9 Tips for Tackling the Holiday Season as a Real Estate Agent

The holidays can be a joyful time full of generosity, delicious treats, and get-togethers with loved ones. However, it can also be a stressful time for real estate agents, as homebuying activity tends to slow toward the end of the year, leaving agents struggling to find new opportunities.

But you don’t have to let the end-of-year slump drag your business down. Here are nine strategies to help you stay proactive and thriving during the holiday season.

1. Use Creative Marketing

Staying creative and mixing up your marketing methods is vital in your day-to-day marketing efforts. However, it becomes even more important around the holiday season.

During this time of year, people typically consume more marketing and promotional materials. So, the last thing you want is for yours to get lost in the mix.

To stand out, consider how you can elevate your marketing to resonate with recipients around the holiday season. For example, you could partner with a local small business to offer a giveaway (e.g., baked goods, soap, candles, etc.). To incentivize people to get involved, take the giveaway to social media and ask your audience to follow, like the post, and comment three friends’ handles to spread the word.

Also, consider adding a festive twist to your property descriptions.

Example: Come home for the holidays in this 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom ranch-style home. Two acres of open field make snowmobiling a blast, while the open floor plan allows you to host the holiday get-together of your dreams. Curl up with loved ones in front of the cozy fireplace while the aroma of freshly baked sugar cookies wafts through the kitchen, complete with new appliances and a spacious island.

Want to make your social posts fun and festive? Consider planting an elf on a shelf in some photos and encouraging followers to find them! The more engagement your post creates, the more feeds it will be spread to, potentially putting you in front of your next client.

2. Reach Out to Past Clients

Sending holiday greetings isn’t just a pleasantry. It’s a clever tactic to stay connected with past clients and other leads.

Agents should generally contact past clients every few months to see if they’re considering buying or selling. However, people may get annoyed if your outreach comes across as superficial or too aggressive. The holidays present a great opportunity to reach out in a pleasant, genuine way.

Reaching out can be as simple as writing a personalized note on a postcard or sending an email. If you have a long list of leads, consider using an online marketing platform to personalize mass emails automatically.

3. Communicate Clearly With Clients

With so much happening around the holidays, successfully managing client expectations requires clear communication.

If you plan on taking time off, tell clients about this as far in advance as possible. Also, if there will be potential delays in the transaction due to other real estate professionals (appraisers, lenders, inspectors) taking time off, offices being closed, etc., figure these dates out and plan around them. Lastly, communicate with your clients to determine if they will be traveling or unavailable on certain dates, and plan accordingly to continue moving the sale along.

The key to excellent customer service is underpromising and overdelivering. To avoid overpromising, set realistic expectations with clients to help build trust and reduce stress for both parties.

4. Emphasize the Advantages of Buying and Selling During the Holidays

While selling and buying around the holidays may seem to have several disadvantages, there are also several advantages.

For example, buyers may be able to negotiate better prices and concessions due to less competition in the market. Plus, cooler weather offers an opportunity to see how a home’s plumbing and heating perform in the winter. Use these points in your marketing efforts.

Let buyers know about potential tax advantages, too. If a buyer closes on a home before December 31, they may be able to deduct the loan’s mortgage interest and state and local real estate taxes on their tax returns for that year.

Some states also allow homeowners to deduct property taxes. However, encourage clients to consult with a tax consultant to understand the requirements and limitations of these deductions.

These points can attract motivated buyers who want to close and settle into their property before the new year. If framed correctly, you can create a potential winning scenario for everyone involved.

5. Host Themed Open Houses

Themed open houses are an effective way to maintain—and sometimes even increase—sales during the holidays. After all, buyers who attend open houses often don’t have an agent, making this a valuable strategy for getting quality leads.

Consider decorating and offering festive food and beverages to make the open house more fun and inviting. Make the open house feel more like a party than a business move; more people may attend.

Even if you attract people who aren’t currently looking for a property, the open house is an excellent opportunity to make your elevator pitch about why you’re the right agent should they decide to move. To further the impact of your open house, advertise the event on social media and any local newsletters, papers, etc, beforehand. After the open house, follow up with any promising leads immediately.

6. Help Clients Stage Their Homes

Offering to help sellers stage their homes can make it easier to find a buyer. The right holiday décor allows buyers to envision their own celebrations there—and may nudge them toward making a bid.

When staging a home for sale during the holidays, use tasteful decorations like wreaths, garlands, and candles.

Focus on creating a cozy, welcoming atmosphere and encourage clients to keep holiday clutter to a minimum. Ensure the home is well-lit, allowing for better photos and making the space seem more inviting.

7. Stay Organized and Focused

The holidays are a time to relax—but avoid becoming disorganized or unproductive in your business. Staying organized can help you prepare for your time off so you don’t have to put out work fires while you’re with family and friends.

Here are a few ways to stay organized and focused during the holidays:

• Set realistic goals. Having one to three big holiday goals will keep your business efforts focused. But be honest with yourself regarding what you can reasonably achieve. Keep your business goals S.M.A.R.T.—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
• Use time blocking. Avoid writing a to-do list and wishing for the best. Instead, set yourself up for success by blocking out time on your daily schedule for various tasks, such as marketing and outreach, client meetings, and team training.
• Delegate tasks. Trying to accomplish everything by yourself is a recipe for burnout. Look at what needs to get done this season and ask yourself what tasks you can assign to someone else. This way, everything can get done on time, and everyone can enjoy their time off—including you!

8. Attend Events

Take advantage of online and in-person events this season, such as industry conferences, webinars, local business openings, charity drives, or holiday mixers with friends. These are all great opportunities to network with potential clients and fellow agents.

9. Take Time for Yourself

Real estate requires hard work and quick communication, but that doesn’t mean you have to negotiate a deal during a family dinner or answer a series of questions about a property during a party.

Block off time for yourself during the holidays and let clients know you’ll be unavailable then.

Stay Productive During the Holidays With PropStream

What if you could find more leads and save time on marketing this holiday season?

With PropStream, you can easily find qualified leads, save marketing lists, automate your outreach, and more.