Last Updated on October 24, 2023 by Neil Sharma
A great real estate agent deploys strategy in tandem with the conditions of the market, and according to Craig Proctor, today that means going off market.
“The No. 1 thing real estate agents need to get right is their offer. Are they making an offer that matches what buyers and sellers really want in today’s market?” said Proctor, who’s hosting the Craig Proctor Millionaire Agent-Maker SuperConference virtually from June 11-13. “Right now, there are hardly any homes on the market, so you need to offer buyers exclusive lists of properties that aren’t yet available on the MLS. Off-market seems to be working really well right now. Most people won’t list their house until they find their next house, and I give buyers and sellers what they really want instead of what most agents think they want.”
Proctor is a luminary real estate coach who, among other things, helps agents take their marketing to the next level, which he says is the first step towards growing their businesses, because simply deploying strategies and being a great agent doesn’t work without customers. In today’s market, selling a house isn’t difficult but buying a house is, and the biggest issue sellers have is securing a house to move into.
“In this crazy hot market, instead of doing what is traditionally done—advertising the house to attract a buyer—I’d recommend doing the opposite, advertising your buyer to get the seller to call you,” said Proctor. “Using Stonehaven Estates in Newmarket as an example, because it’s an exclusive community, if a buyer wanted to buy a house there, Id send a direct mail letter to every home in the neighbourhood advertising the buyer I have to each homeowner in Stonehaven Estates—I’d promote that my buyer client is prequalified for a mortgage, is willing to pay full market value, that they’re flexible with the closing date and working with agent Craig Proctor, so if the seller wants a fast sale for top dollar, without the hassle of listing their home for sale, they should contact us. Of 1,000 houses, I’d expect three or four sellers would get back to me.”
In Toronto’s white-hot real estate market, most listed homes have as many as 10 offers and, should a buyer’s offer be accepted, they can expect to pay $200,000 above asking price, or more. However, Proctor says that can be averted when representing your buyer using his techniques, which he will showcase at his June 11-13 virtual conference.
Speaking of Toronto’s market, it’s arguably never been this hot, but a quick search of the MLS reveals that of about 55,000 agents in the city, 38,274 have sold at least one home, 6,115 have sold at least two homes, and 4,106 have sold at least three homes.
“About 16,000 agents have not sold a single home in 2021,” said Proctor. “If you’re an agent who’s sold at least 13 homes, you’re in the top 10% of agents in Toronto.”
The first day of the Proctor SuperConference will teach agents how to market themselves and, therefore, attract a solid base of customers, while the second day will focus on leveraging technology and the third day will show agents how to build teams so that they can make more money while working less.
To register for the Craig Proctor Millionaire Agent-Maker SuperConference, click here.
Neil Sharma is the Editor-In-Chief of Canadian Real Estate Wealth and Real Estate Professional. As a journalist, he has covered Canada’s housing market for the Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, National Post, and other publications, specializing in everything from market trends to mortgage and investment advice. He can be reached at neil@crewmedia.ca.
