4 Tips To Hire The Best Buyer’s Agent For Your Team

An agent who is focused on lead generation is set to be successful. The more obsessed they are with gathering new clients, the more their business will grow in the long term. But after a certain level of growth, an agent can’t handle sales alone. If they don’t get assistance, they’ll actually hamper their lead generation. At this point, it’s time to hire a buyer’s agent (BA). A buyer’s agent can secure appointments, negotiate offers, and more so you can focus on the high-level, strategic aspects of lead generation. Given the personality traits and skill requirements for this role, the hiring process for a buyer’s agent isn’t 100% intuitive. To help you prepare for recruitment, here are 4 must-have tips for hiring a buyer’s agent.

Tip #1: Qualifications should be crystal clear.

The buyer’s agent role can vary from team to team, depending on your needs. You have to know what you want from the role. Most teams expect a buyer’s agent to find a large number of leads. This type of BA is a “hunter” buyer’s agent. They have a high D profile in their DISC personality results, which means that they’re decisive, assertive, and bold. List these qualities as desired traits in your job description if your team is seeking this type of BA. Some real estate teams, however, may already have employees to pour in leads—such as an inside sales agent or a team leader—so they’re looking for a consultative buyer’s agent. This type of agent has more S/C profile in their DISC, which means they’re more patient, methodical, and detail-oriented. Include these qualities in your job description if your team needs a consultative BA. Teams will also vary in how much experience they’re looking for from agents. By title, anyone in this role should be a licensed real estate agent. Some teams, though, will seek out a certain level of agent experience from candidates. For example, they might request one year of experience and a certain sales volume in their job description for the role. Whether it’s years of experience or personality traits, any requirements you have for your buyer’s agent should be explicitly stated in your job ad. Then job seekers can determine whether they should apply, and you receive a stronger pool of applicants. Wizehire Pro Tip: Send candidates specific screening questions when they apply to filter them by their level of experience.

Tip #2: Sponsored job ads get better results.

Right after you post an ad on online job boards, it will gain traction, because boards will rank newly added posts high in search results. But after a few days or a few weeks, candidates will have to dig through pages of job-board results to find your ad. Make your ad more visible to these target candidates by sponsoring your ads on job boards. As a paid listing, boosted job ads are prominently featured at the top of results pages. With their high placement, sponsored ads typically receive more clicks than organic ads on job boards. Plus, most sponsored ads have guaranteed value through a pay-per-click model, so you only pay when your boosted listing is effective. Sponsoring your ads is well worth the investment, especially if you need to quickly find a buyer’s agent. The process makes your ad more visible, so you’re more likely to receive greater candidate applications than you would with an organic ad. Wizehire Pro Tip: Boosting your ad for as little as $100 will improve its position on the job boards and get you more applicants.

Tip #3: Prompt responses attract great candidates.

Hiring great agents is like chasing a good listing: You have to follow up, and follow up fast! The longer you delay your responses to candidates, the longer it will take to find your ideal buyer’s agent. Think about it—a great buyer’s agent is constantly moving and knows how to find the best opportunities. That applies to their job search, too. If you wait a week to respond, your candidate could already be interviewing with several other teams. They may have even accepted an offer. Move quickly to find the best candidates for your buyer’s agent role. Set a daily reminder to review your job applicants, and respond to candidates you’re interested in within 24–48 hours of their application. Wizehire Pro Tip: Timely communication with applicants protects your brand and improves your reputation in the community.

Tip #4: Your next hire may be in your sphere.

Rather than relying solely on job boards, we recommend supplementing your ads with an additional talent source—your network. As a real estate agent, you work with other agents all of the time and know other professionals in the field. Reach out to this community about your opening to extend your reach:

• Post your job ad on social media. Share a link to your job ad on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
• Advertise on your website. Update the “Careers” or “Join Us” section of your site to include your latest buyer’s agent posting.
• Reach out to your industry contacts. Call and email the people you know in real estate-related fields—loan officers, title reps—to see whether they know an agent who might be interested in working for you. Be sure to send your job description so they have a better idea of who you’re looking for.
• Connect with real estate schools. Send an email to local real estate schools to request that they forward your job description to students. Reaching out to schools is optimal if you’re looking for less experienced agents who haven’t formed any bad habits.
• Find top-performing agents through MLS. Go to MLS and then do a search to find the agents in your area who have sold 5 to 15 homes in the past year. Reach out to these agents about your buyer’s agent opening to see whether they might be interested in learning more.

Your network of local real estate professionals is a rich resource in your candidate search. Not only will your contacts help you find more potential applicants, but they’ll also be able to recommend high-quality candidates that a job board doesn’t necessarily offer. Wizehire Pro Tip: When asking for referrals, be specific. “Can you give me 2 names of people I should talk to about getting into real estate sales?”

To Hire a Great Buyer’s Agent, Think Ahead

Many team owners expect that potential candidates will start pouring in after posting a buyer’s agent job ad. But given the restless personality of a buyer’s agent and the license requirements, it takes a bit more time to attract candidates, screen them, and find the best buyer’s agent. The process could take from one to three months. Be sure to plan accordingly. With this time frame, it’s best to think ahead about your team’s needs and predict when you’ll want a buyer’s agent. Don’t wait until you’re desperate. In other words, start looking in the fall so you’re fully staffed and ready to rock by the spring/summer busy season. Utilize these tips and you’ll have the luxury of finding the best buyer’s agent for your team. Ready to hire a BA?