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real estate agent headshot
Real Estate

How Do You Take Effective, Professional Real Estate Headshots?

by Dario Rinaldi
written by Dario Rinaldi

Your real estate agent headshot is much more than just a photograph—it’s your first handshake with potential clients. In real estate, your photo isn’t just about looking good; it’s about making a lasting impression that radiates confidence, professionalism, and approachability.

The secret to a winning headshot? Hire a skilled photographer, dress the part, and let your smile do the talking. Practice poses, groom yourself impeccably, and remember: The eyes are the gateway to trust. Take multiple shots in various outfits, and involve trusted friends in choosing the best one. A polished headshot speaks volumes about your ability to deliver results and sets you apart from the competition. Dive into this guide for all the details you need to perfect your real estate agent headshot.

Read More: Real Estate Photo Editing

Real Estate Headshots That Talk!

Real Estate Headshots example

It’s not just about your face on a glossy piece of paper that says “Hey, it’s me, and I’m an agent.” Your real estate agent headshot is arguably the first impression you make on potential clients. It’s completely up to you to make it a lasting one or just the last one!

While you’re eating, sleeping, or even bathing, it’s your headshot that markets you on business cards, billboards, or your social media. So, as an agent, you need to have a professional headshot that exudes confidence, builds trust, and sets you apart from others.

Learn from the best: See how others have done it

Seeing headshots of realtors will give you plenty of ideas to craft your unique look. The good news is that wherever you turn your head, you can find countless real estate headshot examples to learn from.

For instance, Google phrases like “realtor headshots” or “real estate agent headshot near me.” You can even narrow down your search and use phrases like “female real estate agent headshots” or “real estate agent headshots [city]” to find more related results.

Once you’ve found a good source, take your time and go through the samples. Take note of details that catch your eye. See how those agents smile or pose. Pay attention to their clothes as well as the background. Together, these details create the perfect real estate agent headshot.

Have a look below at these real estate agent headshots and see how they differ. Do they all leave the same impression on you? Which one would be your first choice if you were to buy or sell a property?

Read More: Virtual Staging Service
Dustin Walsh

Dustin Walsh

Treasa Stephenson

Treasa Stephenson

Diana Tommingo

Diana Tommingo

Henry Herrera

Henry Herrera

Kym Digiovanni

Trust the pros: Hire a photographer

Hire a photographer

Taking a good real estate agent headshot is no DIY project. You will only waste your time if you ask your friend or fiance to do the job using their smartphones. If you want to do it right, you need to find a professional headshot photographer with a high-tech camera that provides tips regarding how to pose, what to wear, where to take the shot, and so on.

It’s an investment, and you should look at it as one. Taking a headshot isn’t something you do every day, so there’ll be no recurring cost. Moreover, you’ll be using the same headshot for a considerable amount of time. So, lose those purse strings and get a headshot you’ll be proud of!

It’s all in the eyes of the subject!

Real Estate Headshots example

Since your face will be the focal point of any headshot, it’s no wonder the eyes–the centerpiece–are among the first features to draw attention. If they shine with happiness, confidence, and warmth, anyone looking at your headshot will feel an instant connection.

So, how can you ensure your eyes make the right impression? For starters, don’t force them wide open as it won’t look natural! It’s sort of a given, but instead, keep them relaxed and avoid squinting when the flash goes off.

You could also use harmless eye drops so that your eyes look whiter and brighter. Another thing you can do is to wear contact lenses to add clarity and definition.

Last but not least, don’t look away. A real estate agent headshot isn’t a Vogue or a Met Gala photoshoot! Look directly into the lens or slightly above it so that your gaze appears confident and attractive.

Why so serious?!

Real Estate Headshots example

A stern look in your photo might be perfect for facing off with a former debate opponent or silencing a particularly nosy neighbor, but definitely not for your real estate agent headshot!

As an agent, you’ll be constantly in touch with different individuals like sellers, buyers, tenants, photographers, and many more. So, you must come across as a likable individual who can quickly build trust and make others comfortable. In short, you must be approachable and easy to talk to.

And when it comes to that, nothing makes you more approachable than a nice smile that radiates friendliness and sincerity. In 2019, a study on the effect of smiling on perceptions of personas found that people feel a stronger connection to photos of individuals who smile, compared to those who don’t. So, never undermine your smile, especially one that shows a beautiful set of teeth.

It’s the best time to look your best

Real Estate Headshots example

What you wear should reflect professionalism and align with your target market. Solid colors are a smart choice as they convey confidence and photograph well, while busy patterns often convey the opposite. If you work in a high-end market, a suit or formal blouse is ideal, whereas business casual may be more fitting for a relaxed, local market.

Also, keep in mind that you should prepare your outfit ahead of time. Iron your clothes and have them ready to prevent any last-minute stress. Bringing a couple of options to your shoot is a good idea, too, if you’re unsure about what will work best. Most importantly, wear something that makes you feel confident, as it will shine through in your headshot.

Finally, look sharp. As a real estate agent, you want to appear polished, so style your hair neatly and avoid bold accessories that might distract viewers. A well-groomed appearance and carefully chosen attire will ensure your real estate headshot reflects the trusted professional you are.

Read More: Property listing using ai

Don’t be yourself too much!

Real Estate Headshots example

That’s right. Every photo should send a clear message to the viewer, and that message is conveyed through your posture. Don’t just stand rigidly in front of the camera and expect your photo to impress others. If you’re looking to convince others that you’re the one who can handle property transactions for them, you need to project confidence, professionalism, and trustworthiness in your shot.

But don’t take me wrong! You’re neither a bodybuilder to show off your chest line nor are you a novelist gazing wistfully into the distance to suggest that there are things only you see!

The right pose for a realtor isn’t that complicated. Just stand tall, maintain a poised stance, and let your body language communicate that you are capable, approachable, and ready to deliver results.

Take multiple shots, obviously!

As you can see, preparing your real estate headshot comes with a price. You have to take a day or two off, hire a photographer, groom yourself, and probably invest in some wardrobe choices. So, don’t be content with just one good shot. Now that you’ve come this far, why not make the most of your day?

After all, you’re going to update your profile sooner or later, and this means you have to have a variety of photos ready to go. Different angles, locations, lighting, clothes, and expressions can help you keep your profile fresh and adaptable for various contexts, whether it’s for social media, professional listings, or marketing materials.

Time to Get in Front of the Camera!

Four eyes see better than two, right? So, after getting the results, show them to others and ask for an honest opinion. This might take a day or two but it helps you make the right choice.

You can post your headshots on your social pages and ask people to tell you what they think of them or which one(s) they like more. Pick the most popular one and confidently use it to represent yourself, knowing it resonates well with your audience.

Done with your real estate headshot? Now, it’s time to learn about the best real estate advertising ideas to stand out in the market. Happy reading!

FAQs

Real estate agent headshot pricing isn’t fixed. How much you’ll pay depends on the photographer you hire, the location, the complexity of the setup, the number of shots, and whether or not you want to hire a makeup artist. According to Headshots Inc., depending on those factors, you might have to pay anything between $89 and $1500.

You’re not alone! Most individuals think they’re not photogenetic. In most cases, this is just a false impression rooted in poor lighting, awkward angles, or a lack of confidence. Follow the tips in this guide and rest assured that you’ll find some of your headshots appealing.
The best backdrops for real estate agent headshots are the ones that are simple and neutral. That is to say, nothing in the background should steal your thunder. Never put luxury cars or fancy apartments around you. They distract viewers and send the wrong message.
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LED lights in real estate marketing
Real Estate

A Spotlight on AI Virtual Staging: LED Lights in Real Estate Marketing

by Tan Tason
written by Tan Tason

Virtual staging has already revolutionized real estate, transforming bare rooms into inviting spaces with the click of a button. But AI virtual staging? It’s a game-changer. With advanced algorithms, AI delivers realistic, jaw-dropping results in seconds, making it faster, smarter, and more flexible than traditional staging.

Here’s why AI virtual staging is a total game-changer:

  • Speed & efficiency: AI can create MLS-ready photos in just 30 seconds, keeping your listings fresh and competitive.
  • Customization: Tailor each room to your target buyer with endless styling options, furniture arrangements, and layouts.
  • High-quality results: Whether you need one or 100 staged properties, AI ensures every image is polished and professional, ready for prime time.
  • Engagement: AI-staged photos don’t just look good—they draw buyers in emotionally, increasing the chances of inquiries and offers.
  • Cost & time savings: Forget expensive traditional staging. AI offers an affordable, lightning-fast alternative with exceptional results.

AI virtual staging combines speed, creativity, and savings into one powerhouse tool, helping real estate pros market properties faster and close deals sooner.

Lighting: The Secret Ingredient in AI Virtual Staging

In AI virtual staging, lighting isn’t just about visibility; it’s about creating a mood, adding depth, and guiding the viewer’s eye. Well-lit images pop, highlighting a property’s best features while keeping everything cohesive across the listing.

Proper lighting breathes life into photos, making them vibrant and lifelike, with shadows and color adjustments that add dimension. Whether showcasing sleek flooring or a spacious garage, lighting helps spotlight the selling points that matter most.

And let’s not forget first impressions. Online buyers scroll quickly, and bright, captivating images are key to standing out. With AI-powered tools fine-tuning brightness, contrast, and shadows, your photos will look polished, professional, and irresistible.

In real estate, lighting isn’t just technical—it’s a visual storyteller, transforming ordinary–such as a house’s garage–into stunning images that sell.

Lighting: The Secret Ingredient in AI Virtual Staging

Lighting the Way: Advantages of LED Lights in AI Garage Staging

Garages are no longer just for parking—they’ve become multifunctional spaces for storage, workshops, and recreation. And when it comes to AI virtual staging, LED garage lights are a game-changer. Here’s how they make a difference:

  • Realistic ambiance & adaptability: LED lights seamlessly adapt to any mood, from bright daylight to warm comfort or cool precision. This versatility allows AI staging to tailor the ambiance for any garage function, creating a welcoming environment that appeals to a wide range of buyers.
  • Highlight design features: AI staging uses precise lighting adjustments to emphasize key features such as workbenches, storage solutions, and polished floors. This not only highlights the garage’s functionality but also enhances its visual appeal, making the space more organized and inviting to potential buyers.
  • Shadow control & brightness: LED lights minimize harsh shadows, making the garage feel spacious and clean in every staged photo. Their high luminosity ensures that even the darkest corners are illuminated, giving the entire space clarity and visual warmth that enhances its attractiveness.
  • Eco-friendly appeal: AI tools can highlight the energy-efficient nature of LED lights, showcasing their eco-friendly qualities to attract environmentally conscious buyers. By emphasizing sustainability, LED lights not only enhance the garage’s appearance but also align with modern buyers’ values.

A well-lit garage can turn a forgotten space into a selling point. By adding LED lights to AI virtual staging, garages become versatile, modern areas that attract buyers—whether as a workspace, storage, or vehicle haven.

Advantages of LED Lights in AI Garage Staging

How to Choose the Right LED Lights for Your Garage?

