, and gathering referrals.

GUIDANCE

In real estate, the first few days, and sometimes weeks, of a new client relationship is a tender time of building trust and ‘guiding’ your clients. You’re still learning about their wants and needs, and they are observing your process. Therwanger compares this time it to the first year of a child’s life—fragile—as they watch to see how you’re going to take care of them, building trust as you meet their needs.

PROCESSING

The next piece is delivering. Whether it’s their dream house or their ideal buyer, you made a commitment to your client and it’s time to follow-through. For agents, this can be a grueling, maddening time: lots of showings, lots of emotions, little progress. But eventually—with persistence—you can be the person who coaches them across the finish line, and if you do it well, they won’t forget.

REFERRALS

“I do not consider a sale completed until I have received at least one referral from my new client and that referral has become a new client.” (Therwanger, 2018)

Is this your mentality? Maybe it will help you to know that the buying rate from referrals is 300 percent higher! Or that referrals are 2 ½ times more likely to refer you in the future! Asking for referrals may seem awkward at first, but if you’ve truly met the needs of your clients, they’ll be happy to help you.

FOLLOW-UP

For those of us in the real estate business, once the sale is complete, it’s easy to lose touch. The relationship between buyer/seller and agent may feel like a one-time transaction. But what if it wasn’t? Does it surprise you to learn the average homeowner lives in a home for only ten years, with the average millennial living in a home for just six years? (White, 2017) This means you may help a buyer purchase their first, second, even third home—if you keep the relationship strong.

Following up with your buyers/sellers shows them not only that you care, but that you’re the person to call when a friend or relative needs an agent. Perhaps to do this well, you’ll need to use a client database, or schedule reminders to call previous clients and check in. Perhaps it’s sending a bottle of champagne on move-in-day or writing a hand-written note of congratulations as their family grows.

Follow-up can be creative or basic but shouldn’t be non-existent. It may just be the one thing distinguishing you from the other agents on cruise control, who have forgotten all about their past client and are moving on to the next. Charity Malmberg

Therwanger introduces what he calls the sales gears to any sales engine: Prospecting, Contacting, Presenting, Set-up, and Follow-up.

Prospecting and Contacting, the first two gears, are what I’m going to focus on in this article.

THE PARETO PRINCIPLE

Perhaps you’ve heard of the 80/20 rule: that 20 percent of people do 80 percent of the work.

As you consider your sales methods, you may find it even applies to your prospecting and contacting. It’s likely that around 20 percent of your calls lead to 80 percent of your sales. Or 20 percent of your past clients lead to 80 percent of your referrals. Or 20 percent of your listings lead to 80 percent of your profits.

Maybe this isn’t something that seems encouraging, but according to Therwanger, it means there’s a lot of room for growth! How can you apply that successful 20 percent of your efforts to the other 80 percent? It’s a good reminder to look for patterns in what has worked in the past and pay attention to the untapped potential all around you!

PROSPECTING WITH PURPOSE

In the real estate industry, prospecting probably looks quite different from other sales positions. However, it’s still a necessary component to keep your sales engine running.

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

Instead of asking yourself “whom can I call,” “whom can I sell;” ask yourself, “whom can I impact?” We all know people in our circles, or perhaps a tad outside of our circles, that we can help. Throughout his book, Therwanger reminds us that impact is greater than selling.

MAKE A REALISTIC LIST

As you’re making your prospecting list, are you being realistic? Are the people you’re adding in a position financially, geographically to either list or look for a home? Perhaps they are influencers and have a wide variety of contacts. Making a realistic, well-thought-out prospecting list may take more time, but is obviously going to benefit you more in your efforts.

Block Out Time to Make Phone Calls. Seems simple, but that “400-pound phone,” as Therwanger says, can often feel too heavy to lift unless we set aside specific time for it. Blocking out time each day to touch base with influencers, check in with past clients, and call leads is a necessity and shouldn’t be left undone. Waiting for the phone to ring is like waiting for your car engine to start all on its own.

Target, Qualify, Prepare: Identify the types of clients you want to work with, perhaps first- homeowners, established families, raw land deals. Come up with a list of criteria your ideal prospect has and then do the research needed to understand their needs and goals! Be prepared before you make the calls.

BUT, ACTUALLY MAKE THE CALLS!

When it comes to real estate, hopefully most of the prospects on your list come from previous clients and are ‘warm’ or ready/ getting ready to list or buy a new home. But perhaps you’re just starting out in the business or it’s been a bit stagnant. Then your list may not be as easy to tackle. But this is where the rubber meets the road.

