Adjusting your real estate business practices in the age of #socialdistancing

As we watch the breaking news about coronavirus (COVID-19) unfold daily on our TV screens and on social media, naturally our priorities shift to keeping those near and dear to us safe. How can we best prepare ourselves, protect our families, and help the vulnerable people in our community.

We need to do what we can to protect our businesses too. Real estate agents in many regions are feeling the impact of COVID-19, with no open houses, no showings, and fewer meet-and-greets in the era of #socialdistancing and self-isolation.

This is an unprecedented and most difficult time, but it will eventually pass. What you do now will impact the health of your business on the other side.

So as you hunker down and take care of you and yours, remember that the agents who survive (and thrive) will be those who stay focused on their clients and adjust to the new reality. And we believe there’s no one more up for the challenge than real estate agents. After all, riding the ups and downs of the housing market is not for the faint of heart.

5 tips for real estate agents during COVID-19

Educate yourself: What is the impact of COVID-19 on real estate in your area? Be prepared to answer questions and calm fears among your clients and others in your sphere, and use research facts and data to ease concerns.

Check in with past clients: How are they doing? Do they need any support at this time? Picking up the phone and checking in means a lot to people during times like these.
  Meet face-to-face—online: Use Zoom, Google Hangouts (made free due to COVID-19), or any other video conferencing platform to connect with your clients and prospects on a personal level.
Schedule virtual open houses: Don’t have great video of your current listings? Get it! Then share it.

  Last but not least, clean up your database: Use downtime wisely and tag your contacts, merge duplicates, and make sure every person has an address and then send them a market report. An organized database really makes staying in touch and sending relevant, engaging content a lot easier, so it will be time well spent. Here are tips on how to organize your database in Top Producer X^® CRM.

To close, as my 13-year-old daughter managed to find a silver lining in the news—China is seeing blue skies, fish are returning to the Venice lagoon—it reminded me of the resiliency of the human spirit and our innate desire to try to see the good in the worst situations.

To our valued customers—look after one another, do your best and stay safe.