Real Estate Mission Statements: How to Create One That Works

A real estate mission statement is often one of the forgotten pieces of your overall real estate brand, yet it could be the final push that clients need to finally choose you as their agent.

Without a clear mission, values, and vision, your business has no chance of thriving and growing at a pace you’ll be happy with.

A great mission statement is comprised of the elements that make an excellent real estate business. Most mission statements often refer to themes of trustworthiness, efficiency, and innovation.

Think of your mission statement as a representation of your core identity and a collection of your core values. Once you have clarified your purpose, the next steps fall into place in perfect order.

This quote comes to mind, “Everything is created twice, first in the mind and then in reality.” – Robin Sharma. Decisions become clearer when you have an end goal in mind and an idea of the brand identity you want to have along the journey to achieve that purpose.

The best real estate mission and value statement is short, sweet, and focused. This statement draws in clients that share the same values.

For the purpose of the article, mission statement will be used to refer to a company’s overall mission, vision, and values.

Vision: The current perspective and future position the company imagines themselves in.

Values: Ethics and meanings that employees share and abide by.

Mission: How to communicate vision and values into an actionable plan that guides daily decisions.

What is a Mission Statement?

This essential business element helps guide your long-term goals and day-to-day tasks. It helps you define your real estate company in a crowded marketplace and serve as the foundation of future real estate marketing content. It answers the who, what, and why of your business.

You mission statement gives clarity to your team, future clients, and relationships with community members and other professionals in the industry.

Common Words in Real Estate Mission Statements

Some words are repeatedly used in real estate mission statements – and for good reason. Sprinkling in a couple of these words (sparingly) shows clients that you are prepared to deliver high quality services that matches their expectation.

Integrity: Many would argue that integrity is the most important quality a real estate agent can have. Choosing the right home is a huge responsibility; clients want to know that you are as selective in choosing a home for them as you would be for yourself. Integrity is synonymous with trust, but with the added importance of more responsibility.

Honesty: Clients trust their realtor to give them the best options for them. Over promising on your abilities as an agent or encouraging clients to work with your affiliates even though they may not be the best choice, is a huge red-flag for prospects.

Family-oriented: Many buyers with a family are looking for their forever home. They place trust in a stranger to find the space that they will spend a large chunk of their lives in. It’s imperative that the chosen agent understands common family lifestyles and challenges. This way, they can foresee issues that even buyers may miss and truly find the best-suited property in the end.

Efficient: The less efficient the agent, the more often high-quality properties are missed. The best way to stop your clients from taking over the property search is to build their confidence in you with high-quality work. Staying on top of available listings and quickly scoring the best opportunities is the definition of an efficient real estate agent.

Professional: Professionalism is an obvious must for any successful real estate firm. Real estate agents are business owners and clients expect the same level of service as they would with any other business. Just because the roles are quite personal and work hours are often out of the ordinary, does not mean clients that want to be treated like an old friend.

Local: Every locality has its own intricate qualities that are unique to that are. Often, real estate agents are the first real connection to a hyperlocal area that clients are interested in. Clients expect agents to be knowledgeable about the area in order to help them make the best decision. Focusing on your connections and information about your local area can encourage clients to choose you over another agent.

Team Work: There’s more to real estate than just picking and buying a house. Any experienced home buyer or seller knows that the other real estate professionals along the way such as appraisers, lenders, stagers, etc. are equally important. An agent that works well with other real estate professionals (and even has his own referrals) will make the entire process easier for the client.

Eco-conscious: ‘Going green’ isn’t just a trend. It’s a lifestyle and mentality that a larger percentage of Western society has adopted. Consumers naturally gravitate towards companies that are conscious of the carbon footprint and other environmental concerns. Small gestures such as using electronic forms at an open house or driving clients to showings in an electric car, show clients that you share the same values and interests.

