Sometimes we have a day (or week) that makes us scratch our head and ask “Why?!” That’s when I like to take a step back and reassess the situation and where we are when it’s all said and done.
Things don’t always go the way we plan, not just in Real Estate, but in Life. If we don’t adapt to the needs of each situation, we will never get the desired results. Every Agent has nightmare transactions and clients….yup, it’s true. We just have to remember that every move we make should be done in such a way that we protect the client, no matter what. They can ignore our professional opinions. They can believe that they know more than we do about the current market. They can even misrepresent themselves and their home (without our knowledge!) and we still have an obligation to protect the client. Now, if they do something that isn’t legal (like falsifying legal documents), they are on their own!
We Agents work in a highly competitive market here. Who else has about 1000 competitors in their field, locally?? You can’t swing a lockbox without hitting about 10 Agents around here, for goodness sake! There are some GREAT Agents out there and there are some (ahem) not-so-great Agents, as well. I think most get into Real Estate with the thought that they can make a ton of money, work when they feel like it, and it will be just like HGTV. I’m here to tell you, folks, it is NOTHING like TV, but part of that holds some truth. Let’s expand on it a bit…
Real Estate Agents do have an opportunity to earn whatever they want to IF they work hard. There are no financial ceilings or barriers holding you back from being a millionaire here. You will work 7 days a week, 20 hours a day, and you won’t have time to relax unless….you plan your success. If you set some simple limits, you CAN have it all. I have always said that Sunday is a day for God and Family so I don’t schedule work on Sundays. That may work for you, or it may not work for you, but that has been my philosophy.
You will need a great Calendar to keep up with all the meetings, showings, and deadlines you will have. If it’s not on that calendar, it won’t happen. If you’re unorganized and a scatterbrain…this may not be the career for you!
You will need to put your Clients’ best interests above your own, in every situation. If they want to look at a home that has a less than desirable commission…show the dang house!!!! Who cares what YOU want?? Your job is to find the perfect home for your clients, not the perfect commission for your wallet. If your client wants to see 10 houses on a Saturday afternoon in August…show the dang homes!!!! I don’t care if you wanted to go to the beach…get out there and make the client happy.
I do think that setting some boundaries are good. But I also believe that we, as Agents, need to have better communication with our clients so we aren’t “haulin’ and hopin'” folks around looking at things that are a waste of time. If you don’t take the time to learn about the clients you serve, I can guarantee that your job will be much more difficult. I showed a wonderful couple three homes last week and the wife said to me, “Well, Ms. Lisa, I guess we better make up our minds about which home we want.” I laughed and said; ‘This is NOT HGTV, girl! You can look at more than three homes.’ She really felt she would just be wasting my time by not choosing what was behind door #1, 2 or 3.
This is a noble profession, but it’s not for the faint of heart. Our love of people, and commitment to serve others, is just part of who we are. We have worked hard to get where we are and will continue to work hard to help families find the home of their dreams.
If you have considered a career in Real Estate but don’t know where to start, give us a call. We won’t sugar coat it, and will always provide “real Real Estate” advice because YOU deserve it! 866-9-OFFROAD offroadrealty@usa.com or if you see us Jeepin’ around town….Beep at the Jeep!!
