business plan for new real estate agent

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The Ultimate New Real Estate Agent Checklist: Your Path to Success

Shannon is a multi-state licensed real estate broker with offices in North Carolina. She is a real estate subject matter expert, specializing in creating real estate content that empowers individuals at all stages of their real estate journey. Licensed in eight states, her strength lies not just in her expertise, but in her proven ability to translate it into actionable knowledge. She is committed to promoting a real estate educational content where everyone can learn and grow together. See full bio

• Step 1: Set up Your Essentials
• Step 2: Start Your Lead Generation
• Step 3: Use Your Brokerage Tools
• Step 4: Put Yourself Out There
• Step 5: Build Your Tech Stack
• Step 6: Navigate Your First Deals
• Step 7: Be Aware of Bumps in the Road
• Step 8: Keep Growing
• Step 9: Set Your Sights High
• Bringing It All Together

The first few months in real estate are critical for building a strong foundation for any business, but especially so in building a real estate business. This new real estate agent checklist is designed to guide you through this period, helping you get on the path to success faster.

Earning money in real estate doesn’t happen overnight—you only get paid once you close a deal. It might take some time to see the results of your hard work, but with the right approach, you can speed up the process and start closing deals sooner. Let’s dive into the real estate agent checklist to get you up and running!

First off, Congratulations! If you’re reading this article, you likely have recently obtained your real estate license and are ready to start your journey as a real estate agent. It feels like an amazing accomplishment to have passed the real estate exam—but now what?

Unfortunately, leads don’t just come to you. Start by aiming to have 50 real estate conversations per week. Play to your strengths and decide whether you’ll invest time, money, or both. For example, open houses are low-cost but time-consuming, so if you don’t have a listing, ask an experienced agent to host one of theirs. 

Focus on lead-generating activities that fit your budget and maximize conversations, like following up with cold calls after an open house to keep the momentum going. Cold calling is, by far, the fastest way to build your database and get in touch with potential leads. It’s definitely worth adding to your real estate checklist.

If you’re looking to make your dollar go further, REDX is a great choice for new agents looking to generate leads in this way. They have a power dialer that will get you in front of a large audience fast so you can start converting leads into clients ASAP.

Pro Tip: Take time to reflect on what drew you to real estate in the first place—whether it’s the freedom, the connection, or being your own boss. Your “why” is your anchor, especially when things get tough. As Simon Sinek says, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”

Get to know your brokerage and make the most of it—it’s not just a place to hang your license but a goldmine of resources that can set you up for success. Each brokerage is unique, so understand what yours offers, from tools and training. By fully using what your brokerage provides and networking with the right people, you will elevate your business and make the most of your new workplace.

By tapping into all the resources your brokerage offers, you’re laying the groundwork for long-term growth. Remember, your brokerage is there to support you—so take full advantage of everything they have to offer. If you still need some help choosing a brokerage, check out our review of the best real estate companies to work for .

Now that you’ve established what you need to do, now it’s time to actually do it—and you need to start getting noticed. Remember, the goal of putting yourself out there as a real estate professional is to create a strong personal brand that helps you stand out from the crowd.

 Let’s take a look at a few things you should do to make sure you’re getting seen.

Don’t just rely on a single social media post to announce your real estate career—many people might miss it. Let your entire sphere of influence know you’re in the business because conversations about real estate are opportunities you don’t want to miss. Personal connections often lead to your first sales. People want to support you but can only do that if they know what you’re doing. Consistently remind your network, or you might miss out on potential deals.

Keep your branding and marketing simple, especially in your first month—getting bogged down with too many options is easy. Agent Crate is a great tool for new agents because it offers easy-to-use templates and ready-made content, so you will quickly get your brand out there without spending a ton of time. Agent Crate lets you create professional-looking social media posts, flyers, and business cards in no time, letting you focus on connecting with clients and building your business from the start.

Pro Tip: Need some bio-writing tips ? We got you covered. If writing your bio is something you are really struggling with, hiring a professional freelancer is an option. Just make sure it’s in your voice!

With so many tools out there, it’s like being a kid in a candy store—except these treats help you close deals faster, manage your clients better, and make your life a whole lot easier. From customer relationship management CRMs that keep you organized to virtual tour software that wows your clients, there’s no shortage of gadgets and apps designed to boost your real estate game. 

The Close is a great resource to check out different tools, checklists, and tips for new real estate agents , so let’s take a look at tech tools that will take your business to the next level. 

Wise Agent CRM is a powerful tool designed to help real estate professionals streamline their business. With its easy-to-use interface, you can manage leads, automate follow-ups, and keep track of all your client interactions in one place. It’s the perfect solution to stay organized and grow your business efficiently.

You’ve implemented all the items on the new real estate agent checklist so far, and you now have your first deal under contract. What’s next? Your first few real estate transactions are both exciting and nerve-wracking. It’s sure to bring new learning experiences that will set the stage for your future in real estate.

Real estate is stressful and can be hard. Anyone who tells you any different is lying. Prepare yourself now for any potential bumps in the road. Here are just a few examples of what can go wrong in a transaction.

• Deals will fall through, and that commission you were counting on might disappear, leaving you wondering how you’ll manage until the next one closes. 
• There will be tough clients who make you question why you got into this business in the first place.
• The market will have its ups and downs, with high highs and even lower lows. Staying informed about the latest trends will help you navigate through any season.
• Life doesn’t slow down, and neither does business. Balancing your time and maintaining a work-life balance will be challenging.
• Rejection is a part of the business. Get used to hearing “no,” but always learn from it.  

My advice? Don’t be afraid to fail , and be ready for any challenges with a financial safety net for when commissions don’t come through. Lean on your network for support and advice. Keep up with market trends so you can adjust as needed, and make time for yourself to avoid burnout. With a little preparation and the right mindset, you’ll be able to get through it and keep moving forward.

Continuous growth is the key to long-term success. The industry is always evolving, and as agents, we have to stay on top of the latest and greatest. That’s why it’s so important to hone your skills , expand your knowledge, and explore new opportunities.

Embracing a mindset of always learning and growing will help you stay current and deliver top-notch service to your clients. Keep following this new real estate agent checklist, and you will set yourself up for long-term success in your real estate career.

Setting ambitious goals and striving for continuous improvement is essential for long-term success. Whether you want to close more deals, expand your client base, or grow your expertise, goal setting will keep you motivated and focused.

By starting with a clear vision, breaking down your goals, and staying adaptable, you’ll keep moving forward and reaching new heights in your real estate career. And remember, the journey is just as important as the destination—so enjoy the ride!

Starting your real estate career can feel overwhelming, but with the right approach and tools, you’re setting yourself up for success. By putting yourself out there, staying organized, and making the most of the resources available to you, you’ll build a strong foundation for a thriving business. Take it step by step, and soon you’ll be on your way to reaching your goals.

Shannon is a multi-state licensed real estate broker with offices in North Carolina. She is a real estate subject matter expert, specializing in creating real estate content that empowers individuals at all stages of their real estate journey. Licensed in eight states, her strength lies not just in her expertise, but in her proven ability to translate it into actionable knowledge. She is committed to promoting a real estate educational content where everyone can learn and grow together.

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Real Estate Agent Business Plan

A real estate agent business is one of the best ways of getting paid for your expertise in the real estate industry.

If you have a thorough knowledge of the market, are a brilliant negotiator, and can think on your feet then being a real estate agent might be the right career for you.

Industry Overview

Research says the global real estate agent and brokerage market are expected to grow from $960.12 billion in 2020 to $1008.95 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.1%. Also, the market is expected to reach $1351.1 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 8%.

The above figure suggests It is a great market to be in, but you need a well-designed business plan to succeed as a real estate agent. A business plan can help you in having a clear strategy and also in keeping a track of your progress.

But what else can a business plan do for your brokerage firm, and how to write one? Read on to find out.

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Things to Consider Before Writing a Real Estate Agent Business Plan

Find a way to get leads.

The majority of your leads, at least at the beginning of your career, would come from constant effort and a variety of sources. So before getting started you’ll have to figure out all the possible ways of generating leads.

Make a networking plan

Having a network comprising of your customers, businessmen, and even your competitors is necessary for a real estate agent. Because you never know where you’ll get your next big client.

Hence, figuring out a networking strategy is important.

Set up your website

Nowadays, a lot of people look for real estate services online. Hence, it makes it important for you to set up a website for your business.

Making a website also contributes to building your credibility and brand image. Hence, building an optimized and active website can do wonders for your business.

Be prepared for changes in the industry

The real estate agent is changing at a rapid pace. Everything from changes in the economy to people’s buying behavior, and income has a major impact on the real estate market. Hence, it is important for you to have a strategy to deal with such changes.

One of the simplest ways to do so is to have a dynamic and customizable real estate business plan. It helps you deal with changes in a smooth and effective way.

How a Business Plan Can Help You?

As a real estate agent, clear business goals and a constantly evolving way of doing business can be extremely profitable for your business. Apart from that, networking is a key aspect of a real estate agent’s business.

A professional business plan can help you manage all of the above efficiently without any hassles.

Having a plan makes managing your business easier and lets you focus on the more pressing concerns of a business.

Moreover, it gives you a competitive edge over those who jump right in, without any plan.

Real Estate Agent Business Plan Outline

This is the standard real estate agent business plan outline which will cover all important sections that you should include in your business plan.

• Products and Services
• Management Team
• Success Factors
• 3 Year profit forecast
• Startup cost
• Funding Required
• Our business offering is listed below:
• Industry Analysis
• Market Trends
• Target Market
• Sales Strategy
• Targeted Cold Calls
• Publications
• Pricing Strategy
• Management Summary
• Hiring Plan
• Important Assumptions
• Brake-even Analysis
• Profit Yearly
• Gross Margin Yearly
• Projected Cash Flow
• Projected Balance Sheet
• Business Ratios

How to Write a Real Estate Agent Business Plan?

A business plan should be clear-cut and ever-changing. It should have goals, but also be flexible at the same time.

Moreover, it should be customizable as per your target market and location. You can write such a plan in many ways.

Although there are several changing and fixed aspects of a real estate agent’s business plan, there are certain essential areas that should be included to write a good business plan.

They are as follows:

1. Executive Summary

The executive summary section sums up what your entire business idea stands for. It is a brief overview of all of your business’s functions, including finances, target audience, operations, marketing, sales, etc.

This section, if written properly, can help you get funded as it presents your idea to the investors in a precise way and helps you gain their confidence.

2. Company Summary

This section basically consists of all the information about your agency’s history, its current situation, the idea behind its existence, and also the finances and funding it requires for becoming profitable.

3. Products and Services

In this product and services section, you’ll define your niche. Having a niche in real estate helps you get a better knowledge of the market and better deals in return. It also helps you meet the right people and the right customers.

As a real estate agent, you can decide whether you’ll deal with office spaces, residential spaces, rentals or buying, selling, etc. Working with a specific set of customers most of the time helps you stay at the top of your game in the real estate market.

4. Market Analysis

A thorough and ongoing market analysis helps you know the market trends and your target audience better. It helps you stay updated with the demands of your customers and how you can fulfill them in the best way possible.

Not just that, it also helps you in knowing where you stand in the market when you need to change your business model with a changing market, and when you need to upskill to stay relevant as a real estate agent.

5. Strategy and implementation

After you are done analyzing the market, writing this section would be a cakewalk. As you are familiar with the market you can formulate the best strategy to thrive in it.

As a real estate agent, having a good advertising strategy, sales strategy, and essentially a good pricing strategy is of utmost importance.

6. Operations Plan

The operations plan section in your business plan includes the day-to-day functioning of your company, as well as your goals and strategies to achieve them.

It is an ever-changing section and has to be tweaked as per the demands of the industry. Breaking your goal down into smaller milestones in this section is an effective way of writing it.

7. Financial Plan

A financial plan decides whether your agency would succeed or not. It prevents you from having mismanaged finances, and a dearth of funds and also helps you in managing the cash inflow of your business.

Download a sample real estate agent business plan

Need help writing your business plan from scratch? Here you go; download our free real estate agent business plan pdf to start.

It’s a modern business plan template specifically designed for your real estate agent business. Use the example business plan as a guide for writing your own.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

Business Plan Summary

A business plan can not only help you with the management of your business but also work as a road map to success.

A real estate agency’s cash inflow is on the irregular side, but a business plan can help you thrive with that too. Having a plan gives you a clear idea of the functioning as well as the spending of your business.

After getting started with Upmetrics , you can copy this sample real estate agent business plan template into your business plan and modify the required information and download your real estate agent business plan pdf or doc file.

It’s the fastest and easiest way to start writing your business plan.

So, what are you waiting for? Start planning

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About the Author

Vinay Kevadiya

Vinay Kevadiya is the founder and CEO of Upmetrics, the #1 business planning software. His ultimate goal with Upmetrics is to revolutionize how entrepreneurs create, manage, and execute their business plans. He enjoys sharing his insights on business planning and other relevant topics through his articles and blog posts. Read more

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Blog Real Estate Best Practices 12 Easy Steps to Creating a Perfect Real Estate Business Plan (2024 Updated!)

12 Easy Steps to Creating a Perfect Real Estate Business Plan (2024 Updated!)

To be truly successful in the world of business, you must create a solid business plan. This is the case no matter what industry you are in, and that includes real estate.

The business plan you work out must be unique. There is no cookie cutter approach. You must keep your brand image and goals in mind when creating the plan that’s perfect for you.

However, there are a few steps you can take to ensure your plan is well executed. This article will review those steps to ensure you plan is as successful as possible.

Why Create a Real Estate Business Plan?

A real estate business plan offers several benefits including the following:

• It shows you where your business is at and outlines areas where you can make improvements.
• It allows you to set goals and track progress.
• It can be used to help secure funding. Most potential investors will want to see a copy of your business plan before moving forward.
• It can be a selling point for attracting top talent.
• It provides an outline that will help you manage day to day tasks in an organized fashion.
• It can help you track your marketing efforts.
• It can help you attract clients.
• It will keep you more organized in reaching your long-term goals.

12 Steps to Create The Best Real Estate Business Plan

1. determine your business model.

There are a few ways to go when embarking on your real estate journey. You may decide you want to start or join a real estate team. Or you may decide you want to start or join a brokerage. You’ll want to decide if you need a sole proprietorship or an LLC is in your best interest. You may establish a plan early on in your career, or you may decide to change directions and create a new plan in the middle of your career.

While these are all very different paths to take, there are common elements that will need to be focused on in the plan creation process. They will be outlined in the following sections.

2. Identify Who You Are

Determining your brand identity will help you create marketing materials that reflect your image. Are you a friendly ‘people person’? Or is your main goal finding clients the best investment for their money?

Your strategies will change slightly depending on your business model. If you own or work in a team setting , you must define the role of each team member and their part in helping you reach your goals.

If you own a brokerage, your real estate business plan will help you determine what type of agents you want working for you. If you work on your own , it will all come down to your unique vision.

When putting it down on paper, your identity will consist of:

• Your Mission Statement: Your reason for being in real estate
• Your Executive Summary: One or two sentences that summarize what you do

3. Analyze Your Target Real Estate Market

Once you determine who you are as an agent, you will have a better idea of who you are marketing to. You may be targeting business owners, investors, families, luxury clients and so on. It’s also likely you will be working within a specific area.

After identifying your target audience, you need to figure out how your target market is doing. What are home prices like? How is inventory looking? Is it a buyer’s or seller’s market? And what are future predictions?

You will be able to glean this information by looking carefully at the MLS and staying on top of trends. Online and offline real estate resources will also provide some insight.

In general, you will want to stay on top of:

• General Trends including how long homes are staying on the market on average, commission rates, sale prices, etc.
• Market Opportunities based on supply and demand
• Market Saturations based on inventory and agent services

4. Analyze Your Competition

We all know the saying, ‘keep your friends close and your enemies closer’. Stay on top of what other agents are doing by subscribing to their newsletters and following their social media pages. While you won’t want to copy their strategies outright, they may just inspire you to create a marketing plan that gives you a competitive edge.

You should also look out for underserved niches and competitive saturation.

When it comes to underserved niches, there may be plenty of agents in your area specializing in family residential properties. But how many are serving the commercial sector? Or the luxury sector?

If the city sections in your area are blowing up, consider looking into properties in a nearby suburb to avoid competitive saturation.

5. Decide What Services You Will Provide

Most real estate agents provide the expected services such as conducting open houses, finding homes for buyers, determining pricing, negotiations, and keeping transactions organized in general.

But you can offer additional services that set your business apart. For example, you may provide:

• Staging: Staging involves setting up the home, so it looks more aesthetically appealing. Once upon a time, staging was offered as an addition service. But today, many agents are rolling it into their agent fees. The agent may stage the home themselves, or they may bring in a specialized team for staging.
• Professional Virtual Tours: Today, virtual real estate tours are the way to go. They allow clients to get the experience of being in the home without having to leave their home. If you are not offering this service, it’s time to get onboard.
• Neighborhood Analysis: Most agents provide clients with an overview of what a neighborhood has to offer. But if you want to go that extra mile, you can provide an in-depth report that includes crime rate, types of properties, demographics, and more.
• Relevant Discounts: Agents can offer clients relevant discounts in terms of handyman services, inspections, appraisals and more.

6. Carve Out a Niche

It’s important to carve out a niche in terms of what type of property you want to sell and who your target audience is. But you can get even more ‘niche-y’ by specializing in certain types of properties such as condos and townhouses, catering to first time buyers and so on.

It may seem like carving out a niche is limiting, but it will make people come to you first when they require expertise in your field. When choosing a niche, base it on what you are most skilled at and where you see an opportunity to grow professionally.

7. Create a Marketing Plan

The first step of your marketing plan will involve identifying your target audience and determining the best way to reach them. For example, if you are focused on first time buyers, you will be targeting a millennial crowd. In addition to emphasizing money saving goals, you may also want to advertise yourself as an agent that is environmentally friendly and gives back.

A luxury crowd may have similar concerns, but their main interests will be in finding high end properties that offer the utmost in amenities.

You must also consider the best way to reach your target audience. What social media platforms are they likely to be on? Do you think they will respond well to cold calls , door knockings , and mailings? Or is it best to keep things digital?

You must also consider race, color, origin, sexual orientations, and disabilities. Create marketing materials that are appealing and will not discriminate in any way.

8. Conduct a SWOT Analysis

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

In terms of strengths and weaknesses, you must consider what you are best at and what could use improving. For example, you may find that you have superior digital skills but that you’re not so great with cold calling. If this is the case, you should focus on digital and avoid cold calls.

However, you may also consider improving weak spots. For example, if it was the other way around and digital was a weakness, you should consider building up your digital skills. This will give you a competitive advantage in today’s world of real estate.

It’s also important to be aware of opportunities and know when to pounce. This will help a lot with lead generation. For example, FSBO, near pre-foreclosure, and divorces are all ideal situations for an agent to come knocking. You may also think of opportunities in terms of underserved areas and niches in your community.

Threats can come in the form of competition and/or changes in the market. There is usually no way to keep these threats from happening, but you can take steps to be prepared when they occur. This will ensure you are in the best shape possible for taking them on and minimizing potential damage.

9. Focus on Your Specific Goals

• Making a certain amount of money in a given time
• Completing a certain number of transactions in a given time
• Attaining a certain number of new clients in a given time
• Reducing lead time
• Growing your company by hiring new agents and employees or opening new locations
• Determining a better work/life balance

When you set up your goals, it’s important to make them measurable and attainable. If your goals aren’t attainable, you will end up wasting time working towards goals you will never reach. You will also become frustrated by your lack of progress.

Measuring goals can be challenging. In today’s digital world, reports and analysis are provided so you can determine your ROI and figure out what’s working and what isn’t. If you are outside of the digital realm, it may be more difficult to measure your progress, but you should have some idea of how well you are doing.

10. Keep Track of Your Finances

No matter how passionate you are about your business, it won’t be a success unless you are making money. You must keep track of how much you are spending and how much you are earning. Your net profits should always be positive.

For best results, implement an online system like QuickBooks. Online bookkeeping systems will provide reports so you can see where most of your money is being spent and your main sources of income. This will help you determine what’s bringing in the most ROI, what’s generating income, and what’s not.

You may also consider hiring an accountant and/or a financial consult. Your financial team will ensure you are making smart moves at tax time and when investing in tools, software, and other business ventures.

11. Review Your Success Ratios

Your success will also be contingent on customer satisfaction. Are your customers pleased with your services? Are they referring friends and family?

If your success ratios are looking good but your finances aren’t matching up, you may be overspending on certain aspects of your business. Look at your records to see where the bulk of your money is going. Cut back if necessary.

12. Revisit Your Real Estate Business Plan Regularly

Your business plan is not set in stone. It’s a good idea to check it on a regular basis so you can revise it in accordance with your current needs. You may also want to create a new business plan if you decide to change up your business model.

A real estate business plan is a valuable tool for agents. It will keep you on course in attaining your goals. This template will help you devise a plan that is best suited to your professional needs. We wish you the best of luck in moving your company forward.

You’re a successful real estate agent, but you’d like to step to the next level. To do that, you want to create a better business plan for next year. So, how do you start? By filling out that form your manager gave you, asking for your goals for next year? Or, maybe you’re attending those trainings where seminar gurus give you 30 things to do next year. That will put you in a quandary because you don’t know how to choose! Please don’t leap to either one. Before you commit, take a look back at your last year (In the strategic planning process, it’s called the ‘ business review’.) Using the same thought process successful businesses use to create effective business plans will give you clarity.

Time To Scope Your Business Plan: Small Adjustments Pay Big Dividends

You and your business are unique.

Don’t copy someone else’s plan or commit to pie in the sky numbers until you know your three business indicators here. Armed with that information, you can pick and choose your actions and goals wisely, because you know they will work for you.

Building Your Business Best: From working with agents in my business planning courses and systems, I’ve observed that many agents don’t build a business plan around their best source of business: ‘sold’ customers and clients. Marketing surveys show that it costs six to nine times as much to get a new customer as to keep an old one. So, if you spend more money on your best source, and less on your other sources, you’ll optimize your investment.

3. How ‘delighted’ are your clients? Most so-called ‘business plans’ in real estate merely are goal-setting grids. Focusing only on the end results suggests that the ends justify the means. However, the consumer sure doesn’t think so! These goal setting grids alone lead agents to miss the point of the decade: Top-flight customer service begets more business. That is, it’s not just what you do, but how you do it. What level of service are you providing? Is it just good enough to get through the transaction? Or, is it so great that your clients are thoroughly delighted ? (Delighted consumers refer business to you–less cost and more effort equals big pay-offs, right?)

