The infographic below was designed with a past marketing tip in mind (you can read the original content in it’s entirety below the infographic).

As always, we would love to hear your thoughts on anything and everything!

Tim
Marketing Director
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1101 S. Winchester Blvd, J-225
San Jose, CA 95128

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More marketing advice can be found on our featured Tip Of The Week Archive page.

by Andy Coffaro

We have a feeling that many of your leads are thinking about using a family member or close friend as their next real estate agent. We both know this is a horrible decision, but here are some tips you can forward to them to convey why they should choose you instead.

Let’s paint the picture for you real quick: You’re either buying a new home or selling your current one. It doesn’t matter. You know you need a real estate agent you can trust.

Wait a minute! Isn’t your Aunt Sally a local real estate agent? The same goes for your childhood best friend, Blake. Why would you ever risk going with some agent you found online or in the newspaper when you have trustworthy experts directly at your disposal?

Eh … there are a lot of reasons.

Trust us, we get it. It’s just natural to seek assistance from those closest to us. Sadly, however, family, friends, and real estate just don’t mix.

Here are four reasons why:

1. They tend to tell you what you want to hear

Has a close friend ever asked you if she looked good in a certain outfit and you refrained from giving your true and honest opinion? We all probably have, and this same issue can happen when friends and family are searching through the MLS to find homes they think you want but probably aren’t a good fit.

A neutral real estate agent will tell you her true and honest opinion even if it’s not what you want to hear. That’s exactly what you need for such an endeavor as this.

2. Friendships and kinships can go sour

Have you ever loaned a friend or family member money? He promised to pay you back in a month, but it’s been six weeks and your money is nowhere to be found.

Talk about a quick way to sour a lifelong relationship.
Things can go sideways during a home transaction. It’s just a part of life, but it shouldn’t ruin the special relationship you have with your family member or friend.

Play it safe and hire a neutral party as your real estate agent. Wondering if this neutral party is someone you can trust? Start by checking out her website to get a better feel for her skills.

3. Are your secrets safe?

Everyone has skeletons in the closest, or at the very least, things about their personal lives and finances they’d rather keep under wraps.

There’s a reason many folks spill their guts to a therapist in a way they wouldn’t with a friend or family member. It’s personal information, and when you don’t hire a trusted, local real estate agent, you risk someone blabbing personal info you’d rather not share with others.

4. You’re fired

This one is pretty simple: How are you going to feel if you have to fire a real estate agent that just happens to be your uncle or best friend from graduate school?

It’s not going to be fun, and it’s probably going to be ugly. Best to just avoid it altogether.
Play it safe. Find a local real estate agent with a track record of success. If you are going to consult friends and family (even if they are real estate agents), ask them for referrals instead of their services.

Ready to show these leads once and for all why you’re the best option for buying and selling their next home? Let’s get them in the best CRM you’ve ever worked with and start proving to them today why they’d be crazy not to work with you.