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 OTA Services – Real Estate Support  is   ‘A service for busy people’

Who is it best suited for?

  • Real Estate agents that are busy listing and selling properties

  • Members of the public that are thinking of listing, selling, or renting out a property

If this sounds like you or someone you know, you’re in the right place.

OTA (Otter) Real Estate Services

No, this isn’t a site about otters.  (They’re ever so cute though, IMHO). Be different, I say.
The otter image is just a visual mnemonic memo to help visitors remember this site.

OTA  … “O’ta” … otter … Outsource To Angie & team

Hey, this makes a change from the typical business card mugshot!

About

ANGIE HOLMES

Angie Holmes - OTA Real Estate Services
Angie Holmes

With 10 years working as an agent in a high profile national real estate agency, Angie has supported sellers, buyers, agents & friends through every turn of the  property cycle.

As Angie is always on a quest to further improve individual real estate practice, she decided to focus full-time on providing support services to agents & members of the public.

OTA Services was born! Outsource To Angie (& team) your real estate needs.

By putting her real estate license on hold, she is now able to work independently and support agents from all real estate companies. Angie has moved from being a ‘real estate agent’ to being a ‘secret agent’ who works quietly behind the scenes helping agents & members of the public make things happen.

From Teachers College → University → Teaching in NZ→ Teaching in London, UK → Teaching in NZ → Real Estate Sales & consultancy→ to setting up OTA (Real Estate) Services.

It’s been a fabulous journey to get to this point. All the insights & skills that have been accumulated along the way have come to the fore. As always, it is a pleasure & an honour to be able to assist busy people with their real estate endeavours.


A FEW WORDS FROM HAPPY CLIENTS …

Hi Ange. Thanks for updating my website and making it look a bit more home-staged! I’m too scared of making a mistake to do most of the changes myself. It looks much better now …


Angie has already made a difference to my real estate business. I don’t have a P.A, so it’s really handy to have someone that can help me meet deadlines when I’m too busy. I particularly like the fact that she’s also contactable outside of ‘normal’ work hours.


That was AWESOME! Thanks for covering my Open Homes. It meant I could have some much needed time off. I’ll ring the people on the Open Home Register that you sent me when I get home tonight.


Thanks for helping me get my database cleaned up. That session ended up being really useful. I also learnt some database tricks that I didn’t know. My forward planning for next year is looking much better!


Good advert, thanks.  My vendor wanted something that wasn’t too run-of-the-mill. You delivered! Very pleased. Will be back in touch.


Services

SERVICES

OTA Services can take care of your real estate ‘busy work’ so that you can get on with your more productive tasks.

If you need time off & require someone trustworthy to take care of your business while you are away, OTA Services is here to help you do just that.

  • Advert writing (Nationwide service)
  • Flyer design (Nationwide service)
  • Open Home Cover (You keep the register & answer all attendee enquiries)
  • Proof-reading (Ideal for those with English as a second language)
  • Database & CRM work
  • Research (Let Holmes attend to your ‘detective’ work)
  • Attend your Building Inspections, Registered Valuation appointments – so you don’t have to
  • Website data uploading, latest sales, revisions, & basic tweaks
  • Sounding Board session. Talk your ideas over with someone that has objectivity. It’ll cost you lunch 🙂
  • Business development & WOF (Review your work systems with a professional & trusted confidant)
  • Short-run flyer deliveries may be possible (Inserted here by special request from Angie’s dog)
  • … & more. Just ask. If Angie can – she will. She’s quite creative & resourceful!
  • Need someone that is NOT an agent to talk real estate things over with? Call OTA Services
  • Forward planning. What can you do to improve your potential sale price? Discuss the steps
  • Consult with Angie – without pressure to sell. (She’s NOT an agent)
  • Angie can liaise with your family members to assist with the sale of a parental property
  • Support family member(s) that may be selling when you can’t be there. Sensitivity assured
  • Thinking of renting your place out? AirB&B vs Property Manager? Let’s talk it through
  • Wanting to sell privately? Need some guidance or assistance? OTA Services can help
  • Proof-reading of marketing material (Ideal for those with English as a second language)
  • Advert writing. Want an advert written for your TradeMe Private Sale listing?
  • Flyer design. Selling privately? Let the neighbourhood know! Skillful copywriting
  • Open Home Supervision (You keep the register & answer all attendee enquiries)
  • Research. eg; Assistance with obtaining property information from Council
  • Assisting in identifying an agent & agency that suits your situation
  • Assisting in identifying a Property Manager that suits your particular needs
  • Undecided? Moving? Staying? Downsizing? Upsizing? Relocating? Need clarity? Call Angie
  • OTA Services is here to help YOU make important real estate decisions

FAQs

FREQUENTLY ASKED FACTS

Frequently Asked Questions - OTA

Q1. I’d like you to supervise an Open Home for me. What area do you cover?

The North Shore is the area where I am based.

However, since I love driving I work Auckland-wide.

… & yes of course, there is an additional travel charge for Open Homes outside of the North Shore area.

Q2. How much do you charge to supervise an Open Home?

The costs have most certainly not kept up with the petrol price hikes, you’ll be pleased to know!

