Admin

Real Estate Best Practices

Coaches, books, classes and seminars aim to capture real estate agents dollars with promises to teach them any number of ways to improve their business. From sales skills to how to close more deals to how to win with expireds (expired listings) and more, everyone has something to teach you.


There's nothing wrong with continuing education, whether it's keeping on top of new laws and regulations or learning how to be more productive. But before you spend an arm and a leg on any of those things, pull up a chair, put on your glasses and peruse the pages in this section of ActiveRain.


It is only here that you can tap into the world's largest online real estate community and actively engage with your peers. Find out what works and what doesn't from those that actually put into practice what others merely teach. Read how-to articles, advice on designations, certifications and continuing education classes. You never know where you will find the inspiration to take your business to the next level. So, pull up a chair and dig in!

Recent blogs on Real Estate Best Practices
By Jacob Maslow, Your Brooklyn Connection
(Torsx)
In today’s fast-paced real estate market, time is our most valuable asset. As agents, we juggle countless tasks daily, from managing client relationships to closing deals. What if we could reclaim those precious hours? Enter CRM automation,our secret weapon for streamlining workflows and boosting productivity. Pair your CRM with simple back-office tools, like a paystub creator online for 1099 assistants, to reduce admin friction even further.By leveraging smart automations, we can save over five hours each week, allowing us to focus on what truly matters: building relationships and closing sales. Mobile-friendly setups help too,quick dock-and-go charging and durable accessories such as iphone 14 pro max magsafe cases keep you ready between showings. Let’s dive into the world of CRM auto...
Comments 0
By Brett Furniss, Charlotte Property Manager
(BDF Realty, Inc.)
I was in the Harris Teeter grocery store the other day and was waiting in line at the register.  As I perused some magazine covers (Prince Henry is doing what??), my eyes wandered over to the candy bars ($3.99 for a king-size Hershey bar??).  That price point stuck in my mind.  Weren’t these things $1.50 - $2.00 a few years ago?? The first inclination I typically have when I’m personally shocked at the expense of something for sale is to point the finger at myself.  “You’re getting old, my old boy.  Hard candy doesn’t cost a nickel anymore and the days of .99 gas (while getting it pumped by someone else in NJ!) are long gone.  Calm down, son…  In the modern world, things just cost more.  Relax.”   Once I was able to get my emotions in check, I Googled the question and was met with an AI...
Comments 8
By Brian England, MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ
(Ambrose Realty Management LLC)
This was such an enjoyable meetup, and I am so glad that Hannah Williams, Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543 and Michael Elliot took time out of their busy days to have lunch with me!  I left that lunch with a stronger connection to each of them, and I am grateful for that. Connections we make in Real Estate. I am a member of a nationwide blogging community called Active Rain. Have you heard of it? We discuss Real Estate all across the Country. This month, we were asked to write about people we have connected with. Last year, one of our members from Arizona Brian England  was visiting the Philadelphia area and wanted to know if I was available for a meet-up on November 1 for lunch. He was calling a few others in the area. I was excited to meet him, and I knew the others in the region would als...
Comments 10
By Will Hamm, "Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"
(Hamm Homes)
When dealing with buyers, there are things you can do to avoid problems. Listen, Listen, Listen.   Outline what's involved in the buying process.  The more buyers know upfront the better. Knowledge is power.  If you know your business it's harder to be knocked off balanced by a difficult client Know how your clients prefer to work.  Phone, Text, email, or in person We all need to be the best we can for our clients and make it a great experience for them! Posted by
Comments 5
By Abby Landvoice
(Landvoice)
I’m going to let you in on a little FSBO secret.In fact, I’m going to tell you the #1 thing you can do (that you haven’t been told already) to convert FSBOs into clients.You’re going to want to write this down somewhere.Here it is:Give them what they want.Now before you start yelling “I’m already trying to do that,” let me assure you that you are not giving them what they actually want, otherwise they’d be flocking to you, right?You are giving them what you want – to try and get them to list with you.So what does a FSBO want?If you answered, “to sell their home,” you answered wrong.Sure, selling their home is the end goal, but there is more to it than that. Maybe you said,“Get the most equity as possible” or“Sell it quickly” or“Sell it for top dollar”Those are all part of the end goal t...
Comments 4
By Abby Landvoice
(Landvoice)
Flowers start to bloom. Birds are chirping. And sellers are getting ready to list. Whether you are ready or not, sellers are doing research on their home values, how to maximize those values, and whether to use an agent. That raises an important question: Are you being found? Here are a few ways make sure sellers are finding you. Focus on a Niche “I’ll work with any buyer or seller” sounds great, but that shouldn’t be your strategy. Consider your own buying habits. Would you rather hire a painter to paint your house or a handyman that “does it all?” Future sellers are not only researching the value of their home and where they would like to move, but they are also researching how they are going to sell their home, including potential agents. Christina Ethridge from Inman writes that a n...