Build Delight into your Business Plan

Don’t Worry About the Tactics

If you’ve been gathering those dozens of tactics seminar gurus have suggested you MUST do, your head is probably spinning. That’s not the way to go about creating an effective business plan. Instead, take time to use the strategic planning process, which includes your business review. Commit one hour out of your day now to assess the three areas here and plan adjustments. The bonus: With your answers, you can pick from that myriad of action plans you’ve gathered and choose the ones that support your major goals. Now you have the ‘why’ for your plan, and you’ll be inspired to create and implement your unique business plan.

About the Author

Chris Heller brings 27 years of experience in real estate. Chris serves on the Agent Advice Editorial Board and is the Chief Real Estate Officer at OJO Labs. Chris brings deep expertise having held influential industry positions including CEO of mellohome and former CEO of Keller Williams Realty International.

Last Updated: 12/29/2023

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Ultimate Guide: 11 Points to Writing a Real Estate Business Plan

Failing to plan is planning to fail. Your business plan is the GPS for success. Instead of wandering, push towards your goals and objectives with clear direction. Developing a real estate business plan is critical to forming a healthy and sustainable business. 

A real estate business plan is an important step for any real estate agent looking to build a successful career in the industry. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, there are certain key elements that should be included in any plan. First and foremost, it is essential to set clear goals and objectives.

A study of 2,877 business owners found that companies are twice as likely to secure loans and funding if they have a business plan and 75% more likely to grow. Another study showed that 64% of companies who created a plan increased their businesses, compared to 43% of companies that hadn't yet finished a plan. 

Your own business plan is an essential tool for any business, small or large. Real estate agents use business plans to map their marketing strategies, target their advertising, and track their progress. A business plan helps agents set goals and stay on track throughout the year. It is also a valuable reference point when meeting with clients and potential investors. 

While there are many different ways to create a real estate business plan, certain elements should be included in every scenario. These elements include an overview of the business, the company's goals and objectives, a marketing strategy, and a financial analysis. By having these key components, companies can ensure that their real estate business plan is comprehensive and will help them achieve their desired results.

Harvard Business Review (HBR) stated that the chances of success rose by 12% for those that spent no longer than three months on their plan . With any longer proving futile. So, how do you write a business plan for your real estate business without getting bogged down in the details? In this post, we'll look at actionable steps agents and brokers can take to outline, execute and measure the performance of a business plan.

As a real estate agent, you know that the housing market can be unpredictable. You need to be prepared for the ups and downs of the market, and one way to do that is to have a business plan. Your business plan will help you set goals and track your progress. It will also force you to think about the costs of running your business and how you will generate leads. There are many online resources that can help you write a business plan, but the most important thing is to get started. By taking the time to write a plan, you will ensure that your business is ready for whatever the housing market throws your way.

What is a real estate business plan?

A business plan is a written document that captures the future of your business. It details what you plan and how you plan to do it.

Real estate business plans are essential for two reasons. First, they provide a road map for agents to follow as they work to build their businesses. Second, they force agents to think through all the crucial aspects of their business, such as their marketing efforts, target market, and financial goals. 

By taking the time to write a Real Estate Business Plan, agents can ensure that they are taking all the necessary steps to build a successful business.

A Real Estate Business Plan is an essential tool for any business, whether you are just starting or have been in business for years. There are many benefits to creating a Real Estate Business Plan, including: 

• Having a Real Estate Business Plan forces you to take a step back and assess your business as a whole. It allows you to see where your business stands, and identify any areas that need improvement.
• A Real Estate Business Plan provides a roadmap for your business. It can help you to set goals and track your progress over time.
• A Real Estate Business Plan can help secure your business funding. If you seek investment from Venture Capitalists or Banks, they will often require a copy of your business plan before considering your request.
• A Real Estate Business Plan can help you to attract and retain top talent. If you are looking to hire employees or contractors, having a well-crafted business plan can be a significant selling point.
• A Real Estate Business Plan can be a valuable tool for managing day-to-day operations. A clear and concise plan can help you better decide where to allocate resources and how to utilize your team's time and talents best.
• A Real Estate Business Plan can help you to measure and track your marketing efforts. By setting specific goals and objectives, you can more effectively gauge the success of your marketing campaigns and make necessary adjustments along the way.
• A Real Estate Business Plan can serve as a valuable sales tool. A professional business plan can give you a significant competitive advantage if you are looking to sell properties or convert leads into clients.
• A Real Estate Business Plan helps to keep you organized and on track. Trying to run a successful real estate business without a plan is like trying to drive from New York to Los Angeles without a map - chances are, you'll get lost along the way!

Having a Real Estate Business Plan gives you credibility in the eyes of others. If you are working with other professionals such as lenders, appraisers, or title companies, having a well-developed business plan shows that you are serious about your business and increases the likelihood that they will want to work with you in the future.

Last but not least, creating a Real Estate Business Plan is empowering! Taking the time to develop a comprehensive plan shows that you believe in yourself and your business and sets the foundation for long-term success.        

Precisely, it conveys your business goals, the strategies and tactics you'll use to achieve them, potential problems you may run into along the way and how to overcome them, roles and responsibilities, SWOT analysis, and measurement strategies.

What should a real estate business plan include?

Real estate business plans are different from traditional business plans. 

Real estate agents need to focus on their target market, their uniqueness, and how they will succeed against the competition. Real estate business plans should also include an analysis of the current market conditions and the potential for growth in the future. In addition, real estate agents should outline their marketing strategy and have a budget for advertising and promotions. By taking the time to create a comprehensive business plan, real estate agents can increase their chances of success in this competitive industry.

Real estate business plans vary in length and complexity, but all should include the following elements: 

• An overview of the real estate market 
• A description of the agent's target market 
• A marketing plan 
• A financial plan 
• A discussion of the agent's competitive advantages 

Real estate business plans provide a roadmap for agents to achieve their goals. They should include specific strategies for generating leads, marketing properties, and closing deals. The business plan should also outline the agent's budget and target income. Additionally, the real estate business plan should set forth a schedule for prospecting, listing appointments, and open houses. By following a real estate business plan, agents can increase their chances of success in real estate.

How do you assemble a real estate business plan?

A business plan is essential for any real estate business, whether you're just starting out or have been in the industry for years. It provides a roadmap for your business, laying out your goals and strategies for achieving them. But how do you go about assembling a business plan?

First, you'll need to identify your target market. Who are you trying to reach with your real estate business? Once you know your target market, you can start developing your marketing strategy. What methods will you use to get potential clients? How will you differentiate yourself from other real estate businesses in your area?

Next, you'll need to put together a financial plan. What are your revenue sources? How much money do you expect to bring in each month? What are your expenses? How much do you need to save for a rainy day? A clear financial picture will help you make sound decisions for your business.

Lastly, don't forget to include a personal development plan. What skills do you need to improve to succeed in the real estate business? What classes or training programs can you take to close more deals and earn more commissions? A well-rounded business plan will help ensure your real estate business is booming.

Writing a Real Estate Business Plan in 11 Easy Steps

1. write a detailed business description.

There's a story and context behind your business, and the business description is where that should shine. Write a brief overview of your Real Estate business. Include your business goals and how you plan on achieving them. Then create a description of your company, including its history, structure, and other relevant information.

The mission statement is part of the business description — which helps keep the rest on the track. Many mission statements follow a familiar format, like:

"To be the best, full-service Real Estate company in the Triangle and to enhance our quality of life through active community involvement.".

In a microstudy of 200 mission statements, it was found that mission statements most often talk about the company's dedication to customers (85%), shareholders (37%), employees (21%), and society (3%).

As well as a defined mission statement, make sure to include:

• When you were founded
• Where you are located
• Who the leaders are
• Special advantages/partnerships
• Market opportunities
• Legal structure

A very brief real estate business description example is:

"Norris & Company Real Estate is Vero Beach's premier upscale real estate firm. They specialize in luxury waterfront homes and condominiums, particularly in Vero Beach and Indian River County, FL."

2. Market Analysis

Research the Real Estate market in your area and identify any trends or opportunities. Include this information in your business plan.

Real estate agents must constantly be aware of the market conditions in their area to serve their clients best. Agents can provide expert guidance and advice by understanding the trends and opportunities.

When writing your Real Estate business plan, including a comprehensive analysis of the market conditions in your area. It will help you better understand your client's needs and identify potential opportunities.

Your market analysis should include:

• An overview of the Real Estate market in your area
• Identification of any trends or opportunities
• An explanation of how you will address these trends or options in your business plan

By including this information in your Real Estate business plan, you will be able to show potential clients that you are knowledgeable and prepared to help them navigate the Real Estate market.

3. Perform a SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis is a technique used to identify and define several key characteristics that will impact your business: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Think of it this way:

Strengths and Weaknesses are internal. Threats and Opportunities are external.

An analysis can be as simple as making lists of items under each category.

For example, a strength could be a solid and experienced sales team, while a weakness might be that your business is expensive to run because you haven't nurtured supplier relations.

It could be as simple as filling four sheets of paper with descriptions of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats — collaboratively or alone. To make the answers clearer and the exercise more manageable, you can use questions like:

• What do our competitors do better than us? Threat .
• What's our unique selling point? Strength .
• Why have customers churned in the past? Weakness .
• Which markets are underserved in your territory? Opportunities .

4. List Your #1 SMART Goal

It's great to be ambitious, but focusing on one goal makes it easier to stay motivated, track progress, and see the measurable effect of achieving it. Even better if that goal is a SMART Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timed – goal.

Examples of SMART goals you might set for your growing real estate business are:

• Build a new real estate website in the next three months
• Hire and onboard three new SDRs in the next six months
• Increase monthly leads by 50% by next year
• Sell ten houses in the Dallas metro area in the next 30 days.

Pick one at a time and focus on it! Sticking to an achievable goal with a time limit makes it more likely to come to fruition. And, even just writing it down makes you 42% more likely to attain it.

5. Identify Your Market Niche

Before setting out your facts and figures, it's essential to spotlight your target market and how you'll serve this niche. It helps you decide what's realistic and feasible to achieve in your business plan.

Determining your market niche is a fancier way of saying: Who are your services best suited to? While honing in on a narrow target seems a little exclusionary, niche marketing can save you time, effort, and money on marketing.

One tool to help you define your market is a buyer persona. A persona is a fictional typification of your ideal customer, with information that enables you to steer your sales and marketing in the right direction.

It's essential to assess your niche and ensure it is consistent with the market in your area.

For example, if you've decided to focus on first-time buyers, do some research to look at relevant stats and figures:

• What percentage of sales in your market were to first-time buyers in the last 12–14 months?
• What was the average sales price to first-time buyers?

Also, assess how competitive this market is:

• Are you the only agent catering to the young first-timer?
• Are you competing with well-known heavy hitters?

A competitive SEO audit can be a helpful starting point in finding your competitors in the online space, where almost all leads will turn at some point in the buying process.

6. Implementation Plan

Before you can begin implementing your real estate business plan, you must clearly understand your goals and objectives. What are you trying to achieve with your business? Are you looking to buy and hold properties for long-term appreciation, or are you more interested in flipping houses for a quick profit? 

Once you have a good idea of your goals, you can start to put together a plan for how to achieve them. For example, if you're interested in buying and holding properties, you'll need to generate enough income from rentals to cover the mortgage and other expenses. If you're more interested in flipping properties, you'll need to find motivated sellers and then negotiate deals that provide you with a healthy profit margin. 

Regardless of your goals, careful planning is essential for success in the real estate business.

Breaking your goals into action steps makes them more tangible and ensures you're making strides to fulfill them. Here are some keys to converting your real estate business plan into actual business practices.

7. Monitoring & Evaluation

Successful real estate businesses have a plan to monitor and evaluate their progress. This plan includes setting clear goals, measuring progress against those goals, and making adjustments as needed. Without this proactive approach, it can be challenging to identify areas of improvement or stagnation. 

Additionally, a well-executed monitoring and evaluation plan can help to keep employees focused and on track. By regularly assessing performance and goal progress, businesses can ensure that they are making the most of their resources and achieving their desired results. Ultimately, a sound monitoring and evaluation plan are crucial for any real estate business that wants to stay ahead of the competition.

8. Risk Management

Real estate investing comes with a certain amount of risk. But with a well-thought-out risk management strategy, you can minimize the potential for loss and maximize your chances for success.

One of the most critical aspects of risk management is diversification. Investing in various property types in different markets spreads your risk and increases your chances of finding a profitable investment.

Another critical element of risk management has a solid business plan. Thoughtfully consider each step of the real estate investing process, from finding deals to financing them to managing the properties. Have a clear exit strategy for each investment to know when to sell or refinance. And always remember to stay within your comfort level; don't let greed or fear make decisions for you.

With careful planning and discipline, you can create a real estate investment portfolio that withstands market fluctuations and generates long-term wealth.

9. Financial Plan

Having a sound financial plan for your business is essential. To assist you, we've created spreadsheets you can use to estimate goals, income, and expenses. You will find specific instructions in the spreadsheets, but here are some guidelines for creating a financial plan:

To create your plan, determine what your expenses will be.

Here are three main areas your expenses may fall into:

• Licensing: These expenses will include training, state exam fees, etc.
• Personal: This can consist of your wardrobe, technology fees (like computer and phone), and car fees.
• Business: Business expenses include broker fees, website and MLS fees, marketing, advertising, etc.

Our template divides these expenses into the startup and yearly costs to help you discern which payments will recur and which are one-time-only. Here's an example of what your startup expenses might look like.

Yearly expenses might include recurring costs like office rent, electricity bills, and annual license fees.

Estimating income is the biggest concern for most new agents. To do this, you must decide how much money you need to make in your first year and how much you would like that figure to grow. You will also need to research some basic statistics for your market, like the average sale price for homes.

Use our business plan template to help calculate these numbers.

Transactions and Leads 

To meet your income goals and cover expenses, you'll need to conduct a certain number of transactions. And, to complete a certain number of transactions, you'll need to work a set number of leads. There's no need to work this figure out by hand. ‍

Our template will automatically calculate the number of transactions and leads you will probably need to meet your goals. Still, you will have to assess these figures to decide whether they are reasonable. For example, if you plan to work part-time as an agent in your first year but need to close 20 transactions to meet your goals, you are unlikely to have enough time.

10. Create a Personal Development Plan

A personal development plan is an essential tool for any real estate business. By taking the time to assess your strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and create a roadmap for success, you can ensure that your business is on track to reach its full potential. While it may seem daunting, creating a personal development plan is simple. 

Start by taking stock of your current situation. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are your goals for the future? Once you clearly understand where you are starting, you can begin to map out a plan of action. Set realistic goals and create a timeline for achieving them. Put together a resources list and ensure you have everything you need to reach your goals. Finally, implement your plan and monitor your progress along the way.

Remember, your development plan should be flexible and adapt as your needs change over time. With some planning and effort, you can create a roadmap for success that will help you achieve your long-term goals in the real estate business.

11. Write an Executive Summary that Captures the Vision

Your executive summary is an anchor point you can use to understand the overall goals, cement the parameters of your target market, and make decisions aligned with your plan. It's also a way to get inspired by your original vision.

For real estate, it would include points on:

• Target neighborhoods and price ranges
• Target clients and a brief description of the persona
• Brief marketing plan overview
• Market threats and opportunities

Think of the executive summary as the section of your business plan you would explain to a friend a football game when asked how you plan to make money as an agent or broker in your local town/ city or state.

Note: due to the specific details in the executive summary, this part of the business is typically one of the last completed items.

Real Estate Business Plan Template

If you're considering starting a real estate business, you'll need to create a business plan template. Here's a basic template that you can use to get started. Remember that your business plan should be tailored to your specific business and industry.

• Executive Summary

The executive summary is a brief overview of your business plan. It should include your company's mission statement and an overview of your products or services, target market, and growth strategy.

• Company Description

This section will provide an overview of your company, including its history, structure, and team. Be sure to include information on your company culture and values.

• Mission statement

In this section, you will summarize the reason for being and the guiding principles of your organization. For example: "We are a nonprofit that provides free legal aid to those in need." You can also provide a brief overview of what we want them (the users) to come into contact with. 

Why should they care about our mission or message by telling them why it is vital to their lives now and later down the line?

• Company goals

This section will provide a high-level overview of your company's top business goals for its first years in operation.

• Market Analysis

In this section, you will need to analyze your target market thoroughly. It should include information on your customers, your competition, and the overall industry.

• Product or Service

In this section, you will need to describe your product or service. Be sure to include information on your pricing strategy and any unique features or benefits your product or service offers.

• Marketing and Sales Strategy

In this section, you will need to outline your marketing and sales strategy. It should include information on how you plan to generate leads and convert them into customers.

• Operational Plan

This section will need to provide an overview of your business operations. It should include your production process and distribution and fulfillment strategy.

This section will briefly describe what your company offers to customers.

• Target customer

To effectively reach the people we want as customers, you must provide a clear overview of who they are and how your product or service can benefit them. In this section, I'll go over some questions worth asking yourself when determining who your potential clients may be. 

• Best Practices

Write out your ideal practices for how you'll deal with qualified leads versus unqualified leads, how quickly you'll follow up with interested parties, your methods for helping a leader throughout the final steps of the sales process, and how you'll stay in touch with customers after papers have been signed.

• Financial Plan

In this section, you will need to provide detailed financial information for your business. It should include your income, balance, and cash flow statements. The following will include startup expenses, assets, liabilities, capital, break-even analysis, and loan repayment.

• Exit Strategy

This section will need to provide an overview of your exit strategy. It should include information on how you plan to sell or exit your business in the future.

Individual Agent Real Estate Business Plan

Real estate agents need a business plan like any other entrepreneur. A real estate business plan outlines your goals, strategies, and how you plan on achieving them. It is essential to have a business plan because it will help you stay focused and on track. Real estate is a competitive industry, so you need to be able to stand out from the rest.

A business plan will also be helpful if you ever need to seek funding for your business. Investors and lenders will want to see that you have a well-thought-out plan before they give you money. 

Creating a Real Estate Business Plan is essential if you want to build a successful career in real estate. With our easy-to-use template, you can get started today and be on your way to achieving your long-term goals.

There are many benefits to creating a Real Estate Business Plan, including:

• Clarifying your goals and strategies
• Mapping out a clear road map for your business
• Identifying potential obstacles and solutions
• Helping you stay organized and on track
• Increasing your chances of success

So, if you are considering starting a real estate business, sit down and write a business plan. It will be worth it in the long run!

Real Estate Team Business Plan

Before you start your real estate team, it's essential to have a business plan in place. It will help you define your goals, map your strategies, and track your progress over time. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to creating a business plan, certain key elements should be included. Here are a few of the most important things to keep in mind:

• Your team's mission statement: What sets your team apart from the competition? Why do you exist?
• Your target market: Who are you trying to reach with your services? What needs do they have that you can address?
• Your marketing strategy: How will you get your target market and communicate the benefits of working with your team?
• Your financial goals: How much revenue do you hope to generate? What are your expenses? How will you fund your business?

By thoughtfully developing your real estate team business plan, you'll increase your chances of success in an increasingly competitive industry.

Real Estate Brokerage Business Plan

A real estate brokerage business plan is a document that outlines the goals, strategies, and financial projections of a real estate brokerage business . It should include an executive summary, market analysis, business model, operational plan, and financial plan. The executive summary should briefly describe the company, its target market, and its competitive advantages. The market analysis should assess the size and growth potential of the target market. 

The business model should describe how the real estate brokerage plans to generate revenue. The operational plan should outline the business's day-to-day operations, including staffing and marketing initiatives. Finally, the financial plan should provide detailed information on the anticipated costs and revenues of the company. A well-crafted real estate brokerage business plan can be valuable for attracting investors and achieving long-term success.

Remember that your business plan is a living document that should be updated as your company grows and evolves. Regularly reviewing and revising your business plan ensures that your real estate brokerage is always moving in the right direction.

Ready. Set. Plan

Whether you've got a ready-to-execute business plan or it's still being drafted, the most important thing is to start now — and fast.

At its core, a real estate business plan should outline the steps necessary to achieve specific goals, such as increasing sales or expanding into new markets. It should also identify potential obstacles preventing the business from achieving its objectives. By taking the time to create a comprehensive business plan, real estate businesses can increase their chances of weathering storms and coming out on top in the long run.

A business plan puts you on a clear track that makes your business 75% more likely to grow.

By following the above points, you'll be well on writing a comprehensive Real Estate Business Plan.

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The Ultimate Real Estate Agent Business Plan

Do you have your own real estate agent business plan?

Let’s be honest, starting a career in real estate is like launching a new business. As an agent, you are your own brand. You have to find your own leads and nurture your own clients. And ultimately, you’re responsible for the production and financial success of your business.

The problem is that standard real estate courses don’t teach agents how to be business owners. Did your real estate courses help you craft your own real estate agent business plan? Mine certainly didn’t!

And that’s a real shame because business planning is key to being a successful real estate agent! This isn’t an industry you can muddle your way through. You need to create a roadmap to success. A path to show you the way forward when business gets tough.

And that’s what this post is all about: creating The Ultimate Real Estate Agent Business Plan to help your real estate business succeed!

Quick note: this article was originally published in 2019; this is the new, updated version.

Before You Jump Into Your Real Estate Agent Business Plan

Before we get started, you should decide how you’re going to document your real estate agent business plan.

• A physical notebook: Putting pen to paper can be a powerful motivator! If you’re a notebook-keeper, grab that notebook and start writing.
• A doc: Of course some of us prefer the paperless route. You can just open a blank Google Doc or Word Doc and start typing.
• A ready-to-use template: You can find inexpensive business plan templates on Etsy. If you’re looking for a template that perfectly mirrors the steps in this post, check out The Ultimate Real Estate Agent Business Plan by Key Real Estate Designs .

There’s no right or wrong way to document your real estate agent business plan. The important thing is to pick whatever method feels natural to you so that you can complete this critical business planning process.

Word of warning: this is going to be a longgggggggggggg post! We have a whole lot of ground to cover. For easy reference, here is an outline of what to include in a real estate agent business plan:

Branding Know Your Client Get Clear on Your Offer Transform Your Offer into a Vision Finance Performance from the Past Year Projections for the Upcoming Year Income Goal Tracking Long-Term Planning Marketing Know Where Your Leads are Coming from Schedule Your Marketing Activities Add New Marketing Activities Each Year Track Your Results Operations Services Supplies and Vendors Your Team Lead Follow-up Building Referrals

Let’s get to it!