In keeping with former colleagues, the standard Open Home costs are as follows;-

North Shore$50No additional petrol costs
Auckland (Beyond the North Shore)$50Additional Petrol costs apply
Typically, an additional $10

Cost variations may occur. This will always be discussed with you first.

Q3. You are not an agent anymore. How can you legally do an Open Home for me?

Excellent question! I can SUPERVISE your Open Home.

I can;-

  • Open up & prep the property in readiness for your Open Home attendees
  • Greet your prospective buyers and take registrations for you
  • Attend to the security of your listed property
  • Give out property flyers that you have provided
  • Give your business card to Open Home attendees

I cannot;-

  • Represent myself as an agent (salesperson)
  • Answer property questions in a way that would suggest I am currently an agent
  • Discuss price, value, or details pertaining to the house
  • Express an opinion about the condition of the property

Advantages to you;-

  • You can be assured that nothing has inadvertently been said about the property that might upset your campaign
  • You get keep ALL of the registrations – including full sale & potential leads (unless otherwise arranged)
  • Your vendors will appreciate that I have been an agent for many years, & am familiar with Open Home expectations & routines

Q4. I want an advert written. How much do you charge?

The base charge is just $50.

Additional pencil-chewing, site visits, Council & extra research requirements are add-on costs.

Q5. I like my adverts to be written in a particular way. What is your style?

If you can provide me with an example of an advert that you have written, or one that you’ve seen and favour, I can usually replicate the style for your purposes.

As you are aware, a successful advert is made up of many ingredients. My role is to try and match my knowledge of ‘advertising for purpose’ with your requested requirements.  I take guidance from you.

Things for you to consider;-

  • Do you prefer bullet points or a story?
  • Do you like a mix of story & key bullet points?
  • Do you already have a header in mind?
  • Is there something that your seller wants mentioned?
  • What do you feel is the main selling point of the property?
  • Who is your target buyer? Age group? Young families? Business professionals?
  • Do you want your advert to be a ‘teaser’, or a literary walk-through of your property?
  • When will your photos be available to view?

Advertising

“… an advertisement should catch a person’s attention, create a memorable impression, trigger a response, and motivate the viewer to take action in a way that they not intended prior to seeing your advert  …”

Q6. What type of property advert can you write that is the most economical for me?

One of the most cost-effective advert layouts utlilises the following;-

Header/Title/Attention

An introductory sentence or two

  • Bullet points to further support the various AIDA acronyms
  • Interest
  • Desire
  • Fact
  • Solution
  • Location Benefits

Followed by another sentence or two that includes a ‘call to action’.

This is a versatile ‘default’ writing approach that agents can adapt for different media requirements.

You can use this formula for writing your own ads – or you can outsource the task to me.

Time-wise, this can also be a cost-effective foundation for your property advertising campaign. It’s visually effective, & well thought-out phrases can be easier for your readers to view.

(Of course, what appears simple can sometimes take hours to craft!).

Q7. Where do you work from? Do you have an office?

As I am now a freelancer, I am able to work from home remotely.

Like agents, as long as I’m connected to a phone & the internet I’m able to do a lot of my work wherever I am.

‘Wherever I lay my phone, that’s my office’ … Isn’t there a song about that?

I’m also a night owl, so a lot of my keyboarding is done around the pumpkin hour.

Pumpkin-time-OTAS

This is advantageous for you in that an urgent advert request for example, can be given to me in the evening, for you to approve in the morning. YOU get to go out on the town while your paperwork is quietly being attended to. That’s smart. That’s life balance.

How does this help you?

YOU get more time to focus on the things that you enjoy or need to do, & you manage to stay fresh for your more dollar-productive work activities.

It also means you can access OTA Services & ‘Secret Agent Ange’ without anyone knowing that you’ve outsourced your work.

Q8. What are some of the advantages of using O’TA Services?

You … can … improve … your … life balance!

celebrating-OTASfamily-relaxing-OTASLife-balance-OTASHappy-as-OTASfamily-time-OTAS

It means you can access OTA Services & ‘Secret Agent Angie’ without anyone knowing that you’ve outsourced your work.

  • You can have time off occasionally.
  • Have family time, a date night, or just chill-out & unplug. OTA Services can cover some of your work for you.
  • Can’t justify having a P.A at the moment – but want to crank your business? OTA Services is the perfect solution!
  • With OTA Services, it’s pay-as-you-go. It’s cost effective for you. No long binding contracts.
  • Try the service. If you like it, continue to use it – as & when you need it.
  • It’s a flexible. Angie knows the business. She knows how varied the tasks can be. She’s not phased.
  • Confidentiality. Massively important! Your business remains YOUR business. Absolutely imperative!
  • OTA Services can be your invisible friend. Work can get done quietly behind the scenes.
running-late-OTAS
  • Here’s an option that successful TOP agents use: An Open Home Assistant or ‘prepper’.
  • YOU just want to talk to prospective clients – not turn on lights, lay out material & fiddle with locks & flags
  • OTA Services can go ahead & open up … & close up. Work in tandem. You stay fresh & get more done.
  • This is particularly useful when you’ve Open Homes separated by quite a distance. No rushing!
apartment-OTAS
  • When your listing is an apartment or a Home & Income, it’s great to have an Open Home Assistant.
  • You can place yourself wherever you feel you’ll be the most effective, & Angie can attend to supervision elsewhere