How to Build Relationships With Realtors Using the Realtor Drop Kit

In new home sales, one of the most effective ways to connect with homebuyers is through quality relationships that sales professionals have built with local Realtors. While model home walk-ins occur, and buyers will certainly contact a builder's sales team directly, connecting with Realtors can help new home sales agents tap into a pool of buyers who may not be aware of your builder and the community offerings available. 

New Home Star’s team of seasoned professionals has shared tried-and-true tips for building relationships with Realtors that can boost traffic and sales in the process. 

What Is a Realtor Drop?

A Realtor drop is a brief in-person visit where a new home sales agent leaves behind information, inventory, and value-added materials to help Realtors match buyers with a community. These drops help keep your builder and any available homes top of mind as Realtors help buyers navigate the competitive housing market. 

Why Realtor Drops Are One of the Best Ways to Build Realtor Relationships

As technology becomes increasingly omnipresent across industries and gradually converges on all aspects of daily life, face-to-face relationship building remains the preeminent way for new home sales agents to identify high-intent Realtors and the buyers they represent. Through these in-person drops, you can consistently build a symbiotic relationship, one where your brand recall is high, and Realtors can close deals more efficiently. 

What Should You Always Leave During a Realtor Drop?

Business Cards and Contact Information

Your business cards should be the first thing you give to the Realtor during a drop. When a buyer shows interest in seeing one of the homes in your community or asks for more information about the builder, Realtors need fast and direct access to you to get the ball rolling.

Ensure that the card includes:

• Your name
• Phone number 
• Email address 
• Your builder's name and website address 

Inventory Sheets and Move-In Ready Homes

To give Realtors and homebuyers a better idea of the homes available in your community, be sure to leave in-depth inventory sheets as well as information on all move-in-ready homes. This collateral should include price points and closing timelines to keep all parties informed and updated.

Floor Plans and Community Maps

Additionally, you should provide all available floor plans, community maps, and a list of amenities to help paint a picture of what life is like in one of your homes. This will also help Realtors visualize which buyers are a good fit for which homes, eliminating the guesswork from the homebuying process and making the journey smoother for all parties involved. 

A “Buyer Fit” One-Pager

At New Home Star, our team of seasoned new home sales professionals provides a one-pager that helps Realtors instantly match homebuyers to the right homes in the right community.

This one-page can include:

• First-time buyers
• Empty nesters
• Relocation buyers
• Budget range
• Lifestyle fit

Current Incentives and Promotions

In new home sales, buyer incentives change quickly and are often only available for a limited time. As such, Realtors need to be kept in the loop about the latest incentives as well as any future incentives that may be applicable to clients. 

Upcoming SAMI Events 

Sales Associate Marketing Initiatives (SAMIs) are an excellent way to increase foot traffic to your model home and reach potential buyers in your area. When you have an upcoming SAMI, extend an invitation to the event during the Realtor drop. 

Gift Basket or Small Treat

Realtor drop by gifts is one of the easiest ways to stand out and help Realtors remember the information you passed on to them. A themed gift basket or a small treat, like pastries from a local bakery, are always a great icebreaker.

What Makes a Realtor Drop Actually Work?

In order for a drop to build strong Realtor relationships, there needs to be strategy behind it. Keep in mind, a Realtor drop is not just about the information you leave but how you explain it to the Realtor. These are meant to be quick, highly-informative interactions that should be kept to under five minutes. During the conversation, ask who the Realtor is currently working with and what they’re looking for in a new home. From there, leave the information that is relevant to their current clients.

How This Builds Long-Term Realtor Relationships

Realtor drops can help build trust between a new homes sales agent and local Realtors in their area, which can result in increased referrals and repeat business for years to come. When planning quarterly and year-long sales initiatives, including Realtor drops that provide extensive information about inventory, move-in ready homes, incentives, floor plans, and SAMI information have been proven to strengthen Realtor relationships and increase sales.