1. Branding

The branding chapter of your real estate agent business plan consists of three main sections:

• Knowing Your Client
• Getting Clear on Your Offer
• Transforming Your Offer into a Vision

1. Know Your Client

Step Number One is all about knowing your audience. Starting the branding process from your clients’ perspective will help keep your real estate agent branding focused on your clients’ needs. So let’s pinpoint your ideal client first, and then we’ll figure out how to attract them with branding.

Choose Your Niche

Don’t be that agent who tries to appeal to all buyers and sellers in your area. By trying to appeal to everyone, you’ll never stand out to anyone. You need to niche down so that you are a perfect fit for the clients you most want to attract.

Many agents are hesitant to choose a niche because they don’t want to leave potential clients on the table. But there’s a big problem with being open to all clients: you’re competing with all agents.

But, if you niche down, you’re only competing with a handful of other agents in your niche. Yes, the pool of potential clients is smaller, but the odds of securing those clients are far greater. Would you rather catch 1% of 1,000 fish or 25% of 250 fish? Go for the higher conversion rates by sticking to a niche and becoming the go-to agent for that group.

To be clear, choosing a niche doesn’t mean you don’t work with other clients; it just means you’re targeting your marketing efforts to resonate with a specific group. If a lead outside your niche falls into your lap, by all means, convert that lead into a client and closing!

There are lots of ways to niche down, and you can combine several of them to carve out your unique niche. As you consider niches, ask yourself what type of client you most enjoy working with. Here are a few ways to niche down:

• Buyer or Sellers: You should specialize in one or the other, but stay flexible when your sellers are also looking to buy and vice versa. By the way, buyer/seller is not a niche by itself; it’s just the starting point of focusing on your niche.
• Specific Neighborhoods: If you have a geographic farm, that’s your niche.
• Specific Price Points: Do you focus on luxury estates, starters/fixer-uppers, or somewhere in between?
• Life Events: You could help first-time buyers, downsizers, or people looking for their “forever home”.
• Occupations: If you have a military base nearby or a large employer in town, you could specialize in helping those members/workers get settled in a new home.
• Property Type: How about focusing on agricultural land, condos, or multifamily?

Not sure which direction to go? Learn more by exploring 5 profitable niches for real estate agents .

This goes without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway: protected classes are not niches. It’s never acceptable to niche by race, religion, age, etc.

Create Your Client Avatar

Once you determine your ideal niche (like first-time military vet buyers, for example), you want to learn everything you possibly can about that group. Remember, these aren’t just clients. They’re real people with very real dreams, fears, preferences, and motivations.

Creating an avatar (an imaginary persona of your typical client) forces you to focus on what your ideal clients need from you and how you can best serve them. This will also help you understand how to appeal to them through your real estate agent branding.

There are lots of factors to consider when creating your client avatar. Here are some of the most important:

• Goals (by the way, buying or selling are never the goals; consider why they want to buy or sell)
• How much your clients know about real estate (transactions in general, and the local market in particular)
• General demographics (age, gender, familial status, profession, annual income, formal education, etc. – again, you’re not filtering clients by any protected class, but you do need to have an idea of your average client’s demographics because that will factor into some of your real estate agent branding decisions)
• Where your client hangs out, online and offline

Just to reiterate, saying that your client avatar is a 30-year-old, unmarried female buyer doesn’t mean you’d ever discriminate against families with children. This avatar is simply an amalgamation of your typical client for the purpose of appealing to your target market with your branding efforts.

2. Get Clear on Your Offer

With your client clear in your mind, you can start to clarify your image, tailoring it to meet the needs of your client avatar.

Your Origin Story

We all know real estate agents are just superheroes without capes. And every good superhero has a solid origin story. What’s yours?

How did you come to be a real estate agent? What hurdles have you overcome to get to this point in your life? Which accomplishments are you most proud of? And how does that fit your client avatar’s expectations?

If you’re a native local, great! Part of your origin story is that you were born and raised in the area, so you know everything and everyone.

If you’re a transplant, great! San Diegan by birth, Angelino by choice. Still a great start to your story.

Write down your origin story. It’ll make a great addition to your professional bio !

Your Mission

Why are you doing what you’re doing? What drives you to hustle every day? And, again, how does that fit your client avatar’s expectations? Your personal mission should be meaningful to your clients.

Your Differentiator

Now’s the hard part: verbalizing your uniqueness.

Which of your prospective clients’ needs can you meet better than your competitors? That’s your differentiator.

Here are a few differentiator ideas:

• Best list-to-price ratio in your niche
• Best online presence
• Biggest professional network of investors
• Most experience with VA loans
• Only local agent who speaks Spanish

And if you’re really struggling to find your differentiator, how about offering something no one else is offering? Consider offering services like:

• Professional staging for all sellers,
• New home photo shoots for all buyers, or
• Complimentary annual property tax reviews to make sure your clients are never over-taxed (and if they are, you can offer your property tax appeal services on a contingency fee basis!).

There are a million ways to differentiate yourself. Figure out what’s going to make the biggest difference to your prospective clients.

Your 5 Magic Words

To fully cement your professional image, choose five magic words that best describe you and your brand. These magic words will guide all your real estate agent branding. If you look at your business cards, website, or marketing materials, and they don’t SCREAM these five words, then you’ll know something needs to be changed.

Your differentiator may immediately bring a word or two to mind. So might your client avatar.

Then you’re looking for words that convey an idea or emotion you want to resonate with your target audience.

These are going to be your five magic words. So own them and live them!

3. Transform Your Offer into a Vision

Now that you have a better understanding of your offer, you can turn it into a vision.

In this step, your unique real estate agent branding will really start to take shape!

Choose Your Brand’s Name and Tagline

Naming your brand is harder than most agents expect, mostly because many of the best names are already taken. You need a name that you can “.com” for your website, but that name also has to be available across all social media platforms. Here are a few pointers to simplify the process:

• Keep it under 15 characters. Otherwise, you’ll have to abbreviate your X (formerly Twitter) handle, which dilutes your branding.
• Think lifestyle and location .  MB Luxury, Venice Living, or Living in the OC for example. These all focus on the lifestyle of your target audience.
• Never incorporate your Broker’s name. Because 1) it’s probably trademarked and 2) you don’t want to tie your brand to your broker because that creates complications if or when you decide to part ways.
• Check to see if the domain name is available for your website. If you type your idea into Bluehost’s domain search , it will tell you if the name is available.
• Then check to see if the name is available on social media platforms. Is there already an @VeniceLiving on Insta?

If you’re struggling with this step, don’t let it prevent you from moving forward. When in doubt, use your name. If you have a unique name, it could be your brand name by itself. Otherwise, you could incorporate your name with your lifestyle or location. OC Estates by Sarah, Sean Sells Santee, or Lilly’s Life in LB.

Then you can craft your tagline. Skip the cheesy rhyming taglines of the last century. Instead, explain your differentiator in just a few words. That’s a much more powerful tagline.

Create a Mood Board

The best way to start visualizing your brand is to create a mood board. A mood board is basically just a collage of images with a cohesive look that reflects your idea of your brand. These could be patterns, lifestyle photos, design elements, and color swatches.

Here are a few examples:

Your mood board should be a visual reflection of your offer. If you offer fun and fresh service for first-time buyers, your mood board should scream fun and fresh with bright colors and trendy designs. And if you offer home-grown expertise in agricultural properties, your mood board should whisper farmhouse chic with natural colors and materials.

Want a shortcut?

If you don’t have time to scour the Internet looking for mood board images, just enter “Mood Board” or “Branding Board” on Pinterest. You’ll find tons of professionally curated boards to inspire your personal mood board.

But one quick word of caution: you could get stuck at this stage for weeks because there are so many engaging boards to see. My recommendation is to set a timer for 20 minutes. Browse away, pinning the images that really speak to you. Then use 10 additional minutes to narrow down your selections until you have a brand board you love.

Choose Your Official Brand Colors

One of the reasons I love the Mood and Branding Boards on Pinterest is that they usually come with a beautifully coordinated color palate.

Choosing colors is difficult for most of us because there are so many shades and it’s hard to know which colors best complement each other. Using the colors from a professionally designed board ensures that your colors all work together perfectly.

If you see a color you love, but can’t figure out exactly what color it is, here’s a quick and easy way to find out:

1. Save the image to your computer.

2. Upload that image to imagecolorpicker.com .

3. Click anywhere on the image to get the details for the color you want from the image.

You’ll be able to use the HTML code or the RGM code to get your colors just right on your website, marketing materials, and social media posts.

So you’ll always have perfectly matched brand colors!

Decide on Your Font(s) and Any Design Elements

It’s generally best to stick with two fonts: one bold, and one for easy readability. Your bold font will go on your headers, titles, and logo, and your readability font will be everything else.

Like with colors, you want your fonts to complement each other. There are lots of resources online to find font pairings. Here’s an example of some front combinations from Inkbotdesign.com :

Just make sure you have access to your chosen fonts on all the platforms you use (your website, your marketing design software, etc) as some platforms only offer limited font selections.

If you’re going to have any custom design elements (stripes, brush strokes, patterns, etc), now is also the time to select those.

Create Your Logo

Finally, it’s time to choose your logo.

This is another step that stalls lots of agents. But we have a shortcut to help you get this done quickly and easily.

Head to Etsy . They have lots of personalized logo packs at great rates.

Some Etsy sellers even offer custom-designed logos. If you don’t see an existing logo pack, you can just contact those sellers with your fonts, colors, brand name, and any of your unique design ideas, and they’ll get you set up in no time.

Before long, your target audience will start to recognize your unique real estate agent branding. They’ll know what you and your brand stand for. And they’ll know how to reach you when they’re ready to buy or sell!

The finance chapter of your real estate agent business plan consists of the following sections:

• Performance from the Past Year
• Projections for the Upcoming Year

Income Goal

• Long-Term Planning

1. Review Your Performance from the Past Year

To know where you’re going, it helps to know where you’re coming from.

Reviewing your financial performance from the past year will give you an idea of what to expect (in terms of income and expenses) for the coming year.

A quick note about expenses: As an independent contractor, you have more than just personal expenses to consider. You also need to consider business expenses. We’ll discuss both.

If this is your first year in real estate, your prior year’s data won’t include relevant business expenses or reliable income figures. You’ll just need to spend more time researching average income and expense data in Step 2. But you will still benefit from reviewing last year’s personal expenses so you’ll know how much to budget in those categories for the coming year.

Most agents find it helpful to look at the expenses first when reviewing their financials. When your income is uncertain, starting with your expenses lets you know exactly how much income you need to make to cover all your needs. So we’re going to follow that method by listing expenses first.

Now, I like to start with personal expenses since many of these are essential to your life, regardless of the current state of your business.

Personal expenses include:

• Personal Vehicle
• Personal Care
• Debt Payments
• Savings and Investments
• Charitable Giving

All you need to do is list all your personal expenses and assign an amount to each. You may find it helpful to list both the annual total amounts and the average monthly amounts .

Then you can move on to your business expenses.

Business expenses include:

• Work Vehicle
• Work Cell Phone
• Office Space (if not covered by your Broker)
• Website Hosting
• Membership Dues
• Client Gifts
• Federal and State Income Taxes

If you’re new to real estate, you’ll need to account for a few start-up costs as well:

• Licensing fees
• A real estate website ( a must for today’s serious agents )
• Any onboarding fees charged by your broker
• Business cards
• Initial self-promotional marketing

Do you feel like your expenses are too high in any category? Ask yourself if it’s reasonable to cut back on that expense in the coming year. If so, great! And if not, at least you’ll know to budget enough for that category in the coming year.

The bulk of your income will, in all likelihood, come from real estate transactions. But this shouldn’t be your only source of income.

Savvy agents are diversifying their income streams to recession-proof their businesses and reach financial independence. Check out our massive list of 55 Ways to Make Money in Real Estate for some income ideas that will complement your real estate business.

Just like you did with your expenses, list your income sources from this past year and the amounts earned from each source.

Your income minus your business expenses equals your profit.

How did you do last year? Are you satisfied with last year’s profit? Or do you need to lower your business expenses, increase your income, or both to reach a profit you’re happy with in the coming year?

Your income minus your total expenses (personal and business) is your cash flow. This shows how much more money you make than you spend.

As long as you’re including savings and investments in your expenses (which you absolutely should be, otherwise those will end up neglected!), your cash flow number doesn’t need to be large. You just want to be sure you’re making more than you’re spending.

If there’s anything you don’t love about your financials from the past year, don’t panic. Instead, focus on what you want to do differently in the next 12 months. That’s what we’ll do in Step 2.

2. Plan Your Financials for the Coming Year

Now it’s time to create your real estate agent financial plan for this coming year.

• How much do you plan to spend?
• And how much do you plan to earn?

Using last year’s expenses as a guide, write down your estimated expenses in each category for the coming year. You may have to do a little research to get estimates on some figures if this will be your first year incurring that particular expense.

The most important thing when estimating your expenses is to be as accurate as possible. Many of us have a tendency to think our numbers should be lower, so we underestimate our expenses, and subsequently end up breaking our budget.

A good rule of thumb is to budget high. If you come in under budget, great! You’ll have more money at the end of the year to invest in business expansion.

With your expenses calculated, you now know exactly how much money you need to make this year to cover all your expenses.

How does that number line up with last year’s income?

Do you expect this year’s income to be similar?

Again, accuracy is key. Your income goal should be achievable , but it should also be difficult enough to really make you work.

By the way, in the next step, we’ll create a plan to make your income goal a reality. That step will be a good litmus test to see if your income goal is reasonable.

Assuming you hit your planned expense and income figures this year, what will your profit be? Again, it’s just income minus business expenses.

How does this projected profit compare to last year’s profit? Are you happy with this profit? If not, now’s the time to review your projected expenses and income to see if you need to make any adjustments.

When you subtract your total expenses from your projected income, are you still at a positive number? Because you need to be!

3. Create a Plan to Meet Your Income Goal

Now that you have an income goal in mind, we need to create a bulletproof plan to hit that goal.

To do this, we need to answer two questions:

• How many homes do you need to sell this year to meet your income goal?
• How many leads do you need to reach to sell that many homes?

Let’s look at each question in turn.

How Many Homes Do You Need to Sell?

Here’s the formula to calculate the number of homes you need to sell:

————————————————————————————————

(Average Home Price x Your Average Commission Percentage x Your Commission Split)

For anyone not algebraically inclined: we’re just figuring out your after-broker commission from an average sale, and then dividing your income goal by that number.

As an example:

If the average home price in your niche is $250,000, the average commission per agent is 3%, and your split with your broker is 50%, you would need to sell 27 average homes to generate $100,000 in gross income. ($250,000 times 3% = $7,500 x 50% = $3,750. So you make $3,750 on each average transaction. And $100,000 divided by $3,750 is 26.666 houses, rounded to 27.)

So, what’s your magic number?

Now, how are you going to meet that sales goal?

How Many Leads Do You Need to Reach?

First, let’s break down your home sale goal by month so it’s less daunting. Divide your magic number by 12 to figure out how many homes you need to sell each month on average.

Now, how many leads do you need to reach each month to sell that many homes?

To figure this out, you need to know your conversion rate. How many leads does it take on average to close a single deal? For seasoned agents, this is a matter of tracking your leads and your closed deals to know your personal conversion rate. For new agents, 100 leads for every 1 closed deal is a safe estimate in most markets. This number will improve as you gain sales experience and establish yourself in the market.

Here’s the formula for calculating your monthly lead requirements:

number of deals needed x number of leads required to make one sale

That number may seem high. But let’s make it more manageable by figuring out how many leads you need to generate each day. To do that, divide your required leads per month by 16. Why 16? Because life happens, and you can’t reasonably expect to prospect every single day of every month. So we’re figuring 4 workdays for 4 weeks per month.

As long as you commit to hitting your prospecting target 4 days per week, there’s no reason you shouldn’t hit your income goal!

4. Tracking Your Finances

This is one of the most often ignored steps in creating a real estate agent financial plan: tracking.

How will you know if you’re on track to stay on budget and meet your income goal if you don’t track your finances through the year?

Unexpected expenses and sales droughts can completely derail your financial plan. It’s important to catch these in real-time so you can adjust your plan as needed to get back on track as quickly as possible.

Keep a monthly log for expenses, and one for income. And actually use them! That’s the tricky part. It’s a good idea to schedule 15-30 minutes each week specifically to log your income and expenses from the previous week. Put this recurring appointment in your calendar to remind you to build this financial habit.

5. Long-Term Planning and Tracking

The final step to creating your bullet-proof real estate agent financial plan is to create a long-term financial plan.

Long-term financial planning is difficult for real estate agents. It’s hard enough to plan for a single year. How are you supposed to plan 5-10 years (or more!) into the future?

No one expects you to accurately forecast your income and expenses for the next 10 years. But there are some long-term financial plans that wise agents track. Btw, if you want to learn more on this topic, check out Financial Planning for Real Estate Agents for a comprehensive overview.

Planning to retire as a real estate agent is tough. You don’t have a 401(k) or a pension plan. So you have to plan for retirement on your own.

A Solo 401(k) is a great option because it allows you to contribute more each year than IRAs.

The key to retirement savings is to start early and save consistently. Compound interest will work its magic from there.

Aim to set aside a full 10% of your gross income for retirement. But start slowly if 10% sounds like too much for you to spare. Start with 3% of every transaction for the first year. Then 5% the next year. And keep increasing until you hit 10%. If you’re starting retirement savings later in life, you may need to save more. If you have other income-generating assets, like rental properties, you may be able to save less. Talk to a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) if you need help figuring out your retirement plan.

Your Dreams

It’s sad that most of us put such a low priority on our dreams.

How many of us desperately want to travel or open our own brokerages or start a non-profit for the community? And how many of us never do these things because we just don’t have the money?

Make your dreams a priority by building them into your financial plan every year. And tracking your Dream Fund finances over the long term.

Your Legacy

What do you want to leave for the next generation?

You certainly don’t need to leave an inheritance for your children, but you may want to help your children and/or grandchildren with education expenses as your legacy. Maybe you want to create a family business to leave behind? Or build a community park for future generations to enjoy. Or establish a non-profit to assist those who come after you.

If you want to leave a legacy like these, you’ll need to include them in your long-term financial planning.

Your Net Worth

Tracking net worth year-over-year is one of the most rewarding financial exercises you can do!

Net worth is the best indicator of overall financial health. It’s a comparison of your debts to your assets. Think of it like this: if you sold everything you owned and paid off all your debts today, how much would you have left?

To calculate your net worth, start by listing all your assets and their present-day values:

• Checking Accounts
• Savings Accounts
• Retirement Accounts
• Investment Accounts
• Real Estate Holdings
• Collectibles

Now, list all the current balances on all your debts:

• Student Loans
• Credit Cards
• Business Loans
• Personal Loans

And finally, subtract the debts from the assets. The result is your current net worth.

The more assets you accumulate, the more your net worth will skyrocket. Especially if you acquire assets that appreciate, like real estate and financial investments (stocks and bonds).

Invest the time in calculating your net worth just once or twice per year. The motivation to improve your finances lasts long after you complete this small task. And as your net worth grows, you’ll find that you’re actually excited to calculate your new net worth and see how much your financial health has improved since the last check.

3. Marketing

Marketing builds on some of the foundation work you did in the branding and finance sections of your real estate agent business plan. With your financial goals and target market in mind, you can build a marketing plan to suit your audience and earn you enough leads to hit your goal.

The marketing chapter of your real estate agent business plan consists of:

• Knowing Where Your Leads are Coming from
• Scheduling Your Marketing Activities
• Adding New Marketing Activities Each Year
• Tracking Your Results

1. Know Where Your Leads Are Coming From

Do you know where your leads are coming from?

Online? Geo-farming? Cold-calling the Expireds? Somewhere else?

To know where your marketing dollars are making the most bang, you need to know which marketing methods are working for you.

If you don’t have a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system that automatically tracks the return on investment for your leads, you can create a basic spreadsheet to handle this task. Just list your marketing methods in a column on the far left, then add columns for the:

• annual cost of each marketing method
• number of leads generated every year by each method
• cost per lead (annual cost divided by the number of leads generated)
• number of closed deals
• net profit from those closed deals
• ROI of each method (net profit divided by the annual cost)

(By the way, The Ultimate Real Estate Agent Business Plan on Etsy includes a ready-made template for you.)

If you’re brand new to the business and don’t yet have any data to analyze, don’t worry. Start your marketing strategy with three to five cost-effective marketing methods. My recommendations for most new agents in most markets are:

• Social Media Marketing.  You can create professional profiles and post for free (check out How to Create a Lead-Generating Social Media Calendar for tips). And if you don’t have the time or design skill to create your own social media posts, sign up for DRIP by Key Real Estate Resources.  You’ll get fresh social media posts and a new social media calendar delivered to you each month!
• Content Marketing.  Add blog posts to your website to boost your search engine rankings so buyers and sellers can find you online.
• Calling FSBOs and Expireds. T hese people are actively trying to sell! Get out there and talk to them. In fact, consider hosting a FSBO seminar where you give  real information about the home selling process. When sellers see what’s required to get top-dollar, they’ll probably list. And they’ll choose the agent who gave them the real info they were looking for! No time for a seminar? Offer a free FSBO guide instead.
• Mailers. Mailers may be old school, but they’re still a low-cost way to generate leads in many markets.
• Open Houses. While open houses aren’t effective for selling in all markets, they’re often effective at generating new leads .

2. Schedule Your Marketing Activities

Armed with your chosen marketing methods, it’s time to decide exactly when you’re going to take action.

You know that if it isn’t on your calendar, it won’t get done. Other tasks, like showings and inspections, will inevitably take priority because they are more urgent. Don’t let the urgent tasks keep you from the important tasks. And since your business doesn’t exist without a client pipeline, marketing is possibly the single most important task you can complete to keep your business growing. So schedule it!

Grab your calendar now and decide when you’ll:

• Launch your website (if you don’t already have one)
• Write and publish your blog posts (one per week is ideal)
• Post to social media (several times per week on your focus platforms, and at least once per week on the other major platforms). By the way, if you don’t have time to create your social media content, consider a service that creates the posts for you. DRIP by Key Real Estate Resources offers plans starting at just $9/mo.
• Call Expireds and FSBOs (daily! – so what time will you carve out every day for distraction-free phone marketing?)
• Send mailers (at least quarterly)
• Attend networking events
• Order any print media ads
• Launch any social media ad campaigns
• Etc, etc, etc

3. Add a New Marketing Activity Every Year

The real estate industry is always changing. What works one year might not work so well the next. And next year, you may find new marketing opportunities you weren’t even aware of this year.

Innovative agents experiment with new marketing technologies to keep their businesses growing.

In a hot market, you want to target FSBOs. When homes sell quickly, people think they can save on commission by selling themselves. So you need to show them what it takes to sell for top dollar.

