Another equally important “R” in creating a successful practice in real estate is “Relationships”. One has to like people, and understand that real estate is a relationship business. It is not about fancy gadgetry, optimized to the max websites, videos, driving the right car or having the most followers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Hashtags,or Linked In. You have to like people, not just say you do. You really, really have to like people of all persuasions and walks of life without judgment or prejudice.
Real estate both for the buyer and the seller is an emotional experience: there are highs and lows in the process of buying or selling a property. A real estate agent’s job is to be the shock absorber in the process of highs and lows.
As a shock absorber one should stay neutral and focused on the outcome of a transaction and not the minutia and the hissy fits that both buyers and sellers are bound to have. There is no doubt that as an agent you will be frustrated, just go pound a pillow and get it out of your system. Do not take sides not matter how tempting it may be. Stay focused on the desired outcome and both sides will thank you, when the deal is done. And whatever you do, do not discuss this on line in any social media platform. Nothing is private online!
Staying consistently in touch with your sphere is another fundamental tenet of good relationships. We often tell the story of one of our clients. At the market she saw “a friend” to whom she had a sold a home 7 years before, and asked her why she did not call her to list the home. Her friend responded, “I thought you were dead!” Absence does not make the heart grow fonder in real estate.