CONTACTING WELL

What works for you? Are you best in email, over the phone or doing a drop-by in person? Perhaps you only have a phone number but do better face-to-face. Use the first call for a quick introduction and request to meet in person. Or send out an email but make it personal and to-the-point.

Whatever the case, the first time you contact, keep it short, Therwanger advises. Let the person on your list know why you’re calling but save the ‘presentation’ for down the road. This shows you respect their time and can save your longer conversations for future meetups.

Any sales industry will have its challenges, real estate included. There are busy and slow seasons, good markets and bad. But taking a look that the gears that get your sales engine moving may just help you overcome those challenges and create a forward motion that can’t be stopped!

As we journey through “Dynamic Sales Combustion” together, let us know how we can help you along the way. Charity Malmberg

But data doesn’t have to be confusing numbers, crushing piles of information or competing statistics. Sometimes, the best data is created by our own inquiries.

As I continue to write through Erik Therwanger’s Dynamic Sales Combustion, we’ll use his take on Unparalleled D.A.T.A. (Discovery Info; Action Info; Tactical Info; and Accountability) tweaked for the real estate business, so that you have a straight-forward and simple doorway into using data for your business.

THE “D” IN DATA

As real estate professionals, most of the data we have will come from our own research of the industry, buyer/ seller trends, market values and so on. But what we can often overlook is the data that lives and breathes right in front of us: our clients.

Erik’s first D in D.A.T.A, which stands for Discovery Info, is all about the information we learn about our clients.

ENTER AS A LISTENER

Therwinger points out something we all know, but often overlook, people like to talk about themselves. According to recent studies, self-disclosure triggers the reward center of the brain! This means that, for many people, talking about themselves is like eating a good meal; it’s enjoyable.

Therwinger shares that during his time in finance, many of his colleagues already knew exactly what they wanted when entering a meeting with new prospective client—they even brought along the paperwork they hoped the client would sign. Why? Because it had the biggest payout. They didn’t take the time to truly learn who their clients were and what their needs and challenges were. They didn’t take the time to listen.

As an agent, think how much time and energy you can save down the road if you get to know your clients’ needs, desires and challenges upfront. If you go in with assumptions or a goal to find a home or sell a home as quickly as possible, you’re probably not going to be the kind of agent that leaves a lasting impact and truly meets your clients’ needs. The key is obvious; enter as a listener.

ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS IS AN ART

Listening starts with asking the right questions. And, as Therwinger points out, it’s more than just what you ask; it’s when. A great starting point for starting discovery conversations is Therwinger’s three simple techniques.

• Interview
• Identify needs
• Uncover challenges

Before asking what, you can do for your client, get to know who they are as a human being—interview them! Learn about their careers, passions, personal goals, family needs. Then work your way into questions that identify their needs and desires. Finally, start to edge into the challenges and obstacles they face and hope to overcome. Remember to write down what they tell you and come armed with a professional fact finder sheet*!

As their foremost partner in finding (or selling) a home, the main solution you have for your clients is finding them the perfect fit, whether home or buyer. But finding this perfect fit is probably impossible unless you start the process with good questions and an open ear.

OVERCOMING THE SALESPERSON STIGMA

Like any sales profession, our fight to win over clients doesn’t start with a 0-0 score. We’re coming from behind. Unfortunately, too many people (yourself included, probably) have experienced a salesperson who just wanted to make the sale and didn’t take the time to get to know you. So, it’s no surprise that so many of us have a negative stigma associated with sales.

But you don’t have to fit that stigma. You can be different. You can be the agent who truly takes the time to discover who your client is and how you can truly help them. Charity Malmberg

In our last article, I introduced Erik Therwanger’s ‘sales engine’ to revamp the way you run your real estate business and lead your sales team. Continuing in his book Dynamic Sales Combustion, Therwanger introduces the idea of three ‘dimensions’ of selling or salespeople.

The three ‘dimensions’ of sales are:

1. Dimensional sales = make a buck
2. Dimensional sales = make a living
3. Dimensional sales = make an impact

You may be surprised to learn that, according to Therwanger, both one-dimensional and two-dimensional sales people can be goal-oriented and exhibit excitement when they sell. However, they still lack the basic tenants of becoming a 3-Dimensional Salesperson.

SELLING IN 3-D

“Those who operate in the third dimension are able to make an impact in the lives around them, which in turn makes a significant difference in their own lives,” writes Therwanger.

