The rewards of working with realtors

Whether they’re moving in or moving out, consumers are investing in before- and aftermarket home improvements.

According to Dave King, executive director at the Home Improvement Research Institute, the median amount for home sellers looking to spruce up their property prior to sale is $5,000 while the median amount for buyers aiming to turn their new house into a home is $6,000.

“Not surprisingly,” adds King, “The products most often purchased for improvements by both contractors and consumers is paint and paint accessories.”

While home sales in 2023 are projected to only reach 4.5 million units (versus a pre-pandemic 5.34 million in 2019), there’s still plenty of opportunity for pros to make revenue gains in this market. Some say the key to their success is a realtor connection.

Make the most of opportunity

For Brandon Turner of Flying Colors Painting outside Concord, NH, realtor relationships are a huge part of his business. “More than 50% of our work comes through realtors,” he says. “They provide a steady supply of jobs that range from lots of neutrals for houses going on the market to more creative colors for those moving in.”

Turner’s introduction to the lucrative realtor pipeline began when he purchased an investment property in 2012. He picked up a few jobs through the selling agent and discovered he liked the nature of the work.

Since then, he has networked his way into relationships with other realtors. “We bought an ad in a local magazine. Part of the buy included a networking event with realtors. I was able to mention I worked with another agent, which provided the comfort and confidence other agents needed to hire me. I haven’t looked back.”

Converting connections into work

Like Turner, networking was key to building the book of business for Lia Allen of Allen Brothers Painting in York, PA. She says, “We launched the company in May 2021, and I spent June through September networking hard, including at an all-women’s networking group. It was there I met Heather Aughenbaugh with Realty ONE Group. She called us in to help with a customer who was closing on a house. She liked our work so much she had us work on her own home, and now we get a steady stream of leads from her agency.” Today, Allen works with five to six realtors. “The scope of work varies from a single bedroom or bathroom to repainting an entire floor. Obviously, when there’s a closing, we have to turn bids quickly and get the work done on often tight time lines. But because they’re such reliable sources of business, we prioritize their projects; sometimes leaving other jobsites for a day or two to get them done.”

Many of today’s buyers are not DIYers. According to Aughenbaugh, “More than ever, many of today’s buyers are not DIYers.” She adds, “For young families where both parents work full time, move-in ready is a must. I’m regularly asked for referrals. They’re quickturn projects but there are a lot of them.”

As for pros looking to connect with realtors, Aughenbaugh notes that many agents work from home, so they can be hard to track down. “That said, I’m happy to take calls and meetings with painters,” she says. “Once we’ve connected, I look to their website or Facebook page for any before-and-after photos and reviews. And, of course, networking groups are a great way to make an introduction.”

The realities of real estate work

Both Turner and Allen recognize how important responsiveness is to keeping the pipeline full. Turner says, “The downside of this type of work is it’s almost always a crunch-time situation. But given the volume of work we get, it’s worth the effort. The reality is there’s always somebody else ready to take the work if you can’t.”

Allen adds, “If you dip your toe in this market, make sure you’re always clear on who’s paying the bills. Things can get muddled with escrow accounts and mortgage companies. Establish who the customer is early and communicate directly with them.”