If you’ve ever cackled at Terrible Real Estate Photographs then you already know how bad amateur marketing attempts can be. More and more, vendors understand the impact of a good first impression, and the trend is firmly heading towards the use of professionals. Vendors use professional stylists, swap their own furniture for rented to ensure a coordinated look and then use professional photographers and videographers to ensure that their property puts its best foot forward. Professional copywriting, too, is on the rise, with the newest and slickest agencies using professionals exclusively to make their listings stand out from the crowd. When the sale is achieved, you need a Form One (vendor disclosure statement) prepared; once traditionally done in-house, there are an increasing number of specialised conveyancers and real estate professionals who prepare these for agents. All of these services are paid for by the vendor, even where the agent is liaising with the specialists, with the cost being charged as disbursements in the overall costs agreement.

What does the change in the landscape mean for agents? It means several things.

1. It’s good news for small players. Hitherto, it was difficult to compete with the big agencies who had in-house studios with photographers and copywriters on call. Today, all you need is a good relationship with some of the many talented freelancers working in these industries and you’re good to go. As a bonus, using freelancers means you don’t pay overheads in terms of salary benefits and offie space; just what you need, when you need it.
2. It frees you up to focus on selling. Most agents go into real estate because they have a passion for property, excellent people skills and enjoy a fast paced career. They don’t want to be sitting at a desk preparing legal documents or writing copy. With the price of professional services passed on to the vendor in any event, it makes sense to free up your time to do what you love. And that’s important, because:
3. You need to be at the top of your game when it comes to core skills. With professionals levelling the playing field for marketing services, it no longer matters as much if your ability to write a description is better than the agent down the road. What does matter is the skill that you’re hired for in the first place, which is your ability to get the house sold for the best price. Sales and negotiation skills are your core business, and more than ever before, you need to work hard to stand out from the crowd.

So build your networks of talented and responsive marketing professionals and do what you love to do – sell!