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January 26, 2023
24 Best Curb Appeal Ideas to Increase the Sale Price
Curb appeal refers to the first impression a house makes when viewed from the street. Increasing a property’s curb appeal attracts more homebuyers and interest, with studies showing that curb appeal can add 7% to a home’s sale price. Many of the best curb appeal tips are simple and affordable, like landscaping and adding decor. We’ve gathered some of the best ideas to help you and your listing clients make strategic improvements to increase the value of each property you are trying to sell.
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Here are 24 of the best curb appeal ideas, divided into categories like landscaping, feature updates, decor, and lighting:
Landscaping Ideas That Add Curb Appeal
Landscaping doesn’t have to be extremely difficult, expensive, or over the top to make a big difference. A house with curb appeal, thanks to its clean and updated landscaping, will make a huge impact, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, agents who are successful in real estate know when it comes to landscaping, less is often more.
1. Add Edging to the Flower Beds
Edging is one of the best curb appeal ideas because it is straightforward and effective. Adding edging defines spaces and makes your flower beds and shrubs look intentional and complete. It also makes lawn maintenance easier, which can be appealing to prospective homebuyers. Plus, edging can be as simple, unique, or creative as you want it to be. Purchase rubber or brick edging from any nursery, a local hardware store, or .
2. Clean Up All Landscaping
Having established landscaping is a great home feature, but homeowners often fall behind on maintaining the landscaping by trimming bushes and shrubs. Where greenery has become overgrown and blocks the view of the home or impedes the approach, it’s time to get out the shears. Clean landscaping is incredibly important for increasing curb appeal, so make sure this step is an integral part of your real estate listing checklist.
3. Create a Path to the Front Door
Another simple yet essential curb appeal tip is to establish a path to the entry of the home from the road or driveway. This adds a more welcoming touch to the home and visually improves the first impression of any home. This path can be made of concrete, pavers, or brick. You can also line the path with trees, hedges, and flowers.
If your listing already has a pathway to the front door, consider how to create curb appeal by enhancing it. This could mean adding edging, river rocks, mulch, or simply lining it with potted plants or solar lights.
4. Add Fresh Rubber Mulch
Rubber mulch comes in various colors and frames your home and planting areas, making the landscaping pop. Mulch can be purchased at most major home improvement stores year-round, like or , and keeps plants healthier longer and fungus and weeds in check. This makes it one of the best tools for an easy curb appeal update.
5. Update Flower Beds With River Rocks
If you or your listing clients want to try something different to increase the curb appeal for selling a house, consider updating flower beds with landscaping rocks instead of mulch. River rocks, lava rocks, and other stones give houses a modern look that can be customized with different colors and sizes. Plus, landscaping stones can prevent weeds, which is a big bonus for buyers who want low-maintenance landscaping, including homes in arid climates.
6. Incorporate Rainscaping
If you’re looking for unique curb appeal ideas to give your listing clients, rainscaping might be a perfect solution. Rainscaping is a modern landscaping trend that collects and directs water runoff, producing both environmental and economic benefits. By redirecting runoff using rocks, rain barrels, rain chains, and other elements, rainwater is prevented from puddling and from polluting drains. Instead, it’s saved and directed to flower beds, gardens, lawns, and other areas.
Curb Appeal Ideas to Update or Upgrade the Home’s Exterior
Some of the best curb appeal tips are relatively simple tasks most homeowners don’t think about or complete on a regular basis. By paying attention to home features that are easily forgotten by homeowners, you can suggest simple updates and upgrades that transform the house’s appearance from the street view.
7. Pressure Wash the Driveway
Driveways and sidewalks are designed to be low-maintenance, so they usually don’t get much attention from homeowners. However, driveways are usually clearly visible in listing photos and can even take up a significant part of the photos.
By pressure washing the driveway, pathway, deck, fence, and siding, the home will look brighter and fresher. It’s incredibly impactful for such a small cost, so power washing the home (or hiring someone to power wash exterior areas) could be something you suggest or even a service you provide as a seller’s agent.
If you plan to host open houses for your listings, keep in mind that guests will notice any home features related to parking. Make sure you develop an open house checklist and include cleaning the driveway or adding parking signs as needed.
8. Clean the Roof
Just like a driveway, a house’s roof is clearly visible in real estate photography and heavily impacts the way the house looks. While home inspectors will look closely at the functionality of a home’s roof, homebuyers who are forming a first impression of a house will primarily be thinking about its appearance. Cleaning the roof can improve the entire home’s exterior curb appeal and prevent deterioration. You may not even realize how much dirt is visible on the home’s roof until it has been cleaned.
If you’re a new real estate agent, one of the best tips for your career is to develop a list of trustworthy home professionals to recommend. Create relationships and partnerships with contractors, handymen and women, home painters, roofers, plumbers, electricians, and other home service professionals. This is a great way to build your network and build trust with your clients.
9. Bring New Life to an Old Fence
Fences are a great feature for any home, but they also require significant time and money to maintain. When you visit your listing for the first time, pay attention to the fence’s condition. If any repairs or maintenance work needs to be done, make sure to include this in your suggestions for listing clients. Specify whether the fence needs to be pressure washed, repaired, repainted, or restained. Make sure you clarify with the homeowner whether they want to hire a professional or make the improvements themselves.
10. Update the Front Door
When considering how to update the front of your house, painting the front door is arguably one of the most common curb appeal ideas discussed. The front door has a major impact on the way a house looks, and improvements are usually extremely easy to make.
For instance, a quick refresh with paint or even replacing the front door or the door’s hardware can instantly refresh the whole look of a home’s exterior. If you want to generate real estate leads who are tech-friendly, consider upgrading the hardware to include electronic entry and smart hardware.
11. Refresh the Garage Door
For homes with garages, make sure you evaluate the visual appeal of the garage doors. Garage doors take up a lot of visual space and undeniably play a big part in a buyer’s first impression of the home. Luckily, there are many ways to give a makeover to a garage door without spending much money. While there are cases when homeowners may need to replace them, most garage doors can be transformed with paint, a gel stain, or garage door cover panels.
12. Disguise Unsightly Trash Cans & Utility Boxes
All homes have essential items that just don’t look pretty―like trash cans, air conditioning (A/C) units, water meters, or electrical boxes. Instead of leaving these eyesores out in the open, there are various ways to disguise or hide them.
For example, many utility boxes can be painted to blend in with the house. On the other hand, trash cans can be hidden away using wood panels, lattice enclosures, and portable storage units. The homeowner could hire a local carpenter or handyman to build them or purchase them from Amazon or local hardware stores.
13. Repaint the Home’s Exterior
All houses experience environmental wear and tear that requires periodic maintenance. Over time, the color and condition of a house’s exterior will become faded or damaged, and a new coat of paint can bring it back to life. While painting a home’s exterior isn’t the most simple or easy way to increase curb appeal, it is arguably the most impactful.
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) Remodeling Impact Report shows that homeowners who painted their houses claimed it improved the functionality and livability of their homes by 52%. They also rated exterior siding as their favorite home improvement project. When it comes to curb appeal, impact equals increased return on investment (ROI).
14. Add Faux Brick or Stone Panels
Homes with stone exteriors are extremely popular. In fact, it is estimated that homes with stone veneer improve ROI by about 80%. If your listing doesn’t have brick or stone, consider installing panels to create visual appeal and increase the home’s value. Stone panels are ideal for covering cinder brick foundations or accenting existing siding.
