Think about the homes you sold or the buyers you helped find for those sellers. Compare your average list to sale price with other agents. Look at some of the deals you were able to negotiate on behalf of your buyers. Perhaps you were more effective because you were a better listener, who made your customers’ needs your priority. Maybe you were better at returning phone calls and responding to emails. Or perhaps you put in extra time showing houses or researching the market. The basics are important. If you know you covered the fundamentals well for your clients, then you can be confident that you do a really good job.
KNOW YOUR MARKE UR MARKET
Once you’ve recognized your accomplishments and abilities, make sure you’re familiar with your market. Become an expert on it. Whenever you have a customer, do the absolute best that you possibly can. Learn the ins and outs of the neighborhoods and what kind of people live there — or want to live there. Neighborhoods matter. According to a study by the National Association of Realtors®, 78 percent of home buyers said neighborhood quality means more to them than the size of the home. In the same study, 57 percent of buyers preferred a shorter commute to having a larger yard. What do people in your marketplace do for a living? Are they older, established professionals? Are they retirees looking to hit the golf course? Or are they people beginning their careers? Are they empty-nesters or folks just starting families? What’s their average income?
Know the local home prices. Are they trending up or down?
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