There is no one method that is a magic bullet to find home buyers. If you’re starting out in the business, make a habit of working the fact that you are an agent into conversations without it being the only thing you have to talk about. People like interacting with fun, engaging interesting humans, not profit-seeking robots. So be yourself, talk about other things, work on being more comfortable making small talk with strangers, and if you see a natural opening to let them know what you do, do so. You’ll be surprised how often friends turn into clients and vice versa. Everyone needs somewhere to live, you just have to be the person they think of to help them solve that problem.

We asked 8 real estate agents and their recommendations on how to find home buyers.

Ian Batra, works at Real Estate (Saratoga, CA)

My top ways to find buyers are:

  • Referrals: from past clients, friends, and family, professional acquaintances, etc.  Still the best way to find loyal clients.
  • Internet: a broad category that includes ZTR(Zillow, Trulia, realtor.com), IDX search, and other forms of advertising.  There are platforms you can pay for that will give you tons of leads for a price.
  • Open Houses: it’s a timeless classic but it works. Get a script and ask everyone who walks through the door the key questions and then asks for an appointment.  At the appointment, show your value and you will get more clients.

That’s about it. Do it consistently and you will make money with buyers.

Yva Grcic, CEO at Houseters.com (Belgrade, Serbia)

You should know that as a real estate agent you have to promote your listings. When you look at it from a far, all real estate agents are involved in marketing and sales. 96% of home buyers start their search online. That’s why the biggest players in your industry have such strong online presences. You can start with a DIY approach to find home buyers online, and as soon as you get your first pay-check you can invest a small amount into hiring someone to assist you.

Donald Tepper, Real estate Investor and Realtor (Fairfax, VA)

There are a lot of ways. Most folks advise a new agent to “work” your circle of influence. Contact friends, neighbors, co-workers, and others you know. They already (hopefully) know, trust, and like you. Those are critical elements in getting business.

Another way is to volunteer to cover open houses. You do that in return for being able to market to people who came to the open house.

Many established agents rely largely on referrals—past clients and word-of-mouth from those clients to other people who want to buy or sell a house.
Many agents—new and established—”farm” certain geographic areas. They’ll choose some communities and then provide a constant stream of information to them. That’s often through direct mail. They may send newsletters or reports on market conditions.

Finally, of course, check with your broker. He or she should have a lot of suggestions that may work especially well where you are.

Jimmy Lecours, Marketing at Soumissions Courtiers (Québec City)

  • Work at meeting people and developing relationships.Real estate agents have to be visible at all times. They attend community events, go to social functions, interact heavily with social media, and do everything possible to meet people and maintain good relationships with people. In fact, the majority of buyers come from a real estate agent’s social circle.

    A good agent doesn’t just strike up a conversation to offer his services but rather develops relationships which later on become constant sources of leads.

  • Market a property aggressively on all fronts – MLS, social media such as FB or Instagram, newspapers, flyers, open houses. They know how to market a house using professional photos, descriptions, and ensure that as many buyers see the property as possible.
  • Network with other real estate agents who may be representing buyers.
  • Utilize the internet because they know most buyers start out with an online search. They also join real estate platforms for buyers where they can generate new leads.

Josh Baker, Co-Founder at Ampify

Many agents will use lead-generation software or will purchase leads. The most popular places to purchase leads are from https://www.realtor.com/ and zillow – although agents have varying degrees of luck with their services and they are pretty expensive.

Another way is to do your own advertising. You can do the traditional print ads, or you can try your hand at digital advertising. Many agents have found lots of success running ads on Facebook. The one downside is that it can be fairly complicated to set up, as you need to have a website, a privacy policy, terms of service, etc. to run the most effective ads.

Isabel Tinker Affinito, works at JB Goodwin, Realtors (Austin, TX)

I find buyers in all kinds of ways. There is no one method that is a magic bullet. I have met buyers at open houses. (I have done these for other’s listings when I don’t have one. In fact I’m writing this sitting at just such an open house now.) I have had buyers call me from my listings, from paid Zillow advertising, for Craigslist ads, from Instagram and Facebook. I’ve worked with buyers who were recommended to me by past happy clients, and a few from my company’s relocation department. I met a new client at a bar last night, of all places.

