Get results or die
One of the things pounded into my noggin since I decided to follow in Dad’s real estate brokerage footsteps was that it’s all about results. No results, no pay. There’s zero, zip, nada, no reward for tryin’ really really hard, yet failing to generate the results for which you were hired.
That one harsh reality is what chases most from the real estate business.
When queried about what the difference makers are for successful brokers and agents, the usual short list emerges. Hard work, correct priorities, all the usual skill sets, knowledge, and more. But what really sets the leaders apart (besides the superior results that they produce) is the edge they have in overall knowledge.
The one indisputable question I ask
I typically get arguments at this point, at least until I ask one question:
- When you hire any professional to do anything profoundly important for you, do you want him/her to be massively knowledgeable or is there something more important? And yes, honest/integrity is assumed here, so please don’t make that an issue.
Your potential clients know superior knowledge in an agent when they see/hear it. It’s something you can’t fake for any real period of time. Name a profession where a significant edge in knowledge doesn’t lead to enhanced consumer confidence.
In my experience, it’s one of the most underrated, undervalued components in what a real estate agent brings to the table. The more your potential market discerns superior knowledge on your part, the more popular you’ll become.
Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Then why, oh why, is it so disrespected by most in the real estate industry?
Jeff Brown specializes in real estate investment for retirement, has practiced real estate for over 40 years and is a veteran of over 200 tax deferred exchanges, many multi-state. Brown is a second generation broker and works daily with the third generation. With CCIM training and decades of hands on experience, Brown's expertise is highly sought after, some of which he shares on his real estate investing blog.