{"id":32224,"date":"2022-07-20T09:25:08","date_gmt":"2022-07-20T16:25:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=32224"},"modified":"2026-03-20T04:57:57","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T11:57:57","slug":"agent-first-time-homebuyer-seminars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/agent-first-time-homebuyer-seminars\/","title":{"rendered":"How First-Time Homebuyer Seminars Can Grow Your Business"},"content":{"rendered":"

I think it\u2019s safe to say that the goal of every real estate agent is to attract more clients and increase your bottom line.<\/p>\n

While there are many ways to do that, what if you could accomplish that goal simply by filling a void and educating consumers?<\/p>\n

That\u2019s exactly what Kimberlee Meserve, Team Lead of the Street Property Team<\/a> in Boston did in 2018 when she realized that many of her peers could afford to buy a home. They just didn\u2019t know they could.<\/p>\n

In episode 90 of The Walkthrough\u2122<\/a>, Meserve says that\u2019s when the idea for doing first-time homebuyer seminars was born.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cI would be talking to people who were spending $2,600 a month, $2,700 a month on rent\u2026and they were telling me, \u2018I can\u2019t afford to buy.\u2019 Or, \u2018My credit score is a 700, and I need a 750 to buy.\u2019 Or, \u2018I don\u2019t have 20% down.\u2019 And I realized it wasn\u2019t that these people couldn\u2019t buy, it was that there was a gap in the education around what it took to purchase a home.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Homebuyer Seminars Fill a Gap in the Market<\/h2>\n

In these conversations, Meserve saw a clear need. She realized seminars for first-time homebuyers were a solution that would accomplish three goals:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Educate potential homeowners<\/li>\n
  2. Watch her bottom line skyrocket<\/li>\n
  3. Increase her sphere of influence and client database<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    When Meserve made the decision to do these seminars, she was new to the Boston area and knew no one. She met a lender who was new to the business, and \u201chungry\u201d enough to try just about anything to earn more clients. Together, they formed an informal partnership that increased her bottom line exponentially and put both new and repeat clients in her pipeline.<\/p>\n

    In her first full year in Boston, Meserve closed $11.7 million in volume, 90% of which she says was directly from the first-time home buyer seminars. The next year, she closed $23.5 million, and the seminars continue to be a significant source of lead generation for her entire team today.<\/p>\n

    <\/div>\n

    Small Attendance Can Still Mean Big Business<\/h2>\n

    Meserve says commitment and perseverance were the keys. Her first two pre-COVID in-person seminars, which she held at a restaurant, were a success. Her third attempt didn’t seem so promising, with only four attendees. However, after tracking her numbers, she realized that each one of those four people eventually purchased a home with her help, translating into a 100% conversion rate.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThere\u2019s a portion of people that might be more immediate business, then there\u2019s some 6-to-12-month business, and then [others] further out. I have people from 2018 that just closed on a property a month ago. So, it can be a very pipeline-building business. You just have to commit to following up with it,\u201d says Meserve.<\/p>\n

    When COVID hit, Meserve was forced to go virtual. That formula has proven to be just as effective as in-person seminars and even more efficient, cutting her costs substantially. The seminars are now 100% virtual, and she does one every two to three weeks.<\/p>\n

    <\/div>\n

    How to Host a Successful First-Time Homebuyer Seminar<\/h2>\n

    Meserve\u2019s system is pretty simple.<\/p>\n

    She advertises two weeks in advance solely through Facebook ads. When people sign up, they\u2019re directed to an Eventbrite page to register with their contact information.<\/p>\n

    Meserve\u2019s seminars run 90 minutes long on Zoom, and each participant receives a PDF containing an interactive workbook to help keep them engaged. She finds that many clients end up printing them out.<\/p>\n

    The seminars begin with an icebreaker where participants introduce themselves, and are strongly encouraged to engage in the discussion. Meserve says that having a take-charge attitude in order to maximize the 90- minute block of time is imperative.<\/p>\n

    \u201cSo, I set the expectation from the beginning that this is going to be interactive. We\u2019re gonna ask you to participate. You\u2019re not just gonna sit there and be a voyeur throughout the next 90 minutes. So, we highly, highly encourage participation.\u201d But, Meserve warns that you should be prepared for those awkward silences that may occur as a result of some questions coming in through the chat.<\/p>\n

    Next, Meserve introduces herself and jumps right into the state of the market. This is the perfect opportunity for her and her lender to assess the participants\u2019 level of knowledge about real estate and segue into defining more basic terminology. They cover topics such as:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • What is a buyer\u2019s market vs. a seller\u2019s market?<\/li>\n
    • What is the absorption rate?<\/li>\n
    • How does financing work?<\/li>\n
    • What are closing costs?<\/li>\n
    • What is the timeline for getting a mortgage?<\/li>\n
    • What is a preapproval vs. a pre-qualification?<\/li>\n
    • What kind of credit score is needed to purchase a home and how do you improve your credit score?<\/li>\n
    • The different types of properties \u2013 multifamily, condos, single family, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      After reviewing these basics, the most important thing Meserve does comes next.<\/p>\n

      \u201cThis is where I really start to soft-close people. And I think that\u2019s a huge mistake that people make when they\u2019re trying these events \u2013 if they don\u2019t ever close the buyers. We\u2019re still salespeople. And so, what I\u2019ll say is, \u2018If you\u2019re within 12 to 18 months of wanting to buy a home, the next step is for us to set up a time to meet and just talk about your goals, what kind of property you want,\u2019\u201d says Meserve.<\/p>\n

      <\/div>\n

      Success is All About the Follow-Up<\/h2>\n

      For people who registered but were a no-show, Meserve will follow up, invite them again and go after them with the same tenacity as any other potential client by calling, texting, or emailing them until she\u2019s reached them.<\/p>\n

      \u201cI\u2019m gonna follow up with you until you either die or tell me to \u201cF\u201d off,\u201d she says. \u201cSo, you\u2019re gonna get invited to future events. You\u2019re still gonna get called. You\u2019re getting the full treatment just like anybody else. And that happens a lot. We have a lot of people that might register for like three or four events before they actually attend one and then they\u2019re ready to become a client.\u201d<\/p>\n

      Meserve urges other agents not to take unresponsiveness personally,\u00a0 recognizing that we all lead busy lives and clients may not be ready to take that next step right away. \u201c78% of people will work with the first agent they talk to,\u201d she says. And Meserve is going to be ready when they are.<\/p>\n

      <\/div>\n

      Done is Better Than Perfect<\/h2>\n

      One of the biggest things Meserve recommends agents do is just get started<\/i>. \u201cIf you focus on making it perfect, you\u2019re never gonna get started. Just get started and learn along the way. We\u2019re all human, right? So, it doesn\u2019t have to be perfect. But if you don\u2019t do anything, you\u2019re never gonna get the results.\u201d<\/p>\n

      As agents, we ask this of our clients on a daily basis \u2013 to take action on something that we know is possible for them to achieve. That is the dream of home ownership. But without taking the first step, that goal remains just a dream.<\/p>\n

      If you\u2019re looking to build your pipeline with current and future buyers, it\u2019s time you follow your own advice. Take that first step. Commit to doing a first-time home buyer seminar. And if you want to grow your business, see measurable results, and create clients for life, do another. And another. And another\u2026<\/p>\n

      Header Image Source: (fizkes \/ Shutterstock)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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