And in a down market, you have a few options. One effective marketing activity to add in a down-market is to target renters. Home prices are lower than average, interest rates are favorable, and rents are increasing. Show these renters how to get a low down payment FHA or VA loan so they can use the market to their advantage! To really boost your leads, try creating your own Renter-to-Homeowner Program .

Another great example (albeit a more ambitious one!) of a new marketing plan for a down-market is to expand your services to include the property tax appeals service we mentioned in our discussion about your Differentiator. Most agents don’t even know this service exists, but it can provide you with a whole new income stream while simultaneously generating new leads and nurturing your relationship with past clients. And it’s far easier than you might imagine!

All you have to do is explain to the county that your client’s home is worth less than the value on their tax bill (which is  very often the case in a down market). You do this by running comps, like you already know how to do. If the county agrees, they’ll lower your client’s property taxes, and you get a cut of that reduction. You’ll be able to pitch this service to all homeowners in your niche and gain some serious exposure for your real estate business! Learn more by reading How to Make Money With Property Tax Appeals .

There are tons of creative marketing strategies that most agents never consider. Trying a new marketing activity each year will keep your business growing in any market!

4. Track Your Results

To know what works you need to track your results.

Back in Step 3, we looked at where your leads are currently coming from, as well as the return on investment for each marketing method. Without tracking your leads, you’ll never have this valuable data to help guide your next marketing move.

Every time a new lead comes in, record the marketing source that drove them. If you have a fancy CRM database, you can record the information there. If you’re just keeping your leads in a simple spreadsheet, no problem! Just make sure you have a column to record the source. And if you don’t currently have a system, consider spending a few bucks on a done-for-you CRM template .

4. Operations

Last section! The operations chapter of your real estate agent business plan consists of five parts:

• Supplies and Vendors
• Lead Follow-up
• Building Referrals

Let’s take a closer look at each…

1. Services

Here’s a question most agents never think to ask themselves: What services should I offer?

Most agents think the answer is obvious. You sell real estate, right? What’s to ask?

This is a HUGE missed opportunity.

There’s so much more to real estate than sales. What other services could you offer to 1) diversify your income, 2) recession-proof your real estate business, and 3) best serve your clients?

Not sure what I mean? Here are a few examples of services that would complement your existing real estate practice:

Property Tax Appeals

We’ve mentioned property tax appeals a few times already. It’s just such a perfect fit for real estate agents (who already have about 95% of the knowledge and skills required to make money in property tax appeals), but surprisingly few agents are capitalizing on this homeowner need! Again, to learn more, check out How to Make Money With Property Tax Appeals

New Home Photo Shoots

If it isn’t on Instagram, it didn’t happen. Millennials and beyond want to show off their new home on social media. And they’re willing to pay for quality photos of themselves in their new place.

If you have photography skills (or you partner with a professional photographer for your listing photos), you can easily add this service to your real estate business.

Offer photoshoot packages to your buyer clients. But don’t stop there. Ask your colleagues if you can reach out to their buyers as well. Then promote your photoshoot services online. Before you know it, you’ll have a healthy new income stream!

And the best part: your clients’ social media pics become free advertising for you. Not only will this boost your photography services, but it can also bring you new buyers and sellers!

Read more about the benefits of offering new home photoshoots .

Property Management

If you want to land more investor clients (and wow them with your services!), offer property management services.

You know, tenant screenings, rent collection, maintenance requests, renewals, etc.

In most markets, property managers can command a 10-20% commission on the monthly rent for property management. It doesn’t take many units to add up to a substantial income stream.

Not interested in taking on ongoing property management work? Simply helping property owners screen new tenants can earn you a commission of around 50% of the first month’s rent, and then the day-to-day management can be handled by the property owner until they need new tenants. It’s an easy way to land a quick paycheck!

Other Services

There are tons of other ideas for additional income streams you can add to your real estate business. Check out 55 Ways to Make Money in Real Estate for more ideas!

2. Supplies and Vendors

Once you know what services you will offer, you can plan for your supply and vendor needs.

As a service business, your supplies should be minimal. Here are a few supplies to consider:

• Marketing Materials
• Software Subscriptions

Not much to it!

Depending on the services you offer, you may need to utilize the services of several vendors.

On the real estate sales side, you have the standard players:

• Escrow Officers
• Transaction Coordinators
• Marketing Publications

Then consider your other income streams. If you’re offering property tax appeals, you may want to hire a virtual assistant during appeal season to research assessed values and handle your data entry. If you’re offering new home photoshoots, you may want to partner with a professional photographer.

Ask yourself two key questions:

• Would a vendor boost the quality of my business?
• Is it worth paying someone to complete certain tasks so I can focus my energy where it will have the greatest impact?

If the answer to either question is yes , you should absolutely use a vendor.

3. Your Team

For many real estate agents, you’re a team of one! You do everything yourself. But many agents want to grow a larger team: admin, buyer’s agents, listing specialists, etc.

Technology has opened many opportunities to help you grow your team. For example, your first team addition might be an inexpensive virtual assistant. You can hire a real estate assistant to take care of all your data entry, social media engagement, appointment setting, and even blog writing! And you don’t have to pay a full-time salary or offer benefits to a freelancer.

Tech has also introduced new challenges. Managing a virtual admin is very different from having an assistant in your office. You don’t get the face-to-face communication, and you don’t have the level of control that you would have over a full-time, in-office employee.

What works best for you? You can always try hiring a freelance VA for a short time to see if you’re comfortable with that arrangement. And if not, you can post a job ad on Craig’s List for a part-time (or full-time!) in-office assistant. This position is generally paid hourly. Depending on your market, this could be a $12-$20 per hour position.

Then you can branch out into specialists. The order of your hires will depend on your personal strengths and preferences. If you love listing and you’re great at it, you don’t need a listing specialist; focus on getting a buyer’s agent, marketing coordinator, and operations manager instead.

Be honest with yourself about which tasks you just don’t enjoy, and which tasks you struggle with, then hire people with those as strengths!

Just remember to give yourself time to grow. You don’t need to go from 1 person to 10 people this year. It takes time to build an effective team. Give yourself 6-12 months between each hire to avoid the worst of the growing pains.

Here’s an example of an org chart for a full real estate team (the numbers indicate a recommended order of hire):

4. Lead Follow-Up

First, schedule time every day for your lead follow-up. Every workday, you’re going to sit down at a designated time, open your CRM (Customer Relationship Manager), and follow up with your leads. Statistically, the best times to reach people are 8-10 am and 4-6 pm. So for the best chances of success, your follow-up should take place during those hours.

Studies have repeatedly proven that you don’t convert a lead to an active client in a single follow-up. It typically takes 7-8 touches for a lead to become your client. But that’s just an average. If you really want to boost your production, you need to follow up with every lead until they become your exclusive client.

What if your lead ends up listing with another agent? They’re still a lead. Contact them every few weeks to make sure they’re satisfied with their agent’s performance. If that listing expires, who do you think is going to land the new listing?

Here are some tips to increase your conversion rates from leads to clients:

• Put every single lead in your CRM. Every seasoned agent has been surprised by a lead they thought was low-quality. If you don’t log the lead, you lose them.
• When a new lead comes in, aim to reply to them within five minutes. The sooner, the better! Auto-responders can buy you a little time.
• Schedule your next follow-up immediately after every follow-up.

5. Building a Referral Business

What is your plan for after the deal closes? Is your current plan resulting in repeat business and referrals? If not, it’s time to re-think your post-close plan.

Lucky for you, I have a tried-and-true plan, ready for you to implement today!

Here’s a simple 3-step process for building a referral business:

Step 1: Showing Genuine Gratitude

Some agents are bucking the trend of closing gifts. They have already provided quality service, so they don’t see the need to spend part of their hard-earned commission on a closing gift.

But failing to give a closing gift is a huge missed opportunity.

First, many clients expect a closing gift because of the tradition of closing gifts. And your goal is always to exceed expectations, never to disappoint your clients.

Then there’s also the fact that closing gifts give you the opportunity to express your appreciation for your clients’ business. Without their business, you don’t survive as a real estate agent. So cultivate that attitude of gratitude and show your thanks with a thoughtful closing gift.

Lastly, closing gifts are an opportunity to make a lasting impression. A thoughtful closing gift helps your clients remember you. And a carefully selected closing gift can even generate referrals! Check out our list of 20 affordable closing gifts guaranteed to impress your clients .

Step 2: Providing Ongoing Value

Most agents consider the job done when the deal closes. Savvy agents know that a little ongoing effort pays off HUGE in referral and repeat business.

How can you help your clients after the sale? First-time homeowners are pretty clueless when it comes to home maintenance. Maybe you can send them a friendly list of home maintenance issues to tackle each season.

Offering property tax appeal services is a great way to provide value to your clients every year! Surprise and delight your clients by conducting a “complimentary property tax assessment review” every year. All you have to do is compare the assessed taxable value to the market value.

• If the assessed taxable value is lower than the market value, you can send the client a letter to let them know that you’ve confirmed that their property taxes for the current year are fair and ready to be paid in full.
• If the assessed taxable value is higher than the market value, you can let your clients know that your calculations indicate they are being over-taxed, and you’re happy to file a property tax appeal on their behalf to try to lower the taxes for them. (you can download a done-for-you letter template from our post on property tax appeals).

You should also send custom value estimates to your clients every 6-12 months to let them know how much their home has increased in value (just in case they’re thinking of selling).

Step 3: Maintaining the Personal Relationship

Don’t just rely on blanket marketing to stay in touch with your former clients. Schedule some personal touches as well to make sure your personal relationship is maintained.

Here are a few examples of effective personal touches:

• Send a Happy Housiversary Card every year. And maybe a small gift for that first year (if you really want to wow your clients!)
• Host an annual appreciation event , and invite all your formal clients. A simple party at home is nice and personal. But it’s certainly not the only option. Hosting an outdoor movie night is perfect for families. Offering a “Hidden Gems” tour of your city is great for areas with lots of non-natives. And renting out a boat for a sunset cruise with drinks and live music would be ideal for luxury market clients.
• Check in out-of-the-blue. Send a quick text just to say, hey I was just thinking about you and wondering how you’re doing. Is anything new and exciting going on? These messages are great because there’s no agenda. You’re just reaching out to an old friend to see how they’re doing.

With these personal touches, you’re not just staying in front of clients, you’re building on your personal relationships with them!

Congrats on Completing Your Real Estate Agent Business Plan!

Whew…I know that was a long read (or a long scroll, anyway).

But if you follow the steps outlined in this post, you’re going to end up with a complete real estate agent business plan to provide direction and accountability to your real estate business.

You owe it to yourself to complete your real estate agent business plan and set yourself up for a career full of success.

All the best to you and your business!

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The Business Plan Real Estate Professionals Need In 2024 

A guide to developing an actionable business plan that gets your new real estate company off the ground..

Not having a business plan is the quickest way for your new real estate company to fail. In fact, 25% of enterprises without a business plan fail within the first two years of operating.

However, a business plan entails much more than a mission statement, executive summary, and financial plan. A concrete plan encompasses all the aspects involved in running a successful real estate business.

Proper real estate business planning includes thinking beyond the first few clients you’ll acquire. Solid business plans incorporate considerations for building your real estate team, promoting your business, and competing in ever-changing markets.

In this article, we discuss three steps to develop a comprehensive business plan for your new real estate company so that you can achieve longevity and success.

Step One: Conduct Market Analysis

It’s likely that the market you’re entering into is crowded. Your business plan needs to outline how you will compete within your niche. To do this, you can conduct market analysis.

You need to answer the question: why would clients choose to buy or sell with me and not other companies?

It’s vital to look at what your competitors are doing on a regular basis. This allows you to find ideas that you can easily replicate and identify gaps in the market that you can fill.

➡️ Understand your target market

You’ll need in-depth knowledge of the real estate market to grow your brokerage. Keeping your finger on the pulse of this fast-moving industry requires regular research.

For example, you could check listings or read real estate newsletters several times a week. This will help you understand market trends and find new ways to generate leads for your own business.

When developing your business plan, you should research:

• The types of properties in your area.
• The average sales prices for these properties.
• The average time on the market.
• Typical commission rates for agents
• What potential buyers are looking for.
• The current property demand.

You should also research the market at a state or national level and not limit your real estate business to local opportunities. 

➡️ Analyze your competition

Analyzing the competition helps you see where the market is saturated and how you can carve out your own unique proposition. 

As a new brokerage, you will go up against industry giants operating nationally, established local players, and innovative companies offering a powerful proposition. There are lessons to be learned from these types of real estate companies that you can use in your business plan.

➡️ Get ideas from industry giants

Companies like RE/MAX and Coldwell Banker are household names, with thousands of agents and extensive resources. You might not be able to compete with them directly, but what you can do is cherry-pick ideas that are effective and easy to implement. 

You can also look at what they’re doing poorly, for example. See their shortcomings as opportunities to fill a gap in the market.

A good example is spotting customer pain points and addressing them in your business plan. Take note of what is being written on review sites about your competitors, and think about how you will address such issues within your own business.

Customer pain points are often easy to find on review sites like Yelp or the Facebook page of a real estate business. Type in the competitor’s name, and you’ll quickly find positive and negative reviews.

➡️ Find ways to compete with established local players

Your business plan must include how you will convince prospective clients that they should choose you instead of the other local players.

Find ways to differentiate your real estate business from the rest. There are two main approaches to doing this.

The first is to avoid competing directly. Look at your competitors’ listings and see which properties they are good at selling. You can then target a different kind of property or customer and begin building a niche for your business.

Alternatively, you can take competitors on in their own niche. This will be tough, and you’ll need to identify a tangible benefit you can offer to draw customers away, such as lower commission rates.

➡️ Get inspiration from innovative realtors

Some real estate brokerages make a name for themselves by disrupting their target market with innovative propositions. You need to do the same within your business plan.

Examples include undercutting the market with cheaper real estate agent rates, offering to buy houses below market value, and selling on the customer’s behalf.

For example, Rex’s unique proposition is based on savings for their clients. They offer a 2% commission and a 50% rebate of the buyer’s agent commission in certain circumstances.

This sets them apart from the standard 6% commission paid by the client to traditional agents.

When considering a unique angle, don’t just try to be different—also think about what your target market is looking for. A community already getting low real estate agent rates won’t be interested in a 1% reduction, so be smart about how you improve on your competitors’ offerings.

Step Two: Plan Your Real Estate Business Structure

The structure of your real estate business will define how it operates on a day-to-day basis. Your business plan is an opportunity to make crucial decisions about your structure.

Don’t forget to regularly review your initial business structure a few times per year—for example, when reporting quarterly figures. Regular reviews allow you to make changes to your structure without being stuck in one model for a full year.

The only exception is finding agents, which you should make time for every week, especially in the early days of your real estate brokerage. 

➡️ Choose between a franchise or an independent business model 

One of the first questions you must ask yourself is whether you want to be completely independent or buy into a franchise.

The real estate sector is home to many large and successful franchises. That’s because they can give brokers brand recognition and help them attract clients quickly.

Franchises also offer a range of advanced tools, including software for lead tracking, email marketing efforts, deal management, and commission calculating.

The downside is that you’ll give up a certain level of freedom and have to pay a license fee.

Well-known franchise RE/MAX provides extensive support options for its franchisees, including a toll-free line, a grand opening, online support, proprietary software, and a franchisee intranet platform.

However, these benefits don’t come cheap. According to Franchise Direct , RE/MAX’s total franchise fees can cost up to $239,500 . This is what the fees cover:

Some of these fees are optional and will not be relevant if you decide to operate remotely, for example. In this case, the license cost will decrease accordingly, and the initial investment could be as low as $43,000.

➡️ Choose between a remote or on-site office location

Your business plan must define how you and your team will work. You could decide to run a remote brokerage. This is more affordable to operate and allows you to sell properties almost anywhere.

To begin with, all you’ll need is a phone and laptop. In the long run, you’ll need the right software and technology to offer clients a great service.

For example, Matterport provides 3D technology that allows you to create virtual tours of properties. They simplify uploading videos to your site, and you can even include space measurements.  

On the other hand, a brick-and-mortar brokerage provides presence and visibility in busy areas. 

This means that people are more likely to think of you when it comes to selling their homes. You’ll also pick up passing trade and inquiries from people who want to deal with a real estate agent face-to-face.  

However, it also means covering overheads such as electricity and rent, which can significantly increase your operating costs.

We recommend that new brokerages start remotely and only open a brick-and-mortar office if they can afford it. 

➡️ Find great real estate agents

A real estate business cannot function without good agents. A top-tier real estate agent will generate leads that help grow your business and get your name out there.

When your real estate business starts out, it might not be possible to afford more experienced agents because they come with higher demands and commission expectations.

Therefore, finding a promising real estate agent still trying to make a name for themselves is a smart way to gain talent at a lower cost.

➡️ Network with local real estate agents

You’ll need to get out there and start networking to meet potential agents and understand what they are looking for. 

Attend local industry networking events, listen to agents’ concerns and frustrations, and figure out how you can provide them with a better offer.

Invite successful local agents for lunch and find out what would make them want to work for your real estate business. You can also ask them whether they know other agents looking to change brokerages.

➡️ Offer agents a better package

A good question to ask yourself is why these agents would switch to your brokerage and how you will retain this talent once you have it.

You need to offer an enticing commission structure that allows your real estate business to profit.

A great example of this is EXIT Realty . This real estate business is known for attracting top agents through a commission structure that rewards good performance. Agents who recruit other employees receive a bonus. Additionally, all their agents receive training to keep them updated with industry trends.

EXIT Realty is a large real estate business with extensive resources. However, you can apply the same underlying training and incentive principles to your recruitment strategy.

➡️ Consider your real estate agent commission structure

Your commission structure is the main factor in attracting agents, and it’s something you need to consider in your business plan.

While agent commission is typically between 5 and 6%, the way it is split between broker and real estate agent can be agreed upon in different ways. The three most common are:

• Traditional commission split: The total commission is divided between the agent and the broker. This offers the real estate agent a limited incentive.
• Commission threshold: The percentage the real estate agent pays the broker changes once they’ve passed an agreed-upon target. This is great motivation for agents and keeps real estate business profits growing.
• Flat-fee structure: The real estate agent keeps 100% of the commission but pays a regular flat fee to the brokerage. This is a better option for a brokerage with a high turnover.

➡️ Offer client incentives

Client incentives help your brokerage to stand out. You’ll need to ensure that your buyer and seller incentives fit your commission structure and niche. Your business plan needs to outline these before your first deal.

For example, offering a flat fee would not be an essential factor for sellers in the luxury property market and would limit your profits if you pay high commission rates.

 The most common incentives include:

• 1% fee: This is a lower fee than the average of 3%. You earn less per sale, which incentivizes sellers to choose your brokerage. 
• Flat-fee brokerage : Offering to work for a flat fee ensures the client knows exactly what they’re paying for, no matter the final sale price.
• Minimum-service flat fee: This model removes the agent, leaving the seller to find the buyer. For a flat fee, it offers minimal services, such as listing the property on a multiple listings service (MLS).
• Charitable donation: This involves donating a percentage of your commission to a charitable cause, an option that could impress clients without costing the brokerage much.
• Express sale: The brokerage gives the seller a fast cash offer to buy the property from them before the broker sells it.

Step Three: Planning for Your First Sale

When you start out, no one will have heard of your real estate business, so it’s essential to get your name out there and build a good reputation.

While developing your real estate business plan, you need to consider how you will market your business and build your brand.

Here are some ideas for your brokerage’s marketing plan:

➡️ Use your existing connections

The real estate industry is all about person-to-person interaction, so the easiest way to make your first sale is by networking and using your current connections.

To begin with, you should call your contacts in local real estate and ask whether there are any opportunities available. 

Regularly remind friends and family to keep their ears to the ground and recommend you to anyone looking to sell or buy property.

You can gradually reduce the frequency of using personal contacts as your brokerage grows and starts to draw business through marketing and word of mouth. 

➡️ Build an online presence

An easy-to-use website, social media presence, and video content will all help you make your first sale.

Different parts of your website will need to be revisited at different times. For example, you’ll want to update your blog at least monthly, while your “About us” section may only change every few years.

Many companies offer website packages with a listings template, and almost all brokerages use these platforms and focus on this feature.

Your website should highlight your expertise and explain how you can help them successfully buy or sell property.

The key elements to include in your website are:

• An overview of your brokerage: Explain your value proposition to buyers and sellers.
• An “About us” section: Introduce each real estate agent your clients will work with and highlight their experience, expertise, any big companies they have worked for, or awards they have won.
• Contact section: Ensure potential clients can speak to an agent instantly. Include an instant messenger option or chatbot to encourage them to get in touch immediately.
• A real estate blog: Ensure your brand appears in search engine results pages (SERPs) and provide clients with helpful information by regularly posting blog articles. 

➡️ Design for free

There are many easy-to-use website builders that allow you to design your website for free.

Most website builders will charge you for purchasing a domain name or accessing higher-level customization options.

We recommend designing your website in the free version and switching to the paid-for option once you start selling. This saves spending money on your website until it is published.

➡️ Get a good domain name

The domain name is the business card of your real estate business. A simple, easy-to-remember address that someone can type into their search bar is important.

A good domain name could include what your real estate business does, where it is based, who runs it, or all of the above.

➡️ Conduct search engine optimization (SEO)

Good search engine optimization (SEO) is vital for modern brokerages.

If your website isn’t appearing high enough on search engine results pages, it’s unlikely that people would discover your brand when they search for it. 

SEO is all about working to increase organic traffic to your site through online searches.

The ultimate aim is to get Google to list your website on the first page of results for specific relevant keywords—for example, “real estate agents in Spokane.”

Appearing on the first page of the SERPs is vital, as few people look further than that.

Good SEO is an ongoing process, and you’ll need to monitor your website’s ranking at least monthly to ensure that your content continues to perform well on the SERPs.

Spokane REALTORS® have done an excellent job at landing the number one spot in Google’s SERPs for the keyword “Spokane realtors”.

➡️ Do it yourself or find an expert

You can either optimize your website yourself or hire an agency to do it for you.

Doing it yourself is time-consuming and requires some specialist software—however, it is possible to succeed with DIY SEO. This beginner’s tutorial from Ahrefs provides a step-by-step guide on how to optimize your website.

Using an agency, on the other hand, will cost you more money but may achieve better results.

Local SEO is critical when starting out in real estate, as you’ll usually work with specific neighborhoods and communities. Here are a few ways to improve your local SEO:

➡️ Create quality local content

Populating your website with relevant content will help it rank in SERPs. Consider questions local buyers and sellers may ask and write content that speaks to them.