Choosing the right LED lights for your garage is essential to maximize their effectiveness and ensure that your space is properly lit for both everyday use and virtual staging purposes.

Measure your garage space

The first step in choosing the right LED lights for your garage is to accurately measure the dimensions of the space. The amount of light you need depends on the square footage of the garage.

  • Tip: The Illumination Engineering Society (IES) recommends around 50 lumens per square foot for garages. You can calculate the total lumens needed by multiplying the square footage of the garage by the recommended lumens per square foot.

Consider the color temperature

The color temperature of your LED lights plays a crucial role in creating the right ambiance and setting the mood of your garage. For virtual staging, the right lighting can make all the difference in how your property appears in photos.

  • Cooler color temperature (6,500K or higher): If you want a more modern, crisp, and clean look, cooler color temperatures are ideal. These lights create a bright, white light that helps your garage feel larger and more spacious, which is especially important for virtual staging.
  • Warmer color temperature (4,000K or lower): For a more cozy, welcoming atmosphere, choose warmer tones. These lights have a yellowish hue and are ideal for creating a softer, more inviting space, which can be a great look for garages that may double as workshops or recreational areas.

When selecting LED lights for staging purposes, a cool color temperature is often the best choice to create a polished, professional look that mimics natural daylight.

Choose the right models and mounting options

The type of models and fixtures you opt for will depend on the design of your garage and how you intend to use the space. LED lights come in a variety of styles and configurations, so it’s essential to select one that best suits your needs:

  • Ceiling-mounted fixtures: These fixtures are ideal for evenly distributing light across the entire garage. They are great for general illumination, ensuring that the entire space is well-lit for staging.
  • Wall-mounted or track lighting: If you need to highlight specific areas of the garage, such as shelving or workspaces, consider wall-mounted or track lighting. These fixtures allow for focused, directional lighting that draws attention to particular areas, which can be beneficial for both practical use and staging photos.
  • Dimmer compatibility: If you’re looking for greater control over the light intensity, opt for LED lights that are compatible with dimmers. This allows you to adjust the brightness based on the time of day, the atmosphere you wish to create, or even your staging requirements.

For instance, LED Hexagon Light is widely used in a variety of commercial scenarios (such as garages, barber shops, studios, clothing stores, etc.) with its stylish appearance and efficient lighting performance, providing ideal lighting solutions for different spaces.

  • Diverse installation methods: LED Hexagon Light supports both hanging and ceiling installation. Hanging is suitable for places that require more space or stronger design, such as barber shops and studios; ceiling installation is suitable for spaces that require simple and uniform lighting, such as garages and clothing stores.
  • Flexible assembly: Modular design allows LED Hexagon Lights to be flexibly combined according to site requirements. From simple geometric shapes to personalized complex designs, whether it is used to enhance the shopping experience or improve the working environment, it can be easily achieved, adding a modern and creative atmosphere to your place.

Such LED garage lights not only meet the practical needs of different commercial uses but also enhance the visual effect of the overall space, making your place more unique.

Choose the right models and mounting options

Consider the wattage and lumens

LED lights are energy-efficient, but it’s still important to choose the correct wattage to avoid underlighting or overlighting your garage. Wattage determines the energy consumed by the light, while lumens indicate the amount of light produced.

  • Low wattage, high lumens: Look for LED fixtures with lower wattage but higher lumen output. LEDs are designed to provide maximum brightness with minimal energy consumption, making them more efficient than traditional bulbs.
  • Match lumens to space size: As mentioned earlier, you should calculate the total lumens needed for your garage space and choose fixtures that provide the right amount of light. This ensures optimal visibility for both in-person visits and virtual staging.

Installation and maintenance considerations

When choosing LED lights for your garage, it’s also essential to think about installation and long-term maintenance:

  • Ease of installation: If you’re not working with a professional electrician, choose LED lights that are easy to install and require minimal wiring. Many LED fixtures are designed for straightforward installation, making it easy to upgrade your garage lighting with little hassle.
  • Maintenance-free or low maintenance: LED lights have a long lifespan, so you’ll spend less time and money replacing bulbs. Choose high-quality lights that are durable and designed to withstand the wear and tear of garage environments, including temperature fluctuations and potential exposure to dust and moisture.

Ask for expert advice

If you’re unsure about the best LED lighting solution for your garage, don’t hesitate to seek advice from a professional lighting retailer. Many lighting experts can help you choose fixtures that meet your space’s specific needs, ensuring that you get the best lighting for your garage’s use, as well as for its role in virtual staging.

By following these guidelines, you’ll ensure that your garage is properly illuminated, making it the perfect setting for both in-person viewings and AI-powered virtual staging.

Shine Brighter with LED Lighting and AI Staging

In today’s competitive real estate market, the combination of advanced AI virtual staging and high-quality lighting is transforming property presentation. LED garage lights, in particular, not only enhance the aesthetics and functionality of your garage but also elevate virtual staging by creating vibrant, realistic visuals that captivate potential buyers.

Beyond their visual appeal, LED lights offer energy efficiency, eco-friendliness, and cost savings, making them a smart investment for homeowners and real estate professionals alike. By choosing the right lighting, you can maximize both the everyday use of your garage and its appeal to prospective buyers.

Investing in LED lighting boosts your virtual staging efforts while enhancing your garage’s overall functionality. With the right lighting, your listing will stand out in the best possible light—literally and figuratively—helping to create lasting value in today’s fast-paced real estate market.

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MLS specifications
Real Estate

Tips on Preparing Your Real Estate Photos for Multiple Listings

by Dario Rinaldi
written by Dario Rinaldi

Putting up an Open House sign or spreading the word throughout the neighborhood might work, but nowadays, to sell a property, you’d do well to list it on a multiple listing service (MLS) for a higher chance of a better sale. This means you have to attach photos or a video of your property so that house hunters can see the place without having to visit in person. To cut costs, most agents prefer photos to videos, and this calls for learning about MLS specifications regarding property photos. In this blog, we’ll take a look at these specifications in more detail.

Strictly Carved in Stone, More or Less…

A multiple listing service is a platform where real estate agents and brokers get to know each other and exchange information regarding for-sale properties. It’s also where house hunters can check out listed properties that are for sale or rent.

On such a platform, members need to operate within a defined framework so that everything is clear to everyone. That’s why following MLS specifications is a must! However, you might notice that certain requirements are present on one listing and absent on another!

This could be due to local regulations or market practices that only apply to certain areas. In what follows, we outline those specifications that are almost the same for all property listings. These specifications have been gathered after consulting prominent listing platforms, such as Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, etc.

Read More: Dos and Don’ts of MLS

MLS Property Description Requirements

To highlight the selling points of properties, agents can include as much information as they wish regarding the property and its neighborhood. This might range from listing the nearby amenities, such as shops, transportation, schools, hospitals, and entertainment centers to narrating the history of the place and its potential as a safe investment. Apart from these, the following details must be included in every listing:

  • Age and size of the property
  • Exact address
  • Number of rooms
  • Facilities, including electricity, internet, etc.
  • Parking, garage, deck, roof garden, etc.
  • Buyer’s agent fee
  • Price
  • Down payment
  • Loan details
  • Tax records

Photo Requirements for Multiple Listings

Regarding the visuals, not many specifications have been prescribed for videos or 3D plans. As for photos, there are a few requirements that, unfortunately, are not the same for every listing. The following table shows some of the most common photo specifications for listing properties on Zillow that are more or less the same for most listings.

Photo Requirements for Multiple Listings

Another line of MLS specifications is concerned with the content of your real estate photos. Your photos should strictly be void of any sexual or violent content. Neither should it advertise any product or service. Last but not least, people, especially children under 13, should not be present in any of your photos.

Must-Follow Tips for Taking MLS-Ready Photos

Photos alone cannot sell a property, but they definitely determine how much attention the property is going to get when listed. That’s why you should make sure that they’ll showcase your property to the highest standards. This necessitates taking certain steps before, while, and after shooting your real estate photos.

Prepare: Things to do before shooting

clean up

To take stunning photos, the place should look rather stunning itself. That’s to say, you should declutter the place and clean it up. Move the unnecessary items out, mop the floor, dust the furniture, spruce up the windows, and even go so far as to paint the walls if you have to. Also, keep in mind that you’re not doing this just to take better photos. Sooner or later, visitors are going to stop by your place, and it must look neat and inviting.

depersonalize the house

The photos you put out there should encourage house hunters to imagine themselves living there. So remove every item that tells a story of you or your family. Let them start writing their own story the moment they see the photos or step into the place.

Family photos, personal knick-knacks, souvenirs, and children’s artwork are some of the things you should move away before shooting your place.

bring in natural light

Bright rooms evoke a sense of warmth and comfort in all of us. They make everyone feel relaxed, uplifted, and at ease. For this reason, you should do your best to bring in as much natural light as you can. One little tip: Rooms that don’t receive enough natural light can look brighter if you put white items in them. If the room’s empty, try installing a big mirror on one of the walls – or placing it next to the ground to avoid ugly holes – to reflect light.

Focus: Tips to observe while shooting

If you don’t want to hire a real estate photographer, you need to learn some basic techniques to shoot great shots. Here are a few things that can help you with that.

mind the position and angle

Pick a well-known property listing site and check out the first few properties you see. You’ll come across lots of photos in which half of the floor or room is missing. This happens when the person behind the camera either chooses the wrong spot or positions the camera at the wrong angle.

Regarding the angle of the camera, it’s best to stand in the corner unless you’re shooting a bathroom. For bathrooms, small as they usually are, it’s suggested to stand in the doorway to capture the entire space effectively. As for the position of the camera, a chest-level position is best to provide a balanced perspective of the space you’re shooting.

use a tripod

As an agent or the owner of the property, you probably don’t have a tripod but make sure to get one. Using a tripod has two benefits: For one thing, you can push it to the corner of the room, hence capturing as much of the place as possible. Two, it helps stabilize the camera, resulting in sharper, professional looking photos.

focus on key features

Every part of your place has a selling point. For one room, it could be a big window with a nice view. For another, it might be a cozy little fireplace or a built-in bookshelf. Accentuate these features with optimal lighting and attractive decor.

Must-Follow Tips for Taking MLS-Ready Photos

Edit: Enhance photos after shooting

When it comes to editing real estate photos for listings, two misconceptions should be addressed. First, editing doesn’t mean that your original photos are bad or unattractive. You just want to make sure house hunters see your place at its best.

Second, by editing your photos, you’re not trying to deceive potential buyers. You’re simply enhancing the images to accurately reflect the home’s true appeal. With that being said, let’s see how you can edit your photos.

Read More: Real estate photo editing

virtual staging

Let’s get it straight. Buyers wish to see both the empty and staged versions of your place. They like to see the empty version to make sure that the house is in good condition, and they wish to see the staged version to visualize themselves living there. To fulfill such desires, virtual staging can be the go-to service for those who don’t want to suffer the ups and downs of costly, time-consuming traditional home staging.

