When REALTOR® Arshad Rashed tried the C21 Mortgage Monitor technology on one of his own properties, the result was a report showing that his mortgage rate compared well with available market rates and delivered reassurance that paying off his most valuable asset was on track.
That may not be a dramatic sales lead for an agent, but it is an ongoing touchpoint to add value to clients and build the trust that only comes over time.
That was the point. “It’s not a sales pitch. It’s just valued information,” says Rashed, broker-owner of CENTURY 21 Bravo Realty in Calgary and a CENTUM owner, of the insights agents can provide clients through Mortgage Monitor.
A homeowner may not be thinking about selling and not interested in a pitch. But they may have another interest. Perhaps they are wondering what an aging parent’s home could be worth before a family decision has to be made. They may be helping a child think about a first condo. They may have a friend in another city who needs an introduction to someone trustworthy.
If agents want to be seen as trusted advisers, homeowners need to believe their agent can help them look after the financial piece too. Mortgage Monitor builds trust fast, because the agent has nothing to gain except a long-term relationship that earns repeat and referral business.
Technology should support the relationship, not replace it
CENTURY 21 Canada’s Mortgage Monitor, powered by CENTUM Financial Group Inc., is a web-based portal designed to give agents a more relevant reason to reconnect. Through their agent, participating homeowners can receive personalized monthly information about their estimated property value, mortgage balance, estimated equity, buying power and how their mortgage rate compares with available market rates.
Providing that information gives agents an opportunity to provide value long before someone is ready to buy or sell. It also keeps an agent top of mind with past clients, so that when referral opportunities present themselves, a past client remembers the value their agent continues to deliver.
That distinction is important in an industry where agents are regularly introduced to new technology promising to save time, generate leads or automate relationships.
The most useful tools don’t necessarily replace the work agents do. They help agents spend more time on the parts of the job where their knowledge and relationships matter.
“This is where brand support matters,” says Todd Shyiak, executive vice-president of CENTURY 21 Canada. “Agents need more than marketing materials. They need practical tools that help them deliver immediate, relevant value to clients and keep those relationships strong over time. A strong brand should make it easier for agents to have better conversations — not just remind them to make more calls.”
If a client needs more information, mortgage professionals from CENTUM are on hand to answer questions. That adds to the network of support homeowners can lean on throughout their homeownership journey.
Start small and listen closely
One of the biggest obstacles to adopting new technology is the feeling that it requires an entirely new system. Agents already have CRMs, marketing platforms, email campaigns and follow-up routines. Adding another tool can sound like more work, even when the intention is to make things easier.
Sébastien Bonnerot, senior vice-president of strategic growth at CENTURY 21 Canada and owner of CENTURY 21 Élite in Quebec, suggests agents start with a manageable group when first working with Mortgage Monitor.
“Start with yourself and see your own report. Then pick five clients you know well and walk them through the process and listen to their feedback,” he says.
That approach gives agents a chance to understand the homeowner’s experience before introducing Mortgage Monitor to their entire database. Choose clients you know well. Explain that you have a way to provide monthly information about their home and mortgage. Ask whether it would be useful. Then pay attention to the questions they ask.
“The best follow-up does not start with the agent’s need for another transaction,” he adds. “It starts with a question to the client: what do you need?” The technology can then help answer the question.
For agents looking for more from their brand, that is the real opportunity. The right tools do not replace relationships. They help agents keep earning them.
Mortgage Monitor is available at no additional cost to participating C21 agents, subject to brokerage availability and eligibility. CENTURY 21 agents interested in Mortgage Monitor can ask their brokerage about getting started and explore the homeowner experience at C21mortgagemonitor.ca.