For example, suppose you want to target the search term: “what is the average property value in Spokane.” In this case, you may choose to write an article about the city’s property market and how sellers can maximize their asking price.

You could also write blog posts that link to local stories. For example, you could create hyperlocal content around property news or changes in the local real estate market.

It’s crucial to ensure that your blog posts are of high quality. The better they are, the greater your chances of ranking well. Quality is far more important than quantity, so your articles should be well researched, expertly written, and relevant. 

➡️ Get onto local business directories

Ensuring you’re on large sites like Yelp and smaller local directories helps people find you through another avenue. It may also boost your local SEO ranking.

Google uses these sites to verify the information listed in its index, so the more your real estate business shows up on other sites, the more value is placed on its listing.

➡️ Create a Google My Business Profile

Google My Business is a free online tool that helps you market your real estate business on Google’s search page. It is a crucial part of good local SEO and a cornerstone of any marketing plan.

Here’s an example of a Google My Business profile for Spokane REALTORS®:

It boosts your brokerage’s visibility by giving you a free profile that appears on popular products such as Google Maps and Google Search.

The first step is to sign up and create the card that appears on the right-hand side of Google when someone searches for your brokerage.

This holds critical information like your website, location, and contact details. This way, if someone is interested in your brokerage, they can contact you immediately.

If you add your address, Google My Business will highlight your real estate business on Google Maps. Clicking your location icon on the map brings up your card. This is helpful if someone searches for a real estate business near them. Watch this guide on how to set up a Google My Business profile for more information.

➡️ Create an email list

Email blasts and newsletters are highly effective marketing strategies that you shouldn’t leave out of your business plan. Unfortunately, most realtors don’t do email campaigns well.

Many customers repeatedly receive the same email content from several brokerages, each providing outdated listings and telling them that the market is “hot.”

A hot market might be great news for realtors who benefit from high demand; however, buyers struggling to find a home may be frustrated by this.

Email campaigns waste time and money if you’re not giving customers useful information.

Put yourself in the client’s position when creating email content—what will help them buy or sell their property?

Here are a couple of ideas to create useful marketing email content:

🏠 Buying and selling tips

Most people only buy or sell a property a handful of times in their lives. This means they might only have a basic understanding of how the market and processes work.

Providing buying and selling tips helps them understand the process and sets you up as a trusted partner who understands their challenges.

According to Campaign Monitor , research shows that the perfect newsletter text is a maximum of 200 words—which is far too short to include useful information.

Instead, publish your guides as blog posts on your website and link to them via an enticing email campaign.

You could publish these blog posts on a weekly basis and round them up in an email newsletter at the end of each month. 

🏠 Listing alerts

Many brokerages send out monthly roundups or listings that are usually outdated by the time that clients read them. You can provide a more valuable service by offering customers the chance to sign up for daily alerts. 

Scan your target market every morning. If a new property becomes available, let subscribers to your daily alert mailing list know immediately. This way, you become a reliable source of new opportunities for buyers who may be struggling.

📧 Setting up your email campaign

Setting up a newsletter or email campaign is simple. There are many software options, but the most trusted include MailChimp , Sendinblue , and Active Campaign .

All three offer a free plan and have varying levels of customization to meet your needs.

Each allows you to easily import your own images and content into a template. Alternatively, you can build your newsletter from scratch.

➡️ Cold calling

Cold calling isn’t fun but it’s an effective way to achieve your first sale. Data from the Keller Center into the effectiveness of real estate agent cold calls found significant positive outcomes for successful cold calls.

Additionally, cold calling isn’t just limited to finding clients. You’ll also need to regularly call top-producing real estate professionals in order to build relationships with them and entice them to come and work for you.

To begin with, you’ll have to make cold calls on a daily basis to sell your first property or get your first real estate agent on board. However, even after that, you’ll still need to make regular sales calls to ensure your real estate business continues growing. 

Here is our step-by-step guide to cold calling:

📞 Create a prospects list

To start off with, you’re going to need a list of prospects—people who may be interested in your services.

Building a list requires some research, and an excellent place to start is with expired listings. These will alert you to people who want to sell their homes but have failed with other agents.

Another source is “For Sale By Owners” listings on large property websites. These sellers may be apprehensive about working with a real estate agent, but the effort of selling a house could have turned into an inconvenience by the time you contact them, making you the perfect alternative.

📞 Develop a sales pipeline

Once you have your list, you need to start making phone calls. Your aim shouldn’t be to immediately get the person to buy or sell property with you—after all, you’ve just called out of nowhere, and they don’t know who you are.

Create a sales pipeline that lets you gradually develop trust with the prospect and get them to buy into your services. Instead of getting the person to buy or sell with you, you aim to move them along the sales pipeline.

Here’s an example of a simple real estate sales pipeline, which is a crucial element of your business plan:

• Awareness: Get on the client’s radar, introduce your real estate business, and understand their needs. Ask them to commit to a short, no-obligation meeting or phone call to discuss how you could help them. Remove any leads that are genuinely not interested from your list.
• Engage: Meet in person or hold a call. Ideally, view the seller’s property or ask buyers what they are looking for. Ensure you get all the information you need from the customer. Ask buyers to let you suggest suitable properties for sale. Provide sellers with a proposal explaining why they should sell with you.
• Make an offer: Provide buyers with various property options and ask them to choose two or three to view with you. Present your proposal to sellers and ask for their feedback. If the feedback is negative, adjust your offer. If it’s positive, ask the client to sell with you.
• Qualify: At this stage, the buyer or seller becomes your client. Your aim is to close a deal and have a happy, satisfied customer.
• Recommend: Ask your client to write a favorable review online and to recommend you to their friends and family. Ask whether you can get a quote from them to use in your marketing efforts and ask their permission to feature a photograph of them at their new home.

📞 Stay motivated

Cold calling is tough. You should change your script if you’re not succeeding after five calls. Try a new tactic, for example, one based on where clients lost interest during unsuccessful calls.

Researchers from the Keller Center found that motivation is critical for cold-calling agents. Focussing on keeping up the momentum and not becoming despondent improves outcomes when an unreceptive person answers the phone.

Boost Your New Business with Software for Real Estate Success

Developing a comprehensive business plan that considers all the factors above is a surefire way to achieve success in your new real estate venture. 

One crucial part of your business plan to consider is the tools and systems you’ll use to run your company effectively. An example of a tool that can take your new business to the next level is Paperless Pipeline .

Our software automates the entire real estate transaction process, which means you don’t have to spend valuable time trying to stay on top of your transactions. 

Instead, you can focus on growing your new business while letting Paperless Pipeline handle transactions, document management, compliance, and agent commissions.

If you’d like to try Paperless Pipeline out yourself for free, visit our website . We can’t wait to show you how successful your new real estate business can be with our software.

Related Articles:

How to Start a Real Estate Brokerage — The complete guide to starting your own successful real estate brokerage.

The Complete Real Estate Transaction Guide – Real estate transactions from start to finish. Learn about the people involved, what needs to happen, and how to make it simpler.

The Complete Guide to Recruiting Real Estate Agents – Learn how to successfully recruit and retain the very best real estate agents.

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Blog Business 5 Real Estate Business Plan Examples & How to Create One?

5 Real Estate Business Plan Examples & How to Create One?

Written by: Danesh Ramuthi Nov 28, 2023

Crafting a business plan is essential for any business and the real estate sector is no exception. In real estate, a comprehensive business plan serves as a roadmap, delineating a clear path towards business growth. 

It guides owners, agents and brokers through various critical aspects such as identifying target markets, devising effective marketing strategies, planning finances and managing client relationships.

For real estate businesses, a well-written plan is crucial in attracting potential investors, showcasing the company’s mission statement, business model and long-term income goals.

So, how can you write one?

Leveraging tools like Venngage Business Plan Make r with their Business Plan Templates to create your own real estate business plan can be transformative.

They offer a lot of real estate business plan examples and templates, streamlining the process of crafting a comprehensive plan.

Click to jump ahead: 

• 5 real estate business plan examples

How to write a real estate business plan?

• Wrapping Up

5 Real estate business plan examples

As I have said before, a well-crafted business plan is a key to success. Whether you’re a seasoned agent or just starting out, examples of effective real estate business plans can offer invaluable insights. Along with a solid business plan, incorporating innovative real estate marketing ideas is crucial for standing out in this competitive market.

These examples showcase a range of strategies and approaches tailored to various aspects of the real estate market. They serve as guides to structuring a plan that addresses key components like market analysis, marketing strategies, financial planning and client management, ensuring a solid foundation for any real estate venture.

Real estate business plan example

There are various elements in a real estate business plan that must be integrated. Incorporating these elements into a real estate business plan ensures a comprehensive approach to launching and growing a successful real estate business. 

What are they?

• Executive summary: The executive summary is a concise overview of the real estate business plan. It highlights the mission statement, outlines the business goals and provides a snapshot of the overall strategy. 
• Company overview: An overview on the history and structure of the real estate business. It includes the company’s mission and vision statements, information about the founding team and the legal structure of the business. 
• Service: Here, the business plan details the specific services offered by the real estate agency. This could range from residential property sales and leasing to commercial real estate services. The section should clearly articulate how these services meet the needs of the target client and how they stand out from competitors.
• Strategies: A very crucial part of the plan outlines the strategies for achieving business goals. It covers marketing strategies to generate leads, pricing strategies for services, and tactics for effective client relationship management. Strategies for navigating market shifts, identifying key market trends and leveraging online resources for property listings and real estate listing presentations to help with lead generation are also included.
• Financial plan: The financial plan is a comprehensive section detailing the financial projections of the business. It includes income statements, cash flow statements , break-even analysis and financial goals. Besides, a financial plan section also outlines how resources will be allocated to different areas of the business and the approach to managing the financial aspects of the real estate market, such as average sales price and housing market trends.

Read Also: 7 Best Business Plan Software for 2023

Real estate investment business plan example

A real estate investment business plan is a comprehensive blueprint that outlines the goals and strategies of a real estate investment venture. It serves as a roadmap, ensuring that all facets of real estate investment are meticulously considered.

Creating a business plan for real estate investment is a critical step for any investor, regardless of their experience level Typically, these plans span one to five years, offering a detailed strategy for future company objectives and the steps required to achieve them.

Key components:

• Executive summary: Snapshot of the business, outlining its mission statement, target market, and core strategies. It should be compelling enough to attract potential investors and partners.
• Market analysis: A thorough analysis of the real estate market, including current trends, average sales prices and potential market shifts.
• Financial projections: Detailed financial plans, including income statements, cash flow analysis, and break-even analysis.
• Strategy & implementation: Outlines how the business plans to achieve its goals. This includes marketing efforts to generate leads, pricing strategies and client relationship management techniques.
• Legal structure & resource allocation: Details the legal structure of the business and how resources will be allocated across various operations, including property acquisitions, renovations and management.

Real estate agent business plan example

A real estate agent business plan is a strategic document that outlines the operations and goals of a real estate agent or agency. It is a crucial tool for communicating with potential lenders, partners or shareholders about the nature of the business and its potential for profitability.

A well-crafted real estate agent business plan will include

• Where you are today: A clear understanding of your current position in the market, including strengths, weaknesses and market standing.
• Where you aim to be: Sets specific, measurable goals for future growth, whether it’s expanding the client base, entering new markets or increasing sales.
• How can you get there: Outlines the strategies and action plans to achieve these goals, including marketing campaigns, client acquisition strategies and business development initiatives.
• Measuring your performance: Defines the key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to assess progress towards the set goals, such as sales figures, client satisfaction rates and market share.
• Course correction: Establishes a process for regular review and adjustment of the plan, ensuring flexibility to adapt to market changes, shifts in client needs and other external factors.

For real estate agents, a comprehensive business plan is not just a roadmap to success; it is a dynamic tool that keeps them accountable and adaptable to market changes.

Realtor business plan example

A realtor business plan is a comprehensive document that outlines the strategic direction and goals of a real estate business. It’s an essential tool for realtors looking to either launch or expand their business in the competitive real estate market. The plan typically includes details about the company’s mission, objectives, target market and strategies for achieving its goals.

Benefits of a realtor business plan and applications:

• For launching or expanding businesses: The plan helps real estate agents to structure their approach to entering new markets or growing in existing ones, providing a clear path to follow.
• Securing loans and investments: A well-drafted business plan is crucial for securing financing for real estate projects, such as purchasing new properties or renovating existing ones.
• Guideline for goal achievement: The plan serves as a guideline to stay on track with sales and profitability goals, allowing realtors to make informed decisions and adjust strategies as needed.
• Valuable for real estate investors: Investors can use the template to evaluate potential real estate businesses and properties for purchase, ensuring they align with their investment goals.
• Improving business performance: By filling out a realtor business plan template , realtors can gain insights into the strengths and weaknesses of their business, using this information to enhance profitability and operational efficiency.

A realtor business plan is more than just a document; it’s a roadmap for success in the real estate industry. 

Writing a real estate business plan is a comprehensive process that involves several key steps. Here’s a detailed guide to help you craft an effective business plan :

• Tell your story : Start with a self-evaluation. Define who you are as a real estate agent, why you are in this business and what you do. Develop your mission statement, vision statement and an executive summary​​.
• Analyze your target real estate market : Focus on local market trends rather than national or state-wide levels. Examine general trends, market opportunities, saturations, and local competition. This step requires thorough research into the real estate market you plan to operate in​​.
• Identify your target client : After understanding your market, identify the niche you aim to serve and the type of clients you want to target. Create a client persona that reflects their specific needs and concerns​​.
• Conduct a SWOT analysis : Analyze your business’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. This should reflect a combination of personal attributes and external market conditions​​​​.
• Establish your SMART goals : Set specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely goals. These goals could be financial, expansion-related or based on other business metrics​​​​.
• Create your financial plan : Account for all operating expenses, including marketing and lead generation costs. Calculate the number of transactions needed to meet your financial goals. Remember to separate personal and business finances​​.
• Revisit your business plan to monitor & evaluate : Treat your business plan as a living document. Plan periodic reviews (quarterly, semi-annually or annually) to check if your strategies are advancing you toward your goals​​​​.
• Defining your mission & vision : Include a clear mission and vision statement. Describe your business type, location, founding principles and what sets you apart from competitors​​.
• Creating a marketing plan : Develop a marketing plan that addresses the product, price, place and promotion of your services. Determine your pricing strategy, promotional methods and marketing channels​​. If you’re unsure what marketing activities to choose, consider this guide on how to market yourself as a realtor .
• Forming a team : Ensure the cooperation of colleagues, supervisors and supervisees involved in your plan. Clarify their roles and how their participation will be evaluated​​.

Related: 15+ Business Plan Examples to Win Your Next Round of Funding

Wrapping up

The journey to a successful real estate venture is intricately linked to the quality and depth of your business plan. From understanding the nuances of the real estate market to setting strategic goals, a well-crafted business plan acts as the backbone of any thriving real estate business. Whether you’re developing a general real estate business plan, focusing on investment, working as an agent, or operating as a realtor, each plan type serves its unique purpose and addresses specific aspects of the real estate world.

The examples and insights provided in this article serve as a guide to help you navigate the complexities of the real estate industry. Remember, a real estate business plan is not a static document but a dynamic blueprint that evolves with your business and the ever-changing market trends.

Crafting a strategic real estate business plan is a crucial step towards achieving your business goals. So, start shaping your vision today with Venngage.

Explore venngage business plan maker & our business plan templates and begin your journey to a successful real estate business now!

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Quick Takeaways

• Create your brand
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Source: 8-Steps to Start a Real Estate Brokerage & Actually Make Money ( Kyle Handy , Oct. 27, 2021)

You’ve finally made the decision to open your own brokerage. What do you need to know?  Learn the steps to make a successful transition from agent to owner.

There are a variety of brokerage business models to choose from—traditional, flat fee, a la carte and 100% commission. Find out which model will work best for your brokerage. Writing a business plan allows you to create a detailed roadmap for your firm’s future and how you will achieve those plans. In your business plan, you should include financial planning, marketing strategies and hiring and personnel.

NAR has curated a list of useful websites providing more information to help you establish your new brokerage.

See References for more information.

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Common Brokerage Models

Education: Management and Leadership

NAR Library & Archives has already done the research for you. References (formerly Field Guides) offer links to articles, eBooks, websites, statistics, and more to provide a comprehensive overview of perspectives. EBSCO articles ( E ) are available only to NAR members and require the member's nar.realtor login.

From the REALTOR® Store

Real Estate Brokerage Essentials® - Real Estate Brokerage Essentials®: Navigating Legal Risks and Managing a Successful Brokerage, Fourth Edition is the most comprehensive business tool for brokers to run their offices efficiently and minimize their risk for legal liability. This is a must have for all Brokers! (Item 126-359)

Broker to Broker: Management Lessons from America's Most Successful Real Estate Companies - Broker to Broker takes a unique approach to brokerage management by bringing you the ideas, strategies and lessons brokers and sales managers are implementing today. Compiled from the "For Brokers" section of REALTOR® Magazine it offers the best tips and advice on how to manage a residential real estate brokerage. (Item 141-60)

Sample Employee Manual for Brokers - Are you looking for assistance in developing an employee manual? NAR has a sample manual for you to tailor for your employees! (Item E126-155) Note: This employee manual is NOT intended to be used as a policy manual for independent contractors.

Striking Out on Your Own

How to Start & Grow a Real Estate Business in 2024 ( Kaplan Real Estate Education )

Top sales agents focus on sales activities and outsource the administrative and transactional activities. They realize that it’s these sales activities that will lead to the growth of their business. For example, reach out to 15 contacts, add two contacts to your Book of Business, knock on 30 doors, make 75 telemarketing calls, send out 30 emails, and mail out 20 flyers. Hold open houses on Saturdays and Sundays.

The 8-Step Guide to Starting a Real Estate Brokerage ( Fit Small Business , Mar. 1, 2024)

If you are a leader (a person who guides and communicates well with others), you have the first building block to being a successful broker. However, if you are the “bossy type” who likes to bark orders, tell others what to do, or believe that only your opinion counts, then being a broker is not for you.

How to Start a Real Estate Brokerage ( TRUIC , Nov, 1, 2023)

• Typical startup costs are:
• Real Estate Broker’s License - $1,500
• Office lease deposit - $2,000
• First month’s rent - $2,000
• Utilities, Telephone, Internet - $250 per month
• Office signage - $2,000
• Marketing expenses - $2,000 per month
• Employee expenses - (depends on the number of agents)

5 Mistakes I Made Opening My Real Estate Brokerage ( Janis Benstock Real Estate Academy , May 25, 2023)

The best thing I ever did for the health of my brokerage was to ask for help by hiring a business strategist. It has saved me so much time on the learning curve and it’s difficult to even put a number on the return on my investment.

Making the Transition From Top Producer to Broker-owner ( REALTOR® Magazine , May 4, 2021)

For other real estate practitioners thinking about making the transition from top producer to broker-owner, consider joining your local chamber of commerce. Get to know other professionals in your marketplace. Ask the chamber to support your office’s grand opening, which can help spread the word about your new brokerage and build those valuable relationships with members of the community.

How to Start a Real Estate Brokerage ( Placester )

Depending on the type of real estate brokerage you want to start, you’re looking at startup costs of at least $10,000. And that’s if you’re bootstrapping it and jumping in with the bare essentials. Thinking about opening up a brokerage under a franchise? Costs can easily hit $200,000, and that doesn’t include the ongoing fees you’ll be liable for like license renewals.

Creating a Business Plan and Choosing a Brokerage Model

7 Steps to Writing a Real Estate Business Plan (+ Worksheet) ( The Close , Apr. 3, 2024)

A killer business plan forces you to think through your goals and objectives, as well as your budget, so that you have a real chance of success right from the beginning. It keeps you realistic and establishes a way for you to clearly monitor and evaluate your success. 

How to Write a Solid Real Estate Business Plan in 2024 ( Luxury Prescence , Mar. 13, 2024)

For an agent or a broker, a real estate business plan is essential for determining your identity in the luxury market and what you can offer clients. It helps you hone in on your ideal customer and allows you to assess the financial viability of your business easily. 

Your real estate business plan is a guide to your goals and a clear-cut strategy for how you can stand out from the competition, grow your business, and fulfill your overarching mission.

12 Easy Steps to Creating a Perfect Real Estate Business Plan (2024 Updated!) ( Agent Advice , Dec. 29, 2023)

You should also look out for underserved niches and competitive saturation.

When it comes to underserved niches, there may be plenty of agents in your area specializing in family residential properties. But how many are serving the commercial sector? Or the luxury sector?

What Are the Different Brokerage Models an Agent Can Choose From? ( PropStream , Jan. 4, 2023)

Taking a cue from popular subscription-based businesses in other industries (like Netflix and Spotify), subscription-based brokerages usually offer agents monthly or yearly service plans.

Agents can often choose from multiple pricing tiers based on their needs. For example, you might pay a base fee for using the brokerage as a storefront and co-working space (where you can meet clients) and a higher fee for additional access to marketing software, training, and other tools and resources.

National vs. Boutique vs. Virtual Brokerages: Which is Right for You? ( Aceable Agent , Jan. 20, 2023)

Virtual brokerages, also known as cloud brokerages, are online only with no physical location. Since most agents do the bulk of their work from a home office, a virtual brokerage makes a lot of sense. This this especially true for seasoned agents that have a large contact list and don’t need as much training.

The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Real Estate Business Plan + Free Template ( Placester )

The length of business plans vary, but they generally outline between one and five years. For our purposes, we’ve used a length of three years. Few agents are able to fully develop their business in only a year, while planning five years into the future can be very speculative. For most new agents, three years is a reasonable time frame for achieving a degree of financial success and establishing a viable career in the industry.

Most business plans fall into one of two common categories: traditional or lean startup. Traditional business plans are more common, use a standard structure, and encourage you to go into detail in each section. They tend to require more work upfront and can be dozens of pages long. Lean startup business plans are less common but still use a standard structure. They focus on summarizing only the most important points of the key elements of your plan. They can take as little as one hour to make and are typically only one page.

Useful Websites

U.S. Small Business Administration  — This website should be the first stop for anyone wanting to start a business. Topics covered include startup basics, writing a business plan, financing, marketing, employment, and tax topics. This site also has special areas for women business owners, veterans, minorities, Native Americans and young entrepreneurs. You can also find a local SBA office for further assistance.

SCORE Association  — SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors, is dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals. Since 1964, we have provided education and mentorship to more than 11 million entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneur Magazine  — From choosing a business structure to naming your business, this website highlights the nitty-gritty basics of business star-ups. How-to guides, online newsletters and a resource center of articles provide helpful information for your start-up.

