Being a real estate agent is like being an orchestra conductor. You’re standing front and center, all eyes on you, while simultaneously trying to manage multiple people and processes. Just like being a great conductor, becoming a winning agent requires work. It’s a balancing act that requires dedication, focus, passion, and practice.
5 Traits of a Winning Agent
Going from good to great – becoming a winning agent – doesn’t happen by accident. It all starts with personality, but excellence requires more than just being an extrovert and knowing how to network.
The best agents have five traits in common, each working in harmony to create a masterful real estate career.
Do you have the five traits it takes to succeed in real estate?
1. Honesty
The number one trait of a winning agent is honesty and integrity. In any sales position, it can be tempting to go for the “hard sell,” to exaggerate details so you can close the deal. But clients can spot a con artist from a mile away.
The most valuable asset for any real estate agent is your clients’ trust. If they can’t trust you, they won’t be repeat customers, and they certainly won’t send referrals your way. Approaching your business with honesty and integrity is about more than just following the laws and giving your clients good advice. It’s about living your life with integrity and being willing to always put your clients’ best interests above your own.
They say honesty is the best policy – and that’s certainly true when it comes to the real estate business.
2. Negotiation Skills
Strong negotiation skills are critical to a long, successful real estate career. Negotiation is somewhat of an art; it takes practice to hone your skills. But winning agents know how to approach each deal, engaging in frank-but-friendly conversations to find the common ground.
Great negotiators win real estate deals, period. Your clients pay you to get the best deal on their behalf. Successful agents know when to push, when to back off, and how to get the most bang for their client’s buck.
If negotiation isn’t your strong suit, consider investing in some online or in-person seminars to help improve your skills. Being an expert negotiator could be the difference between a floundering real estate business and a successful career.
3. Great Communication
Real estate deals rely on effective communication. As an agent, you must communicate regularly with your clients to fully understand their needs and concerns. You must communicate with other agents and their clients, finding ways to relay your clients’ wishes effectively. And you need to keep the lines of communication open between all parties involved: buyers, sellers, agents, lenders, contractors – the list sometimes feels endless. Like a conductor, your job is to make all those moving pieces come together at just the right time.
Winning agents are great communicators. If your communication skills need a little tune-up, check out this blog.
4. Determination
It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, especially in this housing market. Homes are selling just as fast as they hit the market. Sellers have to wade through multiple offers and often count on your advice to help them make the best decision. Buyers are frustrated, losing one bidding war after another, feeling hopeless about their chance to become homeowners.
Meanwhile, you’re working long hours, giving up weekends and holidays with your family, all to close the deal.
Being a successful agent takes determination. It means burning the midnight oil to complete that contract, showing houses on a moment’s notice, and playing cheerleader to your discouraged buyers. Winning agents don’t give up.
Side note: being determined is crucial. But it’s also important to recognize when you’ve hit a wall and have to reprioritize. Click here to learn how to avoid real estate agent burnout.
5. Resourcefulness
Finally, winning agents are resourceful. No matter how long you’ve been in the business, there is always more to learn. There will come a time when you don’t know how to handle a particular situation or answer a specific question. Successful real estate agents don’t guess. Instead, they rely on their powers of resourcefulness.
If you are unsure about something, step back, consider the resources available, and use them effectively. That might mean consulting with a more senior agent, connecting with a specialist, or asking questions until you find a suitable answer.
Great agents rely on their professional and personal networks to help them solve problems. Resourcefulness helps you serve your clients more effectively.
Chances are, if you’re in the real estate business, you already have these traits. The secret to success in real estate is to nurture them.
Which of these traits do you think is your strongest? Which are your weakest? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
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