The year of the consumer

It must be a strange world for some of the younger or less experienced agents out there who launched their career during boom time. You only had to put a ‘For Sale’ sign out and the buyers came running. Obviously this is no longer the case, yes that’s right, it’s a ‘buyers market’.  However here at Realmark we also see it as the year of the consumer.

 

Real effective service has never been more important than now and our focus here is to deliver service that gets results for clients, because that is what it takes to not only survive, but to become a stronger and better business. Our focus is to service buyers and sellers in a proactive and considerate manner. No shallow promises, offering our sellers real solutions to achieve the best outcomes. Our agents are marketers, communicators, service providers and fact reporters all rolled into one, not just ‘sales people’.

 

While it is natural to feel a little jilted that the good times are over, it is important to remember that what we are dealing with now is ‘normal’, never ending good times are a fantasy. Agents and agencies now need to possess skill, not just in sales, but in relationships to get the job done. I believe that if your service isn’t up to scratch, you’re going to feel it in your bottom line. 

 

This idea of ‘the year of the consumer’ is not just something that applies to real estate. It applies to any business with a ‘client’ (which is all really). Sure times are getting tougher in many sectors but if your clients see value in the service they receive, your services are not going to be first on the chopping block. Make it worth their while, value add and deliver on your commitments, but don’t forget to deliver it all with a confident smile.

 

Making the difference

When the market gets tough, Realmark gets going. The Perth property market in 2009 looks like it will continue to be unsettled. But it is during volatile and uncertain times like these that our team’s industry knowledge, expertise and customer-focused approach sets us apart and finds superior results for our valued clients.

Despite the rest of the Australian property market starting to find a volume and pricing plateau, the Perth market remains in a state of volatility with decreasing stock volumes and a falling median price.

The good news is that this adjustment has increased affordability and attracted more first home buyers back into the market.

We sense that the overall feeling from a buyer’s perspective is one of caution and seriousness. But there are still active buyers out there looking for good opportunities to buy – especially the first home buyer segment.

In 2009, Realmark celebrates 20 years of business in Perth real estate. We believe we are well situated to really step up and show clients the Realmark difference now that times have got a little tougher. We are an award winning business and know what we have to do for our clients to stand out and deliver results.

Our  team spent valuable time at the end of the year and over the Christmas period undertaking forward planning and discussing the approach the team would take in 2009 and we are positive about the forthcoming year.

We differentiate ourselves from our competitors by acting as solution providers. We are focused on servicing buyers, tenants and owners  in a proactive and considerate manner. And we provide factual, unbiased, up-to-the-minute reports on the market so our clients can make the right decisions for themselves.

The entire Realmark team is committed to understanding our clients’ needs and offering real solutions to enable properties to be sold. Whether it is in residential or commercial sales or property management, the pro-active Realmark approach means dedicated customer service. We do not deal in shallow promises.

In summary, Realmark “lives” the belief that real estate agents should not have a dictatorial opinion about the market or property values, but instead be the best marketer, communicator, fact reporter and service provider they can be.

 

We wish all our sellers, buyers, landlords and tenants a happy, healthy and prosperous 2009!