Inc.com — Inc.'s website provides information on starting, growing, and leading your business.

America’s Small Business Development Centers ( SBDC) — America’s SBDC represents America’s nationwide network of Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) – the most comprehensive small business assistance network in the United States and its territories. There are nearly 1,000 local centers available to provide no-cost business consulting and low-cost training to new and existing businesses. Small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs can go to their local SBDCs for FREE face-to-face business consulting and at-cost training on a variety of topics.

Minority Business Development Agency - MBDA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce that promotes the growth of minority-owned businesses through the mobilization and advancement of public and private sector programs, policy, and research.

National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) — NAWBO is the only dues-based organization representing the interests of all women entrepreneurs across all industries; and with chapters across the country. With far-reaching clout and impact, NAWBO is a one-stop resource to propelling women business owners into greater economic, social and political spheres of power worldwide.

Books, eBooks & Other Resources

Ebooks.realtor.org.

The following eBooks and digital audiobooks are available to NAR members:

18 Steps for Starting Your Business (eBook)

The Accidental Startup (eBook)

Business Made Simple (Audiobook)

Business Plans Kit for Dummies (eBook)

Business Plans That Work: A Guide for Small Business (eBook)

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting Your Own Business (eBook)

The Fearless Woman's Guide to Starting a Business (Audiobook)

How to Grow Your Small Business (Audiobook)

How to Write a Business Plan (eBook)

Launching While Female (eBook)

The Real Estate Entrepreneur: Everything You Need to Know to Grow Your Own Brokerage (eBook)

Six Steps to Small Business Success (eBook)

Start a New Real Estate Brokerage, Economically! (eBook)

Starting a Business for Dummies (eBook)

Write Your Business Plan (eBook)

Your First Business Plan (eBook)

Books, Videos, Research Reports & More

As a member benefit, the following resources and more are available for loan through the NAR Library. Items will be mailed directly to you or made available for pickup at the REALTOR® Building in Chicago.

Real Estate Brokerage: A Management Guide (Chicago: Dearborn, 2004) HF 1375 C99 Ed. 6

Have an idea for a real estate topic? Send us your suggestions .

The inclusion of links on this page does not imply endorsement by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR makes no representations about whether the content of any external sites which may be linked in this page complies with state or federal laws or regulations or with applicable NAR policies. These links are provided for your convenience only and you rely on them at your own risk.

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How to Create a New Real Estate Agent Business Plan (A Comprehensive Guide)

Last updated on November 14, 2021

Quick note! RealEstateLicenseTraining is partnered with the best online real estate schools. When you sign up using our links, we may get a small affiliate commission. Read how we conduct our reviews here . 

Launching a real estate career without a plan is like going to war without a weapon. 

Having a plan in place, on the other hand, prepares you for the challenges ahead and helps you make wise decisions.

Think of your real estate business plan as a roadmap to your success. Without it, you may be lost and unable to set a clear direction for achieving your objectives. 

But how do you create a new real estate agent business plan? 

Here, we will give you a comprehensive guide to creating a new real estate agent business plan. We’ll also mention the importance of one. 

So let’s get straight into it! 

Why Do You Need A Real Estate Business Plan?

A plan is not always a guarantee for success, but it serves as a tool to help guide your decisions. It articulates your vision, provides clarity on different aspects of your business, reduces risks, and identifies gaps in your strategies. 

Most importantly, a business plan reminds you of your whys and goals, as well as motivates you to work on them.

So you can see why it’s important to have a business plan. 

The 7 Steps to Creating a New Real Estate Agent Business Plan

These are the steps to create a new real estate agent business plan:

• Write an executive summary
• Write a mission statement
• List your SMART goals
• Perform a SWOT analysis
• Know your target clients and competitors
• Develop marketing and lead generation strategies
• Evaluate your business plan

Let’s get into the details. 

1. Write an executive summary

An executive summary briefly outlines your real estate purpose and goals. It is usually one to two pages long, clear, and concise enough to give the reader a quick grasp of the elements of your business plan. Its contents include but are not limited to the following:

• A short description of your real estate properties
• A description of your target market
• A description of your competitors and the advantages you have over them
• A financial summary
• An overview of your business’s growth potential

2. Write a mission statement

Your mission statement should support your real estate goals. If you follow it, you will achieve your vision. It should be short and specific and must include the following:

• What you can offer potential buyers
• The overall value of your service
• Who will benefit from your service

3. List your SMART Goals

SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. Setting goals with these characteristics will encourage you to stick to them until you reach them. 

This is an example of a SMART goal: “Sell 20 houses in the Bay Area in the first quarter.”

4. Perform a SWOT Analysis

SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. SWOT analysis is a framework that evaluates your competitive position based on the four factors. It is a helpful tool in developing a strategic plan. 

Strengths and weaknesses pertain to internal factors, whereas opportunities and threats are external. 

Below are a few examples:

5. Know your target clients and competitors

Identifying your market niche is an essential part of your real estate business plan. Knowing your target clients will help you build realistic and feasible marketing plans. Determining a specific audience also lets you save money, time, and effort.

Below are some questions you need to ask yourself when identifying your target market:

• What is the demographic of your ideal clients? (Age, location, and status.) 
• What do they do for a living, and what is their household income?
• What are their defining characteristics?
• What are their preferred modes of communication? (Phone call, e-mail, text message, or via an instant messaging application)
• Which businesses do they currently use for their real estate transactions? Who are your competitors?

Once you know your competition, It is worth asking yourself these questions:

• What are your competitors doing better?
• What channels do they use for their marketing campaigns? 
• How well do these channels work for them?
• Are there any methods your competitors have not tapped that may potentially work to your advantage?   

Knowing your competition will allow you to strategize plans on how you can outperform them.

6. Develop marketing and lead-generation strategies

The next step is developing your strategies. 

Create a detailed action plan on how you will promote yourself to your target clients. 

They can be a combination of traditional and contemporary methods. Also, you can devise a strategy based on what you’ve previously learned from studying your competitors.  

For example, when building an online presence, think of the lead-generation techniques that you plan to integrate into your website or social media page. 

Will you be focusing on outbound marketing? Or, will you take on a more organic approach, such as SEO (search engine optimization)?

Your lead generation methods may change, but including initial strategies in your business plan will help you identify which ones work and which ones don’t.

7. Evaluate your business plan

Finally, your business plan shouldn’t be static. The industry evolves, the market fluctuates, and so should your plan. It should stay relevant and be able to adapt to constant changes. 

Now that you know how to create a new real estate agent business plan, it’s time to get down to writing it. Any more time you spend without a concrete business plan could mean increased risks and wasted opportunities. 

Don’t drag it out. The sooner you finish your business plan, the better. Remember, the old saying holds true; if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.   

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Real Estate Agent Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Real Estate Agent Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 10,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create real estate business plans to start and grow their businesses. On this page, we will first give you some relevant information with regard to the importance of real estate business planning. We will then go through a real estate agent business plan template step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Real Estate Agent Business Plan Template here >

What is a Real Estate Agent Business Plan?

A business plan is a living document that provides a snapshot of your real estate agency as it stands today and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan as a Real Estate Agent

A business plan can help you stay up-to-date on market trends, stay ahead of your competitors, and helps you set measurable goals But most importantly, it will force you to think through every step of starting and growing your real estate agency so that you can avoid potential roadblocks along the way. This also helps you monitor the effectiveness of the campaign over a given period.

If you’re looking to become a realtor or grow your existing real estate agency business you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your real estate agency in order to improve your chances of success. Update your business plan regularly as your agency grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Real Estate Agents

With regard to funding, the main sources of funding for a real estate business are personal savings, credit cards, and bank loans. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable. But they will want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.

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How to write a business plan for a real estate agent.

Below is an example of a real estate plan template:

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of real estate agency you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have a real estate agency that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of real estate agencies?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the real estate agent industry. Discuss the type of real estate agency you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target market. Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.  

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of real estate agency you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following types:

• Residential Sales and Rentals : this type of real estate agent specializes in serving the private residential market.
• Commercial Sales and Rentals : this type of real estate agent specializes in commercial, industrial, medical, etc. properties

In addition to explaining the type of real estate agent you operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What is your mission statement?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include sales goals you’ve reached, new contracts, etc.
• Your legal structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the real estate business.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the real estate industry educates you. It helps you understand the niche market or focus area in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy particularly if your research identifies market trends. For example, if there was a trend towards aerial videos of the listed property, it would be helpful to ensure your plan calls for a drone or drone operator.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section:

• How big is the real estate business (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• How much growth is expected for the industry over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your agency? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your realtor business plan must detail the prospective clients you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: residential, office space, retail space, etc.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of real estate agency you operate. Clearly, homeowners would want different services and would respond to different marketing promotions than manufacturers.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the customers you seek to serve. Because most real estate agents primarily serve customers living in the same city or town, such demographic information is easy to find on government websites.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other real estate agents.

Indirect competitors are other options customers have that aren’t direct competitors. This includes For-Sale-By-Owner and similar DIYers. You need to mention such competition to show you understand that not everyone who sells or purchases property uses the services of a realtor.

With regards to direct competition, you want to detail the other real estate agents with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be agents who cover the same target market.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses or analyze using a SWOT Analysis. Unless you once worked on other real estate teams, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What services do they offer?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regard to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide superior services?
• Will you provide services that your competitors don’t offer?
• Will you make it easier or faster for customers to engage your services?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a real estate agency, your marketing plan should include the following:

In the product section, you should reiterate the type of real estate agency that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, in addition to listing properties, will you offer home staging on those property listings?

Document your pricing strategy and how it compares to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price subsections, you are presenting the services you offer and their prices.

Place refers to the location of your agency. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your real estate agent located next to a heavily populated office building, gym, etc? Discuss how your location might provide a steady stream of prospective clients.

The final part is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some marketing efforts you might consider:

• Cold calling
• Direct mail and flyers
• Making your real estate agent’s storefront extra appealing to attract passing customers
• Social media marketing
• Advertising in local papers, magazines, and websites
• Reaching out to local bloggers and websites
• Local radio advertising
• Banner ads at local venues

Developing a marketing strategy and implementing it helps you identify and locate your current value proposition in the real estate market with specific time frames to execute. This strategy will be included in your business strategy and plan as well as establishing your overall objectives. It can also involve referral marketing strategies, retention strategies, and ways of gaining new clients.

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your real estate business goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two key elements as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your real estate agency such as prospecting for new customers, advertising listings, going on showings, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to sell your 100th house, or when you hope to reach $X in average sales price. It could also be when you expect to hire your Xth employee or launch a new location.

Management Team

To demonstrate your agency’s ability to succeed as a business, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in the real estate business. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in real estate agencies and/or successfully running small businesses.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets

While balance sheets include much information, to simplify them to the key items you need to know about, balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. For instance, if you spend $100,000 on building out your real estate agency, that will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $100,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a real estate agent:

• Location build-out including design fees, construction, etc.
• Cost of equipment like signs, software, etc.
• Cost of advertising materials and maintaining an adequate amount of office supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes and permits
• Legal expenses
• Other business expenses

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your location lease.

Putting together a business plan for your real estate agency is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the real estate business, your local competition, and your potential clients. You will have developed a marketing strategy and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful real estate business.

Real Estate Agent Business Plan Example PDF

To help you get started on your own real estate business plan, download our Real Estate Business Plan PDF .

If you are looking for the quickest and easiest way to complete your business plan, Growthink’s Ultimate Real Estate Agent Business Plan Template has numerous features not available in the free template including its financial projections template which automatically calculates your complete five-year financial projections including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.

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Every real estate practice needs a business plan . The plan defines your values and strengths, your business goals, and clarifies where you excel as an agent and what kind of practice you intend to operate both near-term and long-term. Your business plan creates a roadmap that also determines your marketing plan and budget , and its goals and intentions help you focus, define, and measure your marketing efficacy.

Best practices

Define your mission and vision. A vision statement is a broad view of how you want to leave an impact on customers and the greater community, whereas a mission statement is a clear, concise declaration about your business strategy. Ask yourself these questions:

• What are your values and promises to customers?
• Do you want to work with buyers or sellers? Or both?
• Do you want to define your practice by specializing in particular types of property inventory, such as luxury real estate, sustainable architecture, in-city properties, fixers, new construction developments or condos?

Set goals and objectives. What are your business goals, in quantified terms? What steps do you need to take to complete these goals? Your goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely —in other words, SMART . Once your business goals are SMART, break down each goal into objectives, which are the specific set of tasks and activities you need to do to accomplish the goal. Example goals:

• Rank in the top 10 of listing agents for buyers in Smithtown.
• Get reviews from 70 percent of my clients.
• Make five prospecting calls every day.

Complete a SWOT analysis. SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) is a strategic planning method that can help you understand the viability of your business goals. Completing a SWOT analysis against an objective (doubling listings, closing more transactions in a given time period) can help you understand if you’re positioned to succeed — or if you need to adjust your approach.

• Strengths : Do you have special skills, credentials, referrals, or connections to a particular population that, together, position you as a leader or obvious choice for target clients?
• Weaknesses : What do competitors do better? Do you need to gain new credentials or skills, communicate across new media, or hire an assistant to free up your schedule?
• Opportunities : Where’s the market headed, and how can you participate? What can you do today versus over time to take advantage of the environment?
• Threats : What could happen that is beyond your control, and how can you prepare? For example, local or national economic shocks like layoffs at a major employer, natural disasters, or challenges with shifting property inventory.

Create a targeted marketing plan. A good marketing plan can set you up for success, identifying the right tools and messages to effectively reach your audience, better service your clients and differentiate yourself from the competition. Who is your target customer and what is their real estate story? What is your plan to attract them and convert them to clients? How will you know how effective your marketing methods are or if you need to make a course correction? Key marketing plan components include:

• Ideal customer. Will you serve buyers, sellers, first-timer buyers, investors, clients looking to downsize?
• Differentiators and branding promise. What makes your work unique? If you had a tagline, what would it be?
• Product/service mix and pricing. What are your offerings and commission structure?
• Marketing materials. How will you communicate your services and at what frequency? Aside from business cards and a sign on your vehicle, will you blog daily, send direct mail quarterly, or host an annual party?
• Online marketing. How will you advertise and present yourself online?
• Lead generation, management, and conversion approach. How will you engage prospective clients who visit open houses, your website or online listings, or who connect with you in other ways? Will you use drip email to remain top of mind? Will you require web registration to view your online listings?
• Marketing budget. How much will you spend monthly and yearly? How will you track your expenses versus actual results?

Measure your business performance. A fundamental component of every real estate business plan and marketing budget is calculating the ROI (return on investment) of your marketing and advertising expenditures. ROI is the ratio of your profit to your costs. The more expensive your marketing efforts, the more income you need to generate to justify the expense — or the more time you’ll need to give to your marketing efforts to produce your desired effect.

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How to Write a Solid Real Estate Business Plan in 2024

March 13, 2024

If you want to grow your real estate business , then you’ll need to get clear on where you want to go and how you can get there.

Research from the Harvard Business Review indicates that entrepreneurs who create formal business plans are 16% more likely to achieve viability than those who don’t. Further studies also demonstrate that business planning can accelerate a firm’s growth by 30% , and the time invested in writing a business plan can significantly enhance the likelihood of success .

In this article, we’ll guide you through the critical elements of a strong real estate business plan, helping you create a unique strategy aligned with your company goals.

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Why every agent and broker should have a real estate business plan

A real estate business plan acts as a strategic blueprint for an agent, team, or brokerage, mapping out key facets, critical milestones, company goals, and the business’s overall financial health. A plan needs a clear vision and roadmap for how the company will achieve its goals and grow within its specific market.

Additionally, general business plans are pivotal in securing capital and compelling potential investors or partners. A great business plan can attract skilled employees and top-level talent, leading to further expansion and growth.

For an agent or a broker, a real estate business plan is essential for determining your identity in the luxury market and what you can offer clients. It helps you hone in on your ideal customer and allows you to assess the financial viability of your business easily. 

Your real estate business plan is a guide to your goals and a clear-cut strategy for how you can stand out from the competition, grow your business, and fulfill your overarching mission.

Real estate business plans: the basics

When constructing your real estate business plan, it’s best to keep things simple, manageable, and achievable. Focus on where you are now, where you want to go, and how you can reasonably get there.

Here are six critical elements of a straightforward real estate business plan:

• Executive summary:  The executive summary serves as a brief overview of who you are, your purpose, and your goals.
• Overview and objectives:  The overview and objectives section can vary somewhat based on your individual needs, but they should include your mission statement, your history, and your objectives.
• Market opportunities and competitive analysis:  Your business plan should outline where market conditions are ideal for the rapid growth of a business and what your competition is already doing in that space.
• SWOT analysis:  SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats and is a useful analytical tool for determining your strategic position.
• Marketing plan:  The marketing plan identifies and details how you will reach and attract your target audience.
• Financial plan:  A financial plan is a fairly straightforward snapshot of the economic health of your business.

Most business plans adhere to a timeframe of three to five years, though some are as short as one year, others as long as seven. Although everything in this article provides recommendations for a three to five-year plan, it’s worth looking beyond five years for future growth opportunities.

Creating your own real estate business plan 

Now that you know the main sections of your real estate business plan, let’s dive into exactly what goes into each element. 

Executive summary

A good summary is typically one to two pages (although one is optimal) and should include the following:

• Description of services
• Summary of objectives
• Brief market and competition snapshot (you’ll dive deeper into this later in your business plan)
• Capital or partnership requirements, if applicable

Your executive summary is the one part of your business plan you can recite from memory. There’s no fluff. Consider this your elevator pitch to sell your vision and convince others to join you on your mission.

Overview and objectives

Mission statement.

Your mission statement is why you do what you do—the guiding principles for your business. 

For example, here are two excellent real estate company mission statements:

• Compass : Our mission is to help everyone find their place in the world. Compass is building the first modern real estate platform, pairing the industry’s top talent with technology to make the search and sell experience intelligent and seamless.
• Sotheby’s Realty : Built on centuries of tradition and dedicated to innovation, the Sotheby’s International Realty brand artfully unites connoisseurs of life with their aspirations through a deeply connected global network of exceptional people.

Your history is just that—when you started, location, leadership, milestones, and notable services or specializations.

Objectives are your primary goals. A common technique for establishing your goals is through the “SMART” method, ensuring your goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Objectives that might cover the course of a five-year plan include:

• Rebrand the company website in 30 days.
• Establish a social media presence in 90 days.
• Close five transactions per month in year one and double transaction volume by year three.
• Double the size of the firm by year five.

Ensure your goals are targeted and realistic within your set time frame. 

More likely than not, your business will have multiple objectives simultaneously. Group them based on category and designate a team member who will be responsible for managing achievements, setting milestones, and assessing progress.

Market opportunities and competitive analysis

Understanding your market and your competition involves taking stock of the landscape’s size, demographics, demands, and trends.

Market opportunities

When determining your market opportunities in your business plan, consider the following questions: 

• What is the size and stability of the market?
• Is the market currently on an upward or downward trajectory?
• What are the current demographics of the market?
• What segment of the market do I want to target? 
• Is there a demand for a particular type of housing? 
• Are there more sellers than buyers, or vice versa? 

Also, pinpoint specific market circumstances that could significantly impact your business, like interest rate trends or local economic development. Be sure to document these insights in your plan as well. 

Competitive analysis

In many business plans, competitive analysis is worthy of its own standalone section. Regardless of how you present it, devote some space to your competition and thoroughly research what they currently do in the real estate market.

Include both immediate and secondary competitors, and note if the market is primed for new competitors in the future. Also, identify the risks and opportunities when comparing your niche market and services versus others vying for similar business. 

Remember to ask yourself:

• What do I offer clients that the competition does not? 
• Can I stand out in this market and generate revenue?
• How can I advertise myself to showcase these differences?

SWOT analysis

Through its matrix-like formatting, you can use data-backed facts to analyze your team’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in a visual way. Here are some questions you can ask yourself for each section:

• Is your brand recognizable?
• Do you have an in-house expert for each specialization within residential or commercial real estate (or both)? 
• Do you have an active pipeline of new leads ? 
• What is your unique selling proposition (USP)?
• Do you lack consistent social media or online content? 
• Is your brand relatively new or unrecognizable ?
• Are you missing out on lead-generation opportunities?
• Is your website engagement lacking?

Opportunities

• Has your team just branched out to a new area of real estate? 
• Is market demand growing in your area? 
• Have you uncovered a new source of referrals ?
• Are there any new teams in your niche that offer a USP similar to yours?
• Are mortgage rates rising enough to slow down demand?

By uncovering factors in each grid of the SWOT analysis matrix, you can identify areas that need immediate attention or capitalize on specific strengths.

Marketing plan

Creating a marketing plan is an exercise in understanding your ideal client and then molding a campaign that ensures you can target those customers. Here are a few key points to outline in your marketing plan:

Demographics

• Consider your ideal client persona, including age, location, income, and profession.
• Consider what attracts this ideal client. What are they looking for in properties? What are they avoiding?
• What type of neighborhoods, amenities, or lifestyle are they seeking?

Marketing channels

• Which platforms are your ideal clients engaging with the most? Which ones do your competitors frequently utilize?

Along with these aspects, consider how to position yourself better than your competitors to attract this client. Think about the benefits you can offer and how you can showcase this with a smart real estate marketing campaign .

Financial plan

A financial framework is a crucial aspect of your real estate business plan since it provides insight into the economic health of your business. It gives you a better idea of the valuation of your business, acts as a guide for your budget, and helps you set more realistic financial goals.  

Here are the elements of a financial plan that should be included:

Profit and loss statement

• This is also called an income statement or pro forma. This shows a company’s profitability (or loss) over a certain length of time.

Cash flow statement

• This statement provides an overview of your actual cash position.

Balance sheet

• A balance sheet shows where you stand regarding assets, liabilities, and equity at a specific point in time.

Operating budget

• An operating budget is a detailed view of your income and expenses, usually over 12 months. 

Break-even analysis

• This outlines the revenues necessary to cover all costs and your business’s potential to be profitable. 

Depending on your real estate business position or if you’re an individual broker or agent, you can simplify this area with just an operating budget and break-even analysis.

4 common mistakes agents make when creating a real estate business plan

1. thinking the business plan needs to be perfect.

Your real estate business plan will not be built overnight. You can still run a successful company while your business plan is being created. Instead of waiting to make a “perfect” business plan, follow our step-by-step guide to get started. Then, you can modify as you learn more about your client, your competition, and the trends in the market. 

