Real estate consultants, not salespeople
Letter to the Editor
By Inman News, Wednesday, August 12, 2009.Re: 'The big change in real estate' (Aug. 12)
Dear Editor:
I was very intrigued, but not totally surprised, to read Robert Hahn's observation that social media does not seem to have brought about a big change in the real estate business after all the buzz over the last year. He goes on to note that there does seem to be a collective anticipation that the industry is poised for a huge, fundamental change.
My first career was over three decades in engineering and technology. I spent the first two decades in electronic product and system design, and the third in software and information technology. I have seen all sorts of technologies and paradigms come and go.
Always, a new technology phenomenon is hailed as "this changes everything," but over time everyone realizes that the new way of doing things really is just another tool to be applied by the businesses affected. The tool may be really great or not so great.
Sometimes, the new tool does allow a new entity to push into an old market, especially if the old guard is not paying attention, and once in a while the new tool can morph an old industry or create a new market that no one had thought of. However, in most of these scenarios, the established competitors continue to rule their markets and the best competitors eventually embrace the tool and reap the benefit.
Like other developments before it, social media has its place. Real estate is at its core a business of relationships, and while relationships can and will be successfully established and nurtured by some agents through social media, there are a lot of current and prospective clients in even this lean market who have no interest whatsoever in Facebook, Twitter or the rest.
Many agents simply are not "wired" to engage in social media, but many of those are good at engaging verbally or face-to-face with clients and prospects. The challenge for any agent is to deal effectively with a broad range of people: some technologically savvy and some not.
I, too, believe that the traditional business models for real estate brokerage are destined for massive change. My hope is that when the dust settles, we will have managed to create a true consultancy model and be recognized by the public for our expertise in what will always be a very complex and financially important transaction.
Some of what we have do, and still do, needs to be left behind, and some of the new ideas need to be embraced in their proper context. What this industry is most in need of is a focus on becoming truly professional and transforming from salespeople just interested in a commission to consultants hired for their knowledge of the local market and their ability to successfully guide a client through a transaction.
Kerry Beach
Broker consultant
Helen Adams Realty
Charlotte, N.C.
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Submitted by Barry Noble on August 12, 2009 - 4:19pm.
Right on, Kerry! I work as a Certified Residential Appraiser and, being an independent licensed Broker too, I offer additional, separate services as a Broker Consultant. I've never considered myself a buyers or sellers agent - even when I did assist in real estate sales.
Believe me, I don't ever knock "sales" people - in my or any other professions. Having spent two years, in my younger days and during a "rough patch" working for one of those Sofa Factory stores, I learned to respect sales people when all around them, hated them, including the store management. I was a top sales person then, because I did it my way and ignored "company policy" of hounding showroom visitors.
As Broker Consultant - it allows for hourly or specific fee services, special advisory work and, of course, buying & selling assistance. Consulting also opens up your services to a wider range of help to your clients. Use your imagination and knowledge. You have a lot more than you think.
Barry Noble
Palm Springs, CA
http://www.MyPropertyIsWorth.com
Submitted by Steve Trang on August 13, 2009 - 8:10am.
Tools only help us to do our job faster. They don't replace the things we need to do everyday like followup, showing, and meeting clients.
Steve Trang
Tempe Homes
Chandler Homes
Gilbert Homes
Submitted by Rob Aubrey on August 16, 2009 - 4:47am.
I think the confusion is that we are consultants to our clients but we have to sell ourselves to get clients.
I am clear there is nothing I can say to make people want to move, they are either moving or not. It is through marketing and sales that I identify them and I do a presentation (sales) to secure an agency contract.
All businesses have to have some form of a sales department. Whether you are a dentist, auto mechanic, hairstylist...
I am not in any way shape or form ashamed of being a sales person. The misconceptions (with merit) of a sales person (Glen Gary) is not what a true sales professional is.
Submitted by Phyllis Borchardt on August 16, 2009 - 6:52am.
Thank you Kerry,
The current market conditions here in the greater Phoenix area have brought a whole new breed of commission driven real estate salepersons/brokerages into our industry.
Customer service, let alone good communication to their peers is, in many cases, non existent. No human response to offers, canned email responses do not equate to any level of customer service I expect as a professional. No wonder the public thinks of us in the same breath as used car sales persons.
I take a great deal of pride in my role as a consultant/educator as I guide my clients through the process.
Too many times today's real estate salespersons take class work aimed at passing the test to become a realtor and off they go. Too many times driven by the profit motive only.
Thank you again,
Phyllis Borchardt
www.westmarco-re.com
Buckeye, AZ
Submitted by Jerzy (George) Szkup on August 16, 2009 - 8:09am.
George Szkup
www.DestinationTucson.biz
Few words on the subject:
A in highly personal type business technology will never substitute for personal contact.
B theoretically we are consultants but sheer amount of competition forces us to aggressively seek clients which puts us in line with used car sales people.
C word consultant implies knowledge, experience and skill - these are exactly skills what a taxi driver who just got a real estate license excels in.
D social media as seen by real estate industry is just another platform for advertising and in my experience produces very limited results.
E now back to the old grind - we are sales people with urgent need for clients (that is if we want to eat?)
George in Tucson
http://www.DestinationTucson.biz
and http://twtter.com/geoszk
Submitted by chis eliopoulos on August 17, 2009 - 7:43am.
Nice article yet no matter what,there is no substitute known to men for sales people.No electronic media, no radio no TV, no consultants, no nothing.Every five years or so there are articles like this,"predicting" massive changes in the ways that goods are sold by using new "media",coming out continuously the last thirty years.There is no substitute for sales people.EVERYTHING in this economy depends on the sales force,in every field.No matter the innovation or the product, one needs two things to get it going, SALES and FINANCING.If the two are not in place correctly there in NOTHING.