We have been publishing a series of articles that profile how real estate professionals are leveraging Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®) to be more successful. Today, our article focuses on a commercial REALTOR®, Paul Martis.

Busy Agent Summary

We understand that you're busy, so we're going to provide a quick summary here. In one minute or less, these are the things you can take away from Paul's success with RPR®:

• Don't wait until your MLS signs up for RPR® before taking a look at it, because there's actually some value you can take advantage of without an MLS agreement.

• Visual representation of data is an important way to communicate with clients and can help get them more excited about their real estate transaction. RPR® can help provide highly visual reports that enhance clients' understanding and enthusiasm.

• Mention RPR® tools, and the opportunities they open up, to clients during a listing presentation to help win the listing.

Why RPR®

As a member of MRED, Paul Martis does not yet have access to full functionality of RPR® (although it should be available soon). However, this did not stop him from exploring the possibilities of the tool after a presentation to the Main Street Organization of REALTORS®.

"Soon afterward," Paul explains, "someone referred a new client to me, a wine retailer. It was a perfect opportunity to leverage RPR®." Usually, commercial agents are asked to research an area and negotiate on the client's behalf for a good lease. "We don't usually suggest a marketing approach," Paul explains, "but RPR® helped me show my new client a hidden opportunity for direct mailing in an area that was a bit beyond the immediate area in which they were located." This suggestion gave Paul another level of value with the client, "and we have a continuing relationship because of it."

How'd he do it? Using heat maps, Paul looked beyond the usual 1 to 3 mile area around a client's retail location. The heat maps revealed an area of active consumer spending. Without RPR®, he says, he might have overlooked those areas, and missed an opportunity to prove his value to his client.

Even before you win a listing, Paul says, RPR® can help. "Most metro markets have a small percentage of commercial brokers that are not part of an association. Because they're not part of an association, they won't have access to the RPR® tools. This is something I would mention in a presentation to a new client." Paul explains that RPR® also becomes a recruiting tool for bringing in a new broker to your office.

About Paul Martis

Paul Martis is a commercial REALTOR®, educator and mentor based in Oak Brook, IL. With a B.S. in Urban Planning, he is a licensed real estate managing broker and Illinois licensed CE instructor.

Learn More

Read past articles in our series about RPR®:

• Beyond Residential: Commercial Agents Can Use RPR®, Too!
• Secrets to Success with RPR®
• An Appraiser's Perspective on RPR®