15. Stencil a Concrete Porch
Concrete patios and porches aren’t necessarily an eyesore, but they don’t contribute to a home’s overall curb appeal. An extremely affordable way to change this is by painting a pattern on it with stencils. Stencils mimic the look of tile or brick and instantly add personality to the home. This is one of the most affordable curb appeal tips you can offer to homesellers, which can significantly increase buyers’ interest in the home.
16. Spruce Up Your Mailbox
Since mailboxes are placed closer to the road where people walk or drive, it is a notable feature of the home. If it’s damaged or dated, you have an opportunity to capture potential buyers’ attention by making some simple upgrades. Encourage the seller to get creative by adding stone and brick facades, brick platforms, and flowers to complement the rest of the home’s curb appeal updates. It’s a small-cost project that can make a big first impression on prospective buyers.
Exterior Home Decor Ideas to Improve Curb Appeal
Most people think that all curb appeal upgrades require labor-intensive maintenance or permanent changes to the home. However, you can enhance the attractiveness of any house by simply adding a few decor items, like planters or window boxes. Here are five of our best curb appeal tips for adding products to improve the house's look.
17. Install Window Boxes
Windows are a critical feature for curb appeal. If the windows look dated or plain, adding window boxes is a simple and affordable way to add depth to the home and incorporate a pop of color and design. Window boxes and installation hardware is available at most hardware stores, although many homeowners with just a few simple power tools could easily build their own. Fill them with colorful, flowering plants for the current season to maximize curb appeal to potential homebuyers.
18. Add a Decorative House Number
House numbers might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to curb appeal ideas, but it’s almost always something that buyers and visitors notice as they are looking for the home. House numbers help visitors identify the home, and decorative house number signs are an easy way to impress anyone who passes by.
There are many ways to make your house number pop without making a large dent in your budget. There are many beautiful DIY house number ideas online, or you can buy custom house number signs from artists on . This is another example of a low-cost value-add you could offer during your prelisting presentation as a benefit for homesellers who choose to work with you.
While you are marketing your listing, take extra care to make the property easily identifiable to visitors and potential buyers with at least one real estate sign. Buyers expect a sign in the yard of a house for sale, but making a custom sign for your properties brings a level of professionalism to the showing or open house to make the home feel more special. Plus, it’s easy to create custom designs and signs with . Simply upload your premade design, choose a VistaPrint template, or collaborate with a designer. See how VistaPrint can improve your real estate marketing today.
19. Hang Wind Chimes
The sound of wind chimes in a gentle breeze is calming to many people, appealing to the homebuyer’s senses through sound and sight. To keep the sound pleasant and relaxing, choose wind chimes that provide a softer rather than loud or clanging sound.
Placement is also important since homebuyers usually want to hear wind chimes when sitting outside but not necessarily when they wake up in the morning. Hang wind chimes a bit away from the home’s bedrooms, ideally in an outdoor seating or garden area.
20. Add a Doormat
Doormats instantly make a home feel cozy and welcoming. If the homeowners have had the same doormat out for some time, it probably looks worn and faded. Before prospective buyers come to the home, put down a new doormat to make it look fresh.
For a unique addition to your real estate listing marketing plan, order a customized doormat with your logo for open houses and showings. Small things like this show your clients and potential buyers how you think of every detail. Alternatively, you could gift your listing clients a new doormat while you sell their home or as a closing gift.
21. Enhance Curb Appeal With Large Planters
Even if the property already has established landscaping, adding large planters with colorful flowers will enhance the curb appeal. Place planters near the garage doors, front doors, and outdoor living spaces, or line the pathway to the front door.
If you pay attention, professional home staging almost always incorporates greenery to bring a sense of life and pops of color to every space. Choose large planters that complement the home’s aesthetic and watch the space come to life.
If you want to leverage the power of home staging to attract a higher number of potential buyers, try virtual staging. With , you can get virtually staged images back in 48 hours. It’s a cost-efficient and time-saving method of displaying the full potential of a seller’s home for less money than physically staging the home. Plus, in today’s virtual first world, it can result in more showings and bring in offers quickly.
Exterior Lighting Ideas
Fifty-six percent of Americans said that creating outdoor living spaces was their highest priority in 2022. This shows that the curb appeal updates you make will be evaluated by potential buyers and appreciated by future homeowners even more. In addition, outdoor lighting is the number one feature Americans want to add to their outdoor spaces. Therefore, by adding outdoor lighting to your real estate listing, you’ll appeal to a large percentage of homebuyers who may be actively looking for it.
22. Update Exterior Lighting & Accents
Almost all houses have a few exterior lights built into the house, but they may be dim or limited to certain areas of the home. Evaluate the exterior lighting and suggest upgrades like brighter lights, adding lights in other areas, or even smart lighting. Although smart lighting often requires a professional to wire new fixtures, it also increases the home's value.
23. Update Light Fixtures
If the house’s light fixtures are functional but dim or dated, changing the light fixtures can solve both problems in just a few hours. Light fixtures can be purchased online or at hardware stores, and although they range in price, bright and modern fixtures can start at just $40 or $50. Alternatively, existing light fixtures that work well can be easily refinished with spray paint.
24. Install Solar Accent Lights
Solar lights are likely the cheapest and fastest way to add exterior lighting. They are also eco-friendly, easily accessible at home improvement stores or local nurseries, and can be installed in minutes without touching a wire. Adding solar-powered stick-up lights, string lights, fence lights, and lanterns along pathways and near outdoor seating areas adds drama and decor. They also improve curb appeal, especially during evening hours, since they turn on automatically at dusk and generally have enough power to stay lit until or even after midnight.
Bottom Line
Improving the curb appeal of a seller’s listing—even in small ways—can have a massive impact on the number of prospective buyers who view your listing, tour the home, and make offers. Although improving a home’s curb appeal can require some work and financial investment, use the tips above and your expertise in the local real estate market to make strategic improvements to increase the ROI. Ultimately, using the right curb appeal ideas will help you generate more leads for your business and for the property.
January 25, 2023
7 Open House Follow-up Emails + Templates for Real Estate Agents
Real estate agents can check in with clients, respond to inquiries, gather feedback, and develop connections with leads by sending open house follow-up emails. Follow-up emails are necessary for open houses, listing presentations, initial meetings, and networking events. To save you time and effort, we developed various open house follow-up email examples to organize your communication with clients. Download the templates below and customize them as you send follow-up emails to open house attendees, hot leads, and prospective sellers.
To maximize efficiency and lead generation, automate follow-up using these real estate email templates with a client relationship manager (CRM) like . Spacio integrates with your CRM to update your database with the contact information of each guest. Send emails from your CRM or utilize the editable real estate email templates from Spacio to automatically connect with attendees who are interested in the home. You can also nurture leads not interested in this home but may be interested in working with you.
1. Initial Open House Follow-up Email Template
Target audience: All attendees of an open house, typically potential buyer clients
As the open house host, you are responsible for indulging in conversation to introduce the property, gauge interest in it, and learn more about where your guests are in the buying process. As part of your open house checklist, you must send a real estate open house follow-up email to everyone who attended within 24 hours after the event. Your email should include a friendly greeting, the property's address, a link and/or picture of the property, and your contact information so they can reach you for questions or further information.
