How to Be a Great Real Estate Agent

Real estate can be a great career if you are a hard-working, self-motivated, and honest professional. These attributes generally come from within you. You either are these things or you are not. There are, however, many skills that you can learn and develop to ensure your clients stay with you for life, and refer other clients to you as well.

Communication is the key. One of the most common complaints I hear from real estate clients is that their previous agent was not in contact with them. This could very well be the case; like any industry, real estate unfortunately has its share of bad apples. However, it may just be that the client does not feel like the agent has been in communication with them in the method the client prefers.

For example, if your client prefers to speak with you in person or over the phone, don't send emails once or twice a week to update them. In his or her opinion, you are ignoring them. Just because emails are the easiest for you as the agent, and your client has an email address, that does not mean you are meeting your clients needs. Ask during your interview process how your client would like to receive information from you, and then use that method. You may choose to incorporate other methods of communication as well, but these should not be your primary methods. One example of this is if you are providing a detailed list of comparable homes to your client. You could use their preferred method of contact, a phone call, to let them know that you will be emailing (or dropping off at their home) this information, as it is not effective to read the package over the phone.

If you client is selling their home, keep updated on changes in their neighborhood. Did those other homes for sale go into escrow? Did one of them finally close the deal? How much was the final selling price? Does this help or hurt your client's price and/or situation? Be in communication with them so he or she feels a part of the process. This is a usually a life-changing process for your client. Information, positive or negative, is needed by you, the agent, and the client to navigate the best course for selling that home quickly and for the most money.