Comments 1
Has this ever happened to you?You start doing one thing then you get distracted and do something else entirely. This is called switchtracking and it happens to me all the time.Recently while writing a previous article about ways to prospect FSBOs and Expireds without having to make a single call, I started down a rabbit hole.One tip I suggested was to send text messages to potential customers. I was pretty sure that was okay, but I wanted to know the specific FCC regulations regarding real estate agents sending marketing text messages to homeowners. I didn’t want to steer anyone in the wrong direction.So, after spending more time than I care to admit reading the FCC website and various other websites trying to explain it all in plain language, I just decided to give the FCC a call. (The...
Comments 2
Think beyond just turning FSBO listings into clients. First start with this question: Why does this FSBO owner think they can be successful selling their own home?The answer may surprise you. It’s different for every FSBO, and important you take the time to understand, rather than lumping all FSBO opportunities in the same category.As a FSBO lead accepts your professional help, they had to make a change. It takes humility to admit you need help. Show them, little by little, as you offer sincere help and guidance, that they’ve made the right choice.Providing Value = Showing You CareFSBO listings can be a well of sales and referrals when meaningful communication leads to a genuine relationship. Building that relationship may mean offering advice or tips for free without expectation of any...
Comments 2
By Abby Landvoice
(Landvoice)
#1. Schedule it inYour alarm clock just went off. You look over and see that its 6:30 AM. After taking some time to fully wake up, you get out of bed and start your morning routine: take a shower, get dressed, drink some coffee while reading the paper. When you pull into the office at 8AM, what do you typically want to do first? Making calls isn’t usually at the top of the list, but it should be #1.If calling FSBO’s isn’t on your calendar, it’s too easy to fill the first few hours of the day returning emails and checking social media feeds. Landvoice FSBOs will give you access to the latest FSBO leads every morning. Make calling these FSBOs a top priority for the first few hours of every day. Simply calling for an hour or two every day will produce results.#2. Have the correct perspecti...
Comments 3
By Abby Landvoice
(Landvoice)
"I don't like Cold Calling"Those are 5 words that come out of the mouth of both new and experienced realtors. Nobody likes calling cold leads.What is a cold call? That depends on how you look at it. Most people consider calling someone with no prior relationship a cold call. Is calling family and friends that you know are not planning on buying or selling a home really a warm call? Is there a relationship? Yes. But is that a warm lead? No, its not even warm enough to consider a lead. A warm lead is someone that is wanting to sell their home. A really warm lead is someone that desperately wants to sell their home and is frustrated it hasn't sold yet.With that perspective, the warmest leads are undoubtedly Expired listings. Not only did they already try to sell their home, but they are fr...
Comments 1
By Abby Landvoice
(Landvoice)
We hear complaints about prospecting from agents around the county. We know that some agents don’t like to do it. You may have even been in that category once. It's time to decide not to be that agent anymore. Here are a few tips to become a power prospector.Have a PlanSet specific goals and measure them. Know your target customer and when and how is the best to contact them. The more organized you are the more efficient and effective you can be. Plans, tools and systems help you work smarter, not harder.Schedule ItPick a time, put it on the calendar, and stick to it. It is best to begin first thing in the morning before your competition rolls out of bed. You can begin as early as 8:00 AM. Plan to spend at least 1-2 hours calling and setting appointments. Some adjustments may need to ma...
Comments 3
By Abby Landvoice
(Landvoice)
That’s right, get a listing by sending a video. No kidding.Watch this video first, then we’ll explain WHY this video works.  As you can see, this video is targeted towards FSBOs (we have one specifically made for expireds too!). A FSBO (For-Sale-By-Owner) is a homeowner that is trying to sell their house without an agent.Each FSBO has 2 things in common: They want to sell their home without an agent (usually to save money) They are tired of getting TONS of calls from agents trying to list their home You, the hopeful agent, will face these common obstacles as you try to build a relationship with the homeowner. While the actual reason may differ, most homeowners go the FSBO route to save money. You need to help a FSBO see the value in using an agent. It’s difficult to build a relationship...
Comments 1
By Abby Landvoice
(Landvoice)
Building and maintaining a Geo Farm can be one of your best investments of time and resources. Leads and referrals may not come immediately, but over time your Geo Farm will provide a steady flow of business.There are many ways to successfully build a Geo Farm. Here are a few tips on getting started.Selecting a Geographic FarmIf you are an experienced agent, selecting a Geo Farm can be as simple as putting all your transactions into Google Maps and finding out where the majority of your past transactions occurred. If 50% of your business happened in a particular part of town, you probably already know more about that area than the average agent. Plus, you may already have some brand recognition built. Your experience and brand recognition in that area is a great place to start building ...
Comments 3
By Hannah Williams, Expertise NE Philadelphia & Bucks 215-820-3376
(HomeStarr Realty)