Since open houses can be bustling, you will likely send this email in bulk to all attendees. Consider using a digital open house sign-in sheet that connects to your client relationship manager (CRM). sorts your database and builds smart lists to create personalized follow-up plans to nurture each of your leads. It also gathers insights from your contact’s social media profiles, photos, locations, and interests so you can send more effective marketing messages.
2. Open House Hot Lead Email
Target audience: A buyer who attended the open house and was very interested in the home
The “hot leads” are the open house attendees showing significant interest in the home through their actions or words. They might stay longer during the open house to have a private conversation with you, or their agent may ask to speak to you separately. Send a thank-you email for attending the open house immediately to keep their interest, more details regarding your chat with them, highlight your expertise, and remind the buyer of the features they enjoyed.
3. Seller Open House Attendee Follow-up Email
Target audience: Potential sellers who stopped by your open house
During the open house, spend a few minutes with potential sellers to highlight your marketing materials, advertising platforms, and how you’ve brought value to the sellers with this current listing. Give your business card and collect contact information from potential seller leads so you can reach out afterward. Also, include a quick recap of your conversation, emphasize your expertise with sales listings, and offer to speak with them further about the sales process and how you can add value to them to the email.
Since sellers often attend open houses to glean market information and vet real estate agents, your real estate follow-up email can also include links to your website and real estate landing pages, especially pages offering a free market report or home valuation. Landing pages are essential to real estate lead generation, and you can get them up and running quickly using . They have tons of real estate-specific templates and provide reports so you can see where your leads are being generated.
4. After Home Tour With Client Follow-up
Target audience: Buyers you represented throughout the day while looking at homes and going to open houses
After a home tour, you should always sit down with your clients. But if it ends up being late when you finish, or clients want to speak privately first, you may have to follow up via email after the tour. Your follow-up email should include a request for an appointment to talk or meet up the next day, a reminder of homes they liked (including notes and links to listings, if applicable), and encouragement to consider submitting an offer before it’s too late if they want a particular home.
5. After Prelisting Package Check-in
Target audience: Sellers you want to represent and to whom you’ve sent an initial prelisting package
Sending clients a prelisting package gives them an overview of your services and explains how you can assist them in selling their house. This should be your first move after receiving a seller lead. In your follow-up email, include a reminder of when you sent the prelisting package, note the next steps in the process, and offer your availability to continue the discussion. Sending this type of follow-up email will remind clients about your prelisting package and show your enthusiasm for assisting them with the sales process.
Making sure the check-in email quickly gets to the right inbox is easy if you use a client relationship manager (CRM) to organize leads and automate pipeline communication. manages your sales pipeline with stages to categorize each of your leads. Assign actions to each stage to automate emails and marketing campaigns to convert more leads—try it for free today.
6. Listing Presentation Follow-up
Target audience: Seller leads you have met and to whom you’ve given a listing presentation to win their business as a real estate client
After giving your listing presentation to a potential seller client, send a thank-you email and attach the listing presentation. This allows your clients to review the materials at their own pace. Furthermore, show your clients that you understand how challenging the sales process is and that you and your real estate services can help them overcome any obstacles that may come up. Inform them of your availability to answer their questions so they know you are open to further contact before they make a decision.
7. Change in Listing Status Template
Target audience: Buyers you represent who wanted to move forward with a specific home, but another offer was accepted instead of theirs, and which has come back on the market
It is common for an offer to be rejected by a seller, especially in a hot market where sellers receive multiple listings. For this reason, agents must monitor the status of their clients' preferred listings. To inform clients of the property's listing status change and your availability to hop on a call to discuss, send a follow-up real estate email like the one below. Contact the seller's agent to learn as much information as possible about why the purchase fell through before you talk with your clients.
Tips for Creating Real Estate Email Templates
While the real estate email templates above are a great starting point, you should modify them to reflect the nuances of your personality and directly address your clients. In other words, the email recipient should hear you talking as they read your email.
Other tips for effective follow-up emails include:
Be concise: Make the email’s intent clear in the subject line and keep your email short and to the point. If you find yourself writing paragraphs, you either need to remove unnecessary information or pick up the phone to call.
Add a personal element: Include pieces of private conversations, such as remembering the name of their partner, kids, or pets, or mention specifics of the homes you visited together. You will build stronger relationships by demonstrating your attention to detail and treating prospects like people rather than transactions.
Keep it upbeat: Whether you are having a good or bad day, sending good news, or conveying something the prospect doesn’t want to hear, the language you use in your message should be upbeat and pleasant. This is a critical component of professional customer service every real estate agent needs to master.
Use appropriate language: Obviously, you want to avoid curse words, but you also want to use language that is appropriate and easily understood by your client. For instance, using real estate jargon like DOM (days on market) with an experienced investor might be acceptable, but not with a first-time homebuyer. You want to educate and build trust, so use language that suits your client’s experience.
Include an action item and request a response: Your goal is to continue the flow of communication. Ask the reader to follow up with you in a specific period by giving them a task to call, text, or email you. Prompt them with particular times and dates to encourage their response, and make it easy by sending a link where they can book an appointment that syncs to your calendar, such as through .
Employ proper grammar and spelling: Even if you’re sending an email from your phone, you should always stay away from abbreviations, check your spelling, and use proper punctuation. Clients will be unimpressed with your ability to communicate on their behalf if you cannot correctly communicate with them. Try using if your writing and grammar skills are shaky. It offers real-time suggestions, letting you quickly make corrections in documents and emails.
Top CRM Software to Manage Follow-up Real Estate Emails
CRMs are necessary if you’re going to effectively and efficiently follow up with and nurture hundreds, if not thousands, of leads and build a client base. There are many options, but make sure your chosen CRM fits your business needs and has the capabilities you require to communicate with your clients effectively.
Email automation, lead tracking, and pipeline management should all be at the top of your must-have requirements list for CRMs and other follow-up tools for real estate lead generation and nurturing. Here are some real estate CRM options that contain those features:
Bottom Line
As a successful real estate agent, you must always be proactive, and your ability to follow up will make or break the success or failure of your real estate business. Using the best open house follow-up email templates is easy to guarantee fast and effective communication with all your open house attendees. In addition, creating real estate email templates to follow up with other lead-nurturing situations is an effective way to save time and money to generate leads, convert clients, and nurture past clients.
January 25, 2023
6 Best Online Real Estate Schools in Arkansas in 2023
The Arkansas Real Estate Commission (AREC) requires broker and salesperson pre-licensees to complete 60 hours of approved education to fulfill state licensing requirements. There are additional hours required for continuing education and post-licensing. Arkansas online real estate classes offer the flexibility to complete the education requirements at home or in the office through various learning formats.
We evaluated numerous Arkansas (AR) real estate schools and narrowed them down to the six best online real estate schools in Arkansas based on course features, pricing, learning formats, and customer reviews:
: Best for new and experienced agents seeking personal access to local real estate instructors
: Recommended for real estate professionals who thrive on engaging, interactive self-study
: Great choice for experienced agents looking to upgrade to a broker's license
: Best career development resources for students who want tools and support to jump-start their real estate careers
: Best Arkansas livestream classes for students who want to engage with the classroom virtually
: Best for affordable continuing education (CE) packages for students on a budget
Best Online Schools in Arkansas at a Glance
Colibri Real Estate: Best for Personal Access to Local Real Estate Instructors
(formerly Real Estate Express) is an online education platform offering comprehensive tools for new and current agents. The Arkansas real estate license courses are led by active local real estate experts. It offers prelicensing, post-education career support, and recruitment for new licensees. Its continuing education classes available to Arkansas residents are offered through its sister company, .
