Have you ever had a real estate agent ask “Do you have any referrals?” or mention that they “LOVE referrals”. You’re not planning on moving any time soon, so you delete the email or casually so tell them “not right now”. What’s the big deal? What are they actually asking for? Let’s chat about the importance of referrals to a real estate agent!
What’s the big deal?
Believe it or not, a real estate broker’s business is virtually 100% driven by referrals! It’s not common for someone to see a realtor’s office, walk in off the street and say I’d like to buy a house, please. It can be a very overwhelming experience to find someone you trust to handle one of life’s biggest transactions. So, people naturally turn to internet research and talking to their trusted friends. This is why word of mouth and personal experiences can impact people’s decisions so much when they are picking a real estate agent.
What are they actually asking for?
A real estate agent is looking for a couple of things when asking you about referrals. First off, they’re asking for recommendations. It can be as little as two sentences or as long as a page! Sharing your personal experience may help someone else choose that agent as their realtor. The agent will give you direct links to post your testimonial and comments.
The other thing a real estate agent is asking is for is more introductions to opportunities. Have you heard any rumors about someone thinking of buying or selling? Maybe your neighbor’s grandson just got married and is looking to buy his first home! Or, your dad’s barber just sent off his youngest child to college and talked about downsizing. Those are all opportunities! A referral doesn’t have to be a concrete statement like “___this person___ wants to sell their house in ___this timeframe___.”
Next time an agent asks, take a minute to flip through your recent conversations. Maybe you DO have a referral.
Looking to check out The Ville Team’s referrals? Click here to view our latest testimonials!