c/freelance-real-estate

Watched a client ghost me for 6 weeks then beg me to take a rushed listing

They ignored every follow up then called at 9pm on a Tuesday saying they needed photos done by Friday. Did you ever take that kind of last minute panic job or did you walk away?

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cora813•4d ago

Spent $200 on a virtual staging tool and it felt like a ripoff

I bought a virtual staging subscription last month for $200. They promised realistic furniture that clients would love. But the lighting looked fake and the shadows were all off in my photos. Has anyone found a good one that doesn't cost a fortune for freelance staging?

3 comments

the_laura•4d ago

My home inspection app glitched and cost me a $450 deposit

Last Tuesday I had a virtual walkthrough with a client in Austin, and the app I use for creating inspection reports froze halfway through. I lost all the notes I took on the foundation cracks and the AC unit age, which the buyer was really counting on. I ended up having to reschedule for Friday and refund their $450 deposit out of pocket because they lost trust in my process. Has anyone else had a software fail mess up a deal like this?

3 comments

juliaa65•5d ago

I finally learned why older agents told me to skip Zillow leads

An agent named Dave in Tampa told me back in March that Zillow leads are a trap if you're solo, but I ignored him and dropped $600 on them last month. Out of 22 leads, only 2 actually answered my calls and 1 turned into a showing that never happened. Has anyone else had better luck getting those leads to convert or is it just a money pit for freelancers?

3 comments

caleb_bell5•6d ago

That one weird request from a retiree in Phoenix still bugs me

Guy wanted me to find him a house with a hidden panic room, no agents listed. Met me at a diner, slid cash across the table. Has anyone else had clients ask for shady stuff like that?

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evan_grant70•6d ago

That showing where the lockbox code was wrong...

I was showing a house in Arlington last Tuesday and the lockbox code the seller's agent gave me didn't work. Had to call my client and cancel the walkthrough while I stood there for 20 minutes waiting for a response from the agent. Do you keep backup codes for properties you're actively showing?

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caseywalker•6d ago

Stuck between flat fee MLS and a full service broker last month

I was trying to sell my own flip in Phoenix and had to pick between paying $500 for flat fee MLS or giving a full service broker 3%. I went with the flat fee option because I figured I knew the house better than anyone. Had one showing in two weeks and the buyer's agent kept lowballing me. Ended up taking $15,000 less than what a broker probably could have gotten. Has anyone else tried selling their own flip and regretted not using a full service agent?

3 comments

cora_west5•7d ago

Heard a real estate agent say 'freelancers aren't serious' and it got me thinking

I was at a coffee shop in Austin last Tuesday and overheard two agents talking at the next table. One of them said he never hires freelance photographers or stagers because they 'don't have skin in the game' like a brokerage does. That stung because I've been freelancing for 3 years now and I take my work very seriously. I've done 50+ property shoots this year alone and I always show up early with backup gear. But I guess some people still see us as amateurs even when we deliver pro results. Has anyone else run into this kind of attitude from agents or brokers in your area? How do you handle getting dismissed like that?

3 comments

mason.drew•9d ago

Overheard a landlord at a coffee shop say he uses Zillow estimates to set rent

He just pulls the Zillow number and adds 5% without ever comparing to actual comps in the area. Made me wonder how many other landlords skip market research altogether.

3 comments

nathan_kim•11d ago

Saw a huge difference in my listing photos after switching to a prime lens last month

Honestly I always thought my photos were good enough with the kit lens my camera came with. But last month I finally rented a 35mm prime for a day just to test it out on a house in Austin. The before and after was insane - like the rooms looked twice as big and way more open. The colors were sharper too without me having to mess with editing for an hour. I ended up buying the lens after that one rental and now my listing photos get way more traction. The main difference was the prime lens let in more light so I didn't need a flash for darker rooms. Has anyone else tried switching their gear and seen a real jump in client interest?

3 comments

david_palmer•11d ago

Found a stat that 40% of real estate agents quit in their first year

I was browsing the NAR website last night (boring, I know) and stumbled on a study that said 40% of new agents don't make it past 12 months. That floored me, especially since I've been freelancing as a showing assistant for about 18 months now and it's been rough but doable. The report broke it down by income too, saying most dropouts earn under $15k their first year. I'm not quite there (I'm closer to $22k) but it got me thinking about how many people jump into real estate part time and just can't swing the fees and gas money. I ended up reading a whole thread on a agent forum where folks talked about burning through savings on lockbox subscriptions and MLS dues. Has anyone else here seen that stat and felt like it explains why the freelance market is so inconsistent?

3 comments

craig.parker•12d ago

Debate: Is paying for a real estate lead generation service actually worth it?

