Selling homes in South Carolina can be a rewarding yet challenging career. If you’ve been an active sales agent for at least several years, you no doubt have noticed some major shifts in the current market. To be successful, real estate agents must be able to cope in a changing market, and this post provides some tips to help you develop those skills.

First and foremost, remember that while there is a national real estate market, and its changes and trends can affect your personal business, remember that your local market may not necessarily match the current trends of the industry throughout the country. In other words, houses might be selling like hotcakes in one area while the market has slowed in another. The information that is most powerful to you as a South Carolina real estate agent is data from your specific selling regions.

Be aware of national and local economies

For real estate agents to cope in a changing market, they must research and be aware of trends and shifts in the economy, as well as the real estate market itself. Both national and local economies affect the real estate industry. Income levels, the job market and more—what is driving people (or not) to buy and sell homes? What is the cost of living in your sales area?

The more you know about economics, the better you’ll be able to understand what issues might be causing the changes you observe in the real estate market. This information, in turn, can help you adjust your game plan for sales.

Adapt your marketing efforts to target a specific audience

As the market changes, so too might your target audience change. If you want to be able to stay on top through turbulent times, you must learn to adjust your marketing efforts to align with the prime target audience at the time. To do this, use your research to determine who is buying and selling the most homes in your region. Pay close attention to trends. For instance, are retirees selling more homes than the millennial crowd?

Focus your marketing efforts on the current target audience. Use social media to boost marketing campaigns. Long ago, it was typically younger people who used sites like Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. Today, people who are baby boomer ages and beyond spend just as much time on social media as younger generations. Use this to your advantage as a real estate agent.

Continuing education will help you stay afloat in a changing real estate market

Launching a real estate career does not end with obtaining your license. It begins there. The most successful sales agents understand the importance of continuing their education. As the market changes, you can change with it by adding skills and certifications to your arsenal. For example, if you meet the state’s requirements, you can earn your broker’s license or expand your real estate career by obtaining an appraiser’s license or property management license.

By staying updated on industry trends and continuing education, real estate agents can ride out the changes in the market and take their career to a whole new level.