Is There a Secret Handshake or Cool Club I Should Know About?
Wait. What kind of information?
Well, I get inside information from you. You, the people who are reading this right now and will hopefully leave a comment to provide even more inside information. I appreciate the insight you give. You’re the “in” crowd and your opinion is extremely valuable to me. I was blessed with the opportunity to be a part of this community and get to know some pretty awesome people. So, now that I’ve got you guys, my online real estate network, how do I establish that network locally? What sort of relationships do you have or lack with other real estate agents in your area?
What We’re Really Talking About is Networking With Realtors
About these relationships and networking… how does it work in the real estate community? Now, I’ve got my ideas, but I’d like to hear it from you all. In most cases, you can’t generalize the relationships because they aren’t all the same.
Take advertising agencies for example. One client needs branding and three local shops want to win the business. The agencies are competitors but it usually doesn’t go any farther than that. They don’t really have to work with each other. In real estate, three or more agents may interview the same seller, trying to win the business – in this case, the listing. They too, are competitors. But, the difference is that they will probably work together again at some point. Agent A has a listing that Agent B’s client loves and there you have it, together again.
When it Comes to Real Estate Peers, Do You Bump Knuckles or Go About Your Business?
If you sit and think about it, you’ve probably got a favorite real estate agent to work with. There are probably a few you dread working with as well. Do you avoid them at networking events or do you nod, smile, and move on?
Let’s face it. There’s a good chance in this business that the agents in one area are going to work with each other at some point. So, how do I become that agent that everyone loves to work with? Or, do I even want that? I imagine it definitely beats having people dread working with me. I’d take the warm fuzzies over that any day.
So, what have you done to establish a network offline, in your community? Perhaps a better question is, what have you not done to ensure that your network is healthy?
Let me know what works in the comments. And while you’re here, thanks!
And by the way, I passed the exam today! Praise the Lord that’s over… But, more on that later!