By virtually staging a house, you’ll allow the potential buyer to get a first-hand experience of how living in that place feels and how it can be furnished to suit their lifestyle. Meanwhile, upon visiting the property while vacant, they can easily check every corner to assess the condition of the house, without any physical furniture getting in their way!

virtual staging

image enhancement

If you follow our tips for the “before shooting” phase, your photos will be bright enough. However, there might still be some noise or shadows in your photos that need editing. By enhancing the quality of your images, you ensure that they are as high quality as necessary while void of any imperfections.

image enhancement

day to dusk

Have you ever wondered which photo should be the cover photo of your listing? How about the front door view of your home with a day-to-dusk view? This specialized photo editing technique is designed solely to enhance the appearance of your home’s exterior to lure house hunters into checking your listing! As the name implies, a day-to-dusk service turns daytime photos into twilight, dusk, or even nighttime images. The result is a stunning view of your house under an enchanting sky.

day to dusk

item removal

Going through your real estate photos, you might notice previously overlooked objects that spoil the look. Spread-around books, left-over cups, or pet beds that only distract buyers are some common examples, and finding one in your final photos is never pleasant. Of course, you shouldn’t leave such details as they affect buyers’ first impression. To right such wrongs, you can virtually remove unwanted objects from your photos so that viewers pay attention to what you want them to see, not the clutter or distractions in the background.

item removal

All Prepped for Suitable Listings

Sticking to MLS specifications will guarantee your listing’s approval. But to attract house hunters, you need to clean up your property, take great photos under the best possible circumstances, and edit them to come to the best final images. Follow the tips above and rest assured that your listing will shine on any platform.

FAQs

If you’re looking for information regarding a certain multiple listing service, you need to check out their “terms & conditions” section. It’s also a good idea to check out a few of the listed properties on any given MLS to learn what the content of your listing should be.

The cost of editing real estate listing photos depends on the provider you choose. On a platform like AI HomeDesign, you can edit each photo for as low as $0.24.

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dos and don’ts of MLS
Real Estate

Listing Intricacies: The Dos and Don’ts of MLSs

by Dario Rinaldi
written by Dario Rinaldi

Except for rare cases where the owner and buyer know each other through a mutual friend or family member and have already reached a mutual agreement, buyers sift through endless properties online, and sellers try their best to list their for-sale property in the most plain sight possible.

On this journey, the term “Multiple Listing Service,” aka MLS, probably rings a bell for both groups. MLSs are property listing databases established and owned by private real estate organizations or associations to facilitate property information sharing among brokers, agents, buyers, and sellers.

As a buyer, your only responsibility is to browse endlessly until you find that perfect house. As a seller or agent, however, you have more to do if you wish the services of an MLS. Specifically, to make sure your listing is not taken down and stands a chance against hundreds of other properties, it’s imperative to learn about the dos and don’ts of MLS platforms when using their services. Let’s dive straight in!

The Dos and Don’ts of MLSs

Not all MLSs have the same set of specifications or information sections for including various types of details. However, a typical listing across all MLS platforms has three main parts: Photos, descriptions, and property features. In what follows, we’ll outline these specifications that are quite common among most MLSs.

Photos

Photos play a crucial role in representing properties as they’re the first thing to capture buyers’ and tenants’ attention. Therefore, they must showcase your property in its best light. Moreover, when it comes to the dos and don’ts of MLS practices, photos can be quite tricky. As a result, no matter how much you want to edit your photos, it’s important to stick to the rules strictly.

Previously, we discussed how to capture perfect real estate shots and how to find a reliable real estate photo editing company to edit them. However, our main concern here’s how to make sure that you’re not violating MLS regulations regarding your listing photos. The checklist below will help you in this regard.

Read More: Real estate photo editing before and after

dos

  • Including at least one photo from each room;
  • Including at least one shot from the exterior showing the property’s front view clearly. This must be the first photo of your listing;
  • Making sure that there are no people in the photos;
  • Clearly labeling photos as “Virtually Staged” if you used virtual staging for any rooms to ensure transparency; and,
  • Ensuring your photos are saved in the JPG/JPEG format for optimal compatibility with MLS platforms.

don’ts

  • Excluding any of the rooms in your listing;
  • Digitally removing, adding, or enhancing property fixtures (e.g., cabinetry, window treatments, lighting fixtures, etc.);
  • Including brands or branded ads in any form (words, physical products, mottos, etc.);
  • Distorting the dimensions of the rooms; and,
  • Adding non-existent elements around the property (e.g., trees, fences, or lakes).

Regarding file format, the JPG/JPEG format is the most widely used. Though this is the recommended format due to its balance of file size and quality, some MLSs also allow formats like PNG, heavy-sized TIFF files, or even GIF files for a bit of motion in listing visuals.

Aerial photos, videos, and floor plans all help potential buyers/tenants appreciate the value of your property, though they aren’t among the mandatory file requirements of property listings. The only thing you need to remember about these files is that they should not in any way mislead or confuse the viewer.

If you intend to provide a bird’s-eye view of your property, for instance, you’re not allowed to manipulate the area around the place. Similarly, floor plans and videos must represent the accurate size and dimensions of the property.

photos dos and donts for MLS

Read More: Real Estate Photo Editing

Property features

Property features appear under the photos and detail the key characteristics of the home, such as square footage, number of rooms, and included amenities. They usually come in some sort of a bulleted list or a table. Property features also come with their fair share of dos and don’ts of MLS entities. Here’s what you must and mustn’t do regarding your property features.

dos

  • Stating the age and area of the property;
  • Stating the exact price a buyer/tenant must pay to buy/rent the property;
  • Providing the location and address;
  • Specifying the property type (single-family, condo, etc.);
  • Mentioning the number of bedrooms and bathrooms;
  • Listing all the various types of house spaces (pool, garage, basement, attic, etc.);
  • Indicating property condition (recently renovated, needs repairs, etc.);
  • Listing the available appliances (washer, oven, etc.);
  • Clarifying the property’s legal status (under contract, active); and,
  • Including tax records.

don’ts

  • Revealing personal information of the previous owner or occupant;
  • Ignoring local or location-specific MLS rules;
  • Providing vague, inaccurate, or overly general information (seriously, does anyone know what “fixer-upper with potential” means?!);
  • Overstating or exaggerating property features;
  • Mentioning non-existent or under-construction property features as readily available;
  • Including personal opinions and interpretations; and,
  • Using overly technical terms.

The dos and don’ts of MLS platforms concerning property features are just a fine line to thread as property photos. Any misinformation not only misleads potential clients but can lead to legal repercussions.

Property descriptions

Once you’ve outlined the property features, the next step is to craft a concise and compelling property description in a few sentences. This should highlight the most appealing aspects, like the layout, location, and any unique selling points, giving potential buyers a quick yet engaging overview of what the property offers.

dos

  • Describing the property in no more than 250 words (people don’t have the time nor the attention for lengthy text);
  • Highlighting key features;
  • Using descriptive but down-to-earth language;
  • Focusing on the layout and flow of life throughout the property;
  • Focusing on relevant features;
  • Adding a call to action to encourage buyer engagement; and,
  • Being fully honest and transparent in your description.

don’ts

  • Wasting space by including contact information (there’s usually a separate space for phone numbers and emails);
  • Mentioning commission rates;
  • Embedding external links for cybersecurity purposes;
  • Using discriminatory language that might offend a certain race, religious group, etc.;
  • Mentioning irrelevant information; and,
  • Neglecting key details (e.g., number of rooms).

Most MLS platforms adhere to highly similar standards to ensure consistency and compliance with industry regulations. However, there are sometimes minute differences in how certain details should be handled.

Depending on the service you choose, you might notice slight differences regarding the listing requirements and the dos and don’ts of MLS platforms. Those differences, though, are highly unlikely to impact the basic information in your listing.

Property descriptions for MLS

Types of Multiple Listing Services

Now that you’re familiar with the overall and most important dos and don’ts of MLS platforms, it wouldn’t hurt to know a bit about different MLS types. When it comes to classifying MLSs, we can approach them in three ways:

  1. Who owns and runs them?
  2. What types of properties do they feature? and,
  3. What geographic areas do they cover?

MLSs based on ownership

Regarding the ownership of such databases, there are association-owned MLSs and those run by brokers.

association-owned MLS

Some MLSs are owned and run by real estate associations either at the local or state level. Such listings are only available for agents and brokers who pay a certain membership amount, either on a monthly or annual basis, to access listings.

broker-owned MLS

Some MLSs are formed by brokers who can, within a set framework, determine the rules for property listings and collaboration between members. These regulations often determine various factors such as the allocation of commissions, the guidelines for sharing listings, or the manner of cooperation between brokers.

MLSs based on geographical scope

As for the scope of an MLS, there are local and national multiple listings, and their difference is quite obvious.

local MLSs

Local MLSs are regional databases that allow real estate agents and brokers within a specific geographic area to share property listings. They provide localized access to property information and market data, helping agents collaborate and find properties for clients in a defined market. Typically, a local MLS covers a specific city, county, or metropolitan area and caters to the needs of the agents and brokers working in that region.

national MLSs

National MLSs are broader platforms that provide access to property listings across multiple regions and states, offering a more extensive database of real estate listings. They aggregate listings from various local MLSs and make them available to agents and brokers nationwide, helping them serve clients in multiple regions. While no single entity owns all listings nationwide, some large national MLS-like platforms serve this purpose by compiling data from local MLSs.

Read More: Best places to be a real estate agent

MLSs based on property type

Finally, as for the types of properties an MLS showcases, we can categorize MLSs in several ways, depending on how detailed we want the distinctions. However, one general way to categorize MLSs based on the properties they list is as follows:

residential MLSs

Residential MLSs cater to all types of residential properties, making it easier for real estate agents and buyers to find homes within specific regions or markets.

  • Standard Residential MLSs (single-family homes, townhouses, condos)
  • Luxury MLSs (high-end and upscale properties)
  • New Construction MLSs (newly built or under-construction homes)
  • Multi-family MLSs (duplexes, triplexes, apartment buildings)
  • Vacation/Resort Property MLSs (vacation homes, second homes in tourist locations)

commercial MLSs

Commercial MLSs focus on properties designed for business purposes. They help commercial real estate professionals and investors identify properties that fit specific business or investment needs.

  • Standard Commercial MLSs (office buildings, retail spaces, industrial properties)
  • Commercial Land MLSs (land for commercial development)
  • Multi-family Commercial MLSs (apartment buildings, mixed-use properties)

rental MLSs

Rental MLSs are specialized platforms that list residential and commercial properties available for rent or lease. These MLSs help landlords and property managers connect with potential tenants while providing agents with a way to showcase rental listings.

  • Residential Rentals (apartments, homes for rent)
  • Commercial Rentals (office and retail space for lease)
  • Vacation Rentals (short-term rental properties in vacation destinations)

land and rural MLSs

Land and rural MLSs specialize in vacant land and rural properties. These platforms cater to buyers looking for land to develop for residential, commercial, agricultural, or recreational purposes.

  • Land MLSs (vacant lots, development land)
  • Agricultural and Rural MLSs (farms, ranches, recreational land)
  • Commercial Land MLSs (land for commercial or industrial purposes)

international MLSs

International MLSs offer property listings across multiple countries, sometimes providing access to both residential and commercial real estate outside the United States. As their name suggests, these platforms allow buyers and investors to explore properties globally.

