As the UAE’s property market makes a comeback, successfully penetrating this concentrated market is key to being a successful realtor. The secret is creating listings that stand out, capturing the attention of would-be home-owners rapidly scrolling through options.
The opportunities are out there: according to the Dubai Land Department, 6,328 transactions for residential properties took place in Q1 2021, with a total value of AED 8.9bn. Your piece of the pie will depend entirely on closing deals – and the listing is the first step.
Our tips for success can be applied to all forms of real estate, from new housing projects to established suburban areas, commercial properties and residential listings. Read on to learn more.
1. Organise Your Listings
According to Facebook, advertisers have approximately three seconds to make an impression on the user scrolling through their content.
Great visuals will grab the attention of your potential customer and will lead to click-throughs for more detail. It doesn’t have to be a Burj Khalifa penthouse or an infinity pool on the Palm Jumeirah, it simply has to be a high-quality image that accurately conveys the property you’re advertising.
Listing the essential details is important as users will simply move on if the research process is complex, time consuming or requires lengthy interaction. Offering alternative means of communication to a phone call, such as Whatsapp or instant chat, will go a long way.
Try organising your property details into different categories, such as:
- Type of property: Residential, commercial, industrial or government
- Type of deal: Rent, sale or any other arrangement
- Pricing details: Instalments, mortgage, leasing, rent and so forth
- Tenders, announcements, court proceedings, deadlines, discounting opportunities, negotiation details
- Owner and buyer details and preferences
2. Activate Your Online Presence
Social media, email marketing and websites are excellent ways of tapping into the UAE’s tech-savvy population. Having a physical presence is still important, as it’s a way of making an impression at meetings and when clients visit to sign contracts, but the real reputation building happens online.
Establishing your brand requires consistent messaging with advertisements across all digital platforms as well as traditional media, such as radio and television. Your online presence can also extend into virtual property visits for busy clients, EDM (Electronic Direct Mail) campaigns and social media pages to keep your audience engaged.
3. Arrange Open Houses
Open houses are an excellent way of attracting new clients and maintaining the attention of your existing customer base. When an interesting project or property opens up, set it up for a day and send out personalised invites to clients who you think might be interested. They’ll appreciate the attention and the fact you’ve taken their portfolio into consideration. Personally guiding your attendees through the property and highlighting potential benefits that will appeal to their investment goals will go a long way to establishing you as the go-to person or firm for deals and will likely lead to referrals.
4. Update Your Listings Frequently
Keep your listings fresh by not letting them linger too long and consider SEO keywords to generate more traffic. In constantly updating your content with accurate and up-to-date information and images, you will keep your audience interested in what’s coming next. It will also position you as a realtor with their finger on the pulse of this dynamic market.