When it all boils down, your real estate career can be so much more than simply making a buck and even making a living, you can be making an impact! Therwanger lists several traits of a 3-D sales people that I’ve included below.

• Unparalleled ability to share (vs. sell) relevant solutions
• Focused heavily on clients’ goals (vs. your own)
• Open powerful relationships (vs. closing deals)
• Deliver (vs. cash) excitement, drive, and passion

Now that we know what is looks like to be a 3-dimensional salesperson, you’re probably wondering how to get there. Therwanger again gives us three areas to focus on.

FOCUS ON YOUR DESIRES

Goals can be powerful tools, but even more powerful are the desires behind those goals. Perhaps your desire is to have more time with your family, be debt free or have the resources to give of your time and money. This is the true ‘why’ behind doing you do what you do and a much stronger driving force for creating and fulfilling your goals.

“Operating with strong desires eliminates the desperation exuded when you are only searching for a sale. Strong desires create a strong commitment level because it rarely touches just one person,” writes Therwanger.

STAY DETERMINED

“Determination must be stronger than your challenges.”

It’s not determination if when the going gets tough, you get going. In real estate, there are always the ‘winter’ seasons, and beyond that, in your personal life there will be challenges and pitfalls. But determination stays steady throughout. Therwanger uses the example of sales being like walking in a straight line. It’s simple. Until suddenly you are a trying to walk in a straight line on a rocking ship, in the middle of a storm. Sales is still walking in that straight line, but it takes a new kind of determination and grit to get it done when things are hard.

MAKE WISE AND PRODUCTIVE DECISIONS

“In sales, the choices we make are like the wooden slats of a bridge, spanning across an abyss. Each decision made either builds a section of our bridge or damages a section,” writes Therwanger.

Ultimately, the final decision of working with you, buying that house or selling that house, is in the hands of your potential clients. However, just like they own their own decisions, you own yours. The choices you make can build bridges of trust or destroy them. Making decisions that build trust between you and your clients, that increase your professionalism and resourcefulness, that truly help people is something you can start doing today.

Therwanger (and I) believe anyone can be a 3-dimensional sales person; anyone can become that sales person who does more than just sell, who truly leaves an impact. And anyone includes you!

As we journey through “Dynamic Sales Combustion” together, let us know how we can help you along the way.  Charity Malmberg

But what if you could turn your sales plan into a dynamic sales system for you and your team? What if you could take your sales to exciting new levels in 2019 and beyond?

According to executive author, speaker, business coach, (and dear friend of mine) Erik Therwanger, as sales directors we need to create a “sales engine.” This engine should include the ability to achieve high levels of “Dynamic Sales Combustion” in order to accomplish your important goals. In his book, Dynamic Sales COMBUSTION he outlines the four main components to a tried and true Dynamic Sales Combustion System.

1. Learn how to achieve an Unbreakable Mindset.
2. Discover how to acquire Unparalleled Data.
3. Understand how to maintain Unstoppable Gears.
4. Develop the foundation for Unmatched Structure.

Today, I will focus in on how to create an ‘unbreakable mindset’ and provide you some simple and easy ways to infuse different elements into your sales plan to turn it into a dynamic sales engine. Believe it or not, sales is a mind game. As Henry Ford said, “whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.”

ENHANCE YOUR MINDSET

On a daily basis you must commit to establish your mindset (attitude) to: seek self-improvement, leave your ego behind, commit to status GROW (not Quo), remain open to new ideas, embrace enhancements, take responsibility, and, above all else, stay positive for yourself, your clients and your family.

The right mindset allows us to overcome doubts, fears, and worries that stall our engines and keep us stuck in mediocrity.

ENHANCE YOUR CLIENT’S PERCEPTIONS

According to a survey by Hubspot Research, only 3% of people consider salespeople to be trustworthy and 50% of buyers perceive sales people as pushy. With these kinds of statistics, we have some ground to cover in changing perceptions that real estate agents “Sell, Close and Cash” to “Share, Open and Deliver.”

What do I mean by this? Well, what if you thought of sharing your real estate knowledge and providing solutions to your clients instead of selling yourself as the agent to work with? Does it change your perception of your role? Sharing, rather than selling, allows us to create an environment in which clients feel comfortable enough to share their goals and challenges. In order to be able to share solutions, we must ask better and deeper questions of our clients. What could you do to make their life easier in selling their house or finding their new house? What are their short term and long-term housing goals? After asking these deeper questions, then you can determine how you can provide better solutions.

