Written by Rich Acosta, KW San Antonio Realtor and President of President of My City Is My Home, a 501c3 nonprofit that seeks to be the solution to housing needs in the City of San Antonio.
Every Realtor has a superpower and most of them do not even know it. If they do, they don’t know they could use it to help those in need and become a superhero. This is not just a corny statement or some inspirational speech to get you pumped, but for you to recognize your unique ability to help others in a way you may not have thought of.
The power to save someone’s home:
If you had a possible seller lead, how would you explain to them that doing a Comparable Market Analysis will differ from what online estimates tell them about their home? You would say something like “With my professional experience, I can identify the unique features and fine tune your valuation to ensure you not only get the right value but ensure it will be sold in the time frame that you expect.”
So how can this unique ability (your superpower) be used to help others? Ever heard of gentrification? Most of the time this happens because the homeowner’s taxes have gone up for various reasons, and they can no longer afford their home. Sometimes these homeowners are not low income but are those whose home really is not worth what they pay in taxes and don’t know what to do about it. They may not know that they can protest their property taxes or don’t know what valuation they should argue for. That’s when it’s time for a Superhero Realtor to come save the day.
The power to find someone a home:
Finding someone a home doesn’t sound like a superpower, but if your client is a low-income renter with bad credit, an eviction, other negative statuses and/or using a section 8 voucher, it’s hard to find a home that will accept them. Even if the renter has a felony or presumed negative condemnations, they still need a place to live- no matter who they are. If someone has the income, regardless of whether it’s through government/non-profit assistance, and can afford to pay the rent amount requested, they shouldn’t be turned away. Unfortunately, that is not the world we live in and there is no one better equipped than independent Realtors that will show them homes or apartments that will take them in.
Unlike property locators, Realtors are not beholden to any property manager or apartment, so that allows them to show whatever is available. Many landlords that have low rent properties do not pay a referral fee, so it takes a Realtor with not only the unique ability to find the renter a property but one that will do it without receiving anything in return. They need a Superhero Realtor.
The power to connect:
Realtors are in the best situation to identify those in need and then connect them to resources. This is no different than when a Realtor uses their power to find the right lender to do a construction loan, title company that speaks a foreign language, inspector for an septic tank in an inner city historic home, contractor that will do the indoor elevator request, the A rating school near a neighborhood that is gated with a community pool and low HOA that can still have an RV parked in front of the house, that’s a superpower of connection!
Let’s say your renter or buyer client needs credit help, needs employment support, healthcare, transportation, legal advice, what would you do? If Realtors knew the different resources that are out there to help these people as well as they know the good schools, restaurants, and things to do around town, they could truly change someone’s life. Realtors are asked for housing support (which everyone needs), but many times they also need help with other things. They need a Superhero Realtor to come save the day.
You know you have the superpowers, now you need to make the choice to use them for the greater good. If you don’t think these are unique abilities, you should probably not be in the business. No one says you can’t make a living, but you should also use your powers to help others. I can’t talk about superpowers without saying the cliché “With great power comes great responsibility”, so go out, put on your suit and be a Superhero Realtor!
