Property Brothers woo Realtor® audience in Bethlehem

I’m the newest fan of the Property Brothers.

The HGTV stars, twin brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott, were the highlighted speakers for the Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors® Signature Series in Bethlehem this week. After hearing (and seeing) them, I might be in for a binge watch of their four, top-ranked HGTV shows this weekend!

The Property Brothers pause for a photo with leaders from the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors® and the Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors®.

More than 600 people enjoyed their charming demeanor and witty commentary on real estate and property renovations. Drew, usually clad in a suit, is a licensed Realtor® since 2004 and works to sell primarily residential listings, while his brother Jonathan, often sporting a plaid shirt, is a licensed contractor who renovates properties. Their program features them working with homeowners and buyers who are on a limited budget, helping them to achieve “champagne dreams on a beer budget.”

The brothers, who began acting as children, bought their first home at 18 years old. They put $250 down and made a $50,000 profit. They’ve personally renovated more than 50 homes and hundreds for their clients.

Throughout their presentation, they gave tips and advice — sprinkled with humor — for real estate professionals and homeowners.

Drew reminded Realtors® to continually build their brand and put their clients first. “When you put the client first, every step you take allows the client to refer business back to you,” he said.

He suggested creating a team of real estate-related professionals that you feel comfortable recommending to your clients: lenders, contractors, mortgage brokers, designers, stagers, attorneys and home inspectors. “When you’re able to make these referrals, it shows your client you really care and they will come to you for everything,” he added.

Both brothers strongly urged Realtors® and contractors to use social media in their marketing because it’s effective and inexpensive.

Jonathan said, “Embrace technology to expand your client base. Start a blog and write once a week about something you’re interested in like golf courses. It will help you connect with clients and build your client base.”

Geo-targeted ads on social media are very effective in marketing your business to specific clients, according to Drew. “You can target specific neighborhoods on social media. One of the first things people do when they think about hiring you is search online for you, so you need to have an online presence. If you don’t have the time to create one, hire a local writing student to help pull together tips that you can post.”

They urged Realtors® to value their own time. “Don’t sound desperate when setting up an appointment by telling people ‘call me anytime’ because they will. Choose two times and give your clients the illusion of choice,” Drew said. Jonathan joked, “Otherwise you’ll end up a heartless agent like Drew,” which garnered laughter from the audience.

The duo stressed their show “isn’t DIY (do-it-yourself).” “If in the end, your home renovation looks really bad, then you haven’t saved money,” Drew noted.

Jonathan agreed. “Spend money when it counts. You should use professionals because of the quality of the finished product. You should acknowledge what tasks are out of your comfort zone. And remember that building permits aren’t there to annoy you. They are required by law.”

He encouraged Realtors® and contractors to keep current on new home products. “You’re the business professional. You should know about all new products and trends, keeping an eye out for your clients so you’re their resource.”

Drew concluded, “I believe one of the biggest challenges for Realtors® today is educating consumers. They see so much on the Internet and hear stories from other people. It’s our job to help them understand how much their house is really worth.”

The new season of their show, Brother vs Brother premieres on HGTV on Wednesday, June 3 at 9 p.m. I’m pretty sure I know where I’ll be!