The Internet is plastered with funny cat pictures, but that won’t help you find a new home or sell your current home online. An e-PRO can. When choosing a Realtor, it is more important than ever that your Realtor is speaking the same language as the buyers and sellers they service.
Most e-PRO Realtors, myself included, are guilty of telling you how the real estate market is changing. The truth is it isn’t changing, it already has. Given the fact that 92% of home buyers used the Internet in some way during their real estate transaction1, it is easy to see why it is important for Realtors to keep up with these changes.
What It Means To Be An e-PRO in Real Estate
Every year, Realtors are required to take extended learning classes from approved sources. These classes often give them a designation and ultimately expand their knowledge of the real estate market. One of these designations is the National Association Of Realtors (NAR) e-PRO certification. This certification teaches or expands the knowledge of Realtors in the online arena.
The course curriculum was created with the Social Media Marketing Institute (SMMI) and focuses on social media technology, online marketing, and the importance of an online presence.
Full course description
Every certified e-PRO should have the basic knowledge to expand their business online and knowledge of tools to help their clientele. The next time you look for a Realtor, you might want to glance at their qualifications to make sure they are familiar with the mediums many buyers and sellers use.
What It Means To You
If you are selling your home, make sure your next Realtor can market your home on social media. Even though 66% of Realtors use Facebook on a monthly basis2, an astoundingly small 9% use social media to market their listings3. When you look for an agent and examine their online presence, make sure they make use of social media for more than just funny cat photos. A successful online marketer will put more eyes on your property, leading to more offers and faster sales.
If you are a buyer, you have already been shopping for a new home online. Don’t you think your Realtor should be knowledgeable about how to sift through the online material? And shouldn’t he or she be able to help you narrow down your home search? Who is going to be better at this, the Realtor that relies solely on the Multiple Listing Service or the Realtor that is familiar with the same places anyone can search for properties, like Zillow or Realtor.com?
Aside from online marketing, social media, and an online presence, your Realtor should also be familiar with the technologies that make their lives and yours easier. Make sure your Realtor can be reached many different ways and can correspond via text, email, Skype, or whatever medium you use. Effective communication is one of the most important parts of working with a Realtor.
An e-PRO or a tech-savvy agent can make every real estate transaction easier for everyone involved. Remember, when you are choosing your agent, investigate their online presence first. The proof is in the pudding.
Do you have any questions about online marketing in real estate or how an e-PRO can help with your next real estate transaction? Let me know in the comments.
Sources:
1http://listhubnews.com/2015-nar-profile-of-buyers-and-sellers/
2http://www.epronar.com/
3http://blog.contactually.com/2016/01/real-estate-statistics-for-2016/
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