Grace Townsley
April 05, 2022
Real estate is all about balance
This weekend, we remembered something a mentor once told us– “always remind your buyers to balance emotion with logic.”
This rings true now more than ever. The current housing market is causing an unusual amount of anxiety for both buyers and sellers. That’s why it’s more important than ever to use your expertise to help guide your clients through this process.
Buying a home will always be emotional, but it’s our job as agents to help our clients not get too carried away. That’s why we always prepare our clients before we start their home search. We remind them that buying a home is almost always a wise investment, even in a unique market like this one. We also tell them to focus on today’s reality. Don’t think about how prices used to be. Think about the best options available right now.
- James and David
According to Realtor.com’s March report, the market isn’t quite done breaking records. Nationwide, here’s what’s happening in the industry right now:
Since interest rates are increasing and inventory is still incredibly low, we don’t expect a slowdown in the foreseeable future. At some point, the market will have to level off, but for now, move as many listings as you can while the market is on fire, because we don’t know exactly how long this opportunity will last.
According to RealTrends, the four brokerages with the highest total sales in 2021 made up a full 20% of US market share last year. Thanks to sky-high prices, these four firms grew their combined revenue by 43% YoY. But they’re not the only big movers and shakers. Check out the top 10 firms with the highest sales volume last year:
Looking at these unbelievable transaction numbers might make you want to join one of these mega-brokerages. But at the end of the day, the best brokerage for you is the one that fits your personality and working style. Our advice: interview at multiple brokerages to figure out if you like the management style, the people, and how they help their agents succeed.
Home flips are getting more expensive (thanks to pricey listings, lumber, and labor), but according to Fortune, there’s still a lot of room for profit. In 2021, the average profit on a flip home was $65,000. That’s a whopping 31% profit margin. And profits tend to be even higher for investors flipping with cash or completing less extensive renovations.
These were the most profitable cities (with their average profit) to flip a home in last year:
If you’ve got clients looking to flip houses, give them this advice: you make money on the buy, not the sell.
You can do all the best upgrades and get great prices on your materials, but if you don’t get the house for a good price upfront, your profit potential is already shot. It’s such a cliche, but it’s true–the biggest profits come from the sh*ttiest homes on the best blocks. Advise your clients to find contractors they can trust. They have to know their contractor will complete the project on time, at the right price, with good quality work. It really is a partnership that can make or break their sale.
The news that just missed the cut
Advice from James and David to win the day
So you’ve got a new client looking to buy. Check out these tips for finding them a great property in today’s competitive market:
Keep the latest industry data in your back pocket with today’s mortgage rates:
We’ll be answering a Blueprint reader’s burning question right here on Friday. What do you want to know?
We hope you got something useful out of today’s Blueprint. The more you know about the market, industry, and biggest players, the better your personal business will be. So get out there and make this a phenomenal week! 🚀🚀🚀
- James and David
The Blueprint is the free newsletter that keeps you up-to-date on the world of residential real estate. Powered by James Harris & David Parnes