No matter what industry you are in, everyone wants to be successful. The key to finding success is to find a career that meshes well with your attributes. Not everyone is cut out to succeed in an industry like real estate. Real estate is one of the most competitive industries out there which is why it takes a certain type of grit in order to achieve success.
In order to be successful in such a cut-throat industry it is important that you are knowledgeable about not only the industry, but the area that you are farming in. You can know everything there is to know about real estate laws, etc., but if you cannot answer your client’s questions about a neighborhood, they will likely find an agent who does know about the area.
One of the keys to success is remaining organized. There are a plethora of documents that your clients are going to send you and if you can’t keep them organized, you have a greater margin for error. Have you ever looked at your desk and realized that it is completely covered with paperwork and you have no idea what papers are for which client? Try to avoid that by keeping each client’s paperwork together in an organized fashion.
Having tenacity is important because real estate is such a difficult and competitive industry. It is important that you never give up, even when times get tough. Being tenacious will help you to keep the upper hand if other agents are also struggling. Never give up.
Always be polite. As an agent, or any other profession really, you are going to come across people who are downright rude. I personally really dislike rude people, but just because someone is rude, doesn't give you the right to be rude back. Always take the higher road and be unconditionally polite. Don’t mistake politeness for being a pushover - you still need to stand your ground, but do so in a respectful way.
Honesty is key to gaining your client’s or potential client’s trust. If you are dishonest, you will not have a good relationship with your clients and because real estate is a referral business, that reputation is likely to follow you causing your business to suffer. You clients may not always like the answers you provide them, but if you are honest, they will respect you more.
As an agent, you are going to face a multitude of problems everyday. No sale or purchase is going to be the same and because nothing in life is perfect, it is important that you have your problem solver hat on at all times. Maybe your clients don’t yet have their pre-approval letter yet and they want to make an offer on a home by tomorrow. Instead of being overwhelmed and giving up on them, brainstorm ideas on how to make it work.
Motivation to succeed needs to drive everything that you do. This motivation should never compromise your character, rather it should drive you to be a better agent or broker. Each agent and broker is going to be defined by something different - maybe you are motivated by money. Maybe you are motivated by helping others. Whatever the case may be, let that motivation drive you to success.
It can be difficult to find the right career to not only bring you happiness, but bring you success. The most successful agents and brokers are those that have these attributes. They may not have all of these, but they have some combination. If you aren’t finding the success that you were hoping for, consider these attributes and evaluate if real estate is the right industry for you.