Today's Market News:

Retirees Seeking a Change of Scenery

An increasing number of retired Americans are selling their homes and relocating to a different state. According to a new study, almost half of the people who moved after retiring in 2021 took up residence across state lines.

Their destinations? Tennessee, Florida, and Pennsylvania were the most popular states for relocating, with the highest percentage of retirees moving to the Pittsburg, PA metro area.¹

Make a Great First Impression

Real estate agents meet new people all the time, from networking events to consultations with potential clients.

Put your best foot forward and make a lasting first impression with these three tips:

• Dress for success
  Image isn't everything -- but paying attention to the details in your appearance suggests you'll pay attention to detail as a business owner, too. Dressing professionally shows you take yourself and your work seriously.

• Stay informed
  Establish yourself as an industry authority by staying up to date on trends in your local real estate market. Potential buyers and sellers alike will remember you for the valuable information and tips you give them.

• Keep the connection
  Make it easy for people you meet to find you later by providing a traditional business card or sending a text with your contact information. You could also send a LinkedIn connection request or invitation to follow your business page on other social media platforms.²

Ideas for Boosting Engagement During the Holidays

Want to stay top of mind during this season of hustle and bustle? Here are a few ways to spread joy and goodwill in your marketing this month:

• Share your best decorating tips
  Post your best décor ideas on your social media feed, blog, and website. Be sure to include bright and cheery pictures for inspiration!

• Encourage people to shop local
  Know any local businesses that specialize in holiday décor, products, or services? Highlight them on your platforms or partner with them for a giveaway or raffle.

• Give seasonal maintenance tips
  Winter is on the way! Give followers your best tips for prepping their home for winter, both indoors and out. Consider partnering with local service providers such as landscapers, plumbers, and electricians for cross-promotions.

• Bring people together
  Highlight holiday events in your community by sharing the details on your social media page. Or host your own event, complete with treats, holiday music, and festive décor. Of course, no holiday party is complete without an appearance from Mr. Claus.³

Build Rapport and Trust with a Buyer Questionnaire

Your clients have hopes and dreams for their first home -- and the main goal of your first meeting is finding out what they are. Enter the Buyer Questionnaire, which helps clients think through their wish list and provides you with better insights into new clients' needs, wants, and home buying personalities.

They also dig deeper into what the client is looking for, covering questions like:

• What is most important to you about the location you live?
  

• What are you looking for in a real estate agent?
  

• What features are most important to you in a new home?
  

Agents can use answers from the questionnaire to tailor buyer presentations and add information to a CRM program.⁴

4 Tips for Taming Your Inbox

Email is the top tool of choice for most real estate agents for staying in touch with current and future clients. Here are four ways to reduce inbox clutter and increase your productivity:

• Automate
  Use an online service to send automated text and email reminders about upcoming meetings.

• Separate
  Reduce your incoming emails by using a different address for subscriptions and marketing emails.

• Aggregate
  Want to keep all communication from a specific client together? Set up rules and filters to automatically move related emails into a pre-designated folder.

• Eliminate
  Still getting too much email? Take a few minutes to unsubscribe from email lists that no longer add value for you.⁵

Sources: ¹magazine.realtor, ²inman.com, ³rismedia.com, ⁴theclose.com, ⁵theamericangenius.com