Aside from learning real-life experiences, access to local instructors is crucial for real estate agents to learn Arkansas-specific laws, documents, and processes. Colibri Real Estate tops the list as one of the best Arkansas real estate schools, with over 132 instructors across the United States. Licensees can connect directly with experienced local real estate professionals who aren’t affiliated with just one real estate agency, like and , giving students broader perspectives.
Additional Colibri Real Estate Features
Livestream Exam Crammer series: Exam Crammer includes six one-hour webinars led by real estate instructors. It also includes monthly 40-hour live instructor Q&A sessions with favorite instructors.
Readiness Indicator: Colibri’s unique exam readiness tool helps students track their progress and assess their overall test readiness, giving them the confidence and edge they need to excel on their exams.
Consistently high first-time pass rates: Though we could not verify the data, many websites report Colibri's 78% prelicensing exam pass rate. This is considered pretty high in the industry. Students who don’t pass can be reassured by Colibri’s “pass or don’t pay guarantee.”
Smart Bites learning methodology: In addition to the comprehensive tools and curriculum, Colibri offers its unique Smart Bites methodology that breaks down real estate concepts into smaller bite-sized pieces, which reinforces concepts and improves recall.
Colibri Real Estate Reviews
Colibri Real Estate has a customer satisfaction rating of 4.2 out of 5 on multiple review sites. Most reviewers love the convenience and 24/7 access to work at their pace. Exam prep is popular among students, stating that it helped them ace their exams. Licensees commented that the prelicensing course provides everything they need to pass the exam. A few students appreciate the positive experience and access to licensed instructors.
Some negative reviewers mentioned the curriculum could be more entertaining and offer more visual content instead of being too text-heavy. A few students wish for more classroom interaction instead of working independently since instructors are not available day and night. Colibri has added livestream courses in some states, but it’s not available in AR at this time. AR students who want more interaction should consider , which provides livestream and in-person courses.
Colibri Real Estate Pricing
Colibri Real Estate offers a variety of prelicensing packages with professional growth opportunities. It doesn’t offer prelicensing or post-licensing broker education but does offer continuing education through its partner school, .
The CE Shop: Best for Engaging Interactive Self Study
Taking online courses requires content to be engaging to help students learn and hold their interest. engaging curriculum surpasses that offered by , though they both are well-known national brands. Its vivid graphics, vibrant colors, and easy language keep it simple while ensuring students are able to learn and retain the content, thus making it an enjoyable learning experience.
The CE Shop is one of the most widely known and best online real estate schools in Arkansas and the country, providing real estate education to all 50 states. Upon enrollment, it gives students a full year to complete their education. It offers 30 CE classes, allowing students to pick courses they will enjoy. It also gives students a full year to complete the curriculum. This is among the lengthiest completion time for our top picks. It’s best for information retention to complete the classes close together and take the exam as soon as possible.
Additional The CE Shop Features
Referral program: The CE Shop has a unique referral program that allows students to earn $10 when their referral spends under $200 and $25 for referrals who purchase over $200.
Free trials: The CE Shop offers a five-day free trial, letting students see if the course or a career in real estate is right for them.
Agent Essentials: Offers free resources consisting of blogs, e-books, videos, podcasts, and webinars. They frequently add new content to further professional development for agents.
Exam Prep money-back guarantee: The Exam Prep Edge program offers a money-back guarantee if students demonstrate competency in all sections but don’t pass the exam.
The CE Shop Reviews
The CE shop has a customer happiness rating of 4 out of 5, with 83% of reviewers giving it 5 stars. Students say the courses are easy to navigate, enjoyable, and interactive. Many students report they tried other programs and returned to the CE Shop, claiming it’s the best.
Many of the unfavorable reviews cite technical difficulties with the site going down for hours to a few days. CE Shop uses a third-party company, PSI Online, to proctor the online exams, and there were technical difficulties with that site too. Some students say the length of time to complete the course was not transparent, so their courses closed before they were finished. Students who want a more reliable online experience may want to look at .
The CE Shop Pricing
The CE Shop offers a variety of individual classes and course packages at different prices. Students can choose the courses they need based on their budget or choose what they want out of a program. However, it doesn’t include broker prelicensing.
Lindsey School of Real Estate: Best for Broker Licensing Education
livestream courses are combined with in-person classes, so online students can enjoy the interaction with their peers from a remote location. It gives students the convenience of taking online Arkansas real estate classes from their homes or offices while giving them a live classroom experience.
It is located in Fayetteville, AR, giving students access to local real estate professionals who are active in the field. It is one of the only schools on the list to offer online livestream broker licensing education for students who want to advance their careers or start their own firms.
This real estate school is affiliated with Lindsey & Associates, allowing students to launch their careers with a company they’ve experienced through the courses. Students may prefer to have access to a variety of local real estate agents instead of just one firm. In that case, they should look at .
Additional Lindsey School of Real Estate Features
Private on-site classes: To accommodate different learning styles, Lindsey School of Real Estate offers private on-site classes in its Fayetteville, AR, office. The private classes require a minimum enrollment; contact Lindsey for details.
Materials included: Livestream and in-person courses include textbooks and print materials.
100% refund policy: Students have 10 days to cancel before classes begin and 72 hours from the start date to receive a full refund.
Lindsey School of Real Estate Reviews
Lindsey School of Real Estate has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 from online reviewers. AR students appreciate the instruction from local real estate professionals, stating it keeps the classes engaging with real, local examples and stories. They have an A+ Better Business Bureau rating, making it a trustworthy business from which to receive Arkansas real estate education.
While Lindsey School of Real Estate receives 4.5 out of 5 stars, the lower star reviews have no comments to determine the reason for the less than stellar rating. Student testimonials say they feel comfortable with the instruction and the materials to help them pass their exams. However, it is limited in its livestream classes for post-licensing and broker education. It also gives students only six months to complete, unlike , which offers a full year.
Lindsey School of Real Estate Pricing
No matter where you’re at in your real estate career, the Lindsey School of Real Estate offers real estate education for nearly every licensee at various prices. However, except for CE, it doesn’t offer broker prelicensing or broker exam prep.
Kaplan: Best for Career Development Resources
is best for its career development resources with an extensive Career Toolbox containing articles, e-books, and a comprehensive YouTube series. Its content covers everything, including getting started in your career, industry trends and news, marketing resources, lead generation, and flipping houses. Additionally, its high-quality prelicensing and exam preparation courses support a variety of learning styles. The courses are offered via livestream, self-paced, and on-demand video.
Kaplan’s prelicensing packages include access to additional textbooks, exam preparation materials, and interactive study groups. Students can also purchase flashcards, a Math On Demand professional development course, an additional study package, and two apps to help them succeed. It’s a good option for first-time agents seeking a new real estate license.
Additional Kaplan Features
Toby Talks: Among Kaplan's vast video library is a series of short videos called “Toby Talks,” which features a loveable character named Toby who imparts real estate-specific information to help agents start and grow their real estate careers.
