Do You Have What It Takes To Succeed In Real Estate?
You must have enthusiasm to succeed in real estate. It's so easy to procrastinate when you are self-employed - or to sleep late every day if you're so inclined. Prospecting and previewing seem thankless sometimes.
When I was new in real estate, I had it - enthusiasm, that is. I did open houses every weekend, took names and made cookies. I would work with any buyer, regardless of his motivation or time frame. I even offered to show relocating renters around town just in case they might buy a house someday. I marketed my listings in every imaginable venue-newspapers, mass mailings, postcards and city-wide brochure distribution.
I answered the phone at all hours of the day or night. I worked seven days a week. I checked voicemail during vacation and returned business calls from a hot, noisy street in Mexico.
I'm not saying that these were all smart things to do - I spent a lot of money unnecessarily and destroyed my marriage in the process. But to succeed in this tough business you need to be excited about your new career, nearly to the point of fanaticism.
I once interviewed a licensee right out of real estate school who announced to me that he intended to take every Sunday and Monday off. Fair enough. But then I realized that he meant he wouldn't even answer his phone on his days off, at the risk of losing potential customers. After several years in real estate, I got to the point where I was willing to risk losing customers for the sake of a mental health day, but in my first year? No way. I lived for phone calls from potential clients. I literally did cartwheels a few times when I got off the phone from a new buyer or a referral. I got a little thrill every time my pager went off; I couldn't wait to see who had called. I still feel that way most of the time.
That new agent didn't make it in real estate - he quit within the year. He probably could have been a great agent, but his heart just wasn't in it.
If your lifestyle doesn't accommodate a 24/7 availability to your clients, you can still succeed. You can always find people willing to work harder than you, regardless of what field you are in. And guess what? They may be more successful financially than you, and that's fair. Life is about priorities and compromises. You can't have it all and do any of it exceptionally well. That said, early in your real estate career you really do need to be committed to building your expertise and business. Remember the 80% failure rate for first-year agents? An awful lot of those failures are likely competent people who aren't prepared for the overwhelming demands of a new real estate career.
Just think about it.
Related Tags: real estate, sell with soul, jennifer allan, real estate training, new agent
Jennifer Allan, author of Sell with Soul: The New Agent's Guide to an Extraordinary Career in Real Estate was a successful real estate agent in Denver for ten years and is currently a real estate consultant and author. To find out more about her books and her "soulful" philosophy, visit her website at http://www.sellwithsoul.com
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- 5 Reasons to Buy Jasper Real Estate
Jasper is a small town in North Georgia and it is growing rapidly. Since North Georgia Foreclosures - Ellijay Real Estate
Ellijay Georgia has always been known for it's outdoor activities and seasonal festivals. Downtown E - How to Deal With Blocked Drains
A blocked drain is an occurrence that happens eventually to all households. You may have experienced - The Benefits of Hiring a Plumbing Consultant
Your dream home may not always be brand new, with fresh paint and home essentials. There are certain - The Worst Mistake You Can Make When You Apply to Rent a Home
A whole new class of people has become renters and potential renters in America during the last thre - State of Individual Real Estate Markets
Everybody is well aware of the hit that the real estate market has taken over the past three years. - Thoughts on Avoiding the Landlord Trap
I've heard several people say they would never invest in a multifamily rental property because they - An Idea to Increase the Bottom Line of Your Investment Property
Are you pretty sure that you've already maximized the income coming from your property? If you've cl - Finding the Value of a Piece of Investment Real Estate
There is a lot of confusion about how much investment property is really worth. We'll look at three - Arkansas Land For Sale - Search Engine Optimization and Your Website
If you have Arkansas land for sale and are interested in advertising it on your website I have a few
Most viewed articles in this category:
- How High Did Home Prices Really Go
The U.S. Census Bureau released data on Tuesday that revealed where the nation's hottest markets wer - New Homeowners Tips for Household Safety
With so many items on their ¡°buying a home¡± checklist, few homeowners take into considerati - Truth About VA Foreclosures
Many people now days are finding themselves out of work and not being able to make the mortgage paym - Avoid Rookie Real Estate Investing Mistakes
When Robert Kiyosaki, author of the Rich Dad book series, bought his first property he was, of cours - Finding The Perfect Roommate On Craigslist
Craigslist, Roommates, and The Concerns Craigslist is "great" when it comes to looking for housing - The Forgotten Secret To Selling Property - Simple, Quick And Cheap
Why spend big dollars trying to get people to drive a long way to see your house, when your best pro - Get Amazing Results Selling Real Estate Online
This is the age of the internet. Why not take advantage of the widespread use of the internet to ad - Dallas Real Estate Information
In the United States, Dallas is considered as the second leading state according to the area. If any - The Largest Private Equity Indian Real Estate Deal
In the largest private equity deal won by the real estate sector, Morgan Stanley Real Estate has inv - Fractional Real Estate Ownership
Fractional ownership of vacation ski condos is growing in popularity. Park City Utah a popular ski t
