Part One: What to look for in the REALTOR® that you hire – 9 Tips For Success
Over the Holidays I had some time to think about our changing real estate industry – no one can deny that it has changed more in the last 5 years than the previous 30. Change is good, exciting, stressful, and necessary, but what are some of the fundamental underpinnings of our trade that will endure all the changes?
Preamble.
As a practicing REALTOR® for over 20 years, I must say I am proud of the profession. I have the privilege of knowing many fine REALTORS® who have dedicated their lives to making Clients lives better through buying and selling real estate.
Yet, as in any profession, there are both the good and bad, excellent, and awful, mediocre, and exceptional.
There are those that are focused on the Clients needs and desires, and others on a quick sale with no real concern for the Client or their individual situation. Focused on the commission, short sighted, and inexperienced they advise Clients based on their own motivations and designs. Once escrow is closed they are on to the next prospect with nary a look back, constantly on the look for their next victim.
Part of the paradimn change in real estate has to do with the advent of social media and transparency in our business. Slowly the “old school, gate keeper style agent is falling away as both new and experienced agents embrace the Web 2.0 experience.
Those of us that do are doing so to contribute to the greater common good of our industry by bringing out into the light of day and understanding of the real estate process. It is hard work, but as Chris Brogan says we are all part of the community and should contribute for the greater good. I am a firm believer in this ideal.
Many visitors to San Diego Lifestyle will never contact me or become a Client – but have found resources and tools that help them understand the process and how to ask the right questions. The Internet, while a awesome reference tool, takes some time to find relevant and truthful content.
So on to my first point of the top 9 traits I think you should look for when choosing a REALTOR®.
The first word that comes to mind is HONESTY, because without honesty all else is null and void.
Now everyone is going to stake a claim to honesty, and it is up to you as the client to filter through what someone is telling you to decide if it is truthful. This takes a bit of time with someone to determine what their motivations are – but you’ll know as you build a relationship with a REALTOR® if they are truly honest and have your best interests at heart or just after the commission.
As I begin working with Clients I understand that I need to build trust. The best way to do that is through being honest and providing the Client with not just my opinion , but underlying facts and figures to substainate and support my statements.
TRUST but Verify.
What I love about the changes in our industry is everyone’s ability to put themselves out there on the web for everyone to see. By reading and following a person you can get a feel for who they are, what motivates them, their experience level, and personality – all before you ever pick up the phone or send an e-mail.
To summarize, time is on your side in determining the honesty of an individual. It is by far the most important component of a successful relationship and one that everyone deserves. Too many people have relied on poor advice regarding their real estate investments – the time for that is over as our markets shift to a more normalized appreciation gain where making the right purchase is critical.
My next post on this subject will be Real Estate Agency Relationships – perhaps the 2nd most important factor when choosing a REALTOR®.
Photo courtesy of Flickr
I love this post. It is an exciting time for the real estate profession as a whole – mostly due to two things: technology and transparency which you discuss here Jeff.
The thing I like most about your post (aside from it being written by you!) is that you call this to attention:
“Many visitors to San Diego Lifestyle will never contact me or become a Client – but have found resources and tools that help them understand the process and how to ask the right questions.”
This coupled with the paragraph above it discussing “the greater good” makes for what is at the heart of your post. TRUST. Too many in the world believe that trust is something you can “get” or “impress upon people”. The cold hard truth is that trust is earned – and usually over a long and painstakingly HONEST journey. What I love about your site is that it is exactly what I would look for as a consumer and has that in mind. There is information, insight, and help – if I choose to use it that's up to me. That in itself begins the path of trust in my mind.
Liz Strauss wrote a wonderful post on trust where she discusses it's many states. The one that I love the most (and feel is most appropriate to our industry) is that “Trust is the hard truth spoken gently”. I love that saying and when pricing your home or advising you in a negotiation, I believe that “the hard truth spoken gently” is exactly what I would want as a client.
Thanks for writing this post – and if any potential clients of Jeff's are reading my long-winded comment know this. “I am a coach that works with over 800 agents in Chicago and am networked with hundreds more across the nation. I trust Jeff and have never met him in person”
So that my friend are my thoughts on your post. Wonderfully written and has helped to solidify the trust I have in you as someone who stands out in our industry.
Matt, Thank you so much for your kind words.
I think that we are both on the same page as to how exciting a time this is in real estate, and what great opportunities that lie ahead and how we both envision the future of our business. And most important that we all bring something to the table to bring up the industry as a whole for the benefit of all.
As always I feel privileged when you stop by and comment and look forward to the day we will meet face2face. I love your writings and outlook on real estate.
Best, Jeffrey
I love this post. It is an exciting time for the real estate profession as a whole – mostly due to two things: technology and transparency which you discuss here Jeff.
The thing I like most about your post (aside from it being written by you!) is that you call this to attention:
“Many visitors to San Diego Lifestyle will never contact me or become a Client – but have found resources and tools that help them understand the process and how to ask the right questions.”
This coupled with the paragraph above it discussing “the greater good” makes for what is at the heart of your post. TRUST. Too many in the world believe that trust is something you can “get” or “impress upon people”. The cold hard truth is that trust is earned – and usually over a long and painstakingly HONEST journey. What I love about your site is that it is exactly what I would look for as a consumer and has that in mind. There is information, insight, and help – if I choose to use it that's up to me. That in itself begins the path of trust in my mind.
Liz Strauss wrote a wonderful post on trust where she discusses it's many states. The one that I love the most (and feel is most appropriate to our industry) is that “Trust is the hard truth spoken gently”. I love that saying and when pricing your home or advising you in a negotiation, I believe that “the hard truth spoken gently” is exactly what I would want as a client.
Thanks for writing this post – and if any potential clients of Jeff's are reading my long-winded comment know this. “I am a coach that works with over 800 agents in Chicago and am networked with hundreds more across the nation. I trust Jeff and have never met him in person”
So that my friend are my thoughts on your post. Wonderfully written and has helped to solidify the trust I have in you as someone who stands out in our industry.
Matt, Thank you so much for your kind words.
I think that we are both on the same page as to how exciting a time this is in real estate, and what great opportunities that lie ahead and how we both envision the future of our business. And most important that we all bring something to the table to bring up the industry as a whole for the benefit of all.
As always I feel privileged when you stop by and comment and look forward to the day we will meet face2face. I love your writings and outlook on real estate.
Best, Jeffrey
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