Real Estate Accelerator: This live eight-hour intensive course offers eight weeks of professional coaching to help students launch their real careers. It provides business-building skills and critical operating activities used by the most successful real estate agents. It prepares students to implement personal business, marketing, and income plans.
Professional development courses: In addition to continuing education and career development, Kaplan offers two additional packages—the eight-week live online coaching and sales training program for $399 and a business brokerage training for $499.
Tuition assistance: The website mentions tuition assistance under the “Student Support Services” tab, which leads to the customer support page. Though it doesn’t give specific details, it's worth reaching out to see what’s available.
Kaplan Reviews
Trustpilot gives Kaplan Real Estate a rating of 4.4 out of 5 in more than 1,000 reviews. Students raved about the available tools and resources and the quality and availability of their instructors. They also commended the study groups. A few also reported that they enjoyed Kaplan’s online real estate education so much that they eagerly looked forward to each session, making it one of the best online real estate schools in Arkansas.
Other less favorable reviews remarked that the six months to complete the program isn’t enough. Some reviewers said that the course could benefit from local instructors since it lacked Arkansas-specific experiences that they find helpful. If you need access to local real estate professionals, we recommend or .
Kaplan Pricing
Kaplan offers AR students prelicensing packages, exam preparation classes, salesperson, and broker continuing education. It has a limited number of packages and individual classes but meets students' educational needs.
Arkansas Real Estate School: Best for Arkansas Livestream Classes
, located in Little Rock, is a good choice for students who want a local experience. It offers both livestream and self-paced courses that include prelicensing, exam prep, and continuing education for license renewal. Livestream courses have a set schedule and include pre- and post-licensing education.
Exam prep can be purchased separately for livestream, and textbooks include exam practice tests. Learning directly from local experts gives students a keen insight into the Arkansas real estate market, helping them understand trends and what to expect upon entering the field.
Its pass guarantee allows students one full year to re-attend classes if they don’t pass the exam. If students switch between course types, they are charged an administration fee and a book fee. Unlike , career development is limited. Sometimes real estate firms visit the school and offer optional recruiting presentations. This benefits students considering which brokerage to choose from to start their careers.
Additional Arkansas Real Estate School Features
Generous tech support hours: Students can call, text, email, or chat with tech support seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central Time on Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central Time on weekends.
Classes in other locations: Arkansas Real Estate School offers courses in north-central AR and southern Missouri. Instructors also teach in Texarkana, El Dorado, Hot Springs, Jonesboro, Camden, Sherwood, and Cabot. If there’s enough interest, staff are willing to set up courses in other locations.
VA Benefits: If you’re a veteran, Arkansas Real Estate School can accept your veteran’s benefits for in-person classes.
12-month course audit: Students can audit any portion of a course they completed for up to one year at no charge.
Arkansas Real Estate School Reviews
Since Arkansas Real Estate School is a smaller local school compared to the national schools in our evaluation, independent reviews are limited. There are 28 Google reviews, rating the school with 4.8 out of 5 stars. The school’s website has some impressive testimonials also. Across these reviews, students rave about their instructors' delivery of the content, the support they receive, and describe the information as thorough and entertaining.
While we didn’t find any negative reviews online, students should know it has limited CE classes and career development opportunities. Additionally, if students need to change course formats, such as switching from livestream to self-study, there are additional administration and textbook fees. For students looking for further career development opportunities, check out .
Arkansas Real Estate School Pricing
Arkansas Real Estate School offers pre- and post-licensing packages ranging from $395 to $480 in self-study and livestream formats. Students can also take individual CE credits for $25 to $70. There are three exam preparation options available: the state-only exam, national only, and a combination of these. Each option is $60.
McKissock Learning: Best for Continuing Education
offers Arkansas licensees continuing education courses to maintain their real estate licenses. While it only directly offers Arkansas continuing education for real estate, it is partnered with Colibri Real Estate to diversify its offerings. Its affordable CE packages and the option of taking individual classes instead of buying a whole package allow students to customize their continuing education while meeting state and national requirements.
It’s ideal for students who want a no-fluff continuing education. Students can learn at their own pace, and McKissock Learning also lets them customize courses in the packages they choose, giving them ultimate control over their learning. All courses are self-study, offering complete flexibility. If students want prelicensing courses and exam prep, they can hop over to its partner company and begin their education there.
Additional McKissock Learning Features
Colibri Real Estate Collaboration: McKissock, being the partner company of Colibri Real Estate, gives licensees access to all that Colibri offers for Arkansas real estate licensing courses.
Pro Series library: Includes webinars and an on-demand library with industry topics, insider tips, and expert advice.
Over 100 job aids: Including worksheets, scripts, and checklists to stay on track and grow a thriving real estate career.
McKissock Learning Reviews
McKissock Learning has an online rating of 4.5 out of 5. Students state that the platform is easy to use. They also say that the CE prepared them well in their careers, that the courses are affordable, and that they like the flexibility to take classes that fit their schedules.
Less favorable reviews state that McKissock Learning sends too many promotional emails once they sign up. Other reviewers say that customer service needs improvement. Two students reported that it isn’t clear upon signing up for the CE membership that they are agreeing to an annual subscription. Some of the smaller local schools, like , generally would be less inclined to send out a lot of promotional emails compared to a national company like McKissock Learning.
McKissock Learning Pricing
McKissock Learning offers four salesperson prelicensing packages, ranging from $352 to $582. Individual continuing education classes range from $19 to $44.95, depending on the number of credits. There are also three continuing education packages ranging from $96 to $99 for students who are ready to renew their licenses. The two options for exam preparation outside of what’s included in the prelicensing packages range from $99 to $219.
How We Evaluated the Top Real Estate Schools in Arkansas
Whether you’re renewing your Arkansas real estate license or becoming a real estate agent, to avoid pitfalls, you need a top-shelf education. And with so many options to find a decent real estate school in Arkansas, it can become overwhelming.
We’ve taken the guesswork out of it by comparing and evaluating the best online Arkansas real estate schools based on learning styles, quality, program features, and pricing. We also evaluated the expertise of the providers and customer reviews. Additionally, our top picks are all approved by the Arkansas Real Estate Commission.
Of these, is the best online real estate school in Arkansas. With our independent rating of 4.85 out of 5, it ranks as the top online real estate program. Its AR courses are led by local experts. Its user-friendly interface, money-back guarantee, and comprehensive post-licensing career development prepare students well for the state exams and for developing their careers.
We used the following criteria to evaluate Arkansas’ best online real estate schools:
January 23, 2023
REDX Review: Is It Right for Your Real Estate Business
REDX is real estate lead generation software specializing in curated lists of leads stemming from for sale by owner (FSBO), for rent by owner (FRBO), preforeclosure, and expired listings. Due to a combination of its niche leads and limited marketing features, it did not earn a spot on our list of best real estate lead generation websites.
However, based on 25 evaluation factors, REDX earned a reputable score of 4.38 out of 5 because of its general features, marketing and advertising features, REDX reviews, customer support, expert score, and ease of use. Read through our REDX review to determine if their system is right for your real estate business.
REDX Reviews: What Users Think of REDX
Is REDX worth it? Based on reviews, customers complimented the company’s responsive customer support. Additionally, one user said that the REDX leads are exactly what he was looking for as a realtor. The quality leads and the information provided through the PLUS upgrade helped him concentrate more on his niche market. Further, one REDX review commended REDX’s prospecting lead dialer and the fair pricing of its services.