  • Residential International MLSs (homes and vacation properties abroad)
  • Commercial International MLSs (business properties in foreign countries)

Types of Multiple Listing Services
In Conclusion

Understanding the dos and don’ts of MLS platforms is critical for creating an effective and compliant property listing. While specific requirements may vary slightly depending on the platform, the general aspects remain the same.

Agents and sellers should focus on providing accurate information, high-quality photos, and compelling descriptions while avoiding common pitfalls like misleading details or discriminatory language. By following these guidelines, you can rest assured that your listing is both professional and quite effective in reaching potential buyers or tenants.

FAQs

According to reso.org, there are currently 535 organizations in the U.S. that are officially recognized as MLS.

There’s no single “best” MLS as it depends on factors such as location, type of property, and your specific needs as a buyer or seller. The idea behind the existence of MLSs is that they create a focal point for property listing based on different geographical regions.

Some of the most popular MLS platforms in the U.S. include Bright MLS(for the Mid-Atlantic region), Stellar MLS(Florida and beyond), and California Regional MLS(CRMLS), which is the largest in the U.S.

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real estate advertising ideas
Real Estate

Crucial Real Estate Advertising Ideas to Stand Out in a Competitive Market (2024 Update)

by Dario Rinaldi
written by Dario Rinaldi

“Stay hungry, Stay foolish”

Many of us have heard this phrase once quoted by Steve Jobs from the Whole Earth Catalog. Most of us have thought about it at one time or another, and most likely, some have been inspired by it. But is it always reasonable to be hungry and foolish at the same time? In my mind, it’s inspiring to desire more and explore opportunities few others think about, but stay foolish for too long, and you’ll soon become reckless and, in turn, famished. It’s truly a fine line…

In the world of real estate, agents are often encouraged to stay hungry—to seek out new listings, forge connections, and innovate their marketing strategies. Yet, the competitive landscape can lead some to adopt reckless tactics that are off the mark or rely on tired clichés and generic ads that blend into the background noise.

To truly stand out, real estate agents must navigate this fine line by harnessing their hunger for success while avoiding the pitfalls of recklessness. This means thinking creatively and embracing unconventional advertising methods that resonate with potential buyers and sellers.

Here are some vital real estate advertising ideas that can help real estate agents rise above the competition and capture the attention of their target market…

Read More: Real Estate Photo Editing

Claim Your Business: Let Google Do the Lifting!

First things first, unless you tell Google what you’re doing and where you’re doing it, thousands of people around you will never know your business exists! So, your first task before going to bed is to google your business.

What does that mean exactly?

It simply means that by creating a business account on Google, you’re giving your business visibility for local searches. This way, anyone searching online for a real estate agent in your area will see your profile at the top of the search results. Let’s see an example.

When I googled “real estate agent in Dallas,” I got the following at the top of the search results.

google business account for real estate

All those red dots and markers on the map show where real estate agents are (groups or individuals), as they are the ones who have business profiles on Google. Indeed, there are many more agents there, but without a Google profile, they miss the chance of being recognized by potential clients searching online.

One may think that this is doesn’t qualify as a real estate advertising idea, but it’s as vital as creating a logo for your business or renting out an office.

Scrolling down to the bottom of the page, I saw another list of real estate agents, each with a nice profile showing their location, phone number, website address, etc. Here’s one, as an example:

realtor google business account

Wouldn’t it be nice if it was your picture and phone number that was popping up on Google’s first page? As far as real estate advertising ideas go, it’s high time you gave this one a try. Don’t just rely on your local grocer to advertise your business! Let Google be your omnipresent marketing agent. It’s free, it’s efficient, and it never takes a break!

Read More: Virtual Staging

Don’t Forget the Web: Launch Your Website Now!

Again, you might think that a website doesn’t make the cut for real estate advertising ideas. Also, it sounds like a bulky job to many, but it is quite a vital idea for any type of business, and as far as the workload goes, putting up a website isn’t that hard!

You’re not expected to launch a super complex platform like Redfin or Zillow! You just need a space to connect with buyers and sellers, and for this, you can select a free website builder like WordPress and create a simple but functional website.

Even if this sounds difficult, you can get a web designer to do it for you. Designing and launching a website nowadays isn’t costly, and you’ll soon start to get more than you’ve invested. But, to really understand the importance of a website, let’s see why a real estate agent should have one.

  1. A website allows you to showcase your work and share your knowledge with people. You can present all the properties you’ve sold or bought for your clients, and narrate a short story about each transaction. This will help potential clients get to know you better and trust in your expertise.
  2. Secondly, you can have a blog section on your website, where you share all you know about the delicacies of property transactions, offer market insights, and provide tips for buyers and sellers. In doing so, you do two things.
    First, you’re offering an invaluable base of knowledge and information to your audience. You’re also lending help to those considering a property deal, encouraging them to reach out and benefit from your expertise. Second, by consistently targeting the best real estate keywords in your blogs, your website will get better Google ranks in real estate-related searches, gradually establishing you as an industry leader.
  3. A website offers amazing versatility regarding the services you can provide, including online reservations for open house visits and consultancy meetings, online consultancy and support, virtual tours of properties, and even some parts of your dealings with clients. Additionally, showcasing testimonials and reviews on your site builds credibility and fosters trust. This comprehensive approach not only enhances client engagement but also streamlines your processes. Your website is where most of your real estate advertising ideas and plans can come to life.

Put Yourself Out There: Invest in Social Media

This lovely grandfather pic that became an overnight sensation and is being constantly used for Internet memes and jokes is definitely more famous than many Hollywood folk, let alone your entire real estate business!

Why? Because countless people on social media decided so!

realtors should invest in real estate

Whether you like it or not, and despite all social and health-related arguments condemning social media, the reality is that millions of people around you use social media 24/7. Similarly, hundreds of thousands of pages on these platforms are sharing educational, entertaining, or promotional content day in and day out.

The trick is to thread a fine line again. Don’t be like a salesman whose only intention is to outright sell a product or a university instructor talking in technical jargon all the time. Also, don’t try to become an industry sage who’s only useful when people are looking for a pick-me-up slogan or a catchy quote.

The secret to growing a community on social media platforms is to share valuable content (highlighting a gap) and then provide a solution, maybe with a touch of fun! Somewhere between those lines, you can promote yourself and explain how you can help. The grandfather meme above is both educational and funny, while still highlighting the value of an agent’s service.

Also, don’t forget to keep your content diverse. If you share an open house today, follow up with maximizing property appeal tomorrow. The next day, spotlight a local neighborhood and continue mixing it up from there.

Last but not least, keep in mind to talk about yourself now and then. The fact that your page is about real estate shouldn’t prevent you from sharing a fun memory about your loved ones! Let them know that you, too, are a human being with down-to-earth interests and concerns. The more people feel at ease with your business and its owner(s), the more easily they’ll approach you for an actual deal.

Read More: Social Media for Real Estate

Bring on the Swag: Use Branded Material

If you want a tangible, everyday reminder of your brand, go for swag! Let people get used to seeing your brand here and there. We’re talking mugs, pens, wallets, keychains. You name it. With regard to efficient real estate advertising ideas, branded gift items are one of the best!

These items are cheap advertising materials that effectively promote brand visibility. Give them as gifts to anyone coming into your office or hand them out at events and community gatherings. Let everyone in the vicinity think of you while writing a shopping list, sipping their coffee, doing everyday chores, or grabbing their keys on the way out the door.

realtors should use branded materials

Teach What You Know: Host Real Estate Webinars

Wherever you are, there are always individuals around you who have lots of questions about the entire real estate industry, from legal intricacies to sales, to general information when looking for a house. This gives you, as a professional in the field, a great opportunity to establish yourself as the industry’s go-to expert in a number of areas.

The good thing is you don’t have to spend a fortune toward this goal. With the development of digital communication tools and the growing digital culture, holding an online event has become quite mainstream, allowing for easy and mass communication with your audience. Every now and then, you can host free webinars in the form of Q&A sessions, discussions on market trends, or even a chat with an expert guest speaker.

Drawing from your experience, create a list of topics that resonate with buyers and sellers, and center each webinar around one or two key subjects. This focused approach not only keeps your content engaging but also helps address the most pressing questions your audience may have. By becoming a knowledgeable problem-solver, it won’t take long to see yourself surrounded by potential clients.

Prove Yourself: Ask for Clients’ Testimonials

realtors should Ask for Clients’ Testimonials

Acquiring customer reviews and testimonials is a widely used marketing need and practice that’s crucial for enhancing your real estate advertising. A sufficient number of honest testimonials provides potential clients with valuable insight into your professionalism and commitment to your work.

What customers think about you is the closest and most believable advice to new customers. Overlooking this source of info is a grave mistake! Especially given the fact that most clients, specifically satisfied ones, are more than willing to share their honest opinions about your performance. This will make the decision-making process much easier for those considering hiring you.

If you have a business account on Google, your clients’ reviews will appear under your profile. If not, you can share them on your website or social media accounts.

Important note: Don’t go all crazy when you see a negative review. Instead, express your appreciation for their feedback and explain what caused the unfortunate experience. Own up to your mistakes and move on.

Leave Social Breadcrumbs: List All Common Hashtags

Hashtags help users find similar posts on social media. So if you want your posts to be seen by the right audience, you must use relevant hashtags. This means that you might have to use a different set of hashtags for every post.

Open your social media page and spend a few moments checking posts similar to yours. See if you’ve been missing a crucial hashtag or if you’ve been using the wrong ones for a certain kind of post.

Also, keep in mind that your list must be complete but you shouldn’t copy the whole list under each and every post. Writing repetitive content and captions under social posts will be regarded as spam. Not only will your posts be shown to the wrong audience, but you also risk being flagged as a spammer and may be taken down.

Takes Two to Tango: Partner With Other Professionals

Anyone selling a house probably needs a home appraiser, a real estate photographer, or a home repair service. Anyone buying a house probably needs a home inspector, a mortgage broker, or a moving service. One overlooked fact is that they can all be your advertising agents!

By partnering with professionals in other fields, you can create a network where each of you refers clients to the others, expanding your reach and boosting your business together.

A side benefit of such a collaboration is increased customer satisfaction, as clients appreciate working with an agent who goes beyond just selling houses and provides a full range of trusted services, making the entire process smoother and more convenient.

Remember, real estate advertising ideas are not always about Google ads or YouTube intermissions. Sometimes they could be as simple as “You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours!”

Trust the Technology: Let Artificial Intelligence Help You

Who can deny the powerful impact artificial intelligence (AI) is having on the business world? Now, let me ask you this: Who can honestly say they’ve fully unlocked the potential of this technology? I dare say the answer to both questions is: NO ONE!

AI has become like the many applications on your smartphone that you rarely check. You just know it’s there! You might be already using AI for a few tasks, but if you look closer, there is much more to it than meets the eye.

