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🤖[T]echnology: I ❤️ Drones
🎓 [E]ducation/Entertainment: HB 466
💪[C]oaching: Some, Not None
📹 [H]ow To: Get Attendance And Leads At Your Open House
It’s not often we miss the Thursday send, but we are human and it was my 15th Anniversary yesterday! 🥂
[T]echnology:
I freaking love drones. 🚁
Not only are they fun to fly, but they also offer a unique perspective that a regular camera just can’t capture for real estate.
The new DJI Neo is a compact, $200 drone perfect for real estate agents looking to up their marketing game. Weighing only 135 grams, it’s light enough to fit in a jacket pocket, but don’t let its size fool you—it shoots in 4K, making it great for capturing sharp, high-quality footage. 📹
This drone is extremely user-friendly, featuring palm takeoff and voice control so even beginners can get in the air quickly. You can control it entirely from your smartphone or pair it with DJI controllers and FPV goggles for a more immersive experience. With six preprogrammed smart shots and intelligent flight modes like ActiveTrack, it’s designed for fast, polished content creation. It’s quick, too, reaching speeds of 36 mph in manual mode (separate controller required), though you’ll only get 17 minutes of flight time per charge. ⏰
However, it’s noisy, lacks vertical video capability, and has no obstacle avoidance sensors, so you’ll need to fly with care.
Even though it is under the weight limit, because the FAA considers real estate photography commercial use real estate agents looking to use this drone for property shoots must also get a Part 107 Commercial Drone License to fly legally. Plus, certain features, like its speed/line of sight, must still be adhered to to stay compliant. For more on staying within Part 107 rules, check out this video, which explains some things to watch out for.
Nothing made me almost soil my pants like the time I got a call from the FAA asking if I had a part 107 and explaining to me that they could fine me $10k+ per violation. 😱
If you’re considering getting your drone license. I highly recommend watching THIS VIDEO to help you prepare, although I’m sure there are more up-to-date videos.
At $200, the DJI Neo offers impressive value, especially for those looking for a compact, reliable drone to boost their content creation efforts.
[E]ducation:
Whelp, it’s official. Buyer agreements are now required by state law in Ohio.
This may sound confusing since the NAR settlement, but that implementation was made by your local board, MLS, and likely your broker.
While buyer agreements have dominated the spotlight, another major change was adopted..HB 466 will require additional changes to MLS policy including modification or removal of 1.02.17 Failure to Display “No Listing Contract.”
What does this mean? ⬇️⬇️
Because of MLS rules and NAR Clear Cooperation, many agents would quietly market a home before having the listing contract, sometimes even showing it or marketing it to their office…this is now against Ohio law. So get your listing agreements signed!!! 🚨🚨🚨
Oh, and keeping with the trend of new documents, New Consumer Guides were just released, so make sure your brokerage has the updated version.
Want to read a bit more? HERE is the FAQ.
[C]oaching:
This week, about 40 of my agents and I watched the second module of Brian Buffini’s Certified Full Service Professional.
This week featured Jon Acuff, the author of Soundtracks.
I’ll be honest…I had never heard of Jon before this video, but man, did it hit. 🎯
My first takeaway was when he talked about how smoothly so many agents are explaining the buying process until they get to the buyer-broker agreement. Agents apologetically ask buyers to sign instead of confidently explaining the change.
I can’t share the Buffini video, but to give you an idea, here’s a quick clip of Jon: ⬇️⬇️
Anyway, he goes on to explain that when agents aren’t confident in explaining that change, they need to add one word to their soundtrack- “YET.”
Does this take work and practice? YES.
But this was my bigger takeaway.
Some, not None.
As someone that has been crippled by perfectionism, you don’t need to become an expert overnight. In fact, you won’t. However, you can improve some if you just practice some.
Just like diet 🍎 and exercise 🏃, little changes in habits (some), make a lasting difference.
[H]ow To: With Abby
I think we’ve all been there—you schedule an open house, and maybe one person shows up. Then your sellers ask you how it went, and that nervous sweat begins. How do you get people to show up and, more importantly, turn it into a lead? 🤑
Let's start with getting people in the door. 🚪
As with any event, planning is ALWAYS key. I’ve had agents send me information to create open house graphics the day before a Saturday open house. By then, it’s too late—either no one will see it, or they’ve already made plans. I know things can sometimes be last minute, but if you really want people to show up, you should be promoting the event on social media at least a week in advance, with follow-up posts in between. Consider creating a Facebook event and inviting all your friends! 👫
Here’s one some may not agree with: Invite the neighbors.
Print flyers advertising the open house and go door-to-door inviting people to stop by. I know dealing with a nosy neighbor can feel like a waste of time, but you never know—they might know someone looking to move, or they could be looking to buy or sell in the near future. Plus, the more people who attend, the better. Create the impression that interest is high… even if it’s not. 🤷♀️
Get creative.
Give people a reason to come. Offer a raffle for a grand prize or advertise a scavenger hunt throughout the home. Make it fun and memorable!
Now that people are showing up, how do you secure a lead?
Great! You’ve got people through the door. Now it’s time to make an impression. ✨
Dress to impress. This is the first time most of these people will meet you. Don’t show up in leggings and a t-shirt—dress like a professional and look like you want to be there.
Be organized and prepared. Have your branded materials on display. Do you have a branded info packet highlighting the best spots in your area? Lay it on the kitchen counter for people to browse. Show them that you know the area well! Also, creating a QR code can be a smart touch—this is where the Linktree we talked about last week comes in handy. Use it to link a free home evaluation, your bio, photos of the home, and an open house sign-in sheet all in one place. 🧠
Livestream your open house. We always say, “repurpose your content!” Use the footage from that live stream in future TikToks or Instagram Reels.
Practice your open house speech. Know your material before you show up. Be prepared for questions so you’re not caught off guard. This is your chance to show your personality and charm potential clients.
Be prepared, confident, and excited! 😎
-Ty Morton + Abby G