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When someone chooses to step into a real estate career, they’re often considering residential resale or commercial real estate. However, another exciting and lucrative option is a career in new home sales: working for a homebuilder selling their newly constructed homes. Unlike other professional options in real estate, a new home sales career doesn’t require a large investment upfront to set yourself up for business, such as an MLS membership, broker desk space rental, advertising, supplies, insurance, and (in many cases) a new vehicle to use for your client property tours. As a homebuilder employee, you work as part of a team of sales, marketing, and advertising experts, who are dedicated to driving buyer traffic to you in a sales office, on the building site. You coordinate with the corporate leadership team, on-site construction team, and your buyers to bring their dreams to life. The model homes are decorated to showcase the livability and potential that is considered by customers as they tour through the community. Builders understand that in order for you to consistently be at the top of your game, you will need education and training to advance your career path. Most builders will provide substantial opportunities for you to learn and grow, therefore, making you an even greater asset to their sales force.
Imagine yourself working a new home sales job: marketing is managed by the builder. You spend your days at the community greeting prospects, touring model homes, and discussing the features and benefits of your buyer’s dream home. You are confident in your product because you’re offering your clients high quality construction, the latest technology, and you’re working with them to personalize their home from the flooring, to the cabinets, and more. You’re surrounded by a group of other sales professionals & see yourself continuing to grow as you work under a group of successful sales leaders, attend sales meetings, and receive ongoing guidance from the builder.
The advantages of starting your real estate sales career in the new homes industry are clear!
So you’re interested in getting a job in New Home Sales, but where to begin? After many years of helping real estate professionals launch their careers, we have found a path that can lead to your success. Here is our insight on how to land a job in New Home Sales.
New home builders are more competitive than ever when it comes to identifying the perfect person to sell their new homes. They are not just looking for sales skills, they also want employees who deliver an excellent customer experience and fit their company culture and ideals. Often times, builders also want someone with some sales office experience. The best way to gain that valuable hands-on experience and learn all about a builder’s culture is to work as a temporary New Home Sales Assistant.
A staffing agency that specializes in the real estate industry is the perfect way to get your foot in the door with a new home builder. With an agency, you would be placed on various temporary assignments with home builders in your area. JWilliams Staffing (JWS) specializes in the new homes industry and has decades of experience placing candidates with new home builders. JWS provides you with on-site experience, ongoing guidance, and valuable tools including an online learning platform to help you excel in your new home sales career.
When you go through a staffing agency to get placed with new home builders, you get the opportunity to work with local builders and their sales team while learning the new homes industry and gaining hands-on experience. Working temporary assignments in the sales office exposes you to the construction and sales processes in the new home industry. Each builder has a different story, company culture, and sales strategy. A staffing agency like JWilliams Staffing will give you the opportunity to experience several builders, adapt and adjust your sales presentation, and help you understand which company is best for you. Many builders and candidates view each assignment as a “working interview” because they are often an opportunity to grow into a full-time position.
Working in a temporary position with the new home builders’ professional staff is also a great way for you to grow your network. The new home sales industry is a relationship-centric community where networking is key. Be certain you connect on LinkedIn with professionals you meet and share contact information if possible. Building your references will increase the likelihood of you eventually landing that full-time position.
When you are starting your career or jumping into a new one, you’ll want someone to look to as an example. That’s where role models come into play. A role model is someone who inspires you to learn from their behavior, attitude, and growth.
Role models can have a major impact on the direction of your career when you observe the right one. So, there are a few boxes you’ll want your new home sales role model to check. The ideal role model has experience in the same position you want, a clear set of values and goals, commitment to the industry and their role, and an attitude that inspires you to be the best you can be. But where can you find this ideal role model?
Start by looking at the top sales consultants for builders you would like to work with in your area then ask yourself questions like, “How long has this person been in the new homes industry?”, and “What kind of lessons could I learn from their achievements, goals, mistakes, etc.?” If this is someone you have already connected with, reach out to them and see if they’ll let you pick their brain. Not everyone is going to be up to help a newbie but if you happen to find someone who is, see if you can get some inspiration from them or even their role models.