If you find yourself too busy to write real estate blogs, let AI do the bulk of the job. You can just be there to add the final touch, polishing and personalizing the content. If you can’t come up with a nice post for your Instagram or Facebook account, use AI to get ideas. What about considering AI chatbots for sending personalized messages to buyers or sellers? Or maybe getting some AI service to produce super listing images?

To make the long story short, no matter what real estate advertising ideas you find helpful, AI can assist in implementing them more effectively, and for that matter, with much less effort.

Read More: AI in real estate

In Conclusion

In today’s competitive real estate market, standing out requires creativity, adaptability, and using modern tools. By embracing a mix of strategies such as claiming your business online, building a simple website, engaging with social media, and collaborating with other professionals, you can expand your reach and connect with more clients.

Whenever you find a real estate advertising idea too difficult or time-consuming to implement, let AI step in to smooth the process for you. It’s all about your thirst for success, your passion for the job, and the dedication you bring to it. And now that it comes to passion and occupation, why not close the discussion with another great quote from our legendary business role model?

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

– Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview

FAQs

Regularly updating your advertising content is crucial to maintaining relevance. Ideally, you should refresh your listings and marketing materials every few weeks. Seasonal promotions, market changes, and new trends should also prompt updates to keep your content fresh and engaging.
Common mistakes include using poor-quality images, neglecting to proofread for errors, failing to target the right audience, and not having a clear call to action. Additionally, being overly promotional without providing valuable content can turn potential clients away. Always focus on creating engaging and informative content.
To measure the effectiveness of your campaigns, track metrics such as website traffic, lead generation, social media engagement, and conversion rates. Tools like Google Analytics can help analyze website performance, while social media platforms offer insights into post engagement and reach.
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best places to be a real estate agent
Real Estate

Top 10 States for Real Estate Agents in 2024: Opportunities and Benefits

by Dario Rinaldi
written by Dario Rinaldi

When talking about any concept remotely related to real estate, the old adage “Location, location, location!” comes to mind. Just as buyers should be wary about “where to buy,” real estate agents should carefully consider which markets to focus on. True, there are people in every city, and they sure rent, buy, or sell properties, but thriving markets with strong economic growth and housing demands will provide more consistent and lucrative opportunities.

How many times have you heard agents complain about dormant markets, low inventory, or high taxes? It’s not just about how good an agent is; in part, it’s about where that agent is operating! That’s why real estate agents, especially less experienced ones, should know which states offer better opportunities. So why not look into five factors that help determine the best places to be a real estate agent?

Read More: Real Estate Photo Editing

1. Price Tags: Average Home Prices in Each State

As home prices increase, so do the commissions that agents earn. Therefore, it’s only reasonable to assume that places with more expensive homes promise larger payouts and greater financial rewards. If you disagree, think about why some agents choose to specialize in luxury real estate only!

So, one way to see where to operate as a real estate agent is to learn about the average home prices across every state. Here’s what we found in this regard after consulting various databases, including Forbes, World Population Review, The Mortgage Reports, and Fool.

Average Home Prices in each united states State

Read More: SEO tips for realtors

Average home prices can directly translate into average commission, enticing you to determine the best places to start a career in real estate by this figure alone. Based on the information provided in this table, for example, one might assume that on average, real estate agents working in Hawaii and California are making more money than those in Mississippi and West Virginia per transaction.

That’s a reasonable thing to say, though we need to look at other factors before making any conclusions! The next factor is state population and average home sales.

2. Market Yield: Houses Sold per 100,000 People

High earnings in one place might come at the cost of fewer transactions or greater competition, while another market may offer steady, reliable opportunities that fly under the radar.

The table below, sorted based on the higher number of houses sold per a hundred thousand people, was compiled based on data provided by Valdostatoday, Statista, and Trading Economics.

Houses Sold per 100,000 People in each state

Read More: Best real estate companies in the U.S.

A greater number of deals definitely shouts the best places to be a real estate agent, right?! So, should our fellow agents who might have been considering Hawaii a minute ago – which placed 46 based on the number of houses sold per 100,000 people – now book a flight to Carolina or Arizona?

Not yet! At least not before getting an idea about the number of agents already operating in these states and their income status!

3. The Competition: Number of Agents per 1,000 People

Understanding the ratio of agents to people, along with the average annual sales, helps us understand how competitive each state’s real estate market is. A higher proportion may indicate market saturation. That is to say, a greater number of agents might be fighting over the same slice of the pie, making it harder to find deals.

Conversely, a lower proportion of agents suggests less competition, offering more wiggle room to find and secure clients. By understanding this ratio, agents can prioritize markets where their services are more likely to be in demand, helping them increase their chances of success and maintain a steady income.

Number of Agents per 1,000 People in each state

By putting the previous three tables together, patterns begin to appear. For instance, by the look of it, Florida sounds like a land of plenty and ranks 4th in terms of homes sold per 100,000 people. However, it has the highest proportion of agents per 1,000 people (10.47). This, combined with its moderately high home prices, suggests a highly competitive market that may be challenging for many agents. It’s the real estate industry’s red sea if you will…

On the other hand, California ranks relatively low (43rd) in terms of homes sold per 100,000 people, despite having a large number of agents. This suggests that the market may be saturated, making it more difficult for agents to secure deals, even though property values are high.

Are we now ready to elect the best places to be a real estate agent? Almost, but let’s not rush along! No matter what you’ve understood from the tables so far, you might see a sharp plot twist when you dive deeper into the underlying factors! Let’s see what else we should consider to properly categorize the best states for real estate agents.

4. The Dough Itself: Agents’ Average Income

Unless you’re an agent with a legendary reputation, you’re more than likely to perform similarly to other agents in your state. In other words, if a significant number of agents are earning a certain income over a given period, you can expect a similar outcome for yourself.

And that won’t happen overnight! It takes time to build a reputation in a new area. Therefore, aside from the factors we’ve already considered, we should also consider agents’ average income in each state.

Agents’ Average Income in each state

Like finding an oasis in what seemed like a barren desert, the new data on agents’ average income drastically changes the game. Markets previously considered less attractive due to fewer transactions or high competition now offer significant income opportunities.

For example, Mississippi and Montana, which looked somewhat like dry wells, turned out to be more fruitful than expected with the new data added. Mississippi ranks 23rd in average agent income ($67,770) while Montana ranks 34th ($60,770), suggesting that while these states have fewer transactions, agents operating in these regions can still earn a decent income. This highlights how less competitive markets, though quieter, can still offer rich rewards for those willing to dig a little deeper.

The amount of money you make can be pretty tempting to choose the best places to be a real estate agent. But now that we’ve come this far, why not go a bit further? We still have two other very important factors to examine: 1) Living costs and 2) market growth. These two concepts can definitely affect an agent’s decision to enter a new market.

Read More: Real estate listing descriptions

5. Present & Future: Living Costs & Market Growth

A healthy market cheers everyone up just like a rising tide lifts boats! In market terminology, that tide is the growth of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Simply put, GDP measures the overall value of all products and services delivered in a given region over a certain period. A growing market entails a rising GDP, putting more money in people’s pockets, which, in turn, can spark more purchases that also include real estate deals.

Simultaneously, we shouldn’t overlook living costs! What’s the point of earning lots of money and spending it to the last penny the same day? If the cost of living rises faster than agents’ incomes, even a booming market may not feel like real progress.

So, before making our list of the best places for real estate agents, let’s take a look at the GDP growth rate of US states and their average living costs as per the statistics in the above-mentioned sources.

Living Costs & Market Growth in each state of USA

If we were to base our decision solely on these two factors, Tennessee and Idaho would be our first choices. With fair living costs of $61,000 and $63,000 and impressive GDP growth rates of 4.3% and 4.9%, respectively, these two states offer both affordability and strong economic prospects. But having reviewed all the tables in this article, that wouldn’t be wise, would it?

Thus, in order to find the best places to be a real estate agent, we should look for states where:

  • The living costs are lower than the agents’ average income;
  • Average home prices are moderate or, more preferably, high;
  • There aren’t more than four agents per 1,000 individuals;
  • There are a considerable number of home transactions annually; and,
  • The market has a growing GDP growth rate.

It’s high time we laid everything out on the table to see where the numbers take us!

statics of each state of USA for realtors

Putting all the pieces together, the 10 states mentioned above show greater potential for real estate agents, with Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia emerging as top contenders for success. Based on the current data, these three states offer healthy markets where agents can benefit from the increasing demand and secure lucrative deals.

Comparing the average annual living costs and income, we can see that there is a safe margin of $13,000-27,000 for most agents, promising financial stability and career development.

Except for Texas, Indiana, and South Carolina, property values in other states tend to be moderate and higher, which entails greater commission rates for agents.

However, in most states, the ratio of agents to people ranges from three to five per 1,000 individuals, showing how competitive these markets are! Lastly, with 29.22 to 72.53 transactions per year, there seem to be enough properties and deals to go around for every agent.

Implications for Real Estate Agents

Real estate impacts people’s lives in every corner of the world, and the advantages of a career in real estate can be found just about anywhere. However, there are certain locations where being a real estate agent may be more promising due to more favorable market conditions.

The top 10 best places to be a real estate agent listed above still hold a significant edge. But before packing your stuff and relocating, there are two important points you need to consider:

  1. Getting your real estate business off the ground is always difficult! It takes time and persistence to build a client base and handle the complexities of the market.
    Simply moving to a land of opportunities will not bring you a fortune! As the data showed, states with more opportunities for agents have a more competitive market, meaning that new agents might have to put more effort into their work to stand out and gain traction. If you’re already established in a market, think twice before starting from scratch in a more lucrative one…
  2. More importantly, remember that not all cities in these states offer the same level of opportunity! While some cities might have a booming market, others may be rather dormant. The numbers given were the average data for a state, so research deeper before purchasing a ticket.

So, now that you’ve learned about the best places to be a real estate agent, why not look for the best cities for real estate agents where demand is highest, competition is manageable, and market conditions are favorable?

Time to Pack Your Bags?

If you have previously searched for the best places for real estate agents, you might have come across different lists with different names! That’s because there are numerous angles to this topic, with each one measuring different variables.

In our study, we tried to take the most defining factors into account while ensuring a balanced approach, without overemphasizing minor details that might have skewed the overall picture. Make sure to consult other sources to make the right decision.

FAQs

It depends on where the agent is operating and how seriously they’re pursuing their goals. Most studies show a rough estimate of $15,000-55,000 income for first-year agents.
Typically, it takes real estate agents around 2 to 3 years to achieve a steady income, as the first year is often spent building a client base, gaining experience, and navigating market fluctuations. Factors like location, networking, and the agent’s dedication play a major role in how quickly they reach financial stability.
Studies show varying numbers due to countless variables. On average, however, real estate agents in the U.S. close around 7 to 12 deals per year.
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SEO tips for realtors
Real Estate

How to Use Local SEO to Attract More Clients as a Realtor

by Tan Tason
written by Tan Tason

In today’s digital world, players in the real estate industry, like enterprises in any other professional ecosystem, must leverage online tools to stand out in the market. Local SEO is one of the game-changing and powerful initiatives that can help realtors achieve online visibility and unlock more leads in their local area.

