The uncertainty of 2020 caused the real estate industry to adapt to new strategies to sell to foreign buyers. ListGlobally’s business model has already provided a strong network and online marketing strategy for its agents and this has become even more applicable and valuable as we move forward into recovery from the global pandemic.
Today we will share some success stories with you, showing that even in hard times agents can succeed.
Success stories from real estate agents
Working with foreign buyers is quite different than working with domestic clients, and some agents simply prefer not to do it because of some barriers. But you might be losing real estate sale opportunities if you are not listing properties internationally.
The country-specific variances in language and culture, are the main reasons for not working with foreign buyers. Different time zones also make it difficult to schedule calls when both parties are available. In addition, the international customer does not always buy immediately, as it depends on the availability to travel to see the property.
However, those agents who love working with international clients can give us some tips and insight into just how successful this market can be. Real estate agents share with us how ListGlobally made a difference in their work with foreign buyers.
Success story of Darci Coelho, Portugal
Darci Coelho is a real estate agent from Century 21 Newlife and has worked in this business for four years. Darci has a passion for sales, along with a love of relating to people and helping them to fulfill their dreams. This is what motivates him to do this job daily.
Darci explains that Portugal is an excellent destination for those who want to invest. Working with foreign buyers is an asset because it gives him the opportunity to reach more people, and at the same time, he is helping the owner to sell his property faster.
The pandemic was an unpleasant surprise, and at first, it left everyone a little lost. However, this real estate agent wasted no time and quickly started utilizing digital media.
Using digital and online applications is a trend that was slowly entering the real estate market, but the pandemic accelerated it as virtual meetings, training and even virtual property tours became necessary.
On the same day that Darci signed up for ListGlobally's Global Agent program, he received the first contact request for one of his properties. Being a Global Agent allows him to access more real estate portals in the world and to reach more buyers! Darci's Global Agent status gives his listings more visibility, increasing their position in real estate portal searches. For this real estate agent, it was his first experience with foreign buyers, and he experienced immediate success.
Interview with Darci Coelho, a successful Global Agent in Portugal
Q: How did you receive the lead?
A: The client saw the property in one of ListGlobally's network portals, picked up the phone number from my profile on the page, and sent me a message on WhatsApp, saying she was interested in my property.
Q: From which country did the client come from?
A: The client was a lady who had been living in the UK for 20 years with her family.
Q: What kind of property did she buy, and for which purpose?
A: The client bought a 3 bedroom apartment. She was looking for an investment property that she can eventually rent out. In the meantime, she intends to move to Portugal and enjoy the property and the fantastic climate that the country has to offer.
Q: In which region of Portugal did the client buy?
A: She bought it in the center of Queluz, Lisbon area.
Q: What is the price range of the property sold?
A: The price is between 100,000 and 150,000 Euro.
Following some good practices, Darci quickly reacted and called the client immediately, scheduling a virtual visit to the property. The client liked the property, made an offer, and a few days later came into Portugal to finalize the deal. The sale was finalized in May.
Success story of Vicente Barceló, Spain
Vicente Barceló is the manager of the real estate company Código Activo, exclusively dedicated to luxury real estate. He has been in the real estate market for several years, and in April he became a ListGlobally Global Agent, thus achieving greater reach and visibility for the properties he has for sale.
When working with foreign customers, Vicente Barceló notices that they have a greater level of assertiveness and that they are decisive and clear about what they are looking for in a property. The affluent, international client is very specific in what he is looking for and this makes the real estate agent's job much easier. The pandemic has influenced the way agents connect with customers, and video calling on Skype has become a favorite choice for Vicente.
After the initial exchange of information, Vicente and his client found that the initial property did not fully fit what the buyer was looking for. However, Vicente didn't lose this opportunity and searched for another house that he had for sale which was perfect for the couple's needs.
Interview with Vicente Barceló, a successful Global Agent in Spain
Q: How did you receive the lead?
A: The client filled out an online form on one of the ListGlobally network portals.
Q: From which country did the client come from?
A: The buyers are from the United States; a couple who were looking for property for permanent residence in Spain.
Q: What kind of property did they buy and what was the purpose?
A: The property that they bought is a new detached house, still in construction.
Q: In which region of Spain is the property bought?
A: In Finestrat, in the province of Alicante.
Q: What is the price range of the property sold?
A: The price is above 700,000 Euro.
Testimonial from Anne-Marie Bello, a successful Global Agent in France
Anne-Marie Bello is a real estate agent from BSK Immobillier in France. She is also part of the ListGlobally Global Agent program.
During a demo meeting, the ListGlobally sales team showed Anne-Marie Bello how to leverage the Elite and Luxury promotions. Anne-Marie was trying to win a property from an owner that didn't want to see his luxury property promoted on French portals and who also didn't want to sign any exclusive property representation agreement.
Anne-Marie downloaded the Marketing Kit brochures available in her agent account on My.ListGlobally. She demonstrated to the buyer, that his property would be published on a wide international luxury network of portals and doing so would really increase his listing visibility to the right audience. Publishing individually on these portals has a high cost of several hundreds of euros per month, but they are available for a much lower price to Global Agents thanks to the ListGlobally's Luxury network. ListGlobally can bring the cost down for agents and agencies with distinguished properties. The monthly listing promotions can be used one by one and managed easily.
Because she ensured that her listing would receive a strong presence on the best luxury portals in the world, Anne-Marie was able to win a 1.2 million Euro property and signed an exclusive agreement with the property owner.
What motivates a real estate agent to work with foreign buyers
Working as a real estate agent usually means that you like the real estate industry and enjoy working with people, but you also have the ability to understand the client's needs and be able to offer solutions. This is where ListGlobally offers that extra service that will make client relations easier.
According to some data provided to us by ListGlobally agents, the main motivations that lead agents to work with foreign buyers are:
- Foreign buyers pay 10% more than domestic buyers
- Higher chance of selling property faster (less days on market)
- Culture and climate frequently draw foreign buyers to the listing country
- Quality of living is an important consideration for foreign buyers
- Foreign buyers are more serious about the transaction
- The probability of a sale is increased, as it is not limited to the domestic market
From the experiences shared with us by real estate agents who work with ListGlobally, many deals are closed before the client travels.
The foreign market opens new doors, increasing the chances to reach a wider audience of potential buyers and to sell more. Global Agents truly have a world of opportunity opened to them!
How to differentiate yourself as a real estate agent
ListGlobally is a full-service platform that allows you to easily and conveniently connect with foreign buyers. We offer many tools, tips, and services that help you showcase your international marketing presence to your sellers. The ease of syndication, the user-friendly elements of our platform, and the attention of buyers you would not encounter in the domestic market will make you stand out.
Get International
Despite everyone’s worst fears, the foreign real estate industry has proven to be resilient, especially for those that embrace the new strategies and tools available to them through ListGlobally. Stay tuned for more success stories! We love to be part of the successes of our agents.
More about ListGlobally
ListGlobally operates the largest global network of property portals in the world, advertising across +100 property portals in over 60 countries, reaching a monthly consumer audience of over +150 Million potential buyers.
Do you have a success story that you would like to share with us? Be in touch, we’d love to highlight you!
Questions? We invite you to reach out to us or open a chat with us on listglobally.com.