Connections we make in Real Estate. I am a member of a nationwide blogging community called Active Rain. Have you heard of it? We discuss Real Estate all across the Country.This month, we were asked to write about people we have connected with. Last year, one of our members from Arizona Brian England  was visiting the Philadelphia area and wanted to know if I was available for a meet-up on November 1 for lunch. He was calling a few others in the area. I was excited to meet him, and I knew the others in the region would also love to meet him. I replied, 'Yes, unless it snowed,' of course, and they all laughed at me. He picked the time and place. Nick the Brit and I talked about meet-ups before, but in our area, no one usually shows up, so we were both thrilled that Brian managed to get p...
Comments 16
By Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!, Southern Utah's Preferred Real Estate Agent.
(Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374)
Success Bypasses the Willfully Ignorant Putting priorities in order to reap rewards as they come, means more time spent appreciating one's efforts through hard work. Achieving goals is better met with tried and true methods intermixed with sincere passion. Yearning, learning & earning is necessary for business success. A lengthy career in any field takes determination, self-motivation, self-reliance and demands much more than wishful thinking. It requires prioritizing hard work, passion and self-reliance while seizing opportunities. An unbelievable 75% of new agents fail before two years. Why, you might wonder?  The responsibility for success lies squarely with them, not mentors, colleagues or luck. New agents often stumble due to laziness, poor people skills or unrealistic expectations...
Comments 22
By GilbertRealtor BillSalvatore, Realtor - 602-999-0952 / em: golfArizona@cox.net
(Arizona Elite Properties )
Section 8 Housing in 2025: Opportunity or Headache? Let’s Break It Down Back in 2018 I wrote a quick guide on Section 8 housing. A lot has changed since then—interest-rate rollercoasters, COVID disruptions, wild rent spikes—but the core question investors ask me every week is still the same: “Is Section 8 worth it?” Let’s take a fresh look, using my 20-plus years of investing and managing 40+ properties. A Little History (In Plain English) The Section 8 program started in the 1930s, when the U.S. government decided everyone deserved a safe place to live, even if they couldn’t afford full rent. Fast-forward to now: Section 8 is a nationwide voucher system helping millions of low-income families cover 70–100 percent of their rent. Local housing authorities manage it, and landlords can ch...
Comments 0
By JORGE VAZQUEZ, Investor-Focused Broker | FL Statewide | 3,500+ De
(Graystone Investment Group)
Section 8 Housing in 2025: Opportunity or Headache? Let’s Break It DownBack in 2018 I wrote a quick guide on Section 8 housing. A lot has changed since then—interest-rate rollercoasters, COVID disruptions, wild rent spikes—but the core question investors ask me every week is still the same:“Is Section 8 worth it?”Let’s take a fresh look, using my 20-plus years of investing and managing 40+ properties.A Little History (In Plain English)The Section 8 program started in the 1930s, when the U.S. government decided everyone deserved a safe place to live, even if they couldn’t afford full rent. Fast-forward to now: Section 8 is a nationwide voucher system helping millions of low-income families cover 70–100 percent of their rent. Local housing authorities manage it, and landlords can choose t...
Comments 13
By Abby Landvoice
(Landvoice)
I grew up in the foothills of the Utah mountains. The mountains offer lots of adventures in each season. But here’s the thing: you need to get up those mountains to do most of those activities, which means driving up and down some curvy roads.As a teenager I learned a secret to driving in the mountains, a secret that set me apart from the ‘flat-landers’.My first time driving up the mountain on my own to go skiing was terrible. Within minutes of entering the canyon, my teenage confidence and sense of invincibility quickly evaporated into white knuckles and expletives. By the time I got to the ski slope, I was totally stressed out and tired.What was I to do? I didn’t want to be the slow, blue-haired grandma that always brought traffic to a halt on the mountain. So I asked the expert, who ...
Comments 5
Cold calling your way through FSBO and expired listings is a tried-and-true way of building a business. Yet social media offers so many advantages, like accessibility and ease. Do you have to choose between the two? Absolutely not. In fact, don’t!Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and many other social media platforms are the current buzz. It would be surprising if you aren’t already using them personally, and you can most definitely put them to work for you professionally as well.Here are a few ways to use social media for your expired listing leads, FSBO leads, and other leads:Comment Make a positive comment with a few professional tipsDirect message Send a warm, personalized greetingTargeted campaigns Facebook custom audiences are targeted groups of people for your ads—directing your ads ...
Comments 1
The key to successful geo farming is to build a recognizable brand and meaningful relationships, not just to self-promote. But here’s the hitch: isn’t that what social media is all about? Shameless self-promotion?How do we use social media as a marketing tool while also building real connections with the people in our neighborhoods and geographical farms?While it may be difficult, it’s possible to walk the line between advancing your business and letting people know you’re there for them. This blog post will give you a few ideas for using the social tools available to you to form new connections and relationships with homeowners in your geo farms.In our last post we talked about several print and in-person techniques, but this post will focus on a few social media-centric marketing tool...
Comments 0
Back to Top