“More than 92 percent of buyers go to the Internet before they contact an agent,” says Kathryn Bovard, Corporate Broker with Realty ONE Group Henderson, Nev. “Having a presence on social media goes a long way toward being perceived as a successful real estate agent.” For more of Bovard’s top industry tips, read the following interview.
Region served: Las Vegas
Years in real estate: 20+
Number of offices: 4
Number of agents: Approximately 1,500
Where does your market stand in terms of recovery?
Las Vegas was recently rated by The Case-Shiller Index as one of the top cities in terms of increasing home prices. With a year-to-date increase of approximately 28 percent, we feel we are well on the road to recovery.
How are you working to keep buyers educated about the opportunities available today?
We’re taking advantage of the new financing that recently came out that allows buyers who have been through a short sale to purchase a home within 12 months after the short sale is completed. We believe this will open up the door to tens of thousands of buyers in the Las Vegas market.
What’s your best tip when it comes to dealing with a picky buyer?
We’ve all heard the old adage related to the three most important things in real estate being location, location, location, but when working with buyers, the most important quality our agents have is to listen, listen, listen. If a client feels like you’re truly listening to them and working in their best interest, it forms a stronger relationship and bond of trust.
How are you using social media within your day-to-day business?
More than 92 percent of buyers go to the Internet before they contact an agent, so having a presence on social media goes a long way toward being perceived as a successful real estate agent. We’re working with our agents through one-on-one coaching to help them build up their social media presence, in addition to providing classes several times a month to encourage them to be more adept.
