The pressure’s on for real estate agents to show buyers the true value of their services. When there’s so much that you do behind the scenes, though, it can be tricky to know where to start in on your explanation.
Let’s take a look at everything that goes into agent representation—the steps you take, the things you do, the extra value you provide that clients likely don’t know about, and that you may not think to explain because you’re so used to providing it for them.
Be their preapproval guide.
Although they used to be an optional bonus, preapprovals evolved into a necessary step for buyers thanks to the pandemic’s early market shifts.
As an agent, this is a great way for you to get involved with clients early. Being part of the process of getting them prequalified gives you a direct line of sight into what they can actually afford, which has two big benefits:
- It gives you greater power to find what they want in a reasonable budget
- It speeds up the process because they don’t risk seeing homes they can’t afford
Both of which mean a more positive experience for everyone involved.
How to show it: When you’re presenting, explain the preapproval process and why it’s useful for your clients to have this information for themselves up front. If you have a lender you’ve worked with and trust to get good rates, highlight that, but don’t push it.
Show them how to search.
Research by the National Association of REALTORS® shows that 97% of clients start their search online. That’s fine to start, but as an agent, you have all kinds of additional resources and insider intel you can give clients to take their search to the next level.
Consider:
- You can see “coming soon” listings that haven’t made it to client-facing sites yet
- You can find expired or cancelled listings that they might not have known about
- You have access to off-market listings that wouldn’t have made it to a site
How to show it: In your client presentation, give them a breakdown of all the different ways there are to find a home outside of the traditional online search, and why they can’t access those ways without you. Show an example or two of a listing they won’t find for extra credit!
Understand—and show—what they’re up against.
As an agent, you’re in a unique position to help your clients get insider knowledge on their market. Through local market data like:
- Average sale to list price
- Average days on market
- Any price adjustments
You can show them exactly what kinds of offers they should be making to help them win.
How to show it: When you’re first presenting to a buyer client, have a CMA ready for their area. These reports show all this data and can back you up when you’re explaining what they should keep in mind. Bonus points if you have one that’s easy for them to understand.
Help them make a solid offer.
You’re used to the steps of actually presenting an offer to a seller, but your clients aren’t. Through your knowledge, you can make the whole process much easier for them—especially when they know exactly what’s happening.
How to show it: In your presentation, take your clients through the high-level steps what what you’ll do during an offer. You’ve already covered setting a reasonable offer—so here, highlight what goes into it, how extra features like cover letters contribute, and other information you like to provide to turn the tides in their favor.
Guide them through the contract phase.
Once an offer’s been accepted, there are a lot of pieces that leap into movement at the same time, and that can be overwhelming for clients. As their agent, you know which pieces need to move where and when—and when they know that, it’s much easier for them to understand the value of what you do.
How to show it: Make sure you explain to potential clients what it is you do to keep them on track throughout the contract period. Get them familiar with loan finalization steps, the names of your preferred vendors like home inspectors, and all the associated timelines.
Keep up the extra value.
Most buyers think the value you provide ends at closing. But imagine how impressed they’d be if they knew it didn’t!
Your connections in the real estate space likely extend to other resources like contractors to help with those pre-move renovations, movers to make their transition easier, and other related services. By sharing those benefits with your clients up front, they know what to expect even beyond what they already thought they were getting—which makes your value infinitely clearer for them.
How to show it: Don’t wait for closing day to offer extra services! It might feel premature, but when you meet with a new client, highlight some of the bonuses you can provide. You don’t have to name names if you want to keep the specifics for after the signatures, but seeing that you have reputable vendors to help them can only help you, too.
Ready for more tips you can put into action?
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