Becoming a Relocation Specialist

Becoming a relocation specialist can be very rewarding for many agents, but it can be very confusing on where to start and how to benefit from becoming one. Relocation clients were always my favorite, even if a referral fee was taken out, because they have an immediate need that you can help them with. (They’re likely not going to waste 6 months of your time looking for that elusive “perfect house”!) Some brokers and relocation companies may have training programs and certifications, but there is not a nationally recognized relocation specialist designation. NAR does offer a few designations that can be helpful but, the Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) designation, and if you are dealing with international relocation, you may want to also consider the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation.

The first place to start in becoming a relocation specialist is with your broker. You will want to see what relocation companies and programs your broker is associated with, as well as the requirements for you to be qualified to receive relocation referrals. Your broker may offer special training courses and programs for you to attend. Training can include a number of things, but it usually will cover how to do BPO’s (Broker Price Opinion) for sellers relocating from your area to how to handle incoming relocating buyers.

Training for these types of things usually but does not involve the most vital things: understanding the relocating client’s needs and how to get relocation clients.

Relocating to a new city or state, or even in the case of international relocation, to a new country, can be both exciting and intimidating for many homeowners. They will have to worry about their present home selling, finding a new home in time for their new job, and of course facilitating every aspect of the go, including changing banks, cell phone providers and more. For many who are relocating they will have limited time to look at a lot of properties or research neighborhoods, since they may have to travel in order to look at properties.

One thing you can do to help service your relocation clients is to prepare a relocation checklist for them that can give them an thought as to everything that needs to be done in order to have a smooth go and real estate transactions. You may even wish to contact their real estate agent in the other area to make sure everything is going well on that end, since ultimately it will likely affect your own transaction and relationship with the client. For relocation buyers, you will also want to make sure you can provide accurate and quick information things such as travel, recreation, school districts, and other vital information about the area. Because you will likely be doing a lot of business over the telephone and through email, it is a excellent thought to be well versed in doing business without paper. Services such as MyFax.com make it possible for you to convert fax to email and is well worth it if you do not have that ability to do so on your own.

The next thing you will want to reckon about is where will you get relocation leads. The first place to start with is your broker and relocation departments, since they may have partnerships already formed with major companies in your area.

Next, you will want to optimize your website for the words “relocation” and others related to it. Making a PPC campaign for this with the right landing page could be quite beneficial. Not all buyers and sellers who are relocating go straight through their companies or a relocation firm. Many start right on excellent ancient Google and Yahoo. This alone could likely bring you enough business if done properly. (Warning: You do have to be careful with PPC – I know many people who have spent hundreds of dollars on it with no return, but I know others who can get 3-1 sales conversions from leads it brings also! Do your homework first!)

Becoming a relocation specialist for any agent is not a terrible thought, especially since many of your clients may already be relocating. Check with your broker, do some research, and excellent luck!