Benefits of Mission Statements for Small and Large Real Estate Businesses

Mission statements are a staple in your overall company culture and real estate marketing success. However, a great mission statement can do much more than that. They help to:

• Introduce yourself to potential clients
• Provide clarity about your brand and real estate services
• Boost team moral
• Increase cohesiveness on your team
• Set you apart from competition. For example, what makes you different from the other boutique agency? Your value statement will make that clear.
• Recruit the right people for your team. Integrate your statement directly into job postings, so that applicants can have a good idea of the real estate company they are considering working for. This weeds out the ones who aren’t truly interested and draws in the ones who are.

Tips for Creating a Great Mission Statement

Go Big, But Stay Focused

Go too broad and your mission statement will be watered down and loses its punch. A strong mission statement should be memorable and convey strength in only a couple sentences or less. It can be difficult to fiddle with such a brief statement until it encapsulates everything you want it to, but with some effort, you will develop a short sentence that will help you along your career.

Clarity is Key

Choose clarity over formality or trying to appear intelligent. It’s possible to express complex and serious ideas using natural language!

Placement

Your branding material should have your mission statement or a shortened version of your mission statement to fit the size of the medium. For example, use a short mission statement on the back of your business cards. Additionally, include it on your about us page and other places on your real estate website where it can be easily seen (e.g. the footer, homepage, above lead pages).

Stay Away From Mission Statement Generators

Mission statement generators may be a good place to start to spark some ideas and inspiration. However, they rarely do a good enough job of summarizing the services you offer and the power needed to grab attention. The best statements go a step further and express what is uniquely special about your business.

Maintain a Consistent Attitude

The ‘voice’ of your mission statement should be the same as the rest of your written content. For the sake of brand cohesiveness, make sure that you are consistently providing the same messaging and offers.

Some questions to get you on the right track:

What motivated me to get into the real estate industry?

What is unique and valuable about the services I offer?

How does your business positively impact your community?

Who exactly is affected by the challenge you are setting out to solve?

What is your strategy to reach your goals?

All in all, your mission statement should be a succinct statement that explains what you are all about in a few words:

• Easy to understand and envision
• Connected to the client
• Inspirational and authentic
• Descriptive

Mission Statement Examples

“Here are few examples of real estate mission statements from real estate industry leaders and incredibly successful clients of ours. Take note of how each is unique yet accomplishes the same result: share brand ethos in a few targeted and powerful phrases.”

Fisher Real Estate

“Our goal is to offer a personalized and professional approach with a commitment to our core values of exceptional service, unparalleled work ethic, reliability and integrity.”

Ron Ortez

“Ron Ortez will help you achieve or exceed your real estate goals, by providing you with extraordinary quality of service in the buying and selling of real estate. Professionalism, integrity, honesty and truth are the cornerstones of her business.”

The Austin Short Group

“At The Austin Short Group we know that the real estate experience can be a daunting and overwhelming experience for individuals and families. Often times the choice to move occurs at a time of change or disruption in people’s lives. You need someone in these times who can guide you through the uncertainty and help you navigate to where you ultimately want to find yourself, HOME!”

The Oasis Group

“Every prospective homeowner has a unique set of needs. Some see their home as an investment. For others, it is a safe place for their family–a ‘oasis’ where they retreat for rest and relaxation. When dealing with our clients, we take the time to understand their individual’s goals and needs.”

Century 21

“Our mission is to positively impact lives through real estate.

– We are honest and exemplify integrity
– We are solutions driven
– We consistently learn and grow to better serve our clients
– We build valued relationships while enjoying the experience
– We defy mediocrity and deliver an extraordinary experience.

WE are CENTURY 21 Beal.”

Template to Get You Started

If you’re still struggling to find the right start to your real estate mission statement, start with the basics.

“(Brokerage name) is committed to finding the perfect home for our clients/customers with excellent service, (descriptive word), and (descriptive word). ”

Conclusion…

This statement is the vein of your company, so don’t rush it! Take your time applying the tips above to build a mission statement that accurately reflects your business now and where you’re heading.

Remember that nothing is forever. As your business grows, feel free to adjust your statement to better fit your new brand image and expanded real estate services.