Paul Stevens, CEO of Just Property, explains what it takes to be a successful real estate agent in today’s climate.
What does it take to be a successful real estate agent?
1. Resiliency: The ability to weather the ups and downs inherent in any industry. Life never goes exactly the way the business plan describes it, so our agents have to be the kind of positive people who keep going even when there are obstacles in their path.
2. Focus: After setting a long-term vision, you need the ability to hone your focus in on the very next step needed to get closer to the ultimate goal. There are many, wonderful distractions in the world of real estate, so this skill is critical.
3. Vested for the long-term: The ideal agent is entrepreneurial, and this mindset brings many great qualities. The only negative is that many entrepreneurs by their nature are not patient. If you can combine an entrepreneurial mindset with patience, this is the field for you. Success takes lots of time and lots of effort
4. Emotionally intelligent: To succeed in this field, you need to be a people’s person and get joy from dealing with a wide range of buyers or sellers who are taking some of the most important decisions of their lives. Solutions-driven, caring people who enjoy networking will fly.
5. Sell. This goes without saying: You have to love finding solutions for your clients and helping them reach the right decisions for their needs and lifestyle. And then you need to know how to close!
6. Learn: Successful agents realize that they don’t know everything and the market is always changing. They stay up to date on new systems, technology, and industry trends and they are open to constant innovation. At Just Property, we need to be uncomfortable with being comfortable.
7. Self-reflection: Our agents need to make time for downtime to reflect on the past and plan for the future. Always working only leads to burnout, physically and emotionally. We encourage time out of the office and work/life balance.
8. Self-reliance: While there is a lot of help for our agents, they ultimately need to be resourceful enough to find the answers they are looking for, and they need to take responsibility for their own success.
9. Tech-savvy: to stay ahead in today's world, we need to harness the efficiencies that tech offers, from being able to draw on data-driven insights to streamlining processes. Property has very definitely entered the digital age – if technology does not excite you, reconsider.
10. 100% Customer-centric: a new breed of agent is emerging, one with a sharp eye on what today's customer needs. We see our agents’ work a service to their community.
“If you are eager to serve your clients, to find solutions for them and guide them through the intricacies of property transactions, leveraging all the tech and other tools at your disposal, you will enjoy being in this game,” Stevens concludes. “And if you have the above character traits, give Just Property a call. We’re hiring and are looking for exceptional people to join us and thrive.”