Open the opportunity to build deeper relationships, don’t focus on closing more deals. When we share solutions with our clients we often need to “open up” about how our solution impacted us or others. Opening allows you to build trust and develop relationships on a deeper level. Practice active listening, identify client challenges, initiate relevant dialogue and build meaningful relationships. These are a few key elements to opening up more opportunities.

Delivering passion allows you to develop an unprecedented level of camaraderie, friendship and bond with your clients. When your clients share a bond with you, they will let go of any perceptions about you doing it for the money just to cash a check. Strive to become the valuable partner they seek out for any of their real estate needs. Some key elements of delivering passion are: being authentic, identifying their goals, telling an impactful story, and building stronger relationships.

Some studies show that only 8 percent of sales people generate up to 80 percent of the sales. Don’t you want to be part of the ‘8 Percent Club’? Slow down; take the time to start your sales engine or enhance your plan to include the key elements above to go from ‘status quo’ to status GROW.

Once your plan is in place, commit to it. With the right mindset every day, you are in control of your destiny because you can control your thoughts and your actions. Charity Malmberg

WHAT IS REMOTE ONLINE NOTARIZATION?

Unlike our customary closings where buyers, sellers, Realtors all meet at a designated location to sign closing documents. Remote online notarization closings use electronic devices to not only electronically sign the final closing paperwork, but also allows the notary to “stamp” or notarize the signers’ signatures. In these closings, the borrower or seller (commonly referred to as a signer) and the notary are located in two different physical location. The identity of the signer is established with a two-way audio-video technology in addition to credential analysis.

In order to perform these closings, there are certain requirements that must be met for title insurance underwriters to insure and provide owner and lender title insurance policies.

No. 1: The notary must be licensed as a remote online notary in Minnesota. The MN notary must be commissioned as a traditional notary public before becoming eligible for an appointment as a remote online notary.

No. 2: Location of the notary, signer and property. The location of the notary must be located within the borders of the state of Minnesota. The location of the signer must be located within the borders of the United States and the notary must verify the signer’s location at time of signing the documents. The property must be located within Minnesota as well.

No. 3: Consent must be given by all parties. All parties including the lender must approve and provide consent in writing to use remote online notarization and video recording of the same.

No. 4: Technology vendor must meet statutory requirements for identity proofing and credential analysis and electronic storage. The remote online notarization recorded video must be stored and maintained by the notary or employer for at least 10 years.

No. 5: Electronic Recording must be accepted by the courthouse in which documents are to be recorded. The county where the property is located and its jurisdiction (Abstract or Torrens) must accept electronic documents for recording. If not, the more traditional notary and closing process shall be utilized.

I personally attended and was seated at the table with the many forward-thinking individuals that helped adopt and revise the current statute language to make this new legislature possible here in Minnesota. The time and devoted attention that many gave to this future streamlined closing process is appreciate and will continue to be appreciated as more and more customers reap the benefits of convenience. Many underwriters and lenders are expecting e-closings and online remote notarizations to become more widely used and adopted as a regular business practice in the coming years.

As more and more technology providers fill this need, be prepared for your closings to have a considerably different look and feel. Start to enhance and create more ways you can keep the personal touch throughout your client relationship including a remote online closing.

“Communication – the human connection – is the key to personal and career success.” – Paul J. Meyer

Did you know according to OutBoundEngine.com in a survey of 500 real estate agents, they reported only approximately 20% of their business came from referral sources. Trying to generate 80% of your business year after year can result in time and energy lost.

Failing to stay in touch was cited as number one reason real estate agents do not receive referral business. Many real estate coaches, sites, and lead generation systems and technology providers will promise to increase your referrals for a cost. Let’s take a look at a simple and free solution that you can start to implement today.

COMMUNICATE BY LISTENING FIRST

Perhaps one of the most cost effective approaches is to learn the lost art of clear, concise and dynamic communication. First and foremost the most important part of communication is “listening”; be present, remove distractions and ask questions. Clients want to know you are sincere in their interests and desires. If you are trying to listen to what characteristics they want their new house to have, stop texting your other clients or kids. Put your “out of office” on while in appointments and make sure your clients you are meeting or skyping with feel heard.

