SANTO DOMINGO- The real estate agent or advisor, or real estate broker, as they are commonly called, is a professional who has not always enjoyed high regard, since it is a profession for which no certification or special preparation is required, at least in the Dominican Republic, where there are no official regulations to protect their practice.
"Improvisations, hookups, opportunism" or perhaps a lack of opportunities in the system leads to taking refuge in the easy ways that the profession allows, which barely requires a business card, social networks and that's it, hence the practice of real estate agent is abundant everywhere.
But quantity doesn't matter, because in any scenario, quality always prevails, and the emergence of COVID-19 changed the global landscape and presented new challenges to professionals, and real estate agents are no exception. What aspects should a real estate agent consider, given the current model, to be successful and stand out from the crowd?.
The Infojobs blog reviewed five aspects that novices and experienced job seekers should take into account if they wish to continue their journey and not get left behind:
Digitization
Digitalization is and will be key, not only in the real estate sector, but in all sectors that aim to progress and adapt. We saw this with the pandemic crisis: virtual tours and real-time communication were crucial for companies in the sector to avoid closing their doors. Some of these technologies are here to stay, and more and more clients are requesting virtual tours to save time and money.
The same applies to real estate agents, who have found in digitalization a way to better manage their daily work and, of course, to gain clients without wasting visits, miles, and conversations. The real estate agent of the future will have embraced digitalization and gained the necessary experience to continue leveraging its advantages.
The information
Information is power. Being informed is key to facilitating any transaction with a client. It's important that the real estate agent of the future has access to all sources of information regarding prices and trends. They must be aware of the latest legislation passed by governments and have a good understanding of economics, mortgages, subsidies, contracts, and any legal issues affecting rentals and sales. Having a broad overview will be crucial for advising and guiding clients, who are increasingly arriving at real estate agencies more informed, prepared, and discerning.
Empathy with the customer
One of the keys to connecting with the client is, without a doubt, trust. And to earn it, it's not enough to simply create a beautiful and impressive presentation of the services offered by the agency.
The real estate agent of the future will be empathetic and know how to connect with clients, listening to and understanding their needs in order to offer truly worthwhile solutions. Because in transactions as significant as those closed in real estate agencies, it's essential to understand the reasons behind the decision and handle the process with personalized care and attention. This is also key to dismantling outdated beliefs about the real estate profession.
Specialization
In recent times, we've seen many real estate agencies opt for specialization. In fact, the market now includes agencies dedicated to the sale of luxury properties, sustainable homes, second homes, rentals, and so on.
Having a specialized real estate agent is key to offering our clients specific, high-quality services. To achieve this, experience and ongoing training are essential, and these can be obtained through various channels.
New horizons
Sustainability, cooperative housing. There are many areas of the real estate sector that are looking to the future. And it is for this reason that real estate agents will necessarily have to set their sights on these horizons. To achieve this, they will need to start working now, acquiring training and information that may be of interest to clients.
More and more people are opting for sustainable housing solutions, and therefore, the real estate agent of the future will have to be up to date on everything, be able to present alternatives, comparisons and advise clients who are increasingly certain of what they want.
