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The Real Word: Key takeaways from Brad Inman’s keynote speech

Byron Lazine and Nicole White are two agents in Connecticut who give us their thoughts on the week’s news every Friday in “The Real Word,” a weekly video column on Inman.

As promised last week, Byron Lazine and Nicole White covered Brad Inman’s Connect Now keynote speech. In dissecting the speech, Byron and Nicole talked through their favorite quotes and addressed some of the main takeaways from the video.

“Life gets better when we let go of ideas of what we expect things to be,” Brad said during the speech, later adding that “expectations can be a problem zone for human beings.”

Byron and Nicole talked about the importance of communicating expectations, managing clients’ concerns in today’s world and being sensitive to hardships brought on by the coronavirus. “As an agent, you have to be empathetic, and you have to understand what it is that everyone’s going through,” Nicole said.

They also talked about Brad Inman’s take on technology and real estate agents’ value, ethics and service. “I think now, more than ever, people are looking for guidance and going to a professional to help them sort of navigate this,” Nicole said.

But just because agents are getting multiple offers doesn’t mean their jobs are easier, she added. Sifting through buyers and getting a grasp on this market is harder than ever — especially for newbie agents who are just learning the right questions to ask clients, navigating their emotions and understanding what matters most to them now.

More this week: Byron and Nicole also talked about a recent Realtor magazine article, which listed new behaviors that are emerging as buyers search for homes amidst the pandemic. This includes decreased concern about commutes, the growth of multigenerational households and the importance of high-speed internet and space to accommodate family, among other things.

Marketeer of the week

Instagram recently introduced a new video feature to its ever-popular platform, and it’s called “Reels.” This week’s marketeer is Ryan Serhant, who shows how agents can use Reels for their business.

Want to nominate a “marketeer of the week”? Drop your thoughts in the comments section below, or shoot us an email.