DISPLAY SELF-CONFIDENCE, BUT NOT OVERCONFIDENCE

Clients have their own personal wish lists and if you have 2 clients looking for one house, well you know, you have to solve a miracle of finding the right house sometimes. With desires and opinions flying around, try to express your professional opinions in an open and honest manner. Understanding that your opinion is just that – yours. Don’t try to force your opinion on a client or another realtor you may be working with on a transaction and worse yet, don’t try to “win” arguments. Doing either one of the aforementioned will derail effective communication instantly.

COMMUNICATING THROUGH TEXTING

According to Gallup poll, “sending and receiving text messages is the most prevalent form of communication for American adults under 50.” Texting became the most used form of communication in 2017.

So how do you build trust and credibility to earn more referral business when your clients only want to text?

Sure there are certain ways we communicate with family and friends over text, but your message needs to be clear, concise and professional when sending to your clients who you would like to receive referrals from. If your text message will take more than one bubble to send your message, perhaps instead send a text message asking to set up a time to talk either on the phone or even to grab a quick cup of coffee at their office to discuss the task at hand.

When you step out of the pack and work on your skill sets including effective communication, you set yourself apart. Be sure your communication, no matter the tool (phone call, video call, email, text, etc.) is authentic, timely, relevant, and personalized. Continually improving yourself, your skill set and more importantly the way you effectively communicate with clients and other realtors will win you more business through referrals.

You’re going to want to get to know this new group of millennial homeowners in order to connect with them and continue to succeed as a real estate professional. Every generation has their own quirks when it comes to purchasing. In order to help this millennial generation make one of the most significance purchases of their lives, you’ll need to understand these quirks and maybe even make a few changes to your marketing or business strategy.

WHAT MILLENNIALS WANT IN A REAL ESTATE AGENT

To help you on your journey, we reached out to a few recent home-buyers in this younger gen to see what they wanted and appreciated in a real estate agent.

THEY WANT TECH-SAVVY

Are you using the most up-to-date technology? E-signatures and texting and home-buying apps are all ways to connect with this new generation and service them where they’re at – online. As one buyer put it “an ideal REALTOR® for me is … utilizing modern technology as the basis, from contract to close.”

Finding ways to be more tech savvy is as easy as a quick google search of apps for real estate agents and setting up an account with an electronic signature service. Cumbersome ways of closing in the past are just that—in the past. Utilizing the new tech services within our industry will help streamline the closing process for all your clients, especially those used to using technology on a daily basis.

THEY EXPECT HONESTY & AUTHENTICITY

This generation does not enjoy the old car-salesman technique. They want it raw, honest and even fun. As one buyer said, “we really liked working with [our agent] because he was hilarious and sarcastic with us!”

According to a study by socialmediatoday.com, 90 percent of mil-lennials say authenticity is important to them when deciding which brands to support. In other words, no gimmicks. Be yourself!

Authenticity is a term that’s thrown around a lot, so it’s helpful to know that the same article above, reported that 60 percent of consumers says that ‘authentic’ branding is created by other consumers.

In other words, another consumer posting online about services, products and brands they appreciate is the most authentic way to find value. For you, this means encouraging pleased past clients to spread the word in their social spheres. Encourage them to take pics, videos and post their comments about your service online. You might get a critique now and again, but that just affords you the opportunity to show your response and make things right in the public eye.

WORD OF MOUTH RECOMMENDATIONS

Though it may be online, recommendations and ‘word of mouth’ referrals are still key with today’s homebuyers.

“The fact we knew him; it added a lot of trust for me,” said one millennial buyer.

When asked what they looked for in a real estate agent, another buyer said only that their agent was “personally recommended.”

These millennial homebuyers are not alone. The same article by social media today, referenced a study that found 70 percent of millennials said social posts by family members and friends impacted their purchasing decisions. Essentially, word of mouth still matters.

SIMPLY DO YOUR JOB WELL

Millennials are not all that different from the generations before them. They’re still looking for a real estate professional who knows their stuff, will stick with them through the process and is readily available. All things that are (hopefully) already part of your business strategy.

THESE MILLENNIAL BUYERS SAY IT ALL

“We bought a house a year ago and didn’t really look for a certain agent. We did, however, really like our agent because she knew the town really well, she understood our family’s situation…And she also was always willing to give us advice but never talk to us like we needed to follow her advice.”

“We looked at so many houses, and the house we ended up getting was the fourth house we had put a contract down on. But even with this one, he wanted us to make sure we were getting what we wanted and not just buying a house because we were tired of the process.”

