A career in real estate is unique to other career choices—it’s up to you to decide how successful you want to be, or how much effort and time you want to give.
If you’re determined to be a top-producing real estate agent and it’s what you want to achieve in a long-term career, it’s worth it.
Just keep in mind that seven out of 10 times you try to move yourself up that ladder, you will fail. But, don’t give up. No matter what, you have to keep trying.
These seven habits of successful, high-volume agents will give you the edge you need to take your real estate career to the top level.
Get a Mentor
It can be too easy to flounder in the business if you don’t have someone with years of experience to lean on. Get a mentor—it’s the way to go. Learn to absorb the knowledge and skills they have and it will pay off for you.
Manage Risk
Surround yourself with people that can help you stay on top of compliance, especially your brokers. As an agent that handles a lot of transaction volume, you are going to be susceptible to more compliance risk. Get to know your brokers—they will be the ones you talk to the most and you need to know that you can rely on their expertise in a timely manner. A broker that is spread too thin and doesn’t have the time to return your call isn’t going to give you the kind of support you need while you’re busy growing your business.
Hire an Assistant
If you are selling at a huge volume, you won’t be able to do it all. Find someone you can trust and is great at their job and pay them well for it. They will be able to handle areas of your business you won’t have time for, like social monitoring and posts, scheduling meetings and more.
Always Answer Your Phone
You’re always going to be at the mercy of your clients. You need to know from the beginning that being a top-producer will be a full-time job if you want to be successful. This means you need to answer your phone. Being available at all times can make the difference between a happy or disgruntled client—or worse, losing a client.
Create a Distinct Identity
You can have a distinct brand or be a specialist in a niche market while still being part of a group. Find other agents with the same integrity, industry interests and volume production, and collaborate and network regularly.
On the client side, if you’re going to spend time at an open house, do the marketing right so the interested homebuyers know you’re the specialist in that area or for that type of real estate. Promote your niche when market yourself—try different channels to reach those that could benefit from the area your specialize in.
Consistently Market Yourself
If you are going to be successful, you have set money and time aside to keep your name out there in the public, constantly and consistently. You need to stay in the public eye and stay in their minds—client loyalty and referrals on their own won’t keep you busy enough.
The best thing you can do for your business when it comes to marketing is choose a dollar amount, set aside a monthly budget and make a plan for the year. Remember: if you stop, there will be other agents who will keep advertising, and they’ll be the ones with the leads and listings.
Find a Brokerage That Supports You
To be successful at anything in life, you need to have a solid foundation. You need to have a brokerage that will stand behind you, but, at the same time, give you the room you need to run your business. You know a brokerage is the best for you when you have a clear picture of the organization from the management down—who’s able to help you with a range of questions, from broker support to assistance with technology.
If your goal is to achieve top-producer status, practicing these seven habits will assist you in building the foundation you need to segue into the top tier in your market.
Bobby Lieb has been a top-producing real estate agent with HomeSmart in Scottsdale, Ariz. since 2011. Lieb ranks No. 2 in the Phoenix Business Journal’s list of Top-Selling Phoenix-Area Residential Real Estate Agents for 2017, based on a closed dollar volume of $70.02 million for 2016. He is the founder of HomeSmart International’s Elite Group in Arizona, a division of the top tier of HomeSmart agents. Lieb can be reached at BobLieb@aol.com. For more information, please visit homesmart.com/join-us/.
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