Trustindex: 4.3 out of 5 based on 162 REDX reviews
Google Reviews: 4.3 out of 5 based on 149 REDX reviews
Most of the dissatisfied reviews complained about phone numbers that were incorrect or were no longer in service. Several customers also said they had difficulty canceling their accounts and asking for a refund. REDX’s costs may also add up if you subscribe to several products. If you are looking for an affordable customer relationship manager (CRM), is a good alternative although it doesn’t have lead generation sources integrated into it. You can also check for a free account with a CRM and lead generation tools.
Would Our Expert Use REDX?
REDX is a great marketplace for curated leads that go beyond the typical seller listings. We particularly like its multiple types of seller leads for FSBO, FRBO, preforeclosure, and expired listings, making REDX one of the best platforms to buy leads. We also recommend several REDX tools that make prospecting easy. Power Dialer and Mail Merge tools effectively contact as many leads as possible without wasting too much time. Phone scripts are available on your Vortex dashboard, so you communicate confidently with leads.
However, we wouldn’t recommend REDX to agents, teams, and brokerages looking for an all-in-one lead generation, CRM, and marketing solution. REDX offers limited marketing tools with no marketing automation or third-party CRM integration. Moreover, REDX doesn’t provide paid buyer leads, unlike , , and . For a more robust CRM, we recommend because of its wide range of essential tools like property insights, social insights, email marketing, and third-party integrations.
REDX Alternatives
If you’re looking for other lead generation, marketing, and CRM platforms, here are some of our recommended alternatives to REDX:
REDX Plans & Pricing
pricing currently doesn’t offer tiered plans for all its products. This means all REDX products—lead sources and tools—can be purchased a la carte. You can create your own subscription by choosing from different lead sources and tools with separate monthly costs:
Additional a la Carte REDX Tools
Aside from lead sources, REDX offers tools to help you contact leads faster and maximize your prospecting efforts. Here are REDX tools that you can purchase on a monthly subscription:
Preview Line Dialer ($59): Simplified single-line dialer with 1,500 minutes talk time; calls via computer or phone, usage log, time zone protection, and free support
Power Dialer ($99.99): Single-line dialer to make prospecting calls with unlimited talk time
Multi-line Dialer ($149.99): Single-line dialer for up to three lines to make prospecting calls with unlimited talk time
Brand Builder ($599): Managed social media marketing that includes four custom Video Projects (12 unique posts): four Facebook, four Instagram, four TikTok posts; prompt topics; posting to Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok; access to Ad Builder; content library; and managed boosting to Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok
Brand Builder PLUS ($999): Includes eight custom video projects (24 unique posts): eight Facebook, eight Instagram, eight TikTok posts, and everything in the Brand Builder package
General REDX Features
features support real estate agents in growing their listing portfolio. Its prospecting tools enable agents to set up as many listing appointments as possible. Choose from multiple lead sources, tools, and data insights to improve your lead conversions.
REDX stands out as one of the best platforms to find FSBO, FRBO, preforeclosure, and expired leads. Moreover, you can find tools to help you better communicate and engage with prospective clients. Its Power Dialer minimizes the hours needed to prospect by performing the dialing on your behalf. The customizable phone scripts also help tailor your calls based on your lead’s journey. Verified leads ensure that contact information in the Vortex system is valid, so agents can feel confident while prospecting.
Additional REDX Features
REDX features assist in helping agents to generate and nurture leads for niche markets. Read the details about each feature by clicking on the tabs below:
Ease of Use
REDX’s intuitive platform is easy to navigate. Once logged in, you can easily view all your subscribed leads and filter them by source by ticking the boxes on the sidebar navigation. On the top navigation bar, you will find buttons for Chat support, REDX Forum, Help Center, and your profile so you can easily access information about your account. You will also find the Power Dialer and Mail Merge buttons on the top menu so you can directly dial phone numbers or send emails to leads right on your dashboard.
As mentioned, leads are separated by source, which allows phone conversations to be tailored accordingly. However, for agents with multiple lead sources from third-party sites, there’s no integration of outside leads, so you’d need an additional CRM. Vortex also has limited marketing automation to prospect for business outside of phone dialing.
REDX’s website is also pretty straightforward. By simply navigating through the top menu on the website’s home page, you can find REDX success stories, customer support, and podcasts. You can also immediately find all the information about REDX products, along with their specific pricing and inclusions, on the home page.
How We Evaluated REDX
The best real estate lead generation websites provide real estate professionals with tools that assist in generating leads and converting them into clients. We researched lead gen websites based on the following criteria:
*Pricing was not included in our evaluation criteria because of the vast price difference between providers and services
Bottom Line
is an effective lead generation platform with an easy-to-use lead management system. Verified leads increase agents’ chances of finding high-quality prospects. The phone dialer and phone scripts available on the dashboard further ensure agents consistently set up listing meetings, thereby improving the chances for lead conversions. REDX reviews show users love its responsive customer support and quick delivery of verified leads, making the platform an affordable supplement to other prospecting practices.
January 23, 2023
Market Leader Review: Is It Right for Your Real Estate Business?
Market Leader is one of our top real estate marketing companies earning a 4.23 out of 5 rating. We arrived at this score based on 21 factors that are essential to real estate marketing strategies. This includes ease of use, help and support, customer reviews, and features such as social media management, websites, mass marketing tools, and client relationship management (CRM) integration. Market Leader reviews and our analysis found that it is ideal for agents looking for an all-in-one solution to scale their businesses.
Market Leader Reviews: What Users Think of Market Leader
Is Market Leader worth it? real estate reviews show that users enjoy the platform’s ease of use in both mobile and desktop applications, particularly when setting up their websites. They appreciate the CRM and its ability to track all sent emails. Other users commented that most of the leads are "actively buying" leads and are reasonably priced, which is helpful for their business. Some clients commended the platform for its helpful customer service, technical support, and training guides.
Featured Customers: 4.8 out of 5 based on 1,370 Market Leader reviews
Cuspera: 4.47 out of 5 based on 1,058 Market Leader reviews
G2: 3.4 out of 5 based on 203 Market Leader reviews
However, several users were frustrated with the leads they received, complaining there were "no names to a lot of the leads, wrong phone numbers, and email.” Some users were frustrated with the required six-month contract, which made it hard to cancel their Market Leader account before the term ended. Other customers hoped their website’s content would rank higher in Google searches. If you’re looking for search engine optimized (SEO) landing pages, along with a robust CRM and a free trial, try .
Would Our Expert Use Market Leader?
With robust features, is easily one of the most effective lead generation and marketing solutions available for agents, teams, and brokers. What we like about Market Leader are its comprehensive paid inbound lead, automated marketing, and CRM solution that help agents acquire, engage, and nurture real estate leads. With exclusive buyer and seller leads, you have higher chances of converting prospects without worrying about the competition from other agents, thereby positioning your business for success.
However, Market Leader may not be the best solution if your business is built on prospecting and other outbound marketing. Although you are guaranteed a number of exclusive leads, there’s limited availability in specific ZIP codes. Leads are also an added cost, as they’re not included in the plans. Moreover, Market Leader doesn't offer comprehensive social media marketing tools. We recommend if you’re looking to maximize Facebook marketing while prospecting seller, buyer, for sale by owner (FSBO), and expired leads.
