The Skills You Need to
Become a Successful Estate Agent
See also: Customer Service Skills
There are thousands of real estate agents engaged in buying and selling homes and commercial properties for their clients. However, some estate agents stand apart from the others by being great at their jobs, closing every deal with perfection, and really benefitting their clients. It is these agents who we will focus on here.
The best real estate agents are rarely shy or afraid to voice their opinions. They like to promote a property by focusing on its best aspects. They are not aggressive, but are passionate about what they do and work hard to put their clients’ interests ahead of their own.
They work equally well with sellers and buyers. Since most successful real estate agents have a proven track record and dozens of happy clients, they do not hesitate to provide testimonials of their past work.
Many people consider real estate as a career but many more do not follow through on this ambition. There is a different process for acquiring a real estate license by state and the difficulty and requirements of these processes will differ by state as well.
There are many traits and characteristics you need to become a successful estate agent in today’s competitive market including obtaining a real estate license, for which you will need to research your state’s requirements. Regardless of your state’s examination requirements, you’ll be able to benefit from free real estate exam practice tests.
Local Knowledge
You can never become a successful estate agent if you do not know your local area. It also helps to acquire a good working knowledge of other relevant communities and neighborhoods before you deal with clients.
Local knowledge gives you an edge in terms of understanding the rules and regulations in different areas and communities, as well as knowing the likely value of a property. You should also research other locations that present good real estate opportunities for your clients.
It is important to develop a clear understanding of neighborhoods and home values in all relevant areas over time. If you are new to a town, take some time to become familiar with the place before you become a real estate agent as it takes time to develop good local knowledge, but it will help you build a successful career.
Communication Skills
The best real estate agents are good with people and know how to communicate the interests of their clients.
Good communication skills help an agent to discuss all matters before a contract is drafted. Once all details are discussed, an agent should be able to negotiate all aspects of a deal so that both parties benefit. A good agent then knows how to convince both parties to close a successful deal.
Integrity
One of the most important characteristics of a good real estate agent is honesty. This means that if you want to become an agent who is known for being the best at their job, you must have the integrity to offer evidence of this claim.
Being dishonest, unethical and immoral can tarnish a career fast, and for good.
Nobody likes to work with an agent who has a dubious reputation. Both sellers and buyers are looking for the best returns on their deals and are likely to ask for referrals before they decide to hire an agent. Reputation matters and so you should have a good client-base who can provide glowing testimonies of recent successful deals.
See our page: Trustworthiness and Conscientiousness for more about the importance of integrity.
Ethics
A hard working attitude makes an agent stand apart from the rest of the flock. Selling and buying homes is not a one-day job and it takes a lot of time and effort to get both parties to agree terms before they sign a contract.
This is why a good real estate agent never gives up and puts all their effort into buying and selling properties. Since buying or selling a house or other property is an important decision, people will not want to hire an agent who is sloppy, nor one who does not take their job seriously.
See our page: Professional Ethics for more.
Familiarity with Rules and Regulations
A real estate agent understands how rules and regulations apply to real estate in a particular region.
The agent has to be familiar with all laws relating to a property so that they do not communicate inaccurate information to clients, or mislead in any other way.
The agent guides clients through all the necessary paperwork and legal technicalities related to a sale. Since most homeowners are unaware of real estate laws when they buy or sell a house, they depend on a real estate agent to guide them through this complicated process.
Persistence
Many agents who want to make it big in the real estate industry fail in one important aspect: follow up. When you fail to take every lead you get, you are less likely to become a top performer. Following up every lead is crucial in achieving success.
Following up leads may require automation or a system that keeps track of beneficial leads. Throw away your notebooks and post-it notes and embrace new technology! These days, you can keep tabs on all relevant details with the help of apps installed on your phone. Implementing a real estate agent CRM system can simplify lead management and provide a centralized platform for efficient tracking and nurturing of leads.
Successful real estate agents do not wait for clients to call them. They keep a check on all appointments, meetings and showings themselves. They are also flexible and will adjust their schedule if the client requests.
Passion
Popular and successful real estate agents are those who enjoy what they do for a living.
You must have a passion to serve people by showing them the best properties within their budget. Estate agency also requires a respect for diversity so that people from all cultures and neighborhoods are accommodated, satisfied and happy.
You will never see a successful estate agent who is haggard, frustrated or bored with their job.
Good agents are enthusiastic about what they do, are presentable, and take care of their appearance. They are in this business to help their clients accomplish beneficial property investments, as well as build their own successful real estate career.
Further Reading from Skills You Need
The Skills You Need Guide to Interpersonal Skills eBooks.
Develop your interpersonal skills with our series of eBooks. Learn about and improve your communication skills, tackle conflict resolution, mediate in difficult situations, and develop your emotional intelligence.
Final Thoughts
These are just a few of the qualities and skills that a successful real estate agent must possess if they want to survive in the industry.
A good agent keeps themselves up-to-date with all changes that are happening in the rules and regulations pertaining to real estate. Anyone who is persistent, passionate and aware of the dynamics of the real estate in their local community can become a real estate agent.
A successful estate agent keeps abreast of relevant technological developments, such as online resources, websites, forums and apps, which can help them become better at serving their clients. Mental alertness, good communication and the willingness to adopt new technologies combine to make a successful real estate agent.
About the Author
Elena has been investing in real estate for more than 10 years, and writing about real estate investing for seven years. She works as a digital marketing manager at Malta Sothebys Realty.