Top earning new home sales consultants have one thing in common: They know their local real estate market. New Home Sales consultants are expected to be experts on the local new home builders, housing trends, community attractions, factors that shape the area economy, and where to learn more about the industry to benefit their prospects.
Real estate is an industry heavily influenced by environmental, political, social, and broader economic forces that all affect property value and pricing as well as prospects’ buying habits. These factors should all be considered when learning about your local market. Builders will be impressed by those who do their research, so start by collecting data on:
Joining an industry organization is a great way to get started. Find a local chapter through the National Associate of Home Builders (NAHB)’s website here: https://www.nahb.org/Why-NAHB/Join. These organizations exist to help new home sales people network and learn more about the industry and market. They offer a plethora of tools and events that help sales people become experts in their field. From conferences, webinars, and panels that feature sales leaders across the industry to economic forecasts, analytics, and trend reports, being a part of your local organization can provide an array of opportunities for sales people looking to expand their knowledge of the industry and market.
Another way to learn more about the new home building industry is to read a business review journal or other popular industry magazines, newsletters, and blogs such as Meyers Research or the Wall Street Journal. Learning more about the new homes market and industry will help you impress potential employers and prospective buyers alike.
Simply being in the sales office of a local home builder won’t land you a job. Only those who go above and beyond are going to be the ones who get noticed. Builders aren’t looking for someone who is okay with just showing up, clocking in, and going through the motions. New Home Sales, like any other real estate field, is highly competitive and therefore new home builders are looking for candidates with the drive and motivation to set themselves apart in the sales office.
New Home Sales Assistants who are hired on full-time with a builder are going to have some specific characteristics that set them apart. Top candidates successfully maintain a professional appearance, come in a bit early & are prepared with a positive attitude to take initiative in the workplace. They also never skimp on the details and leave thorough notes & registration cards for the sales agents. For more advice from our team of experts on this topic, check out this article on 9 Ways to Launch Your Temporary New Home Sales Job Into a Career.
In addition to going above and beyond in the sales office, new home sales assistants can also stand out by demonstrating an expert understanding of the elements unique to new home sales such as architectural design, blueprint reading, site design, and construction methods & materials. Builders will be most impressed by the candidates who are not only willing to go the extra mile but also who can show prospects how important it is that their interests are protected.
Everyone’s career path is different, especially in the real estate industry. Once you are hired by a builder, you may stick with a new home sales path, or you may find an exciting new role at the builder’s corporate office within a department such as marketing, purchasing, or design. However, if you choose to stick with sales, there is a relatively straight forward growth path.
Your first step, as we mentioned, is to start part-time work through a staffing agency to gain experience and exposure with various builders as a New Home Sales Assistant. Once a builder brings you in for an interview and decides to hire you on to their team, they will likely bring you on as a full-time Jr. New Home Sales Counselor or New Home Sales Counselor. After gaining more experience and getting some proven sales results under your belt, you may get advanced into a Senior New Home Sales Counselor role.
Some choose to stay in an on-site sales role, while others may advance to middle or upper management into roles such as Sales Manager or VP of Sales and Marketing. If you’re interested in learning more, the list below summarizes the responsibilities of some of the possible building industry sales jobs.
Ready to jump-start your career today? Apply online with JWilliams Staffing! [Click here] to get started.
Assists onsite sales team with coordinating various aspects of presenting new homes to prospective buyers. Collects registration cards & perform other tasks that assist the on-site agent who will close the sale.
Sells, processes, and closes homes by presenting new homes, conducing timely follow up with prospects, recording daily traffic, and participating in neighborhood promotions and marketing plans.
Manages the community sales office including sales, builder reports, maintaining the models and sales office, managing backlog and overseeing other on-site sales staff.
Trains and enforces sales procedures and sales techniques for the assigned division. Assists the Sales Manager in all sales related items to meet division goals.
Recruits, hires, and manages of on-site sales staff, establishes procedures for sales staff at special events, assists Vice President of Sales & Marketing with base pricing of units, lot premiums, establishing incentives, price reductions, and special promotions, coordinates with Escrow Manager to monitor progress of escrow closings.
Responsible for all corporate and community related sales and marketing programs including market research, recommendations regarding land acquisition, product and pricing, and overall responsibility for advertising, public relations and sales programs.