I was super skeptical for about 2 years about those monthly lead gen services that cost around $300 a month. I thought it was all just recycled data or bots. Then I tried one for three months last fall and got 4 solid buyer clients out of it, which more than paid for itself. But I've also heard from other freelancers who said they got zero calls and just wasted their money. Has anyone else found these services to be hit or miss based on your local market in a place like Austin or Cleveland?

3 comments

abby_fisher•12d ago

My first 3D virtual tour got 400 views in one day

I spent 8 hours last week shooting a Matterport tour of a townhouse in Portland. The listing agent posted it on Instagram and it blew up. I did not expect people to actually watch the whole thing. Has anyone else seen a big jump in interest after adding 3D tours to your listings?

3 comments

rowanw91•13d ago

Spent $300 on a virtual staging service and got zero showings

Paid a company to virtually stage all my listing photos for a condo in Austin. Looked great online but not a single buyer booked a tour in 2 weeks. Anyone else find that buyers just ignore virtual staging and want to see empty rooms?

3 comments

nora_webb51•14d ago

TIL the hard way that your listing photos can make or break a deal

I used to just snap pics with my phone and call it good, but after a client near Phoenix told me the house looked like a cave in the shots, I started paying a photographer $150 per shoot. Now my listings sell 40% faster, has anyone else seen a big jump from pro photos?

3 comments

jesse_smith10•15d ago

Dropped $200 on a virtual staging subscription that barely paid for itself

I signed up for a $200/month virtual staging service thinking it would make my listings pop. After 3 months and 12 properties, I only got one extra showing request that turned into a sale. Most buyers could tell the furniture wasn't real and commented on it during walkthroughs. I ended up canceling and just staging with actual rented furniture for $150 per house. Has anyone else had luck with virtual staging or is it mostly a waste?

3 comments

danielowens•15d ago

Found a weird shortcut for getting home inspection reports done faster

I was stuck spending 2 hours on every report after inspections. Then I tried using voice to text on my phone while I walk through the house. I just talk out loud about every issue I see and then clean it up later. It cut my time down to about 45 minutes per property. Anyone else try talking their notes instead of typing them out on site?

3 comments

evan_grant70•16d ago

Switched from MLS listings to driving neighborhoods cold...

I used to rely on the MLS for everything but after missing a pocket listing in Portland last spring I started just driving around looking for signs in weedy yards. Now I knock on three doors a week with cash offers and my close rate doubled. Anyone else find better deals off the beaten path?

3 comments

viola_garcia56•17d ago

Compared virtual tours vs in-person showings for 2 months straight

Tried doing all virtual tours for a client's listings last month and only got 3 offers, switched to in-person open houses this month and moved 5 properties. Anyone else find that buyers still want to actually walk through a place before they commit?

3 comments

logan271•19d ago

Spent $350 on a virtual staging subscription and got zero leads

I paid for a year of that fancy virtual staging software thinking it would make my listings pop. But every zillow click just bounced off because the furniture looked too fake and clients didn't trust the photos. Has anyone actually gotten a buyer through virtual staging or is it all just a waste?

3 comments

ray_burns•22d ago

The 'package deal' lie that almost cost me a duplex sale in Phoenix

I kept hearing that bundling a buyer's agent commission into the sale price was the way to go here in Phoenix. But after losing out on 2 offers where sellers just saw a higher number and bounced, I tried offering a flat $3000 commission credit instead. It got me a signed contract within 3 days on a duplex near Glendale. Anyone else run into sellers getting spooked by big package numbers like that?

3 comments

lisas78•23d ago

Just realized that 'just list it for what you paid' advice is terrible here in Austin

My buddy told me to price my flip at what I bought it for plus 10k, thinking it would sell fast. Ngl, after 3 months on market and four price drops, I learned comps and market timing matter way more than that simple formula. Anyone else get burned by well meaning but bad pricing advice?

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nathan_kim•23d ago

Am I the only one who used to cold call every number on a list?

Back in 2021, I would just buy a lead list for my city and spend my whole morning dialing. I got maybe one appointment a week from that. Now I only call people who have liked my specific neighborhood posts on social media. The change happened after I tracked my time for a month and saw the old way wasted 15 hours. Anyone else switch their lead source like this?

3 comments

zarat37•24d ago

Showerthought: I was using the same generic listing description for every property in Cleveland until a buyer pointed it out.

After showing a renovated 1920s duplex for the 4th time, the potential tenant asked me, 'So, what's actually different about this one?' and I realized my copy was making every place sound identical.

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ray_burns•26d ago

Unpopular opinion: People still think you need an office for freelance real estate

I closed 12 deals last year working from my kitchen table in Tampa, but I keep seeing new folks blow their budget on a fancy lease. Has anyone else made a decent living without that overhead?

3 comments