Everyone LOVES referrals right?
Wouldn't it be swell if they just fell from the sky??
Wishful thinking I know, but while they may not come that freely, we certainly love when they do...makes our jobs a whole lot easier!!
There are many great referral sources out there. Being the best at what you do and creating raving fans is naturally going to reward you with many word of mouth referrals. One source you may be missing out on though is being partnered up with a professional Home Stager.
If you haven't had much experience working with stagers, you may not realize that we often get called before homeowners have chosen a realtor and we frequently get called in when sellers are tired of their realtors, ready to expire and looking for an agent who is willing to WORK for them!
Soooo....who gets my referrals? The agents who value what I do for their properties. The agents who understand how important Staging is in the process of preparing a home for the market because those are the agents who I know are going to work hard and offer every marketing tool available to my clients. Those are the agents who are on top of their game and are willing to try new strategies with an open mind and be honest with their sellers...not wishy-washy!
Oh, and did I mention the added bonus when you get a referral from a stager? You get a staged home to sell...Perfectly prepared and ready to market...we even do the pictures for you!!!!
Now that's not just a good referral, that is a great referral...kind of like pennies from Heaven!
~Apostle Art Home Staging & Design offers professional real estate staging services to sellers, real estate agents and investors in the Pocono Mountains Region and beyond. www.apostleart.com ~
~Apostle Art Home Staging & Design offers professional Home Staging services to sellers, real estate agents and investors, as well as Design Services for homes and businesses located in the Pocono Mountains Region and beyond. www.apostleart.com ~
If you are selling your home or are a Real Estate Agent with Vacant or Occupied listing located in North Eastern Pennsylvania, The Pocono Mountains, Greater Stroudsburg Area and beyond...Please call us now so we can bring life to your listing and get you results with our Professional Home Staging Services...570-972-7939.
Great points.....hope many realtors take a read!!
I totally agree Valerie and so glad to see you put it in words here! Those ready to expire listings where the seller calls are really important for other agents to take note - I've been able to refer over 6 listings in the past couple of years for this very reason.
Last month, I gave one of my agents 3 referrals. I gave one other to another agent that I know services that particular area. That's a total of 4 referrals in one month. And like you, I give them to agents I've worked with.
We meet with a variety of homeowners, some FSBO, some with their home listed for months (sometimes years). It's such a win-win for everyone when we can refer strong agents.
Great post, Valerie.
Kathy
Our referrals really are like gold to our agents. They are getting sparkling listings served on a silver platter with sellers who are motivated and educated! I think perhaps I should reblog this under that title.
I do post in the realtors group...anyone have any suggestions of other groups with agents who are interested in what we have to offer??? I would love to hear your suggestions.
Very well said, Valerie!
Couldn't agree with you more. I give listing referrals to the agent who gives me work. They don't get my referral if they don't believe in staging.
Well said Valerie. I just left a comment on a similar blog yesterday. I recently had two clients who were disappointed with their real estate agents because they were not suggesting home staging as part of the marketing strategy of their house. They both called me directly and changed agents.
Excellent post! It's something Realtors need to take very seriously. I've gone from depending on Realtors for my staging jobs to having almost all my jobs coming from sellers who don't have a Realtor or are unhappy with a past Realtor. I'm flagging this for a Feature!
Thanks Sharon! We have so much to offer our realtors...this is a huge opportunity for the agents we do business with!
Love the way you wrote this! Hope lots of Realtors are reading!!
We also get calls from out the area-family members have loved ones who pass away and they need to prepare the property so they google home staging-they ask for a Realtor referral as they are out of the area......or investors who are flipping homes. Great post Valerie!
Last year a gave a REALTOR a referral for a listing that was not in his area, and there were only af few that had this area cornered, in one of the most expensive areas of Houston. The comissions were over 30k because the homeowners trusted my opinion and asked who I would recommend for a REALTOR. I had worked for him on a few stagings and consultations, and thought he would be great marketer for this property.
I only recommend real estate agents I work with, and yes most of my clients don't have agents when they call me.
The house had an offer within 24 hours. So, yes partner with a stager, it's added revenue for real estate agents.
I'm reblogging and may have to tell of my experience in a future blog. Thanks!
Your post makes perfect sense and eventually more and more realtors will get it.
The realtor I have worked on the past 3 jobs with gets it and has suggested that we work together. He will pay for the staging consultation and his clients will get the benefit of a team working on their behalf. I am thrilled.
He is so pleased with the work I did on the condo which just went on the market, he invited me to attend the open house so he could introduce me and brought me a bottle of champagne. No question who I will refer my clients who have yet to choose a realtor to. Great win-win situation.
Sharon, and isn't it great to be appreciated when we can refer a wonderful realtor. I believe in team work as a win-win situation for seller-realtor-stager.
One of the first times we referred a female realtor she gifted us with $400 as a thank you. That has spoiled us as it hasn't happened since.
This is a fantastic post Valerie, as I think most realtors haven't considered that we could be quite a strong source for referrals.