Five Ways to Network in Real Estate: How to Meet New People

Whether you just started your career in real estate, you’re jumping back into the industry after a break, or you’re a seasoned veteran feeling like you are having trouble meeting new people, we all need tips and inspiration from time to time on how to meet fresh faces. So much of your success in real estate depends on who you know and how meaningful your connections are. With so many agents, you need to set yourself apart, but then you ALSO need to communicate your value to fresh faces which requires lots of networking!

Here are five ways to start networking and some tips on meeting people & making successful connections.

1. Meet People Face-to-Face

In a new age of virtual networking, it may be tempting to do as much as you can from at home or your office, but we want to encourage you to get out in public and meet people face-to-face. There is a special connection that happens in-person, and often a different kind of relationship is built when we are standing with each other in person. We understand the awkward feeling and the imposter syndrome that may wash over you, but often these situations bring the best return. The good news is that the more you do it, the easier it becomes! Whether it’s at a concert, out at dinner, at a networking event, a class reunion, or a day at the beach, keep some business cards ready and tap into your desire to genuinely get to know people for who they are. If you are genuinely interested in another person, they will often show genuine interest in you. Plus, you’ll get to meet some pretty cool people and hear some fascinating stories!

2. Open Houses

While we’re on the topic of meeting people in person, open houses create a great opportunity to get in front of people who are at least somewhat interested in homes for sale in a given area. Whether they are serious about buying that specific home or not, hosting an open house gives you the opportunity to make connections. Many people visiting open houses will come without agents and forming this relationship now means when they are more serious about buying or selling you could be the agent they remember! So use your open houses not just as an opportunity to find a buyer for your listing, but as a time to form new relationships. You could be surprised by who reaches out to you in six month, two years, or five years!

3. Door Knocking

This is a classic strategy in real estate that some agents try to avoid at all costs. However, we would encourage real estate agents to face their fears and give it a try! If you are unfamiliar with door knocking, it is when an agent chooses a specific neighborhood or area where they would like to meet homeowners and knock door-to-door to chat with them. It may be a neighborhood that your buyers are interested in or a neighborhood where you know home values have gone up and therefore people may be looking to sell. Whatever the case may be, always remember that the goal is to provide value to the people you speak with. This value could be how you would excel at listing their home for them, or it could be as simple as making their day with a friendly smile and compliment, even if they are not interested in your services. Ultimately, it is important to remember that you are entering their space and should not get too comfortable in a space that is not yours. Make sure to treat every homeowner with a high level of respect!