What to do once you’ve found a lead

Marci Sepulveda Leave a comment

Once you’ve generated some leads, you’re going to get a number of inquiries. While it’s great to have folks contact you and increase your database of leads, the real goal is to convert these leads into clients.

Before you invest too much time and energy into a lead, there are a few things you should find out about them.

8 Key Questions

First, you need to know if they are qualified leads. Do they really plan to buy? Can they afford it? Can you help them? Here are eight great questions to get the conversation going, and also help you find out how likely it is that this lead will turn into something more.

Question 1: How long have you been looking for a home?

This question can help you determine a lot about the buyer. If they’ve been looking for a couple of years, they may never be willing to move. If they just started their search, they may not be serious about acting soon, either.

Question 2: How soon do you need to move?

If they need to move immediately, then you’ve got a high-priority client on your hands. If they want to move in the next few years, you’ll want to take note of that as well.

Question 3: Do you need to sell your current home before you can buy?

Most sellers can’t buy a new home because they have to sell their current one first. This also means you can potentially help them with more than one transaction.

Question 4: What type of home are you looking for? Condo? Single-family? Etc.

Whether they’re looking for a single-family home or a condo, find out what they’re looking for and why. File this information for future use.

Question 5: What is your comfort zone in terms of price?

Using this language can be much more valuable to you than just asking about their price range. They may be able to afford more but only feel comfortable looking in a specific range. This information will be helpful if you move forward.

Question 6: Are you working with another agent?

Find out early if you’re the only agent in the running for their business. If they’re still interviewing agents, you’re in the clear. But if they’ve signed an agreement with another agent, you should not move forward.

Question 7: Have you met with a lender yet?

This is the best way to get the ball rolling in terms of finding out if they’re pre-approved, which makes them a more viable buyer.

Question 8: Have you been pre-qualified or pre-approved?

If they haven’t been pre-approved yet, see if you can help them with the process. Ask them the following: “If I call a lender who has an opening available tomorrow or the next day, would you consider taking an appointment?” That way, not only will they get pre-qualified and you’ll know that they can afford to buy a home, but you can get them to meet with your favorite lender. 

What to do once you’ve vetted a lead

Once you have a good lead, it’s time to start converting. Click here to start your seven-day free trial of AgentEDU today and watch our course, “Converting Real Estate Leads.”

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New kitchen renovation trends: How homeowners are splurging in 2022

Emily Mack Leave a comment

The 2022 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study is out, and kitchen renovations are on the rise. The home remodeling platform surveyed nearly 2,400 homeowners to determine the latest kitchen trends. The most popular among them? Upgraded countertops.

Over the past year, the percentage of renovators hiring of kitchen professionals jumped from 85% to 89%: highest level seen in four years. And it seems homeowners are sparing no expense. The median price spent for a major kitchen remodel increased 14% during 2021, to $40,000, while the price of minor remodels went up 25% to $10,000. More specifically, the median amount spent for a major remodel of a large kitchen (250 square feet or more) climbed to $50,000.

Of those many lavish renovations, new countertops were included by 91% of the Houzz respondents, with the quality of material prioritized over costs. Sixty-nine percent ranked the look and feel of the material as the No. 1 concern, followed by durability (57%), then ease of cleaning (38%) and, finally, the price (23%).

“It is clear that homeowners are willing to spend a little more to get exactly what they want in countertops that are both beautiful and practical, despite rising prices of labor, products and materials,” commented Houzz Senior Economist Marine Sargsyan. “We’re seeing a rise in overall kitchen renovation spend as homeowners not only splurge on specific features but also make major modifications to the kitchen layout, systems and walls, many of which require the assistance of licensed home professionals. In fact, hiring rates for home professionals to complete these projects are the highest we’ve seen in four years.”

Additional findings from the 2022 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study included homeowners’ addition of high-tech appliances (27%), beverage refrigerators (19%), work islands (20%) and flooring made from resistant materials, like vinyl (23%).