Lara Johan, Property Dealer (California)

There is no magical way to find a buyer. We have to think like a buyer and have to make some great strategies. Real estate buyer leads are what drives almost every business. It is very important to have a strong online presence.

First of all, you must have a real estate website. Hire a digital marketing company as it will help you generate more leads. In today’s era, almost every business owner is using online marketing to grow his/her business profit, customers, and online presence. A digital marketing company will help you generate leads by various ways like:

  • Using LinkedIn
  • Leads From Your Website
  • Bing Ads
  • Google Ads
  • Facebook Ads
  • Blogging
  • social media like (Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Reddit, Facebook etc…)
  • Email Marketing
  • PR

Sandra Sienkiewicz, License Real Estate Agents (Gilbert, AZ)

I would like to get to a point in my business where I could work strictly by referral. Building the relationships I already have with people I genuinely like and have a history with is ideal. It is NOT about getting people to buy or sell when they are not ready but, being the person they think about when they are ready or are referring friends and family. This is a relational approach as opposed to a transactional approach.

I am not quite able to rely only on referrals at this time. So marketing is important. I do not chase internet leads because they are expensive and often of low quality. I was running ads on Facebook but, I did not find those to be successful and stopped running them. I do have a farm area I send out mailings to a couple times a month. Now that the weather is cooler, I will be doing open houses again and I can connect with buyers and sellers.

Top 5 Things Buyers Say They Want Most

Many people who feel real estate agents are overpaid will think twice after they understand the work that agents do. The truth is that real estate agents find buyers for their property using a gamut of tools and resources, non-stop. They don’t have fixed hours and usually no days off. Here are the five biggest expectations from home buyers:

1. Help to find the right home to purchase.
2. Help to negotiate the price.
3. Help to negotiate the terms of the sale.
4. Determining what comparable homes are selling for.
5. Assisting with paperwork.

That’s not all. Buyers surveyed also said some of the biggest benefits real estate practitioners can provide is helping them understand the home-buying process as well as pointing out unnoticed features or faults with a property. What’s more, the majority say they are looking for an agent who can improve their knowledge of home-search areas and provide a list of service providers.

7 Tips For Realtors In Better Assisting Buyers.

1.Don’t Be Slow to Respond

Behind only honesty and integrity, response time is rated as a “very important” quality in real estate professionals, according to the NAR survey.

2.Be a Savvy Negotiator

Today’s buyers want a deal — or a steal. Are your negotiation skills up to par for challenging transactions? In your last few negotiations, how successful have you been? Have your buyers felt satisfied in the end? Or have too many deals fallen apart lately?

3.Don’t Come Across as an Amateur

Home buyers love to view photos and videos of homes, which has compelled more real estate professionals to hastily put on photographer and filmmaker hats. But if video isn’t your forte, then maybe you shouldn’t grab that pocket camera or smartphone and broadcast your work on YouTube. You actually might do more harm than good.

4.Have a Web Presence

According to surveys, home buyers also say real estate practitioner and company Web sites have been useful in their home search.

5. Don’t Dodge a Question

Keep data on demographics, crime, and school reports with you, available at your Web site, or even in a special buyer packet you give clients when touring homes. That way, when they ask you a question you can’t answer, you can point them to where they can find it on their own.

6. Follow the 3 E’s

You’ll have to wear multiple hats as an agent. Be ready to educate, empathize, and encourage.

7. Don’t Pull a Houdini

After buyers select a house, don’t just disappear until closing day. You’ll make them feel abandoned. While buyers say they most want assistance in finding the right property, they also say they want their agent’s help with understanding the entire process and recommendations of service providers.

Conclusion

Real estate agents use a range of tools and resources to constantly find buyers for their property. They do not have a fixed time, usually no rest day. Real estate agents are striving to meet people and develop relationships. Real estate agents have a real estate market on all fronts, such as social media such as FB, Instagram, newspapers, flyers, and open-air housing. Real estate agents also work with other real estate agency networks to find home buyers.