A well-spent weekend can be anything from burning 300 calories in the gym, getting nails done, an out-of-town trip with friends or in my case, helping clients find the perfect home.
During the regular week, my full-time job entails office operations, PR & marketing, compliance. Add to the list is providing support and training our associate brokers in selling and leasing properties.
This I believe was my inspiration to feel like a 360 Degree Leader.
Since about 6 months ago, I took a step back in proactively tapping leads to try to sell properties. But still, I provide services to my personal network who occasionally need the help in buying or selling a property.
I deliberately stopped doing cold calls, attending events, client meetings and many other business development activities.
Instead, relishing the weekends has become a priority where I get to lounge in my PJs, watch other realtors embarrass themselves on Netflix, and eat whatever.
2020 brought in a fresh mindset.
Well at the turn of the decade, I suddenly find myself not minding the potential work during the weekend!
Whether it’s doing branding strategy work, showing luxury properties to potential clients or handling the stress of marketing and property maintenance, all are efforts I enjoy doing firsthand.
Obviously, with the other office roles, I have to do better time management if I want to bring back #WeekendGrind as a #SideHustle.
Surprisingly, it didn’t take long before the hustle kicked in. Last weekend, I succeeded in helping an expat couple, fur-parents to two German cats named Pooky and Baileys find the rental apartment that ticks all the right boxes.
Let me tell you, it was a rewarding feeling!
Though not after I went through some challenges with my fully-loaded schedule and moreover, with the minute details of the required home.
I first spoke with the couple 10 days ago when they were doing the property search by themselves.
I met them over the same weekend to show listings my office assigned to them. As it turned out, the apartments weren’t even close to what they were looking for.
Earlier that day, they also met with 4 other agents that showed them properties within the area. You can probably imagine how dreary they must be feeling after a whole day.
Truth is, they were the ‘picky’ type which they say were typical German of them.
Meanwhile, after our failed attempts, I felt a pit in my stomach because I know so well how I could help them.
To them, it would require giving their trust to someone they’ve only met for 5 minutes.
But I knew I had to ask.
Cos without this confirmation, I couldn’t give them what they want.
Being the last person to show them options, I had the opportunity to hear Fur Mama admit her frustrations. She told me they are finding it hard to come across a place they really like.
I explained to her why.
Finding the gem of a place is best left to agents who have all the network and resources at their disposal. Instead of doing it by themselves, they must find one dedicated enough to provide these for them.
Yes, property seekers are able to tap multiple agents across different medium.
But doing this task can take over an already demanding day job or a busy day tending the household. So it’s really in the seekers’ best interests to leave this job to the experts.
Consequently, the effort it takes to go through each one, trying to communicate every requirement is time-consuming and energy-depleting!
Do you agree with me?
I know this might sound a little critical, but I wouldn’t jump into the chance of helping a prospect whom I know have 5 other agents doing the same legwork for him.
Different from the west, finding the right property is less easier in Southeast Asia without a mandated multi-listing system.
Picture this scenario.
There are 5 agents who were contacted by a prospect. He asked each agent to help him find a 3-bedroom apartment for lease. During this instance, you happen to be the 4th agent he reached out to.
What’s a typical reaction? Of course, you got excited with this new lead!
You went ahead and called him back, probing him about his requirements.
Mid-conversation, you realised that you have a property that is a close match to what he’s looking for. You went for it and mention this to him. Immediately, he asked if he can view the property within that week.
Again, you got excited. Pretty normal.
In your head, you’re thinking this: the quicker you get to meet with this lead, the faster you get to close the transaction.
And because this lead seemed really eager you wanted to increase your chances further. You went through online listings, calling upon your agent network to see if they have similar listings you could offer.
Next thing you know, you spent the whole day searching that you’re confident it will yield the outcome you hope for.
Not knowing on the other hand, that the prospect has been talking to other agents. Ironically, these agents have done the exact same thing you just did.
Do you see where I’m going here?
What would your reaction be when you find out that after all the effort you put through, there is Agent # 2 that beat you and the rest to it?
Not only do you lose out on a commission, you end up feeling bummed and sort of depleted.
Now that doesn’t look like an all too-exciting scenario anymore, does it?
In order to avoid this trap, I have an advise for you, my friend.
Remember as agents, our time is just as valuable.
As a real estate service provider, your earnings depend on how your time and effort convert to a sale or lease.
You’re not selling a product.
In a nutshell, what you are selling is your time.
You don’t want be putting in all the work without a clear vision of the results you are trying to achieve.
You could preserve your energy and resources by asking this simple yet most important question I ask potential buyers and tenants:
Are you working with other brokers or agents?
Sounds pretty simple, right?
But believe me, not many agents try this approach.
They think it’s enough that the client wants to talk to them. They think it qualifies that client readily gives information on what type of property they wish to buy. In the end, only to hope that their efforts would produce them results.
I call that risky, but not the good kind.
For your own best interests, work with a Buyer or Tenant who choose to only work with you.
Advise them why you’re the best property matchmaker for them.
Show them the benefits of time saved and quality listings you can provide if they opt for your services.
You hear me?
That’s what I did to Fur Mama.
I convinced her to work with one agent whom she can confide her concerns to. Go for the bee who would do the dirty work for her.
She agreed.
Then what happened?
Well, few days went by, and I will admit that I was not able to quickly find them a match from our office database.
So I did the all-consuming task of shortlisting some 100+ properties I found among my network and property portals.
I spoke to over 30+ agents whose listings were either unqualified or already leased out.
And not giving up after a whole day of thorough search backed up by sheer patience and 3 cups of coffee, I found the best matches and were able to schedule 3 apartments to visit.
The result?
We were all extremely happy with the 3 showings!
Each property had its pros and cons but I knew we were on the right track when their initial reaction upon seeing the apartments were way more positive than of the previous week’s!
They loved the apartment options I found for them and remarked how it was intuitive of me to find exactly what suits them best.
In less than 24hrs, they decided to take the first apartment I showed them that is the purr-fect fit for their little family.
Once finalised, they should be able to move-in soon!
It couldn’t have worked out that way if I walked blindly and fell straight into the trap.
But it’s a good thing I value my priorities and know that doing my best work can yield great results for me and my clients.
Do you also apply this strategy? What are some of your unforgettable experiences during the qualifying and closing stages of your lease transaction? Share your stories in the comments below.
