Homes.com helps real estate professionals generate and convert leads
Developing relationships with prospective clients and unveiling properties that meet their needs are routine aspects of a real estate professional’s daily work. But in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, real estate professionals have had to think outside the box in order to get deals done…sometimes without even meeting the client in person.
Taking advantage of virtual tours to connect with clients and uphold social distancing guidelines, Angela Barney—a broker associate with West USA Realty in Scottsdale, Ariz.—was able to successfully carry out a deal from first contact to closing with a client she never met in person…and who never visited the $800,000 property they purchased from one of her Homes.com listings until after the contract was signed.
While Barney began marketing some of the properties she was listing around her Phoenix, Ariz., market with Homes.com early on in her career, more recently, she invested in several zip codes through the company’s Local Connect program.
“In most cases, your leads are what your leads are, but I always had particularly good success with Homes.com,” says Barney. “I’m not sure what Homes.com does differently, but they are producing fantastic leads.”
One of those leads was a prospect who reached out to Barney from China and ended up purchasing one of her listings sight unseen.
“We did a virtual tour with some real social distancing,” says Barney, who walked around the house with her phone in order to take in all the features. “He wanted to make an offer right away, but I suggested a video tour so that he and his wife could get a good feel for it,” she adds.
“We did all our communicating over the phone and transacted the entire deal through the internet,” says Barney, who also utilizes Homes.com’s concierge and website hosting services. “I think he got a good deal on the home, and his wife absolutely loved it.”
A well-traveled individual herself, Barney is comfortable fostering and maintaining relationships with clients outside the U.S.
“This gentleman does a lot of business travel, so he already had a home in China and another on the East Coast of the United States, but what’s interesting is that a lot of buyers who go on my Homes.com site end up finding something they fall in love with and are willing to transact all this information sight unseen,” explains Barney.
“Maybe this is something that will be happening a lot more in our industry,” she adds. “It’s exciting that more people are more willing to buy something like a new home without seeing and touching it.”
While the connection Barney made with this client may have culminated in an unusual transaction, she notes that it’s not unlike the solid referrals she receives through Homes.com leads.
“Not only has Homes.com been around for a long time, but they also have a great reputation in our industry,” says Barney. “Their information is accurate, they keep their information fresh, and that’s why I believe my buyers and sellers come to the site.”
For more information, please visit marketing.homes.com.
John Voket is a contributing editor to RISMedia.
