Rental Beast Provides Florida Real Estate Professional a Competitive Edge
J.R. Alexandre, an Ethanmour Realty agent working in Boynton Beach, Fla., first entered the real estate industry five years ago on the advice of two friends who thought his salesmanship would serve him well as an agent.
“It started off as a bumpy road,” says Alexandre. “But the past two years I’ve seen success, and it’s been life-changing for my family. In the beginning, I was chasing home runs, but I learned how the process works.”
A reliance on rental properties has helped Alexandre build a sustainable and thriving business.
“Rentals are a big thing in South Florida,” he says. “There was one client who I had helped rent, then reconnected with him to close on a $1.7 million property. I saw the potential to get a certain type of clientele quickly.”
Although shunned by some agents, rentals, in Alexandre’s opinion, are the fastest way to make money in real estate. Transactions happen within days or weeks and, as a result, he can get paid much quicker than if he had sold a home.
Working with rentals also allows Alexandre to build solid relationships with future buyers.
“You can get paid 2-3 times from the same client,” says Alexandre. “They can rent from you, buy from you, then sell with you—and they will refer you in between. You create a deep relationship, and they call on you to market their property.”
Earlier this year, Alexandre started using Rental Beast—a SaaS platform designed to simplify the leasing process—and almost immediately saw even greater success. In fact, in just the first few months, he’s already closed 11 deals using the platform.
“It was a game-changer for me because there was so much time I could save using the platform,” says Alexandre. “Thanks to Rental Beast, I can find the exact property a client wants. I save time, and I don’t spin my wheels doing paperwork.”
Alexandre has finessed his strategy, and one-show closes are now a crucial part of his business.
“I’ve created a personal system for myself because I know how people think, so I have videos of properties in my phone that I show to people when I get a lead or an inquiry,” says Alexandre. “The MLS typically only deals with private owners, and you rarely find apartment owners. Rental Beast opened up the inventory I was looking for.”
Many times, after sending property videos to his clients, the next steps are filling out an application and picking a move-in day.
Rental Beast’s extensive database allows Alexandre to see more affordable units, and Alexandre credits the database for the hyperlocal knowledge of rental inventory that gives him a competitive edge that helps him upsell into sales transactions.
“My pipeline is crazy,” says Alexandre. “I’ve developed strong relationships with property managers, as well, so it’s a win-win. Now, these property managers refer me to clients. I’ve even met elite clients through Rental Beast, some making over $250,000 a year who are looking to purchase. That’s what you want—to deal with those types of clients.”