Get a niche: generate divorce listing leads

With divorce rates declining, it may seem as if advice about generating real estate divorce listings is a bit useless. But, keep in mind that the rates are slowing down, not stopping.

Divorce rates vary among states. A recent 24/7 Wall Street/USA Today study broke down each state’s figures to come up with the city in each with the highest rate.

If you sell real estate in Rockland, Maine or Fallon, Nevada for instance (both at 14.1 percent), you’ll have a larger pool of divorcing couples to work with than agents in Crestwood Village, New Jersey (8.5 percent) or Hudson, New York (8.7 percent).

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Nobody really knows the country’s exact divorce rate, but most demographers agree that between 40 to 50 percent of American couples call it quits. So, regardless of where you practice real estate, there will be a market for your services if you target real estate divorce listings.

They sell, and often they then buy

Play your cards right with these clients and you could very well end up with three deals.

Ideal characteristics and qualities of a divorce agent

From the agents we’ve spoken with and read about, successfully working with divorcing couples requires a specific personality type. Many of them correspond with those that any agent should have or acquire to be successful.

The ability to communicate clearly is critical. While the husband and wife each have their own attorneys, they’ll have only one real estate agent. One agent to deal with two people who may have vastly different communication styles and preferences.

They’ll need to individually communicate their concerns to you and you’ll need to ensure that you communicate the solutions to each.

You may also need to communicate with the attorneys. If you’re not a good listener, and have poor communication skills, this isn’t the niche for you.

How well do you work under pressure? There may be timing problems, plenty of surprises, frustrations and disappointments along the way. Through it all, you’ll need to maintain your composure.

Impartiality is a biggie when working with divorcing couples – something not required of the traditional listing agent.

Much like a mediator, regardless of how you personally feel about the husband or wife, and regardless of how either or both of them may pressure you to choose sides, you’ll need to force yourself to remain “Switzerland” to be successful.

Remember, you are a fiduciary and you are bound by law to act in the best interest of both of them. Because one or the other may have a fear that you’ll choose sides, ease the anxiety by making this duty very clear to them.

Other important qualities include tact, empathy, diplomacy and loads of patience.

In fact, the first meeting is the time to ease them into how you’ll work with them and what value you bring to the transaction:

• You’ll help them make decisions that make the most sense for the couple and their children.
• You’ll listen to each of them and understand their wishes.
• You’ll help them find solutions to issues that may come up.

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Tips for working with divorcing clients

OK, you have mad qualities and skills. Here’s how to put them to work with couples who are splitting up.

“I never try to force them to communicate together, which means a lot of separate and duplicate communication,” agent Scott Weeda tells NPR. This way, “neither ever has the impression that I’m trying to force the agenda of one on the other,” he says.

This may mean coordinating separate meetings for everything from signing the listing agreement to acknowledging contingency releases, presenting offers and closing.

But that is one strategy in a process full of them. If you’re serious about pursuing this niche, consider taking courses toward getting a designation, such as those offered by the Divorce Real Estate Institute.

Now go get those real estate divorce listings

Finding real estate divorce listings involves many of the same tactics used to find leads in general. Search engine ads, social media ads, direct mail . . .you get the picture.

Our own Tyler Zey offers up some very cool examples of Facebook ads to generate divorce leads. You can find them here.

Some real estate postcard companies offer divorce campaigns for you farmers in the group. Prospects Plus! for instance, has teamed up with ReboGateway to offer intuitive mailing lists to go along with the postcards.

Consider buying a list, such as those who are filing for quit claim deeds or divorce and family law attorneys.

Divorce happens and, because not many agents specialize in this niche, it could be a lucrative part of your practice.

At the risk of sounding like we’re objectifying living, breathing human beings (humans who are in emotional pain, we might add), you won’t find a more motivated home seller than someone going through a divorce. If you’re considering carving out a niche for your real estate business in 2019, consider working with real estate divorce listings.

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