2. Not having someone else review your business plan

Like any other business document, having a second pair of eyes review your real estate business plan is always helpful for typos or mistakes and for any glaring questions or inconsistencies. Be open to feedback from people, both in the industry and outside it—if someone is confused by an aspect of your plan, chances are they won’t be the only one. 

3. Not using the business plan to gain more clients

While your plan is useful for an overview of your business and its goals, don’t forget to use it as a guiding tool. For example, once you make your marketing plan, you’ll have a stronger idea of your ideal customer. So, be sure to use that information to create more targeted outreach efforts. This includes:

• Adjusting your marketing and advertising budget
• Creating a more targeted marketing campaign, including website, social media, and email
• Determining how to nurture non-specific outreach efforts such as referrals , SEO , and open houses
• Developing a data analytic strategy—how will you measure your marketing success and make changes if necessary?

4. Not coming back to the business plan 

Your real estate business plan is not a one-and-done proposition or something to be written, tossed in a drawer, and forgotten. 

Make time to periodically reevaluate your progress and see where you stand in reaching your goals. Once every 90 days is a good rule of thumb, but review more or less frequently as you see fit. And if you start hitting those goals early, take the time to make new ones.

Lastly, don’t be afraid to pivot if something isn’t working. Goals can change, so return to your business plan and modify it as your company ebbs and flows. 

Luxury Presence: your real estate business plan partner

With beautifully crafted websites, SEO strategists, and top marketing expertise, Luxury Presence is here to help you define your business and grow in the real estate market. Contact our team of experts today to refine your online presence and stand out from the competition.

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Crafting the Perfect 2023 Real Estate Agent Business Plan

The Treasure Map that Demystifies the Months Ahead: Your 2023 Real Estate Agent Business Plan

Here’s the deal… Without a written real estate agent business plan in place, you’re simply rolling the dice with your future.

And I just can’t figure out why anyone would choose to gamble with that. This is your life, so shouldn’t you be able to choose what you want it to look like? That’s what a plan can do for you.

If you’ve been with our ecosystem for a while, you might’ve done a business plan with us before. But this time it’s a little different – in that you’re getting something special we’ve never offered before (more on this in just a moment)! So, this blog isn’t about how to fill out your business plan as much as how to prepare for it, so that when you do sit down to build your vision, you know exactly what you want.

Real Estate Agent Business Plan Prep, Step 1: Download and Schedule

We know that this market is going to require more out of you, and that’s why you’re going to get more out of us.

For the first time ever, every single person who downloads our free 2023 Real Estate Business Plan template is going to be able to schedule an appointment with one of our expert business plan consultants who will walk you through the process of inputting your information and setting your goals step-by-step.

This is a full FREE personal session dedicated to you and your plan, so you’re not going to want to miss this opportunity to schedule your appointment when you download the template.

That’s step one. Next up…

Your Real Estate Agent Business Plan Prep, Step 2: Gather Your Numbers

Creating a business plan is about MORE than goal setting. And it’s definitely not painting a vision board or making wishes. This is an actual plan for you to reach attainable goals, and that has to begin by taking stock of where you are. Once you create that plan, you’ll gain total clarity over what’s required to reach your goals by December 31, 2023.

Have you been tracking all your numbers? I mean all of them??? Go to your CRM and copy down:

• Listings appointments taken
• Listings closed
• Number of buyer appointments and closes
• The number of days worked each week
• Conversations had a day
• Marketing money spent
• Lead source effectiveness

Have all this and any other metric you have available ready for your appointment. And better yet, also have your CRM open in front of you.

Real Estate Agent Business Plan Prep, Step 3: What Worked?

Look at every piece of marketing you sent out, the channels that delivered for you, the scripts that led to a close. With all of your numbers in front of you, it’ll be easy for you to see where your strengths lie, where you need to double down your money, and what systems you might be better giving up.

Real Estate Agent Business Plan Prep, Step 4: What’s Your Purpose?

Why did you get into this business? A part of the reason is for money, but there’s another part too. Your business is a big part of your life, so when I say, “What’s your purpose?” I’m asking about your purpose in life.

You’re not going to have to go through all this in the actual business plan itself, but YOU need to know it and act from this place on intentionality in everything you do. For help with this, you should check out this video I did some years ago where I talk about the biggest questions that the most successful people in the world ask themselves every day.

Really meditate on this question and then move it down to a more personal level. What is your purpose in life right now? Who in your life are you fighting for? This is the fuel you’re going to need when challenging yourself as you go forward.

Real Estate Agent Business Plan Prep, Step 5: What’s Your 10-Year Vision?

Now that you’ve thought about your purpose, you need to look ten years into the future and picture your ideal life. Where do you live? How do you afford it? What’s the size of your team? How much property do you own?

A wise woman once told me that accomplishing anything great takes at least ten years. Your goal in 2023 is not to achieve all of this vision, but to keep it in mind and know where you need to be by the end of the year in order to stay on track. I strongly suggest you check out this recent podcast where I walk you through the formulation of this 10-year vision.

Real Estate Agent Business Plan Prep, Step 6: What’s Possible?

Now you know where you want to be and why, and you hopefully even know the kind of progress you’re going to need to make on a yearly basis to get there. But is it really possible to accomplish that much in a single year?

Look at what you did this year and know that this isn’t even your starting point because when the clock strikes New Years you’re starting over at zero in a market that’s continuing to rapidly shift.

I want you to be ambitious here but also practical. Challenge yourself and set your goals just above what you think you can reach, but not so high that you’ll quickly fall victim to delusion and defeat.

Remember, you’re not setting your actual goal yet, because you’re going to do that with your consultant, but you need to be thinking about it beforehand, so you have a good idea of what you really want.

Real Estate Agent Business Plan Prep, Step 7: What’s it Going to Take to Get There?

You have some ballpark numbers that you want from 2023, but how does your business need to change in order to achieve these goals? There are two parts to this.

What are You No Longer Willing to Tolerate?

This is actually a topic that we covered on the blog last week , which I highly recommend you go back and read. The reason that we want to start off with this part is that we want to clear out the junk and anything holding you back before you introduce new systems. But it’s also because phrasing it in this specific way makes it easier to identify the gaps in your business.

In 2023, are you really going to tolerate:

• Doing administrative work instead of concentrating on your Highest and Best Use of time (HaBU)?
• Letting yourself get irregular with posting video?
• Not knowing what to say on a listing appointment?

And this leads right into…

What Do You Need to Add?

Here are the categories:

• Sales Skills

You should all be adding at least one new marketing channel, roleplaying every day, and using healthy habits to keep your mindset right.

Real Estate Agent Business Plan Prep, Step 8: Rank in Terms of Likelihood

Everything that you wrote down in the above step is only good if you’re actually serious about implementing it. Some of you out there are never going to do video. That’s just that and there’s no point in me going on about it even if you’re sabotaging yourself in the long and short term. So if you’re one of those people and you know it, then don’t go saying you want to start doing video.

Remember, this is a plan, not a wishlist for Santa.

Isn’t This a Lot of Prep?

If you look at the forecasts, nobody is saying that 2023 is going to be easy, but it’s up to you how your life changes over the next 14 months.

This plan can take you as for as you want to go, but you have to be specific about it and stick to it. Remember, the vague get punished so you need to be taking this plan seriously.

So, DOWNLOAD THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS PLAN right here. You’ll be directed to a landing page which will then allow you to schedule a free coaching consultation with one of our experts. This is where you’ll set up a time to fill out your business plan together.

Would You Like to Generate and Convert More Leads in Less Time?

• Grow Your Career
• Sales Support and Resources
• Shared Learning and Culture
• About Locations
• Better Together Podcast
• Sell With Us
• New to the Business?
• LocationsHawaii.com

Do You Have a Business Road Map?

You already know where you want your career to take you, but do you know how to get there? Successful agents know you need to have a well-thought-out plan and stay the course to reach your goals.

What do all top-producing agents have in common? They’re planners. They don’t wing it, or leave their business to chance. Top producers know what their sales goals are, and they have a proven, comprehensive business plan that they know will help them reach their goals.

Often times, it takes years—if not decades—for agents to develop a winning business plan. Through trial and error, they figure out how, and how often, to engage with their clients, tweaking their communication styles and messages until they hit on a strategy that works.

Reach Your Goals Faster with a Business Road Map

Most agents don’t have years and years to perfect their business plan, however. With those agents in mind, Locations developed a data-driven program more than five years ago to help agents prioritize the activities that will net the biggest gains, while keeping them informed of their progress and on track to meet their year-end sales goals.

We call this system our Business Road Map, because it’s a proven tool to get agents from where they are to where they want to go. No other firm uses our proprietary mix of data to boost agent productivity. It’s just one more way we give our agents a competitive edge in a crowded marketplace.

How Does Locations’ Business Road Map Work?

When developing the Business Road Map, the data geeks at Locations analyzed the activities of our top producers, like how many contacts have they entered into our customer relationship management system or CRM, how many of their contacts are active on our website or have downloaded our mobile app, how many email communications they send and much more.

Based on our findings that greater client engagement leads to more sales, our road map system provides a snapshot of how an agent is performing at any given time throughout the year and suggests actions that could further client engagement and drive sales.

You Need a Co-Pilot

Because even the best drivers sometimes need a co-pilot to help read a map, Locations’ full-time, professional coaches are always available to help agents navigate their Business Road Map. A coach can help you to make sense of your performance and identify areas where you may need to increase your efforts to see greater results. Because we believe that coaching is an essential element to any successful business plan, all Locations agents receive complimentary coaching. At Locations, you’re never left to your own devices!

Are You on the Right Track This Year?

If you don’t have a business plan, don’t panic. Take a moment to reflect on your performance so far this year. Are you on track to meet your annual goals? If not, it’s not too late. Try to pinpoint where you’re getting stuck—maybe you’re not reaching enough potential clients through your prospecting, or maybe your presentations are falling flat.

Once you’ve identified areas that need improvement, you can outline some actions steps you could take to increase your productivity. For example:

• Offer to sit open houses for other agents ( read our tips for hosting a successful open house )
• Host a client appreciation event to build loyalty and gain referrals
• Add a personal touch with a creative holiday-themed pop-by
• Take your social media presence to the next level (here’s what our social media pros suggest)

Feeling lost? We can help! Book your confidential meeting and let’s discuss where you want to go and how Locations could help you get there faster!

Connect with us!

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How to Build Your Brand as a Real Estate Agent in 2024: Effective Strategies for Success

23 minutes of reading

Aug 28, 2024

Building a strong brand as a real estate agent is crucial in today’s competitive market. In 2024, it’s more important than ever to stand out and create a lasting impression on potential clients. A well-crafted real estate brand can help you attract more leads , build trust, and establish yourself as an authority in your local market.

We know that creating a personal brand can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. By focusing on key elements like your unique value proposition, online presence , and consistent messaging, you can develop a brand that resonates with your target audience. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refresh your existing brand, there are strategies you can use to make a big impact.

In this article, we’ll explore practical tips and techniques to help you build a strong real estate brand in 2024. From defining your brand identity to leveraging digital marketing tools, we’ll cover everything you need to know to set yourself apart in the real estate industry.

Key Takeaways

• A strong real estate brand helps agents stand out and attract more clients
• Consistent messaging and a solid online presence are key to building trust
• Regularly adapting your brand to market trends keeps you relevant and competitive

Understanding Personal Branding in Real Estate

Personal branding is key for real estate agents to stand out in a crowded market. It helps build trust and recognition with potential clients.

The Importance of Personal Branding

Personal branding is vital in real estate. It sets us apart from other agents and brokerages. A strong brand helps us connect with clients on a deeper level.

Personal branding builds trust and loyalty. Clients are more likely to work with agents they know and like. Our brand should reflect our values and strengths.

A clear brand message makes marketing easier. It guides our content and helps us attract ideal clients. We can use our brand to showcase our expertise and local knowledge.

Personal branding also boosts our online presence. It helps us stand out on social media and in search results.

Brand Identity vs. Personal Brand

Brand identity and personal brand are related but different. Brand identity includes visual elements like logos and colors. Personal brand is about who we are as agents.

Our personal brand covers our:

• Personality
• Unique selling points

Brand identity often aligns with our brokerage. But our personal brand is all our own. It’s what makes us unique in the real estate industry.

We can express our personal brand through our:

• Communication style
• Client service approach
• Marketing materials
• Social media presence

A strong personal brand complements our brokerage’s identity. It adds depth to our professional image and helps us connect with clients.

Defining Your Brand Identity

Your brand identity as a real estate agent is crucial for standing out in a competitive market. It reflects your unique qualities and values, shaping how clients perceive you.

Discovering Who You Are as an Agent

We start by looking inward. What drives you in real estate? Are you passionate about helping first-time buyers or luxury properties? Maybe you excel at negotiating or have deep local knowledge. List your strengths, values, and what sets you apart.

Your background matters too. Did you switch careers? This could be a selling point. Your past experiences shape your approach to real estate.

Think about your ideal clients. Who do you connect with best? This helps focus your brand message.

Crafting a cohesive image that resonates with clients is key. Your brand should reflect your authentic self. This builds trust and attracts the right clients.

Developing a Unique Brand Voice and Tone

Your brand voice is how you communicate. It should match your personality and appeal to your target clients. Are you formal or casual? Serious or humorous?

Consistency is crucial. Use the same tone across all platforms – website, social media, and in-person meetings. This builds recognition and trust.

Consider your market. A high-end luxury agent might use a more sophisticated tone. A family-focused agent could be warmer and more approachable.

Your written brand extends to all communications. This includes emails, property descriptions, and social media posts. Keep your voice consistent to strengthen your brand identity.

Crafting Your Unique Value Proposition

Your unique value proposition (UVP) is why clients should choose you over other agents. It’s the core of your brand identity.

Start by listing what makes you unique. Do you offer virtual tours? Have a background in home staging? These could be part of your UVP.

Focus on a niche to stand out. You might specialize in eco-friendly homes or historic properties. This expertise becomes part of your brand.

Your UVP should be clear and concise. It should quickly tell potential clients what you offer and why it matters to them.

Test your UVP with colleagues or past clients. Get feedback and refine it. A strong UVP becomes the foundation of your marketing efforts.

Building a Strong Online Presence

A strong online presence is key for real estate agents in 2024. We’ll explore how to use social media, create a professional website, and boost visibility through SEO.

Leveraging Social Media for Brand Growth

Social media is a powerful tool for real estate agents. We recommend focusing on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn . Post high-quality photos and videos of your listings regularly. Share market updates and local community news to engage your audience.

Create a content calendar to stay consistent. Mix up your posts with property showcases, client testimonials, and helpful tips for buyers and sellers. Use hashtags to increase your reach. Try location-based tags and industry-specific ones like #realestate or #homeforsale.

Engage with your followers by responding to comments and messages promptly. This builds trust and shows you’re attentive. Consider running targeted ads to reach potential clients in your area.

Creating a Professional Real Estate Website

Your website is often a client’s first impression of you. Make it count. At Phixer, we offer a free website builder specifically designed for real estate agents. Choose a clean, modern design that’s easy to navigate and personalize with high-quality photos and virtual tours of your listings.

Add an “About Me” page to showcase your experience and personality. Include client testimonials to build credibility. Create a blog section where you can share market insights and home buying tips.

Make sure your site is mobile-friendly. Many people browse homes on their phones. Include clear calls-to-action like “Schedule a Viewing” or “Get a Home Valuation” to encourage engagement.

Use a contact form and display your phone number prominently. Make it easy for potential clients to reach you.

Implementing SEO Strategies for Visibility

SEO helps your website show up in search results. Start by researching keywords related to your area and services. Use these naturally in your website content and blog posts.

Create location-specific pages for each neighborhood you serve. This helps you rank for local searches. Use descriptive, keyword-rich titles for your listings and blog posts.

Build backlinks by getting listed in local business directories. Guest post on real estate blogs to increase your authority. Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews on Google My Business.

Optimize your images with descriptive alt text. This helps search engines understand your content. Regularly update your website with fresh content to keep it relevant in search rankings.

Engaging with Your Target Audience

Connecting with potential clients is key to building a strong real estate brand. We’ll explore how to understand your audience and create content they’ll find valuable.

Understanding Client Demographics and Preferences

We need to know who our clients are and what they want. Age, income, and lifestyle all play a role in shaping preferences. Young families may look for homes near good schools. Retirees might want single-story houses or condos.

We can gather this info through surveys, market research, and talking to past clients. Look at local census data too. It gives insights into area demographics.

Pay attention to trends. Are more people working from home? This could mean increased demand for home offices.

Remember, preferences can change. Stay up-to-date by regularly checking in with clients and watching market shifts.

Developing Relevant Content Strategies

Once we know our audience, we can create content they’ll find useful. This helps build our brand and show we understand their needs.

Blog posts about local events or market trends can attract readers. Short videos showing home tours or answering common questions work well too.

We should tailor our message to different groups. First-time buyers might want tips on mortgages. Luxury clients may prefer info on high-end amenities.

Use social media to share our content and interact with followers. Respond to comments and messages promptly.

Consider creating a newsletter with local real estate updates. It keeps us in touch with past clients and reaches new ones.

Establishing Authority and Credibility

Building trust and showcasing expertise are key to success as a real estate agent. We’ll explore effective ways to share knowledge, showcase satisfied clients, and gather positive feedback to boost your professional reputation.

Sharing Expertise through Blog Posts

Creating valuable content is a great way to show off our industry knowledge. We can start a blog on our website or use platforms like Medium to share insights. Topics might include local market trends, home buying tips, or investment strategies.

It’s important to post regularly and keep content fresh. We can aim for weekly or bi-weekly updates. Using eye-catching visuals and easy-to-read formats will help engage readers.

We should also share our blog posts on social media to reach a wider audience. This can help position us as thought leaders in real estate .

Cultivating a Portfolio of Happy Clients

Satisfied clients are our best advocates. We can build a strong portfolio by:

• Taking high-quality photos of properties we’ve sold
• Creating case studies of successful deals
• Highlighting unique or challenging transactions we’ve handled

It’s crucial to get permission before using client information. We can display our portfolio on our website and social media profiles.

We should also network with past clients. Staying in touch can lead to referrals and repeat business.

Acquiring Testimonials and Reviews

Positive feedback from clients builds trust with potential customers. We can:

• Ask satisfied clients for testimonials after closing deals
• Encourage reviews on platforms like Google, Zillow, or Realtor.com
• Feature the best testimonials on our website and marketing materials

It’s important to make leaving reviews easy for clients. We can send follow-up emails with direct links to review sites.

We should respond to all reviews, both positive and negative. This shows we value client feedback and are committed to improving our service.

Developing Marketing Materials

Creating effective marketing materials is crucial for building a strong real estate brand. We’ll explore how to design a memorable logo and choose the right visuals to represent your business.

Designing a Memorable Logo and Color Scheme

A well-designed logo is the cornerstone of your real estate brand. We recommend keeping it simple and easy to recognize. Use clean lines and shapes that look good in different sizes and formats. Pick 2-3 colors that reflect your brand’s personality. Blue often represents trust, while green can suggest growth.

Your color palette should work well on various materials. Test it on business cards, yard signs, and websites. Make sure it’s readable in black and white too.

Creating a consistent brand identity helps people remember you. Use your logo and colors on all your marketing items. This includes:

• Business cards
• Email signatures
• Social media profiles

Choosing the Right Visuals for Your Brand

Photos and graphics play a big role in real estate marketing. High-quality images of properties are a must. To enhance these images, consider using a real estate photo editing company like Phixer to ensure your photos are professionally edited and visually stunning. But don’t stop there. Include photos of yourself and your team too. This helps build trust with potential clients.

Use visuals that match your brand’s style. If you focus on luxury homes, use elegant images. For family-friendly neighborhoods, show community spaces and parks.

Infographics can be powerful tools for sharing market data. They make complex information easy to understand. Create templates for listing presentations and market reports. This saves time and keeps your brand consistent.

Remember to use your brand elements in all visual content. Add your logo to property photos. Use your color scheme in graphs and charts.

Expanding Your Network and Community Engagement

Growing your network and getting involved in your community are key to building a strong real estate brand . These efforts help you connect with potential clients and establish yourself as a trusted local expert.

Leveraging Local Events for Networking

We recommend attending local events to grow your real estate network. Look for business mixers, charity fundraisers, and community festivals. These gatherings offer chances to meet new people in a relaxed setting.

At events, we suggest:

• Bringing business cards to share
• Practicing a short intro about your real estate services
• Asking others about their work and interests
• Following up with new contacts within a few days

Chamber of Commerce meetings can also be great for making business connections . Join committees or volunteer to increase your visibility among local leaders.

Building Relationships in the Community

Getting involved in community projects helps create lasting connections. We advise picking causes you care about, such as local schools or parks. Volunteer your time and skills to make a real impact.

Consider these ways to engage:

• Coach a youth sports team
• Join a neighborhood association
• Help organize a community clean-up day
• Sponsor a local event or charity

By giving back, you’ll meet like-minded people and show your commitment to the area. This can lead to word-of-mouth referrals and a stronger reputation as a community-focused agent.

Cultivating Consistency and Authenticity

Building a strong real estate brand requires a steady approach and genuine expression of your values. These elements help create trust with clients and set you apart in a crowded market.

Maintaining a Consistent Branding Strategy

Consistency is key for a successful real estate brand. We recommend using the same colors, fonts, and logo across all platforms. This includes your website, social media, and printed materials.

Create a style guide to keep your brand look uniform. It should cover visual elements and tone of voice for your content.

Post regularly on social media and your blog. Aim for a set schedule, like twice a week. This keeps you visible and builds familiarity with your audience.

Use templates for your marketing materials. This saves time and keeps your brand looking professional and cohesive.

Staying Authentic to Your Values and Mission

Authenticity builds trust with potential clients. We suggest clearly defining your values and mission as a real estate agent.

Share your personal story and why you got into real estate. This helps clients connect with you on a human level.

Be open about your strengths and specialties. If you excel in luxury properties or first-time buyers, make this known.

Show your personality in your content. Use your own voice and share glimpses of your life outside work when appropriate.

Stand by your values in all interactions. This might mean turning down deals that don’t align with your principles.

Leveraging Client Relationships for Business Growth

Building strong client relationships is key to growing your real estate business. Happy clients lead to more referrals and repeat business. Let’s explore two effective strategies.

Creating Personalized Services for Client Loyalty

We know that personalized service builds loyalty. Start by learning each client’s unique needs and preferences. This helps us tailor our approach.

Use a client management system to track important details. This can include birthdays, home purchase dates, and communication preferences.

Send personalized messages on special occasions. A quick “happy home anniversary” text can go a long way.

Offer customized market reports for past clients. This keeps them informed and thinking of us.

Consider creating VIP experiences for top clients. This might include exclusive property viewings or special events.

