THE Real Estate Board (REB) will be rolling out a social media marketing course for local professionals as it joins thousands of other industries in leveraging the platform to market their services.

“The course will be launched under the REB’s Continued Professional Development programme (CPD) at the Real Estate Training Institute, and will be facilitated by digital growth strategist and digital marketing educator, Kerin Scott,” REB CEO Sandra Garrick said.

Garrick explained that the board is seeking the continuous training requirement for real estate professionals to present the latest industry developments in order to equip practitioners.

According to a 2019 study by the United States National Association of Realtors, 77 per cent of realtors used social media to influence sales. Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram were reported as the main platforms used.

“In the real estate business, persons buy with their eyes first and then their pockets. As a result, photo and video-heavy social media platforms, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and Tik-Tok, are used to market houses for sale,” Scott stated.

Citing a recent international real estate survey, she noteed that 99 per cent of millennials (aged 24-40 years) and 90 per cent of baby boomers (aged 57-75 years), initiate their home search online.

“In Jamaica, we can see this same trend, which has prompted many realtors to go online. But a big reason social media is the preferred online channel has to do with the ability for real estate content to get more reach, and more views,” Scott pointed out.

Against this background, she believes the REB’s new course offering is ideal for any real estate professional, regardless of age, who is serious about expanding their brand and earning potential.

The REB’s manager for the continued professional development programme, Ainsworth Norton, echoed similar sentiments, noting that at the end of the course participants will be able to create social media plans for their real estate businesses, as well as content for platforms like Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Tik-Tok.

“The course will begin on September 30, [with] the second module [to be] taught on October 14; [it] will include case studies and assessments. Practitioners will be notified via e-mail of the course dates and will be able to register via the REB’s client portal or through the REB’s head office,” said Norton.

Meanwhile, Garrick is encouraging the public to only engage with licensed real estate dealers on social media, and not fall prey to fraudulent transactions.

“When dealing with licensed real estate dealers, whether in person or online, members of the public can have the confidence of knowing that the person has the necessary training and skills to offer competent and proficient service,” she pointed out.

Additionally, the CEO said people can rest assured that licensed dealers “[generally] adhere to strict legislative and anti-money laundering requirements and a code of ethics”.

She said that the public may verify the status of professionals, using social media, by requesting to see their current licence which is provided by the Real Estate Board.

Additionally, she said individuals may utilise the member search section of the board’s website or contact the REB via telephone or e-mail to make inquiries.

“We are excited about this new course offering, and hope practitioners make use of [it]. We think this will enable them to drive sales through the various virtual platforms and integrate their marketing plans, as a means of reaching more people,” Garrick added.

The Real Estate Board is the a Government agency, under the Ministry of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change, with responsibility for regulating Jamaica’s real estate industry.