I was recently on a mastermind call with one of my longtime coaches, and our conversation had me thinking. The reality is that we in the industry might feel threatened by companies like Redfin, Opendoor, and all of these new venture capital firms entering the market.

However, this has created a huge opportunity for us if we create massive value for our clients. Consumers no longer need us to put them in a search like they did five or 10 years ago. Nowadays, they can go on sites like Zillow, Realtor.com, or Trulia and set up their own search. If all you’re doing for your clients is putting them in a search, you’re missing the boat.

Your job is to create massive value for your clients, to help keep them informed of things like the best school systems and the areas with the lowest tax rates—things that aren’t necessarily on the radar. Your job is to match them with your inventory and to guide them so they don’t overpay for a house that isn’t even a good fit for them. If you’re just putting them in a search, they don’t need you, and you’ll likely end up going out of business the same way that Expedia and Travelocity put travel agents out of business.

I don’t believe that companies like Zillow will put us out of business; Zillow can be a great partner. The key for you to remain relevant is to create value by over-communicating with your clients and letting them know how much you care about them. Your clients want to know that you’ll guide them and work toward their best interests.

“If all you’re doing for your clients is putting them in a search, you’re missing the boat.”

The most powerful thing you can ever say to a client (if it’s true) is that a particular house they’re looking at is a piece of garbage and that you can find them another one. No one wants your cheap sales talk; find your client the absolute best deal possible and handle every transaction like it was your own. If you do that, you’ll generate massive value, you’ll be perceived as a professional, and you’ll increase your longevity in this industry.

On our team, we’ve got more leads coming in than we could possibly handle, so if you’d like to have a discussion about joining us, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d love to hear from you. 

Here’s to your continued success!