Market Leader Alternatives
If you want to explore other CRM software that can provide you with robust marketing, website building, and follow-up tools, consider the following alternatives to Market Leader:
Market Leader Plans & Pricing
How much does Market Leader cost? pricing is categorized into three plans: Professional for Agents, Professional for Teams, and Business Suite for Brokers. The starting rate of each plan is $139 per month. In addition to the flat fee, you are charged by the number of team members using the platform on a sliding scale.
If you commit to a plan for six months or more, there is a 10% discount incentive, but there’s no additional discount for committing to a full year or longer. All plans include basic management and marketing tools, such as IDX websites, CRM, marketing automation, content library, mobile application, and text and email alerts.
For more details on each Market Leader plan, click on the plan you’re interested in below:
General Market Leader Features
platform includes several features essential to running a successful real estate business, whether you’re an independent agent, a growing team, or a fully staffed brokerage. The platform eliminates the need to outsource marketing services by providing a lead management and marketing solution tailored to your business needs. These tools make lead generation, management, and engagement activities more efficient.
Each feature is designed to capture buyer and seller leads so you can successfully convert them into closed deals. With a visually appealing IDX website, you encourage site visitors to provide their contact information while you gather buyer leads and move them through the sales funnel. Moreover, lead source integrations capture all leads into the CRM so you can manage leads in one place.
Read on to take a closer look at some of Market Leader’s standout features for real estate agents, teams, and brokerages.
Help, Support & Ease of Use
platform, dashboards, and tools are easy to navigate, empowering teams, brokers, and independent agents to build professional websites, market their services, and manage leads in one platform. Its customizable IDX websites utilize drag-and-drop editing functionality, so you can make changes to your site even while on the go through its mobile app. Market Leader further eliminates the need for outside resources, especially when it comes to web design and stock photography.
Your real estate lead flow is centralized into one CRM, even from third-party vendors like , , and . Integrating your MLS listings into your website can even be done in a matter of a few clicks. Moreover, there’s a variety of design options to keep your marketing campaigns fresh and appealing—whether via email, print, direct mail, or phone marketing. Given the various Market Leader plans, setting up lead routing for a larger team and creating sub-website domains for teams and individuals may be challenging at first.
How We Evaluated Market Leader
The top real estate marketing companies for realtors offer tools and features that assist agents and brokerages in generating and converting more leads to clients. We examined marketing companies for agents, teams, and brokers based on the following criteria:
*Pricing was not included in our evaluation criteria because of the vast price difference between providers and services
Bottom Line
strength lies in its ability to provide exclusive leads, automate marketing campaigns, and integrate lead processes into one easy-to-navigate platform. Individual agents, teams, and brokers can create fully functional websites with IDX home search functionality. With a full-featured CRM and a robust marketing suite, you can have the basic tools to operate and grow your business—all without a long-term commitment. Based on Market Leader reviews, users love how it's convenient to use both desktop and mobile applications.
January 23, 2023
Real Estate Listing Checklist for Agents (+ Free Download)
Sales listings are a lucrative source of income for any real estate agent, but it can be challenging to manage marketing, negotiations, deadlines, and seller expectations without a real estate listing checklist. Your checklist should include items to complete before listing the property, during the active listing, and throughout the closing process. This checklist will help you and your clients easily track progress and ensure every stage of the sales process gets completed before moving on to the next.
To save time creating your own listing checklist for realtors or sellers, we compiled a detailed real estate listing checklist template you can download and use or share with clients.
Choose which stage of the listing checklist you’d like to focus on from the drop-downs below, or take a look at all three stages to prepare yourself for a successful property sale:
Bottom Line
While being a real estate sales agent does not come easily, practice over time sharpens your skills. Download our free real estate listing checklist and use it to keep track of the prelisting, listing, and closing tasks needed to get you and your clients to a completed transaction seamlessly. Knowing the ins and outs of the listing process and being able to guide a client through this process produces positive reviews and word of mouth, ensuring a pipeline of sellers that will grow your real estate business.
January 23, 2023
6 Expired Listing Letter Templates & Why They Work
When real estate listings don’t sell within the time frame specified in the listing agreement, it becomes an expired listing. For real estate agents, expired listings present an opportunity to get a new lead and listing client. One of the best ways to connect with owners of expired listings is through an expired listing letter. To help you get the best results from your letters and send them efficiently, we’ve gathered six different expired listing letter templates.
In addition to writing your letter strategically, make sure to visually design your letter to stand out and be easy to read. This can be difficult to do in a standard word processor, but is extremely easy to do with . Canva provides thousands of letter templates to make your letter fit your real estate brand, whether you want a simple design or a unique background and font. Plus, Canva is completely free to use.
1. Include Agent & Neighborhood Statistics
(Source: Breakthrough Broker)
Why This Letter Works
This real estate agent doesn’t just claim that they have local expertise—they prove it. By including and discussing hyperlocal neighborhood statistics, the agent makes a strong point about the local real estate market. They also provide a clear next step for the homeowner to take advantage of the statistics provided, which is a move analysis. Alternatively, you could offer a different service, like a home valuation, and direct owners to a custom real estate landing page.
When you use a real estate software program like , creating a custom landing page specifically for expired listing clients is extremely easy and effective. Real Geeks provides customizable website and landing page templates that include IDX search functionality and custom lead forms. It also includes a detailed customer relationship manager (CRM) and automated marketing tools like email and text to help you nurture your leads and clients.
Find out more about how Real Geeks is the all-in-one tool you need to boost your business.
2. Offer a Resource Guide
(Source: Nicki Reichel on Prezi)
Why This Letter Works
Just as the letter says, it’s delivered with a resource guide that directly addresses the questions and thoughts that most expired listing owners have. Since most homeowners who were unable to sell their house feel overwhelmed and confused, they are likely to be receptive to someone who instantly provides value by answering their most urgent concerns. This short expired listings letter packs a big punch by being brief and offering a comprehensive resource for free.
If you don’t already have a resource or guide to provide like the one mentioned in this template, it’s easy to create one. With , a graphic design platform that is free to use, you can choose from thousands of premade design templates. The platform is extremely user-friendly, allowing you to simply input your unique content and adjust the design template with your brand colors. On the other hand, every document is fully customizable, and you can even design a print or online resource from scratch. Start using Canva for free.
3. Ask Questions & Provide Solutions
Expired listings letter example (Source: LUXVT)
Why This Letter Works
This letter is divided into two sections: a letter to the seller and a questionnaire. This is unique and effective because it engages the homeowner by asking questions instead of only sharing information with them. This agent also strategically selected questions that draw attention to unique and standout offerings they provide within their real estate listing marketing strategy.
4. Provide an Unconventional Delivery
(Source: Stacey Alcorn on SlideShare)
Why This Letter Works
As this letter states, it is delivered with a package of paper towels. Attaching something extremely unusual to your letter is an extremely effective way to ensure that you’ll get the homeowner’s attention and pique their interest. Plus, this letter template specifically states that the agent will be delivering even more packages—and who doesn’t love getting packages?
