You might think, with the pandemic causing so much instability across so many industries and fields, that the real estate market would be in similar jeopardy.
Turns out, you’d be wrong.
The real estate market is inexplicably thriving in the wake of the pandemic, with sellers turning around rural houses for profit and buyers looking for something that will suit their post-pandemic needs. And while the pandemic may have forced real estate agents to adapt for the sake of their clients’ safety, if you know how to navigate the post-pandemic market, you can still make a killing.
Let’s talk about how to make money in a post-pandemic real-estate market.
Understanding How the Market Has Changed (And How We Can Capitalize on it)
Clients Have Experienced Shifts in Their Lifestyles.
The sudden shift to a work-from-home lifestyle caused many to reevaluate the conditions they were living in and move to remote areas where they could afford housing with more space. With restaurants, businesses, and facilities closing down, suddenly the house began to hold more importance: it had to be a restaurant, a gym, and a workspace all in one. Clients found that their small city apartments no longer offered much, and so they shifted to spaces that were better equipped to accommodate work-from-home lifestyles.
With the world slowly beginning to reopen, clients are also migrating back to cities, which will be essential to keep in mind as we consider how to capitalize on the solid post-pandemic market.
The Digital Landscape and Client Preference.
It’s also important to understand that the pandemic has accelerated a change that was already taking place: clients migrating to doing their business in digital spaces instead of physical. When the pandemic hit, the real estate industry had to make massive and rapid adjustments like everyone else: substituting crowded open houses for private appointments, putting 3D tours of properties on real estate sites, and the like. For especially those clients who are more COVID conscious, interacting with agents digitally is the new norm, and they WANT the convenience of it and the assurance that they are conducting themselves safely. The latter is especially important to note, since although the world is reopening, COVID hasn’t gone anywhere.
To accommodate the changing needs of clients and the new work-from-home landscape, the world of real estate will have to move to the digital landscape.
Digital Marketing and You: The Agent’s Guide to Real Estate in 2021
Capitalizing on the new mostly digital landscape is going to require an aggressive digital marketing campaign. If you’ve never run one before, consider these tips down below:
Diversify your online presence.
If you aren’t on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, you need to be. Consider jumping onto TikTok as well. Use these platforms to post pictures of your properties, host virtual open houses, and get even more creative with interactive and live streaming options.
Consider using AR and VR technology.
These technologies are newer and surprisingly underused, considering their value to real estate agents. With AR and VR tech, clients can put themselves into the property, walk around, and get a sense of what it’s like to be there without ever stepping foot outside of their home!
Don’t be afraid to make yourself personable.
Be professional, of course, but there’s no shame in making yourself into an online personality. TikTok is a particularly good medium for this: use it to teach people how real estate works or to highlight some of the day-to-day workings of a real estate agent. It might surprise you how many people tune in, and even more so how much more memorable you become.
If all else fails, hire a consultant.
There are professionals out there who may be able to help you run your digital marketing campaign. If all of this seems too intimidating, or if you’ve already tried it and nothing seems to be working, give a professional a shot.
Get Yourself Out There
Digital Marketing is the future of real estate. Full stop. When the pandemic fully passes, it will have left a permanent mark on every aspect of our lives; it’s best to prepare for that by making the shift to a more vibrant, steady online presence sooner. Making these changes will help you and your brand stay relevant long after COVID bites the dust.