Remember, it’s the little things that count. A handwritten thank-you note after a sale shows we care.

Implementing Referral and Partnership Strategies

Referrals are the lifeblood of real estate. We can boost our business by making it easy for clients to refer us.

Create a simple referral program. Offer incentives like gift cards or donations to a charity of their choice.

Ask for referrals at the right time. After a successful sale is perfect. The client is happy and more likely to recommend us.

Partner with local businesses. Team up with home improvement stores or moving companies. This creates a network of referrals.

Host community events with partners. A home maintenance workshop can provide value and generate leads.

Use social media to showcase our partnerships. Share posts about local businesses we work with.

Don’t forget to follow up with referrers. A quick thank-you call or small gift shows our appreciation.

Optimizing Client Acquisition

Finding and converting leads is key to growing your real estate business. We’ll explore proven techniques to attract prospects and turn them into clients.

Effective Lead Generation Techniques

To get high-quality leads , we recommend using a mix of online and offline methods. Create valuable content like local market reports and homebuying guides to attract prospects. Share these on social media and your website.

Host virtual home tours and webinars on topics like “First-Time Homebuyer Tips”. This positions you as an expert and generates leads.

Network at local events and join community groups. Word-of-mouth referrals are powerful in real estate.

Consider partnering with complementary businesses like mortgage lenders or law firms . They can refer clients to you.

Use targeted Facebook and Google ads to reach people interested in buying or selling homes in your area.

Increasing Conversion Rates Through Targeted Approaches

To boost conversion rates, we need to take a personalized approach. Segment your leads based on their needs and preferences.

Create custom email campaigns for different groups like first-time buyers, investors, or luxury home seekers. Send relevant content and listings to each group.

Use a customer relationship management (CRM) system to track interactions and follow up promptly. Quick response times are crucial in real estate.

Offer something unique like a free home valuation or neighborhood tour. This sets you apart and encourages leads to choose you.

Build trust by sharing client testimonials and case studies. Show how you’ve helped others achieve their real estate goals.

Evaluating and Adapting to Market Trends

Researching Current Real Estate Market Trends

We must keep an eye on market trends to shape our brand. Look at home prices, interest rates, and popular neighborhoods. Check local economic factors too.

Social media and online forums can show what buyers want. Industry reports and real estate websites offer valuable data. We can also talk to other agents and attend industry events.

Pay attention to new tech in real estate . Things like virtual tours and AI are changing how we work. By staying informed, we can add these tools to our brand strategy.

Adjusting Strategies to Stay Ahead of the Competition

Once we know the trends, we need to act. We should update our real estate branding to match what clients want. This might mean new services or a fresh look for our marketing.

We can offer special help for first-time buyers if that’s a growing group. Or focus on luxury homes if that market is hot. The key is to be flexible and ready to change.

Using new tech can set us apart. We might start using 3D home tours or smart home features. This shows we’re modern and helpful.

We should also look at what other agents do. Then we can find ways to be different and better. Maybe we offer faster response times or more in-depth market analysis.

Incorporating Feedback and Continuous Improvement

Using Client Feedback to Enhance Service

Client feedback is gold for real estate agents. We should ask for reviews after every transaction. This helps us understand what we’re doing right and where we can improve.

Setting up a simple survey can give us valuable insights. We can ask about communication, property showings, and negotiation skills. It’s important to act on this feedback quickly.

When we get positive comments, we can highlight them in our marketing. Testimonials on our website and social media show potential clients that we deliver results.

Negative feedback is just as useful. We can use it to fix problems in our process. This shows clients we care about their experience and are always trying to get better.

Staying Tech-Savvy with Real Estate Tools and Platforms

In 2024, being tech-savvy is a must for real estate agents. We need to know the latest tools that can help us work smarter.

Virtual tour software is now essential. We can create stunning 3D home tours that save time for both us and our clients. This tech impresses sellers and helps buyers narrow down their choices.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems keep us organized. We can track leads, schedule follow-ups, and manage our client database efficiently.

Social media management tools help us stay active online without spending all day on our phones. We can schedule posts and track engagement to boost our online presence.

Learning new tech can be tough, but it’s worth it. We should set aside time each month to explore new real estate apps and platforms. This keeps our skills sharp and our service top-notch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Building a strong real estate brand requires strategic planning and consistent effort. We’ve compiled answers to common questions about developing a standout brand in the competitive real estate market.

What are the key steps to develop a personal brand for a real estate agent?

To develop a personal brand, start by identifying your unique strengths . Think about what sets you apart from other agents.

Create a clear mission statement that reflects your values and goals. This will guide your branding efforts and help clients understand what you stand for.

Choose a consistent visual style for your marketing materials. This includes your logo, color scheme, and fonts.

What are the best strategies for growing a real estate brand in the current market?

Focus on storytelling to connect with potential clients. Share your experiences and successes to build trust and credibility.

Leverage technology to enhance your brand. Use virtual tours, high-quality photos, and videos to showcase properties and your expertise.

Network actively both online and offline. Attend industry events and engage with your community to expand your reach.

How can a real estate agent differentiate their brand from competitors?

Specialize in a specific type of property or neighborhood. Becoming an expert in a niche market can set you apart.

Offer unique services or guarantees that other agents don’t provide. This could be a faster selling time or a money-back guarantee.

Develop a distinctive personality in your marketing. Let your authentic self shine through in your communications.

What role does social media play in branding for real estate professionals?

Social media is crucial for brand visibility. Create a professional Facebook page to showcase your listings and interact with potential clients.

Use platforms like Instagram to share visually appealing content related to your properties and local area.

Engage regularly with your followers by responding to comments and messages promptly.

What are the essential elements of a strong real estate brand identity?

A memorable logo that represents your brand values is essential. It should be simple and recognizable.

A consistent color palette and typography across all marketing materials help create a cohesive brand image.

A clear value proposition that communicates what makes your services unique and valuable to clients.

How important is niche marketing in establishing a real estate brand?

Niche marketing can be very effective in real estate. It allows you to become the go-to expert in a specific area or property type.

By focusing on a niche, you can tailor your marketing efforts more effectively and stand out in a crowded market.

Niche marketing also helps you build a strong referral network within your chosen specialty.

Related Posts

Money blog: 'Disgusting' - Anger as Boohoo closes accounts

Roaming charges for all the major networks, Boohoo upsetting customers and a report suggesting the state pension will rise £400 next year are among today's Money blog posts. Leave a comment on anything we're covering below.

Wednesday 4 September 2024 17:00, UK

• State pension could rise by more than £400 next year
• How your pension could be taxed
• Anger as Boohoo closes accounts
• European country cracks down on holiday rentals

Essential reads

• How data roaming charges compare by network
• 'They have 22-inch pizzas - hello!': Israeli-born chef picks budget eats
• Big Issue seller reveals how it works financially and his technique
• Best of the Money blog

Tips and advice

• Basically... Free school meals
• Cheapest holidays dates before Christmas
• Money Problem : 'My dog died but insurance still wants a year's payment'
• How else to eat Greggs on cheap as O2 Priority scraps freebies

Ask a question or make a comment

Councils have called on the government to end the Right to Buy scheme for new council homes. 

One hundred local councils have warned the financial model for council housing finances is "broken", with a £2.2bn "black hole" in councils' dedicated budgets expected by 2028.

The councils have called for a complete overhaul of the Right to Buy scheme introduced by Margaret Thatcher in 1980 that allows council tenants to buy their council homes at reduced rates.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who  bought her council house through Right to Buy in 2007 , announced at the end of July the government had started to review increased discounts introduced by the former Conservative government in 2012 and will begin a consultation into the whole scheme this autumn.

Only 4% of homes bought under Right to Buy have been replaced, according to charity Shelter, while an estimated 43% of households living in private rented accommodation and receiving housing benefits are in homes bought under Right to Buy.

Read the full story here ...

Boohoo has caused upset among its loyal customers after cancelling accounts and charging them for returns. 

The online retailer has reportedly started closing some premier accounts due to "unusually high returns activity". 

Earlier this year, it started charging premier customers £1.99 for returns - but many shoppers have complained that they were not informed. 

At the moment, a premier subscription costs £7.99 a year, but it usually costs £12.99. 

Subscribers get unlimited next day delivery, paperless returns and access to exclusive discounts. 

Up until the changes, they were also able to return their items free of charge. 

One X user said she was "disgusted" after Boohoo deactivated her account. 

"Because I order multiple outfits for holidays and night outs or (because your sizes are all over the place) I order two sizes of most things... and because I don't keep everything and send them back, you deactivate my account," she said. 

"I've been a customer for 12 years. Disgusting." 

She wasn't the only one feeling that way... 

Others said they would stop shopping at the retailer altogether. 

The Money team looked through the Premier T&Cs - and it does not mention a limit on the number of returns that can be made, or returns at all. 

But, it does state that the company can terminate accounts at its discretion. 

"We may decide to terminate your Boohoo Premier account and you will be given a prorated refund based on the number of whole months remaining in your membership," it states.

"We will not give any refund for termination related to conduct that we determine, in our discretion, violates these terms or any applicable law, involves fraud or misuse, or is harmful to Boohoo's interests or another user." 

Boohoo isn't the online retailer to make this move. 

Earlier this year, PrettyLittleThing, which is owned by Boohoo, introduced a returns fee and started cancelling accounts that sent back several items. 

Consumer expert Helen Dewdney from The Complaining Cow said there was a growing trend of companies doing this, explaining that returns can be costly for those with small profit margins. 

"If a customer is costing a company more by returning more than they are keeping, then it is perhaps understandable why they are having their account closed," she said. 

But, she noted that where a company has offered unlimited free returns for a fee, without detailing any limits, then this could be considered as "very unfair and misleading".

"Under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 there is a fairness test," she added. 

"For a practice to be unfair under these rules, they must harm, or be likely to harm, the economic interests of the average consumer. 

"It could be considered that paying to have unlimited returns was part of the purchasing decision. Boohoo should be clearer in their terms and conditions as regards what the limit is, and should certainly be refunding the fee to anyone who has had their account closed." 

A spokesperson for Boohoo told Money: "We are committed to providing our customers with easy access to our products and upholding a fair return policy.

"However, like many other online fashion brands, it is important that we balance this with our responsibility to discourage repeat returners, which incur a cost for both the business and the environment."

The Co-op is experiencing its highest-ever levels of crime and abuse, with some staff members losing an eye or miscarrying as a result, one of its directors has told the House of Lords. 

Speaking to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee, Paul Gerrard said crime had risen by 44% across its stores and violence had increased by 35%. 

"That level of crime in our stores is 1,000 incidents every single day," he said.

"That is the highest level we have ever seen, levels of abuse are at the highest level we have ever seen and violence has dipped slightly in 2024, but it still a very high level." 

He suggested that organised criminals are behind the surge in shoplifting, saying people are "stealing to order huge volumes". 

In some cases, he said people had entered with wheelie bins and building bags to load up with stolen goods. 

"If one of my colleagues gets in the way, there will be a violent threat," Mr Gerrard added. 

"There might be a knife, there might be a syringe. I've had colleagues attacked with a medieval mace, we've had colleagues lose their eye, we've had colleagues miscarry.

"We spend money to keep the colleagues safe in the store. If an incident happens, then we take a number of measures."

Co-op has been a leading voice in campaigns against shopworker violence and is one of the funders of Project Pegasus. 

The group supports police forces in identifying the organised crime groups operating in their area. 

English football clubs are being warned they will face "enormous opposition" if they try to introduce dynamic pricing for match tickets - after two top sides in Spain confirmed they were adopting the controversial practice.

Valencia and Celta Vigo are believed to be the only European clubs to have embraced the system for this season's matches.

Although there are no suggestions dynamic pricing will be introduced into the English game, there has been growing concern clubs are vastly hiking prices, depending on the level of opposition.

It also comes after the huge controversy surrounding the sale of tickets for  next year's reunion shows by Oasis  - where dynamic pricing saw tickets worth £148 being sold for £355 within hours of release.

The Football Supporters Association (FSA) warned against "greedy owners in football" trying to "exploit supporter loyalty" in the English leagues.

In a statement, the FSA said: "With impeccable timing after the Oasis fiasco, voices in football have started to float the idea of infecting football with dynamic pricing.

"Never underestimate the potential for the most greedy owners in football to try and import terrible ideas from other industries to exploit supporter loyalty.

"Match-goers are already mobilising against the recent wave of price rises and attacks on concessions. Any underhand increases will be met with enormous opposition."

When you've forked out hard-earned money for a holiday abroad, the last thing you want is to be landed with an expensive phone bill at the end of it.

Brexit brought an end to the guarantee of free roaming for UK residents who visit countries inside the EU – but the good news is some providers still offer free services up to a certain point for travellers in Europe.

Here, we take a look at the UK's major phone providers and what they're offering customers when it comes to roaming across the globe...

Vodafone splits its roaming charges into four different "zones".

For pay monthly customers who took out their contract on or after 11 August 2021, how much you pay depends on which zone you're headed to:

Zone A - Ireland, the Isle of Man, Iceland and Norway - no extra charge

Zone B - Europe and EU member states (49 destinations) - £2.42 a day for customers without the Xtra Euro Roam plan

Zone C - 32 destinations including the US, Australia, Barbados and South Africa - £7.39 a day for customers without the Xtra Global Roam plan

Zone D - 75 destinations from Argentina to Uzbekistan and Vietnam - £7.39 a day

All charges are dependent on customers adhering to the 25GB fair usage limit.

Countries outside zones A-D are deemed "rest of world zones" by Vodafone - these include destinations such as Belize, Nepal and Angola. Data is charged for each megabyte (MB) used, with charges typically £1.20 per MB. 

Those with contracts before 11 August 2021 pay nothing for Zones A and B, and £6 a day for Zones C and D.

Unlike some other major providers, O2 hasn't brought back EU roaming charges for customers using up to 25GB data abroad.

That means both pay monthly and pay-as-you-go customers heading to its Europe Zone (more than 40 destinations) are free to call, text and use data as they would in the UK.

For anyone travelling further afield, the charges depend on what plan you're on.

Customers whose contract includes the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone can roam in 27 destinations outside Europe, including Australia, New Zealand, the US and southern American countries.

If it's not part of your plan, you can purchase a travel bolt-on for £6 a day which allows for data roaming in 63 destinations.

Contract holders with O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Ultimate can roam freely in 75 destinations outside Europe.

Three's Go Roam Europe service lets pay monthly customers use their data allowance in 49 destinations at a cost of £2 a day.

Those using the Go Roam Global service (22 destinations outside Europe) pay £5 a day while Go Roam Global Extra (92 destinations outside Europe) comes at a cost of £7 a day.

The charges apply to customers who took their contracts out on or after 1 October 2021 - there are no charges for customers who were with Three before that.

Three imposes a 12GB fair usage cap for all customers on a monthly contract when roaming abroad and 9GB for those on pay-as-you-go.

Anyone with an EE plan that began before 7 July 2021 will have EU data roaming included.

For newer customers, it costs £2.47 a day to use data roaming while travelling in its European zone, up to the 50GB fair usage limit.

For customers heading abroad to Europe for 11 days or more, it's cheaper to add on EE's Roam Abroad Pass which costs £25 a month (it can be cancelled at anytime, meaning you can scrap it after your holiday if you want to).

Customers heading to Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the US and wanting to use their data can select the Roam Abroad Pass as an add-on.

Alternatively, they can pay £6.74 a day for 500MB of data only in Canada and the US, £8.45 a day for 500MB in nine countries including Australia, India and China, or use 150MB of data for £8.45 a day in 45 other destinations including Brazil, Japan and Jamaica. 

Customers can use their phones abroad in 47 destinations without paying extra roaming charges with BT Mobile's Roam Like Home scheme.

If travelling outside Europe, BT mobile customers can use still use their phones but will need to buy a Mobile Travel Data Pass to access their data.

It costs £6 for 500MB that must be used within 24 hours. It covers 12 countries, including the UAE, US, Australia and Canada.

Giffgaff lets customers roam for no extra charge within the EU and other selected locations, with a 5GB fair usage cap. If this is exceeded, roaming is charged at 10p per MB.

Anyone travelling outside the 37 locations in the EU and beyond will have to add credit to their account to use their phones as normal.

They'll also be charged a rate per minute, text or MB, which varies depending on where you go.

Tesco Mobile

Until 2025, anyone travelling to one of Tesco's 48 Home from Home destinations can use their phone as normal with no extra charge.

Roaming charges apply for travel outside these countries - but Tesco will cap data usage at £40 for anyone who hasn't already put in a safety buffer, to avoid anyone coming home to a shockingly high bill.

Generally, data costs around £5 per MB and texts 40p, but costs for calls can vary.

Sky's Roaming Passport Plus lets customers access their UK allowances for £2 a day in more than 55 popular holiday destinations, including EU countries, the US, Australia and more.

The pass is valid for 24 hours. Unused data can be carried over but the £2 charge still applies.

Anyone heading to other far-away destinations will see out-of-tariff roaming charges apply.

If you've got a phone or SIM-only contract with iD Mobile you can use your UK monthly allowances in 50 destinations worldwide, up to 30GB.

Roaming has to be activated beforehand through your online account or the iD Mobile app.

Lyca Mobile

Anyone with a Lyca Mobile SIM can roam in the EU or use data in India as normal up to the 12GB fair usage limit.

What about e-SIMS?

Standing for "embedded SIM", e-SIMS are virtual SIMS that have been built into most newer devices like phones, tablets and smartwatches.

While perhaps not so useful inside the UK and for short EU trips, they could be a way to avoid those hefty out-of-tariff fees for travel further afield.

As they can be activated without a physical card, it makes them particularly useful for overseas trips as you can easily switch between several different carriers if you need to. 

To use one, you'll need to purchase an e-SIM for the country you're heading to and adjust the settings on your phone to allow it to be used.

There are many different providers offering e-SIM services at varying prices for different destinations, making them difficult to compare.

On a similar theme to our last post... The pension pot needed for basic retirement has risen more than 60% in the last three years, two thinktanks have found. 

This means the average pension pot required has risen from £68,300 in 2020-21 to £107,800 in 2023-24. 

Rising housing, energy, food and transport prices have all contributed to the increase, a study by the Resolution Foundation and Living Wage Foundation suggests. 

Researchers say a person requires an average income of £19,300 a year in retirement to sustain a "basic" standard of living. 

However, this figure differs depending on whether a person owns or rents their home, and if they live alone. 

For example, single home-owning pensioners need  £13,500 annually while pensioner couples that own their home need £20,600. 

At the moment, the full rate of the state pension is £221.20 a week, or £11,502 a year.

The rest of the "basic retirement" fund would need to come from other sources such as a private pension with a balance of £107,800. 

To reach the amount needed in retirement, the research found a person working full-time on the Living Wage (£11.44 an hour) would need to contribute 9% of their earnings a year from the age of 25 to 68. 

State pensions could rise by more than £400 next year, according to reports.

The triple lock means pensions rise each April by whatever is highest out of inflation, average wage growth and 2.5%

This year that looks set to be wage growth, with figures set to be released next week.

The Treasury's internal working calculations, seen by the BBC, show this would lead to a £400 increase for anyone on the full state pension.

That would take the full state pension to around £12,000.

Pre-2016 retirees who may be eligible for the secondary state pension could see a £300 per year increase.

None of this has yet been confirmed but the Office for Budget Responsibility's spring forecast of earnings growth was 3.7% for the triple lock reference period - which all ties in with the suggested hikes above.

Any decision on a pension increase will be made by Pensions Minister Liz Kendall ahead of October's budget.

Yesterday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves reiterated the government's backing of the triple lock - which this year resulted in a £900 rise.

The Treasury has been contacted for comment.

Keep scrolling for news of a popular European country clamping down on Airbnb and this week's Cheap Eats

By James Sillars , business news reporter

A US-led stock market sell-off is hitting values on this side of the Atlantic for a second day.

The main worry, which was first seen a month ago, continues to be the performance of the world's largest economy.

Weaker than expected US manufacturing data sparked drops in oil and commodity costs, which bled into share prices.

The big losers, however, were tech shares.

Analysts said a decline of almost 10% in AI chipmaker Nvidia's stock was down to some profit-taking on fears the best news for the company's outlook was in the rearview mirror.

Brent crude dropped almost 5% to $73 a barrel.

The FTSE 100 largely mirrored Tuesday's declines at Wednesday's open, falling 0.8%.

Energy and mining stocks were among those worst affected again.

Every Wednesday we ask top chefs to pick their favourite Cheap Eats where they live and when they cook at home. This week we speak to Israeli-born Eran Tibi, executive chef at Michelin-recommended Bala Baya, and Kapara, in London.

Hi Eran, can you tell us your favourite places in London where you can get a meal for two for less than £40?

One of my favourite place has to be Voodoo Rays  (Dalston, London Fields and Peckham) - it serves New York-style pizza which you can't get anywhere. They have 22-inch pizzas - hello! 

You're able to go in, pick slices of whatever pizza you want; they also do a great negroni. It's great value and the quality is fantastic and consistent, so it's a no brainer.

I also love Afghan Kitchen in Angel  -   it's cheap, cheerful, delicious and authentic. It's unique as not many people are familiar with Afghan cuisine; all the dishes are great value and it's a fantastic place to explore new dishes. 

What is your go-to cheap eat to cook at home when you have a night in?

If I'm making something at home, I go to Ridley Road Market in Dalston to pick up my ingredients. Here you'll find the best produce for the most reasonable price.

The go-to for a cheap home cooked eat is roast beef with roasted seasonal vegetables and a slow braised bulgur wheat, covered with some dips (either fresh or from what's left in the fridge).

With dishes like this, the key is to always have a good pantry and look to the freezer; throughout the year, freeze seasonal vegetables and ingredients so when you need an easy and cheap dinner (even out of season), simply take them out and get cooking! 

We've spoken to lots of top chefs - check out their cheap eats from around the country here...

We've seen Spain do it, along with France and the Netherlands, and now the Czech Republic has announced plans to crack down on holiday lets.

The Czech government has proposed new regulations that could limit the amount of Airbnb-style rentals available in popular cities such as Prague. 

The proposals could cap the number of days a property can be rented out each year and require a minimum amount of space per guest. 

Authorities could also be allowed to place more local taxes on the rentals. 

Owners would be required to register their accommodation and guest details via an online platform. 

They will then be given a registration number, which would have to be displayed on their listings. 

The new system, if given the green light, will aim to bring down the cost of living for locals by freeing up accommodation and increasing tax revenues. 

EuroNews said officials estimate that between 40% to 70% of online bookings are not reported, which could equate to €32m in unpaid taxes each year. 

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