In addition to the object it’s attached to, this expired listing letter stands out on its own with unconventional formatting. While most letters start with a greeting, this one excludes a greeting and an introduction. Instead, it uses a banner style at the top with the word “absorption.” This letter is formatted more like a real estate flyer, and breaks many typical rules that agents follow when writing a letter. However, those who are successful in real estate find unique ways to stand out from the crowd, and that is clearly displayed in this example.
Studies show that 80% of sellers contacted only one agent before deciding to work with them. That means that the best way to get expired listing clients is by reaching them with your standout letter before other agents do. If you want to be ahead of the crowd, is a tool that automatically sends you new expired listing leads and highly accurate contact information before data is available manually.
If you’re serious about marketing niche audiences like expired listings, FSBOs, or preforeclosures, REDX can transform the success of your business.
5. Specify Recent Sales
(Source: National Association of Realtors (NAR))
Why This Letter Works
This letter template is from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), which is arguably the best source of education for all real estate agents. With that said, this template is relatively basic, with formal language and sentences and no additional elements to make it stand out.
However, if you are a new agent or just beginning to focus on the expired listings real estate niche, this template is a perfect starting point. Start by editing just a few words or sentences, so the letter feels like it was written by you. As you gain more confidence and experience, you can change the letter more significantly or stand out with additional marketing tactics, like pop-by gifts or direct mail campaigns.
6. Provide Details & Tips About Expired Listings
(Source: Agentinnercircle.com)
Why This Letter Works
Unlike many of the other short expired listing letter templates, this one spans more than two pages. However, it strategically utilizes unconventional formatting to grab attention and to keep readers engaged, like the large heading, informal language, bold and italicized font, and bullet points. In addition, the letter is focused on sharing information about a free resource the agent offers, providing a variety of details about what’s included in the resource.
While this letter style may not fit every agent, it stands out from many more typical letter templates and provides a wealth of value to its recipients. If you choose this expired listing letter template, make sure to customize the details to fit your brand and your offer.
How & Why to Personalize Your Expired Listing Letters
As you implement strategies to get expired listings, keep in mind that you are probably not the only agent prospecting each listing. Think about how you would feel after going through a frustrating experience and then receiving essentially the same letter from a dozen different real estate agents. This is exactly why it’s so important to take the time to customize your expired listings letter for each potential lead.
Using a sample expired listing letter makes the process much more efficient, but you’ll need to research the property and the owner to include accurate details. Make sure to research:
Length of time the property was on the market
Original listing price and subsequent price drops (if applicable)
Estimated market value according to your comparative market analysis (CMA)
Condition of the home
Name and experience of the previous agent
Homeowner’s name and any other available details
Listing marketing strategy (e.g., Was it properly photographed or staged? Was the description accurate? How was the home staged?)
Once you have this information, make sure to reference a few details in your real estate expired listing letter. This will make every letter feel like it was written personally for the homeowners, which helps you build trust with the recipients and sets you apart from other agents.
Differentiate yourself from your competition with eye-catching expired listing mailers. For example, provides a wide range of customizable postcards specifically for expired listings. It includes prewritten copy that appeals to expired listing leads, like “What could have been done differently?” or “Four questions you should ask about your expired listing.”
Postcards like these are even more effective when sent in addition to personalized letters as well as emails and phone calls. ProspectsPLUS! can help you get a higher return on investment (ROI) in your marketing.
Bottom Line
When it comes to generating expired listing leads, letters are one of the best ways to connect with homeowners and show them how you stand out from other agents. A great expired listing letter can get you new clients and help you establish authority in your farm area. Since letters can be time-consuming to write, use an expired listings letter template to start reaching new leads today.
January 19, 2023
CINC Review: Is It Right for Your Real Estate Business?
CINC is a well-known lead generation company used by real estate agents and brokerages to assist in generating real estate leads, marketing via websites and social media, and managing teams. Because of CINC’s expensive pricing and lack of customizable marketing features, it did not earn a position on our list of top real estate lead generation companies.
However, it did receive a 3.85 out of 5 rating based on an analysis of 24 criteria including lead generation features, CINC reviews from customers, pricing, and ease of use. Read along for our review of CINC to see if it is the best fit for your real estate business.
For those wondering “how does CINC work” and “how much does CINC cost,” continue reading to learn about the platform's features, CINC real estate pricing structure, and CINC reviews based on its customers' experience.
CINC Reviews: What Users Think of CINC
Most lead generation reviews show users love the comprehensive tools that generate leads and nurture them easily. Many users rave about how the platform can easily advertise, create a website, and manage your marketing campaigns. One user also said that it's a great program that works seamlessly between desktop and mobile devices.
Facebook: 4.5 out of 5 based on 169 CINC real estate reviews
Capterra: 3.7 out of 5 based on 42 CINC leads reviews
Software Advice: 3.67 out of 5 based on 42 CINC reviews
Less-satisfied clients said the leads they received from CINC ranged in quality, preventing them from getting the maximum return on investment (ROI) out of the tool. They also referenced some functionality issues and difficulty getting help from the support team. Although most reviewers had highly positive experiences with CINC’s customer support, you may want to check out a platform like , which provides 24/7 support.
Would Our Expert Use CINC?
Based on our review, we recommend it for its core features, like sorting leads easily and automatically sending personalized follow-ups via multiple communication channels. Its mobile app enables team members to get real-time status updates on new and existing leads and manage contacts on the go. In addition, built-in analytics and smart suggestions help you accurately interpret lead data and respond in a way that maximizes the conversion potential.
However, CINC requires a financial investment to set professionals up for long-term success. may be a more suitable alternative for agents who need to save money on their lead generation tool. Also, Real Geeks has customizable IDX websites, target landing pages, and online sales and marketing tools that drive high conversion rates to foster lead generation.
CINC Alternatives
CINC Plans & Pricing
pricing structure is divided into four paid plans designed for real estate businesses with varying numbers of users. All tiers include a CRM with automated drip campaigns, landing pages, leads from Google and Facebook, and increasing third-party integrations. In addition, CINC costs vary by total users, and users receive access to the extensive resource library, help center, and live events. The main differences between plans include the video and lead routing tools and the number of available integrations.
Read more about the CINC add-ons and plan differences by clicking on the tabs below:
General CINC Features
offers tools and features to help real estate professionals more efficiently generate new leads and nurture existing ones, whether individually or within a team. It provides value to generate potential buyer and seller leads through your IDX website and landing pages and then follow up with prospects immediately through lead routing and communication tools. In addition, CINC’s team management tools and referral network improve team collaboration and efficiency.
Additional CINC Features
CINC has many excellent features that assist agents throughout the sales process as well as management components to foster a growing or already established real estate team. Take a closer look at the following CINC features:
Ease of Use
Because features are so extensive, expect a slight learning curve to fully understand the platform’s capabilities. However, there are helpful videos and articles on most areas of CINC, so you’ll be able to quickly learn how to track and manage leads within the platform. In the end, most CINC user reviews report that the platform is straightforward.
How We Evaluated CINC
The top real estate lead generation companies for realtors offer tools and features that assist agents and brokerages in generating and converting more leads to clients. We examined lead generation companies for realtors based on the following criteria:
Bottom Line
CINC is a powerful real estate platform that combines lead generation, a comprehensive CRM, communication tools for lead nurturing, and team management tools. It also provides an artificial intelligence (AI) tool to respond to leads immediately and a referral network to send and receive leads across the U.S. and Canada. Request a demo to see how it works, and then sign up to use CINC immediately.