Well, it may take a little work on the front end, but social media and technology can be excellent tools to help generate new business and show yourself as a savvy professional to your current clients. Whether you’re looking for ways to make business a little more streamline, beef up your list of potential clients or effectively reach the referrals you already have, using social media as a resource is an excellent starting point.

Here are a few tips and tools to get you started.

BRING YOUR BUSINESS ONLINE

If you don’t already have a Facebook business page, this is where you should begin. Simply head over to facebook.com/business and click on pages. Facebook provides the information on how to use your page to spread the word, stay in touch with your previous customers and more. You can add pictures, videos and even live stream, so that potential customers can see what you’ve done in the past and get a peek into your real estate expertise.

Having a Facebook page is an easy way to help your past and current clients refer you on to friends and family. Asking them to like your business page and or @mention you as a component in their house hunt/selling experience is a quick and easy way for your business to catch the eyes of hundreds of potential clients.

Finally, experimenting with both Facebook and Instagram ads is an easy way to reach specific demographics online. These ads allow you to specify geographical location, age, gender and more to reach your target demographics and hopefully generate a few potential clients as well.

EXPLORE HELPFUL APPS

If you’re not already using apps in your real estate business, it’s time to begin. Here are a few apps that can help you add a little boost to your marketing and referral ideas or simply streamline what you’re already doing.

Name shark app: Ever forget someone’s name as soon as you meet them? It happens to us all once and a while, but remembering names and facts about the people you meet can be a game-changer for your business. Nameshark is an app that allows you to group the people you know and meet into categories as a point of reference. Pictures help you remember the face that goes with the name and little quizzes can keep you refreshed before heading into that open house or back-to-back showings.

Home snap app: The days of printing ever-changes listings are in the past; homesnap lets you bring the listings with you, allowing you to access MLS data from your mobile device. Additionally, you can stay connected with your clients through an in-app messenger to quickly and efficiently share listings you/they like, and communicate about past showings.

Postagram app: Looking for a simple way to send some snail-mail marketing done? Postagram lets you take a custom photo from Facebook, Instagram or your camera roll and turn it into a real postcard. You can add recipients directly from the app and have it mailed for $2/card within the United States.

Around me app: Often when choosing a new home, a potential buyer wants to know what the neighborhood is like, what there is to do, where they can eat and more. This app will help you tell them what’s around, and it’s a simple way for you to scope out neighborhoods without needing to physically drive around every home a buyer is considering.

Open home pro app: If you’ve been wondering when hosting an open house would meet the 21stcentury, it already has. Open Home Pro allows you to post about your open house, includes digital sign in for visitors, visitor notes, lead exporting, and more.

START WITH A LITTLE EXTRA HELP

Maybe as you’ve perused this article, you’re in the overwhelmed camp and don’t quite know where or how to start with all this social media stuff. A great place for you to begin is breakthroughbroker.com. This website helps you create marketing material, includes marketing plans, and helps with lead generation and social media. The best part, signing up is free.

2. RESEARCH AND INTERVIEW LENDERS (NOT ALL ARE CREATED EQUAL). Don’t just go with the cheapest – it could cost you more in the long run. Local companies historically provide more customizable and higher levels of customer service. Their reputation relies on it.

3. RESEARCH AND CHECK FOR TESTIMONIALS OF ANY REFERRED TITLE COMPANIES. You have the right to choose your title company. Where your policy protection comes from is important and you want to make sure you have a reputable company backed by a strong underwriter That will still be around if anything should arise.

4. DETERMINE WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD. Consider mortgage payments, taxes, insurance, association fees and all of the ancillary costs of owning a home. Furnace, heater, roof might need replacing, etc.

5. PRIOR TO WORKING WITH A LENDER, check your own credit score.

6. WHEN YOU MOVE BE SURE TO HAVE A BAG OR BOX HANDY with the following items: toilet paper, tooth brush, garbage bags, flashlight and pizza coupons.

7. DON’T PASS ON HAVING AN INSPECTION. Could be a costly mistake.

8. IF YOU HAVE PETS, keep an eye on them. Their world is disrupted as well.

9. EXPECT TO DO A WALK THROUGH PRIOR TO CLOSING. Catch any last-minute items after the personal belongings have been moved out and if any damage occurred. If the sellers were to leave any personal belongings, make sure those are still there.

10. YOU’RE ALMOST THERE. Expect about an hour for your closing and make sure if you bring your children they have something to do to keep them busy while you review and sign the last of the paperwork.

Provide the above checklist and prove you are a valuable resource to your first-time homebuyers.