Finding a great mortgage broker is one of the most critical steps for buyers looking to purchase a new home. Unfortunately, it can be hard for buyers to detect whether the lender they are working with is good or bad pick until they've gotten to a point where it's hard to turn back. That's why you need to build trust and establish credibility early on, so that clients feel comfortable with you from the beginning of the process. So what can you, as a mortgage broker, do to reassure your clients that you're a safe bet?

Follow these 7 Mortgage Broker success tips:

1. Always do your homework and offer multiple loan options
2. Make sure you respond to emails and phone calls in a timely manner
3. Never skip over the details of loan products, fees or services
4. Avoid rushing your clients
5. Provide proof of your success
6. Never push for a loan that's outside your client's comfort zone
7. Always be an open book and be prepared to field client questions

If you’ve been in the business for a while, you’re probably well aware that there are some key benefits to working with real estate seller leads.

Did you know that 90 percent of buyers are browsing the internet to find their next home? That’s why it’s imperative that real estate professionals work to build an effective online presence for their business. And that includes search engine optimization, or SEO.

Succeeding as a real estate agent not only requires that you be a great salesperson, but a great content marketer as well. After all, the first impression most potential buyers will have of you is when they start looking online for properties.

In today’s abridged Agent Insights post, Jeff Knox - featured Inman writer and Dallas, Texas Broker of Knox & Associates Real Estate - explains how agents can effectively grow their business and online real estate marketing strategy with PPC Marketing and Google AdWords.

Here’s Jeff:

Google Adwords and PPC can be like the Song of the Sirens to Realtors. For those who aren't familiar with Greek mythology, the Song of the Sirens was a story of beautiful creatures who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. AdWords can be just as alluring to Realtors looking for instant access to willing buyers and sellers.

PPC means instant traffic to your website and the possibility of quick closings and commissions. In theory, what could be better than advertising on the first page of Google to consumers searching for their new home? These possibilities are often too tempting for agents to pass without at least giving PPC a shot. However, PPC can and will eat you and your wallet alive if you don't know what you're doing.  

Don't get me wrong...the rest of my article isn't about how to avoid the temptations of PPC but rather how to make PPC actually work for you as a Realtor.

First, What exactly is PPC?