As the real estate market remains red hot in nearly every corner of the United States, more and more people are becoming savvier when it comes to the machinations of the industry itself. One of the most important concepts to understand in real estate sales is the concept of sales leads. Real estate seller leads are a key component for real estate agents finding clients. There are two distinct kinds of sales leads, not just specifically in real estate, but in sales in general. Unqualified sales leads are quite different from qualified seller leads. And anyone who is interested in a career in real estate sales, or even is just thinking about buying or selling a house should know the differences.
When a realtor is searching for a new client, either a seller or buyer, they must ask whether or not the information they have is up to date and accurate. Both variables will go into deciding if they are dealing with unqualified or qualified seller leads. An unqualified sales lead isn’t a bad thing. Most people in any kind of sales industry will tell you there is no such thing as a bad lead. An unqualified lead is a lead that may need extra coaxing into becoming a qualified one. Vital financial information that is accurate and timely is perhaps the most important element for real estate agents.
In real estate, seller leads meet the criteria of being qualified by ticking a few important boxes. In the simplest terms, if the person is a potential buyer, they need to be able to afford to buy a home. The reality of the situation is a prospective buyer might not know their financial position in terms of buying real estate before they engage a realtor. Unqualified leads might be generated simply by a person entering their information in a bank’s system. Qualified seller leads will have been followed up with by a representative who will ask a series of questions to see if the buyer is financially ready.
Another important distinction between unqualified and qualified leads is how far along potential clients are in the homebuying process. Truly motivated buyers and sellers will have already done a lot of the work before a realtor is chosen. Real estate seller leads that have been qualified, will more often than not, involve people who know their needs. They might even be familiar with your company and perhaps even your body of work as an agent. This distinction could be key in deciding whether this lead is ready to be turned into a deal, or it could be the reason you put it on the back burner.
Since the real estate market is so flush with both unqualified and qualified leads, it could be worth the time and effort to bring along an unqualified lead. While the numbers of unqualified leads generating sales is much lower, they can be a valuable source of advertising, networking and information in addition to potentially leading to a deal. Source: Home Seller Leads