This guideline will delve into SEO tips for realtors that can help them generate more website traffic and ultimately more clients.

Read More: Real Estate Photo Editing

What Is Real Estate SEO Anyway?

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, involves optimizing a website for better visibility and rankings on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs, for short).

Real estate SEO, in particular, is a strategy that can help real estate companies and stakeholders optimize their websites for efficient visibility, traffic, and deals. This online strategy makes their real estate websites more visible to home buyers and sellers, attracts more clicks, and increases possible deals.

SEO is generally categorized into four types, depending on the nature of activities included under each type:

  • On-page SEO: This kind of SEO aims to optimize a website’s homepage and other web pages for search engines. For example, in on-page SEO, you use title tags, meta descriptions, web content, focus content keywords, etc.
  • Off-page SEO: To rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs), you need to get backlinks to your websites from other places on the internet, increase social media interactions (likes, shares, saves, etc.), increase branded searches, etc..
  • Technical SEO: For technical SEO, businesses get down and dirty in the technical aspects of their online and digital infrastructure. Actions in this area include creating a site map, improving hosting and server infrastructure, optimizing page speed, etc.
  • Local SEO: In this area, businesses focus on the geographical aspects of SEO like creating a Google My Business profile and locally-focused landing pages. It allows their real estate business to appear in local search queries better.

Local SEO: Online in the Neighborhood

To understand local SEO better, think of it as an online passive advertisement in the proximity of your business. This means that businesses must try and be visible online to people in the surrounding areas. To do so, it’s crucial to find geographically relevant queries to rank higher in local search results.

In tech lingo related to search engine optimization, you’ll come across various terminologies, most of which you don’t need to be concerned about. However, there are a few key terms that wouldn’t go over anyone’s head:

  • Local search queries: These search terms include a location, such as “homes for sale in [city]”, “real estate agent near me” or “Real Estate in [city].”
  • Google My Business (GMB): Google offers a free tool allowing any type of business to create and manage its online presence across Google Search and Google Maps platforms.
  • Local citations: One common strategy for real estate is to cite their business names, addresses, and phone numbers (NAP) on other websites, directories, or social media platforms to achieve higher rates of local citations, which is the number of times a business has been mentioned in other websites in your geographical proximity.

Besides the key local SEO terms, understanding the types of real estate SEO and how to apply them can help realtors manage their online presence more efficiently. Bear with us, since without the basics, you’ll have rather a hard time understanding the crucial SEO tips in this blog.

SEO Tips for Realtors: One Step at a Time

Optimize your Google My Business profile

Google is a common tool used by the public to search for services, products, and almost everything else! No wonder Google My Business is a crucial step for higher ranking. Real estate companies can use this strategy in three ways:

claim and verify a GMB listing

To claim and verify a Google My Business listing, a real estate business is required to visit the Google My Business website and follow the instructions to claim their listing. To be verified, Google usually sends a postcard with a verification code or confirmation via email or phone.

complete GMB profile

Once their listing is verified, as a real estate owner, you need to complete your GMB profile with accurate information including:

  • Business name: Check if the name on your profile matches exactly as it appears on your website and other listings.
  • Full address: By providing a complete and correct address, Google can match your business to local searches.
  • Phone number: Instead of toll-free numbers, use local phone numbers as they help build local credibility.
  • Business hours: For better optimization, list your regular hours of operation and update them for any special hours or holidays.
  • Photos: To add more credit to your online presence, add high-quality images of your office, team, and properties. These images can attract potential clients and give a personal touch.

manage reviews and ratings

Client reviews, high ratings, and active management play a significant role in local SEO, boosting your search ranking and attracting more clients. To show engagement and address any concerns, respond to all reviews, both positive and negative.

Local keyword research: Sift through the local language

Local SEO highly depends on local keyword searches. No wonder this option is always suggested when talking about SEO tips for realtors. It includes identifying relevant keywords and using those keywords effectively.

identifying relevant keywords

Identify local keywords and terms that potential clients use when searching for real estate services in your area. Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, and Semrush are tools that can help you identify keywords, review keyword trends, and plan your keyword-based content production.

If you’re a home seller searching in your area, you’ll come up with keywords such as “best real estate agent in [city]” or “buy a house in [neighborhood].”

using keywords effectively

Local keywords can be used in your favor if you use them effectively and naturally in your website’s content, including:

Title tags and meta descriptions: Use keywords in these elements to improve click-through rates from your search results.

Headings and content: Find a logical way to use keywords in your headings and throughout your content while maintaining readability.

URL structure: Clean and descriptive URLs with keywords in them give you a way to inch closer to better SEO, such as “yourwebsite.com/homes-for-sale-in-[city].”

Love thy neighbor: Creating localized content

Content must target locals; that is, where localized content finds its way to address the locals’ concerns and requirements, increasing the click-through and attracting more clients. To reach this SEO level, write blog posts about local topics and showcase local property listings.

  • Writing blogs about local topics: Instead of general topics, focus on regularly publishing blog posts about local real estate trends, market updates, and community events. This can enhance your local SEO. For example, write about “Upcoming Real Estate Events in [City]” or “Top Neighborhoods to Buy a Home in [City].” Besides improving your search rankings, this content establishes you as a knowledgeable local expert.
  • Showcasing local properties: When listing properties, optimize them with local keywords and detailed descriptions. Highlight features specific to the neighborhood such as nearby schools, parks, or public transport. It helps to attract potential buyers searching for properties in your location, improving your local search visibility and your chances of greater progress and success in your industry.

Spread the word: Building local citations

A stone’s throw away from keywords, building local citations can be a good way to look from a different angle to SEO tips for realtors. First, let’s look at what local citations are and how to use them for SEO.

  • Definition of local citations: Local citation involves mentioning your business name, address, and phone number across the web. These crumbs of online presence will help search engines verify your business’s legitimacy and improve local search rankings. Use accurate and consistent citations as a way to better local SEO performance.
  • Finding and listing your business in local directories: Reputable local directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and your local chamber of commerce websites are good choices to list your business. You can also use tools like Moz Local to check your citation accuracy through these directories and identify opportunities for additional listings.

Likes & comments: Leveraging local social media

Nowadays, millions of people spend hours on end on social media. It goes without saying that any business owner in their sane mind should consider this opportunity to optimize their online presence. These strategies include engaging with local communities on social media and sharing local content and updates.

  • Engaging with local communities: Social media platforms are excellent places for connecting with local communities. This way, you can connect with locals and share content on relevant events and real estate tips. To increase your visibility and build relationships with potential clients, don’t forget to engage with local groups and respond to community posts.
  • Sharing local content and updates: You can use social media to regularly post updates about new property listings, open houses, and market trends. To reach a broader audience in your area, don’t forget to use local hashtags and geotags. These SEO tips for realtors about the digital world can drive traffic to your website.

Track the progress: Monitoring your local SEO efforts

While your efforts play a key role in your presence online, monitor if your effort meets your expectations as well. That is where you need to track your online performance and make some adjustments whenever it’s needed.

  • Tracking local SEO performance: Automatically track and monitor your performance using tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and local SEO tracking software. In addition, to assess the effectiveness of your local SEO strategies, you can use track metrics such as search rankings, website traffic, and conversion rates.
  • Data-driven adjustments: By analyzing the data, you can identify areas for improvement, and adjust your content strategy or SEO tactics if certain keywords are underperforming. By regularly reviewing your GMB insights and citation accuracy, your local SEO efforts will be in line with current best practices.

Now, with a general understanding of all strategies and tips for real estate SEO and to drive home all that we discussed, let’s review the key advantages of these strategies for your business and clients.

How Good Is Local SEO for Real Estate Players?

In general, with a strong local SEO, you, as a real estate owner, can dominate local real estate markets, generate more leads, and become major attractions for buyers, sellers, and agent recruits across the entire industry:

Buyers

  • Buyers can benefit from a high SEO ranking as it gains more visibility when buyers search for homes for sale in specific areas.
  • Optimized local business listings make it easy for buyers to find and contact agents at that brokerage, leading to less effort on their part and, in turn, greater satisfaction.

Sellers

  • By improving local rankings and visibility, real estate businesses and sellers can capture more seller leads.
  • ّFor sellers, it’s important to establish the brokerage as an expert on the local market, creating a long-lasting professional brand, and enticing more listings.

Recruiting Agents

  • With suitable local rankings through different search engines, recruiting agents can work and gradually build up their business into a real estate force to be reckoned with.
  • New agent recruits with quality prospects can immediately become active in the industry upon joining an agency by relying on SEO-generated brand awareness and leads.

High Time Your Dominated the Internet!

Local SEO is a crucial tool for realtors that allows real estate companies to attract more clients and stand out in their local market. Some SEO tips for realtors include optimizing your Google My Business listing, conducting local keyword research, creating relevant content, and engaging with your community via social media.

These strategies can enhance realtors’ online visibility and drive more targeted traffic to their websites. Implementing these strategies will also boost local search rankings for realtors and connect with potential clients more effectively.

It’s time to jump on the SEO bandwagon if, god forbid, you still haven’t and boost your presence in your immediate and wider proximity. Today, people live in the online world as much as they do in the physical, if not more. Thus, leaving the cyberspace of your local area free for the competition will soon see you trailing behind.

FAQs

Local SEO can ensure that potential buyers or sellers search for real estate services in the immediate and neighboring areas instead of embarking on a boundless internet wandering. This way, local businesses appear prominently in the search results, driving more traffic and client inquiries.
General SEO aims to improve a real estate company’s website’s overall visibility throughout the World Wide Web. However, local SEO, as the name implies, has a much narrower but more efficient focus, trying to generate leads based on their location. Local SEO uses different strategies, such as focusing on geographical keywords and listing a business accurately in local directories.
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real estate photo editing before and after
Real Estate

The Whys and Hows of Real Estate Photo Editing

by Dario Rinaldi
written by Dario Rinaldi

In the competitive world of real estate–where first impressions matter to no end–agents invest in having high-quality, edited photos at their disposal. It is with this mindset that real estate photo editing as a best practice has become a crucial part of showcasing properties.

In this article, we look deeper at why photo editing is crucial and how it can transform your listings. We also take the “before and after” approach to highlight the crucial benefits of this practice that bring about vast advantages for your property listings.

What Is Real Estate Image Editing Anyway?

Real estate image editing is the practice of enhancing property photographs to represent a property in the best light. Through real estate photo editing, the photo editor goes through the whole process of adjusting the lighting, balancing colors, correcting perspectives, and removing unnecessary or undesirable aspects and elements to end up with the greatest possible image quality.

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before image enhancement after image enhancement
before image enhancement after image enhancement
before image enhancement after image enhancement
before image enhancement after image enhancement
before image enhancement after image enhancement
before image enhancement after image enhancement

Why Real Estate Photo Editing Matters?

As mentioned, real estate photo editing is closely associated with the first impressions they have on the viewers. This first impression can be interpreted, and result, in different ways such as attracting attention and creating faster sales. A simple comparison of real estate photo editing before and after can prove this point.

