Q: I’ve just moved into a new community. How do I compete with agents who have been here a long time?

A: You don’t need to have lived in a community for a long time to be a successful real estate agent! You may have to work harder than you have in the past, but you can find amazing success by providing a higher level of service than the other agents. First, spend quality time learning everything there is to know about your market. Become the statistical expert. Then, get to know the inventory inside and out. Preview everything that is currently on the market, and look through archived photo galleries of everything that has sold in the past 6-12 months. Work expired listings, for-sale-by-owner listings and create an MLS prospecting plan. Create a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly mail campaign that goes to targeted neighborhoods – including data that every potential buyer and seller should know about your local market. If you position yourself as your community market expert – it won’t be long before everyone else recognizes that you are indeed the expert and you have a very lucrative business.