How to Manage Your Real Estate Business During the Holidays

The holidays are upon us, and even though real estate may be slowing down for the winter months, it’s never finished. Navigating a successful real estate business can be hard any time of the year, and sacrifices must always be made. However, this rewarding career is not without its perks such as a flexible schedule and personal relationships.

If you want to keep your real estate business afloat during the slower holiday season, see below for some great tips.

Keep communication open. Try to set any vacation plans or holiday gatherings well in advance so that you can let your clients know when you won’t be available before the holidays even begin. Even though it’s important to be able to show a home at the last minute or be present at a closing on Christmas Eve, the holidays are meant to be a break for everyone to spend with family.

Work when you’re working. It’s tempting whenever we sit in front of a computer to start browsing through the holiday sales and checking off our Christmas list, but it’s important to stay focused. The more time spent actually working for your clients means the more time you will have to yourself by completing tasks in an efficient and timely manner.

Work on the paperwork. During the busy season, a real estate agent spends most of their time in the field, showing homes and meeting with clients. An offseason like the holidays is the perfect time to tackle annual paperwork, put-aside projects and all of the tedious tasks that have been piling up at the office for the first quarter of the year.

Know how to work a deal fast. Most buyers and sellers during the holiday season are more motivated than others because they have to sell or hunt during the statistically worst season for house sales. If your clients find the home they want or their home is getting more bites than you expected, a great real estate agent has their ducks in a row to move quickly. Be available for last-minute negotiations, have a list of inspectors and loan officers that work during the holidays, and be sure to inform your clients about their financing options. A great option for a fast secure loan is to use a hard money lender that give them a direct loan in as little time as a week as opposed to the long process of a traditional mortgage, especially if a buyer or seller needs to close the deal before the end of the year.

Send out those holiday cards! The first rule of relationship-based businesses is to keep up with your clients. This includes sending out a personalized holiday card to each of your clients, and possibly even small gifts to your VIP’s. This will keep you in their head for the holidays, and you may just end up with a new client or referral from your efforts.