The key impacts of real estate photo editing can include:

  • Showcasing key features to capture attention: Professionally edited photos not only enhance the quality but also showcase the property’s most attractive features—such as spacious living areas or modern appliances. This helps the property stand out in a crowded market, attracting more views and potential buyers.
  • Creating a positive impression: A comparison of real estate photos before and after editing reveals striking differences that highlight the property in its best light, making it more enticing to buyers and potentially influencing offers.
  • Reinforcing professionalism: High-quality images reflect an agent’s attention to detail and professionalism. Listings with polished photos build credibility and trust, influencing clients’ decisions and reinforcing the agent’s reputation.

Now that you have a good grasp of the significance of real estate photo editing, let’s explore the most effective ways to edit real estate photos.

Read More: Virtual staging before and after

From the Whys to the Ways: Real Estate Photo Editing Practices

Now that you know the importance of editing real estate photos professionally, it’s time to look at how to do it the proper way. The key steps include:

  1. Start with high-quality shots: Begin with high-resolution images to ensure a strong foundation for editing. A good camera provides the resolution and proper lighting needed for easier adjustments later on.
  2. Choose the right editing software: Use tools like Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, or specialized real estate editing software to adjust lighting, contrast, saturation, and sharpness. These tools allow you to bring out the best in your photos, making a significant difference in quality.
  3. Adjust lighting and exposure: Proper lighting and exposure are crucial to making spaces appear bright and welcoming. Adjusting these settings helps highlight the property’s distinguishing features and ensures a balanced, natural look.
  4. Balance color and white: For a natural and inviting look, adjust the color and white balance of the images. Proper balance helps photos feel realistic, allowing potential buyers to envision themselves in the space without it looking overly staged or artificial.
  5. Enhance details without distortion: Focus on enhancing clarity by sharpening edges and reducing noise, but avoid over-editing. The goal is to improve image quality without misrepresenting the property’s appearance.
  6. Remove distractions: Have a look at real estate photo editing before and after images whenever you find time. Chances are the most notable differences are the objects or clutter that have been removed in the final results.
    Eliminate unwanted objects or imperfections that distract from the property’s appeal, such as clutter, stains, or even external elements like power lines. Cleaning up the image ensures the property is presented in its best light.
  7. Optimize for fast loading: Resize and compress images to ensure they load quickly on websites while maintaining quality. This improves the user experience and helps with SEO, preventing slow load times due to large file sizes.
  8. Keep it real: Always maintain the photo’s accuracy to avoid misleading potential buyers. While enhancing the property’s appearance is essential, avoid exaggeration that could lead to negative impressions when buyers visit in person.
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before image enhancement after image enhancement
before image enhancement after image enhancement
before image enhancement after image enhancement
before image enhancement after image enhancement
before image enhancement after image enhancement

Benefits As After Look Suggestions

No one can reject the transformative power of real estate photo editing on property marketing. By refining visuals and making your property more appealing and accurate, you can lead the buyers toward making a more favorable final decision.

All these deletions and additions ensure that your properties stand out, increase inquiries, garner higher prices, and result in faster sales. As previously mentioned, even a cursory glance at real estate photo editing before and after images will give you solid evidence that the upsides are numerous.

Here are the most important direct benefits you get by implementing real estate photo editing throughout your entire business operation:

Cost-efficiency

Real estate photo editing can be highly cost-effective for businesses, with two main options for achieving professional results:

  1. In-house editing teams: Maintaining an in-house team involves substantial time and expenses, including recruitment, training, and infrastructure costs.
  2. Outsourcing editing services: Outsourcing is a more cost-efficient option, allowing businesses to reduce operational expenses while freeing up the budget for other key areas, such as upgrading photography equipment or providing additional training. Outsourcing ensures high-quality images in a competitive real estate market without the overhead of managing an internal team.

High-quality images at scale

Professional photo editors use advanced software and techniques to produce finely detailed images. This precision and expertise enhance every aspect of the image, making listings more visually appealing. With professional editing, businesses can achieve greater volumes of high-quality images efficiently.

Faster turnaround times

Outsourcing real estate photo editing also shortens turnaround times. Expert editors can complete more work within standard hours, ensuring continuous progress and quicker availability of enhanced images.

Key Points to Take Away

Real estate photo editing is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance the presentation of properties. By focusing on key elements such as lighting, color, and detail, real estate agents can make their listings stand out.

At AI HomeDesign, once you have a go at any of our services, the real estate photo editing before and after results underscore the importance of real estate photo editing, as well as the notable transformations by our professional editing suite of services that will hopefully result in capturing potential buyers’ attention and driving interest in listings.

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before image enhancement after image enhancement
before image enhancement after image enhancement
before image enhancement after image enhancement

FAQs

The editing process can vary from a few minutes to several hours to days depending on various factors such as:
  • The number of images
  • The editors’ skill level
  • The complexity of the edits
Nonetheless, turnaround times of over a minute (yes, over a minute) are related to manual photo editing. With AI services, results are ready in under a minute!

Real-estate image editing tasks can be effectively automated by artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and deep learning techniques for: 

  • Batch processing simultaneous enhancement of numerous property photos.
  • Resizing the dimensions of multiple images for a consistent visual presentation across listings.
  • Formating conversion for various purposes and platforms. This automation can enable realtors to seamlessly switch between different file formats.
  • Correcting basic photo coloring to make the property look realistic and create visuals that look appealing to potential buyers.
  • Correcting lens to fix distortion, chromatic aberration, and vignetting caused by camera lenses.
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best real estate companies in the U.S
Real Estate

Top 10 Real Estate Companies in the USA: A Comprehensive Review

by Dario Rinaldi
written by Dario Rinaldi
Are you ready to rent out, sell, or snag your dream home? You’re probably on the hunt for a trusty real estate agent, appraiser, or broker to guide you. But here’s a hot tip most people don’t know: It’s the brokerage(s) behind these pros, and not just the individual realtors themselves, that’s really making the difference! It’s all about their know-how, service quality, and the cool tools they bring to smooth out your real estate adventure. Underneath the surface that you see, there are massives network of companies, platforms, and people that run the industry. Don’t sweat it, though, cause we’ve got your back! Wihtout further ado, read on to check out our roundup of the best real estate companies in the U.S.
Read More: Virtual Staging for Real Estate Listing
Keller Williams Realty

Keller Williams Realty

Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Texas, Keller Williams Realty is recognized for its innovative approach and company culture. This enterprise is now considered the largest real estate brokerage in the U.S., helping clients buy or sell properties nationwide while also providing extensive training to industry professionals and interested individuals through Keller Williams University and personalized coaching via KW MAPS.

Keller Williams provides a number of services to real estate agents, brokers, sellers, and buyers. Some of its main services are residential and commercial real estate brokerage, relocation management, and property management. The company empowers its agents with a highly practical and comprehensive tool called KW Command that helps them with:

  • Customer relationship management;
  • Marketing automation;
  • Transaction management; and,
  • Data and analytics.

As of March 16, 2023, over 174,000 real estate agents were operating under Keller Williams Realty, contributing to its substantial market share of approximately 11.3% in the U.S. Dominating more than one-tenth of the entire U.S. market definitely helps Keller Williams make the cut as one of the best real estate companies in the U.S.

Read More: How agents can help first time homebuyers
Re/Max

Re/Max

Real Estate Maximums, commonly referred to as Re/Max, was founded by Dave Liniger and Gail A. Liniger in 1973. What started as a family business, RE/MAX is now a globally recognized real estate franchise that provides its clients with services such as:

  • Residential purchase and sales;
  • Commercial real estate services;
  • Relocation services;
  • Leasing services;
  • Mortgage assistance;
  • Property management; and,
  • Investment property purchases and sales.

While most companies offer a 70/30 commission split to agents, Re/Max offers a 95/5 commission split in return for a monthly desk fee. According to Leadsdeposit.com, as of January 2024, over 80,000 agents across the U.S. and Canada were working with RE/MAX with the addition of over 64,000 agents operating in other countries under the company’s name. Indeed, with a such an international reputation and operating reach, RE/Max is one of the best real estate companies in the U.S.

Coldwell Banker Realty

Coldwell Banker Realty

Founded by Colbert Coldwell in 1906, Coldwell Banker is one of the oldest real estate companies in the U.S. that also operates beyond borders. The company was initially built in the aftermath of a national emergency that is to address the challenges that arose after the devastating earthquake that struck San Francisco in 1906. Coldwell Banker now boasts 118 years of service that started in the U.S. and now covers multiple countries across the globe. The company’s top services include:

  • Home appraisal;
  • Property sale and purchase;
  • Mortgage and financing services;
  • Home warranty and assurance;
  • Relocation services;
  • Property management; and,
  • Real estate research and training.

Being the oldest real estate company in the U.S., Coldwell Banker has expanded its reach impressively. With around 3,000 offices in 49 countries, it employs about 50,000 agents in the U.S. alone and approximately 100,000 agents globally.

Read More: Real estate listing description
Century 21 Real Estate

Century 21 Real Estate

Arthur E. Bartlett founded Century 21 Real Estate in 1971. The company is highly regarded by first-time home sellers for providing comprehensive assistance with contract reviews, handling offers, and navigating the closing process. Known for its strong brand recognition, Century 21 offers services such as:

  • Residential & commercial real estate;
  • Mortgage services;
  • Property management;
  • Franchise growth and development; and,
  • Relocation services.

With a network of 142,000 agents, brokers, and support staff, the company is now operating in every state of the U.S. as well as over 80 countries worldwide. Being one of the best real estate companies in the U.S. is certainly befitting an enterprise that has expanded its services to almost half the countries around the world in fifty years.

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is arguably the largest family-owned real estate brokerage in the United States, which was also established as a family business by Howard and Anne Freyvogel in 1957. Just like its contenders, the company offers a full range of real estate services, including:

  • Home sale and purchase;
  • Mortgage services;
  • Homeowners insurance;
  • Property transaction guarantee; and,
  • Title and escrow services.

The company has a significant presence in the U.S. real estate market, operating more than 500 offices with around 15,000 agents across 13 states. In 2023, Howard Hanna closed $37.1 billion in sales volume, making it a major player in the industry.

Redfin

Redfin is a rather young player among the top dogs of the U.S. real estate industry. David Eraker, Michael Dougherty, and David Selinger founded Redfin in 2002. Unlike other real estate companies that consider a commission split for their agents, Redfin pays its agents a set monthly salary to reduce the costs associated with property deals. Known for its innovative use of technology in real estate deals, Redfin has quickly become a household name in the real estate industry.

On a similar note, if you’re interested in the applications of technology in real estate, why not take a look at the best real apps in 2024?

Redfin’s main services at this time include:

  • Residential real estate brokerage;
  • Mortgage organization;
  • Home appraisal;
  • Property transaction; and,
  • Listings and property search.

Despite significant challenges in recent years, including a $1.2 billion loss in 2021 and a $23 million net loss in Q4 2023, Redfin is still considered one of the best real estate companies in the U.S. due to its innovative technology, extensive online presence, and commitment to offering lower service fees, which continue to attract a large customer base. An astonishing report by Redfin in 2023 tells that “the average Redfin agent closed over 27 deals in 2023!” In comparison, this number for other brokerages in the U.S. is nine deals per agent.

