Every week, we ask a real estate professional for thoughts on the top trends in real estate.
This week, we talked with Neal Oates, Broker/Owner of World Renowned Real Estate.
Miami Agent (MA): How do you use technology to distinguish yourself from the competition?
Neal Oates (NO): I am careful to only implement technology into my business that improves the experience of the consumer. We don’t focus on being different as much as we do on being better; better communication, better service, better results. I’ve found that short, unedited videos really capture my personality best and allow my clients to see an “authentic” Neal. Another common tool that I use differently than many other agents is Facebook. I NEVER post happy birthday messages for my clients, family members, or friends on their walls. I don’t want to be just another “Happy Birthday” that’s lost in the shuffle. Instead, when I receive the birthday notices, I pick up the phone and offer my best rendition of the birthday song to them or their voicemail. This immediately puts me in the same mental company with Mom, Aunt Ruth or Grammy and at this point I have gone from being a real estate agent to a FRIEND who happens to sell real estate. I look for tech that my customer/client base already uses and then find ways to use it to strengthen our “off-line relationships.”
MA: How does technology help you reach out and market to clients looking for high-end single family homes?
NO: I make sure that I have a consistent presence and message across all of the national sites. By using a few strategically placed ads I am able to create the feeling of being “everywhere” potential clients look. As the use of mobile devices increases as the primary tool for online interaction, everything we utilize is IOS and Android compatible. The ability to shoot videos of luxury homes as I’m previewing them now through services such as Periscope or Facebook Live help me show stunning homes at the speed of now! Gone are the days of having to do a video walk-through and go back to the office to upload a large video file to YouTube. New features being rolled out by Proxio which allows me to globally market high-end properties alongside developer projects makes it easier and more cost efficient to maximize exposure for my sellers while picking up interested buyers as well. With more information readily available to buyers and sellers on the web, it is imperative that I provide the most robust & current data, videos & pics out there.
MA: What are some of the other ways you service high-end clients?
NO: Identifying and understanding the needs, desires & wants of affluent clientele is paramount to being successful in this niche. We take pride in being able to anticipate the needs of our clients before they even recognize that a need exists. The greatest service we offer our clients is our All-Star team of allied resources. Fostering healthy relationships with the country’s top professionals such as legal, estate, and tax advisors ensures that our clientele is provided 7-star service in every aspect of life, far beyond a single transaction. Extensive hours are spent each week to identify challenges and opportunities that our clients may face and arriving at optimal solutions based on their unique needs and desires. At World Renowned Real Estate, we intrinsically believe that we are in a service and relationship industry and any sales we generate are rewards for the standard of quality service we provide.