Times are changing, and being a real estate agent has never been this difficult. Gaining momentum seems to be impossible for most agents, but it’s difficult to ignore that some are reaching new heights despite the world’s current situation.
While luck certainly contributes to their success, one of the reasons why these agents are doing better than some is their mastery of the modern approach to marketing real estate. Achieving mastery is not as easy as it sounds, and it’s not free either, which begs the question: How much is modern agent mastery?
This guide will show you what it takes to be a successful agent in the modern era, particularly the financial requirements for such an endeavor.
Real Estate Education
To maximize your potential as a real estate agent, you must go through proper education, unless you’re confident with your existing skillset. This is perhaps the first point of your real estate journey where you have to chip away at your funds.
Even after introducing yourself to modern agency mastery, you still have to continue adapting suitable skills for this ever-changing industry. Since there are numerous online courses, the exact cost for this is not constant. You may end up spending $100 or more than $500.
License Fees
The method for obtaining a real estate license has changed for the past few years. The same applies to its price.
If you’re already in possession of a license, you don’t have to worry about the license fees. As a reference, a license will cost you around $100 for the whole process, including background checks and verifications.
Business Cards
Providing business cards to prospects is a common courtesy to real estate agents. Normally, the business card has a simple look, but such a design is no longer appetizing to clients. What they need is a card with a top-notch design.
As such, it’s crucial to have graphic design skills so you can come up with a design that’ll be memorable but not overwhelming. Depending on the design and material of the cards, the cost and expenses range from zero to thousands of dollars.
Multiple Listing Services
Back then, agents used to gather in one place to discuss available properties that are up for sale. This is called Multiple Listing Services (MLS). However, this system has long been abandoned by modern agents due to its impracticality. That’s why they came up with a digital version.
A digital MLS is a platform where agents and brokers can share information regarding properties. Gaining access to this platform, however, isn’t free. At most, you’ll have to spend around $50 a month to maintain your privilege on a digital MLS platform.
Marketing
Perhaps the most difficult part of being a modern agent is that you’ll need to market your services if you want to be seen. After all, there are thousands of real estate agents just like you, and you cannot assume you’re better than them.
In the end, it all comes down to who can market their services better. For instance, some agents may use traditional emails, while others will use SEO Savannah, especially if they’re situated in Georgia.
However, involving yourself with marketing is not always a good idea, leading us to the next subject:
- Pros of Hiring a Marketing Agency
As an agent, you were not taught to promote your services. You were taught to sell real estate properties, so how do you market your services?
Your best option is to hire a marketing agency, and there are several reasons why:
- Cost-efficient: A marketing agency consists of experts with the necessary skill set to market your services. That means you don’t need to train someone or hire multiple marketers for a high price.
- Quick: Due to the large personnel of marketing agencies, tasks will be assigned evenly among their staff, resulting in a smoother and quicker workflow.
- Advanced Tools: Most marketing agencies use the most advanced marketing tools and strategies available, so you do not have to pay for such tools for yourself
Wrapping Up
Despite the relatively high costs and expenses of modern agency mastery, many agents still pursue this career. This only serves as proof that this career choice is worthwhile and has the potential to rake in cash that’s multiple times larger than the total costs. Besides, each career option poses some risks, and it’s up to you if those risks will be worth it.