Read More: Real Estate Photo Editing
Weichert, Realtors

Weichert, Realtors

Founded by Jim Weichert in 1969, Weichert, Realtors began as a single office in Chatham, NJ. Since then, it has grown into one of the largest independently owned real estate companies in the U.S. of A. By 1991, the company had already expanded its operations all over the Northeastern states of the U.S. and soon found its way to other areas as well. Today, their services include:

  • Mortgage pre-approval;
  • Property management;
  • Property listing and sales;
  • Home warranties; and,
  • Franchise development.

Weichert now has over 480 offices across the country with over 18,000 associates operating under its name. In 2023, the company won the Referral Performance Award, bestowed unto them by the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE) for, in the words of LeadingRE President/CEO Paul Boomsma, “excellence when it comes to delivering quality service to relocating clients.”

Long & Foster Real Estate

Long & Foster Real Estate

When searching for the best real estate companies in the U.S., you’ll likely encounter many lists, but it’s almost certain that Long & Foster Real Estate will be featured on every single one. The company, with 22B real estate sold and more than 38K transactions completed in 2023, was founded by P. Wesley Foster and Henry Long in 1968. Some of the services provided by Long & Foster Real Estate include:

  • Property listings & transaction;
  • Rental services;
  • Property management;
  • Real estate investing; and,
  • Home mortgages.

Today, with more than 9,000 agents operating in over 200 offices across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions of the U.S., Long & Foster Real Estate stands as a leading force in the industry, renowned for its local expertise and comprehensive services.

Sotheby’s International Realty

Sotheby’s International Realty

Samuel Baker established Sotheby’s International Realty in 1976. The company takes its name from the renowned Sotheby’s auction house in England. Building on the auction house’s esteemed reputation for luxury goods, Sotheby’s International Realty has successfully extended that legacy into the realm of luxury real estate. Today, it provides luxury real estate services such as:

  • Luxury home sales;
  • Rentals; and,
  • Real estate brokerage.

Sotheby’s main office is located in Madison, NJ, but they have over 25,000 associates operating in over 80 countries worldwide. In 2023, the company, which has categorized its services based on city, continent, and, this one’s quite interesting, different lifestyles (such as waterfront, fly-in, private island, equestrian, and more), achieved a global sales volume exceeding $143 billion.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (BHHS), the youngest major real estate company on our list of the best real estate companies in the U.S., was founded in 2012. Initially established by Oliver Chace, the company quickly gained prominence and was later acquired by the business genius Warren Buffett, becoming part of his Berkshire Hathaway family of companies. BHHS offers a number of services including:

  • Property management;
  • Luxury property sales;
  • Property and casualty services;
  • Home warranties; and,
  • Home sale and purchase.

The company has now over 45,000 agents and 1,350 offices operating in and outside of the U.S. In 2023, BHHS reported a remarkable sales volume of over $154.7 billion, securing a 12% market share in the industry and solidifying its position as a leader in the global real estate market.

You – And Your Agent – Are in Good Hands!

When renting, buying, or selling a property, who takes charge of your case greatly matters. However, what’s more important underneath is which brokerage they are working for, as some brokerages provide superior market knowledge, better resources, and a more extensive network that dramatically empowers the agent, which, in turn, can significantly enhance the outcome of your transactions.

Also, efficient real estate enterprises have a network of key partners who easily fulfill other needs. For instance, whether you’re planning a local move or a long-distance relocation, partnering with a top-rated brokerage ensures you’ll have access to trusted moving companies, professional packers, and reliable storage solutions. In this regards, the best brokerages maintain strong relationships with reputable moving services, helping you coordinate everything from packing and loading to transportation and unpacking at your new home.

Our list of the best real estate companies in the U.S. is designed to help you identify those who have consistently demonstrated service excellence and have a proven track record of satisfying client needs in the markets. With each of these ten enterprises, not only are you in good hands, but so is your agent!

Read More: Dos and don’ts of MLS

FAQs

There are quite a few real estate companies with an impressive track record and history in the U.S., but based on various statistics and official numbers, Coldwell Banker has been consistently ranked as the most successful one.
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), there are over 360,000 real estate brokerages in the U.S. This vast network encompasses a diverse range of firms, from small, independent operations to large, nationwide companies and subsidiary-parent enterprises, all playing a crucial role in the dynamic U.S. property market.
Yes, but to work with each brokerage, the broker has to obtain a license that is specific to the state where the company is located. Contrarily, some top brokerages may include clauses in an agent’s contract that forbids them to work with a competing business. This matter relates to the legal frameworks of each brokerage and may differ case by case.
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How agents can help first-time homebuyers
Real Estate

Building Trust and Confidence: Tips for Agents Working with First-Time Homebuyers

by Tan Tason
written by Tan Tason

As a first-time homebuyer, you will probably go through lots of hurdles before getting the key and moving in. Yes, it’s an exciting adventure, provided that it ends happily, and if you’re setting out on this journey for the first time, you can think of many things that can go wrong! You may not have a clear vision of what steps are involved, how much commitment is required, or how you should navigate the complexities of the process. There are scores of legal details, and regulations about housing and finances can prove a real headache!

This is where real estate agents come to your rescue. They are the guiding force that calms the troubled waters and helps clients through their home-buying journey. Let’s take a look at some of the challenges involved in home buying and how agents can help first-time homebuyers with such issues.

Read More: Virtual Staging for Real Estate Listing

In What Ways Agents Become Superheroes?

The basics: Provide much-needed education

Apart from the nuances involved in real estate transactions, real estate agents know a lot about market trends, property values, neighborhood insights, and the local community’s development, not to mention some of the basic information and jargon used daily in the real estate industry that may be overlooked to oblivious new-comers.

As a first-time homebuyer, you might find it surprising, but it’s common not to have a clear idea of what you want. Many new buyers struggle with setting a realistic budget and often underestimate the total costs involved. On the other hand, rising housing costs have made homeownership less accessible for many. You might also have a rather vague understanding of the market, making it difficult to recognize a good deal or the right timing for a suitable purchase. Similarly, finding a reliable lender or securing an affordable mortgage can be challenging.

When working with an experienced real estate agent, you’ll receive the guidance and education you need to navigate these complexities with confidence. A knowledgeable agent provides you with the necessary resources, helping you make informed decisions and reducing stress throughout the process.

The money aspect: Make heads or tails of finances

As a first-time homebuyer, you might find it surprising, but it’s common not to have a clear idea of what you want. Many new buyers struggle with setting a realistic budget and often underestimate the total costs involved. You might also have a rather vague understanding of the market, making it difficult to recognize a good deal or the right timing for a suitable purchase. Similarly, finding a reliable lender or securing an affordable mortgage can be challenging.

Agents can help you stay informed about the current market status, so you won’t feel left in the dark. They can also tell you about closing fees, property taxes, agents’ commissions, and minor repairs or maintenance costs that you might have overlooked. Understanding the full scope of such costs will help you set a realistic budget and focus on homes that align with your financial situation.

Real estate agents can also assist you by guiding you through financial government programs designed for first-time homebuyers. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development, for example, offers various programs to help with down payment requirements, and there are financing options you might not be aware of or might need help navigating. For instance, you could be eligible for FHA loans, which require a lower down payment, or VA mortgages, which don’t require a down payment at all.

Remember, your agent’s role goes beyond just showing houses. They’re there to support you through every step of the process.

The network: Connect clients with professionals

As a buyer, you might want to ensure that the property you’re purchasing is in top condition or worth the investment. In such cases, you might need the expertise of an appraiser or a home inspector. Others may struggle to find a mortgage broker or an insurance agent. You might even be on the lookout for interior designers, house painters, a contractor to revamp a part of your property, etc.

While it’s not necessarily your agent’s responsibility to assist with these tasks, they can offer valuable referrals, especially if they’ve been in the business for a while. By connecting you with trusted professionals, your agent enhances your buying experience and helps build long-term trust and loyalty.

The network: Connect clients with professionals

Stay on the safe side: Navigate credit challenges

Credit is a game-changer when trying to buy a house. As a house hunter, you are definitely looking forward to using your financial credit to your advantage. Yet, using your bank credit for a house may be more complicated than you think. There are legal issues to observe, and regulations can change from one state to the other. Also, it’s not uncommon for buyers to encounter credit issues. With a low credit score, you may need help to secure a lender.

A knowledgeable agent can be a valuable resource, helping get to the bottom of all credit issues and explore potential solutions. They could connect you with a credit repair company that can review your credit history and address the negative items affecting your score. It’s about more than simply paying off debts; sometimes, it’s about disputing an overdue debt that shouldn’t be on your record.

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Hand in the honey pot: Access to real-time listings

While property listings on sites like Zillow, Redfin, or Trulia are useful for browsing available properties, they don’t often provide the complete picture. Additionally, these listings might not be updated as quickly as needed.

Real estate agents, however, have access to more extensive listings, including those that may not be publicly advertised for various reasons. So, by working with a real estate agent, you’ll have access to a wider range of options, increasing your chances of finding your ideal home more quickly.

The silver tongue: Negotiate with the sellers

Negotiating the purchase price and terms of a home is always challenging if not daunting. There are various techniques and strategies when approaching property negotiations, and it’s nothing like your everyday job interview.

This is another area where agents can help first-time homebuyers. Agents are experienced negotiators who represent your interests. They will effectively convey your needs and preferences, working to secure a deal that fits your budget and meets your goals. They know the right questions to ask, how to craft a compelling offer, and what to request from the sellers if they’re not lowering the price as anticipated. Think of agents as your interpreters in a foreign land. Without them, well… You’re kind of lost!

Managing the paperwork and legalities

Last but most definitely not least, buying a house involves lots of paperwork and documentation, which can be quite daunting for first-time homebuyers. You need to be familiar with all kinds of documents and jargon to understand it all. Even then, you’re prone to making mistakes if you don’t have prior experience in such matters.

An agent can take care of all the paperwork, ensuring everything is completed accurately and that the terms meet your expectations. Your agent will guide you through the legal aspects of the transaction, helping you steer clear of potential pitfalls and making sure your deal adheres to local regulations.

Managing the paperwork and legalities

Time to Team Up!

There are various ways how agents can help first-time homebuyers. From the initial search to the final closing, agents provide constant support and guidance. They have the required knowledge that you need to make sure your deal is a sweet, safe one!

Agents also have access to a broader range of information regarding the market, listed properties, neighborhoods, etc. With their expertise and resources, agents can significantly enhance your home-buying experience, making it smoother and more informed.

FAQs

Several first-time homebuyer programs assist with down payments, taxes, and mortgage requirements. The best option depends on your specific needs. However, FHA loans, VA loans, USDA loans, and Fannie Mae conventional loans are among the most sought-after.
Agent’s commissions (both for buyers and sellers) can vary depending on the value of the property and the amount of work done. Overall, agents may receive a 2-4% commission on the transaction.
To find a reliable real estate agent, you can check online reviews and social communities. Referral services can also help. Just make sure that your agent is licensed and has some experience in the field.
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